On Tuesday last week we had the launch for the book Whale Oil by Margie Thomson. It was an incredible and humbling experience. About three hundred people turned up. My wife and kids attended and afterwards they talked about what an amazing night they had with other friends and family.
This weekend with the dust starting to settle I looked back at the week that followed the launch and I felt uncomfortable. It was a busy week with media appearances and messages of support, and naturally there was a big focus on the details of my protracted battle against Cameron Slater. What got me thinking, though, was a book review on Newsroom by Finlay Macdonald – not his words but the image at the top of the page: Cameron Slater knocked out in the first round of his boxing match with Jesse Rider. He looks broken. I needed to beat Cameron in court in order to win back my reputation. It was never my intention to break the man.
Cameron Slater has had his struggles in life. He’s had business failures. He struggled with mental illness; he lost his home. More recently he has had health issues. It follows that my mind takes me to a place of sympathy for Slater. He has a wife and kids just like me; he has tried to succeed, just like me. I feel increasingly concerned at the tone of some of the comments about him that are appearing online. I know what it’s like first hand to be ridiculed online, to be bullied and it affects more than just the individual. It flows through to that person’s friends and family. Slater is not well. His attacks against me are not the actions of a right thinking individual. He needs help. I’m concerned that some of the coverage given to the publication of Margie’s book gives the impression this book is a tit-for-tat exercise. It’s not, and that’s clear to anyone reading it. Yes, it’s the story of my long struggle to rescue my reputation and get justice, but it’s about much more than a fight between two individuals. It is about our changing world and a system that needs to change so that our children are protected. It introduces readers to some incredible individuals and shows that even during the hardest of times good people will stand up and be counted. It’s about never giving up, and that sometimes the decision to fight can come from a place of love, compassion and family. Finally, it’s about people as a whole and how we choose to live not only on the internet but as a society.
The people who have read the book have all had the same reaction; a feeling of surprise. It follows that those same people have expressed to me what an important book this is and how much it impacted them as individuals.
I am now going to focus on my family, my health, my education and hopefully move past this. My story has been told.
I hope that people will move past attacking what can be only be described as a damaged individual. Let’s put him where he belongs, in the footnote of history, and move on to talking about the important issues he only symbolizes.
It's great that Blomfield can be so objective and magnanimous, but the evil of Slater is not just confined to him.
That p.o.s. Slater has destroyed so many lives with his obsessive hatred, revelling in the hurt and suffering he inflicted on grieving families and systematic attempts to destroy public servants and the undermining of our justice system.
Yes, sociopaths, for clearly that is what he is, can be smart. His blog did a great job with political commentary but sadly now has morphed into conspiracy theories and Islamophobia under the direction of his wife. I detest the childish nonsense of Karma, but his current suffering is well deserved.
Not depravity – it may be that people just don't like sitting in bird poo. Perhaps the seats should have been shifted free of trees. . The streets and pavements would still have lots of white spots. But hey in other civilised countries there is a night-time water spray over city streets (they also clean their buildings too), so perhaps some NZ cities could start taking more pride in the civic appearance, Palmerston North leading the way!
Cars receiving droppings could accept it as one-of-life's problems during the day.
At night near twilight when the birds are gathering en masse and letting it all hang out, twittering about the day's events, and people gathering at bars doing the same, cars might be hit then. It would be a good incentive to cut the cackle, down a few beers and go and get some food. There is a way of managing such things without abandoning lots of trees.
In the Palmerston North example (trees along Broadway felled because people complained about birdshit on their cars), the result has been that, in the evenings, the few remaining trees (around the Square) now host all the birds in the central city and God help you if you park your car under one – you won't be able to see out the windows when you return to it. No doubt the city's councillors will apply their awesome problem-solving skills to the issue and cut down the remaining trees.
Australia's Controversial Adani Coal Mine Now One Approval Away From Construction
….."Assessment of this plan has been a rigorous process, informed by the best available science," a DES spokesperson said in a statement reported by The Guardian. "DES has met regularly with Adani to ensure that the plan is robust and is well-placed to deliver the best outcomes for the protection of the black-throated finch.
‘Rigorous’?
Hardly.
Not one mention of climate change as a reason to stop the Adani mega coal mine project
In many ways this mirrors the approval process for coal mines in this country. – Make a big fuss about giant snails or weta but stay a million miles away from any mention of climate change.
Actually, in New Zealand it is illegal for a consent tribunal to allow climate change evidence to be heard in any consent hearings for fossil fuel projects, including coal mines.
I wonder why?
Is it because, if climate change was allowed to raised as an objection, the evidence is so compelling that no new coal mine or oil well would ever win approval?
Extinction: The species your are worrying about, may be your own.
In 2009 250years above the 1750 baseline we were at .85c. Now a mere 10 years later in 2019 we've added another .9c to make 1.75c. We're now in exponential climate change. The Australian government is quite happy to destroy the liveability of the Planet to make more money. We're heading for hot house earth. The old white Oz morons running the show there, Australia is being impacted by climate change severely now, will be long dead when the sh*t really hits the fan. And that wonder of our planet: The great barrier reef is dying ,its beauty could be seen from space.
As to the controversy over the Powelliphanta Snails and the Black Throated Finch prove,
The first rule of climate change denial; Don't say anything about climate change denial.
If the Green Party ever achieve anything meaningful in government about climate change, it would be to strive like hell to raise the issue of getting rid of the iniquitous legislation that makes it illegal for a planning consent tribunal to hear objections based on climate change evidence. And if the rest of the government don't agree, to make it an election issue.
The real tragedy of the so called political consensus between all the political parties around Zero Carbon Act that the Green Party has tried so hard to achieve, and sacrificed real policy for, is that climate change will again not be debated in the elections.
Why would it? They all agree. There is consensus.
It is a consensus to say, (and do), nothing.
The first rule of climate change denial; Don't say anything about climate change denial.
“in the evenings, the few remaining trees (around the Square) now host all the birds in the central city and God help you if you park your car under one”
"God help you" – sounds like a real crisis and your link reveals just how appalling, nay existentially threatening, those birds are! Can they be annihilated, please, for the sake of the children?
In Vancouver, we walked past some trees near Stanley Park where the Blue Herons nest. There were a shedload of signs pointing out that there were nests above, and that herons (as fish eaters) have smelly and corrosive droppings and you should therefore not park your car underneath these trees. It seemed to work. Unfortunately, thanks to Rodney Hide and the NACT government of the time, the only trees that have any protection are those which are individually scheduled, or those on public land.
