The Standard

Family First on the important issues of the day

Written By:
Date published: 11:10 am, March 14th, 2016 - 13 comments

Don’t conservative cranks have anything better to do with their time?

Rachel Maddow on Donald Trump’s campaign strategy

Written By:
Date published: 9:06 am, March 14th, 2016 - 97 comments

Rachel Maddow sets out a timeline suggesting that Donald Trump has engaged in calculated escalation of violent rhetoric and action which is causing damage to the US society and how this marks a new low for the Republican Party.

Open mike 14/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, March 14th, 2016 - 103 comments

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 …

Caption competition

Written By:
Date published: 1:21 pm, March 13th, 2016 - 91 comments

key-draped-in-flag

Go, technology, inequality, the future of work

Written By:
Date published: 12:05 pm, March 13th, 2016 - 42 comments

Miscellaneous Sunday morning meanderings on technology, inequality and the future of work.

Quantitative easing for the masses

Written By:
Date published: 8:25 am, March 13th, 2016 - 136 comments

It seems that “serious economists” are discussing something called “helicopter money”. Would it fly in NZ?

Open mike 13/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, March 13th, 2016 - 132 comments

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 …

Trump Chicago rally cancelled amid protests

Written By:
Date published: 2:56 pm, March 12th, 2016 - 62 comments

Seems like not everyone in America is going to roll over for Trump.

Who is ultimately responsible for NZ’s massive dairy farm debt?

Written By:
Date published: 1:11 pm, March 12th, 2016 - 82 comments

People talk of excessive borrowing in the dairy sector. Of course, the real problem is that of excessive lending.

David Walker – Dick Of The Year

Written By:
Date published: 9:29 am, March 12th, 2016 - 39 comments

Long serving diplomat and New Zealand’s Chief Negotiator for the Trans Pacific Partnership, David Walker, was yesterday presented with the 2016 Dick Of The Year award.

Wee Todd Barclay may have a wee problem

Written By:
Date published: 8:47 am, March 12th, 2016 - 63 comments

Clutha Southland National MP’s employee dispute has escalated with a police inquiry into the possible secret recording of a staff member being conducted.

Norman on the economy

Written By:
Date published: 8:03 am, March 12th, 2016 - 58 comments

Russel Norman was right in 2014 when he said that the Nats were daft to gamble on oil and bulk milk production, and he’s right again now to draw attention to the failures. We need a green economy!

Open mike 12/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, March 12th, 2016 - 105 comments

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 11/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 pm, March 11th, 2016 - 46 comments

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 …

Leggett does a runner

Written By:
Date published: 5:58 pm, March 11th, 2016 - 16 comments

Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett says he will announce his decision about running for Mayor of Wellington at a launch later this month. It sounds like he has already made up his mind about what he is running for; the real question is what is he running from?

The Gun Club

Written By:
Date published: 2:34 pm, March 11th, 2016 - 172 comments

In the wake of the shooting of four police officers in Kawerau, it’s time NZ had a cold, hard look at our gun culture. We need an inquiry that addresses both legal and illegal gun ownership. But there’s a related matter that also needs looking at …

Iain Lees-Galloway on the end of zero hour contracts

Written By:
Date published: 9:00 am, March 11th, 2016 - 37 comments

Iain Lees-Galloway’s speech celebrating the end of zero hour contracts with a special thanks to the Unite Union, the Council of Trade Unions, the Greens and New Zealand First, Marama Fox, even Peter Dunne, and even Michael Woodhouse.

Economic anger and political madness

Written By:
Date published: 7:28 am, March 11th, 2016 - 66 comments

History clearly shows us that when people are economically stressed they turn to extreme action and extreme leaders. Economist Jared Bernstein argues that the Trump ascendancy is another example of this.

Open mike 11/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, March 11th, 2016 - 133 comments

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 10/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 pm, March 10th, 2016 - 45 comments

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 …

RB snaps awake, jolts markets

Written By:
Date published: 3:06 pm, March 10th, 2016 - 49 comments

Simon Louisson on the Reserve Bank’s surprise announcement to reduce the official cash rate by 25 points.

TPP to criminalise ordinary viewers

Written By:
Date published: 2:44 pm, March 10th, 2016 - 53 comments

A lot of people out there couldn’t give a stuff about the TPP because they don’t see it affecting them. This might change their minds.

Intergenerational theft

Written By:
Date published: 10:23 am, March 10th, 2016 - 86 comments

The Guardian has an excellent piece on “the 30-year economic betrayal dragging down Generation Y’s income”.

Nats think “pretty legal” is good enough…

Written By:
Date published: 7:47 am, March 10th, 2016 - 24 comments

… but the courts may beg to differ.

Open mike 10/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, March 10th, 2016 - 112 comments

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 greatest polling error in primary history”

Written By:
Date published: 7:44 pm, March 9th, 2016 - 114 comments

Bernie Sanders has just won the Michigan Democratic primary. Polling guru Nate Silver of 38degrees said that given that Sanders was behind by an average of 21.3% in all polls leading  up to the vote, if Sanders won Michigan it would count among “the greatest polling errors in primary history.” It was – why is interesting.

Daily Review 09/03/2016

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 pm, March 9th, 2016 - 39 comments

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 …

New report on GCSB spying powers

Written By:
Date published: 2:19 pm, March 9th, 2016 - 28 comments

A Government-ordered review of NZ’s spy agencies has just been released. Key wants Labour’s support for increased power to spy on Kiwis.

Health law expert on the TPP

Written By:
Date published: 12:43 pm, March 9th, 2016 - 20 comments

We won’t be able to say that we weren’t warned.

Imperator Fish: John needs this too

Written By:
Date published: 10:30 am, March 9th, 2016 - 24 comments

Imperator Fish argues for a change in the New Zealand flag, sort of.

Health Ministry lost the plot and heads should roll

Written By:
Date published: 9:34 am, March 9th, 2016 - 23 comments

The Health Ministry committed to spending $18m that they didn’t have on upgrading their own offices, and tried to claw the money back from the underfunded DHBs trying to deliver health care to NZ. And that seems to be just fine with Minister Coleman.