The Herald reports:

Greenpeace has erected a huge billboard in central Wellington accusing Energy Minister Simon Bridges of misleading Parliament over a meeting he had with oil company Shell.

The billboard, at the corner of Manners St and Cuba St, is almost 300 square metres and says: “Simon Bridges Pants on Fire”.

Greenpeace said Mr Bridges misled Parliament over his contact with Shell about a controversial Crown Minerals Bill amendment covering deep-sea protests.

The sanctions were rushed into law in May without public consultation

It later emerged Mr Bridges had met Shell in February, two weeks before taking a paper on the protest changes to cabinet. …

Mr Bridges said while the Opposition and Greenpeace may wish otherwise, there was no conspiracy.

“I was not, at any time, lobbied by Shell or anyone else to make the changes to the Crown Minerals Act … I met with Shell, but the issue was not discussed. Ministers regularly meet with business. However, decisions are made by Cabinet.

I wonder how you’d feel if you donated money to Greenpeace thinking they will use it to help the environment, and instead they spend what must be at least ten thousand dollars on a billboard to call a Minister a liar (without proof). Their money, they can do what they want with it.  But remember they are fighting in court for the right to be a charity not a lobby group.

At least they used a nice photo.

He said he was “chuffed” about the billboard.

“As a boy from Tauranga, I’ve always wanted my name up in lights in the big city. Now it’s happened and I managed to get Greenpeace to pay for it.”

Simon should ask them to do one in Tauranga also – should help increase his already massive majority.

Zion National Park is in Utah, and the main focus of it is the Zion Canyon which is 24 kms long and almost a km deep. There are mountain lions in the park but not near where the humans are, so sadly didn’t see any. But the park is spectacular and there are over two dozen walks ranging from the short to the long. Did five different walks, enjoying the breath-taking views and scenery.

Many years ago the number of cars in the park lead to massive congestion as it was so popular. So what they do now is now allow private vehicles on the main canyon road during summer, but they have bus shuttles running every ten minutes or so. Makes it very easy to get around.

This is the view approaching Zion.

Our RV, parked at the campsite.

We took the shuttle down to the Temple of Sinawava and walked along the Virgin river. The further in you go, the more narrow it gets,

The walls are often pure vertical.

One of the locals.

Outside the Zion Lodge.

We then clibed up to the Lower Emerald Pool where the water flows overhead (more so in winter).

Then kept climbing up to the Middle Emerald Poll through this narrow passage,

This stick was wedged beneath this huge rock. I doubt it was holding it up but wasn’t game to remove it!

A view back from the climb after we got to the Upper Emerald Pool.

The Virgin River.

The size of the walls is hard to capture in photos.

The park gets around 2.8 million visitors a year.

Left Vegas on Monday (US time). Had a fun three nights there with a 6 am and two 3 am nights out. That’s why so many people like Vegas – there is stuff happening 24 hours.

Thought I’d share my thoughts on the good and bad, for future travellers.

Hotels

I asked on Facebook and Twitter for recommendations and the Bellagio was most recommended.  They were right. Great location, rooms, facilities, restaurants etc. The fact we got upgraded to a suite helps, but even without that, was a good pick.

Casinos

We did Bellagio, New York New York, Paris, Caesars, Rio and Monte Carlo. Managed to lose no money at all. Made 250% on Blackjack Swap, 120% on pokies, and 25% on Roulette.  Bellagio and Monta Carlo my favourites, and Caesars least favourite (customers too trashy).

Restaurants

Had dinners at Sensi at Bellagio and Mon Ami Gabi at Paris.

Both excellent. Sensi has Italian, Asian, grill and seafood cusines. We did the seafood. Mon Ami Gabi is of course French and their escargots were as good as in Paris.

Shows

On the first night we saw O, from Cirque du Soleil. Probably the best show in Vegas. It is water based (a 1.5 million gallon pool of water) and they have diving, acrobatics, dancing – everything. The show has grossed over a billion dollars in live performances. I had previously seen Ka, and that is also very good.  The costumes alone are amazing.

At O, we were seated on the very front row, next to an entrance. This is known as the wet zone, but you don’t get too splashed. More than worth being that close as you get such a close up view of the performers. And in fact many of them run out in front of you.

On the second night we saw Penn and Teller. I’ve loved them from afar for a long time, so was great to see them live. Their stunts and tricks are done adroitly, but they also use them to make some political points in line with their libertarian beliefs. The TSA airport screening gets dealt to, and the Bill of Rights is highlighted.

