Open mike 19/01/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 19th, 2013 - 42 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

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…

42 comments on “Open mike 19/01/2013 ”

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  1. karol 1
    18 January 2013 at 5:24 pm

    RNZ Press Release, just up – process started to search for a new CEO. Richard Griffin takes the opportunity to talk up RNZ’s success. There’s also a link to RNZ’s page on the CEO role. And that page links to the RNZ Charter.

    I think RNZ is the only public service broadcaster we now have. I like the Charter, and think RNZ does fulfil a lot of it, but not as much as I would like.

    Charter –

    (1) The functions of the public radio company shall be to provide innovative, comprehensive, and independent broadcasting services of a high standard and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to provide –
    (a) Programmes which contribute toward intellectual, scientific, cultural, spiritual, and ethical development, promote informed debate, and stimulate critical thought; and
    (b) A range of New Zealand programmes, including information, special interest, and entertainment programmes, and programmes which reflect New Zealand’s cultural diversity, including Maori language and culture; and

    (c) Programmes which provide for varied interests and a full range of age groups within the community, including information, educational, special interest, and entertainment programmes; and …

    f) Comprehensive, independent, impartial, and balanced national news services and current affairs, including items with a regional perspective; and…

    (g) Comprehensive, independent, impartial, and balanced ….

    It isn’t always as critical and in-depth as I would like these days. impartiality is an impossibility to achieve, but a PBS should aim for a diversity of perspectives, but also to follow the evidence. RNZ could do better on that IMO, and also more to cater to the interests of younger listeners,

  2. KhandallaViper 2
    19 January 2013 at 6:48 am

    Three points.
    1.
    We (Labour) have moved nowhere in the polls since we swapped one ABC leader for another. The Roy Morgan poll is not a seasonal or some other aberration. We cannot make a dent on a lousy National performance.
    The graph is flat:
    has been flat;
    will remain flat;
    as long as we stick with the same approach.
    http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2013/4856/
    2.
    The games/threats/cajoling/incentives promised by Trevor et al has produced no successes. It has produced alienation and division in the party. Unforgivable.

    3.
    The members who stood up to the hectoring by a minority of MPs at Conference were right. Those members, who by analysis or by gut feeling, are shouting enough is enough are the ones whose values are true. We CAN be an inclusive party that is relevant to the 800,000 that didn’t vote on 20111, as well as the battlers and the middle classes.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      19 January 2013 at 9:13 am

      We CAN be an inclusive party that is relevant to the 800,000 that didn’t vote on 20111, as well as the battlers and the middle classes.

      No, actually, Labour can’t be that as they’ve bought into the individualism and Social Darwinism of The Market and the right. Until they dump that then they will remain anathema to a large part of the voters.

      • bad12 2.1.1
        19 January 2013 at 9:27 am

        +1, Norm Kirk was the last true Socialist leader of a Labour Government…

        • millsy 2.1.1.1
          19 January 2013 at 11:51 am

          His government did a hell of the lot in the 3 years they were in office/power.

          Had Kirk not passed away, it is entirely possible that Labour could have won the election in 1975, and this country would have been a far different place. Even Roger Douglas had ideas that were hard core socialist back then, (but with a modern spin on them).

          • bad12 2.1.1.1.1
            19 January 2013 at 12:01 pm

            True, Norm built 30,000 State Houses and along with Matiu Rata came up with the ‘Ohu scheme’ which allowed the ‘alternative lifestylers’ of the time to test their theories in a real lile situation…

            • Populuxe1 2.1.1.1.1.1
              19 January 2013 at 3:48 pm

              That kind of visionary ideas-based leadership is what Labour really needs – not this spin and smile bullshit.

    • Murray Olsen 2.2
      20 January 2013 at 1:44 am

      On your 3rd point – I think the MPs have a funny idea about what the conference is for. It’s for them to report back and get criticism and maybe even praise for the job they are doing, as far as I’m concerned. It’s not for them to go and get patted on the back.

