Open mike 04/12/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:49 am, December 4th, 2013 - 199 comments
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openmike

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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step right up to the mike …

199 comments on “Open mike 04/12/2013 ”

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  1. CC 1
    4 December 2013 at 7:04 am

    For the WTF column: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9472548/Trek-to-stop-benefit-cut-off. Time Paula Beneficiary-Basher had a bit of the same treatment.

    • bad12 1.1
      4 December 2013 at 7:39 am

      Such nastiness will not be confined to just the small South Waikato town of Putaruru either, beneficiaries all over the country will be suffering the same ‘punishment’ and it should be the duty of WINZ to send a case worker to these towns where there is no permanent office on one or two days a week so as to enable those in such towns to be able to fulfill their ‘obligations’ in a manner befitting human beings in the year 2014…

      • vto 1.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 8:22 am

        Yep, nasty nasty nasty

        nasty

        nasty

        nasty

        what a horrible nasty Minister.

        horrible and nasty

        mean

        compassionless

        welcome to New Zealand, National Party style…….. no thanks

      • Garbageman 1.1.2
        4 December 2013 at 3:07 pm

        So you are telling me 20yrs of welfare bludging should be applauded and Winz officers should now be runing to the welfare dependants, maybe they should pick up their ciggies,booze and groceries while they are at it
        To poor to afford the bus was she must be Paula Bennets fault as well

        • McFlock 1.1.2.1
          4 December 2013 at 3:20 pm

          I’m sure nobody could tell you a damned thing.

          Well, nothing that will get through the armour of stereotyping stupidity that you have placed between yourself and reality, anyway.

          • Garbageman 1.1.2.1.1
            4 December 2013 at 4:05 pm

            So she hasnt been on the dole for 20years and no buses run to Tokoroa,has no friends that own a car a bike etc, this is a bullshit media beatup, putting me down just shows you for the insulting idiot you are instead of contributing or debating you abuse me, my “reality” is based on the facts given to us btw

            • Rogue Trooper 1.1.2.1.1.1
              4 December 2013 at 4:10 pm

              grouch

            • greywarbler 1.1.2.1.1.2
              4 December 2013 at 4:26 pm

              Garbageman
              Look just stick to what you are good at. Picking up the garbage – and that is an important job and an admirable one. But don’t wear yourself out trying to think about social matters. You haven’t got a caring bone in your body or a real brain that can understand and assess a problem. So go with your strengths and go and lift something that isn’t living and therefore can’t get hurt.

            • framu 1.1.2.1.1.3
              4 December 2013 at 4:29 pm

              no your reality is based on your ignorance, prejudice and hypocrisy

              1) everyone, including the winz staff memebrs in tokoroa would know theres no bus service
              2) its the punitive one size fits all policy set by the govt that created this situation.
              3) perhaps she had other means of transport available to her, just not on the exact same day and time winz demanded she trun up
              4) you complain about people putting you down and abusing you – yet thats exactly what you opened with.

              maybe get over your hatred and holier than thou stance and understand that this woman was doing what was demanded of her – and it was a situation that could have easily been rectified with a bit of common sense and mutual organising. Thats the point

            • fender 1.1.2.1.1.4
              4 December 2013 at 4:40 pm

              Your disgusting attitude is “putting you down” plenty enough. There are beneficiaries isolated simply because they live on social security. You sound like the type to ditch friends should they become welfare dependant, although I wouldn’t be surprised if you have none except for some of those clones of you commenting on that Stuff article. ‘Garbage’, ‘Rubbish’, ‘Trash’.. certainly….’.Man’… not so much.

              • Garbgeman …
                4 December 2013 at 8:57 pm

                more of a man than you will ever be Fondler you just stick to slapping people on the back that agree with you and attacking people personally that dont agree with you, i have noticed its an ongoing theme on this site, try attacking the issue for a change, more than likely another dole bludger must be if you are happy to be paying taxes for 20 years to any welfare recipient it is supposed to be used for a helping hand to future employment not a lifestyle

                • fender …
                  4 December 2013 at 11:49 pm

                  The woman from that article doesn’t need garbage dump loiterers throwing trash at her, making judgements about her imagined habits and sobriety; she looked perfectly sober on the news. I applaud her for raising four children alone, that’s an admirable feat and something you seem unable to comprehend.

                  Love the way you attacked her then advocate only attacking the issue when your refuse gets returned, your wheelie-bin is overflowing.

                • framu …
                  5 December 2013 at 8:34 am

                  perhaps you should stop attacking people first

                  you little whine about people being totes mean to you rings rather hollow, its neither accurate or original

                  And you obviously havent noticed that the issues do get debated back and forth quite readily – just not with fools who think that manners is a one way street

                  • greywarbler …
                    5 December 2013 at 10:45 am

                    Garbageman
                    You say ‘ try attacking the issue for a change,’ because we criticise you. But you are part of the issue. You don’t see bringing children up as a job? You don’t think that children and teenagers are important and need good caring support as they grow up? Because you don’t appreciate or value what parenting you had, which may have been little, it doesn’t mean that others shouldn’t have better.

