“For more on the situation in Venezuela, we go to the BBC’s Orla Guerin.”
RNZ National, Thursday 31 January 2019, 6.15 a.m.
Emotion merchant Orla Guerin is “emotional” as always. Her voice throbs as she summons up an approximate imitation of earnest solicitude and sincerity. It’s clear who she’s been told to portray as the hero in this Washington-directed farce: “The authorities turning up the heat on Venezuela’s young Opposition leader….”
RNZ National Morning Report host Susie Ferguson (herself a former BBC “reporter”) ends the one minute coverage of Venezuela for the morning: “That’s the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido talking to Orla Guerin.”
Venezuela has been an object of ridicule and loathing on New Zealand’s state broadcaster for years now….
I don’t know where you get the impression I “adore” the democratically elected leader of Venezuela. I acknowledge that both he and Chávez before him were far from perfect, and made many mistakes. I was particularly incensed by Chávez’s ideological assault against El Sistema, Venezuela’s world-renowned music program. He attacked it on the barbaric and ridiculous ground that classical music was a middle class thing.
I was astonished and alarmed to see Chávez grandstanding in the U.S., ostentatiously delivering free fuel to the poor areas of some U.S. cities in order to show up the neglectful Bush administration. That always seemed like a provocative and foolish thing to do. He—and now Maduro—also did little or nothing about diversifying the country’s economy—leaving it prey to pirates like the Bush gang and its obedient vassals in the E.U., Canada, Australia, Israel and the fascist regimes of Central and South America.
They’ve been pretty damned hopeless—but they’ve never been involved in the destruction of another country, leave alone four or five. And let’s not forget that the plight of the country, the suffering and the violence, is due mainly to the extreme right-wing, democracy-hating Venezuelan insurrectionists, and the aggressive and totally illegal “sanctions” imposed by U.S. regimes, mounting in ferocity and pitilessness following the failed coup of 2002.
You either support the rule of law and democratic elections, Gabby—or you meekly give in and reluctantly support Trump, Pence, Pompeo, Bolton, and Abrams.
What d’you reckon will happen when a government takes every measure it can to destroy legitimate opposition morrie? Including creating a new legislature to do an end run around the elected one?
“Legitimate” opposition? These are the insurrectionists that fought and lost the 2002 coup. They boycott elections because they know they will never get a large enough vote to win or to even cut a deal.
Venezuela’s elections in 2013 and 2018 were praised by all observers. Not the insurrectionists and their U.S. backers, but by all people who observed the elections. They were certainly far cleaner than the U.S. elections of virtually any year. (And, no, it wasn’t those Evil Masterminds, the RUSSIANS, it was the Republican gerrymanderers and the army of corrupt officials who disenfranchised hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of mainly African American and Latino voters.)
The Communists routinely boycotted elections as a matter of strategy in many countries. Did that invalidate all those Western European elections?
Not always. But it certainly was in this case. As one of the opponents of Maduro in last year’s election, Henri Falcón, explained: “Electoral boycotts almost never work. In country after country, opposition forces that abandoned the field of electoral competition have lost ground and allowed rulers to consolidate power.”
National effectively boycotted the Epsom seat in several recent elections, so as to enable a member of the ACT cult to get a seat. They did something similar to help Peter Dunne in Ohariu. Do those boycotts invalidate New Zealand’s last three or four elections?
The elections in Venezuela in 2013 and 2018 were cleaner and more transparent than any U.S. federal election. In 2013, even Forbes magazine could not deny that. Nothing changed in the intervening years, other than the extreme right’s self-inflicted massive injury of the boycott.
Hosking dresses like a man with serious insecurity and self esteem problems.
And for Hawkesby, well that was a petulant and child-like rant. It didn’t do the Nats any favours at all which I’m sure was the purpose of the article.
She would fit right in as one of the cast in that Brit programme “Benidorm”. And yes, clothing choices are up to each person’s preference, but when KH tosses the first stone……
Yet another puerile and vitriolic rant by a Nat aligned MSM lackey. The CT backed instructions went out about 2 weeks ago I reckon – it’s “Dirty Politics” in its most virulent form from now until the next election.
Edit: Even questioned the presence of baby, Neve. She’s seven months old for God’s sake and needs her Mum. Dad might have work commitments as the moment.
Here it is:
Jacinda Ardern’s baby Neve was also there – I don’t know why, I’m not sure if other people’s kids were there, but let’s not call that weird because we’ll be lynched.
Nasty piece of work.
Wonder what her teenage brats are up to these days.
If her teenage offspring turn up half normal they’ll be doing okay. Some regularly scream about kids being to be taken off their parents to get them out of abusive environments. The sort of people who strenuously support Mike Hosking.
Is it right to leave kids in environments with polluted outlooks of their parents?
Morrissey……please put up that freaky photograph of Hosking in his ripped jeans, seemingly pointless chains, and something resembling a wannabe tough boy leather jacket……the one you posted a couple of years ago.
More things to make you go hmmmm. Steve Munchkin has possible financial links to rooskies, lifts sanctions on rooskies, rooskies hire former Drumpf transition staffer.
As the arguments about taxation culminate in the release of the tax report either today or tomorrow, the human cost of a low tax economy needs to be remembered. Richardson and Garner need to get of their high horses and go to Hospital Hill in Napier. There used to stand Napier Hospital. Closed in 1995 to pay for Bill Birchs tax cuts. It has been demolished now, but for 2 decades it stood as a reminder of where tax cuts after tax cut will enventually get us.
We need a capital gains tax. What is left of our health system need it.
We have a capital gains tax. Bridges has promised to remove it, but we don’t know how much tax revenue that will lose. (Yes there are many exemptions from treating capital gains as income – the family home being well-known.) National increased revenue from tax on capital gains by its “bright line” test which said that gains from the quick sale of property will automatically be regarded as taxable income unless there were special reasons – Bridges now wants to cut out all tax on capital gains – whoopee for those involved in buying and selling companies for a profit . . .
if you bought shares when some of the SOEs were sold, you have done quite well, but it would be good if you didn’t have to pay tax on those gains – does Bridges have a cunning plan to help a few blind trusts for retiring National politicians?
Yes. English intended to drive the Public Health system into ruin so that Presto. The Private system can ride in to pick up the broken bits that can be turned into profit. Just as in Britain it is happening so, right now.
We must have a Health system like the Americans. Right?
Yes, American’s spend the most on health care in the world and have one of the worst most expensive and inequatitable systems. I think something like 40% of American’s don’t even have access to health care and they are paying through the nose for that!
Happy to say, NZ health system is still very good, like our educations system, but you can see how the privatisation and routing and lowering of standards, while making it free (in real terms) to 4 million tourists per year and hundreds of thousands of the world living here who don’t require to pay any extra in real terms (because even if you are supposed to pay, you don’t really have to) or have private health insurance before entering the country, so the quality issues are being subtly and not so subtly pushed… We now seem to have as many people in NZ per year in NZ using all the roads, medical and hospitals and services as those who permanently live here…
The government might be aiming to stabilise migration, but decreasing immigration seems to be “in the ‘too hard basket” for now. Hope they keep their eye on the long-term ‘ball’.
“privatisation and routingrorting and lowering of standards” (just once, for info only)
Thanks Drowsy. But under Labour/NZ First/Greens last year sounds like immigration and work permits INCREASED (not stabilised) dramatically, according to TDB, 4 million tourists, 129,000 new migrants and 150,000 temporary work permits, combined they nearly equal the resident population of NZ.
Meanwhile reports of apparently work shortages seem to be lies… as local workers in constructions are having to lay off people because their wages have become too low and small (local) builders are shut out of the contracts as it becomes about who you know and lowest cost …
NZ has a quality construction issue which after lazy immigration, is the 2nd biggest problem facing the housing crisis. As fast as our Rogernomics market based construction solutions build them, they need remedial work and can’t be lived in, throwing more people out to rent who should be home owners living in their homes, and then the construction firms themselves are liquidated…
If a company is liquidated there should be proper penalties for the directors including not being able to be a company director for at least a decade… and personal fines.
Perhaps then the firms would be more choosy and of a higher standard and less likely to liquidate at the first sign of trouble so they don’t have to pay their workers and subcontractors…
It seems that being undercut by so many overseas players with deep pockets is a factor. Who knows how many of them are bringing in overseas workers and profiting from underpaying them (like the listed NZ firms) and getting payments for the job…. meanwhile the big players are able to hoover up all the housing contracts…
Also poor plans being approved by council have also been a factor…
The problem is that the firms bringing in the low cost labour and tourists are having their profits subsidised by Kiwi taxpayers who have to pay for the hospitals and schools and roads and wastewater that all these cheaper workers and tourists need, meanwhile throwing our local firms paying better wages under the bus and putting them out of work, or the standards have fallen so low with construction with planning, labour and materials that the new buildings need remedial work almost immediately and the tourist ventures are more likely to be overseas owned with substantial overseas labour to run them… so it’s a Ponzi… because it is not sustainable.
Labour and Auckland council wants more taxes on the middle classes because they are easy targets, National is seizing it’s chances to squeeze back into power… all in all very depressing…
If user pays were user pays, then shouldn’t those using the services and bringing in the workers have to pay big bucks for the visas, have a bond if their workers leave so are not actually doing the work, have a much higher threshold for being able to bring someone in, (aka pay at the top end of the pay scale for the so called ‘experience’) so that there is money to pay for the hospitals and schools and roads and waster water of their overseas workers and 4 million tourists are not subsidised by the tax payers on NZ who are also being shunted off the hospital waiting lists or spending 4 hours in traffic each day or can’t swim in their water ways because their is too much pollution.
Like wise the ‘private’ educational institutions many of whom are just conduits for residency of low quality poorly educated people, who suddenly sport a ‘masters’ they bought from a NZ institution mostly private who gets $20k per year from them.