  3. Colonial Viper 3
    19 January 2013 at 8:47 am

    The Guardian interviews Kim Dotcom in Auckland

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jan/18/kim-dotcom-fight-internet-freedom

    While reluctant to talk in detail about the case of Aaron Swartz, the Reddit co-founder who killed himself last week after what some have claimed was disproportionate behaviour by prosecutors over a hacking case, there are “similarities in the way we have been prosecuted”, says Dotcom. “Over-reaching abuse of power, no due process, just completely insane.”

    And he sees a similar pattern in the treatment of WikiLeaks. “I think Julian Assange’s fear, that the Swedish government is co-operating with the US government and that there might be an attempt to extradite him from Sweden, is very real. So I sympathise with him. I see also similarities and abuses that are happening in the case against WikiLeaks that were happening to us.”…

    The saga has also turned into a domestic political sinkhole. A rightwing government-supporting MP has seen his political career compromised, probably fatally, by revelations of undisclosed donations from Dotcom to an earlier mayoral campaign. Later, and more gravely, the prime minister was forced to apologise after accepting Dotcom had been illegally spied on.

    • Kevin Welsh 3.1
      19 January 2013 at 10:24 am

      Good article.

      Wonder when the US Govt is going to shut down YouSendIt and Dropbox, as that is how a number of ‘people I know’ move their files around now.

  5. Draco T Bastard 5
    19 January 2013 at 10:04 am

    First Citizen A of the year. Well worth watching.

  6. Sanctuary 6
    19 January 2013 at 10:08 am

    Hopefully this interview will drive Cameron Slater to furiously clean his guns at the direction of his inner voice:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jan/18/kim-dotcom-fight-internet-freedom

  7. Te Reo Putake 7
    19 January 2013 at 11:16 am

    Hmmm, ‘muzza’ and ‘paedophile’ in the same comment.

    Muzza, what is it exactly you know about all this …

    • Te Reo Putake 8.1
      19 January 2013 at 11:26 am

      Oooh, muz, I see you deleted, edited and re-posted your comment to make yourself look less of a tool. Poor form.

      • muzza 8.1.1
        19 January 2013 at 11:38 am

        Waiting for the genius in your accusation….

        Edit: Think through the scenarios in which a deleted edit might be required, followed by a re-post of exactly the same links!

    • rosy 8.2
      20 January 2013 at 3:07 am

      Ah, so Muzza, who rails against the framing and honesty of the mass media uses the esteemed “The Sun” as his source to state Ken Clarke has not excluded paedophiles from a proposal to reduce sentences for pleading guilty this framing is then used to link him with a parliamentary paedophile ring in the ’80s.

      Clarke is not excluding rapists, robbers, fraudsters, murderers, assaulters, arsonists either. I wonder if we can link him with any rings of these criminals as well.

  9. vto 9
    19 January 2013 at 11:26 am

    So dear old one tane huna lost the plot on yesterdays open mike, claiming that when one group in society wants a place on its own to do its own thing that means they hate all those that are not part of that group. I mean, that is just patent nonsense and simply reflects an ingrained prejudiced attitude and approach.

    Do you think this approach should apply to the following too?

    Women who want their own place hate men.
    Men who want their own place hate women.
    Maori who want their own place hate non-maori.
    Jews who want their own place hate Christians.
    Cyclists who want their own place hate car drivers.
    Elderly who want their own place hate the young.
    Gay people who want their own place hate straights.

    there are countless examples

    Personally, I think it is absolutely ludicrous to make such a claim but that was the claim being made. Happy to hear the views.

    • Te Reo Putake 9.1
      19 January 2013 at 11:29 am

      You may be less than happy to hear this opinion, vto: Your pisspoor effort yesterday left me with the impression that you are a homophobe.

