The United States mid term elections
The US mid term election results are due out today and should start to appear after 12 pm NZT.
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Labour Conference Random Notes
Some notes from Ad about the Labour conference currently being held in Dunedin.
Our rail revival
Yesterday the government announced that it was reversing the previous government’s decision to kill off the electric trains. The decision is one of many recently made that suggests that the future of rail is bright.
Oil and morality
The death of Jamal Khashoggi raises the important question can we still question the morality of Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia and the United States
Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that the U.S. resident and investigative reporter did indeed die in their embassy in Turkey.
Retail Fuel politics
New Zealand is now getting truckie protests about fuel prices reminiscent of the first term of the Helen Clark government. This is no doubt the start of many protests to come from truckie and consumer alike.
Shake It Up, Taylor Swift, Shake It Up
There is a long a proud history of musicians adding their weight to the Democratic cause in the United States, but Taylor Swift’s recent action is about as on-message as you can get.
Petrol, Zero Carbon, and 15,000 Submissions
Get ready, according to the AA, for petrol at $3 a liter for Christmas.
It’s America Again
It would fit the karma of a leftie universe if the United States was now suffering from its political choices. But it’s the reverse: the United States economy is roaring and President Trump is starting to be rewarded for delivering what he promised.
What the Prime Minister actually said
What Jacinda Ardern said to the United Nations about Nelson Mandela on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Prime Minister Ardern’s Coalition Reset Speech
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is due to give a big speech today. I’m hoping for something that gives some kind of plan, common purpose, and sense of direction.
Fonterra’s loss
Fonterra has just reported an after tax loss of $196 million for the 2018 year. It’s never had an annual loss in its history.
The Global Financial Crisis 10 Years On
Ten years ago this week massive financial businesses in the United States started collapsing. How has the world recovered from this?
Public Service Reform
For a country the size of Melbourne, we have a ridiculously complex state, and this layer of accountablility is largely a complete waste of our taxpayer money and degrades our agency as citizens. Can we do better?
Government as startup
This new government is almost perfectly replicating the burn cycle of a startup business.
Parliament and bullying
It should be a qualification of being a Labour Member of Parliament that they treat their worked in an exemplary manner.
Norway’s plastic bottle recycling
Norway’s recycling policies are that good that it is in serious need of more rubbish.
Australia, New Zealand, and Climate Change Politics
What are the implications for New Zealand’s climate change policies of Australia’s change of Prime Minister?
The Pope’s Letter to All Believers
The pope missed a great recent chance to state that accused abusers should be walked to the nearest Police station, make written statements, face trial, hopefully jailed, then defrocked, and excommunicated.
Elizabeth Warren and Accountable Capitalism
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is proposing a law change that would require US corporations to consider its workers and community in company decisions and prevent political donations from being made unless 75% of shareholders agreed.
No Waimea dam
With the change in Government and ever increasing costs of construction it appears that the Waimea dam project in Tasman District is going to be scuppered.
Building Nations
This Government has probably one term to show progress in dealing with the country’s infrastructure deficit.
What is the RCEP?
It’s time we paid attention to RCEP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Who protects us from water companies?
New Zealand seriously needs a water regulator. Something that will show that each catchment can withstand having that much taken out of it, and that it is being sold for a fair price, and ensures everyone has access to beautiful-quality water.
We need more radicals coming here
We need more radical voices again here. But it’s like MMP has turned us once again into the passionless people. It always looks like “hate speech” when you hate it.
Should we defend global institutions?
With the world facing environmental, economic and social crises now more than ever before is a time for strong international institutions.
China and Google
Google is planning a launch of its eponymous spectacular search engine in which it allows censorship from the Chinese state. Some U.S. politicians […]
South Africa, Zimbabwe, New Zealand
In 1962, John F Kennedy said “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” Is peaceful revolution possible in South Africa, Zimbabwe or New Zealand?
More speakers arriving
If you felt like being challenged but can’t quite imagine opening your leftie Facebook after going to Laura Southern, you could always open your minds for another for-profit event with a better class of speakers.
Let them fall
We’ve seen a fair few construction companies go under or get close to it recently.
A bit of a hit
Not everything can be attributed to climate change. But we’re in for a bit of a hit.
Redeveloping Public Housing
The Government is getting ready to battle the most rapacious economic force in this country, real estate capitalism, for the good of people.
Government with a plan
The polls are great. Top work. But I’m getting worried about the entropy of this government already. Matthew Hooten and Karl Marx agree with me.
Trump meets Putin
Some things that President Trump won’t do as when meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
Property price decline
What would happen if the house prices of Auckland, Queenstown, and other centres of very high debt went into substantial and long term decline?
The trade war
The speed of the growing trade war between the United States and China will hit New Zealand. Our long term diplomatic arc, such […]