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American politics terrifies me. The more observant Americans have been, for some time now, seriously asking whether the country is sliding into fascism. The seriously dangerous Tea Party movement (and its insane anti-Obama lies) is gaining momentum. Demagogues have way too much power. Now we…
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The site has now been reconfigured to be a multi-site system. This will allow us to start setting up child sites for more specialized topics in the future. It should allow us to keep expanding our range of posts with the ever increasing number of…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Back in March The Herald had some strong words to say about the 'council-controlled organisations' that will be running Auckland: Editorial: Deny power to Super City's faceless panels From right to left, from John Banks and Michael Barnett to Len Brown and Mike Lee, Auckland's…
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After that National Party Presidential Election thing blew up in your face (you know, where you had the audacity to tell members not to vote for Goodfellow, and they basically shat on you), I thought you might have faced reality, and made a quiet retreat.…
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An excellent post by Bryan Walker at Hot Topic reproduced with permission. There may be conflicting reports as to whether renewable energy can replace fossil fuels in time to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and there are still plenty of people in positions of authority,…
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200 odd years of capitalism has thrown up countless working class heroes. Most got buried in obscurity in life and by a collective amnesia in death. The education system of 'our betters' is partly to blame. It taught and teaches us of the establishment heroes,…
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A week after Australia went to the polls the outcome is still unclear. However, the way the cards are falling I'd put my money on Julia Gillard remaining Prime Minister and Labor retaining power. The current seat count is: 72 - Labour 72 - Coalition…
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Just had a listen to Key's post-cab press conference. I'm no big city journo but seeing the weak, misdirected reforms on drinking I would have asked: Did the PM declare his conflict of interest when the alcohol reforms were debated at Cabinet? Aren't these exactly…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Two days ago I posted on the shame of the Labour party co-hosting the cowards of the Sensible Sentencing Trust at parliament. I based this post on a media release from the trust. It turns out that this wasn't true, as Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove…
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Defence Minister Wayne Mapp must be desperate for publicity. He's attacked the latest version of Medal of Honour, a first person shooter game. The game is set in Afghanistan and features American commandos fighting the Taliban. According to Mr Mapp, Medal of Honour "undermines the…
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What Will Fix Child Poverty? The Fabian Society's next lecture is on Monday in Auckland. Susan St John on behalf of the Child Poverty Action Group, and Sue Bradford of the Alternative Welfare Working Group will look at one of the most important symptoms of…
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The Employment Relations Act Amendment (2) Bill hasn't had its first reading yet, so we can't has had its first reading so you can now bombard the Select Committee with what a load of #&@! it is for a little while longer until the 13th…
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According to OIA papers released to the NZ Herald, Key's plan to extend the 90 day "fire at will" law is an ACT party takeover of government policy. Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson recommended against the plan. She was overruled by Cabinet in response to…
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There have been 6000 published* posts, 192 thousand comments, and many millions of page views. I'd guess that this multiple-author blog has a wee bit of an audience. Of course I tend to see the site in a different light. More important to me in…
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At what point, I wonder, will National figure out that they're in a hole over "national standards" and finally stop digging? Stuff reports: Letters scathing of National Standards The parents in charge of 48 different school boards have written to the Government at a rate…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Apparently the Labour party co-hosted the sensible sentencing trust conference at parliament along with National and Act. What a stupid idea. Goff has always like talking tough on crime but to climb into bed with the same outfit that backed the vigilante killing of a…
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Vivid description from John Armstrong of Rodney encountering his ex-Deputy yesterday. According to Armstrong: There she sat. Heather Roy was back, most definitely. This was no apparition even if Hide looked like he was seeing one.... Hide stared at the ceiling. He stared at the…
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I was wondering whether to write a post on the very odd things that outrage the tight little circle of right wing bloggers we have in this country. Here for example is DPFs rant on the big issue of the week. But MikeG in a…
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From John Key's speech to the Sensible Sentencing Trust yesterday: "We've already got 271 out of 300 new Police officers in the Counties-Manukau district, and the rest have been recruited and are in training. The boost in Police numbers is making a difference too. The…
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John Key was spinning again in the House last week. So desperate is he to deflect criticism of his government's poor performance, that he has been talking about how take-home wages didn't rise fast enough under the Labour Government. It is time we got away…
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National know the first rule of government: never have an enquiry unless you know what it will say. The latest "Working Group" is the one on Welfare. Paula Rebstock's team include a couple of medical professionals who specialise in brain injuries, a couple of private…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The recent death in Afghanistan of Lieutenant Timothy O'Donnell was a tragedy for his family and a blow to his army colleagues. It was also a missed opportunity, a chance to debate why our Government continues to send troops to a violent and intractable war,…
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The ACT Party's in-fighting continues: Act member Peter Tashkoff has announced he will contest party leader Rodney Hide for the right to stand for Act in the seat of Epsom. Newstalk ZB reported that Mr Tashkoff - number seven on Act's party list - had…
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Some great news on the Fairness at Work campaign. Heather Smith, the pharmacy worker who was sacked unfairly under the 90 day fire at will law and featured in a recent advert for the campaign has won a CTU-backed case against her employer in the…
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Question number 3 today in Question Time will be: AARON GILMORE to the Minister of Finance: Have New Zealand's after-tax wages been rising faster than prices? English is going to reply 'yes' and point to the same silly numbers that he and Key have been…
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Woe betide those who attribute a single opinion to The Standard, I thought I'd offer a contrasting opinion with Marty. I had to use his image though - I think the Dr Who look is priceless. I like Income Splitting as a principle, but, as…