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Economics 101
The Proponents of Tariffs say they will Protect Infant Industries and Domestic Jobs
Tariffs. What are they? And what are they for? A tariff is a tax. Or a duty. The government applies tariffs to imported goods. Making them more expensive. So people have to spend more money for them. Leaving them less money to spend on other things. Which seems counterintuitive to trying to increase economic activity. Increasing prices the consumers pay, leaving them less money to buy other stuff. So why do they do it?
The argument for tariffs is typically to protect 'infant' industries. To give them a chance to get off the ground and establish themselves. So they can later compete with this more developed and less costly foreign competition. Which they couldn't do if those foreign competitors can sell goods just as good if not better at lower prices.
Another argument is that tariffs protect domestic jobs. A lot of imported goods are less costly than the same domestically produced goods. Because of less costly labor in these other countries. Often developing economies. Unlike the developed economies who pay their people more. And give them more benefits. All paid for with the higher prices the people pay for their goods. Tariffs raise the prices of foreign goods so they are not less costly than the domestically produced goods. To get people to buy domestic goods. Thereby saving domestic jobs.
Americans have to Pay about $1.25 more for a Bag of Sugar than the Rest of the World
These arguments make tariffs sound noble and good. For they're helping the little guy. And protecting middle class jobs from cheap labor in foreign countries. But they also hurt the little guy. And poor families. Because tariffs raise the price of the things they have to buy. For example, tariffs on sugar imports raise the price Americans pay for sugar higher than people can buy sugar outside of the United States. So the sugar they buy, and anything that contains sugar as an ingredient that they buy, is higher than it would be if the sugar tariffs weren't there.
The US population in 2012 was 313,914,040. Let's assume the adult population is approximately 250 million. And that half of them buy sugar. How many sugar producers are there in the United States? Far, far fewer than 125 million. The Washington Post noted in 2007 that there were only about 6,000 sugar farmers. About 0.002% of the population. While the sugar buyers are closer to 40% of the population. Or more if you include the things we buy that have sugar in them. The numbers are approximate but the point is clear. The people helped by tariffs are an infinitesimally small number while the people hurt by tariffs are a much, much larger number.
Let's crunch some numbers. While people outside of the United States can buy a bag a sugar for $1 Americans have to pay $2.25. Or $1.25 more. To protect American jobs in the sugar industry. The 6,000 sugar farmers. Let's triple this number for the corn farmers (for high fructose corn syrup) and the sugar companies. Rounding it out to an even 20,000 jobs that sugar tariffs protect. If half of all adults buy a bag of sugar that's $156 million pulled out of the economy that goes to, for lack of a better term, Big Sugar. Let's say these adults buy two bags a year. Bringing the transfer from the 125 million (sugar consumers) to the 20,000 (Big Sugar) to $312.5 million. Let's double that number to include everything we buy that includes sugar as an ingredient. And then double that number to account for all the sugar and corn subsidies. Bringing the total annual wealth transfer from consumers to Big Sugar to approximately $1.25 billion.
Tariffs transfer Wealth from the Many to the Few and Reduce Economic Activity
That's an enormous amount of wealth transferred from less rich people to richer people. From consumers to Big Sugar. But is it accurate? Well, according to an article published in the Washington Post, yes. The article states:
The Government Accountability Office has estimated that the sugar program costs consumers and food processors between $1 billion and $2 billion annually in higher prices for sugar and a vast array of products that contain it. Meanwhile, the new sugar subsidy would cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year, according to economists and U.S. officials.
So our crude calculation may be on the light side. This is a lot of money taken out of the pockets of hundreds of millions of consumers to protect 20,000 or so well-paying jobs. Nearly half of the US population supporting less than 0.02% of the population. And those tariffs paid that 0.02% very well. Because Big Sugar is very profitable. And can pay their people very well. As they have tariffs to increase their selling prices and subsidies to lower their costs. Which greatly fattens the bottom line.
In the United States the price of sugar is so high that businesses have turned to high fructose corn syrup for their sweetener. Which our tax dollars also subsidize. Making it a very profitable industry. And as an added bonus for Big Sugar, some studies have indicated that high fructose corn syrup doesn't satiate your appetite like regular sugar. Causing us to overeat. Which lets the soda pop industry sell more soda pop. The (sweetened) food industry sell more food. And, of course, Big Sugar sell more sweetener. Making them richer. And the people poorer. As well as obese. All of this to protect a very few jobs in some very old industries. Transferring wealth from the many to the few. And reducing economic activity. Pretty much the exact opposite of what the proponents of tariffs say tariffs will do. But what they in fact do. Help the few. At the expense of the many.
Tags: Big Sugar, consumer, domestic jobs, foreign, goods, high-fructose corn syrup, higher prices, imported goods, infant industries, jobs, labor, prices, subsidies, sugar, sugar tariff, sweetener, tariff, wealth transfer


