Willis 'does the right thing' on cancer drugs a week after a Budget's no-show sparked a political backlash; National at 32.5% & TOP at 4.5% in poll; HUD asks super funds for social housing ideas
Thanks Bernard so interesting and informative as always. It's hard to believe and terribly disappointing that NZ First and Act have improved in the polls.
“How on earth do you get a four-lane highway from Auckland to Whangarei with future generations that can’t do maths?"
That quote in the NZ Herald article tells a lot about Luxon's mindset... education is to equip people to make motorways... Not to waste time in the arts and foster their creativity.
Based on my experience growing up in Latin America in the 1970s.... Starving the arts and social sciences, as well as the press (which has already been decimated), which serve as the foundation for criticism of those in power, is the best way to ensure there is no alternative thinking and criticism... and, in general, that leads to totalitarianism.
It would help if Nicola Willis could do maths! Her decision on cancelling the new ferries based on her perception of cost blowouts has now burnt $1 billion of taxpayers money to date on this historically poor financial decision & likely to cost even more over time.
Before the election, Luxon et al made a big point of their commercial kudos and experience (he may have mentioned that he ran an airline...) and that Labour couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. As a Labour supporter and sometime member, they had a point. Too much 'consultation', too little donoe and squandering a unigue majority. I worry now that Labour and the Greens are a missing opposition just now. It's becoming clear that National (plus the other two) are an incompetent shower in an entirely new way. Could they find the brewery? And there's a huge whiff of serving themselves and rich folks which wasn't there with Labour. We're in a bad way just now. Please keep up the good work, Bernard.
Born on 1962, there are three things I think of re math's during my school years.
1. Singing the times tables.
2.Being in awe of my 6th form math's teacher who used to explain and demonstrate the solution to a problem half a dozen different ways until every kid in the class had a light bulb moment and we all got it. Legend!
3. Donald Duck in Mathemagic Land!!. Played for some time as the short before the main feature in the cinema (after the national anthem).
Excellent work as always Bernard. You noted in today's podcast the cynicism implicit in the decision to delay and then back-peddle on cancer drugs funding. Maybe I am naive but really sad and disturbing that NZ politicians are deliberately willing to trade NZ lives for their own political ambitions. In making these decisions, they would have known a delay in new drugs would lead to people dying in 2024/25 and that was a 'chess calculation' they were doing. That's horrible. I would have felt I were a monster if I had been a Minister and made that decision. I don't think I will ever see the senior Cabinet Ministers in the same light again and it is clear they are in it for themselves.
Please share. The public needs to know about the doublespeak going on and that politicians don't care about ordinary people.
I know it doesn't feel like it, but Labour and the Greens are doing all they can right now. It's hard to get traction if the media doesn't turn anything into a frenzy.
Hipkins was on Breakfast this morning in a good interview, shameful that Jenny May is just parroting the govt's claim that there is a $1.4b budget blowout.
About climate nightmares being ignored and about clouds having silver linings - what if coming generations with their superior maths replace highways with railways because now they can understand what the climate scientists are talking about. - shhh don't tell Luxon
Agree, the young understand that railway is transport option that is available for all ages without billions spent on building highways for heavy expensive vehicles.
The numbers in the scientist polling are so revealing. What might those bar charts look like when put to other cohorts - politicians, farmers, media, IT. Or perhaps grouped by faith, or by income. Where does the work need to be done?
Thanks Bernard. Please share
That kererū photo caption made my morning.
Ha! Glad. They are weirdly out of proportion.
Thanks Bernard so interesting and informative as always. It's hard to believe and terribly disappointing that NZ First and Act have improved in the polls.
Indeed Alfred!! Unbelievable !
“How on earth do you get a four-lane highway from Auckland to Whangarei with future generations that can’t do maths?"
That quote in the NZ Herald article tells a lot about Luxon's mindset... education is to equip people to make motorways... Not to waste time in the arts and foster their creativity.
Based on my experience growing up in Latin America in the 1970s.... Starving the arts and social sciences, as well as the press (which has already been decimated), which serve as the foundation for criticism of those in power, is the best way to ensure there is no alternative thinking and criticism... and, in general, that leads to totalitarianism.
