Open mike 02/09/2012

109 comments on “Open mike 02/09/2012 ”

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1. Carol 1

   2 September 2012 at 7:14 am

   Fairfux media’s (no doubt unscientific) survey of the nation – no surprises really though: a tale of, not just 2 nations, but of several – with many people and families doing it tough (including middleclass people with permanent jobs). Many are still looking to that brighter future, but just as many see no improvement on the horizon – others reckon they are doing OK. They don’t seem to have interviewed any of the top 5%…. or even of the top 15-20% on the income/wealth scale:

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7595624/How-do-you-feel-New-Zealand

   The place where we speak in aphorism, cliche and well-worn metaphor. Where we are operating on a ”hand out mentality”, but have ”everything going for us”. Where the people are ”resilient” but retailers are ”fragile”. Where we say the average wage is not keeping up with the cost of living while declaring Winston Peters to be ”the only one honest enough to let people know what’s going on”.
   …
   Ask Donna Koveskali about suffering. After two years battling with Housing New Zealand she has finally moved out of a damp, mouldy state house in Titahi Bay and scored a drier home in Tawa. But it’s come with a cost. With her 23-year-old daughter Danielle fighting kidney failure and her 18-year-old son also sick, Donna says she has little to be optimistic about. Don’t get her started on Prime Minister John Key. ”He is useless.”

   She knows nothing of the stock market and has no money to invest even if she did. Living day to day on a sickness benefit is enough without having to worry about asset sales.

   Ask Hamilton stay at home mum Jazzman Nelson about worry. She has three young kids and a fourth on the way. Her husband’s wage as a school teacher is spreading thinner and thinner. ”We are making ends meet but we are a one income family and not able to get ahead.”

   She isn’t complaining about New Zealand. Wouldn’t dream of it. Loves the place. But with paying food, electricity, telephone all the while living with her mother-in-law, it’s tough to be sunny. She and her husband want to save to buy their own place. ”There’s a future,” she says, ”but I am not sure if it’s bright.”

   It’s worth clicking on the interactive map to get the brief run-down on the circumstances of each individual/family.

   And of course, the Fairfux reporter is still keeping us all focused on the brighter future, highlighting the optimism, and ending on a hopeful note.
   • muzza 1.1

     2 September 2012 at 9:56 am

     And of course, the Fairfux reporter is still keeping us all focused on the brighter future, highlighting the optimism, and ending on a hopeful note.

     Of course, that is the role of the press, and those who are chosen to work inside that “busines”
     They must be (not very bright), uninformed, and then unable to critically question the system that pays their wages!

     One wonders how long the charade will continue to go on, before even those with serious bias, or limited capacity to observe, start to notice reality.

     Hey what about those All Blacks, and how about Angelina and Brad, do you think they might marry, oh, and Kate, won’t she just make the best royal mum, also that naughty uncle Harrys a little bit of wild isn’t he…

     Carry on!
     • Dr Terry 1.1.1

       2 September 2012 at 10:51 am

       Don’t overlook Sonny Bill Williams – quite often the newspapers have at least two glowing features (and pictures) on him on any given day! Thank God we have that to focus upon in the midst of our misery.
2. Carol 2

   2 September 2012 at 7:21 am

   Great – John Tamihere leading the charter school charge.

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7595641/An-alternative-charter

   The question remains, John, John and co, if these schools work well, why aren’t they being set up within the existing education system, with guaranteed qualified teachers etc?

   And why aren’t all schools and all children within the existing system getting the benefit of these small class sizes and individual attention?
   • tc 2.1

     2 September 2012 at 9:23 am

     Tamihere never misses an opportunity to suck up any available funds to increase his empire, as long as there are others to take the fall if it goes pear shaped.

     He’s found his niche as a radio rant show host.
     • Murray Olsen 2.1.1

       2 September 2012 at 5:55 pm

       Exactly, tc. I’ve always thought of John Tamihere as Pita Sharples minus the ponytail and ethics.
       • fnjckg 2.1.1.1

         2 September 2012 at 6:44 pm

         larf. wotta u like
   • BernyD 2.2

     2 September 2012 at 9:48 am

     National are trying to break the teachers Union of course
     • Logie97 2.2.1

       2 September 2012 at 7:13 pm

       What will a Tamahere school’s attitude be to the small group of children who deliberately dismantle school property, teacher resources and generally destroy classroom tone and climate, and sap the energy out of those erstwhile highly motivated and dedicated teachers?

       (Perhaps they will simply be despatched back to the mainstream schools).

       Nah, more likely, they will be screened out before enrollment.

       In fact, these charter schools are supposed to address the issue of the “tail”. Perhaps they should be required to recruit only the children who are the tail.
3. Morrissey 3

   2 September 2012 at 8:08 am

   It’s John Banks Trophy time again…

   DUM QUOTE OF THE WEEK
   
Award No. 3: for the week ending 01/09/2012

   *******
   Gosman
   *******

   Now, regular Standard readers will be aware that dear old Gosman has a role on this forum as a fall-guy, the bloke who sets himself up for a verbal caning, the sayer of things that sane people would never even have considered, the writer of things that honest people would not even imagine anyone would be depraved or stupid enough to write. His contributions are designed to provoke outrage and they usually do. He plays the same role on this forum that John Banks played in the 1990-99 parliament: good for a laugh occasionally, not often terribly witty but usually amusing because of the excesses his crazed mind sometimes takes him to.

