Brown promises electoral reform in UK
The British PM Gordon Brown has announced he will push through legislation giving citizens the chance to vote on whether to dump First […]
International
Don’t go, oh mighty Atlas. We’ll give you tax cuts
So, I’m at a cafe having lunch and there’s some fat middle-aged businessmen having lunch at the table beside me. One of them […]
Penny-wise, pound foolish in Afghanistan
Foreign Minister Murray McCully is refusing to contribute any New Zealand money to a fund that will buy-off the Taliban’s foot soldiers. The […]
Obama’s State of the Nation
I suspect more than one reader of the Standard would have been glued to the live stream yesterday of Obama’s state of the […]
Massachusetts not about health care
I’m getting a bit sick of commentary suggesting Republican Scott Brown’s victory in the Massachusetts Senate race was a thumbs down for Obama’s […]
The SAS, the media, and Key
I don’t think the SAS should be in Afghanistan. That said, there are good reasons why the activities of the SAS on deployment […]
The lucky country: Aussie tax system more progressive than NZ’s
It fascinates me that in all this talk about ‘catching up with Australia’ via tax cuts, nobody bothers to look at the Aussie […]
Too far, Fran
Despite almost never agreeing with Fran O’Sullivan, I have respect for her. She comes from the ACT-right and her pieces reflect that but […]
Helping Haiti
The enormity of the disaster that has hit Haiti is becoming more apparent by the hour. It is thought that tens of thousands, if not […]
The ‘whaling plan’
Govt drafts deal to end whaling in Antarctica – Herald Key plan to end Southern Ocean whaling – Stuff That sounds like a […]
Key adopts Bush foreign policy
“We’ve got no intention of cutting and running from Afghanistan,” the Prime Minister said from his holiday home in Hawaii.* If you’re a […]
Nats: anti-whalers’ lives forfeit on the altar of trade
On Wednesday, Japanese whalers tried to murder five New Zealanders. There is no other way to put it. They ran down a ship […]
Neolibs’ great experiment in meltdown
With huge infusions of EU cash and deregulation that brought in foreign companies looking to make a quick buck, Ireland’s economy grew pretty […]
Yes he can
In America the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just ruled that greenhouse gases “threaten the public health and welfare of the American people”, […]
The Copenhagen editorial
Yesterday 56 newspapers in 45 countries published a “global editorial” – the same joint statement – most of them on their front page. […]
Palin supporters
Sarah Palin supporters, in their own words. Ok, it’s a cheap shot – I’m pretty sure you could eventually compile similar inane footage […]
Give a goat for Christmas
Got too much stuff? Know people with too much stuff? Do something different for your friends and family this Christmas. Instead of giving […]
O Canada
Depressing reading in this piece by George Monbiot on Canada: So here I am, watching the astonishing spectacle of a beautiful, cultured nation […]
Obama – war president
Well, any lingering hopes that Obama was something different can now be out of their misery. He’s just another American establishment politician after […]
President punches kid in face
The Associated Press reports: Romania’s government has collapsed and its economy is in shambles but its presidential campaign has been dominated in recent […]
Dubai: Subprime state
Dubai is the subprime folly writ large. In the US, they built ‘exurbs’ in the Californian high desert, two hours each way from […]
Tony Abbott elected Liberal leader
According Melbourne paper The Age, Tony Abbott is the new leader of the Liberal Party, winning the leadership by one vote over Malcolm Turnbull. […]
Another Key foot in mouth
John Key sure is a class act. Not. Latest example*: Stadium funds: We’re not Indian-givers, says Key Prime Minister John Key yesterday said […]
Watch Bolivia
The world is full of natural experiments in different forms of government. Bolivia is one to watch: Bolivia re-invents democratic socialism… On December […]
Fighting for democracy?
Lance Corporal Joe Glenton is facing prison after speaking out at an anti-war rally. A British soldier was arrested on Monday for speaking […]
Eek! ANGRY BLACKMAN
OK, so Hone says If I should be suspended for my language, he [Phil Goff] and his mates should be lined up against […]
Ominous
Estimated number of US troops now in Afghanistan: 68,000. Number of troops US General Stanley McChrystal is currently asking for in addition to […]
Rich Germans demand higher taxes
From the BBC: A group of rich Germans has launched a petition calling for the government to make wealthy people pay higher taxes. […]
Send Nats to Scandinavia
Want to send some Nats to Scandinavia? Me too! The one above should be self explanatory. Support Sign On and send John on […]
Aussie Minister shows guts, foresight and concern; ours… not so much
Australia’s Federal Industry Minister Kim Carr has criticized Bridgestone’s closure of its Australian and New Zealand operations and the 1000 redundancies it’ll bring. […]
Colonial mentality alive and well
Radio NZ reports: The head of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the New Zealand Parliament wants to end self government in the […]
Give peace a chance
So President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace prize: OSLO – President Barack Obama on Friday won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize […]
Blast from the past
I see Winston Peters is trying to resurrect his political career with another racist rant about immigration. I don’t think there’s much point […]
30 years without smacking
Sweden has had a smacking ban for 30 years. How is that working out? Stockholm When celebrating the 30th anniversary of the world’s […]
A fighting Left
This live performance on CNN by Congressman Alan Grayson gives me some hope for the American Left. Unlike nearly every other Democrat I […]
Socialist America
The health care debate going on in America is a very serious debate, and who wins it has important implications for what kind […]