Open mike 10/06/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 10th, 2015 - 123 comments
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123 comments on “Open mike 10/06/2015 ”

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  1. Paul 1
    10 June 2015 at 6:45 am

    Rachel Glucina writes another puff piece about the Key family.
    This from the woman who was used to take out the waitress.
    Maybe that was the price she charged for doing the take down.
    More access to Key family stories.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11462441

  2. Morrissey 2
    10 June 2015 at 7:12 am

    Yet another prejudiced, ill-informed rant by Paul Henry
    Paul Henry, TV3 and RadioLIVE simulcast, Tuesday 9 June 2015

    “I think Paul’s a bright guy and he will be able to bring a discipline to his performance.”
    —TV3 head of News and Current Affairs Mark Jennings, Mediawatch, Radio NZ National, Sunday 10 November 2013

    8:05 a.m. The “news” is coming to an end….

    HILLARY BARRY: [mustering all the gravitas she can] And President Obama has restated his country’s commitment to fight against violent extremists in Nigeria and Iraq. He met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi at the G7 Summit in Germany today to discuss the fight against ISIS. The G7 leaders will discuss terrorism, climate—and RUSSIA.

    PAUL HENRY: It must be like being invited to some exclusive party and you check carefully to see who the other guests are, and most of them are decent—apart from David Cameron, ha ha ha!—and then there are suddenly all these OTHER people there, like the bloody president of IRAQ! You would need to be PREPARED before you met someone like that. In fact, even if I WAS prepared, I wouldn’t want to talk to him! How LONG before they say “YOU are the problem, Mister!”?!? Anyway, that’s why I’m not invited to these things.

    JIM KAYES: [nervous guffaw] Hur!

    HILLARY BARRY: Heh, heh….

    More of Henry’s idiocy HERE….
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-23022012/#comment-439757
    http://thestandard.org.nz/tuwhera-mike-06022014/#comment-769085
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-20082014/#comment-869959
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27052015/#comment-1021090

  3. CnrJoe 3
    10 June 2015 at 7:19 am

    No M.S. its still there. I just screenshotted the whole thing. Celebrity families
    “I was chuffed to be asked by Remix to be part of their latest edition,” Max said.

    The magazine profiled the runway-trend colour green in its menswear editorial pages.

    Editor Steven Fernandez said the Prime Minister’s son was an obvious choice.

    “We knew Max had an interest in modelling, and we reached out to him to model in our menswear trend page. Green is a hot colour right now on the catwalks in Paris and Milan,” Fernandez said.

    The shoot took place at the magazine’s Ponsonby office two weeks ago with photographer Eva Brichau. Fernandez says there is some interest from agencies in signing Max as a client.

    Key the Younger has no problems trending himself. Stories about his foray into music as a DJ, clubbing with Kim Dotcom’s ex-wife Mona, and rounds of golf with Barack Obama, have generated plenty of page views.

    His presence in the magazine is sure to generate plenty of buzz.

    The fashion industry is no stranger to using family fame to hawk its wares, and Key isn’t the first celebrity offspring to land a modelling job.

    Romeo Beckham, Victoria and David’s son, became a Burberry model at the age of 12. Daisy Lowe, Peaches and Pixie Geldof, Georgia May Jagger, Kendall Jenner and Amber Le Bon have all had their high-profile turn in the fashion limelight, thanks to famous families.

    • mickysavage 3.1
      10 June 2015 at 7:24 am

      Any changes made? The link failed when I tried it and the link from searching “Glucina” also went nowhere.

      • CnrJoe 3.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 7:33 am

        couldn’t tell you if changes were made or when. No phallic-looking conifers shooting into the shy huzzah – this round.
        IMO the pics are of a weaselly young man in a shitty windbreaker from the 70’s.

        Now – with Cherry (Cherry – really?) Lazar and Max Key being used to promote the Keys as a celebrity package where does the politics end/start? Is this ‘clean’ politics if you use your family as a shield?
        This shit is getting weird. AND the Herald putting up then pulling down stories willy-nilly. Couldn’t do that in the fish and chip wrapping era

      • Tracey 3.1.2
        10 June 2015 at 9:29 am

        so much for not involving children in politics cos without his father being PM ma might have to get a proper job…. by that I mean through one of his Dad’s friends… oh wait. Gosh it gets confusing with the goalposts moving all the time.

  4. Charles 4
    10 June 2015 at 7:47 am

    “Is this ‘clean’ politics if you use your family as a shield?”

    • weka 5.1
      10 June 2015 at 10:04 am

      ” Spain’s Health Ministry had to scramble to find the drug to treat the child as there had not been a case of diphtheria in Spain for almost 28 years due to the country’s high vaccination coverage (over 95%).”

      What’s NZ’s rate?

