Open mike 13/12/2014

48 comments on “Open mike 13/12/2014 ”

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1. phillip ure 1

   13 December 2014 at 7:27 am

   comment@whoar..how goff and shearer ‘sold’ the selling out of human rights to the rest of labour..and why john key is the most ‘dangerous’ new zealander..

   (excerpt:..)

   “..But the task was made easier by the strong advocacy of former Labour leaders Phil Goff and David Shearer within caucus..”

   (cont..)

   go to source/story>>http://whoar.co.nz/2014/commentwhoar-how-goff-and-shearer-sold-the-selling-out-of-human-rights-to-the-rest-of-labour-and-why-john-key-is-the-most-dangerous-new-zealander/
2. Colonial Rawshark 2

   13 December 2014 at 8:07 am

   Undercover cops unmasked in US protest, draws firearm on Oakland protestors

   He told the Chronicle that the officer pulled a small baton out, then a gun, after the crowd started “surging” them. The Planet reported that more officers quickly moved in to disperse demonstrators.

   In a stunning admission, the patrol’s Golden Gate Division told the San Francisco Chronicle that officers had been dressing like and walking with protesters since the first demonstration on 24 November, attempting to gather intelligence to stop highway shutdowns.

   http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/12/undercover-officer-pulls-gun-on-oakland-protesters
   • Clemgeopin 2.1

     13 December 2014 at 8:42 am

     I won’t be surprised if many a peaceful demonstration around the world is not being infiltrated by ‘law enforcement’ authorities with ‘black ops’ motives.
     • Colonial Rawshark 2.1.1

       13 December 2014 at 9:49 am

       Including being agent provocateurs. And finding nice pretty activist girls to bed, all in the ‘call of duty.’
   • Skinny 2.2

     13 December 2014 at 9:30 am

     An American friend living here was telling me the US military were down here over winter tooling up our cops on anti riot-civil unrest tactics. They have been doing this with their 5 eyes partners. Prepping for major demonstrations, plenty to protest about too.
     • Colonial Rawshark 2.2.1

       13 December 2014 at 9:52 am

       Sounds about right. Makes you wonder who they really regard as the “terrorists.” In Ferguson, St Louis county, police officials had visited and done seminars with Israeli paramilitary police in Israel.
       • Skinny 2.2.1.1

         13 December 2014 at 11:35 am

         America have been tethering on the brink of societal collapse for years. We all know the yanks created wars keep their military machine functioning, which is responsible for 1 in 5 american jobs.
         • Paul 2.2.1.1.1

           13 December 2014 at 11:41 am

           11 chilling facts about the militarisation of the US’s police.

           http://www.salon.com/2014/07/04/11_disturbing_facts_about_americas_militarized_police_force_partner/
           • Paul 2.2.1.1.1.1

             13 December 2014 at 11:44 am

             And an interesting article on its use in Ferguson.

             http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/ferguson-police-military-restraints-violence-weaponry-missouri
             • dave brown …

               13 December 2014 at 11:55 am

               The answer to militarised cops is labour self-defence guards.
               Its easy in the US as the people are already armed.
               US labor history has a long distinguished record of workers arming themselves against cops and bosses’ goon squads
               http://redrave.blogspot.co.nz/2014/11/usa-organize-labor-black-brown-self.html
         • Manuka AOR 2.2.1.1.2

           13 December 2014 at 12:35 pm

           @ Skinny: “wars keep their military machine functioning, which is responsible for 1 in 5 american jobs.”

           55.2% of that budget goes straight to the military. cf 1% to Food and Ag, 3% to Energy & Environment, 4.8% on Social Security, 4.9% to Medicare & Health, 5.3% to Housing & Community, 6% on Education. Ref link below.

           “The cost of one weapons system that doesn’t work could provide every homeless person with a large house…. A tiny fraction of military spending could end starvation at home and abroad.” http://warisacrime.org/content/elizabeth-warren-could-use-some-elizabeth-peacen
     • millsy 2.2.2

       13 December 2014 at 10:22 am

       Free market capitalism can only be sustained in a police state/dictatorship to repress the population.
       • Draco T Bastard 2.2.2.1

         13 December 2014 at 12:21 pm

         +1

         When the majority of the people are living in poverty and a few are living in luxury on the work of those in poverty you inevitably wind up with active oppression from the few. It’s what’ we’re seeing happening around the world in the Anglo countries as poverty increases due to capitalism.

