thedailyblog--2020-03-27--Life in Lock Down: Day 1

Life in Lock Down: Day 1

Day one of the Level 4 nationwide lock-down ( or , DefCon 4 as I sometimes cheekily call it ) started at 11.59PM on 25 March .
For a moment , most of the nation held it ’ s collective breath .
In that brief moment , as the countdown moved to one minute to midnight , everything changed .
Those of us not doing a graveyard shift went to bed knowing that tomorrow morning we would be waking up into a changed world .
We were not to be disappointed .
Just after 9AM , I left the house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work satchel containing – amongst other things – a letter from my employer identifying my role in the health sector ; and most important , my third coffee for the day .
Jump into the car and crawl out of the driveway .
Driving past the normally packed Park & Ride carpark , there is only one car sitting alone in a large barren expanse of bitumen .
On the motorway , the traffic was almost non-existent .
At any moment there were no more than three or four cars travelling either in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the neanderthal moron who – on a near-deserted highway – decided to tailgate me for several kilometres .
Note to the driver of silver Toyota Van ELJ368 , the cloth/paper facemask you wore whilst driving a few metres behind me at 100ks won ’ t help you much if I suddenly have to brake .
Dick .
Despite the supposed order to stay at home , two bicycle riders along SH2 and a lone middle aged male walking along the harbour-side of the motorway , obviously decided that the global emergency did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an indication of things to come , unfortunately .
The entire trip took half the time it normally did .
The Terrace Tunnel was empty bar a couple of on-coming vehicles .
And then , Wellington City .
Unnervingly near empty streets .
I was thankful for the few cars and pedestrians who were present .
Total emptiness would have been too much and I would lost it .
Vivian Street , looking back towards the Terrace Tunnel , Even more deserted at Kilbirnie Pak N Save – and nary a toilet paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kilbirnie .
Singing , “ Where have all the shoppers gone , long since bought up large… ” Newtown , Constable Street , looking east toward the airport , Looking south , toward the Zoo , These guys got the memo on social distancing , Another jogger who thought lock-down obviously translated to “ time-for-a-run-because-this-shit-don ’ t-apply-to-me ” , At around 10.30AM it suddenly dawned on me… I had seen joggers , bicyclists , a couple of skateboarders and random individuals and couples out and about .
There were a few cars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camper vans ( who were on the move to carry on their holidays ?
More on that shortly . )
Not a single police constable or vehicle until the first policecar was seen turning a corner into Cambridge Terrace .
Despite the above two images showing an apparently deserted street , there were people strolling along .
“ Stay at home ” ?
Not likely .
And for the most part , when passing each other , the two metre distancing rule was not followed .
Lambton Quay , looking south .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with traffic , buses , office workers , and consumer-citizens on their holy mission to Shop .
Today , it was a scene from ‘ The Quiet Earth ‘ with only Bruno Lawrence in his white negligee missing-in-action , Looking north , a lone bus was on a forlorn search for passengers , As I took the above image , there was something else I began to notice .
Parked on either side of the road ; cars .
And in the side streets from Lambton Quay , Why so many cars ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ city apartment dwellers – and not office workers sneakily coming in to work , ignoring the lock down .
If people are sneak-working , their unmitigated selfishness is endangering the entire country , economy , and other workers ’ jobs .
And then there were these two muppets in their campervans .
All campers/travellers have been ordered to stay put .
But obviously the entire country can go get f****d , because by Thor these self-entitled morons were determined not to let a global pandemic and the deaths of thousands of people interfere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If either one of these camper vans contained a person with covid19 , they will be spreading the disease along their travels .
Every place they stop , they could potentially spread infection , Or maybe they have immunity to covid19 ?
I want me some of that !
Just before mid-day , I park up on another near-deserted street in Johnsonville .
Lunch is pre-made ; left-over cold pork slices on Roggenbrot Rye , with picked figs from my tree .
No coffee… I stare at my empty coffee cup longingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I stay in my car ; a cocoon of steel and glass , ( hopefully ) impenetrable to the virus .
Unless the virus has mutated to penetrate through glass and metal , I ’ m safe .
I listen to RNZ ; a story of a widow who will be spared the ugly spectacle of the trial of the Christchurch terrorist ( whose name shall not be mentioned ) .
Grim… and still hard to comprehend that one demented individual could destroy so many lives .
And still no cops to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see a police vehicle slowly crawl into the Mall carpark and park .
Three constables alight and disappear into a nearby store , They enter a shop that was open to the public .
Snatches of conversation indicate they were questioning the store owner .
The store owner could be heard explaining that MPI had given them permission to open , The store is a ‘ specialist ’ retailer stocking imported grocery items ( store name deleted to deter possible harassment ) .
It does have a considerable range of goods ( far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! )
and probably constitutes a ‘ superette ’ not dissimilar to a ‘ Four Square ‘ .
The sign at the entry stipulates one customer to enter at any given time , Tough call .
The police seem satisfied and leave .
Some cynics may question if police have “ nothing better to do than harass law-abiding shop-keepers ” .
We are living in perilous times and if we don ’ t all act in unison , then we – as a thinking , rational ( *cough* ) species – will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t even aware of itself or us .
The more some people “ piss ” around , the longer this goes on .
After the shenanigans from The Warehouse , and other businesses “ trying it on ” , the role of the Police will be vital to prevent the lock-down turning into a massive , leaking sieve .
Otherwise , this ; Few people I saw out and about could have reasonable excuses .
Certainly not grocery shopping .
( The lack of groceries ; grocery bags , or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Those who were out jogging , biking , strolling casually through the streets of Wellington were indulging their whims at the expense of others .
The longer some people treat this lock-down as a holiday for recreational activities , the longer the virus circulates through the country and the longer the state of emergency will last .
What do we need to drive this home ?
Dead bodies ?
No problem ; the virus will eventually oblige us .
And throughout all this , police presence was minimal .
During my drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Miramar and then to Johnsonville , I spotted one police vehicle turning into Kent Terrace ; one Police “ paddy-wagon ” turning from Harris Street in to Jervois Quay at about 11AM ; a parked ( empty ) police car near the Police National HQ , and finally the police action in Johnsonville .
If this lock down is not to collapse into a dangerous farce , with foolish people treating it like an impromptu holiday , the Police need to “ up their game ” .
Their presence must be felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the lock-down .
Jobs , our economy , and lives are riding on this .
The public are the ones meant to be on “ lock-down ” , not the New Zealand Police .
“ You can go for a walk or a bike ride around your neighbourhood to get some exercise .
You can go out to get essentials like food .
But stay away from other people .
No stopping to chat – even if you are two metres away from each other .
Just give a wave and keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on surfaces for up to three days , don ’ t take your kids to the playground .
Stay at home.
” – Siouxsie Wiles , 26 March 2020 Note : The author works in the wider Health sector and is part of an essential service ; with specific clients to attend to .
During the weekend , the author will be on lock down at home .
Democracy Now : Madrid ’ s Ice Rink Turned to Morgue as Spain Exceeds China in Coronavirus Deaths RNZ : Widow - “ I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit through a trial ” The Spinoff : Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris – You ’ re waking up in lockdown New Zealand .
Here ’ s how it works The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus This blogpost will be re-published in five days on “ Frankly Speaking “ .
Reader ’ s comments may be left here ( The Daily Blog ) or there ( Frankly Speaking ) .