      Health authorities in Catalonia have detected diphtheria bacteria in eight more children in the district of Garrotxa where a six-year old boy who had not been vaccinated against the disease was taken ill last week.

      The regional health councillor, Boi Ruiz, said during a press conference that the eight new cases, all in children: “have not developed the illness thanks to their vaccinations, but they have been kept at home to avoid them spreading [the disease] to the 3% of children in the district of Garrotxa who are not vaccinated”.

      “We swabbed 57 children near to the infected [child] and the bacteria is present in eight.”

      I’ve always been curious about this, and maybe someone in the know can answer. Does that mean the bacteria is present in parts of the human population but doesn’t cause disease most of the time? Or is it in the environment?

      • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 10:47 am

        I’m sure increasing high levels of poverty and unemployment in Spain aren’t a factor, just vaccinations

      • TheContrarian 5.1.2
        10 June 2015 at 12:30 pm

        “Does that mean the bacteria is present in parts of the human population but doesn’t cause disease most of the time?”

        yes – many diseases hang around us all the time and never cause problems. Herpes Simplex is one (granted it is a virus – but the same principle applies), Meningitis is another. Couldn’t say regarding Diphtheria though.

        And CR – if increasing high levels of poverty and unemployment in Spain is causing an outbreak of Diphtheria then that a key reason why people should be vaccinated.

    • The Murphey 5.2
      10 June 2015 at 7:01 pm

      Not had the hypocrisy shot yet eh

      How about the judgmental sucker vaccination ?

      One piece at a time the lies are being exposed

  6. Skinny 6
    10 June 2015 at 8:28 am

    Selective picking by the Taxpayer Union basically giving National a patsy platform to softening us up for line closures, privatisation and asset stripping. It will be welcome back Michael Fay to consult the deal.

    The continual sale of our assets by stealth mode, corruption. Watch this space.

    http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69211950/corporate-welfare-costs-every-new-zealand-household-752–report

  7. Wayne 7
    10 June 2015 at 8:46 am

    This whole site has become much more exclusive than it used to be.
    Very definitely the Left, maybe the far Left talking to itself. The selection of photos, the nature of the topics really does mean you do not want to hear any alternative voices even for debate.
    I appreciate you will not agree with this, but Kiwiblog is much less partisan and probably has become less so. The Standard used to be the Left equivalent of Kiwiblog albeit with multiple authors but is no longer so. Now more like Whaleoil of the Left.
    Your choice of course.

    • northshoreguynz 7.1
      10 June 2015 at 9:04 am

      Yet we welcome you here,Wayne.

    • vto 7.2
      10 June 2015 at 9:05 am

      Oh, people’s voices are becoming more strident wayne?

      wonder why that would be?

      You do realise that political views are inherently and intensely personal and the decisions you people make in Wellington have direct and real consequences out here in New Zealand.

      Quite why you think people should shake hands and be friends after some kind of ‘debate’ over these crucial and real things is beyond me. I used to generally support the centre right but no longer – the path you have been on and are still on causes real and direct hurt out here. I genuinely do not like you people for the things you do (example – bashing those less fortunate. “lifestyle choices” and all that). Deal with the consequences of your actions.

      Our nation is becoming more divided. Wake up wayne

      • Facetious 7.2.1
        10 June 2015 at 7:17 pm

        No, it is not, vto. You want to believe is more divided but New Zealand is moving forward, even if you lament it. One thing is growing: your intolerance of dissenting opinion. Cheers.

        • vto 7.2.1.1
          10 June 2015 at 7:45 pm

          Have you anything to back up your empty opinion Facetious, or was that just a little throw-up?

    • left for deadshark 7.3
      10 June 2015 at 9:32 am

      Bla blah blah,go off to the so called MSM wayne. Oh that’s right, your basically irrelevant now.
      Heres a tissue, oh the winds of change has catch it,too bad.

    • Tracey 7.4
      10 June 2015 at 9:33 am

      Just when you were making a fair observation you went and let the mask slip.

      “Whaleoil of the Left”

      No one here posts other people’s words and claims them as their own
      No one here works with politicians to generate smear attacks on individuals
      No one hear releases personal details as part of a strategy or vendetta.

      Its almost like this site is the voice of the labour movement or something. Disagreeing with you Wayne, doesn’t mean being exclusive. Kiwiblog is run by someone who gets paid to run polls for the National Party (not quite impartial), it’s just you agree with more of what is written there, and they agree with you more often. But then it is the voice of the Right.

      • weka 7.4.1
        10 June 2015 at 10:06 am

        How many people are scared of the standard authors? How many people are scared of WO?

        What are the connections between the standard authors and Dirty Politics? What are the connections between WO and Dirty Politics?

