Open mike 01/03/2015

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 1st, 2015 - 278 comments
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278 comments on “Open mike 01/03/2015 ”

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  1. phillip ure 1
    1 March 2015 at 7:58 am

    “..Amy Adams – A rebuttal on Medicinal Cannabis..” (ed:..if you were wondering just how reactionary/ignorant this govt is on cannabis – wonder no more..justice minister amy adams goes all retro – claiming pot leads to ‘p’..)

    “..the minister of Justice – Amy Adams – responded:..

    ‘..I have seen no evidence that supports the benefits for decriminalizing or legalizing cannabis – for medicinal purposes or otherwise – outweighing the harm it causes to society.

    The potential harms from smoking cannabis are well documented –

    – and I have no plans to soften the Government’s stance on what is commonly considered a gateway drug to more harmful substances such as P..”

    (cont..)

    (ed:..so there you have it..ignorance on a fucken stick..)

    http://whoar.co.nz/2015/amy-adams-a-rebuttal-on-medicinal-cannabis-ed-were-you-wondering-just-how-reactionaryignorant-tgis-govt-is-on-cannabis-wonder-no-more-justice-minister-amy-adams-goes-all-retro-clai/

    • te reo putake 1.1
      1 March 2015 at 8:28 am

      I think it won’t be long before the wilful ignorance of the likes of Adams will no longer wash. Once the first short and medium term studies of how decriminalisation has changed drug use in the USA come through we’ll have compelling evidence of whether or not it’s harmed the local communities. As I recall the situation in Portugal, the answer is that it hasn’t significantly changed the wider population’s use of recreational drugs. Those that want to smoke, do. Those that don’t, don’t.

      Certainly, any change that cuts gangs out of the supply change is likely to be good for our community.

      • phillip ure 1.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 8:51 am

        perhaps adams cd provide us with footage of the (now) ‘p’-addicts littering the streets of colorado..?

        ..i am frankly astonished she/this govt. is still peddling the gateway-myth..

        ..and is willfully ignoring all the evidence to hand..

        ..(and aren’t fucken rightwingers meant to be all about ‘personal-freedoms!’..

        ..and ‘getting the govt out of peoples’ lives!’..?..)

        ..and i wish the mainstream-media wd start doing their fucken job..

        ..and calling/questioning this complete and utter bullshit..

        ..when the facts/results in colorado are drops in crime/domestic-violence/alcohol-consumption..

        ..and no jump in the number of ‘p’-addicts..

        ..a huge wedge of facts..

        ..that fly in the face of adams’ lies/misinformation..

        ..so c’mon media..!

        ..w.t.f. r u afraid of..?

        ..mainstream-polling shows 87% of new zealanders want the madness of cannabis prohibition to end..

        ..w.t.f r both the politicians and the media afraid of..?

        ..why is this a third-rail for them both..?

        ..when it is clear that both are lagging far behind the will of most of the people..

        • b waghorn 1.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 8:59 am

          Pot would be less likely to lead to harder stuff if you could get it from a nice clean outlet and not have to deal with some of the dodgy scum bags that like to make there money the illegal way.

            • phillip ure 1.1.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 12:25 pm

              tho’ there are/have been some ‘nice’ pot-dealers/smugglers..

              “..Howard Marks benefit gig leaves audience on a high..

              ..Event was chance for fans of former drug smuggler known as Mr Nice –

              – to pay homage –

              – and raise funds for his cancer treatment.

              The whippet-thin punk poet John Cooper Clarke – observing that this was ‘not an entirely happy occasion’- told a disbelieving and appreciative audience:

              ‘I’ve been piling on the pounds since I stopped taking drugs’.

              This had led in Manchester – ‘where taking drugs is compulsory”’– to cries of ‘get back on drugs – you fat fuck!’ – and a poem with that title..”

              (cont..)

              (ed:..i read his ‘mr nice’ book just recently…and while the stories he has to tell are interesting..

              ..he was screaming out for a strict editor..as it was a bit of a chore to read..)

              http://whoar.co.nz/2015/howard-marks-benefit-gig-leaves-audience-on-a-high/

    • Pete George 1.2
      1 March 2015 at 8:40 am

      That relates to a post by Shane Le Brun over a month ago. If you want to read it without having to trying and decipher Phil’s hieroglyphics here’s Shane’s post:

      https://mmj4chronicpain.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/amy-adams-rebuttal/

    • b waghorn 1.3
      1 March 2015 at 8:40 am

      Could it be possible that drug companies are against med pot and be leaning on the government to stop med pot being ok’d .?

      • phillip ure 1.3.1
        1 March 2015 at 9:01 am

        i can’t actually define any single reason for this wall-to-wall ignorance..

        ..but if singling out outside/self-interested forces..that we already know have an inordinate amount of influence over politicians..

        ..look no further than the booze-pushers..

        ..they are in full-on patch-protection mode…

        ..’cos they know..(and as colorado proves..) that the ending of cannabis prohibition wd mean the loss of a lot of the customers for their poisonous/addictive swill..

        and don’t forget…alcohol is responsible for more violence against women – than the taliban..

        ..legalise..! – regulate..! – tax..!..

        ..and i think adams..against strong competition from her colleagues..

        ..walks away with the-most-pig-ignorant-politician-award..

        • adam 1.3.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 10:45 am

          Phillip Ure – I think you have missed the elephant in the room with cannabis. That is with the current policy, the police can be as racist as they like – and have the best cover ever. “Think of the children”

          I think Adams and her ilk are nothing but white supremacists. They use P.C language – but lets face facts – they hate the poor and deeper than that, they hate brown people because they are poor.

          What did Malcolm X say about racism, being normalised to the point we…

          • phillip ure 1.3.1.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 11:06 am

            that racist-tinge to this prohibition-policy..and the out-of-kilter effect on maori from prohibition..

            .imprisonment etc..

            ..not to mention the roadblocks/helicopter-raids each/every year on northland (esp…)

            ..all of these irrefutable-facts are why i am so puzzled that the likes of harawira/minto are so reactionary on cannabis..

            ..and why the fuck can’t such politically-aware animals see/understand what is right before their eyes..?

            ..and to the extent they have become forces for prohibition/repression..

            ..that is also..as u note.. very much racist in nature..

            ..and why they are hand-in-glove with the likes of fucken amy adams..(!)

            ..w.t.f. r they thinking..?

            • adam 1.3.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 11:22 am

              Prohibition also helps the prison industrial complex.

              Prisons are now part of the money making body politic of private corporations, and the one thing they need is prisoners – so we, the tax payer can make them rich.

              Even the so called state run prisons – have so many private contractors – it’s a joke. A cruel vicious joke of power of the state being transferred to private corporation – who they use and abuse this power to their own ends.

              Cannabis, is the simplest and most effective manor to fill up prisons, it also helps our racist system to hand out corporate welfare to the private sector.

              I for one, am happy they are not doing this on the sly any more. It is much easier to see the prison industrial complex for what it is. And the racists who keep it in place.

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                1 March 2015 at 11:37 am

                Privatisation of the prison sector is creating an industry of neo-slavery for profit.

                • adam …
                  1 March 2015 at 12:02 pm

                  What’s this neo Colonial Rawshark? Seriously, when the elites stopped fearing working people – they just jumped back to their old tricks.

                  Slavery is the old chestnut they love, free labour – to make them even richer.

                  Also it makes them feel even more superior and good about themselves – the slimy bastards.

                  Do one thing a day, to remind the elites – why they should fear working people.

                  Should be one, of many calls to power – for the left.

                  • Colonial Rawshark …
                    1 March 2015 at 1:26 pm

                    I stand corrected.

                    The Left has abandoned most of its bases of institutional and financial power. In NZ it seems to be entirely fixated on taking government back, which only ever lasts for a few years.

                    • adam …
                      1 March 2015 at 7:59 pm

                      Yeah, almost a fetish from some.

                      That politics is no more than a game of elections.

                      Rather than a fight for the economics which will make peoples lives better.

              • phillip ure …
                1 March 2015 at 11:48 am

                don’t forget that the deal the govt signed with these fucken parasites..

                ..guarantees them a certain number of prisoners – to fill their jails..

                ..to the extent the govt has to pay them a financial penalty should they fail to supply them with these bodies..

                ..so..moving (all) drugs from justice to health..

                ..legalising/regulating/taxing pot..

                (..and of course..emptying the prisons of those already incarcerated for victimless-crimes…

                ..would cost the govt heaps..)

                ..that is another question i wd like the mainstream-media to start asking..

                ..’are yr guarantees to the private-prison industry – stilling yr hand on moving towards cannabis-law-reform..?

                ..and how much would that be likely to cost the government?..

                ..should you end cannabis prohibition and free those incarcerated..?’..

                • phillip ure …
                  1 March 2015 at 11:51 am

                  and of course – it is not just about pot..

                  “..How Psychedelics Might Transform the Human Mind and Lead Humanity Towards Intellectual and Artistic Heights..

                  ..Psychedelics are undergoing a revival of interest –

                  – but where do we go from here?

                  A leading thinker offers a four-stage preview..”

                  (cont..)

                  http://www.alternet.org/drugs/psychedelic-renaissance-here-eternity

                  • adam …
                    1 March 2015 at 12:07 pm

                    My friends who live in Portugal, love it.

                    They call it the safest they have felt in years.

                    Why do I mention Portugal – well folks just in case you don’t know – you can take psychedelics there as well. Oh and look – it’s not falling apart, the country is not collapsing, people are friendly, happy and healthy. Bugger me, no one is on a crazed drug trip killing people – who would have though.

                    Oh and safe – did I mention people feeling safe…

                    • phillip ure …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:17 pm

                      i don’t take them now..

                      ..but i have no regrets about the industrial-strength pschedelics i have taken..

                      ..(one favourite moment..in national park on hawkesbury river in n.s.w.aust..

                      ..standing on one side of the river..

                      ..and the opposing hills/bush turning into golden rivulets..

                      ..that ran down into the river…

                      ..and a led zeppelin concert..where i wasn’t actually aware i was at a concert..

                      ..there was just this killer soundtrack to what was going on..

                      ..and every now and then i noticed this stage in the distance..with marrionette-like figures on it..

                      ..that i didn’t actually connect with that killer-soundtrack to the visuals of my psychedelic-journey..

                      ..whoar..!

                      ..(i have a huge grin-on here..just remembering it..)

        • b waghorn 1.3.1.2
          2 March 2015 at 9:28 pm

          On the violence side you might be interested in this little anecdote , my cousins brought a pub in Scotland in the 80s they reckon it was a mad house with the amount of scrapping the Scots got up to not only in the pub but they’d get boozed and go to the next village for a battle, then hash arrived and and they mall owed right out I spent a couple of years there and the only time I saw a punch thrown was during a hash drought.

