Open mike 05/08/2011

68 comments on “Open mike 05/08/2011 ”

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1. mickysavage 1

   5 August 2011 at 6:37 am

   Wow I bet Pete the Squirrel : )
   • Ianupnorth 1.1

     5 August 2011 at 3:34 pm

     See http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03082011/#comment-360797, I got it right!!
2. William Joyce 2

   5 August 2011 at 7:49 am

   Some Pics to send to  friends and those who are not-so-much-friends
   • Lanthanide 2.1

     5 August 2011 at 9:22 am

     Been missing your pictures lately!
     • William Joyce 2.1.1

       6 August 2011 at 9:24 am

       aww, shucks :-#
   • jackal 2.2

     5 August 2011 at 10:36 am

     Uses for a used Prime Minister = fantastic!
3. seanmaitland 3

   5 August 2011 at 9:28 am

   After making copious amounts of hay about the SIS debacle – its pretty hilarious seeing Trev….^H^H^H….Zitetic saying the real issue is that Fairfax’s flawed OIA request was turned down.

   How about a bit of decency for once and admitting you are wrong? Don’t you realise that above all else, dishonesty and mud slinging is what Kiwis abhorre more than anything else?
   • mickysavage 3.1

     5 August 2011 at 9:36 am

     Let’s all get really heated up about who may or not have said/read/discussed a few months ago and then go round and round in circles on it.  And let’s ignore the politicization of our local spooks.

     And while we are at it lets ignore the big issues we face like poverty, climate change, the end of cheap oil, strategic government deficits and the rapacious greed of the uber wealthy.

     Cue for RWNJs to find another reason to say that Goff is human and they will not now be voting Labour.

     As if. 
     • Pete George 3.1.1

       5 August 2011 at 9:42 am

       If Goff had admitted he had a human memory and may possibly have forgotten seeing documents on what transpired to be a minor issue already dealt with by the SIS this wouldn’t have kept coming up.

       “RWNJ” not polling for Labour shouldn’t be a concern – most commenters even on Red Alert are shaking their heads in bewilderment at why Goff has kept this issue alive. Judgement is rightly questioned.
       • felix 3.1.1.1

         5 August 2011 at 9:46 am

         Nothing in the released documents so far contradicts Goff’s version of events.
         • Pete George 3.1.1.1.1

           5 August 2011 at 10:00 am

           That’s Goff’s problem, he now says the documents and Tucker are wrong – having previously apparently accepted the “flicked by” version henow seem’s to be saying even that was false.
           • Joe Bloggs 3.1.1.1.1.1

             5 August 2011 at 11:55 am

             As Matthew Hooten points out so succinctly:

             It is impos­si­ble to believe [Tucker] has now risked his rep­u­ta­tion to take a cheap shot at Mr Goff, who he served loy­ally when he was For­eign Min­is­ter, Defence Min­is­ter and Trade Min­is­ter through the 2000s.

             Hooten adds that

             It is not often that the only log­i­cal con­clu­sion is to believe that a major polit­i­cal fig­ure is telling barefaced lies, but this is one of them.

             However I give Goff some benefit of the doubt – perhaps he was sufficiently distracted by the Hughes affair that he simply didn’t attend to the original Tucker briefing – then got himself embroiled in a Clintonesque farce of denial
             • Morrissey …

               5 August 2011 at 2:08 pm

               A disturbing display of misjudgment and naïveté by Joe Bloggs….

               As Matthew Hooten points out so succinctly:

               You need to read Nicky Hager’s book about the National Party’s secret funding by rabidly anti-democratic Christian fundamentalists, and see the key role that Hooton played in that before you start quoting Hooton.

               Hooton has zero credibility.

               Unlike Hooton, Key, Brash and the other scoundrels outed by the leaked emails, Phil Goff has never once been exposed, or even suspected, of dishonesty.
           • mickysavage 3.1.1.1.1.2

             5 August 2011 at 12:50 pm

             It is also impossible to believe that the mention of Mossad agents being involved in espionage work in Christchurch would not have sent a chorus of warning bells off in Phil’s head.

             Pretty unlikely doncha think?

             Why does our media rely on right wing spin merchants for comment on issues? 
             • Carol …

               5 August 2011 at 1:00 pm

               Certainly the headlines spin it in Key’s & the SIS favour. But Paul Buchanan points more to a problem with the SIS & it’s possible politicisation:

               http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/sis-labour-row-terrible-look-nz-4339926/video

               Buchanan’s comments are a bit at odds with the headline.
             • Pete George …

               5 August 2011 at 1:04 pm

               The released documents suggest Goff discussed it so it must have attracted his attention. He previously seemed to accept “flicked by”.