   Usually anything Gosman says is almost immediately firmly refuted by three or four other people. Not debated, mind you; Gosman seems incapable of sustaining a reasoned argument, and his outlandish contributions are so easily put down, like rabid dogs, there is just no room for civilized discussion ensuing from them.

   A good example of this could be seen last Thursday when the poor fellow supplied the following piece of black anti-democratic propaganda from an extremist site….
   http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30082012/comment-page-1/#comment-515179

   Several regulars, including myself, soon pointed out the lack of credibility of his source as well as its hypocrisy. Tellingly, Gosman never formulated a response.

   And here he is stridently defending the corner of global warming-deniers, like a low-rent version of (God help us all but especially Gosman) that addle-pated shock jock Leighton Smith…

   “Organic farming takes far more land area to produce the same amount of food output as intensive non-organic farming. This is a fact.”

   http://thestandard.org.nz/climate-models-fail-to-accurately-predict-arctic-ice-deniers-fail-to-notice/#comment-513693

   Note the deadly seriousness with which he delivers the line “This is a fact.” That’s simply unimprovable. Steve Coogan eat your heart out.

   In a contribution to the thread “RIP Neil Armstrong”, he treats us to the following….

   “I have more respect for Creationists than I do for Christian’s [sic!] who also accept the reality of Evolution. At least the Creationist is logically consistent.”

   What nonsense. What a completely idiotic statement that was.

   For these sterling (albeit unwitting) efforts in the service of surreal humor and black comedy, Gosman is a deserved winner of the third John Banks Trophy.

   Previous Banksy winners…

   
No. 1: Te Reo Putake (awarded 17/8/2012)
   No. 2: Monique Watson (awarded 25/08/2012)
   • fnjckg 3.1

     2 September 2012 at 1:26 pm

     or
     “i would go out tonight, but i havn’t got a stitch to wear…..?”
     • Morrissey 3.1.1

       2 September 2012 at 1:27 pm

       Ho ho ho. Nice one, buddy.
4. muzza 4

   2 September 2012 at 8:16 am

   The California state legislature just moved that dream a little closer to reality by approving a bill paving the way for driverless cars to be allowed on Golden State freeways.

   The Economist notes that about 90 percent of traffic accidents are caused by human error, meaning that if humans are taken out of the process, there’s a strong probably that accident rates will plummet.

   Even so, the bill requires the cars to have a flesh-and-blood human being behind the wheel if something goes wrong.

   “It sounds space age, but it’s almost here,” Padilla told the San Jose Mercury News. “If we can reduce the number of accidents, that alone is worth doing this bill.”

   Translation:We will remove humans from various the processes slowly, so they won;t notice, machines are better, we don’t need/want all those useless eater/feeders

   But wait….

   Bay Area tech giant Google has been leading the way in self-driving cars. The team behind the project asserts that the technology is largely already there and their self-driving cars are ready to hit the road right now.

   Earlier this year, Google took a number of state legislators on a test non-drive of their driverless cars.

   I thought it was about reducing the number of road deaths…

   No this is about restricting human movement, tracking every journey that you make (already done in reality), if you are “lucky” enough to either be “allowed” to drive (because thats what this is also about), but the article tells what these psychopaths think about human beings!

   Technology is not democratic!
   • Carol 4.1

     2 September 2012 at 8:22 am

     Good. Soon I’ll be able to send my car to work, it’ll then transform into a walking bot and do my job for me. Meanwhile I’ll spend my day I as I please, and make sure my pay still gets lodged in my bank.

     A person can dream….

     Don’t they realise cars are not going to be the main machines of the future?
     • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1

       2 September 2012 at 1:29 pm

       A person can dream…

       So, what would you do with your time? Personally, I get into art, politics and trying to keep up with technological advances (which feeds back into my politics).

       IMO, that’s what we should be aiming for because it would allow us to engage more, do more and be self-governing.
       • fnjckg 4.1.1.1

         2 September 2012 at 3:45 pm

         interesting. semi, quietism leads me there and here
       • Carol 4.1.1.2

         2 September 2012 at 4:46 pm

         I find plenty to do with my time; history, politics, social issues and research, popular culture and its relation to social context, visual arts (especially photography, screen fiction etc).
         • fnjckg 4.1.1.2.1

           2 September 2012 at 5:01 pm

           believed i was on the correct page
           • Carol 4.1.1.2.1.1

             2 September 2012 at 5:32 pm

             I was responding to DTB’s question about what I’d do with my time if I was working less.
   • Draco T Bastard 4.2

     2 September 2012 at 1:23 pm

     Quoting article:

     Despite the bill’s widespread political support, some quarters have voiced reservations, particularly over what happens if driverless cars crash and lawsuits are filed. “This does not protect adequately the manufacturers for liability concerns,” Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers spokesman Dan Gage told the Mercury News.