      • vto 9.1.1
        19 January 2013 at 11:37 am

        That’s fine, I have put forward my reasons etc around that.

        I was more interested in views on the above post.

    • QoT 9.2
      19 January 2013 at 11:41 am

      I’m personally a big fan of how your argument against equality in marriage – a state-acknowledged institution which confers legal status and benefits not granted to all other relationships – involves reducing marriage to the ludicrous oversimplification of hetero couples wanting “a place on [their] own to do [their] own thing”.

      Like the institution of marriage is just a particular set of swings on the playground. 🙄

      • vto 9.2.1
        19 January 2013 at 12:22 pm

        Yes, well I have answered that too. But, again, what about the above post? How applicable is the approach to other situations.

        For example, I get accused of being a racist when I argue against separate institutions for separate races, yet bizarrely get accused of being homophobic when I argue for separate institutions for separate sexual orientations?

        You know, this seemingly incredible double standard is one of the major reasons, imo, that the left struggles to gather together enough people to win very many elections… It just seems to be off the planet

        • One Tāne Huna 9.2.1.1
          19 January 2013 at 12:45 pm

          You don’t own the institution of marriage, ergo you don’t get to say who’s invited and who isn’t.

          Everyone is invited to the “equal in front of the law” party, Unfortunately, homophobe, and his mates racist, sexist and bully are demanding that other guests be made to feel unwelcome. For my part, I think it’s the bigots who are unwelcome. They shouldn’t even be allowed to breed, let alone marry.

        • Colonial Viper 9.2.1.2
          19 January 2013 at 12:58 pm

          Plenty of Left activists will happily castigate and crucify you if you are not Left or Socially Liberal enough for their sensitivities.

        • muzza 9.2.1.3
          19 January 2013 at 1:21 pm

          Don’t sweat it VTO – Why would you waste energy caring what these nameless online handles actually think! There is little to nothing of value which the attitudes can positively lend to society, much as they will attempt to convince their weak self esteem otherwise.

          Hypocracy of bias leaves them swimming in circles, mistaking it for *liberal progress*!

          • QoT 9.2.1.3.1
            19 January 2013 at 2:50 pm

            Be warned, vto – this comment may just be part of muzza’s ongoing “personal research project” and may not represent actual support of your points.

            • Populuxe1 9.2.1.3.1.1
              19 January 2013 at 4:06 pm

              Personal research project, delusional paranoid conspiracy theory sausage fest – poh-tay-to, po-tah-to. I not that silly muzza neglected to mention that I specified the context of a deadly pandemic. Still silly muzza. Poor diddums.

            • muzza 9.2.1.3.1.2
              19 January 2013 at 9:31 pm

              Queenie, here’s a hint – I’m part of it too!

              That aside, VTO is one of the more honest handles on this site.

              Pop – The context is irrelevant (my position was against use of force), you verbalised a personal stance, to use gun violence in force. How ironic in light of recent posts here, with many speaking out against it!

              • McFlock …
                19 January 2013 at 10:24 pm

                If you’re part of your own experiment, doesn’t that contaminate the results with subjective bias?

                Frankly, it’s not so much “experimentation” as “pretentious wanking”. Standard pseudoscience: stealing the language of rational examination to denote characteristics of imbecilic conceit.

                • muzza …
                  20 January 2013 at 10:42 am

                  Pleased to see you used the ” ” around “pretentious wanking”. Did you pause to reflect on the quantity of references you have made to masturbation, when making the one above?

                  Rational examination – This is where many (not just this site), including yourself, have problems understanding what’s going on around us, and why!

                  I knew someone who tried to learn to play cricket. (bat) from a book – was never able to progress in terms of ability, not even by playing the game, or practicing, and was a smart individual. To this day, the same individual still can’t understand why there were no signs of improvement, despite the theory, and the practical.

                  WRT subjective bias – When bias (all/any form), can be controlled/managed out, and harnessed, then, and only then, will we see genuine improvement/progress, for the well being of humanity.

