World, Writing, Wealth discussion
World & Current Events
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If you're not in the U.S., what's up in your part of the world?
I guess he was sentenced for violent disorder not the expression per se, but who knows...
Great Britain has fallen far from the ideals proclaimed by her own just a few years ago.https://youtu.be/xUezfuy8Qpc?si=_odGs...
1. The Maori Kingi is dead, with funeral about now. That involves carrying the body up the Waikato in a waka, the journey taking about 2.5 hrs. While this is going on, a lot of the roads around the Waikato have been closed off. They have now elected a Q ueeni. (Not sure if that spelling is correct).2. Wellington airport had some thrills when an aircraft came in with one engine on fire. The pilot naturally turned off the fuel, but there was still spectacular smoke.
3. The new government's pledge to save money may choke the health system completely. Because of a shortage of doctors and increased costs it is hard to get a GP, some rural hospitals may have to close for want of staff, and they are even trying to cut back on food. Having been in hospital over Christmas, I can assure everyone there was no excessive spending on hospital food over Christmas. Most patients had families bring them their dinner.
US dude in Kyiv, Ukraine. You know what's up here unless you are buried in a cave somewhere with no Internet.
John wrote: "US dude in Kyiv, Ukraine. You know what's up here unless you are buried in a cave somewhere with no Internet."Keep alive and stay well
John, keep the bug-out bags up to date and ready at hand.
In the above, the spelling was not correct. It is Kuini. For some reason, the missionaries decided a Q was unnecessary, and at the same time seemed to have changed the nature of the letter "i".
Finally, the truth about government health care, which has been touted by New Zealanders and the British and vehemently opposed in the US. Give the government control of anything, and it will eventually become a bureaucratic mess. I'll never support it - but guess who has supported Medicare for All in the US. Yes, Kamala, who has done a 180 and now isn't in favor for political reasons. Elect her, and she'll do another 180, and what has happened in NZ will happen here.
The major problem in NZ is money. There was a news item here tonight that said NZ expenditure on pharmaceuticals was about a third of major Western countries. When I was in hospital over Christmas, as far as I could tell the surgical ward was full. If there is no spare space over Christmas, that suggests there are insufficient buildings, surgeons and other staff. I can say the staff were very caring and competent, but numbers have a quality all of ther own.
Is Starmer contemplating something vile as part of his path to ultimate power?https://youtu.be/DHPbWbq_Wdc?si=xXTZ_...
The Germans are getting spicy.German warship enters London blasting Darth Vader’s theme song
https://nypost.com/2024/08/24/world-n...
Liberals in Canada lost another supposedly safe riding. This time to the Bloc. Liberals in power always good for the Bloc.
Bloc quebecois separatist party. Been around since 1991.They want Quebec to.separate from Canada and be its own country.
Not original. I was in Canada in 1967 and there were separatists in Quebec back then.
They have had two referendums lost both. I was living there last time. My neighbours tkured around English areas choosing the landcthey would seize when they won the referendum. They cheated big time but still lost.
Bill wrote: "Bloc quebecois separatist party. Been around since 1991.They want Quebec to.separate from Canada and be its own country."
Those guys have been around forever it seems. I did not know they were called the Bloc.
Fugitive father seen with children in NZ wilderness for first time in yearshttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze...
This is a bit embarrassing. Basically, this father has gone "bush" and he obviously has helpers. There are also many caves in the area so surveillance from the air, even with infrared, won't find him. Further, he is not a maser criminal, and keeping his children out of school and away from the mother may be his worst crime so it is hard to justify a major search in really rugged country.
New Zealand ship didn’t sink because its captain was a woman, the ‘appalled’ defense minister sayshttps://apnews.com/article/zealand-na...
The misogyny BS feels like a smoke screen. Of course, it's not because she's a woman. It happened because she allowed her ship to run into the reef which they were actively studying. "I didn't see the thing I was mapping, so I ran into it so hard the ship sank."
Agreed. A skipper's job is two-fold - first carry out the mission and second, bring the ship back intact. Both failed. It is not clear why, but her naval career shoud end right there.
‘This is not your land. You are not my king.’ Australian senator yells at King Charleshttps://www.marketwatch.com/story/thi...
I found it curious that the article devoted so much ink to the Australian Republican Movement. Is republicanism a serious force in Australian politics, or any other Commonwealth politics?
In NZ there are the inevitable republicans, most of whom have no real idea what a republic is, but for most the idea is something of a yawn. Added to which, John Key wanted a new flag (ours is very similar to that of Australia) and there was general enthusiasm until it came to. choosing one There was a competition and the most popular one waqs discounted because it was a joke. Then when one was chosen to run off against the current one, the current one won because the other factions couldn't let go of their preference. The point most don't get is the only difference they would get would be a different formal head of state, the current one we don't see, far more money spent, and a formal constitution, and who wants to see the current self-serving politicians write that?