                    Good on you for walking 40 minutes to your job. I hope when you get home you don’t have to do the housework, cook, and get the children to do their homework and to bed ready to get up and go to school another day. Also pay the bills out of small resources, and try to find some work that fits in with the children’s needs. And the constant jobs, mending their clothes, trying to get second hand school uniforms, finding shoes they can wear for sports again because the last pair got stolen from their school locker, it goes on and on.

                    You apparently imagine that a good fairy does all that, or you never had that sort of care and have no memories of what is involved in doing a good job as a parent. You just like hating and criticising, and want to kick someone because your life is unhappy, so look enviously on someone who, in your imagine, is getting a better deal.

        • Murray Olsen 1.1.2.2
          4 December 2013 at 9:21 pm

          Could you walk that far in the time she does? I’m impressed by the effort she puts in to meet some stupid bureaucratic requirement. I’m not impressed by your repetition of the same shit garbage that you fools come out with all the time. Garbage is right.

          • Garbageman 1.1.2.2.1
            4 December 2013 at 9:31 pm

            Actually i walk 40 mins to and from work every day,so you are impressed thats nice i personally would be more impressed if this lady put as much effort over the last 20 years into getting a job and yes Garbage is right thanks

            • lprent 1.1.2.2.1.1
              4 December 2013 at 11:09 pm

              I’d be impressed if your 20 minutes each way amounted to a marathon distance. However it was more like what? 2-3kms

              • Garbage man …
                5 December 2013 at 8:34 am

                Actually its 40 mins each way every day to work which i guess isnt really relevant just clearing that up thanks

            • framu 1.1.2.2.1.2
              5 December 2013 at 8:37 am

              so you cant do 25k down a main highway? – what a patheitc wimp! There i was thinking you were a randian superman – im somewhat disappointed

              • Garbage man …
                5 December 2013 at 8:45 am

                LOL actually i would jump in my car or on my bike maybe get the bus if i had to or cadge a ride from someone and to show im not the heartless prick you lot seem to be trying to make me out to be im very happy she has had many offers of support and rides if needed but like i said initially its still just a bullshit media beat up

                • framu …
                  5 December 2013 at 9:22 am

                  You arent her – your abilities, resources and opportunities (as well as mine) are irrelevant to the issue of someone with out any form of transport at that time, (other than walking) being required to travel a round trip of 25k over a state highway to get to an appointment that could have been rescheduled!

                  i would believe your not a heartless prick if you went back to your previous heartless comments, apologised for them and comprehended exactly why you got the reaction you did.

                  Few here would actually know each other in real life – so all anyone has to go on is what is written.

                  You started by attacking the person, spouted a whole lot of ignorant stereotypes, complained about people being mean right back at you and ignored the actual substance of any reply to you that attempted to examine or refute your claims

                  now youve got what?, Bragging about how far you walk to work and “LOL”?!

              • Murray Olsen …
                5 December 2013 at 10:17 pm

                He should be able to make the road as he walks on it, and all without slowing down.

  2. Paul 2
    4 December 2013 at 7:23 am

    Did anyone hear Simon Mercep’s weak interview with Hekia Parata over declining international standing of NZ in education?
    I felt he failed to ask her any of the key tricky questions?
    Deliberate or incompetent?

    • logie97 2.1
      4 December 2013 at 7:47 am

      We cannot blame National Standards for this one.

      However, the next report will almost certainly show a further decline for which the Standards should be implicated. It’s the paperwork, paperwork, …
      Teachers have had to change their focus to produce a heap of “irrelevant” paper in the last decade to satisfy the statisticians at the expense of focusing on the children in front of them.

      There has also been a significant increase in the number of children arriving at the school gates, tired and under-nourished – hardly in a fit state to learn.

    • Morrissey 2.2
      4 December 2013 at 8:15 am

      Deliberate or incompetent?

      Timid and incompetent.

      • greywarbler 2.2.1
        4 December 2013 at 4:29 pm

        Morrisey
        Unlike your good self. You could be a good guy on a panel. There could be a guest spot available on Radio Live or wherever JT and WJ usually hang out. You could get people going for sure. With the right amount of irritation to produce some lively talk.

        • Morrissey 2.2.1.1
          4 December 2013 at 6:13 pm

          Thank you, greywarbler, but I’d be a dud. I’m absolutely sure I’d end up bending over backwards to be polite to the likes of Hekia Parata. I excoriate Simon Mercep for it, but I know I wouldn’t be any better than he is.

          • greywarbler 2.2.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 10:26 am

            Morrissey
            Good point. Striking the right balance – neither sycophantic (which makes the rest feel sick) or incisive and attacking (which results in drawn knives and cries of foul from the other side) is a hard thing. I didn’t realise that Maggie Barry was such a right wing gal till after she had left – she covered up so well from my perspective.

            But don’t talk yourself down, you could have a role in stirring what can be a festering murky brew on some talkback, to mix some sunlight in. Or even add different colours to change the hue, some spilt blood red for instance. Then a touch of blue blood. Spin that colour wheel like a pizza cutter. wheee!

  3. Flip 3
    4 December 2013 at 7:26 am

    ‘Mr Dunn is a serial leaker’ Winston Peters, RNZ.

