Open mike 03/07/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 3rd, 2016 - 65 comments
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65 comments on “Open mike 03/07/2016 ”

  1. Paul 1

    Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
    We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

    It was 2 degrees in Auckland last night.

    Not very warm to be sleeping in a car.
    Not very warm to be sleeping in a container.
    Not very warm to be sleeping in a garage.
    Not very warm to be sleeping on the street.

    The mainstream media may think that Novak Djokovic being knocked out of Wimbledon is a news items, but is not.
    The majority of the media are doing everything they can to support Paula Bennett and move homelessness off the headlines.

    “Try walking in my shoes, it’s not actually that easy.”
    This was the challenge TA set to Prime Minister John Key. But really it’s a challenge for us all.

  2. Paul 2

    So angry!

    So Sad!
    So proud of decent Kiwis.

    So damn annoyed by how cruel life has become in New Zealand. We came across this man today at the back of an Inner City Hotel in Auckland. It was cold this morning, so cold. This guy who has obviously come across hard times is one of thousands in the new New Zealand under John Key’s dishonest, Corrupt, and Incompetent Government. I can’t take much more of those who still support this Crook, I really can’t! We watched as an obviously ‘high income’ ‘upper class’ Woman walked past him, rolled her eyes, and kept going, as if to say ‘What an inconvenience having to walk past peasants in the Street, oh Johnny dear, when you finish fondling that girls hair – get them removed!’ I could have slapped her!

    Just two minutes later a young Maori guy walked up to him, bags of Mcdonalds in his hands – and placed it beside him. He didn’t appear to know who he was, he didn’t appear to have a lot of money himself from what he was wearing – but he cared enough to give a guy a break, giving him food. It nearly brought tears to my eyes.

    Read the whole article here.
    http://www.averagekiwi.com/?p=112

    • North 2.1

      Those with the least often seem to be the most caring and generous. Until recently in McDonalds in Kaikohe there was a framed certificate on the wall recording that in about 2010 over the whole nation the very poor town of Kaikohe made the second highest contribution to the Ronald McDonald House donations box. After Takanini I think. Kaikohe, one of the poorest towns in New Zealand.

      • Craig H 2.1.1

        Studies back that up.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1

          And that is why we can’t rely upon charity to fix poverty. The rich never give enough and the poor, although willing, simply can’t.

          • North 2.1.1.1.1

            DTB I have to tell you this……20 years ago went to a garage sale in Sarsfield Street, Herne Bay. Even then 3 mill’ weren’t unusual in that street.

            Jeezuz……fucking jam jars without lids they wanted 90 cents for. The entitlement of them ?

            Another world. Another fucking world !

            But I suppose for them too……like when when my long time hoa wahine lustily burst out – ” Kia Ora Kia Ora Kia Ora !!! ” – OMG the startled faces……..hilarious ! Just wanted to get outa there after that and we took off, laughing our heads off. “Fucking jam jar ninety cents…… get orrrfff !”

            Yeah…….the rich…….and the eye of a needle.

      • mosa 2.1.2

        Those with the least always give the most !
        There will be a day of reckoning and a lot of questions and investigations launched and appearances in court once this country is liberated from the darkness i have no doubt.

    • mary_a 2.2

      Thanks again Paul (2). Your posts are much appreciated.

      My staunch Socialist grandmother (often reviled for her political and social beliefs), used to take homeless people into her home (in the UK), give them a good meal to share with her and granddad, a hot bath and a warm comfy bed for the night. Before they left, she would in some instances take their ragged torn clothes and repair them to the best she possibly could. Apart from that she would volunteer to help out at shelters, soup kitchens and the like. When asked why she did this, she said because she “considered herself privileged for having shared some time with such good decent people.”

      Through her, I learned the value of compassion, love, respect and treating society’s less fortunate as an equal. She always said to do so is a sign of strength of character, as well as generosity of spirit.