         We saw it in feudal times as well because it’s the same thing.
     • The Al1en 2.2.3

       13 December 2014 at 10:50 am

       The local constabulary wouldn’t stand a chance against a committed opposing force, no matter who trained them. They don’t have the numbers to handle any major public disorder.

       Having said that, the biggest weapon in either sides arsenal is public opinion and whoever wins that takes the game.
   • Murray Rawshark 2.3

     13 December 2014 at 6:42 pm

     Haha. With those looks, he had to be a cop.
3. Manuka AOR 3

   13 December 2014 at 8:42 am

   Very, very, very funny:

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11372866
4. Pat O'Dea 4

   13 December 2014 at 8:53 am

   ‘

   Nuclear holocaust targetting humanity

   Meteor bombardment extinguishing 95% of all life

   Both possible end of the world scenarios

   Global warming targetting humanity and 95% of all other species.

   Happening now

   http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-solve-global-warming-its-the-energy-supply/

   How to Solve Global Warming: It’s the Energy Supply
   Carbon storage has to expand rapidly, or coal burning has to cease, if the world is to avoid dangerous climate change
   DAVID BIELLO
   April 13, 2014

   Well we know for certain that carbon Storage is a bust. So coal burning has to cease. There is no other alternative.

   New Zealand is well placed to set an example. Coal is only a small part of our electricity generation, and only continues at all due to government subsidies.

   Remove the subsidies for Solid Energy and Tiwai Smelter and coal production for electricity generation would cease within weeks.

   Move those subsidies to renewables, and economic dislocation caused by job losses and power shortages would be avoided. A switch to more labour intensive renewables would actually increase jobs as well as energy security.

   We need to get onto this now

   Whose on board?
   • Draco T Bastard 4.1

     13 December 2014 at 12:26 pm

     Remove the subsidies for Solid Energy and Tiwai Smelter and coal production for electricity generation would cease within weeks.

     That wouldn’t do it as the price of electricity would increase to cover the lack of subsidies. You’d need to build enough renewable power supply to cover the removal of fossil fuel generation. Of course, we should actually be doing that.
   • Murray Rawshark 4.2

     13 December 2014 at 7:11 pm

     Makes sense to me, Pat. We shouldn’t need to burn coal and we need alternative employment for miners.
5. Philip Ferguson 5

   13 December 2014 at 9:16 am

   I’ve just stuck up on Redline the list of our top 30 articles in terms of hits. They are an interesting range – the top two are on the 1981 anti-tour protests and have nearly 20,000 hits. Others range from How capitalist ideology works through to an interview with an eyewitness at the 1970 Kent State killing of students by the Ohio National Guard to the women workers’ fight for equal pay at Ford Dagenham in 1968 to critiques of Gandhi to material on NZ workers’ conditions today to the 2014 elections to the 1986 homosexual law reform movement to the 1951 waterfront dispute.
   The list, with links to each individual article, is at: http://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/12/13/our-top-30-of-all-time/

   Phil
6. Morrissey 6

   13 December 2014 at 10:13 am

   Looks like Wellingtonians are sick of boring one-sided games,
   public drunkenness and unfunny costume-bores

   Good riddance!

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/64117821/NZ-Rugby-bailout-Wellington-in-bid-to-save-sevens
   • CC 6.1

     13 December 2014 at 11:28 am

     Nah Morrissey – saving for year on year 4% rate rises so the Council can spend more on toys for the rorters, rentiers and rip-off merchants of the Property Council, Employers Chamber of Commerce and whoever else it is that have the Mayor and most of the Councillors in their pockets.
     • millsy 6.1.1

       13 December 2014 at 5:12 pm

       The money should be spent on buying back their power network (Wellington Electricity Lines Ltd) and making that the basis of turning Wellington into NZ’s first smart city (and providing a nice revenue stream back to the WCC), then buy back CityLink and have the city wired for high speed internet.

       Surely Jackson can fund his own film museum, and the airlines can fund their own airport extension.
   • Draco T Bastard 6.2

     13 December 2014 at 12:37 pm

     Watching sport has got to be the most boring thing ever. IME, even getting drunk doesn’t help.
7. Pat O'Dea 7

   13 December 2014 at 10:17 am

   ‘
   Are the US Republican senators, Chris Gibson and Garret Graves. the US version of Mike Minogue and Marilyn Waring?

