Comments on: Open mike 26/11/09

By: logie97

logie97 — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:58:08 +0000

Actually when it comes to roundabouts, the right hand rule has too much power. It is assumed that the cars in the big long stream of a rush-hour queue have priority over all other users. If we had a Stop sign at roundabouts rather than a Give Way, other users of the road would have a chance of negotiating the junction, without the need to gamble on their being a gap big enough to get through.

By: Armchair Critic

Armchair Critic — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:01:32 +0000

This did seem to be exceptionally dumb. I wonder what policy decisions he has made based on advice from taxi drivers?

By: prism

prism — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:24:17 +0000

Strange how common that driver behaviour is in the younger age group Draco. Let’s all have defensive driving tests each time we have our licences renewed.

By: prism

prism — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:15:55 +0000

pinkpostman – About politicians being creative at personal money grabbing – interesting contrast in Britain. While the British ones were padding their expenses with phantom mortgage payments for properties already sold, they were ignoring their nuclear handling system which is in disarray and they have “in tan cans at Sellafield” tonnes of separated uranium I think. It will cost millions to deal with, but first requires politicians to actually work hard alongside their advisors to make real effective policy (and heaven help us literally, if they decide to outsource or contract it out.)

By: rainman

rainman — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:01:24 +0000

The bigger risk with FTA type negotiations is that undoubtedly those bastards in Wellington will bend over and take it from the likes of Monsanto and ADM in exchange for a few beads and blankets.

I don’t hold much hope for the continuation of our (relatively) GE free status…

By: travellerev

travellerev — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:35:20 +0000

Ooh oops it seems even NIWA is involved in the gentle massaging of data to a required outcome

By: Climategate: The debate clearly is not over but we pay Carbon tax anyway. « Aotearoa: a wider perspective

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:33:53 +0000

[...] who made a comment on The Standard blog gives a succinct list of the behaviour that is emerging: What is emerging is an orchestrated [...]

By: rod

rod — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:24:41 +0000

No doubt our Populist Smiler will be relaxed about it!

By: Draco T Bastard

Draco T Bastard — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:08:35 +0000

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10611727

Mr Joyce said his barber told him he loved travelling to work by train and, when asked why, explained they were cheaper than buses.

The minister said last month that he did not know the reason for the difference in fares, and was keen to find an answer.

Now, after the Government’s final commitment to the $1 billion electrification project, he says he believes rail fares should rise to match those of buses to ensure ratepayers and taxpayers do not pay unfair subsidies.

Now we know where National MPs get their information from, ie, not their ministries. It obviously didn’t occur to him that the reason why trains were cheaper is because they’re cheaper to run.

By: Draco T Bastard

Draco T Bastard — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:05:03 +0000

A number of people over 55 have never driven before. Cars used to be expensive and not everybody needed drive.

In my driving I’ve seen two instances of older people driving along completely impervious to what’s going on around them. Red lights didn’t faze them – they drove straight through without slowing down.

By: the pinkpostman

the pinkpostman — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:02:44 +0000

Well once again a member of this Tory Government has been found abusing the system to get a bit more money. This time its Lindsey Tisch . An already very rich man, (,what a greedy lot these Right -Wing people are ). I just hope the good people of Waikato/Waipa are informed obout this mans juggling of the system in order to gain a measly $140 extra in his already bulging bank balance. This, the man who vehemently spoke out against raising the mininum wage . Every time it came up in parliament he voted against it. Who the bloody hell votes for such sleazy character ? It beats me ! .

By: prism

prism — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:33:44 +0000

Sensible sentencing trust losing its charitable status? Perhaps we might hear less from Garth McVicar and get more Kim Workman, and others with ideas on how to change crime trend line from up to down, and not just through employment options improving.

By: prism

prism — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:30:10 +0000

There is a secret anti counterfeiting treaty which could be written into NZ law in complete secrecy to comply with USA. The talks in NZ are through officials from the Min of Economic Development. (Colin Jackson on 9tonoon 26/11).
Our politicians are forcing through so much on urgency, making a complete hash of policy, and thumbing their nose at expected democratic procedures and we have no chance of preventing such damaging and sinister controls being passed.

The USA President says that everything must be secret because of national security. We are as much at risk from such secret machinations on the part of decision makers as we are from those of terrorists, just with differing types of damage.

By: Pascal's bookie

Pascal's bookie — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:01:22 +0000

NYT has a round up of economists (both from academia and the private sector) on the US stimulus:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/economy/21stimulus.html

with graph, strangely hidden behind a sidebar link:

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/11/21/business/21stimulus_graphic.html

rumours of it’s failure; unsupported.

Main criticisms are of the tax cut aspects put in to appease right wingers and that those made less money available for the parts that, you know, worked.

By: prism

prism — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:30:49 +0000

And gitmo we will probably never find out as they aren’t making sensational copy for the media. They would get covered perhaps if there was a specialty reporter who knew his or her field but there are less of those, so perhaps its left to the Press gallery who might just give an overview.
Then backbenchers at election time suffer from comments in the media that they haven’t been heard from, implying that they haven’t been working hard. But the public wouldn’t know what the truth was.