      • Murray Rawshark 1.3.2
        1 March 2015 at 2:18 pm

        I doubt that, bw. Drug companies would be more likely to take advantage of the situation to sell tincture of cannabis or something like that which could be patented.

        My theory is that law enforcement are behind it. They want an excuse to be able to pull over young brown blokes whenever they feel like it. The war on drugs gives them this. Before the war on terror came along, legal powers to search and seize were almost always based on drug offences. Now that cops and spies can get what they want by whispering “terrorists” in Andrew Little’s ear, maybe they will back off more on the drugs. Many ex-police already have.

    • Murray Rawshark 1.4
      1 March 2015 at 2:11 pm

      If she’s against medicinal cannabis on the grounds that it leads to harder drugs, she should also be against medicinal morphine on the grounds that it is a harder drug. I think all NAct supporters should sign declarations that they will not accept any strong analgesics. I can hear them screaming in the surgical wards already. It is a surprisingly pleasant sound.

      • Colonial Rawshark 1.4.1
        1 March 2015 at 2:27 pm

        If she’s against medicinal cannabis on the grounds that it leads to harder drugs, she should also be against medicinal morphine on the grounds that it is a harder drug.

        Yeah, and also against codeine as a “gateway drug.”

  2. One Anonymous Bloke 2
    1 March 2015 at 8:11 am

    You have to be fucking kidding me.

    the amendment was prompted by concerns about the “appropriateness” of coroners investigating the deaths of soldiers in Afghanistan. Eight New Zealand soldiers were killed on duty in that conflict. Now coroners will only be allowed to investigate a soldier’s death if the Attorney-General allows for it by determining the public interest and impact on New Zealand’s security.

    Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said the changes wouldn’t include self-inflicted deaths or training accidents but refused to comment further as the bill was before a select committee.

    Brownlee concocting non-existent protocols to avoid having to answer questions. Yeah, we totes honour the dead around here.

    Begs the question: who is the enemy?

    • Paul 2.1
      1 March 2015 at 8:18 am

      Timed so the law is ready for the reinvasion of Iraq.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 8:26 am

        Accurate reporting of the circumstances of a soldier’s death might breach security – the appropriate person to determine that is the coroner, after hearing evidence.

        When the National Party realises that its bloodlust cannot be hidden this way, will grief itself be outlawed?

        • weka 2.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 9:51 am

          I’m guessing coroners are civil servants too difficult to control. Too many of them, and a profession with a high degree of integrity.

        • marty mars 2.1.1.2
          1 March 2015 at 10:10 am

          + 1 yes grief will be outlawed because it might breach security – direct censorship is just around the corner because ‘the walls have ears’, ‘the enemy is everywhere they can even look like you and me’, ‘trust no one and tell the authorities immediately’ …

        • greywarshark 2.1.1.3
          1 March 2015 at 12:06 pm

          I think that a certain large government has tried to limit public displays of grief by flying home defence corpses at night. I seem to remember that from the Vietnam time. Someone else may remember exactly.

        • Pasupial 2.1.1.4
          1 March 2015 at 12:38 pm

          I thought that this section of the article gives the clearest vision of what will happen if this bill passes:

          Former army medic Sarah Erb, whose partner, Corporal Luke Tamatea, was killed in Afghanistan in 2012 when his Humvee was destroyed by a roadside bomb, said the coroner’s report into his death had helped her and his mother get answers and gain closure.

          “Without that report we’d feel quite ripped off, I think. That’s our loved one and we should know what has happened.”

          There was an inquiry by the military into Tamatea’s death but she didn’t receive any information back from it.

          At present a coroner can open an inquiry into a military death and can issue a suppression order if there are details that may risk national security.

          That bit about national security concerns being already provided for by coroner’s suppression orders is particularly telling.

          This is about National’s security, not national security.

    • Weepus beard 2.2
      1 March 2015 at 8:35 am

      The NZDF supported the amendment and said it strikes a balance “between independent investigation and ensuring judicial scrutiny did not encroach into “matters of the state”.

      I thought this bit was worrying. Does the NZDF advocate for the state to be above judicial scrutiny? If so, this is a continuation down the path the current government is leading this country.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 2.2.1
        1 March 2015 at 8:40 am

        The state has four branches. The judiciary is one of them. The NZDF is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

        And yes, it’s a damning indictment of their brainless authoritarian ideology.

        • greywarshark 2.2.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 12:07 pm

          It worked for Fiji.

        • Murray Rawshark 2.2.1.2
          1 March 2015 at 2:37 pm

          Democratic instincts do not get rewarded in the NZDF. The higher officers are often those least capable of any intelligent thought.

    • Stephanie Rodgers 2.3
      1 March 2015 at 9:38 am

      Here’s a question: how do we know if a death is self-inflicted unless there’s a coroner’s report? Do we just allow NZDF to go “oh no, that was totally security-related, nothing to see here”?

    • Murray Rawshark 2.4
      1 March 2015 at 2:33 pm

      The timing of this is pretty transparent. As for “The NZDF supported the amendment and said it strikes a balance “between independent investigation and ensuring judicial scrutiny did not encroach into “matters of the state”.” Wow. The state should be free from judicial scrutiny? The march to complete authoritarianism is really astonishing me with its pace. First the NZDF, next will anyone killed by ngati poaka be denied a coronial investigation?

  3. Saarbo 3
    1 March 2015 at 8:17 am

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmxHRsD48L0#t=86

    Enjoy this from Tourettes at Splore …”John Keys Sons a DJ”

  4. Molly 4
    1 March 2015 at 8:31 am

    Been thinking that it is strangely time to paraphrase Muldoon:
    “Tony Abbott’s visit to John Key raised the IQ of both Prime Ministers offices”.

  5. te reo putake 5
    1 March 2015 at 8:36 am

    Pegida rally in Newcastle, UK flops. Despite the assurances of the organisers that the racist, neo-fascist organisation is not racist or neo-fascist, the pictures tell the story.

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/28/newcastle-pegida-marchers-vastly-outnumbered-by-counter-protests

  6. One Anonymous Bloke 6
    1 March 2015 at 8:45 am

    More bad choices by National Party followers. They will refuse to accept any personal responsibility.

    • Pete George 6.1
      1 March 2015 at 8:50 am

      Do you meant they won’t take personal responsibility for people who won’t or can’t take personal responsibility for themselves?

      Another view on it: Rodney Hide: Mann up and take responsibility

      What personal responsibility do you have for those who have to be “very watchful on what we spend” OAB?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 8:56 am

        No, I mean none of your false interpretations, Racist George, and I haven’t the slightest inclination to explain it to you.

        Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?

        • Pete George 6.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 9:17 am

          You always seem to duck for cover when challenged to back up your rhetoric. And you’re off topic on this thread.

          “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

          Because it was on the other side of the world. I thought even you would have worked out something obvious like that. Why weren’t you at the counter protest?

          But I’ve backed Newcastle Unites from here. Have you/

          • te reo putake 6.1.1.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 9:25 am

            Wow! Only distance prevents racist Pete from marching with the fascists. Thanks for the unintended honesty, schmuck.

            [lprent: It is a valid point. But FFS phrase the responses better. I don’t like cleaning up reaction messes. ]

            • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 9:28 am

              😀

            • Pete George 6.1.1.1.1.2
              1 March 2015 at 9:35 am

              Thanks for the reminder about your deliberate dishonesty.

              And thanks for the opportunities to keep demonstrating your dishonesty. So far you’ve managed to keep that out of your authoring (that’s been promising) but you’ll find it’s difficult to keep the two separate – lying at one level will end up impacting on another.

              [lprent: Indeed. What a pain in the arse thing to see on moderation sweep at the end of hot day.

              I really don’t like people attacking my authors for any reason. But I really find it objectionable to see it when the idiot critic (ie you) neither links to an example of whatever they are moaning about nor explains what it is so that I can look at the issue. That is lying by omission in my book – something that in my mind characterises your usual writing style.

              Don’t ever target my authors again with unsubstantiated and unlinked smearing as a tactic. To me that appears to be what you are doing here. It takes us too much work to get them up and running to let some foolish dickhead use them for target practice.

              Yes he wound you up. Complain to me or in general. Don’t target authors personally because I really really need them more than I need you.

              The next time that I see you do this kind of deliberate targeting, I will boot you off for a year.

              But banned one month only because TRP was winding you up. ]

              • marty mars …
                1 March 2015 at 9:43 am

                “And thanks for the opportunities to keep demonstrating your dishonesty. So far you’ve managed to keep that out of your authoring”

                not like you eh pete – your dishonesty is well known – as well as your nasty side.

                • Pete George …
                  1 March 2015 at 10:18 am

                  Ironies abound today marty. Eh.

                  • marty mars …
                    1 March 2015 at 10:49 am

                    this wasn’t ironic, it was hilarious

                    “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                    Because it was on the other side of the world.

                    none so dim eh pete – and now your abuse of an author here – funny how you’ll still get the content for your vanity blog from this site tho eh – dishonest and racist – you really are an enjoyable idiot 🙂

                    • greywarshark …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:14 pm

                      Just think though of the story of The Triffids. They were plants that everyone knew had dangerous abilities but as they were interesting people were allowed to cultivate them although with instructions on how to stop their full negative development.

                      When people became vulnerable the plants were ready to strike with their poisoned tendrils, and they would suck people’s blood or something. Watch who you play with kids.

              • te reo putake …
                1 March 2015 at 9:43 am

                Pete, I pointed out your own words. If there is dishonesty involved, it can only have come from you. Shall we call it a fraudian slip?

                You acknowledge I’m an author, yet you call me a liar. The TS policy is pretty clear about abuse of authors. Would you please withdraw and apologise.

                • Pete George …
                  1 March 2015 at 10:17 am

                  I made it clear you’re a liar as a commenter, not as an author and re-emphasise that. A persistent liar that pre-dates your authoring. You can’t hide behind a higher status for your low commenting.

                  [That is a distinction that I do not recognise. Tone it down – MS]

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    1 March 2015 at 10:33 am

                    “Tone it down”.

                    Please can we have some clarity on this: is it just Racist George who can now abuse authors, so long as he “tones it down”? Or can we all join in?

                    I note that Racist George has not resiled from his abuse of TRP, let alone apologised.

                    [The policy says “Abusing the sysop or post writers on their own site (should say post) – including telling us how to run our site or what we should write. This is viewed as self-evident stupidity, and should be added as a category to the Darwin Awards.”

                    Another part of the policy says “Generally wasting a moderators time is just not a good idea. We’re there to deal with isolated problems. People persistently sucking up our voluntary time won’t like the results.”

