Smart people in Nu Zuld

Anyone else check out the gorgeous sky porn last night? My beloved and I were driving out of the supermarket carpark and we were like “holy shit! that is so wow!”.

Some clever people thought it was a plane crashing. Sigh.

Last night for viewing the McNaught Comet tonight so hope for clear skies.

And it looks like our future generations might get even smarter since Labour doesn’t seem to understand the concept of free education as a basic human right! And can someone explain to me why Kohanga Reo aren’t part of the scheme to begin with?

Cool, geeky, Green stuff!

I like saving the planet.  And I like using cool technologies to do it.  That's why I ABSOLUTELY ADORE GREEN TV!

It's still early days for this crew, but I reckon there's some awesome potential there.  I'll certainly be tuning in.

Which kinda reminds me, for those of you wondering what I've been up to in Green land, I'm still there.  Currently working on the organisation of the Global Young Green Convention in Nairobi, Kenya in January next year.  For those of you who are now going 'ooh that sounds like a cool thing!', check out Caroline's blog where she is updating everyone on organisational progress and news about how to get involved.

Choice! 

Mad props to Radical Youth

Nothing inspires me more than young people standing up for what they believe in, and doing it as young people.

Which is why the demo in Auckland yesterday blew me away. Awesome stuff crew. When this Bill passes through, every single one of you should take credit for standing up and making history for young people in Aotearoa. And take heart in the fact that the whole world has noticed this one!
Kia kaha

And fuck you TVNZ for your bullshit, sensationalised, condescending reporting.  Thought you guys were better than that.

Edumacational book for the wee laddies and lassies

Big ups to Stephen DeVoy for his Anarchist Stories for Children book. Share it with your friends (big or small).

Oh to be 16 again

More fun and games with the ol’ Technorati search and I discover young Sam Bonner and his Socialist Free Haven. I’m impressed that someone that young is so politically aware. Pity about his analysis. But I was proud to be lumped in with Aaron Bhatnagar, Public Address, Tim Barnett and Tony Milne as the only blogs he doesn’t like in this scary socialist world.

For the benefit of Sam, I’d like to offer him some advice. Take it or leave it, no skin off my nose.

1. Campaign for lowering the voting age. People like you prove that 16 years olds understand the electoral system, in some cases better than most adults.

2. Read more about how tax actually works. Sure lowering taxes sounds great. But there is a direct relationship between the free education your parents got, the reduction in taxes they’re demanding now, and the cost you’ll pay for your tertiary education.

3. Read a bit more about how other people your age around the world are dealing with life. The minute you see and start to acknowledge your own privilege the better you will be at political debate.

4. Get out more

Look forward to seeing you on the platform in a few years time.

Nice one Sue!

As reported on frog Sue Bradford’s Minimum Wage (Abolition of Age Discrimination) Amendment Bill got drawn from the ballot today. That’s the best bloody news I’ve heard in ages.

As I’ve ranted about before, I think the idea of discriminating against someone based on their age is as abitrary as discriminating against someone based on what cuddles in between their thighs.

I look forward to making a submission on this bill. As I assume it will pass its first reading. If the government doesn’t support this bill, then they’ve completely sold out on their union roots.

Youth Podcasting

Got this one in the email and may be of interest to some of the young lefties out there:

GREETINGS! I’m starting a group of Youth Podcasters. This would be the very first in Youth World. I am looking for partners for this endeavor. I hope everyone will have a chance and be interested in doing youth podcast. Basically, the main purpose of this is to hear the voice of the youth around the world, literally. As in, in audio form. So this would like be a radioprogram in podcasting form. Anyone who are inclined with audio production,we are open for your help and suggestion. Thank you very much.

Please email youthcast (at) gmail.com

JOIN THE PROJECT BY CLICKING THIS

Saying it like it is

Radical Youth welcome our new overlords.

The spectacle that was the General election has been and gone, your obedient and doting youth are still as marginalized as ever. While we cannot vote we appreciate the fact that you who are so wise and noble are willing to make decisions for us.

