Google's actions show that the world's biggest search engine company has abandoned…

Take the abdication crisis tho'. Did anything…

None of the countries I can think of that have written constitutions…

Those were examples and cover a hundred year period. There are quite a few more, such as the abdication crisis, for instance.

In 1910, Edward VII refused to create new peers to override the Lords veto until after a second election (against the convention that honours are granted on…

FSSB has proved all delusions of constitutional protection, wrong.

There isn't any constitutional protection for that in NZ. Even if the Treaty was constitutionalised, it doesn't seem to cover that particular bit of the world.

Even if you accept that that particular bit of land still belongs to Maori in…

*blink*
What other meanings?

seriously Keir, I've more than once suggested we have a (very small) komiti to be "ritual acknowledgement of having a body or 2 to open bridges an' that" but I've changed my mind: we have more than enough local body munters to do…

What, exactly, prevents a Westminister constitution that happens to have a native President, instead of a far-removed British monarch, as its Head of State, from being as stable & viable?

Far-removed monarchs don't engage in nefarity very often.

(More broadly, I don't want a President. Why do we need a Head…

So that's why they don't have or need free speech!

Pope Pius the Somethingeth (the ninth, I think) made an argument against public education on exactly those lines.

It's not as if who rules us and the mechanisms they use is at all under question.

You might think that, but in fact, "Westminster" constitutions like ours are not that robust:

– less than 100 years ago, the British Army was refusing orders in protest at home rule being…

From New Scientist:

NO ONE ever tells you how dangerous this stuff can be: they just go on pumping it out, hour after hour, day after day. You're consuming it right now, without a clue about…

Among other things, it contains a quote from People's Daily Online where it's stated that:

the Chinese need their censorship because "the Chinese society has generally less information bearing-capacity than developed countries such…

It makes sense from a business standpoint for Google not only to oppose censorship but to work actively against it,

it would make sense if Google hadn't been censoring at the CCP's behest for the…

Google is betting its global business success on an open Internet. If you look at Google's latest China move through the lens of global Internet policy trends and not just through the lens of Chinese politics, or China's relationship with the West,…

Kieth – what form would such a conflict take? Paul Buchanan noted in 2007 that Chinese ambitions clash directly with the United States' outer two defence perimeters in the Pacific. We are therefore likely to see much greater proxy clashes in this region...

(Sorry to stir up this thread again…

Re Google, probably what's frustrated me most about the kerfuffle they've generated…

or do they largely let you just go about your business?

Mostly, unless you're in position of weakness, in which case the rules change.

We don't live in Indonesia anymore, partially because of what I've written. The dark side of the nation just wasn't something I was easy about being…

I'm always glad when…

Teabaggers? We only have teabags for Lipton Yellow Label (and why would you drink that when you're in China?)…

and basically no Parliament

We are far better off than other parts of the Commonwealth. The Prime Minister, subpoenaed by parliament for information relating to a torture scandal, suspends parliament sitting for two months. Says in interview "government can do more important work without MPs sitting". The country, as you…

I got to reading about the Indonesian military after your last post on the topic, correct me if I'm wrong but the day to day military mandate of the TNI is also primarily maintaining internal security?

Not any more, that role was stripped away from them after 1998 when the…

That Google would suddenly decide to put ethics ahead…

Having said that, I'd rather be in an American prison than a Chinese one.

The irony being that in China last year I saw a documentary on the state of prisons in California. It was a reverse sort of thing from the sort we get from the American networks or…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whw1vhwH3sM

http://video.baidu.com/v?word=the+daily+show&ct=301989888&rn=20&pn=0&db=0&s=0&fbl=800

Surely you mean "copyright" not chomsky :)

Thankfully, other than on that thread, most of the copyright discussions on PAS have been constructive and interesting.

And while this threadjacking may not be quite so illuminating, I still enjoy the tendency of these PAS threads of late to descend into discussions…

as soon as Chomsky is mentioned in a thread, the thread is officially beyond being saved

Surely you mean "copyright" not chomsky :)

The Rep. of California is the only land boarder to Baja Cali. Mx and so asserts soverignty over it.
This is done in part as a reaction to the loss of the San Diego Naval base and connection…

Yes! We have got to Chomsky. Now it's all on.

I propose an alternative to Godwin's Law: as soon as Chomsky is mentioned in a thread, the thread is officially beyond being saved.

