Government (National/ACT/NZ First) Chris Luxon: A Late-Model Executive SUV (e.g., Hyundai Kona or Mitsubishi Outlander). Practical, premium, & designed to look safe & corporate, as he has chosen a "cost-saving" focus while leading a larger team, often using practical, high-value vehicles rather than excessive luxury. David Seymour: High-Performance Electric Hatchback (e.g., Tesla Model 3). Fast, efficient, & disrupts the established, traditional car market. It is often seen as a smart choice by some & a polarizing, unconventional choice by others, aiming to disrupt the status quo. Winston Peters: A Restored 1980s V8 Holden Commodore. Old school, incredibly durable, & has been in the game longer than most. It’s loud, has a huge presence, & knows how to navigate tricky, winding roads better than anyone else. Shane Reti: A Dependable Volvo Estate. Safe, practical, & highly methodical. It’s a reliable choice that focuses on function & longevity, rarely breaking down or causing unexpected drama. The Opposition (Labour/Greens/Te Pāti Māori) Chris Hipkins: A Reliable 2nd-Hand Hybrid Hatchback. Practical, reliable, & designed for efficient, consistent, day-to-day work. It is familiar & generally liked, even if it isn't flashy. Jacinda Ardern: A Premium Electric SUV (e.g., Tesla Model Y). Modern, transformative, & tech-forward. It changed the landscape of the "car fleet" & focused heavily on a cleaner, future-oriented image. Chlöe Swarbrick: A Modern Electric Cargo Bike or Compact City Car. Forward-thinking, efficient, & directly challenging the need for large, traditional vehicles in modern life. It’s designed to get around, skip traffic, & focus entirely on sustainability. Rawiri Waititi: A Custom-Built, Bold Pickup Truck. Unapologetic, powerful, & built to stand out. It represents strength & a distinct, firm voice that isn't afraid to take up space on the road.

NZ/Aotearoa politicians as cars, 2026, according to Google AI (take with grain of salt):

NZ Politicians as Cars Jacinda Ardern - 2011 Nissan Leaf - Eco Friendly - Modern - Great for getting the kids around the city - Not great for much else, no grunt Judith Collins - 2014 Audi A7 - Needs to be at the front of traffic - Will tailgate you to get there Jami Lee Ross - 2001 Nissan Skyline - Fuck you all - The creepers car - Under constant police surveillance Shane Jones - 2011 Harley Fatboy - Popular in the country - Hated in the cities - Will occasionally rev its engine just to make noise and draw attention to itself Winston Peters - 1979 Jaguar XJ6 - Is great half the time, terrible the other half - Driven by 70 year old men who flirt with 20 year old women - How tf is that thing still running? Andrew Little - 2015 Toyota Hilux - Reliable - Carries the whole team - Isnt attractive in any way shape or form Paula Bennett - 2018 Holden Commodore - Bogan Success - Wont stop tooting Paul Goldsmith - 2016 Lexus GS - Reliably outperforms all others - Is so boring that no one cares Chloe Swarbrick - Bicycle - Assumes moral superiority - Has small, devoted following - Pisses everyone else to no end Simon Bridges - 2017 BMW LD730 - Crown Limo - Rich asshole who thinks they've made it - Unreliable as hell David Parker - 2002 Toyota Corolla - Been around a while but no one seems to have noticed - Does what its meant to - Nothing flashy Phil Twyford - 2017 Maserati Quattroporte - Looks Good - Sounds Good - Doesn't Work

NZ/Aotearoa politicians as cars, 2019:
www.reddit.com/r/newzealand...

If politicians were cars… Helen Clark becomes a Hummer battlewagon. John Key becomes a smooth and slick 1950s American sports car, while Greens leader Jeanette Fitzsimons gets run over by Helen Clark. Act leader Rodney Hide is...

NZ/Aotearoa politicians as cars, 2008:

🔴Clark = Hummer battlewagon
🔵Key = smooth & slink 1950s American sports car
🟢Fitzsimons = run over by Helen
🟡Hide = overweight relic of the 1980s compared with Chief Wiggum of Simpsons
⚫Peters = Model T
www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO08...

Winston Peters desperate for people to ignore NZ First's $300 million gift to tobacco companies, and his party being behind the repeal of #NZ smoke free generation, which #UK went on to implement successfully #ukpol #nzpol

the ad is split into four sections, each one half a page (so the whole print ad takes up 2 pages). each quarter of the ad is for a different home released game. each quarter of the ad has artwork related to the game being presented but also repeated the artwork of a man's face, wearing something that looks akin to 3d glasses, reflecting imagery from each game. in each picture the man's face is coloured differently. this first section of the ad is for arkanoid. the face is coloured naturally. the hair is blonde or white. to the right is a short vague description of the game and some artkanoid artwork, showing a paddle, bouncing a ball toward some blocks.

this section of the ad is for a game called slap fight. this time the man's face has green skin. to the right is a short vague description of the game and artwork showing a space ship in battle.

this section of the ad is for a game called game over. again, the face is coloured naturally, although still differently from the arkanoid section of the ad. to the right is some art from the game box art, showing a the top of a man and woman decked out in futuristic armor/gear. someone is holding a space pistol.

this section of the ad is for a game called athena. the man's face is psychedelic greens and blues and shadows. to the right is a short vague description of the game and artwork, depicting a scantily cladded female protagonist battling a large horned creature that looks like a minotaur.

print ad, imagery (1987) archive.org/details/Comm...

New Zealand Firms Gloomy as Iran War Hits Costs, Profitability New Zealand businesses expect to fire workers and reduce investment as the Middle East conflict drives up costs and hits profitability, according to a new business survey.