               He either forgot about it (it turned out to be minor and dealt with so that’s feasible) or he is trying to cling to integrity and credibility as it diminishes.
               • felix …

                 5 August 2011 at 1:37 pm

                 “The released documents suggest Goff discussed it “

                 Err, no they don’t.

                 They say something was discussed, but they don’t say what.

                 Of the items on the list of bullet points (which include the Israeli matter plus several redacted items) there is no indication of which were discussed, and no indication which items related to questions raised by Goff.

                 You need to have a closer look. You’re being led astray.
4. randal 4

   5 August 2011 at 10:06 am

   moving along, the report in this mornings dompost about racism on trade me is no surprise.
   I t has always been racist, anti labour and anti the JW’s in a most evil and tawdry fashion.
   It is great to see them and the supposed ‘community’ getting a bit of exposure for their under the radar activities.
5. aerobubble 5

   5 August 2011 at 10:07 am

   What’s with the bad weather, seems like everyone is out in the middle of the night, but its freezing out!!! My street seems to be a magnet for motorcycles at 4am, cars parked up and momentarily blast noise at 5am. Then roaring cars of people going to work. What gives? Noise in hamilton over night has never been so bad.
6. jackal 6

   5 August 2011 at 10:16 am

   Asshole of the Week Award – Paula Bennett

   Yesterday, the Minister for Social Development, Employment and Youth Affairs, Paula Bennett was asked by Trevor Mallard “How can she justify cutting the very benefit that allowed her to get her qualification, and how can that not be hypocritical?”
   • aerobubble 6.1

     5 August 2011 at 2:36 pm

     She recieved the benefit when cheap oil let politicians laze around claiming they crafted the economic miracle. Now she applies their wisdom, equally lazily, with peak oil upon us. Its not hypocritical its incompetence.
7. Lord Zealand 7

   5 August 2011 at 11:01 am

   Nah, asshole of the week goes to the Labour Party for breeching the democratic process yesterday, I’ve learnt to expect that sort of shite from the right wing nationalist, but not from a party which claims to be about helping people.

   That was the last nail in the coffin guys, not going to vote for Trevor ever again, nor encourage anyone else to.

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10742964

   Quote:

   “The ban inserted into the bill had not been to a select committee for public submissions, which was a violation of the parliamentary process”
   • rd 7.1

     5 August 2011 at 11:05 am

     That was the last nail in the coffin guys, not going to vote for Trevor ever again, nor encourage anyone else to.

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10742964

     Quote:

     “The ban inserted into the bill had not been to a select committee for public submissions, which was a violation of the parliamentary process”

     I think that quote was attributed to Kevin Hague by the Herald
   • Vicky32 7.2

     5 August 2011 at 5:57 pm

     Maybe I am missing something, but what’s Trevor Mallard got to do with that? (I’ve just read the article and what’s the issue really? Kronic is good? I don’t think so)
     • Lord Zealand 7.2.1

       8 August 2011 at 3:14 pm

       “What does Trevor have to do about it?”
       – I voted for him and his party last time, but no more, they are just as bad as the blue team.
       • lprent 7.2.1.1

         8 August 2011 at 3:19 pm

         I’m pretty sure that Trevor Loundes didn’t stand last time?

         In other words if you don’t want to look too much like a political fuckwit, then it pays to be specific. In your case I’m afraid that it probably makes little difference because of the other moronic things you write.
       • Lord Zealand 7.2.1.2

         8 August 2011 at 3:29 pm

         “what is the issue really?”
         The issue is really the failure of the babyboomer generation to do anything about the issue of Cannabis in NZ.
         If people like Trevor showed some balls on this issue in the first place, we wouldn’t have ever had a kronic problem, it has all been caused by the prohibition, not the ingesting.
         Safer alternatives to alcohol, that’s what the issue is, not the mindless persecution of people based solely on the whim New Zealands biggest drug dealers, the Alco Pops.
         • Lord Zealand 7.2.1.2.1

           8 August 2011 at 3:37 pm

           Nice come back Lynn! So do you agree that things should be aired through the democratic process or shall we just shut up shop because NONE of the people without “political fuck wit ness” are willing to pull their heads from the sand on this issue.
           I referenced Trevor MP for the Labour party – I am so sorry I wasn’t aware there were 2.

