Like many of my generation (boomers) I have a somewhat tenuous relationship with computers and big tech. I use my laptop quite a bit, but mainly just for word processing and connection to the internet and can see, in my case, a few limited uses for AI.
But I didn't quite grasp how profoundly earth-shattering DeepSeek will potentially be to the whole economy of the world.
This appears to be in the realm of 'invention of the wheel' type transformation!
It is true that the USA economy is developing via IP/wealth aggregation based on global monopoly, rather than competition (and using tariffs to limit foreign competition).
And AI is the next big thing.
Thus the modern Cold War is about tech IP and information security, as much as military power.
Parliament voted in favour of the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill this evening, marking the 100th settlement between the Crown and Māori and the end of nine years of negotiations.
Parliament voted unanimously to pass a law that formally grants legal personhood to Taranaki maunga (mountain). The bill also acknowledged the historical grievances inflicted on Taranaki’s eight iwi by the Crown.
New Zealand has granted legal personality to several natural features, including:
Te Urewera A mountainous region that became the first natural feature in New Zealand to be granted legal personality in 2014
Whanganui River the first river in the world to be granted legal personality in 2017
Taranaki Maunga New Zealand's second-highest mountain was granted legal personality in 2023
Green analogue of corporate personhood, and we now have a triad. It means any of these regions can take the state to court if state agents cause harm to the ecosystem, such as spreading poison within such regions. However that will only happen if Greenies decide to organise natural rights into political activity and use the legal personhood concept as a tool.
Could be that Wikipedia is also inaccurate: their list includes ridges & sub-peaks on the same mountain. Sort of like pretending that the different limbs of an animal are actually different animals. Whereas most people point to a mountain and say `there it is', a mountaineer may define a mountain in terms of various climbs to the top that loom in the adjacent possible of decision-making…
As a data and AI engineer, my two cents on DeepSeek is that it will only be revolutionary under three conditions.
Their claims about cost, speed, and hardware hold up.
DeepSeek’s reported efficiency in training its model is impressive—but unverified. There’s also plausible evidence they may have used stolen OpenAI data. And while they claim to have trained on H800 chips, they’ve also hinted at stockpiling 10,000+ export-controlled H100s, which raises more questions than answers.
They can match global standards on data security and privacy.
The relationship between DeepSeek and the CCP is murky. Given AI is a strategic priority for China, it's highly likely they have state backing—if not direct funding. Can they operate with the same transparency and privacy safeguards required of non-Chinese firms?
There's also the question of them model's reluctance to discuss issues that reflect badly on Xi Jiping or the CCP.
Their business model is actually sustainable.
It’s one thing to make a splash, another to build a long-term business. DeepSeek still has to prove it can compete without opaque funding or regulatory arbitrage.
Which is more likely?
A quantum leap in AI efficiency, seemingly from nowhere?
Or an aggressive market disruption from a new player in a sketchy jurisdiction with questionable practices that just happens to want to be a major competitor as a matter of serious national policy?
The jury's still out.
At the moment the AI market is overheated and overhyped – basically a bunch of tech and crypto bros high on huffing their own supply. Nobody with an understanding of the technology and underlying problems of building and scaling AI is taking this particularly seriously.
For now, best we can do is treat it like the cheaper, knockoff ChatGPT it likely is.
So what if Deepseek uses stolen data and stockpiled chips?
So what if it has links to the Chinese Communist Party?
Nobody really cares about this. What Deepseek has done, brilliantly, is show that the AI propaganda based-boom is built on sand and will collapse. Watch those tech share prices plummet.
You're absolutely right! AI is spectacularly overhyped. And like all bubbles, it will eventually burst.
But what happens next matters.
The crash won’t kill AI—it’ll just reshape the market, concentrating power in fewer hands. Normally, that process weeds out unsustainable products and leaves a few dominant players standing.
If one of those players happens to be a CCP-backed firm built on stolen IP, deception, and state protection from scrutiny, that’s a serious problem.
The AI hype bubble may collapse, but what comes after could be even worse.
Good point Muttonbird: western consumers have overlooked stolen IP in Chinese-made products for decades.
But the technology and strategic context matters.
Selling cheap knockoff gadgets is one thing. Reshaping the global AI landscape to gain control over a foundational technology is another.
That’s why this can't be ignored like consumer tech has been.
At the end of the day this isn’t just about China building a better AI product (assuming the claims DeepSeek have made are verified).
It’s about flooding the market with models trained on stolen data, backed by state support, and shielded from regulatory scrutiny. That’s not competition; it’s economic and technological sabotage.
Which leaves us here in Aotearoa vulnerable: to data theft, infrastructure compromises, and security threats.
That’s not to say we can blindly trust the US, or that late-stage capitalism will magically protect us from its worst excesses and be good stewards of our personal data.
The irony of OpenAI's complaints about data theft are not lost on me.
But at least with a US or EU company, we have a fighting chance of regulation and accountability.
Censorship is also an issue. Deepseek has it built in e.g. ask about 1989 Tiananmen Square and you'll get that is beyond my scope.
That alone makes it untrustworthy. I do find AI useful for getting sources but even then find the sources minimal overall eg really hard to get AI to use Hansard for instance as part of its research base. Not sure whether it just uses most popular.
Is there any evidence that the privatisation of public assets saved the promised 30% to 40%. List sources.
The claim that privatization of public assets saves 30% to 40% is often cited in debates about privatization, but the actual evidence is mixed and context-dependent. While some studies and reports suggest that privatization can lead to cost savings and efficiency improvements, others highlight that the outcomes vary widely depending on the sector, country, and implementation. Below is an overview of the evidence and some key sources:
Evidence Supporting Cost Savings
World Bank Studies:
The World Bank has published reports suggesting that privatization can lead to significant efficiency gains and cost savings, particularly in sectors like telecommunications, energy, and transportation.
Source: World Development Report 1994: Infrastructure for Development (World Bank, 1994).