Unlike the more well known international universities in the top 100 universities in the world, increasingly in NZ we are devaluing our tertiary institutions with paid degrees that accepts anybody with the cash… regardless of their educational ability or inability.
Unlike the more well known international universities in the top 100 universities in the world, increasingly in NZ we are devaluing our tertiary institutions with paid degrees that accepts anybody with the cash… regardless of their educational ability or inability.
Sounds good. So, what you’re saying is that NZ universities have been lowering their entry criteria and have a special category for cashed-up no-hopers. I couldn’t find any evidence for this though …
YES. And if memory still serves, wasn’t there some question about NAT’S investing in Ryman’s?? and that policy looked tailormade ????? Someone may recall.
@ianmac Re the article by Graham Adams on Noted.
I did not note any perception in the article.
Just the usual selective bias cherry picking info
and juxtaposition to ” prove” a point
Some one else comes along and through similar
cherry picking juxtaposition proves the opposite.
Does get tiresome .
No shortage of cherry pickers in this country.
There are thousands on social media 🙂
Please don’t go. You and your contributions here have been long and valued by me, and I know, many others.
I and some others (Anne, Redlogix) have been having a conversation this morning over on the post on “The world cannot afford billionaires” about behaviours here and related matters. Go and have a read – just check the sidebar as the links are there eg Anne to me, me to me, Redlogix to me etc. Hope that may help change your mind.
Re Rata, I am not going to criticise him or her as he/she has the same rights to comment here as me, provided he/she complies with the rules in the TS’ Policy.
However, since this new personality appeared recently, I have been a bit bemused by his/her postings and personally I decided the best thing to do was just ignore. IMHO he/she really does not post enough substance to bother replying to or attempting any debate on the issues raised. There is not much point when there are so many other more interesting interactions going on here.
And thank you for posting that link. I meant to do so on Sunday (?) when I first read it and we were discussing that issue on MS’s post on the $100,000 donation. So we need you to stay!!!!
veutoviper. I have a huge sense of humour (though my wife only laughs sometimes) and I was really just grinning to myself as I wrote my response to rata. I thought he was trying to be too clever so responded in that vein. I am not leaving TS. Some serious ideas here but I like the sort of response people like Robert sometimes give us too. Brightens the day.
And yes I read your plan of how a blog should run. Good stuff.
Churchill as Minister of defence in 1914 refused credit to Turkey to enable for them to regain their repaired naval ships. The result was that Turkey was powerless to withstand pressure from Germany. The Germans “gave” a ship to Turkey, raised a Turkish flag on her, then sent her in to the Black Sea to shell a Russian town. Thus, Churchill’s decision tipped Turkey into being our enemy. Well done Winston.
Churchill is one of the few people about whom I am very ambivalent. He did great things and he did terrible things, and most of his actions all came from the same place and attitude. He connected with people from all classes and was a considerate officer in the trenches, but he also set tanks and cavalry on workers. And so many other juxtapositions.
Pretty much everyone with an opinion on him is correct, lovers and haters all.
It’s perhaps worth noting that his descendants continue to wreak havoc among the underprivileged. His horrible grandson Rupert Soames was in charge of that awful Serco shitshow.
“Non a l’Eurovision 2019 en Israel!”
Move Eurovision From Israel, Peter Gabriel and Leading U.K. Artists Urge BBC
Signatories to letter say venue must change because of ‘Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights’; BBC rejects call
Haaretz, Jan. 30, 2019
Some 50 British cultural figures, including musician Peter Gabriel and actress Julie Christie, signed a letter published on Tuesday in the Guardian calling on the BBC to push for the locale of this year’s Eurovision song contest to be changed because of “Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.”
The BBC rejected the call, saying it was ‘inappropriate to use the BBC’s participation for political reasons.’
“The European Broadcasting Union chose Tel Aviv as the venue over occupied Jerusalem – but this does nothing to protect Palestinians from land theft, evictions, shootings, beatings and more by Israel’s security forces,” read the letter.
“The BBC is bound by its charter to ‘champion freedom of expression,'” the figures said. “It should act on its principles and press for Eurovision to be relocated to a country where crimes against that freedom are not being committed.”
Also among the dozens of signatories were filmmakers Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, and musician Roger Waters.
Earlier this month, protesters in France stormed the stage after a performance by Netta Barzilai, who won the song contest in 2018, carrying a sign saying “Non a l’Eurovision 2019 en Israel!” (No to Eurovision 2019 in Israel).
I would think letting Israel host the Eurovision Song Contest would be a form of punishment for them, but they aren’t sharp enough to know the difference.
Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel? Surely this in itself is an admission that Israel is not part of the Middle East, but an artificial Western colony, in the Middle East
Who knew Ports of Auckland were privately owned… maybe they think that they are because of the stupid COO structure but unless they were sold off by Auckland council they are still an asset owned by the ratepayers of Auckland or are supposed to be even if they are under the Rogernomics structure…
Pretty sure Ports of Auckland will face climate change issues, but of course keep head head in sand and collect bonuses…
Govt needs to fill gaps on climate infrastructure cost
Lyttleton “Port and Ports of Auckland were not included in this report as they privately-owned.”
It is hard to believe that this sentence was written by an actual journalist. As well as being factually incorrect, it is grammatically incorrect as well.
If they spoke this sentence out loud, you would wonder if they were mentally challenged.
The old economics’ engines of imperialism are outdated. Further more, no one can out China, China.
Technology, and the unstoppable nature of the demands of a increasingly multi-polar nature to world economic growth, along with those practicalities to sustainable resource management, requires the economics of Quantity, whether that be the numbers of segregated financial gains or overall volumes traded, transition to the economics of Quality ( the value systems of the less direct tangibles in the co-operative life styles of the societal demand & supply being developed – which NZ is starting upon to the terms of the Govt’s first wellbeing budget).
If shit like this doesn’t drive Lenin to rise from his grave to strangle the kleptocratic gangsters occupying the Kremlin, then nothing will.
Russia’s Justice Ministry has proposed exempting officials in “exceptional circumstances” from anti-corruption regulations in new draft legislation, following a plan set by Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
Russia ranks among the world’s most corrupt countries, with Transparency International’s annual corruption perceptions index ranking it in 138th place this year out of 180 countries.
[…]
The Justice Ministry did not provide examples of the “exceptional circumstances” that would allow officials to escape punishment. Russia’s Vedomosti business daily reported Monday that the ministry would provide specific examples of exemptions to anti-corruption laws after public discussions of the proposal wrap up on Feb. 8.
The measures to amend the legislation were proposed by Putin in an anti-corruption plan he signed in June 2018.
Ilya Shumanov, the deputy head of Transparency International Russia, told the publication that the amendments provide loopholes for officials to avoid responsibility.
“There’s not a single rational explanation for the use of exceptional circumstances when an official couldn’t declare a conflict of interest,” Vedomosti quoted Shumanov as saying.
Really interesting case study of “conversion disorder”, previously referred to as mass hysteria
The diplomats withdrawn from the Cuban embassy with injuries caused by a mysterious “”sonic or microwave weapon developed by the Soviets” turned out to have been bothered by crickets
I’m feeling the same , the cicadas are crazy noisy this year.
an excerpt
” In terms of locations under pressure, embassies are strong candidates, especially when a considerable number of the staff are undercover spies. One C.I.A. agent told me that these low-grade panics happen a lot. Writing in The New Yorker in 2008, the novelist and former British spy, John le Carré, made the case that spies are susceptible to a unique form of hysteria. ”
The unknown cause struck a building of people here in NZ recently. Ambulances etc. Then the kids who smelt compost?
(I heard my first cicada for the season yesterday here in sunny Marlborough.)
Kia ora The AM Show technical you are correct mark officially a heatwave is 5 days of 5 degrees above the normal level of heat. But I say our temperature should be measured in the full Sun then we will get the actual temperature that will be 5 degrees higher than what is been reported. Why my you ask that Eco Maori is advocating this change well its to warn the vulnerable elderly people.
People under the bridge the actual temperature they will be exposed to when outside with no nice air conditioning whare /house like the wealthy can afford and minimise any deaths caused by the heat wave records are still being broken. Also that neanderthal from America that you and duncan were waving your little flags for has been suppressing any media around Papatuanukue from taking about climate change. I also know that for accuracy of the Papatuanukue temptures by metrologist the whole Papatuanukue will have to change and measure the actual temperature in the midday Sun to minimise un factual temperature readings
The Tawhirirmate wind of change is getting under big businesses skirts that its is not on that management get more money than they can spend and the people making the company’s dividends are just serviving. West Pack bank giving there workers the living wages. The AM Show is a cracked record replaying Kiwi build every day that’s a typical neanderthal trait repeat repeat can not think of a intelligent positive topic I see this trait in other Neanderthals. All intelligent people can work out whats bullshit and what’s fact 97 % of OUR scientist have proven that climate change is a fact but thee neanderthal goes with the 3% of scientists that have a conflict of interest and the oil barrons spinning and deny climate change. Your man in New York is not quite accurate the polar freezing that’s hitting New York at the minute was predicted by the 97% of scientists that neanderthals chose to ignore years ago . The cause of New York freezing is directly linked to the polar ice caps melting and that phenomenon is causing the Polar Vortex to wabble hence the polar vortex now covers thousands of miles of more land in that region than in normal condition. I did look at the story now for accuracy but I read this prediction last year.??????????.Bruce Stick LEASE HOLD LAND to foreigners. But for THE Average KIWIS that system of leaseing land will make us much more poorer Make it that foreigners only being able to lease land this will protect the average KIWIS living standards. judy why didn’t you talk about the duopoly of buildings suppliers in Aotearoa when you weren’t warming the opposition seats O that’s why the old men hogging the dividends from those 2 big companies are nationals main political donator /BRIBES Who shorted the housing market this phenomenon has been traveling throughout the Western Society’s housing markets being shorted so the wealthy can reap the capital gains. The neanderthal that are shorting housing market in the west cannot think past there own well-being or even their tamariki future.
