Open mike 01/02/2011

49 comments on “Open mike 01/02/2011 ”

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1. Bored 1

   1 February 2011 at 6:52 am

   Kunstler this morning on Egypt….

   Those Panglossians around the USA awaiting something like an election in Egypt are going to be disappointed. What’s going on in the streets of Cairo right now is an Egyptian election – minus the American-style trappings of corporate grift, scripted “debates,” and polling places that make our elections so satisfying.

   So prescient. If you want some on the street reporting try this link.

   http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=23731

   Message to Jonkey, you can fool some of the people some of the time……they call your bluff eventually.
   • Bored 1.1

     1 February 2011 at 7:29 am

     Addenda: more from Kunstler. Remember something else: these uproars in the Middle East are only the first stirrings of political reaction to a scarcity of key world resources, especially grain crops, which have never been in such short supply in modern times. And the part of this problem that isn’t due to sheer population overshoot is almost certainly a result of climate change – which many idiots in the US congress refuse to acknowledge out of sheer obdurate stupidity.

     Message to all those cornucopian techno salvationist and climate change deniers….smell the coffee.
     • Lanthanide 1.1.1

       1 February 2011 at 9:58 am

       The world is awash in more food than it can eat, enough to feed about 9 billion people. The problem is that it isn’t equitably distributed, and a lot of it goes to waste. There’s big room for improvement on those fronts.
       • Bill 1.1.1.1

         1 February 2011 at 3:18 pm

         Speculation on ‘food as a commodity’ = prices going through the roof in spite of plentiful harvests. The commodified staples such as wheat, corn, and rice are being priced out of the reach of those who spend near to their entire income on food [the $2 a day billions], while the non-commodified staples such as potatoes and cassava remain affordable.

         Add to that the fact that ‘the west’ has employed food as a weapon for quite a number of years now and has trashed local food production whilst fostering dependence on imports (the commodified staples) and you get a recipe for starvation or hunger, poverty and riots/ up risings such as we are seeing in Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia to name a few.
2. orange whip? 2

   1 February 2011 at 7:14 am

   Those closely following the TSA debacles in the US may have already seen this but I hadn’t:

   http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/01/25/passenger_acquitted/
   • jcuknz 2.1

     1 February 2011 at 9:27 am

     I would think there are grounds for appeal against that decision. The airport is private property, or at least owned by the local city council whatever, the TSA staff are working with the authority of the owners. That six clueless jurors found him not guilty is neither here nor there.
     This in one of the things I learnt as a photographer in my early days, if you are on private property you have to obey the owners instructions … I agree with the rather aggressive comment “Buster you’re pushing it” The man is an idiot.
     • orange whip? 2.1.1

       1 February 2011 at 12:21 pm

       Like you, I’m sure the jury wouldn’t have seen evidence pertaining to who owns the airport and what the relevant laws and regulations around policing the airport are, and whether the man in question was in fact in breach of any of these laws and regulations.

       They probably just made their minds up on the basis of what some dude on the internet reckons after watching a video.

       And of course the relevant airport and federal authorities probably didn’t bother putting forward a case at all. They wouldn’t have had a crack team of lawyers going over every reg with a fine-toothed comb to find anything the guy had done wrong to justify detaining and arresting him.

       I agree with the rather aggressive comment “Buster you’re pushing it” The man is an idiot.

       Except he’s not, ‘cos it’s now been proved that he was right and the authorities (and you) were all wrong.

       Any reasonable person watching that video would have noticed that he never raised his voice, never caused any disturbance, just tried to quietly go about his business as a citizen of a free society. Which as it turns out he was perfectly entitled to do. The TSA officials and cops on the other hand were aggressive, rude, and as it turned out 100% ignorant of their jurisdiction.

       And even if he was an idiot (which he isn’t), unfortunately for nasty little fucks like you that’s not actually a crime.

       Idiot.
3. The Voice of Reason 3

   1 February 2011 at 7:34 am

   Anybody know when the cycleway gets to Taranaki? It’s the miracle these folk need.

