Archive for September, 2011

You couldn’t make this sh*t up

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 pm, September 30th, 2011 - 16 comments

I missed it at the time but apparently John Key’s big plan for Christchurch was to have a yarn to Oprah.

What kind of weird fantasy world does this guy live in?

Says it all

Written By: - Date published: 3:17 pm, September 30th, 2011 - 60 comments

Weekend social 30/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, September 30th, 2011 - 20 comments

Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?

Key’s ‘Honour’

Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, September 30th, 2011 - 41 comments

John Key says we must stay in Afghanistan to honour the dead, leaving us to wonder who’ll be the last to die for a mistake. But he’s shown before that war is not about principles, or people’s lives to him – he’s quite happy to exchange (other people’s) blood for money: It’s not what’s right, […]

Trevett on Key the clown

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, September 30th, 2011 - 12 comments

Claire Trevett describes an exchange in Parliament on Tuesday.

VTM Bill passes – rejoice!

Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, September 30th, 2011 - 101 comments

Grateful citizens rejoiced this week at the passage of the VTM (Voluntary Taxation Mechanism) bill.

Nats’ muddling earns credit downgrade

Written By: - Date published: 7:19 am, September 30th, 2011 - 107 comments

National has borrowed $37 billion in less than three years and delivered no growth for it. In fact, it has repeatedly failed to meet its growth projections and GDP per capita has fallen. That failure has now resulted in the credit rating agency Fitch downgrading our credit rating. Makes a lie of the Nats’ line that we’re in better shape than in 2008. Will Bill English resign?

Update: S&P downgrades us too. English’s resignation letter being drafted on 9th floor to stem political fall-out for Key.

Open mike 30/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 30th, 2011 - 107 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Their deaths, Key’s PR

Written By: - Date published: 8:22 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 22 comments

Key says we have to leave men in Afghanistan, killing and dying, to “honour” the ones we’ve lost. Typical chickenhawk bullshit. This isn’t about ‘tearism’ or ‘Afghanistanians’ or ‘honour’. It’s all about PR. All about politics. Before Smith’s even in the ground, this arsehole Key is spinning his death for PR. Just like Pike River. Just like the earthquake dead.

John Pagani – a sheltered child

Written By: - Date published: 4:27 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 104 comments

Since I can’t seem to leave a comment on his site to refute John Pagani’s current foolishness on the operation 8 outcomes and ‘evidence’. That is unfortunate because I’ll put it here instead with a wider audience just to please him with a response from a lefty.

Crafarmer Fay

Written By: - Date published: 3:58 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 19 comments

Asset sales are on the agenda before the election. Michael Fay, strangely, is leading a coalition of underbidders for the Crafar farms against a bid from China worth $300 million more. According to the Waikato Times, New Zealanders have forgotten Fay’s involvement in the toxic asset sales of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s under both Labour and National governments. That would be a pity.

Key’s lies getting our soldiers killed

Written By: - Date published: 2:35 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 12 comments

We have been lied to by our Prime Minister. He told us the SAS was going to Afghanistan to train government soldiers. 10% casualties (2 deaths, 2 injuries) in 3 months makes it clear we’re fighting on the frontline for one side in a civil war. Trying to justify our losses and that the SAS wants to be there are not reasons to stay. The Jackel takes up the story.

A Smidgen of Truth Escapes the msm

Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 15 comments

It’s not often that ‘bald truths’ escape the filtration of the msm. The video below is an example of one of those rare moments.

Chart o’ the day: Muddling through

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, September 29th, 2011 - 21 comments

Occupy Wall Street!

Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, September 29th, 2011 - 39 comments

Have you heard of Occupy Wall Street?  If you are one of the 99%, you should have…

Ecocide Mock Trial

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, September 29th, 2011 - 5 comments

The crime of ecocide will be tested, as if it is already law, by barristers before a judge and jury, at the UK Supreme Court in London.

Muddling through question time

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, September 29th, 2011 - 23 comments

National did not cope well yesterday when their economic record was held up to the light. John Key was all at sea as he tried to dismiss new statistics showing 47,000 jobs have been lost under his watch. He cited instead another statistical series, which he has previously rejected when it showed 56,000 more people are unemployed under National.

Open mike 29/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 29th, 2011 - 168 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

The No-Dinner Dinner

Written By: - Date published: 10:32 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 30 comments

Ever seen one of those celebrity fundraiser dinners and wondered how much money was going on the fancy food that could have been going to the cause? Well, Labour’s latest offer is gives you the chance to cut through the middleman with the ‘no-dinner dinner’. The tongue in cheek menu is a bit of a laugh.

Dying for a mistake

Written By: - Date published: 6:56 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 14 comments

John Kerry, when he was spokesperson for Vietnam Veterans against the War, asked a Senate Committee: “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?” That question confronts us now, as we learn another New Zealand soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. I/S at NoRightTurn says it all on this waste of life.

Another Kiwi death in Afghanistan

Written By: - Date published: 6:38 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 18 comments

Time to bring all Kiwi soldiers in Afghanistan home.

Decriminalisation debate damaged

Written By: - Date published: 2:31 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 17 comments

Some day this country needs to have a proper debate about decriminalising marijuana. Don Brash’s politically ill-advised blurtings on the topic have damaged the prospects of such a debate.

Chart o’ the day: Wave goodbye to everybody

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 22 comments

Muddling through in Chch

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, September 28th, 2011 - 19 comments

250 jobs lost at Chch meatworks.
55 jobs lost at Canterbury leather.
Insurers warn they’ll pull out.
Kaiapoi redzoners to be $24K worse off. That’s before they get screwed by the landbankers.
10,000 Cantabrians left for overseas in the past year.
The recovery ‘delayed‘ again. It’s clear we still haven’t hit bottom.
The Nat’s plan: “muddling through”

Gap closes in latest Fairfax

Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, September 28th, 2011 - 56 comments

The latest Fairfax poll has the Labour – National gap closing a bit.

Food in Schools?

Written By: - Date published: 6:32 am, September 28th, 2011 - 33 comments

John Key promised to put Food in poorer Schools across New Zealand to help children to learn. What has he done about it? One cheap, but very well-publicised stunt. Will we see any substance? Or is this another promise like not raising GST, wages catching Australia, or capping not cutting the civil service?

Open mike 28/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 28th, 2011 - 67 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Sleepover Bill in House tonight

Written By: - Date published: 4:10 pm, September 27th, 2011 - 48 comments

Covert surveillance should not be allowed retrospectively

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, September 27th, 2011 - 55 comments

mickysavage at Waitakere News blog  has an analysis of the legal and unconstitutional implications of the Nationals dubious plan to override the courts with poor kneejerk legislation. It is rather disturbing as the action appears to have more to do with electioneering than actual legal need.

Government to overrule Auckland?

Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, September 27th, 2011 - 24 comments

Nick Smith is looking at issuing a “Government policy statement” to ensure that the Auckland Plan complies with their agenda. They may ban the urban limits that are proposed to keep green, productive land around Auckland and help ensure rates stay low and public transport works in a more liveable city.

Small mocks sunnyside Key

Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, September 27th, 2011 - 28 comments

If New Zealand’s economy could be powered by empty promises and pollyanna-ish optimism, then John Key would have the best economic record in the country’s history. Actually, he has one of the worst. Vernon Small today mocks Key’s unwillingness to put a downer on the RWC vibe by confronting the emerging global crisis.

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