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Lock Down: Day 1 – A photo essay with observations
.
Day one of the Level 4 nationwide lock-down (or, DefCon 4 as I sometimes cheekily call it) started at 11.59PM on 25 March. For a moment, most of the nation held it’s collective breath. In that brief moment, as the countdown moved to one minute to midnight, everything changed.
Those of us not doing a graveyard shift went to bed knowing that tomorrow morning we would be waking up into a changed world.
We were not to be disappointed.
Just after 9AM, I left the house. Carrying my packed lunch; my work satchel containing – amongst other things – a letter from my employer identifying my role in the health sector; and most important, my third coffee for the day. Jump into the car and crawl out of the driveway. Driving past the normally packed Park & Ride carpark, there is only one car sitting alone in a large barren expanse of bitumen.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
On the motorway, the traffic was almost non-existent. At any moment there were no more than three or four cars travelling either in my direction or on-coming.
Most jarring was the neanderthal moron who – on a near-deserted highway – decided to tailgate me for several kilometres. Note to the driver of silver Toyota Van ELJ368, the cloth/paper facemask you wore whilst driving a few metres behind me at 100ks won’t help you much if I suddenly have to brake. Dick.
Despite the supposed order to stay at home, two bicycle riders along SH2 and a lone middle aged male walking along the harbour-side of the motorway, obviously decided that the global emergency did not apply to them. It was an indication of things to come, unfortunately.
The entire trip took half the time it normally did. The Terrace Tunnel was empty bar a couple of on-coming vehicles.
And then, Wellington City. Unnervingly near empty streets. I was thankful for the few cars and pedestrians who were present. Total emptiness would have been too much and I would lost it.
Victoria Street, looking north;
.
.
Looking south,
.
.
Cuba Street, looking north,
.
.
Vivian Street, looking back towards the Terrace Tunnel,
.
.
Taranaki Street, looking north,
.
.
Looking south,
.
.
New World in Miramar – embarrassingly plentiful carparking,
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Even more deserted at Kilbirnie Pak N Save – and nary a toilet paper hoarder in sight,
.
.
Likewise Countdown in Kilbirnie. Singing, “Where have all the shoppers gone, long since bought up large…”
.
.
Who’s feeling silly now, I wonder?
Onepu Road, looking south,
.
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Looking north, toward Wellington CBD,
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Newtown, Constable Street, looking east toward the airport,
.
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Adelaide Road, looking north toward Wellington CBD,
.
.
Looking south, toward the Zoo,
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These guys got the memo on social distancing,
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Another jogger who thought lock-down obviously translated to “time-for-a-run-because-this-shit-don’t-apply-to-me”,
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Adelaide Road toward the Basin Reserve,
.
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Kent and Cambridge Terraces, looking north,
.
.
At around 10.30AM it suddenly dawned on me…
I had seen joggers, bicyclists, a couple of skateboarders and random individuals and couples out and about. There were a few cars, vans, and even a couple of camper vans (who were on the move to carry on their holidays? More on that shortly.)
But no police.
Not a single police constable or vehicle until the first policecar was seen turning a corner into Cambridge Terrace.
Courtney Place, looking east,
.
.
And west,
.
.
Despite the above two images showing an apparently deserted street, there were people strolling along. “Stay at home”? Not likely. And for the most part, when passing each other, the two metre distancing rule was not followed.
Lambton Quay, looking south. The “Golden Mile” is normally jam-packed with traffic, buses, office workers, and consumer-citizens on their holy mission to Shop. Today, it was a scene from ‘The Quiet Earth‘ with only Bruno Lawrence in his white negligee missing-in-action,
.
.
Looking north, a lone bus was on a forlorn search for passengers,
.
.
As I took the above image, there was something else I began to notice. Parked on either side of the road; cars.
And in the side streets from Lambton Quay,
.
.
Why so many cars?
I hoped that they were from inner city apartment dwellers – and not office workers sneakily coming in to work, ignoring the lock down. If people are sneak-working, their unmitigated selfishness is endangering the entire country, economy, and other workers’ jobs.
And then there were these two muppets in their campervans. All campers/travellers have been ordered to stay put. But obviously the entire country can go get f****d, because by Thor these self-entitled morons were determined not to let a global pandemic and the deaths of thousands of people interfere with their jolly nice time in Aotearoa.
If either one of these camper vans contained a person with covid19, they will be spreading the disease along their travels. Every place they stop, they could potentially spread infection,
.
.
.
Or maybe they have immunity to covid19? I want me some of that!
Just before mid-day, I park up on another near-deserted street in Johnsonville. Lunch is pre-made; left-over cold pork slices on Roggenbrot Rye, with picked figs from my tree. No coffee… I stare at my empty coffee cup longingly. I think Churchillian thoughts of self-sacrifice…
I stay in my car; a cocoon of steel and glass, (hopefully) impenetrable to the virus. Unless the virus has mutated to penetrate through glass and metal, I’m safe. I listen to RNZ; a story of a widow who will be spared the ugly spectacle of the trial of the Christchurch terrorist (whose name shall not be mentioned). Grim… and still hard to comprehend that one demented individual could destroy so many lives.
And still no cops to be seen.
Until – Johnsonville. I see a police vehicle slowly crawl into the Mall carpark and park. Three constables alight and disappear into a nearby store,
.
.
They enter a shop that was open to the public. Snatches of conversation indicate they were questioning the store owner. The store owner could be heard explaining that MPI had given them permission to open,
.
.
The store is a ‘specialist’ retailer stocking imported grocery items (store name deleted to deter possible harassment). It does have a considerable range of goods (far wider than The Warehouse, for sure!) and probably constitutes a ‘superette’ not dissimilar to a ‘Four Square‘. The sign at the entry stipulates one customer to enter at any given time,
.
.
Tough call. The police seem satisfied and leave. Some cynics may question if police have “nothing better to do than harass law-abiding shop-keepers”.
Screw that.
We are living in perilous times and if we don’t all act in unison, then we – as a thinking, rational (*cough*) species – will be defeated by a microsopic mindless organism that isn’t even aware of itself or us. The more some people “piss” around, the longer this goes on.
After the shenanigans from The Warehouse, and other businesses “trying it on”, the role of the Police will be vital to prevent the lock-down turning into a massive, leaking sieve. Otherwise, this;
.
.
Few people I saw out and about could have reasonable excuses. Certainly not grocery shopping. (The lack of groceries; grocery bags, or a near-by supermarket kinda gave it away.)
Those who were out jogging, biking, strolling casually through the streets of Wellington were indulging their whims at the expense of others. The longer some people treat this lock-down as a holiday for recreational activities, the longer the virus circulates through the country and the longer the state of emergency will last.
What do we need to drive this home? Dead bodies? No problem; the virus will eventually oblige us.
And throughout all this, police presence was minimal. During my drive from the Hutt Valley to a client in Miramar and then to Johnsonville, I spotted one police vehicle turning into Kent Terrace; one Police “paddy-wagon” turning from Harris Street in to Jervois Quay at about 11AM; a parked (empty) police car near the Police National HQ, and finally the police action in Johnsonville.
If this lock down is not to collapse into a dangerous farce, with foolish people treating it like an impromptu holiday, the Police need to “up their game”. Their presence must be felt if they are serious in deterring flouters of the lock-down. Jobs, our economy, and lives are riding on this.
The public are the ones meant to be on “lock-down”, not the New Zealand Police.
.
“You can go for a walk or a bike ride around your neighbourhood to get some exercise. You can go out to get essentials like food. But stay away from other people. No stopping to chat – even if you are two metres away from each other. Just give a wave and keep moving. Because the virus can live on surfaces for up to three days, don’t take your kids to the playground. Stay at home.” – Siouxsie Wiles, 26 March 2020
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.
Note: The author works in the wider Health sector and is part of an essential service; with specific clients to attend to. During the weekend, the author will be on lock down at home.
.
.
.
References
Democracy Now: Madrid’s Ice Rink Turned to Morgue as Spain Exceeds China in Coronavirus Deaths
RNZ: Widow -“I am relieved we won’t have to sit through a trial”
The Spinoff: Siouxsie Wiles & Toby Morris – You’re waking up in lockdown New Zealand. Here’s how it works
Previous related blogposts
The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus
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Acknowledgement: Rod Emmerson
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This blogpost will be re-published on “Frankly Speaking“. Reader’s comments may be left here (The Daily Blog) or there (Frankly Speaking).
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= fs =


thedailyblog--2020-03-26--How Do You Feel? What Do You Think?

How Do You Feel? What Do You Think?

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS under the Lockdown will be played out in two locations .
The Beehive : where Jacinda Ardern and her key ministers and advisers will oversee the national effort to eradicate the Covid-19 virus .
Parliament Buildings : where the Epidemic Response Committee , chaired by Simon Bridges , will hold the Prime Minister , her government , and the country ’ s leading public servants to account .
Live broadcasts of government announcements and committee deliberations look set to provide New Zealanders with some of the most dramatic political performances of the Covid-19 drama .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beating heart of our democracy .
It didn ’ t have to be like this .
Another Prime Minister , another Government , would have dared the Opposition to withhold its support from a State of Emergency declaration and put it before the House of Representatives regardless – relying on its majority to carry the day .
The Government ’ s political surrogates would have denounced viciously any Opposition party foolish enough to abstain or , worse still , vote “ No.
” In a crisis as serious as New Zealand ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-co-operation couldn ’ t help but marginalise – even demonise – an obstinate Opposition .
A more Machiavellian Prime Minister would have found it impossible to resist the temptation to manoeuvre his or her principal adversaries out of electoral contention , or , failing that , out of the public eye ( which amounts to the same thing ) in this way .
But not this Prime Minister .
Understanding that any marginalisation of her opponents ; any diminishing of accountability ; would remove the incentive to carry out her duties openly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bridges ’ scrutiny .
Secrecy not only encourages incompetence and failure , but it also allows them to remain hidden .
It is a powerful testament to the Prime Minister ’ s personal determination to bring the New Zealand people safely through this crisis that she has refused the protection which secrecy and exclusion provide .
The better Bridges does – and is seen to do – the more Jacinda will have to lift her game .
The onus now falls upon her colleagues and her officials to look after the PM by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only fair to acknowledge , however , that there is an element of benign Machiavellianism in giving Simon Bridges the starring role in the Epidemic Response Committee drama .
If he does his job responsibly and well , then Jacinda ’ s performance will improve .
But , if he performs irresponsibly and badly : if he can not resist the siren song of reckless negativity ; if he simply can not live with the thought that a consistent display of moderation and competence on his part will only enhance Jacinda ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn to the Dark Side of the political Force – and the whole country will be watching .
Which can only mean that we , the voters , are winners too .
Because even in the midst of this unprecedented public health emergency , and the economic crisis it has spawned , the logic of representative democracy continues to play itself out .
Under extraordinary pressure , the leader of the Government and the leader of the Opposition will each show us what they are made of .
Have they been blessed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , toughness , empathy and humour – and in what measure ?
More importantly , to what extent have they been infused with that sacred fire the Ancient Greeks called charisma ?
Which of New Zealand ’ s prime ministerial contenders , the incumbent or the challenger , shows the most signs of Fortune ’ s favour ?
The answer is located not only in the minds of New Zealand ’ s voters , but in their guts .
As always , in the rough and tumble of democracy , political outcomes owe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel , as to what we think .
So , one day into Lockdown , how are you feeling ?
What do you think ?

