Open mike 29/12/2014

Open mike is your post.  The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this.  The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).  Step up to the mike …

National knew about Sabin allegations since before the election

The Sunday Star Times has revealed today that the inquiry into Mike Sabin started before the last election and that senior National figures knew about it.  And it appears that two private members bills he drafted have disappeared.  The questions has to be asked, why is he still the chair of Parliament’s Law and Order committee.  And when did John Key find out about the allegations?

Open mike 28/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

If the voice fits….?

Politics has traditionally been men’s business.  Gradually women have come to be given more space in this sphere of public activity.  However, there are still strains of traditional masculine values evident in political activity, organisation and debate.  How much does Key trade in
bloke-iness?

SkyCity’s expected subvention explained for John Roughan

At last, some of our conservative short-term thinkers have woken up to the elephant in the room with the SkyCity convention centre subvention. Years late and their previous support has cost taxpayers dearly already. Perhaps they could learn to read reports? And think before committing us to be suckers?

Open mike 27/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Religion without God

What does religion without God look like… Sounds unlikely but Atheists the world over are meeting in!”churches” to indulge in religious-esque rituals

Bill Gates on Piketty and inequality

Thomas Piketty in his book Capital in the Twenty-First Century came to the strong conclusion that capitalism left by itself will increase inequality and cause increased risk of social, economic and democratic upheaval.  He has an unlikely supporter, albeit critical, in Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world.

Preempting Godwin

Godwin’s law (or Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies) is an Internet adage asserting that “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1″.  But it is not only online…

Open mike 26/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

The Government wishes Andrea Vance a very merry Christmas

On the eve of Christmas in a cynical attempt to avoid political damage the Government has apologised to Andrea Vance for breaching her rights of privacy in 2013 after requiring Parliamentary Services to hand over her metadata and attempting to cover up the exercise.

Open mike 25/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Imperator Fish: Let’s hear them out

Sky City wants the taxpayer to help cover the increased cost to build its new Auckland convention centre. They agreed to build the convention centre in return for the government giving the casino a licence extension and allowing it to operate more gaming machines…. So…

Europe & the anti-austerity left

The UK Green Party is gaining in popularity as many people turn away from the 3 established parties.  The radical left Syriza party in Greece could possibly gain power in their election – what powerful international right wing forces would then be unleashed?

Open mike 24/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Where to the nation?

Left wing politics in New Zealand bends most of its attention and energy inwards onto the nation state. This is of course understandable […]

The Sky City Convention Centre

Sky City is doing what Rio Tinto and Warner Brothers have done in the past.  Threaten to walk away from a deal unless the Government writes you a big cheque …

Open mike 23/12/2014

Open mike is your post.  The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this.  The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

2014 man of the Year

Two prominent New Zealand men voiced their opinion on a serious aspect of life in New Zealand this year, let’s rate them…

Thumbs down for Joyce’s ministerial domain

A new report shows that Steven Joyce’s MBIE fiefdom is failing miserably.  Meanwhile the MBIE is under fire for the major cost blow out of the Sky City Casino deal – another deal with Joyce’s imprints all over it.

Open mike 22/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Open mike 21/12/2014

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

In Solidarity with Sony

Sony this week bowed to pressure to withdraw the movie The Interview because of a cyber attack on it from hackers associated with North Korea. This post is in support of freedom of speech and expression.

Open mike 20/12/2014

The Authors of the Standard are now in holiday mode.  Posting will be less regular and dependant on individual author enthusiasm.  Open mike will continue every day and prepare yourself for some year in review posts and some recycling of old stuff.  And as R0b has said be nice to each other.  Open mike is your post.  The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this.  The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).  Step up to the mike …

We need to talk about the F word… closely followed by the V word.

Feminism is a reaction. A position. A belief that women should, by right, be entitled to all the same ‘privileges’ as men: fair pay, high quality free education, control of their own money (and bodies), freedom to choose who to love and how to act. Freedom of movement, association, dress, beliefs. Respect as an equal. Opportunity. Equity in decision-making. A voice.

Why wasn’t Brownlee sacked?

The Civil Aviation Authority report into Gerry Brownlee’s breach of security at Christchurch Airport has now been released albeit in a heavily redacted form. The report contradicts Brownlee’s claim that the door was opened for him by a Security Officer and that the officer consented to his use of the security area.  Why was the release of the report delayed?  And why wasn’t Brownlee sacked as a Minister?

Power poverty on the up

The government has failed to tackle NZ’s on-going housing crisis. Fuel/energy poverty is increasing, with a higher proportion of households unable to afford any heating.  More Kiwis are renting than in the 2006 census, & more Aucklanders live in over-crowded households.

Open mike 19/12/2014

Open mike is your post.  The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this.  The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).  Step up to the mike …

USA pimpin for its mega corporates

Another day, another crucial leak of information relating to a relentless drive by the USA  to have control of as much data as they can, in as many countries as possible.