     Interesting, obviously, if the car crashes while in autonomous mode the manufacturer of the car is at fault as, essentially, they’re the ones driving the car.

     No this is about restricting human movement,

     Don’t know how you get that.

     tracking every journey that you make (already done in reality),

     To be honest, I don’t have a problem with that either just so long as there’s strict rules about looking at the data and the use that it’s put to.

     if you are “lucky” enough to either be “allowed” to drive (because thats what this is also about),

     Nobody should be allowed to drive – cars are highly inefficient and should be banned outright with this self-drive capability then used in public transport.

     but the article tells what these psychopaths think about human beings!

     I didn’t see anything of that in the article which would indicate that your seeing things that aren’t there.

     Technology is not democratic!

     Technology is merely there, the use that it’s put to is up to us which is democratic.
     • fnjckg 4.2.1

       2 September 2012 at 1:27 pm

       slap that bit
     • TheContrarian 4.2.2

       2 September 2012 at 1:30 pm

       “cars are highly inefficient and should be banned outright with this self-drive capability then used in public transport.”

       Bahahahahahahaha. Do you drive a car, Draco?
       • Draco T Bastard 4.2.2.1

         2 September 2012 at 1:34 pm

         No.
         • TheContrarian 4.2.2.1.1

           2 September 2012 at 1:35 pm

           But you’re more than happy to ensure no one else does either?
           • Draco T Bastard 4.2.2.1.1.1

             2 September 2012 at 3:09 pm

             Have you got a good reason to maintain the inefficiency?
             • weka …

               2 September 2012 at 3:29 pm

               Yes, I have a disability that makes me dependent on my car.
               • Draco T Bastard …

                 2 September 2012 at 6:53 pm

                 That’s an exception and not a good enough reason to keep cars.
             • TheContrarian …

               2 September 2012 at 5:01 pm

               So if cars were completely powered by hydrogen fuel cells would you still argue people should only use public transport?
               • mike e …

                 2 September 2012 at 5:58 pm

                 The Con trains last 40to60 years cars 15 to 20 on average trains cost 1sixtieth the cost of a car to move that person from a to b that includes construction and running costs.
                 Fuel cells are ridiculously dear and will probably never be economical.
               • Draco T Bastard …

                 2 September 2012 at 6:54 pm

                 Doesn’t matter what they’re powered by they’re still inefficient.
                 • TheContrarian …

                   2 September 2012 at 8:23 pm

                   “Doesn’t matter what they’re powered by they’re still inefficient.”

                   Errr, what?
                   A hydrogen fuel cell is inefficient?
                   • Colonial Viper …

                     2 September 2012 at 9:04 pm

                     Bearing in mind that a hydrogen fuel cell is not a primary source of energy, merely a store of energy.
                   • TheContrarian …

                     2 September 2012 at 9:58 pm

                     The primary source is H which is extracted from H2O. You’re right, the cell is the storage device. But the fuel comes from water….and the by-product is water.

                     My point here, which is what I’d like Draco to comment on, is does he dislike the idea of private vehicles because of the ecological/oil cost or because he doesnt think there should be a private vehicle class in the first place.
                   • Colonial Viper …

                     2 September 2012 at 10:03 pm

                     The primary source is H which is extracted from H2O. You’re right, the cell is the storage device. But the fuel comes from water…

                     I think you’ve missed a step in the energy equation. Which is: where does the energy come from to extract H from water.

                     Whatever powers your extraction process is the primary energy source. Not the hydrogen.
                   • TheContrarian …

                     2 September 2012 at 10:18 pm

                     There is an anode and a cathode. O reacts with one a H reacts with the other.

                     Like a battery. There is no extraction.
                   • Draco T Bastard …

                     2 September 2012 at 11:07 pm

                     A hydrogen fuel cell is inefficient?

                     No you moron, cars are inefficient.
                   • TheContrarian …

                     3 September 2012 at 9:03 am

                     “No you moron, cars are inefficient.”

                     Get fucked Draco you fucking cunt. Being a prick for the sake of being prick makes you look like an asshole. A car with a fuel cell would solve your ‘inefficient’ problem but as the crazy ideologue you just dislike the idea of someone having private transportation. Luckily your strange ideas gain no traction.
               • Colonial Viper …

                 2 September 2012 at 7:03 pm

                 So if cars were completely powered by hydrogen fuel cells

                 This is not likely to ever happen, I’m afraid.
                 • TheContrarian …

                   2 September 2012 at 8:24 pm

                   It’s a hypothetical question.
     • muzza 4.2.3

       2 September 2012 at 4:18 pm

       No this is about restricting human movement,

       Don’t know how you get that.
       Do some further reading then

       tracking every journey that you make (already done in reality),

       To be honest, I don’t have a problem with that either just so long as there’s strict rules about looking at the data and the use that it’s put to.
       Im a little surprised at your response to this one DTB. Strict rules, argh, yeah ok mate! Maybe google cars, google wallet, google earth, google st view, google search, google mail, google cloud & (TPPA), could well be an example of where the strict rules you refer could fall over!

       if you are “lucky” enough to either be “allowed” to drive (because thats what this is also about),

       Nobody should be allowed to drive – cars are highly inefficient and should be banned outright with this self-drive capability then used in public transport.
       They are inneficient, but thats about all I can find common ground with, the rest of it, you are talking nonsense, but helps me understand some other comments you put in the post, above and below

       but the article tells what these psychopaths think about human beings!

