Open Mike 01/09/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 1st, 2016 - 143 comments
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143 comments on “Open Mike 01/09/2016 ”

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  1. Paul 1
    1 September 2016 at 7:00 am

    Has John Key’s slavish support of the US ( pimping for the TPP, sending soldiers to Iraq, slagging off Putin, joining in military exercises in the South China Sea) meant a lot of the world sees us now as merely a puppet of Uncle Sam ?
    And as a consequence, they can think of better people to vote for leader of the UN than a New Zealander, Helen Clark.
    Just wondering….

    • Cinny 1.1
      1 September 2016 at 7:44 am

      Your thought makes sense to me Paul. Key is so ego driven, he seems to suck up to anyone whom is famous or important. He was happy as to slam Helen when he was in opposition, but as soon as she wants to go for the top job he starts sucking up to her. He is a disgrace. Hopefully the wise will understand that Key is just a star struck fool and not all kiwis are like that.

      Go for it Aunty Helen, proud of you.

      • whispering kate 1.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 8:50 am

        Also our headline news in overseas newspapers about milk product contamination and China’s annoyance, also our Clean Green image rubbished on the world stage with 5,200 citizens poisoned by our city water supply, we seem to be in the headlines a bit lately and not with a good look for us. The PM doesn’t help when he makes an idiot of himself on the US TV channels and 3-way handshakes, cringe material for us. Poor Helen doesn’t look like she is in with a chance. Anything the PM touches turns to shit for us and with his hands off attitude to importers and business to do the job properly we have a reinforced steel class action in the making – all because the market will do its job properly for the Government, what a laugh that is.

        By the way why isn’t OSH stepping in and helping the doctors in their long hours and stating it is a health and safety issue. Are they also in the pockets of big government, we need Helen Kelly bless her heart to be well enough to come to their aid, she sure helped the Forestry Sector and the mortality rate has now come down for their workers because of her determination.

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.2
        1 September 2016 at 9:52 am

        He was happy as to slam Helen when he was in opposition, but as soon as she wants to go for the top job he starts sucking up to her.

        Key backed Helen for her current UN position, partly to get her off the NZ stage.

        • alwyn 1.1.2.1
          1 September 2016 at 11:47 am

          I wonder how much money New Zealand has wasted on trying to get a deluded Helen her dream of being a leader on the world stage?
          I think you are right about wanting her out of New Zealand. She left the Labour party in such a dire state that without her Key had no opposition at all.
          Also, of course as long as she had her dream Key owned her. She couldn’t do anything if Key wouldn’t support it. It hasn’t been Key sucking up to Clark. For the last 8 years it has been Clark sucking up to Key.

          • b waghorn 1.1.2.1.1
            1 September 2016 at 12:03 pm

            Makes her shafting of labour on the tppa obvious .

          • North 1.1.2.1.2
            1 September 2016 at 9:05 pm

            Nasty little man/woman you are alwyn. Fuck off to the sewer where you belong.

            • Chris 1.1.2.1.2.1
              1 September 2016 at 9:43 pm

              Ooh! Another Labour-can-do-no-wronger! Thought you might’ve been, you little piece of poo. Alwyn might be a RWNJ or Alwyn might not be – I don’t know and right now I don’t care. But the analysis – this time – is spot on. It’s fuckwits like you who’re responsible for fucking this country. No analysis, no critical faculty. Just blind support for a neo-liberal opposition that fucks our democracy. I suggest it’s you who should fuck off to the sewer where you belong. Hey, you might even meet Leftie there. You two could snuggle up, keep warm, hope you’re not eaten.

            • alwyn 1.1.2.1.2.2
              2 September 2016 at 10:15 am

              There, there diddums.
              Have a nice relaxing cup of herbal tea and a lie-down.
              You’ll feel much better.

        • Cinny 1.1.2.2
          1 September 2016 at 6:48 pm

          Sucking up to bask in the glory of UN importance is what Key does well, only too happy to give her a push no doubt, good point, out of the way and all that.

          Would love her to get the job, but i do wonder if ‘able to be manipulated’ is part of their judging criteria? Shame if it is

          Next year may we please have a dignified, switched on, strong PM… please please.

          Time for a change

      • Rodel 1.1.3
        1 September 2016 at 8:56 pm

        Cinny- wait for it. From the Tory trolls here it’ll soon be ‘Crooked Helen’. They are so blatantly lacking in historical facts or even a semblance of truth. Very ideological Trumpish trolling.
        Me too proud of Helen and If our present PM ever tried for the same office he’d quickly be jettisoned like the Aussie kevin. Blokiness is not leadership.

        Substance counts!

        • North 1.1.3.1
          1 September 2016 at 9:14 pm

          It’s utterly fake blokey-ness in the Weak Man of course. A man who repeatedly pulls a young woman’s hair in the face of her objections is no good bloke. Someone who giggles girlishly on global television about the escape of a murderer/child rapist from prison in the country of which he’s PM…….he’s no decent fulla. He’s an horrific embarrassment.

          • Rodel 1.1.3.1.1
            1 September 2016 at 11:17 pm

            North..Yes. your ‘blokey-ness’ better spelling than my ‘blokiness’.
            Hey the cloying (albeit one way) blokey relationship with Richie Mcaw seems to have lost its intensity.

            Sir (no thanks) Richie must be relieved.

            Kieran Read- be warned of fickle politicians seeking vicarious blokey-ness.

    • Chris 1.2
      1 September 2016 at 12:03 pm

      I think she just put herself forward, said what she thought she needed to say, tried her hardest and things played out accordingly. This of course includes looking at everything you’ve referred to, as well as the F&S debacle, accusations of bullying both here and in NY, her treatment of New Zealand’s poor when PM, and no doubt a whole bunch of other stuff, too.

