' With most New Zealanders concentrating on getting through the Christmas break, our politicians have largely abandoned the Beehive to enjoy the sort of holiday-leave most workers can only dream of. There's still a few MPs "on duty". Their function is to maintain the semblance…
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 …
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 …
Worth sharing. This arrived in my mailbox yesterday, and I was just musing this morning about how effective this example of cooperative action on the left had been. As Nicky Hager effectively points out, by donating this money for the legal costs of challenging this unlawful…
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 …
Rachel Stewart is a tough uncompromising columnist for the Taranaki Daily News. Rachel is not someone to hold back. Her previous criticisms of the farming industry were met with death threats. Her recent critique of the post John Campbell media is a must read. And her…
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 …
It's beginning to get on my nerves, this slow shrinkage of the scope and use of democracy in New Zealand. I'm not talking about the direct anti-democratic attacks like Southern District Health Board, or Environment Canterbury. I'm thinking solely about local government as we come…
Standardista authors are on summer break! There will be an Open Mike each day, but little or no other posting (unless an author feels particularly inspired). We'll pick up again gradually in January some time. But just in case you haven't had enough of politics…
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 …
The repercussions of Justice Clifford's decision that the police raid of Nicky Hager's home was illegal are starting to be felt. The decision itself is a scathing condemnation of the police behaviour and you really have to wonder how the police got things so wrong.…
So now we know how child poverty was affected by the Global Financial Crisis. Our tory friends have taken their annual two-pronged approach, with distraction arguments about whether individual poverty measures measure poverty and the old stereotype that poor people are poor because they do…
Yesterday in The Herald: NZ achieved emissions reduction targets: Paula Bennett New Zealand has achieved its first round of emissions reduction targets and is on track to meet its 2020 target, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says. In the first commitment period in the Kyoto…
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 …
Reprinted from Scoop. High Court finds police raid on Nicky Hager was illegal Thursday, 17 December 2015, 4:15 pm Press Release: Felix Geiringer Wellington High Court judge Justice Clifford issued his judgement today on the legality of the police search of Nicky Hager's home on…
While there is a certain amusement value in having a performing monkey for a PM, his participation in the great rape jape yesterday was too far even for his fans. Barry Soper: Has John Key gone a step too far? The trouble with John Key…
In the spirit of Christmas, the last post was a provocation about a version of Christianity that would fit quite happily with the kind we celebrate at this time, in this society. Here's another version. Christmas is essentially about the Mystery of God becoming one…
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 …
Well, this is awkward. And won't somebody think of poor Michael Woodhouse? It's like seeing Dad kiss the au pair. Are you my new mum? Alternate captions welcome! Hat tip, veutoviper, via Giovanni Tiso.
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 don't think that it's possible for the depths of Key to surprise me any more, but this certainly came close: John Key: Drug abuse major contributor to child poverty John Key says drug dependency is a major contributor to New Zealand poverty. The latest…
If I might plagiarise myself for a minute, obesity is a difficult topic to write about, so some quick preliminaries. First, people have a lot of natural variation in healthy body shapes and types, it is perfectly possible to be “fat” and healthy. Second, obesity…
You'll get the drift of what I mean by Supply-Side Jesus from this link. Jesus, rather than being some commie big-state redistributor, was incredibly serious and canny about money, spending, and tax: In Matthew 17 we learn: After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the…
No the date is not April 1. A town in America has citizens and elected representatives who think that solar panels may suck up all of the sun's energy, may prevent plants from photosynthesising and may cause cancer. From the Independent: A US town has…
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 …
