The annual list of NZ ‘great’s has been released and it’s the usual cavalcade of people who have humbly served venal Capitalism most.
Rachel Smalley got an honour for services to journalism?
Really?
Journalism and Rachel Smalley go together like Seven Sharp and cutting edge current affairs, in that it doesn’t
Isn’t Theresa Gating currently pimping a $6500 a year exclusive dating site that doesn’t actually have any men joining? Seeing as women are ‘decentering men’, a $6500 a year Tinder subscription doesn’t seem to be up with the latest in feminist inter-sectionalism.
But the one that truly takes my breath away is Peter Beck for services to making NZ a military target!
Rocket Lab fires rockets into space for the secretive National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) this is their charming patch…
…nothing erodes faith in the check and balance of extreme power quite like a giant orange space octopus proclaiming that nothing is out of its reach. Unbeknownst to most NZers, Rocket Lab is a Military Industrial Complex franchise, not some plucky Number 8 Wire Dad Shed schlock that Rocket Lab like to project to the sleepy hobbits of Muddle Nu Zilind…
Rocket Lab’s link with the CIA’s venture capital firm was revealed in 2016 by US investigative journalism site The Intercept, but has not been reported by the New Zealand media.
Although it operates independently, In-Q-Tel invests on behalf of the CIA and the broader US intelligence community in companies whose products may have national security applications.
A document obtained by The Intercept shows that Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck spoke at a summit of In-Q-Tel portfolio companies in February 2016. Other speakers included then-FBI director James Comey. Beck earlier wrote about Rocket Lab for In-Q-Tel’s quarterly publication in 2015.
In contrast, Lockheed Martin’s investment in Rocket Lab is mentioned routinely in press coverage and was the subject of a jibe by departing Vector chairman Michael Stiassny to the Vector AGM last week.
However, the extent of Rocket Lab’s defence industry work has gone essentially unremarked. Details of this work had been removed from Rocket Lab’s website by the time the regulatory regime enabling the company’s activities in New Zealand came into law last year.
Put aside the zero public debate of whether or not we should get this close to the American Military Industrial Complex in the first place and note that no one ever explained to the NZ public how allowing Rocket Labs to launch US military satellites immediately upgrades NZ to being a legitimate military target!
Because of this, Chinese Subs and Russian Subs will legitimately sit off the East Coast of NZ targeting the launch site.
THIS is why we needed to buy 4 P-8s! Because America is able to launch military satellites from NZ, which makes us a target and we need to defend that target with sub hunting planes!
New sub-killer planes may never fire in anger but Govt wants the option
Defence Minister Ron Mark has announced the Government will buy four Boeing P-8A Poseidons to replace the defence force’s ageing fleet of P-3K Orions. The purchase has been a longtime coming.
The P-8s, known as submarine killers, mark a new era in defence procurement, with one expert calling this the most significant defence purchase in a generation.
…so under National, we signed up to a military space programme through our 5 Eyes network that has now made us a legitimate military target which we need to buy sub hunting planes and torpedoes for???
When will it be made clear to the rest of the electorate that we have done this and put everyones lives at risk by Rocket Lab making us a legitimate military target?
The funniest thing about this is the Ministerial fig leaf used to hide our militarisation of space…
Additionally, every Rocket Lab payload must now be signed off by the New Zealand Space Agency (housed within) MBIE, plus the Space Minister (currently Stuart Nash), after meeting safety criteria and passing a “national interest” test.
…according to the secret 5 Eyes space deal we signed before Labour won the 2017 election, we can use a ‘national interest’ test to justify any militarisation of space America thinks we need to have.
I don’t think the people of NZ understand that Rocket Labs makes us a legitimate military target for Russia and China and that’s why Beck is getting his honour, for tying NZ to the American Military Industrial Complex.
Quite a few of them took my breath away. It made me feel a little pity for the King and His enterage.
Talk about a stacked deck with a few token deserving specimens thrown in.
Reinforcing the fact that it’s all becoming a bit of a farce. I know one person that’s thinking of handing his back.
The Rocket Lab IPO was also a great way to lose well over half your money (the shares floated at Us$10) to all the suckers that invested.
https://www.google.com/finance/quote/RKLB:NASDAQ
apparently they also treat their employees badly.
I browsed several “the worst nz employer” types of reddit threads, and RocketLab gets consistently mentioned.
The guy seems to be what you would get if you ordered Elon Musk from Wish.
A preview of our future where rockets count and people don’t – have anything to count.
Royal honours are bizarre. Helen Clarke was principled enough to ditch the Sir/Dame nonsense.
My God! Bob the 1st and I are in agreement. Now that’s a first.
Great work Peter, congratulations & keep reaching for the stars.
Getting a knighthood for…sponging off the government.
Is this an actual, real profitable business? And if so, can I have my investment back please.
He looks as if he has been chained to his computer while encouraging propaganda building his self esteem has been broadcast, and has never seen Red Dwarf or read Terry Pratchett’s vast collection of printed magical ideas. And he seems a worthy god for a new cult not well-known, named after Maurice Gee’s The Halfmen of O (see more below, an allegory for our times.)
The Halfmen Of O: The O Trilogy Volume 1 | MAURICE …
Mighty Ape https://www.mightyape.co.nz › … › Science fiction
They are summoned to the beautiful land of O in a last-ditch attempt to save the planet from cruel Otis Claw and his followers, the evil Halfmen, who have lost …
Peter is to be admired for his work and the opportunity for his workers to earn good money and grow their knowledge. The dollars he brings in helps pay for our nice to have like teachers and nurses. It would have been a lot easier for him if he had set up shop off shore.
As 5 eyes partner we are already in the firing line if the shit ever hits the fan.
Something useful that you lefties could do, would be to bring an end to royal honours. The honours replicate English class structure and are inappropriate in a 21st century country. I struggle to comprehend why Ardern swapped comrade for dame.
So apt Ennius. You struggle, and that’s the truth.
Warble on, Grey.
As an engineer who has “experience” we are using there technology , we had to ask them if we could start this. Is it good ? No no technology is actually not good for humans, we have micro plastics in our testicles now haha
All are still more worthy than Trevor Mallard
Beck will probably end up simping for the Nats now. That’s what usually happens when you get a knighthood from them.
Still fives eye!s, so fools a major nuke coming our way.
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