We also like the fact that you so intelligently restrict you’re voting to once every three years, and don’t get to say what policies you like or disagree with. And as youth we really don’t really mind that we are still discriminated against and disenfranchised.

We especially like that we get paid less for doing exactly the same work. The election was great to watch, we think it was great that you all bought the messages that the parties sold to you. We think the lines about economic growth being the underpinning of our society were the best.

However…
We demand a world in which the voices of youth are heard, and one where the decisions that will affect our lives are actually made by us. The politicians have no regard for the youth. Why else then, would there be such a blatant disregard for issues such as global warming, which, although only beginning to express itself, will affect us our entire lives? You’ve failed us, by creating a world that relies on the destruction of the very systems of life that sustain us to maintain unrestricted material growth, meanwhile poverty afflicts every nation and exploitation is incorporated into law.

Our generation has been handed a vision that requires continual consumption devoid of meaning.
And we have bought into it as never before (advertising and television tell us who and what to worship.)

We don’t want a new world, we want this one back!
And we’ll do whatever it takes to reclaim control of our lives.
Release here

Another Milestone/Millstone

Now if you were to wander over to the Green Party Tertiary Education campaign page you would notice something quite significant has happened to the debt counter. Yes folks, at lunchtime it hit $8 BILLION dollars.

I went up to Victoria to check out HRH’s visit and it was quite incredible. Labour got their shit together this time and had a parge bunch of supporters there with stacks of helium filled balloons (although we did wonder if it was in fact nitrous…). The balloons were a good tactic, because when the rabble of Nats turned up, they couldn’t be seen past the balloons.

But it was like a feckin rock concert! These Labour people were screaming and chanting “Helen, Helen!” and I was kind of stuck in the middle feeling like I was in the twilight zone or something. Her speech was pretty cool. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Helen give a public speech of that nature and it was quite fun to see her all rarked up like that. I certainly couldn’t imagine Don Brash looking like he was having that much fun…

Talking about issues affecting young people, click here to hear our Sydney-based candidate being interviewed on Hack on Triple J. Go James!

Is it just me?

Or is the youth wages rate just laughable when you compare it to the very similar debate that was held when we abolished gender wage rates?

“Why would I hire a woman, when I could get a man for the same rate?”

Advertising galore!

I have to say (and yes I know I’m biased, but I’ve also got a background in art and design), that the Green advertising campaign is pretty feckin swish.

Student media ads as follows:

You’ll have to get GreenSpin to see the TV ads, and Frog has the bNet ads. I particularly like the blah blah blah theme. Very clever!

Yeah, um… sorry bout that!

That was me going a bit busy for a while. So time for an update.

Isn’t the weather lovely!

Last weekend I went to the Radio NZ minor party leaders debate at Circa Theatre in Wellington. And I must say what a refreshing debate it was! They were such a polite bunch of well-mannered politicians, who debated actual policy. I know this sounds radical, but it’s true. Actual issues! There was stuff all rhetoric and the only hassles they gave each other were good natured and usually quite witty.

I think they all performed very well, but I would give Pita Sharples the award for winning the debate as he started on the back foot, yet put across his vision and his party’s vision exceptionally well.

And I know this has been reported elsewhere, but I did find it entertaining that Winston declined to come due to not considering his party to be a minor party. Yeah right. Today’s poll results are certainly backing that theory *snigger, snigger*

I agree with frog that this is a shocking campaign from Winston, and I believe things can only get worse for him. It seems that some of the journalists who were usually pretty sympathetic to his schmoozy attitude have finally had enough of his arrogance and aren’t giving him as much coverage as they used to. There was a time that he only had to open his mouth and he would get coverage, but he’s struggling now. And when he won’t even turn up to broadcast leaders debates, he is making silly mistakes when it comes to coverage.