Megginson and Netter (2001):
A widely cited academic study reviewed privatization efforts globally and found that privatized firms often experienced improved performance, including cost reductions and increased efficiency.
Source: Megginson, W. L., & Netter, J. M. (2001). "From State to Market: A Survey of Empirical Studies on Privatization." Journal of Economic Literature, 39(2), 321-389.
UK Privatization Experience:
The privatization of British Telecom (BT) and British Gas in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s is often cited as a success story, with reports of improved efficiency and service quality.
Source: Privatization and Economic Performance (Oxford University Press, 1994).
Evidence Questioning the 30%-40% Claim
Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU):
PSIRU has published reports arguing that the promised savings from privatization are often overstated. They highlight cases where privatization led to higher costs for consumers and reduced service quality.
Source: The Privatization Industry in Europe (PSIRU, 2014).
OECD Studies:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has noted that while privatization can lead to efficiency gains, the outcomes depend heavily on the regulatory framework and market conditions. In some cases, privatization has not delivered the expected savings.
Source: Privatisation in the 21st Century: Recent Experiences of OECD Countries (OECD, 2009).
Latin American Privatization:
Studies of privatization in Latin America have shown mixed results. While some sectors (e.g., telecommunications) saw improvements, others (e.g., water and electricity) experienced price increases and service disruptions.
Source: Privatization in Latin America: Myths and Reality (Stanford University Press, 2005).
Water Privatization Failures:
In cases like Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Jakarta, Indonesia, water privatization led to significant price hikes and public backlash, undermining claims of cost savings.
Source: Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World’s Water (Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, 2002).
Key Takeaways
Sector-Specific Outcomes: Savings are more likely in competitive sectors (e.g., telecommunications) than in natural monopolies (e.g., water, electricity).
Regulation Matters: Effective regulation is critical to ensure that privatization benefits the public and does not lead to exploitation.
Context Matters: The success of privatization depends on the country's economic, political, and institutional context.
Mixed Evidence: While some cases show significant savings, others show no improvement or even negative outcomes.
Conclusion
The claim that privatization consistently saves 30% to 40% is not universally supported by evidence. While there are success stories, there are also notable failures. The outcomes depend on how privatization is implemented, the sector in question, and the regulatory environment. For a balanced view, it is important to examine case studies and empirical research rather than relying on generalized claims.
Funnily enough, the subject of my master's research was a takedown of neoliberal public management models, privatization, and the growth of managerialism in the public sector.
As for AI, it's an incredibly powerful tool. But we are only just scratching the surface of the ethical, legal, and data management implications.
We're basically toddlers running around with a chainsaw.
Yeah one meta-analysis identified only rubbish disposal as making any where near decent gains.
growth of managerialism in the public sector.
Yeah that's a fuck up of monumental proportions – made worse now by incompetent Ministers if my obrservations are correct eg ferries.
AI is great funnily enough for non-techy people who could revolutionise small community groups in terms of productivity and research. An instant draft presentation can save hours of thinking and work.
Write me a short presentation on how potato chips are made. Include references and individual steps n the process.
Presentation: How Potato Chips Are Made
Slide 1: Title Slide
How Potato Chips Are Made
A step-by-step guide to the production of everyone's favorite snack.
References included for further reading.
Slide 2: Introduction
Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks worldwide.
The process involves selecting the right potatoes, slicing, frying, seasoning, and packaging.
Let’s explore how this crispy treat is made!
Slide 3: Step 1 – Potato Selection
Key Point: Only high-quality potatoes are used.
Varieties like Russet or Maris Piper are preferred for their low sugar and high starch content.
Potatoes are inspected for size, shape, and defects.
Reference: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Potato Processing Technology.
Slide 4: Step 2 – Washing and Peeling
Key Point: Potatoes are cleaned to remove dirt and peeled.
They are washed in water and passed through abrasive peelers.
Some brands leave the skin on for a more rustic chip.
Reference: USDA, Guidelines for Potato Processing.
Slide 5: Step 3 – Slicing
Key Point: Potatoes are sliced into thin, even pieces.
Industrial slicers cut potatoes into slices about 1-2 mm thick.
Uniform thickness ensures even cooking.
Reference: Fellows, P. J. (2009). Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice.
Slide 6: Step 4 – Rinsing and Blanching
Key Point: Slices are rinsed to remove excess starch.
Blanching in hot water (70-90°C) softens the slices and removes sugars to prevent over-browning.
This step also improves the final texture and color.
Reference: Singh, R. P., & Heldman, D. R. (2014). Introduction to Food Engineering.
Slide 7: Step 5 – Frying
Key Point: Slices are fried in oil at 175-190°C for 2-3 minutes.
Continuous fryers are used in industrial production.
The chips are monitored to achieve the perfect golden color and crispiness.
Reference: Food Engineering Magazine, The Science of Frying.
Slide 8: Step 6 – Seasoning
Key Point: Chips are flavored with seasonings.
Salt is the most common seasoning, but other flavors (e.g., barbecue, sour cream) are added using tumblers or spray systems.
Seasonings adhere to the chips while they are still warm.
Reference: Potter, N. N., & Hotchkiss, J. H. (1995). Food Science.
Slide 9: Step 7 – Packaging
Key Point: Chips are packaged to maintain freshness.
Nitrogen gas is used to flush out oxygen in the bags, preventing staleness and extending shelf life.
Bags are sealed and labeled for distribution.
Reference: Robertson, G. L. (2012). Food Packaging: Principles and Practice.
Slide 10: Conclusion
Potato chips are made through a carefully controlled process:
Potato selection
Washing and peeling
Slicing
Rinsing and blanching
Frying
Seasoning
Packaging
Each step ensures the chips are crispy, flavorful, and ready to enjoy!
Slide 11: References
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Potato Processing Technology.
USDA. Guidelines for Potato Processing.
Fellows, P. J. (2009). Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice.