    Pot and Kettle.

  4. Draco T Bastard 4
    4 December 2013 at 7:35 am

    If you were still thinking that GMO was a good idea then think again:

    “If this silences the same gene in us that it silences in the wheat — well, children who are born with this enzyme not working tend to die by the age of about five,” stated Professor Carman.

  5. wyndham 5
    4 December 2013 at 7:49 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11166500

    Split in Destiny church.

    god will be really upset about this.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      4 December 2013 at 8:06 am

      Just another person following the advice that, supposedly, L. Ron Hubbard got: If you want to become rich, start your own church. And why not? It obviously worked for Hubbard and for Brian Tamaki.

      • Not a PS Staffer 5.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 8:33 am

        …and Henry VIII. However the Tudors had the smarts to make their under-lords rich also. Brian is failing to share out the filthy lucre that his gang is pilfering from the poor.

  6. greywarbler 6
    4 December 2013 at 8:54 am

    We hear that chartered accountants are attracted to all sort of figures but at the end of the day they don’t add up to much.

  7. greywarbler 7
    4 December 2013 at 8:55 am

    We hear that chartered accountants are attracted to all sorts of figures but at the end of the day they don’t add up to much.

  8. Morrissey 8
    4 December 2013 at 9:02 am

    “This is where I STOP being a liberal!”
    “After a comedy show, one is often mobbed by the ladies…”
    Mediocrity Watch No. 9: ANDREW CLAY

    On yesterday’s Open Mike, our friend and colleague Murray Olsen asked: “Who is Andrew Clay and should I be worried?”…
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03122013-2/#comment-738655

    Well, Murray, have a gander at an appearance he made on Jim Mora’s show earlier this year…

    “After a comedy show, one is often mobbed by the ladies”
    Angry boyfriends target Tall Poppy Andrew Clay
    The Panel, Radio NZ National, Thursday 28 April 2013
    Jim Mora, Andrew Clay, Lisa Scott

    Andrew Clay is a comedian, who a couple of years ago was paid to go to Afghanistan, ostensibly to entertain New Zealand’s occupation troops, but in fact to ensure he never again uttered a critical word about government policy. His comedic comrade MIKE KING was similarly co-opted, and even made a ridiculous television program about his trip. Clay likes to say he is a liberal, but every time he appears on The Panel he manages to froth and rave against such irritating trivialities as prisoners’ rights, or even human rights in general. Maybe he’s been out drinking with soldiers too often….

    JIM MORA: We start with the very sad story of Jesse Ryder, who is in an induced coma after a very bad assault in Christchurch early this morning.

    ANDREW CLAY: This is where I STOP being a liberal! I don’t CARE about the human rights of people who do this! Part of me just wants to HURT the people who did this to Jesse Ryder! Now I know I shouldn’t say that, but that’s the way I feel.

    MORA: Mmmm, mmmm.

    LISA SCOTT: Mmmmm.

    ANDREW CLAY: We shouldn’t talk like that about people but….

    LISA SCOTT: It’s okay for scum.

    JIM MORA: Hmmmmmm…. We have this ugly thing in the New Zealand male psyche that makes us pick fights with sports stars, don’t we.

    LISA SCOTT: It’s the Tall Poppy syndrome isn’t it.

    ANDREW CLAY: It sure is. I’ve experienced it myself. After a comedy show, one is often mobbed by the ladies, and I have more than once felt the angry looks of male punters. Although I’ve never actually been assaulted, I’ve felt in imminent danger on several occasions and had to walk away. It’s the Tall Poppy syndrome.

    JIM MORA: [politely dubious] Hmmmmmm….

    LISA SCOTT: [skeptical] Mmmmmmm…

    Read more about Andrew Clay, including an extraordinarily embarrassing overshare about his ignorance of the Khmer Rouge….
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-28032013/#comment-611053

    Mediocrity Watch aims to keep you informed of—or, to quote the epically mediocre Simon Dallow, to be “right across”—the shoddiest, least professional, most insulting journalism and taxpayer-subsidised-sensitive-singer-songwriting from all over the world, but especially New Zealand. It is produced by DeakerWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.

    More mediocrities….
    No. 8: Ed Sheeran “I See Dire”
    http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-071113/#comment-723312
    No. 7: Paul Little: [Russell Brand] is “petulant, ungracious and unfunny” and a “cut-rate Chomsky”.

    No. 6: David Farrar: “Things were generally very relaxed in this area.”

    
No. 5: Jordan Williams: ““Capping rents seems like a recipe for disaster.”


    No. 4: Prof. Robert Patman: “Hezbollah is totally a creature of the Iranian regime.”

    No. 3: Jeremy Wells: “What evidence is there that secondhand smoking does any harm? Where is the evidence? WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE?”
    

No. 2: Gavin Gray: “…never been any problems associated with the name King George.”
    

No. 1: Susie Ferguson: “If, as you say, this has all been done before, why do it all again?”

    • Murray Olsen 8.1
      5 December 2013 at 10:14 pm

      I remember seeing Mike King in Timor Leste, teaching young kids to say “Aussie wanker”. It was cringeworthy stuff.