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The Dark Side of the Moon: The Most Popular Album in Music History (with videos)
Founded in 1965, Pink Floyd originally consisted of guitarist Syd Barrett, bass guitarist Roger Waters, drummer Nick Mason, and keyboardist Richard Wright. While playing London's underground music scene in the late 1960s, they developed the experimental, progressive rock that would later come to define them.
Under Barrett's creative leadership, Pink Floyd released two singles in 1967 that drew the attention of Britain's and America's growing pop culture, "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play," as well as a successful début album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Fearing, however, that he may have to leave the band due to his increasingly difficult battle with mental illness, Barrett allowed guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour to join the band in late 1967, then departed from the group the following year. With bassist Roger Waters becoming the band's chief songwriter and conceptual leader, lead vocals were shared with Gilmore. With this combination, Pink Floyd went on to become one of the world's most innovative and successful bands in music history, achieving worldwide critical and commercial acclaim with albums like Animals, Wish You Were Here, The Wall, and the most commercially popular album in history, the phenomenal, The Dark Side of the Moon.
All five members
Pink Floyd's eighth studio album, The Dark Side of the Moon is a "concept" album built on creative ideas explored by the band during their live performances and earlier recordings, and based on philosophical themes including conflict, greed, the passage of time and mental illness; the latter inspired in part by Barrett's deteriorating mental state. Recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at famed Beatles' Abbey Road Studios in London, the group utilized some of the most advanced recording techniques available at the time, including 16-tract recording and tape loops. Additionally, state-of-the-art analogue synthesizers were used on several tracks, as well as a series of recorded interviews with staff and band members that was infused throughout the 10 songs.
Then there was four
Engineered by Alan Parsons (of the Alan Parsons Project) who'd help engineer the Beatles' Abbey Road and Let it Be albums, Parsons is credited with adding some of the most notable sound components to The Dark Side of the Moon, including the extraordinary improvised vocal performance by British singer/song writer Clare Torry on "The Great Gig in the Sky." Parsons also made prominent use of flanging and phase-shifting effects on vocals and instruments, innovative use of reverb, and the then-unheard-of panning of sounds between channels (most notable in the quadraphonic mix of "On the Run," when the sound of the Hammond B3 organ played through a Leslie speaker rapidly swirls around the listener).
Abbey Road Studios
Featuring the now iconic light prism on a sea of black cover, The Dark Side of the Moon was released in March of 1973, becoming an immediate success, topping the Billboard 200 and then subsequently broke all popularity milestones both past and present-day by remaining on the charts for 741 consecutive weeks from 1973 to 1988; longer than any album in history. With an estimated 45 million copies now sold, it is Pink Floyd's most commercially successful album, breaking record sales all over the world. Twice remastered using updated technology, The Dark Side of the Moon remains one of Pink Floyd's most popular albums and is frequently ranked as one of the greatest rock albums of all times, along side such monumental masterpieces as the Beatles' Sgt. Peppers, Deep Purple's Machine Head, and Led Zeppelin's, Zeppelin IV ("Zoso"), outsold only by AC/CD's Back in Black and Michael Jackson's Thriller. Additionally, two singles, "Money" and "Us and Them" did considerably well on the record charts, with the now ultra-famous sounds of coins clinking and a cash register ringing making "Money" one of the most recognizable song openings ever.
The cuts:
Side one
1. "Speak to Me" (Instrumental: Mason)1:30
2. "Breathe" (Lead vocals: Waters, Gilmour, Wright) 2:43
3. "On the Run" (Lead vocals: Gilmour; Instrumental: Waters) 3:30
4. "Time" (containing "Breathe [Reprise]") (Lead vocals: Mason, Waters, Wright, Gilmour) 6:53
5. "The Great Gig in the Sky" (Lead vocals: Wright; Vocal improv: Clare Torry) 4:15
Side two
1. "Money" (Lead vocals: Waters, Gilmour) 6:30
2. "Us and Them" (Lead vocals: Waters, Wright, Gilmour) 7:51
3. "Any Colour You Like" (Lead vocals: Gilmour, Mason; Instrumental: Wright) 3:24
4. "Brain Damage" (Lead vocals: Waters) 3:50
5. "Eclipse" (Lead vocals: Waters)1:45
All lyrics written by Roger Waters.
David Gilmour: vocals, guitar, synthesizers and production
Nick Mason: percussion, tape effects and production
Roger Waters: bass guitar, vocals, synthesizers, tape effects and production
Richard Wright: keyboards, vocals, synthesizers and production
Additional musicians:
Dick Parry: saxophone on "Money" and "Us and Them"
Clare Torry: vocals on "The Great Gig in the Sky," and background vocals
Lesley Duncan: background vocals
Barry St. John: background vocals
Liza Strike: background vocals
Doris Troy: background vocals
Alan Parsons: engineering
Peter James: assistant engineering (incorrectly identified as "Peter Jones" on first US pressings of the LP)
Chris Thomas: mixing consultant
George Hardie: illustrations, sleeve art
Hipgnosis: design, photography
Jill Furmanovsky: photography
James Guthrie: remastering supervisor on 20th- and 30th-anniversary editions, 5.1 mixing on 30th-anniversary edition
Doug Sax: remastering on 20th- and 30th-anniversary editions
David Sinclair: liner notes in CD re-release
Storm Thorgerson: 20th- and 30th-anniversary edition designs
Drew Vogel: art and photography in CD re-release
One of the many unique aspects of this masterpiece are the verbal snippets peppered throughout the tracks. During the recording sessions, Waters recruited the staff to answer a series of questions printed on flashcards. The interviewees were placed in front of a microphone in a darkened studio and shown such questions as "What's your favorite colour?" and "What's your favorite food?" before moving on to themes more central to the album such as madness, violence, and death.
Questions such as, "When was the last time you were violent?" were followed immediately by "Were you in the right?" Roadie Roger "The Hat" Manifold was the only contributor recorded in a conventional sit-down interview, as by then the flashcards had been mislaid. Waters asked him about a violent encounter he'd had with another motorist to which Manifold replied ". . . give 'em a quick, short, sharp shock." Then when asked about death he responded "Live for today, gone tomorrow, that's me." Another roadie, Chris Adamson, recorded the explicit diatribe which opens the album: "I've been mad for f**king years—absolutely years." The band's road manager Peter Watts (father of actress Naomi Watts) contributed the repeated laughter during "Brain Damage" and "Speak to Me," and his second wife Patricia "Puddie" Watts (now Patricia Gleason) provided the monologue about "geezers" who were "cruisin' for a bruisin'" used in the segue between "Money" and "Us and Them," as well as the line "I'm not afraid of dying," part of, "And I am not frightened of dying, any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying, there's no reason for it, you've got to go some time." The closing statement, "there is no dark side in the moon, really. As a matter of fact it's all dark," came from the studios' doorman, Gerry O'Driscoll.
Paul and Linda McCartney were also interviewed, but their answers were judged to be "trying too hard to be funny" and were not included on the album. Wings band member Henry McCullough contributed the line "I don't know, I was really drunk at the time."
Billboard Magazine
Pink Floyd Offical Web Site
The Dark Side of the Moon, the album
Images via:
Band shots and Abbey Road Studios via Wikipedia.org
Album via Floydfans.com
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9 comments
Great piece of work, I use some of your theories in my free song downloads, http://dannyhauger.podbean.com/2011/02/12/sun-fields-in-g-free-song-download-from-danny-hauger-music/
This was the first CD I ever purchased (1981), and I still own the vinyl, which is now utterly unplayable. Thanks for taking me back to puberty!
Never been a fan of the Floyd, but this was an excellent discussion giving a great insight into the themes of the album.
Thanks, Natasha. Ummagumma was when I first discovered Floyd (in 1969). But since the Beatles were still producing records, I only noticed Floyd in passing.
Love Pink Floyd! Have to admit...The Wall played a bigger part in my life's soundtrack...along with Umma Gumma (spelling?) but life on the darkside is by far much more interesting:) Really enjoyed this one...tweeted on your behalf

subset: commoncrawl


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Movie Madness is back for more guns, girls and gadgets as we continue Bondcember! Join movie geeks David "Double D" Denis and Andrew "Randrew" Roebuck as they take a look back at Roger Moore's final turn as agent 007 in 1985's A View to a Kill co-starring Christopher Walken and Grace Jones. So stay tuned for some Bond-loving fun as the opinions of our two leads clash and don't forget to let us know what you think of A View to a Kill by e-mailing email@example.com, subject line: Movie Madness.
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21 Sep Mortgage Insurance
One of the greatest assets you will ever own in your lifetime is your home. Protecting it with mortgage insurance from the unexpected events that can occur is vital. When applying for a mortgage through a lender, a popular question the representative will ask is, "Would you like mortgage insurance to pay off your mortgage in the event something happens to you and your spouse?" Of course, this all sounds good, but there are a few questions you as a consumer must ask in return. Don't be misled by what you think you are applying for. Know the difference between Creditor Mortgage Insurance and Individual life insurance.
To find out more, read How to Protect One of Your Most Valuable Assets.
This is a must see!
Click on the link CBC – Mortgage Insurace: In Denial…
To obtain more information or enquire about Mortgage Insurance, contact me at 604-730-7917.


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HAPPENING NOW: REACHOUT EXTRAVAGANZA The Light of Hope is shining in Owerri with the distribution of Rhapsody of Realities in several languages
Glorious celebrations!
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Nigeria is Blessed💕
This is glorious. Spreading the word through the Rhapsody of Realities
Gloryyyyyyyy 💥💥💥💥💥
What a blessed opportunity to celebrate the number one teacher in the world... #thankyoupastorchris #pastorchrisismyteacher #mmtcelebration
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My futur and my work are secure , full of Joy. #CEScarboroughGroup #CECanada #prophecyweek
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Reachout Nigeria Carnival float in the City of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The land is green and we have taken over with our the Rhapsody of Realities #ReachoutNigeria #SERegion
WE ARE ON THE STREETS BECAUSE IT'S REACH OUT NIGERIA 2019, IT'S A JESUS CARNIVAL🎉💣🇳🇬 Everyone must get a copy of this bestseller daily devotional and hear God talk to them in the language they best understand. Everywhere breadth is found, our Rhapsody is gaining entrance. Hallelujah!!! #CEAMC #AMCRON2019 #RON2019
HAPPENING NOW!!! CEPHZONE2 REACHOUT NIGERIA CARNIVAL " More Picture highlights from our street carnival" #Cephzone2 #Happeningnow #RON2019
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE E-COPY 💎Rhapsody of Realities "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3-4) Some Christians are forever asking God for one thing or the other in prayer. It's either they're sick, asking for healing, or they want a financial blessing. But if they'd study the Word of God, and truly receive it into their hearts, their lives will be totally different. God chose you to be the helper, a blessing to other people. Never did He intend for you to be "needing" or asking anything of Him. He already gave you all things. We read it in our opening scripture. It's wonderful to have a miracle of financial supply, but how about being in superabundance, such that you're not conscious of need or supply?
CE Donholm Service highlights #CEkenyaZone #FastestGrowingZone