       I didn’t see anything of that in the article which would indicate that your seeing things that aren’t there.
       Or you are not seing what is, and I am not just referring to this article!

       Technology is not democratic!

       Technology is merely there, the use that it’s put to is up to us which is democratic.
       While true at the end user consumer market, outside of that is what I was actually referring
       • weka 4.2.3.1

         2 September 2012 at 4:44 pm

         “the use that it’s put to is up to us which is democratic.”

         Some years ago, the previous National govt wanted all cars to be trackable and for the state to be able to tell which cars were going where and when and tie that into registration and WOF data (amongst others), as well as road tolls and user pays.

         Hands up who trusts the National govt?
         • muzza 4.2.3.1.1

           2 September 2012 at 5:01 pm

           Weka, yes this subject is something of a uptopian dream for these people, but don’t be fooled by thinking its just the national govt, or act etc, it has little if nothing to do with political ideology!

           Its ideological, but not in the way most people want to believe it is.
           • fnjckg 4.2.3.1.1.1

             2 September 2012 at 5:13 pm

             on to it
         • Draco T Bastard 4.2.3.1.2

           2 September 2012 at 7:04 pm

           I’d prefer the government getting the data than a private firm:

           a) The government can use the data to actually improve our lives
           b) The government can be held to account

           Neither of these things is true of private companies.
           • weka 4.2.3.1.2.1

             3 September 2012 at 10:00 am

             There is no good reason for the govt to have a tracker in my car that outweighs the privacy concerns, or the wider political agenda (privatising roads).

             I can’t believe you just argued for less privacy rights on the basis that ‘at least it’s the govt’ who holds the info. Again, hands up who trusts the the National Govt? I wouldn’t trust Labour with this one either btw.  
       • Draco T Bastard 4.2.3.2

         2 September 2012 at 7:01 pm

         Maybe google cars, google wallet, google earth, google st view, google search, google mail, google cloud & (TPPA), could well be an example of where the strict rules you refer could fall over!

         Did you note the lack of rules and the fact that anybody can accumulate data if you give permission? By using Google you give permission. If you don’t want to be tracked by Google then don’t use them. Of course, that pretty much can’t happen as Google happens to be pretty much everywhere.

         They are inneficient, but thats about all I can find common ground with, the rest of it, you are talking nonsense, but helps me understand some other comments you put in the post, above and below

         In what way is getting rid of inefficiency, which we can’t afford, nonsense?

         Or you are not seing what is, and I am not just referring to this article!

         About the only thing they said that even came close to being negative about humans was that they stated the fact that most crashes are caused by human error.

         While true at the end user consumer market, outside of that is what I was actually referring

         Which makes no sense. The consumer doesn’t have any democratic say in anything but we could use technology to improve our democracy.
       • weka 4.2.3.3

         3 September 2012 at 10:04 am

         Google cars… that’d be a good one. Each week you get into the car on any given morning and they’ve moved where the indicators are, or the lights switch, or the gear stick 🙄 Plus the gear stick doesn’t really do what it used to, so you have to fiddle with all the other knobs to figure out how to drive the car. Some of the things you find useful have been taken out completely, but you can rest assured, because google are the Good Guys so you know that it’s all for the best.

          
5. captain hook 5

   2 September 2012 at 8:28 am

   charter skools are the febrile manifestation of the wannabee drongos in nz society who think they know everything but more to the point want a government salary without having any qualifications.
   • Draco T Bastard 5.1

     2 September 2012 at 1:33 pm

     Nope, charter schools is all about a few rich people getting government handouts in the millions of dollars per year.
6. mickysavage 6

   2 September 2012 at 9:33 am

   The EU is banning incandescent light bulbs.  Gasp!  I wonder if this loss of a fundamental civil and political right will have citizens out on the street protesting the challenge to their freedoms …
   • muzza 6.1

     2 September 2012 at 9:47 am

     So we will see this forced change in NZ soon enough then, and won’t Phillips be pleased, what a boon for them its been, and will be eh!

     I’m sure all the energy use reductions will be mirrored by the decreasing costs of energy bills accross EU nations….

     Quite sure that people have more pressing issues which are/will get(ting) them onto the streets over the coming years, so will assume the comment was /sarc
     • weka 6.1.1

       2 September 2012 at 2:21 pm

       Isn’t it the lightbulb banning issue that cost Helen Clark her last election? So the story goes. People were incensed at having their rights so badly denied. Incandescent even.