      Obviously in NZ that charitable spirit still exists through the ordinary Kiwi, as you have indicated in your post. Apart from that, many similar instances being marae which have given shelter and fed NZ’s homeless families. A generosity of spirit which needs to grow more.

      • Chooky 2.2.1

        +100 mary_a…the values we are brought up with are pretty important…NZ has been corrupted by jonkey Nact….National voters should be ashamed of themselves

  3. b waghorn 3

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11667728

    Mr Hickey at his best.

    “”At some point, the governing elites of mature and globalised economies like ours will have to come up with a new deal to redistribute some of the bounties of globalisation.””

    Sounds like a ubi is in his thinking.

  4. Andre 4

    Economics meets science. Guess who wins?

    http://www.salon.com/2016/07/02/watch_bill_maher_rubs_californias_success_in_the_face_of_republicans/

    Swallow your coffee and put the cup down before watching!

  5. Paul 5

    New Zealand – A Ticking Timebomb of Mass Social Unrest

    As we drove home tonight, my Wife and I talked about how the New Zealand we live in today is one we honestly never thought we would see.

    We have a Prime Minister who blatantly lies almost every single week about one thing or another. A Prime Minister who has been caught on camera many times, fondling or pulling the hair of little girls – a behaviour which would have seen others possibly jailed!

    We have a Minister by the name of Paula Bennett, an ex-Beneficiary/Solo Mother who is hateful, nasty, uncaring, and judging by how she talks to the media and members of the Public – a Bully. (More about her later).

    Then there is Nick Smith, a horrible little man with more skeletons in his closet than a Halloween Wholesaler, who, along with Key, continually states “There is no housing Crisis”, despite the statistics showing NZ now has thousands upon thousands of decent NZ citizens homeless, living in cars, garages, packed into houses with a dozen or even two dozen others, parents with newborn babies sleeping rough, and so on. What really gets me angry is seeing this pitiful man say this with a smirk on his face, just like his morbidly obese mate Paula Bennett.

    Read the whole article here.

    http://www.averagekiwi.com/?p=94

  6. Jack Ramaka 6

    Dr Nick Smith he knows everything about everything just like John Key is the master of business and moneymaking.

  7. Psych nurse 7

    The thing that gets me about Nick Smith is that he formed a relationship with a constituent, a woman he was helping in his role as an MP.An act that would have forced him from any other profession.Think Dr- Patient,Teacher-Student.A power in-balance.

  8. Stuart Munro 8

    I hope someone is watching those Aussie ballot boxes – an interrupted count is one of the first signs of a stolen election.

    • Bearded Git 8.1

      It’s a cliffhanger!!

      These are the 12 seats in doubt, with Lab 67 Coalition 66 Greens 1 (but polled very respectable 10%) and others 4. It’s 76 to rule.

      http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2016/results/list/?selector=indoubt&sort=az

      • Colonial Viper 8.1.1

        They desperately need proportional representation over there.

      • Kiwiri 8.1.2

        Coming along next, watch the Oz Labor Party begin to head down the road of division, leadership challenge and implosion, y’know like NZ and UK have experienced.

        • Pasupial 8.1.2.1

          Kiwiri
          I think that Labor have already eaten their fill of that particular meal; after the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd sandwich they were forced to choke down. It seems unlikely I know, but perhaps even career politicians can learn something from experience?

          Also CV – isn’t the Oz Senate proportional?
          [edit] I see it is proportional, though not proportionately proportional to overall population, but by state; if that makes sense…

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Senate

          • Kiwiri 8.1.2.1.1

            One of my relatives is a staffer and said that it is mega toxic within the senior ranks. It would not be surprising that Shorten will be challenged within seconds, once it is clear that Labor will not be in government. He will be fine if ALP squeeks through. Of course, those who are in the know will be aware that Shorten has been triple dealing over the years and played a Machiavellian role in the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd changeovers. No doubt, he has many daggers out for him.

