Search Results

  1. On the death of Joan Didion

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 6:58 am, December 29th, 2021 -  5 comments
    Categories: Deep stuff, us politics
    Tags:

    We need to remember Joan Didion, who died December 23rd, as perhaps the best defensive pessimist we’ve ever had. She nailed the feet of her times down to the floor to make sure it talked and wept all its pain out. It’s not enough to call Joan Didion just a pessimist, because she wrote hard […]

  2. The Standard’s 2021 political awards

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 7:34 am, December 28th, 2021 -  68 comments
    Categories: act, greens, jacinda ardern, julie anne genter, labour, michael wood, national, same old national
    Tags:

    It is that time of year where nostalgia kicks in and the desire to review current events dims.  So much has happened this year.  It has truly been twelve months of the praiseworthy and the absolutely pitiful. And it is time to reflect on the personalities who made us smile, made us frown and made us raise our eyebrows to breaking point.

  3. The pandemic response is like driving a car

    Written By:  Incognito -  Date published: 3:58 pm, November 19th, 2021 -  11 comments
    Categories: uncategorized
    Tags:

    Staying safe from Covid-19 this summer can be as simple as a few basic steps.

  4. Govt unprepared for transition when Queen dies

    Written By:  Simon Louisson -  Date published: 12:30 pm, November 4th, 2021 -  70 comments
    Categories: Maori Issues, Politics, republic
    Tags: , , ,

    “We will soon be required to face the question, ‘After Elizabeth — what next?’,” Peter Hamilton wrote in his just published memoir, New Moons for Sam. He says it would be completely inappropriate for Elizabeth’s son Charles or his heir, William, to become Aotearoa’s next head of state. A head of state elected by 2/3rds of Parliament perhaps?

  5. Greenpeace: More trains, less planes, mobility for all

    Written By:  weka -  Date published: 6:10 am, October 28th, 2021 -  57 comments
    Categories: climate change
    Tags: ,

    Greenpeace International calls on Europe to shift from airflight to train travel. What would the New Zealand version look like?

  6. New misogyny same as the old misogyny

    Written By:  weka -  Date published: 12:38 pm, October 17th, 2021 -  140 comments
    Categories: feminism, sexism, violence against women
    Tags: , , , , ,

    At the largest feminist conference in Europe, with a major focus on male violence against women, gender identity activists chose to protest with sexualised violent language and imagery.

  7. Highway to the Danger Zone

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 12:51 pm, September 29th, 2021 -  25 comments
    Categories: Deep stuff, Donald Trump, International, military, Peace, uncategorized, war
    Tags:

    I never thought I would see the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of the United States military essentially being a witness against the previous President of the United States. Yet here we are.

  8. Key’s baaaack

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:35 am, September 26th, 2021 -  273 comments
    Categories: brand key, covid-19, health, john key, Judith Collins, Media, national, same old national
    Tags:

    John Key is back and has described New Zealand as a smug hermit kingdom for daring to so far achieve something no other western nation has been able to accomplish, holding back Covid and preventing thousands of deaths.

  9. Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 10:37 am, September 19th, 2021 -  78 comments
    Categories: culture, Deep stuff, Maori Issues
    Tags:

    Te Wiki o Te Reu Māori is coming to a close.  The past week’s events highlight the resurgence of and dependance on Te Ao Māori.  Nowadays most of us, at least in the circles that I move in, have a deep and growing respect for Te Ao Māori and realise that it is the best […]

  10. Fuck-knuckles, cock and piss, balls does not breach BSA guidelines

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:08 am, August 26th, 2021 -  14 comments
    Categories: human rights, Media, social media lolz, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uncategorized
    Tags:

    The Broadcasting Standards Authority have ruled that the use of the words “Fuck-knuckles, cock and piss, balls” by student radio station 95bfm does not breach standards of good taste and decency.

  11. The importance of Jacinda’s 1 pm press conferences

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 11:50 am, August 22nd, 2021 -  130 comments
    Categories: covid-19, health, jacinda ardern, Judith Collins, labour, Media, national, same old national, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uncategorized
    Tags:

    Jacinda Ardern has resumed the 1 pm briefings where she communicates effectively the country’s current situation and what the plan is.  But National and some elements of the media are complaining, presumably that she is doing too good a job.

  12. The strange story about the fake news poll results

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 8:21 am, August 17th, 2021 -  52 comments
    Categories: act, greens, labour, national, political parties, polls
    Tags:

    The Politik website’s inadvertant publishing of fake news of a drop in Labour’s support shows how fragile the system of relying on two sources for a story is.

  13. Down With Farmer Bashing

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 6:05 am, August 13th, 2021 -  126 comments
    Categories: climate change, farming
    Tags: , , ,

    A Guest Post by DB Brown on how and why regenerative stock grazing matters ecologically, and where best to place our anger about climate change.

  14. What if saving the world meant life was tasty, beautiful and just long enough?

    Written By:  weka -  Date published: 10:43 am, August 4th, 2021 -  22 comments
    Categories: climate change
    Tags: , , ,

    The nasty, brutish and short meme is a failure of the imagination. We can have less and still live good lives.

