Posts by Kumara Republic
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Hard News: The next four years, in reply to David Hood,
I see Donald Trump has presidentially decreed Jan 20th, the date of his inauguration as "National Patriotic Devotion day"
"Dear Leader of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, approves of this glorious message from your American fellow traveller!"
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Hard News: Taking the stage in Mount Albert, in reply to nzlemming,
Those that didn't vote Democrat did it because a) they thought Clinton had it in the bag, or b) they couldn't bring themselves to vote for Clinton. Clinton presented no vision to inspire them to vote FOR her, counting on people to vote against a proven liar and fraud. Look how well that turned out.
Especially in the swing states of PA, WI, OH & MI, where it seems a large number of Rust Belt Democrats stayed home.
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On the other hand, I wholly disagree with Simon's contention (and that of Phil Quin, who I'm much more accustomed to disagreeing with) that it's unfortunate that Little himself is not Labour's candidate in Mount Albert.
That would have been a very awkward path to take. An "I don't care where so long as I'm mayor" decision. Labour flying in a leader with no connection with Auckland in the hope he might get a seat to call his own.
And the perception of Ardern being shoved aside by the party would have been damaging. Ardern has a real claim on being considered the local candidate here in Mt Albert, not least because successive boundary changes mean her natural support base actually now lies in Mount Albert. You could say that she didn't leave Auckland Central, Auckland Central left her.
Auckland Central seems to have yuppyfied in recent years. I'd also agree that Andrew Little running in Mt Albert would have looked more than a tad contrived, given he's very much a Welly guy.
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Up Front: Walk This Way, in reply to mark taslov,
It’s more than that Tristan. It’s misogyny: “Be attracted to X or I invalidate you” – Rape culture. There are bigots in every minority who do this shit – and risk turning subjugated groups into political footballs – for their own gratification. Humanity is expert at vilifying whole movements based on the actions of a subgroup.
You know those moments when rabid Trumpoids and other alt-Reich fellas get vocal about "rapefugees" and gay-bashers darker than a brown paper bag? It's certainly not because they give a toss about womens' & LGBT rights. I theorise it's because they hate foreign competition, just as with trade protectionism.
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Up Front: Walk This Way, in reply to andin,
Its all been in the pipeline of human consciousness for a long time IMO.
When business' were able to ship manufacturing offshore, unions were demonised, and self centred philosophies gained a glittering stage on which to peddle selfishness/ its your attitude bullshit( otherwise known as emotional blackmail or guilt tripping) to humanity.
The dumbing down large swathes of the global population got itself in motion.
And meaning what you say, was traded for polishing the language to make oneself look like one had all the answers. It got its own name too, spin. How appropriate.Just to me it looks like an end of empire period. And there's going to be a lot of salvaging of one's own arse and flogging off of the family jewels. Its already started where it all heads is anyone's guess, 'cause those who think they can direct it haven't got a clue no matter what nonsense they spout.
Some related must-reads below. I work in the kind of job that's in danger of being "rust-belted".
* Davos: IMF’s Christine Lagarde says 'I told you so' on populist backlash to rising global inequality
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Hard News: The next four years, in reply to Jason Kemp,
Automation is changing the landscape everywhere and the paradox is that the same reasons businesses automate ( to increase profitability) is the very reason that jobs disappear. Ok I’m over simplifying but that is an issue that has not been addressed at all. The proverbial elephant in the room.
I can agree that automation and globalisation are here to stay. The real problems are rent-seeking and under-investment in training and repurposing the technologically under-employed. If the Future of Work is No Future (as Johnny Rotten sang it), then there are interesting times ahead indeed.
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Hard News: The next four years, in reply to Jason Kemp,
Just this week I came across a a marketing strategy article which analysed Trumps election campaign along the lines of his strategy was to be politically incorrect.
In other words, the Southern Strategy v2.0?
And not yet mentioned is the Mexican border wall that Trump has threatened to bill Mexico for. What if in response, Mexico got cosy with China and agreed to host its missiles?
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Hard News: Is the Ministry of Health…, in reply to Sacha,
I'd like to see whoever authorised that action named and shamed, after the case is through.
We might be able to start here:
https://fyi.org.nz/select_authority -
Access: Help needed! Deciphering the…, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
And also, Lawyer Tony Ellis gets a mention in this Stuff article written by the more than competent John Weeks….who also penned this update on the case that Ellis took to the courts last year.
Were mental institutions really abolished years ago?
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I tweeted to the TPU a year & a bit ago about their stance on 'holiday highways' and they promised a report on it in a month. We're still waiting.