New Zealand businesses expect to fire workers and reduce investment as the Middle East conflict drives up costs and hits profitability, according to a new business survey.

Yet National, NZ First & ACT are still trying to claim there's no impact

9 People Trump Once LOVED But Now Pretends He Always Hated Zeteo has compiled a list of the president’s most dramatic fallings-out and the praise he'd probably like everyone to forget. But we kept receipts.

"9 People Trump Once LOVED But Now Pretends He Always Hated"

Zeteo has compiled a list of the president’s most dramatic fallings-out and the praise he'd probably like everyone to forget. But we kept receipts.

The usual suspects somehow think the NZ mainstream media is left-biased, and yet the Greens are held to higher standards by it. See also: Metiria Turei.

Again, imagine Greens co-leders Chlöe Swarbrick & Marama Davidson or any other woman on the left putting this kind of pout-and-flounce then the Press Pack NOT throwing it in their faces at every opportunity until the heat death of the universe.

You can't?

Sit with that for a minute.

#nzpol

He's miffed that Virginia is finally shedding its Confederate baggage.

Stages of denialism (off the top of my head):

Denial: "Climate change is a hoax!"
Downplaying: "A few degrees is nothing!"
Apologia: "Warming is good for the planet!"
Defeatism: "We'll all be dead anyway!"
Blame-shifting: "3rd World overpopulation is ruining the planet!"

Palantir: 1984 Incorporated.

From @nytpitchbot.bsky.social: "People on the left like Noam Chomsky and AOC talk a good game about fighting against capitalism, but Elon Musk and David Zaslav have done much more to destroy the public's faith in capitalism than they ever have."
xcancel.com/DougJBalloon...

First Draft: The ‘Peace President’ Threatens an Apocalypse on Iran. AGAIN Another day, another set of gleeful promises of war crimes from the White House. Plus, Donald Trump's approval rating hits a new low while an AIPAC-backed Democrat is greeted by boos in Michigan.

“The ‘Peace President’ Threatens an Apocalypse on Iran. AGAIN”

Another day, another set of gleeful promises of war crimes from the White House. Plus, Donald Trump's approval rating hits a new low.

@swin24.bsky.social with ‘First Draft’ from Zeteo:

We must use US taxpayer dollars to backstop the UAE

Which is facing economic problems caused by the war Trump started and doesn't know how to win

A war encouraged by leaders of the UAE

Who have given hundreds of millions in bribes to Trump, his family, and associates

U.S. Installs a Trump Loyalist to Lead ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Case Into Trump Foes

(🚨) OK, the time has come.

Everyone needs to read the 2020 bestseller Proof of Corruption, in which the man pictured below is a key antagonist trying to steal the 2020 election for Trump.

Don't care about the money here, just borrow it from the library.

If not illegal bribery, why so bribery shaped?

The oligarchs hate renewables because they can't profit from them. Once everyone buys solar panels, their energy costs are free. It isn't only the oil industry that doesn't want this to happen. Utility companies don't want it either. Anything that helps people and doesn't make money is an anathema.

The Far Right / Christian Nationalist MAGA workaround is going to be the story that Trump was beset by evil spirits and led astray by satanic Jews. If you spend any time monitoring that poisonous world you’ve already heard the foundation of this lie being set in place.

Paul Haggis' Crash is Oscar bait that portrayed all its characters as both good and bad in a contrived manner.

I could tell it was from Mel Brooks without previously knowing about that. Especially given he also made Spaceballs, and last I heard the sequel is coming out any moment now.

When Your Daughter is Kidnapped by ICE David Farrier's Webworm talks to Betty Wihongi, whose Kiwi daughter Everlee got kidnapped by ICE at LAX after a trip to New Zealand.

i talk in-depth to betty wihongi, whose kiwi daughter everlee got kidnapped by ICE at lax. full audio, and article, here (no paywall, no ads - please RT): www.webworm.co/betty/

It's plausible that the shooter was a variant of an obsessed fan.

Palantir's summary of CEO Alexander Karp's manifesto is generating buzz. Read the 22 bullet points. Among the 22 points summarizing Palantir CEO Alex Karp's manifesto is the belief that the US should consider reinstating the military draft.

This company is out of control and its CEO appears in nearly every public appearance to be disturbed in some way.

There are companies our government should have nothing to do with anymore—e.g., those associated with Elon Musk—and Palantir is on that list.

It's expected from those who wilfully mistake dumb luck and pulling up the ladder for meritocracy. If Luxon leaves the Beehive, expect him and his backers to label the country a "nation of Stalinist bottom feeders".

I suspect those promoting the prospect of Luxon spilling are the ones who want the coalition reelected at any cost. Not realising that rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship won't make a lot of difference anyway.

My view, as a brown woman, is that if Luxon fails he takes down this whole idea that the private sector experience and being a pākehā man makes you qualified.. That being rich is a qualification (it’s not). That being a white corporate man equals to having vision, leadership qualities, competence.

Tired: attempted spill
Wired: 3-legged coalition breaks up like the 1998 Shipley Govt

Hilarious.🤣

US “Irregular” Militias are Recruiting on Major Social Media Platforms Decentralized militias are openly recruiting on Instagram, posting combat training footage while framing themselves as community defense and disaster relief groups. Behind that branding lies Christian...

Decentralized militias are openly recruiting on Instagram, posting combat training footage while framing themselves as defense groups. Behind that branding lies Christian nationalist rhetoric and far-right ties. These cells operate in plain sight, normalizing paramilitary organizing on social media.