        A weird, blantantly biased, agenda-laden comment from Mr Mapp. Wonder what’s prompted that.

        • Tracey 7.4.1.1
          10 June 2015 at 2:06 pm

          I wondered too. Seemed to come out of the blue. Almost a fit of pique.

          Unbecoming of a law Commissioner.

          • Gangnam Style 7.4.1.1.1
            10 June 2015 at 2:34 pm

            Maybe hes become part owner of kiwiblog & is pimping off his wares.

            • Tracey 7.4.1.1.1.1
              10 June 2015 at 2:37 pm

              it seems odd and out of the blue, unless the TPP has suffered a setback, that would make him grumpy at the left

              • marty mars …
                10 June 2015 at 6:14 pm

                wayne is odd and out of the blue – another has-been politician thinking their jaundiced view means something – it would be funny if it wasn’t so boring and pathetic.

    • crashcart 7.5
      10 June 2015 at 9:53 am

      It is strange to say Kiwiblog is much less partisan.

      It was the first political blog I started reading. I was a National voter who knew no better. Even back then as a white male from South African heritage I was surprised by the often open racisim and sexism displayed. When people tried to pull others up on it they would be very quickly shouted down as being a lefty PC wanker.

      It was a link on Kiwiblog that lead me to the standard. I wanted to come and see who these idiot close minded commies were. I read for a while and the actual intelligent discussion surprised me. Yes there were strongly expressed opinions but there is ususally a requirement to back them with facts. You will also often see people on the same side disagreeing over idea’s.

      The Standard genuenly contributed to and help educate my current political view.
      I haven’t been back to Kiwiblog for a while but have found that when I do you can engage in a discussion with a few contributors. You do however have to be able to ignore the 10 racist or just plain stupid replies you get between actual well thought out comments. Not really a non partisian.

      • Tracey 7.5.1
        10 June 2015 at 2:40 pm

        kiwiblog and then red alert was my journey. Mainly because I never got a log in from kiwiblog (applied but never got it).

        Found the comments at kiwblog could be racist and sexist and the language colourful.

        Never stayed long at WO…

    • thatguynz 7.6
      10 June 2015 at 10:24 am

      Nice try Wayne. Yet you still opt to come over here and offer up your “wisdom”. Why?

      • Wayne 7.6.1
        10 June 2015 at 12:39 pm

        thatguynz

        Well, I don’t comment on this site much these days. For the reasons stated.

        Of course The Standard is not the same as WhaleOil, which uniquely reflects Camron Slaters view of the world (though somewhat toned down from what it used to be).

        But The Standard does have the same campaigning fervor as Whaleoil. That means, at least to me, The Standard has become more strident in the last 12 to 18 months.

        Crashcart

        It is true that many of the commenters on Kiwiblog seem a bit crazy, but David is pretty reasonable with his posts. He makes no secret of the fact that he is the Nats pollster, but that does not mean he simply slavishly repeats the govts views on various issues. It also does not allow a thread discussion, which is a real lack.

        • Draco T Bastard 7.6.1.1
          10 June 2015 at 1:44 pm

          It is true that many of the commenters on Kiwiblog seem a bit crazy, but David is pretty reasonable with his posts.

          Sounding reasonable isn’t quite the same thing as being connected to reality.

          He makes no secret of the fact that he is the Nats pollster, but that does not mean he simply slavishly repeats the govts views on various issues.

          And you’ve seen slavish repeating of any position here?

          • Descendant Of Sssmith 7.6.1.1.1
            10 June 2015 at 5:34 pm

            Well to be fair I’ve slavishly repeated for a number of years now that Labour doesn’t believe in:

            1. the 8 hour working day, 40 hour working week
            2. State housing for the poor, let alone for life
            3. Workers right to strike
            4. Rail as a public good and not needing to make a profit
            5. Increasing benefit rates
            6. Increasing taxes on those who earn more
            7. Job creation in government departments for youth and those who are unwell and have disabilities
            8. Anything remotely left that was seen as normal when I was growing up
            9. Anything that is the bass of their historical proclamations on their website
            10. Apologising for being fucked up pale blue National Party infiltrators for the last 30 years

  8. tricledrown 8
    10 June 2015 at 8:59 am

    No mention of the $20 billion spent on motorways in Auckland and the fact that Trucks are subsidised by taxpayers.
    Nor the cost of road maintenance congestion and safety if we closed Railways.

  9. cogito 9
    10 June 2015 at 9:23 am

    Caught a few minutes of Newsworthy on tv3 last night. The guy was driving out to Makara and talking to a few locals. The whole piece was absolutely pathetic. It wasn’t interesting or amusing, and definitely not newsworthy. Utter cr*p.