Agree, the mindset of this coalition disturbs me.
It would help if Nicola Willis could do maths! Her decision on cancelling the new ferries based on her perception of cost blowouts has now burnt $1 billion of taxpayers money to date on this historically poor financial decision & likely to cost even more over time.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/08/06/ferry-fiasco-will-echo-for-decades-with-private-public-partnership/
Yes even more disturbing because they did not think of an alternative before cancelling.
I understand there is a connection between music & maths. Perhaps someone can give research evidence.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1163197.pdf
Thank you for research. However, less indepth (i.e., easy to read in 5 minutes) research might be in order for PM.
Sorry, it’s not my research. Just an article I found referencing lots of studies proving your point.
I appreciate this.
Let me get this right. The coalition government will improve the maths ability of our children by feeding them less at lunch time?
Maybe they will be able to earn their lunch by reciting multiplication tables.
That's assuming they had enough of a breakfast to be able to recite their multiplication tables before lunch.
Thanks for this and please share.
Before the election, Luxon et al made a big point of their commercial kudos and experience (he may have mentioned that he ran an airline...) and that Labour couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. As a Labour supporter and sometime member, they had a point. Too much 'consultation', too little donoe and squandering a unigue majority. I worry now that Labour and the Greens are a missing opposition just now. It's becoming clear that National (plus the other two) are an incompetent shower in an entirely new way. Could they find the brewery? And there's a huge whiff of serving themselves and rich folks which wasn't there with Labour. We're in a bad way just now. Please keep up the good work, Bernard.
"...there's a huge whiff of serving themselves and rich folks..."
1) a lot of themselves are rich folks
2) not a "huge whiff" but an overwhelming foul stench!!!
https://youtu.be/U_ZHsk0-eF0?feature=shared
Born on 1962, there are three things I think of re math's during my school years.
1. Singing the times tables.
2.Being in awe of my 6th form math's teacher who used to explain and demonstrate the solution to a problem half a dozen different ways until every kid in the class had a light bulb moment and we all got it. Legend!
3. Donald Duck in Mathemagic Land!!. Played for some time as the short before the main feature in the cinema (after the national anthem).
Love Donakd Duck in mathemagic land!!
Excellent work as always Bernard. You noted in today's podcast the cynicism implicit in the decision to delay and then back-peddle on cancer drugs funding. Maybe I am naive but really sad and disturbing that NZ politicians are deliberately willing to trade NZ lives for their own political ambitions. In making these decisions, they would have known a delay in new drugs would lead to people dying in 2024/25 and that was a 'chess calculation' they were doing. That's horrible. I would have felt I were a monster if I had been a Minister and made that decision. I don't think I will ever see the senior Cabinet Ministers in the same light again and it is clear they are in it for themselves.
Please share. The public needs to know about the doublespeak going on and that politicians don't care about ordinary people.
I know it doesn't feel like it, but Labour and the Greens are doing all they can right now. It's hard to get traction if the media doesn't turn anything into a frenzy.
Hipkins was on Breakfast this morning in a good interview, shameful that Jenny May is just parroting the govt's claim that there is a $1.4b budget blowout.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/YHbNYFpNYp7JDkME/?mibextid=7J6EjN
And he also had a good interview on RNZ
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/524384/act-opposition-to-commissioner-for-parliamentary-rules-ridiculous-labour
And if you follow the Greens on Instagram you'll see some good they are doing.
I hope they are working on better policies behind the scenes because you never know when Peters will have had enough of this govt.
It's great that TOP are showing potential, any thoughts on where this surge has come from as haven't heard anything from them lately?
I'm also gearing ancedotes about CHPs struggling for finance and losing contracts so not sure where our social housing is coming from...
About climate nightmares being ignored and about clouds having silver linings - what if coming generations with their superior maths replace highways with railways because now they can understand what the climate scientists are talking about. - shhh don't tell Luxon
Agree, the young understand that railway is transport option that is available for all ages without billions spent on building highways for heavy expensive vehicles.
The numbers in the scientist polling are so revealing. What might those bar charts look like when put to other cohorts - politicians, farmers, media, IT. Or perhaps grouped by faith, or by income. Where does the work need to be done?