The Auckland toddler was admitted to Starship Hospital with serious head injuries on Sunday night. (Photo / File)
A 17-month-old boy is fighting for his life in Starship Hospital after suffering severe head injuries.
The Herald can reveal the toddler’s mother has had five children previously removed from her care by Oranga Tamariki.
The Auckland toddler was admitted to Starship Hospital with serious head injuries on Sunday night.
Hospital staff alerted police, believing the child’s injuries may have been deliberately inflicted.
No one has been arrested or charged at this stage.
Detective Senior Sergeant Geoff Baber confirmed police were notified at 7.30pm on Sunday.
“A scene examination is being carried out at an address in Auckland’s central business district,” he said.
“Police are continuing to piece together what has led to this child’s injuries which we believe at this stage are non-accidental.
“Police are speaking to several people in relation to this matter and there is no further information available at this stage.”
Police would not comment on the background of the child’s mother or whether she had been spoken to.
But the Herald understands the toddler is her sixth child – and her five older children have all been removed from her care.
Oranga Tamariki has been contacted for comment.
Earlier this month the Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft announced a review into Oranga Tamariki’s child uplift policies relating to care and protection issues for Maori babies.
It follows controversy over the attempted uplift last month of a young Maori mother’s baby from Hawke’s Bay Hospital that today saw Minister for Children Tracey Martin announce an internal inquiry.
The “thematic review” by will look specifically at policies around Maori infants aged 0-3 months.
Judge Becroft said while the review would initially focus on the 0-3 months age group, he could not rule out extending the review to older children.
He said his office had a statutory mandate to investigate.
“If we didn’t do it we would be asleep at the wheel,” he said.
Earlier the same day Minister for Children Tracey Martin announced an internal inquiry by Oranga Tamariki into its processes specifically around the Hasting family’s case.
First we had Martin Martyn Bradbury writing sensible things and calling out the hypocrisy of his left-wing friends. Now Rachel Stewart has criticised the vitriol of the tribal left and wondering what happened to the sisterhood of feminism.
[…] The mere mention of her name sees the more fragile among us rattling off a frenzy of common [Judith Collins] stereotypes. Then when they’ve eventually exhausted themselves ranting about her on social media, and other odious outlets of meaninglessness, they surely must flee to a darkened room for a cup of tea and a lie down.
What is it about Collins that makes reasonably intelligent people instantly turn into blithering idiots? She’s not a flesh-eating zombie or a snake-headed Medusa and, if you think she is, you need to get out more. Or read some history books. […]
Anyway, my prediction? She’ll be leading the National Party into the next election. It may be a bit too early for her but a hell of a lot can happen between now and then. The world is looking increasingly dangerous and enough voters may well see her as a pair of safe hands in troubled times.
Now, just even suggesting that scenario means there are some who will call me right-wing (I’m not) or a traitor (it’s called free speech) or a clumsy contrarian (maybe) but, guess what? I reckon Collins is the single most maligned and misunderstood female politician we’ve ever had. She’s been dealing with naked vitriol for years.
It’s possibly our shared rural sensibility but that, right there, is why I’ll always have a sneaking regard for Collins. Victimhood is not part of her deal, and in our new era of loudly howling at the moon about every real or imagined slight, I expect the backlash to it will be in full swing come election day. […]
I simply can’t abide the endless sneery self-described feminists who rush to the defence of any woman on their team who is even mildly attacked by a pundit, yet never, ever, raise a finger to point out what’s happening to those on the right of the stage. In fact, they’ll happily join in with the chorus of men attacking Collins by using her gender against her.
Newsflash: Feminism is not a buffet you can pick and choose from. “Oh, I’ll eat that cake but I won’t touch those broad beans”. It doesn’t work like that. We’re either here for all our sisters, or none of our sisters. Don’t call yourself a feminist if you aren’t.
Because, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Collins is consistently there for all the sisters. Golriz Ghahraman was feeling attacked recently and she spoke up in her defence. I’m pretty sure that Collins agrees with virtually nothing Ghahraman says or believes but, there she was defending her.
Did you also notice Collins openly praising Jacinda Ardern in Parliament for her handling of the Christchurch mosque attacks? It was unequivocal and full-throated. Classy, even.