  9. phillip ure 9
    4 December 2013 at 9:02 am

    on my rounds this morn..i found this tasty musical-treat..

    “..Everyone knows Police and Thieves – but there was more to Junior Murvin than that one song.

    Here’s the proof..”

    http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/dec/03/junior-murvin-five-great-performances-police-and-thieves

    (hope that rocks yr morn..

    phillip ure..

  10. greywarbler 10
    4 December 2013 at 9:03 am

    My experience with ts this morning. I wrote a comment and submitted with an involuntary double click and got duplicate message. Went back to my comment and it was back in editing mode, so I did that, and submitted again and got the closed sign. Then I went back and refreshed with Home and there it was in the Comments list.

  11. phillip ure 11
    4 December 2013 at 9:04 am

    on my rounds this morn..i found this tasty musical-treat..

    “..Everyone knows Police and Thieves – but there was more to Junior Murvin than that one song.

    Here’s the proof..”

    http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/dec/03/junior-murvin-five-great-performances-police-and-thieves

    (hope that rocks yr morn..)

    phillip ure..

  12. greywarbler 12
    4 December 2013 at 9:05 am

    My experience with ts this morning. I wrote a comment and submitted with an involuntary double click and got duplicate message. Went back to my comment and it was back in editing mode, so I did that, and submitted again and got the Connection closed by remote server page. Then I checked if I was still under submitting control. Then I went back and refreshed with Home and there it was in the Comments list.

  13. greywarbler 13
    4 December 2013 at 9:12 am

    Now I have double comments in moderation about the moves I had to make to get on ts this morning. Sigh. Bye for now. I’ll get on with my day.

  14. phil 14
    4 December 2013 at 9:14 am

    Re Simon Merceps interview of Parata. Simon’s first question was, paraphrasing, “isn’t Labour just as much to blame?” He repeated this point in the same interview. It would appear he could be an apologist for the governments line. I have noticed Geof Robinson do the same thing when a government minister declined to be interviewed and he, by default, found himself taking the government line. Bizarre really.

    • phillip ure 14.1
      4 December 2013 at 9:58 am

      @phil..

      ..if you accept..as i seem to be hearing..that much of this rankings-slump is down to poverty/inequality..

      ..that it is an outcome/symptom from the dickensian-horrors that is a life of grinding/abject-poverty..

      ..with no end in sight..

      ..then the rogernomics/clark labour govts most certainly are ‘as much to blame’..

      ..as the current band of tory opportunists/class-warriors/asset-looters..

      ..how can they not be..?

      ..(‘working for (some) families’..?..anyone..?..)

      ..phillip ure..

  15. Morrissey 15
    4 December 2013 at 9:21 am

    Chomsky not impressed by Bob Dylan’s incoherent rambling
    June, 1994

    Just the other day I was sitting in a radio studio waiting for a satellite arrangement abroad to be set up. The engineers were putting together interviews with Bob Dylan from about 1966-7 or so (judging by the references), and I was listening (I’d never heard him talk before — if you can call that talking). He sounded as though he was so drugged he was barely coherent, but the message got through clearly enough through the haze. He said over and over that he’d been through all of this protest thing, realized it was nonsense, and that the only thing that was important was to live his own life happily and freely, not to “mess around with other people’s lives” by working for civil and human rights, ending war and poverty, etc. He was asked what he thought about the Berkeley “free speech movement” and said that he didn’t understand it. He said something like: “I have free speech, I can do what I want, so it has nothing to do with me. Period.” If the capitalist PR machine wanted to invent someone for their purposes, they couldn’t have made a better choice.

    http://www.chomsky.info/letters/199406–.htm

    • phillip ure 15.1
      4 December 2013 at 10:05 am

      ok..a stoned-rant in/from 1966..

      ..got anything else..?

      phillip ure..

      • Rogue Trooper 15.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 10:18 am

        a stoned rant from 2013 suffice?

      • Morrissey 15.1.2
        4 December 2013 at 12:03 pm

        Stoned or not, Dylan’s political naïveté and the lack of intelligence is a sad fact of life for too many pampered American musicians. Here’s another fool who doesn’t seem to have much idea about anything….

        • Rogue Trooper 15.1.2.1
          4 December 2013 at 2:44 pm

          certainly not The Ghost of Tom Joad and a long way back to The River .

        • fender 15.1.2.2
          4 December 2013 at 2:57 pm

          It’s true that the wonderful word play, various interpretations/ meanings of a Dylan song outshine his ability to make sense with his spoken word more often than not. Many artists are better off letting their art do the talking.

          • Jokerman 15.1.2.2.1
            4 December 2013 at 3:00 pm

            Talk Talk

          • Morrissey 15.1.2.2.2
            4 December 2013 at 6:22 pm

            You could have a valid point there. Perhaps Shakespeare was an indolent thinker and an incoherent dolt in his everyday discourse. Certainly Martin Amis is. As was his father Kingsley. And Bruce Springsteen.

            In fact, it’s hard to think of a singer or a writer who does have the ability to express him/herself coherently, and who has actually done some serious reading and thinking.

          • Morrissey 15.1.2.2.3
            4 December 2013 at 6:33 pm

            It’s true that the wonderful word play, various interpretations/ meanings of a Dylan song outshine his ability to make sense with his spoken word more often than not.