    • Peter 1.3
      1 September 2016 at 6:13 pm

      Has John Key’s slavish support of the US ( pimping for the TPP, sending soldiers to Iraq, slagging off Putin, joining in military exercises in the South China Sea) meant a lot of the world sees us now as merely a puppet of Uncle Sam ?

      You hit the nail on the head

      • Colonial Viper 1.3.1
        1 September 2016 at 6:38 pm

        the BRICS countries particularly. Remember the US strategy is not merely to isolate those nations, but to ensure that countries like NZ cannot relate to those nations independently.

  2. North 2
    1 September 2016 at 7:07 am

    OMG ! Did this facile crap from Herald’s deputy politicial editor Trev’ ‘need’ to be written at all. Main point – “Weeeee…….look at me I’ve been in The Big Apple !”. Almost preferable and certainly intellectually weightier – the headline (didn’t click) – “What it’s like to be a sex toy tester.” Herald and Trev’ are such shit.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11702315

    • Paul 2.1
      1 September 2016 at 7:15 am

      The media sucks.

    • Paul 2.2
      1 September 2016 at 7:33 am

      Switch off the mainstream news.
      There are good alternatives now.
      Highly recommend Waatea 5th Estate. RNZ is the best of the MSM, although it sources it’s foreign news through propaganda outlets, do it’s reporting of the Syrian conflict, the Ukraine, the Olympics and the Yemen show a clear US bias.

      Seemorerocks is good for environmental news.

      To get independent UK news, try the Canary.

      The following journalists are worth reading.
      John Pilger.
      Robert Fisk.
      George Monbiot.
      Bryan Bruce ( NZ)

      We can bypass these corporate puppets.

      • Cinny 2.2.1
        1 September 2016 at 7:53 am

        May i add the “Listening Post” to that list? Richard Gizbert is worth watching, every sunday morning at 7;30am on Al Jazeera.

        Best international media round up on the planet IMO

        http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/

      • The lost sheep 2.2.2
        1 September 2016 at 9:22 am

        The media sucks.
        Switch off the mainstream news.
        There are good alternatives now.
        We can bypass these corporate puppets.

        Good advice Paul.
        You will be taking it?
        No more wallowing in the filth of MSM lies for you?

      • mosa 2.2.3
        1 September 2016 at 9:48 pm

        Waatea fifth estate =real life in NZ .
        The rest is an alternative reality called planet key.
        The journalists you mention Paul represent what is real journalism and Bryan Bruce made a contribution on Waatea a few days ago and it was great to have his input.

        Made the bypass some time ago and never looked back.

    • Wensleydale 2.3
      1 September 2016 at 12:07 pm

      Stuff isn’t much better. Their main story yesterday was Crystal Chenery handing out “sex advice”. Front page, first thing you see — ex-bachelorette crapping on about sex. As “newspapers” go, they’re collectively about as much use as a roll of Purex 2-ply.

      • mosa 2.3.1
        1 September 2016 at 10:01 pm

        Wensleydale Stuff is a product of Fairfax media ( J M T P) just more tory propaganda and dumbed down crap.
        Thank god the net has alternatives.

  3. Cinny 3
    1 September 2016 at 7:11 am

    Maurice Williamson is to be our commissioner in LA. How embarrassing, sick of cushy jobs offshore for failed Nat Party Politicians. Winston is speaking out, saying if he is part of the next government that Williamson will be coming back to NZ and someone whom cares about our country will be placed there instead. Sounds like Winnie is not into backing Nationals jobs for the boys agenda. Well said Sir Winston, well said.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/83767989/outgoing-national-mp-maurice-williamson-picks-up-plum-la-diplomatic-posting

    • Paul 3.1
      1 September 2016 at 7:24 am

      There is a reward given for serving the corporate multinational agenda.
      Politicians who sell their souls get very comfortable pastures in return for the betrayal of the country and citizens’ interests.

      Look at the sad list of ex MPs who now shill even more for the corporates.
      I think Katherine Rich pimping for Coca Cola and Nestle must be the nadir.

      Of course we don’t have anyone in NZ like Bill Clinton or Tony Blair.
      They have made it an art form.

    • North 3.2
      1 September 2016 at 7:34 am

      Williamson’s mouth will be kept well shut no doubt by the LA sinecure. And, oh joy !, he’ll have the time to catch up with Ellen.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11702315

      From Herald’s Deputy Trev’ – “Williamson, who has been an MP since 1987, follows in a long line of politicians appointed to diplomatic postings. In recent years that has included former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith to London, former Trade Minister Tim Groser to Washington and former Labour MP Shane Jones as a newly created Pacific Economic Ambassador.”

      As though the mention of former “Labour” MP Shane Jones says we’re not squarely in dodgy, “share the spoils boys”, territory. Heightens the impression in my book.

      • Cinny 3.2.1
        1 September 2016 at 7:48 am

        Maybe Winnie will recall Groser as well. I’d love that lolololz.

        Giving Jones the Pacific Economic Ambassador role, is a nice little distraction so national doesn’t look as biased as what they are.

    • North 3.3
      1 September 2016 at 7:34 am

      Williamson’s mouth will be kept well shut no doubt by the LA sinecure. And, oh joy !, he’ll have the time to catch up with Ellen.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11702315

      From Herald’s Deputy Trev’ – “Williamson, who has been an MP since 1987, follows in a long line of politicians appointed to diplomatic postings. In recent years that has included former Speaker Sir Lockwood Smith to London, former Trade Minister Tim Groser to Washington and former Labour MP Shane Jones as a newly created Pacific Economic Ambassador.”