  9. swordfish 9

    Bafta award-winning writer of The Royale Family (one of the greatest sitcoms of the last 30 years) and key member of The Fast Show cast, Caroline Aherne, dies.
    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/02/caroline-aherne-actor-comedian-dies-52-royle-family?CMP=share_btn_tw

    • Gangnam Style 9.1

      Very Sad, an incredibly funny & talented woman, loved Royle Family.

      • mauī 9.2.1

        Haha, was just going to post that! Looking back theres not a lot of politically correct Fast Show material either.

      • Rosie 9.2.2

        Saw a headline about Caroline Aherne but the name didn’t ring a bell. Loved the Royales but especially the fast show.

        To this day in our house we still use “El Skorchio!” to describe hot weather. Eg, this last stinking hot summer and weirdo warm autumn we’ve had was “El Skorchio”!
        And one to the other during summer “What’s the weather forecast for tomorrow?” Reply “El skorchio!”.

        And so it goes.

        RIP Caroline lol lady. You were grand.

  10. The Informant 10

    Typical of men in high office, especially politics.

    It is also said another man of that crowd should be pushing a pram of one of his former high ranking staffer’s who recently resigned. Quite the scandal of the slippery one, let us hope finally it brings his undoing!

    You media shills in Wellington know it so let’s have it!

    • Gangnam Style 10.1

      “You media shills in Wellington know it so let’s have it!” – but that’s the problem, those same ‘media shills’ are all in bed with them & eachother, take that as you will. & also, once the dirty stories start coming out, who will be left standing, the manager classes like the money & power but not the responsibility.

  11. Gangnam Style 11

    The Nation.

    “House prices til now have been static for the last 8 years” Connor English.

    Good interview with Key by Gower (!) & investigation on the Saudi sheep thing (HPA!). Hooton too, Boag was so unconvincing it was funny, she & McCully got scammed by a scammer it seems.

    Williams & Johansson were warning about the consequences of elites not taking any responsibility (Brexit & Trump, working poor & generation rent getting restless) & Connor English told a nice fairy tale that if he got caught signing off on live sheep exports he would be out of business for the rest of his life. Pfft, as if.

  12. Morrissey 12

    MORON WATCH No. 1:
    Jesse Hughes (Eagles of Death Metal)

    Believe it or not, there ARE some thoughtful and intelligent pop stars.

    But there are also a lot of pop morons, like Ted Nugent, and this fool….
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/16/eagles-of-death-metal-frontman

  13. Chooky 13

    Lets follow Iceland’s model…yus

    ‘Jailed bankers, gender equality & majestic fjords: Reasons to love Iceland’

    https://www.rt.com/viral/349321-iceland-love-landscape-music/

    …”Iceland remains one of the only nations to put their money where their mouth is and place the financial “fat cats” responsible for their country’s economic demise behind bars.

    As in other countries, the Icelandic taxpayer has had to pay a high price for the failure of the banks. But where financial bosses got off with barely a slap on the wrist in some nations, Iceland set up a special investigative commission to probe crime within the banking sector…

    ‘Iceland’s jailed bankers ‘a model’ for dealing with ‘financial terrorists’ ‘

    https://www.rt.com/op-edge/iceland-bank-sentence-model-246/

    “By jailing four top officers of Iceland’s failed Kaupthing Bank, the country showed the world the right way to deal with the people largely responsible for the 2008 financial crisis, said Charlie McGrath, founder of news website, Wide Awake News.

    The US and other nations must take it as a model for the next time the too-big- to-fail corporations screw things up and ask for a bailout with taxpayers’ money, he added…

    ‘Brexit: Iceland president says UK can join ‘triangle’ of non-EU countries’

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-uk-eu-referendum-latest-iceland-norway-greenland-faroe-islands-a7105641.html

    • mary_a 13.1

      Agree with everything in your post Chooky (13).

      For some obscure reason, despite what’s done to them, Kiwis just don’t have the self respect and challenging spirit as demonstrated by the Icelandic people. At present that is. But who knows. Once things begin to deteriorate more than they are doing now, we just might see more Kiwis than not stand up as a strong collective demanding …”ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, we are going to reclaim what’s been stolen from us.”