                    So I am not sure if 1 applies to Pete but 2 is becoming more and more relevant.

                    Besides I am softer than some of the other authors. If lprent was to deal with this I suspect the result would be more summary – MS]

                    • greywarshark …
                      1 March 2015 at 5:13 pm

                      ” I suspect the result would be more summary “. Some heads just ask to be chopped off.

                  • Pete George …
                    1 March 2015 at 10:41 am

                    Some clarity would be good MS.

                    Are you saying the someone who happens to be an author can say whatever they like as a commenter completely unrelated to any of their posts and not be challenged?

                    TRP hasn’t denied being dishonest over the years, he just seems to be trying to protect his abusiveness from some sort of privileged position.

                    [See my comment above Pete. Although this is Open Mike you are wasting moderators time – MS]

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 10:53 am

                      That’s the second time today you’ve called me a liar here, Pete. MS asked you to tone it down, which is a reasonable request, and you have chosen to repeat the abuse.

                    • marty mars …
                      1 March 2015 at 10:55 am

                      “TRP hasn’t denied being dishonest over the years”

                      That is why you are so loathed in real life as well as the interwebz. You feel able to abuse people and get away with it. TRP is NOT dishonest and my reading of his comments over the years (many many of which I disagree with and even oppose) is that they are brutally honest. TRP says what he thinks and does not lie imo. Not like you tho pete – you are a fucken disgrace – a sad loser/stalker who can’t fill his vanity bog with anything other than other peoples work, a mr nobody trying to validate himself and failing time after time after time.

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:07 am

                      Wow! Only distance prevents racist Pete from marching with the fascists. Thanks for the unintended honesty, schmuck.

                      That looks like blatant dishonesty, unless TRP doesn’t understand what “But I’ve backed Newcastle Unites from here” means.

                    • adam …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:08 am

                      Wow Pete George – Just wow.

                      I might think te reo putake is a Chardonnay Socialist. But I’d never thought in any argument I’ve had with him, he was a liar.

                      Is it that you Pete George are a racist who dislikes being handed your racism back to you, on a plate?

                      Pete George – do you even realise you are a racist?

                      Because te reo putake may part of the labour faithful, and a fluffy socialist – but he is not a liar nor is he a bigot like you Mr George.

                      Reflection is a wonderful thing Pete – maybe if many people are pointing out you are a racist – you might want to take some time to reflect that you are.

                      Take your time – it’s a process, and it is something grown ups have to confront and deal with. There will be tears and recriminations. I however, am hopeful you will see the process through.

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:23 am

                      That’s the third time, Pete.

                      I quoted your own words entirely accurately. I’m sure you’re pissed off at being hoist by your own petard, but accusing me of dishonesty and conflating that with my author status is not acceptable behaviour here.

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:38 am

                      TRP: “I quoted your own words entirely accurately. ”

                      As far as I can see that’s incorrect. I can’t see where you’ve quoted my words at all.

                    • marty mars …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:39 am

                      pete you could have answered the question a million ways – you chose your answer which unwittingly revealed your truth – YOU said it, no one else – own it ffs, TRP was not dishonest but you are disingenuous in trying to squirm out of your own bloody words.

                      edit – TRP quoted your words ffs what are you on?

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:47 am

                      Marty, Pete’s trying to play the pedantry card.

                      Pete: “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world.

                      Me: Wow! Only distance prevents racist Pete from marching with the fascists.

                      He’d love to think nitpicking and resorting to accusations of dishonesty will hide his accidental admission, but it won’t. The damage is done.

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:48 am

                      You’re wrong too marty. Can you point out where TRP quoted me?

                      He said “Only distance prevents racist Pete from marching with the fascists.”. I said nothing about marching in support of Pegida.

                      This looks like a typical case of ignorant, sloppy or dishonest assumptions. At best.

                      TRP – the reports suggests that many people were there that opposed Pegida, they didn’t support them by 4 to 1.

                      You haven’t shown where you quoted me.

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:53 am

                      Fourth time you’ve accused me of dishonesty, Pete.

                      “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world.

                      Your own words, Pete.

                      If you’d wanted to oppose them, you would have wanted to be at the Newcastle Unites counter rally. Can you see the subtle difference?

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:56 am

                      I also said quite clearly “But I’ve backed Newcastle Unites from here.”

                      Do you admit you may have jumped to a conclusion too quickly?

                      You still haven’t shown here you quoted me as you claimed.

                    • weka …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:56 am

                      A griefer is a player in a multiplayer video game who deliberately irritates and harasses other players within the game, using aspects of the game in unintended ways. A griefer derives pleasure primarily or exclusively from the act of annoying other users, and as such is a particular nuisance in online gaming communities, since griefers often cannot be deterred by penalties related to in-game goals.

                    • marty mars …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:58 am

                      ““Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world. I thought even you would have worked out something obvious like that.”

                      That is what you said – you even said to OAB that it was obvious!!! YOU said it lol and now you don’t like it lol – write a post about that dirty racist liar pete george then pete, he’s giving you a bad name.

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 11:58 am

                      “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world.

                      Your words, Pete.

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:05 pm

                      ” I’m sure you’re pissed off at being hoist by your own petard” are your own words.

                      Did you apply them to the wrong person?

                      Did you jump to a conclusion on a part of my comment? And even that part didn’t say what you accused (without quoting).

                      “Because it was on the other side of the world” (my words) is nowhere near the same as “Only distance prevents racist Pete from marching with the fascists.” (your words)

                    • marty mars …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:08 pm

                      you said it was obvious you weren’t at the rally because of distance – that is what you said

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:08 pm

                      “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world.

                      Your words, Pete. Weasel all you like, they’re still your words.

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:17 pm

                      And your words were “Only distance prevents racist Pete from marching with the fascists.” That’s very different.

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 12:33 pm

                      No difference at all, unless you’re trying to say it wasn’t a march.

                      “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world.

                      Pete George, 1 April 2015.

                      Learn to live with it, Pete, I imagine you’re going to be reminded about your words pretty regularly 😉

                      ps I think I may have come up with a new pejorative for you. Howdya fancy being Petegida from here on in?

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 2:42 pm

                      That you originally made an incorrect claim may have been carelessness, but that you continue to try and claim it looks like deliberate dishonesty. So my original assessment looks like a reasonable one to have made.

                      Learn to live with it, Pete, I imagine you’re going to be reminded about your words pretty regularly.

                      That works both ways. I think it's fairly typical of how you have often operated as a commenter but it's a good example to have on record.

                      Te Reo Putake (I won’t use your name here) 1 March 2015.

                      [Stephanie: Damn straight you won’t. You’ve been around here more than long enough to know that trying to “out” people who use pseudonyms is a bad idea, and making smarmy threats like that, while protesting that you’re just being ~reasonable~, only proves what a sad little bully you are.]

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 2:50 pm

                      Howdya fancy being Petegida from here on in?

                      That’s up to you, but from you it wouldn’t bother me at all,, it’s what you do. If you use it you will be repeating dishonesty, which can only look very deliberate now. You know, something like a persistent liar.

                    • te reo putake …
                      1 March 2015 at 2:53 pm

                      “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

                      Because it was on the other side of the world.

                      Pete George.

                      Just checked and the words haven’t magically disappeared, Pete. So you’re stuck with what you wrote. Obviously, you’ve already shown yourself to be a racist, so the admission, accidental as it may have been, fits entirely with what we already know about you.

                      That you are still try to weasel out also confirms another aspect of your character; moral and intellectual cowardice.

                    • Pete George …
                      1 March 2015 at 3:03 pm

                      Yes my works are still there. All of them, not just the ones you have made things up about.

                      This is what I said:

                      Because it was on the other side of the world. I thought even you would have worked out something obvious like that. Why weren’t you at the counter protest?

                      But I’ve backed Newcastle Unites from here. Have you?

                      That clearly shows I support Newcastles Unites, not Pegida.

                      You’ve been busted and still persist with deliberate use of incorrect claims.

                      And you keep demonstrating you’re not honest enough to admit it.

                      I’ve been attached dishonestly here many times so once more doesn’t make any difference to me. It’s more likely to bite you on the bum.

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  1 March 2015 at 11:26 am

                  I note that at the time of writing, Racist George has still not “supported” Newcastle Unite. He quickly put up a hurried cut-n-paste this morning, which merely suggests that they try and get along with the fascists.

                  Edit: his racist attacks on tangata whenua are far more revealing of his true sympathies.

              • Pete George …
                1 March 2015 at 7:48 pm

                Can I exercise a right of reply?

                But I really find it objectionable to see it when the idiot critic (ie you) neither links to an example of whatever they are moaning about nor explains what it is so that I can look at the issue. That is lying by omission in my book – something that in my mind characterises your usual writing style.

                I’ve explained here a number of times – and have specifically pointed that it was TRP lying by omission. Which he has continued to do.

                He claimed to have quoted me but hadn’t, and then when called on that repeatedly part quoted me, lying by omitting the whole quote.

                If you support that sort of tactic from one of your authors then so be it, it’s your blog.

                Don’t ever target my authors again with unsubstantiated and unlinked smearing as a tactic. To me that appears to be what you are doing here.

                It’s pretty obvious that this began and continued with TRP “with unsubstantiated and unlinked smearing as a tactic” and continuing doing that.

                If you don’t allow any response to that sort of tactic you’re being as bad as Bradbury and Slater in the way you censor out things that show up your crap.

                That’s a bit sad isn’t it, especially after you claiming the high ground on comment control in your spat with Bradbury.

                Yes he wound you up. Complain to me or in general. Don’t target authors personally because I really really need them more than I need you.

                FFS. He and others try to wind me up all the time. As if you hadn’t noticed. And then get wound up when I call you on it. You sound wound up now. Tch tch.

                The next time that I see you do this kind of deliberate targeting, I will boot you off for a year.

                You’re accusing me of deliberate targeting. Very funny. But somehow I suspect you don’t see the joke.

                But banned one month only because TRP was winding you up. ]

                I’m not questioning that, I’m happy to have a month off. TRP et al with have to find someone else to try and wind up.

                Cheers.

                [lprent: I am fetching this out of a very neglected spam queue full of our latest spambot and philu.

                As I (think) I probably said. I don’t have time to trace every previous discussion and I lack the ability to read minds remotely. So I look at the comment based what is in it and have a brief look at the conversation around it. Which is why TRP got a public warning and a private discussion about future behaviour. Which is a bit unusual because I generally rap knuckles on authors using the back channels.