Singh, R. P., & Heldman, D. R. (2014). Introduction to Food Engineering.
Food Engineering Magazine. The Science of Frying.
Potter, N. N., & Hotchkiss, J. H. (1995). Food Science.
Robertson, G. L. (2012). Food Packaging: Principles and Practice.
According to the theory of magical thinking, any such set of 7 elements operating as a plan of action will have a magical effect when enacted.
So that's why the dietary influence of potato chips the past half-century has inflated the bodies of consumers so much: the method works like magic – it is powerfully transformative in a physical sense.
It's the salt- cravings for salt. There is, I believe, a cellar/pantry inventory hard-wired into the brain that, reminding us that potato crisps, cheese crackers and beer are available for immediate consumption, short circuits any nascent delayed gratification urgings…..
Most of the pro-privatisation reports are from 20 years ago. You have to look at the long game for true cost-benefit. Don't trust ai to do your homework.
No I wasn't. Was just seeing what AI would produce. It seeems fair too even handed for what I've read – most were an abject failure as far as the promised savings, many have had to be bailed out and the cynical and exploitative Theresa Gattung policy of multiple (confusing) pricing models is an example of profit maximisation at the cost of the consumer – as is wanky borrowing to pay dividends to shareholders – capital theft at it's finest.
One thing Labour could do is say each is only allowed one price for electricity. Then they can compete for consumers.
Ok sure, open-source AI could certainly help Europe and India build competitive AI ecosystems.
But independence depends on more than just access to code. Infrastructure, talent retention, regulatory frameworks, and investment all play a role.
The real question is whether these regions can build sustainable AI ecosystems that aren’t overly dependent on any single power. Whether that's the US or China.
That said, real competition requires a level playing field that drives actual innovation. Not just wholesale IP theft, protectionism, or a facade propped up by propaganda.
An open market is valuable, but only if it leads to genuine progress rather than reinforcing artificial advantages.
A quantum leap in AI efficiency, seemingly from nowhere?
Or an aggressive market disruption from a new player in a sketchy jurisdiction with questionable practices that just happens to want to e a major competitor as a matter of serious national policy?
Shane Jones on Morning Report this morning confirmed that he is a self-important, slithering supercilious snake. Many more adjectives could be used but not going to waste any more of my time.
Trump claims diversity hiring is the cause of the Potomac River crash, but reports are saying air traffic control was not staffed properly at the time, so perhaps budget cuts are the primary cause.
I'm no aviation safety expert but it looked to me like the military helicopter should have been there, crossing the descent path of the airliner.
We know the airline pilot was white, so no fault there according to Trump, but since he is quick to lay the blame on DEI, it's very important we know the colour skin of the helicopter pilots, the air traffic controller, and their rostering manager. Only way to know for sure!
There is a Helicopter transit corridor down the Potomac River, which the Blackhawk was using next to Ronald Reagan Airport.
It appears that Blackhawk Pilot may lost Situation Awareness and it also appears that he/ she didn't have it's transponder/ anti collision transponder on either?
Then we also have the understaffed ATC at Ronald Reagan Airport, who are double hatting atm which could also be a factor as well?
The Tony Blair Institute asked people in 6 western democracies their views on government. Voters were 'turning away from centre-left and centre-right parties not for ideological reasons, but because confidence in their competence and integrity have plummeted. “Whatever voters are looking for, they increasingly…doubt that it can be delivered by the parties they…traditionally elected to office"…'economic pessimism was linked to declining faith in democracy.'
Perception is everything, as propagandaists know. TBI said 'the findings served as a “clarion call to mainstream parties: disrupt or be disrupted”…to build and maintain support, mainstream parties needed to “change through disruption – of social media feeds, of the old left-right spectrum and by embracing new technology, especially AI. At the same time, credible answers must be provided for legitimate grievances', eg immigration in the UK and Germany.
We know we have reached a political inflexion point world-wide. I think is due almost entirely to the transition in the last decade from trad media to a million viewpoints on the same event. And controlling or manipulating social media with its anonimity, via shills or bots or influencers, is the key to controlling voters. Whaleoil times 5 million.
To gain attention, but not via a constant spew of trumpian crap is the challenge for the left. More, much more radical, but in a principled direction, is the message from this research.
Interesting, but the times seem more indeterminate than indicative. Thinking ahead in a situation of social turbulence is challenging for anyone but we did evolve on that basis so we do have the capacity as a shared resource.
Yes, a political inflection due to media diversity is likely but more as ebbing of faith in the system than clever proactivity and solutions-based thinking. In the short term, anyway, while folks ponder the lack of an apparent alternative to the status quo.
Supporters of the opposition claim that they will provide a positive alternative – but neither them nor the opposing parties are fronting with sufficient evidence to impress the increasingly-disillusioned masses. You point to a principled radical stance as primary take for the left. It seems a necessity, yet it ain't happening.
I gave the source, because I understand Blair is a capitalist apologist, and his think tank possibly suspect. But, I think the survey itself is very informative, and that TBI make a valid challenge to the left to change things by taking big steps.
There is a heap of 'Labour and the Greens are out of touch/don't progress fast enough' at TS. This work at least tries to identify why and suggest a 'how'.
I am thinking how marxism at the turn of the 1900s had a simple message of social justice from capilalist exploitation. It was spread by grass-roots worker groups. This led down the track to Labour's Welfare state, Rooseveldt's New Deal, etc.
Earlier on, we forget that, in the same way that the US defanged the robber barons, via taxation, we in NZ had the breakup of giant land estates. These are all 'big' ideas. How to get back on a democratic track via a big social message, well-proliferated?
The president replied: "It may have, I don't know. Incompetence might have played a role…
"But we want the most competent people. We don't care what race they are, we want the most competent people, especially in those positions.
"And you're talking about extremely complex things, and if they don't have a great brain, a great power of the brain, they're not going to be very good at what they do, and bad things will happen."
