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6:00 am, February 22nd, 2026 - 18 comments
Categories: open mike -
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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 …
New Zealand has to give consent to Westminster to change The Act of Succession to remove Prince Andrew.
Why not say no to that and say we will give consent on a case by case basis.
by rubber stamping requested items we are entrenching this malignant institution.
because it would be unjust to pre-emptively consider all his relatives are sex offenders or have been sharing state secrets before there are any charges.
I don't think that Andrew is something to take a stand on.
We would be saying that regardless of what a little shit he is we would be happy to keep him with the possibility that he might become our Head of State. We would be saying that we don't mind that, regardless of his behaviour.
I think I would be happier saying that we insist on him going, even if Britain was willing to keep him.
It is, of course purely academic. For him to succeed would require that William, George, Charlotte, Louis, Harry, Archie and Lilibet should all die before Andrew did and that none of them have any (more) kids.
ps. I think that is the list, and the spelling of their names. I can't really be bothered checking after Charlotte. I think she is the last with any prospect at all of getting the job and the chance of that happening are almost nil, even if it only requires that George dies without progeny.
The Public Service Association has issued a report on the Teaching Council that shows rules for awarding contracts and dealing with conflicts of interest were breached in a very serious way: https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/news/findings-of-teaching-council-investigation-released
So what happens then? Does the contractor who got public money under a shonky process have to refund it? Or do they brazen it out, with the whole affair shoved under the rug (assuming there is room for it)?
Has there been any research done on how long before bones with a little meat on them, buried by a dog under a carpet, start to smell?
Got the investigator's name wrong; I should have referred to the Public Service Commission. PSA is a different outfit.
I believe there is a huge rug out the back of Parliament with lots of dodgy things under it. Only dogged investigative journalists can smell anything.
The CoC are at it again, trashing the NZ environment (or potentially doing so, to be fair).
We need to voice our strong opposition to their donor-sponsored activities – submit your objections to parliament.
From No Right Turn follow the link – it's easy.
https://norightturn.blogspot.com/
direct link
https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2026/02/submit.html
Thanks for the pointer, TV.
As NRT says, it may be a done deal but enough voices getting together can create an avalanche of public opinion.
I intend writing to my local MP (a Nat) saying there is no reason to vote for an administration that wants to mine the environment at the expense of future generations.
Not only the environment, but also, people.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360941973/government-gives-police-move-powers-ban-rough-sleepers-beggars
”The Summary Offences Act will be amended, to provide police with the ability to ban people who are rough sleeping, begging, obstructing a business, or displaying disorderly or threatening behaviour.
The banned individual would have to move “a reasonable distance” from the area, as specified by the police officer. It would apply to people aged 14 and older and the penalty for breaching the order would be a maximum $2000 fine or up to three months in prison.”
Words fail me.
Move to where?
Good question.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/move-orders-target-disorderly-behaviour
As you know, Ministers don’t meddle in operational affairs and Police must stay independent of political influence as much as is practical. It still is up to the discretion of Police to act and how.
The councils and police would possibly hear this song by Johnny Cash – I've Been Everywhere.
The fine up to $2,000 made me laugh. I don't think many of them will be paying that.
But isn't there a prison term for non-payment of fines by these penniless, centless people? Senseless is the word here! The whole thing is a return to Victorian or Charles Dickens days. Aren't we proud of our modern society's methods! How did we get here – it wasn't my fault – so who or what is at fault and how can it be rectified before we get close to being gutter-snipes?
That would come at a cost of around $50,000 for taxpayers for every 1 individual locked up
Just see it as a political donation to the CoC parties.
From the too good to be true department, tofu brine battery
There are a lot of positive claims, including 120,000 cycles, non toxic no lithium.
A lot of the science from the link to the study goes over my head- “Highly stable Zn anodes realized by 3D zincophilic and hydrophobic interphase buffer layer.” for example.
I would be keen to know if this is a fraud.
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/chinas-water-battery-outlast-lithium