      As though the mention of former “Labour” MP Shane Jones says we’re not squarely in dodgy, “share the spoils boys”, territory. Heightens the impression in my book.

      • Paul 3.3.1
        1 September 2016 at 7:40 am

        Share the spoils sums it up.
        Treasonous politicians.
        They need an appointment in court.

        • mosa 3.3.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 10:11 pm

          And a long stay at their local Serco house of fun.
          Key can tell that funny joke about the shower soap, the boys will love that one.

    • Bearded Git 3.4
      1 September 2016 at 10:54 am

      Winston hates Key and NZF’s policies seem to have mellowed (maybe not Ron Mark)…..so my rolling averages for the Roy Morgan polls show that we will have a new government next year regardless of the MP’s support for Key’s policies (not sure if ACT and UF are really parties as they poll well under 1%):

      Lab/Gr/NZF 49.8%
      Nats/UF/ACT/MP 48.3%

      Governments lose elections rather than oppositions win them. The water and housing crises and the education reforms are the latest symptoms of a government out of touch with reality.

      I don’t like the concept third-termitis. Governments are perfectly capable of operating as well in a third term as in a first term….but this government has lost it.

      • Colonial Viper 3.4.1
        1 September 2016 at 3:34 pm

        Lab/Gr/NZF 49.8%
        Nats/UF/ACT/MP 48.3%

        LAB/GR/NZF 3 party coalition trying to govern with a 2 seat majority at the start of their first term?

        That’s the recipe for a short lived government and a snap election at the end of year 2.

        • mosa 3.4.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 10:54 pm

          I doubt Winston will go into a coalition with anybody CV and will stay on the cross benches after agreeing to support the largest party on confidence and supply.
          Labour is still polling to low and that has not changed, hardly in a position to gain the authority of parliament.
          No one will want to go back to the country and fight an early election.

          • Colonial Viper 3.4.1.1.1
            1 September 2016 at 11:23 pm

            I think a series of significant policy concessions by National to NZF as well as a bunch of outside Cabinet posts may be sufficient for Winston to sign up to this.

            It will also guarantee a fifth National term.

            • North 3.4.1.1.1.1
              2 September 2016 at 7:21 am

              Have you no ‘ashpirayshun’ CV ? Why aren’t you panting for a 6th nay 7th term for the National Party. You’d be well made up wouldn’t you ? The Left, not controlled/directed by you’d be despatched to the rubbish bin of history. Sweet !

              • Colonial Viper …
                2 September 2016 at 8:37 am

                My strategic analysis is simple. I’m sorry that you cannot understand it.

                Allow me to restate: in this game, National needs to understand the benefits awaiting it if it chooses to bend over backwards and make a few significant concessions to Winston and NZ First. The goal would be to gain NZ First’s commitment as the National Party’s new, strong MMP partner.

                With the 10% to 14% that Winston will bring to the table in 2017, as well as new policy energy, coming to such an arrangement will guarantee National not just a fourth term, but also a fifth term.

      • Garibaldi 3.4.2
        1 September 2016 at 4:16 pm

        How many times does it have to be said? You cannot trust NZF.
        What Winston says and what Winston does are poles apart. He makes the right populist noises but he takes his one man band where the pickings are best suited to his whims.Do not count on him backing the Left. NZF CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO SUPPORT US ON THE LEFT.

      • mosa 3.4.3
        1 September 2016 at 10:42 pm

        The difference Bearded Git with this third term government is the media is on side has been even before the 2008 election.
        Normally even with third term National governments years past the media were always reminding us of how tired and out of touch they were and how prone the government was to a succession of disasters and their handling of them and being increasingly out of touch with the country and in the case of Labours last term we kept being told it was time for a change – but a change to what ? well we have found that one out.
        The spin and manipulation with an aggressive PR machine and the loyal journalists to do their bidding this government is well placed to win next year and the National parties massive war chest is bursting with money to spend on the campaign.
        Crosby Textor are still here advising them on strategy and Key will only respond to issues and how to handle them after he has polling data telling him what to think and how to play it.
        Its not what they say , its how they say it.
        This will be the first fourth term government scince 1969 when we had Mr holyoake followed of course with Big Norm Kirk and the watershed election of 1972.

  4. Paul 4
    1 September 2016 at 7:12 am

    Good to see the EU taking a stance against Apple.
    Here’s a prediction.
    Money man and corporate puppet Key will do absolutely nothing about these multinational bludgers.
    And because these large internet companies don’t fulfil their part of the social contract, there will not be the taxes to pay for a civil society.
    NZ companies ( who pay their taxes) will struggle to compete with these gigantic parasites. And some will go bust.
    There will be fewer jobs.
    And a lot more low quality precarious jobs. Working for Uber lacks the security of being employed in a regulated taxi industry.
    The race to the bottom will accelerate.
    More parts of the health, housing and education sectors will be privatised as a government without the necessary tax take will withdraw further from actually governing.
    If you think New Zealand is bad now, it’s going to be a lot worse with 10 more years of neoliberal policies wreaking havoc.
    As yet, the Labour Party is failing to offer a real alternative.

  5. Mr Righty 5
    1 September 2016 at 7:28 am

    So Rousseff, leader of the Brazilian left has been impeached for “budget irregularities”. Surprise, surprise but what is interesting is the Senate vote (61 – 20). Considering the 2 opposition comminst parties (PCDoB and PT) are 12 of the opposition votes where did the majority of votes come from? Well the Centre/Centre Left screwed her (PSDP, PMDB, PDT etc). Hardly the political elite but more like the Left canabilising it’s own. Just like the left in NZ and UK, principals go out the door when it comes to money.