            Dylan made perfect sense, even though, as Chomsky observed, he was clearly under the influence of drugs at the time. The problem is not that his thinking was so muddled; the problem is that it is so threadbare, so irresponsible, and so contemptuous of people who did actually care about something other than themselves. Dylan was not stupid, he was indolent. Judging by some of his recent utterances, nothing has changed in forty-seven years.

            • fender 15.1.2.2.3.1
              4 December 2013 at 7:29 pm

              He seemingly hasn’t moved on from trying to shock and offend the way he did in the ’60’s when he wanted to shake off the “voice of a generation”, “prophet” etc. labels people tried to pigeonhole him with. He’s the quintessential troubadour and would be best to keep to that field of expertise. i.e. Blind Willie McTell

    • joe90 15.2
      4 December 2013 at 1:22 pm

      Bob and John incoherent, – pissed or stoned.

      edit: Bob’s been busy too.

  16. X 16
    4 December 2013 at 9:33 am

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/04/colin-craig-now-denies-moon-landing/

    I cannot figure what strategy Colin Craig has in mind in making non-committal statements about science. Attention seeking? Is he simply reflecting his constituency?

    I hope there are not too many people out there which the education system has failed given that we live in a democracy.

    Maybe it is all part of a master plan to not educate people well so the powers that be can rule with impunity.

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    4 December 2013 at 10:04 am

    the Minimum We Can Do

    In my work with T. William Lester and Michael Reich, we use nearly two decades’ worth of data and compare all bordering areas in the United States to show that while higher minimum wages raise earnings of low-wage workers, they do not have a detectable impact on employment. Our estimates — published in 2010 in the Review of Economics and Statistics — suggest that a hypothetical 10 percent increase in the minimum wage affects employment in the restaurant or retail industries, by much less than 1 percent; the change is in fact statistically indistinguishable from zero.

    More research coming out showing that raising the minimum wage has no effect upon employment.

  18. Te Reo Putake 18
    4 December 2013 at 10:10 am

    Banks has called a press conference for 11am. Boscowan in attendance.

  19. Rogue Trooper 19
    4 December 2013 at 10:16 am

    Dr Doom (no, not Victor) -Nouriel Roubini
    on NZ and other international Housing Bubbles:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11166353
    “policy-makers will not have the tools of 2008 to cushion the fall”. (just a little pin-prick…there will be some aaargh ) 😎

    • phillip ure 19.1
      4 December 2013 at 2:38 pm

      i will claim to have possibly been the first in nz to predict the g.f.c…and the reasons for it..(in sept ’06 @ whoar..)

      ..and i was relying on the words/predictions of roubini..in making that call..

      ..so..if roubini sez we have an about to burst housing bubble..

      ..i’d tend to believe him..

      ..eh..?

      ..he has quite the record for being accurate..

      http://whoar.co.nz/?s=roubini

      phillip ure..

  21. gobsmacked 21
    4 December 2013 at 10:34 am

    Cunliffe on Radio Live with Plunket just now: 10.20-10.30 (audio on their website 1 hour later).

    Really strong and clear. And Plunket is no pussy cat.

    Tweet – owns it, no waffle, no BS.

    Craig – will not be a coalition partner, period. And asked the same Qs (moon landings, chem trails etc) Cunliffe’s answers are unequivocal and – thank goodness – sane.

    Banks – toast.

    Anyone who has any lingering doubts about Cunliffe vs Key (or Shearer, or whoever) should listen.

  22. andy (the other one) 22
    4 December 2013 at 10:37 am

    Banks to hold Press conference at 11am this morning.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11166756

  23. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 23
    4 December 2013 at 10:48 am

    Travellerev may have to vote for Colin Craig, if he keeps this up.

    • ghostrider888 23.1
      4 December 2013 at 11:09 am

      funny, yet unlikely.Craig would be more supportive of the AQ thesis

      • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 23.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 11:19 am

        I hear Colin Craig is not sure if gravity exists, although he is inclined to believe it.

        He has not investigated whether electricity is real, either.

        • Rogue Trooper 23.1.1.1
          4 December 2013 at 2:54 pm

          shocking revelation as credibility plummets to Hades;
          Styx and stones may break our bones, yet fools leave us in stitches. 😉

        • framu 23.1.1.2
          4 December 2013 at 4:33 pm

          those two are rather good 🙂 – have you taken up a post at the civilian?

        • Rogue Trooper 23.1.1.3
          4 December 2013 at 5:03 pm

          maybe someone could provide him with a chair (ok, that’s two ‘contexts’ for the price of one) 🙂

      • felix 23.1.2
        4 December 2013 at 6:55 pm

        “funny, yet unlikely.Craig would be more supportive of the AQ thesis”

        He was asked about this just the other day by Sean Plunket. He reckons “probably terrorists but who knows” or words to that effect.

  24. ianmac 24
    4 December 2013 at 10:49 am

    Ho Ho! Mr Banks will not seek re-election in 2014. Wow! Surprise. But it seems he will not resign. So he will continue to be a thorn in Key’s side?