The banks make enough profits to cover paying their employees a living wage especially when they charge life insurance policy holders 4 million people have some cover 25% in fees that’s the highest charges in the Western Papatuanukue.? Advertiseing Alcohol????. Its the cleaners the security guards that will be better off with the bank finally paying the living wage. Bull trades are getting $25 a hour +. What a the lower paid workers get has know collaborations or a effective on what the higher skilled worker earns at all. Ka kite ano. P.S know mark all commercial organisations will use most things to gain customers. The bankers don’t like – – – – Ana to kai
What Eco Maori is upset about this system is it lies to Maori & PI people the professionals say they don’t know why we have these health problems . Thats discrimanation there who cares about them If they die so be it they are infiror dosen’t matter. How is the system lieing these professionals know for a fact that SUGAR and ALCOHOL is one of the main causes of many health deases that kill US off before we get to 55 years old hence the longevity gap .The system lets business surround poorer communitys with shop’s selling these EVIL prouducts sugar and alcohol and gambling bars as well WTF. If one goes to a wealthy suburb you won’t see outlets flogging this shit for many miles. You see the innocent Tangata think we would not sell someone a prouduct that would cause there life to be shortened by 20 years so the white man would not do this they trust the system to have there best interest at heart YEA RIGHT .The capitilist system is buyer be ware on price and the effects of the prouduct has on ones health. Even if the system knows the prouduct kill’s people early one still has to prove its a FACT in the UNJUSTICE system before it becomes fact or have millions of dollars of studys dune to prove the facts that the professionals know is a fact but say nothing to keep there dividens flowing into there hip pockets from the companys that flogg this SHIT. Thats OUR reality WHANO
Western medicine says many Māori and most Pasifika people are obese. Some people are angry about the system that ‘fat-shames’ them in this way. Others are focused on finding solutions that actually work. Carmen Parahi reports.
Gina Sausau is vital, her body is strong, she fizzes with enthusiasm.
The 31-year old encourages others – mainly Māori and Pasifika people – motivating them with her words and inspiring them into action.
Yet three years ago, she was a different, physically and mentally heavier woman.
The health sector and the measures they’re using for Māori and PI is not working. They don’t take into consideration our culture. Everything they’re doing to combat obesity is not going to work.”
The New Zealand Health Survey 2017/18 found nearly a third of Kiwis are obese. Those living in deprived areas, where Māori and Pasifika peoples are often over-represented, were 1.6 times as likely to be obese.
Letele wants the Government to put a cap on the number of fast food joints allowed to operate in low socio-economic areas.
“Go and look around Mangere and parts of West Auckland. You won’t see that in Remuera or Mission Bay. We’re being targeted but we’re falling for it.
“Our kids are walking to school eating fizzy and pie. We’re bombarded with it, that’s the issue for me. We get less money, it’s just hard.” Ka kite ano links below P.S Alcohol is loaded with sugar
Well Whanau Eco Maori has been reasearching our history our tipuna’s .
I seen storys back in 1840 of maori complaining about not getting the same money for poaka as his Europeen neighbours they got $2 a poaka and maori only got $1 so one can see that this discriminational behaviour would have flowed through all froms of commerce in the New Zealand systems for 250 years. Quickly eroding Tangata Whenua money whenua and mana this is the compounding effect in reverse
A compounding effect is if my 6 X greatgrand father Jose put $2 in a bank acount it would be worth $2 million at the minute. So one can see that this Europeen behaviour to Tanagta Whenua O Aotearoa has had a devestating effect on Maori wealth how well if my 6x greatgrandfather Jose had $2 million in assets back then it would eroded down to $2 at the minute . (Kia Kaha Wahine Eco Maori Tau tokos you all they way)
First milestone for Mana Wahine claim at Waitangi Tribunal
A claim lodged by Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Awhina – the rūnanga of the Public Service Association – to address employment inequities suffered by Māori women has now been officially registered by the Waitangi Tribunal as claim Wai 2864.
“It’s fantastic the Tribunal will hear our claim. It calls out the Crown for its failure to address injustices that have relegated generations of wāhine Māori to low paid jobs with working conditions that leave them extremely vulnerable,” said Georgina Kerr, one of four PSA members who lodged the claim on behalf of Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Awhina.
This includes the failure of the education system to adequately prepare wāhine Māori for meaningful employment, the failure to eliminate bias and discrimination in the workplace, and the failure to consistently fund services that should be enhancing the lives of Māori wāhine and their whānau.
PSA Kaiwhakarite Māori Marcia Puru said “many wāhine Māori have been chronically disadvantaged by these breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. That has to stop”.
Latest figures from the State Services Commission show while Pākehā women in the Public Service earn 13% less than their male counterparts, wāhine Māori earn 22% less than Pākehā men. Ka kite ano links below
“An 82-year-old woman believes a trio of the unruly tourists scammed her out of almost $9000, claiming they would fix her roof but left a hole in her ceiling….
Leonard (the 82 year old woman) told Newshub that she recognised one of the three from the rowdy British tourist group when she saw photos.
The group caught the attention of worldwide media after a seemingly innocuous litter incident at Takapuna Beach erupted into a North Island tale of thefts, unpaid bills and general nuisance behaviour….
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Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. IT’S SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that “…one of New Zealand’s COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the country” Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished ‘at least, we got rid of Muldoon’, a response which tells us that then, and today, one’s views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement: More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
“They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”WHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”Ostensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dûr. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been ‘leaders of the free world’. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to ‘drain the swamp’ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Kieren Mitchell; Alice Mouton, Université de Liège; Angela Perri, Durham University, and Laurent Frantz, Ludwig Maximilian University of MunichThanks to the hit television series Game of Thrones, the dire wolf has gained a near-mythical status. But it was a real animal that roamed the Americas for at least 250,000 ...
Tide of tidal data rises Having cast our own fate to include rising sea level, there's a degree of urgency in learning the history of mean sea level in any given spot, beyond idle curiosity. Sea level rise (SLR) isn't equal from one place to another and even at a particular ...
Well, some of those chickens sure came home bigly, didn’t they… and proceeded to shit all over the nice carpet in the Capitol. What we were seeing here are societal forces that have long had difficulty trying to reconcile people to the “idea” of America and the reality of ...
In the wake of Donald Trump's incitement of an assault on the US capitol, Twitter finally enforced its terms of service and suspended his account. They've since followed that up with action against prominent QAnon accounts and Trumpers, including in New Zealand. I'm not unhappy with this: Trump regularly violated ...
Peter S. Ross, University of British ColumbiaThe Arctic has long proven to be a barometer of the health of our planet. This remote part of the world faces unprecedented environmental assaults, as climate change and industrial chemicals threaten a way of life for Inuit and other Indigenous and northern ...
Susan St John makes the case for taxing a deemed rate of return on excessive real estate holdings (after a family home exemption), to redirect scarce housing resources to where they are needed most. Read the full article here ...
I’m less than convinced by arguments that platforms like Twitter should be subject to common carrier regulation preventing them from being able to decide who to keep on as clients of their free services, and who they would not like to serve. It’s much easier to create competition for the ...
The hypocritical actions of political leaders throughout the global Covid pandemic have damaged public faith in institutions and governance. Liam Hehir chronicles the way in which contemporary politicians have let down the public, and explains how real leadership means walking the talk. During the Blitz, when German bombs were ...
Over the years, we've published many rebuttals, blog posts and graphics which came about due to direct interactions with the scientists actually carrying out the underlying research or being knowledgable about a topic in general. We'll highlight some of these interactions in this blog post. We'll start with two memorable ...
Yesterday we had the unseemly sight of a landleech threatening to keep his houses empty in response to better tenancy laws. Meanwhile in Catalonia they have a solution for that: nationalisation: Barcelona is deploying a new weapon in its quest to increase the city’s available rental housing: the power ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD The 2020 global wildfire season brought extreme fire activity to the western U.S., Australia, the Arctic, and Brazil, making it the fifth most expensive year for wildfire losses on record. The year began with an unprecedented fire event ...
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a digital story – read the full story here.Tess TuxfordKo te Kauri Ko Au, Ko te Au ko Kauri I am the kauri, the kauri is me Te Roroa proverb In Waipoua Forest, at the top of the North Island, New ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Coming attraction: IPCC's upcoming major climate assessmentLook for more emphasis on 'solutions,' efforts by cities, climate equity ... and outlook for emissions cuts in ...
Ringing A Clear Historical Bell: The extraordinary images captured in and around the US Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 mirror some of the worst images of America's past.THERE IS A SCENE in the 1982 movie Missing which has remained with me for nearly 40 years. Directed by the Greek-French ...
To impact or not to impeach? I understand why some of those who are justifiably aghast at Trump’s behaviour over recent days might still counsel against impeaching him for a second time. To impeach him, they argue, would run the risk of making him a martyr in the eyes of ...
The Capitol Building, Washington DC, Wednesday, 6 January 2021. Oh come, my little one, come.The day is almost done.Be at my side, behold the sightOf evening on the land.The life, my love, is hardAnd heavy is my heart.How should I live if you should leaveAnd we should be apart?Come, let me ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 3, 2021 through Sat, Jan 9, 2021Editor's ChoiceAfter the Insurrection: Accountability, Reform, and the Science of Democracy The poisonous lies and enablers of sedition--including Senator Hawley, pictured ...
This article, guest authored by Prof. Angela Gallego-Sala & Dr. Julie Loisel, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Dec 21, 2020. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments. Peatlands Peatlands are ecosystems unlike any other. Perpetually saturated, their ...
