Daily Review 04/08/2015

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1. Draco T Bastard 1

   4 August 2015 at 6:58 pm

   3News has this poll up asking people if they think if NZ will benefit. At present 95% of respondents think that NZ won’t.

   Screenshot
   • mac1 1.1

     4 August 2015 at 11:58 pm

     5 hours later and still 95% saying ‘no’.
2. maui 2

   4 August 2015 at 7:12 pm

   An interesting talk by anthropologist David Graeber on bureaucracy in today’s world, and globalisation among other things. He mentions a few home truths too and briefly touches on a Basic Income at the end. (20 mins)

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YynqVvgZYI
   • Draco T Bastard 2.1

     4 August 2015 at 8:04 pm

     …we’re all taught, in a thousand different ways, that democracy wouldn’t really be possible…

     And how many people on here believe that we can’t have government by referendum?

     Basically, you’ve been taught that we can’t do it. That it’s just too much work, That the majority will over-ride the rights of minorities, etc, etc.
   • AmaKiwi 2.2

     4 August 2015 at 10:38 pm

     Excellent video, maui.

     I often speak of citizen initiated binding referendums because, having lived in Switzerland, I have firsthand experience that they work brilliantly.

     Binding referendums produce political moderation. Politicians of the Left and Right cannot pursue extremist agendas because the voters will rein them in with a referendum.
     • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1

       4 August 2015 at 10:49 pm

       If we got the people the people to set policy we’d probably get even more moderation and actually fix some of the things that need fixing like poverty. Oh, wait, that’s why we have representative democracy rather than actual democracy.
     • maui 2.2.2

       4 August 2015 at 11:12 pm

       Cheers, I have no voting experience of binding referenda, but I can imagine it would really improve people’s engagement. I can imagine the workplace debates say on what people would vote for in this month’s questions sent out to the public. Better than just giving the public one choice every 3 years on who goes in and then watching as things go pear shaped soon after. The end results are blogs like this for people to vent their frustration, hah.
       • AmaKiwi 2.2.2.1

         5 August 2015 at 1:54 am

         It is very interesting (and sometimes humorous) to be in Switzerland during a referendum because you have well-known personalities who are allies on one issue disagreeing on another.

         A person might support Party A’s position on worker safety but favor Party B on superannuation, Party C on unrestricted immigration, and the Green’s on upgrading passenger rail services.

         For Swiss “civilians” (non-politicians) there is no incongruity in supporting different parties on different issues.
         • Draco T Bastard 2.2.2.1.1

           5 August 2015 at 10:18 am

           Which really is how it should be. Democracy is about having discussion and disagreements until we get a compromise position which everyone can agree on. It’s not about being dictated to by a few people in suits as NZ and other Western ‘democracies’ seem to think.
3. Rosemary McDonald 3

   4 August 2015 at 7:32 pm

   Dirty deeds done with sheep….

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/70827429/auditorgeneral-had-doubts-saudi-sheep-deal-was-legal

   “In a major release of official documents, notes reveal in August 2013 Auditor-General Lyn Provost had concerns that the deal with an influential Saudi businessman at the centre of the long-running saga was “weak”.

   She also registered significant concerns that the independence of her office could be compromised by the meeting, and the export of live sheep might be illegal. ”

   Headline….

   “National Government Shagged by Sheep Deal”
   • Rosemary McDonald 3.1

     4 August 2015 at 9:00 pm

     “Speaking to reporters in the Cook Islands, Mr Key said the documents were not embarrassing for the Government because it was Labour who created the problem.
     “They were the people that put in the initial ban [on live sheep exports from New Zealand], they were the people that made – I think – assurances to the Saudis that they were going to find a response to that.”

     http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/280485/case-for-saudi-sheep-deal-'weak‘

     The ” -I think-” . Clever Leader, always leaving himself a way out.

     The man’s brilliance is awe inspiring.
     • Charles 3.1.1

       5 August 2015 at 8:39 am

       So Key and friends couldn’t help themselves, because a situation existed that allowed them to do what they always do? So the argument is that they’re criminally insane, but the World exists and is full of enticements, so they can’t resist and are not responsible for their actions? I imagine average people will lap that shit up. Not so much Judges in court, though. Must be why Nats are “tough on crime”.
4. greywarshark 4

   4 August 2015 at 7:45 pm

   Now that the immediate TPPA stress is over, there is time to reflect on what was going on. I don’t know if this link has been up before but its from 3/8 by Gordon Campbell on Scoop and very good info. Also has entertaining John Oliver covering the various ways that the tobacco industry has had to suffer loss of sales since there have been efforts to control it (not). Something for everyone here folks.
   http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2015/08/03/gordon-campbell-on-opposing-investor-state-dispute-measures/#more-3988
5. greywarshark 5

   4 August 2015 at 8:08 pm

   Just heard on Radionz – the Saudi spend of $11 million is all the fault of the Labour Party.
   They caused it by cancelling the sailings says John Key whose lips are moving so fast that it sets a new record for glib talking.