  25. ianmac 25
    4 December 2013 at 10:50 am

    Ho Ho! Mr Banks will not seek re-election in 2014. Wow! Surprise. But it seems he will not resign. So he will continue to be a thorn in Key’s side?

  26. ianmac 26
    4 December 2013 at 10:56 am

    Crikey. Reply getting carried away – twice- again!

  27. Tracey 27
    4 December 2013 at 11:12 am

    Read this link. It’s why we are in the state we are because almost all out pollies try to do the opposite

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1P83hd_hvX8/SbnUWo7nxCI/AAAAAAAAAG4/-jpyXk1XPIQ/S240/Jefferson_believed.jpg

    • Draco T Bastard 27.1
      4 December 2013 at 1:08 pm

      And as long as we continue with representative democracy we will have politicians continuing to try and prevent the people from having a say in their own governance. First they will continue to ensure that the people don’t have enough information (TPPA) and then they’ll ignore what the people say anyway (Asset sales).

      • Flip 27.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 1:29 pm

        Bring on an informed participatory citizen democracy.

      • greywarbler 27.1.2
        4 December 2013 at 4:20 pm

        I’m wondering if we could cut out some of the middlemen and put our names down to be on a panel for our locality interviewing the operational head of a department who would travel the country to be interviewed by a stratified random panel, with others in as observers. They would then have to follow a job description made up by we the peeps with input from them.

        The politicians don’t seem to be interested in their electors and they don’t want to have any control over their workers, saying to any queries ‘Oh I couldn’t comment, it is an operational matter’. They are worse than useless because they will take a functioning system and discard it, or replace it. So something better is required.

        As far as running things by referendum is concerned as another way, I don’t really like the It becomes another tax evasion system where people will go for the cheapest option unless it’s urgently necessary to have something done in their own neighbourhood.

    • QoT 27.2
      4 December 2013 at 7:27 pm

      They missed the word “owning” before “the people”.

  28. lprent 28
    4 December 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Testing comment bouncer.

    That worked…

    • lprent 28.1
      4 December 2013 at 2:05 pm

      Test it again..

    • lprent 28.2
      4 December 2013 at 2:08 pm

      Ok, due to a neat little trick in .htaccess, I’m now reflecting any attempt to leave comments without a referrer back to the Ip that it is calling from.

      The effect is to block stupid spambots.

      A few more of those and the current deluge of spam might stop clogging the servers.

      • Draco T Bastard 28.2.1
        4 December 2013 at 8:16 pm

        Back to being slow and getting lost when commenting.

        • lprent 28.2.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 1:06 am

          Working on it now. Unfortunately I really have to do this stuff when the number of users online is low..

        • lprent 28.2.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 4:50 am

          Ok. Partially a problem with akismet, and it looks like a routing problem on a server to the database.

          I’m going to try a more passive anti-spam system that doesn’t involve squirting message data around the world.

          Off to bed.

  29. Flip 29
    4 December 2013 at 1:30 pm

    Colin Craig provides further evidence for falling educational standards

  30. greywarbler 30
    4 December 2013 at 2:08 pm

    Bouncer? You getting heavy lprent?

  31. amirite 31
    4 December 2013 at 2:32 pm

    This site is awfully slow to load lately, why?

    • greywarbler 31.1
      4 December 2013 at 4:10 pm

      amirite
      You could try searching for lprent and all the things that are being done to the site and for it will come up. Which helps to keep up with the latest. Lynn said recently that there was a lot of spam coming through and overwhelming the system. I’m having some problems and think it possible that its partly my phone connections and/or my hardware.

    • infused 31.2
      4 December 2013 at 4:55 pm

      hosted overseas

  32. amirite 32
    4 December 2013 at 5:06 pm

    I’m still laughing: Colin Craig said he had “no idea” whether moa are still alive in remote parts of New Zealand but some people might believe that.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11166736

    Key trying to prove that his potential coalition partner is not just a joke.

    • Ake ake ake 32.1
      4 December 2013 at 5:44 pm

      Key is getting more desperate for Crazy’s support.
      So, coming to you all next – Key providing cover, excuses and apologies for Crazy.

    • chris73 32.2
      4 December 2013 at 6:16 pm

      Its possible but extremely unlikely, the Takahe was also thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the late 40s, but it seems to me his big problem seems to be with answering questions too honestly

      I wouldn’t mind betting that some (most?) of the MPs we have now probably have some extremely bat-shit crazy views but are smart enough to keep them to themselves

      Although it seems to me that those with religious views almost seem to want to be ridiculed as it reinforces their views…almost like they’re martyrs or something so they’re probably cheering CC on

      (I apologize to those on here who are religious but arn’t bat-shit crazy for lumping them all in together)

      • fender 32.2.1
        4 December 2013 at 6:28 pm

        Nah mate, the bat-shit crazy lot in power at present have been turning their warped views into law/policy, ffs .

      • felix 32.2.2
        4 December 2013 at 6:48 pm

        Nah, it’s deliberate and there’s nothing honest about it. Craig is targeting his secondary market, plain and simple.

      • North 32.2.3
        4 December 2013 at 9:26 pm

        Piss73. “Batshit” was never a word. Please.