                But treat authors differently. Link to supporting info when having a go at them because the balance of the moderation shifts for them. I don’t treat them as commentators anymore simply because we need to retain them to write conversation starters for this site. With authors I balance my need to retain authors against ‘fairness’. But the supporting information had better be in the comments I am looking at because I won’t go looking for it. I simply don’t have time with the numbers of comments that flow through here. ]

              • Tracey …
                2 March 2015 at 2:08 pm

                “lying at one level will end up impacting on another.” Like the PM, Collins, Brownlee, Tolley, Joyce and Bennett.

            • marty mars 6.1.1.1.1.3
              1 March 2015 at 10:15 am

              lol

              The truth is so truthful

              “Why weren’t you at the Pegida rally?”

              Because it was on the other side of the world.

            • tricledrown 6.1.1.1.1.4
              1 March 2015 at 12:48 pm

              Pete a self confessed Chelsea supporter.
              No wonder he is always trying to push us of the tracks

          • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.1.2
            1 March 2015 at 9:35 am

            Always. Unless I’m debating with Gosman. Or English Breakfast. Or PR, or Gormless, or CV, or The Murphey, or BK, or in point of publicly documented fact, everyone but you.

            That’s because I regard you as beneath contempt, Racist George.

          • Ecosse_Maidy 6.1.1.1.3
            1 March 2015 at 6:48 pm

            Oh, look something St PG supports and doesn’t oppose ?

            Given the Beige Ones track record..

            I just wonder when he states he supports Newcastle Unites, I just ponder if he’s buggered up again in his usually close shave to 4th place power manner?

            He probably means he supports, Newcastle United, a very mediocre English Football team, who’s owner is only interested in generating revenue , publicity for himself & business interests and leaves the ambitions & aspirations of the team on the sidelines to embrace mediocrity.

            There does seem to be more than a passing similarity between the Beige Bladder One of Dunedin and Mike Ashley of Newcastle United.

            Have you signed the “Not In Our Name” petition PG shrinks?& shown some backbone support rather than your usual array of turd polishing misnomers?

      • Draco T Bastard 6.1.2
        1 March 2015 at 9:49 am

        Do you meant they won’t take personal responsibility for people who won’t or can’t take personal responsibility for themselves?

        The personal responsibility of voting in National who then put in place policies that increase poverty while giving the rich even more.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.2.1
          1 March 2015 at 9:52 am

          Not just voting them in: actively supporting a vile hate-based approach to misfortune, in the face of all evidence and expert advice.

      • Murray Rawshark 6.1.3
        1 March 2015 at 2:45 pm

        Yeah, Rodney Hide. His poverty of thought has given him a fat head.

  7. les 7
    1 March 2015 at 8:46 am

    who decides what is in the ‘publics interest’?

  8. Colonial Rawshark 8
    1 March 2015 at 9:06 am

    US and Israel now drilling for oil and gas in the Golan Heights

    Typical Israeli/US corporate policy to thieve resources from others.

    • Skinny 8.1
      1 March 2015 at 11:34 am

      +1 Israel benefits with media attention being focused else where on the Iraqi, Iran, Syria etc.

      ps. Glad you got some off that pony, dour staying run from the back, the jock had to knock a few over to get into the clear. Tri with the 2 class/form horses paid over an ernie rutherford. 🙂

      There was a good story to the winner Mongolian Khan. A friend of mine from Cambridge (broke-in a filly that I bred) battles away pre training horses. He sees something in this colt that nobody wanted, buys him cheap and syndicated & manages it for a Asian group to race.

      So yesterday the local captain’s of industry, who spend hundreds of thousands on a yearling tb, have to watch a horse with an unfashionable pedigree that sold for nicks win NZ’s premier 700 k, 3 year old race. Got to love it.

      • Colonial Rawshark 8.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 11:43 am

        Ahhh very nice background indeed. Listened to the race on trackside and at the start I thought to myself – good god that Skinny has recommended a lame! But I kept the faith lol. BTW I have no background in racing, but you sounded like you knew what you were talking about and so i would seem. Chur bro 🙂

        edit – oh yeah OK nice move on the tri – that would have been worth a few bucks in a side bet

      • Chooky 8.1.2
        1 March 2015 at 2:31 pm

        yes sorry i didnt bet on your tip…but was busy….looked like a goodie

        incidentally there is a very engrossing realist tv first series called ‘Luck’ about horse racing in LA together with the whole jockey /owner/trainer culture and associated crime….but it was pulled before the second series because of concerns for horse welfare…some argued it could have been an advocate for horse welfare and should continue…others argued it was part of the problem….

        however that aside , if you can put it aside….. watching a great horse run and clean up the field is wonderful…can recommend that series

        • Skinny 8.1.2.1
          1 March 2015 at 3:43 pm

          Horses are part of mans heritage, if it all turns pear shaped the majestic horse will be there along with the loyal dog.

          A friend our mine who I helped in a small advisory role to plot a path to win an Auckland, and then the following years Melbourne Cup with a mare called Jezabeel. He spent time in the States, learning a few technics from legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Sounds a lot cleaner here drug and corruption wise.

          The racing industry employs over 20,000 people, and unlike SkyCity casino the money gets spread around here, rather than transferred straight to Australia.

          • Chooky 8.1.2.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 4:27 pm

            yes agree…horse racing generally good clean fun ….but casinos spread the crime and gambling problems

    • Chooky 8.2
      1 March 2015 at 2:45 pm

      +100…thanks for that link…

  9. phillip ure 9
    1 March 2015 at 9:16 am

    key is giving a skin-crawling performance on q & a..

    ..trying to justify his spear-carrying for the americans..

    • phillip ure 9.1
      1 March 2015 at 9:36 am

      and w.t.f. is the news/tele-prompter reader doing hosting q & a..?

      ..as expected..without that tele-prompter – he is fucken hapless/hopeless/way out of his depth….

      ..was he really the best they could find..?

      • phillip ure 9.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 9:43 am

        and now the tailors’ dummy is trying to do an interview…

        .he really should stick to his strengths..

        ..and go back to doing traffic-reports..

        • rawshark-yeshe 9.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 9:52 am

          PU .. not as skin-crawling as Mike Sabin on TV3’s excellent Re-Think. I guess it must be a replay, but TV3 really can do better.

          ( Saw it as I flicked on to see if Nation was on yet … Sabin sickens me.)

        • phillip ure 9.1.1.2
          1 March 2015 at 9:54 am

          peters is doing well..

          ..has just increased his chances for winning by a marked degree..

    • Skinny 9.2
      1 March 2015 at 9:55 am

      Key got a soft run by Corin Dan coached into answering patsy questions. Meanwhile Peters gets a much harder time but holds his own, managing to shake his hangover.

      And Goff is making a meal of it with silly clichés. I would far rather have heard Little fronting, oh well better than a Goff & Shearer combo.

      • phillip ure 9.2.1
        1 March 2015 at 10:02 am

        aye..!

        ..little should have been there..

        ..goffs’ hands are too blood-stained..

        ..apart from anything else..

      • phillip ure 9.2.2
        1 March 2015 at 10:32 am

        also interesting to hear the almost unanimous view..

        ..that labour should pull out..

        ..and give peters his free run..

      • Anne 9.2.3
        1 March 2015 at 10:51 am

        Key got a soft run by Corin Dan coached into answering patsy questions.

        You might be right there, I wouldn’t know. His emasculation of the English language grates on me so much I have to turn the TV off.

        But I don’t agree about Phil Goff. I think he did a good job rubbishing the Key govt’s stance on ISIS, and then listing the alternative options that would make a real difference in the Middle East. He also showed Key up for the liar he is when it came to Labour’s record on the former Iraq/Afghanistan incursions.

        But why do they use these useless so-called political scientists? Dr Jennifer (whatever her surname is) came across as an ignoramus – especially about Peter’s Northland background. She needs to swot up on her NZ political history. The only one who is any good is Dr. Jon Johannsen who seems to have transferred to The Nation.

  10. Colonial Rawshark 10
    1 March 2015 at 9:19 am

    115 Russian media outlets banned by Ukranian Kiev authorities; Al Jazeera team removed from country, dozens of journalists stopped from entry into Ukraine

    It’s almost like these US allies don’t believe in press freedom.

    • adam 10.1
      1 March 2015 at 10:57 am

      Colonial Rawshark, that generally is the sign something very bad is about to be going down.

    • Chooky 10.2
      1 March 2015 at 2:52 pm

      +100…disgraceful treatment of journalists!

    • TheContrarian 10.3
      1 March 2015 at 3:47 pm

      You know that Russia also has a terrible record in press freedom, right?

      • Colonial Rawshark 10.3.1
        1 March 2015 at 5:17 pm

        Yes, but they’ve come along way in the last 30 years 😛

        Whereas the USA has been sliding backwards all that time 😈

        • TheContrarian 10.3.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 7:40 pm

          “Yes, but they’ve come along way in the last 30 years”

          Ok, but you do know Russia still has a terrible, and worsening record in press freedom, right?

          • Colonial Viper 10.3.1.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 8:35 pm

            Yeah, its still pretty bad…

            • TheContrarian 10.3.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 9:27 pm

              and getting worse

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                1 March 2015 at 11:21 pm

                Possibly. But you can also get CNN, BBC and Fox News in Russia. Russians can see John McCain visiting Kiev, or Cameron promising to send soldiers to the Ukraine like anyone else can.

                And the more the west villifies Putin and Russia in general, the more the west brings its military forces to the Russian door step, the more the west tries to hurt the Russian economy, the more nationalistic Russians are going to get, and the more they will support Putin. Whose popularity ratings are as high as they have ever been.

  11. Once was Tim 11
    1 March 2015 at 9:36 am

    http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-could-learn-some-lessons-from-john-key-20150228-13rilf.html

    What sort of rose tinted glasses was James Massola wearing I wonder during his parachute visit. Please James, start a campaign to import the great oikonic Jonkey to your shores!

  12. Morrissey 12
    1 March 2015 at 10:16 am

    Cerie Bullivant of CAGE walks off after yet
    another television hack acts like a Soviet-style prosecutor

    It would be difficult to point to any spectacle more disgusting than the British establishment in one of its periodical fits of morality. Unfortunately, anyone who “consumes” the mass media is subjected to an unceasing flow of this “morality” day in and day out, week after week, month after month.

    In the last few years, British politicians and their assiduous media parrots have enthusiastically expressed support for killers like Chris Kyle (R.I.P.), Prince Harry, AKA “The Big H” and Mohammed Emwazi, AKA “Jihadi John”.

    Recently, however, things have changed. The support for The Big H and the American Sniper has continued, but the verbal support for Jihadi John has not; the sudden shift occurred after he and his comrades-in-arms progressed from killing Syrian untermenschen to killing Britons, Japanese and Americans. Some of the most choleric responses have come from those moral paragons at British Sky Broadcasting….