       /sarc 😉 

       Personally I think banning incandescents is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It’s symbolic of a world that thinks that we have climate change because we bought the wrong toys. 
       • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.1

         2 September 2012 at 3:11 pm

         Actually, it’s symbolic of the realisation that resources are limited which is exactly what is needed if we want to change to a better system. Unbanning them is the result of the idea that BaU will continue.
       • mickysavage 6.1.1.2

         2 September 2012 at 4:02 pm

         Small steps weka but if we do not even take these small steps we are irreversibly stuffed.
         • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.2.1

           2 September 2012 at 4:17 pm

           The trick is to try and remember that no configuration of the deck chairs, no matter how clever, will stop the Titanic from going under.
         • weka 6.1.1.2.2

           2 September 2012 at 4:48 pm

           If we only take small steps we are stuffed mickey. One of the reasons we are only taking small steps is because we think that changing lightbulbs will make a difference. It won’t. It will just enable bean counters to tell us we have made x savings and therefore we are doing the right thing and so we can relax a bit.

           I don’t see any evidence that societies are moving towards using less power or creating less emissions in any meaningful way. 
           • Draco T Bastard 6.1.1.2.2.1

             2 September 2012 at 7:08 pm

             If we only take small steps we are stuffed mickey.

             A small step that people can come to understand and that will allow bigger steps later.

             I don’t see any evidence that societies are moving towards using less power or creating less emissions in any meaningful way.

             That’s because societies are still told that there are no limits. Inform them of the limits and people will stop using resources (i.e, water shortages in which people conserve water). Our socio-economic system can’t handle that though as it’s predicated on using as resources as possible so as to make a few people rich.
             • Colonial Viper …

               2 September 2012 at 7:15 pm

               A small step that people can come to understand and that will allow bigger steps later.

               I’d love to know when this “later” you are referring to might be. If its after about 2016 or 2018 we’re shit out of luck.
               • Draco T Bastard …

                 2 September 2012 at 11:12 pm

                 Yeah, well, we took the step and then we voted this government in and took several dozen backwards. Thems the breaks.

                 After 2016 I suspect people will be clamouring to take that step and several others.
   • QoT 6.2

     2 September 2012 at 1:11 pm

     What’s next? Their sacred showerheads?
7. fnjckg 7

   2 September 2012 at 9:37 am

   “Eureka”
   “now, i see”
   “I Believe”

   (btw, numerous microethnomethodological studies strongly suggest, science conducted by faith)

   RONS just wrong

   wow! what a start to His day; R.Smalley (in black) followed by J-A G (au natural) and some very considerate discourse. we live and pray

   thought for today? am i my brother/s keeper

   plus, the channel 3 news last pm was just one deleterious social impacting event after another;
   at least there is always the anasthetic of alcohol….
8. freedom 8

   2 September 2012 at 9:48 am

   not sure if this has been shared here in the last few days as i have been doing other things
   but i think we have a new caption contest candidate
   http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-08/29/131815695_21n.jpg
   • muzza 8.1

     2 September 2012 at 10:00 am

     Photoshop?
     • r0b 8.1.1

       2 September 2012 at 10:19 am

       No, it’s real:

       http://www.3news.co.nz/John-Key-welcomed-in-Rarotonga/tabid/417/articleID/267255/Default.aspx

       Might put it up as a caption comp some time…
       • muzza 8.1.1.1

         2 September 2012 at 10:25 am

         Hopefully they’re carting him off to the tip, or the out-house where his shite belongs…

         Anyone get a pic of the armed guards standing off frame who ordered this to happen? /sarc
       • Dv 8.1.1.2

         2 September 2012 at 10:28 am

         I really enjoyed the emerson cartoon, with key being carried on the litter by the alcohol lobby.
         • gobsmacked 8.1.1.2.1

           2 September 2012 at 11:03 am

           Hillary Clinton’s a bit more important than John Key. She walked.

           (you can imagine the conversation –

           Staffer: “Madam Secretary, the Cook Islands protocol involves you being carried on the backs of the natives, like a colonial master, and … ”

           Hillary: “You’ve got to be kidding! Are we trying to lose the election? Ain’t gonna happen.”)
           • Morrissey 8.1.1.2.1.1

             2 September 2012 at 11:20 am

             Hillary Clinton’s a bit more important than John Key. She walked.

             Yes, Hillary Clinton’s an outstanding champion of human rights. Ask any person living in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Occupied Territories.

             Here she is with another really humane leader, re-affirming to the world just how committed to human rights they both are….
             
             • gobsmacked …

               2 September 2012 at 11:42 am

               There is no connection whatsoever between what I said and your “Yes”.

               (But you knew that already).
               • Morrissey …

                 2 September 2012 at 1:26 pm

                 I appreciate that, my friend. I just think you should be careful about using Hillary Clinton as an exemplar for anything. As horrible as Key is, he doesn’t have blood on his hands like she does.
                 • weka …

                   2 September 2012 at 2:25 pm

                   I took gs’s comment to be about Clinton having more PR nous than Key (and probably self respect). Nothing to do with her credibility or ethics.
                   • Morrissey …

                     2 September 2012 at 3:06 pm

                     Yes, yes, weka, I understood too. I just couldn’t resist having a go at her, though.

                     “I have repeatedly warned the Tsar…”
   • Vicky32 8.2

     2 September 2012 at 6:56 pm

     a new caption contest candidate

     Unbelievable! 😀
9. mickysavage 9

   2 September 2012 at 10:03 am

   This picture of Romney’s family paints a couple of thousand words.
   • muzza 9.1

     2 September 2012 at 4:39 pm

     On the stump Mitt Romney, 65, has avoided mentioning Mormonism, instead talking generally about his faith, but he has been an active lifelong member of the church.