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New Zealand–United States relations refers to international relations between New Zealand and the United States of America. According to the U.S. State Department, relations as of August 2011 are "the best they have been in decades."[1] New Zealand is a major non-NATO ally of the United States.[2]
Both the United States and New Zealand share some common ancestry and history (having both been British colonies). Both countries had native peoples who were at times dispossessed of their land by the process of colonization. Both states have also been part of a Western alliance of states in various wars. Together with three other Anglophone countries, they comprise the Five Eyes espionage and intelligence alliance.
|New Zealand and the United States are old friends. While the United States is an immensely powerful nation, New Zealand is a small country, possessing for the most part only soft power, but with a record of deploying to help troubled nations find a way forward. New Zealand and the United States, with our strong shared values, can work together to shape a better world, as we are. That, and our strong economic, scientific, education, and people to people ties, makes this relationship a very important one to New Zealand, which we seek to strengthen.
|— Prime Minister, Helen Clark, Speech to Asia Society, Washington, D.C., 23 March 2007[3]
The United States established consular representation in New Zealand in 1838 to represent and protect American shipping and whaling interests, appointing James Reddy Clendon as Consul, resident in Russell.[4] In 1840, New Zealand became part of the British Empire with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Although it gradually grew more independent, for its first hundred years, New Zealand followed the United Kingdom's lead on foreign policy. In declaring war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage proclaimed, "Where she goes, we go; where she stands, we stand".
During the war in the Pacific which lasted from 1941 to 1945, the United States, which had more than 400,000 American military personnel stationed in New Zealand to prepare for crucial battles such as Guadacanal and Tarawa[1] exerted an increased influence on culture.
All was not plain sailing however, as experienced by the 1st Marine Division - due to the fact that the Wellington dock workers were on strike at the time so the Marines had to do all the load reconfiguration from administrative to combat configuration.[5]
After the war, New Zealand joined with Australia and the United States in the ANZUS security treaty in 1951, and later fought alongside the United States in both the Korean and Vietnam War, plus the Gulf War and the current Afghanistan conflict.
The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS or ANZUS Treaty) is the military alliance which binds Australia and New Zealand and, separately, Australia and the United States to cooperate on defence matters in the Pacific Ocean area, though today the treaty is understood to relate to defence operations. While the ANZUS Treaty was once fully mutual between Australia, New Zealand and the United States, this is no longer the case due to New Zealand's ban of nuclear warships and the US's consequent suspension of treaty obligations to New Zealand.
New Zealand has fought alongside the United States in multiple conflicts, including in the Second World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and Afghanistan.
In May 2006, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Christopher R. Hill, described the New Zealand anti-nuclear issue as "a relic", and signalled that the US wanted a closer defence relationship with New Zealand. He also praised New Zealand's involvement in Afghanistan and reconstruction in Iraq. "Rather than trying to change each other's minds on the nuclear issue, which is a bit of a relic, I think we should focus on things we can make work"[6]
While there have been signs of the nuclear dispute between the United States and New Zealand thawing out, pressure from the United States increased in 2006 with US trade officials linking the repeal of the ban of American nuclear ships from New Zealand's ports to a potential free trade agreement between the two countries.
On an official visit to New Zealand in July 2008, when questioned on the issue of New Zealand Nuclear-free policy Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated that "US and New Zealand have moved on. If there are remaining issues to be addressed then we should address them".[7] She went on to say that: "New Zealand and the United States, Kiwis and Americans, have a long history of partnership. It is one that is grounded in common interests, but it is elevated by common ideals. And it is always defined by the warmth and the respect of two nations, but more importantly, of two peoples who are bound together by countless ties of friendship and family and shared experience."[8]
On 21 September 2012, visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Royal New Zealand Navy ships would be allowed onto Defence Department or Coast guard facilities both within the U.S. and elsewhere in the world. "These changes make it easier for our militaries to engage in discussions on security issues and to hold co-operative engagements that increase our capacity to tackle common challenges. [We will work together despite] differences of opinion in some limited areas." At the same time, however, New Zealand had not changed its stance as a nuclear-free zone.[9]
On 29 October 2013 it was announced that "The United States and New Zealand will resume bilateral military cooperation after a near-total 30-year interruption" by New Zealand Defence minister Jonathan Coleman and United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.[10]
New Zealand has fought in a number of conflicts on the same side as the United States, including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the Afghanistan War; it has also sent a unit of army engineers to help rebuild Iraqi infrastructure for one year during the Iraq War. In 2013, the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team withdrew from Afghanistan.[11] As of 2017, a contingent of 10 New Zealand Defence Force personnel remain in Afghanistan to provide mentorship & support at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy in Kabul, in addition to support personnel.[12]
New Zealand was among those who responded to the United Nations call for help. New Zealand joined 15 other nations including the United Kingdom and the United States in the anti-communist war. But the Korean War was also significant, as it marked New Zealand's first move towards association with the United States[13] in supporting that country's stand against communism.
New Zealand contributed six frigates, several smaller craft and a 1044 strong volunteer force (known as K-FORCE) to the Korean War. The ships were under the command of a British flag officer[14] and formed part of the US Navy screening force during the Battle of Inchon, performing shore raids and inland bombardment. The last New Zealand soldiers did not leave until 1957 and a single liaison officer remained until 1971. A total of 3,794 New Zealand soldiers served in K-FORCE and 1300 in the Navy deployment. 33 were killed in action, 79 wounded and one soldier was taken prisoner. That prisoner was held in North Korea for eighteen months and repatriated after the armistices.
New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War was highly controversial, sparking widespread protest at home from anti-Vietnam War movements modelled on their American counterparts.[15] This conflict was also the first in which New Zealand did not fight alongside the United Kingdom, instead following the loyalties of the ANZUS Pact.[16]
New Zealand's initial response was carefully considered and characterised by Prime Minister Keith Holyoake's cautiousness towards the entire Vietnam question. New Zealand non-military economic assistance would continue from 1966 onwards and averaged at US$347,500 annually. This funding went to several mobile health teams to support refugee camps, the training of village vocational experts, to medical and teaching equipment for Huế University, equipment for a technical high school and a contribution toward the construction of a science building at the University of Saigon. Private civilian funding was also donated for 80 Vietnamese students to take scholarships in New Zealand.
The government preferred minimal involvement, with other Southeast Asian deployments already having a strain on the New Zealand armed forces. From 1961, New Zealand came under pressure from the United States to contribute military and economic assistance to South Vietnam, but refused.
American pressure continued for New Zealand to contribute military assistance,[17] as the United States would be deploying combat units (as opposed to merely advisors) itself soon, as would Australia. Holyoake justified New Zealand's lack of assistance by pointing to its military contribution to the Indonesia-Malaysian Confrontation, but eventually the government decided to contribute. It was seen as in the nation's best interests to do so—failure to contribute even a token force to the effort in Vietnam would have undermined New Zealand's position in ANZUS and could have had an adverse effect on the alliance itself. New Zealand had also established its post-Second World War security agenda around countering communism in South-East Asia and of sustaining a strategy of forward defence, and so needed to be seen to be acting upon these principles. On 27 May 1965 Holyoake, announced the government's decision to send 161 Battery, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery to South Vietnam in a combat role. The Engineers were replaced by the Battery in July 1965.
In 1966, when Confrontation came to an end and Australia decided to expand the 1st Australian Task Force, New Zealand came under pressure to increase its commitment and did so.
In March 1968 they were integrated—forming the 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion, with New Zealand personnel assuming various positions in the battalion, including that of second in command. The rifle companies were deployed on infantry operations in Phuoc Tuy Province and were replaced several times, usually after a 12-month tour of duty. Two more RNZAF pilots joined No. 9 Squadron in 1968 and from December 1968 two forward air controllers served with the Seventh Air Force, United States Air Force.[18]
As American focus shifted to President Richard Nixon's 'Vietnamization'—a policy of slow disengagement from the war, by gradually building up the Army of the Republic of Vietnam so that it could fight the war on its own, New Zealand dispatched the 2nd New Zealand Army Training Team Vietnam in January 1971. Numbering 25 men, it assisted the United States Army Training Team in Chi Lang. In February 1972 a second training team, 18 strong (including two Royal New Zealand Navy personnel), was deployed to Vietnam and was based at Dong Ba Thin, near Cam Ranh Bay. It assisted with the training of Cambodian infantry battalions. This team also provided first aid instruction and specialist medical instruction at Dong Ba Thin's 50-bed hospital.[19]
Like veterans from many of the other allied nations, as well as Vietnamese civilians, New Zealand veterans of the Vietnam War claimed that they (as well as their children and grandchildren) had suffered serious harm as a result of exposure to Agent Orange, a herbicidal warfare program used by the British military during the Malayan Emergency and the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. In 1984, Agent Orange manufacturers paid New Zealand, Australian and Canadian veterans in an out-of-court settlement[3], and in 2004 Prime Minister Helen Clark's government apologised to Vietnam War veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange or other toxic defoliants[4], following a health select committee's inquiry into the use of Agent Orange on New Zealand servicemen and its effects[5]. In 2005, the New Zealand government confirmed that it supplied Agent Orange chemicals to the United States military during the conflict. Since the early 1960s, and up until 1987, it manufactured the 2,4,5T herbicide at a plant in New Plymouth which was then shipped to U.S. military bases in South East Asia
New Zealand has assisted the United States and Britain in many of their military activities in the Middle East. However New Zealand forces have fought only in Afghanistan; in other countries New Zealand support has been in the form of support and engineering. During the Iran–Iraq War two New Zealand frigates joined the Royal Navy in monitoring merchant shipping in the Persian Gulf. and in 1991, New Zealand contributed three transport aircraft and a medical team to assist coalition forces in the Gulf War.
New Zealand's heaviest military involvement in the Middle East in recent decades has been in Afghanistan following the United States-led invasion of that country after the September 11 attacks. A Squadron of New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) personnel were dispatched, and in March 2002 they took part in Operation Anaconda against about 500 to 1000 Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in the Shah-i-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zorma, Afghanistan. New Zealand has also supplied two transport aircraft and a 122-strong tri-service Provincial Reconstruction Team, which has been located in Bamyan Province since 2003.[20]
Starting in late 2001, the NZSAS began operations assisting in the War on Terror in Afghanistan. Three six-month rotations of between 40 and 65 soldiers from the Special Air Service of New Zealand served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom before the unit was withdrawn in November 2005. On 17 June 2004, two NZSAS soldiers were wounded in a predawn gun-battle in central Afghanistan.
According to a New Zealand government fact sheet released in July 2007, the SAS soldiers routinely patrolled enemy territory for three weeks or more at a time, often on foot, after being inserted by helicopter.
There were "casualties on both sides" during gun battles. Corporal Douglas Hughes, known as "Dougie", died on 3 April 2012. He was the first New Zealand soldier to die in Afghanistan since Special Air Service Lance Corporal Leon Smith was killed after being struck by a Taliban bullet in Kabul on 28 September 2011. SAS soldier Corporal Doug Grant was also killed by the Taleban gunfire in Kabul on 19 August 2011.Stuff.co
In December 2004, the United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to those units that comprised the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-SOUTH/Task Force K-BAR between 17 October 2001 and 30 March 2002 for "extraordinary heroism" in action. One of these units was the New Zealand Special Air Service.
The citation said NZSAS helped "neutralise" Taliban and al-Qaeda in "extremely high risk missions, including search and rescue, special reconnaissance, sensitive site exploitation, direct action missions, destruction of multiple cave and tunnel complexes, identification and destruction of several known al-Qaeda training camps, explosions of thousands of pounds of enemy ordnance."
"They established benchmark standards of professionalism, tenacity, courage, tactical brilliance and operational excellence while demonstrating superb esprit de corps and maintaining the highest measures of combat readiness."
In August 2009, the John Key government decided that NZSAS forces would be sent back to Afghanistan.[21] In April 2013, the last remaining NZ troops withdrew from Afghanistan.[22]
In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483 New Zealand contributed a small engineering and support force to assist in post-war reconstruction and provision of humanitarian aid. The engineers returned home in October 2004 and New Zealand is still represented in Iraq by liaison and staff officers working with coalition forces.
On 30 August 2005 NZST (29 August UTC−6/-5) Prime Minister Helen Clark sent condolences by phone and in a letter with an offer of help to United States President George W. Bush and Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff also sent a message of sympathy to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. This offer included an official pledge by the Government of New Zealand to the Red Cross of $2 million for aid and disaster relief.
After the New Zealand government's initial pledge of money, they offered further contributions to the recovery effort including Urban search and rescue Teams, a Disaster Victim Identification team and post disaster recovery personnel.[23] Those offers were gratefully received by the United States. A senior member of the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, John Titmus went to Denton, Texas to lead an official United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team to assess the damage from Hurricane Katrina. The US Embassy in Wellington said it deeply appreciated the $2 million donation and gratefully acknowledged the offer of disaster management personnel.[24]
New Zealand and the United States maintain good working relations on a broad array of issues and share an excellent system of communication. The former President of the United States George W. Bush and Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark have been able to improve the two nations relations and work around New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy and focus on working together on more important issues, although the United States is still interested in changing New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy.
After Helen Clark's visit to Washington and talks with President Bush, The New Zealand Herald reported, on 23 March 2007, that the United States "no longer seeks to change" New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy, and that this constituted "a turning point in the US-NZ relationship".[25]
In July 2008, Condoleezza Rice, the United States Secretary of State, visited New Zealand, which she referred to as "a friend and an ally". The New Zealand Herald reported that the use of the word "ally" was unexpected, as United States officials had avoided it since the ANZUS crisis. Rice stated that the relationship between the two countries was a "deepening" one, "by no means [...] harnessed to or constrained by the past", which prompted the Herald to write of a "thaw in US-NZ relations".[26][27]
The government of New Zealand had indicated its desire for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and New Zealand.[28] Such an agreement would presumably be pursued alongside, or together with, an FTA between the United States and Australia since New Zealand and Australia have had their own FTA for almost twenty years and their economies are now closely integrated.[29] Fifty House members wrote to President Bush in January 2003 advocating the initiation of negotiations, as did 19 Senators in March 2003. However, Administration officials had enumerated several political and security impediments to a potential FTA, including New Zealand's longstanding refusal to allow nuclear-powered ships into its harbors and its refusal to support the United States in the Iraq War.[30]
New Zealand's economy is small compared with that of the United States, so the economic impact of an FTA would be modest for the United States and considerably larger for New Zealand. However, US merchandise exports to New Zealand would rise by about 25 percent and virtually every US sector would benefit. The inclusion of Australia would increase the magnitude of these results substantially; US exports would rise by about $3 billion. The adjustment costs for the United States would be minimal: production in the most impacted sector, dairy products, would decline by only 0.5 percent and any adverse effect on jobs would be very small. It would also contribute toward the accomplishment of APEC's goals of achieving "free and open trade and investment in the (Asia Pacific) region by 2010,"