Just days before the crash, President Donald Trump enacted a sweeping shake-up of the federal agencies responsible for aviation oversight, removing the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), David Pekoske, and eliminating all the members of a key aviation security advisory group. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace, was also without permanent leadership at the time of the crash, as its top official, Michael Whitaker, stepped down ahead of the new administration’s transition after clashing with Trump ally Elon Musk.'
“In the 10 days since Trump’s inauguration, his administration froze the hiring of additional air traffic controllers, gutted key air safety protections, and fired FAA leadership to the benefit of Musk’s business interests,” the progressive policy advocacy group MoveOn wrote in a statement.
Hiring freezes jeopardising safety. Where have we heard this before?
Dr James Kierstead is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Languages and Cultures at Te Herenga Waka -Victoria University of Wellington. He has a commentary on Dame Anne Salmond's latest essay here: https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/31/hayeks-real-bastards/
The picture painted in Salmond’s article is one in which Act is seeking to strip ordinary New Zealanders of their human rights, and in which my Initiative colleagues play a supporting role as purveyors of an ideology which is fundamentally illiberal, anti-democratic, and even racist.
In an effort “to work out what’s going on”, Salmond looked at three books – Globalists,Crack-up Capitalism and Hayek’s Bastards – by the Canadian intellectual historian Quinn Slobodian… In Salmond’s telling, “a direct genealogy can be traced from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in the 1920s to the Mont Pelerin Society in 1947, the Atlas Foundation” and the New Zealand Initiative… It’s very strange, then, that Salmond associates us with the likes of Wilhelm Röpke, whose pro-apartheid racism she documents (without mentioning the anti-apartheid work of other members of the Mont Pelerin Society), as well as Curtis Yarvin (a.k.a. ‘Mencius Moldbug’), who has argued for the restoration of monarchical rule in Western nations.
Her associations cited here aren't strange to me. Leftists normally conflate rightists and vice versa. It has long been the primary way for both groups to become delusional.
true dialogue, though, requires both sides to actually listen to what the other is saying, and not put words in other people’s mouths.
Paying attention is extremely difficult when one's state of mental normalcy is driven by bias of any kind. It become more likely when others aren't viewed as enemies, allowing the possibility of mutual respect. Principled advocacy from the right is a refreshing change to normalcy, worthy of encouragement.
A key objective certainly of ACT and very probably of National is to undermine universities, and university academics. Particular targets are academics who study humanities and human sciences, and especially those who speak for the underprivileged. The reason is clear, it's the because these academics are a form of regulation against the unbridled power and profit seeking of the privileged, and the flawed version of democracy which they hide behind.
Where Obama had hopey-changey, New Zealand and Britain are battling to own the growthy-yessy mantra. Here’s how we win.
Luxon is plainly up for the task. The first week back in the seat last week was festooned with invocations of growth and saying yes, culminating in a state of the nation speech that arrived like a giant word cloud pregnant with growth and its sidekick yes. (“Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead.” “The bottom line is we need a lot less no and a lot more yes.”)
It's all about power-sloganeering. Sadly, Lux failed to credit his Labour source:
“Kickstarting economic growth is this government’s number one mission. (blah blah blah) We must start saying yes.”
Toby predicts ministers will be known as maxisters. Son of Think Big looms…
Gore becomes Goer, Lower Hutt becomes Upper Hutt and Upper Hutt becomes Upperer Hutt. And we will abandon the No 8 Wire mentality in favour of a Yes 8 Wire mentality. At the end of the day, we’re talking about being relentlessly positive for a brighter future. Let’s do this.
Electronic Intifada details the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the start of the ceasefire.
How is it, these killings are not considered to be a breach of the ceasefire agreement?
And Hamas getting a name wrong on a list, or too enthusiastic crowds at a hostage handover are considered breaches of the ceasefire?
Because these are just the normal background of racist murders that Israel has visited on Palestinians since 1948
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The Prime Minister says he's really comfortable with us not knowing the reoffending rate for his boot camp programme.They asked him for it at yesterday’s press conference, and he said, nah, not telling, have to respect people's privacy.Okay I'll bite. Let's say they release this information to us:The rate of ...
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This may be rhetorical but here goes: did any of you invest in the $Libra memecoin endorsed and backed by Argentine president and darling of the global Right Javier Milei (who admitted to being paid a fee for his promotion of the token)? You know, the one that soared above ...
Last week various of the great and good of New Zealand economics and public policy trooped off to Hamilton (of all places) for the annual Waikato Economics Forum, one of the successful marketing drives of university’s Vice-Chancellor. My interest was in the speeches delivered by the Minister of Finance and ...
The Prime Minister says the Government would be open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine if a ceasefire was reached. The government has announced a $30 million spend on tourism infrastructure and biodiversity projects, including $11m spent to improve popular visitor sites and further $19m towards biodiversity efforts. A New Zealand-born ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler “But what about when the sun doesn't shine?!” Ah yes, the energy debate’s equivalent of “The Earth is flat!” Every time someone mentions solar or wind power, some self-proclaimed energy expert emerges from the woodwork to drop this supposedly devastating truth bomb: ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article I look into data on how well the rail network serve New Zealanders, and how many people might be able to travel by train… if we ran more than a ...
Hi,Before we get into Hayden Donnell’s new column about how yes, Donald Trump is definitely the Antichrist, I wanted to touch on something feral that happened in New Zealand last week.Members of Destiny Church pushed and punched their way into an Auckland library, apparently angry it was part of Pride ...
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Now that the US has ripped up the Atlantic alliance, Europe is more vulnerable now than at any time since the mid-1930s. Apparently, Europe and Ukraine itself will not have a seat at the table in the talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin that will ...
Olivia and Noah and Hana are going to the library!It is fun to go to the library. It has books and songs and mat time and people who smile at you and say, Hello Olivia, what have you been doing this morning?The library is more fun than the mall. At ...