Two things I especially liked is how they go out of their way to tell you everything is a trick. They have no supernatural powers, there is no ESP, there is no magic, and people like John Edwards who prey on people’s vulnerabilities are just criminals. Hear hear. Also they meet fans after the show and pose for photos. Two really nice guys to boot.

Pool

It is so hot during the day (40 degree) that the only thing to do is be poolside.  One of the best investments you can make is paying $75 to get a permanent recliner in the “premium” section. It means you can come and go all day and not lose your seat. You have an umbrella, and you have dedicated waiting staff who keep you supplied with drinks. It’s like the Koru Club for swimming pools 🙂

Travel

You can walk to neighbouring casinos, but more than one away and everyone taxis. A few casinos have train links also, which is useful. Be aware can take 10 minutes or so to get to the front of the queue.

Also be aware that trying to get a taxi outside of the main strip can mean a wait of over an hour. if you need to go outside the main area, then pay for your taxi to wait for you rather than try to get a new one.

No longer in Nevada. We drove on Monday through Arizona into Utah and spent last night in Hurricane and now am in the Zion National Park. The photos of Zion are able to be blogged, unlike many of the Vegas ones 🙂

Isaac Davidson at NZ Herald reports:

Labour MP Maryan Street is under pressure to drop a member’s bill which would legalise euthanasia because her party is concerned it could be a negative distraction in the lead-up to the general election next year.

If Ms Street’s End of Life Choice Bill was pulled from the ballot, the debate could extend into election year, and some Labour MPs felt this could hurt the party’s run for Government by distracting from its main policies and deterring more conservative voters.

Ms Street said that several colleagues had discussed with her what would happen if the bill were pulled from the ballot in 2014.

I think they are more worried that the euthanasia bill could help the Conservative Party make 5%.

Personally I’ll be very disappointed if Maryan does drop the bill. I think we inflict some terrible suffering on people by not allowing them to opt for euthanasia.

If she does drop the bill, then maybe a Green Party MP can pick it up?

At present, there are 69 members’ bills in the ballot. Nine members’ bills were still waiting for a first reading, so another ballot was unlikely to be held until the end of the year.

Not quite right. Once the number awaiting first reading drops below eight, then another ballot is held. I expect another ballot in August, say September at the latest.

Chris trotter writes at Stuff:

Labour MPs have accused Garner of “making up” his story about a coup being under way against Shearer. But only a moment’s thought is required to expose this accusation for the nonsense it is.

Garner has confirmed that his informant was a member of the Labour Party caucus. Presumably, he or she was someone who had vouchsafed information to Garner in the past – information which had proved to be reliable.

The maelstrom of criticism into which Garner has been unceremoniously pitched, since his predictions of last Thursday night were proved wrong, provides the strongest argument as to why he would not have tweeted without feeling extremely confident about the rumour’s veracity.

(Just to make sure, however, he sought and received confirmation from a second Labour Party source.)

That Garner was given what the Americans would call “a bum steer” should tell him (and us) that the atmosphere in Labour’s caucus is becoming increasingly toxic.

Is the source the same one who told One News and Three News staff Shearer had two months to improve?

So, why did Garner’s coup rumour fail to stack up? Let’s go through the explanatory options.

1) Some sort of leadership coup was on, but Garner’s tweet alerted Shearer’s supporters and the organisers were forced to abort. (Despairing Labour MPs may simply have been gathering sufficient signatures to persuade their leader to go gracefully and preserve the party from a debilitating civil war.)

2) No coup was imminent, but Garner’s source considered it vital that Shearer be forced to endure yet another destabilising round of media speculation concerning the viability of his leadership. (So vital that they were willing to abuse and lose Garner’s trust.)

3) For reasons of their own, Shearer’s backers decided to undermine Garner’s journalistic credibility by deliberately misinforming him that a coup was under way.

My pick is No 2.

Marty Sharpe at Stuff reports:

A third of people sentenced to life in prison are in the community on parole.

Hardliners on crime say this makes a mockery of the term life imprisonment, but the Ministry of Justice says it is an accurate description as people on parole can be recalled to jail.

Figures issued by the Department of Corrections under the Official Information Act show that of the 719 people serving life sentences, 217 have been freed on parole.

I don’t think all murderers should spent the rest of their lives in jail. With the ability to now give lengthy non parole periods, and even life without parole, the sentencing regime is getting reasonably close to where I think it should be.

However what I would be interested on is whether those killers who are now out on parole, have offended since they were released.

Here’s the data I’d like to see.

