Oxfam on wealth inequality in NZ
Oxfam’s report on wealth inequality in NZ has some staggering headline numbers.
Open Mike 16/01/2017
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xkcd – Earth Temperature Timeline
When people say “the climate has changed before”, these are the kinds of changes they’re talking about.
English in England
The usual media suspects are digging pretty deep to try and find anything supportive to say about English’s UK visit. English himself sounds like he has been put in his place.
Open Mike 15/01/2017
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Spinning ‘social investment’
Bill English has co-opted the old term “social investment” to replace another old term “targeted welfare”. Simon Wilson (writing at The Spinoff) has bought into the spin and written a deeply confused piece about it.
The Lighthouse
The lighthouse is a piece of public art recently erected in downtown Auckland. It is to celebrate the institution of the State House and has been paid for by real estate barons.
Open Mike 14/01/2017
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Caption contest
Refreshing honesty from English
English – “One of New Zealand’s benefits is because we’re a long way away and fairly small we don’t attract too much attention.” Nice contrast to the usual Nat hysterical style. I guess there’s no need for all that domestic spying apparatus then?
Julie Anne Genter to stand in Mt Albert by-election
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter will be standing in the Mount Albert by-election to be held on 25 February
Show me
It is time for Trump, English and Little to give us an idea on what their policies will do for employment and the rights of workers.
Ten steps towards victory for Labour
A guest post by Labour Activist Enzo Giordani on what Labour needs to do this year to win the election.
Open Mike 13/01/2017
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The Trump Dossier
Buzzfeed’s release of the Dossier suggesting that Russia has considerable leverage over Donald Trump has caused ructions the effects of which will be felt for months.
Trump’s First Press Conference
You have to say he is not afraid to take on the heavy mob. A very direct attack on Big Pharma – a US version of Pharmac? A very direct attack on the armaments industry’s star program the F-35 fighter-bomber and its cost overruns. Then there is the intelligence community and the mainstream news media. Read the transcript for yourself.
Know Your Place (this is a White Man’s Island)
Just remember that
Open Mike 12/01/2017
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Obama’s last speech
Tired of jokes about Trump and golden showers? Want to read a real political speech? Well here is the text to Barak Obama’s last political speech as POTUS.
The great Taxpayers Union fraud and corruption discovery
The Taxpayer’s Union has shown a concerning inability to comprehend in its criticism of MFAT for supporting an aid initiative to address malnutrition in Africa.
NRT: Denying the obvious
I/S at No Right turn writes on Revenue Minister Collins’ denial of obvious tax avoidance.
Open Mike 11/01/2017
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The end of ‘governing from the centre’?
And a return to the politics of division by Blinglish…
The CIA Director confirmation hearings
Mike Pompey is Donald Trump’s chosen head for the CIA. He is someone who believes in the mass collection of all metadata and combining it with all publicly available information. Are we going to see the unprecedented destruction of rights of privacy?
Screwing more out of Auckland renters
Already sky-high Auckland rents are set to rise further.
Refining that dog whistle
Bill English has used a proposal for timing of his Waitangi speech to wrongly claim that he is being silenced. And most of the media bought it.
Open Mike 10/01/2017
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Spy vs Spy
It is MAD. In the frenzy leading up to Trump’s inauguration, we have the extraordinary spectacle of the CIA interfering in the US election by accusing the Russians of interfering in the same election. The CIA used only to interfere in other people’s elections. On the serious side this intervention means the war party hasn’t given up yet, no matter what Trump may say.
2016 hottest year – NIWA live stream
As long predicted and widely reported, 2016 has been confirmed as the hottest year ever. Watch the NIWA stream on the situation in NZ, live at 11am.
English won’t attend Waitangi Day
I don’t think it does a PM any harm to shut up and listen for a change instead of talking, but this does not seem to be possible for the Nats.
Open Mike 09/01/2017
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Advertising Standards Authority rules in favour of Greenpeace ad on river quality
The Advertising Standards Authority rejects all 12 complaints about the ad, including one from Dairy NZ.
Changes in the United States
The implications for the world of Donald Trump’s forthcoming ascendancy to the office of President of the United States.
Wikileaks unravels
In the space of a day Wikileaks managed to complain about another entity leaking information, threaten to dox pretty well every reporter, delete the tweet and then sound like Donald Trump.
Open Mike 08/01/2017
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Hacking Schmacking
In all seriousness. Apparently.