      Bring on that day. Can’t come soon enough for me.

      • Chooky 13.1.1

        +100 mary_a

        …i am waiting for youth to start organising politically …but thus far they are too much embroiled in their social media and tech gadgets…and living on debt ( student loans set a very bad precedent)

        …also they blame the baby boomers without having any sophisticated sense of class warfare

        …they don’t seem to realise yet that they are the underclass

        • Sabine 13.1.1.1

          i work with a few young people

          a. they know they are fucked
          b. they also know that what is given to them by their elders is not worth the paper its printed on.
          c. they know they never will buy a house
          d. they know that they will never have over job security
          e. they know that the society of the 50 – 70 will never come back, most of their elders have either voted it away in the eighties and every time since then, and have sold it away, one acre a time to fund lifestyle and such
          f. they all have a student loan, irrespective of wanting it or not, again it was their elders that voted away free studies and apprenticeship programmes via the various elections for various parties.
          g. and yet they still try to learn a trade, pay of their loans, find a partner and marry, have children, find an affordable house, pay taxes so that society can function and the like.

          I think that maybe the young ones simply don’t have any more appetite for revolution then their parents and grandparents.
          I think that we – the elders effectively – should not blame the children of today for the short comings of our generations. The kids are alright, its just that we leave them nothing. And that, as sad as it is, is the truth, we leave them nothing but pollution, overfished seas, overgrazed plains, rivers/lakes that are on wadeable in full body armour, crap jobs with no future nor good pay, frankenstein food cause our pollution is everywhere and so on and so on.
          We really should not blame the kids or for that matter anyone born 1980 and after. They are truly the screwed over generations.

          • Chooky 13.1.1.1.1

            yes agree…but whatever happened to youth radicalism, socialism, marxism?…maybe it is yet to come?

            ….maybe many are still being cushioned by their baby boomer parents?

            …maybe they know the global warming end is nigh and they just want to enjoy life as much as possible

            …maybe the alternate reality of cyberspace has taken over?

            • Sabine 13.1.1.1.1.1

              Privacy.
              Mate we had a bit of privacy an laws that made sense.
              Today they have a fair chance of being charged with domestic terrorism or something like that, their life for ever fucked.

              As i said above, the Young ones know that the 50 – 70 will never come back, neither the privilege that the people had at the time, the privilege to not be surveilled, the privilege to not have to take of their shoes and bras before boarding a plane etc etc.

              And, please lets remember that there was terrorism during these times too, the first antifada comes to mind, Mogadishu etc etc etc.

              And you still have the young ones going to demos and the likes. Have a good look at the pictures from NZ in regards to the TPPA demo’s, a lot of the people there are young.

              Maybe us old ones need to take our blinkers of and see what is there and stop whinging and crying about the perceived shortcomings of a generation or two that really was screwed over and is given nothing bur scorched earth.

              • Chooky

                …radicalism and demonstrations still seems to be alive and kicking in France ( where they have banned fracking) and are fighting for a good std of living

                btw i am not old …and also I dont think it is helpful to blame the ‘oldies’…it is this sort of lack of political education and focus that creates confusion and lack of action, lack of voting and organisation among the young

                …the problem is not the older generation, many of whom are struggling themselves and have never supported neoliberalism ( this is an argument that lets the right wing off the hook…they would be very pleased with the blame being placed on the older generation)

                …the problem is actually right wing neoliberalism…the politics of the elite 10% who own 60% and who control the media and have a formidable PR machine…as well as their buying off ‘left wing’ politicians (in parties like Labour ) here and overseas,which are supposedly on the left and for the people , but actually support neoliberalism and are afraid to take real socialist action for change and equality of opportunity.

