How much can a single person affect Earth’s changing climate? According to researchers in the United States and Germany, 3 square meters of summer sea ice disappear in the Arctic for every metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) that a person directly or indirectly produces.…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11787855 The problems we have identified many times, with privatisation of essential services, continue. http://kjt-kt.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/the-real-aims-of-nationals-education.html "If the aims of National/ACT’s education policy were, genuinely, to to improve the learning, education and career choices for our children, including the ones that are failing at present, they…
Very interesting piece in The New Yorker: Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich Some of the wealthiest people in America—in Silicon Valley, New York, and beyond—are getting ready for the crackup of civilization. It's long and covers many topics, but NZ features: By January, 2015, Johnson…
Any increase in the minimum wage is better than nothing: Government to increase minimum wage to $15.75 ... On 1 April, the adult minimum wage will increase by 50 cents to $15.75 an hour. ... Mr Woodhouse said the increase to $15.75 would benefit about…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
I'm not the only one a bit tired of hearing about housing policy that's geared to satisfying buyers. And I'm not the only one who rents, who will never buy, and who wants legislation passed that would end forever the type of bullshit that's going…
As expected: 'Global gag rule' reinstated by Trump, curbing NGO abortion services abroad Reagan-era rule bans international NGOs with US funding from providing abortions or offering information, ‘ignoring decades of research’ says Democrat In one of a number of sharp reversals from the Obama era,…
Totally unexpected in an election year, but Te Ururoa Flavell is making a play for the Māori seats. Here's Mihingarangi Forbes on RNZ: Flavell: 'Times have moved on' from historic Rātana-Labour link Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell has denounced the historic political tie between…
The TPPA appears to be no more. And the cause of death is an unusual one. Who would have thought that a Republican self declared multi billionaire with a history of labour abuse and not paying his contractors would pull out of the agreement on…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Update: @95bFMNews Won an adjournment to a later date in tenancy tribunal this morning, there will not be an eviction today. #NikisEviction We'll be crossing live to #NikisEviction on The Wire today. Tune in. ____________________________________________________ Tamaki Housing Group press release, On Tuesday 24 January, the…
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
So when I was a wee kid I played football. The way the games went was something like this. There was a rammy of us kids and the football would intermittently shoot out from the melee and wind up 'over there'. And we'd all descend on…
Not meant as a general criticism. Auckland has lovely beaches. When they aren't drowning in shit that is - Dirty water: Swimmers warned off beaches Swimming has been banned at 10 Auckland beaches this summer because of worsening pollution from human and animal wastes. Permanent…
Campaigning is underway in Mt Albert. Looks like it will be a very different kind of by election: Labour and Greens gear up for Mt Albert by-election The Mt Albert by-election campaign will be a chance for Labour and the Greens to show they can…
This just seems completely unhinged doesn't it: Trump inauguration crowd: Sean Spicer's claims versus the evidence White House press secretary’s angry declaration that the media faked low attendance does not stack up against photos, videos and public transport figures Photographs of the National Mall in…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
The Sister Marches have been a huge success worldwide. For a selection of images see this piece on Vox: Women from across the country have converged on Washington, DC, on Saturday for a massive rally to protest Donald Trump’s election and promote women’s rights. At…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
From Newstalk ZB: In Labour we use the phrase “Kiwi dream” to talk about our vision for New Zealand. To me, it’s a shorthand for the way we as New Zealanders believe in equality, in dignity, in looking out for each other, in doing what’s…
Posts about the American election have attracted huge attention and very spirited commentary from TS regulars. My personal view is clear. Trump is a charlatan and an imbecile and should not be trusted with the keys to Trump Tower, let alone the codes to America's…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Russians! Bloody tentacles are everywhere. No-one is safe. Nothing is beyond their reach. Run for the hills! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLZ_jujE63U
Forest and Bird remind us that... It has been 6 months since the announcement that New Zealand would be predator free by 2050 garnered worldwide attention. The clock is ticking, how are we doing? Back home, the focus has turned to how can we accomplish…
Previous Prime Minister John Key could not recall what his views on the Springbok tour were, despite him being aged 19 at the time and despite it being the most dramatic local upheaval that had occurred in decades. My strong sense that his pronounced view…
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Back in 2008, Andrew Simms and Dr Viki Johnston worked out that we had about 100 months before it was no longer 'likely' that global average surface temperature increases could be held below 2 degrees centigrade. That was 100 months ago. Over that time, Andrew Simms has…