                  • McFlock …
                    20 January 2013 at 10:28 pm

                    Sorry, meant to put them around “experiment”.

                    Much of my language revolves around bodily functions. Big fucking deal.

                    You forget that the first step to remove bias is to “blind” the observation collection from the expected outcomes.

                    Experimenting on yourself makes that impossible, although an attempt might explain your total obliviousness to your idiocy.

                    Steal as much scientific or pop-psychological jargon as you want. Basically, you’re just wanking.

        • QoT 9.2.1.4
          19 January 2013 at 2:51 pm

          The above post is meaningless because it’s deliberately framed to generate the answer you want to hear.

    • McFlock 9.3
      19 January 2013 at 4:10 pm

      Women who want only Women to be aircraft pilots hate men.
      Men who want only Men to be aircraft pilots hate women.
      Maori who want only Maori to be aircraft pilots hate non-maori.
      Jews who want only Jews to be aircraft pilots hate Christians.
      Cyclists who want only Cyclists to be aircraft pilots hate car drivers.
      Elderly who want only Elderly to be aircraft pilots hate the young.
      Gay people who want only Gay people to be aircraft pilots hate straights.

      Pilots are a better analogy than playgrounds or places. It’s a quaification and function authorised by society.

      Not so absurd now, is it?

  11. joe90 11
    19 January 2013 at 3:40 pm

    The wing nut response.

  12. Rogue Trooper 12
    19 January 2013 at 8:08 pm

    test

  13. Rogue Trooper 13
    19 January 2013 at 8:34 pm

    Epilogue :
    The MSM t$olled me in the local paper and in the out doors. (yes I got the three texts, gimme three texts…Boring!)
    Yet, this setter was bizzy vulcanizing brick /s; I note none of you were up for a knocking; worried that the machete had not been left to rust?
    anyway, pad is sorted and neighbour? well, he’s a top dog.
    I can feel some backslidin’ a’comin on, and the ‘barrow has plenty more bottoms to feed.
    So, may God Bless you all (and I assert, everything we have “seen” shall come to pass)
    It’s all about “positioning”, and day after it was “written” a man approached me about mentoring an intentional community…
    Roll Call:
    DTB
    C.V
    (c.s)
    joe
    OTH
    TRP
    Eddie
    Rob
    Lynn
    js
    prism
    vto
    DoSss
    Olwyn
    M.O
    QoT
    karol
    higherstandard
    KK
    Gosman
    ms
    mm
    t.eve
    Uturn
    Rhino
    Mr.S
    Zet
    Frankly Sp.
    Jackal
    Bill
    IB
    a big gift to PO
    ennui
    Rosy
    Rose
    Pop
    David H
    Tim
    Tom
    Puddleglum
    ad
    and plenty more, yet, I’m Bored, I’m the Chairman of the Board.
    I’m now officially a “net apostate”

    -Rogue Trooper (you know where to find me; yet this old dog is out to pasture; save your trollin’ for a goat wgaf)

  14. muzza 14
    19 January 2013 at 9:15 pm

    Prince Charles concerned about royal succession change – reports

    Prince Charles has reportedly aired concerns about changes to the rules of royal succession because they could have “unintended” consequences.

    Charlie Horse, and just what is it that you have in mind when you say, “unintended consequences”, was it anything to do with the trigger, for the proposed rule changes…

    .

  15. The Al1en 15
    19 January 2013 at 9:44 pm

    My post of the day 😆

    Pascal’s bookie …
    19 January 2013 at 5:16 pm
    “read a few books, arsehole”.

    Take your own advice, fuckwit:

  16. SukieDamson 16
    20 January 2013 at 2:10 am

    “Prime Minister John Key says he did not lose any sleep after seeing a draft report into his Government’s deal with SkyCity to build a convention centre.”

    But he did spend 10 mins “just hearing voices.”