  34. Brett Dale 34
    4 December 2013 at 6:06 pm

    Even that writer moi, knows you dont campaign on a election day. Perhaps Cunliffe can share a cell with Banks.

    • chris73 34.1
      4 December 2013 at 6:23 pm

      https://twitter.com/katieabradford

      – While I don’t think what he did is all that bad but it really does just illustrate politicians lax views towards electoral rules (left and right), surely hes telling fibs that he didn’t know yet he knows he can quite clearly get away with doing it because the police probably won’t do anything about it

      • Colonial Viper 34.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 6:32 pm

        Thanks for an insight into the way you think.

        • chris73 34.1.1.1
          4 December 2013 at 6:41 pm

          Well theres not going to be any repercussions for him are their so theres no need for him or anyone else to be bothered with the electoral commission

      • Pascal's bookie 34.1.2
        4 December 2013 at 6:38 pm

        surely hes telling fibs that he didn’t know yet he knows he can quite clearly get away with doing it

        Fair enough trying make a deal out of it, but honestly, doesn’t the fact he deleted it quick enough that hardly anyone even got a screen grab, and then informed on himself about it, kind of indicate that it was more cock up than intent to ‘get away with it’?

        What was the plan? I’ll tweet something, delete it real quick so hardly anyone sees it, turn myself in, aah, win?

        • chris73 34.1.2.1
          4 December 2013 at 6:50 pm

          Its more concerning that he and everyone else involved apparently didn’t know it wasn’t allowed, I mean its pretty basic stuff that isn’t it?

          • karol 34.1.2.1.1
            4 December 2013 at 7:03 pm

            Curious to see the desperation of some righties – a 10 second tweet is all you’ve got?

            • chris73 34.1.2.1.1.1
              4 December 2013 at 7:16 pm

              http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9192790/Cunliffe-to-refresh-online-CV

              “Refreshing” is such a nicer term then got out telling porkies isn’t it

              “Mr Cunliffe alleged Ms Adams went to “great lengths” to keep the information from the public, telling Parliament there was a “very low” risk of a large scale oil spill occurring.”

              – Turned out the report was on-line the whole time

              Anytime Cunliffe pledged support to Goff or Shearer and the exaggeration over the extent of his work on the formation of Fonterra

              • Pascal's bookie …
                4 December 2013 at 7:40 pm

                Yeah, that’s the sort of thing karol was talking about I guess.

                • karol …
                  4 December 2013 at 7:48 pm

                  Jesus complex from the righties, Pb. Trying to turn water into wine; a few loaves and fishes into food for the thousands.

                  They seem to think if they endlessly repeat trivia, with or without embellishments, it’ll somehow become a major crime against humanity.

                  Painful to keep reading such desperation.

              • karol …
                4 December 2013 at 7:57 pm

                When did Cunliffe break his promise to support Goff or Shearer?

                CV embellishment – if you are soooo concerned about such things, when/if Hooton announces he’s standing for parliament, I expect to see your full outrage against the CV embellishment that has long been in his work website. (after Bradbury tweeted about Hooton potentially standing for ACT leader, Hooton tweeted a couple of hours ago,

                MatthewHootonNZ’s avatar
                Matthew Hooton @MatthewHootonNZ

                I may have more to say on the @actparty issue on Friday

                )

                Now that point about Adams report is just extreme total desperation.

          • Pascal's bookie 34.1.2.1.2
            4 December 2013 at 7:06 pm

            Very concerning yes. Deeply, terribly concerning. #concerned

          • Draco T Bastard 34.1.2.1.3
            4 December 2013 at 8:12 pm

            There’s a difference between purposefully breaking the law and trying to get away with it and making a mistake and owning up to it within minutes.

        • QoT 34.1.2.2
          4 December 2013 at 7:30 pm

          What was the plan?

          Oh, it’s a dastardly one, PB. He’s going to convince us all that he’s upfront and trustworthy, even when he makes mistakes, by acting in an upfront and trustworthy way after he makes a mistake. Fuckin’ Machiavellian, that.

      • North 34.1.3
        4 December 2013 at 9:22 pm

        Piss73 – they (the upper echelons of the Police) actually might prosecute Cunliffe……..having learned their lesson about playing sucky politics – right wing sucky as it happens. McCready humiliated them. Ups to him.

        Let’s suppose they do prosecute Pisso. An artful law student could probably word up a diversion submission before second appearance. Botox is headed for a jury Piss. That’s the diff’.

        Piss attempt at painting moral equivalence there Piss.

    • Morrissey 34.2
      4 December 2013 at 6:28 pm

      Banks is on trial for electoral fraud. The other fellow tweeted a straightforward message, and didn’t try to lie about it.

      Yet another lamentable lapse of judgement by you.

    • karol 34.3
      4 December 2013 at 6:34 pm

      Perhaps Cunliffe can share a cell with Banks.

      Cunliffe’s “crime” would only get a fine – up to $20,000.