  10. Puckish Rogue 10
    10 June 2015 at 10:00 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11462241

    Well, well, well a possible surplus and more money to the benes, this is how you stay in power

    • Colonial Rawshark 10.1
      10 June 2015 at 10:49 am

      Ahhhh yes another Bil English Mirage Surplus shimmering on the horizon

      (By the way I agree with English’s decision to maintain a moderate level of deficit spending into the NZ economy).

      • Puckish Rogue 10.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 12:01 pm

        As do I funnily enough, a government in surplus suggests theres no spending anywhere thats needed to my way of simplistic thinking

  11. Colonial Rawshark 11
    10 June 2015 at 10:57 am

    US set up brutal El Salvador style sectarian civil war in Iraq to take pressure off itself

    This is for all those people who still turn a blind eye to the realities of western empire. And believe that western empire holds some sort of colonial moral superiority to the rest of the world. The actions of the US in the 2003-2005 period in Iraq also set the scene for a Sunni led ISIS type organisation to rise up in force. Clue tip: countries outside western empire (5B plus people) are well aware of these details already. General Patreaus and his offsider a Col. Steele set up, funded, trained brutal sectarian secret police commando squads designed to take insurgent pressure of the US forces – at the cost of thousands of Iraqi civilian lives a month.

    The commandos used the most brutal methods to make detainees talk. There is no evidence that Steele or Coffman took part in these torture sessions, but General Muntadher al Samari, a former general in the Iraqi army, who worked after the invasion with the US to rebuild the police force, claims that they knew exactly what was going on and were supplying the commandos with lists of people they wanted brought in. He says he tried to stop the torture, but failed and fled the country.

    “We were having lunch. Col Steele, Col Coffman, and the door opened and Captain Jabr was there torturing a prisoner. He [the victim] was hanging upside down and Steele got up and just closed the door, he didn’t say anything – it was just normal for him.”

    He says there were 13 to 14 secret prisons in Baghdad under the control of the interior ministry and used by the Special Police Commandos. He alleges that Steele and Coffman had access to all these prisons and that he visited one in Baghdad with both men.

    “They were secret, never declared. But the American top brass and the Iraqi leadership knew all about these prisons. The things that went on there: drilling, murder, torture. The ugliest sort of torture I’ve ever seen.”

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/06/el-salvador-iraq-police-squads-washington

    • vto 11.1
      10 June 2015 at 11:43 am

      CR stop telling us things we know that we allow to happen but don’t want to know about so we can keep our moral authority and world class credibility …. in the minds of everyone except the 5billion people you refer to.

      It would be interesting to hear more often from those 5 billion other people

      • Colonial Rawshark 11.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 2:11 pm

        I have a feeling those 5B other people are getting on with things like setting up the BRICS, the new Asian Infrastructure bank, alternatives to the western SWIFT bank payment processing system, etc.

  13. Disraeli Gladstone 13
    10 June 2015 at 11:20 am

    With the news surrounding Rachinger and his actions came out yesterday, I was really glad that nobody here posted his plea for money (especially after this was already after the fact that he had “doxxed” one woman before was public knowledge).

    Oh wait. It was posted.

    Just another reminder that the enemy of your enemy is not your friend. He can still be a fucking enemy. Rather than posting stuff to do with Rachinger (no matter how cautious it was done) in order to try and tackle Slater, it would have been better if we all struck to the real issues and allowed Rachinger and Slater to destroy each other.

    Instead, the Standard (for a time), had a plea posted by this man to give him money, when at the same time he was threatening a woman.

    I really wish we stop cosying up with unsavoury customers just because they happen to dislike the right.

    • weka 13.1
      10 June 2015 at 11:48 am

      Part of the problem is that most of what you are referring to unfolded on twitter, and it’s very hard to get a good sense of what is going on from that unless you are part of the right crowd or able to spend very large amounts of time researching. I also find twitter to be a volatile and sometimes harmful place socially and there’s a lot of side-taking that undermines real understanding of events and dynamics (that’s just a natural consquence of the short form, but it’s also about the culture there).

      I knew about the doxxing (saw one of them happen at the time), but was cautiously willing to give Rachinger the benefit of the doubt that he was willing to change. There was also something else to do with Russell Brown that I couldn’t follow, and other stuff referred to that was never clear. I didn’t know about the photos thing until yesterday (and on the basis of that I am now no longer willing to give him the benefit of the doubt).

      Point being, twitter is hard to consider a reliable source, it’s more a pointer to things going on in real time and people’s opinions. The issues that have arisen around Rachinger and the alleged solicitation of the hack are important, and just writing him off isn’t going to help.

      Not sure if the criticism of ts in hindsight is helpful or not.

      • Disraeli Gladstone 13.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 12:45 pm

        “Not sure if the criticism of ts in hindsight is helpful or not.”

