New Zealand Conservative

A new cigarette tax came into force 1 January , building on the progressive taxes already imposed. That makes cigarettes $22 a pack (per 25). Smoking is now an addiction presumably only the rich and the criminal can contemplate. Perhaps smokers are considering swapping to P or Heroin or crack cocaine. They may well be a more economical addiction, and help take the mind of the craving for smokes. Who knows? Meanwhile, flushed with the success of the smoking tax, the call for a tax on sugar is looking sweeter each day. In the 2000AD comic series, the cities of the future were regulated by Judges with the power to convict on the spot.  I remember a scene where Judge Dredd breaks into an apartment to find an elderly couple having a cup of tea. It all looked pretty normal, until Dredd tasted the contents of the sugar bowl. Was the evil white substance cocaine? Nope, sugar. But sugar was a banned substance in the future, so the couple were hauled off for a stretch in the ...

I mentioned this on another forum and thought I'd do a post here on it as well. When it comes to the subject of sex, many people consider that what the Bible has to say on the subject is very old fashioned; and perhaps it is, but there is wisdom in following the laws of God. These days having sex with another person to whom you are not married is commonplace; so common that it isn't thought of as a sin any more where once it would have been scandalous. You don't even have to love each other now; just find someone willing on a Friday night. The Bible calls it "fornication". The Bible also has something to say about homosexual sex - Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for...

Protected from the pretty colours and bold fonts March 2014 - In a stunning blow to the Tobacco lobby, the government has banned the use of Helvetica font (and many others) on plain cigarette packaging. Once the new legislation is in force, advertisers will be forced to choose between only Courier and Times New Roman when adding printed messages on their products. Whilst the bill was known as "Helvetica 12" the legislation included a long list of fonts that were now deemed illegal for the purposes of advertising.  The full list wasn't fully known as the list was delivered in 6 point font, and no-one had a magnifying glass handy. Helvetica font was singled out based on solid, peer reviewed overseas research.  The study indicated consumers were more likely to buy a packet of cigarettes when noticing key words such as "Camel" in Helvetica 12, 14 and 16.  Young people aged 12, 14 and 16 were most susceptible according to the data. "This is a fantastic...

Court in U.S rules that State of Dakota is allowed to say that women who have had abortions are at increased risk of suicide – and even planned Parenthoods expert concurred. A federal appeals court affirmed the last provision of a long-disputed informed consent law today, ruling that the state of South Dakota can require abortionists to inform women seeking to terminate the lives of their unborn baby that they face an increased risk of suicide. [...] “As a result of this case upholding all eight major provisions of South Dakota’s Abortion Informed Consent Statute, pregnant mothers will now be informed: 1) that ‘an abortion terminates the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being;’ 2) that the mother’s ‘relationship with that second human being enjoys protection under the Constitution of the United States and the laws of South Dakota;’ 3) ‘that relationship and all rights attached to it will be terminated;’ and 4) the abortion places the mother ‘at increased risk for...

An interesting story of how Christian Fundamentalism sets out to save people from the bowels of evil, and the moment money becomes the by-product, suddenly every-one gets in on some cereal and serious profiteering. There's a lesson there somewhere, but the story is interesting on many levels More than a century ago, Christian fundamentalists invented cereal to promote a healthy lifestyle free of sin. Little did they know, their creation would eventually be used to promote everything from radio and cartoons to Mr. T and tooth decay. Story at Mentalfloss Note, this cereal killer video is violent. Definitely only for 14 to 18 year olds* *So why am I not surprised my younger son has already seen it?

Free sex advice may have helped minimise infection Fears for youth as free sex advice cut: Many young Aucklanders face having to pay for previously free sexual health consultations because of the Government's squeeze on health dollars. This is expected to contribute to an increase in New Zealand's already internationally high rates of teenage pregnancy and some sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia. Last year, 15 DHBs reported 25,000 positive tests for the disease, according to a report for the Health Ministry I note that testing for Chlamydia occurs in a ratio of about 5 females to 1 male, so the problem is probably larger if more males were tested. Equally though, Chlamydia tends to affect women to a higher degree. Still, after the caning Colin Craig got for his improper suggestions, I'm a little surprised more people haven't leapt on the phrase above: "New Zealand's already internationally high rates of teenage pregnancy and so...