           “The ban inserted into the bill had not been to a select committee for public submissions, which was a violation of the parliamentary process”
8. Colonial Viper 8

   5 August 2011 at 12:18 pm

   A Tale of Two Lootings

   First the wealthy loot the working class, then the government.

   http://www.truth-out.org/tale-two-lootings/1312292014
9. gingercrush 9

   5 August 2011 at 12:25 pm

   Meh

   Goff and Labour are done. I don’t know what the hell they’re thinking but they’re ill disciplined and just incredibly stupid. How can a party on one hand release good policy (I still absolutely hate the idea of a CGT) and yet just be stupid every week is beyond me. They’re just crazy. They show all the signs of a party in serious danger. Sucks to be a Labour party supporter but imo far better you lose really badly than just lose and continue to be in denial about the shape of your party.
10. Lanthanide 10

    5 August 2011 at 12:32 pm

    A couple of times I’ve seen a large banner ad across the top of the site for the election results.co.nz site. On the far right of this banner ad there appears to be logos of various political sites including kiwiblog and scoop. The Standard logo also appears there. This seems rather confusing to me and I’m wondering if Lynn has seen it?

    I’ve only seen this ad twice: first time I clicked on it wondering what it was, and just now when I clicked ‘back’ on an article and of course the ads have changed and no amount of refreshing has brought it back.

    Edit: of course now that I’ve posted this, it’s come back up. I’ve taken a screenshot and I’ll upload it somewhere and post a link to it.

    http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/232/standardd.png/
    • lprent 10.1

      5 August 2011 at 1:32 pm

      Yeah I have. We’re in that scoop cartel (that is where we get our ads from). It is a bit annoying having our logo there and even more so to have kiwiblogs. On the other hand it must be even more galling that it will be displayed at the sewer…..
      • Lanthanide 10.1.1

        5 August 2011 at 1:46 pm

        Right, that was the bit that confused me. Having the scoop logo above The Standard looks like you’re affiliated with them. Turns out you are, but for advertising only.

        I don’t see why all of those logos are on the ad itself? It’s like if Cadbury placed an ad in a bunch of different magazines and put all of the magazines logos in their ad – you can bet Women’s Weekly would object to a Woman’s Day logo appearing in their magazine, and vice versa. The background colour is also confusing, with it be very close to The Standard’s beige background.
11. Puddleglum 11

    5 August 2011 at 12:52 pm

    It’s deja vue all over again.
    • True Blue 11.1

      5 August 2011 at 1:32 pm

      Yeah, it’s John Keys fault
    • Colonial Viper 11.2

      5 August 2011 at 1:50 pm

      Except this time it is going to be much worse than 2008 (for various reasons).

      This is a set up for the Fed to start QE3 in earnest and start printing huge amounts of USD again. Watch for our dollar to hit parity with the USD as they deliberately crush the USd downwards into valueless toilet paper,

      Shoot me for saying this, but I’m actually glad that English borrowed hard this year. Global money markets are in for a bad freeze in the next few weeks. Italy is on the chopping block.
      • Vicky32 11.2.1

        5 August 2011 at 6:08 pm

        This is a set up for the Fed to start QE3 in earnest

        I’m an economic dunce… Please explain me QE3? 🙂
12. randal 12

    5 August 2011 at 2:00 pm

    hey aerobubble. thats just postmodernistic kiwis working out their own truths. we live in an anything goes society now and any laws made in the past to protect people from the imbecilic inanity of drongos have gone by the wayside. plus all of the cops seem to have been bought off with cheap harldy davisons too. New Zealand the way you want it dude.
13. jackal 13

    5 August 2011 at 2:34 pm

    Friday Fun with Photos #11

    After an unsuccessful political career that ended when John Key was permanently deported from New Zealand, the former PM tried his hand as a planking instructor. Despite the low wage, he still employed a phalanx of security guards, who reportedly all pack hobbit swords. “When the economy flat lined, planking seemed like the obvious choice,” John Key said about his latest career change. “Best of all I get to touch young Men’s bottoms.”
    • William Joyce 13.1

      5 August 2011 at 5:01 pm

      What happened after this – did the guy go running naked through the suburbs?
14. Ianupnorth 14

    5 August 2011 at 2:40 pm

    Who would ever have thought…. Peter Dunne a pothead pixie!
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10743167
    Wonder if he inhaled?
    • Pete George 14.1

      5 August 2011 at 3:17 pm

      At the end of the item:

      Mr Dunne followed the live chat with a tweet where he stated he had never denied smoking pot, and that unlike Clitnon, he did inhale.

      It’s hardly a “revelation”. I wouldn’t be surprised if half of MPs have inhaled at some time in their lives.
      • Tigger 14.1.1

        5 August 2011 at 3:29 pm

        Planking, saying he’s smoked pot – is there nothing Peter Dunne won’t do in an effort to pretend he is in any way, shape or form, interesting and relevant?

