Oh Fuck @bobknight33....
Your guy here is attempting to talk shit about New Zealand because some people lost jobs, 229000, most of which are in tourism and will return, but America lost well over 40000000, a huge number of which are gone permanently.
New Zealand has had 22 deaths, America, which fudges the numbers worse than China, has a reported 170000 and screaming upwards, the true number is likely twice that.
As for civil rights, they're not the same as America, no one took their rights you morons.
And again, you incredible fuckwits, days after ENDING lockdown they were reinfected, the lockdown worked.
New Zealand has different laws, and while the prime minister can delay the election in New Zealand legally, Trump absolutely can not, no matter the circumstances. Also, it's abundantly clear New Zealand isn't postponing to benefit any one candidate , but Trump was.
It's also abundantly clear New Zealand will hold their election. If Trump had his way, most people agree 2018 would be the last presidential election of his lifetime, after which he would designate Jarred (because as a woman, Ivanka couldn't possibly do it) to inherit the throne.
Besides, Trump wants to postpone not due to Covid, which he says is already over, is safe, is just a cold, only infects Democrats, only kills people already on their death beds, and is a hoax scheduled to miraculously disappear November 4th, he wants to postpone due to polls....or can you admit all that bullshit about how safe it is to vote in person is just that, utter bullshit, and he should be trying to help make vote by mail work to ensure maximum possible numbers of safe votes are counted, but no, he's both trying to postpone and saying it's safe and doing everything possible to make vote by mail AND absentee voting (which are the same thing, exactly the same checks and regulations despite Trump's lies) unreliable if not impossible.
He seems to forget absentee ballots, the vote by mail he's trying to get Republicans to use, also use the USPS. You can't cast absentee ballots if you can't cast vote by mail ballots. The only difference between them is absentees must claim in person is a hardship, otherwise they're exactly the same with the same verification processes.

More *lies and bullshit propaganda. The desperation is growing. Just fucking ridiculously dumb.

Trump's covid "response", Trump's economy, Trump's unemployment numbers, Trump's (total lack of a) plan, his new idea is (probably unconstitutionally) offer 1/2 the relief needed contingent on bankrupt states coming up with another 1/6 from thin air....a plan blatantly designed to fail, but Trump will claim he tried and states just didn't want the money because they hate Trump and want to make him look bad. 🤦‍♂️

So yes, it's Trump's fault people don't have money to pay their bills nor any way to earn it. Leaders in other countries infected at the exact same time as the U.S. actually led and S Korea and New Zealand never had the issues we did and didn't have to lock down long at all. We had leadership that actively made things worse, not better, spread misinformation constantly, contradicted itself daily, and insanely conflated ignoring and denying public health emergencies with freedom and civil rights.

Longer than necessary? What states have met the required two weeks of consistent low numbers and a solid declining infection rate that even Trump says are the minimum guidelines for opening?

Buddy, you've never read the constitution, and wouldn't comprehend it if you did. You probably think Trump suspending payroll taxes is constitutional because he's the one trying it.

Yes, 3-5% death rate with up to 15% disabled for life is definitely worth closing businesses and keeping them closed.....unless morons like Trumpsters continue to ignore the recommendations and extend the shutdown indefinitely.

Precondition groups? You mean anyone with a pre-existing condition which makes them more susceptible? You're implying those without preexisting conditions are safe, utter bullshit. They aren't. BTW, obesity is a preexisting condition that covers >40% of America all by itself, being overweight covers >70%....and it's just one of dozens.

Can't go to work if it's closed. Can't safely reopen until infection rates decline, rates won't decline until morons stay home long enough without attending rallies and parties. Duh. After Sturgis, expect the second wave nationwide in two weeks extending shutdowns for months at least, fucking morons.

