.

.

Today’s Daily Blog Watch Round-Up of matters that have attracted the attention, assessments, and articulations of this country’s leading bloggers…

NZ Left Blogosphere

Gordon Campbell on Ian Fletcher, Jon Stewart and the new avian flu; puts the matter of  ministerial interference in the appointment of Clare Curran to a job at the Environment Ministry in 2007 into perspective. He refers to a 2007 press release from Gerry Brownlee, who was vitriolic in his condemnation of Ms Curran’s appointment at the time.

Strangely, there hasn’t been a peep from Mr Brownlee on Key shoulder-tapping Ian Fletcher for the role of the Kiwi version of “M”. Let’s be generous and assume that Gerry has run out of credits on his cellphone, so can’t text through an appropriate condemnation to the media…

Also from Gordon’s blogpost; internationally famous satirist, Jon Stewart, seems to have been responsible for the release of a political prisoner in Eqypt!

And an update on the new strain of avian flu, H7N9.

The delightfully ascerbic – but ever-insightful – QoT, on Ideologically Impure, writes about Lying liars on marriage equality. The new, so-called “New Zealanders for Heterosexual Cisgendered Marriage” is run by – – – oh dear! What a “surprise”. Read QoT’s blogpost to get the full story as she puts her  size 6 high-heeled boot into a bunch of bigots’ bums. (They’d probably enjoy it.)

The Pundit The latest blogposts are from Tim Watkin and Jane Young, who write (respectively),

* In A week of withdrawals from Key’s trust account, Tim starts of with the statement, “New Zealanders instinctively trust John Key as a straight-shooter“. Hmmm, I doubt that. But Tim analyses the Fletcher-Key-Rennie Affair and looks at how Key responded to questions and the answers he gave. Tim also links to Adam Bennett‘s article in the NZ Herald, in Key’s role upsets former spy chief, and the overal picture is damning. Well written and worth a read.

* Events on the Korean peninsula, which seem to be edging closer and closer to the unimaginable; a war of catastrophic proportions. Ms Young paints the agressive bellicosity of Kim Jong Un and his cronies as directed for local consumption. (Just as the West was whipped into an anti-Muslim frenzy after 9/11 – and didn’t that work out nicely for American propagandists?) Read more here: Where to for the DPRK’s war tantrum?

The Jackal declares Bruce Wilson – Asshole of the Week and is critical of the Palmerston North council for not disciplining Wilson for his blatant bigotry.

The Jackal also takes the NZ Herald to task as Granny Herald backs big business  for arguing that big business interests should trump our civil liberties. The proud traditioon of New Zealand oppositioon to the apartheid regime in South Africa; anti-whaling; and opposing French atomic testing in the South Pacific – are held up as examples of where our proud heritage should lie.

But on a more darker level, The Jackal points to environmentalists in other countries who have paid the ultimate price for their campaigns, referring to,

“… environmental activists in Brazil who were fighting the good fight against Petrobras have gone missing or been killed, which makes the statement that “protester could be seriously injured” in New Zealand a bit sinister.“

Well bloody said, mate. And shame on Middle New Zealanders for not rearing up on their hind legs at what National is intending.

Meanwhile, on The Standard,

• Fletcher GCSB Change manager – and QLD – karol reviews State Service Commissioner,  Iain Rennie’s ‘performance’  on Campbel Live last night (4 April). In a remarkable piece of citizens journalism, she then investigates Ian Fletcher’s job in Queensland – and uncovers some startling results.   Highly recommended reading!!
• In Key needs time to get his story straight,  Anthony R0bins addresses the remarkable (and juvenile) response by the Prime Minister. Key seems to have tossed his toys out of his cot and in future will refuse to answer any media questions,  citing  “There will be no more answering of questions straight away, if I need to get details”. Mark the 5 of April as the day that John Key publicly announced his retreat from the media and public criticism.  The “bunker mentality” is taking shape.
• Bunji poses an interesting question regarding how science is valued in this country – especially in the light of prominence given to climate-change deniers (including certain elements of the Right). See: PM’s Science Advisor worried PM doesn’t understand science
• Carrying on from yesterday’s events within the Wellington City Council, Eddie writes in WCC outsourcing vote – the results that certain Green and Labour councillors voted to cut staffing levels at CitiOperations. The comments that follow Eddie’s post are worth noting.
• And on a more optimistic note,  in “Getting there”  James Henderson reports on the latest Roy Morgan poll results. The trend is continuing the rise for Labour-Greens, and a likely change in government next year. Interesting how National’s current, on-going bene-bashing hasn’t increased it’s poll rating? Maybe New Zealanders are growing up at last? (Forlorn hope.)

On The Daily Blog

>>> In Nicky Hager And International Team Of Journalists Expose Global Money Laundering Network, Selwyn Manning reports on an incredible international investigation;

“Nicky Hager and four other internationally acclaimed investigative journalists have today published a comprehensive body of work that unpicks the offshore money maze.

The investigation, which I understand has consumed around 12 months of investigative work, unearths a labyrinth of covert companies, bank accounts, blind trusts and assets designed as depositories where the rich, the powerful, the famous, and corrupt can hide away their profits.”

Meanwhile, the bank accounts of people in Cyprus are being raided to prop up their ailing banks…
The msm have reported none of this. (TV3 did, however, carry a story of a little girl in Britain who didn’t want a kis fromPrince whats-his-name… Priorities, weh?)

>>> Citizen A with Jacinda Ardern & Chris Trotter – the dynamic duo take on The nefarious Brain-Fader (aka, John Key); the dastardly Pie Master (Gerry Brownlee; the villainous Ratman (Tony Ryall);  The Crusher (Judith Collins); and their hapless side-kick,  Jinxie (Hekia Parata).

>>> Wayne Butson  writes that, “it seems Hobbits and aluminium are in, but rail engineering is definitely out”, and asks When will Government start putting NZ economy first? Wayne points out that our Aussie mates have implemented a “buy australia first” policy – so why can’t we?

>>> and Martyn ‘Bomber’ Bradbury comments on startling revelations about Susan Devoy. Revelations that make her even more unacceptable as our new Race Relations commissioner (but just perfect for National). See: So Susan Devoy wanted to play squash in apartheid South Africa? Welcome to your new Race Relations Commissioner

I have ten quid on Devoy quitting within six months. Reasons which will be cited; “for personal, family-related reasons”.

>>> And Martyn writes a Dear Simon Bridges letter to New Zealand Reichs Kommissar, Mr Bridges , about impending laws that will see protesters on the open seas arrested and imprisoned for expressing their opposition to environmental threats to our country.

1984 has arrived. God help us all.

Oh, wait, no, I mean,

.

I love Dear Leader!

.

.

Blogpost of the Day

On mars 2 earth, Marty rips into racists; racist “jokes”; and racism in general after Palmerston North city councillor, Bruce Wilson, made a public comment that was about as vile as vile can get.  In comment about Māori not a joke, Marty describes a nasty undercurrent in our society where thoughts oike this exist and “inadvertantly” are vocalised.

Marty’s insight into this incident should be required reading for the whole country – especially those pricks who start of a racist diatribe with the preface, “I’m not racist, but...”

I wonder what our new Race Relations Commissioner has to say about this…

*drops pin*

… ‘plink’.

Interesting Post from the Right

Nothing today. David Farrar’s blogpost (mentioned yesterday) is It for the year.