     He was a Mormon missionary to France in the 1960s, studied at the almost-exclusively Mormon Brigham Young university and rose to become first bishop, then “Stake President” (diocesan leader) in his home state of Massachusetts.

     He led Sunday services, ran Bible classes for children and looked after a 4,000-strong congregation in Boston for five years in the 1980s.

     Like all Mormons, he is expected to give 10% of his annual income – no-one knows how much he is worth, but it is estimated at anywhere from $150 million to $1 billion – to the Church and not drink tea, coffee or alcohol.

     Committed Mormons wear special under-garments, and Romney is believed to follow this tenet of his faith too.

     Then there is his great-great grandfather

     After the death of Joseph Smith, Pratt and his family were among the Latter Day Saints who emigrated to Utah Territory and continued on as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) under the direction of Brigham Young. Pratt was involved in establishing the refugee settlements and fields at both Garden Grove and Mt. Pisgah, Iowa, and personally led a pioneer company along the Mormon Trail to the Salt Lake Valley. Sometime in the mid 1850s, working with George D. Watt, he helped develop the Deseret alphabet. In 1854, Pratt went to California to preside over the Pacific Mission of the LDS Church headquartered in San Francisco.
   • SHG 9.2

     2 September 2012 at 7:02 pm

     This picture of Romney’s family paints a couple of thousand words.

     No, it paints one. And the word is “Photoshop”.
     • Colonial Viper 9.2.1

       2 September 2012 at 7:09 pm

       It’s almost as funny as the “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan” rearrangement “My ultimate Ayn Rand porn” (hat tip TheContrarian)
10. joe90 10

    2 September 2012 at 10:12 am

    Burning Man gallery, scroll down for the live feed.

    Direct stream here.
11. Herodotus 11

    2 September 2012 at 10:27 am

    In a time of austerity, we are asking for some to pay for their job interview process.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/30/us-usa-campaign-spending-idUSTRE77T3ZX20110830
12. Dr Terry 12

    2 September 2012 at 10:59 am

    Any thoughts on Rodney Hide’s column in today’s Sunday Herald? I gain the impression that it might be out and out racist in tone, have I got it wrong?
    • Morrissey 12.1

      2 September 2012 at 11:14 am

      Any thoughts on Rodney Hide’s column in today’s Sunday Herald? I gain the impression that it might be out and out racist in tone, have I got it wrong?

      I haven’t read it yet, but I’d be prepared to wager poor old Clint Eastwood’s Republican convention appearance fee that your suspicion is correct. I’ll come back with my analysis after I’ve seen it, but the following factors mean it’s highly likely….

      1.) It’s an article by Rodney Hide, who has frequently made crude racist statements on the radio and television;

      2.) It’s in the Herald on Sunday, which is a forum for some of the most bizarrely racist and deranged writing in the country.
    • BernyD 12.2

      2 September 2012 at 11:17 am

      He needs to learn to speak Maori, he’ll start to understand that they are a “Life” oriented culture at that point.
      The article definitely has no respect for their beliefs. Nor does it recognise their growth as a people.
      Which does not make it all that pertinent to NZ in 2012.
      • SHG 12.2.1

        2 September 2012 at 7:04 pm

        He needs to learn to speak Maori, he’ll start to understand that they are a “Life” oriented culture

        Life is very important in Maori culture, because if something’s not alive you can’t kill it and eat it. Plants… animals… other people… very important.
        • felix 12.2.1.1

          2 September 2012 at 7:44 pm

          Ladies and Gentlemen, the racist right wing.
        • Morrissey 12.2.1.2

          2 September 2012 at 7:56 pm

          Look out, fellas—it’s a moron.
          • SHG 12.2.1.2.1

            2 September 2012 at 8:21 pm

            The consumption of life and “life force” is at the heart of all animistic cultures, of which the NZ Maori is just one.
    • muzza 12.3

      2 September 2012 at 11:39 am

      But the clincher is to recognise the river’s life force. Then it’s yours.

      The likes of RH et al, have no concept what so ever of “life forces or energy”, which is why being able to exude such ignorance in this article, comes freely and naturally, the rac*sm unavoidable for him, because, like those who rule over this planet, that is what they are in their very core, and the Rodneys selected, because that too is what they are!

      The types who permeate the “halls of power”, are the winners of a selection process, so can you imagine what those who pull the strings represent!

      Because kiwis (those who do actually think, and even some who don’t), are easy to get on-board with things like maori rights and rac*sm etc, it means that the support which will be derived for traditional “rights” will stay in focus, which while I am not for “ownership” by any group, at this stage , has to be considered a good thing.

      While I’m uneasy about the maori elite, or their ability to not be corrupted further by white men, at this point in time, they are about the only signifigant barrier to those same white men, stealing the lot, again!
    • weka 12.4

      2 September 2012 at 12:08 pm

      It’s online. Read at your own risk.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/religion-and-beliefs/news/article.cfm?c_id=301&objectid=10831075 
      • Morrissey 12.4.1

        2 September 2012 at 12:56 pm

        I have now sacrificed a couple of minutes of my life and read it and, sure enough, it is as racist, and as ill informed as I feared.