On 4 February 2008, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab announced that the United States will join negotiations 4 Asia-Pacific countries: Brunei, Chile, New Zealand & Singapore to be known as the "P-4". These nations already have an FTA called the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership and the United States will be looking to become involved in the "vitally important emerging Asia-Pacific region" A number of U.S. organizations support the negotiations including, but not limited to: the United States Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, National Foreign Trade Council, Emergency Committee for American Trade and Coalition of Service Industries.[31][32][33]
On 23 September 2008, an official announcement was made from Washington, D.C. that the United States was to begin negotiations with the P-4 countries ASAP, with the first round of talks scheduled for March 2009 with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark stating "I think the value to New Zealand of the United States coming into a transpacific agreement as a partner would be of the same value as we would hope to get from a bilateral FTA.... It's very, very big news." Although the outcome of the FTA could become largely dependent on the results of the 2008 United States Presidential election as it is believed the Democratic Party are less friendly towards free trade than their Republican counterparts, despite this, Helen Clark said "I believe that to Democrats, New Zealand offers very few problems because we are very keen on environment and labour agreements as part of an overall approach to an FTA".[34][35]
After the inauguration of Barack Obama, talks about an FTA between the two nations were postponed since Obama had not appointed a US Trade Representative as his nominee, Ron Kirk, had not been approved by the Senate. "The government is deeply disappointed" that the United States is postponing trade talks involving New Zealand that were scheduled to get underway at the end of the month, Prime Minister John Key says and that "New Zealand will continue to advocate very strongly for a trade deal." [36]
At the APEC meeting in Singapore in 2009, President Barack Obama announced a free trade deal with New Zealand would go ahead.
The Friends of New Zealand Congressional Caucus Member numbers now stand at 62.[37]
Congressional support is vital for the US free trade agenda. New Zealand already enjoys strong support in the United States Congress - both in the House of Representatives and the Senate:
On 4 November 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began her three-day visit to New Zealand and at 4:23 pm, she co-signed the Wellington Declaration with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully.[39] The agreement signals closer relations between New Zealand and the United States, with an increase in the strategic partnership between the two nations. In doing so, the agreement stresses the continued pledge for the United States and New Zealand to work together, explicitly saying that: "The United States-New Zealand strategic partnership is to have two fundamental elements: a new focus on practical cooperation in the Pacific region; and enhanced political and subject-matter dialogue - including regular Foreign Ministers' meetings and political-military discussions."[40] The agreement also stresses the continued need for New Zealand and the United States to work together on issues like nuclear proliferation, climate change and terrorism.[40]
The Washington Declaration between the United States and New Zealand, signed on 19 June 2012, establishes a framework for strengthening and building the basis for defense cooperation.[41] The agreement was signed by New Zealand Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.[42] Defense ties between New Zealand and the United States were strained following the New Zealand government's decision in 1985 to refuse entry to New Zealand of the USS Buchanan (DDG-14).[43] As a result of this decision the US suspended its ANZUS treaty obligations with New Zealand.[44]
The Washington Declaration, while non-binding and not renewing ANZUS treaty obligations between the US and New Zealand nonetheless establishes the basis for increased defense cooperation between the two states.[45]
The two countries share much in common:
New Zealand and the United States have historically had little connection over sports. Sport in New Zealand largely reflects its British colonial heritage. Some of the most popular sports in New Zealand, namely rugby, cricket and netball, are primarily played in Commonwealth countries, whereas America is predominantly stronger in Baseball, Basketball and American Football. But in recent years there has been much more cooperation in the area of sports between both countries, particularly in Rugby and Soccer. In January 2008 during the New Zealand Stage of the 2007-08 IRB Sevens World Series the United States national team participated in the finals of the knockout round, beating Kenya to win the shield and New Zealand beating Samoa in the finals to win the Cup.
Soccer is still a smaller sport in both New Zealand and the United States and is far less publicised in both nations, but ties to teams in both countries have been growing, particularly when on 1 December 2007, Wellington Phoenix played a friendly match against United States MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy.[48][49] In the contract to secure the friendly, David Beckham will play a minimum of 55 minutes on the pitch. Wellington was beaten by a 1-4 scoreline. David Beckham played the entire match and scored from the penalty spot in the second half. The attendance of 31,853 was a record for any football match in New Zealand.[50] David Beckham played the full 90 minutes with a broken rib which he sustained in a tackle in the previous match.[51]
Probably the most well-known former New Zealand Tall Black player in the National Basketball Association is Brooklyn Nets General Manager, and former New Orleans Hornets forward, Sean Marks. Steven Adams has also increased the profile of New Zealand basketball, creating a profile throughout his two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Another New Zealand player, former University of Wisconsin–Madison star Kirk Penney, signed in 2005 with two-time defending Euroleague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv and in 2010 signed with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the NBA Development League.
The 2005 U.S. Open Golf Championship was the second major win by a New Zealand golfer and earned winner Michael Campbell much recognition in his sport for beating out golfing legend Tiger Woods to win the $1.17 million prize in the final round.[52]
The 92nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was run on Sunday, 25 May 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It was won by Scott Dixon of New Zealand, the first New Zealander ever to do so.[53]
|UKUSA Community
New Zealand is one of five countries who share intelligence under the UKUSA agreement. New Zealand has two (known) listening posts run by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) as part of the ECHELON spy network. The partnership gives "a direct line into the inner circles of power in London and Washington,"[54] gives New Zealand a distinct partnership with the United States not just on economic policies but domestic security agreements and operations as well, and is a familiar platform for further deals involving both countries.[55]
The UKUSA community allows member countries to cooperate in multilateral military exercises, more recently focussing on terrorism after 9/11.
The Strategic Alliance Cyber Crime Working Group is a new initiative by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and headed by the United States as a "formal partnership between these nations dedicated to tackling larger global crime issues, particularly organized crime". The cooperation consists of "five countries from three continents banding together to fight cyber crime in a synergistic way by sharing intelligence, swapping tools and best practices, and strengthening and even synchronizing their respective laws." This means that there will be increased information sharing between the New Zealand Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on matters relating to serious fraud or cyber crime.[55]
There are many official contacts between New Zealand and the United States, which provide the opportunity for high-level discussions and the continued development of bilateral relations. Many ministers meet with their US counterparts at international meetings and events.
New Zealand Ministerial Visits to the United States
|Cities visited
|June 2012
|Defence Jonathan Coleman
|Washington D.C.
|Visited The Pentagon to sign the Washington Declaration with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.[56]
|July 2011
|Prime Minister John Key
|Washington D.C.
|Visited the White House to meet with President Barack Obama, Cabinet officials, and lawmakers.[57]
|July 2007
|Gerry Brownlee and Shane Jones, chairman and deputy chairman of the New Zealand United States Parliamentary Friendship Group
|Washington D.C.
|Visited Washington for a series of meetings, including calls on their counterparts, co-chairs of the Friends of New Zealand Congressional Caucus, Representatives Ellen Tauscher and Kevin Brady amongst others. They were accompanied by NZUS Council Executive Director Stephen Jacobi who stayed on in Washington to further plan for the upcoming Partnership Forum.
|May 2007
|Minister of Trade, Defence, and Disarmament and Arms Control, Phil Goff
|Washington D.C.
|Mr Goff met with senior Administration officials including USTR Susan Schwab; Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley; Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns; Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne; then Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Frank Lavin; and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Chris Hill.
|May 2007
|Minister of Trade, Defence, and Disarmament and Arms Control, Phil Goff
|Washington D.C.
|The Minister delivered an address on the outlook for the Doha Round at a well attended US Chamber/US NZ Council luncheon. The Minister also witnessed the signing of an agreement for New Zealand's third contribution to the G8 Global Partnership for the disposal of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
|May 2007
|Economic Development Minister, Trevor Mallard
|To attend BIO 2007 which was attended by more than 40 New Zealand biotechnology companies
|May 2007
|Economic Development Minister, Trevor Mallard
|Boston and New York City
|To promote New Zealand to US financial and investment contacts and to discuss international economic trends.
|19–24 March 2007
|The Prime Minister, Helen Clark
|Washington, D.C., Chicago and Seattle
|Her two-day visit to Washington D.C. included a meeting and lunch at the White House with President George W Bush (as well as other senior Bush Administration officials), and meetings with the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, the US Trade Representative, Susan Schwab, and the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Mike McConnell. She also made calls on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Barbara Boxer, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
|January 2007
|Prime Minister and Sir Edmund Hillary
|To celebrate 50 years of Antarctica cooperation between New Zealand and the United States.
|Early January 2007
|Hon Chris Carter, Minister of Conservation
|Washington, D.C.
|Represented New Zealand at the funeral of former President Gerald Ford
|October 2006
|Minister of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, Hon Rick Barker
|Boston and Washington, D.C.
|Official Visit
|July 2006
|Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters
|Washington DC
|Official visit
|April 2006
|Minister of Defence and Minister of Trade, Hon Phil Goff, and Minister of Immigration Hon David Cunliffe
|Washington, D.C.
|Official visit
|January and March 2006
|Minister Phil Goff and Economic Development Minister Mallard
|Official visit
|May 2005
|Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Goff, Customs Minister Barker and Economic Development and Forestry Minister Anderton
|Separate official visits
|April 2005
|Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Margaret Wilson
|Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia
|Led a parliamentary delegation to the US
|April 2005
|Associate Minister of Finance, Hon Trevor Mallard
|Washington, D.C.
|International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings
|September 2004
|Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Michael Cullen
|Washington, D.C.
|Official Visit
|Other Ministerial visits in 2004
|Minister of Health, Hon Annette King; Minister for Trade Negotiations, Hon Jim Sutton; Minister of Energy, Hon Pete Hodgson; and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hon Phil Goff.
|Separate Official Visits
|Visits in 2003
|Minister of Police, George Warren Hawkins; Associate Minister of Agriculture, Damien O'Connor; Minister of State, David Cunliffe; The Minister of Education and Associate Minister of Finance, Trevor Mallard; Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Pete Hodgson and The Minister of Health, Annette King.
|Visits in 2002
|Prime Minister, Helen Clark
|Made two official visits to the United States in 2002
|Other Ministerial visits included Deputy Prime Minister Dr Michael Cullen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Phil Goff and Minister for Trade Negotiations Jim Sutton.
|Official Visits
United States delegations to New Zealand
|Cities visited
|June 2017
|Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
|Official visit to meet Prime minister Bill English and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerry Brownlee[58]
|November 2016
|Secretary of State John Kerry
|Official Visit to meet with Prime Minister John Key and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully to discuss bilateral and global issues[59]
|November 2010
|Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
|Official Visit to meet with Prime Minister John Key and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully and to sign the Wellington Declaration.[60]
|July 2008
|Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
|Government House, Auckland
|Official Visit to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Prime Minister Helen Clark. Held a joint press conference with the Prime Minister.
|August 2006
|Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Glyn Davies
|Official Visit
|May 2006
|Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire
|Official Visit
|April 2006
|Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
|Official Visit
|March 2006
|Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher R. Hill
|Official Visit
|January 2006
|General John Abizaid, Commander US Central Command & William J. Fallon, Commander, US Pacific Command
|Official Visit
|January 2006
|Senators John McCain (R-Arizona), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Susan Collins (R-Maine), and John E. Sununu (R-New Hampshire)
|Official Visit
|January 2006
|Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-New York)
|Led a House Science Committee delegation –The delegation included: Lincoln Davis (D-Tennessee), Bob Inglis (R-North Carolina), Brad Miller (D-North Carolina), Ben Chandler (D-Kentucky), R (Bud) Cramer (D-Alabama), Phil Gingery (R-Georgia), Darlene Hooley (D-Oregon), Jim Costa (D-California), and Roscoe Bartlett (R-Maryland)
|September 2005
|Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns
|Official Visit
|Congressman Jim Kolbe (Republican, Arizona)
|Is the co-Chair of the Friends of New Zealand Caucus in the United States House of Representatives
|December 2004
|US Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
|High-level visits to attend Parliamentarians for Global Action Conference
|November 2004
|US Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana)
|Led a business delegation from Montana
|November 2004
|Delegation of Californian State Senators
|Official Visit
|August 2004
|US Senator Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) and Congressman Robert E. Cramer (D-Alabama)
|Official Visit
|March 2004
|Governor of Iowa, Thomas Vilsack
|Led a biotechnology trade delegation from his state to New Zealand.
|January 2004
|Led by Senator Don Nickles (R-Oklahoma)
|A Congressional Delegation of six Republican Senators
|Visits in 2003
|Under-Secretary for Regulatory Programs, Bill Hawks, Under-Secretary for Commerce Grant Aldonas and Under-Secretary of State for International Security and Arms Control, John R. Bolton.
|US delegation also visited Auckland for the 34th Pacific Islands Forum, where the US was a dialogue partner.
Dating back to 1986, the United States – New Zealand Council has played a prominent role in US-NZ bilateral relations. The Council provides information on a range of economic, political, and security issues affecting the two countries and on their increasing collaboration, historical links and shared values, outlooks, and approaches on economic, political, and legal systems.
As well as working with the New Zealand United States Council to organise the widely lauded Partnership Forums, the US-NZ Council periodically honours distinguished individuals with the Torchbearer Award for promoting bilateral exchanges. Past recipients have included Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Christopher Hill; Three-term NZ Prime Minister and Ambassador to the United States, Jim Bolger; California Congressman, Calvin Dooley; NZ Prime Minister and Director of WTO, Mike Moore; Agriculture Secretary and US Trade Representative, Clayton Yeutter.
Currently the Council's efforts are focused on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which the United States has signaled they will engage in discussion. The Asia-Pacific region is important for both the United States and New Zealand, the Council spreads awareness of its importance both in the business community and on the Hill.
The United States – New Zealand Council is a non-profit, nonpartisan, organisation.
Founded in 2001, the New Zealand United States Council is committed to fostering and developing a strong and mutually beneficial relationship between New Zealand and the United States. The Council is an advocate for the expansion of trade and economic links between the two countries including a possible free trade agreement.[61]
The Council works closely with its counterpart in Washington, D.C., the US NZ Council, with business groups in New Zealand and with government agencies, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand Embassy in Washington.[61]
The council has been working tirelessly towards an improvement in NZ-US relations with New Zealand MPs (Members of Parliament) and their American counterparts in Congress. Such things as verbal and face-to-face discussions about political and domestic issues involving either countries. Their work has not been in vain: United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has begun regular communication with New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters about issues such as nuclear tests in North Korea, and other issues of politics, trade and business affairs of both New Zealand and the United States.[62]
|New Zealand
|United States
|Coat of Arms
|268,021 km2 (103,483 sq mi)
|9,629,091 km2 (3,717,813 sq mi)
|Population density
|17.9/km2 (46.4/sq mi)
|34.2/km2 (13.2/sq mi)
|Capital city
|Washington, D.C.
|Largest city
|Auckland – 1,534,700 (1,657,200 Metro)
|New York City – 8,491,079 (20,092,883 Metro)
|Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
|Federal presidential constitutional republic
|Current leader
|Elizabeth II (Monarch)
Jacinda Ardern (Prime Minister)
|Donald Trump (President)
Mike Pence (Vice President)
|Main language
|Main religions
|48% Christian
44% non-religious
8% other[64]
|74% Christian
20% non-religious
6% other
|GDP (nominal)
|US$169.9 billion
|US$18.569 trillion
|GDP (nominal) per capita
|US$173.2 billion
|US$17.528 trillion
|GDP (PPP) per capita
|Real GDP growth rate
first1= missing
last1= in Authors list (help);
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Zealand – United States relations.