Robert – I live near some of these desecrations and though we protested / tried to guard 24 hours daily the processes of law overwhelmed us.
Now we have ticky tacky houses / apartments in the place of once beautiful trees. All they want in Auckand is as many houses on tiny sites as can be built ; the inhabitants live squashed in like lab rats and no lawns or trees nearby. Often no garages either so cars clutter up the roads.
"A meme has gotten loose on this planet the socially equivalent of cancer (in my opinion), and what it is–is capitalism. Capitalism does not serve human beings. It serves itself, in the same way cancer does not serve a human being it serves itself. "
Yesterday I was examining well placed street trees vs random plantings that will be culled, trying to figure out what the formula is to plant a tree with some reasonable chance of its longevity. After my impromptu study I came home and read that article. I've seen so many trees vanish I've stopped mentioning it.
Avoiding parking areas was one of the first things I thought of. Not because bird shit is a real issue, but preciousness certainly is. Plant away from car parks.
Avoiding power lines. This is a no brainer but you'd be surprised how many fail to look up when they plant things that grow tall. Likewise guttering. I don't mind cleaning mine, and gutter guards work well, but be aware of the previously mentioned preciousness of people.
What's under the ground? Avoiding electrical and plumbing infrastructure is wise, but requires some investigation. Your local council has the details.
To recap – trees are an ever expanding three dimensional structure. They can be pruned but ideally they are left to do their own thing.
Education. People have no idea of the ecosystem services trees provide, or perhaps they're national voters who want the benefits but no leaves on their driveways.
Trees are free. I walk about and see a tree I like in seed I grab some seed and throw it in a pot or two and leave them be. This summer/autumn I've sprouted Coprosmas, Kowhai, Karo, Pohutakawa, Jacaranda, Albizia, Inga, Acacia…
We need to reverse the laws favoring developers and people over nature, or we will also perish.
Plant trees wisely, make them count.
P.S. I grow very wary of going back to edit every post because the software insists on putting all sorts of shit formatting in plain view. The above has already been edited twice.
I've just come inside from planting the seeds of Himalayan Tree Strawberry; lots of them. Also, Sweet Chestnuts, about 200, straight into a sawdust/soil bed. My peach stones have been in for a couple of weeks now. This afternoon, I'll sow the seeds of the Chinese Hawthorn and Cornelian Cherry (really a dogwood). All these trees will go "somewhere", I know nor care not where, just out there, where they are needed. Great gifts, trees.
One thing, WTB, if you accidentally hold down the Crtl/Cmd key while you are typing a space, it turns into a special non-breaking one which the editor then shows as "nbsp".
Basically if the UK had any pretension to being a justice based democracy and upholder of the "rules based order" it would free Assange as per UN rulings, so as to allow him to have urgently needed medical attention , and to prepare his defence in the Swedish case. It would never have without any objection, parcelled up Assange's belongings and handed them over to the US
I think we can see whose "rules" have priority here.
Sweden could assure him that it would not extradite to the US, as per Amnesty International
If the Swedes had done this back in 2012, the Swedish complainants and Assange would have had their day in court, and justice would have been done
Why such intransigence? Didn't the Swedes feel that the most important issue was that the Swedish women have their complaints heard?
Probably not, according to Amnesty International's recent report on sexual violence in the Nordic countries .The courts are notoriously slow to act, sexual violence is widespread, and there are very few convictions compared to complaints. Only 6% of cases resulted in prosecution in 2017!
Thankyou for your intelligent and accurate observations which are 100% true, Francesca, . The U$K has joined the war criminal enterprise of the U$. And also has committed crimes at home against its own poor people.
130,000 preventable austerity deaths as banquet is laid for trump
“We have been watching the slow-motion assassination of Julian Assange. They have been choking him to death by tactical psyops, siege tactics, and wilful neglect as surely as if they placed a noose tied around his neck, not just in Belmarsh Prison but in the embassy as well. The only difference between his execution and someone on death row is the same as the difference between covert and overt warfare, which makes sense because the intelligence, judicial and military agencies who are carrying out his death sentence operate within the same power structure which carries out war. First came the smears (propaganda), then came the siege (sanctions), and they staged their coup (dragged him out of the embassy) and now they’ve got him in their clutches and they can do what they want behind closed doors. That’s how you kill a nation while still looking like a nice guy, and that’s how they’re killing Assange.”
If the world stands for the US/UK/Swedish judicial murder of an innocent man, the world does not deserve to exist another second.
Your ability to stoically ignore the crushing of democracy is impressive, Marty.
But not in a good way. Mind you, I recall you springing to the defence of “Sir” Mark Solomon’s “leadership” a few years ago, so this latest expression of contempt for democracy, though far uglier and more extreme, is really not a surprise.
"Anyone who is pushing the provably fake rape charges as a reason to not support a man dying in prison is a piece of s**t and waste of oxygen" – Twitter comment, and quite correct.
Your ability to get it wrong so much is impressive though minor morrie in the scheme of things – your 3rd rate stenographer skills and outright fabrications as well as your abysmal understanding of our national game put you in a class of your own – sadly that class is no class and a shadow of class – classless I think it is.
None of that is criticism, Sacha. It's merely abuse. Not very pointed or clever abuse, but abuse is what it is.
Our friend Marty's mustering and deployment of as many derogatory adjectives as he could remember has as much relationship to criticism as Judge Michael Snow's words in that kangaroo court on April 11th have to justice.
Related to Assange punitive detention and resulting suffering, at the hands of the vengeful US State Department, is the continued punitive detention and suffering of Chelsea Manning.
Manning's lawyers filed court papers Friday asking a federal judge to reconsider his decision to send Manning to the Alexandria jail for refusing to testify to a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks…..
…..
Manning is suffering physically as a result of her incarceration and is in the midst of losing her home because of the financial effect it is having on her.
Manning has been jailed for civil contempt since May 16. She could remain in jail for up to 18 months — the length of the grand-jury term. Judge Anthony Trenga also ordered fines of $500 a day to kick in after 30 days of confinement and $1,000 a day after 60 days.
This follows a two-month jail term earlier this year for refusing to testify to a previous grand jury.
…….Under federal law, a recalcitrant witness can only be jailed for civil contempt if there is a reasonable belief that incarceration will coerce the witness into testifying. If the jail time has no coercive effect and is purely punitive, the recalcitrant witness is supposed to be released….
……Manning, in response, penned a lengthy letter to the judge reiterating her rationale. She included a lengthy history on the use of grand juries around the world, and says that many Western countries have abandoned the system because it operates in secret and in a one-sided fashion to the benefit of prosecutors against those accused.