    KAY BURLEY: Let me ask you straight off the bat: What level of harassment by the security services here in the United Kingdom justifies beheadings?

    CERIE BULLIVANT: It’s not about justifying anything. Nobody here is apologizing or trying to make an excuse for what happened. We’re talking about the causes of it. For years now in the British discourse on this issue, we’ve failed to look at the causes of radicalization in an honest manner. The conveyor belt theory that’s been pushed time and time again has been proven, academically speaking, incorrect. It has no empirical evidence, yet every single time one of these horrific attacks happens, the people who perpetrate it quote foreign policy as the key pusher. They quote harassment in domestic policy as factors. And we keep ignoring that, and it’s not about justifying it, it’s about looking at the causes of it so that we can make everybody safer here and abroad.

    KAY BURLEY: How do you feel about the beheading?

    CERIE BULLIVANT: I, I’m—to be frank, I’m appalled that you would ask me that question. Muslims are human beings as well—

    KAY BURLEY: Don’t be, don’t be appalled. Just answer the question if you would please, sir.

    CERIE BULLIVANT: I, I am. Muslims are human beings as well. We are shocked when we see beheadings, we are shocked when we see barrel bombs. We shouldn’t have to justify our humanity by saying that I am shocked by something as brutal as this. I campaigned both publicly and behind the scenes for the release of Alan Henning, so your question is inherently Islamophopic and racist.

    KAY BURLEY: Nonsense! Get over yourself! Who’s responsible for these beheadings?

    CERIE BULLIVANT: The man who cut off their heads, and, if you take that back a step, the people who potentially helped in his radicalization—in this case, the security services.

    KAY BURLEY: So you feel that the security services here in the United Kingdom are in some way or in some part responsible for the beheadings now being carried out by Jihadi John and others?

    CERIE BULLIVANT: Everybody has agency for their own actions, and everybody, regardless of where they are and who they are, should be held accountable by the law, by due process, for any sort of torture that they do and any sort of killings without due process that they take. That is a blanket statement for all people in all times.

    KAY BURLEY: So are you saying that the security services are in some way responsible for these beheadings, was my question.

    CERIE BULLIVANT: What I said is that we have to look at all of the history of all these things as well. If you try and take these issues in a vacuum, then you’re not going to be able to analyze how they happened and try to get to some sort of understanding of how to stop them happening again.

    KAY BURLEY: Okay, so do you feel that in some way the security services are in some way from the United Kingdom are responsible for the beheadings carried out by Jihadi John?

    CERIE BULLIVANT: I feel—I’ll give you the answer that you’ve asked me three times, I feel that the security services have, time and again, harassed people and pushed them and that has played a part in the radicalization of this man. Now he is responsible for his own actions; they are partly responsible for putting him in that position.

    KAY BURLEY: Do you condemn his actions?

    CERIE BULLIVANT: I’ve already said— I’m sorry, I’m not answering that question. It’s a ridiculous question. I’ve already gone through this, and dealt with it.

    Removes earpiece, and exits stage left. Cut to Kay Burley in studio, silent, smirking…..

    KAY BURLEY: [chirpily] Joining us now from Central London is Shiraz M—

    END OF TRANSCRIPT

    • Paul 12.1
      1 March 2015 at 10:44 am

      Disgraceful interview.
      It was SKY news, Murdoch’s propaganda mouthpiece.

      • Morrissey 12.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 10:56 am

        The BBC is equally bad. Remember the ambush and persecution of George Galloway last month…

        • Paul 12.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 11:05 am

          Galloway, a rare voice of sanity and alternative thinking in the UK, where the largest 4 parties all lie in thrall to crony capitalism and are owned by multinationals and the banks.
          The Labour Party in the UK can’t even put up a candidate to oppose him in Bradford.

    • te reo putake 12.2
      1 March 2015 at 12:13 pm

      Cheers, Moz, a great transcript! Having done a few, I know what a grind they are to get accurate* George Galloway attended the anti-fascist rally in Newcastle overnight, though I haven’t spotted a report of what he said yet.

      *A small point, it’s usual to reduce the names to initials after the first use (ie KB and CB). Saves a lot of typing time.

      • Morrissey 12.2.1
        1 March 2015 at 3:19 pm

        Cheers, Moz, a great transcript! Having done a few, I know what a grind they are to get accurate.

        Thanks very much, Te Reo.

        A small point, it’s usual to reduce the names to initials after the first use (ie KB and CB).

        Oh yes—the ol’ Playboy Interview convention. The only part of the magazine I used to read.

        Saves a lot of typing time.

        I just cut and paste the names, together with the HTML mark-up conventions, so time and effort is not a problem in this case. However, I have wondered about the look of it, and whether initials might be better. In this case, one name is considerably longer than the other, so it’s clearer and easier to differentiate on the page. That’s why I left it like that this time.

  13. Penny Bright 13
    1 March 2015 at 10:35 am

    Hi folks!

    Just a wee reminder that you have until 4pm tomorrow, Monday 2 March 2015, to make a submission to the Local Government Commission (LGC), on the Draft Wellington Reorganisation Proposal.

    (Wellington ‘Supercity’).

    You don’t have to reside in the Greater Wellington Region in order to make a submission on this ‘Draft’ proposal

    So this is a golden opportunity for people in the Auckland region, who are the only ones to have actually experienced a (forced) ‘Supercity’ amalgamation – to ‘have a say’ on how it’s been working for YOU?

    You can email submissions to:

    submissions@lgc.govt.nz

    I strongly recommend you SEIZE THE MOMENT while you still have the chance!

    Be good to share this information if you can to anyone else you know who might be interested?

    Kind regards

    Penny Bright

  14. Once was Tim 14
    1 March 2015 at 10:36 am

    …… and as I listen to RNZ Sunday – the Panel discussion “Troops to Iraq” …. Do I think NZDF ‘top brass’ or Natzi aligned pollies will ‘listen’ (and gain some ‘learnings’).
    Shit.Uphill.Push me thinks.
    I imagine the podcast will be ready soon. They can of course then reflect, but their guts will already have been spread far and wide (or rather the GUTS of others)

    • Once was Tim 14.1
      1 March 2015 at 10:39 am

      ekshully, I’ll have to suspend their discussion – Dateline London is on so I’ll come back to them. Seems to me tho’ it’d have been nice if the discussion had occurred (and listened to) before JK’s decision to commit

  15. jenny kirk 15
    1 March 2015 at 10:48 am

    Can anyone give an answer (speculative, of course) as to why TV3 repeated on this morning’s television its Re-Think programme from last year which had Mike Sabin as part of the panel discussing sexual assault ? Why did TV3 repeat this ? Why didn’t they pull it out of the series – given what is generally known/speculated about him ? Were they doing this deliberately to remind people about him – given there is a by-election happening now, in the north ? ? ? I just can’t figure it out !

    • One Anonymous Bloke 15.1
      1 March 2015 at 11:00 am

      …and why did National send him to take part in the first place? A simple misunderstanding? A sort of authoritarian sadist in-joke?

      • jenny kirk 15.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 11:34 am

        Yeah – hadn’t thought about that aspect OAB. Maybe he had the invite to go on, and didn’t tell anyone in the Nat Govt.

  16. Paul 16
    1 March 2015 at 10:51 am

    Excellent article from. Paul Little in the Herald today.
    An excerpt

    “The announcement that we will send whatever it is we are sending came with some of the worst histrionics we have seen from a Prime Minister, as John Key found his inner Wolf of Wall St and sent froth across the floor of the house in Andrew Little’s general direction.
    “….. We are all well advised to get some guts. Guts are good things to have. It would take guts, for instance, to stand up to pressure from the United States and do what is right instead of what is expedient.
    But then we would risk losing membership of that wonderful club, which Key earlier and accurately described as the reason we had to do this.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11409780

    • whateva next? 16.1
      1 March 2015 at 2:16 pm

      Said it last few years, we are being run by a golf club, not a government

    • Chooky 16.2
      1 March 2015 at 4:30 pm

      Key didnt have the guts to put it to a democratic vote in New Zealand parliament…and the USA didn’t have to guts to put it before a democratic vote at the United Nations

      so what we have is an illegal intervention – Chomsky:

      “And to solve the mess, the US again decided to act against the international law, building an anti-ISIS coalition that is “meaningless, apart from being illegal.”

      “A law-abiding state would go to the Security Council, ask for a declaration by the Security Council of a threat to peace, and request the Security Council to organize direct response to it. And that could be done. The US could then participate in it, but so could Iran,” which is a major military force and would probably wipe out ISIS in no time, if it was allowed to join the fight on the ground, Chomsky believes”….

      http://rt.com/news/203055-us-russia-war-chomsky/

  17. Morrissey 17
    1 March 2015 at 10:54 am

    Another chilling, depraved moment from American television, 2012

    Hard to work out who is most disgusting here: the psychopath being interviewed, the crawling, simpering host, or the braying audience….

    “American Sniper” Chris Kyle Interview – CONAN on TBS

  18. Pete George 18
    1 March 2015 at 11:33 am

    On RadioLive this morning Bill Ralston talked about a rumour that ISIS have “a Kiwi journalist in their hands”.

    If true that will ramp up both sides of the deployment argument.

    Transcript: Do ISIS have a Kiwi journalist hostage?

    • mickysavage 18.1
      1 March 2015 at 11:35 am

      How about you come up with some proof before posting this sort of allegation. Ralston is the last person that I would believe with this sort of claim.

      • weka 18.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 11:44 am

        the donotlink http://www.donotlink.com/framed?648614

        Ralston and Sainsbury are sick speculating on such an unsubstantiated rumour (Ralston has been ‘hearing’ for weeks). It looks like straight out propaganda for NACT to try and get people to support the war.

        PG is also sick for linkwhoring this. Not really a surprise that he takes part in the rumourmongering (given his DP apologism) instead of having a political analysis of what Ralston is doing.

        • joe90 18.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 12:09 pm

          While we’re speculating, this too from the sewer –

          .