New World Orders: The challenge facing Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins is how to keep their small and vulnerable nation safe and stable in a world whose economic and political climate the forty-seventh American president is changing so profoundly.IT IS, SURELY, the ultimate Millennial revenge fantasy. Calling senior Baby-Boomer and Gen-X ...
“This might surprise you, Laurie, but I reckon Trump’s putting on a bloody impressive performance.”“GOODNESS ME, HANNAH, just look at all those Valentine’s Day cards!”“Occupational hazard, Laurie, the more beer I serve, the more my customers declare their undying love!”“Crikey! I had no idea business was so good.” Laurie squinted ...
In 2005, Labour repealed the long-standing principle of birthright citizenship in Aotearoa. Why? As with everything else Labour does, it all came down to austerity: "foreign mothers" were supposedly "coming to this country to give birth", and this was "put[ting] pressure on hospitals". Then-Immigration Minister George Hawkins explicitly gave this ...
And I just hope that you can forgive usBut everything must goAnd if you need an explanation, nationThen everything must goSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Today, I’d like to talk about a couple of things that happened over the weekend:Brian Tamaki’s Library Invasion and ...
New reporting highlights how Brooke van Velden refuses to meet with the CTU but is happy to meet with fringe Australian-based unions. Van Velden is pursuing reckless changes to undermine the personal grievance system against the advice of her own officials. Engineering New Zealand are saying that hundreds of engineers ...
The NZCTU strongly supports the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill. This Bill represents a positive step towards addressing serious issues around unlawful disparities in pay by protecting workers’ rights to discuss their pay and conditions. This Bill also provides welcome support for helping tackle the prevalent gender and ...
Years of hard work finally paid off last week as the country’s biggest and most important transport project, the City Rail Link reached a major milestone with the first test train making its way slowly though the tunnels for the first time. This is a fantastic achievement and it is ...
Engineers are pleading for the Government to free up funds to restart stalled projects. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, February 17 are:Engineering New Zealand CEO Richard Templer said yesterday hundreds of ...
It’s one of New Zealand’s great sustaining myths: the spirit of ANZAC, our mates across the ditch, the spirit of Earl’s Court, Antipodeans united against the world. It is also a myth; it is not reality. That much was clear from a series of speakers, including a former Australian Prime ...
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
The Golden Age There has been long-standing recognition that New Zealand First has an unrivalled reputation for delivering for our older New Zealanders. This remains true, and is reflected in our coalition agreement. While we know there is much that we can and will do in this space, it is ...
Labour Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford has written to the charities regulator asking that Destiny Church charities be struck off in the wake of last weekend’s violence by Destiny followers in his electorate. ...
Bills by Labour MPs to remove rules around sale of alcohol on public holidays, and for Crown entities to adopt Māori names have been drawn from the Members’ Bill Ballot. ...
The Government is falling even further behind its promised target of 500 new police officers, now with 72 fewer police officers than when National took office. ...
This morning’s Stats NZ child poverty statistics should act as a wake-up call for the government: with no movement in child poverty rates since June 2023, it’s time to make the wellbeing of our tamariki a political priority. ...
Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson’s Consumer Guarantees Right to Repair Amendment Bill has passed its first reading in Parliament this evening. ...
“The ACT Party can’t be bothered putting an MP on one of the Justice subcommittees hearing submissions on their own Treaty Principles Bill,” Labour Justice Spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – OPEN LETTER: By Hassan Abo Qamar Dear Mr Trump, I am writing to you as a Palestinian and a survivor of genocide, who was born and raised in Gaza — a city of love and resilience. I have read your ...
Pacific Media Watch One of the leading Middle East’s leading political and media analysts, Marwan Bishara, has accused President Donald Trump of applying a doctrine of ‘strategic coercion” and “economic blackmail” in his approach to the Gaza ceasefire. Bishara, senior political analyst of the Doha-based Al Jazeera global television network, ...
This podcast contains discussion about sexual assaultThe protest by Destiny Church at an Auckland Pride event has revisited a rhetoric that many in the rainbow community thought was dead and buried.Much of the response from the general public has been a lashing out against Bishop Brian Tamaki’s ManUp gang.Josiah Pasikale ...
THE PRIME MINISTERWell look what I would like to say to you about the Man Up protest against a Pride event at an Auckland library on Saturday is that they went too far. You know, at the end of the day, let’s be honest, they went just a bit too ...
In a remarkable last-minute twist, the young immigrant mother at the heart of Fractured, Melanie Reid’s groundbreaking podcast on a case involving a baby’s injuries, has had her deportation order cancelled.Just days before she was set to be removed from the country, Associate Immigration Minister Chris Penk intervened, cancelling the deportation ...
Near-complete darkness. A savage shape to the hills. No words. Corinne presses the accelerator down, the road twisting and ducking before her. “We don’t have to go,” she says again, to Lizzie, in the passenger seat.Soon, the tarseal will turn to gravel, and the road will slip and slide like a ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. This week has felt a lot like 2017. Remember when every other day there was a report of some guy saying something massively, comically, sexist (or worse, just being a flat-out abuser with few professional repercussions) and then out The Spinoff would ...
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the fourth and final film in the series and gives our Bridge the fairytale ending she really, fucking deserves. It’s been 23 years since Bridget Jones’ Diary delivered one of the most iconic single gals in all of cinema (and literature). The world ...
The Junior Taskmaster host takes us through her life in television, from bingeing school holiday sitcoms to making Starstruck. In many ways, Rose Matafeo has been preparing for her role on Junior Taskmaster all her life. Not just because she is the daughter of a teacher, but because she has ...
On the lonely pain of miscarriage. It was my second pregnancy. I already had an 18-month-old toddler. We’d gone through anguish to have her. My daughter’s coming to being had started with a health hiccup that became an alarming question mark. The question had changed. It was no longer the ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Symone Tafuna’i.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.Symone Tafuna’i does it all. At only 25, she is a champion sprinter, a sports ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack K. Clegg, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, The University of Queensland A thin crystal is bent elastically when pressed with a metal probe. UQ/QUT We are all familiar with elastic materials – just think of a rubber band which can return ...