This provocative film documents the stories of the numerous girls adversely affected by the HPV vaccines – giving these young women and their families a chance to speak out – share their dismay and sense of betrayal for simply believing the pharmaceutical and medical industries were protecting them when marketing HPV vaccines for the prevention of cervical cancer. More about this project and their plea for help

A story in today's news says that according to a new study, those that take calcium supplements could be 30% more likely to suffer a heart attack. Calcium supplements, which many people consume hoping to ward off osteoporosis, may increase the risk of heart attack by as much as 30 percent, researchers reported. These tiny tablets which carry concentrated doses of calcium were also associated with higher incidences of stroke and death, but they were not statistically significant. What researchers don't seem to realize is that this is old news. According to someone I know who is into the whole supplement and nutrition thing, Calcium must be taken together with Magnesium. The magnesium directs the calcium as to where it should go to in the body, to prevent the calcium settling in the arteries. I admit that I am no expert on supplements and/or vitamins (so do not depend upon my info to inform any of your decisions), but it seems as though the medical community is only slowly ca...

So the argument goes "dope should be legal because tobacco is". I don't know if you've been paying attention over the last few years, and in particular under National recently, but I think that argument might have a time limit on it. If we put GST up to 17.5% they could ban smoking overnight. Oops, there I go giving the government ideas again. Sorry, my bad. I was just joking.

At least two robberies reported of cigarettes since the tobacco tax rise a few days ago. It's dangerous to work a convenience store. It might explain why John Key prefers a visit to Afghanistan than a walk down to the shop for a loaf of bread and a mugging.

Michael Laws devotes his SST column this week to his daughter, Lucy, and writes a moving and heartfelt article. Lucy has been battling cancer for over two years, and is now in remission, long may it last. Michael credits three things to her recovery: Lucy's indomitable spirit, the expertise and dedication of the medical team, and quite frankly, a miracle. I suspect he is right on all counts. Miracles may be few and far between, or they may be more abundant than we realise. We certainly don't get all the miracles we might like, but Michael and family got theirs. When science and reason hit their limits and are exhausted, and the odds are stacked overwhelmingly against you, I only see something positive in the human spirit when one falls to their knees and prays to God. We pray for miracles, we pray for strength and we pray out of love; and in praying, maybe we are given the grace to continue on. There was also something transformational for Michael Laws in the suf...

I came across this fascinating opinion on addiction, that questions the idea that the addicts are unable to exercise choice in the matter of their addiction. I think it applies to far more than addiction, but in this society, addiction is seen as a reason not to try harder: Now comes an important and provocative book called Addiction: A Disorder of Choice by the psychologist Gene Heyman, a research psychologist at McLean Hospital and a lecturer at Harvard. Heyman mounts a devastating assault on the brain-based model of addiction. Not that he views addiction as independent of the brain—no serious person could even entertain such a claim. What he rejects, however, is the notion that excessive drug or alcohol consumption is an irresistible act wholly beyond the user’s control, as the term “addiction,” commonly understood, implies. If anything, Heyman writes, “[a]ddiction … helps us understand voluntary behavior.” How so? “[B]ecause,” he explains, “it is not possible to understand addicti...

History was made today, and it records that Obama is "the winner". Has America won too? Time will tell. People are so thrilled with the idea, there seems to be little worry the implementation and costs could in any way be negative. Like most things Americans spend their money on, perhaps the ultimate price tag doesn't matter? What I find interesting are the comments on various blogs and media sources of those flushed with success. Let's just go with the Times : Excellent news and an historic day for millions of Americans...Israel and the Palestinians next ! No guesses for who this guy is barracking for. This is proof America can change. I am convinced Obama has gun control in his sights, and those two achievements alone will mark his presidency as one of the great ones - alongside saving the American economy last year Obama saved America last year? I just thought he deferred the bill. Interesting though that gun control follows health care. And wha...

I am so glad we don't do advertisements on this blog. There's been a fair few websites I've visited recently that run advertisements down the sidebar, in the middle of news articles and across the top page. And a fair few of those (or perhaps the ones I am unable to zone out of my mind) show flab, fat and pale white skin.  After getting an eyeful of the before and the promise of the after, one presumably sends money in exchange for pills or a mysterious non-surgical stomach stapling product that requires monthly payments. The result might be lean, ripped and muscular men, or toned, athletic and shapely woman, but it's all just too much information when it's on every fourth web page. I haven't seen any enticements for steroids though, but what do you reckon with these photos?  Surely, impossible even with 12 eggs in every meal? So don't worry, NZC will stay advertisement free when it comes to weight loss products. Is that good news? Well, this me...