          Paul G. Buchanan (315 comments) says:

          February 28th, 2015 at 8:09 pm

          SPC. As a sidebar: You may have noticed Mr. Key backtracking today on The Nation on the issue of the SAS. Last week he told Duncan Gardner on air that not a single SAS soldier was overseas and certainly not in Iraq. That, of course, is nonsense since at any given time there are SAS personnel detached as liaisons to allied special forces units and they regularly train abroad. At the end of the Nation interview with Patrick Gower today he said that his advice was there might be a few in the theatre but not as a group, and the press needed to check with NZDF Chief on the specifics. So much for the “zero deployed” claim.
          There are credible reports that SAS personnel are in theatre conducting operations even if not based in Iraq, and that they have been doing so for a few months. That should be unsurprising given that is what they train for and need to keep their live fire skills honed at all times, to say nothing of the fact that they work closely with the UK, Australian and Canadian SAS forces who are now deployed in search and destroy and air strike targeting missions against IS assets. That makes all the more remarkable Mr. Key’s dishonest claims about them. Perhaps he thinks that if he does not admit their involvement IS will believe that it is not at war with NZ because the latter is only in a training and support role. Yeah right.

          http://www.donotlink.com/framed?648626

          (scroll down, donotlink doesn’t display single comments)

        • Paul G. Buchanan 18.1.1.2
          2 March 2015 at 10:15 am

          I agree Weka. Shame on Ralston for introducing the rumour into the public domain and shame on PG for repeating and linking to it. The rumour has circulated amongst media circles for a while and apparently does not involve a journalist. The government asked the media to keep silent less they further risk the life of the purported hostage, whose nationality may or may not be known to the captors.

          If the rumours are true, then that is the only, yet very valid reason why the government has been so misleading and obtuse about deploying NZDF personnel in Iraq and the nature of their role there, especially if it is/was exploring back channels to secure the person’s release. But so far we do not know the true story.

          On this one I support total media and government silence until the facts are confirmed, and my comment here is simply a reminder of what is at stake for those otherwise inclined to engage in unconfirmed speculation without regard for consequences.

          • weka 18.1.1.2.1
            2 March 2015 at 1:20 pm

            Thank-you Paul, I agree that’s very important. Hard to know what can happen now given what Ralston has done.

            If the rumours are true, then that is the only, yet very valid reason why the government has been so misleading and obtuse about deploying NZDF personnel in Iraq and the nature of their role there, especially if it is/was exploring back channels to secure the person’s release. But so far we do not know the true story.

            Meaning, they want to send troops anyway but are being cagey about details because of a mission that should be secret? I take it you don’t mean that if it weren’t for the mission they wouldn’t send anyone.

            • Paul G. Buchanan 18.1.1.2.1.1
              2 March 2015 at 1:42 pm

              Weka:

              I think that the mission was determined quite a while ago, at least since the meeting of coalition defence chiefs outside of Washington in mid October. The government was going to obfuscate anyway, but if indeed a kiwi hostage has been taken then it gives the government legitimate reason not to talk abut the inevitable deployment until negotiations had proven successful or not (assuming that negotiations were in fact undertaken directly or using third parties). As things stand now it appears the government’s hand has been forced for whatever reason, which does not auger well for the person involved if in fact s/he is being held captive.

              I shall now refrain from further comment on the issue.

      • Pete George 18.1.2
        1 March 2015 at 11:54 am

        There’s all sorts of rumours talked about, for example Mike Sabin. Would you never mention a rumour that you thought was of public interest?

        • marty mars 18.1.2.1
          1 March 2015 at 12:33 pm

          I heard that you just spread rumors for your gnat mates because you want an appointment.

          • weka 18.1.2.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 3:06 pm

            I’ve been hearing that for weeks, we should take this very seriously.

            • marty mars 18.1.2.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 3:47 pm

              yep I heard that they just about had one ready to go and he was in – but then he did something which put them off – something he had posted that upset someone important.

        • weka 18.1.2.2
          1 March 2015 at 3:10 pm

          The rumours about Mike Sabin are commentable upon because (a) there are documented issues with Sabin that partially match the rumours, and (b) multiple sources have reported the rumours from where Sabin lives i.e. it’s people who know him who are talking about this (NZ a small place and all that).

          Then there’s the huge political differences.

          It surprises me not in the least that you can’t tell the difference between that and what Ralston is doing. You really are clueless when it comes to understanding evidence and meaning.

        • mickysavage 18.1.2.3
          1 March 2015 at 3:13 pm

          My first criterion is to require there to be the possibility that it is true. And no I don’t normally spread rumours unless I have reason to believe they are true.

        • Tracey 18.1.2.4
          2 March 2015 at 2:21 pm

          Only last week you were admonishing people here for posting stuff without evidence, now you seem to be saying if all you have is rumour but you think it is in the public interest, spread it?

    • tricledrown 18.2
      1 March 2015 at 1:45 pm

      Our Media are hostages of the right wing military machine.
      And Pete you are a hostage of Narcism.

    • sabine 18.3
      1 March 2015 at 3:05 pm

      Are you getting exited about the idea that a Journalist from NZ might be beheaded or burned or other wise killed?

      I have the feeling that secretly all the stenographers in NZ including the wannabe stenographers could not wish for something more arousing.
      My the hours of TV gushing….they could milk it for hours. Of course they would feel all very very sorry.

      Pathetic bunch these beige grey shades of human beings.

    • Morrissey 18.4
      1 March 2015 at 3:20 pm

      ISIS have “a Kiwi journalist in their hands”.

      I’d laugh if it was Paul Henry.

      • Colonial Rawshark 18.4.1
        2 March 2015 at 1:49 pm

        I think the guy probably deserves 48 hours in stocks in a town square with rotten fruit and household refuse thrown at him. Hell, he could do it as a fundraiser for needy Kiwi kids. Beheading, not so much.

        • Clemgeopin 18.4.1.1
          2 March 2015 at 5:28 pm

          “household refuse thrown at him”

          That happened to John Banks last year. Poor bugger. Take a look!

          The issue was that Bracanov believed he was not guilty of the assault because he thought Banks deserved to have manure thrown over him.

          He said he would do it again and said the judge was “not human” for finding him guilty.

          During the trial the judge watched a recording of a police interview with Bracanov where he explained how he hid behind a car, waiting to throw the manure over Banks outside the High Court in Auckland on May 19 last year.

          The 79-year-old said he got the manure from a paddock at Mangere Bridge in South Auckland, and watered it down.

          Bracanov said he believed Banks owed him $8,000 because he was fined $10,000 in 1992 for throwing manure on a visiting royal Rolls Royce but should have only been fined $2,000. Banks was police minister at the time.

          Five years later Bracanov had another run in with Mr Banks, this time on radio. He says, as a talkback radio host, the politician hung up on Bracanov while he was expressing his anti-royalist views.

          “I was criticising the royals and he cut me off. That’s no good.”

          Braconov now promises his days of manure-throwing are over.

          “I’m done. That’s it, no more.”

          “I’ve been waiting 22 years for revenge. And I’ve done it,” he said.

          Bracanov came to court in his slippers and before the trial began, clearly restated his not guilty plea on the charge of common assault.

          The judge reminded Bracanov he could appeal the decision.

          See video of horse poo, two reports and some pictures here:

          VIDEO OF MANURE THROWING HERE : (Short, 34 Sec )

          Reports and pictures here:

          [1] http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/66825187/castislav-sam-bracanov-fined-400-for-throwing-horse-poo-on-john-banks

          [2] http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/manure-thrower-guilty-of-assault-2015030214#axzz3TCHQqm22

          • Colonial Rawshark 18.4.1.1.1
            2 March 2015 at 5:33 pm

            !!!!!

            Cheers for that, lol!

            • Clemgeopin 18.4.1.1.1.1
              2 March 2015 at 10:31 pm

              Looking at that video, I felt I was kind of getting a faint whiff of that horse poo. Not kidding! Try it and smell it yourself!

              Did you have a similar experience?

              I wonder if he still uses that expensive suit of his or has given it away to some poor homeless soul or even perhaps to the old Sam Bracanov himself!

              I would, like the Bishop’s candle sticks in Les Misérables.

  19. logie97 19
    1 March 2015 at 11:44 am

    Just an observation.

    The National candidate for Northland.
    A public servant.
    I thought the public service was supposed to be apolitical.
    Public servants have to seek approval from their executive in Wellington
    if they are anyway involved in local politics. Usually asked to vacate their
    positions. Not so apparently with this one. But then that’s the Nats, isn’t it.
    Apparently been aligned to the Party for years.

    • Skinny 19.1
      1 March 2015 at 1:55 pm

      Looks like the Nat’s went for small town business over farmers, probably assuming their vote is a given. Expect Peters to exsploit the crap out of the forgotten farmers in hock to Aussie banks, broken dusty roads clogged with logging trucks.

      Another interesting thing is the executives who knew about Sabin and put him up again last year, obviously still hold the power base by choosing a party man elector and close neighbor of Sabin’s.

      m.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11409684

      • Tracey 19.1.1
        2 March 2015 at 2:27 pm

        Was your famrer tip not backed by Lush and Slater?

        • Skinny 19.1.1.1
          2 March 2015 at 2:39 pm

          I won’t know I do not read anything they spin. However it did go to a fourth vote. I
          posted stuff about on open mike today.

    • joe90 19.2
      1 March 2015 at 2:11 pm

      Has Mr Osborne used North District Council resources to further his political career?.

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10035790/TVNZ-resources-used-in-campaigning

    • whateva next? 19.3
      1 March 2015 at 2:15 pm

      same with media? Paul Henry?

    • te reo putake 19.4
      1 March 2015 at 2:45 pm

      “Public servants have to seek approval from their executive in Wellington
      if they are anyway involved in local politics. Usually asked to vacate their
      positions. Not so apparently with this one.”

      Mark Osborne works for the Far North council, not the civil service. He has stepped down with immediate effect from that job according to the Northern Advocate. Though presumably he’ll return if (when?) he loses.

      On a related matter, I’m looking forward to reading the posts and comments on KB and WO saying Osborne has no mandate because he only won the nomination by a couple of votes. Because that’s what they said about Andrew Little and we know they’re nothing if not consistent down in the sewer.

      • Pete George 19.4.1
        1 March 2015 at 3:57 pm

        On a related matter, I’m looking forward to reading the posts and comments on KB and WO saying Osborne has no mandate because he only won the nomination by a couple of votes.

        How does that compare to how Willow-Jean Prime was selected? Winston?

        The final selection (and mandate) for electorate candidates is made by the voters.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 19.4.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 4:05 pm

          *whoosh*

          Dirty Racist doesn’t want to say anything to upset his mentors.

        • Tracey 19.4.1.2
          2 March 2015 at 2:29 pm

          How do Willow and peters relate to the attacks made on how little was selected which was raised by TRP and which you quoted back, without addressing and twisted to your own end?

      • Skinny 19.4.2
        1 March 2015 at 4:05 pm

        Well its hardly likely he will be losing and returning to the council with the ‘old first past the post’ Labour Party campaign going on. And Labour can not be critical of him abandoning the people who voted for him to council. Well not when you consider Prime uses the stone jumping tactic ‘except in her first term on council’.

        • te reo putake 19.4.2.1
          1 March 2015 at 4:25 pm

          He’s not on the council, Skinny, he works for the council. Asset manager, as I recall.