                The corruption of the Left is what disillusions young people and stops them from voting and taking action…(btw I am not talking about violent action, I am talking about peaceful mass demonstrations, organisation and voting amongst the young to create a real lobby group for change)

                …in other words the real problem is not older people… but the ruling elite of laissez faire capitalism, in its last days …eating up and privatising into their own pockets the assets of countries and hopes and dreams of ordinary people for a good standard of living in their own countries…theft by the few of the many

  14. Draco T Bastard 14

    The political elites foisted a new system on ordinary Brits. Little wonder they’re grabbing it back
    By Geoffrey Palmer

    No, it wasn’t a new system – it was the same old one that failed in the 19th century and brought WWI.

    I hope it doesn’t happen in New Zealand. But growing economic inequality may lead it that way. Some sense of democratic renewal is needed to avoid alienation, there is a sickness in western democracies.

    And that sickness is the rich as they buy up our politicians and plunder our wealth.

  15. Pasupial 15

    National’s answer to people living in cars? Build more roads:

    The councils currently eligible to access the fund for such things as water and roading development are Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Christchurch… The Government has not yet decided how the fund will be structured but it will require an extra $1 billion in borrowing., The fund will own or finance the infrastructure until the councils receive rates revenue from the new houses.

    Mr Key made his announcement in a speech to the National Party conference in Christchurch…

    New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the $1 billion fund “won’t even remotely cope” with the houses needed for new immigrants, let alone the country’s natural population increase… “Here after, this government will seek to blame local government for the housing crisis on the pretence that they, and not central government, is responsible for the massive demand that now exists.”

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/389037/1b-fund-address-housing-crisis

    Being an Audrey Young piece, I imagine this is a reprint from the NZH. It would be good if; Labour, and the GP, were to have some response to this, and not let Peters always be the most visible face of opposition to this scheming government. But then again, they may simply not have been asked by Young. Which would be poor journalism, though hardly surprising from the sister of a sitting National MP.

    • Kiwiri 15.1

      I’d suggest a joint op-ed from Little and Turei targeting the issues. About time there is a follow-up from the MOU that was announced about two calendar months ago to keep the momentum going.

    • Greg 15.2

      It wont prevent more homeless men dying this cold winter.
      Or ex prisoners being released into saturated accommodation markets.
      Or any relief or a amnesty from policy that makes people homeless, like affordable rentals, amnesty from paying three weeks rent in advance and a weeks rent to rental company.
      Employers have no reason to lift wages, even when on the back of higher productivity and profits. Working for Families is an employer benefit.
      Changes to kiwisaver see workers get gypped on paying for their employer deductions which National then tax.
      I have yet to see any evidence of primary producers increasing their employment costs on the back of higher export volumes. Trade now wont lift wages or raise our living standards. It certainly doesnt make our primary produce cheaper to buy.
      The Reserve Bank increased interest rates every time Fonterra had a huge payout,
      so how did that improve kiwi’s standard of living.

      Tax cuts are meaningless, whats needed is some major reform of raising tax thresholds.
      Remember when GST was promoted as something to reduce PAYE take?

  16. mary_a 16

    At the time of posting this, I see The Daily Blog has gone down again! What’s going on?

  17. b waghorn 17

    waghorns out there scenario on the brexit.

    The new Tory leader will call a snap election while labour is in turmoil, and the torys will run on a stay in the EU if they win ticket, .

  18. ianmac 18

    Wouldn’t it be loverly if something like this was operating in NZ before the next election. Maybe it would slow down the Key Lie-machine or the propagation of dirty tricks for Paddy to churn out.
    “Social media verification tools are now being developed.

    Pheme, named after the greek goddess of fame and renown, is an open-source online tool to help newsrooms detect, track and verify facts and claims the moment they start spreading on Twitter….”
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/201806336/brexit-media-from-a-to-zz-top

  19. North 19

    Bernard Hickey – “Mr Key……..the people are revolting.”

    Mr Key – “I know they are…….I’ve felt that way since I was 12”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11667728

  20. Penny Bright 20

    Seen this?

    Joined a few dots for me regarding the apparent Blairite campaign to remove Jeremy Corbett …..