Yet, I’ve never seen the same graciousness towards her from the left of the House. Have I missed it? I’ve been looking. So far, nothing. […]
The evidence is absolutely damning and a slam dunk, and still Ardern equivocates about it all. If she is this much of an equivocator over a case that is so open and shut it is scary to think what she would be like dealing with a really serious crisis.
The situation is clear cut yet it appears to be quite a conundrum for the prime minister, as Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf is after all one of the main architects of the Labour party’s “wellbeing” budget. Throwing him under a bus will feel like a betrayal of sorts, but why he was back at work yesterday as if everything was fine is beyond me.
The advice was found wanting, but the prime minister is reserving her judgmentover what to do with Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf until the State Services Commission has finished an investigation into the handling of last week’s Budget “leak”.
Speaking with Stuff on Tuesday, Jacinda Ardern would not be drawn on whether Makhlouf’s head was on the chopping block, after it appeared he misinformed both her office and Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s office that Treasury had been the subject of a hack, when it hadn’t.
“I don’t want to make any rash judgments or statements, while the State Services Commission are still looking into what happened over the course of those few days,” Ardern said.
You have to ask what exactly it will take for Ardern to take action. Does she really think she can treat the situation the same way that she treated the sexual assault and underage drinking scandal at the Young Labour camp? Does she think if she stalls long enough it will all go away and the media will lose interest?
[…] Hughes later confirmed he was considering claims by National that Treasury and the Government were “sitting on a lie” for 36 hours before coming clean, but he did not go so far as to confirm it was the subject of an investigation.
The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) has since responded to media questions to confirm it advised Treasury from the outset that it was not dealing with a hack.
The GCSB’s advice came before Treasury referred a potential hack to police, advised the minister’s office there had been a hack, and released a public statement saying the information had been received – directly or indirectly – as the result of a hack.
[…] It’s understood spy agencies were unaware the public statement on Tuesday evening would contain the word “hack” – Treasury having not consulted the GCSB before delivering its comment to media – which sent the intelligence community into a spin at thought a critical Government department may have been the subject of an offshore hack.
National took the step on Sunday of writing to Hughes to formally request the terms of his investigation be extended to include both Labour and Treasury’s communications in the aftermath of the incident […]
Joe Ascroft
Economist
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union
Our team has just returned from the Beehive, where we attended the media and analysts’ lock-up event for the government’s new “Wellbeing Budget”. This year’s Budget was accompanied by some level of turmoil, with leaks, alleged hacks, and a (very brief) police investigation all entering the headlines throughout the week.
We’ve had two and a half hours to file through the fiscal documents and spending announcements. We now want to give you an insider’s look, before the spin on the 6pm news.
Our overall impression of this Budget is, glossy marketing aside, it is a classic welfare-spending, rail-worshipping, Michael Cullen-style budget.
The government is holding up its big spend on mental health services as evidence of a fresh new “wellbeing” approach, but the figures tell a different story. The government is spending almost three times as much on rail ($2.14 billion / $1,175 per household) – including KiwiRail, regional rail and the Auckland City Rail Link – than on direct mental health spending ($823 million / $452 per household).
The “wellbeing” focus appears to be nothing more than a communications strategy from the government. Budget 2019 is indistinguishable from any other normal Labour Budget, with more money for welfare recipients and no room for tax relief.
The big-ticket items
KiwiRail: An additional $1 billion ($549 per household) is being allocated for KiwiRail including $375 million for new wagons and locomotives and $331 million for new track and infrastructure. As a State-Owned Enterprise, KiwiRail is expected to be profitable – but it has never paid a cent in dividends to the government. An additional billion dollars will not change reality – KiwiRail is a fundamentally unprofitable enterprise. Click here for my comments to the media.
Mental health: An extra $823 million ($452 per household) is being spent on mental health and addiction services. It has high aspirations, but few plans for judging value for money. As Scotland learned in the 1990s, a lot of extra money can go into mental health with little or no effect on measured outcomes. Click here for Louis’ comments to the media.
Venture Capital Fund: Wealthy tech entrepreneurs rejoice! The government is allocating $300 million ($164 per household) for a venture capital fund to help tech entrepreneurs who can’t convince investors or the bank to fund their projects.Worst of all, the project is being routed through the New Zealand Super Fund, which should be focused on delivering returns for future retirees. We say socialism for tech nerds is still socialism. Click here for my comments to the media.