   Mike Minogue and Marilyn Waring once brought down New Zealand’s conservative Muldoon government over nuclear ship visits, setting the scene for New Zealand to become nuclear weapons and nuclear power free.

   Now in the US, Grist asks: “Can A Pair Of Republican Congressmen Make The House Fold On Climate Change?”

   Both Gibson and Graves referenced concerns in their districts as driving factors, with Gibson saying his district has been hit with “three 500-year floods in the last several years, so either you believe that we had a one in over 100 million probability that occurred, or you believe as I do that there’s a new normal.”
   In reference to sea level rise in Louisiana, Graves said “for us to stick our heads in the sand and pretend it’s not happening is idiotic, and it puts the lives of two million people who live in south Louisiana in jeopardy.”
   Joel Finkelstein, director of strategic communications with Climate Advisers, a D.C.-based consulting firm, told ThinkProgress he thinks it’s too early to say these two statements represent any sort of trend, but probably just a couple positive highlights amid a sky of doubt.

   As Steve Abel Greenpeace New Zealand addressed a climate march in Auckland the day after the election and said this: “I will not say much about yesterday’s election result, except to say this; Some of our greatest victories have been achieved off the back of a retrograde government”

   So who knows?

   Anything is possible.

   It is our duty as citizens and activists to keep the pressure on the torys to do something about climate change.
8. phillip ure 8

   13 December 2014 at 10:18 am

   (inspired by manhires’ go at it..i have done my own whoar-list of xmas-presents for pollies..)

   (excerpt:..)

   john key:..a gift-voucher from his local legal pot-shop in hawaii..

   bill english:..a copy of the popes speech:..’why you..as a good-catholic..shouldn’t screw over the poor..’

   cont..

   http://whoar.co.nz/2014/comment-whoar-the-whoar-list-of-xmas-presents-for-politicians/
   • Morrissey 8.1

     13 December 2014 at 10:25 am

     For the ACT-Conservative alliance: fetching new uniforms….

     http://menintallleatherboots.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/nazi-uniforms.html
9. dave brown 9

   13 December 2014 at 11:46 am

   While the debate rages about how far Labour has to prostitute itself over spying on NZers to gain credibility with Herald columnists, a little country in South America with 3.5 m people, proves that social democracy can thumb its nose not only at the media but the banksters, big tobacco, and the TPP and legalise marijuana as a bonus.
   It already lives in the jingoist folk lore of this country as the country in whose shores the Graf Spee scuttled itself to avoid a Kiwi battery.
   Uruguay under the Broad Front Party.
   http://truth-out.org/news/item/27932-uruguay-takes-on-london-bankers-marlboro-mad-men-and-the-tpp
   • dave brown 9.1

     13 December 2014 at 12:21 pm

     And for what a NZ LP would look like if its persists in its Blairite right wing adaptation to “public opinion”:

     …A more basic reason is that without a party armed with a programme that holds out hope of a society based on social solidarity, a living wage, really necessary and fulfilling jobs, people are left to their individual fears and private despair.

     Labour simply does not dare to advance a plan to eradicate unemployment and insecure under-employment. This could only be done with a programme of major public works to build, equip and staff more houses, schools and hospitals, to turn the paltry minimum wage into a living wage, to unshackle the unions so they can strike to force up pay, to prepare defences against the effects of climate change.

     Despite widespread public support they dare not pledge to renationalise the rail companies or the Royal Mail. Despite promising to repeal Lansley’s Health and Social Care Act, they do not dare proclaim that they will end PFI and cancel all the PFI debts – with no compensation to the parasites profiting from them.

     They dare to neither borrow nor tax to spend beyond a few marginal areas (the mansion tax, and a tax on the tobacco companies). In short, in a time of depression that is coming to resemble the 1930s, Labour dare not even turn to a neo-Keynesian state spending programme. Why? Because only the fear of revolution or inter-imperialist war compelled the capitalist class to do this 60 years ago, and again in the 1940-50s when the rise in profit rates allowed them to do it.

