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I'm a geek and I'm proud. I grew up with science fiction, and with the heartfelt wish and hope that humanity would one day make it off this poor abused planet and spread to the stars. But I think it has now become obvious that…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Our sincere and heartfelt condolences to Norway, and in particular to Norwegian Labour Party members and their families, at this terrible time. Bright, compassionate and active young people are the future of any country, and to lose so many is a tragedy beyond belief. Our…
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This today from Charles Moore, Eton and Cambridge, ex-editor of the Telegraph and the Spectator and Margaret Thatcher's authorised biographer. It has taken me more than 30 years as a journalist to ask myself this question, but this week I find that I must: is…
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The bombing and shootings in Norway overshadowed Key's meeting with Obama. But he was quick to exploit Norway's tragedy for political gain saying: "I think what it shows is no country large or small is immune from risk [of 'global' terrorism] and that's why New…
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We've written about The Spirit Level on several occasions. Here are the authors discussing the New Zealand situation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKeCMHi0ZY8
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The global economy has never really recovered from the recession. Over the last couple of months two potential crises have been unfolding in two very different countries. Both of them looked to be in danger of defaulting on their huge debts and triggering a cascade…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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I've long thought that some of the best commentary on the business pages in the Herald and DomPost comes from Alex, the Telegraph cartoonist. He documents the real priorities of the insiders running the rentier economy. News that the banks are offering a lot of…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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Under the last Labour-led government the GDP per capita rose 15.6%. Under John Key's National, it has fallen 1.9%. 'Ah but Labour was just lucky and Key has just been unlucky', say the righties. Which suggests righties think economic policy doesn't matter and makes you…
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It has been long known that the name "Fox News" should really be known as "Faux News" because it doesn't believe in reporting reality. It just makes crap up and spins everything to avoid dealing with reality. This video looks at their performance on climate…
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Another big fall in dairy prices overnight. Yet the dollar keeps breaking record highs.
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3 days of dinners and walking around looking for a photo-op in LA done, Key's in DC. But his meetings are being cancelled by people with better stuff to do. Not to worry. The big date is still on: providing "light relief", in his own…
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What to make of Epsom? I haven't so far had a strong opinion on the topic, but I'm starting to come down on the side of "if you can't beat them, join them". I'm sure we all know the background. The Nats are standing the…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Should we be more angry or scared? Just read the first official government presentation on peak oil. The IEA says conventional oil peaked in 2006 but our government offers only crude denialism and, paradoxically, blithe assurances that they're ready. This is the kind of crap…
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When David Cameron was asked did he ever discuss the BSkyB bid with News International, he said "I never had an inappropriate conversation." It would be interesting to know whether he had an "appropriate" conversation about it with Rupert Murdoch when they met after the…
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Boot camps are a failure. $36K per head. 15 of 17 in the first two groups have reoffended already. That's a worse recividism rate than prison. Even on dubious assumptions that the other 2 would have reoffended without boot camp and actually haven't, that's $612,000…
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One of the most annoying things about living in a small, insignificant country like NZ, is the way that the bigger players treat us with impunity. Even within our own borders. Of course the prime example is the 1985 bombing of the Rainbow Warrior by…
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While Key is monkeying around in LA achieving nothing, Labour is pushing ahead with policies that will take this country forward. Last night, Phil Goff announced the party's procurement policy at a meeting of Kiwirail Hillside workers, who have just experienced the results of government…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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TV1's poll on Sunday was supposedly curtains for CGT, so what does it mean that the latest Roy Morgan has the Nats down 5% and the Left in striking range of an upset win? It means don't draw instant conclusions linking one poll to one…
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Guest poster David Clark at Red Alert has broken news on job cuts at Child Youth and Family that hasn't appeared anywhere else in the media yet. See: Children at risk as Government axes frontline CYF staff David Clark is the Labour candidate for Dunedin…
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Stayed up to watch the Murdochs testifying before a House of Commons committee. They didn't know a thing about phone hacking. They were let down by those under them. Rupert said it was "the most humble day of my life". That would be right; Murdochs…
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I/S has revealed how Gerry Brownlee handpicked the "independent" body that is meant to monitor the use of his CERA powers. He appointed Jenny Shipley to the panel and got her $1000 a day, three times the usual pay. Brownlee said the extra was needed…
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Rupert Murdoch got a pie in the face today. But it was only shaving foam. To really do the job, you need special ingredients.
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Things are going from bad to worse for Steven Joyce. Labour has released its estimate of the cost of lost dividends by 2025 if National's asset sales plan goes ahead: $9.7b. All omitted from National's budget. Labour has challenged National to concede the numbers or…
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The New Zealand Institute is "a privately funded think-tank" which attracted a fair bit of attention recently with its report "A goal is not a strategy". It has just released another report which is also likely to be controversial. The Herald reports: Disadvantaged NZ youth bottom…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...