    • Paul 5.1
      1 September 2016 at 7:38 am

      Another unreported corporate coup.
      New Zealand 1984 fronted by the puppet Douglas.
      Brazil 2016 fronted by the puppet Temer.

      And all the pseudo left polticiNs who stabbed Roussef in the back will be expecting their cushy job at Petrobas or diplomatic posting to Washington.

      And neoliberalism will continue to put money above people in Brazil.

    • North 5.2
      1 September 2016 at 7:44 am

      Righty @ 5 – “principals” ? Seems your’s didn’t do that well Righty. Guess you’d be a fan of results-based performance pay in the education sector. Can’t have shit product floating around can we ? Note…….you’re under recall Righty.

      • In Vino 5.2.1
        1 September 2016 at 8:49 pm

        North, while I agree with you totally, you ought to be aware that your’s can mean only ‘your is’ or ‘your has’. And I find it hard to create a sentence where either could be used. Please be careful…

    • Cinny 5.3
      1 September 2016 at 7:49 am

      Good job Brazil, the woman is a disgrace

    • Draco T Bastard 5.4
      1 September 2016 at 9:04 am

      From what I’ve been reading and hearing, the entire impeachment process was total corruption from the right-wing.

  6. esoteric pineapples 6
    1 September 2016 at 8:16 am

    Turks lay siege to Rojava – Much like they did to the Christians in Constantinople in 1453, the Turks are now laying siege to the Syrian Kurdish automous region of Rojava in northern Syria. After the Kurds took the large city of Manbij from ISIS a couple of weeks ago (with the loss of 250 fighters) they were preparing to liberate Jarabulus west of Rojava and close to the Turkish border, which would have closed the corridor for Turkish assistance to ISIS and other jihadists groups. Instead, Turkey invaded with a proxy bunch of jihardist fighters, after prior agreement with ISIS who simply stayed in the city and were incorporated into the “liberating” forces (who have since reasserted Sharia law and murdered one of the city’s leaders one hour after he put out a press statement condemning the Turks and jihardists). The United States who assisted the Turkish forces with air strikes told the Kurds they had to retreat from Manbij back to across the Euphrates River to continue to get support from the US (mostly air support, small arms and advisors on the ground). Theoretically, the United States has managed to stop the Kurdish and Turkish forces from fighting but what is really happening is that the Turks are right now building a wall along Kobane (which is the originally Kurdish city that fought back at ISIS and expanded from there) so that no people or supplies can get in or out of there. It has its own jihardist forces blocking the Kurds in the west around Jarabulus (getting new fighters from the refugee camps in Turkey amongst other places, and using child solders), Assad’s Syrian government forces blocking them to the south (Russia, Iran, Turkey and Assad have come to an understanding over this) and ISIS blocking them from the east. The aim is to make sure the Kurds are completely isolated and then to wear them down by making life hell for everyone living in Rojava (Kurds, Arabs etc) and using Turkey’s proxy militias to wear them down militarily. If that doesn’t work, I expect the Turks will simply give up the veneer and simply go in with their full army.

    http://aranews.net/2016/08/turkey-building-barrier-wall-border-kobane-syrian-kurds-protest/

    • Johan 6.1
      1 September 2016 at 10:06 am

      To e.p. From current events, the Kurds have been prevented from gaining too much territory in Syria, despite these hard fighting men and women soldiers, unlike the Syrian army, are a real match for ISIS. The Turks have been playing a fast and loose game as a NATO member and ISIS associate, oil trade and slack border controls.
      We hear very little of all those ISIS fighters now that they are beaten back. Where do they disappear to, back to Saudi Arabia, the Urals, Europe… no body count for them??? At the moment all we see on MSM is the discovery of mass graves of civilians killed by these ISIS thugs.

    • Bill 6.2
      1 September 2016 at 10:11 am

      That’s the most depressing news I’ve heard in quite a while.

      The “War on Terror”…. unless it’s ‘our’ “War with Terror” or terror being inflicted by ‘our’ many convenient friends.

      If the peoples in Rojava are waiting for any international outcry or help, they’ll be waiting a long, long time. They don’t count. Worse, any ordinary person helping them out (eg Labor Party NT president Matthew Gardine), is deemed to be a terrorist sympathiser, threatened with many years in jail just for going to the region and regardless, subjected to what seems to have been, a very heavy handed gagging order .

      And war pillocks like Hilary Ben have the gall to stand up in parliament and cynically evoke memories of the Spanish Civil War…

      The world’s a long time fucking fucked

    • Philj 6.3
      1 September 2016 at 10:22 am

      Whew EP! You mean there is a plan? Whose plan do you reckon?

    • Bearded Git 6.4
      1 September 2016 at 10:59 am

      good post e.p…….who in this world would ever trust Erdogan?

    • Garibaldi 6.5
      1 September 2016 at 4:21 pm

      There’s no surprise here – the Turks will carry out genocide on the Kurds just like they did on the Armenians.

    • Gabby 6.6
      1 September 2016 at 5:29 pm

      I’m just surprised the yankers haven’t shafted the Kurds yet. They will: they always do.

      • In Vino 6.6.1
        1 September 2016 at 9:07 pm

        I wish I could contradict something in this to give some hope to the Kurds, but I can’t. I know they have the spirit to fight like hell, but why are they so alone? Utter corruption on the part of the West – our side. We started all this with the Sykes/Picot agreement, we are betraying them again, and their blood is on our hands.