NEW ZEALAND POLITICS under the Lockdown will be played out in two locations. The Beehive: where Jacinda Ardern and her key ministers and advisers will oversee the national effort to eradicate the Covid-19 virus. Parliament Buildings: where the Epidemic Response Committee, chaired by Simon Bridges, will hold the Prime Minister, her government, and the country’s leading public servants to account. Live broadcasts of government announcements and committee deliberations look set to provide New Zealanders with some of the most dramatic political performances of the Covid-19 drama. While the Lockdown lasts, these exchanges will constitute the beating heart of our democracy.
It didn’t have to be like this. Another Prime Minister, another Government, would have dared the Opposition to withhold its support from a State of Emergency declaration and put it before the House of Representatives regardless – relying on its majority to carry the day. The Government’s political surrogates would have denounced viciously any Opposition party foolish enough to abstain or, worse still, vote “No.” In a crisis as serious as New Zealand’s Covid-19 epidemic, any suggestion of non-co-operation couldn’t help but marginalise – even demonise – an obstinate Opposition. A more Machiavellian Prime Minister would have found it impossible to resist the temptation to manoeuvre his or her principal adversaries out of electoral contention, or, failing that, out of the public eye (which amounts to the same thing) in this way.
But not this Prime Minister. Understanding that any marginalisation of her opponents; any diminishing of accountability; would remove the incentive to carry out her duties openly and effectively, Jacinda deliberately subjected herself to Bridges’ scrutiny.
Secrecy not only encourages incompetence and failure, but it also allows them to remain hidden. It is a powerful testament to the Prime Minister’s personal determination to bring the New Zealand people safely through this crisis that she has refused the protection which secrecy and exclusion provide. The better Bridges does – and is seen to do – the more Jacinda will have to lift her game.
The onus now falls upon her colleagues and her officials to look after the PM by not stuffing things up!
It is only fair to acknowledge, however, that there is an element of benign Machiavellianism in giving Simon Bridges the starring role in the Epidemic Response Committee drama. If he does his job responsibly and well, then Jacinda’s performance will improve.
Win.
But, if he performs irresponsibly and badly: if he cannot resist the siren song of reckless negativity; if he simply cannot live with the thought that a consistent display of moderation and competence on his part will only enhance Jacinda’s prime-ministerial performance; then he will be drawn to the Dark Side of the political Force – and the whole country will be watching.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
Win-Win.
Which can only mean that we, the voters, are winners too. Because even in the midst of this unprecedented public health emergency, and the economic crisis it has spawned, the logic of representative democracy continues to play itself out. Under extraordinary pressure, the leader of the Government and the leader of the Opposition will each show us what they are made of. Have they been blessed with intelligence, grace, wit, poise, toughness, empathy and humour – and in what measure? More importantly, to what extent have they been infused with that sacred fire the Ancient Greeks called charisma? Which of New Zealand’s prime ministerial contenders, the incumbent or the challenger, shows the most signs of Fortune’s favour?
The answer is located not only in the minds of New Zealand’s voters, but in their guts. As always, in the rough and tumble of democracy, political outcomes owe at least as much to how we feel, as to what we think.
So, one day into Lockdown, how are you feeling? What do you think?


thedailyblog--2020-03-26--Dr Liz Gordon: Mr No-Name pleads guilty

Dr Liz Gordon: Mr No-Name pleads guilty

So ‘ he who will not be named ’ had pleaded guilty and will not face a trial .
Those involved are very relieved but also very slightly cheated .
But he would have been mad to testify , so really there is little they missed out on .
Legally , the main ‘ unresolved ’ issue relates to the charge of terrorism .
Obviously , as everyone on this blog knows , the state charge of terrorism is fraught with difficulties .
What is an act of violence and what is an act of terror ?
In pleading guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is guilty of a terror event .
To an extent , that makes it ‘ made ’ law that shooting down people in cold blood because of their religious beliefs is a terror event in Aotearoa .
But the guilty plea makes it impossible for the law to refine that finding with judge-made commentary and so on .
In future , it might make the use of the terrorism charge more likely .
This is the second time that a trial has failed to properly consider the terrorism laws – the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case of the Ruatoki group .
At the time , it was noted that the law was impossibly complex and difficult to apply .
I have never really understood the view that a guilty decision , by plea or jury , gives closure to the victims .
It is a poor kind of closure , really .
When my grandson ’ s killers were found guilty of murder , all I could think was what a waste of fine young men who , lost to drug addiction , spread it like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own souls in the doing .
I just felt sad .
In the case of Mr No-name , he became passionate about killing Muslims by reading well-circulated NAZI-style propaganda online .
How he was ‘ recruited ’ , how many others there are like him and whether we expect this to happen again , are all unanswered questions .
The trial would not have answered them .
It is probably best for all that he pleaded guilty .
But it is very urgent that someone does the research needed into whether ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ) it is likely that such an event may happen here again , and also how to avoid it .
A good ‘ bubble ’ activity for an off-work researcher perhaps ?
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister , with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society .
She usually blogs on justice , social welfare and education topics .

So ‘he who will not be named’ had pleaded guilty and will not face a trial. Those involved are very relieved but also very slightly cheated. But he would have been mad to testify, so really there is little they missed out on.
Legally, the main ‘unresolved’ issue relates to the charge of terrorism. Obviously, as everyone on this blog knows, the state charge of terrorism is fraught with difficulties. What is an act of violence and what is an act of terror?
In pleading guilty, the unnamed man had admitted that he is guilty of a terror event. To an extent, that makes it ‘made’ law that shooting down people in cold blood because of their religious beliefs is a terror event in Aotearoa.
But the guilty plea makes it impossible for the law to refine that finding with judge-made commentary and so on. In future, it might make the use of the terrorism charge more likely. This is the second time that a trial has failed to properly consider the terrorism laws – the first was when the terror charge was dropped in the case of the Ruatoki group. At the time, it was noted that the law was impossibly complex and difficult to apply.
I have never really understood the view that a guilty decision, by plea or jury, gives closure to the victims. It is a poor kind of closure, really. When my grandson’s killers were found guilty of murder, all I could think was what a waste of fine young men who, lost to drug addiction, spread it like a virus through the nation and lost their own souls in the doing. I just felt sad.
In the case of Mr No-name, he became passionate about killing Muslims by reading well-circulated NAZI-style propaganda online. How he was ‘recruited’, how many others there are like him and whether we expect this to happen again, are all unanswered questions. The trial would not have answered them.
It is probably best for all that he pleaded guilty. But it is very urgent that someone does the research needed into whether (if we all survive the next few weeks) it is likely that such an event may happen here again, and also how to avoid it. A good ‘bubble’ activity for an off-work researcher perhaps?
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister, with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society. She usually blogs on justice, social welfare and education topics.


thedailyblog--2020-03-26--Action for Planet Earth – input sought for a draft global call

With the COVID-19 pandemic now forcefully reminding the human family of our closeness , connectivity and interdependence , the Palestinian scientist and author , Mazin Qumsiyeh , has issued an appeal to the world .
Mazin is the Director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History and a prominent environmentalist .
Below is Mazin ’ s call and we all strongly urge readers to engage in and contribute to the urgently-needed creation of a kinder , more rational world : A ( draft ) global call from Palestine Action for the Planet [ Please email us private feedback and/or if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Also posted at https : //popular-resistance.blogspot.com/2020/03/global-call.html where you can leave public comments/criticism etc . ]
World War Two transformed our planet in ways not foreseen before , including creating instruments like the United Nations ostensibly to stop wars and conflict and encourage co-operation across borders .
Yet , we have had many wars and economic blockades and inequality that killed tens of millions of people since 1945 .
A large part of this had to do with the flawed system created : ■ the dominance of five nations at the UN , ■ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same as our challenges decades later , and ■ the hegemony of the United States thought to be more benevolent than others as a policeman of the world ( including the use of the US dollar in global trade and reserve currency even after the US dropped the Bretton Woods agreement in 1971 ) .
The IMF and World Bank instruments also drifted to become tools of hegemony and control .
This system , whether one thinks it worked for a while or not , is clearly unsustainable in the 2020s and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change and pandemics .
The COVID-19 crisis showed clearly that we can not continue in this system of supposed “ growth ” in certain national economies via rampant uncontrolled capitalism and hegemony of rich individuals or corporations who can and do usurp democracy via mass media .
The rich thus got richer and the poor poorer even in supposed rich countries .
This old system is threatening our collective survival as a species and has a direct negative impact on our planet .
The global climate crisis and increased frequency of pandemics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a new global system of sustainable human and natural communities .
To do this , we humans of all backgrounds , living throughout this planet must work together to create new paradigms and systems .
We collectively make this urgent call to restructure , not just to face this COVID-19 crisis , but to face climate change and future global challenges .
Boldly , we demand and will work towards these objectives : 1 ) This programme , when developed with the widest participation of professionals and the general public , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Goals and other conventions such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights having the aim of sustainability and survival of our species and our fragile ecosystems .
2 ) Measuring development by GDP or the averaged PPP ( GDP per person averaged at a national level ) is a misleading approach and ignores human needs .
We demand that governments do not burden future generations with debt and illusion of growth that is profiting few at the expense of the many .
The earth has plenty of resources and production to keep all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we reset our priorities towards : social services ( elderly , those in need ) , agriculture ( especially permaculture ) , health , education and research ( technological advances that help sustainability ) .
Currently much of the world ’ s economy is spent on the military , wars , and a “ security ” in general ( increasingly militarised police ) and much unneeded infrastructure that destroys our planet .
Even a small fraction of what a country like the US spends annually on military would be enough to cure hunger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is properly ( food ) “ security ” .
3 ) We must abandon our consumerist ways by living simply and humbly and reducing our footprints on this earth .
We aim for zero-waste , for using renewable energy , for growing our own food in our own communities , and for cleaner , and healthier environment for all of us ( humans , fauna , flora ) .
4 ) We can choose to respond to crises without giving up on our liberties .
History has shown that national authorities remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return them in full .
To address this , citizens must vote directly on certain issues and all measures must expire and , if need be , renewed in reasonable dates via vote of citizens .
5 ) Nationalism as a political organisational structure has run its course and , like other systems before it ( city-states , kingdoms and empires ) must now evolve into a new system to face new realities of global threats .
The nature of a new system needs significant thinking , but it is clear that to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change and pandemics ) we have to have both local empowerment and global systems of joint struggle and solidarity .
A corollary of this is that certain natural resources like the Amazon rainforest and oceans must be protected as a planetary resource , and not left to the whims of national systems that can shift quickly for greed and imperialism .
Thus , we must strengthen local communities , particularly native people .
Corollary is that we must limit national authority and create new systems that challenge colonialism , racism , sexism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recycle , Refuse Refuse .
Reduce our use of water ( e.g .
via compost toilets , proper water management , etc ) and of material and supplies ( living humbly ) .
Reduce solid wastes , plastics , and fossil fuels ( towards final elimination ) .
Recycle what can not be eliminated .
But most significantly refuse the urge to shop ( consumerism ) .
9 ) Reconnect to nature and learn from it .
Ecosystem balance must be restored and we humans must recognise ourselves as part of nature and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