Maori, Pasifika initiatives: Much of the spending on education, health, and even business is targeted on the basis of race, including an $80 million ($44 per household) injection for the Whanau Ora programme. We say targeting spending on race will lead to unfair and inefficient outcomes. Click here for Louis’ comments to the media.
Welfare changes: Following the release of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group’s report, the government has chosen to spend $535 million ($293 per household) to boost up the welfare system. Benefit sanctions for breaking the rules are being withdrawn and beneficiary payments will be adjusted upwards annually in line with wages, rather than inflation. Click here for my comments to the media.
As for the economy…
The economy itself is expected to track slightly weaker in coming years (forecast GDP growth is set to average 2.6 percent in the next five years) but is not projected to enter recession or enter serious headwinds. Business investment growth, however, is expected to fall off a cliff in 2019 (0.7 percent growth) compared to 2018 (6.8 percent growth), which could be a reflection of weak business confidence in response to plans for a capital gains tax and international trade sentiment. The government also still expects to meet its self-imposed Budget Responsibility Rules, including reducing net debt to below 20 percent of GDP by 2022.
Christian groups have reacted in vastly different ways in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque attacks – many offering empathy and support, others warning darkly of an Islamic threat. In part two of our series ‘God in the Time of Terror’, Tony Wall reports on some evangelicals who believe they’re in a spiritual battle.
When Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wore a hijab and spoke in Arabic during a Muslim call to prayer in Hagley Park a week after the deadly mosque attacks, the world saw a strong, compassionate leader sending a message of inclusion and tolerance.
Pastor Ross Smith just saw red.
To Smith, a motorbike-riding pentecostal preacher, this was the leader of a western country essentially asking people to “bow down” to Allah and embrace a dangerous ideology.
It might seem paranoid, but Smith and other conservative evangelicals see this as the first step on a road that leads to the “deletion” of the Christian God, the rise of Islamic radicals and eventually the implementation of Sharia law in New Zealand.
“Do we want to go down that track? Because that’s the reality of the hardcore side of that ideology,” says Smith, pastor of Wellington’s Celebration Church.
He says it’s time for Christians to get political.
“I think it’s a wake-up call. The church has been quiet for too long.”
After the mosque attacks, churches of various denominations around the country made symbolic gestures of support, invited Muslims to pray with them and gave money.
Examples included Mormons inviting imams to speak at conferences; the All Souls Church in Merivale, Christchurch, laying out 50 pairs of painted white shoes to represent each victim of the massacres; the Tauranga Central Baptist Church including an Arabic greeting on its billboard and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ponsonby, Auckland inviting Muslims from the mosque across the road to pray with them.
DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF
Peace be upon you, says the sign in Arabic on the Tauranga Central Baptist Church.
But some of the more fundamentalist branches of Christianity reacted angrily to all this outpouring of support for Islam.
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki tweeted his objection to the national broadcast of the call to prayer, saying “this is offensive to all true Christians … our national identity is at stake”.
Destiny’s senior Christchurch pastor, Derek Tait, was photographed comforting a Muslim man at the peace vigil in Hagley Park on March 22 – a month later he led a crowd of people who gathered opposite the Al Noor Masjid, scene of the deadliest massacre, and loudly proclaimed Christchurch a Christian city.
JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF
Destiny Church pastor Derek Tait reaches out to a member of the Muslim community during the call to prayer and peace vigil.
Tait told Stuff at the time the gathering was not inappropriate, “because in that very same place the decree was put out by our Prime Minister and the Muslim community to declare that Allah is the one true God, which I emphatically disagree with”.
The idea that Ardern was somehow declaring New Zealand an Islamic nation by having the call to prayer broadcast on state TV and radio was shared widely in conservative Christian circles. It seems to be based on the words of the call itself.
The call, or adhan, recites that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Ardern’s office says all decisions she made in the aftermath of March 15 “were in the intention to show respect for the Muslim community during a time of grief”.
That’s not good enough for the conspiracy theorists.
In the days and weeks after the massacres, Carl Bromley, a pro-Trump, pro-gun pastor with the Life Connection Baptist Fellowship in Christchurch, was busy on social media.