  7. lprent 7
    1 September 2016 at 8:48 am

    Writing comments has been a bit painful so far this morning. I’m on ‘holiday’ doing a bit of maintenance. And we all know what that means…

    I upgraded the firmware in the network WAN this morning. So the site was off for a while.

    Just replaced a dodgy 120GB SSD on The Standard RAID with one where I am confident in the manufacturers ability to make good storage. The drive is copying and making writes really slow on TS. Should be done in 5 minutes.

  8. North 8
    1 September 2016 at 8:57 am

    For your smoko……..twisted sister Ann Coulter. Emblem of US right wing sociopathy. Debating the intelllect of George Dubya Bush. Not a large topic…….

  9. Gangnam Style 9
    1 September 2016 at 9:33 am

    Police calls from Oamaru are diverted to gawd knows where, so the locals are not bothering to report crime, & on the front page of the same paper was a story about crime rising in the south, go John Key rararara!!!!!

    https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/angry-calls-police-diverted

    “”It’s bloody hopeless. We’ve had the situation in Oamaru where police have asked us to [keep an eye out] for someone who has gone missing, we find them, we end up trying to call them and you end up anywhere but Oamaru.””

    • save nz 9.1
      1 September 2016 at 9:44 am

      With the police and social services budget being diverted to spying (65% budget increase to GCSB for terrorists here in NZ, sarc), and the police doing political ground work like investigating Nicky Hagar and investigative journalists rather than actually concentrating on law and order, the public are being left in the lurch and actually soon realise there is no point even reporting crime, especially if you don’t have an local police anymore (apart from revenue gathering traffic police).

    • Wensleydale 9.2
      1 September 2016 at 12:14 pm

      All the cops are in South Auckland working through a backlog of burglaries as per Judith Collins instructions. I’m sorry ‘rest of New Zealand’, you’re just going to have to join the end of the queue. We’ll get to you eventually; try not to die in the meantime.

  10. Colonial Viper 10
    1 September 2016 at 9:39 am

    Face Book now geotracking mobile phones of everyone you are near/that you visit/that visit you

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-31/facebook-just-got-whole-lot-creepier

    • Sabine 10.1
      1 September 2016 at 9:47 am

      don’t have a mobile phone. seriously. we used to live quite well without phones.

      • Colonial Viper 10.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 9:49 am

        Nice one. Now today I feel trapped by these technological “conveniences”.

        • Rosie 10.1.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 3:39 pm

          No need to feel trapped by them CV. You don’t need to let them be your master. An “aid”. That’s all they are.

      • Psycho Milt 10.1.2
        1 September 2016 at 10:05 am

        We used to live quite well without writing either, but most people find it very handy.

        • Sabine 10.1.2.1
          1 September 2016 at 10:28 am

          thats the thing, do most people think it’s handy or do they just have it lest the miss something from work or an update form something that actually does nothing to enhance their lifes?

          One reason i believe the planet is so fucked up is this lack of quiet time, undisturbed me time or us time, time without beeps and bings.

          I pity people on their phones. I do.

          • Rosie 10.1.2.1.1
            1 September 2016 at 3:48 pm

            It appears that folks end up quite addicted to their phones Sabine. They don’t take time to look around when they’re waiting at the bus stop, the train station etc and when they get on board their transport it’s all tap tap tap. Not looking at the scenery. They are not observing life passing by, noticing things, being aware of how they are feeling, except for maybe getting a crick in their neck for staring down at the god like screen for so long.

            I got given an iphone as a gift recently. It’s my first one. It only gets used for taking photo’s and sending the odd message. It’s better that way. I don’t become reliant upon it. And the faceblab I keep on the P.C only. There’s a time for faceblab and a time for living life uninterrupted.

            Then there’s that creepy stuff that CV was referring to, so best to keep as little info on your iphone/spy phone as possible.

            • Colonial Viper 10.1.2.1.1.1
              1 September 2016 at 11:26 pm

              if face book get a hold of your mobile phone number they can track your movements with your smartphone even if you don’t have Face Book on your phone.

          • Macro 10.1.2.1.2
            1 September 2016 at 4:27 pm

            “I pity people on their phones. I do.”

            Me too.

            I have one (not smart) which I conveniently leave at home unless I feel the need to carry it for safety reasons. A $20 top up lasts me about 6 months.

            It’s useful if travelling abroad and then only because you have to supply contact phone for bookings etc.

            • Draco T Bastard 10.1.2.1.2.1
              1 September 2016 at 9:37 pm

              I have one (not smart) which I conveniently leave at home unless I feel the need to carry it for safety reasons. A $20 top up lasts me about 6 months.

              I used to use one of those (still have it actually). A $20 top up would last me a full year.

              Now I have a smart phone and it mostly gets used for reading books and using public transport. Unfortunately, the data costs me $6/month.

              • marty mars …
                2 September 2016 at 8:46 am

                “Now I have a smart phone and it mostly gets used for reading books”

                lol the younger generation e by gum, when we were kids we had to HOLD the bloody books and they were on fucken paper and the skin of animals arrr but try telling that to the younguns now and they just laugh at ya

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  2 September 2016 at 9:07 am

                  Strange, I still seem to have to hold the phone. Thankfully it’s no longer necessary to kill unnecessarily to produce the book.

                  • marty mars …
                    2 September 2016 at 9:30 am

                    Yep your phone to produce is associated with slavery, exploitation, economic servitude, environmental destruction and toxic pollution. Yep real good device that one – as long as we close our ears and eyes to the immeasurable suffering created so you can read whilst holding your phone. And the comparison with books? Killing animals – if you were vegetarian your view may have a little wee wee merit – but you aren’t are you, so it doesn’t does it.