..bombs raining on my head

Oh man! How about that Wellington weather?

Country Gio and the Fush

That quietly made my day.

The point I was making is that in the US dissent, debate and the mocking of the powers that be are the norm. In China? Not so much.

And my point was that since all this ever-so-clever mockery and all…

So? Frankly I didn't find anything in that paper that was particularly sinister, or certainly nothing to indicate they were planning to utilise their 'overseas Chinese' as a forward offensive for military invasion.

Neither did I, sorry mate, my angle wasn't clear. I was responding to Tom's suggestion that the…

I'm using the 19thC as my guide.

Oh, giant derail ahoy, but: yes. Me too. That was the bloodiest conflict in American history and (apart from a few 'south will rise again' nutbars and some separatist guys in huts in Montana) they are seriously, SERIOUSLY unlikely to want to go…

If we're going to go all 19th century, then my advice is be wary of the Prussian menace.

And the spikes on their helmets! Vicious.

Yip this is pure fantasy stuff, but with a precedent.

Also in the 19th century, the English Crown was a little worried that the French might move in on New Zealand. It was one of the reasons that the treaty got signed.

Yet "French taking over New Zealand" is about…

Texas retakes 1/2 of New Mexico and reinstigates the Confederacy (might miss out Virginia this time) or reinvents the Bible belt as a banolier of nukes.

California asserts control over the whole Colorado River and States thereof.

Go to war with each other…

The game some people are playing of "pick the best of these crappy overlords" seems rather bizarre.

Indeed. But fun. Don't make me relinquish my right to engage in pointless debate.

Somebody alerted me to this earlier this morning – Things to remember while helping Haiti. Enjoy.

We also need to help them embrace Jesus. Those naughty Haitians made a pact with the devil, back in the day, to help them overthrow the French, and things like this will just…

Country Gio and the Fush

That is brilliant. I salute you, sir.

The game some people are playing of "pick the best of these crappy overlords" seems rather bizarre.

Although I am rather enjoying the retro '60's aspect of it.

In the blue corner, Tom "Domino Theory" Semmens! Lean in close and smell the uranium on his breath!

And in the red…

Here's PCMAG article on the original topic, although nothing new I think.

And here's one on Google apologising to the Chinese Writer's Association for copyright infringement. Now that's the kind of irony I could get excited about.

Sorry if there are links to this…

If you're claiming any of that has been done by the US to their own citizens on any sort of organised scale than I think you're the one who should be supplying citations.

The game some people are playing of "pick the best of these crappy overlords" seems rather bizarre.…

individual states might choose to break off (Texas)

I don't know much in this crazy world, but I know that is *very* unlikely to happen.

Yeah, Texas is quite firmly attached. I'd look at that wobbly bit on the bottom of Florida.

You're right, certainly not the UK. But it was in the Yank's best interests to have a willing ally with this capability in the region. No joke, this kind of stuff goes on all the time. Retro-fitting Collins Class for long range missile capabilities? We have three…

individual states might choose to break off (Texas)

I don't know much in this crazy world, but I know that is *very* unlikely to happen.

Normal people don't do that kind of crap and so don't know of the other meanings.

the US might have free speech...

With free speech there is at least the possibility of public debate wrt government policy. Whether this in the end leads to a policy that you or I may find acceptable is another story.

[Tea Bags were…

This is the most depressing thought I've come across in a few months. The US are the largest global exporters of death and misery, not virtually and hypothetically but actually, at this very moment. The fact that we'll just laugh it off is a little dismaying.

The point I was…

Somebody alerted me to this earlier this morning – Things to remember while helping Haiti. Enjoy.

Holy cow, batman, that's a stinking pile of dog turd!

PS I used the word 'frankly' twice in a post! Surely there are rules against that sort of sanctimonious grandstanding. Frankly, who cares... D'oh!

Sounds like they'll do a heck of a job.

The fact that we'll just laugh it off is a little dismaying.

I don't think that's what Scott was saying, at all.

When the All Blacks play in London, we quite like our 'nationals' to go completely nuts too, and our Government supported PR campaign to this effect could be seen as subversive in this light

That mega rugby ball of ours could be seen as well sinister, yes. If a big…

I don’t subscribe to the view expressed by Tom that China is a growing military threat. Such is the complexity of the global economic system that large military conflagrations are likely to be just…

In this paper I demonstrate that the PRC's authorities make considerable efforts to win the loyalty of the overseas Chinese and to organise them in a strong and loyal ethnically con- scious and politically sympathetic pro-Beijing front of Chinese people who are concentrated outside the sovereignty of the PRC.