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/4601979/Yarrows-pledge
4. mickysavage 4

   1 February 2011 at 7:38 am

   Until the election it is certain that we are going to be bombarded with a series of Crosby Textor slogans designed to win arguments and do away with the need for scrutiny or analysis..

   The first of these has appeared, the odious “mum and dad investor”.

   I suggest that we reclaim our language and oppose these attack lines by redefining them to properly reflect the subject matter.

   My humble contribution to redefining this particular slogan is “mum Petrovich and dad Hotchin investor”. This more accurately reflects who will actually benefit from privatization of our assets.
   • logie97 4.1

     1 February 2011 at 7:50 am

     …add to them Mum and Dad Whitechapel-Aldgate.
   • Pete 4.2

     1 February 2011 at 7:56 am

     What do Labour call their slogans? Family silver?
     • mickysavage 4.2.1

       1 February 2011 at 8:23 am

       Family silver succinctly sums it up. Assets built up by succeeding generations for the benefit of the family.
       • big bruv 4.2.1.1

         1 February 2011 at 8:29 am

         Morning Micky.

         Did you cringe at the sight of Goff on TV this morning?

         Every time that man appears on TV he costs you guys votes…mind you, the new hair dye looked good. 🙂
         • mickysavage 4.2.1.1.1

           1 February 2011 at 8:36 am

           Morning Bruv

           No I didn’t. I was reading the Standard and Key’s comments about Liz Hurley and I kept thinking “this guy is as old as me. I stopped talking about women like this when I was 16. I would not dream of denigrating them like this. Is this guy really my PM? I must do what I can to change this.”

           Compared to that Goff’s dyeing his hair is well, inconsequential.
           • big bruv 4.2.1.1.1.1

             1 February 2011 at 8:57 am

             Lol…so you are still full of faux outrage then Micky.

             As I said the other day, I do not remember any of you being this outraged at Shane Porno Jones watching X rated movies.

             Although….I thought you chaps spent nine years telling us that the sexuality of our MP’s and PM’s is a no go area?

             As for Goff’s hair….yes it is inconsequential, but it does demonstrate just how out of touch and desperate Labour are, it also highlights (boom boom) how dishonest the Labour party are.
             • mickysavage …

               1 February 2011 at 9:50 am

               At least Jones had the decency of being embarassed about it and apologising for it.

               Sexuality is not relevant, but being a MCP is.
             • orange whip? …

               1 February 2011 at 1:57 pm

               Although….I thought you chaps spent nine years telling us that the sexuality of our MP’s and PM’s is a no go area?

               That’s right, Key should shut the fuck up about his in public. It’s creepy and gross and he only brings it up because it’s a turn-on for creepy little bald men like you.
             • Vicky32 …

               1 February 2011 at 4:54 pm

               To Big Bruv @ 8.57 who said “Although….I thought you chaps spent nine years telling us that the sexuality of our MP’s and PM’s is a no go area?”
               Ah, but Key made his sexuality a topic of public discussion, himself!
               Deb
       • Pete 4.2.1.2

         1 February 2011 at 8:45 am

         How many people use “family silver” for investment these days? It seems like an irrelevant outdated term, it reinforces a last century impression.
         • orange whip? 4.2.1.2.1

           1 February 2011 at 8:58 pm

           You miss the point.

           The key word is “family”, not silver. It refers to collective wealth.
   • Salsy 4.3

     1 February 2011 at 7:58 am

     Logie 97, you made a fine point also on Red Alert:

     An observation. I am a part of the cutesy Mum and Dad club of New Zealand Inc. I like the majority of us have been quite content to have one family house, help our children through tertiary study, (though they are still saddled with massive debt because our combined incomes put us beyond student allowance entitlement (and that’s another f..king beef.) Neither have we mortgaged to buy a boat and flash car / people mover.
     I understand that it is the immensely greedy lot who, by borrowing against their first home, chased their extra 2 to three properties (rentals to earn them easy money) who are now in hoc.