……Manning has said she believes grand juries in general are an abuse of power and that she would rather starve to death than testify.
Do McFlock and the rest of the mob pour filthy abuse on Chelsea Manning as well? I remember they ridiculed Edward Snowden, deriving a great deal of lynch-mob hilarity from the fact his girlfriend had been a stripper. It was almost as good as Julian Assange's cat as a device to belittle him with unfunny quips.
Not sure the Cardinal’s experience was too happy, either. Got there in the end, but after how long? He must have not had a cat.
Notice that most of the same people who buy into this establishment anti Assange at all costs narrative, are also the same people who pushed the Russia conspiracy, go along with intervention in Venezuela etc etc they probably believe Corbyn is anti semitic too…it's like they just can't help but get sucked into every establishment MSM narrative that gets spun to them, almost like they have no defense, broken internal bullshit detectors or something.
Moz, it's one thing to argue that we don't know he's guilty. But every time you call it a concocted story, I'll call you a rape apologist. Because you are.
Here is British justice for you…they will protect Pinochet but give Assange to the wolves
Margaret Thatcher "The chance of Senator Pinochet receiving anything resembling what Britain would recognise as justice in a Spanish court is minimal, not least because key witnesses for his defence run the risk of immediate arrest if they set foot on Spanish soil. What is planned then is a show trial with a preordained outcome. Lingering death in a foreign land."
I think Pinochet was nice to Margaret Thatcher in some way; did he help her during the Falklands War? She knew which side her bread was buttered, with only the best butter of course, and knew who to butter up. On further consideration she could give butter a bad name, so forget I mentioned it.
To follow on from the the sentiments expressed by Matt Blomfield (via Pete George, cheers Pete) and Peter Chch's comment.
It's pleasing to see on one got a gong for being a sociopath (Services to Business) in this years Queen's Birthday Honours. But rather people who've selflessly worked to make our society a better place.
The awarding of a gong to Fran Walsh reminded me of her teary performance (along with Phillipa Boyens) with Kathryn Ryan on Nine To Noon. it was related to the Hobbitt/Warners dispute. Misinformation, obfuscation and out and out lies were the tactics used.
Re- Fran Walsh… my immediate thoughts too. Just another example of: it is not what you know, but who you know that counts.
There are no doubt some very worthy recipients who deserve all the accolades they will receive but I can't help noticing the number of honours for… Services to Science. ONE.
Apart from a Dr. Marie MCLintock for services to haemotology and obstretics, no other scientist has been honoured. Yet these are among our most intelligent and talented NZers whose research work is frequently internationally recognised, and they have the ability to change or save the lives of many thousands of people.
Even worse was her and Boyens teaming up with John Barnett and Paul "I am a GOOD MAN" Holmes on Q&A to snarl at and belittle Sue Bradford. Peter Jackson was sitting there too, looking extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable. He was almost completely silent throughout.
There was the infamous Q&A Holmes interview with John Barnett and Helen Kelly, but I don't recall Peter Jackson being present. I do remember him being interviewed on other occasions and being disgusted at his attitude. But nobody could see past his Lord of the Rings Hollywood success and were blind to his abysmal behaviour over the reasonable protests of the local artistic community – not the least Holmes himself.
Those swine managed to get onto Q&A several times. Yes, Barnett tried to be extremely intimidating to Helen Kelly, and Holmes was harsh and derogatory towards her as well.
On another episode, Boyens and Walsh and Peter Jackson opposed Sue Bradford. Boyens and Walsh were extremely unpleasant throughout the programme.
That Walsh gets rewarded in spite of that repulsive display—and we can be sure she was even crueler and nastier away from the television cameras—is another reason to scrap these ridiculous "honours".
Saint Sue should never be criticised. Jackson and Walsh who are hard-working entrepreneurs bringing NZ into the world 'stage' are downright cruel and nasty. Creatives like Robyn Malcolm are wonderful and deserve to exist on Cloud 9, where all self-made successful wonders get to be. Comment BAU.
The one person deserving an award was Helen Kelly. She might have refused it. She remains at the peak of my list of Great New Zealanders and her treatment during that dispute by Walsh and the director whose name I refuse to utter, and whose movies I refuse to watch, was quite disgusting
Q+A: Barnett and Holmes meet their match in Helen Kelly
TV1, Sunday Oct. 24, 2010
Preliminary comment by JACK A. NAPES, for Daisycutter Sports Inc. …. This is billed as an "interview", but it's more of an attempted mugging. Unfortunately for Barnett and Holmes, Kelly is not intimidated by their antics. She remains polite and perfectly composed throughout, unlike her two opponents. Holmes interrupts Helen Kelly nearly every time she speaks, and Barnett interrupts her three times. But all this fails to upset her; she's an experienced union negotiator, and these two are lightweights compared to some business and union leaders she meets routinely. Barnett gets really angry when Kelly points out that he's a slack employer: "You yourself don't comply with the guidelines." Holmes calls her "clueless" twice and he swears angrily on two occasions. Note the way that Holmes won't let her speak even at the end, shouting: "No, Helen's had ENOUGH!"
Q+A: Interview with Helen Kelly and John Barnett Published: 4:12PM Sunday October 24, 2010 Source: Q+A Related News Paul Holmes interviews Helen Kelly and John Barnett about the saga surrounding filming of The Hobbit.
PAUL: We are joined by two folk at the heart of negotiations. Helen Kelly is president of the Combined Trade Unions, and John Barnett is the managing director of South Pacific Picture – very experienced film man. Of course, one of the most experienced film people in this country. So Helen Kelly, we'll start with you first of all. Good morning. HELEN KELLY: Good morning. PAUL: So, what we've got is the actors now in FULL RETREAT. What we've seen after last week with your handling of things is a complete failure for the union movement. That's so, isn't it? HELEN: Well, no, actually, Paul, this dispute wasn't settled last week. It was settled the week before with encouragement from Peter Jackson, who sent several emails to me saying, 'I'm encouraging SPADA to meet and to talk through all the issues and find a resolution.' That's what I did. I stepped into this dispute only at the end of September to help the parties find a way through. We've found a way through. It's completely settled… PAUL: I think… With the greatest respect, Ms Kelly, I think you might be fantasising. ….
Jesus. I'm not ordinarily one to speak ill of the dead, but Paul Holmes was just a massive partisan arsehole all the way through that 'interview'. Interrupting, badgering, condescension, mockery and accusations of lying. How Helen Kelly kept from lunging across the table and punching him in the gob I don't know. She was a class act, rest her soul.