        Perhaps even worse than Hide’s moronic, ignorant views is the Herald website’s warning to anyone who might be thinking of posting a reply to the distinguished thinker: “We aim to have healthy debate. But we won’t publish comments that abuse others.”

        Clearly no such limitations apply to their own columnists.
        • weka 12.4.1.1

          2 September 2012 at 2:28 pm

          I only read the first couple of lines, and the last. Even that demonstrated hypocrisy of such epic proportions I couldn’t bring myself to read the rest. 
          • Carol 12.4.1.1.1

            2 September 2012 at 4:50 pm

            I read a bit (yuk!) then started to read the comments…. so many, too many, people congratulating RH on his article and endorsing it.
      • Draco T Bastard 12.4.2

        2 September 2012 at 7:16 pm

        Reading the comments in that is rather sickening. The racism and ignorance is much worse in the comments than what was in RH’s spiel.

        Dunno why but your link doesn’t work for some reason. This one does.
        • Morrissey 12.4.2.1

          2 September 2012 at 7:57 pm

          The racism and ignorance is much worse in the comments than what was in RH’s spiel.

          Really? Hide is about as extreme as they come.
    • Murray Olsen 12.5

      2 September 2012 at 6:27 pm

      I read Hide’s column. I see it as an attempt to stir up racism among ignorant pakeha in the interests of selling of our assets to greedy pakeha and foreign corporates. To my way of thinking, that makes it racist, which is about what I’ve come to expect from Rodney Hide.
13. Morrissey 13

    2 September 2012 at 11:04 am

    Sunday Funnies
    Whatever happened to Howard Dean?

    After madly screeching himself into mass derision (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5FzCeV0ZFc) during his disastrous bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, Howard Dean has gone onto a career as a “pundit”, where he smiles like a nice guy and expresses his admiration for killing peasants in Asia and Africa by drone aircraft. Watch and cringe as he does his shallow schtick here…
    

    At the start of the clip, you’ll see good-looking but dim Republican senator Marco Rubio saying something inane about the capture of Gaddafi. Also appearing on the clip is another of those glib Brits that infest American public commentary, Tina Brown.

    Balancing out the display of horror is Jeremy Scahill, one of the outstanding journalists in America.

    One of the YouTube commenters asks a very good question: “Why can’t Scahill be a senator instead of Rubio? Why can’t we have intelligent people in congress?”
14. just saying 14

    2 September 2012 at 11:33 am

    http://www.ted.com/talks/ivan_krastev_can_democracy_exist_without_trust.html

    “Can democracy exist without trust”?
    Interesting TED talk from Ivan Krastev (transcript available). A small snippet:

    ….

    And when you go to the brain sciences, what political consultants learned from the brain scientists is don’t talk to me about ideas anymore, don’t talk to me about policy programs. What really matters is basically to manipulate the emotions of the people. And you have this very strongly to the extent that, even if you see when we talk about revolutions these days, these revolutions are not named anymore around ideologies or ideas. Before, revolutions used to have ideological names. They could be communist, they could be liberal, they could be fascist or Islamic. Now the revolutions are called under the medium which is most used. You have Facebook revolutions, Twitter revolutions. The content doesn’t matter anymore, the problem is the media.

    I’m saying this because one of my major points is what went right is also what went wrong. And when we’re now trying to see how we can change the situation, when basically we’re trying to see what can be done about democracy, we should keep this ambiguity in mind. Because probably some of the things that we love most are going to be also the things that can hurt us most. These days it’s very popular to believe that this push for transparency, this kind of a combination between active citizens, new technologies and much more transparency-friendly legislation can restore trust in politics. You believe that when you have these new technologies and people who are ready to use this, it can make it much more difficult for the governments to lie, it’s going to be more difficult for them to steal and probably even going to be more difficult for them to kill. This is probably true. But I do believe that we should be also very clear that now when we put the transparency at the center of politics where the message is that transparency is stupid.

    Transparency is not about restoring trust in institutions. Transparency is politics’ management of mistrust. We are assuming that our societies are going to be based on mistrust. And by the way, mistrust was always very important for democracy. This is why you have checks and balances. This is why basically you have all this creative mistrust between the representatives and those whom they represent. But when politics is only management of mistrust, then — I’m very glad that “1984” has been mentioned — now we’re going to have “1984” in reverse. It’s not going to be the Big Brother watching you, it’s going to be we being the Big Brother watching the political class.

    But is this the idea of a free society?…..
    • joe90 14.1

      2 September 2012 at 12:26 pm

      Ta JS, something to think about.
15. captain hook 15

    2 September 2012 at 12:05 pm

    whoever designed john banks should have another look at the plans!
16. prism 16

    2 September 2012 at 12:17 pm

    This morning on Chris Laidlaw Radionz Jim Dier a very enthusiastic community builder who has found that he and his fellows have made a lot of difference. So he is not an armchair idealist but a thinking down-and-dirty-hands worker who has a good idea that works. Audio should be up by noon
    (or so I thought but it isn’t – may be some pesky damn reason of copyright.)