     Well sorry but tough. If they are in hoc to the money lenders so be it… And of course there are many non-property owning Mums and Dads who are also being saddled by the greed of others.

     So, remind me again, why are we being asked to bail out the Private Debt…?
   • just saying 4.4

     1 February 2011 at 9:38 am

     I prefer ‘comfortably middle-class investors’ overall, because this is the demographic implied by the folksy adage ‘mum and dad investors’, however, ‘those with spare cash’ or the ‘well-off” will do just as well.
5. vto 5

   1 February 2011 at 8:47 am

   Can someone explain how Key gets away with lying about the size of the debt that needs repaying by asset sales? He claim about 85% of GDP, which as well know, includes private and government debt. Government debt is merely 18% of GDP.

   This sort of thing gets people extremely hot under the collar.

   Key is a liar on this. A master of deception.

   But of course the next PM and bunch of govts twits will also lie and deceive when they get in. I detest the fact that liars of such low quality have such control over our lives. Perhaps some day the scales of justice will balance up with people like this, but I don’t hold out hope.
   • Draco T Bastard 5.1

     1 February 2011 at 9:08 am

     All we can hope for is more open government so that we don’t have to count on the MSM, owned and operated by the people who don’t want you to know, to hold government to account. Both the Greens and Labour have promised this.
     • ZeeBop 5.1.1

       1 February 2011 at 10:17 am

       National do not do government, so they run government however they like.

       We are always presented with choices, even in dictatorships, they are just starker.

       Currently the cloud is a central planning dream for internetworking, privately controlled
       internet – do no harm my behind!

       The alternative choice to the cloud is the nodal network run by simple rules applied at each node,
       this is the open network model.

       When applied to government there are two types of party, the run government however
       they like centrally planned economy either the left leaning (via giovernment) or right
       leaning central planning (leave it to a few top boardrooms in the private sector).
       Both are mistakes, and the US is now imploding in a similar way to the USSR.

       The alternative politics is clear reiteration of simple rules, don’t screw your neighbor
       your someones neighbor fool. Labour has yet to move to the open democracy.
       Greens are halfway there in my view, but they need work.

       We can either allow our politicians to seize all the power and then run everything
       into one big pile of mess ebcause they can never have the expertise, or we can
       stop giving politicians such health volumes of trust by accepting it from the press
       who seem to never tire of white washing Key’s government.

       Turn off, tune out, the medis is a the heart of our societal mess.
   • ianmac 5.2

     1 February 2011 at 9:52 am

     I wrote a letter to our paper on Monday with that question quoting Key from Breakfast. (Govt Debt 20%) The paper has not printed my letter yet but contacted me saying they would get an answer to my puzzlement. Perhaps numerous people could write succinct questions to their papers.
   • Lanthanide 5.3

     1 February 2011 at 10:03 am

     This was very evident in Kathryn Ryan’s interview with Key on Friday last week. Towards the start of the interview Key was giving that 80% number, and Kathryn interrupted and said “hang on, public and private debt are different things”.

     You could almost hear the gears grinding as Key shifted to a different tack and started comparing us to Spain, who apparently have a similar public/private debt situation to us and are in trouble. It was like his first line of bullshit was called for what it was, so he had to come up with his second defence.
     • KJT 5.3.1

       1 February 2011 at 6:30 pm

       Private debt would not be a problem if Government Guarantees were withdrawn and the banks were made to wear responsibility for their own businesses.
       It only comes up in the Governments credit rating to the extent it is Government guaranteed.
   • Deadly_NZ 5.4

     1 February 2011 at 1:41 pm

     Yeah and this shit don’t help either.