Gov cheese ran out now because Republicans want billions-trillions in unrelated payoffs, pork, pet projects, and tax cuts to consider continuing them, after grifting billions from the last, totally unregulated handout to businesses,... your brother is coming to live with you soon. If everyone got the extra unemployment and every business shut down and people stayed home, we could be like S Korea, but with Trump's (total lack of) leadership we have become a worldwide pariah, unwelcome around the world, and with 4% of the population we have 25% of infections and deaths and rising.
You said you work largely from home. We're you lying then, or are you being intentionally dishonest, misleading people now by hiding it?

me too. As much as I love my home, I'm honestly kicking myself for not moving to New Zealand 4 years ago. If Trump steals this election, I'll have to upgrade that to hitting myself with my own car, and it still won't be enough.

Hmmmm.....I went to public schools in California in the 80's, they were well above average, head and shoulders above public school in Texas. Granted, I went in Los Altos Hills and Palo Alto, neither hurting for tax funds. I'm not sure how they keep the lights on up here in Humboldt county.

You may be right, but even a confirmed pessimist like me has a hard time believing Trumpsters are now average intelligence, 100 IQ. That would make me Einstein, and I'm no Einstein.

Yes, there are more dumb people than intelligent....it's up to the intelligent to use their brains to get around that. It's not a new concept, it's why we have an electoral college.

Why can't I pick up my gun, do my duty to cull the American herd of the mentally feeble, then move to New Zealand? ;-)

The thing about the screaming loonies is they think they're tough, but the first time someone returns fire more than half will piss themselves and drop their guns in terror. Those pansies are afraid of deer. They love to be tough thinking only right wingers own guns....they're wrong. I've got many.

Yeah.....I'm not going to France no matter what happens. I'd move to NZ in a heartbeat though.

San Marino? Iceland? Finland? New Zealand? Switzerland? Holland? Denmark? Canada? Possibly Sweden? Id give them a shot.

Funny to imagine that. Montenegro pulling the strings for once instead of being pushed away from the camera by Trump. Half the world scurrying to maps in vain, trying to find it, the other half not knowing what the fuss is about as usual. You will buy our goat milk or we will impose tariffs on your fancy gangster guns, automobiles and helicopters!

As superpowers go, the US is not too bad. Its a fairly hands-off type superpower if you compare it to say the Roman Empire or Napoleonic France. Taking a long time to even annex Puerto Rico properly.

Wondering really how China will fare. Give it 25 years. And they sure wont ask as nicely as you just did.

Potential.
Historically; freedoms, rights, and opportunities, both economic and social.
Until recently, governmental system.
Wealth (per capita).
Military might (although I accept the argument that this is more often a net loss, not a net gain).

Yes, it swings both ways, as you also have the freedom to be as terrible as you like, to hate as irrationally as you like, to be as ignorant and dumb as you like, to be as spiteful and self serving as you like. Before we allowed our system to be purchased by the deepest pockets for purely personal gains of the powerful few with Citizens United, our system was well designed to serve the people, which while imperfect was still better than almost all others. There is still the possibility, however slight, that that democracy killing decision can be remedied with an amendment and we can get back on the right track. Most other systems are lacking in such self correction.

I'm not claiming perfection, far from it, but our overall potential outweighs any other nation's (at least it used to). Yes, we have bigots, but less than many nations by far. Some countries still allow murder of improper worshippers or don't allow certain races to become citizens.
Yes, we have more than our share of loudmouth ignorant morons, but there are other nations that beat us there too. We (as a whole) don't believe aids comes from homosexuals eating each other's poop, for instance, or that women's brains are 1/2 the size of men's. The opportunities for educational advancements are better here than most countries, but not all I admit, and far too many don't avail themselves of said opportunities, granted.
Yes, we have poor people, but fewer per capita than many if not most others, and the opportunity for ethical advancement both financial and social are still good, but admittedly that's changing.
Equality under the law, while far from perfection in that respect, we are (or were) still moving in the right direction.

We have a long hard Sisyphusian slog towards perfection, but overall, historically, we have been crawling towards justice more than away.

That said, New Zealand has been nipping at our heels for a while, and arguments could be made that they presently are ahead in all meaningful ways besides size and weather.