        • marty mars 10.1.2.2
          1 September 2016 at 10:30 am

          Lol – silliest comment of the day, so far

          • Draco T Bastard 10.1.2.2.1
            1 September 2016 at 9:38 pm

            Only if you failed to understand it.

            • marty mars 10.1.2.2.1.1
              2 September 2016 at 8:39 am

              “We used to live quite well without writing either, but most people find it very handy.”

              there it is, explain away big brain…

              and don’t forget this is in the context of Sabine’s comment which pm replied to

              “don’t have a mobile phone. seriously. we used to live quite well without phones.”

              way you go Bastard, the floor is yours

  12. save nz 12
    1 September 2016 at 10:08 am

    “An 18-year-old black high school student in the United States was awarded just US$18 after being punched, Tasered and arrested over a crime he did not commit….

    Local South Bend, Indiana pastor Reverend Mario Sims said the award sends an unfortunate message: “Your rights are worth a dollar.”

    “To me it’s just solidifying that blacks in America, we have no rights,” says Mr Franklin’s nephew, Russell Thomas Jr.”

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/world/innocent-man-awarded-18-after-punched-and-tasered-2016083121?ref=newshubFB

    • Scott 12.1
      1 September 2016 at 1:51 pm

      I see in the article that the police were at the right house, and mistook him for his brother (he matched the description fairly well) whom they were after for something serious (domestic violence related). They seem to have realised that they had the wrong man, but in the meantime he “resisted police”, and that is why they then arrested him.

      Depending on what “resisted” actually means, and I expect the jury and judge heard the detail, then $18 might be $18 too much.

      • Colonial Viper 12.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 3:21 pm

        I guess the Black kid should be thankful he didn’t get a clip emptied into him, eh.

        • Scott 12.1.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 4:10 pm

          I guess you’re assuming the cops were white – or that just because he was black it is automatically a race issue.

          Depending on the manner in which he resisted, he may well be lucky they did not empty a clip into him given the apparent American obsession with clip emptying (I think the report said he was tasered – shocking as it is).

          • North 12.1.1.1.1
            1 September 2016 at 9:21 pm

            Racist right wing Scott on the block again. Like he never heard about the spectacular brutalisation of blacks by US police.

          • Colonial Viper 12.1.1.1.2
            1 September 2016 at 11:30 pm

            ” I guess you’re assuming the cops were white – or that just because he was black it is automatically a race issue.”

            No, just saying you think the kid should thank his lucky stars that the cops didn’t empty a clip into him.

  13. save nz 13
    1 September 2016 at 10:20 am

    Beware ‘trickle up’ is spreading”

    Tauranga agencies struggling with growing number of homeless
    A “tsunami” of homelessness has ripped through Tauranga, with more than 30 families seeking emergency accommodation each week, social agencies say.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201814355/tauranga-agencies-struggling-with-growing-number-of-homeless

    • Sabine 13.1
      1 September 2016 at 10:30 am

      i have been saying that for at least 3.5 years now. That shit is spreading like wildfire, and anyone who believes they are safe and it’s not gonna happen here cause its only AKL problem is in for a rude awaking.

      This country is being sold, one house at a time and its not Kiwis that need a home doing the buying.

      • Paul 13.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 4:10 pm

        New Zealanders has been sold.
        The fight is over who owns us.
        China or the US.

        • Garibaldi 13.1.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 4:30 pm

          Yes ….New Zealand thought it could play USA off against China and get the best of both worlds .Instead we get the worst of both …. owned by American Corporates and overrun by immigrants.

      • ropata 13.1.2
        1 September 2016 at 10:01 pm

        So, so true. We are constantly lied to about what is the obvious takeover happening right in front of us. Kiwis have been betrayed by our elected leaders for 32 years. Now Pakehas get to feel what it’s like to be colonised.

        • Sabine 13.1.2.1
          2 September 2016 at 7:39 am

          with pakeha you mean white people?

          not pakeha as in not of maori descend of whom many are not white?
          I don’t understand at this comment as not all pakehas have been here when NZ was colonialised, and not all have been here literally like 25 years ago.

          I do also believe that the ones to suffer the most in this recent sale of NZ is still the indigenous people of NZ as this is the only land they have, many pakehas can pack if and go back to where ever they came from if it gets to bad.
          but for the Maori population and the what now up to 5th generation of born into NZ pakehas – many whom have maori family ties, where will they go?

          So no, i don’t feel getting colonialised, I don’t feel angsty for mine self, but i do feel upset for those around me that only have this country to call Motherland or Fatherland if you are so inclined.

          • ropata 13.1.2.1.1
            12 September 2016 at 8:17 pm

            By Pakeha I mean NZers mainly of European descent who grew up here and assumed that by studying, working hard and saving they might have a future in NZ. But that has been taken away by Nat supporters’ greed for endless capital gains on housing, no matter the wider costs to the rest of society.

            I am feeling pretty ripped off by prices inflating out of reach, driven by investors with zero stake in NZ and who have never paid 1c in tax here. I can’t go anywhere else, except perhaps Aussie, but they treat Kiwis like shit

    • s y d 13.2
      1 September 2016 at 10:33 am

      Beware, beware……the persons quoted in the report are currently lined up, hand in each others pockets, with one of the biggest property developers in the area (who has a great cloak of ‘philanthropy’) to be gifted over 1000 State Houses..already making noises about wrong houses, wrong areas, big sections…this is a softening up exercise, a tilling of the ground.