His Facebook page filled with posts about attacks on Christians by Muslims in Nigeria (which he claims went ignored by the media), criticism of moves to tighten gun control, outrage at calls to drop the name of the Crusaders rugby team and numerous links to articles on an anti-Muslim conspiracy blog.
“Those who drive Christianity out of society are paving the way for Islam,” he wrote.
Bromley declined an in-person interview but says by email there is a “huge discrepancy” between the concern expressed over the Christchurch attacks, which were “heinous and evil”, and attacks on Christians overseas.
He says he read the gunman’s manifesto before it was banned and believes his motives have been misrepresented.
“If it wasn’t for our neo-socialist government banning the … manifesto, any thinking person could have read that the issue was about immigration and not Muslims.
YOUTUBE
Carl Bromley says New Zealand is “too PC”.
“With access to facts being suppressed the powers that be are free to make the incident [about] ‘Muslims’ and ‘Islam’ rather than ‘immigration in general’.”
In addition, as he drove to the first mosque the alleged gunman played a song idolising Radovan Karadžić, who was jailed for genocide against Bosnian Muslims. Inscriptions on his rifles referenced Charles Martel, who is hailed by white supremacists for defeating an invading Muslim force in 732.
Every one of the gunman’s 51 victims was Muslim, killed at places of worship on their most important day of prayer, jumah.
But in Bromley’s conspiracy world view, the Government is using the actions of a “psychopath” to promote and advance Islam.
It’s a theme pastor Peter Mitchell of Radikal Kingdom Ministries International in Queensland echoes.
In a widely shared Facebook post, Mitchell called on Ardern to stand down for “forcing … by strong suggestion” New Zealanders to “submit” to the Islamic call to prayer.
“I am getting a little sick of you as the PM and the media using Islam as a race card,” he wrote.
It’s not just fringe preachers who allege hypocrisy in the reaction to March 15 – broadcaster Leighton Smith wrote a column for the New Zealand Herald titled ‘The War on Christianity’, in which he lamented what he saw as a subdued reaction from world leaders to the Sri Lanka church bombings compared to Christchurch.
This is all part of a “rumbling undercurrent of nervousness” – especially within conservative Christian groups – about the way Islam has been portrayed post-March 15, says Professor Peter Lineham, an expert in religious history.
“There seemed to be a fear around that Muslims were taking advantage of the sympathy and were in some way profiting from it and as a result greatly improving their status within New Zealand.”
CHRIS SKELTON
Religious history expert Peter Lineham says conservative evangelicals feel nervous about how Islam has been pushed to the forefront.
Because these conservatives have felt that everything they say gets criticised, Lineham says, they haven’t taken kindly to Muslims being in public favour.
“They have felt at the edge of quite a degree of public hostility, especially as a result of LGBT issues and so they’ve felt pushed to the boundary, when a group they regard as a real threat … [has been embraced].”
Dr Geoff Troughton, religious studies director at Victoria University, says this small group of Christians is involved in what they see as a spiritual battle.
“There are some groups who have been very concerned about what they perceive as a public acknowledgement given to Islam – they are concerned that … it’s a rival for hearts and minds.”
The recitation of Koranic verses in Parliament was a big deal to these groups, Troughton says.
An imam was invited to deliver a prayer in Arabic – the first time Parliament had opened to a Muslim prayer – on the Tuesday after the attacks.
As is normal after any major incident in which there is significant loss of life, party leaders gave statements about the Christchurch attacks; Ardern started her speech with “Al salam Alaikum — peace be upon you”.
Troughton says to some Christians, this was not merely symbolic.
“[They believe] it’s spiritually potent actions … that activate spiritual powers that they believe are malign or not working in the nation’s interests.”
He founded the group Jesus for NZ, aimed at having the name restored. He says even some Muslim leaders agree with him on the issue because they see the removal of Christ’s name as diminishing God.
“I don’t hate Muslims, it’s the ideology I don’t like,” Smith says.
DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF
Smith believes radical Muslims want to take over the world.
He repeatedly quotes Lebanese-American author Brigitte Gabriel, whose anti-Muslim statements are popular with the alt-right in America.
“As she said, the peaceful majority … are irrelevant, because it’s the radicals you have to watch for.