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10703400
6. Gina 6

   1 February 2011 at 2:00 pm

   “Key leaves door open for Barry to be list MP”

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10703357

   Looks like the Nats might use the celebrity status of Magie Barry to win women voters. Imagine the uproar from the Nats and the media if labour did that. Key is going to keep her candidacy unconfirmed to the last minute because he knows labour would have some celebs eager to stand for them but Labour know the Nats would cry foul if they tried it. There would be all sorts of accusations etc. So get your celebrities lined up Labour cause if Key gives Barry the OK that will mean you can do it too.
   Lets see, Robyn Malcolm is in need of a job. i don’t know if she supports labour or would want the job but I’m sure there are others who might be interested. The fact is that if the Nats had any celebs who liked them they will use them but they know that labour is far more popular with the poplular celebs than they are. So watch for Nact to keep Maggies candidacy uncornfirmed untill the last minute when they will hope Labour has no time to match her with their own well known supporters.
   • Lanthanide 6.1

     1 February 2011 at 2:32 pm

     The average NZer hates Robyn Malcolm and Lucy Lawless for what they did (or are perceived to have done) in the whole Hobbit Fiasco, so those two are definitely out.
     • Colonial Viper 6.1.1

       1 February 2011 at 2:42 pm

       Not quite sure how you managed to take the temperature of the ‘average NZer’.

       Although I’d be quite interested in what the ‘median NZ’er’ thinks of what happened around the fiasco.
       • Lanthanide 6.1.1.1

         1 February 2011 at 4:09 pm

         😛

         Looking at comments threads on stuff, mainly. Any time Robyn is mentioned in regards to anything there are immediate angry replies about her.
     • prism 6.1.2

       1 February 2011 at 6:19 pm

       I thought it was Jennifer Ward Lealand who partnered Robyn Malcolm in the carefully planned strategic campaign to get better conditions for actors in NZ. Was Lucy Lawless involved too?
       • Carol 6.1.2.1

         1 February 2011 at 6:23 pm

         Lawless was involved with Malcolm in opposing Brownlee’s schedule 4 mining proposals.

         Malcolm still seems to get favourable coverage for her new movie on the TV news. I wouldn’t rate replies on stuff as being the best guage of National attitudes. Also, IMO, I think Wellington people came out more strongly in support of Sir Peter than Aucklanders. Stuff mostly represents the Dom Post. I think (the bigger population of) Aucklanders are more likely to be positive towards Malcolm.
       • KJT 6.1.2.2

         1 February 2011 at 6:43 pm

         I like Robyn Malcolm. Sticking up for other actors who were less well paid than she was makes me like her more.
         Keeping to principles is not always easy.
         • William Joyce 6.1.2.2.1

           1 February 2011 at 10:54 pm

           Amen on that. At worst they were side swiped by the Fat Boys in Big Trucks looking for an opportunirty.
           This thing had been brewing since the October comments by that Aussie cretin that spooked the bean counters in LA by publicly announcing a campaign to rampup union activity in New Zealand. Robyn et al were the patsies.
           The Fat Boys just saw an opportunity to play free and loose with other people’s money.
     • Vicky32 6.1.3

       1 February 2011 at 6:36 pm

       Speak for yourself, Lanth!
       Deb
7. Gina 7

   1 February 2011 at 2:57 pm

   I read recently that there was a poll taken of kiwis asking which celebs people would like to have a cuppa with.

   John Key scored highest with men and Robyn Malcolm highest with women.

   Maggie Barry will attract pensioners and women voters so it might pay to start looking for someone to counter her and Keys celebrity status. It doesnt have to be Robyn.
   • Carol 7.1

     1 February 2011 at 6:26 pm

     I’m kind of a pensioner (well I’m at UK retirement age) & a woman voter. IMO Barry is a bit of a non-entity. I’d never vote for her, or a left version of her.