The assault on the US Capitol and constitutional crisis that it has caused was telegraphed, predictable and yet unexpected and confusing. There are several subplots involved: whether the occupation of the Michigan State House in May was a trial run for the attacks on Congress; whether people involved in the ...
On Christmas Eve, child number 1 spotted a crack in a window. It’s a double-glazed window, and inspection showed that the small, horizontal crack was in the outermost pane. It was perpendicular to the frame, about three-quarters of the way up one side. The origins are a mystery. It MIGHT ...
Anne-Marie Broudehoux, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)Will the COVID-19 pandemic prompt a shift to healthier cities that focus on wellness rather than functional and economic concerns? This is a hypothesis that seems to be supported by several researchers around the world. In many ways, containment and physical distancing ...
Does the US need to strike a grand bargain with like-minded countries to pool their efforts? What does this tell us about today’s global politics? Perhaps the most remarkable editorial of last year was the cover leader of the London Economist on 19 November 2020. Shortly after Joe Biden was ...
Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato and Valmaine Toki, University of WaikatoAotearoa New Zealand likes to think it punches above its weight internationally, but there is one area where we are conspicuously falling behind — the number of sites recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Globally, there are 1,121 ...
An event organised by the Auckland PhilippinesSolidarity group Have a three-course lunch at Nanam Eatery with us! Help support the organic farming of our Lumad communities through the Mindanao Community School Agricultural Foundation. Each ticket is $50. Food will be served on shared plates. To purchase, please email phsolidarity@gmail.com or ...
"Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here." Prisons are places of unceasing emotional and physical violence, unrelieved despair and unforgivable human waste.IT WAS NATIONAL’S Bill English who accurately described New Zealand’s prisons as “fiscal and moral failures”. On the same subject, Labour’s Dr Martyn Findlay memorably suggested that no prison ...
This is a re-post from Inside Climate News by Ilana Cohen. Inside Climate News is a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. Whether or not people accept the science on Covid-19 and climate change, both global crises will have lasting impacts on health and ...
. . American Burlesque As I write this (Wednesday evening, 6 January), the US Presidential election is all but resolved, confirming Joe Biden as the next President of the (Dis-)United State of America. Trump’s turbulent political career has lasted just four years – one of the few single-term US presidents ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. “The Battle at Te Ruapekapeka Pā, which took ...
Babies born with tongue-tie will be assessed and treated consistently under new guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Around 5% to 10% of babies are born with a tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, in New Zealand each year. At least half can ...
The prisoner disorder event at Waikeria Prison is over, with all remaining prisoners now safely and securely detained, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. The majority of those involved in the event are members of the Mongols and Comancheros. Five of the men are deportees from Australia, with three subject to ...
Travellers from the United Kingdom or the United States bound for New Zealand will be required to get a negative test result for COVID-19 before departing, and work is underway to extend the requirement to other long haul flights to New Zealand, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. “The new PCR test requirement, foreshadowed last ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. The action Biden took on just his first afternoon in office demonstrates a radical shift in priority for the US when it comes to its efforts to combat the climate crisis. It could put more pressure on New Zealand to step up. ...
Ban Bomb Day event at the New Brighton Pier, 9am, on January 22nd, 2021 January 22nd, 2021, marks the first day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) Enters into Force and becomes international law. Aotearoa NZ is one of the ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve BrauniasFICTION 1 Tell Me Lies by J.P. Pomare (Hachette, $29.99) Every January, there's a new best-selling crime thriller by the New Zealand-born author who lives in Melbourne. Pomare is ...
Our approach so far in trying to end what Dr Collin Tukuitonga describes as a 'racist' disease - rheumatic fever - has not worked. It's time we try something new, he writes. Acute rheumatic fever and the rheumatic heart disease it causes, long-known as a disease of poverty, is a blight on ...
New Zealand triple-code star, Anna Harrison, can't stop returning to the courts - whether it's netball or beach volleyball. She tells Ashley Stanley what keeps drawing her back. The day before Anna Harrison leaps back into netball, she will have one more hit-out at another of her favourite old sports ...
The lights are burning into the night at the New York Yacht Club's America's Cup base as they race to fix their damaged boat. And Suzanne McFadden discovers something surprising may emerge. Out of American Magic’s calamity may come opportunity - for even more speed. While the lights burn bright ...
New to sailing? With the Prada Cup resuming this weekend, here’s how to bluff your way into sounding like a pro. When I was 10, my mum made my brother and I join the local sailing club. It was a favourite pastime of families in Kerikeri, and my brother was actually ...
A formal complaint to the UN, signed by a NZ Muslim group, says France’s Islamophobic laws and policies are entrenching discrimination and breaching human rights laws. The Khadija Leadership Network has joined a global coalition of Muslim organisations to formally complain about the French government’s systemic entrenchment of Islamophobia and discrimination against ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and a lineup of incredibly successful New Zealand women as they confront their imposter syndrome once and for all. First published 20 October, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members ...
With criticism from National piling on over the property market, the prime minister has detailed when the government will make housing announcements. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco Rizzi, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Western Australia Some Australians could be receiving a COVID-19 vaccine within weeks. Amid the continued spread of the virus and emergence of highly contagious variants, the federal government has accelerated the start of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Australia’s Threatened Species Strategy — a five-year plan for protecting our imperilled species and ecosystems — fizzled to an end last year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Lecturer, General Dentist & PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Baby teeth, or milk teeth, act like lighthouses to guide the adult ones to their correct destination. A baby tooth will become wobbly and fall out because the adult tooth ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he’s joined by Simon Coley, co-founder of All Good and Karma Drinks.Bananas are one of the ...
Tackling topics such as rugby and body image, Stuff’s latest podcast shines a much-needed light on Aotearoa’s complex relationship with masculinity, writes Trevor McKewen, author of the book Real Men Wear Black.I wasn’t sure what to think when two episodes of the new local podcast He’ll Be Right landed in ...
The Rainforest Alliance reveals that 68%* of Kiwis say the COVID-19 pandemic has made them more conscious about environmental and social sustainability issues. Seventy two percent* state that they have been trying to make more sustainable purchasing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, has raised concerns that Australia’s proposed News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code could fundamentally break the internet as we know it. His concerns ...
ANALYSIS:By Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path Two weeks after the storming of the US Capitol by the followers of his predecessor, in the middle of an out-of-control pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Cantrell, Lecturer, Creative Writing & English Literature, University of Southern Queensland Described as “the world’s greatest storyteller”, Roald Dahl is frequently ranked as the best children’s author of all time by teachers, authors and librarians. However, the new film adaptation of ...
Peak housing body, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) welcomes the updated Public Housing Plan announced today by Minister Woods, and the commitment by this Government to fix New Zealand’s housing crisis. The 8,000 additional homes are a significant ...
Having recently walked much of the South Island stretch of Te Araroa, Kirsten O’Regan reflects on the magnificent landscapes and interesting characters she encountered along the way.On our 36th day of walking, we climb through the fire-blackened hills above Ohau, stopping to examine heat-disfigured trail markers. Fresh green shoots have ...
Miss Torta in central Auckland is putting the spotlight on a snack that’s commonplace in Mexico, but until now relatively unknown in New Zealand.You’ve heard of a torta, but what is it, exactly? Well, depending on the cuisine it can mean a flatbread, cake, tart, sweet pie, savoury pie or ...
Two of three ministerial statements from the Beehive have been released in the name of the PM over the past two days. The more important, insofar as it involves political action that will affect the wellbeing of significant numbers of Kiwis, was the release of the government’s Public Housing Plan ...
Jacinda Ardern has reminded Labour MPs "ongoing vigilance" will be required in 2021 to avoid another Covid outbreak, admitting she held her breath over the summer break. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and ...
Pinged $65 for overstaying 10 minutes in a parking block? Put away your hard-earned cash and read this first.Hopefully, by now, I’ve already established myself at The Spinoff as the resident tightarse, determined to avoid all unfair and unnecessary punishments (see: oversize baggage charges). Today, I’m focusing my attention on ...
Nuclear weapons states and their allies risk reputational ruin if they flout a new UN Treaty, Carolina Panico argues The United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will come into force this month, on January 22, 2021, turning nuclear weapons into illegal objects. It is an achievement that ...
How does one turn into a rabid extremist over the description of a children’s bike? Emily Writes looks at Facebook comments so you don’t have to.You’ve been there, I know it. You’re scrolling along, trying to avoid QAnon conspiracy theories and Trump apocalypse memes when a story catches your eye. ...
Joe Biden is now the President of the United States and many people across America and throughout the world will consequently be breathing more easily. But while the erratic, unpredictable and irresponsible years of the Trump Presidency may be over, ...
Tough border testing for New Zealand honey imports to Japan is re-igniting the conversation about the use of the weed killer glypohsate in New Zealand. ...
The Taxpayers Union should be aware of the law and of the history of ACC. The ACC is a legal system introduced in 1974 to replace the common law right of accident victims to sue for damages for personal injury sustained as a result of negligence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne Terrorism, political extremism, Donald Trump, social media and the phenomenon of “cancel culture” are confronting journalists with a range of agonising free-speech dilemmas to which there are no easy answers. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, University of Sydney You’ve just come from your monthly GP appointment with a new script for your ongoing medical condition. But your local pharmacy is out of stock of your usual medicine. Your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna D’Alessandro, Professor & ARC Future Fellow, University of Sydney On Wednesday this week, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was measured at at 415 parts per million (ppm). The level is the highest in human history, and is growing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It might be summer in New Zealand but we’re in for some wild weather this week with forecasts of heavy wind and rain, and a plunge in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University Last week, the McIver’s Ladies Baths in Sydney came under fire for their (since removed) policy stating “only transgender women who’ve undergone a gender reassignment surgery are allowed entry”. The policy was ...