On that note, I’m pleased to see that the rest of the country is waking up to the realities of what’s going on in Tauranga. I was up there at Easter and people were already talking about this threat to Winston’s seat. Now I know that Bob isn’t hugely keen on being a politician and this is getting the locals a wee bit miffed, but still, he’s thrown his hat in the ring now, so he does have to follow through with it. I hope Don is on the phone with him giving him a rark up about how important he is to keeping Winston out. Imagine Parliament without him! Bliss! I don’t know how much people pay attention to Winston in the House, but he is a vile, vile man. He says some of the most disgusting things to other people. And is one of the main reason the Wellington High students who did their violence analysis study condemned their behaviour so much.

Change topic…

I must send out all my aroha to the people of New Orleans. The disaster that they are facing is absolutely devastating and the response by the US government is making me sick. Five days without food is inexcusable for the richest nation in the world. I would be so angry if I was a citizen of America right now. Good to see the media actually having a decent analysis of the situation. Seeing mainstream media questioning the class and ethnic disparities over who has been looked after, and the comparisons to the spending in Iraq is a very pleasant surprise.

And I must respond to Mr Farrar and his obviously misinformed comments about the Green Employment policy. Now to claim that getting rid of youth rates is going to disadvantage young people, Mr Farrar obviously hasn’t spoken to many young workers recently. You try working in a pizza shop for 4 hours a day, earning $5 an hour before tax and then losing your job at 18 because they won’t fork out the minimum adult wage. That is not fair. What also isn’t fair is when 12 year old kids are going out to work to support their parents and have absolutely no legal protection when it comes to exploitation. What also isn’t fair is that kids have to start working earlier now to get experience. If they start working at 18, they are starting on the back foot, from their friends. What also isn’t fair is the fact that National Party policy will only make this situation worse.

OK that’s the end of my rant of the week. Expect more as I remember things I was going to write about.

P.S. Who else knew that Maurice Williamson used to be a C++ programmer! He’s an actual geek, crikey.

Support the Strike

Support the Strike
Originally uploaded by kakariki.

Today I went up to Vic to join in on the education protest. Although I admit I struggled to find any evidence of student protest there was certainly staff protests going on. I joined in for a while and followed them through the Hunter Building (including a lecture, much to the amusement of students). And then saw them later when they joined students in the Quad to listen to the rather *interesting* band.

The staff actions have been rather interesting, and in particular the reaction from students. Jeremy’s latest President column being a good example. For a long time now students have always backed staff in their actions and that support has not always been reciprocated. Of course it is in the interests of students to have well paid, quality staff. But it is also in the staff’s interest to have awake, well fed, attentive and respectful students. It’s a mutual thang ;o)

But as students at Victoria and Lincoln among others are finding, these relationships are getting tested when it’s the students who are constantly being punished by staff actions. University staff need to use a bit of imagination and perhaps engage in some protest action which isn’t so traditional. (Marches are like so 1970s!).

In saying that I am still 100% behind our university staff, most of them do wonderful jobs and work ridiculous hours for crap pay. But they do it for the love of it and some of the most inspirational people in my life so far were some of my university lecturers.

In solidarity.

Labour’s Student Support Policy

Well, I admit I’m impressed!

Labour has just announced their new Student Support policy and the main bit is that they will freeze interest on all student loans while people remain in the country from next year. They will also keep the fee caps in place.

So while I’m slightly annoyed as I will probably be leaving the country next year, I am still pleased to see Labour finally putting up some policy that will make a real difference. And you neevr know, it might even change my mind. I know they have done little bits of tinkering that have been useful and have certainly made a bit of difference but this is the first major change they have made that will affect lots of people.

Please also to see that they will be increasing parental income thresholds as they have called on to do for quite a long time now. That will mean less people having to borrow for living costs which is always a good thing.

And I must say, this is another reason to vote Green. The Greens have said that addressing the student loan issue is a big one for them and Labour is going to need support and encouragement to make this policy a priority of things to do after the election. The Greens will certainly give them that support and encouragement!

Which reminds me… have you signed the e card yet?

Have ya?

Have you signed the student debt e-card yet? Have ya, have ya? Go on, do it now!