     I don’t think it’s a great idea to follow Key’s US-following, celebrity-focused approach. It’s letting them set the agenda, and will worsen the political environment here. The NZ left needs to promote their strong politicians more, and their policies.
     • Lanthanide 7.1.1

       1 February 2011 at 7:24 pm

       I would have to think that Barry would be a lot more competent and intelligent than the other women National have currently got on their front bench.
     • Gina 7.1.2

       1 February 2011 at 8:28 pm

       Carol You just have to look at Mr Key himself and how effective he is simply because of his manner. People are buyning it. Many Kiwi left wing celeb’s are very high calibre people not like the celbrities in america. Mark my word even if you don’t like Barry she will be a draw card for National. If labour want to regain power they need to look at what National are doing or they might as well forget it.

       I’m not suggesting you choose any idiot celebrity but as I said there are some high quality people amoungst celebrities. Look at Sam Neil. The nats had fits at the idea he might
       publicly endorse the labour party but only because they couldn’t get someone of that calibre enlisted on their side.
       • Carol 7.1.2.1

         1 February 2011 at 8:44 pm

         I repeat, I don’t think the left should follow an agenda set by National. I am yet to be convincd that smile-and-wave has the staying power to maintain widespread confidence in the electorate.

         The cost of living etc will be more important in the long run. Following National’s US-style lead is selling one’s soul for short term gains. The left should set their own agenda and not get sucked in to NAct’s game playing and superficialities. Their style suits their philosophy. Leave them to their superficialities and con games.
         • Gina 7.1.2.1.1

           1 February 2011 at 10:16 pm

           If labour loose the next election I believe our democracy will be gone forever. I am urgently trying to prevent that happening. You may think Im crazy but Ive been watching the electronic voting saga playing out in the US and I see some of what National has enacted for our electoral system as suspect and very dangerous. I have always thougtht Nationals plan was to destroy democracy as they cannot get the people to support policies they want to enact such as assett sales etc etc. I’m hoping labour will somehow win the next election so I guess am getting a bit desperate. I believe its now or never. We must win the next election somehow Carol or that will be the end of it. I will definitly leave New Zealand if Nact is re elected.

           Im not the only person who thinks Maggie Barrie will be an enormous benefit to nationals re election. Almost everyone I know thinks the same. She has credibility which does not deserve to be bestowed on Nact and I would question her intellegence in supporting such a party.
         • Gina 7.1.2.1.2

           1 February 2011 at 10:25 pm

           People like Sam Neil and Robyn Malcom cannot be compared to John Keys smile and wave. They are genuine in their support of a fair society and are nothing like Sarah Palin or many of the creepy propaganda purveyors in the US.
8. Lanthanide 8

   1 February 2011 at 4:10 pm

   Opinion piece that really cuts the asset sales plan to ribbons:
   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10703234
   • ianmac 8.1

     1 February 2011 at 5:34 pm

     Yeah. Read that this morning and had to check that it really was on the Herald site! Compelling.
9. joe90 9

   1 February 2011 at 10:14 pm

   Help if you can at:

   https://secure.avaaz.org/en/egypt_blackout/
10. William Joyce 10

    1 February 2011 at 11:20 pm

    What is it with NZ pollies that they won’t do the big gestures? Gone are the days when we did things that let our big hairy proverbials hang out in the breeze.

    Why not send a warship to the Southern Ocean? We used to send them into atomic test zones. Get down there and let those whale killers and the world know we take this seriously.
    Why not send a plane, we have paid for, to aid our own people in Egypt (or any other difficulty)? Even if they could get crowded delayed commercial flights. It says “we look after our own”. (or are we afraid they will be grounded again in Sydney with a broken windscreen wiper!).

    Instead we do wimpy things..
    Let Australian planes bring our people back.
    We let NZs languish in Japanese jails with embassy support of a couple of sammies and a diplomatic bag copy of the Dominion headlining McCully latest brown-stained-trouser retreat in the face Japanese propaganda.
    We consult every god-damn multilateral asswipe organisation before we take any action. Or as Key calls it these days “taking advice” (more often he asserts “plausible deniability” by saying that he has NOT received any advice – like he doesn’t have a brain of his own and hasn’t received his programming download for the day – default position “Smile and Wave”!)

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