• Number of criminals sentenced to life
• Number who have been given parole, and median and mean periods before parole
• Mean and median period between being eligible for parole and getting parole, for those who got it
• Of those given parole, how many have not breached any of their parole conditions
• Of those given parole, how many breached a parole condition, but were not recalled
• Of those given parole, how many breached a parole condition, but were recalled
• Of those given parole, how many have committed further crimes
• Of those given parole, how many have committed further serious (say strike eligible) crimes

Anyone able to provide or obtain that info? I could OIA it, but am in the Zion National Park in Utah at the moment, so would rather reduce keyboard time to a minimum!

I recently OIA’d ACC and asked them how many compensation claims had been paid out due to zombies, vampires or ghosts in the last five years.

I’ve had a response and there were 25 claims costing a total of $24,500 excl GST.

So not a great impact from our undead brethren. In fact sadly it seems all the claims were due to humans, not the undead.

ACC provided details of some of the claims (not identifying the clients of course), which are quite amusing. They include:

• Being chased by a zombie at Spookers; turned and hit pole, and flipped over fence
• Playing “zombies” at school; crashed into pole 
• Playing ghosts tripped and fell 
• Accidentally put arm through window telling ghost story
• Crawling under bed to find ghost – hit head on bed
• Fell off stage during ghost tour 
• Playing ghost tag, bumped into dishwasher
• Playing ghosts with sister; had a sheet over head, and banged jaw
• Walking like a zombie in hallway; slipped on carpet and twisted ankle sideways
• Banged forehead on door frame when pretending to be a ghost (wearing a blanket)
• Theme park ghost ride – was thrown from side to side causing a horrible pain in neck
• Removing face paint/makeup after zombie party; pain in eye while removing – worsened following morning

I like the crawling under the bed to find a ghost. I suspect they had a child unable to sleep due to the ghost there. Not sure hwo you play ghost tag, but sounds fun. Also unsure why you would walk like a zombie in a hallway, unless you were one.

Dressing up as a ghost is likely to lead you to walk into doorframes, unless you put eye hole in!

The Australian reports:

GRAPHIC images and plain packaging for junk food may be forced on consumers, as food industry heavyweights debate tough measures to combat obesity.

A panel of food science, nutrition and manufacturing experts will tackle whether tobacco’s plain packaging approach would help curb the state’s growing obesity epidemic at the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology convention today.

This is my concern over proposed plain packaging for tobacco. It sets a precedent that will be used in other areas such as alcohol and then food.

In New Zealand, Otago University professor of marketing Janet Hoek said tobacco use there had halved since the introduction of policies to restrict the way plain packaging was marketed.

But we don’t have plain packaging for tobacco implemented in NZ, so crediting it for a halving of the smoking rate is preposterous.

She called on the NZ Government to do the same for junk food, telling the New Zealand Herald“it makes sense to examine the potential these policies could have in reducing consumption of foods associated with obesity”.

Why not just have the state decide what foods we’re allowed to buy, what portion size is acceptable and have them deliver the approved foods to us every week?

UPDATE: The Australian it seems misreported Professor Hoek, and their article now says “tobacco use there had halved since the introduction of policies to restrict the way it was marketed”.

NewstalkZB reports:

A handful of Yoobee stores, which resell Apple products in New Zealand, have closed their doors.

The Auckland-based company, a division of Renaissance Corporation, has closed its branches in Albany, Britomart and Sylvia Park in Auckland, as well as Dunedin, in an effort to get its retail unit back in shape.

The remaining Yoobee stores in Auckland’s Newmarket, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch will provide ‘full service’ sales, in order to differentiate them from competitors.

I can’t say I’m surprised.

I blogged back in May how the Wellington Yoobee store managed to stop me buying an Apple MacBook Air despite the fact I walked into the store with a credit card planning to buy one.

Michael Fox at Stuff reports:

At least 10,000 fewer people are now on a benefit compared with last year, new quarterly figures show.

The figures were released as the third and largest wave of welfare reforms were rolled out by the Government yesterday, although the reduction is being credited to the previous changes.

Yep that drop is pre the major reforms.

“That’s a reduction of more than 10,000 on welfare over the past 12 months and I am particularly pleased that 5600 of them are sole parents,” she said.

If they have gone from welfare into work, that will benefit their family not just financially.

Bob Jones writes on what the likely comments would be to his Herald column if he simply wrote “The cat sat on the mat::

Struggling Worker, Henderson: “Yeah right, Mr Jones. Fine for the 1 per cent who can afford cats and mats but what about the rest of us?”

