Archive for September, 2010

The silence of the lambs

Written By: - Date published: 10:16 pm, September 4th, 2010 - 51 comments

Where are the Greens and Labour on the South Canterbury Finance issue? Just looking at the sheer politics of the situation, this is something they should be all over. There is enormous public anger at the way National was willing to magic up $1.7 billion of taxpayer cash for its rich mates while services are being cut. This should be the tipping point, when the Left seizes the public mood for its economic vision but where’s the leadership?

What happened..

Written By: - Date published: 2:49 pm, September 4th, 2010 - 14 comments

New Zealand is one of the oddest places geologically (Japan is similar) in the world because of our position between two  plates and because we are at the twist where the plates change how they interact with each other. But the position of the Christchurch earthquake is a long way from the plate boundaries. Highly Allochthonous has a look at the mechanism of the quake.

Thank the regulators

Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, September 4th, 2010 - 109 comments

The Christchurch earthquake was a shallow high magnitude earthquake close to a urban population centre. That is the disaster scenario for planners. It is a disaster, but not a major disaster. The enforcement of building regulations ensured that the city took damage, but survived largely intact.

Open mike 04/09/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 4th, 2010 - 59 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

It’s outrageous

Written By: - Date published: 3:39 pm, September 3rd, 2010 - 45 comments

Whatever flimsy and tattered remains of Labour-lite which National used to disguise itself at the 2008 election has well and truly disappeared. Thank goodness we can now call a spade a spade. National is making its priorities crystal clear to the public. On a week when up to 500 elderly or disabled people in the […]

Priorities

Written By: - Date published: 1:33 pm, September 3rd, 2010 - 16 comments

Important issues:
jobs, wages, public service cuts, Supercity & ECAN, national savings, climate change
Not important issues:
how we get a figurehead Head of State

Democratic Social Economy Part 1

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, September 3rd, 2010 - 40 comments

Due to the discrepancies in the spread of knowledge the free-market is irrational but there is no doubt that we, collectively, have the needed information to make more rational decisions. The problem that occurs is that neither the knowledge nor the tools to help make rational decisions on that information are readily available. Is there a tech solution?

On the edge of a second recession, Greens have a plan, Nats don’t

Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, September 3rd, 2010 - 53 comments

20,000 more Kiwis’ jobs are at risk as commercial building construction grinds to a halt. The Greens have a plan to divert money from low-quality spending on motorways to high benefit to cost spending on housing that will save those jobs and give Kiwi families a better standard of living. That’s the kind of visionary economic leadership we need. We’re not going to get it from National.

You’re All Racists – Minister

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, September 3rd, 2010 - 34 comments

According to Maurice Williamson, we’re all racist. Our concern with foreign investment has nothing to do with the economy, we just hate the Chinese.

Open mike 03/09/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 3rd, 2010 - 25 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Cutting through the bullshit

Written By: - Date published: 11:12 pm, September 2nd, 2010 - 24 comments

Over the next few weeks the nats and other vested interests will try to muddy the waters over the SCF bailout.

This sophistry is designed to distract from the massive transfer of wealth from the many to the few.

And why shouldn’t they try this tactic? It worked for asset sales two and a half decades ago.

SCF bail-out gets much, much murkier

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 pm, September 2nd, 2010 - 14 comments

A few people have made a hell of a lot of money off the South Canterbury Finance collapse and bail-out. Are these the same people behind the mystery company that was created just three weeks ago and wants to buy SCF for $1.57 billion? Whether it’s been an organised plan or just lone sharks attracted by blood in the water, the result is the same: the rich win, we lose.

Whatever happened to…

Written By: - Date published: 1:34 pm, September 2nd, 2010 - 6 comments

Few stories that have slipped through the cracks are bothering me:
Whatever happened to Tolley’s diplomatic squad investigation? What about Coldplay’s damages for when National stole ‘Clocks’? And Bennett’s apology to Fuller? And that mysterious company in the Caymans that bought Key’s shares? And why was Worth really sacked?

NZ’s biggest welfare beneficiary revealed in shock horror Herald exclusive expose’

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, September 2nd, 2010 - 22 comments

To find out who it is, click here.
Will this individual’s personal file be read out in Parliament by Paula Bennett?
Will this beneficiary’s sex life be investigated by WINZ as grounds for disqualification?

No victory in Iraq

Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, September 2nd, 2010 - 6 comments

Barack Obama declared the U.S. combat mission in Iraq officially over on Tuesday but said he would not take a “victory lap”. No victory? That’s quite an understatement…

Newsflash: Nation not a Business

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, September 2nd, 2010 - 50 comments

National don’t understand macroeconomics. As such they are inflicting massive and unnecessary harm, with high unemployment and a long time until recovery.

Open mike 02/09/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 2nd, 2010 - 25 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Our $20 million bill for Nats’ expediency

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 pm, September 1st, 2010 - 28 comments

Many argue English should never have extended the deposit guarantee to South Canterbury Finance in April, or question whether the terms of the guarantee called for the pay-out. Then there’s the stink around the payment of SCF bonds. One thing’s for sure, the Nats didn’t need to spend $20 million on foreign depositors – they did it to try to kill the issue faster. Plenty of meat for Labour. Will they bite?

Whither The Standard?

Written By: - Date published: 5:44 pm, September 1st, 2010 - 83 comments

What next for The Standard? You’re our readers, so you must like something that we do. And you probably have some ideas on what we can do better. So tell us! How best to build The Standard into a community and a voice for the left wing of NZ politics?

Key: Obama’s my pen pal

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 1st, 2010 - 14 comments

Key says his personal relationship with Obama (met the guy twice) means he can call him. Don’t think it’s your winning grin mate. Think it’s because you’re PM of New Zealand. Anyway, this ain’t a game of collecting phone numbers, John. You’ve got to deliver something concrete. How’s that free trade deal coming?

Reserve army of labour

Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, September 1st, 2010 - 34 comments

Bill English came pretty close to admitting that the Nats are “relaxed” about our current high unemployment. Phil Goff came out swinging…

Key slams teachers, medics. Puppies next in his sights

Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, September 1st, 2010 - 10 comments

Key says that teachers are “disconnected from the real world” for wanting a pay rise that will barely beat inflation. This from the same guy who promised higher wages. The same guy chucked half a billion dollars this year alone on the taxpayer credit card for tax cuts for the rich. The only people disconnected from the real world are those who think skimping on education and health will take this country forward.

National’s ‘line calls’

Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, September 1st, 2010 - 76 comments

Serious questions are being asked why South Canterbury Finance was allowed to join the extended retail deposit guarantee scheme in April given that its financial problems were well-known and its credit rating was downgraded just weeks later. Bill English says it was a ‘line call’, one that’s just cost us at least $600 million. It’s not the first ‘line call’ English has stuffed up.

Open mike 01/09/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 1st, 2010 - 32 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…