          And, technically, it’s NZF that are treating it as FPP by coming in late when a credible candidate had already been announced. And don’t get me started on electorates and FPP anyway! They are FPP elections. Even in the general elections, where MMP simply added 50 list seats to 60 FPP seats.

          Any racing tips for this arvo? Popping down the local for pool practice shortly. Might be tempted to have a flutter 😉

          • Skinny 19.4.2.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 6:23 pm

            It doesn’t really matter Peters will now attack both of them and take votes of the pair of them. He may stand a better chance of winning, nah the last thing he would want is having to do some work in an electorate, far too cushy being a list MP, tho too be fair he is leader.

            I was told Duquesa has been set for the Auckland Cup (mid week) for some time and will appreciate the firm track, opposed to others that will be feeling the summer tracks. Its mother won a Melbourne Cup so has a blue blood pedigree. I would be concerned about the monkeys on top who are guilty of adopting stop start tactics, something you wouldn’t get away with in Hong Kong
            or England. Anyway it was given ‘just a run’ yesterday which should negate getting on the bit if those tatics are employed. It is a handicap and comes in low in the weights. The female jockey’s father Pete Johnson had a great record in the race and in racing history often repeats. An early bet @ fixed odds of $20 to win & $5 place it is worth a bob each way, you won’t get these lucrative odds race day. Pay to scope the weather forecast, would not want a rain effected track.

            • te reo putake 19.4.2.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 6:40 pm

              Cheers, Skinny, I’ll have a punt on Duquesa. Got a decent return on the English footy overnight, so I’ll invest the winnings and see what happens.

    • Lindsey 19.5
      1 March 2015 at 3:17 pm

      Public servants are allowed to stand for political office. I was a Labour list candidate in 1999 and at the time I was working for what was the Employment Tribunal. I was required to take lave for thecampaign period. You don’t lose your political rights when you work for the Government.

      • logie97 19.5.1
        1 March 2015 at 9:51 pm

        Somewhat confirms my point. I guess that the Nats can no longer cry that the public service is full of Lefties though…

        • McFlock 19.5.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 10:01 pm

          Hell, you only ever needed to look to treasury for that 🙂

          They’ve never let facts get in the way of a good myth, though.

  20. Philip Ferguson 20
    1 March 2015 at 11:55 am

    No to NZ intervention in Iraq (our rulers are part of the problem not part of the solution):
    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/no-to-all-western-military-intervention-in-the-middle-east/

    Phil

  21. Philip Ferguson 21
    1 March 2015 at 11:57 am

    Haven’t the western powers already caused enough destruction there?

    No to NZ intervention in Iraq (our rulers are part of the problem not part of the solution):
    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/no-to-all-western-military-intervention-in-the-middle-east/

    Phil

  22. risildowgtn 22
    1 March 2015 at 12:53 pm

    https://www.facebook.com/events/398918773622627

    Tonight 7pm @ keys dwelling….

    • Skinny 22.1
      1 March 2015 at 2:18 pm

      I think Key would like a bit of Sunday jazz/brass take a bugle, and play a loud rendition of The Last Post. 🙂

  23. Draco T Bastard 23
    1 March 2015 at 1:26 pm

    The Crises Are Urgent, So Let’s Slow Down

    The pace that has become second nature to us places little value on the slow time of transferring ancestral knowledge and wisdom that are actually key to our transition into a just and sustainable society. In this haste, many of the lessons from those who’ve come before us and those who continue to live by the planet’s natural cycles are intentionally disappeared.

    5000 years of recorded history tells us that capital (money, land, means of production) accumulation by the few results in the collapse of society and yet we keep doing it. Would we keep doing so if that knowledge hadn’t been lost?

    • Colonial Rawshark 23.1
      1 March 2015 at 2:25 pm

      More than “lost”, it seems to me that alternative ways of life and living have been systematically destroyed by the capitalist/oligarchic juggernaut.

  24. Draco T Bastard 24
    1 March 2015 at 1:30 pm

    And, for amusement value, this:

    One of Chancellor George Osborne’s senior advisers on economic policy has been captured on video smoking crack cocaine in a drugs den.

    And now you know that the UK’s financial policies are truly out there.

    • halfcrown 24.1
      1 March 2015 at 4:38 pm

      “One of Chancellor George Osborne’s senior advisers on economic policy has been captured on video smoking crack cocaine in a drugs den.”

      Ha nice one.

      My wifes favourite saying when one of these economic prats start to prattle their pet economic theorems, is, “crap he must be on something”

      There is a saying somewhere about , “many a true word or something.

    • Murray Rawshark 24.2
      1 March 2015 at 7:08 pm

      Cocaine is the drug of choice among Sydney executives and banksters. Quite a lot is consumed at business lunches and dinners. When Kiwis who partake return home, P might be the best they can get. Both drugs can cause drastic weight loss, so that those involved can easily end up looking like Mike Hoskings.

  25. McFlock 25
    1 March 2015 at 2:51 pm

    lol
    between pete and ure (I should have known it wasn’t just dope), it’s been a pretty funny day on open mike

    • phillip ure 25.1
      1 March 2015 at 6:44 pm

      and how many brains cells have you killed with booze..?

      ..the ‘healthy-drug’..eh..?

      ..heh..!

      • McFlock 25.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 7:57 pm

        Few enough that I can still write a coherent sentence.

        • phillip ure 25.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 8:18 pm

          that’s clearly debatable..

          ..especially if quality of composition is factored in..

          ..i have noticed u r quite au fait with simplistic-slogans/cliches..tho’..

          ..so well done! with that..!

          • McFlock 25.1.1.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 8:41 pm

            You’re critiquing someone else on their clarity of prose?

            ..wow.. eh..

            • phillip ure 25.1.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 11:50 pm

              care to link us to something original u have ever done/said on here..?

              ..and u r so fucken whiney…

              • McFlock …
                2 March 2015 at 12:52 pm

                You’re accusing me of plagiarism? Easy enough to prove: take a comment of mine and compare it with the source you think I stole it from.

                • phillip ure …
                  2 March 2015 at 1:07 pm

                  hah..!..i am just noting you have never ever said anything of the slightest import/interest/amusement..

                  ..you just snipe and whine…

                  • McFlock …
                    2 March 2015 at 1:34 pm

                    But “amusing you” is not the same as “originality”, is it?

                    Using the words that have the dictionary definitions of the meaning you intend to communicate is an essential element of a comment’s clarity. Assuming you didn’t just shift the goalposts to back away from an unfounded accusation of plagiarism, of course.

  26. rhinocrates 26
    1 March 2015 at 3:04 pm

    Reasons not to wrestle with a pig:

    1. You are forced to assume undignified positions.

    2. You get covered in mud.

    3. You’re left with the suspicion that the pig enjoyed it.

    4. Nobody cares.

    According to the DSM 5, Narcissistic Personality Disorder is characterised by:

    A. Significant impairments in personality functioning manifested by:

    1. Impairments in self functioning (a or b):

    a. Identity: Excessive reference to others for self-definition and self-esteem regulation; exaggerated self-appraisal may be inflated or deflated, or vacillate between extremes; emotional regulation mirrors fluctuations in self-esteem.

    b. Self-direction: Goal-setting is based on gaining approval from others; personal standards are unreasonably high in order to see oneself as exceptional, or too low based on a sense of entitlement; often unaware of own motivations.

    AND

    2. Impairments in interpersonal functioning (a or b):

    a. Empathy: Impaired ability to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others; excessively attuned to reactions of others, but only if perceived as relevant to self; over- or underestimate of own effect on others.

    b. Intimacy: Relationships largely superficial and exist to serve self-esteem regulation; mutuality constrained by little genuine interest in others’ experiences and predominance of a need for personal gain

    B. Pathological personality traits in the following domain:

    Antagonism, characterized by:

    A. Grandiosity: Feelings of entitlement, either overt or covert; self-centeredness; firmly holding to the belief that one is better than others; condescending toward others.

    B. Attention seeking: Excessive attempts to attract and be the focus of the attention of others; admiration seeking.

    C. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are relatively stable across time and consistent across situations.

    D. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not better understood as normative for the individual’s developmental stage or socio-cultural environment.

    E. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head trauma).

    Would people please ignore PG? His behaviour is pathological, he never argues sincerely or in good faith but compulsively. It’s purely about point scoring for him and every response is a point for him, so it’s just shadow boxing – or wrestling with a pig.

    Also it is tedious and to read and trivialises genuinely important topics (except when interesting facts about marine biology pop up).

    You’re only feeding his illness, he is irrelevant and therefore there is no purpose or anything to gain. For your own mental well-being, surely you have something better to do?

    • weka 26.1
      1 March 2015 at 3:14 pm

      Ignoring only works if most or all people do it. At the same time.

      I like the pig metaphor though.

      • rhinocrates 26.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 3:18 pm

        True :/

        So how do you feel about Vampyroteuthis infernalis then?

        • weka 26.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 6:13 pm

          I think he’s an arch trole and we are stuck with him until he fucks up or does one of the moderators’ head in. Lynn has been pretty clear that PG is getting leeway because of the need to not moderate out of dislike, and because of the way people gang up on Pete (I think I got that last bit right). Ironic eh?

          • Sacha 26.1.1.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 7:37 pm

            You did get that last bit right. Strange logic but there you go.

            • weka 26.1.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 7:42 pm

              It’s one of the few aspects of Lynn’s moderation style that I fundamentally disagree with. (If you put a trole in a room full of people, very limited moderation, and dnftt doesn’t work, what else is going to happen but people do whatever they can to manage the situation? That doesn’t make them a mob).

              • Sacha …
                1 March 2015 at 7:52 pm

                Yes. Sometimes many people can be right at once. Seen same problem on the rare occasions badly-motivated commenters infest Public Address, but at least some learning is going on. PG didn’t last long.

    • marty mars 26.2
      1 March 2015 at 3:41 pm

      I don’t think you can say he has an illness

      didn’t we have to scroll pages and pages with you and mcflock?

      petes lies are building so high and unstable that they fall over themselves, not just in laughter but because of their internal inconsistencies and that is good

      there are plenty of people I scroll past – it is a very very easy thing to do, like really easy

      • greywarshark 26.2.1
        1 March 2015 at 5:17 pm

        Pete blah Pete blah …. I think the comments below here are a Pete-free zone. Funny I have heard no report of a Pete bug entering the country and eating up suceptible juicy blogs. This one must have got in under the radar.

      • weka 26.2.2
        1 March 2015 at 6:11 pm

        “I don’t think you can say he has an illness”

        I scrolled past the psychicatric diagnosing in Rhinocrates’ comment. Not only is there absolutely no way to know if PG or anyone here has a particular mental health diagnosis (short of self-disclosure), but talking about the problems PG causes in mental health terms just stigmatises people dealing with mental health issues.