“You come back to the hard core element who will not stop until this nation is declared under the flag of Islam.”
“After 9-11, after the London bombings, some people threw stones at our mosques and … the church groups came in support of us immediately.
“After the Christchurch incident, we still have that good, friendly, loving reaction from all the church groups. Everybody opened their hearts.”
The religions can co-exist, Zaman says.
“The root of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is the same – it comes from Abraham.
“There are a lot of similarities in the scriptures. Islam has a whole chapter on Jesus Christ and his mother Mary, we respect them as prophets.”
Smith rejects the suggestion that his claims about an “Islamic threat” constitute hate speech of the very type that motivated the Christchurch gunman.
“I don’t think it’s insensitive to talk about these issues … we’re talking about ideologies.
“We sympathise with the people … we have compassion, that’s a gimme. I think it’s probably the perfect time to talk about it.”
Smith says he would like to read the gunman’s manifesto and objects to it being banned.
People should be able to choose whether to read it, he says.
“Otherwise we have the powers that be telling us about this guy from their own perspective/agenda, which may or may not be the whole truth.”
To Smith, Ardern and other leaders are sending confusing messages.
“She’s already said there was no Christian foundation in this nation, which is rubbish … there she is wearing the [hijab] and expecting everyone to bow to Allah. What are we expected to do?”
Smith notes that many Christians posted the national anthem after March 15.
“It’s very timely – God defend New Zealand. We don’t want more of this stuff.
“We don’t want Muslims hurting people – they’re not doing it in this nation – we don’t want white supremacists doing it either, we don’t want anyone doing it.
“So God defend New Zealand – it was a written as a prayer, I think it’s a fantastic anthem.”
* This story is the second in a four-part series examining the reaction of the Christian community to the terror attack at two Christchurch mosques on March 15. Other stories in the series include reports on: members of the South West Baptist Church in Christchurch, who helped victims of the mosque attacks; an Auckland suburb where the two religions live side by side; a retired minister who has spent much of his life fostering Christian-Muslim relations
This week John Black is volunteering at a leper colony in East Africa. His place is taken by a well-known television reporter…
THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT BROWN SUPREMACY IN NEW ZEALAND
A brave expose by a very brave and important reporter.
Being a fearless reporter that is also brave, when the boss asked me to investigate brown supremacy in New Zealand I knew things could get rough. What I didn’t realize was how rough. What I uncovered almost made me soil my Barker’s Menswear suit (the Hampton charcoal with waistcoat). Yes, this investigation was to take a serious personal toll.
I would even have to leave the office.
True, it was only to get a soy latte, but I needed it to stay awake while I surfed the internet all night.
That’s where I started. The internet. I hadn’t really been a fan previously. I mainly used it to order handmade Italian ties and book Austrian skiing holidays. But I thought I knew its dangers. Once when the wife was away I got lonely, locked my bedroom door and spent three hours googling myself.
I felt ashamed after. Only three measly hits.
But now I looked into the internet more, I was shocked. Did you know that you can pretty much say anything on the internet? Including terrible, terrible things like ‘Gas the Jews’ and ‘I don’t like Jacinda Ardern’.
I was shocked.
My fearless investigation into brown supremacy started on YouTube. I found grainy footage of a Mr Dun Mihaka exposing his buttocks to royalty back in 1983. I was shocked. So shocked I spilt my soy latte all over my Gucci loafers (the tan ones with off-white soles). Here was a man motivated by the sick ideology of brown supremacy. He certainly wasn’t motivated by the superiority of his buttocks, which were rather flabby. I had to look into this further.
I joined a Facebook group called ‘Kohitanga Aotearoa’ posing as ‘Hone Jones’. Discussions by the members of this group centred on how they as ancestors of the original brown inhabitants of this country deserve special rights. Based on their genetics they claimed ownership of land and natural resources. Some even wanted their own legal system. One guy called ‘Harawira298’ claimed he wouldn’t let his daughter date a white guy.
Pure brown supremacy.
It took a while, but I began to understand their code words.
‘Chur Bro’ meant ‘screw whitey’. ‘Honour the Treaty’ meant ‘screw whitey’ and ‘Hey cuz any sticky buds? I’m all out’ was either a drug reference or meant ‘screw whitey’, I wasn’t sure.