So?…

However. The power structure of the US is hardly socialistic either. Haliburton and Dick Cheney anyone?

Replete with military invasions.

May I refer politically-interested parties back to my post about earthquakes?

Reguardless of how well you think you've planned a future, Papatuanuku – or a malign comet – will bugger your plans, big time.

And the potting shed escaped.

Hey Sis, the potting shed is now a market garden.
Kosmik, init?

The thing I don't get is what Google want to see happen.

Perhaps, just perhaps mind you. There is one company that lives up to its motto "Don't Be Evil"
I really really want that to be true.
(* Take note of the "spice" reference, may be used in later post…

http://www.dga-ev.de/articles/Barabantseva96.pdf

and:

http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/chsliuh/New%20Migrants%20and%20Overseas%20Chinese%20Nationalism.pdf

Don't suppose you've been able to rustle up something, anything, supporting your argument that China is deliberately fostering communities of sympathetic nationalistic Chinese overseas? Honestly interested if so.

Hey Sam,

I do have some stuff on organization and fostering of these communities among overseas Chinese (I just have to find…

Yee hah.

Most of our money is spent on weaponry and operations that the public doesn't even know exists.

I cited 'clearance divers' (or frogmen) because of the few who have worked in foreign waters in submarines with these capabilities and weapons.

Not much to say other than its been going on…

Never mind the Chinese, I think we really need to worry about space aliens. They could be sneaking in here disguised as German tourists.

With modern technology, NZ could build a space force capable of defeating…

I am concerned, particularly as a citizen of a small country at the likely limited extent of China's support for a rules-based world

I think that depends who's making the rules.

but rather the wide-angle view that shows me where this action leads ("(1) go public against China; (3) win!").

The link George gives suggests, as one reason, that it may be the first step to seriously supporting a general anticensorship campaign, as in material support such as IP addresses and…

So... saying we need a national security about China, its goals and ambitions and whether or not we should think about rearming is a call to arms? Don't be stupid.

That was probably me reading too much into this:

...Time to start thinking about rearming, folks.

Don't suppose you've been…

Most of our money is spent on weaponry and operations that the public doesn't even know exists.

I cited 'clearance divers' (or frogmen) because of the few who have worked in foreign waters in submarines with these capabilities and weapons.

Not much to say other than its been going on…

Oh, but that's by John Pilger. What does he know?

Most of our money is spent on weaponry and operations that the public doesn't even know exists.

I cited 'clearance divers' (or frogmen) because of the few who have worked in foreign waters in submarines with these capabilities and weapons.

Not much to say other than its been going…

Some sections of Australia's "army" do indeed have nuclear missiles. We have had for years actually. If you were a 'clearance diver' then you'd know what I'm talking about.

Well, clearly, we're not clearance divers; so please explain what you are referring to here. Does Australia have nuclear weaponry?

China's about 9000km from NZ. The US is about 10,500km, if you don't count Hawaii which is much closer. Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines are between us and China

Interesting fact: France is closer to New Zealand than all of Australia except for Norfolk Island. 890km to New Caledonia, 465km…

Paul Buchanan, not Pat Buchanan.

LOL is me!

This is just silly.

Well, Pat Buchanan... you can't really argue with somebody like that.

Paul Buchanan, not Pat Buchanan.
:)

The implication being that we'd be better treated as people by the Chinese government than by the US. My point is that is crap.

My point is that it's your premise (and Tom's) is ridicoluos. It's not even the devil you know vs. the devil you don't. It's the devil…

Following protests and unrest which began in March in Lhasa the government originally detained over 1,000 people. Hundreds remained in detention or were unaccounted for at year’s end.

From here.

The United Nations estimates that there are about 4.5 million displaced Iraqis — more than half of them refugees --…

China is our neighbour rather than the United States.

China's about 9000km from NZ. The US is about 10,500km, if you don't count Hawaii which is much closer. Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines are between us and China while there are no major landmasses between us and the US. You…

Second point – I think China is an unreformed corrupt one party state run by people whose thinking about realpolitik is still in the mid-twentieth century.

one party with 76 million members. Keith's totally down with the reality of what's going on with the reference to the urban male with…

WHo knows ANYTHING of the future?
We hope; we make seemingly rational decisions – and it can all blat out, 10s of 1000s dead, in an earthquake instant.