Doto, 54: “As always, more Jones sneering from on high, which is why I never read his column as every week it’s the same garbage from start to finish.”

Raupo, Morrinsville: “I also never read Mr Jones, but finally he’s got something right. Our cat sits on a mat.”

Shaun, Turangi Prison Farm: “It’s an attack on Catholics – clear as day.”

Anne, Whakatane: “Bob’s wrong. Our cat only lies on a sofa.”

JD, Wanganui: “Hang on, Anne. What colour’s your cat?”

Anne, Whakatane: “It’s ginger, JD.”

JD, Wanganui: “Well there you go, Anne. It’s obviously Irish and just being obstreperous. Normal cats sit on mats, as Bob said.”

Struggling Worker, Henderson: “What none of you realise is that lots of us are battling to make ends meet and can’t afford cats and mats. It’s simply more of Jones’ weekly arrogance, ridiculing the poor, which is why I never read his rubbish.”

Margaret, Tauranga: “Lots of kittens are available free.”

Struggling Worker, Henderson: “Yeah right, Margaret. But we’re not all parasitically raking in rents from high-rise buildings and can afford to feed cats. And for that matter, who’s giving away mats?”

As one can expect, some of the commenters did not like being mocked and responded:

So, Bob Jones’ response to the avalanche of critiicism last week over his ill-advised ‘poor people spend too much money on fancy $30 lunches’ diatribe is to say to everyone that he doesn’t care what we think ’cause he is right and we are all stupid idiots.  

I’m reading you online Bob Jones. And you are right. Who gives a toss what you think.

Can you please get this useless old geezer’s rant off www.nzherald.co.nz? I could not give a toss to actually read most of the rubbish herein, but it’s still polluting the internet.

I suspect Sir Bob is enjoying the responses.

Stuff reports:

There is little in today’s inflation numbers to suggest the Reserve Bank will be forced to change the official cash rate (OCR) earlier than forecast.

Annual inflation has dropped to just 0.7 per cent, the lowest level since 1999, with higher power and housing costs offset by lower petrol and car prices in the June quarter.

The OCR is at 2.5 per cent, a historic low and economists are not expecting to see any rise until early to mid 2014. The central bank releases its next interest rate review on Thursday next week.

Consumer price inflation has been one per cent or below for a year now, and low inflation has allowed the OCR to remain at 2.5 per cent for some time, TD Securities head of Asia Pacific research Annette Beacher said.

Inflation low, interest rates low, economy growing and jobs being created. Not too bad.

The average inflation rate since December 2008 has been 2.2%.  If you exclude the GST increase which had compensating tax cuts then it would be 1.7%.

In the previous 18 quarters, it was 3.3%. That means prices increased around 10% every three years.

This clipping is from The Listener.

Jane Clifton makes the valuable point that Cunliffe could win the party-wide vote but can’t get a majority in caucus to trigger it. Either of Robertson or Little could probably gain a majority in caucus to trigger a leadership ballot – but probably can’t win the party-wide vote. Hence you have the irony of the new rules put in place by the activists specifically to challenge Shearer, are in fact keeping him in the job.

The Economist states:

A new study by John Norregaard of the International Monetary Fund suggests that the average rich country, including all levels of government, raises under 5% of total tax revenue from annual levies on land or the buildings on it. The norm in middle-income emerging economies is lower still, at around 2% of all tax revenue (see right-hand chart). Including property-transaction taxes like stamp duty raises the total a bit but not by much. …

But, overall, property taxation plays a relatively small role.

That’s a pity. Taxing land and property is one of the most efficient and least distorting ways for governments to raise money. A pure land tax, one without regard to how land is used or what is built on it, is the best sort. Since the amount of land is fixed, taxing it cannot distort supply in the way that taxing work or saving might discourage effort or thrift. Instead a land tax encourages efficient land use.

That’s why I support a land tax – it is the least distorting tax. Taxes on income discourage work. Taxes on capital discourage investment. Taxes on goods and services discourages consumption. But what does a tax on land do?

Property developers, for instance, would be less inclined to hoard undeveloped land if they had to pay an annual levy on it. Property taxes that include the value of buildings on land are less efficient, since they are, in effect, a tax on the investment in that property. Even so, they are less likely to affect people’s behaviour than income or employment taxes. A study by the OECD suggests that taxes on immovable property are the most growth-friendly of all major taxes. That is even truer of urbanising emerging economies with large informal sectors.