        I recognise that. I nearly didn’t post my initial comment because TRP quite rightly for making use of someone else’s misery. Which I didn’t want to do.

        But first with Dotcom and now Rachinger, the willingness to forgo principles is getting tiring. It’s like I’m in the back seat and we’re stopping to give hitchhikers ride, and I’m sitting there going “guys, guys, I got a bad feeling about this” and then the stabbing starts and god, why did we do this, guys?

        • weka 13.1.1.1
          10 June 2015 at 12:55 pm

          I don’t see it as forgoing principles. Rachinger’s faults were visible and acknowledged at the time. if you think that Rachinger is irredeemably bad (like say WO), how do you think ts should have covered the events?

          And if you think he is the same as WO, and is the enemy, what do you think is going to happen now if he is completely ostracised? Imagine WO with actual tech skills, probably dangerous ones.

          What is the stabbing you are referring to?

    • te reo putake 13.2
      10 June 2015 at 12:18 pm

      Oh, do piss off DG. The appeal for money stayed up for a very brief time and was quickly identified as inappropriate. It was not at the same time as he was abusing that woman on social media, as you’ve claimed. You’ll have noticed we have not publicised the latest revelations about that abuse, which come from a website closely associated with Slater.

      TS has tried to take an even handed approach to Rachinger, recognising that he has revealed a clear threat to the site from someone we know wishes us ill. On the other hand, he’s complicit in that threat and has done something appalling to an acquaintance. He is, however, a vulnerable young man, who has been groomed by an amoral older man.

      The lesson for Ben is simple, lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. The lesson for you is get off your high horse and don’t try and score cheap points off the misery of others.

      • Disraeli Gladstone 13.2.1
        10 June 2015 at 12:36 pm

        I’d like to address several falsehoods in your first paragraph, one at a time, so we’re quite clear. I’d also attempt to thrive for more accuracy in your posting, TRP.

        “The appeal for money stayed up for a very brief time”

        Wrong. The appeal for money is -still- up. So how it was up for a very brief time is something I’d like to see you explain.

        It had a disclaimer added either today or yesterday to address subsequent events which is good. Whoever did that, well done. I think it’s better than deleting it and pretending it never happened, which is what Bomber or Slater would have done.

        “It was not at the same time as he was abusing that woman on social media, as you’ve claimed.”

        You’ve misunderstood.

        The person he was abusing on social media/doxxed for personal information to identify her was -before- his plea for money. I guess, maybe, people missed that and it was brought up later.

        Quite on the contrary, though, it seems like he was threatening/considering to threaten the current victim (let’s not identify her at all for her sake). How do we know this? At the time, fucking Bomber made a passing comment in a blog post that Rachinger had something to hold over someone (he named the profession, so we know it was most likely the victim).

        The fact that Bomber saw the evidence and didn’t do anything about it except make a snide remark (which he now deleted from his blog) is horrible in of itself as well.

        “You’ll have noticed we have not publicised the latest revelations about that abuse, which come from a website closely associated with Slater.”

        And I applaud The Standard for that. It was well thought of.

        But, it still needs saying, that after Rachinger and Dotcom, I just wish we didn’t embrace questionable people for the sake of causing damage to the right. That’s the type of shit they do.

        We’re better than that. Or we should be.

        [“Falsehoods”. “Thrive for accuracy” I have no time for people who accuse me of lying, as you’ll see shortly. The post, like most here at TS, had a short shelf life. It’s prominent position was brief. It was recognised as inappropriate almost immediately. This is a multiple author site and when mistakes happen we work hard to address the issue as quickly as possible. Now piss off for a week for calling me a liar. TRP]

        • weka 13.2.1.1
          10 June 2015 at 1:02 pm

          TRP, I took your first comment above to mean the post on the fundraising had been removed. I was surprised to read that.

          The doxxing happened well before that post. There was more than one instance.

          I think the photo incident happened before then too, but don’t know that definitively. It’s reasonable to assume Slater has been sitting on that one for a while (it was only used publicly yesterday).

          • Tracey 13.2.1.1.1
            10 June 2015 at 2:13 pm

            the thread was closed to comments pretty quickly

            11 May 2015 at 5:29 pm

            I have to go, can’t moderate any more. I’m closing comments on this post – a full range of views has been expressed!

            I think it’s fair to say that discussion here is characteristic of the controversy that surrounds Ben on social media – see the first post in this series:
            http://thestandard.org.nz/rachinger-on-dirty-politics/

            The thread was hardly a “ra-ra” endorsement of donations to Rachinger, so maybe it saved some folks some money?

            • weka 13.2.1.1.1.1
              10 June 2015 at 3:29 pm

              Thanks for clarifying Tracey. That’s not what TRP’s comment came across as saying (perhaps more care could have been taken to be clear), and I have to agree that the moderation was ott for what DG was saying or doing.