Catherine Delahunty is drilling into the "right" to Dental Care. Apparently, Mobile Dental Units the Ministry of Health are investing in will not cater for disabled people. If ramps were to be fitted, they would apparently cost $70,000. She thinks a ramp would be $3,000 tops. Furthermore, because this is a breach of the United Nations Convention on Human Rights, the Greens are asking for a Disability Commission to be created. She thinks that would be $30 million tops. (Actually, I'm making that bit up. That's my guess for initiation and first year up and running.) I was going to turn this into a post, but I'll just cut and paste the first two comments I made on Frog Blog. Read the whole thing there if you would like to simulate a toothache. ZenTiger's Comment: On one hand we have the statement that “access to dental health” is a right, and on the other we have Catherine arguing that that right can ONLY be provided via a government paid Mobile Clinic ki...

As reported in the NZ Herald - Gay and bisexual students show elevated rates of alcohol and drug use, sexually transmitted infections and mental health issues, an Auckland University report says. The study, to be released tomorrow, used data from Youth 07 - a survey of 8002 secondary school students which quizzed respondents on sexual attraction, health and wellbeing. It showed that over the past 12 months more than a third of gay and bisexual students had seriously contemplated suicide, while about half had harmed themselves, the New Zealand Aids Foundation (NZAF) - who are backing tomorrow's release - said. NZAF said the report also revealed several positive developments when compared to a similar survey done nine years ago. These included students forming rewarding friendships with peers and decreased rates of smoking. "The improvements are wonderful. However it's very clear that the rates of bullying and isolation that (gay and bisexual) youth reported have real and s...

The Maori Affairs Select Committee today approved a request from Maori Party MP Hone Harawira to hold an inquiry into “the impact of tobacco use on Maori”. “Tobacco kills 5,000 Kiwis every single year, more than 100,000 New Zealanders in the last 25 years alone. It’s time we held those people responsible for these tobacco deaths, accountable for their actions. How can we if they are dead? “This inquiry is New Zealand’s opportunity to have Tobacco companies explain their actions of promoting and maintaining tobacco addictions which lead to these painful deaths. Oh, I see. “We will also be taking this inquiry on the road to make it easier for whänau to attend, and I have no doubt that by the time we finally get the tobacco company execs in front of the committee, we will have gathered enough testimony to really take them to task. Because it wouldn't be peer pressure that created a pressure to smoke? It wouldn't be the strong role modelling from their own whanau that could be con...

Researchers are claiming that they may have found a drug that wipes bad memories . At least, if you give it to rats it makes them forget that a beep is associated with intense pain, and they take the hit all over again. My goodness, they've synthesized a treatment for socialism and the taxation system. That's not the only flaw in their logic though. On the other hand, logic might not be a problem if they've already administered the drug to their financial sponsors.

Green MP Sue Kedgley, said " There is no safe level of exposure to mercury. " And yet there obviously is safe levels of exposure, because the mercury contained in CFL light bulbs is, according to Sue, apparently safe , even if broken around children (an occurrence not uncommon in a child's bedroom). So I agree with Sue's first statement, that there is no safe level of exposure to mercury. I disagree with her second press release that there is a safe level of exposure to mercury. Maybe one day, they will campaign against CFLs? Meanwhile, some 50,000 protesters including many Greens are protesting in Germany against nuclear energy. Seems that the government may not be in a position to mothball the nuclear power plants by 2020. Any such switch will also imperil Germany's committment to reducing greenhouse gases. Seems that nuclear could be the new clean green - but this is a price too high for many. Maybe they need to refuse to use any form of energy whatsoev...

"This is the last chance the government have got to make something work - if it doesn't work then there's nothing else one can do." [Yeah, right. Until the next tax payer funded campaign.] "In the end I think legislation will be required if we're going to nail the problem of obesity." [Yep, legislation is the solution to every problem. smacking, eating, drinking, driving, and even breathing (or at least expelling CO2] Another Global Epidemic has been declared, with the epicentre in government headquarters around the world, and also here in NZ, to create a tsunami of government intervention using more of our tax dollars. Like all brilliant government ideas, the purpose of collecting data is to justify growing the government to solve a problem, even if it isn't really a problem. This is yet another example. Ozy Mandias explains how all the hard training has helped the All Blacks come closer to realizing their dream of taking the World Cup. The ...