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday
    10:06 Ideas: Growing Communities
    Epuni Primary School’s Common Unity Project aims to produce enough fruit and vegetables to feed not only the school’s 110 pupils but their families as well. It’s a classic example of what’s been called Asset Based Community Development – or ABC Development. Ideas visits Epuni Primary School in Lower Hutt and talks to the project’s volunteer coordinator Julia Milne; Jim Diers, a proponent of the ABCD movement, tells Jeremy Rose about Seattle’s Strong Communities Initiative; and Denise Bijoux of Inspiring Communities talks to Chris Laidlaw about the proliferation of asset-based community projects in New Zealand.
    Presented by Chris Laidlaw
    Produced by Jeremy Rose.

    This is a copy of the one I put on open mike 30/8 but then thought it might get missed.
    • prism 16.1

      2 September 2012 at 1:05 pm

      Further to 16
      It is on line now if you want to listen to it.
    • fnjckg 16.2

      2 September 2012 at 1:36 pm

      plenty of inspirational roots-level community development building here in HB
17. prism 17

    2 September 2012 at 12:19 pm

    I wonder has anyone noticed that when trying to pull a comment from past days, if the number of them go beyond one page, the search device often won’t find the highlighted comment. Than have to go and scroll down for it.
18. Morrissey 18

    2 September 2012 at 1:24 pm

    LUNATIC POET ALERT!

    Expect an unpleasant blast of foul air from Christchurch to burst from your radio at 2:35 this afternoon at 2:35 p.m….

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/artsonsunday

    In their wisdom, the producers at RNZ National have seen fit to resurrect one Karen Zelas who, along with Auckland University’s bloviating Professor John Read provided the main academic cover in the police’s hare-brained, fantastical sex abuse case against Peter Ellis.

    In A City Possessed, Lynley Hood’s magisterial demolition of the hysteria, Zelas was comprehensively and irrefutably shown up to be a fraud and a charlatan. But if you imagined this horrid woman had been stewing in her own shame for the last decade and a half, you were wrong.

    Apparently, she always wanted to be a writer. Maybe that helps to explain her sympathy for the outlandish fantasies drilled into those children’s brains by that crazed cadre of fundamentalist parents at the Christchurch Civic Creche.

    Zelas reckons that forcing little children to repeat their parents’ wild and lurid fantasies has made her into quite the poet: “I suppose my former career has given me a depth of understanding of people, their emotions and relationships and how they behave, which I am able to draw upon in my writing.”

    http://www.peterellis.org.nz/LawReform/Evidence/2003-0831_SST_AreCourtsOverZelas.htm
    • Murray Olsen 18.1

      2 September 2012 at 6:45 pm

      She was just following the latest crap coming from American psychologists at the time. In my experience, psychologists are some of the most dangerous people that exist. Psychology is demonstrably not a science, and follows fashions which change every few years, yet its practicioners can affect people’s lives to more of an extent than most pseudo-scientists except economists. The courts would do no worse if they relied on expert testimony from astrologers.
      • Morrissey 18.1.1

        2 September 2012 at 7:24 pm

        She was just following the latest crap coming from American psychologists at the time.

        She was also validating the psychotic sexual fantasies of some fundamentalist Christian loons in Christchurch. She wasn’t the only one, either; the aforementioned Prof. John Read continues to taunt Ellis with cruel and unsubstantiated allegations, the Children’s Commissioner at the time (Laurie O’Reilly) gave the madness official backing by treating the allegations seriously, as did his successor Roger McClay (who was subsequently convicted for fraud and sent to prison). And the police in Christchurch still occasionally haul Ellis into the station to humiliate him further.

        In my experience, psychologists are some of the most dangerous people that exist.

        There are certainly some bad ones, all right. And Karen Zelas is one of the very worst.
19. Te Reo Putake 19

    2 September 2012 at 1:24 pm

    A ‘March for Jobs’ is going to be held this Tuesday in Greymouth. How’s that brighter future looking Coasters?
     
    From the West Coast miner fb page:
     
    There will be a ‘March for Work’ rally in Greymouth on 4th September to commence at midday from the Skate Park. The march is in support of the coalminers of spring creek and the township of Greymouth. This is an open invitation to march through town to raise awareness that will effect us all if the mine was to close. Damien O’Connor MP, The Mayor and Bernie Monk have confirmed there support and will speak following the march. Please pass on and join the march to save jobs and our community.
    • chris73 19.1

      2 September 2012 at 11:06 pm

      I dunno but maybe they could allow some more mining to happen on the coast.
20. captain hook 20

    2 September 2012 at 5:42 pm

    wow.
    carol zelas and march for jobs side by side.
    anyway this is for carol.
    I have read recently that the US Supreme court no longer represents the little man.
    is this true?
21. fnjckg 21

    2 September 2012 at 6:53 pm

    Karl Popper

    anyway, at the community meals there are just rows and rows of tangata whenua tamariki and moko’
    every week

    after week

    (middle class-daydream)

    there is no forgiveness in NZ? reminds me of “There is no depression in NZ….”

    who loves James K. Baxter? Wow!

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