I am *very leary indeed* of people setting up aggression/war scenarios…

Quite apart from the various forms of oppression they have perpretated on their own citizenry (genocide, slavery, institutional racism, the war on drugs), they have and are doing plenty to other people, including their allies.

I did say "recently" in an earlier post so you can take out genocide and…

Quite apart from the various forms of oppression they have perpretated on their own citizenry (genocide, slavery, institutional racism, the war on drugs), they have and are doing plenty to other people, including their allies.

But the point is that the US's spectacular and ongoing failure to live up to…

Second point – I think China is an unreformed corrupt one party state run by people whose thinking about realpolitik is still in the mid-twentieth century.

Reference?

Second point – I think China is an unreformed corrupt one party state run by people whose thinking about realpolitik is still in…

You still aren't answering the basic question. Why would China want to go to war with us? They are sitting on the largest pile of money in the world. If it's our resources they want, we are perfectly capable…

but rather as…

the 'Reverse Maui'

or does it mirror a classic by our own
)artist formely known as) Colon Meccano
the only thing missing is "U"...
(the cryptically titled –
Victory Over Death Star!)

...or reflect on a deeper subtext
the very Zen MAUI – I (U) AM!

If you're claiming any of that has been done by the US to their own citizens on any sort of organised scale than I think you're the one who should be supplying citations.

Quite apart from the various forms of oppression they have perpretated on their own citizenry (genocide, slavery,…

I don't want to accuse you of being a troll but that statement is covered in great dollops of wrong.
The Homeland Security act has the US tapping Citizens phones as we speak let alone looking at their eMails. Many American Muslims find themselves on the wrong side of the…

to person upstream mentioning Chinese tuna-boats, just remember that as Te Waka a Maui is towed north, you fellas come long for the ride-

Of course. Ties that bind and all that.

to person upstream mentioning Chinese tuna-boats, just remember that as Te Waka a Maui is towed north, you fellas come long for the ride-

The Homeland Security act has the US tapping Citizens phones as we speak let alone looking at their eMails.

It's worse than that. Every single internet packet that passes into the United States is intercepted and filtered. As switchboard to the world, it is able to do this with impunity,…

None of which the US has generally done to their own citizens or their allies.

[citation bloody needed]
I don't want to accuse you of being a troll but that statement is covered in great dollops of wrong.
The Homeland Security act has the US tapping Citizens phones as we…

I disagree with his assertions, but I don't think he should be slammed for asking the question in the first place.

Aw come on! He suggested one of China's weapons in this war are the immigrants that have entered the country in recent years, didn't he?

In Tom's defence. I don't think it's unreasonable or racist ask the question of whether China is a military threat. I disagree with his assertions, but I don't think he should be slammed for asking the question in the first place.

Fair enough. I think mine and a lot of…

None of which the US has generally done to their own citizens or their allies.

We had state sponsored terrorism in my country with the external aid of the CIA, actually. Not to mention the Italian nationals killed while at school or hiking in the mountains, or on board planes,…

Or aren't ridicolous, crude, stupid and racist, yes.

In Tom's defence. I don't think it's unreasonable or racist ask the question of whether China is a military threat. I disagree with his assertions, but I don't think he should be slammed for asking the question in the first place.

Much like Battlestar Galactica, in fact. Manned carrier-battles with projectile weapons in space? 1942 in space = Stupid.

Yeah, that bugged me a fair bit too. OTOH, the Adama Maneuver = Awesome!

Yeah, my bad. I thought maybe invading peoples countries, locking people up in countries that don't adhere to the west's concept of basic human rights just to torture them, imposing their concept of "Democracy" (read corporate larceny) on countries trying to escape the fear of death squads run by tyrants…

Are they evil? Are they stupid? Are they batshit-Hitler-insane? Would they care about killing tens of millions of foreigners? Would they care about losing tens of millions of Chinese? Would they care about the trillions and trillions of dollars it would cost?

In other words, does Mao Zedong still run…

First, second and third off: Why?