              I’ve disagreed a bit with how DG is characterising things too, but I’m pretty sure he is much more accurate about the timing than TRP realises.

              • Tracey …
                10 June 2015 at 3:30 pm

                I also thought TRP meant the post was taken down which was not my recollection but I did recall the comments being closed pretty quickly.

                • felix …
                  10 June 2015 at 7:49 pm

                  [Deleted]

                  [Nope he was banned for abusing an author and wasting my time. Yours is for questioning the right to ban. Take a day off, felix. TRP]

                  • emergency mike …
                    11 June 2015 at 12:13 am

                    Indeed, I don’t see any accusation of lying here. A real Bomber banning. Sad to see.

                    • te reo putake …
                      11 June 2015 at 12:18 am

                      “Falsehoods” and “thrive for accuracy”, em. I pretty sure I already pointed that out.

                    • The Murphey …
                      11 June 2015 at 11:25 am

                      Shameful indeed

                      1. “Questioning my right to interpret language”

                      2. “Questioning my right to ban”

                      3. “Questioning my self esteem”

                      4. “Questioning my authority”

                      5. Deleting comments having stated “ I would never do that, fact ” while accusing BB of being ‘pompous’

                      Q. Do you realize the gravitas of your hypocrisy TRP ?

                      Awful

                    • weka …
                      11 June 2015 at 8:12 pm

                      I took ‘falsehoods’ to mean that the statement was incorrect rather than saying that you were lying. And it does appear that there are things that are incorrect in your original comment.

                    • felix …
                      12 June 2015 at 10:11 am

                      [Deleted. Banned for a week TRP]

                    • TheContrarian …
                      12 June 2015 at 10:35 am

                      TRP is having a right little power trip.

                  • felix …
                    11 June 2015 at 7:44 pm

                    Hey Putake

                    Would you mind telling me why the fuck you’ve deleted my comment? I don’t give a fuck about a ban, [Deleted. If you didn’t give a fuck about a ban, you’d respect it. Come back tomorrow. TRP]

                    • weka …
                      11 June 2015 at 8:15 pm

                      I’m also curious as to why the full comment was deleted. Isn’t it more usual when giving a ban to leave the comment in place unless it’s defamatory or excessively offensive?

                      [It was abusive. I thought one day was pretty minimal. Maybe not. TRP]

                    • felix …
                      11 June 2015 at 8:38 pm

                      [Deleted. TRP]

                    • felix …
                      12 June 2015 at 10:08 am

                      And was that one abusive?

                      Or are you just making it up as you go now?

                      [You were on a ban from commenting. Now you’re on another one. Take a week off. TRP]

              • miravox …
                13 June 2015 at 12:37 am

                +1 weka. Obviously moderators can moderate however they like, but I also think the moderation on this topic, including deleting full comments, is OTT.

                • weka …
                  13 June 2015 at 10:09 am

                  Thanks miravox, and thanks because your comment allowed me to see the further moderation that’s happened including more deletion of comments.

                  • miravox …
                    14 June 2015 at 5:54 am

                    It appears we have lost felix (One of his comments, now deleted, says as much). He’s one of the most rational and inventive commenters on here. I’m quite upset about it really.

        • tinfoilhat 13.2.1.2
          10 June 2015 at 2:01 pm

          This is why I seldom vista the standard anymore.

          Too much testosterone fuelled biffo between lefties and an unhealthy fixation on Cameron Slater who surely must be best ignored rather than giving him the attention he so desperately seeks.

          • Tracey 13.2.1.2.1
            10 June 2015 at 2:21 pm

            and yet, the General Manager of SPARK and he have a direct line… so to that extent I think it matters

      • Bill 13.2.2
        10 June 2015 at 2:15 pm

        Please stop attributing some type of hive or collective mind to ‘ts’ , TRP. (“we have not publicised”…”TS has tried to be even handed”)

        I wouldn’t have posted a damned thing on Rachinger. It all strikes me as a kind of dreadful navel gazing fest. (I believe the only comment, this one aside, that I’ve made concerned the passing on of concerns about the account number being published)

        That others wanted to pen stuff is/was their affair. Those authors, not ‘ts’, are the ones who then settled on whatever pitch or angle to take.

    • r0b 13.3
      10 June 2015 at 3:09 pm

      DG – I put up the post in question, and I added the disclaimer. In the interests of not giving oxygen to a very sordid story, that’s all I want to say.