With the COVID-19 pandemic now forcefully reminding the human family of our closeness, connectivity and interdependence, the Palestinian scientist and author, Mazin Qumsiyeh, has issued an appeal to the world. Mazin is the Director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History and a prominent environmentalist. Below is Mazin’s call and we all strongly urge readers to engage in and contribute to the urgently-needed creation of a kinder, more rational world:
A (draft) global call from Palestine Action for the Planet
[Please email us private feedback and/or if you like to help info@palestinenature.org
Also posted at https://popular-resistance.blogspot.com/2020/03/global-call.html where you can leave public comments/criticism etc.]
World War Two transformed our planet in ways not foreseen before, including creating instruments like the United Nations ostensibly to stop wars and conflict and encourage co-operation across borders. Yet, we have had many wars and economic blockades and inequality that killed tens of millions of people since 1945. A large part of this had to do with the flawed system created:
■ the dominance of five nations at the UN,
■ the presumption that challenges in 1945 are the same as our challenges decades later, and
■ the hegemony of the United States thought to be more benevolent than others as a policeman of the world (including the use of the US dollar in global trade and reserve currency even after the US dropped the Bretton Woods agreement in 1971). The IMF and World Bank instruments also drifted to become tools of hegemony and control.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
This system, whether one thinks it worked for a while or not, is clearly unsustainable in the 2020s and beyond – era of global challenges like climate change and pandemics. The COVID-19 crisis showed clearly that we cannot continue in this system of supposed “growth” in certain national economies via rampant uncontrolled capitalism and hegemony of rich individuals or corporations who can and do usurp democracy via mass media. The rich thus got richer and the poor poorer even in supposed rich countries. This old system is threatening our collective survival as a species and has a direct negative impact on our planet. The global climate crisis and increased frequency of pandemics in an interconnected world highlight the need for a new global system of sustainable human and natural communities. To do this, we humans of all backgrounds, living throughout this planet must work together to create new paradigms and systems. We collectively make this urgent call to restructure, not just to face this COVID-19 crisis, but to face climate change and future global challenges.
Boldly, we demand and will work towards these objectives:
1) This programme, when developed with the widest participation of professionals and the general public, will build on the excellent UN Sustainable Development Goals and other conventions such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights having the aim of sustainability and survival of our species and our fragile ecosystems.
2) Measuring development by GDP or the averaged PPP (GDP per person averaged at a national level) is a misleading approach and ignores human needs. We demand that governments do not burden future generations with debt and illusion of growth that is profiting few at the expense of the many. The earth has plenty of resources and production to keep all of us healthy and well fed when we reset our priorities towards: social services (elderly, those in need), agriculture (especially permaculture), health, education and research (technological advances that help sustainability). Currently much of the world’s economy is spent on the military, wars, and a “security” in general (increasingly militarised police) and much unneeded infrastructure that destroys our planet. Even a small fraction of what a country like the US spends annually on military would be enough to cure hunger that kills tens of thousands every year that is properly (food) “security”.
3) We must abandon our consumerist ways by living simply and humbly and reducing our footprints on this earth. We aim for zero-waste, for using renewable energy, for growing our own food in our own communities, and for cleaner, and healthier environment for all of us (humans, fauna, flora).
4) We can choose to respond to crises without giving up on our liberties. History has shown that national authorities remove our liberties in crises and they rarely return them in full. To address this, citizens must vote directly on certain issues and all measures must expire and, if need be, renewed in reasonable dates via vote of citizens.
5) Nationalism as a political organisational structure has run its course and, like other systems before it (city-states, kingdoms and empires) must now evolve into a new system to face new realities of global threats. The nature of a new system needs significant thinking, but it is clear that to respond to an increasingly global crisis (climate change and pandemics) we have to have both local empowerment and global systems of joint struggle and solidarity. A corollary of this is that certain natural resources like the Amazon rainforest and oceans must be protected as a planetary resource, and not left to the whims of national systems that can shift quickly for greed and imperialism. Thus, we must strengthen local communities, particularly native people. Corollary is that we must limit national authority and create new systems that challenge colonialism, racism, sexism and exploitation.
6) Reduce, Recycle, Refuse Refuse. Reduce our use of water (e.g. via compost toilets, proper water management, etc) and of material and supplies (living humbly). Reduce solid wastes, plastics, and fossil fuels (towards final elimination). Recycle what cannot be eliminated. But most significantly refuse the urge to shop (consumerism).
7) Increase vegetation (preferably with native trees and bushes) globally.
8) Deal with human overpopulation (including family counselling, reducing unwanted pregnancies etc).
9) Reconnect to nature and learn from it. Ecosystem balance must be restored and we humans must recognise ourselves as part of nature and we must live in harmony with nature.
HumanRights newsletter http://lists.qumsiyeh.org/listinfo/humanrights


thedailyblog--2020-03-31--Life in Lock Down: Day 6

Life in Lock Down: Day 6

March 31 : Day six of living in lock-down… This time I managed to sleep a little longer and the alarm woke me at the pre-set time : 6.55am .
Then remembered I was working a later shift and could ’ ve slept in .
Oh well , there are things to do at home .
Next time I look at the clock I have an hour and a half before my first client .
Shitski !
( As they say in Russia . )
I better get a move on : it ’ ll take me 45 mins to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — then stop myself .
I remember .
It ’ s the New Reality .
The roads are near-empty : there is no traffic .
I drive past the Kiwirail Park N Ride : four cars .
Twice as many as yesterday .
I ’ m fairly certain it wasn ’ t there yesterday .
At 8.30 tonight , as I drove past , it was still parked there .
It will be interesting to see if it remains in-situ for the next three weeks .
Head into town .
On the motorway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little traffic there is .
It ’ s a different time of the day than yesterday morning but it seems there may be a few more vehicles on the road .
Certainly more commercial ones .
Just the ones I can identify travelling in my direction ( the ones coming from opposite are harder to make out as they whizz past me ) are ; Farmlands ( some sort of rural supplier ) ; Dzign ; a Chubb van ; The Service Company van ; BOC/Linde Group ; four trucks hauling shipping containers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – now that ’ s essential !
! )
; a ute marked with a “ Programmed ” company logo ; Mobile On Site Shredding Company ( I kid you not – obviously essential for someone wanting some quick shredding of unwanted documents ) ; three Mainfreight trucks ; two Chemdry vans ( an obviously *essential* service ) ; six road working trucks , marked “ Capital Journeys ” and Fulton Hogan near the Petone intersection ; Ablaze ( firewood ) truck ; a large red coca cola* truck ; “ Argus ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tunnel , I spot one police car ( tailing me – are one of my lights out ?
Then it turns off ) and a police motorbike near the Ngauranga Intersection .
I love the police motorbikes – they bring back nostalgic memories of old MoT motorcycle cops .
In Vivian Street , where the Chow Brothers had their gentlemen ’ s club until recently ( windows now boarded up , For Lease sign on the front ) there are three police cars parked around another vehicle .
A policewoman is taking photos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the driver was caught breaking “ social distancing ” and not something trivial like selling marijuana .
Again , the city is ( mostly ) empty .
Some streets look like scenes from The Quiet Earth .
Others have a light Christmas Day-like flow of a few vehicles .
The day is fining up after a gray start ; there are walkers and joggers around .
I decide to take an alternate route to the Eastern Suburbs , around the bays .
Normally I avoid the route as it gets clogged with traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( What will we do after three weeks if/when we beat this bastard virus and lift the Lock-down ?
How will we suddenly deal with a return to the Old Reality of slow moving traffic congestion ? )
I have time to stop and check the main Oriental Bay Beach and it ’ s smaller “ clone ” , next to Freyberg Pool .
The latter is empty , the former , has three or four people in the distance walking along ; Certainly not the crowds mentioned over the weekend .
Along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parade there are pedestrians strolling and joggers .
Some observe the 2 metre rule , some do not .
People still seem to be struggling with the new footpath etiquette .
As I near my first client , at about 12.30pm , I hear over the radio that the State of Emergency has been extended by a week .
Does this mean self-isolation in our “ bubbles ” will be a week longer ?
( No , they are separate from each other , as Robert Reid from First Union informs me using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I head further east toward Miramar .
Along Cobham Drive leading toward the airport , I am the only car on the long , straight stretch of road .
Until I see two vehicles in my rear-view mirror approach .
They are moving at some speed , and pass me rapidly .
They ’ re racing each other .
I get only one of the rego plates – FBT 379 – a European import .
BMW ?
Merc ?
The other car is long gone by the time I read the six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the far end , near the roundabout , I glance over to the road leading to the airport .
It is deserted .
Deserted as in : no cars at all .
With little air traffic , the only vehicles now using that stretch would be residents driving to and from their homes , or the odd commercial vehicle .
The residents of Kilbirnie , Strathmore , and Miramar must be getting their first nights of decent sleep within living memory .
Later that night , on the way home , I stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m loathe to go to supermarkets , but this time I need to top up my own supplies .
The first thing I notice is that there is a new type of rubbish on the ground ; Ironically , with the closure of fast food takeouts and coffee shops , there are fewer coffee cups and lids , straws , and milkshake containers around – only to be replaced by discarded latex gloves .
What is it with some human beings – are they genetically programmed to litter ?
!
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ metre social distancing but customers are sparse .
Note to self : do shopping late in the evening !
And on the shelf , dumped by a customer who perhaps had had second thoughts – toilet paper !
A stack of three twelve-packs !
Yes , toilet paper is no longer in vogue… At the checkout , I ’ m served by a young man who looks tired and perhaps he wishes he was elsewhere .
After hearing on RNZ Checkpoint about the vicious abuse thrown at supermarket checkout operators by some nasty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
I add , “ You ’ re doing well , good on you , mate.
” He barely acknowledges me .
He ’ s tired alright – I hope he sleeps soundly tonight .
Back on road , the city streets have minimal traffic .
Mostly cars .
The motorway is again empty , and when there ’ s no other lights of cars in sight , I ’ m a ‘ Bruno Lawrence/Charlton Heston/Will Smith ’ inhabiting an empty city .
The illusion is thankfully broken when the lights of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At Waitomo in Thorndon I stop and fill up my car .
With everything happening ; the lock down ; the State of Emergency ; looking out for my clients ; wondering if today I ‘ catch the bullet ’ – I ’ ve utterly forgotten to even glance at the car ’ s fuel gauge .
Luckily it ’ s just under a quarter full .
The fuel price is $ 1.86 a litre .
“ Z ” is still at around $ 1.94 .
Which is hard to fathom as oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
As we all know , prices at the pump are quick to rise… and infuriatingly slow to fall .
( My next waka WILL be electric ! )
On the way home , driving along the Hutt motorway , I pass a sole police car and then two ambulances heading south .
No flashing lights .
For some reason , I feel uneasy as they pass me .
At home , a few mundane minor house chores are done .
Cat fed .
Power bill paid on-line .
This blogpost completed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The temptation is there to meet her at the Lyall Bay foreshore , though keeping a safe 2 metre distance .
No hugging or walking hand in hand , enjoying a brisk Wellington evening ‘ zephyr ’ .
Which is about as much fun as drinking caffeine-free coffee or alcohol-free wine .
I.e.
, not much .
I check my emails .
There ’ s one from the office ; there is now available a few face masks and small bottle of hand sanitiser for each of us .
I smile when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woefully unprepared for this pandemic .
But to be fair , so was 99 % of Aotearoa New Zealand .
* Re the Coca Cola truck : yesterday ( 30 March ) I made a Lock-down Diary entry about another large , red , coca cola-emblazoned truck on the motorway .
I emailed Amatil NZ for a “ Please Explain “ .
In what way were sugary soft drinks an essential product to be carting around the roads at this point in time ?
This afternoon ( 31 March ) I received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sales ; Thank you for your email regarding our trucks out and about working hard over this lockdown period .
Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand is considered an Essential Service by the New Zealand Government ( MBIE ) .
As such we are providing a delivery service to supermarkets and other stores , in order for them to retain necessary stocks including beverages such as water , juice and Powerade throughout the lockdown period .
Thank you for touching base with our team to clarify this , we are all in this together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Make of that what you will .
( However I am assuredly more “ healthy and well ” since I stopped drinking their sugary beverages . )
Mediaworks/Newshub : Coronavirus – Latest from around the world – Tuesday , March 31 RNZ : Covid-19 developments in New Zealand for 31 March The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus This blogpost will be re-published on “ Frankly Speaking “ .
Reader ’ s comments may be left here ( The Daily Blog ) or there ( Frankly Speaking ) .

