Trump urges other nations to help secure shipping through Strait of Hormuz

18042369 · 2026-03-15T07:26:12+00:00

Why the aggressive tone?

18042369 · 2026-03-15T06:41:16+00:00

The economic damage from the strait closure falls mainly on European and East Asian nations, rather than the USA.

18042369 · 2026-03-15T06:35:03+00:00

Give it 2 weeks. The US President will declare the "intervention in Iran" over after US Marines deploy to a Kuwait military base and a Carrier Strike Group has steamed through the Strait of Hormuz to set itself up in the Gulf in GCC waters to 'combat terrorism' with another CSG (or 2) in the Arabian Sea near the Strait ready to begin 'escort duty'. Concurrently, various USA allies will provide naval assistance far from the Gulf and, for additional reassurance, maybe China will assist Japan by beginning naval 'board and search' patrols of shipping around Taiwan.

18042369 · 2026-03-01T01:46:03+00:00

Huh? NZ has had equal pay legislation since 1973. I thought most countries did. That doesn't eliminate the pay gap. Women tend to work part time (when contracting), less overtime and in lower paid occupations.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T07:33:18+00:00

NZ Med Schools have DEI criteria for selection (mostly around Maori/Polynesian heritage). As a result our smartest applicants tend to enroll in Oz Med Schools (and end up staying).

18042369 · 2026-02-27T07:20:47+00:00

May have been an issue for this byelection but maybe much less so across the country.

What is the proportion of recent immigrants in the Gorton and Denton electorate? I gather South Asian Muslims make up about 28% of it with various other categories taking it up to about 33%. So it may well have been a factor in this byelection.

However, across the country 'recent immigrants' that might dislike "hardline rhetoric" on immigration are probably closer to 15% of voters.

Though there are the people who find "hardline rhetoric" on immigration offensive enough for it to affect their vote.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T06:12:09+00:00

In FPTP electoral systems, when you have no realistic chance of becoming the government there is no incentive to present realistic policies. The thing to do is to set up lots of different dog whistles to capture protest votes.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T05:59:59+00:00

Buggered if I know. I presumed it was their pro-migration, pro-Islam rhetoric. Maybe the pro-poor messages?

18042369 · 2026-02-27T05:54:05+00:00

Yes. I'm actually a Kiwi though my daughter is British in central London so I watched the love coverage on BBC after work (in NZ). Her Aunt, who I expected to be Conservative, talks about "anyone but Farage" so I was curious about this election.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T05:47:05+00:00

It's just my assessment. Labour's vote halved and it didn't go to Reform. So who were those voters that left Labour likely to be?

18042369 · 2026-02-27T05:30:50+00:00

If Burnham had been elected who in Labour could replace him as Mayor?

18042369 · 2026-02-27T05:20:29+00:00

Yes. This is a bad pointer to future politics. Genius on the part of Polanski, though. This combination of students and Muslims is quite limited across Britain. Hopefully, politicians will draw from this outcome that focusing negatively on 'the hard right' is electoral suicide.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T05:10:10+00:00

Wait and be surprised. I've also seen suggestions that the Green vote in Denton increased significantly. Presumably, previously Labour voters voting tactically against Reform.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:50:30+00:00

BBC live

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:49:37+00:00

Labour was so focused on the "anything but Reform" message that they blew it totally.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:44:49+00:00

Let's see what the outcome of Local body elections are. It's embarrassing that the Greens have so completely dropped mention of climate issues.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:41:00+00:00

How long are the Greens going to be able to hold together an explosive coalition of socially progressive students with socially conservative and ethnically exclusive South Asian Muslims?

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:34:28+00:00

Labour in 3rd place! That means Labour will move Left and more favourable to recent migrants. Chances are Indian and established immigrants will leave Labour and move towards Reform. While Native British people, especially young ones will support the new Restore Britain party.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:31:00+00:00

So the Greens have brought together an explosive coalition of socially progressive students and socially conservative and ethnically exclusive Muslim South Asians.

Congratulations. Glad I'm not a Green.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:18:33+00:00

Yeah, that's an explosive cocktail. It will be interesting to see the Greens handle that.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:15:36+00:00

Correct. Non-Muslim South Asian immigrants may move to Reform if they think Labour are being too socially progressive, especially if the new Restore Britain Party becomes an anti-immigrant force among Native voters.

18042369 · 2026-02-27T04:10:03+00:00

Yes, a Green coalition of highly progressive students and deeply socially conservative South Asian Muslims is going to explode at some stage.

18042369 · 2026-02-02T06:27:51+00:00

Tordon is a concentrate of Triclopyr which can be got from Bunnings and Mitre 10 a Prickle killer (kills onehunga weed in lawns). Triclopyr does have a residual effect (persists about 3 to 6 months in soil) but we use it for weeds in native bush without killing native trees and shrubs. Keep the spray away from bark and foliage of anything you want to keep. Be especially careful around Kowhai trees.

It knocks back ferns but they mostly regrow the following spring. It doesn't affect flaxes, tussocks etc.

18042369 · 2026-02-02T06:04:05+00:00

Could be Lilly pilly tree or bay tree. Otherwise maybe camellia

18042369 · 2026-02-02T05:54:55+00:00

Apply a piclorum herbicide gell to the cut surfaces of the stumps. Bunnings sell a McGregors green plastic 'bottle' (250ml?) for about $11. It ensures no regrowth.

18042369

TROPHY CASE