    • Hateatea 26.3
      1 March 2015 at 7:52 pm

      REALLY like the pig metaphor and the rest made interesting reading too. Fits someone I know to a ‘t’.

    • The lost sheep 26.4
      2 March 2015 at 8:35 am

      “You’re only feeding his illness, he is irrelevant and therefore there is no purpose or anything to gain. For your own mental well-being, surely you have something better to do?”

      Who is feeding whose illness Rhinocrates?
      It looks to be an absolute textbook case of mutual dependence to me. Everybody involved is fulfilling some personal need.

      Mental health? Whew. Like LPrent hath proclaimed, everyone is a bit nuts here.
      The more time you spend here the more nuts you are IMO!

  27. phillip ure 27
    1 March 2015 at 3:25 pm

    “..Is the Government About to Warn America Against Meat?..

    ..But this year – for the first time –

    – the committee might caution against over-consumption of all kinds of meat —

    – and not just for health reasons –

    – but also because of meat’s environmental footprint..”

    (cont..)

    http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/02/salt-sugar-chicken-what-look-upcoming-dietary-guidelines-report

    • weka 27.1
      1 March 2015 at 6:07 pm

      I bet that is based on US research where cattle are kept in feedlots and raised on grain. Hardly a model of sustainability. Neither is switching to Monsanto-fied mono culture soy and wheat based diet.

      • phillip ure 27.1.1
        1 March 2015 at 6:35 pm

        yr obsessive focus on that one aspect of this issue..

        ..and yr subsequent dismissal of this whole issue..

        ..based on that one aspect..

        ..displays nothing more than a mono-mind..

        • weka 27.1.1.1
          1 March 2015 at 7:12 pm

          Still can’t argue the facts eh phil?

          Of course how animals are raised affects the carbon footprint. It also affects the health of the people eating the meat, as does other things they eat and do. This is why some cultures that eat large amounts of meat in traditional forms have healthy outcomes.

          There, I think I covered the two points in your comment: carbon footprinting and health effects of eating meat.

          See if you can actually address the points instead of resorting immediately to ad hominems.

          • phillip ure 27.1.1.1.1
            1 March 2015 at 7:30 pm

            i wd actually prefer to just studiously ignore you..

            ..so i will continue to do that..

            ..and why don’t you email the usda..and tell them they have got it all wrong..?

            ..and you did notice they said ‘all meat’.

            ..how does that fit with yr mono-focus on grass-fed beef..?

            ..grass-fed pigs are ok..?

            ..grass-fed chooks..

            ..and of course..animal-welfare means diddly-squat to you..eh..?

            ..as i said..a mono-obsessed mind..q.e.d..

            ..u r now back on ‘ignore’..

            • weka 27.1.1.1.1.1
              1 March 2015 at 8:28 pm

              is that how you ignore me? 🙄

              Now you’re lying about me as well as using ad hominems and not addressing the points 🙄 🙄

              “..and you did notice they said ‘all meat’.”

              wow, you really are dimwitted. You think they did separate research on people eating grassfed or organic or wild meat? How about you provide some links then.

              🙄

              • weka …
                1 March 2015 at 8:36 pm

                btw, it’s pretty easy to prove that meat (and animal fat) per se are not the problem (which is why you will always struggle with the facts when you argue with me).

                “How can people who gorge on fat and rarely see a vegetable be healthier than we are?”

                http://discovermagazine.com/2004/oct/inuit-paradox

                That article covers all the points I’ve raised in this conversation, and references the science (it’s not really a paradox though, it’s just better science and intelligence applied to food).

                • phillip ure …
                  1 March 2015 at 11:53 pm

                  u should forward it to the usda..

                  ..i am sure they will do an immediate u-turn,,

                  • weka …
                    2 March 2015 at 8:23 am

                    You should stop being such a hypocrite in uncritically trusting an organisation like the USDA when you like to pretend you are otherwise such a non-conformist.

                    You still can’t address the facts phil 🙄

                    • phillip ure …
                      2 March 2015 at 8:24 am

                      in so so many ways..

                      ..u r so similar to the beige-one..

                      (..and a warning 4 u…u cd b approaching peak-emoticon..eh..?..)

                    • weka …
                      2 March 2015 at 9:53 am

                      another ad hominem, now there’s a surprise. It’s fine that you are a vegan fundamentalist. But it’s naff that you are on a political forum and can’t even mount a half decent argument.

                    • phillip ure …
                      2 March 2015 at 9:55 am

                      still channeling the beige-one..eh..?

                      ..and do you really/seriously think yr ongoing/serial passive-aggressive tactics aren’t a form of ad hom..?

                    • Clemgeopin []
                      2 March 2015 at 11:14 am

                      “still channeling the beige-one..eh..?”

                      What is wrong with beige? Just one of the fifty shades of grǽg, yes?

                    • phillip ure …
                      2 March 2015 at 11:21 am

                      p.g has done irrepairable damage to what was a fine/proud colour..

                    • weka …
                      2 March 2015 at 12:54 pm

                      So addressing the issues and posting opinion, facts and links is passive agressive? Riiight.

                      What you can’t cope with is me or anyone who disagrees with your fundamentalism and can argue the argument without resorting to the pathetic, low level debate skills that you employ (ad hominems, lies, avoidance, dimiwttedness). That last sentence is not passive, it’s active.

                      The Mother Jones article you link to is a mixed bag, it gets some bits right and others wrong. The main problem is that it doesn’t take a critical view of what it’s reporting and instead finds the links it wants to support its base position (the impending USDA report). That’s why I went and found some science based reporting that easily counters the bits about meat and fat. It’s not a hard leap from there to see that what the USDA does is flawed.

                      Anyone else reading this can check out Gary Taubes’ work, both on the fat/cholesterol myth, and on why science when translated into public health can be seriously flawed. Start with his article in the NYT “what if it’s all been a big fat lie”.

                    • weka …
                      2 March 2015 at 1:05 pm

                      And just to be clear, this isn’t even a meat vs veg argument. It’s pointing out that your argument is flawed. Being vegan is fine. Using crap science reporting to support your view that all people should be vegan is stupid, and so expect to be called on it.

                      The really really stupid thing about what you do is undermining people who would in fact eat less meat but shy away from being veg or vegan. If they follow your advice they will go low fat and end up with the range of health problems associated with that. Many of those people will simply revert back to what they were eating before because it’s not worth the side effects. That includes people who do go veg/vegan but get shit advice on how to do that well (hence the relatively small number of long term vegans).

                      http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html

                      http://garytaubes.com/works/articles/

  28. Penny Bright 28
    1 March 2015 at 4:38 pm

    In my opinion, the Labour Party should campaign hard on the issues, but Labour Party supporters should VOTE strategically in order to ensure that National does NOT retain Northland.

    That way National will be left with 59 MPs out of 121, which on some issues will make them a ‘lame duck’ Government.

    The ‘Right’ understand strategic voting.

    In my view, it’s time for the ‘Left’ to follow suit.

    “It’s commonsense” (as it were 🙂

    Kind regards

    Penny Bright

  29. greywarshark 29
    1 March 2015 at 5:34 pm

    A piece about Grey Power in Hastings making a call against TPPA and holding a rally as part of the Day of Protest on 7 March. (Note all over NZ for all ages.)
    http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/rally-against-tppa-in-hastings/

    Is your place in this list? Seems fairly comprehensive coverage of NZ
    http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/7-march/

    Grey Power speaking up would be good. We are the ones who have security to do so, helping those without the nous or who have little security or freedom to protest. Grey-haired people caring for the young and struggling. Good. Only some of the elderly or retired, are incapable of walking in a protest or thinking seriously about something other than their own diet, pension, rates rebates, transport discount, book club, mild exercises, next bus trip with friends and other diversions.

  30. Colonial Rawshark 30
    1 March 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Abby Martin’s final “Breaking the Set” episode. She’s off to engage in various investigative journalism projects, by the sounds of it.

    • adam 30.1
      1 March 2015 at 7:52 pm

      I will miss that show

    • Chooky 30.2
      2 March 2015 at 12:35 am

      CR+100…. thanks for that…Abby Martin is very, very good …and that show is a no holds barred, or subjects barred, series of interviews ( it must have been exhausting for her over three years!)

      …. I need to to catch up on back issues…hope rt keeps a list ( just been watching an interview with Eva Golinger on Venezuela….oil reserves and shades of the Middle East de-stabilisation)

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9AcrvknLEU

      ….hope Abby Martin goes on to something equally good after a rest!…

  31. Ffloyd 31
    1 March 2015 at 7:38 pm

    Har,har. Just saw key in interview with c damn saying of course he will be visiting the troops in Iraq, with a journalist! He said he would not send troops into an area that he would not go into himself. Earnestly! Wow, does he have guts!!! Still rolling around the floor laughing. He’s losing the plot. They haven’t even gone and he’s got his cameos out. Pillock.

    • Stuart Munro 31.1
      2 March 2015 at 7:36 am

      Really NZ needs an aircraft carrier so Key can declare victory safely from the deck like George W.

  32. logie97 32
    1 March 2015 at 9:54 pm

    At last – a month free of PG. How much column space and time has that
    once United Future hopeful but now Nat convert occupied/wasted on this site?

    • Colonial Rawshark 32.1
      1 March 2015 at 11:28 pm

      A Nat convert? Is that how we describe coming clean about one’s self interested careerism nowadays?

  33. SMILIN 33
    1 March 2015 at 11:13 pm

    jUST A NOTE ON THE NORTHLAND ELECTION the more parties that stand the better after all its a Democracy and to reduce Nationals bloated majority would be synonymous with relieving bloat in cows the old fashioned way “a knife in the guts ” cos Jez wayne something needs to wake the place up to this totalitarian regime or police state which is so self congratulatory with its photoshop photo ops of just how much they have kept the north like a piece of history so that people can see what it was like in 1840 when the treaty was signed
    Boot National so hard up the backside that they wont be able to seat them selves forever

  34. Tracey 34
    2 March 2015 at 2:31 pm

    I’ve worked out why Key’s golf handicap is so low. he follows professional players and submits their cards…

    A half day at the cricket on Saturday, following Ko on Sunday… how busy he is…

  35. Colonial Rawshark 35
    2 March 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Maersk CEO warns real economic growth is going to disappoint

    China, Russia, Brazil all expected to do worse than expected. Forget about gamed equity markets and ‘financial engineering’, this man sees what is being physically moved around the world.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-01/worlds-largest-container-shipper-warns-global-trade-slowing-down

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