.
.
March 31: Day six of living in lock-down…
This time I managed to sleep a little longer and the alarm woke me at the pre-set time: 6.55am. Then remembered I was working a later shift and could’ve slept in. Oh well, there are things to do at home. Next time I look at the clock I have an hour and a half before my first client. Shitski! (As they say in Russia.) I better get a move on: it’ll take me 45 mins to get through traffic to get into town–
— then stop myself. I remember. It’s the New Reality. The roads are near-empty: there is no traffic.
I drive past the Kiwirail Park N Ride: four cars. Twice as many as yesterday.
On a main road; this motorhome;
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.
.
I’m fairly certain it wasn’t there yesterday.
At 8.30 tonight, as I drove past, it was still parked there. It will be interesting to see if it remains in-situ for the next three weeks.
Head into town. On the motorway, I’m looking at what little traffic there is. It’s a different time of the day than yesterday morning but it seems there may be a few more vehicles on the road. Certainly more commercial ones.
Just the ones I can identify travelling in my direction (the ones coming from opposite are harder to make out as they whizz past me) are; Farmlands (some sort of rural supplier); Dzign; a Chubb van; The Service Company van; BOC/Linde Group; four trucks hauling shipping containers (food? medicine? whiskey? – now that’s essential!!); a ute marked with a “Programmed” company logo; Mobile On Site Shredding Company (I kid you not – obviously essential for someone wanting some quick shredding of evidence unwanted documents); three Mainfreight trucks; two Chemdry vans (an obviously *essential* service); six road working trucks, marked “Capital Journeys” and Fulton Hogan near the Petone intersection; Ablaze (firewood) truck; a large red coca cola* truck; “Argus”…
From the Hutt to the Terrace Tunnel, I spot one police car (tailing me – are one of my lights out? Then it turns off) and a police motorbike near the Ngauranga Intersection. I love the police motorbikes – they bring back nostalgic memories of old MoT motorcycle cops. In Vivian Street, where the Chow Brothers had their brothel gentlemen’s club until recently (windows now boarded up, For Lease sign on the front) there are three police cars parked around another vehicle. A policewoman is taking photos.
I hope it’s because the driver was caught breaking “social distancing” and not something trivial like selling marijuana.
Again, the city is (mostly) empty. Some streets look like scenes from The Quiet Earth. Others have a light Christmas Day-like flow of a few vehicles. The day is fining up after a gray start; there are walkers and joggers around.
I decide to take an alternate route to the Eastern Suburbs, around the bays. Normally I avoid the route as it gets clogged with traffic. But New Reality, eh? (What will we do after three weeks if/when we beat this bastard virus and lift the Lock-down? How will we suddenly deal with a return to the Old Reality of slow moving traffic congestion?)
I have time to stop and check the main Oriental Bay Beach and it’s smaller “clone”, next to Freyberg Pool. The latter is empty, the former, has three or four people in the distance walking along;
.
‘Little’ Oriental Beach
.
Main Oriental Beach
.
Certainly not the crowds mentioned over the weekend.
Along Oriental Bay Parade and into Evans Bay Parade there are pedestrians strolling and joggers. Some observe the 2 metre rule, some do not. People still seem to be struggling with the new footpath etiquette.
As I near my first client, at about 12.30pm, I hear over the radio that the State of Emergency has been extended by a week. Does this mean self-isolation in our “bubbles” will be a week longer? (No, they are separate from each other, as Robert Reid from First Union informs me using Twitter.)
After my first client, I head further east toward Miramar. Along Cobham Drive leading toward the airport, I am the only car on the long, straight stretch of road. Until I see two vehicles in my rear-view mirror approach. They are moving at some speed, and pass me rapidly. They’re racing each other. I get only one of the rego plates – FBT 379 – a European import. BMW? Merc? The other car is long gone by the time I read the six characters on the rego plate.
At the far end, near the roundabout, I glance over to the road leading to the airport. It is deserted. Deserted as in: no cars at all. With little air traffic, the only vehicles now using that stretch would be residents driving to and from their homes, or the odd commercial vehicle. The residents of Kilbirnie, Strathmore, and Miramar must be getting their first nights of decent sleep within living memory.
Later that night, on the way home, I stop at Kilbirnie Pak N Save again. I’m loathe to go to supermarkets, but this time I need to top up my own supplies. The first thing I notice is that there is a new type of rubbish on the ground;
.
.
Ironically, with the closure of fast food takeouts and coffee shops, there are fewer coffee cups and lids, straws, and milkshake containers around – only to be replaced by discarded latex gloves. What is it with some human beings – are they genetically programmed to litter?!
At the check-out, there is still 2 metre social distancing but customers are sparse. Note to self: do shopping late in the evening! And on the shelf, dumped by a customer who perhaps had had second thoughts – toilet paper! A stack of three twelve-packs!
.
.
Yes, toilet paper is no longer in vogue…
At the checkout, I’m served by a young man who looks tired and perhaps he wishes he was elsewhere. After hearing on RNZ Checkpoint about the vicious abuse thrown at supermarket checkout operators by some nasty types, I thank him for his service. I add, “You’re doing well, good on you, mate.”
He barely acknowledges me. He’s tired alright – I hope he sleeps soundly tonight.
Back on road, the city streets have minimal traffic. Mostly cars. The motorway is again empty, and when there’s no other lights of cars in sight, I’m a ‘Bruno Lawrence/Charlton Heston/Will Smith’ inhabiting an empty city. The illusion is thankfully broken when the lights of occasional cars or commercial vehicles pass.
At Waitomo in Thorndon I stop and fill up my car. With everything happening; the lock down; the State of Emergency; looking out for my clients; wondering if today I ‘catch the bullet’ – I’ve utterly forgotten to even glance at the car’s fuel gauge. Luckily it’s just under a quarter full.
The fuel price is $1.86 a litre. “Z” is still at around $1.94. Which is hard to fathom as oil prices are at their lowest in eighteen years. As we all know, prices at the pump are quick to rise… and infuriatingly slow to fall. (My next waka WILL be electric!)
On the way home, driving along the Hutt motorway, I pass a sole police car and then two ambulances heading south. No flashing lights. For some reason, I feel uneasy as they pass me.
At home, a few mundane minor house chores are done. Cat fed. Power bill paid on-line. This blogpost completed.
I’m missing my partner. The temptation is there to meet her at the Lyall Bay foreshore, though keeping a safe 2 metre distance. No hugging or walking hand in hand, enjoying a brisk Wellington evening ‘zephyr’. Which is about as much fun as drinking caffeine-free coffee or alcohol-free wine. I.e., not much.
I check my emails. There’s one from the office; there is now available a few face masks and small bottle of hand sanitiser for each of us. I smile when I read it. My company was woefully unprepared for this pandemic.
But to be fair, so was 99% of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Current covid19 cases: 647
Number of deaths: 1
Postscript
* Re the Coca Cola truck: yesterday (30 March) I made a Lock-down Diary entry about another large, red, coca cola-emblazoned truck on the motorway. I emailed Amatil NZ for a “Please Explain“. In what way were sugary soft drinks an essential product to be carting around the roads at this point in time?
This afternoon (31 March) I received a response from Amatil NZ’s Service and Sales;
Thank you for your email regarding our trucks out and about working hard over this lockdown period.
Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand is considered an Essential Service by the New Zealand Government (MBIE). As such we are providing a delivery service to supermarkets and other stores, in order for them to retain necessary stocks including beverages such as water, juice and Powerade throughout the lockdown period.
Thank you for touching base with our team to clarify this, we are all in this together.
Please stay healthy and well.
Be safe – Kia haumaru.
Make of that what you will. (However I am assuredly more “healthy and well” since I stopped drinking their sugary beverages.)
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.
.
.
.
References
Fairfax/Stuff: Police issue warning after hundreds flock to Wellington’s Oriental Parade
Scoop Parliament: State of National Emergency extended
RNZ: Covid-19 – State of Emergency extended by 7 days
RNZ: Supermarket staff describe abuse, stress of restocking shelves in Covid-19 lockdown
Mediaworks/Newshub: Coronavirus – Latest from around the world – Tuesday, March 31
RNZ: Covid-19 developments in New Zealand for 31 March
Must Read
Elemental: Hold the Line
Previous related blogposts
The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus
Life in Lock Down: Day 1
Life in Lock Down: Day 2
Life in Lock Down: Day 3
Life in Lock Down: Day 4
Life in Lock Down: Day 5
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Acknowledgement: Rod Emmerson
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This blogpost will be re-published on “Frankly Speaking“. Reader’s comments may be left here (The Daily Blog) or there (Frankly Speaking).
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= fs =


