It’s been a couple of days, so I thought it was about time I did a tweets post. I’ve been partly writing a “proper” post, and partly taking time off.

Spoiler Alert: the “proper” post is about the Iran Nuclear deal, which I support. It’s mostly written, and I know what the rest is going to say. However, I’m not up to writing today, so it’s on the back-burner.

New Zealand’s biggest news is that we still don’t have a government, though that might have changed by the time you read this. However, as I write reporters are standing outside the room where the decision is being made.

I think our process of electing a government while not perfect, is one of the best in the world, if not the best. The process of arranging a coalition, though, leaves a lot to be desired. Most of the time, there’s no problem. However, when a small party is in a position to hold the two biggest parties to ransom as in the current situation, our process is no good. In fact, we don’t really have a process.

I think we need to set some formal rules around how coalition talks work in the future. We cannot have a party that 93% of the country did not vote for deciding what government and what policies we get. For most people, no party has all the policies they’d like to see, but we vote for the one that comes closest to what we want. And for 93% of the population, that was not Winston Peters and New Zealand First.

My opinion is that the party that gets the most votes should get the first shot at forming a coalition. That is actually what has happened on most occasions since 1996 when we began using our current electoral system (MMP).

A couple of times one of the smaller parties has been in a position to decide which major party leads the government because the result was such that either could do it with the support of one particular smaller party. On both occasions it’s been NZ First led by Winston Peters. Those who like Peters really like him. The rest of us have no time for him. For most voters Peters and his party would be well down the list of preferable coalition partners.

 

Terrorism Tweets

Al-Shabaab has committed one of the worst terrorist bombings ever in Somalia. #IAmMogadishu.

Political Tweets

The GOP’s hypocrisy regarding Harvey Weinstein vs Donald Trump.

 

This isn’t even really funny. It may be the only way to stop World War III.

 

He’s put his money where his mouth is. Good on him.

 

Donald Trump lied again today. This is what he said.

 

Here’s the response of one Veterans’ group.

This short article is about the response of Gregg Popovich.
(Via Ann German.)

 

FYI – Popovich bio – why he has credibility on this subject.

 

Ordinary people are responding as well, commenting on the humanity shown by previous presidents.

Healthcare Tweets

Another reason the US needs to sort out its healthcare system. It’s much harder to get hold of opioids in New Zealand. You can only get them on prescription, there are tight controls on the way they are prescribed and dispensed, doctors have to answer to the Ministry of Health if they are prescribing more than the statistical norm, and more. There are also good border controls making it hard to get drugs into the country illegally. We have a drug problem in New Zealand, but this isn’t part of it. In fact, heroin is so hard to get hold of here, it was a New Zealander who invented home-bake heroin. (Yes, I know, what a claim to fame!) My point is, this part of the problem could be worked on successfully.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Human Rights Tweets

The Myanmar government is committing genocide against the Rohingya Muslims in my opinion.

 

This is in case some of you don’t already know.

 

From 12 years ago …
(Via Ann German.)

 

And let’s remember this predator. Any person who votes for him is empowering him and excusing his behaviour.

 

Weather Tweets

Just sayin’

 

This is what it’s like in the rest of the world. The GOP is the only major political party in the world that denies climate change.


 

Religion Tweets

Some of you may remember the original of this picture from the 2016 election campaign. I’m pretty sure I used it in a post at the time. Anyway, someone has made it into a gif. Very funny.
(Via Ann German.)

 

Another example of why we’re better of without religion.

 

Art Tweets

“My wife doesn’t work.”
(Via Ann German.)

 

Wow! Just WOW! Look at the effort gone to in creating this model of Freddie Mercury!

Scenic Tweets

Some of the beauty of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Comedy Tweets

You can see it, I know you can!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Entertainment Tweets

On 12 October we in New Zealand commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. It was the darkest day in our history in terms of the number of people killed and wounded in war. 843 New Zealand soldiers were killed or mortally wounded that day. Hundreds more received other wounds. (At the time our population was only 1.1 million.) Many New Zealand soldiers served in the trenches on the Western front, including my paternal grandfather. The trenches in the Wonder Woman movie, are very realistic.
(Via Ann German.)

 

No comment. Blame Ann German!

 

Now that’s a cool mailbox!
(Via Ann German.)

 

It’s a couple of days late, but I haven’t been on Twitter, and it’s a cool gif!
(Via Ann German.)

 

Space Tweets

Very cool indeed!

 

Marine Tweets

Cool case of mimicry!

 

Crab eating a cherry! Who knew?

 

This turtle is loving its shower!

Other Animals Tweets

Bramble is a hedgehog the good people at SWCC have nursed back to health. He’s well enough to go back to the wild now so his box has been put on the edge of a suitable woodland. He seems to like his much cozy box better!

 

Another hedgehog rescue. It’s wonderful to see then going back to the wild.

 

Encouragement from Ann German! Not sure whether I should be flattered or not! However, in Chinese Astrology I was born in the Year of the Rabbit so perhaps I’m going to stay a loser!

 

Those little black bits tell me that rabbit plays in there regularly!

 

Now that’s a photo!

Bird Tweets

Dancing to ‘La Bamba’!

 

Dog Tweets

Another animal evolving into a two-legged creature! They will take over the world one day! (Well, not dogs probably. They’ll serve their cat masters who will rule the world. The dogs will work while the cats sleep.)

 

Life’s that little bit tougher when you’re short.

Cat Tweets

Another one to add to my favourites collection!

Gorgeous snow leopard.
(Via Ann German.)

 

This is hilarious!
(Via Ann German.)

 

What has this cat spotted?


 

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