Massive illicit bust of Edward Snowden erected in Brooklyn
A group of unidentified artists have erected a bronze patina bust of Eric Snowden on a stone column in Brooklyn. The authorities are investigating.
Dollar Parity
As New Zealand’s dollar approaches parity with Australia’s a responsible Government should be pondering the implications and acting in the country’s best interests. No such luck in Aotearoa …
Open mike 07/04/2015
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 …
Alternatives to banks
We need an alternative to fattening the coffers of Australian banks.
Trends in America
Here’s some slow Monday reading to ponder, on political trends in America.
Open mike 06/04/2015
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 …
Peak soil
No, not a typo. Just in case you’re short of things to worry about, you can add soil to the list.
Open Internet and New Zealand media companies
Spark, MediaWorks, Sky TV and TVNZ are threatening to take Callplus to Court because it, like many overseas companies, offers the ability to locals to obtain an American IP address.
Rod Oram on the RMA and spin
An excellent piece by Rod Oram on the RMA and the government’s attempts at spin.
Open mike 05/04/2015
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 …
Development of the mobile theme
Last week, very reluctantly, I coughed up the money for a development version of the mobile theme. About a quarter of our readers primarily use mobiles to read the site these days. When you add tablets it gets closer to 40%. I need to create a mobile theme that enhances the existing one for better commenting. If you have simple ideas for that, now is the time to speak.
The British Election
Britain is just over a month away from an election that looks like it will go down to the wire. And the recent leaders’ debate has displayed some very impressive leaders of progressive minor parties who may hold the balance of power after the election has been completed. In particular Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon may be able to determine who the next Prime Minister will be.
The implications of Winston Peters’ Northland win
John Armstrong in the Herald and Tracy Watkins in the Dominion Post have both written opinion pieces on the implications of Winston Peters’ win in Northland which reach very similar conclusions.
Open mike 04/04/2015
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 …
Weekend social 03/04/2015
Mmmmmm – long weekend!
California drought
The California drought gives us a case study in how the effects of climate change are going to play out.
Bill English killed Solid Energy
More economic genius from the Nats.
Open mike 03/04/2015
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
This is an experimental post to see how a second open mike type post would work. Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas 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.
Planet Key
Turns out that “Planet Key” is not an election advertisement after all.
Government in disarray as MP’s offending revealed
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Labor Government’s majority is on a knife edge after recent revelations that Labor MP Billy Gorton had criminal convictions he did not declare to the Labor Party and after a former partner alleged that he had subjected her to sustained domestic violence.
Media Take – on GCSB and spying
Check out the most recent Media Take (Tuesdays on Maori TV), on the GCSB and the consequences of our Pacific spying.
Then they came for Child Youth and Family
The Government has appointed Paula Restock to head an expert panel tasked to review Child Youth and Family. Even now the intent appears clear, outsource functions and cut costs. But if they were determined to improve matters they should reduce child poverty.
Generous welfare makes people more likely to want to work
Evidence on levels of welfare and willingness to work suggests that yet another nasty right-wing myth is wrong. Reality and its well known liberal bias strikes again.
Open mike 02/04/2015
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Victory for the workers at Cotton On
FIRST Union has announced the ratification of the first ever collective agreement for workers at Cotton On.
April fool Pete George released from ban…
Pete George was released from his ban this morning. Something that he was clearly bracing himself for yesterday when he directly lied about this site yet again…
Fruukd: New Media Venture
The Standardista Collective today announced plans for a massive new media venture, Fruukd.
Unintended Consequences
Winston Peters is poised to announce who will replace him on the NZ First list. It may even be someone who can lead the party after he retires. There’s one really obvious candidate; an ex MP suffering from relevancy deficit syndrome and keen to get back in the political spotlight. It’s ….
Fast followers – not
In which NZ, along with many other countries, flunks the first test of the Paris climate change talks.
Open mike 01/04/2015
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Is GCSB using increased awareness of mass surveillance to justify mass surveillance?
Denis Tegg has persuaded the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security to inquire whether the GCSB is conducting mass surveillance on the Kafkaesque grounds that the legislation allows this to happen if a party ought reasonably to expect that the communication may be intercepted.
Drill baby drill will not work
Simon Bridges announced yesterday the release of the 2015 block offer. Potentially oil companies could be drilling in deep sea pristine environmental areas off the West Coast where the endangered Maui’s Dolphin lives. He calls for a “mixed balance” of energy generation. But all this means is that he wants the good mixed with the bad.
Leadership and loyalty
Key ran out on failed candidate Mike Osborne in Northland, just like he ran out on Melissa Lee in Mt Albert.
Open mike 31/03/2015
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