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The Winnipeg Cycling Club (WCC) Inc. is one of the oldest recreational cycling clubs in the province, with a proud and remarkable history. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA, our Club is run solely by volunteers, with an elected Board of Directors and a dedicated group of enthusiasts who give their time throughout the year to support our many Club activities - ride planning, leading Club rides, bike clinics, social events, and meetings.
WCC objectives include:
Scheduling road and off-road cycling for Members.
Organizing cycling tours and social activities where there is sufficient interest.
Providing opportunities for Members to increase their skill and confidence as cyclists.
Facilitating mentoring between experienced and new Members.
Generating opportunities for Members to meet people and develop friendships.
Membership is open to all individuals 18 years and older - from the novice rider to the most passionate cyclist. We offer a wide range of rides during our ride season to meet our diverse Members' needs. Many of our Members are long-standing supporters of the WCC, returning year after year. While our average age does trend upward, all cycling enthusiasts 18 years and older are welcome. The WCC provides a supportive and collegial environment to improve your cycling know-how, discover new paths, revisit favourite roads and trails, and enjoy the outdoors.


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OK, lets take a trip back in time, shall we? Imagine yourself sitting at your computer at the 28th of October, 2017. If you were somewhat curious, you might have searched for a PS4 emulator that day. And in any other day, you would find only lies and scams. But that day, someone made a tiny little repository on Github, containing nothing more than a license and a tiny readme. That readme. What did it say, I want to believe you said that in your head? Orbital: Playstation 4 Emulator. Most people would simply think its just another scam or of the sort. But this developer was the real thing. The reason? Im in only for the technical challenge hehe
Now the only thing left to do is to install the firmware onto the virtual HDD and get to see the main menu!
Im rooting for you Alex, and thank you if you read the article until the end!
Source: All over the place but heres the link to the Github page where all the source code is: https://github.com/AlexAltea/orbital
Get the latest details on Orbital and other PS4 emulators on our PS4 Emulator page.