1) What would they gain?
You can't just take the past models of wars and assume that they'll be the same in the future – especially not World War II. It was a unique mix of ideology, geopolitics, technologies, economics…

From the Guardian:

Google moved quickly to announce that it would stop censoring its Chinese service after realising dissidents were at risk from attempts to use the company's technology for political surveillance, according to a source with direct knowledge of the internet giant's most…

the 'Reverse Maui'

If that isn't a surfing maneuvre, it should be.

It helps to have 'unspecified' threats. That way you can spend billions and billions on hardware without having to justify who you would ever have to use it against.

And yet in the 1970s Australia was quite open about the threat from Indonesia (on one hand, and on the other…

And yes, I foolishly got drawn into this, but it is hard to provide a counter argument of substance when the starting point is so lacking in credible references. 'The Death Star response', as it shall now be called (sorry, presumptuous?) seems about right.

Given that all the actual arguments…

'The Death Star response', as it shall now be called (sorry, presumptuous?) seems about right.

Between this and making Emma's top... 15 or whatever it was... I feel I need an engraved plaque. Better not have 'Made in China' on it though!

So... better weather then?

Well, the Chinese ski commandos will probably get a nice downhill run straight off the Alps into Taipei – it might get a bit melty after that, unless they drag it north into cooler latitudes in time, in which case they'll probably get another wicked ski…

Oh dear, good old PublicAddress, eh? Dissenting POV's welcome, as long as they don't actually dissent from the prevailing orthodoxy...

What George said. If you want to present a dissenting argument, then present one.

And yes, I foolishly got drawn into this, but it is hard to provide a counter…

Oh dear, good old PublicAddress, eh? Dissenting POV's welcome, as long as they don't actually dissent from the prevailing orthodoxy...

Or aren't ridicolous, crude, stupid and racist, yes. You reminded me that in Milan when Dad was a lad somebody had changed the…

This discussion is taking place because the Chinese government (allegedly) hacked the gmail accounts of political activists yet you think they'd be better overlords than the US?

Because the FBI would never do such a thing, right?

Even now they have almost finished cutting this country free from the continental shelf, after which the South Island will be towed forcibly northwest past PNG to be used as a readymade miltary land-bridge for the invasion of Taiwan.

So... better weather then?

A scientist and cunning! You're working for the Chinese aren't you? I can see your slanty eyes now.

In that case, do you think I could persuade them to give me some funding? Then, once they invade, they'd have a populace prepared to welcome them and a couple of manuscripts…

if we have to bow to some big guy I would rather bow to tha age old wisdom of China than the rabid rightiousness of America.

Really? This discussion is taking place because the Chinese government (allegedly) hacked the gmail accounts of political activists yet you think they'd be better…

Oh dear, good old PublicAddress, eh? Dissenting POV's welcome, as long as they don't actually dissent from the prevailing orthodoxy...

Tom, you've made very bold claims. If you were to give links in your original piece to evidence, then we could discuss that evidence.

There is reason to be concerned…

Those Chinese tuna trawlers, the ones sailing so innocently around our EEZ, secretly contain powerful laser drills and immense engines and towchains. Even now they have almost finished cutting this country free from…

Whaaa...you mean the whole Australian defence stance of the past fifty years has been based on a lie?

It helps to have 'unspecified' threats. That way you can spend billions and billions on hardware without having to justify who you would ever have to use it against.

Australia is [[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/danger-in-perfection/story-e6frg6z6-1225813649257|about…

I'll join in as soon as I scoff down my L&P and pork dumplings... er, I mean fush an' chups. Barbequed fush and chups. With sauce. Lots and lots of sauce. Mmm, I love that Watties tomato sauce.

... but I think 15,000,000 exporters will start to get irritated when a prospective customer Googles "Chinese mobile phone supplier" and gets no hits...

If a prospective customer has any clue at all they'll likely use Ali Baba.

I was thinking of it more as a marketing strategy – distracting people with the pony to stop them asking questions about how I solved the fusion problem. Everyone likes ponies. Just ask Craig.

A scientist and cunning! You're working for the Chinese aren't you? I can see your slanty…

If anyone suggests that Indonesia has the desire to invade anywhere I will slap them

Whaaa...you mean the whole Australian defence stance of the past fifty years has been based on a lie?

I'd get Greg Sheridan onto you if you don't take that back.

But, I suspect Tom's too…

The problem is that with the destruction of the American automotive industry there will be very few freedom loving transforming robots to stand against them.