I decided I needed to consult an expert. Professor T. Spoon at Massey University is the country’s foremost expert on racism. After twenty years of study, he’s concluded it’s not a good thing.
‘In some ways this country was founded on brown supremacy’ he explained. ‘Look at our founding document – the Treaty of Waitangi – it entrenches brown privilege.’ ‘We still live with the repercussions today’, he went on, ‘look at the All Blacks, the national team of our national sport. It’s a team disproportionately dominated by brown skinned people’. I paused and loosened my tie (a silk Armani, cornflower blue). I was feeling shocked. I asked about the brown supremacist movement.
‘Oh, brown supremacists are everywhere,’ he told me ‘They could be your next door neighbour, your yoga instructor or even your cat’. This was insane, I thought. Fluffy was white.
‘Most obviously the gangs’, he continued. ‘Black power, Mongrel Mob etc., they are open brown supremacists’.
My investigative reporter nose started twitching. I formulated a plan. I would bravely go undercover in one of these gangs to bravely expose their menace to society. I might need a few hours in a tanning salon first but no sacrifice is too big when you are seeking the truth. Professor Spoon offered to connect me with some contacts he had in the Mongrel Mob that very evening. Then I remembered it was my wife’s book club evening and it was my turn to make the cheese and onion dip. ‘What about tomorrow?’ Professor Spoon, asked helpfully. But that was my Pilates class.
It was impossible.
I put down the phone and started thinking. My brother-in-law’s hairdresser was beaten up by a Samoan. At school a Maori kid called Hemi used to steal my play-lunch. Logically this means that brown supremacy must be everywhere. Embedded deep within New Zealand society like Christianity and marmite. I promised myself I would bravely continue my brave fight to expose brown supremacy in New Zealand.
I am not generally a bacon person… often the taste can be a bit strong for me, and generally, I try to avoid it. However, I wanted the steak pack, and the best one of those included bacon. There was no getting away from it.
(I just want you to know at this point that Nige was horrified that I said I didn’t like bacon. I lost ALL my brownie points because of it.)
However, when the pack arrived, I decided to give the bacon a go. And wow. Just wow.
Tasty, succulent, no water pouring out of it, it was absolutely delicious. It was the way bacon used to be. And, honestly, it was the way that bacon should be.
I have completely changed my mind about bacon, but forget the stuff you get in the supermarket. I have learnt, to my great cost, that you cannot compromise on quality. This is the best bacon I’ve ever had.
Christie
Whale Meat Company customer photo
There was half a packet of Whale Meat bacon in the ‘carbonara’
I think it is in the public interest to highlight the risks of this highly addictive substance.
(I have to say that the bacon was very much better than the crap that you get from supermarkets these days, no ‘juice’ at all when it was diced up for the carbonara – I even had to add a bit of fat to the pan).
Wally Betts’ Sock
Did you know that our bacon is a health food? (As if you needed an excuse!)
Many Whale Meat Company customers have had their lives changed forever as they have tried Whale Meat bacon and found that they could never go back to the soupy, tasteless offerings that proliferate in the supermarket chillers.
Bacon is your healthful breakfast food.
There is no sugar in Whale Meat Bacon and here are 5 other healthy reasons to make Whale Meat Bacon part of your diet:
Healthy Nutrients In Bacon
Bacon has healthy nutrients that make it a useful part of a healthy diet. Bacon contains thiamin, vitamin B12, zinc and selenium, which are all vital nutrients the body does not naturally produce.
The B vitamins are a necessary part of fighting anaemia and maintaining high energy levels throughout the day. Since bacon contains natural B vitamins, it is healthy for the body.
Zinc and selenium are vital antioxidants that are necessary for immune health. Bacon is useful in fighting health problems because it contains healthy antioxidants.
Fat in Bacon
Bacon does contain fat, which resulted in the concerns to personal health. While bacon has some fat, it does not contain the most harmful form of fat. According to the website FillYourPlate.org, bacon does not have any trans fats. The most harmful form of fat is trans fats, which are created fats designed for preservation.
Bacon does contain fat, but the amount is exaggerated.
The low fat content when compared to the amount of nutritional value is surprising. Bacon has the highest protein to fat content of any meat, which makes it a great option when following a high protein diet or after exercise.