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MOL Launches One2pay, A Mobile Wallet App That Makes Going Cashless Easy for Malaysians
MOL Launches One2pay, A Mobile Wallet App That Makes Going Cashless Easy for Malaysians
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — 10 January 2018 — MOL AccessPortal Sdn Bhd ("MOL"), a wholly owned subsidiary of MOL Global Inc., today launched its mobile wallet app, called One2pay, designed and developed from the ground up to make payment experience in the physical stores and digital world even more seamless and simpler than before.
Mobile phone is an indispensable tool in today's modern society and making payment using mobile phone is poised to become a daily habit of millions of Malaysians. One of the key convenience factors of the One2pay mobile wallet is barcode/QR code payment. Merchant only need to scan One2pay user's unique barcode/QR code for payment. Small retailers and food truck operators, for example, can display One2pay QR code for their customers to scan and pay.
The One2pay app, regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia, is available for download in the Apple's App Store and Google Play. Anyone with a valid Malaysian mobile phone number can register for a free account. To add funds, users can purchase One2pay top-up PIN at any 7-Eleven store in Malaysia. Alternatively, users can add funds using online banking.
With One2pay app, users can send cash easily and quickly to family and friends. They can top-up their telco accounts, pay utility bills, buy game PINs and more right inside the app. Users can also securely cash out their One2pay wallets into their bank accounts.
One2pay at 7-Eleven
During the launch event, MOL also announced that One2pay will be accepted at 7-Eleven Malaysia ("7-Eleven"), the largest convenience store chains in Malaysia. Starting today, users can start using the One2pay app to pay at any 7-Eleven store in the Klang Valley area. By 17th January 2018, all 2,218 7-Eleven stores across Malaysia will accept One2pay.
"We are thrilled to have 7-Eleven Malaysia as the first-ever retailer to accept the One2pay mobile wallet in Malaysia. This is an important milestone for us at MOL, as we support Malaysia's aspiration to become a cashless society," said Preecha Praipattarakul, MOL Global's Group CEO. "We will continue to focus on innovation and invest in cutting-edge fintech technologies and functionalities, in order to make One2pay the preferred mobile wallet among Malaysians."
"Customer convenience is the cornerstone of our brand promise. Enabling One2pay acceptance at 7-Eleven stores underscored our commitment to deliver convenience to our customers. Malaysians can now walk into any 7-Eleven store, day or night, and pay using their mobile phones. This could be a game changer for us," said Ho Meng, Acting CEO of 7-Eleven Malaysia.
In the coming months, leading F&B brands in Malaysia like Starbucks, Wendy's and Kenny Rogers Roasters will begin accepting One2pay mobile wallet payment. MOL aims to expand One2pay acceptance touchpoints to more than 6,000 within a year.
At the event, MOL also announcement that MARA Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (MARA Corporation) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MOL AccessPortal Sdn. Bhd to explore opportunities in the area of cooperation towards assisting each other in reenergising the business community and entrepreneurs by introducing mobile electronic payment gateways and e-wallet supported by MOL's home-grown Fintech mobile wallet technology.
The event was also witnessed by Tan Sri Vincent Tan, majority shareholder of MOL Global, Inc. and 7-Eleven Malaysia and Founder and Executive Chairman of the Berjaya Corporation. Also present were YBhg. Datuk Dr Haji Yusof bin Haji Yacob, Chairman of MARA Corporation, En Zulfikri Osman, Deputy Director General (Entrepreneurship) MARA and En. Lukman Musa, Acting CEO of MARA Corporation.
The joint venture is to enable more users and merchants to deploy One2pay app and to adopt e-payment solutions, as well as MOL will assist in the deployment of merchant acquiring services via direct integration to merchant's Point-of-Sales (POS), physical or virtual terminals for physical cash and digital payment acceptance.
MARA Corporation was created to be the strategic investment arm for all of the MARA's commercial ventures. MARA Corp activities leverage various partnerships in high-growth sectors that creates opportunities for development of Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community.
One such high-growth sector is e-commerce, and its convergence with other sectors such as retail, transportation and transit oriented development (TOD). Like smartphones, the e-wallet concept will soon become a feature of everyone's life. It is the safest and most convenient way to transact for consumers and businesses.
MARA Corp collaboration with MOL will support the ecosystem strategy that focuses on innovation, convergence and world-class enterprises for Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community
About MOL Global, Inc.
MOL Global, Inc. is a leading e-payment enabler for online goods and services in emerging and developed markets. MOL operates a payments platform that connects consumers with digital content providers, telecommunications service providers and online merchants by providing a vast network of distribution channels that accepts cash and online payment methods. Its physical distribution network comprises more than 970,000 locations in 11 countries across four continents. The Company also has mobile payment channels, electronic distribution channels that accepts major credit cards and online banking from more than 100 banks.MOL's diverse products and services include the MOLPoints, an online micropayment system which sells payment credits that can be used to purchase online game credits and digital content; MOLReloads, a distribution network that distributes prepaid mobile airtime and digital content; MOLPay, a payments solution for online merchants; and MMOG.asia, an online games portal; Gift Cards, a perfect gift for any occasion and One2pay, a mobile wallet app. For more information, please visit http://molglobal.mol.com/
About 7-Eleven Malaysia
7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is the owner and operator of 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia. Incorporated on 4 June 1984, 7-Eleven Malaysia has made its mark in the retailing scene and have been a prominent icon for over 28 years. We are the pioneer and the largest 24 hours convenience store operator in Malaysia. Upon achieving its 1,000 mark in stores network, 7- Eleven Malaysia opened its door to local entrepreneurs through its unique franchising program in 2009. We are the first franchisor in the local market to offer existing profit-making stores to franchisees. The largest convenience store in Malaysia with over 2100 outlets nationwide, 7-Eleven Malaysia serves more than 900,000 customers daily. 7-Eleven stores can be found across bustling commercial districts to serene suburban residential compounds throughout Malaysia, from petrol stations and LRT stations to shopping malls and medical institutions. 7-Eleven is Always There For You.
About MARA Corporation
MARA Corp is a commercial strategic investment arm and a holding company established by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA. MARA Corp is an impact economy investment firm focused on active investments in the development of Entrepreneurs, Commercial and Industrial Community with innovative ventures that deliver economic value creation and a social good. MARA Corporation aims to be the Global Leader in Impact Investing while retaining MARA's core objective of Bumiputera social development. From its current pool of assets, it will increase its investments and partnerships to cover additional strategic areas as outlined in the MARA Corporation Investment Blueprint.
Media Contact:
Shyla Sangaran
Tel: +603-20821318
E-mail: email@example.com


