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Ambitious John Key's tax reforms lamblasted by critics....
John Key's tax reforms lamblasted by critics. But did they really expect anything different? AS PM John Key has really done nothing. His job is to get National re-elected and then hand over the reins to Bill English, because National knows he couldn't get elected as prime minister. And John Key wants to follow Helen Clark out into the big world yonder.
Economic commentator Bernard Hickey says the Prime Minister rightly pointed out there is a big hole in New Zealand's tax system, but he has done nothing to plug it.
He says Mr Key has ruled out a capital gains or land tax, sending a grim message to those not already owning a home.
"John Key was essentially saying to those people who don't own property now, that there isn't much hope, he isn't going to change the tax system in any major - and if you want to buy a house, you may as well buy a one-way ticket to Australia or somewhere else."
Mr Hickey says Mr Key has decided to take the easy way out to make sure he is re-elected in 2011.Re-elected to hand over the reins to the unelectable Bill English.
Labour's on the warpath over suggestions GST may rise, after Mr Key signaled the idea is under consideration for this year's Budget. A 2.5 percent rise would earn the Government an extra $2 billion, money that could be used to reduce top tax rates.
Labour leader Phil Goff is damning of any move to increase GST.
"What New Zealander that he's met out in the street has told him that they want the price of their bread to go up? The price of their milk? The price of their power? The price of their kids' shoes and their back to school needs?"
Mr Goff says no-one asks for an increase in GST except those in the top income bracket, who will take it in exchange for tax relief for the high incomes they are earning.
Mr Goff says the speech delivers no real action plan for the country and it was more like "tiptoe Tuesday" than the "big Tuesday" National's spin doctors made it out to be.
Really Long Link
Infant sleep apnea can be confused with SIDS...
First published at Qondio:
I wrote this a couple of years ago and thought I might repost it here for discussion. I also published a short article about SIDS(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)in a couple of my blogsites, and after noting the comments of two unrelated bloggers who had each lost a child to the terrible and heart breaking condition, I wondered if there was any connection between SIDS and sleep apnea, both of which cause the stoppage of breathing. As a consequence I have done a little research
and have come up with the following.
Many people think of sleep apnea as a disease of adulthood, and especially of middle aged adults over the age of 50 years. It is also believed to be more prevalent in men. But the truth of the matter is that anybody can get sleep apnea, from little premature babies to aging senior citizens.
It is common among premature infants whose apnea is caused by brain messages failing to reach the nerves and muscles that control breathing. Their respiratory centres are not yet mature; it is also common for them to have brief episodes of apnea while sleeping.
Infant sleep apnea applies to infants over 37 weeks of age and can be a frightening experience for parents because the infants can stop breathing while asleep. They can become very pale or even bluish in colour and the muscles become very limp. These episodes of sleep apnea are often mistaken for the onset of SIDS; they may well be related but as yet there is no proof of this.
A palindrome birthday reminder for you...
United Staes recreational mathematician and puzzle maker Martin Gardner's two palindrome birthdays coincided with two palindrome years: his 77th was in 1991 and 88th in 2002.
The year 2002 marked the 171st anniversary of Michael Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic induction. The next palindrome year, 2112, will mark Mother Teresa's 202nd birthday.
The 535th anniversary of the publication of the first edition of Isaac Newton's natural philosophy book PRINCIPIA will take place in 2222. Benjamin Franklin's 626th birthday will happen in 2332, and 2442 will mark the 686th birthday of Austrian composer Wolfgang Arnadeus Mozart, the 636th birthday of British mathematician Augustus De Morgan, and Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan's 555th birthday.
And what is a palindrome, you may ask? Something that reads the same backwards and forwards. I hope I made your day!
Source: Aziz Inan
The shaky isles maybe, but better monitoring of earthquake risks in the future...
Being part of the Pacific ring of fire New Zealand is both a volcanic and earthquake risk, although most of New Zealand's volcanoes have been dormant for many years. However earthquake fautlines have been mapped out in New Zealand. Australians love to have a crack about the country being the 'shaky isles'. Better a few shakes than bushfires I reckon
[ Click here to read more ]
Do you agree with MSN Travel that NZ is in Top 10 places to travel to...
New Zealand listed as one of top 10 in Best in Travel guide
[ Click here to read more ]
Doomed camels due to be culled and killed thrown an unexpected lifeline...
Thousands of wild camels due to be culled in the Northern Territory of Australia have been thrown a life-line from an unexpected quarter
[ Click here to read more ]
NZ Victoria Cross winner, Corp. Willie Apiata, clearly identified in media photo while on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan...
New Zealand Victoria Cross winner, SGT Willie Apiata, was clearly identified by media photos while on patrol recently in Kabul, Afghanistan. These photos were criticised by New Zealand prime minister, John Key, as placing Apiata in unnecessary danger of identification while serving with New Zealand's special forces, SAS, in Afghanistan. Mr key said the photos could have been blurred. He could become a future target
[ Click here to read more ]
NZ Victoria Cross winner, Corp. Willie Apiata, clearly identified in media photo while on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan...
New Zealand Victoria Cross winner, SGT Willie Apiata, was clearly identified by media photos while on patrol recently in Kabul, Afghanistan. These photos were criticised by New Zealand prime minister, John Key, as placing Apiata in unnecessary danger of identification while serving with New Zealand's special forces, SAS, in Afghanistan. Mr key said the photos could have been blurred. He could become a future target
[ Click here to read more ]
NZ Victoria Cross winner, Corp. Willie Apiata, clearly identified in media photo while on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan...
New Zealand Victoria Cross winner, SGT Willie Apiata, was clearly identified by media photos while on patrol recently in Kabul, Afghanistan. These photos were criticised by New Zealand prime minister, John Key, as placing Apiata in unnecessary danger of identification while serving with New Zealand's special forces, SAS, in Afghanistan. Mr key said the photos could have been blurred. He could become a future target
[ Click here to read more ]
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on Nz e-cigarette research to help world programs...
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