A New Zealand city waves goodbye to its ‘disturbing’ giant hand sculpture that many came to lovehttps://apnews.com/article/quasi-gian...
Interesting. I live in a satellite city of Wellington, and I have never heard of any controversy. I only vaguely recall when I read about it being put up.
Does NZ put much stock in its domestic art scene?
Regardless of what one thinks of this piece of art, it seems to have created discussion and that is part of the reason for art. Personally I think it is interesting and I like it.
J. wrote: "Does NZ put much stock in its domestic art scene?"As usual, this is a matter of opinion, but I think so.
As for this sculpture, it is being moved. Not because of protests or anything, but because it was only on the roof of that art. gallery temporarily, and the gallery wants to do some significant renovations.
Why does an old man plant fruit trees? He won't live long enough to harvest, so why bother?Because he can pass the land on to his children. His children can reap the benefits of his improvements, so long as they inherit the land. This is why private property is one of core concepts on which the Western Tradition is built.
Enter the socialists...
‘Nail in the coffin’: family farmers respond to inheritance tax changes
https://amp.theguardian.com/money/202...
To pay the tax, the heirs will have to sell the land. Who is buying?
Massive private equity firms (Black Rock) and the government; neither of which will improve the land. They will just deplete it and then cover it with cheaply built, expensive "homes" and strip malls.
I guess if another article described the richest Englishmen in need to pay high inheritance tax to state coffers, no one would object. We need to tackle amassment otherwise newer generations will have no pie left. The usual problem is that regular folks like the guy described in the article would struggle with these taxes (which shouldn't apply to their tier) while the really rich dudes would have them circumvented through trusts, inter-generation transfer and tax planning....
Pogroms in Amsterdam: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/07/eu...Hope Europe will wake up and start expelling some back to their sources....
Ripples...Germany’s coalition collapses dramatically. Scholz plans to lead with a minority government
https://apnews.com/article/germany-sc...
J. wrote: "Ripples...Germany’s coalition collapses dramatically. Scholz plans to lead with a minority government
https://apnews.com/article/germany-sc......"
That did not take long....
I'm surprised it took this long. The same issues of mass immigration and energy insecurity that are crippling Germany internally are driving the messes in the UK and France.
On a slightly different matter, extreme rain and consequent flooding and slips has closed the southern part of the highway running down the West Coast of the South Island. Climate change feels real down there.
Ian wrote: "On a slightly different matter, extreme rain and consequent flooding and slips has closed the southern part of the highway running down the West Coast of the South Island. Climate change feels real..."Hopefully you are OK.
Thanks for the thought. Apart from the fact the land around here is somewhat sodden, and the Hutt river is a very deep brown colour, all is well here.The problem in South Westland was a relatively narrow (about 200 miless wide) stream of hot air from Australia picked up a lot of water from the Tasman and dumped it there. The geography is that not far from the coast a mountain range rises. The base of mountains going up 10,000 feet or more very steeply stats not much above sea level, so the winds are thrust up strongly, cool and deposit their rain.
Wow. The New Zealand parliament really takes the filibuster up a notch.https://youtu.be/N__OF41CqoY?si=mji46...
There's been a lot in the news here about the UK suppressing free speech. What's really going on?
Farmers have hoarded land for too long. Inheritance tax will bring new life to rural Britainhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentis...
They want you to think two things
1.) Assets are the same as cash.
2.) You have a right to other people's property.
I love that last paragraph that is not taking but asking. And if I say no?I know there is a difference between the Brits and the US. We do have an inheritance tax after a certain amount. I can still keep my property. I am not sure if this is good or bad because I think I am missing something here. For the Brits on our thread, is this good, bad, or indifferent? What does come across is a bit of envy and get back because it is not fair I am not born an owner. There is lots less land in Great Britain than the US and there is a far different history. So I am not sure if there is truly an apples to apples coparison.
While Turks pound Kurds and cut water supply to millions, one would expect people like Ian jump forward with outrage. Yet, you won’t hear a word.https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79...
World, Writing, Wealth
Books mentioned in this topic
1984 (other topics)Common Sense (other topics)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (other topics)
Lolita (other topics)
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Mel Brooks (other topics)Victor Davis Hanson (other topics)
Peter Zeihan (other topics)
Bobby Fischer (other topics)
Jordan B. Peterson (other topics)
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https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/n...
That's why the US has the First Amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.