  14. weka 14
    10 June 2015 at 11:26 am

    Apparently Spark are sponsoring WO’s dirty politics party this week,

    https://twitter.com/toby_etc/status/608406423945547776

  15. weka 15
    10 June 2015 at 11:29 am

    The Nation’s transcript from the ‘debate’ between the Boomers and Gen Rent. Read at your own risk of apoplexy (the Boag warning)

    http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/thenation/transcript-clash-of-the-generations-debate-2015060614#axzz3cbsNjGTz

    • b waghorn 16.1
      10 June 2015 at 6:29 pm

      I call bullshit on them being for breeding that’s enough sheep for 5000 ha
      It was covered on tv1 news tonight and the Arab gent who we just bribed with 4 million has been grazing these sheep during there quarantine.
      Theres lots more to this story.

  17. Charles 17
    10 June 2015 at 12:35 pm

    It’s disturbing that after, what will soon be, nine years in government, enough time to attempt their best efforts, the Right still consider Labour a threat – even at their weakest. National are failing, and if we don’t ACT soon we will have another impotent National government.

    The message just isn’t getting through to the electorate. It’s time National had a shake-up and payed attention to what’s really happening on the ground level. What they need is more Niueans. We need REAL people.

    Can you imagine the delight in the mind of a Nuiean CEO, up early on a chilly morning, scraping the ice off the windshield of his Maserati, only to look across the fence at the vege garden of his neighbour who is overseas, tucked up away in the Canary Islands, and see that the fertiliser he’s used is literally made of Nuie? That’s what we need, honest kiwi-battlers, real go-getters, people who aren’t afraid to push the limits of sensibility.

    Special focus groups are required to explore Fourth-Way ideas: perhaps chaired by James Shaw or Keith Rankin, you know, some real open-minded conservatives. National is broad church: did they not promise everyone could get ahead, all that they had to do was believe? Of course, of course, they are as open as a barn door at a barn-raising that doesn’t even have the door frame raised. Empty space, lots of it.

    Because people aren’t listening anymore – they know Labour are still around, that they can still do stuff. All over the internet they’re crying out, “Stop Labour, Stop Andrew Little, he’s so aaaangry!” It’s a serious social issue that cannot be made to go away by turning the Key family into dancing media chimps! Right Wing Internet trolls are expiring like flies in the winter – out of puff, spinning in circles.

    John Key has failed as leader, we have to face that now. His leadership must fall to Jo Goodhew. Only then will our brighter future dawn.

    • DoublePlusGood 17.1
      10 June 2015 at 1:28 pm

      OK, so that post makes very little sense, but FYI, Niue and Nauru are very different places. Look them up.

  18. Puckish Rogue 18
    10 June 2015 at 1:00 pm

    The Greens have the right idea and this ones a good idea as well, will it be considered?

    http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2015/06/the-real-deal-how-labour-could-once.html

    (I know its probably been done but i’ve been busy at work)

    • felix 18.1
      10 June 2015 at 8:03 pm

      Interesting.

      As long as the necessary expenses of doing the job are covered, why not?

      It would no doubt send a few of the cretins scurrying over to the Nats where they belong.

      I like it. Line in the sand.

  20. Gosman 20
    10 June 2015 at 2:08 pm

    The Greeks have lost most of their friends in the EU and the end game is nigh. It is either a catastrophic exit from the Euro or acceptance of Austerity.

    http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/09/greece-bailout-talks-the-main-actors-in-a-modern-day-epic

    • DoublePlusGood 20.1
      10 June 2015 at 2:21 pm

      Hopefully they choose the middle finger to Europe option of defaulting, and tank the Euro – would serve Brussels right for its usury.

      • Gosman 20.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 2:50 pm

        Why haven’t they done this already do you think?

      • Draco T Bastard 20.1.2
        10 June 2015 at 2:55 pm

        Yep, that’s exactly what needs to happen.

        • Gosman 20.1.2.1
          10 June 2015 at 3:09 pm

          The question is why haven’t they done this already? Can you answer that? Syriza is more closely aligned to your political philosophy than most. You must have some understanding of their reasoning.

          • Draco T Bastard 20.1.2.1.1
            10 June 2015 at 3:12 pm

            Perhaps they were, like most Lefties, trying to make a workable compromise so as not to trash the entire European financial system but the RWNJs (the entirety of the European bureaucracy) just weren’t having it.

            • Gosman 20.1.2.1.1.1
              10 June 2015 at 3:35 pm

              As I warned you would be the case when Syriza was voted in. There is no way that a party proposing such radical views against the current policy consensus would be allowed to influence European policy. The Greeks will be forced to follow the rules or they will be forced to leave the Eurozone and suffer the consequences.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                10 June 2015 at 4:05 pm

                The current policy consensus is the problem, not what Syriza are doing or trying to do.

                And the consequences of them being wrong is going to fall on the entire world in many catastrophic ways. Climate Change for starters.

    • Colonial Rawshark 20.2
      10 June 2015 at 2:25 pm

      WHy should Greeks starve to feed corrupt rich cat bankers?

