Daily review 26/04/2023

20 comments on “Daily review 26/04/2023”

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1. 1

   A discussion about the right to repair products (and obsolescence).
   1. 1.1

      That's a 52 minute video, btw. Video is a very slow medium to present arguments. You have given neither a summary of the points nor even an opinion of the video's quality. I opened the link and found its length and an opening that gave me no incentive to continue.
      1. 1.1.1

         Thanks for the selective feedback, on your expectation of those who provide video links.

         Those interested will listen with this on in the background. It involves a Professor who wrote a book about this, he is on, a person who runs a repair business and US legislation and why it is not working.
         1. 1.1.1.1

            None of what you say in reply was available at the start. It's an important topic which is why I opened it.
2. 2

   Climate Change Commission confirms what many have been saying for a long time:

   The government's plans to cut emissions will not be enough to meet its own targets, the Climate Change Commission says, once again warning we can't plant our way to success.

   …

   It also urged improvements in the emissions efficiency of new buildings, saying “existing urban form in Aotearoa New Zealand is not compatible with our climate challenges”.

   https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/488729/climate-change-commission-urges-new-targets-without-forestry-in-new-report
   1. 2.1

      For our and the worlds sake, let us hope they can reduce livestock methane release by 50% (one dose slow release per season).

      https://cen.acs.org/environment/climate-change/scientists-want-cut-livestocks-methane/100/i36
3. 3

   Back in 1983 Roger Douglas wrote a book and was made Minister of Finance in 1984 – the only surprise was that he failed to bring in an assets tax (which he preferred to a CGT) and went onto a flat tax concept (not in his book). That said, he did maintain the estate tax and gift duty tax (which Richardson removed).

   This has led to people getting ahead via CG, and investment being dominated by speculation. This is why Oz has better productivity and higher wages and we have a class system developing (children of those who do not own property also not owning property).

   The fairest immediate tax change is one that targets historic wealth – and that is the Greens wealth tax. Other moves, a land tax on vacant land and maybe unoccupied urban property (possibly half rate for half occupied) – which should coincide with allowing people to cohabit and retain individual access to income support.

   Designing a CGT is down the line.

   PS I am not sure about a CGT on farmland – it's a home and a business/job to pay the mortgage and farmers receive a lot of their business return in the CG (in some years there is operating loss after all). I would forgo claim to CGT for their compliance of regulatory burden – environment etc. And provide interest free loans (for quicker uptake of desired reforms) repaid on farm sale.

   https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/488705/wealthiest-paying-tax-at-much-lower-rate-than-most-other-new-zealanders-ird-report
4. 4

   "Those 311 families alone would have paid $3.4 billion more in tax in 2020/21 if they had paid the same tax rate as middle-income New Zealanders."

   https://thekaka.substack.com/p/richest-families-effective-tax-rate

   Does anything else have to be said?
   1. 4.1

      "Does anything else have to be said?"

      No.
      1. 4.1.1

         On second thoughts yes there is.

         Seven homes owner Luxon and his crew want to give those 311 rich pricks a massive tax cut while the rest of us get peanuts. Sheesh……
   2. 4.2

      Luxon all over the place in this transcription of his press interview on David Parker's Tax Report.

      Not sure how accurate this transcription is, but it makes for frustrating reading: you feel like shouting "Just answer the bloody question!"

      https://twitter.com/benmackey/status/1651092843619024896
   3. 4.3

      It certainly makes a case for taxing unrealised capital gains… how we go about it succesfully i've got no idea… seems a minefield of unintended consquences.
   4. 4.4

      Fcking Bludging Cnts IMHO.
5. 5

   Worth the read, report on the origins of Covid-19 from the US senate.

   Apologies have read the summary of this report – which I can't now find. Here the full report.

   https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23782224-senate-covid-19-origins-report
6. 6

   Jingoism is alive and well.

   How scummy are we as a species, we have so many economic and environmental problems and yet bombs, guns and desire to kill each other – wins out.

   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/24/world-military-spending-reaches-all-time-high-of-2-24-trillion
   1. 6.1

      Bottom Feeding Scum.
7. 7

   an amusing Daniel Vernon fb cartoon on the Nats candidate selection process
   1. 7.1

      
8. 8

   It goes without saying that it was no coincidence that the dismissal came just days after Fox's historic settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

   Perhaps it was related to ex-producer Abby Grossberg's lawsuit against the network, which alleged rampant sexism and anti-Semitic behavior behind the scenes at Carlson's show?

   Or perhaps it was profanity-laced remarks, some of which were redacted in the Dominion discovery documents, that Carlson privately made, disparaging his colleagues, including Fox brass?

   https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2023/04/analysis-fox-news-sudden-firing-of-tucker-carlson-may-have-come-down-to-risk-versus-reward.html

   Abby Grossberg
9. 9

   Five Thirty Eight, Real Politics and now Real Women of Politics @ Sarah Huckabee.

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