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/685663/Jeremy-Corbyn-Tony-Blair-war-criminal-Chilcot-Inquiry-verdict-quit-Labour-leader

    Insider: ‘Corbyn will not quit until Chilcot verdict so he can brand Blair war criminal’
    JEREMY Corbyn may be clinging on to power because he wants to brand Tony Blair a “war criminal” after the release of the Chilcot Inquiry report next week, Labour insiders have claimed.

    _________________

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

  21. Morrissey 21

    That old fraud Elie Wiesel is eulogized, but Hedy Epstein is largely ignored

    Elie Wiesel, who has died aged 87, was neither brave nor moral….
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-05072015/#comment-1038877

    Just a month and a half ago, another Holocaust survivor died. Unlike Elie Wiesel, she did not consort with crooks and murderers and she had the courage to speak out against evil no matter who the perpetrators were….

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Epstein

    [Corrected the spelling of concentration camp survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Weisel’s name. If I thought for a moment the misspelling was deliberate, you’d be gone for a long time, Moz. TRP]

    • In Vino 21.1

      Good judgement TRP

      • In Vino 21.1.1

        Just saw that Al Jazeera is broadcasting the name as Wiesel. (Subtitles across bottom of screen.)

        Hmm Seems an unlikely German name, but if it is right, we owe Morrisey an apology.

        Or Al Jazeera need a rev-up?

        Errare humanum est

        • In Vino 21.1.1.1

          Yep – Google confirms that we owe Morrisey an apology – the guy’s surname really was German for ‘weasel’.

          Great surname is all I can now say.

          [The man was not German and his surname does not mean what you think it does. Don’t go down this track. TRP]

        • joe90 21.1.1.2

          Romanian.

    • North 21.2

      Checking up a coupla things seems to me like Eli Weisel has a background that limits respect from me. Once again Morrissey gets the serious morality right !

  22. Ad 22

    Elie Wiesel.
    A life well lived, fully lived.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel

    Rest in Well Deserved Peace.

    • Morrissey 22.1

      [Deleted].

      [Ok, that’s clearly over the line and dullwitted to boot. Feel free to come back in August. Do some some study on the difference between anti-zionism and anti-semitism while you’re away so you don’t make the same mistake again. TRP]

  23. whispering kate 23

    Have been watching The Nation (taped) this evening and I was sickened by the state of the treatment of the sheep once they arrived in Saudi Arabia. This country should not be shipping livestock away for any reason, breeding or otherwise. No Trade Deal is worth the disgusting treatment of livestock. Do they think this country’s citizens are so gullible as to accept the the Government’s assurance that they do not ship any livestock for slaughter – what were the lambs from the pregnant ewes going to be used for, if not for disgusting slaughter for food. As it happened most of the lambs died of ill treatment. Apparently they ship livestock to China (but supposedly not for slaughter) – what happens to the stock that is bred from them once they are there. The entire affair is disgraceful.

    We will sell our souls to the devil for the almighty dollar. Its bad enough with our own slaughter houses and the stress the stock goes through but at least they are stunned before being butchered, cool comfort but at least the animals are not in pain. The more I see of this disgraceful Government the less I want to be a New Zealander. The PM was a bumbling excuse for a PM and full of shit as usual, the sooner they make it compulsory for our citizens to vote the better, we may then be able to rid ourselves of this incompetent corrupt lot of troughers . Its got beyond anything that I can ever remember in my lifetime for evil, lying incompetent stewardship of this country, they are now as bad as the pig farmer back in the 80’s. We deserve much better than this. its shameful.

    • North 23.1

      Whispering Kate……that was not a whisper…….it was an impassioned and magnificent cry. It will be answered. The moneylenders will be cast out……..!

      • whispering kate 23.1.1

        Thank you North, I admit I was pretty worked up with rage after I had watched it, I still am this morning Monday, have just watched the PM on Breakfast and had to turn the TV off. What is it about the man that is so dodgy and creepy? Its the dead eyes for me, does it every time.

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