   Could he be timed and an application be made to the Guinness Book of Records? The category say – politicians and bureaucrats speed of speech. Might as well lump them together, they all seem to have similar m.o.
   • mickysavage 5.1

     4 August 2015 at 8:32 pm

     The last defence National has is Labour did it too and/or it is all Labour’s fault. Will be interesting to compare the reality with National’s rhetoric.

     Anyone found a link to today’s release?
     • Rosemary McDonald 5.1.1

       4 August 2015 at 8:34 pm

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/70827429/auditorgeneral-had-doubts-saudi-sheep-deal-was-legal

       from my post at 3 ???
       • mickysavage 5.1.1.1

         4 August 2015 at 8:37 pm

         Any idea where the original documents can be accessed Rosemary? Sounds like there is very interesting material to digest …
       • OMBE 5.1.1.2

         4 August 2015 at 8:42 pm

         On the Herald, they included highlights of some of the released information, which I couldnt find again. What was most interesting was that it had the exchange between John Allen (Fmr head MFAT) and odious turd Graeme Leversha. Appears Leversha claims the idea of the hub was his idea and his IP – although not registered anywhere in any recognisable form ! The dick head then claims he was regularly sharing his idea with Groser & McCully…..if he could have any claim to any IP, he just admitted he blew that chance by sharing it 0 amazingly stupid….Hope to see more released, as Leversha then trys to claim damages from Govt, and then turns more feral when told to fuck off !
6. Rosemary McDonald 6

   4 August 2015 at 8:38 pm

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/280485/case-for-saudi-sheep-deal-'weak‘
   • greywarshark 6.1

     5 August 2015 at 9:27 am

     Thanks Rosemary for being onto the Saudi thing and giving the links. You were onto it early, we lagged behind. I reckon it’s a good idea of timing pollies speech and going for a Guinness record. Key was amazingly fast last evening.
7. Aidan 7

   4 August 2015 at 9:07 pm

   Reading today on guardian ’bout TPPs equally evil twin in Europe, forgot the acronym sorry, but sounds a lot the same but with “investment” thrown in. A lot of the same fairs about invested/state disputes etc. any one else worried about the corporate take-over of… THE WHOLE WORLD? Or at least most of it.
   • freedom 7.1

     4 August 2015 at 10:38 pm

     –
     TISA
     Trade in Services Agreement

     TTIP
     Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
     • AmaKiwi 7.1.1

       5 August 2015 at 2:04 am

       More USA global dominance.

       The US can’t claim a China threat in Europe. Maybe they can cook up story that Iceland, Greenland, and Bermuda are conspiring to corner North Atlantic pharma and intellectual property. Surely there must be some enemy.
       • aidan 7.1.1.1

         5 August 2015 at 9:49 am

         russia
8. Aidan 8

   4 August 2015 at 9:08 pm

   I mean fears
9. Aidan 9

   4 August 2015 at 9:13 pm

   Also despite the fact that both of these agreements are bound to face pretty stiff opposition from the public, I can’t see that anything will stop it with the amount of money and/or dirty tricks at the disposal of said corporates. So much for post-capitalism. Looks like end-game.
10. Draco T Bastard 10

    4 August 2015 at 10:27 pm

    Entrepreneurs don’t have a special gene for risk—they come from families with money

    But what often gets lost in these conversations is that the most common shared trait among entrepreneurs is access to financial capital—family money, an inheritance, or a pedigree and connections that allow for access to financial stability. While it seems that entrepreneurs tend to have an admirable penchant for risk, it’s usually that access to money which allows them to take risks.

    This is why a UBI would be most beneficial to society. Ensure that people know that they will have some place to live and food on the table and they’ll be more entrepreneurial.

    Kick the in the goolies and take away any sense of stability as National does and entrepreneurship will go down as people consolidate.

    Of course, the majority of people being more entrepreneurial will decrease the profits of Nationals donors as they will have to compete more.
    • Draco T Bastard 10.1

      4 August 2015 at 10:46 pm

      So while yes, there’s certainly a lot of hard work that goes into building something, there’s also a lot of privilege involved—a factor that is often underestimated.