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Herr Otto Partz says you're all nothing but pipsqueaks!
Total Members Voted: 4
- Power rankings will be based on the WRL standings (after Wuhan's deadline). If an old superstar appears from nowhere (Gutix/Ayrton/Biker?), the WRL leader can be in a huge trouble.
Quote from: CTG on November 19, 2014, 01:47:00 PM5 DRE 1178Standings?! I have a position on the standings! Are they based on USC?
AbuRaf: it will be a cup with 8 pipsqueaks and special rules. Duels of the quarter-finals will be based on the WRL positions, the 1st plays with the 8th, 2nd vs 7 th, 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th. The speciality of the event: the pipsqueaks can decide which track and car they use (I will provide several tracks and you can also choose from may cars, see in the first post). The lower ranked pipsqueak of the duel can decide about the track or the car, while the higher ranked will pick the other parameter (if the lower ranked pipsqueak choose the car, the opponent can pick a track).


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Past Reviews
Off Broadway Reviews
Still distraught over the results of November's presidential election? Relax - things can always be worse. As if to demonstrate this to the wounded, wary city of New York, a new musical has opened that helps remind you how comforting overseas conflicts and perilous international relations can sometimes be.
That would be Election Day, the brainless and witless new musical that just opened at the American Theatre of Actors. While it's intended by authors Alex Goldberg (book and lyrics) and Joel Stein (music and lyrics) as both a celebration and condemnation of the American political system, this is a show so unfocused, misguided, and offensive to theatrical sensibilities that it often makes it seem as if the terrorists have indeed already won.
Nothing else can satisfactorily explain this show's bizarre offerings: a first-act number set at a State dinner in which six people remove their pants and shake and shimmy around the dining room, as if doing a Macarena choreographed by Susan Stroman; portraits of Presidents James Polk, Warren Harding, and William Henry Harrison dispensing advice to the White House's current occupant in a number called "(Don't) Be Like Us" that's dripping with heavy-bass funk; or a bloody pile-up of endings in the show's last fifteen minutes in which each new plot development (including the last) is harder to swallow than those before it.
Yes, this is a show dripping with mysteries, though how a musical about something as simple as a presidential election got so out of hand is perhaps the most pressing. At first glance, the race between the lecherous Elliott Goodrich (Ian Kahn) and his bumbling, cowboy-like competitor Nathan Burke (Robert Scott Denny) isn't too out of the ordinary. Even a romantic subplot, dealing with Goodrich's son Chadwick (Jeremy Ellison-Gladstone) and new White House intern Heather Rosenbloom (Monica Yudovich), who also might be having an affair with Chadwick's father, at least seems credible musical fodder.
But Goldberg keeps introducing elements that push Election Day into the realm of the eye-rollingly unbelievable. Burke's being manipulated by Macrohard Software founder Will Bates (Rick Kiley) is a weak attempt at humor; Goodrich's wife Fiona (Meghan McGeary) being appointed ambassador to the tiny, cash-strapped nation of Eudemonia - only to discover her own surprising role in one of the country's ancient prophecy - is a dizzyingly unsuccessful attempt to inject full-out fantastic into what is already frustratingly fanciful. By the time Chad's pot-smoking college roommates (Jonathan C. Kaplan and Shane Desmond) help him organize a political revolution in the second act, you're longing for the halcyon moments an hour earlier when Eudemonia's representatives (Bones Rodriguez and Jennifer J. Katz) led the pants-ripping number.
That's as audacious - and memorable - as Election Day gets; Goldberg's jokes and insights fall flat, and Stein's melodies strive to redefine (frequently successfully) the term "repetitive." At least director Laurie Sales keeps the pace up and makes the transitions between scenes as smooth as possible, and Zoe Hamburger's costumes and Aloys Spack's star-spangled set design are painless if unimaginative. At the performance I attended, a few botched cues prevented easy appraisal of Jack Jacobs's lighting design, but sound board operator Carson Kopp deserves plaudits for his valiant efforts to keep as many lyrics as possible unintelligible.
The production is full of lackluster performances, though Ellison-Gladstone and Yudovich, if having no chemistry together, contribute a little youthful zest to the show. Otherwise, Kahn and Denny are stuck playing caricatures of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush; McGeary struggles for recognition under the weight of her non-character; Kiley overplays diabolic evil as Bates (and has a solo so extraneous, even its lead-in dialogue references it); and Tom Richter, playing news reporter Esteban Ramon, brings only a silly accent to his role, which is used only to usher in endless incarnations of the title song and give the show something vaguely akin to a thematic throughline.
Only Michele Ragusa, as one of Goodrich's advisors, makes a real impression. Her acting is solid, and she leads the show's best number, the white spiritual "Hang On Til Tomorrow," with a firmness of voice and conviction that suggest the show might have worked had it been built around her, or any single, identifiable thing. Ragusa's work with that song, and throughout the rest of Election Day, is unimpeachable. The same can't be said about anyone or anything else.
Election Day