There are good grounds for optimism after the guardrails of American democracy held firm through to Joe Biden's inauguration today as President, writes Stephen Hoadley Pessimism abounds about the perilous condition of American democracy. Commentators and headline writers proffer memes such as ‘broken and divided nation’, ‘the threat from within’. ...
*This article was originally appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. Donald Trump will forever be remembered as the president who was impeached twice - and for his rhetoric that struck a chord so deep in America that it will take years to dissipate. Donald Trump leaves Washington with the lowest approval ...
A new plan shows how and where the Government will build 8,000 new state housing places it funded in Budget 2020, Marc Daalder reports Jacinda Ardern has kicked off the political year with a major announcement, promising hundreds of new state housing places in regional centres across the country. With ...
This is the full transcript of President Joe Biden's speech after being sworn in at his inauguration this morning in Washington DC Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, and my distinguished guests, my fellow Americans, this is America's day. This ...
Analysis: President Donald Trump has left the White House, and his deputy chief of staff confirms he is withdrawing his candidacy to lead the OECD. New Zealander Christopher Liddell withdrew his nomination to be Secretary-General of the powerful 37-member OECD and was one of the last members of the Trump Administration to depart ...
Kate Wills is facing stage four cancer with the same fierce approach she takes into her ocean swimming - never say can't. Even on the mornings Kate Wills feels wretched from her fortnightly chemotherapy treatment, she drags herself up at 5am and goes swimming. “I have to. It’s my job – to ...
Some costs associated with meetings speak for themselves, others are less conspicuous. Victoria University of Wellington's Val Hooper lays those costs out, making suggestions on where we can rein them in. Meetings – when last did we count the costs? And so it’s back to work and one of the ...
Andrew Paul Wood assesses the best-selling picture book by Grahame Sydney It's no great secret the commercially very successful Grahame Sydney has a long-standing beef that his work doesn’t receive more critical and institutional approval. I sympathise about the lack of critical attention, but I can understand why. The Discourse™ ...
This story was produced in collaboration with the Center for Public Integrity and Columbia Journalism Investigations. It was originally published by Public Integrity, Mother Jones, The Arizona Republic and Orlando Sentinel. It is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the ...
Analysis: It has been easy to ignore anyone daring to criticise or even question any aspect of the government’s Covid-19 response. Their voices have rarely been heard, and when they have been raised they have been quickly and decisively howled down by the favoured coterie of academics. ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US presidential inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated through Wednesday and Thursday. The inauguration ceremony begins at 5.15am Thursday, NZ time, and Joe Biden takes the oath of office around 6am. 7.25am: And what about Trump?In the early hours of this morning, NZ ...
In 10 x 100, we survey a group of 100 people via Stickybeak and ask them 10 questions. Last month we quizzed Wellingtonians. Today, we ask NZ drivers how they’ve found a holiday period without international tourists, and what they get up to while they’re on the road.Across Aotearoa roads ...
Emmanuel Macron's anti-separatist policies have garnered backlash from the international Muslim community. Now, a global coalition has complained to the UN. ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as they go on an odyssey of women’s rage, and find out how we can channel our anger into good. First published September 15, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by ...
By Lorraine Ecarma in Cebu City The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) will continue to stand against any threats to human rights, chancellor Clement Camposano has declared in response to the termination of a long-standing accord preventing military incursion on campus. In a Facebook post, Camposano said the academic ...
ANALYSIS:By Jennifer S. Hunt, Australian National University Every four years on January 20, the US exercises a key tenant of democratic government: the peaceful transfer of power. This year, the scene looks a bit different. If the last US presidential inauguration in 2017 debuted the phrase “alternative facts”, the ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby In spite of Papua New Guinea’s mandatory mask-wearing requirement under the National Pandemic Act 2020, many public servants attending a dedication service in Port Moresby have failed to wear one. They were issued masks before entering the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex but took ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Moro, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University How do scabs form? — Talila, aged 8 Great question, Talila! Our skin has many different jobs. One is to act as a barrier, protecting us from harmful things in the ...
US President Donald Trump is pardoning former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is accused of fraud in a case involving funds for the border wall. ...
Joel Little with Lorde, Dera Meelan with Church & AP, Josh Fountain with Maala and Randa and Benee – producers make good songs great. Now a new fund from NZ on Air is putting the focus on them.Six months ago it looked like the music industry was on the brink ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denise Buiten, Senior Lecturer in Social Justice and Sociology, University of Notre Dame Australia On average, one child is killed by a parent almost every fortnight in Australia. Last week, three children — Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3 — were ...
This commendable and realistic decision again underlines that it is the police, not government, who are largely responsible for the reduction in cannabis prosecutions over the past 15 years, writes Russell Brown.The news that New Zealand police have discontinued the annual Helicopter Recovery Operation, which has, each summer for more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ilan Noy, Professor and Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington We will not be able to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us until the world’s population is mostly immune through vaccination ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated throughout Wednesday and Thursday, NZ time. Reach me at catherine@thespinoff.co.nz.4.00pm: What will Trump be doing tomorrow?It’s pretty well known by now that outgoing president Donald Trump intends to throw out the rulebook when it comes to ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is calling out Mayor Phil Goff for his undignified comment that the claim made by Councillor Greg Sayers asking why Auckland Council is funding yoga classes is “bullshit.” Yesterday, Councillor Greg Sayers penned ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne At 4am Thursday AEDT, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as president and vice president of the United States, replacing Donald Trump and Mike Pence. What follows is ...
*This article was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission. New Zealanders flocked to beaches and lakes this summer, but it wasn't enough to fill the gap left by international tourists in other regions. The tourism industry is struggling to fill a $6 billion hole left by international tourists ...
Summer reissue: Chef Monique Fiso joins us for a chat about Hiakai – her acclaimed Wellington restaurant, and the title of her stunning new book.First published November 3, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn ...
A new trough was brought to our attention this morning, although ethnicity will limit the numbers of eligible applicants. If you are non-Maori, it looks like you shouldn’t bother getting into the queue – but who knows?We learned of the trough from the Scoop website, where the Kapiti ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Britta Denise Hardesty, Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing costs economies up to US$50 billion globally each year, and makes up to one-fifth of the global catch. It’s a huge problem not only for the ...
“For more on the situation in Venezuela, we go to the BBC’s Orla Guerin.”
RNZ National, Thursday 31 January 2019, 6.15 a.m.
Emotion merchant Orla Guerin is “emotional” as always. Her voice throbs as she summons up an approximate imitation of earnest solicitude and sincerity. It’s clear who she’s been told to portray as the hero in this Washington-directed farce: “The authorities turning up the heat on Venezuela’s young Opposition leader….”
RNZ National Morning Report host Susie Ferguson (herself a former BBC “reporter”) ends the one minute coverage of Venezuela for the morning: “That’s the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido talking to Orla Guerin.”
Venezuela has been an object of ridicule and loathing on New Zealand’s state broadcaster for years now….
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/01/rory-carroll-takes-advantage-of-simon.html
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/two-democratic-heroes-two-very.html
And Susie Ferguson seems to have no other modus operandi than the frivolous once-over-lightly:
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/come-back-kim-hill-urgently-oct-19-2013.html
You seem to be quite the Nick Manuro fanboi morrie, what’s your adoration based on?
I don’t know where you get the impression I “adore” the democratically elected leader of Venezuela. I acknowledge that both he and Chávez before him were far from perfect, and made many mistakes. I was particularly incensed by Chávez’s ideological assault against El Sistema, Venezuela’s world-renowned music program. He attacked it on the barbaric and ridiculous ground that classical music was a middle class thing.
I was astonished and alarmed to see Chávez grandstanding in the U.S., ostentatiously delivering free fuel to the poor areas of some U.S. cities in order to show up the neglectful Bush administration. That always seemed like a provocative and foolish thing to do. He—and now Maduro—also did little or nothing about diversifying the country’s economy—leaving it prey to pirates like the Bush gang and its obedient vassals in the E.U., Canada, Australia, Israel and the fascist regimes of Central and South America.
They’ve been pretty damned hopeless—but they’ve never been involved in the destruction of another country, leave alone four or five. And let’s not forget that the plight of the country, the suffering and the violence, is due mainly to the extreme right-wing, democracy-hating Venezuelan insurrectionists, and the aggressive and totally illegal “sanctions” imposed by U.S. regimes, mounting in ferocity and pitilessness following the failed coup of 2002.
You either support the rule of law and democratic elections, Gabby—or you meekly give in and reluctantly support Trump, Pence, Pompeo, Bolton, and Abrams.
What d’you reckon will happen when a government takes every measure it can to destroy legitimate opposition morrie? Including creating a new legislature to do an end run around the elected one?
“Legitimate” opposition? These are the insurrectionists that fought and lost the 2002 coup. They boycott elections because they know they will never get a large enough vote to win or to even cut a deal.
Venezuela’s elections in 2013 and 2018 were praised by all observers. Not the insurrectionists and their U.S. backers, but by all people who observed the elections. They were certainly far cleaner than the U.S. elections of virtually any year. (And, no, it wasn’t those Evil Masterminds, the RUSSIANS, it was the Republican gerrymanderers and the army of corrupt officials who disenfranchised hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of mainly African American and Latino voters.)
The Communists routinely boycotted elections as a matter of strategy in many countries. Did that invalidate all those Western European elections?
Boycotting is a dumbarse strategy morrie. I’m not recalling the praise of last year’s election though. Who were the praisors? Don’t count yourself.
Boycotting is a dumbarse strategy…
Not always. But it certainly was in this case. As one of the opponents of Maduro in last year’s election, Henri Falcón, explained: “Electoral boycotts almost never work. In country after country, opposition forces that abandoned the field of electoral competition have lost ground and allowed rulers to consolidate power.”
National effectively boycotted the Epsom seat in several recent elections, so as to enable a member of the ACT cult to get a seat. They did something similar to help Peter Dunne in Ohariu. Do those boycotts invalidate New Zealand’s last three or four elections?