     Neither applies as yet, so the neo-Keynesians remain an academic fringe that only the TUC listens to. Labour, who would have to try and implement such a policy, knows well that the markets would wreak a savage revenge on them. What happens can be seen across the channel where François Hollande came in promising change and an end to austerity and has ended up trying to impose a demolition of the French social model, based on Gerhardt Schroeder’s Agenda 2010.

     Under pressure from UKIP, Cameron knows too that he can drive Labour to the right, with no danger that this will win them any votes but rather the likelihood that it will demoralise and dishearten Labour activists. Miliband’s jerky “puppet on a string” style reflects the fact that he is indeed being pulled by forces outside himself and his Blue Labour advisors – and indeed outside the Labour Party itself. That is why he looks “weak” – he is weak. This is not, however, a personal characteristic, but a political and a social one.

     http://www.workerspower.co.uk/2014/12/british-left-general-election-2015/
     • greywarshark 9.1.1

       13 December 2014 at 6:35 pm

       Looking at the workerspower link. So what would that savage revenge look like?
       Labour, who would have to try and implement such a policy, knows well that the markets would wreak a savage revenge on them.
       What happens can be seen across the channel where François Hollande came in promising change and an end to austerity and has ended up trying to impose a demolition of the French social model, based on Gerhardt Schroeder’s Agenda 2010.

       Could Labour recover within their five year? electoral cycle? What if they asked the people who were struggling and didn’t see a way ahead, to stick with them bravely and make their period in government work. The point that there are vast number of people not in the 1% or near it must make a difference. People power should be able to count for something.
   • Draco T Bastard 9.2

     13 December 2014 at 1:07 pm

     The language of the Capital Economics report is telling:

     Capital Economics concludes that given Vazquez’ promises of continuity and more social spending, and the Uruguayan economy running at full capacity, any attempt to bolster domestic demand most likely will generate more inflation and more strains in the balance of payments.
     “Our view is that policymakers need to tighten fiscal policy and pass supply side reforms to boost medium-term growth,” says the report.

     Translation: This country is doing really well and so should shoot itself in the feet so as to stop being a good example and making us look stupid.
10. Ad 10

    13 December 2014 at 11:55 am

    For those like me who will miss The Colbert Report, which has usefully satirised the right with hyper-patriotism for many years now, a review quote from Salon:

    “With a boyish grin and a twinkle in his eye, Colbert reminded us that we are all patriotic when we ask more of our nation, when we refuse the status quo, when we favor truth over hyperbole, and when we remain committed to fighting for our values.”

    I will certainly miss that show.
    • joe90 10.1

      13 December 2014 at 1:26 pm

      Colbert interviews Smaug.
11. Colonial Rawshark 11

    13 December 2014 at 4:10 pm

    The New York Times finally tells the truth about USA’s unemployment crisis, broken labour force, unemployed youth “hiding out” in education in order to be able to pull down student debts, and old people forced to put off retirement as their pensions and saving have been destroyed.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-12/devastation-americas-working-class
    • millsy 11.1

      13 December 2014 at 5:30 pm

      That link you posted lead to a paleo-conservative/libertarian blog.

      Though, I did end up going through it and found this:

      http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-10/leaked-document-ukraines-government-set-eliminate-everything

      It looks like the EU/USA is using Ukraine as a social laboratory for a post GFC libertarian state with extremely small government. Which is what I have thought all along.
      • Colonial Rawshark 11.1.1

        13 December 2014 at 6:07 pm

        Zero Hedge does post a wide range of articles, from the libertarian/neocon end of the political spectrum to referencing John Michael Greer and the Automatic Earth. They are very good at identifying how broken the financial system and financial markets are, as well as the tightening grip of oligarchic rule.

        And yes, they do a bit of beneficiary bashing and public sector/union bashing from time to time as well – the consequence of having a lot of different authors with lots of different political economic views.

        All in all I rate ZH a positive however, and another welcome break away from the MSM.
12. Murray Rawshark 12

    13 December 2014 at 7:25 pm

    John Ansell getting stroppy with Mana. My lay opinion is that he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
    http://mananews.co.nz/wp/?p=1237
    • Manuka AOR 12.1

      13 December 2014 at 9:41 pm

      Ansell is accusing Joe of making death threats to him.
      Did he make the threats? (I don’t know the background..)
      • lprent 12.1.1

        13 December 2014 at 11:02 pm

        As I read it on twitter, no he did not. Ansell’s view appears to be that because someone did not do something (that they didn’t need to do) and other people made threats, that he was responsible.