      Glen Innes/Tamaki on repeat

  14. Julia Schiller 14
    1 September 2016 at 10:28 am

    I hope you’ll join the Boycott Wilson NZ Facebook group and come to the protest rally I’ve planned for Saturday. We aim to educate Kiwis that Wilson Parking, whom we all know for their extortionate prices, is a tentacle of the same corporate monster that operates Wilson Security, responsible for running Australia’s notorious offshore detention centres.

    The rally (and call to boycott Wilson) is in solidarity with the Boycott Wilson campaign coordinated by Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance
    (waca.net.au/boycott_wilson) which has already claimed some success for getting Transfield (now known as Broad Spectrum) to back away from the contract to run the camps, but Wilson was brought in as a subcontractor and has perpetuated the abysmal record of human rights abuses.

    The aim is to pressure Wilson so that they won’t be inclined to bid outright for the contract when it comes up for renewal. Of course the ultimate aim is to force the Australian government itself to process asylum seekers in a humane, timely and transparent fashion on their own soil ie to close these modern day concentration camps.

    Nelson Mandela said our Springbok protests were like the sun coming out for him and his imprisoned comrades. It is time for Kiwis who believe in justice and love to once again raise our voices so that those unjustly held and mistreated on Nauru and Manus Island can feel our sunshine.

    Protest event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/861707600640405/

    • save nz 14.1
      1 September 2016 at 10:53 am

      +1 Julia Schiller

      Maybe they can pay some tax too, for their outrageous charges
      http://www.smh.com.au/business/wilson-parkings-tax-numbers-appear-to-defy-economic-reality-20160408-go1w4u.html

      Also have heard that one of the reasons why we are not getting rail to the Auckland airport is that the airport is making something like 1 million dollars a week in ripping off people through parking charges. They don’t want public transport to interfere with their profits. (I don’t think this is Wilson Parking at the airport), but just shows how high parking charges are stopping public transport growth and groups like Auckland Council and the airport are profiting from having bad transport links.

      • Ad 14.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 2:30 pm

        The airport has designed for the future around light rail.

        You can see their plans on line.

        • save nz 14.1.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 2:49 pm

          Still waiting for it Ad though and we are in 2016, bit like those affordable houses in Auckland. That’s the point. In the meantime the parking people many of those who actually are making the rail decisions are actually benefiting from the lack of rail, coming soon, coming soon, um hopefully coming soon, bit more talking and then maybe coming soon.

          • Ad 14.1.1.1.1
            1 September 2016 at 3:28 pm

            You can catch some of this detail on TransportBlog.

            To save you the pain of dealing with the transport nerds, it’s looking like this:

            – The only new funded capex on rail of any note in Auckland is the City Rail Link. This job is underway. Central government has promised to pay half of about $3billion, but no firm agreement has been formed and signed. It’s by a fair way the most expensive piece of infrastructure in New Zealand.

            – Next off the blocks for the City is light rail up some of the main arterials like Dominion Road and Mt Eden Road. There’s huge momentum for it inside Auckland Transport, but no funding and not much enthusiasm for it in central government. It would take at least a decade to do.

            – Next off the blocks would be a third rail line in central and southern Auckland. This will separate the freight rail from the passenger rail. Very congested currently. Sometime in the next decade.

            – After that I suspect would come the tunnel to Auckland’s North Shore, currently on the books for 2025 start. Gov’t may push for faster, but I haven’t seen it. This will have rail capacity underneath it. The North Shore busway has grades for conversion to light rail, but not heavy rail.

            – Somewhere in that is rail to the airport. It’s in the mix, but TBH it’s competing against a bunch of other stuff. And TBH the hardest thing about rail projects is getting the funding through. It seriously takes at least a decade of argument to make it.

            Which is quite a lot of your life, if you’re prepared to devote yourself to it.

            • save nz 14.1.1.1.1.1
              1 September 2016 at 4:18 pm

              I agree more with Raybon Kan…

              “Any foodie will tell you it’s all about the ingredients. Yet Auckland’s ingredients – so fresh, so flavoursome – have been processed by forces so negligent they should be in jail. It’s like they took wagyu and decided to make mince lasagne.

              The people who’ve tied up Auckland for 40 or 50 years have methodically worked through a recipe to produce not an oasis, but an aneurism. Traffic that’s fractal: from overhead, it is a seizure.

              Inside the driver’s head, yet another seizure. The economic cost of cars not moving – another seizure. But I’m sure the traffic looks good in photos.”

            • save nz 14.1.1.1.1.2
              1 September 2016 at 5:28 pm

              So in short nobody knows when rail will get to the airport, it’s a talk fest subject.

  15. save nz 15
    1 September 2016 at 10:55 am

    This is fascinating and the type of research which should be happening in NZ.

    “A forest is much more than what you see,” says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery — trees talk, often and over vast distances. Learn more about the harmonious yet complicated social lives of trees and prepare to see the natural world with new eyes.”

    https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other

  16. whispering kate 16
    1 September 2016 at 2:00 pm

    I see Raybon Kan is once again raising the finger to the Government in the Herald today about the state of the river water and how its acceptable to have a wading standard only. He really does sail close to the wind these days and I am amazed granny allows his columns to be published. He is either going to lose his job writing for the paper or Granny is becoming jaded with the Government and its lack lustre performance. He writes in such a funny way and I see he is a comedian – it shines through with his biting way he gets stuff across albeit it in a humorous way. The PR machine of the Government won’t be pleased.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11702398

    • Paul 16.1
      1 September 2016 at 4:12 pm

      Faux balance.
      That’s all.

      • save nz 16.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 4:20 pm

        Still funny though Paul – he’s channeling the government discourses so well…

        “Then there’s Havelock North.

        Of course Havelock North’s water is drinkable. Look how many people drank it.