The elections in Venezuela in 2013 and 2018 were cleaner and more transparent than any U.S. federal election. In 2013, even Forbes magazine could not deny that. Nothing changed in the intervening years, other than the extreme right’s self-inflicted massive injury of the boycott.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2013/05/14/venezuelas-election-system-holds-up-as-a-model-for-the-world/#4bb2eec671e2
Kate Hawkesby’s childish column berates Labour MPs for their clothes. Hmm, given her husband’s and her own choices, it was rather hypocritical.
To be fair for a 67 year old the make up artists do
a decent job on Mike Hosking.
Hosking dresses like a man with serious insecurity and self esteem problems.
And for Hawkesby, well that was a petulant and child-like rant. It didn’t do the Nats any favours at all which I’m sure was the purpose of the article.
Yes, our ripped jean, hairsprayed hero, Mr Hosking, and Katie’s “Ibiza nightclub” look are real fashion gems…
She would fit right in as one of the cast in that Brit programme “Benidorm”. And yes, clothing choices are up to each person’s preference, but when KH tosses the first stone……
Reality @ (2.2.1) … OMG Benidorm 🙂
Compared to KH, that show oozes class plus!
Does she not approve of clothes?
The popinjay and his flibbertigibbet
Enough +1
You beat me to it Reality:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12198959
Yet another puerile and vitriolic rant by a Nat aligned MSM lackey. The CT backed instructions went out about 2 weeks ago I reckon – it’s “Dirty Politics” in its most virulent form from now until the next election.
Edit: Even questioned the presence of baby, Neve. She’s seven months old for God’s sake and needs her Mum. Dad might have work commitments as the moment.
Here it is:
Nasty piece of work.
Wonder what her teenage brats are up to these days.
How DARE people out of the office dress like they’re out of the office. It’s creeping communism gone mad.
Yeah Gabby, as she says weird as..
I’ll get in first before some dim-witted rwnj rabbits on about conspiracy theories;
The reference to CT backed instructions… is tongue in cheek. Got it?
+1
Crime against Humanity lashes out at its perceived crime against fashion
Anne @ (2.4) …
If KH had any idea and you’d think she would being a mother, she’d realise the reason baby Neve is there, Jacinda is most likely still breastfeeding!
KH comes across to me as dripping with envy and spite!
KH comes across to me as dripping with envy and spite!
Absolutely. She, and her other half, are so up themselves they can’t bear to think anyone is more intelligent and attractive than they are.
Every so often KH does produce a reasonable piece but I’m beginning to think its more by good luck than good management.
If her teenage offspring turn up half normal they’ll be doing okay. Some regularly scream about kids being to be taken off their parents to get them out of abusive environments. The sort of people who strenuously support Mike Hosking.
Is it right to leave kids in environments with polluted outlooks of their parents?
Hosking’s wife. What would you expect?
Morrissey……please put up that freaky photograph of Hosking in his ripped jeans, seemingly pointless chains, and something resembling a wannabe tough boy leather jacket……the one you posted a couple of years ago.
http://showstudio.com/img/contributors/1601-1800/1739_480n.jpg?1380037109
Her seventh to last paragraph sums it up.
“Nothing to see here”.
Nothing to read here, either, in this article
And if she can’t actually see what is happening at a retreat for a party in government’s caucus, then she is blind.
And if she thinks that she will get close to what is happening in politics, then taking pot shots at politicians over their casual dress won’t help.
Perhaps that is why she writes the shite. She can’t hack the real stuff, so instead hacks trivia.
More things to make you go hmmmm. Steve Munchkin has possible financial links to rooskies, lifts sanctions on rooskies, rooskies hire former Drumpf transition staffer.
https://www.salon.com/2019/01/30/with-sanctions-lifted-trump-transition-member-gets-board-position-on-russian-oligarchs-company/
Just a little spasiba and there’s more where that came from.
As the arguments about taxation culminate in the release of the tax report either today or tomorrow, the human cost of a low tax economy needs to be remembered. Richardson and Garner need to get of their high horses and go to Hospital Hill in Napier. There used to stand Napier Hospital. Closed in 1995 to pay for Bill Birchs tax cuts. It has been demolished now, but for 2 decades it stood as a reminder of where tax cuts after tax cut will enventually get us.
We need a capital gains tax. What is left of our health system need it.
We have a capital gains tax. Bridges has promised to remove it, but we don’t know how much tax revenue that will lose. (Yes there are many exemptions from treating capital gains as income – the family home being well-known.) National increased revenue from tax on capital gains by its “bright line” test which said that gains from the quick sale of property will automatically be regarded as taxable income unless there were special reasons – Bridges now wants to cut out all tax on capital gains – whoopee for those involved in buying and selling companies for a profit . . .
Ed1 yes business would like that.
if you bought shares when some of the SOEs were sold, you have done quite well, but it would be good if you didn’t have to pay tax on those gains – does Bridges have a cunning plan to help a few blind trusts for retiring National politicians?
Bill English’s role in the destruction of a world class health system in this country has been forgotten. Which is a pity.
Yes. English intended to drive the Public Health system into ruin so that Presto. The Private system can ride in to pick up the broken bits that can be turned into profit. Just as in Britain it is happening so, right now.
We must have a Health system like the Americans. Right?
Yes, American’s spend the most on health care in the world and have one of the worst most expensive and inequatitable systems. I think something like 40% of American’s don’t even have access to health care and they are paying through the nose for that!
Happy to say, NZ health system is still very good, like our educations system, but you can see how the privatisation and routing and lowering of standards, while making it free (in real terms) to 4 million tourists per year and hundreds of thousands of the world living here who don’t require to pay any extra in real terms (because even if you are supposed to pay, you don’t really have to) or have private health insurance before entering the country, so the quality issues are being subtly and not so subtly pushed… We now seem to have as many people in NZ per year in NZ using all the roads, medical and hospitals and services as those who permanently live here…
The government might be aiming to stabilise migration, but decreasing immigration seems to be “in the ‘too hard basket” for now. Hope they keep their eye on the long-term ‘ball’.
“privatisation and
routingrorting and lowering of standards” (just once, for info only)Thanks Drowsy. But under Labour/NZ First/Greens last year sounds like immigration and work permits INCREASED (not stabilised) dramatically, according to TDB, 4 million tourists, 129,000 new migrants and 150,000 temporary work permits, combined they nearly equal the resident population of NZ.
Meanwhile reports of apparently work shortages seem to be lies… as local workers in constructions are having to lay off people because their wages have become too low and small (local) builders are shut out of the contracts as it becomes about who you know and lowest cost …
Smaller Christchurch building companies struggling to find work
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/381149/smaller-christchurch-building-companies-struggling-to-find-work
Chch builders out of work as rebuild construction dries up
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018680157/chch-builders-out-of-work-as-rebuild-construction-dries-up
Meanwhile a lot of money spent on middle men touting to place overseas workers into NZ…
New Zealand Job Openings for Filipinos, No Placement Fee Country, and Manpower Agency List
https://mattscradle.com/new-zealand-job-openings-for-filipinos/
NZ has a quality construction issue which after lazy immigration, is the 2nd biggest problem facing the housing crisis. As fast as our Rogernomics market based construction solutions build them, they need remedial work and can’t be lived in, throwing more people out to rent who should be home owners living in their homes, and then the construction firms themselves are liquidated…
If a company is liquidated there should be proper penalties for the directors including not being able to be a company director for at least a decade… and personal fines.
Perhaps then the firms would be more choosy and of a higher standard and less likely to liquidate at the first sign of trouble so they don’t have to pay their workers and subcontractors…
It seems that being undercut by so many overseas players with deep pockets is a factor. Who knows how many of them are bringing in overseas workers and profiting from underpaying them (like the listed NZ firms) and getting payments for the job…. meanwhile the big players are able to hoover up all the housing contracts…
Also poor plans being approved by council have also been a factor…
Big builder Corbel Construction in liquidation
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12170789
Leaky building repairs drag on: $24m bill yet 81 townhouses still uninhabitable
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12098276
Auckland construction company folds, 55 staff laid off, more failures predicted
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11909184
The problem is that the firms bringing in the low cost labour and tourists are having their profits subsidised by Kiwi taxpayers who have to pay for the hospitals and schools and roads and wastewater that all these cheaper workers and tourists need, meanwhile throwing our local firms paying better wages under the bus and putting them out of work, or the standards have fallen so low with construction with planning, labour and materials that the new buildings need remedial work almost immediately and the tourist ventures are more likely to be overseas owned with substantial overseas labour to run them… so it’s a Ponzi… because it is not sustainable.
Labour and Auckland council wants more taxes on the middle classes because they are easy targets, National is seizing it’s chances to squeeze back into power… all in all very depressing…
If user pays were user pays, then shouldn’t those using the services and bringing in the workers have to pay big bucks for the visas, have a bond if their workers leave so are not actually doing the work, have a much higher threshold for being able to bring someone in, (aka pay at the top end of the pay scale for the so called ‘experience’) so that there is money to pay for the hospitals and schools and roads and waster water of their overseas workers and 4 million tourists are not subsidised by the tax payers on NZ who are also being shunted off the hospital waiting lists or spending 4 hours in traffic each day or can’t swim in their water ways because their is too much pollution.
Like wise the ‘private’ educational institutions many of whom are just conduits for residency of low quality poorly educated people, who suddenly sport a ‘masters’ they bought from a NZ institution mostly private who gets $20k per year from them.
Unlike the more well known international universities in the top 100 universities in the world, increasingly in NZ we are devaluing our tertiary institutions with paid degrees that accepts anybody with the cash… regardless of their educational ability or inability.