You mean all the Japanese imports won't join together to form one freedom-loving super-robot? You're destroying my childhood dreams here!

Even if New Zealand Defence were to lose the plot and blow a couple of billion on a combat wing of fighter bombers, we couldn't hold back any country with an aircraft carrier, or Australia.

I believe it is time to reprise this advertisement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6fgZ-dbOw

It is New Zealand and not China that is still engaging in that older fashioned…

http://london.sonoma.edu/Writings/StrengthStrong/invasion.html

WARNING Will Robinson, there is a Chinaman behind the potting shed!

I have been laughing at this sentence for minutes and minutes now. The use of 'Chinaman' is just perfect. Bwah.

Please tell me how I can take this seriously?

You can't. Don't worry, the 'Tom, WTF?' moments happen to…

I was thinking of it more as a marketing strategy – distracting people with the pony to stop them asking questions about how I solved the fusion problem. Everyone likes ponies. Just ask Craig.

What's not to love about ponies? They're attractive, occupy endless hours in a relatively harmless, if…

Yes, I do happen to think China has an active policy of using migration of pro-Beijing Chinese to create reasons for interventions in other nations internal affairs.

Now I see what Pansy Wong is doing here. Really? I see you read those articles I posted then? Please tell me how…

Does the pony turn the cog on the plant to make the electricity, or do you pack the electricity on its back and deliver it at night to people's houses, kinda like a reverse nightcart?

I was thinking of it more as a marketing strategy – distracting people with the…

As an advanced, albeit small, first world nation with huge sea frontiers New Zealand is ideally placed to benefit from defensive advances in modern robot weaponry.

I just want to mark this as the point where I started laughing out loud.

modern robot

Oh cool! Is our future of neverending warfare going to use Johnny 5 from Short Circuit?

(I draw the line at that weird little kid in Small Wonder, though. That was just creepy.)

From now on I demand the phrase to be used as follows.
"Now that's what I'm Talkin' aboot" [citation needed]

Noted. Thank you Steve, you have successfully deflated my blow-up high horse.

And before you start flinging more insults, my Grandfather was with the Maori battalion during the 2nd World War, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

And my family has left dead at Gallipoli, Passchendaele, the Western Desert and in Bomber command, so what is your point?

Unlike…

Oh, like casually slagging off immigrants from China as disloyal? Yep, pretty speedy.

Yes, I do happen to think China has an active policy of using migration of pro-Beijing Chinese to create reasons for interventions in other nations internal affairs.

And if I had a working fusion plant and a…

And if I had a working fusion plant and a pony I could supply clean electricity to the entire country, too.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

If you think they are not, then you are a fool.

I think they are not. Foolish me. Or I mean, me foolish.

Won't it be great to re-instate that equal opportunity conscription policy that puts all the white, middle-class brightest young things, who see it as a privilege, in…

I am picking that as a new record speed for even Publicaddress to introduce identity politics into a foreign policy debate.

Oh, like casually slagging off immigrants from China as disloyal? Yep, pretty speedy.

With an efficient Air Force equipped with adequate modern weapons we could hold off anyone short…

(China now the third largest aid provider in the region? How bloody dare they!)

I know! I mean, it's not like upstanding, noble countries like Australia or Japan would ever offer aid in the implicit expectation of minor favours like space to dump boat people or support for whaling. That…

If we round up all the unemployed people and put them in the army, we're only looking at, what, hundred-to-one odds? Plus, the unemployment rate drops to zero!

I'm guessing that if we declare war on China all of our social indices will drop to zero. Think of the savings!…

Expect another Rocky sequel soon with a geriatric Stallone facing off against Yao Ming.

Of course, we may need some kind of island-based solution to the problem of the potentially "disloyal" NZ Chinese population. Survivor Soames, anyone?

But they're disloyal foreigners – in that situation, can we really trust them not to eat the tuatara?

Does this mean we reinstate compulsory military service?

Full employment, dude. Take that, recession!

Of course, we may need some kind of island-based solution to the problem of the potentially "disloyal" NZ Chinese population. Survivor Soames, anyone?

Time to start thinking about rearming, folks.

I'm going to have to digest that. Are you serious?

Here's some light reading which I'm going to do while I decide whether, and how to respond.

James Fallows Copenhagen Archives.

Freedom and Capitalism: Non-Violence as a Form of Warfare (Mike Bonnie, US)…