The Whisky’s In.
Before the turgid post-election hell that the British Establishment will undoubtably unleash…
International
#milifandom! Labour are going to win the UK Election. Fact!
Ed Miliband is dominating social media in the UK on the eve of the election. #milifandom is the meme of the day!
UPDATE: Exit Poll suggests Tory win, Lib Dem’s smashed. SNP dominate in Scotland, Greens may win 2 seats. UKIP stuffed, Farage to lose in his seat. Labour still a possibility to govern.
UPDATE 2: Rumours that both Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg will resign in the morning. George Galloway loses his seat, UKIP have flopped and it appears Nigel Farage will not be an MP. However, Tory win not yet confirmed.
UK Election
The UK votes tomorrow. A hung Parliament is predicted, and the UK enters uncharted warters, guided only by a cabinet manual. Will Cameron dig in at No. 10?
UK media and the election
What Tony Abbott thinks of babies
A recent cartoon summarises Tony Abbott’s views of babies perfectly.
Miliband:Dangerous Muppet?
Is Ed Miliband fighting democracy? Well…
The Californian canary
Not that I wish any ill on Californians, but in the grand scheme of things it is probably good for our global chances of action to limit climate change that such a clear example of the damaging effects are playing out in the USA’s back yard.
Swings
A snippet on Labour’s prospects in Scotland.
The pope and climate change
The Pope is calling for action on climate change. Naturally, he is being attacked for it.
Spot the difference: Nats on capital punishment
One of these principled statements is not like the other.
A double standard for Saudi Arabia
If Saudi Arabia’s justice system and human rights record is as bad as Amnesty says it is, then this is not a country that we should be seeking closer economic ties with. Why the double standard?
Nepal quake
As is all over the news this morning, Nepal and surrounding areas have been hit by a severe quake.
Anzac Day – 100 years
100 years ago today ANZAC forces landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. They are remembered.
Image from NZ History.
Andrew Little entrusted with delivering a Gallipoli medal
It was touch and go at Wellington Airport as the great-niece of a Gallipoli soldier raced to meet Labour leader Andrew Little to get him to deliver a medal to Turkey on her behalf.
International interest in Auckland property market
If the latest ad running in Malaysia and Singapore is anything to go by we can expect more fuel to the Auckland property price flames. “How would you like people in New Zealand, to give you around half their weekly wages?”…
The decontextualisation of ANZAC Day
Everyone else is giving their reckons on the treatment of ANZAC Day this year, as we commemorate the centenary of the first year of World War I. So here are mine.
ANZAC 4 SALE
Has the spirit of ANZAC Day become subsumed by the commercial imperative?
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Terrorism in NZ? The Herald was in a frenzy yesterday, because apparently we are a “sitting duck”. But, hang on…
But they do it too …
With revelations that New Zealand has potentially been involved in the interception of Chinese diplomatic communications the questions arise did John Key know about it and did he authorise the activity.
Spying on China
So great, now we’re trying to spy on China. What could possibly go wrong?
A Very British Jamboree
Is Thatcherism finally to be laid to rest?
The UK Greens election video
Well worth a watch even if some do not necessarily agree with it. Hat tip Adam.
Wikileaks – Sony Archives
A Wikileaks dump of documents relating to Sony shows a close working relationship with the US government. Implications also for Kim Dotcom.
Spying for torturers
The most disturbing allegations yet in the Snowden leaks on the activities of the GCSB.
Our Iraq war policy explained
The government is doing a poor job at explaining our Iraq war policy, but never fear, we have the answers.
Key the “statesman” strikes again
Trident
Nothing will shift the main UK parties’ attitude on nuclear weapons. Right?
Clinton running for president
As expected, Hillary Clinton has announced her candidacy in next year’s presidential election.
Who is Miranda Devine?
Miranda Devine is the person who recently wrote a really obsequious article on John Key in the Daily Telegraph where she described him as one of the best Conservative Prime Ministers in the world. But a reading of her other published material suggests that caution should be applied before applying too much weight to her opinions.
UK Labour to crack down on tax cheats
UK Labour have promised “all-out war on tax avoidance and evasion”. NZ Labour should follow suit.
NZ emissions disaster in The Herald!
Well knock me over with a feather. The disaster that is NZ’s greenhouse gas emissions has broken out of the ghetto of Twitter and Parliament TV, and made it on the front page of the (digital) Herald.
Greenpeace activists on oil rig
John Oliver and Edward Snowden on surveillance
The brilliant John Oliver on the Patriot Act and surveillance. Includes a face to face interview with Edward Snowden, and extensive discussion of dick pics.
Massive illicit bust of Edward Snowden erected in Brooklyn
A group of unidentified artists have erected a bronze patina bust of Eric Snowden on a stone column in Brooklyn. The authorities are investigating.
Dollar Parity
As New Zealand’s dollar approaches parity with Australia’s a responsible Government should be pondering the implications and acting in the country’s best interests. No such luck in Aotearoa …
Trends in America
Here’s some slow Monday reading to ponder, on political trends in America.