Sounds good. So, what you’re saying is that NZ universities have been lowering their entry criteria and have a special category for cashed-up no-hopers. I couldn’t find any evidence for this though …
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/applications-and-admissions/entry-requirements/undergraduate-entry-requirements.html
You can make a donation but I don’t believe they give you an academic degree for that, just a receipt for IRD.
https://www.giving.auckland.ac.nz/en/Home.html
YES. And if memory still serves, wasn’t there some question about NAT’S investing in Ryman’s?? and that policy looked tailormade ????? Someone may recall.
+1 millsy
Reality drew attention to a very interesting column on Noted. It is very perceptive written by Graham Adams. It gives a insight into the words of Jacinda, the background to Paula, Jamie Lee, and Sarah. Worth reading for its own sake.
Thanks Reality.
https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/politics/sarah-dowie-jami-lee-ross-parliaments-star-crossed-lovers-who-crossed-each-other/
Thanks ianmac.
Filed for future reference.
@ianmac Re the article by Graham Adams on Noted.
I did not note any perception in the article.
Just the usual selective bias cherry picking info
and juxtaposition to ” prove” a point
Some one else comes along and through similar
cherry picking juxtaposition proves the opposite.
Does get tiresome .
No shortage of cherry pickers in this country.
There are thousands on social media 🙂
Your cynicism rata, could be applied to all and every point of view especially where no scientific evidence is available but even then bias can twist.
So by your rule there is no value in exploring any idea ever. How boring.
Sorry The Standard has been killed off by Rata. Goodbye all.
Rata would have improved his ‘argument’ with examples and evidence.
Ianmac
Please don’t go. You and your contributions here have been long and valued by me, and I know, many others.
I and some others (Anne, Redlogix) have been having a conversation this morning over on the post on “The world cannot afford billionaires” about behaviours here and related matters. Go and have a read – just check the sidebar as the links are there eg Anne to me, me to me, Redlogix to me etc. Hope that may help change your mind.
Re Rata, I am not going to criticise him or her as he/she has the same rights to comment here as me, provided he/she complies with the rules in the TS’ Policy.
However, since this new personality appeared recently, I have been a bit bemused by his/her postings and personally I decided the best thing to do was just ignore. IMHO he/she really does not post enough substance to bother replying to or attempting any debate on the issues raised. There is not much point when there are so many other more interesting interactions going on here.
And thank you for posting that link. I meant to do so on Sunday (?) when I first read it and we were discussing that issue on MS’s post on the $100,000 donation. So we need you to stay!!!!
Same sentiments from me ian.
veutoviper. I have a huge sense of humour (though my wife only laughs sometimes) and I was really just grinning to myself as I wrote my response to rata. I thought he was trying to be too clever so responded in that vein. I am not leaving TS. Some serious ideas here but I like the sort of response people like Robert sometimes give us too. Brightens the day.
And yes I read your plan of how a blog should run. Good stuff.
I am pleased you were grinning to yourself – but I didn’t laugh because I thought you were serious! Agree re Robert’s responses.
And my other comments were not a plan – just thoughts.
Stay please ianmac. Your posts are always interesting and informative.
Another interesting snapshot of how perceptions of women’s and men’s performance varies even when doing the same job.
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/01/theres-a-bigger-difference-between-6-and-10-than-you-think/
50 years ago the Beatles played their rooftop concert.
It was their last appearance together as a band.
Ace.
Lennon and McCartney = the greatest composers of popular music since Mozart
This utube clip has had over 205 million views….
Cough cough, Bob Dylan, cough cough.
Cough, cough, Michael Maybrick, cough cough.
Cough, cough, Irving Berlin, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Gerry Goffin, Ellie Greenwich, Paul Kelly….
Yeah…nah.
If I hummed tunes, the 50+ masses would excel at identifying the Beatles numbers. The Beatles ownership of popular music is waning but what a run.
C’mon Morrisey, I could whistle 30 Beatles tunes and you’d identify every one of them.
Thanks for that…is so easy to forget how timelessly good they were/are
Idiot Piers Morgan upset when historian points out that
Churchill was responsible for the starvation of millions of Bengalis.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/piers-morgan-in-furious-row-with-msp-over-tweet-labelling-churchill-a-white-supremacist-mass-a4051366.html
https://winstonchurchill.hillsdale.edu/did-churchill-cause-the-bengal-famine/
Churchill as Minister of defence in 1914 refused credit to Turkey to enable for them to regain their repaired naval ships. The result was that Turkey was powerless to withstand pressure from Germany. The Germans “gave” a ship to Turkey, raised a Turkish flag on her, then sent her in to the Black Sea to shell a Russian town. Thus, Churchill’s decision tipped Turkey into being our enemy. Well done Winston.
Churchill is one of the few people about whom I am very ambivalent. He did great things and he did terrible things, and most of his actions all came from the same place and attitude. He connected with people from all classes and was a considerate officer in the trenches, but he also set tanks and cavalry on workers. And so many other juxtapositions.
Pretty much everyone with an opinion on him is correct, lovers and haters all.
He certainly contained multitudes.
It’s perhaps worth noting that his descendants continue to wreak havoc among the underprivileged. His horrible grandson Rupert Soames was in charge of that awful Serco shitshow.
‘
“I know Churchill is a monster. But he is our monster”
Clement Attlee
Starts off badly as it’s possible to start off, by endorsing a less than mediocre book by that numbskull Boris Johnson, for pity’s sake.
The “Churchill Project” is going to be about as rigorous as a Mike Hosking three minute radio rant.
It is all referenced and appears to be in direct contradiction to the piece you have chosen to troll with.
It starts off by endorsing Boris Johnson. Any organization with so little judgment is neither serious nor credible.
The sort of stupidity and bureaucracy we have come to expect from NZ officials…
Kaikoura homeless sent 260km away as housing units sit empty
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018680086/kaikoura-homeless-sent-260km-away-as-housing-units-sit-empty
“Non a l’Eurovision 2019 en Israel!”
Move Eurovision From Israel, Peter Gabriel and Leading U.K. Artists Urge BBC
Signatories to letter say venue must change because of ‘Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights’; BBC rejects call
Haaretz, Jan. 30, 2019
Some 50 British cultural figures, including musician Peter Gabriel and actress Julie Christie, signed a letter published on Tuesday in the Guardian calling on the BBC to push for the locale of this year’s Eurovision song contest to be changed because of “Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.”
The BBC rejected the call, saying it was ‘inappropriate to use the BBC’s participation for political reasons.’
“The European Broadcasting Union chose Tel Aviv as the venue over occupied Jerusalem – but this does nothing to protect Palestinians from land theft, evictions, shootings, beatings and more by Israel’s security forces,” read the letter.
“The BBC is bound by its charter to ‘champion freedom of expression,'” the figures said. “It should act on its principles and press for Eurovision to be relocated to a country where crimes against that freedom are not being committed.”
Also among the dozens of signatories were filmmakers Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, and musician Roger Waters.
Earlier this month, protesters in France stormed the stage after a performance by Netta Barzilai, who won the song contest in 2018, carrying a sign saying “Non a l’Eurovision 2019 en Israel!” (No to Eurovision 2019 in Israel).
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/01/peter-gabriel-move-eurovision-from.html
I would think letting Israel host the Eurovision Song Contest would be a form of punishment for them, but they aren’t sharp enough to know the difference.
Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel? Surely this in itself is an admission that Israel is not part of the Middle East, but an artificial Western colony, in the Middle East
Ha ! Staging Miss Universe in Moscow ‘pisses all over’ that,
Sounds like something Trump might have been involved in.
He was certainly “involved” in a few beauty contests in the U.S.
“I sorta get away with things like that….”
Who knew Ports of Auckland were privately owned… maybe they think that they are because of the stupid COO structure but unless they were sold off by Auckland council they are still an asset owned by the ratepayers of Auckland or are supposed to be even if they are under the Rogernomics structure…
Pretty sure Ports of Auckland will face climate change issues, but of course keep head head in sand and collect bonuses…
Govt needs to fill gaps on climate infrastructure cost
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/381388/govt-needs-to-fill-gaps-on-climate-infrastructure-cost
Hi Save, (from the RNZ link you supplied)
It is hard to believe that this sentence was written by an actual journalist. As well as being factually incorrect, it is grammatically incorrect as well.
If they spoke this sentence out loud, you would wonder if they were mentally challenged.
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/international/362616-uk-finance-industry-to-shrug-off-brexit-and-grow—hammond
https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5879428/hard-brexit-could-be-hard-on-aussie-farm-export-plans/
The old economics’ engines of imperialism are outdated. Further more, no one can out China, China.
Technology, and the unstoppable nature of the demands of a increasingly multi-polar nature to world economic growth, along with those practicalities to sustainable resource management, requires the economics of Quantity, whether that be the numbers of segregated financial gains or overall volumes traded, transition to the economics of Quality ( the value systems of the less direct tangibles in the co-operative life styles of the societal demand & supply being developed – which NZ is starting upon to the terms of the Govt’s first wellbeing budget).
A Brexit of that for example,
https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/high-earners-pay-to-rise-seven-times-faster-than-average-in-2019-37766793.html
isn’t really that different to the outcomes on societal market forces to a free trade deal with expansionist China perhaps.
If shit like this doesn’t drive Lenin to rise from his grave to strangle the kleptocratic gangsters occupying the Kremlin, then nothing will.
Russia’s Justice Ministry has proposed exempting officials in “exceptional circumstances” from anti-corruption regulations in new draft legislation, following a plan set by Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.
Russia ranks among the world’s most corrupt countries, with Transparency International’s annual corruption perceptions index ranking it in 138th place this year out of 180 countries.
[…]
The Justice Ministry did not provide examples of the “exceptional circumstances” that would allow officials to escape punishment. Russia’s Vedomosti business daily reported Monday that the ministry would provide specific examples of exemptions to anti-corruption laws after public discussions of the proposal wrap up on Feb. 8.