@aj, +100….' The one person deserving an award was Helen Kelly'…lost our only chance of having a real and relevant Labour back at any time soon when we lost her.
Knighthoods aye? What do you reckon you would need to have done to receive such a thing for "philanthropy" in particular?
I see local Tauranga "businessman" Paul Adams now has one, and as someone from Tauranga I would have said the interests that led to it are far more personal than philanthropic. The Herald story attached says "As chairman of Accessible Properties, Sir Paul has helped to develop social housing in Tauranga, including negotiating to buy more than 1000 Housing New Zealand homes for the city." which reads well but in fact was the only single sale of NZ city or towns's entire – to my knowledge 1138 – Housing NZ stock. The only other one to come close was Invercargill which fell through.
The houses were already here – The Government will transfer ownership and management of 1138 Housing New Zealand properties and tenancies in Tauranga to a new landlord, Accessible Properties from 1 April 2017. https://www.accessibleproperties.co.nz/tauranga-tenants/qas/
So "it" and he "developed" nothing other than to work with the National govt to pusrchase all of Tauranga's Housing NZ stock for an undisclosed amount and with the agreement that the tax payer would continue to meet the bill to bring them up to standard and that incl the flawed "P" testing and any work attached to that.
Having at the end of last year helped a young single working mum get decent accommodation in Tauranga we couldn't even work out if there a Housing NZ office in Tauranga or even who to approach so gave up even considering that – in the end we could fix it and there will be others in more need.
But getting back to "Mr" Adams the majority of his "philanthropic" interest seem to have been in the main local sporting and hobby groups and nothing too "socially" demanding. One thing is for sure that his previous "business" interests were very deep in a lot of ring-fencing land in the area that has benefitted a few rather than the many hopeful homeowners here.
As far and away the largest contributor to local MP Bridges election campaign funds how coincidental is this former award "It is not the first time he has been recognised in the Queen's Honours List after being awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for business and philanthropy in 2015." and I wonder who made this nomination?
At all happened here in Tauranga and scarcely a peep. Maybe, as we do have some good local advocates there is an "upside" in there that the general public don't see but for two or so years I have found the whole thing peculiar that it is painted in this light and comes with a "reward". More than a few "charities" look to me to be personal hobby horses and avenues for networking, and for some a salaried past-time, and are nothing more than that.
Sadly the disability sector is crammed quite solid with such. They attract government funding for "advocacy" and "service provision" and get to sit on all manner of EAGs and TAGs and Consumer Consortiums and the like. The become dependent on the funding from the MOH or MSD or even ACC and the kudos that comes with being called a CEO (because, like, charities have to have a corporate structure) is quite a heady brew.
Their ability to do any real and effective hob-nailed boots advocacy is weakened as they are reluctant to challenge their Government/Ministerial overlords.
Thanks for the reality check and deconstructing the property developer cares more about people than profit BS.
This guy has done handsomely profiting from land development while his community suffers from possibly it's worst housing crisis in history. Not only that, but seeking to profit from our most vulnerable's housing situation is the lowest of the low.
He is no hero. The only heroes in this are people like all of those from Te Puea Marae who gave up their own meagre property/assets and time to house others in their hour of need.
Many knighthoods are bought and paid for, perhaps not in an obvious fashion, but nevertheless. It also helps to be the 'right sort of person', know the 'right sorts of people', have passed through the 'right educational institutions', been employed by the 'right organisations' and have made considerable donations to the 'right political parties'. Quid pro quo and all that. Nothing is unforgivable if you've done right by the 'right people'. You could, for instance, repeatedly assault a waitress in a public place, and as long as you atone for your misdeeds with a weak apology and a couple of bottles of plonk, you're away laughing. Nothing to see here, move along.
Alternatively, you could just be really good at throwing a ball about.
Toxic attitudes – what sort of shit would we find under your bed mr priest.
Diocese of Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin sparked a backlash beginning on Saturday when he tweeted: "A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ 'Pride Month' events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children."
The posting spurred rebukes by thousands of people who replied on Twitter, including actresses Mia Farrow and Patricia Arquette.
Many invoked the scandals of clergy sexual abuse of children in the church…
…Tobin is a conservative bishop who has said that he was aware of incidents of sexual abuse reported to church officials while working in Pennsylvania, but that it wasn't his job to deal with them. He was auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh from 1992 until 1996.
A Pennsylvania grand jury report last year detailed decades of abuse and cover-up in six dioceses, including the Pittsburgh diocese.
In July 2018, Tobin deleted his Twitter account, calling it a major distraction, an obstacle to his spiritual life and an "occasion of sin" for himself and others. But he resumed tweeting in January, according to his current Twitter account.
You are getting sour Rosemary, try some honey with your lemon drink. There are too many negatives to notice them all without a break for some positives, and things to feel gratitude for.
Donald Trump has said he did not call Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, “nasty” when giving an interview to the Sun, despite an audio recording released by the paper.
Speaking to the tabloid before his visit to the UK, Trump was told that Meghan “wasn’t so nice” about him during the 2016 US presidential campaign, to which he replied: “I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.”
However, in a series of early morning tweets on Sunday, the US president said he “never called Meghan Markle nasty” and that the “Fake News Media” had invented his remarks.
Royals to serve as extras in Donald Trump’s victory lap of UK
He said it was “Made up by the Fake News Media, and they got caught cold! Will CNN, NY Times and others apologize? Doubt it!”
Spot on Moz, Clinton who supported her rapist husband then jumps on me too movement, Hilary who vaporised her hard drive destroying 30000 emails, then burnt her phones, Hillary who lied about Libya God she even lied about how she got her first name, claiming our Ed. Give Trump his due over Hillary ; he doesn’t pretend to be somebody else than a narcissist bull shitter Likewise some of his policies are ok
"Coltan is Venezuela’s Oro Azul or ‘blue gold’. In 2009, President Hugo Chávezannounced the discovery of reserves worth $100 billion of “the blue gold of the 21st century” in the Amazon region of the country.
The price of this blue gold follows an increasing demand for a high-grade metal known as tantalum, processed from refined coltan. Demand for coltan is so intense, it fetches a higher price on the international market than even gold or diamonds.
Tantalum is the metal used in capacitors that store energy in modern electronics like smart phones and tablets. Tantalum capacitors are also essential in powering modern military weaponry because the metal resists corrosion and can withstand the extreme temperatures generated by the new military applications. Without it, weapons systems would overheat.