thedailyblog--2020-03-31--On The Escalating Media Demands For A Covid-19 ‘Wartime’ Coalition With National

I must confess myself in possession of a certain mounting disquiet at the escalating drum-beat echoing through our political commentariat of late .
It started shortly after it became apparent that the present crisis was , in fact , a Crisis with a Capital C. Journalists bringing up from the vault of history the fact that in times of dire national emergency , another form of Capital C would often step to the fore and take the reins .
Coalition .
Not like the one we ’ ve presently got empanelled and empowered , which however rough around certain sesquipedalian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not me – I ’ ve been out ahead of the curve socially isolating from politics and politicians for some time ! )
– nevertheless represents a pretty broad confederation of New Zealand opinion .
And whose actions , at least thus far , appear to have met the Crisis with a clear majority of significant , concerned public support .
No , the rising murmuring from the cheap seats in and about the Parliamentary Press Gallery is for a Coalition of an altogether different , *Grander* kind .
Now , to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons amidst extraordinary circumstances to ensure that Her Majesty ’ s Loyal Opposition remain ‘ inside the tent ’ on decision-making .
Like it or not , National does represent – at least nominally – four in every ten voting New Zealanders ( as does , per Preferred Prime Ministership polling , Jacinda Ardern herself … generally four times or more the average support Simon Bridges can muster ) .
And with that in mind , it is good and worthwhile that the Government we have has taken active steps to consult with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ , their erstwile opponents across from the Treasury Benches .
Indeed , following on from the falsetto-fallout from Simon Bridges ’ roundly rebuked response to the Government ’ s initial handing of the Crisis – which looked to just about everybody like grand-standing looking for a marquee to shiver into ; coming , as it did , hot on the heels of National MP David Bennett appearing to encourage ‘ panic buying ’ , and National Health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse doubling down upon the results for political attack points … … it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parliament come together at the outset of the State of Emergency Proper , and seemingly speak with one voice for a change .
Yet having the Opposition ‘ inside the tent ’ is a double-edged cutty thing .
Bring your critics too far inside the tent ’ s corridors of power with you , and they are no longer your critics – they are your effective co-conspirators .
Scrutiny and constitutionally mandated oversight can be lost amidst Cabinet postings and Collective Responsibility .
Or you can find situations similar to that between Shane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one leg of the Government appears to be engaged in a long-term kicking-rather-than-footsie under the table with another limb , for latter-term presumptive polled-political payoff in the future .
That is to say – portions of the bridge-crew of the Ship of State may go from Struggling , Together to Struggling Together ; with consequent deleterious consequences for the collective war-effort all up .
It is also a somewhat open question as to whether our Government would be more expeditious or more effective amidst Emergency if it suddenly had to both account for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and political egos in its trenchant policy and philosophy-potentiating mix .
After all , it was only a few days ago that Simon Bridges was jumping up and down castigating the Government for putting money toward unemployment support alongside business … rather than more or even all business all the time .
How much longer might it have taken to rustle up and then roll out a revised response-plan which he ’ d be prepared to sign his name to alongside the Leaders and Ministers of the other Parties of power .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the term ) would that have been .
So bearing in mind that there is already a mechanism in place to ensure that National gets its voices heard , and ensure its constitutionally mandated ability to apply scrutiny to the Government ’ s response – via a specially convened cross-party Parliamentary body chaired by Bridges and with powers ordinarily the preserve of the Privileges Committee … … The question before the house , is what would be gained by actually bringing National into Government .
What would the difference be , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course ?
The answers provided by the media talking heads pushing the proposition , thus far , haven ’ t exactly been compelling .
The main one appears to be “ because we ’ ve always done this ” – with the two major points of precedency cited being the Wartime Coalition of the First World War , and the Wartime Cabinet of the Second .
This isn ’ t necessarily a great argument for the present circumstances ; partially because they ’ re two different approaches ( a Cabinet versus a full-blown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fraser-led War Cabinet ran rather swiftly into the trouble of a newly minted National Party Leader looking to make a name for himself by flouncing out of it over an optics-ideological flare-up .
It probably says something about the situation that other National MPs in said Cabinet did not agree with Holland ’ s ( the National party Leader in question ) decision and effectively chose to became rebels from their own party leader to continue serving the nation and national interest ( rather than , perhaps , National ’ s interest ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward – in today ’ s Herald piece by Hamish Rutherford , as it happens – is that this or that extant Government Minister is questionably competent elsewhere , and that therefore the National Party should be called upon to provide part of the Government .
And while I am no fan of Shane Jones on general principle ( one of the two Ministers identified by Rutherford , along with Phil Twyford ) , I have not thus far seen anything in the extant Government response to suggest either significant role for these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Response all up , to demand a wholesale confederation with National as even a stop-gap solution .
The better point insinuated by Rutherford , is that in the event the Covid-19 Crisis forestalls the General Election scheduled for later this year – a power-sharing agreement may be preferable to a lengthening of the present administration ’ s term in office until such time as we can safely hold a Vote .
I say “ better ” , but that does not mean I agree with it , either – especially as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week into Lockdown , to be talking about cancelling Democracy in early September as if it has already come to pass .
And besides , if we are playing the “ but we ’ ve done it before ” game – the Parliamentary Term in which Fraser ’ s War Cabinet occurred ran almost five years between Elections , and had been legally empowered to last if necessary until a year after the War ’ s eventual end .
Now , lest somebody misinterpret me with the above remonstration of facts – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of democracy in favour of Winston upon a Golden Throne Uber Alles and Ad Nauseum/Infinatum ( although some might argue that MMP , for the foreseeable future effectively seems to work like that anyway ) .
Just demonstrating a further manner in which the “ but it ’ s tradition !
” approach is one to be careful with when operating out of hand .
Should we get to a situation wherein the Election must be forestalled by more than a few months in the name of public safety , then a tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presumably be had about what it is we ’ re going to do going forward from there .
Members of our Greatest Generation already sacrificed their lives for Democracy once before – there is no just cause to force them to stand again within the crucible upon the altar , this time of disease and circumstance rather than battlefield conditions , simply to avoid putting off a vote for a few weeks or months .
Yet equally , every New Zealander does deserve the chance to have their voice heard upon the makeup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roaring full-throated approval for one side or the other ( or the other or the other or the other – this being an ‘ MMP environment ’ , after all ) , or merely resigned to the fact that no matter when or how the electoral system is convened and congealed , it seems inexorably to produce ‘ politicians ’ as its ultimate outcome , leaving us to try and make the best of it in Polling Day ’ s wake .
But these are thoughts for the medium term or long term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quietly consider the relative merits of – just not something one expects to be made use of to try and propel a scatter-shot case for Simon Bridges as Junior Deputy Prime Minister Number Two , effective by Tuesday .
What I think ’ s driving this all up , is twofold .
First , as Michael Cullen once put it – the ‘ beach cricket ’ mentality at the heart of much of modern political choice and perception out there in the general Electorate .
Grant Robertson said this was an expression of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ fairness ” as a people .
The idea that it ’ s ‘ not fair ’ for one guy or one side to be in at bat the whole time , so power ought be alternated ( or , in this hypothetical case , apparently ‘ shared ’ ) between the teams .
And surprising as it may seem , that idea does have some place within a democracy – otherwise you end up with a significantly large chunk of your society drifting off into its own marginalized and echo-chamber-conspiracy prone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mainstream astride boxes of soap , ballot , and even bullet style nature .
But the other , rather more insiduous motif is that somebody out there has realized that , for various reasons … regardless of whether or not there is an Election later this year , National is highly unlikely to win it .
Therefore rendering their only chance at the prevaricating prospect of power being the co-option of it via co-operation with the Government that we ’ ve already got in at the moment .
National therefore gaining through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not provide for itself in earnest via electoral means – Ministerial positions , prestige and the edifying scent of victory , being part of the solution instead of simply simpering from the sidelines of the popular consciousness on bare-double-digits in preferred prime ministership polls .
And if that is the motive , then that is quite another sort of story indeed .
Now , I should take a moment to acknowledge my bias here .
I voted for one of the parties presently in Government ; and have not been entirely un-pleased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office thus far .
More importantly for the present circumstances , I have also been significantly more enthused by its recent measures of the past few weeks in moving to handle the current Crisis emergency .
Others will understandably differ in their assessment on either score .
I don ’ t doubt that various people talking up the alleged necessity of a Wartime Coalition or Cabinet are doing so with good intentions ; and with at least a partial view to the preservation of our democracy even amidst its prospective temporary suspension should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But I have as yet seen no sustained , critical analysis of the concept being put forward in riposte nor reply to those soundbites and now full-length articles occurring in our nation ’ s news-media proffering this ‘ conglomeration ’ concept .
And in these times , an idea with some memetic saliency can take off and run half way around the bubble-that-is-our-world afore critical , second thought has got its boots on .
These are , after all , unprecedented times – and I therefore think we should be very careful about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just do what we did more than a century ago during the First World War all over again !
” as an insta-relevant proposition .
And besides , I ’ d much rather a coalition with the people of New Zealand than the National Party , anyway .