Today is actually summer solstice https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1208492322721271809

It's not actually too bad here, we're hundreds of kilometres from the NSW fires, although they are so big that the smoke reached New Zealand. Rather weirdly, the smoke even reached Melbourne on Friday due to an inversion layer and unusual wind conditions. Our Bureau of Meteorology provided a video here https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1207815448571633664

My Sydney based colleagues on the other hand have had air conditions much like Delhi in India (and for similar reasons). In fact my one young colleague who travelled to Delhi for a few weeks probably had better air quality there after rain cleared up the air in Haryana and Delhi!

Washington state apples? Um....that's New Zealand, not Washington.

Not sure how this could work on established trees unless they're espaliered.

Get you head out of you back side. The religion of peace did this and you look away. Shameful.


IS claims Sri Lanka blasts, as government says probe making progress

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-blasts/sri-lanka-blasts-were-revenge-for-new-zealand-mosque-killings-minister-idUSKCN1RZ06M

The truth about the Sri Lanka attacks are investigations have revealed they were a retaliation for the right wing terrorist attack on the Mosques in New Zealand, and the Sri Lankan Islamic terrorists gave warnings the police ignored.

"go to western sydney, blah blah whatabout whatabout whatabout waaaahhhh" yawn..... been there, done that.

Are there some Muslims who aren't great people? Sure. Same way as there are some awful white people. But if I tarred them all with the same brush, I'd be as ignorant as senator wankstain.

And he's racist as fuck.

So if you want to learn how a left wing politician speaks with compassion, empathy and eloquence, I suggest you read NZ PM Jacinda Ardern's speech.

"We cannot know your grief, but we can walk with you at every stage. We can. And we will, surround you with aroha (love), manaakitanga(support) and all that makes us, us. Our hearts are heavy but our spirit is strong."

"Naeem Rashid, originally from Pakistan, died after rushing at the terrorist and trying to wrestle the gun from him. He lost his life trying to save those who were worshipping alongside him.

Abdul Aziz, originally from Afghanistan, confronted and faced down the armed terrorist after grabbing the nearest thing to hand – a simple eftpos machine. He risked his life and no doubt saved many with his selfless bravery."

And if you want to read how she speaks with resolve...

"A 28-year-old man – an Australian citizen – has been charged with one count of murder. Other charges will follow. He will face the full force of the law in New Zealand. The families of the fallen will have justice.

He sought many things from his act of terror, but one was notoriety.

And that is why you will never hear me mention his name.

He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist.

But he will, when I speak, be nameless."

I will waste no more time on your pathetic racist arse.

From the image you posted:
"The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place"

No, the real cause is a racist fuck head with a gun who decided to murder innocent people.

Also, maybe do a couple of seconds of research before posting. Anning is a well known racist dickbag who has spoken before about a "final solution".

You can ignore it and play semantics all you want, but there's no question of his position.

Also, your ignorance is really showing when you start talking about "lefties" condemning him, when he was condemned by Australian PM Scott fucking Morrison who's about as left-wing as Paul Ryan.

I never had much respect for you transmorpher, but this is a new low even for you.

He was explaining why, when peaceful law abiding Muslim refugees are violently attacked by right wing terrorists, unprovoked, it's the Muslims' fault.

That's paraphrasing his other speeches, I don't think he finished this one, making it hard to quote him....and I hope he never finishes another.

From his official Twitter post-: “As always, left-wing politicians and the media will rush to claim that the causes of today’s shootings lie with gun laws or those who hold nationalist views but this is all cliched nonsense.
The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration programme which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place.
Let's be clear, while Muslims were the victims today, usually they are the perpetrators."

I'm actually pleased at how difficult it has proven to find his hate speech quoted. It's nice that news outlets have finally understood that, by repeating it ad nauseam, they are spreading it.

@newtboy that is exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of.

As for the kid (whose real name is Will Connolly) the defence fund is now around $30000, and part of the fund is earmarked for "buying more eggs". Will has stated he intends to donate most of the money to victim support*, once again being an absolutely top bloke. He's already been jokingly nominated for "Honorary New Zealander of the year".

Also to put his attack into context... in terms of victims per capita, if this had happened in the US, it would be the statistical equivalent of 9/11.

*there has already been nearly NZ$5m raised for the victims. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/christchurch-shooting-victims-fund