The US relies on tantalum to build the basic circuitry in guidance control systems in smart bombs, the on-board navigational systems in drones, anti-tank systems, robots and most weapons systems.
The metal is vital to US defense. Yet, it has no domestic source of coltan. Importing and stockpiling tantalum is its only recourse."
The third tool is exports of certain goods that are critical to some important U.S. industries.
One is rare earth metals, a group of minerals that are vital to advanced electronics and power systems, including smartphones, batteries for many applications including electric vehicles, and high-tech military weapons. China is the source of 80% of the world’s supply and there are signs the country has threatened a potential restriction of rare earth exports to U.S. firms, according to CNBC.
Rare earths are a group of 17 minerals that have a wide variety of uses, including electronics, magnets, lasers, ceramics, batteries, medical equipment, and optics. The name can be misleading, as, in theory, the materials are plentiful. But they are thinly distributed. The rare part is having heavy enough concentrations to make mining economically possible. A complication is environmental impact because processing uses dangerous chemicals and high heat that can release pollutants."
We don't want to see two big powers going head to head – orange and black – too much colour contrast there. Red will be the next colour revealed, and grey, brown?
If the citizens of the USA took their hand off their hearts, which is a required response for saluting the USA and as ubiquitous as an outstretched arm in 1930's Europe (which also excited certain groups in the USA), then they might get a better understanding of the country they live in, and they could go two-handed at making it better. At present the USA is beefing up its wish for dominance in the China seas, which is trying to have a ring of protection around it, just like the USA has had probably since WW1. The USA is perverting the financial system by running a huge deficit for attack weapons of advanced type, threatening everyone's security, because it can – so bugger off everybody who quails and complains.
Mine of info joe 90. Hadn't heard of that – Bellamy salute eh. I must pull myself away from this addictive screen and go take part in the physical world. I will read about Bellamy later. Perhaps this is the modern version of hell, to be able to read all that has happened from which we have never learned, and only be able to watch a new version of the old play – perhaps called Love's Labour Lost or Titus Andronicus with a new name that relates to modern ears.
All the conventions conspire To make this fort assume The furniture of home; Lest we should see where we are, Lost in a haunted wood, Children afraid of the night Who have never been happy or good.
But there is another material from Venezuelan soil that could be extremely valuable. Its name is torio (Thorium), and it has the potential of becoming an ecological nuclear fuel. Professor Eduardo Greaves, an expert in nuclear physics and a professor at Simón Bolívar University, pointed out that Venezuela has “a huge deposit” of Thorium in the Cerro Impacto in the southern state of Amazonas, which is part of the Orinoco Mining Arc, of which China knows all about, having directed the development of the geological and mining map of the Venezuelan territory. Greaves said these reserves could be used in thorium nuclear reactors for at least 300 years.
There is a genuine and exciting rennaisance in the nuclear power game at present, especially around the various forms of molten salt reactors. These designs are completely different from the first generation machines, are much safer in operation, have much less waste and can burn existing waste stockpiles.
There are at least three companies who are within five years of an operating machine. Moltex and Thorcon are two that look very realistic, and this intro is less than five minutes:
A great read on why another Brexit Referendum in itself will not address the woes in England.
“Another referendum may, conceivably, get us out of the worst practical consequences of the Brexit mess. But that will not win the culture war (what, anyway, does victory or defeat look like in a culture war?) and it is certainly fanciful to think that it would “cauterise the gaping national split and confront once and for all the many dark issue that lurk beneath the nativist Brexit idea,,” ”
Can't help wondering if the statement from the floor about our financial system and government issued sovereign currency lies at the heart of a meaningful answer.
I fail to see the imagination let alone the courage for that to happen.
Prof Kelsey and her words on preparing for the changes needed were encouraging.
Can't help wondering if the statement from the floor about our financial system and government issued sovereign currency lies at the heart of a meaningful answer
Social Credit Party Leader, Chris Leitch, told the party’s Canterbury Regional conference Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s budget could have contained an additional $6 billion in spending without costing taxpayers a single cent more.
Leitch said, the Finance Minister could save that amount every year on interest payments on the government’s borrowing.
Finance Ministers in Japan and China access funding from their central bank at no interest and use the money saved on interest payments to benefit their citizens.
Bryan Bruce mced a great town hall type panel and discussion last night
Trotter disappointing but probably to a degree correct.He says too many of us have done well(I'm talking baby boomers here)out of the property bonanza to feel urgency for those who haven't .His "grand old man of the left" routine was a bit too pretentious for my tastes, and I'm usually a fan of his historical offerings
Wayne Hope was impressive, as was Russell Norman, god I miss him as co leader of the Greens.
We could do with more of this stuff. Commentators from the coal face
Yes, we could do with more of this stuff, francesca. Particularly in the mainstream.
And yes, bring back Russell Norman. It was interesting to hear (on the above screening) that it was Shaw that pushed for and succeeded in securing the BRR. Largely aligning the fiscal oversight of the two main parties.
I disagree with Trotter. Improvement doesn't require reducing the wealth of the majority. For example, a CGT wasn't going to apply to the family home. Kiwibuild (which was welcomed from across the political spectrum) objective was to slow the pace of increase, not reduce current values
Annie Newman from the living wage made a good point. And if we take the regional spend that the Government has been dishing out to the private sector as an example, where are the strings attached ensuring jobs the Government is fiscally helping to create are decent jobs that pay a living wage?
As the funding is already being given away, adding these strings wouldn't come at any extra cost to the Government.
Overall, it's well worth a look. It was a good discussion with many good points made.
Disappointing there weren't too many (if any) political faces (Greens, Labour, etc) seen in attendance.
Chris Trotter has to make a living and he has to be able to see the problems from both sides. I think he does well in being able to lift slightly and regularly the cloth of gold curtain of the comfortably off so they can receive peeks at life for the others, and so get some innoculation for the shock of the innovation of some disease-ridden policy that cuts down their supplies of goodies.