I must confess myself in possession of a certain mounting disquiet at the escalating drum-beat echoing through our political commentariat of late.
It started shortly after it became apparent that the present crisis was, in fact, a Crisis with a Capital C. Journalists bringing up from the vault of history the fact that in times of dire national emergency, another form of Capital C would often step to the fore and take the reins. Coalition.
Not like the one we’ve presently got empanelled and empowered, which however rough around certain sesquipedalian edges (I mean Shane Jones, not me – I’ve been out ahead of the curve socially isolating from politics and politicians for some time!) – nevertheless represents a pretty broad confederation of New Zealand opinion. And whose actions, at least thus far, appear to have met the Crisis with a clear majority of significant, concerned public support.
No, the rising murmuring from the cheap seats in and about the Parliamentary Press Gallery is for a Coalition of an altogether different, *Grander* kind.
Featuring the National Party.
Now, to be fair and sure – there are good reasons amidst extraordinary circumstances to ensure that Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition remain ‘inside the tent’ on decision-making. Like it or not, National does represent – at least nominally – four in every ten voting New Zealanders (as does, per Preferred Prime Ministership polling, Jacinda Ardern herself … generally four times or more the average support Simon Bridges can muster). And with that in mind, it is good and worthwhile that the Government we have has taken active steps to consult with, and keep ‘in the loop’, their erstwile opponents across from the Treasury Benches.
Indeed, following on from the falsetto-fallout from Simon Bridges’ roundly rebuked response to the Government’s initial handing of the Crisis – which looked to just about everybody like grand-standing looking for a marquee to shiver into; coming, as it did, hot on the heels of National MP David Bennett appearing to encourage ‘panic buying’, and National Health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse doubling down upon the results for political attack points …
… it was heartening to see all parties in Parliament come together at the outset of the State of Emergency Proper, and seemingly speak with one voice for a change.
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Yet having the Opposition ‘inside the tent’ is a double-edged cutty thing. Bring your critics too far inside the tent’s corridors of power with you, and they are no longer your critics – they are your effective co-conspirators. Scrutiny and constitutionally mandated oversight can be lost amidst Cabinet postings and Collective Responsibility.
Or you can find situations similar to that between Shane Jones and the Green Party – wherein one leg of the Government appears to be engaged in a long-term kicking-rather-than-footsie under the table with another limb, for latter-term presumptive polled-political payoff in the future. That is to say – portions of the bridge-crew of the Ship of State may go from Struggling, Together to Struggling Together; with consequent deleterious consequences for the collective war-effort all up.
It is also a somewhat open question as to whether our Government would be more expeditious or more effective amidst Emergency if it suddenly had to both account for and incorporate perhaps twice as many perspectives and political egos in its trenchant policy and philosophy-potentiating mix. After all, it was only a few days ago that Simon Bridges was jumping up and down castigating the Government for putting money toward unemployment support alongside business … rather than more or even all business all the time. How much longer might it have taken to rustle up and then roll out a revised response-plan which he’d be prepared to sign his name to alongside the Leaders and Ministers of the other Parties of power. And at what cost (in multiple senses of the term) would that have been.
So bearing in mind that there is already a mechanism in place to ensure that National gets its voices heard, and ensure its constitutionally mandated ability to apply scrutiny to the Government’s response – via a specially convened cross-party Parliamentary body chaired by Bridges and with powers ordinarily the preserve of the Privileges Committee …
… The question before the house, is what would be gained by actually bringing National into Government. What would the difference be, and why should we embark upon such a course?
The answers provided by the media talking heads pushing the proposition, thus far, haven’t exactly been compelling. The main one appears to be “because we’ve always done this” – with the two major points of precedency cited being the Wartime Coalition of the First World War, and the Wartime Cabinet of the Second.
This isn’t necessarily a great argument for the present circumstances; partially because they’re two different approaches (a Cabinet versus a full-blown Coalition) – and largely because the Fraser-led War Cabinet ran rather swiftly into the trouble of a newly minted National Party Leader looking to make a name for himself by flouncing out of it over an optics-ideological flare-up. It probably says something about the situation that other National MPs in said Cabinet did not agree with Holland’s (the National party Leader in question) decision and effectively chose to became rebels from their own party leader to continue serving the nation and national interest (rather than, perhaps, National’s interest) in response.
The other argument put forward – in today’s Herald piece by Hamish Rutherford, as it happens – is that this or that extant Government Minister is questionably competent elsewhere, and that therefore the National Party should be called upon to provide part of the Government. And while I am no fan of Shane Jones on general principle (one of the two Ministers identified by Rutherford, along with Phil Twyford), I have not thus far seen anything in the extant Government response to suggest either significant role for these two Ministers, nor significant failing of the Response all up, to demand a wholesale confederation with National as even a stop-gap solution.
The better point insinuated by Rutherford, is that in the event the Covid-19 Crisis forestalls the General Election scheduled for later this year – a power-sharing agreement may be preferable to a lengthening of the present administration’s term in office until such time as we can safely hold a Vote.
I say “better”, but that does not mean I agree with it, either – especially as it seems altogether premature in late March, a week into Lockdown, to be talking about cancelling Democracy in early September as if it has already come to pass. And besides, if we are playing the “but we’ve done it before” game – the Parliamentary Term in which Fraser’s War Cabinet occurred ran almost five years between Elections, and had been legally empowered to last if necessary until a year after the War’s eventual end.
Now, lest somebody misinterpret me with the above remonstration of facts – I am not suggesting the indefinite suspension of democracy in favour of Winston upon a Golden Throne Uber Alles and Ad Nauseum/Infinatum (although some might argue that MMP, for the foreseeable future effectively seems to work like that anyway). Just demonstrating a further manner in which the “but it’s tradition!” approach is one to be careful with when operating out of hand.
Should we get to a situation wherein the Election must be forestalled by more than a few months in the name of public safety, then a tough, robust, and imaginative conversation must presumably be had about what it is we’re going to do going forward from there. Members of our Greatest Generation already sacrificed their lives for Democracy once before – there is no just cause to force them to stand again within the crucible upon the altar, this time of disease and circumstance rather than battlefield conditions, simply to avoid putting off a vote for a few weeks or months.
Yet equally, every New Zealander does deserve the chance to have their voice heard upon the makeup and direction of our Government – whether roaring full-throated approval for one side or the other (or the other or the other or the other – this being an ‘MMP environment’, after all), or merely resigned to the fact that no matter when or how the electoral system is convened and congealed, it seems inexorably to produce ‘politicians’ as its ultimate outcome, leaving us to try and make the best of it in Polling Day’s wake.
But these are thoughts for the medium term or long term future. Prudent, perhaps, to quietly consider the relative merits of – just not something one expects to be made use of to try and propel a scatter-shot case for Simon Bridges as Junior Deputy Prime Minister Number Two, effective by Tuesday.
What I think’s driving this all up, is twofold. First, as Michael Cullen once put it – the ‘beach cricket’ mentality at the heart of much of modern political choice and perception out there in the general Electorate. Grant Robertson said this was an expression of our hard-embedded commitment to a certain concept of “fairness” as a people. The idea that it’s ‘not fair’ for one guy or one side to be in at bat the whole time, so power ought be alternated (or, in this hypothetical case, apparently ‘shared’) between the teams. And surprising as it may seem, that idea does have some place within a democracy – otherwise you end up with a significantly large chunk of your society drifting off into its own marginalized and echo-chamber-conspiracy prone bubble before eventually bubbling over back into the mainstream astride boxes of soap, ballot, and even bullet style nature.
But the other, rather more insiduous motif is that somebody out there has realized that, for various reasons … regardless of whether or not there is an Election later this year, National is highly unlikely to win it. Therefore rendering their only chance at the prevaricating prospect of power being the co-option of it via co-operation with the Government that we’ve already got in at the moment.
National therefore gaining through ‘Wartime Coalition’ provisions what it could not provide for itself in earnest via electoral means – Ministerial positions, prestige and the edifying scent of victory, being part of the solution instead of simply simpering from the sidelines of the popular consciousness on bare-double-digits in preferred prime ministership polls.
And if that is the motive, then that is quite another sort of story indeed.
Now, I should take a moment to acknowledge my bias here. I voted for one of the parties presently in Government; and have not been entirely un-pleased with the Government’s track-record in office thus far. More importantly for the present circumstances, I have also been significantly more enthused by its recent measures of the past few weeks in moving to handle the current Crisis emergency. Others will understandably differ in their assessment on either score.
I don’t doubt that various people talking up the alleged necessity of a Wartime Coalition or Cabinet are doing so with good intentions; and with at least a partial view to the preservation of our democracy even amidst its prospective temporary suspension should needs must later in this year.
But I have as yet seen no sustained, critical analysis of the concept being put forward in riposte nor reply to those soundbites and now full-length articles occurring in our nation’s news-media proffering this ‘conglomeration’ concept. And in these times, an idea with some memetic saliency can take off and run half way around the bubble-that-is-our-world afore critical, second thought has got its boots on.
These are, after all, unprecedented times – and I therefore think we should be very careful about just blithely slapping forward “we should just do what we did more than a century ago during the First World War all over again!” as an insta-relevant proposition.
And besides, I’d much rather a coalition with the people of New Zealand than the National Party, anyway.