  15. Are we really ready to escalate to war with China over Taiwan?

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 6:47 pm, July 29th, 2021 -  38 comments
    Categories: China, defence, Hong Kong, jacinda ardern, Pacific, Peace, us politics, war
    Tags:

    “What will the role of New Zealand be should China invade Taiwan?” was by far the  most popular question for Jacinda Ardern after she spoke at a NZIIA seminar last week. Promising to be benign, Ardern said we are “very predictable,” cited alleged human rights abuses in Hong Kong, and went on to say we […]

  16. Citizenship is a human right

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:40 am, July 29th, 2021 -  81 comments
    Categories: australian politics, Gerry Brownlee, human rights, International, jacinda ardern, Judith Collins
    Tags:

    National has responded to the impending return to New Zealand of Suhayra Aden by hinting that they may follow Australia and breach human rights by bringing in laws allowing countries to arbitrarily remove rights of citizenship.

  17. “We have to talk about sex. It’s important”

    Written By:  weka -  Date published: 10:55 am, July 28th, 2021 -  145 comments
    Categories: feminism, gay rights, gender critical feminism, Left
    Tags: , , , ,

    British philosophy professor Kathleen Stock being interviewed by Redline’s Daphna Whitmore on gender critical feminism and the sex/gender wars. Also, why being able to debate matters.

  18. The many and varied takes of Des Gorman on covid

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 3:05 pm, July 25th, 2021 -  32 comments
    Categories: covid-19, health, jacinda ardern, social media lolz, the praiseworthy and the pitiful
    Tags:

    A review of Des Gorman’s comments about Covid over the last 15 months, pretty well all of which have been negative, makes you wonder how it is possible that we have been able to maintain an effective Covid free status in Aotearoa New Zealand.

  19. About the Hate Speech law changes

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 12:06 pm, July 6th, 2021 -  94 comments
    Categories: act, human rights, labour, making shit up, national, same old national, spin, United Nations, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    The debate about the Government’s consultation on proposed changes to hate speech laws continues, with the level of heat increasing, but the level of actual understanding of what is being proposed in critical shortage.

  20. Judith Collins is not John Key

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 7:52 am, July 2nd, 2021 -  168 comments
    Categories: blogs, internet, Judith Collins, Media, twitter, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    I honestly am not sure what Judith’s game plan.  Supporting someone who on twitter called for the lynching of a person with a contrary view is not a way to reach to the middle of New Zealand politics.

  21. Communist Party of China turns 100

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 11:59 pm, June 30th, 2021 -  59 comments
    Categories: China
    Tags:

    July 1st this year marks the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai in 1921. It is a date worth commemorating as while the Party is not well understood, its positive achievements have been outstanding.

  22. Make the film and be damned

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 8:58 am, June 18th, 2021 -  23 comments
    Categories: Deep stuff, film, Media, religion
    Tags:

    A company wants to make a film about the Christchurch mosque massacre on 15 March 2019. Maybe it should do.

  23. What local food can look like (and why)

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 6:05 am, May 21st, 2021 -  10 comments
    Categories: business, economy, food, sustainability
    Tags: , , , , , , , ,

    The South Coast Environment Centre is creating a local food network that connects growers and customers directly, creates food resiliency, and keeps money in the local economy. This is an exemplar of climate, economic and community sustainability.

  24. Housing, an update of sorts

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 6:05 am, May 18th, 2021 -  31 comments
    Categories: class war, cost of living, housing, human rights
    Tags: ,

    Anarkaytie writes about the history of the housing crisis in New Zealand and how tiny housing provides some of the solutions.

  25. What the recent elections tell us about British society

    Written By:  nickkelly -  Date published: 11:31 pm, May 17th, 2021 -  35 comments
    Categories: Brexit, electoral systems, First Past the Post, Jeremy Corbyn, leadership, local government, uk politics
    Tags: , , , , , ,

    Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog In a nation that has suffered over 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, one may be somewhat taken aback to see the latest YouGov Poll where The Conservative Party enjoy a 15% lead over the Labour Opposition. 17 months after the Conservatives won the 2019 General Election, it would be easy to […]

  26. C’mon National!

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 1:27 pm, May 17th, 2021 -  20 comments
    Categories: crime, human rights, jacinda ardern, john key, Judith Collins, national, same old national, tax
    Tags:

    Forlorn for now though they may be, this is the advice National MPs need right now.

  27. National’s very bad day

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 7:44 am, April 22nd, 2021 -  86 comments
    Categories: Christopher Luxon, health, health and safety, Judith Collins, minimum wage, national, Parliament, religion, same old national, Simon Bridges, wages, workers' rights
    Tags:

    Yesterday was a day where National focussed on dog whistle racism, supported religious extremists and moaned about workers receiving a modest increase in the minimum wage.

  28. The European Super League – a proposal that has united Britain

    Written By:  nickkelly -  Date published: 9:13 am, April 20th, 2021 -  28 comments
    Categories: boris johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, news, sport, uk politics
    Tags: , , , , , ,

    There are few issues where UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Labour Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn see eye to eye, yet this proposal has achieved just that. Rarer still to have the Second Heir to the Throne comment on such matters saying it would be “damaging.”

  29. The Problem with Personification in Politics

    Written By:  Incognito -  Date published: 7:00 am, April 19th, 2021 -  12 comments
    Categories: activism, Deep stuff, democratic participation, education, politicans, Politics, public services
    Tags: , ,

    It is a grave mistake to treat Ministries as if they are real persons.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.