Fanatics, cynics, sadists and moral cowards Exhibit No. 1: The Panel, RNZ National, Tuesday 1 July 2014
JIM MORA: Now, Julian Assange on the catwalk. DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET:[highly amused] Yes! MORA: How’s he going to manage this? ZARA POTTS: Well, it hasn’t stopped him, his asylum claim hasn’t stopped him from doing all sorts of things. Even last week he opened rapper MIA’s New York concert with a ten minute Skype chat, so he’s pretty busy. DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: I thought he couldn’t leave though. ZARA POTTS: He does it all on his computer. DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Oh, right. ZARA POTTS: This is Vivienne Westwood’s son Ben, and as part of London Fashion Week, he is going to take the catwalk to Julian Assange in the Ecadorian embassy. GRAHAM BELL:[derisive snort] Ha! DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET:[querulous tone] How-w-w-w-w? GRAHAM BELL: Some people will do ANYTHING to get publicity. DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Ha ha ha ha ha! ZARA POTTS: Ha ha ha ha ha! Yes, it’s not because he cuts a particularly dashing figure or wears clothes THAT well. The whole thing is a little bit more political than that. Ben Westwood is saying that he wants Julian Assange in his show so that Assange doesn’t slip into obscurity. MORA: There’s not much danger of that though, is there. ZARA POTTS: No. He’s wanting to highlight his plight. DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: So he’s going to be modeling the clothes. ZARA POTTS: Yes. GRAHAM BELL: It’ll be the look for the very OILY character. Hm hm hm hm hm. DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Yeowww! GRAHAM BELL: Hm hm hm hm hm. MORA: How do they put a runway into an embassy? It’s basically just a big HOUSE, isn’t it. ZARA POTTS: Maybe they’ve got a big hallway. The collection has been influenced by Clint Eastwood’s Western films and also Assange’s “combat beret look”.
….[General snickering, snorting and guffawing]….
ZARA POTTS: And there is also a garment with Julian Assange’s image printed on it. He he he he he! DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Ha ha ha ha ha! GRAHAM BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho! Can’t WAIT! MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha! ZARA POTTS: The soundtrack is from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, so that will be something to, uh, see….
An assurance of goodwill from a member of the lynch mob
Yesterday one of our resident fools, "The Al1en", interjected himself into a witchburning in order to offer the following assurance of future fair treatment for the bound and gagged victim: "@McFlock I'm sure he'll get more support once he's faced and beaten the rape charges in a court of law." In the Deep South not so long ago, similar moral idiots turned to their neighbours and said: "@Travis I'm sure this ni*&er will get more support once he's faced and beaten the rape charges in a court of law."
You mentioned me twice today. That caught my eye. Your continued attempts to make the world safe for Assange to commit rape (regardless of whether he actually did anything in 2010) hold my attention.
Apparently one wikileaks is good for at least two abandoned rape investigations, according to your ethical model.
Doubling down on your wild, fantastic allegations doesn't make them one whit more credible. Even if they are officially sanctioned by four rogue states. You know as well as everyone else in the world knows: there is no credible case against Assange—other than the case that he is a dangerous truth-telling journalist.
Just like those foolish lawyers in the Deep South who represented black men accused, with similar rigorous devotion to lawful process, of rape. They were accused of being "rape apologists" by people like you.
You remember when dolt45 said he could shoot someone on 5th avenue and not lose any voters? Yeah, that's you're support for Assange: unquestioning, and oblivious to reality.
You're about one tab of acid away from joining a suicide cult.
You can be as creative and ridiculous in your abuse as you want—comparing me to a Trump supporter, for pity's sake!—but it doesn't change the fact you've been caught out.
You and the rest of the woke have been quite pathetic in your assault on Julian Assange and anyone who might defend Assange and the democratic processes that are being trampled on by the U.S. People like me, we hold no ill will against Assange or the alleged rape victims but you and the woke Trying to curse out anyone who understands that the U.S isn't playing ball is just pathetic.
The simple fact you seem incapable of processing is that it is perfectly possible that Assange did wikileaks as well as committing sexual assault. People can be complicated. Do you think the Swedes invented an entire high-profile sexual assault investigation just to get Assange into their custody so they could extradite him to the USA? Because if they did not invent that investigation, he needs to go to Sweden and face it.
It wasn't "the Swedes" who concocted that fantastic allegation, it was some malignant strategist in the State Department. Instead of blaming "the Swedes", we need to be specific and narrow it down to the culprit: one very beleaguered and browbeaten State Persecutor, the Dishonorable Marianne Ny.
Calm down Morrissey – you are just spreading hate and vicious talk and hysteria. We are up to our necks in it already. Please desist, take a deep breath, go out into the sun if you can find it, and dig the garden. Soothe yourself and don't exacerbate what we already have to put up with. We know what you know, we don't need to have it again brought up and shoved down our throats in large, violent gobstoppers.
… you are just spreading hate and vicious talk and hysteria.
So it's ME that's shouting "rapist" at a political prisoner and laughing at his suffering?
We know what you know, we don't need to have it again brought up and shoved down our throats in large, violent gobstoppers.
Certainly I'll stop reminding people that these vicious people are moral cowards and flunkies—as soon as they stop posting their lies, smears, and their unfunny jokes about Assange's cat.
Only a fucked up single minded, played out, one trick pony would compare the Swedish judicial system to one lynching black people in the deep south of the fifties and sixties to push a support point for an alleged rapist who fled from justice because he dished shit on the yanks and in particular Hilary Clinton.
Set the narrative however you want, but to borrow a phrase, rape enabling shitheel – Go fuck yourself
You mean this legal system… U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer on Assange…“In 20 years of work with victims of war, violence and political persecution, I have never seen a group of democratic states ganging up to deliberately isolate, demonize and abuse a single individual for such a long time.”
The fuckup above compared the Jim Crow era with the modern day Swedish judiciary. If you want to agree with him on that point, and make excusing arguments for an alleged rapist who has done nothing to answer the allegations but fight extradition, lose, and run off to self imposed exile, so be it.
And please tell us with a straight face: you would have supported those young black men and not backed the "authorities" and their army of media and society backers in calling for what they termed those "animals" to be executed.
Well some determined special little soldier is enjoying setting false narratives.
Me, I don't fall into traps, especially the pointedly obvious ones. I just like to state my point and if others twist it to whatever the see as their advantage, that's what free speech is all about.
You, in between being Mr Angry from Cheam and welded to your warrior keyboard spouting bullshit at those who don't agree with you can stay playing at chief R.E.S, but unlike the incarcerated alleged rapist and you, I'm off outside for a freedom walk in the sunshine.
The ones that I was concerned about was the ones involving U.S military and bureaucrats raping and murdering female adults and minors on a systemic level. Here we have the hypocrisy of the u.s and its apologists going hard out for Julian Assange.
.What you are saying here?…that the UK govt spent millions of pounds watching and monitoring Assange for the sake of a couple of alleged rape cases?
