Shamed by Africa
On Monday climate change negotiations got under way in Barcelona – “the final chance for negotiators to hammer out a text before […]
A good reform, but a minor one
I watched Terminator 3 last night. It’s the worst in the series but that’s still better than watching another Guyon-National lovefest*. Which is […]
Herald Hacker did us all a favour
The New Zealand Herald have disabled all online polls on their website until further notice, after a hacker (or hackers) severely skewed the […]
Open mike 04/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Over to you…
The myth of objective journalism
IrishBill: It’s never an easy decision to pull another poster’s work but after some reflection I’ve decided this post constitutes an unwarranted personal […]
Destroying Auckland city
Yesterday the Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) released its draft structure for the new Auckland council. Fortunately for the staff, and service levels in […]
Caption Competition
A weak leader
John Key is a weak leader. Currently popular (he’s such a “nice guy” you know) – but weak. Like a school teacher who […]
Where’s Paula?
The Herald’s creepy lovefest with the National Party continues today with Simon Collins’ profile of Paula Bennett, who is apparently “one of us”* […]
It’s wrong but I’ll do it anyway
Just saw this in the SST. Hide on the spousal travel allowance: This perk is wrong, I’ve never agreed with it So why […]
Kiwis should be free-riders – NZIER
A nice attempt at wedge politics from rightwing economic think-tank NZIER today. They say we should be concentrating on water quality, air quality, […]
The slippery standards of Mr Key
Yesterday, John Key cleverly tried to reframe his ministers’ failure to obey his standards on use of perks: “You don’t want 120 Members […]
Restoring the right to a day in court
I see that repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act is finally a foregone conclusion. There’s going to be some dithering about what […]
Open mike 03/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Over to you…
Oops some people got cached…
Sorry to anyone who thought that The Standard hadn’t published anything today. The site had in fact been pretty active for a Monday. […]
Code given “top priority†by Minister delayed – pigs continue to suffer
Tonight Campbell Live showed new footage recently shot by animal rights activists on four farms in Ashburton, Greytown, Blenheim and Kumeu. Six months […]
Blame it on the genes
The American asks: Who are smarter, liberals or conservatives? This is the kind of question that could spark fierce and endless debates between […]
David Farrar’s echo chamber fail
There’s some massive FAIL going on over at Kiwiblog. Farrar’s got this new green-bashing post up where he breathlessly mocks Al Gore for […]
Granny’s waterworks
I think Granny Herald must have shares in Infratil, based on her rubbish editorial today: Particular fervour is reserved for private-sector participation in […]
Brash’s mea culpa
Strange mea culpa from Don Brash on the foreshore and seabed in today’s Dom. He doesn’t go as far as to apologise for […]
English’s strange priorities
Talk about bereft of ideas, the currency is yo-yoing, the housing bubble is re-inflating, wages are falling, jobs are still being lost in […]
New road user laws
Remember John Key’s Nanny State rant?: I’ve had nine years of being told what lightbulb I can screw into the house, what shower […]
Open mike 02/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply. Over to you…
Ashcroft out of Belize into New Zealand?
‘Lord Ashcroft of Belize’ facing eviction as country turns on him. This is the heading in an article in today’s Observer. It’s worth […]
Good Old Fashioned Solidarity
Matt McCarten writes a fine opinion piece in today’s Herald. He hits four main points: 1. The neo-liberal dismantling of NZ’s egalitarian society […]
Ecosexploitation 350
One of the many problems facing people who want to grow popular awareness of matters ecological is that for the large part, it’s […]
Ominous
Estimated number of US troops now in Afghanistan: 68,000. Number of troops US General Stanley McChrystal is currently asking for in addition to […]
Stuffalanche
I read a fun piece by Charlie Brooker in The Guardian recently: There’s too much stuff. We live in a stuff-a-lanche. I’m fairly […]
Open mike 01/11/09
We’re trying a daily “Open mike”. This is a place for anyone to post comments on topics that might be of interest, and […]
The horror of low wages
The Unite Halloween-themed $15 minimum wage march went well yesterday. Looks like there were a fair number of people there. Pity there’s no […]
Exchange rates, Kiwisaver, breaking promises, & the art of doing nothing
A range of interesting political/economic comment today in the Herald: Fran O’Sullivan joins the left-wing and groups like Federated Farmers in calling on […]
Voters see Nats’ feet of clay
Amongst all the puffery from the right-wing commentators in the Herald today, a very interesting piece – interviews with ordinary people from New […]
Key’s piggies at the trough
A few months ago, John Key said of ministers taking their partners travelling on the taxpayer dollar: “I’ve told them if they want […]
Cycleway to nowhere
This just in: A picture of stage one of PM John Key’s personal solution to NZ’s recession – the cycleway to nowhere! OK, […]
Open mike 31/10/09
We’re trying a daily “Open mike”. This is a place for anyone to post comments on topics that might be of interest, and […]
CTU Alternative Economic Strategy
If you watched the media coverage of last week’s Council of Trade Unions conference you’ll have walked away thinking it was about John […]