Abrupt climate change: CO2 equivalent now at 485 ppm
We are now at 485 ppm CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas concentrations, up from 250 ppm in the 1700s. And climbing fast.
Economy
capitalism
Things other than States
What are the New Zealand institutions other than the State who can achieve good for New Zealanders?
“Flushing flows”
A new phrase is about to enter NZ’s clean green image lexicon.
Watershit Down
John Key has announced an inquiry into the Havelock North water crisis. But has it been set up to fail the residents of the Central Hawkes Bay?
Hickey on immigration and wages
Hickey: “The best way for an economy to grow is for the market to allow wages to grow. Allowing a flood of low-skilled migrants is frustrating that market mechanism with the short-term aim of keeping wages low for employers.”
Cluster f*&k on cluster bombs
The Government is refusing to accept there are legal issues with Kiwisaver providers investing in manufacturers of cluster bombs. But it is also not ruling out there may be a problem.
Charles Hugh Smith – The Ultimate Long Game: Autarky and Resilience
Today, electronic numbers in electronic bank accounts are the most important things to the people who lead NZ. That’s going to have to seriously change. The country’s capacity and resources in terms of food, energy, water and cultural/social resiliency is what actually counts.
July 2016 was the hottest single month recorded since 1880
July 2016 was the hottest month ever in recorded modernity.
New Zealand’s most shameful secret: ‘We have normalised child poverty’
Fuck the whole “Brighter Future” New Zealand.
This is the face of the failure of globalisation
My apologies to Mohammad Jamal, the man in the photo, for using his largely unknown story to make a point about free-trade and Western privilege.
Globalisation and global incomes (the “elephant graph”)
An elegant graph explains why free trade is a good thing, but why it is causing a backlash in rich “Western” countries.
TPP – with a whimper
Plenty of folk today pronouncing the death of the TPP. This is a victory for activism.
Clinton on “trickle down” economics
Lefties have been saying it since forever, but it’s nice to have Hillary Clinton on record.
Why are wages flat?
The Nats would have you believe that the economy is in good shape, in which case there is no excuse for the ongoing stagnation of wages. Of course it’s not as simple as that.
Financial capital is crazy OP. Time to strip it back to basics.
Financial capital is way over powered in our current political economic system. Every aspect of our lives has been financialised and securitised, from our homes to our educations. From our drinking water to our power supply.
Stiglitz on the globalisation revolt
Globalisation is facing a popular revolt. Economist Joseph Stiglitz explains why.
Foreskin’s lament
The Waikato Chief’s mad Monday shows that Rugby’s attitude to women are still mired in the past and a threat to New Zealand’s interests, as well as an affront to all women.
Employers failing Kiwsaver obligations
In a sign of just how stressed our economy is: “Inland Revenue is chasing employers for unpaid KiwiSaver contributions worth tens of millions of dollars.”
The New Silk Road
The New Silk Road is a massive economic transport system being built at rapid speed with Chinese money, Chinese politicking, Chinese engineering, and yes, Chinese steel.
Pack Mentality
The Waikato Chiefs rugby franchise have admitted two incidents of abuse at a drunken post season celebration. Their response to claims of sexual abuse? Blame the victim.
EDIT: The CEO accepts he got it wrong and has made a modern ‘if offence was taken’ style apology on Radio Sport. No direct apology to the woman concerned, however.
We can’t say we weren’t warned
When the Auckland housing bubble bursts a lot of people are going to lose a lot of money. They won’t be able to say they weren’t warned.
Climate change pedal to the metal
Avoiding 2 deg C warming is a ship that’s sailed. Global warming is now happening at about 4.3x the previous long-run rate. And it might go up to 18x the previous rate over the next few years. That’s what the pundits call “abrupt climate change.”
Hollywood should try a different model
Piracy is shifting from peer-to-peer to streaming. Big Entertainment isn’t shifting it’s attitudes at all – still stuck in the dark ages.
The Ray White – China deal
Real Estate agent Ray White has formed a partnership with China’s Lianjia to market NZ houses to about 260 million Chinese buyers. They say it’s the government’s problem – and they’re right.
Talleys versus Free Speech
The Talley group want the courts to order a union to stop telling the truth about how they bully, maim and kill their workers. Will the Standard be next in the firing line?
Stopping the sale of agricultural land and agri-business
Australia’s national interest test applied to attempts by foreign interests to buy Australian agriland and agribusinesses is deliberately vague. New Zealand could take lessons.
DNC Day 3. Biden, Obama, and Trump Jumps the Shark
Day 3 of the DNC. Biden and Obama to speak later, Trump wishes he hadn’t spoken earlier. In what looks to be an embarrassing gaffe, the candidate of the 1%ers has requested help from Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails. In a normal election, that would be political suicide. This year, who knows?
UPDATE: Barack Obama LIVE STREAMING NOW.
TPP teetering on the precipice
A silver lining in the depressing chaos of the American presidential process.
DNC: Bernie Speaks
The Democratic Party is holding their convention in Philadelphia. The day has started with an apology to Bernie Sanders and a poll boost for Donald Trump. Sanders speaks live at 2PM (approx).
UPDATE: Feel the BERN! Live NOW.
UPDATE: Video of Bernie Sanders’ speech now added.
We need to talk about Islam
A post in which Ad responds to TRP’s recent post suggesting that all religion should be banned by suggesting that religious tolerance is a necessary feature of a liberal democracy.
Drumpf LIVE!
Establishment candidate and billionaire Donald J Trump is delivering his acceptance speech at the RNC. It’s chockfulla cliches, but hey …
YOOO ESSS AYYYY, YOOO ESSS AYYYY!
How to collapse liberal society
Liberal society is in reverse in many parts of the world. What do we do to arrest this?
China trade realpolitik
We can’t afford to be using sub-standard steel. We shouldn’t have to buckle to pressure to do so, but we have no leverage at all.
Salmond on the ravages of neoliberalism
2013 New Zealander of the year Dame Anne Salmond: “In the name of progress, we sacrifice the future of our own children and the planet.”
Maori health and children not a priority
Essential reading, two pieces highlighting institutional racism today. Someone needs to ask the Maori Party how proud they are to be propping up this government.
Social bonds negotiations collapse
The Governments attempt to incentivise the provision of social services by greed has failed with the first proposed social bond failing.