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A few weeks ago we made a joke that bacon inflation is so out of control that the US needs to start seriously thinking about a Strategic Bacon Reserve—a reserve supply of bacon to tap in times of crisis. (And yes, we here at the Pony Blog do consider skyrocketing bacon prices a crisis.)
Well, as it turns out, they don't joke about such things in China, where up to 70 percent of the meat consumed is pork. They have a four-month pork stockpile and, with prices up 38 percent in some areas this year, they're about to unleash the hounds, the New York Times reported over the weekend.
Of course, having a strategic pork reserve isn't as clean-cut a solution as it sounds: Frozen meat doesn't keep for more than four months and live hogs have to be fed and kept, which isn't saving you any money. In some places, the New York Times notes, they have a virtual reserve, where the government pays farmers a subsidy to keep their herds at certain levels regardless of demand or prices.
Hey, at least they're trying.
The economy may have forced the US to sit back on the bench in the space race, but c'mon, America. Are we going to let China beat us in the hog race?
More Culinary Crises:
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51st Meeting of the GEF Council 🗓
Date: October 24-27, 2016
Location: Washington D.C, USA
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council meets twice a year to approve new projects with global environmental benefits in the GEF's focal areas of biodiversity, climate change mitigation, chemicals and waste, international waters, land degradation, and sustainable forest management; and in the GEF's integrated approach programs on sustainable cities, taking deforestation out of commodity chains, and sustainability and resilience for food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Council also provides guidance to the GEF Secretariat and Agencies. The 25-27 October GEF Council meeting will be preceded on 24 October by a consultation with civil society organizations (CSOs) at the same location. On 27 October the Council will convene as the 21st meeting of the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) also at the same location.
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text: News More Weekly: Boots, Bulls, & Beer May 25, 2017 Previous articleBig Change at Claremore Golf Course!Next articleClaremore, What are All Those Weird Poles by the Railroad Crossings? Latest articles Leadership Rogers County Visits Area Non-Profits Leadership Rogers County ashley - October 22, 2020 0 It was Quality of Life Day for the 2021 class of Leadership Rogers County. The class toured and met with multiple Claremore area nonprofits... Read more Local Author Releases 'Camelot' on Amazon People ashley - October 20, 2020 0 Halloween is right around the corner, but finding spooky fun might be a challenge this year. Cheer up, horror lovers! One of our own... Read more Where to See Spooky Decorations in Claremore! Holidays ashley - October 19, 2020 0 Since it's not time to look at Christmas lights yet, why not drive the family around and check out Halloween decorations? Claremore resident Lori... Read more Watch Powerful Film "Resilience" for FREE! Things to do ashley - October 16, 2020 0 The Northeast Workforce Board is pleased to partner with the Potts Family Foundation to co-host this extraordinary event in Northeast Oklahoma. The event will... Read more Similar articles News Show Your Support for Claremore Police and Fire! ashley - October 12, 2020 0 This year's annual softball game between Claremore Fire and Claremore Police has been canceled due to COVID-19, and the Blue Star Mothers are determined... Read more News Claremore Family Receives National Adoption Award ashley - October 2, 2020 0 Congressman Markwayne Mullin will celebrate Crystal and Jeff Campbell as a 2020 Angels in Adoption® Honoree for their outstanding advocacy for adoption. The Congressional... Read more Business Claremore Collective- Bridging the Gap Ron Nelson - September 22, 2020 0 This year our focus is "Bridging the gap". When we started planning for this year we thought about different aspect of the city; Claremore... Read more


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Is fashion hard for you to get a grasp on? Have you wanted to make yourself look great and show others that you're in the know about fashion? If you are curious about fashion, keep reading this article.
Add a belt to improve the look. Belts come in all kinds of designs and colors, so the possibilities really are endless. Use a classic leather belt for your formal outfit but do not hesitate to wear an original and brightly colored plastic belt for a fun outfit.
Although purses can improve your whole look, be sure it goes well with other bags you use. This means your purse should match your briefcase if you need to use both of them on the same occasion. Do not carry to matching bags, instead use coordinating colors or fabrics.
Don't buy something simply because of a great price. If the item does not fit with your overall style or does not look good on you, it is not really a bargain. Instead, it will languish in your closet, reminding you of money you shouldn't have spent.
Create your own unique style. Many people are fashion followers, but what stands out is a fashion leader. This isn't right for everyone, but it is a great way to get compliments on originality.
There are nearly unlimited options available for hair accessories. You can choose from lots of options, including headbands, scrunchies, bows, barrettes and extensions. You ought to have many hair accessories as part of your look. You want to wear a different hairstyle for different occasions so that you can mix things up. Pulling the hair off your face with an elegant headband is perfect for a special occasion.
Traveling is easy when you take along a versatile selection of clothes in neutral colors that can be mixed and matched. You will be able to make many different outfits with the clothes you brought. Pack some colored accessories to make your outfits pop.
A lot of people think fashion is just about clothes. The impact of a great outfit can be severely diminished by poor hair styling. Purchase products that suit the type of hair that you have, and invest a few extra minutes in the morning to make sure your hair looks great.
Whoever said that you can't wear white after Labor Day was wrong! White is one of the most neutral, most flattering colors out there, and you should always think about including some white in your outfit. If you feel and look your best wearing white, wear it, but do make sure the fabric is appropriate for the season. There's no such thing as the fashion police out there. They're not running around locking people up for wearing white after Labor Day!
If you are wearing plus sizes and would like to seem smaller, don't wear floral patterns with large shapes and flowers. These shapes emphasize your large figure, which you will want to steer clear of. Instead opt for smaller floral patterns to take the attention away from the bigger parts of the body.
A little bit of mousse can make your hair appear fuller. Although big hair is gaining popularity again, it is not flattering on most people.
Even though there are a lot of rules in fashion, you shouldn't be scared of experimenting. You never know if something will good on you until you try it. Combine different colors and fabrics to see what looks best. You may be able to create something very unique that you look great in.
As was stated earlier, you should feel more fashion-forward at this point. This means you should now have enough confidence to show off your style to others. This article has given you what you need to know, so make use of it!


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Related LinksPromoting Development Programme website
HRBA portal
EU: We report back – Hungarian development official says human rights-based programming can make development cooperation more sustainable
Alternative content
This is a recording from the 'Challenges of Development Cooperation in EU New Member States' Conference, held in Budapest in September 2011.
In this recording:
Ádám Kirchknopf, Deputy Head of Department of Development Co-operation, Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that human rights based development can make programmes more sustainable, even in very poor countries.
About the conference:
On the occasion of two New EU Member States holding the EU Presidency in 2011, followed by Cyprus in 2012 and Lithuania in 2013, MRG's conference aim was to provide opportunities for New EU Member States decision makers, experts and NGOs to exchange experiences about the EU Presidencies on the field of development cooperation and reflect on the new approaches and challenges in development policy and programming.
The conference shared examples of the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) to development from old donor countries, new EU member states and the Global South.


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Portions of the Gulf are So Toxic that Dolphins, Fish, Crabs, Stingrays and Other Animals are "Trying to Crawl Out of the Water"
On Friday, Inter Press Service reported:
Danny Ross, a commercial fisherman from Biloxi… said he has watched horseshoe crabs trying to crawl out of the water, and other marine life like stingrays and flounder trying to escape the water as well. He believes this is because the water is hypoxic. …
David Wallis, another fisherman from Biloxi… [said] "I've seen crabs crawling out of the water in the middle of the day. This is going to be affecting us far into the future."
This has been a common occurrence since BP started spilling oil into the Gulf.


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Trending: Glass-bath tubs, yay or nay?
By Danielle Pinkus|
According to the Wall Street Journal the latest trend doing the luxury rounds in the see-through bathtub.
Apparently, home owners with expendable income are replacing their "carved-stone models" to open-up their space and create a lighter alternative.
After a quick office poll, majority of ninemsn staffers agreed the idea was "scary," with one desk buddy making the keen observation that it "depends who's in it".
The article goes on to say that, in addition to the luxury aspect, people taking up the trend enjoy the "sense of extra space that see-through bathtubs lend to bathrooms."
We're not entirely sure if this means the sense of space within the tub or the effect of the glass on the room, but we can't deny they're striking to look at. Though one has to wonder if there's much difference between a glass tub and a regular one from the occupant's point-of-view.
With a price tag between $8,000-50,000, the novelty of sitting in a glass bathtub is one we're likely to never know.
Approx. $33,900, Prizma Studio
Plus, there's something unnerving about transforming a sweet bubble of private time (AKA Julia Roberts' Pretty Woman bath sing-along) into an aqua peep show if you're not an exhibitionist.
If you're down with that, cool, but surely part of the allure of being in a bath when you're not Emily Ratajkowski is having all your wobbly parts bring covered up by bubbles and ceramic walls? And let's not get into the practicality of having another shower-like surface to clean and keep streak free.
That being said, while the trend is definitely not for the body-conscious or practically inclined, we'd still like to give a glass tub a go — and maybe that's the point? In the housing-game, it's all about having something none of your neighbours' homes have, and a glass tub sure trumps a dime-a-dozen cinema room, right?
If you do decide to add a glass bath tub to your bathroom renovation, let us know how goes by tagging us on Facebook. We'd love to see the finished project.
Approx. $10,845, Omvivo