        A third of the population were laid low. But look on the bright side: while one third of the population of Havelock North were poisoned, that means two-thirds weren’t. And in a democracy, two-thirds is a majority, an absolute landslide, who support the local water and all its diverse populations of bacteria.”

  17. Robert Guyton 17
    1 September 2016 at 2:09 pm

    Bears investigating, save nz. I’m believing my forest garden acts this way also and that’s why I champion it. No bears yet, though my wife said she saw an orangutan in the plum tree recently (but it was me:-)

  18. Colonial Viper 18
    1 September 2016 at 3:17 pm

    Candidate death may delay or eliminate Presidential election

    What a weird article from the US mainstream MSM

    http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-08-30/candidate-death-could-delay-or-eliminate-presidential-election

    • McFlock 18.1
      1 September 2016 at 3:46 pm

      Not if you read it: it’s probably largely the results of a publisher’s publicity arm.

      Author of upcoming book (amazon link supplied) on US constitution is the main source for commentary on issue that the book “touches on” (lol of thirty-odd articles and amendments in constitution, four deal with the presidency) after rumours about Clinton’s health and Trump’s age/possibility of dropping out.

      • Scott 18.1.1
        1 September 2016 at 4:31 pm

        I am pleasantly surprised that Obama has made it thus far without someone taking a shot at him. When he was elected I thought it was only a matter of time before some redneck had a go.

        Given their ages, the odds of either Trump or Clinton making it to the end of a term (let alone two) must be lower than most, and that is just from natural causes.

        • McFlock 18.1.1.1
          1 September 2016 at 4:44 pm

          yeah, apparently more than a couple had a go (beyond just mouthing off in bars). Fortunately they never got there.

  19. lprent 19
    1 September 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Converting the site to https is having a few quirks that didn’t show up on the test framework. Notable was the way that it lost all of the right hand site widgets.

    Got the most of the tabs back, and the mobile theme is back again.

    Just letting the database scan on the backend run at present.

  20. swordfish 20
    1 September 2016 at 9:27 pm

    Two Deeply Disliked Presidential Candidates
    (Trigger warning: This may upset Clinton supporters of a nervous disposition)

    From Time:

    Hillary Clinton’s reputation among Americans has hit rock bottom, according to a new survey.

    America’s Opinion of Hillary Clinton Hits Record Low

    Daniel White @danielatlarge
    Aug. 31, 2016
        
    (But Donald Trump’s favorability rating is even lower)

    A Washington Post–ABC News poll released Wednesday shows that 56% of Americans view Clinton unfavorably, while 41% have a favorable impression of the Democrat—the worst she’s been viewed in her time in public life.

    Clinton’s previous low was in July when her favorable rating was 42%, according to the Post, while her previous unfavorable high was 55% in June.

    Trump’s image, however, remains worse, with 63% of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of him and only 35% having a favorable view.

    Clinton’s image had managed to rebound a bit after the Democratic National Convention in July—48% favorable and 50% unfavorable—but things appear to have bottomed out.

    The latest survey was conducted Aug. 24-28 among a national sample of 1,020 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5%.

    The Week

    At first glance, Clinton’s favorability rating might at least look better than Donald Trump’s. But, The Washington Post noted, when only registered voters are taken into consideration, “Clinton’s image is about as bad as Trump’s.” While Clinton sees a split of 38 percent favorable and 59 percent unfavorable, Trump’s split is 37 percent favorable and 60 percent unfavorable.

    So, Clinton at minus 21 / Trump on minus 23.

    A look through Real Clear Politics also suggests Clinton has suffered worse Favourability negs in recent months – minus 25 / minus 26 – and higher overall Unfavourability ratings – 60% / 61%.

    Maybe, they’re simply comparing it with previous Washington Post–ABC News polls.

    • Colonial Viper 20.1
      1 September 2016 at 9:45 pm

      I’m still picking an easy win by Trump…

    • bearded git 20.2
      2 September 2016 at 5:18 am

      Clinton is 5% ahead on the Real Clear Politics site poll of polls. And she is ahead in all of the key battleground states.

    • Lanthanide 20.3
      2 September 2016 at 10:35 am

      538 pointed out that at least some of the ‘dislike’ of Hillary probably stems from sexism, eg people don’t like to see successful women, or at least a woman like HIllary who is not typically feminine.

      • swordfish 20.3.1
        2 September 2016 at 11:06 am

        Probably true for social conservatives. But, you know, there are other reasons … for those who care to look at her record and policy proposals from a cold, hard, objective left-leaning stance, unencumbered by tribal sentimentality or the outrageous romanticisation of the Centre-Right / Neo-Liberal power-mongers at the top of the Democratic Party hierarchy.

        The Democrats are a coalition – only some factions can be considered in any way social democratic.

        Many who have little regard for uber-Hawkish, Wall St Girl, Hillary, have a great deal of time for Jill Stein and Elizabeth Warren.

        • Andre 20.3.1.1
          2 September 2016 at 11:23 am

          What I can’t get my head around is those individuals that point to every flaw in Hillary’s records and positions (real, perceived, and outright debunked smear), claim to support Stein and Warren based on their positions, that then go on to claim Trump is a better choice than Clinton.

          Looks to me like a massive case of blinding Hillary-hatred comes first, then an overdose of confirmation bias in evaluating any subsequent information about Clinton and Trump.

          • swordfish 20.3.1.1.1
            2 September 2016 at 11:54 am

            ” … then go on to claim Trump is a better choice than Clinton.”

            I’d take that up with Trump supporters if I were you.

            ” … every flaw in Hillary’s records and positions (real, perceived, and outright debunked smear)”

            You’re indulging in the usual minimisation / outright denial.