      And there’s that word again – privilege. White male privilege in fact.
    • greywarshark 10.2

      5 August 2015 at 10:51 am

      In our country, and probably even big ones, the true wealth creators are the small businesses, even the micro ones. The Grameen Bank in Bangladesh lending to such small operators has been successful in helping the strugglers to a very noticeable extent. Of recent years the state or a bigger bank wanted to take it over because it has critical mass now and they can use it as a profit boost for their own balance sheets.
      http://www.grameen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1038&Itemid=0

      It is this type of trading where you see people pulling themselves up by their bootstraps when their elites have no time for them, or the government is so venal that it acts first and foremost for the already or aspiring rich. Greece needs to start this system and run it in tandem with the Euro which will halt their depression, and build a baseline for the country, dealing in the Euro, but also having limited local currency initiatives as perhaps training for the unemployed, community building.

      If we are ruined, and many places are already reaching that space, we could do the same. The ideas will have to come from thinkers in the community, the experienced, the academics, those staunch for people and prosperity, not just narcissistic elites. People are needed who can formulate systems, with awareness of fish-hooks leading to failure, and take them to those local governments that can bring their minds to the people’s needs and the innovative, most effective, smart and affordable way to serve their population.

      I’ve been listening to a living example of entrepreneurial struggler success. The reading from the book just finished on Radionz 9toNoon Five Sons and a Hundred Muri of Rice by Sharyn Steel and Zoe Dryden
      http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thereading/20150720
      It was about a Nepali woman who worked her way out of abject poverty and underprivilege, paid off her husband’s gambling debts, found the money for schooling for her children, a number of which she had after age 30, and has lived to an old age by any country’s measure.

      She succeeded as you say DTB, with resources to provide a base. Plus stamina, serious thinking, planning, monitoring, determination, and reasonable health. She had her own breeding animals as part of the marriage contract, and looked after them carefully. She worked tremendously hard, but additionally to start she had a mentor and protector when she was first married (at age 5!) and there were family connections so she wasn’t entirely alone as she coped, though her husband was more of a burden than a partner.

      As an older woman with grown children in jobs (and she educated her girls which was new) she became a resource for her children and for advancement for her village, her lifetime home where she knew everyone. She was on her way to the bank to deposit some of her earnings when she met her tailor who had made all her children’s school clothes. His sewing machine had broken, he couldn’t read or write, and couldn’t get a bank loan. He was afraid he would have to shut his business and her village knowledge meant she knew if she helped him it would be a safe investment.

      So she lent him money at 2% a month, quite high, but she benchmarked on what her husband’s gambling creditors had charged her. She has invested further in her village, which has been a big aid from within their own community.

      The message here is if money can be kept mainly in the village, people develop skills which they can sell to each other, and it provides the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of needs and wants. There is the circular flow with each purchase providing for the seller’s needs, and then part being passed to another giving the economic multiplier effect which acts incrementally raising prosperity and efficacy in the community.
11. AmaKiwi 11

    5 August 2015 at 2:24 am

    @ Aiden. No way am I quitting.

    “An economic study by Jeronim Capaldo of the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University argues that . . . TTIP will clobber Europeans. Capaldo predicts 600,000 European job losses as a result of TTIP, a net fall in EU exports, declining GDPs for EU member states and a fall in Europeans’ personal income.”

    This fight is just becoming fun.

    http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/03/ttip-what-why-angry-transatlantic-trade-investment-partnership-guide
    • aidan 11.1

      5 August 2015 at 9:58 am

      lets just hope it doesn’t get too ugly. at least i hope europe isn’t led by obedient lap dogs like the ones we have here
12. AmaKiwi 12

    5 August 2015 at 10:08 am

    Not sure what you mean by “ugly.” If you mean protest marches and rallies, that’s my idea of beautiful.
    • greywarshark 12.1

      5 August 2015 at 11:04 am

      Amakiwi
      Surely you know what ugly means. In NZ just interfering with the ability to watch an international ball game by the bottom-athletes resulted in protesters being batoned, blood pouring down faces, and sadness and dissension among the principled who acted, and their families and community.

      The economic river can’t have its curse changed without the same sacrifice of personal time and relaxation and being at least disadvantaged and with possible injury, in the present and future for the participants. The militarisation of aggressive forces of the state and the powerful and the extent of their surveillance and interference in activists lives is another ugly aspect.
13. Aidan 13

    5 August 2015 at 11:13 am

    Que tasers

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