The Future

So - today we find out the National-led Government has arrogantly told the rest of us that the declining availability of energy for the running of our civilisation is not a problem. Considering the huge impact that the temporary stalling of oil production had in the 1970s and 1980s (high unemployment, inflation and general stagnation of the economy), one would think that the inevitable permanent decline of crude-oil availability would be of some concern. But National is seemingly relying on the apathy of the NZ public, for the acceptance of its "business as usual" line.

http://thestandard.org.nz/govt-hits-peak-denial/#comment-354752

The fact is that the economic situation is going to get worse. As energy becomes more expensive, there will be less economic activity, because the economy requires energy to drive it. It really is that simple. This means that we are going to be forced to focus on the efficient use of energy, to get the maximum benefit from a resource that is becoming ever-more scarce. This will mean moving more of our goods by coastal shipping and rail, and huge investment in a modern public transport infrastructure. It will also mean, moving away from the current economic model, which provides ever more energy for the wealthy (money simply represents stored energy), toward a way of ordering society which distributes surplus energy more equally amongst people. That will require a re-focus on public life. Work for all those that want it, rather than arbitrary "market availability", and a monetary system that no longer just funnels energy/money upwards using interest and fractional reserve lending (banks lending around 10 times the reserves that they hold). We need to get rid of privately owned banks, and ensure that the printing and lending of money benefits all, not just the foreign money-lenders.

Yet - we see none of these things happening in the National government. This means that the "under-class" (the label John Key has given to the under and unemployed) suffers more, and grows ever larger, and more vocal). Eventually this will require more repression of the poor though force (police and perhaps military).

So it's nice to see that John Key has invited the US military over for a show of strength on our soils.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740076

To avoid the collapse of NZ society in to this hole, increased public awareness of these issues will be needed, and of course, increased public input in the political decision making process.

Farrar's big beef looks like rationed greens.

Over at NZ's far-right barometer known as "kiwiblog", lord of the fries David Farrar is busy picking over the minor details of Wellington's green Mayor's spending.

Apparently Celia is recommending the availability of ball room dancing training for city councilors. Now - the Wellington City Council's spending is projected to be $352 million over the next year. So we're looking at an area which may involve 0.00001% of spending here - yet for some reason David is concentrating on this as the area of spending that needs to be critiqued.

I also recall that David composed a post some time back, concentrating fully on teachers organisations using school class rooms as a place to meet after school hours. Apparently this is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars - as carpets will inevitably be worn quicker due to the notoriously abrasive shoe soles that teachers inevitably use (helps them waste taxpayer dollars - which all teachers love to do).

This is NZ's most read right wing blog. What does this say about the right wing of NZ politics? Well i'll leave that up to you, the reader to decide.

http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2011/01/celias_e-mail_to_councillors.html

A little perspective

Well, I'm afraid that i'm well behind that ball on this one, but it appears that nearly a year ago there was a ripple of outrage across the right-wing blogsphere (particularly kiwiblog and whaleoil), when i suggested, in the comments section of "The Standard" blog, that we should get to know where Key goes when on his vacations, and who he meets with (when legally possible).

If he wanted the privacy that the rest of us enjoy, he should not have put his hand up to be responsible for the lives of 4 million people.

However, the fact is that Key has been the Prime Minister of NZ now for over two years, and still so little about his past and present dealings are known. Am i really the only one that is disquieted by this fact? It seems so few others, even on the left, really are. I guess i should just have more faith in a guy who rose to the top of an industry that is built on shafting the small investor for the advantage of a few at the top:

Forex trading programs - Forex refers to the foreign currency exchange market and trading in forex can be very risky. Many scams claim to have found a "fail-safe" way to invest in forex, but that's not true, and in some cases it's just a way for the promoter to take your money to fund his own lavish lifestyle.

"http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/businesseditor/archive/2010/12/31/forex-affinity-fraud-and-other-investment-warning-signs.aspx">see here

Regardless of his past dealings, this is about transparency - and is essential for a modern democracy to operate most efficiently.

A guy who's responsible for the lives of some 4 million people should be accountable to the people, and that means that all his business and political dealings, past and present, should be available for the public to view. That of course should apply to all of our major political representatives - left and right.

Apparently however, this level of openness is too much for the right wing shills of the blogsphere to condone. But, as they must know, it is in the shadows that corruption has and always will fester. Perhaps this is an all to uncomfortable fact for some.

I will leave you with a presidential speech from JFK on secrecy in politics, and what it means for today's world. I only hope this will give cause for some of those who oppose transparency to reflect on their motivations for doing so.