The measures to amend the legislation were proposed by Putin in an anti-corruption plan he signed in June 2018.
Ilya Shumanov, the deputy head of Transparency International Russia, told the publication that the amendments provide loopholes for officials to avoid responsibility.
“There’s not a single rational explanation for the use of exceptional circumstances when an official couldn’t declare a conflict of interest,” Vedomosti quoted Shumanov as saying.
https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-moves-decriminalize-unavoidable-corruption-following-putins-proposal-64316
Really interesting case study of “conversion disorder”, previously referred to as mass hysteria
The diplomats withdrawn from the Cuban embassy with injuries caused by a mysterious “”sonic or microwave weapon developed by the Soviets” turned out to have been bothered by crickets
I’m feeling the same , the cicadas are crazy noisy this year.
an excerpt
” In terms of locations under pressure, embassies are strong candidates, especially when a considerable number of the staff are undercover spies. One C.I.A. agent told me that these low-grade panics happen a lot. Writing in The New Yorker in 2008, the novelist and former British spy, John le Carré, made the case that spies are susceptible to a unique form of hysteria. ”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/01/the-real-story-behind-the-havana-embassy-mystery
Strangely the Guardian is still pumping this fake news story
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/31/canada-cuts-staff-in-cuba-embassy-after-mystery-illness-strikes-again
The unknown cause struck a building of people here in NZ recently. Ambulances etc. Then the kids who smelt compost?
(I heard my first cicada for the season yesterday here in sunny Marlborough.)
BlandLiarSarah@Swamp:
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/01/30/sarah-sanders-cbn-god-wanted-trump-president-sot-ebof-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/this-week-in-politics/?fbclid=IwAR3l6s7xPK_cJ5IG8T8ezT2GisvaHi7u_72N-bW7zM6lloituzZn2LpUv7k
Guess Nancy Pelosi’s fucked then……
God’s will Trumps all, North and South.
Kia ora The AM Show technical you are correct mark officially a heatwave is 5 days of 5 degrees above the normal level of heat. But I say our temperature should be measured in the full Sun then we will get the actual temperature that will be 5 degrees higher than what is been reported. Why my you ask that Eco Maori is advocating this change well its to warn the vulnerable elderly people.
People under the bridge the actual temperature they will be exposed to when outside with no nice air conditioning whare /house like the wealthy can afford and minimise any deaths caused by the heat wave records are still being broken. Also that neanderthal from America that you and duncan were waving your little flags for has been suppressing any media around Papatuanukue from taking about climate change. I also know that for accuracy of the Papatuanukue temptures by metrologist the whole Papatuanukue will have to change and measure the actual temperature in the midday Sun to minimise un factual temperature readings
The Tawhirirmate wind of change is getting under big businesses skirts that its is not on that management get more money than they can spend and the people making the company’s dividends are just serviving. West Pack bank giving there workers the living wages. The AM Show is a cracked record replaying Kiwi build every day that’s a typical neanderthal trait repeat repeat can not think of a intelligent positive topic I see this trait in other Neanderthals. All intelligent people can work out whats bullshit and what’s fact 97 % of OUR scientist have proven that climate change is a fact but thee neanderthal goes with the 3% of scientists that have a conflict of interest and the oil barrons spinning and deny climate change. Your man in New York is not quite accurate the polar freezing that’s hitting New York at the minute was predicted by the 97% of scientists that neanderthals chose to ignore years ago . The cause of New York freezing is directly linked to the polar ice caps melting and that phenomenon is causing the Polar Vortex to wabble hence the polar vortex now covers thousands of miles of more land in that region than in normal condition. I did look at the story now for accuracy but I read this prediction last year.??????????.Bruce Stick LEASE HOLD LAND to foreigners. But for THE Average KIWIS that system of leaseing land will make us much more poorer Make it that foreigners only being able to lease land this will protect the average KIWIS living standards. judy why didn’t you talk about the duopoly of buildings suppliers in Aotearoa when you weren’t warming the opposition seats O that’s why the old men hogging the dividends from those 2 big companies are nationals main political donator /BRIBES Who shorted the housing market this phenomenon has been traveling throughout the Western Society’s housing markets being shorted so the wealthy can reap the capital gains. The neanderthal that are shorting housing market in the west cannot think past there own well-being or even their tamariki future.
The banks make enough profits to cover paying their employees a living wage especially when they charge life insurance policy holders 4 million people have some cover 25% in fees that’s the highest charges in the Western Papatuanukue.? Advertiseing Alcohol????. Its the cleaners the security guards that will be better off with the bank finally paying the living wage. Bull trades are getting $25 a hour +. What a the lower paid workers get has know collaborations or a effective on what the higher skilled worker earns at all. Ka kite ano. P.S know mark all commercial organisations will use most things to gain customers. The bankers don’t like – – – – Ana to kai
What Eco Maori is upset about this system is it lies to Maori & PI people the professionals say they don’t know why we have these health problems . Thats discrimanation there who cares about them If they die so be it they are infiror dosen’t matter. How is the system lieing these professionals know for a fact that SUGAR and ALCOHOL is one of the main causes of many health deases that kill US off before we get to 55 years old hence the longevity gap .The system lets business surround poorer communitys with shop’s selling these EVIL prouducts sugar and alcohol and gambling bars as well WTF. If one goes to a wealthy suburb you won’t see outlets flogging this shit for many miles. You see the innocent Tangata think we would not sell someone a prouduct that would cause there life to be shortened by 20 years so the white man would not do this they trust the system to have there best interest at heart YEA RIGHT .The capitilist system is buyer be ware on price and the effects of the prouduct has on ones health. Even if the system knows the prouduct kill’s people early one still has to prove its a FACT in the UNJUSTICE system before it becomes fact or have millions of dollars of studys dune to prove the facts that the professionals know is a fact but say nothing to keep there dividens flowing into there hip pockets from the companys that flogg this SHIT. Thats OUR reality WHANO
Western medicine says many Māori and most Pasifika people are obese. Some people are angry about the system that ‘fat-shames’ them in this way. Others are focused on finding solutions that actually work. Carmen Parahi reports.
Gina Sausau is vital, her body is strong, she fizzes with enthusiasm.
The 31-year old encourages others – mainly Māori and Pasifika people – motivating them with her words and inspiring them into action.
Yet three years ago, she was a different, physically and mentally heavier woman.
The health sector and the measures they’re using for Māori and PI is not working. They don’t take into consideration our culture. Everything they’re doing to combat obesity is not going to work.”
The New Zealand Health Survey 2017/18 found nearly a third of Kiwis are obese. Those living in deprived areas, where Māori and Pasifika peoples are often over-represented, were 1.6 times as likely to be obese.
Letele wants the Government to put a cap on the number of fast food joints allowed to operate in low socio-economic areas.
“Go and look around Mangere and parts of West Auckland. You won’t see that in Remuera or Mission Bay. We’re being targeted but we’re falling for it.
“Our kids are walking to school eating fizzy and pie. We’re bombarded with it, that’s the issue for me. We get less money, it’s just hard.” Ka kite ano links below P.S Alcohol is loaded with sugar
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/110265031/the-stigma-of-a-system-that-
fat-shames-mori-and-pasifika-people
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
Well Whanau Eco Maori has been reasearching our history our tipuna’s .
I seen storys back in 1840 of maori complaining about not getting the same money for poaka as his Europeen neighbours they got $2 a poaka and maori only got $1 so one can see that this discriminational behaviour would have flowed through all froms of commerce in the New Zealand systems for 250 years. Quickly eroding Tangata Whenua money whenua and mana this is the compounding effect in reverse
A compounding effect is if my 6 X greatgrand father Jose put $2 in a bank acount it would be worth $2 million at the minute. So one can see that this Europeen behaviour to Tanagta Whenua O Aotearoa has had a devestating effect on Maori wealth how well if my 6x greatgrandfather Jose had $2 million in assets back then it would eroded down to $2 at the minute . (Kia Kaha Wahine Eco Maori Tau tokos you all they way)
First milestone for Mana Wahine claim at Waitangi Tribunal
A claim lodged by Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Awhina – the rūnanga of the Public Service Association – to address employment inequities suffered by Māori women has now been officially registered by the Waitangi Tribunal as claim Wai 2864.
“It’s fantastic the Tribunal will hear our claim. It calls out the Crown for its failure to address injustices that have relegated generations of wāhine Māori to low paid jobs with working conditions that leave them extremely vulnerable,” said Georgina Kerr, one of four PSA members who lodged the claim on behalf of Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Awhina.
This includes the failure of the education system to adequately prepare wāhine Māori for meaningful employment, the failure to eliminate bias and discrimination in the workplace, and the failure to consistently fund services that should be enhancing the lives of Māori wāhine and their whānau.
PSA Kaiwhakarite Māori Marcia Puru said “many wāhine Māori have been chronically disadvantaged by these breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. That has to stop”.
Latest figures from the State Services Commission show while Pākehā women in the Public Service earn 13% less than their male counterparts, wāhine Māori earn 22% less than Pākehā men. Ka kite ano links below
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1901/S00144/first-milestone-for-mana-wahine-claim-at-waitangi-tribunal.htm
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute
Was it really the “unruly tourists?”
“An 82-year-old woman believes a trio of the unruly tourists scammed her out of almost $9000, claiming they would fix her roof but left a hole in her ceiling….
Leonard (the 82 year old woman) told Newshub that she recognised one of the three from the rowdy British tourist group when she saw photos.
The group caught the attention of worldwide media after a seemingly innocuous litter incident at Takapuna Beach erupted into a North Island tale of thefts, unpaid bills and general nuisance behaviour….
…The police arrived shortly after, saying they had tracked the car’s registration to a motel but that they had not yet made any arrests.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz//nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12199489&ref=clavis