        As far as i could see, Ansell appears to have the same lunatic views as Cam Slater. That the world (and the PM) should make their laws operate the way that right wing lunatics prefer that they should.

        Seriously John Ansell sounds like he has gone off the edge and founded his own universe.

        Ah here (Murray has a link). http://mananews.co.nz/wp/?p=1237
        • North 12.1.1.1

          13 December 2014 at 11:50 pm

          Ansell behaves like a pompous, verbose, entitled dick/bully. As his communication confirms. Interesting that he should expressly acknowledge his preparedness to ‘threaten’ a man who never threatened. And that he should demand ‘grovelling’. Which in my understanding is not actually an essential to satisfactory disposition of a civil action.

          Don’t worry, I’m sure there are a number of lawyers at the very top of the legal profession who would be only too happy to engage Joes’s defence. For gratis. And even if not for gratis, certainly for no more than could easily be raised from decent people who find pompous, verbose, entitled, dick/bullies quite repugnant.

          Outcome – ugly persona Ansell pays tens and tens of thousands to the Jones lawyer, and gets hit with a hefty order for costs. There is a karma which says that sooner or later and to their humiliation the entitled always overreach. We are about to see it in action.
      • Murray Rawshark 12.1.2

        14 December 2014 at 12:50 am

        Joe made no threats whatsoever. Some other guy posted that if someone could give him the addresses of Ansell and a few others, like the Ancient Celtic NZ racist, he’d go and chop their heads off and put them in a museum. It seemed pretty obvious to me that it was not a threat, but was aimed at Ansell’s always saying how violent Maori are and how they used to preserve heads.

        I’ve never heard of Ansell successfully suing anyone, although he did threaten me once when I asked him when he’d dropped King- from his surname. Or something along those lines.
        • joe90 12.1.2.1

          14 December 2014 at 7:46 am

          Colin King Ansell?.
          • Murray Rawshark 12.1.2.1.1

            14 December 2014 at 5:51 pm

            That was the suggestion.
13. The Murphey 13

    13 December 2014 at 8:46 pm

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-12-12/presenting-303-trillion-derivatives-us-taxpayers-are-now-hook

    Q. What could have been offered up as the collateral this time?

    303tn. Interesting number.
    • Manuka AOR 13.1

      13 December 2014 at 9:28 pm

      I hope it wasn’t us (nz)
14. Sable 14

    13 December 2014 at 8:58 pm

    Opening NZ up to oil exploration, threatening our tourism industry and clean green label is the work of economic morons:

    http://rt.com/business/213783-canada-dollar-oil-price/
15. A VOTER 15

    13 December 2014 at 10:22 pm

    For the sake of this nation Labour cannot continue compromise with national on any level like they have done on this 24hr surveillance bullshit it is the worst thing they could have done they should have begun and a process of organizing a national strike this is deplorable that the freedom that was fought for in WW2 IS NOW FUCKING SHIT
    Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it
    There is not one reason to employ this crap
    You me and everyone who does anything that annoys this govt can be tapped searched property seized arrested without one single reason or notice of defense being recorded
    You could turn up dead and the police could be kept ignorant of any of it that is the extent of having a warrant less power by the govt enacted
    God Defend NZ from bloody FASCISTS
16. North 16

    13 December 2014 at 11:13 pm

    Anyone else got a sense of sheer ‘vandalism’ going on here ? And I’m not talking about the rotten tagging.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=11373559

    Living in an old rented bungalow in Jervois Road Herne Bay long time ago (which had a ghost by the way) I’d specially note this beautiful construction. As on Sunday mornings seeking remedy for the self-inflicted thick head I’d stumblingly make my way down the Auckland City Council’s concrete steps to the cool cleansing waters of the harbour beach below. The young socialist-‘ish’ eye was appeased.

    Seems like nowadays ANY beauty bows not just to the successes but also to the failures of the rich. Worse frankly on account of their not being here to be confronted by the consequences of their busted machinations.

    A compelling architectural and creators’ expression – wasted. Entries on someone’s balance sheet. Bloody shame !

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