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For too long, political and cultural ideologies have held our public service captive, fostering an environment of self-censorship and removing a vital tool for error correction: freedom of speech. ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Austin, Chair of Private Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Not that long ago, the term “deepfake” wasn’t in most people’s vocabularies. Now, it is not only commonplace, but is also the focus of intense ...
Tara Ward welcomes back to the only show on TV that’ll have you captivated watching grass grow. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. From the moment Hyundai Country Calendar returned to our screens last Sunday night, I was transfixed. The opening shot ...
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Like many of my generation (boomers) I have a somewhat tenuous relationship with computers and big tech. I use my laptop quite a bit, but mainly just for word processing and connection to the internet and can see, in my case, a few limited uses for AI.
But I didn't quite grasp how profoundly earth-shattering DeepSeek will potentially be to the whole economy of the world.
This appears to be in the realm of 'invention of the wheel' type transformation!
Richard Murphy explains – 8.50 mins long.
It is true that the USA economy is developing via IP/wealth aggregation based on global monopoly, rather than competition (and using tariffs to limit foreign competition).
And AI is the next big thing.
Thus the modern Cold War is about tech IP and information security, as much as military power.
History was made last night:
Googles AI overview:
Google A1 not that accurate there. Taranaki Maunga is the second highest in North Island and 65th in the country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountains_of_New_Zealand_by_height
Could be that Wikipedia is also inaccurate: their list includes ridges & sub-peaks on the same mountain. Sort of like pretending that the different limbs of an animal are actually different animals. Whereas most people point to a mountain and say `there it is', a mountaineer may define a mountain in terms of various climbs to the top that loom in the adjacent possible of decision-making…
As a data and AI engineer, my two cents on DeepSeek is that it will only be revolutionary under three conditions.
Their claims about cost, speed, and hardware hold up.
DeepSeek’s reported efficiency in training its model is impressive—but unverified. There’s also plausible evidence they may have used stolen OpenAI data. And while they claim to have trained on H800 chips, they’ve also hinted at stockpiling 10,000+ export-controlled H100s, which raises more questions than answers.
They can match global standards on data security and privacy.
The relationship between DeepSeek and the CCP is murky. Given AI is a strategic priority for China, it's highly likely they have state backing—if not direct funding. Can they operate with the same transparency and privacy safeguards required of non-Chinese firms?
There's also the question of them model's reluctance to discuss issues that reflect badly on Xi Jiping or the CCP.
Their business model is actually sustainable.
It’s one thing to make a splash, another to build a long-term business. DeepSeek still has to prove it can compete without opaque funding or regulatory arbitrage.
Which is more likely?
The jury's still out.
At the moment the AI market is overheated and overhyped – basically a bunch of tech and crypto bros high on huffing their own supply. Nobody with an understanding of the technology and underlying problems of building and scaling AI is taking this particularly seriously.
For now, best we can do is treat it like the cheaper, knockoff ChatGPT it likely is.
So what if Deepseek uses stolen data and stockpiled chips?
So what if it has links to the Chinese Communist Party?
Nobody really cares about this. What Deepseek has done, brilliantly, is show that the AI propaganda based-boom is built on sand and will collapse. Watch those tech share prices plummet.
It's wonderful timing with Trump just elected.
You're absolutely right! AI is spectacularly overhyped. And like all bubbles, it will eventually burst.
But what happens next matters.
The crash won’t kill AI—it’ll just reshape the market, concentrating power in fewer hands. Normally, that process weeds out unsustainable products and leaves a few dominant players standing.
If one of those players happens to be a CCP-backed firm built on stolen IP, deception, and state protection from scrutiny, that’s a serious problem.
The AI hype bubble may collapse, but what comes after could be even worse.
Western consumers have happily lapped up products built in China using stolen IP for decades. Why will this be any different?
Good point Muttonbird: western consumers have overlooked stolen IP in Chinese-made products for decades.
But the technology and strategic context matters.
Selling cheap knockoff gadgets is one thing. Reshaping the global AI landscape to gain control over a foundational technology is another.
That’s why this can't be ignored like consumer tech has been.
At the end of the day this isn’t just about China building a better AI product (assuming the claims DeepSeek have made are verified).
It’s about flooding the market with models trained on stolen data, backed by state support, and shielded from regulatory scrutiny. That’s not competition; it’s economic and technological sabotage.
Which leaves us here in Aotearoa vulnerable: to data theft, infrastructure compromises, and security threats.
That’s not to say we can blindly trust the US, or that late-stage capitalism will magically protect us from its worst excesses and be good stewards of our personal data.
The irony of OpenAI's complaints about data theft are not lost on me.
But at least with a US or EU company, we have a fighting chance of regulation and accountability.
Censorship is also an issue. Deepseek has it built in e.g. ask about 1989 Tiananmen Square and you'll get that is beyond my scope.
That alone makes it untrustworthy. I do find AI useful for getting sources but even then find the sources minimal overall eg really hard to get AI to use Hansard for instance as part of its research base. Not sure whether it just uses most popular.
Is there any evidence that the privatisation of public assets saved the promised 30% to 40%. List sources.
The claim that privatization of public assets saves 30% to 40% is often cited in debates about privatization, but the actual evidence is mixed and context-dependent. While some studies and reports suggest that privatization can lead to cost savings and efficiency improvements, others highlight that the outcomes vary widely depending on the sector, country, and implementation. Below is an overview of the evidence and some key sources:
Evidence Supporting Cost Savings
Evidence Questioning the 30%-40% Claim
Key Takeaways
Conclusion
The claim that privatization consistently saves 30% to 40% is not universally supported by evidence. While there are success stories, there are also notable failures. The outcomes depend on how privatization is implemented, the sector in question, and the regulatory environment. For a balanced view, it is important to examine case studies and empirical research rather than relying on generalized claims.