Improved Mood
Bacon is surprisingly nutritious and good for mental health. Bacon is a natural mood enhancer that helps encourage positive mental states. According to Visual.ly, the umami in bacon is an addictive substance that has a neurological impact on the brain.
Since stress is a serious complication to physical and mental health, it is important to take measures to control the harmful emotional state. While several other options are available to reduce stress, many solutions take time. When time is short, grabbing a piece of bacon can help enhance mood and reduce stress levels within a short period of time.
Protection To The Heart
A surprising fact is that bacon is healthy for the heart. Bacon contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are the same nutrients found in fish. The healthy benefits of omega fatty acids are the reduced cholesterol and improved overall health in the heart.
Reduced Rates Of Brain-Related Illnesses
The health of the brain is vital for the entire body.
Choline in bacon is not only useful for the heart. Choline is a necessary component for the health of the brain.
A diet that contains choline on a regular basis will show reduced rates of memory loss over time. It is used in treatment for mental impairments, including Alzheimer?s Disease and similar dementia diseases. Studies have shown that choline improves memory, intelligence testing and reduces the speed of damage to the brain from dementia.
Bacon is not bad for the body or health. Since the meat contains a high level of nutrients, it is a useful addition to any diet. The key to eating bacon and gaining health benefits is keeping the portions to reasonable sizes. When eaten in proper portion sizes, the amount of salt and fat is a negligible concern and the health benefits will outweigh the possible downsides associated with the meat.
Trade Me has recently started selling T-shirts with the message – “It’s OK to be white” on them. Trade Me are not selling them themselves, of course. A local seller is making the T-shirts available on Trade Me, and apparently they are selling like hot cakes.
Enter the New Zealand Human Rights Commission. Yes, that’s right. quote.
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission says that the message “it’s okay to be white” has “no place” in the country.
The ‘controversy’ began when “it’s okay to be white” t-shirts and stickers were sold on a New Zealand auction site called Trade Me.
“Wear this shirt as a white person to troll your local Communists, or wear this shirt as a brown person to troll stuck-up middle-class urbanites. Either way it’s funny!” read the description to the products.
The Human Rights Commission said they don’t see the funny side and that the message “it’s okay to be white” has “no place” in New Zealand because it conveys “a message of intolerance, racism and division”. end quote.
But… a T-shirt saying – “It’s OK to be black” would be perfectly OK, wouldn’t it? quote.
To its credit, the Trade Me website refused to pull the items, saying the slogan didn’t break its rules.
“While we know there is some debate about this slogan we don’t think these items cross that line,” said head of trust and safety, George Hiotakis.
Good on Trade Me for trying to stand up to the rabble, but we all know this is going to end badly for them. Once the hysterical lefties start their screeching from high places, Trade Me will be forced to back down. Just watch.
Personally, I think it is perfectly okay to be white, and many people are exactly that. Many people are not, and that is okay too. What is not okay is that, in this world of racial division, some people feel that it needs to be said.
What is even worse is that it is not okay to say it.
Oh dear, oh dear! Ardern did not know the difference between GDP and the Crown financial accounts and now the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson has displayed his ignorance about GDP for all to see. Quote.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: To the nearest billion dollars, what is an additional 1 percent GDP growth worth to New Zealand?
Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I believe it’s about $800 million.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: $800 million?
Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: About that.
Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he think that the people of New Zealand would expect their Minister of Finance to know that 1 percent of GDP is about $3 billion and that’s the amount of money that we’ve missed out on given the sharp decline in growth in the past year? End quote.
To quickly estimate one percent of a number, divide by 100. This can be easily achieved by moving the decimal point two places to the left. So 1% of, say, 293 would be 2.93. Or 3 to the nearest whole number.
See, that wasn’t so hard, now was it?
Back to the question in the house, “To the nearest billion dollars what is 1% of GDP?” And Robertson did not know!
If 1% of GDP was $800 million, the question was, “To the nearest billion” so Robertson should have answered, “One.” So Robertson failed English comprehension as well as finance.
The Minister of Finance, responsible for allocating the expenditure has no idea of the size of the New Zealand economy, he was out by a factor of nearly four. He thinks the New Zealand economy is a quarter of the size it actually is.
That is an F for Fail – Roberston. Well played Mr Goldmith, well played!