    • Zorr 34.4
      4 December 2013 at 9:30 pm

      I am starting to believe that the RWNJs are seeing the act in this light because even they are not blind to the writing on the wall for John Key. With their beloved hero, back against the wall, appealing to NZ not to vote him out next year and to vote in his only chances for electoral victory in the forms of Colin “Chemtrails” Craig and an as yet unnamed ACT representative (showing just how likely *that* is) – their only hope is that Cunliffe is removed.

      Expect to see every single misstep from him represented in these preposterous terms all the way until election day – and the more they repeat it, the less the electorate will listen because it will become a continuing narrative of irrelevance from the Right as they focus on non-issues.

  35. Lionel 35
    4 December 2013 at 6:07 pm

    When I saw that Key called Banks a thoroughly honest guy I are you freaking serious thought do you believe what you are saying he’s got to go

  36. gobsmacked 36
    4 December 2013 at 9:19 pm

    Radio Live is now broadcasting The Conspiracy Hour. No, I am not making this up!

    Callers are invited to outline their conspiracy theory in 90 seconds. There’s a prize for the “best” (craziest).

    First up – 9/11.

    Second caller – Johnny, says by 2024 there will be a One World Government. Something to do with UFB and digital TV. “Connect the dots” says Johnny.

    More soon.

    • gobsmacked 36.1
      4 December 2013 at 9:29 pm

      Billy says something about a rocket going to Venus, but he may have been taking the piss (or on it).

      Next. Tracey, she believes in lots of them … Twin Towers, something about the Titanic not really sinking, a couple more, but – she emphasises – she does like Colin Craig.

      Next guy also lists all of them. Must be heavy sarcasm. Well, maybe.

      Mike says all the victims of 9/11 were paid to destroy the buildings from the inside. Plus something about Marilyn Monroe.

      Who needs Rush Limbaugh, we got Radio Live!

      • gobsmacked 36.1.1
        4 December 2013 at 9:38 pm

        More conspiracies …

        The next caller links the Christchurch earthquake(s) and Israel. Because Bob Parker went to Israel. Obviously.

        Mark – 6,000 years ago there were the floods of Noah. The dinosaurs were killed off. Dragons survived in Wales and Loch Ness, but most were killed. The Bible is right, basically.

      • gobsmacked 36.1.2
        4 December 2013 at 9:46 pm

        Next one – not enough fuel to get to Moon and back. So there.

        Tim has a law degree. Believe in the Bible, Jesus is Lord, and a whole lot more.

        OK, now they’re coming thick and fast. Illuminati, the anti-Christ is behind everything bad.

        Common theme so far: God.

    • Ake ake ake 36.2
      4 December 2013 at 10:14 pm

      Is Radio Live helping compile a long list of candidates for Crazy’s party list as well as assisting with policy development for the Crazy party?

    • Zorr 36.3
      4 December 2013 at 10:34 pm

      WHERE ARE THE LIZARD PEOPLE!

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  • Inflation alive and kicking in our land of the long white monopolies

    The golden days of profit continue for the the Foodstuffs (Pak’n’Save and New World) and Woolworths supermarket duopoly. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 5:The Groceries Commissioner has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • The thermodynamics of electric vs. internal combustion cars

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    6 days ago
  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Three.

    The notion of geopolitical  “periphery.” The concept of periphery used here refers strictly to what can be called the geopolitical periphery. Being on the geopolitical periphery is an analytic virtue because it makes for more visible policy reform in response … Continue reading → ...
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  • Venus Hum

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  • I Went to a Creed Concert

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    6 days ago
  • Government migration policy backfires; thousands of unemployed nurses

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  • A Time For Unity.

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    7 days ago
  • Climate Change: Failed again

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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
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  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt Two.

    A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago
  • Nicola Willis’s Very Unserious Bungling of the Kiwirail Interislander Cancellation

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  • Satisfying the Minister’s Speed Obsession

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  • What if we freed up our streets, again?

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  • No Alarms And No Surprises

    A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
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  • Five ingenious ways people could beat the heat without cranking the AC

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    1 week ago
  • No new funding for cycling & walking

    Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
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  • 99

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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
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  • Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership

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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
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  • Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.

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  • Tea and Toast

    When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
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  • NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects

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    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
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  • Can Brown deliver his roads

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    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago
  • New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X

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    1 week ago
  • Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”

    In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
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  • Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil

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  • Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?

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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Israeli Lives Matter

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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
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  • Luxon Cries

    Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
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  • Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland

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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
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  • Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?

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  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

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  • An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...

    And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago

  • Government unlocking potential of AI

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  • Government releases Wairoa flood review findings

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Promoting faster payment times for government

    The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech

    E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward.  Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses

    Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test

    More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction

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  • Māori Education Advisory Group established

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  • First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight

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  • Have your say on suicide prevention

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  • Action to grow the rural health workforce

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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost

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  • Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians

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  • Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations

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  • Passport wait times back on-track

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  • New appointments to the FMA board

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  • District Court judges appointed

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  • Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

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  • New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender

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  • Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease

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  • Improving access to finance for Kiwis

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  • Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia

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  • Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer

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  • More choice and competition in building products

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  • Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul

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  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea

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  • International tourism continuing to bounce back

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  • Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency

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  • Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape

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  • Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003

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  • New priorities to protect future of conservation

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  • Delivering priority connections for the West Coast

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