Outsiders

WHAT IF THE BOGEYMAN is real ?
In six words , that is what Stephen King ’ s “ The Outsider ” is all about .
The adaptation of King ’ s novel for HBO was exceptionally well done .
The viewer , along with the hero , is led through the crack in reality which the arrival of “ El Cuco ” ( the Spanish bogeyman ) in a small Georgia town opens up .
By the final , blood-soaked episode the suspension of our disbelief has become an accomplished fact .
The Bogeyman is real .
King is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockstep with the supernatural is his depiction of the psychic disintegration of “ El Cuco ’ s ” slave – the would-be military sniper whose psychiatric test-results were so disturbing that , in spite of his excellent marksmanship , the military authorities felt obliged to decline his application .
Thwarted , embittered , violent : “ El Cuco ’ s ” creature , now a police officer , spirals down into that all-too-real bogeyman – the American mass-shooter .
The festering sore that erupts on the back of the necks of “ El @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crude metaphor , but that doesn ’ t make it a bad one .
How better to represent the raging social inflammations that have left no part of the United States uninfected ?
With mass shootings happening virtually every other day in the USA , we reach , almost unconsciously , for concepts like “ a nation living under an evil spell ” .
When “ natural ” explanations come up short , where else is there to look except through that crack in reality – at the supernatural ?
Resisting this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if a mass shooting occurred every single day in the USA , the number of shooters annually would only come to 365 .
In a nation of 327 million human-beings , 365 shooters represents a vanishingly small sliver ( i.e .
0.0001 % ) of the population .
Real though these mass-shooter bogeymen may be , we can at least comfort ourselves with the knowledge that there aren ’ t very many of them !
But , is that true ?
Is the number of psychopathic and sociopathic individuals in any given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to tell ourselves ?
Isn ’ t it more likely that the mass-shooters and serial-killers filling the headlines represent only the tip of a much , much larger iceberg of frightfulness ?
A proposition which , if true , raises another question : How big is that iceberg ?
What percentage of the population might best be described as “ functioning ” psychopaths and sociopaths ?
An answer , of sorts , was provided just a few days ago in a Spinoff post by David Brain , co-founder of “ Stickybeak ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been keen to discover the “ mood of the nation ” as New Zealand entered its first week of Level 4 lockdown .
By in large , Kiwis responded positively to Stickybeak ’ s questions .
Trust and confidence levels in the Government ’ s handling of the Covid-19 crisis were high .
Then came the question : “ The government has now said that we all need to stay at home ; not go to school or work ; not travel or socialise with people outside our home for at least 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” It was not the fact that 91 percent of those participating in the poll affirmed their intention to comply with these rules that was surprising , but that 9 percent openly declared their intention to defy them .
It is a disturbing result to reflect upon .
In the midst of a state of national emergency , when the best medical advice insists that everyone other than workers in essential industries must “ stay home and save lies ” , an astonishing 9 percent of the population sees no reason to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the population – especially the elderly and other citizens with compromised immune systems – safe .
Not even the warning that widespread lack of compliance with Level 4 rules would see the lockdown period extended , was enough to give these ‘ 9 Percenters ’ pause .
It is possible , of course , that those indicating their intention not to comply with the rules are the very same essential service workers who must leave their “ bubbles ” to keep the rest of us safe .
We must hope so .
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population are either sociopaths : manifesting grandiosity , narcissism , lack of empathy and a general disdain for the moral precepts that govern the conduct of their fellow citizens ; or psychopaths : manifesting behaviour that is deviant , dysfunctional , distressing and/or just plain dangerous , then we are all in very serious trouble .
If 9 percent of the population refuses to comply with the lockdown ’ s rules , then the rest of us are not about to be released from it anytime soon .
Indeed , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s strategy of eliminating Covid-19 can possibly succeed if close to a tenth of the population intends to withhold their co-operation .
It makes you think of all the perpetrators of spousal and family violence with whom the Police are required to contend every day .
It recalls the behaviour of all the bosses and managers who have already signalled their callous indifference to the fate of their businesses ’ employees during the Covid-19 crisis .
You count up the thousands of cyber-bullies and Twitter trolls who delight in inflicting pain and humiliation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember all the postings and comments you ’ ve read over the past 7 days about New Zealand becoming a “ police state ” , and a “ nation of narks ” , and you can ’ t help wondering whether 9 percent is an underestimate of just how many real bogeymen and bogeywomen are out there .
As the Scots once prayed , and in these dismal times may still pray : “ From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night , Good Lord deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Stephen King would no doubt add his own special plea for divine deliverance : from all those who position themselves outside the boundaries of human kindness and solidarity .

WHAT IF THE BOGEYMAN is real? In six words, that is what Stephen King’s “The Outsider” is all about. The adaptation of King’s novel for HBO was exceptionally well done. The viewer, along with the hero, is led through the crack in reality which the arrival of “El Cuco” (the Spanish bogeyman) in a small Georgia town opens up. By the final, blood-soaked episode the suspension of our disbelief has become an accomplished fact. The Bogeyman is real.
King is no fool, however. Marching in lockstep with the supernatural is his depiction of the psychic disintegration of “El Cuco’s” slave – the would-be military sniper whose psychiatric test-results were so disturbing that, in spite of his excellent marksmanship, the military authorities felt obliged to decline his application. Thwarted, embittered, violent: “El Cuco’s” creature, now a police officer, spirals down into that all-too-real bogeyman – the American mass-shooter.
The festering sore that erupts on the back of the necks of “El Cuco’s” slaves may be a crude metaphor, but that doesn’t make it a bad one. How better to represent the raging social inflammations that have left no part of the United States uninfected? With mass shootings happening virtually every other day in the USA, we reach, almost unconsciously, for concepts like “a nation living under an evil spell”. When “natural” explanations come up short, where else is there to look except through that crack in reality – at the supernatural?
Resisting this temptation, we reassure ourselves that, even if a mass shooting occurred every single day in the USA, the number of shooters annually would only come to 365. In a nation of 327 million human-beings, 365 shooters represents a vanishingly small sliver (i.e. 0.0001%) of the population. Real though these mass-shooter bogeymen may be, we can at least comfort ourselves with the knowledge that there aren’t very many of them!
But, is that true? Is the number of psychopathic and sociopathic individuals in any given society truly as vanishingly small as we like to tell ourselves? Isn’t it more likely that the mass-shooters and serial-killers filling the headlines represent only the tip of a much, much larger iceberg of frightfulness? A proposition which, if true, raises another question: How big is that iceberg? What percentage of the population might best be described as “functioning” psychopaths and sociopaths?
An answer, of sorts, was provided just a few days ago in a Spinoff post by David Brain, co-founder of “Stickybeak” an online polling agency. Brain had been keen to discover the “mood of the nation” as New Zealand entered its first week of Level 4 lockdown. By in large, Kiwis responded positively to Stickybeak’s questions. Trust and confidence levels in the Government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis were high.
Then came the question: “The government has now said that we all need to stay at home; not go to school or work; not travel or socialise with people outside our home for at least 4 weeks. Do you plan to comply?” It was not the fact that 91 percent of those participating in the poll affirmed their intention to comply with these rules that was surprising, but that 9 percent openly declared their intention to defy them.
It is a disturbing result to reflect upon. In the midst of a state of national emergency, when the best medical advice insists that everyone other than workers in essential industries must “stay home and save lies”, an astonishing 9 percent of the population sees no reason to take the steps deemed necessary to keep the population – especially the elderly and other citizens with compromised immune systems – safe. Not even the warning that widespread lack of compliance with Level 4 rules would see the lockdown period extended, was enough to give these ‘9 Percenters’ pause.
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It is possible, of course, that those indicating their intention not to comply with the rules are the very same essential service workers who must leave their “bubbles” to keep the rest of us safe. We must hope so. Because, if nearly 10 percent of the population are either sociopaths: manifesting grandiosity, narcissism, lack of empathy and a general disdain for the moral precepts that govern the conduct of their fellow citizens; or psychopaths: manifesting behaviour that is deviant, dysfunctional, distressing and/or just plain dangerous, then we are all in very serious trouble.
If 9 percent of the population refuses to comply with the lockdown’s rules, then the rest of us are not about to be released from it anytime soon. Indeed, it’s difficult to see how the Government’s strategy of eliminating Covid-19 can possibly succeed if close to a tenth of the population intends to withhold their co-operation.
It makes you think of all the perpetrators of spousal and family violence with whom the Police are required to contend every day. It recalls the behaviour of all the bosses and managers who have already signalled their callous indifference to the fate of their businesses’ employees during the Covid-19 crisis. You count up the thousands of cyber-bullies and Twitter trolls who delight in inflicting pain and humiliation on their fellow human-beings. And you remember all the postings and comments you’ve read over the past 7 days about New Zealand becoming a “police state”, and a “nation of narks”, and you can’t help wondering whether 9 percent is an underestimate of just how many real bogeymen and bogeywomen are out there.
As the Scots once prayed, and in these dismal times may still pray: “From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord deliver us.” A grim list, to which Stephen King would no doubt add his own special plea for divine deliverance: from all those who position themselves outside the boundaries of human kindness and solidarity.