Funnily enough, the subject of my master's research was a takedown of neoliberal public management models, privatization, and the growth of managerialism in the public sector.
As for AI, it's an incredibly powerful tool. But we are only just scratching the surface of the ethical, legal, and data management implications.
We're basically toddlers running around with a chainsaw.
privatization
Yeah one meta-analysis identified only rubbish disposal as making any where near decent gains.
growth of managerialism in the public sector.
Yeah that's a fuck up of monumental proportions – made worse now by incompetent Ministers if my obrservations are correct eg ferries.
AI is great funnily enough for non-techy people who could revolutionise small community groups in terms of productivity and research. An instant draft presentation can save hours of thinking and work.
Write me a short presentation on how potato chips are made. Include references and individual steps n the process.
Presentation: How Potato Chips Are Made
Slide 1: Title Slide
How Potato Chips Are Made
Slide 2: Introduction
Slide 3: Step 1 – Potato Selection
Slide 4: Step 2 – Washing and Peeling
Slide 5: Step 3 – Slicing
Slide 6: Step 4 – Rinsing and Blanching
Slide 7: Step 5 – Frying
Slide 8: Step 6 – Seasoning
Slide 9: Step 7 – Packaging
Slide 10: Conclusion
Slide 11: References
You have specified a heptad at slide 10:
According to the theory of magical thinking, any such set of 7 elements operating as a plan of action will have a magical effect when enacted.
So that's why the dietary influence of potato chips the past half-century has inflated the bodies of consumers so much: the method works like magic – it is powerfully transformative in a physical sense.
It's the salt- cravings for salt. There is, I believe, a cellar/pantry inventory hard-wired into the brain that, reminding us that potato crisps, cheese crackers and beer are available for immediate consumption, short circuits any nascent delayed gratification urgings…..
Same reason they cottoned on that salt on chips sold more drinks at fairgrounds – as does the salt in soft drinks sells more soft drinks.
Create a nice viscous circle of need and satisfaction.
Most of the pro-privatisation reports are from 20 years ago. You have to look at the long game for true cost-benefit. Don't trust ai to do your homework.
No I wasn't. Was just seeing what AI would produce. It seeems fair too even handed for what I've read – most were an abject failure as far as the promised savings, many have had to be bailed out and the cynical and exploitative Theresa Gattung policy of multiple (confusing) pricing models is an example of profit maximisation at the cost of the consumer – as is wanky borrowing to pay dividends to shareholders – capital theft at it's finest.
One thing Labour could do is say each is only allowed one price for electricity. Then they can compete for consumers.
What if (Chinese) Open Source allows Europe and India to compete in AI and not be an American market colony?
Ok sure, open-source AI could certainly help Europe and India build competitive AI ecosystems.
But independence depends on more than just access to code. Infrastructure, talent retention, regulatory frameworks, and investment all play a role.
The real question is whether these regions can build sustainable AI ecosystems that aren’t overly dependent on any single power. Whether that's the US or China.
That said, real competition requires a level playing field that drives actual innovation. Not just wholesale IP theft, protectionism, or a facade propped up by propaganda.
An open market is valuable, but only if it leads to genuine progress rather than reinforcing artificial advantages.
I would put money on 2.
My judgement is also that scenario 2) is much more likely.
Tech is now just another front in great power competition. Which, as an IT professional, scares the living daylights out of me.
Tech, science and democracy.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Sn8EkqOxpvg
AI is a tool, like every tool it can be turned into a weapon.
An AI arms race is developing between the US and China.
Eventually, AIs will be pitted against each other.
Shane Jones on Morning Report this morning confirmed that he is a self-important, slithering supercilious snake. Many more adjectives could be used but not going to waste any more of my time.
Trump claims diversity hiring is the cause of the Potomac River crash, but reports are saying air traffic control was not staffed properly at the time, so perhaps budget cuts are the primary cause.
I'm no aviation safety expert but it looked to me like the military helicopter should have been there, crossing the descent path of the airliner.
We know the airline pilot was white, so no fault there according to Trump, but since he is quick to lay the blame on DEI, it's very important we know the colour skin of the helicopter pilots, the air traffic controller, and their rostering manager. Only way to know for sure!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360565297/small-plane-crashes-river-washington-dc
Surely you mean 'shouldn't.'
There is a Helicopter transit corridor down the Potomac River, which the Blackhawk was using next to Ronald Reagan Airport.
It appears that Blackhawk Pilot may lost Situation Awareness and it also appears that he/ she didn't have it's transponder/ anti collision transponder on either?
Then we also have the understaffed ATC at Ronald Reagan Airport, who are double hatting atm which could also be a factor as well?
Isn't Trump a DEI hire.
Mentally deficient Narcissist?
RFK, the New Amerika Health cooker in chief…..a clear and present danger, not only to USA Health.
Aiono Professor Dr Alec Ekeroma warns…
He's an anti-vaxxer who had his own children vaxxed. The guy is a mega grifter & very weird.
As a Cooker in chief….perfect for that role. As US Health supremo ? Bad news….
‘cooker in chief’, surely, that should be ‘head chef’?
Well, he could be seen as a variety of "head" (chef, dick, case etc), the problem is his elevation way beyond any competence….to a Public danger .
His own cousin Caroline Kennedy…
A toxic soup…
The Tony Blair Institute asked people in 6 western democracies their views on government. Voters were 'turning away from centre-left and centre-right parties not for ideological reasons, but because confidence in their competence and integrity have plummeted. “Whatever voters are looking for, they increasingly…doubt that it can be delivered by the parties they…traditionally elected to office"…'economic pessimism was linked to declining faith in democracy.'