I only support a land tax, if other taxes were reduced so that the overall level of taxation doesn’t increase. As The Economist states, a land tax is one of the growth-friendly forms of tax – far more than income taxes.

Nick Smith just released visitor numbers for the nine Great NZ walks. In order they are:

1. Abel Tasman 28,739
2. Routeburn Track 12,917
3. Kepler Track 10,358
4. Milford Track 7,275
5. Whanganui Journey 6,260
6. Heaphy Track 6,118
7. Lake Waikaremoana 5,936
8. Tongariro Northern Circuit 5,651
9. Rakiura Track 3,619

Overall usage is up 9.5% to 86,873.

I’m doing the Heaphy, Tongariro and Milford walks this summer. Very much looking forward to them.

Stuff reports:

The Reserve Bank is expected to forge ahead with controversial restrictions on home loans within the week – and there will be no exceptions for first home-buyers.

A banking source said banks were told on Friday to prepare for restrictions which will impose a 12 per cent ”speed limit” on their total new lending going on low equity mortgages.

That will effectively halve the amount of high loan-to-value (LVR) lending that the banks are currently doing, making it much harder to get a mortgage with a deposit of less than 20 per cent.

The source said the Reserve Bank’s restrictions were much more extreme than had been anticipated.

”My understanding is that all the efforts of Government to slow them down on the decision have not been successful,” they said.

Prime Minister John Key had previously suggested the Government would work with the central bank to agree on some sort of ”carve-out” for first-home buyers.

The source said tensions between the two parties had grown as Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler refused to back down.

The Reserve Bank has consistently said that creating exceptions for first-home buyers, small business owners or others, would dilute the strength of the tool.

As an independent organisation, the Reserve Bank’s sole focus is maintaining financial stability in the banking system.

This policy, like most, will create winners and losers.

It should reduce pressure on house prices, as demand will drop following less credit being available. This will benefit those wanting to buy a home that can get credit.

The losers will be those who will be unable to get a mortgage as they don’t have enough of a deposit, and they will have to remain renting for longer. Also current owners could be seen to be losers as their houses won’t appreciate so much.

LVR limits have been widely criticised by the banking and brokerage industries, who have a vested interest in unfettered lending, as well as independent groups like Consumer NZ.

Even the Reserve Bank has admitted that people are likely to sneak around the rules by borrowing a deposit from family, or lower-tier lenders.

Once the limits are imposed, banks will cherry-pick borrowers with the best credit ratings, saving histories and account conduct.

If the reserve Bank does go ahead, it will be interesting to see how effective the policy is.

The Herald reports:

Aucklanders have two options to address the city’s transport funding gap: road tolls, or higher rates and fuel taxes.

That’s the conclusion of a high-level report, released this afternoon, which gives Auckland Council and the Government a clear timetable for when new revenue sources will be needed to raise an extra $400 million for each of 30 years – $12 billion in total.

The money will be for projects such as the City Rail Link and new roads, including another Waitemata Harbour crossing.

But Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee immediately ruled out two options.

“We say no to regional fuel tax and no to tolls on existing roads,” he told 3 News.

The report, by the Consensus Building Group (CBG), a 17-member think-tank appointed by Mayor Len Brown, concluded that unless Aucklanders were prepared to accept significantly higher rates increases and heavier congestion, introducing some form of congestion charge by 2021 would be required.

I think a congestion charge is the best form of funding, as it is basically user pays. The challenge is whether it can be done in an efficient way.

The Herald reports:

New Zealand First celebrates its 20th anniversary this month but a Hawke’s Bay politician and former MP of the party believes it’ll self-destruct when its leader Winston Peters decides to leave.

That is self-evident. Peters promised that they would elect a Deputy Leader by March 2012. It is not July 2013 and his insecurities about any possible sucessors means they don’t even have a deputy leader.

Out-going Hawke’s Bay regional councillor Neil Kirton was elected to Parliament in 1996 as a New Zealand First list MP and was appointed associate Minister of Health when the party formed a coalition with the National government.

He was one of three former New Zealand First MPs invited to speak on TV3’s Sunday morning political programme, The Nation, looking back on the past two decades of the party and its possible future.

After the interview, Mr Kirton told Hawke’s Bay Today he stood by his comments which suggested the party had not achieved any “major triumph in political history” which had made a difference to the lives of people today.

“Jim Anderton can lay claim to KiwiBank which has become a huge New Zealand institution. The KiwiSaver scheme by Michael Cullen has made a big difference to people in our daily lives and there is also Sir Douglas Graham’s Treaty Settlements.