If you actually really believe this has anything whatsoever to do with those two woman in Sweden then (and I hate to be rude) you must be either extremely naive or extremely stupid
… you must be either extremely naive or extremely stupid
He's neither of those, Adrian. He's simply chosen his gang, his mob, and is sticking with it. It's prideful and ornery behaviour, which we see from many others on this forum.
He would indeed be stupid if he had been serious when he said to another member of that baying lynch-mob that he was sure that Assange will "get more support once he's faced and beaten the rape charges in a court of law."
But I don't think he believed a word of that statement.
Clearest case of projection you'll ever see on the internet from someone who, along with the same handful of regular Assange supporters
/anti American/Clinton hating/Pro Putin bots, attempt to set their own narrative as default, shouting down any dissenting opinion with persistent insults, whataboutisms and an apparent mastery of the 'if you believe this' then 'you must believe that' trope.
I personally don't give a fuck if you want to, by way of your habit, spend your lives trying to make your views the only line The Standard will tolerate airing. I think it's great that you have the ability to push shit uphill in public and long may that last, but you have to realise you're not the tone setter, nor the final word, and as long as you continue exhibiting your agenda, you're always gonna get push back, especially when you’re wrong and nutty as a fruit bar.
As for starting topics with no other reasons apart from trolling, personal aggrandizing and the feel goods they obviously bring to someone like you, as you did here today, then they're just hit outs and no serious value can come from them. No points made, no minds changed, just internet fights for the bored of heart and simple of mind. Excellent to waste a few hours on, but ultimately pointless. Your success at it is also your biggest weakness, and you can’t even see it.
Clearest case of projection you'll ever see on the internet…
"Projection"? Oh, I get it: you mean that the witness becomes the crime he's reporting on. Very hard to understand, I must confess, but I guess you're a philosopher, a thinker of some kind? Zen, is it?
from someone who, along with the same handful of regular Assange supporters/anti American/Clinton hating/Pro Putin bots, ….
Well, yes, I do support the right of journalists to report the crimes of governments. So you got the Assange supporter bit right. But "anti American"? You'll need to justify that charge, but I don't think you have the ability to do that. "Clinton hating"? I'm opposed to the Clintons, certainly—Bill, Hillary, and their foolish daughter; but I don't hate them. Hatred, the foulest vituperation and the most malignant defamation is what we see every day displayed here on this forum towards the world's most famous journalist and political dissident. Of all your allegations, the one that intrigued me the most was the one claiming that I'm a "Pro Putin bot." Боже, помоги мне! Я русский робот!
@ The Al1en, You haven't answered my question… that the UK govt spent millions of pounds watching and monitoring Assange for the sake of a couple of alleged rape cases?
"…who has done nothing to answer the allegations but fight extradition…"
Well that's not quite true, he was happy to be interviewed over the allegations and that only took 6 or 7 years for the authorities to get round to it even though they had the victim statements and the physical evidence. Once interviewed the case was quickly dropped thereafter.
The alarm bells should be ring-a-ding-ling-a-ling that something is quite amiss here.
And much closer to home in Australia we have another whistleblower being abused by the system. Note carefully his description of the debilitating stress of this:
Mr Boyle said he lost his job, had a breakdown, suffered chronic insomnia and has had a series of stress-related heart issues.
"I've had some dark moments," he said. "It's taken a huge toll on my mental health. I couldn't work. I couldn't sleep and my health spiralled into what I describe as a devastating situation."
Holy hell, that is one rough story, first time I have heard of it.
" He alleged that some ATO staff were instructed to use an aggressive debt collection practice known as garnishee notices, which allows the ATO to seize funds from the bank accounts of Australian taxpayers without notice or consideration of their circumstances."
I had business partner (long time ago) who had been audited by the IRD previous to out partnership, he told me it was the worst experience of his life, just under two years they took, said they looked into absolutely every facet of his life, and came up with SFA.
The only thing good to come out of it was that his books where immaculate at the end of the ordeal (that was his joke)..more than can be said of mine!
In my modest experience the most corrosive aspect of this kind of stress is the constant threat, uncertainty and instability. Until you've been through something like it for an extended period, most people have no fucking clue what it's like.
Yes that is true, although in no way as serious, I had a pretty serious burn out about fifteen years ago, brought on by small business stress, financial insecurity, young family, to way much work etc..what I learnt was, that when you step over that invisible line that many people are teetering on, you don't get to step back…it took me many years to fully recover, it was brutal.
That burn out, although terrible has had one very positive effect on my life, it gave me a very real insight into mental health both though my experience and through the reading I did on the subject when I was going through it.
Hence my utter disgust at the treatment of Assange, right out in the open, right in front of our eyes, and what makes it even worse is it is done with the total support of nearly all media, history won't judge this period well I think.
Until you've been through something like it for an extended period, most people have no fucking clue what it's like.
Tell me about it. It isn't a common experience so makes it even harder for people to understand the effects.
And I agree with Adrian thornton. While I don't take sides on the Assange affair, I do have sympathy for his current predicament no matter if he was responsible (in part at least) for bringing it about. The stress of isolation, being surrounded by enemies and the fear for his life is not only hugely debilitating but it is inevitable paranoia will set in as well – something the authorities after his blood are only too well aware.
As the funding has now run out for cleaning up the pollution disaster on the West coast and the volunteers have had to resort to a give a little page to beg for donations to help stem a situation that will take the the next few years and a lot more than $300.000 put up by the government to sort this mess out it points too a larger problem on our back door step the Pacific.
Yesterday we were talking about bringing sexual cases to justice and murder being covered up. I talked about Betty in Canada,
This morning on Radionz doco roundup the reviewer Sarah referred to ROLL RED ROLL is the true story of the Stubenville rape case – and how concerned journalists pulled the story together and pushed for prosecution.
I thought this was an important documentation and a sterling job by journalists to assemble unassailable facts that honour the live taken and dishonour the awful amoral system in Stubenville. So keep an eye out for it.
Sarah McMullan: Doc Edge Film Festival
Film Reviewer Sarah McMullan has checked out Doc Edge 2019: a festival of documentaries and will be talking about her top picks, including THE MENS ROOM, an all male Norwegian choir that prides itself on its beer-drinking ability and beards, who is asked to open for Black Sabbath – but that's not the only surprise they get. A NZ film that picked up two festival awards for its tale of six strangers walking the 800km Camino de Santiago (Camino Skies) Is 2019 the year of the asshole? ASSHOLE: A THEORY attempts to answer that question, while HALF THE PICTUREasks why are there so few women directing film and TV? What's going on and how do we change it?
And ROLL RED ROLL is the true story of the Stubenville rape case – and how concerned journalists pulled the story together and pushed for prosecution.
