I'd forgotten this from a few years ago & came across it again. Bryan Bruce.




"When Julius Caesar returned to Rome in September of 45 BC (having conquered Gaul) he found the city streets crowded with homeless people.
They'd been forced off their land by moneylenders and property speculators, so more than 300,000 people were being fed by the local food bank -the public granary.
(Ring any bells?)
But he didn't impose austerity or decide to save up money "for a rainy day," Instead he spent government money and introduced some progressive social reforms.

1.He lowered all land valuations

2.Granted several remissions of rents.

3.Large numbers of poor citizens and discharged veterans were settled on allotments.

4.Free housing was granted to 80,000 impoverished families

5.Soldier's pay was almost doubled.

6.Control of the mint was transferred from the patricians (the money lenders and spinners) to the government.

7. It was ruled that interest could not be levied at more than 1% per month.

8.It was decreed that interest could not be charged on interest and that the total interest charged could not exceed the amount initially borrowed.

9.Slavery was abolished as a way of settling a debt.

10. Aristocrats were forced to employ their capital and not hoard it.

In short he thought government should get involved in driving the economy. Not be a bystander to it.

Of course, these measures enraged the aristocrats and plutocrats and on the morning of March 15th 44BC when he arrived unarmed at the Senate, he was surrounded by 60 of them who stabbed him to death.



mmmm....
.
Maybe that's what our Labour led coalition is worried about -ie.
regulating the economy to help folks who are struggling may offend the plutocrats who are exploiting us."
#bryanbruce #nzpolitics #endneoliberalism

https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv...n-today-fm

Love him or hate him, he is good at what he does.

I Paul.

All over the world countries are starting to legislate against the disease ridden losers that are the anti/unvaxxed cult.
Good, not a minute too soon.
In Greece failure to vaccinate will result in a $160 fine, per month. This money is given to health services to offset the burden these assholes place on them.
Germany and Israel are about to make it compulsory to be vaccinated.
The Finns wont allow non compliant bars and restaurants to be open after 5pm.
The Spanish will turn you away without a vaccine passport.
Singapore hospitals will no longer accept unvaxxed patients, they will have to pay the cost of treatment themselves.

All excellent ideas, and thats just a shortlist.
Good on them, especially those that are making their idiot unvaxxed pay for treatment, and contribute to the treatment of those they infect.

I dislike this demographic for the way they have gone about their business. I am going to put the verbal boot into the selfish antisocial wankers whenever and as often as I can.
I will vote for the parties that crack down on them. I will only support businesses that refuse them entry.
Im looking forward to having them kept away from the intelligent folk so we can go about our business while they stare at the walls. 
It has to be the only upside to Covid there is so far.


https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/3004...s-and-bans

There was a referendum held in Berlin recently regarding the nationalisation of megaproperty holdings, which gave support to the idea that private individuals or companies should have limited numbers of residential investment properties. The local political leadership are now formulating legislation to go ahead with that proposal which will compensate landlords, nationalise their holdings, and limit future purchases.

With our current challenges around housing, should there be a limit to the number of residential properties that can be held in private hands? Or should we perhaps use taxation to persuade investors to look at more productive use of their savings?

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/...aland.html

My car was stolen. Police told me they followed it but lost it in a convoy.   Well, that's what they said.
Anyway it was found and towed away for finger printing by police. Now my insurance company has arranged for it to be towed to a panel beater.

My question is this. Why a panel beater? There's little if any panel damage. There's a broken window and ignition. Who knows what else. What if the chasis is bent? Will they check that? Is a panel beater going to take care of non panel and paint repairs?

Imagine what the legion of CTrs will think of that. "The Great Reset is here!!!!!"

Christopher Luxon is now set to be the new leader of the National Party after Simon Bridges pulled out of the leadership race.
Bridges confirmed the move on Twitter and said he'd met with Luxon this morning and had a "great discussion".
"I am withdrawing from the leadership contest and will be backing Chris. He will make a brilliant National leader and Prime Minister," Bridges said.


What are your thoughts?

Scott Watson lost his fourth appeal for freedom today again.

Main reason he's a danger to public,    Funny that when he's been running work teams
outside for years..

Real reason { my personal view} Scott will not admit to something he never did

Tai Tokerau Border Control founder Hone Harawira says Northland wh─ünau are scared of what the summer will bring as up to 80 thousand Aucklanders descend on the region.

Hone Harawira says "Nationwide, M─üori are 7.5 times more likely to catch Delta, 5.4 times more likely to be hospitalised from Delta, and 4 times more likely to die from Delta."

If they are that scared get bloody vaccinated then, all Harawira does  is moan about it so how about doing something constructive for a change [Removed - rule #2].

And for folks that think Im being racist Im not, this is what is on the Stuff website.

I went to Animates the other day to pick up my $96 pet food order and while there, spent another $48 on their great pet food offer.

Paid and was asked if I  had a bag for the $48 assortment of cans and sachets. 
I had left the house with numerous bags but they were now full of groceries in the car a block away and juggling the click and collect (already bagged) plus this new purchase of 48 cans and sachets was going to be tough without another bag. So  I asked for one. There was a discernable pause then she said they only had paper bags and she didn't think it would fit everything. I suggested we try and see, it did and I was able to carry everything back to the car in one trip rather than carrying half back, emptying a grocery bag and driving the car to the shop for the remainder. (It was too hot to walk twice).

When I checked the invoice later, I was a bit annoyed to see a 20 cent charge for the bag. The assistant would have been able to see from my membership that I had spent over $300 on pet food that week and I  can't have a free bag? Even a new customer should be able to have a free bag and their purchase packed for them (don't start me on supermarkets).

The point of this long story is that it highlights something I have long believed - that shops are less concerned about the environment than with being able to charge for something that used to be supplied free of charge ie bags. (And customer service is dead).