      • Gosman 20.2.1
        10 June 2015 at 2:56 pm

        Greece is free to default any time they choose not to pay. It just won’t get any funding and it’s banks will collapse and most of it’s citizens will lose their savings and the country will be forced out from the Euro in a very ugly manner leading to even greater hardship for those at the bottom.

        • Draco T Bastard 20.2.1.1
          10 June 2015 at 3:13 pm

          If Greece defaults and goes back to their own currency then they have all the funding that they require. The only people who lose out in that scenario happens to be the European banks and bureaucracies.

        • Colonial Rawshark 20.2.1.2
          10 June 2015 at 3:22 pm

          Gosman – and why do you think it is in the EU’s interest to have the citizens in one of their member countries starve under more years of austerity? There are plenty of mechanisms which could be used to give Greece breathing room to start investing in their country again. Why not use them?

          • Gosman 20.2.1.2.1
            10 June 2015 at 3:33 pm

            The Greeks are of the mindset they can vote their way out of the mess they got themselves in to. That is wishful thinking in my view. I acknowledge you think they could radically change the system Europe wide and it will all be magically okay for everyone. Unfortunately for that view noone who controls the levers of power in the EU agrees with the position.

        • Weepus beard 20.2.1.3
          10 June 2015 at 8:15 pm

          European tourists will always flock to Greece for their slightly deserved holidays. Greece has something that the rest of Europe doesn’t and they just need to charge those rich fuckers properly, then they will be fine.

      • Chooky 20.2.2
        10 June 2015 at 3:03 pm

        +100 CR

        • Chooky 20.2.2.1
          10 June 2015 at 8:53 pm

          Who is to blame for Greece’s predicament?…who will be next?…will there be a fight back?…is revolution coming?..or fascism by banks?

          http://rt.com/shows/keiser-report/

          “Every week Max Keiser looks at the scandal behind the financial headlines.

          In this episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert discuss leaving the Troika to gloat over the devastation that is Europe. In the second half, Max interviews Ross Ashcroft of RenegadeInc.com about crowdfunding his own content in order to educate the population about the economic news that the BBC refuses to tell. They discuss the fact that there has already essentially been a “Grexit.” Greece is gone. What else can be done?”

  21. Tracey 21
    10 June 2015 at 2:18 pm

    Some light relief from That 70’s Show… a young John Key methinks?

    from 5.50 to 7:04

    and again from 10:07

    • Charles 21.1
      10 June 2015 at 4:03 pm

      @6:36 haha. Could happen like that to any PM. Just like that. Entrapment. Poor misunderstood Shampoo Boy.

      • Tracey 21.1.1
        10 June 2015 at 4:05 pm

        I laughed even louder once I started thinking of Key…and Fez’s mangled english is pretty close.

        Laughed the most when the woman called him “creepy” but attractive

  22. Chooky 22
    10 June 2015 at 2:53 pm

    Come back Dotcom… New Zealand be warned: We dont want to be associated with or spying for the Americans…it may ruin our burgeoning tech industries and export businesses

    ‘NSA spying may cost US companies over $35bn & do lasting harm to economy’

    http://rt.com/usa/266098-nsa-spying-tech-losses/

    “The US government’s failure to reform the NSA spying programs and its opposition to encryption could cost tech companies over $35 billion. They are losing money as non-Americans are shunning US businesses and erecting trade barriers.

    The warning comes following a newly released report by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF). The technology watchdog first warned about the potential fallout from the Snowden revelations in 2013, when it estimated the US cloud computing sector could lose anywhere between $21 billion and $35 billion.

    The report, which was released on Tuesday, says the entire US tech industry has suffered and the actual economic losses will “likely far exceed” the $35 billion estimate…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_%28service%29

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/30/kim_dotcom_megachat/

  23. Philip Ferguson 23
    10 June 2015 at 4:47 pm

    Current state of world economy: bubbles, profits and debt – look out ahead:

    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/06/10/bubbles-profits-and-debt-look-out-ahead/

  24. The Murphey 24
    10 June 2015 at 7:34 pm

    [“Falsehoods”. “Thrive for accuracy” I have no time for people who accuse me of lying, as you’ll see shortly. The post, like most here at TS, had a short shelf life. It’s prominent position was brief. It was recognised as inappropriate almost immediately. This is a multiple author site and when mistakes happen we work hard to address the issue as quickly as possible. Now piss off for a week for calling me a liar. TRP]

    Q. Banning a reasonable rebuttle in open mike is now acceptable is it ?

    Followed up with a none to subtle dig back at Bill

    My oh my you must dislike yourself immensely with the way you carry on around here

    Q. Have you been mandated to ruin what is left of the appeal this site has to offer or is it that you simply can’t control yourself?