And how lucky are we that our last govt did not try the same here after the Australian insurance industry turned down the chance to own part of our ACC system.
My search isn't working and I can't find quickly where I said to you to ease up. Thinking about it I still feel the same, but recognise that I am in the same place so am going to follow my advice to you. If I can I will stay away from TS for a while and perhaps the news!
Children left too long on devices can build their own reality inside their head and trying to dissuade them from their beliefs instead of fact can be impossible. It is called Cognitive Dissonance.
"We do trust the judiciary to be independent and impartial…. I do trust Lt General’s Mateparae and Jones."
DR. WAYNE MAPP: I am pretty sure that most members of the current government also believe that the UK and Sweden have an independent judiciary. I would have thought it is axiomatic that one of the fundamental principles of our democratic system is that we do trust the judiciary to be independent and impartial, even if they do make mistakes from time to time. Since you mention Afghanistan, it will not have escaped your notice that I thought an independent Inquiry was necessary as soon as it was apparent there were credible allegations of civilian casualties (by Jon Stephenson in 2014 in his programme on Maori TV). But nevertheless, I do trust Lt General’s Mateparae and Jones.
MORRISSEY BREEN: In the 1930s people like you counselled concerned Germans to trust jurists like Roland Freisler.
DR. WAYNE MAPP: The Nazi comparison is offensive, as well you know. But not unsurprising from you.
MORRISSEY BREEN: All right, then: people like you counselled concerned Soviet citizens to trust jurists like Andrey Vyshinsky, and to trust that jury in Florida in 2013.
The ALP has taken a turn right in Australia, they are now pro coal and anti Nauru asylum seekers. And all their climate policies are now under review. Albanese has said that the Australian public are clearly right of the current Labour position, so the ALP must go right to meet them. Not great news for progressives in Australia.
"In Canberra last week I met some Australian members of parliament. It gave me hope, because until I heard them speak I had always thought that Israel’s right wing politicians were the worst. —-(LAUGHTER)— I’ve never heard any Israeli politician speak about the Palestinian people the way that those Australian politicians did. But they are Australia’s problem, not mine. (LAUGHTER) I spoke with the Australian foreign minister; she talked and she was very nice but we could not agree on anything." (LAUGHTER)
—- Gideon Levy, speaking in Auckland, Dec. 3, 2017
"We are at war with Russia!" he rants, hilariously. (Apologies to The Al1en, Andre and all the other conspiracy theorists on this mostly excellent site.)
.
The streets and pavements would still have lots of white spots. But hey in other civilised countries there is a night-time water spray over city streets (they also clean their buildings too), so perhaps some NZ cities could start taking more pride in the civic appearance, Palmerston North leading the way!
This is billed as an "interview", but it's more of an attempted
mugging. Unfortunately for Barnett and Holmes, Kelly is not
intimidated by their antics. She remains polite and perfectly composed
throughout, unlike her two opponents. Holmes interrupts Helen Kelly
nearly every time she speaks, and Barnett interrupts her three times.
But all this fails to upset her; she's an experienced union
negotiator, and these two are lightweights compared to some business
and union leaders she meets routinely. Barnett gets really angry when
Kelly points out that he's a slack employer: "You yourself don't
comply with the guidelines." Holmes calls her "clueless" twice and he
swears angrily on two occasions. Note the way that Holmes won't let
her speak even at the end, shouting: "No, Helen's had ENOUGH!"
Published: 4:12PM Sunday October 24, 2010 Source: Q+A
Related News
Paul Holmes interviews Helen Kelly and John Barnett about the saga
surrounding filming of The Hobbit.
Kelly is president of the Combined Trade Unions, and John Barnett is
the managing director of South Pacific Picture – very experienced film
man. Of course, one of the most experienced film people in this
country. So Helen Kelly, we'll start with you first of all. Good
morning.
HELEN KELLY: Good morning.
PAUL: So, what we've got is the actors now in FULL RETREAT. What we've
seen after last week with your handling of things is a complete
failure for the union movement. That's so, isn't it?
HELEN: Well, no, actually, Paul, this dispute wasn't settled last
week. It was settled the week before with encouragement from Peter
Jackson, who sent several emails to me saying, 'I'm encouraging SPADA
to meet and to talk through all the issues and find a resolution.'
That's what I did. I stepped into this dispute only at the end of
September to help the parties find a way through. We've found a way
through. It's completely settled…
PAUL: I think… With the greatest respect, Ms Kelly, I think you
might be fantasising. ….
https://www.accessibleproperties.co.nz/tauranga-tenants/qas/
Exhibit No. 1: The Panel, RNZ National, Tuesday 1 July 2014
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: [highly amused] Yes!
MORA: How’s he going to manage this?
ZARA POTTS: Well, it hasn’t stopped him, his asylum claim hasn’t stopped him from doing all sorts of things. Even last week he opened rapper MIA’s New York concert with a ten minute Skype chat, so he’s pretty busy.
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: I thought he couldn’t leave though.
ZARA POTTS: He does it all on his computer.
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Oh, right.
ZARA POTTS: This is Vivienne Westwood’s son Ben, and as part of London Fashion Week, he is going to take the catwalk to Julian Assange in the Ecadorian embassy.
GRAHAM BELL: [derisive snort] Ha!
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: [querulous tone] How-w-w-w-w?
GRAHAM BELL: Some people will do ANYTHING to get publicity.
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Ha ha ha ha ha!
ZARA POTTS: Ha ha ha ha ha! Yes, it’s not because he cuts a particularly dashing figure or wears clothes THAT well. The whole thing is a little bit more political than that. Ben Westwood is saying that he wants Julian Assange in his show so that Assange doesn’t slip into obscurity.
MORA: There’s not much danger of that though, is there.
ZARA POTTS: No. He’s wanting to highlight his plight.
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: So he’s going to be modeling the clothes.
ZARA POTTS: Yes.
GRAHAM BELL: It’ll be the look for the very OILY character. Hm hm hm hm hm.
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Yeowww!
GRAHAM BELL: Hm hm hm hm hm.
MORA: How do they put a runway into an embassy? It’s basically just a big HOUSE, isn’t it.
ZARA POTTS: Maybe they’ve got a big hallway. The collection has been influenced by Clint Eastwood’s Western films and also Assange’s “combat beret look”.
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: Ha ha ha ha ha!
GRAHAM BELL: Ho ho ho ho ho! Can’t WAIT!
MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha!
ZARA POTTS: The soundtrack is from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, so that will be something to, uh, see….