“So what I am talking about is in the past two decades, very few policies supporting those kinds of initiatives have come out of New Zealand First.”

As the party is mainly a vehicle for Winston to enjoy the baubles of office, it is no surprise that they have so few achievements for 20 years in Parliament.

I so have to see this film!

The Lumiere Reader interviews Alex Gibney:

“WE STEAL SECRETS is as brilliant as you’d expect,” James Robinson wrote for The Lumière Reader after seeing Alex Gibney’s WikiLeaks documentary at its Sundance premiere earlier this year. “It’s a hypnotic, absurd human drama and Gibney turns it over expertly and from all sides. No one has put this story together in such a complete fashion.” Via Skype from his New York office on Friday, the enduring documentarian talked passionately with Alexander Bisley about Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, and inspiration Martin Scorsese. …

ALEXANDER BISLEY: Here’s the rub. Two Swedish women including Anna, a WikiLeaks supporter you interview in We Steal Secrets, have made credible allegations of significant sexual crime against Julian Assange. How do his supporters maintain he should be above the law?

ALEX GIBNEY: I don’t know how they make that claim. I don’t know how he makes that claim either. In my view this is a big problem. I don’t think he should be above the law, or above criticism. Now he maintains that if he goes back to Sweden he’ll be extradited to the United States, and that’s why he’s not going. But there’s no evidence of that. In fact there’s evidence of just the opposite, that it’s harder to extradite him from Sweden than it is from the United Kingdom. 

I think that is a key point. The UK has an extradition treaty with the US. Assange has not been charged by the US Government. What he faces in Sweden is not extradition, but arrest and a trial for rape.

Now I happen to think the rape allegations are certainly not beyond reasonable doubt. But that is not the point. The accusers deserve a day in court, and Assange is not above the law.

AB: This seems to me the definition of power without accountability, which is supposedly Assange’s big thing.

AG: I agree with you. I think he’s all about holding others to account, holding the powerful to account. And he, in relation to these two Swedish women, has power. He has a huge pulpit and a large number of supporters, and he has allowed them to vilify these women without attempting in any way, shape, or form, to stop that. So yes, he’s not willing to be held to account in any way, shape or form, and that’s one of the issues I have with Assange and WikiLeaks.

AB: At first you too thought the Swedish story was a CIA honey trap? But having researched it thoroughly, you don’t believe that to be the case?

AG: I can find no evidence that it was a CIA honey trap, absolutely no evidence. So, people can say what they want, or imagine whatever they like, but until they produce evidence, as far as I’m concerned it’s a matter between one man and two women.

AB: You spent ages, including one six hour in-person session, talking to Lord Transparency about doing an interview, he suggested money, demanded control over the article, that you spread the gospel according to Assange, and then most extraordinarily, he then asked you to spy on your documentary’s other subjects in return for an interview?

AG: Correct. It was the last part that really staggered me. Julian likes intrigue, and he likes the idea of espionage. Julian likes to involve himself in all sorts of intrigue as if he’s in some kind of spy thriller, and suddenly he’s asking me for “intel”—he keeps calling it “intel”. He reprimanded Daniel Domscheit-Berg with language that was taken straight out of The Espionage Act of 1917. It’s this cloak and dagger stuff where Assange loses credibility, let’s put it that way.

He seems a control freak.

An interesting intreview.

The Herald reports:

Nicola Ngarewa is all about the solution rather than the problem.

The 39-year-old is the principal at Tamatea College, Hawkes Bay, where she has been for a little more than two years.

What is her attitude to education and achievement?

“I don’t like deciles, at all. It labels kids and it’s not fair on them.

“For me, there are no excuses. No matter where you come from, what language you speak or what your socio-economic status is, achieving is within your reach.”

It is this philosophy and strong mindset that has seen Ms Ngarewa’s popularity soar within the school community. The school’s academic results have also improved.

Participation in sports has sky-rocketed at the school, where there are about 300 students – 45 per cent Maori and the rest a mix of Asian, Iraqi, European and Pacific Island.

That’s a very diverse school. And for those wondering, it is decile 3.

NCEA achievement rates have doubled in the past two years; with 91 per cent of achievement at Level 1, 94 per cent in Level 2 and 95 per cent at Level 3.

“Now the kids are saying: ‘Oh, we’ve got to make 100 per cent this year’. That’s exactly the kind of attitude you want to see and hear in the playground.”

That’s an incredible turn-around and achievement. Can we clone her?