Perception is everything, as propagandaists know. TBI said 'the findings served as a “clarion call to mainstream parties: disrupt or be disrupted”…to build and maintain support, mainstream parties needed to “change through disruption – of social media feeds, of the old left-right spectrum and by embracing new technology, especially AI. At the same time, credible answers must be provided for legitimate grievances', eg immigration in the UK and Germany.
We know we have reached a political inflexion point world-wide. I think is due almost entirely to the transition in the last decade from trad media to a million viewpoints on the same event. And controlling or manipulating social media with its anonimity, via shills or bots or influencers, is the key to controlling voters. Whaleoil times 5 million.
To gain attention, but not via a constant spew of trumpian crap is the challenge for the left. More, much more radical, but in a principled direction, is the message from this research.
Interesting, but the times seem more indeterminate than indicative. Thinking ahead in a situation of social turbulence is challenging for anyone but we did evolve on that basis so we do have the capacity as a shared resource.
Yes, a political inflection due to media diversity is likely but more as ebbing of faith in the system than clever proactivity and solutions-based thinking. In the short term, anyway, while folks ponder the lack of an apparent alternative to the status quo.
Supporters of the opposition claim that they will provide a positive alternative – but neither them nor the opposing parties are fronting with sufficient evidence to impress the increasingly-disillusioned masses. You point to a principled radical stance as primary take for the left. It seems a necessity, yet it ain't happening.
Chicken 'n egg argument there, Dennis. I believe my egg trumps your chicken.
Worth a post all by itself. Will look at over weekend.
The Tony Blair Institute ? Really? Nil credence should be given to that…
I gave the source, because I understand Blair is a capitalist apologist, and his think tank possibly suspect. But, I think the survey itself is very informative, and that TBI make a valid challenge to the left to change things by taking big steps.
There is a heap of 'Labour and the Greens are out of touch/don't progress fast enough' at TS. This work at least tries to identify why and suggest a 'how'.
I am thinking how marxism at the turn of the 1900s had a simple message of social justice from capilalist exploitation. It was spread by grass-roots worker groups. This led down the track to Labour's Welfare state, Rooseveldt's New Deal, etc.
Earlier on, we forget that, in the same way that the US defanged the robber barons, via taxation, we in NZ had the breakup of giant land estates. These are all 'big' ideas. How to get back on a democratic track via a big social message, well-proliferated?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/540473/potomac-crash-live-more-than-60-people-dead-as-jet-helicopter-collide-over-washington
Yes Mr Trump, especially for the president !!!!
One person doing two jobs in air control in a busy period.
AND
Just Bizarre
Just days before the crash, President Donald Trump enacted a sweeping shake-up of the federal agencies responsible for aviation oversight, removing the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), David Pekoske, and eliminating all the members of a key aviation security advisory group. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace, was also without permanent leadership at the time of the crash, as its top official, Michael Whitaker, stepped down ahead of the new administration’s transition after clashing with Trump ally Elon Musk.'
https://apple.news/ArCq_C-eRRceLBxLv5zoO9Q
Hiring freezes jeopardising safety. Where have we heard this before?
The two controller jobs – one managing helicopters in the vicinity and the other landing planes.
https://bsky.app/profile/mattdpearce.com/post/3lgyaywczy22r
Incompetence in executive order governance.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-freeze-hiring-air-traffic-controllers-washington-crash-2023348
Dr James Kierstead is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Languages and Cultures at Te Herenga Waka -Victoria University of Wellington. He has a commentary on Dame Anne Salmond's latest essay here: https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/31/hayeks-real-bastards/
Her associations cited here aren't strange to me. Leftists normally conflate rightists and vice versa. It has long been the primary way for both groups to become delusional.
Paying attention is extremely difficult when one's state of mental normalcy is driven by bias of any kind. It become more likely when others aren't viewed as enemies, allowing the possibility of mutual respect. Principled advocacy from the right is a refreshing change to normalcy, worthy of encouragement.
A key objective certainly of ACT and very probably of National is to undermine universities, and university academics. Particular targets are academics who study humanities and human sciences, and especially those who speak for the underprivileged. The reason is clear, it's the because these academics are a form of regulation against the unbridled power and profit seeking of the privileged, and the flawed version of democracy which they hide behind.
Academics like Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/540491/treaty-principles-bill-s-promise-of-equal-rights-ignores-blind-spots-of-our-democracy
"No Frills" Simeon semi-delivers…..
Wait…what?
And, unsurprisingly (amongst others..)
NAct1: bringing you the Hospitals and Health System you need. Apparently.
Yep, in 6 years we will have a new hospital with fewer beds than our current one. I see our mayor is hailing this as a success, fukkin sell-out.
National copies Labour: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/29-01-2025/just-some-ideas-to-help-nz-win-the-growthy-yessy-arms-race
It's all about power-sloganeering. Sadly, Lux failed to credit his Labour source:
RR joined the Labour Party at the age of 16, then got a masters degree from the London School of Economics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Reeves
Toby predicts ministers will be known as maxisters. Son of Think Big looms…
To put it all in a few words: This is a government that specializes in spin.
MP landlords have cause to celebrate today
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2025/01/31/its-now-no-cause-eviction-open-season-on-renters-as-national-reopen-country-up-to-digital-nomad-hyper-tourism/
Hmm…
I think it’s the seemingly duplicated pink hair nets which make this picture what it is.
And the two struggling not to laugh in the background.
If there's something weird
And it don't look good
Who you gonna call?
Why on earth does Luxon need a hair net???
Bing Videos
Biggs Dickus?
Is that Willis?
Electronic Intifada details the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the start of the ceasefire.
How is it, these killings are not considered to be a breach of the ceasefire agreement?
And Hamas getting a name wrong on a list, or too enthusiastic crowds at a hostage handover are considered breaches of the ceasefire?
Because these are just the normal background of racist murders that Israel has visited on Palestinians since 1948
So I guess we can finally address the worst-kept secret in NZ….
Tim Jago… Now that we can legally call a nonce a nonce.