        Next up, a Bieber ‘do.
    • mickysavage 14.2

      5 August 2011 at 4:41 pm

      Ha
       
      Maybe Key was as well.  This will explain why he cannot recall his views on the Springbok tour.  He can’t because he spent the whole tour being spaced out of his tiny mind!
       
      And I thought he was straight …
      • the pink postman 14.2.1

        6 August 2011 at 3:18 pm

        I still think he has a drink problem . Just watch carefully how he performs . grinning , flapping and what is more revealing sluring his words. Must admitt that the Tories seem to have it well hidden . If Phil Goff acted like this goon of a PM it would be headline news, Its unfair and wrong but it’s what the Left has to contend with\.
15. idlegus 15

    5 August 2011 at 3:03 pm

    haha, heres our egg of a prime minister http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5398470/John-Keys-video-invite-to-Letterman
    • Ianupnorth 15.1

      5 August 2011 at 3:30 pm

      I cannot believe I just wasted 1 minute 9sec of my life on that!! Absolutely dreadful, how embarrassing.
    • felix 15.2

      5 August 2011 at 3:40 pm

      LOL!

      Please note that no matter how they spin it, this is his demo tape, made specifically for the purpose of getting on the show.

      What a lamo.
      • Kevin Welsh 15.2.1

        5 August 2011 at 4:33 pm

        I see Stuff got that down off the front page pretty damn quick.

        Hidden away nicely in National – Politics.
        • Vicky32 15.2.1.1

          5 August 2011 at 6:14 pm

          TV 3 mentioned it in a promo, giving themselves credit for having got it, so I am interested to see that Stuff already had it! Fatty McRoberts and Patrick Gower are creaming their jeans over it… They accept Key’s word that “it wasn’t an audition, it was an invitation”… 🙁
    • ak 15.3

      5 August 2011 at 5:54 pm

      Dear oh dear oh dear oh dear. To laugh or to cry, that is the question.
      Right-wing humour,
      Right-wing wit.
      Where does one look
      When faced with this…………situation?
      • Carol 15.3.1

        5 August 2011 at 6:08 pm

        It’s back on the front page, but most of the comments below it are from people who find it cringe-worthy & “try hard” – though there are a fair number who like the vid & Key’s performance.
16. the pink postman 16

    5 August 2011 at 3:32 pm

    I should think by the way he acts Dunne is still smoking pot. the guys an embarassment to all.
    • Lord Zealand 16.1

      5 August 2011 at 3:45 pm

      That is a grave insult to pot smokers, no amount of Pot could make you as stupid as Dunne. For serious psychosis it takes serious drugs, e.g. alcohol.
17. logie97 17

    5 August 2011 at 5:59 pm

    On the issue of foreign ownership of lands, be it New Zealand land or investments in Asia.

    This is being spun as, “if Mums and Dads investors can own tracts of China, then it is only right that China can own bits of New Zealand.”

    Just who are these companies from New Zealand that own bits of Asia. I don’t feel that I own any of Asia. Is Fonterra a New Zealand Mums and Dads company or is it in fact a multi-national trading as a NZ company.
    • Lanthanide 17.1

      5 August 2011 at 9:58 pm

      Technically all land in China is on lease from the government anyway. You can’t actually ‘own’ land there.

      In practice this means they can evict you and confiscate the land and as long as they follow all the rules (that they wrote, naturally), you have no recourse.
      • logie97 17.1.1

        5 August 2011 at 10:27 pm

        Okay, but these “Kiwi” named companies that own overseas enterprises – where do they do their banking and how much does the NZ treasury get back – I wouldn’t mind betting that the majority of their funds are in places like Bermuda, and are only Kiwi in name… but of course we can feel proud and hold our heads hight – Yeh, they’re one of us!
      • Colonial Viper 17.1.2

        5 August 2011 at 10:32 pm

        In practice this means they can evict you and confiscate the land and as long as they follow all the rules (that they wrote, naturally), you have no recourse.

        Nothing stopping Labour from saying that they will do exactly that with Meridian, Solid Energy etc. if they are sold off.
    • prism 17.2

      5 August 2011 at 10:48 pm

      @logie97 It is so funny to hear talk of us being on a par with China. 4 million odd (some very odd) here in NZ and in China they are trying to stop their population from increasing exponentially as it is 1.3 billion (doubled in about 40 years). So China can open its big fish mouth and swallow this little fish and hardly burp. Key is so delusional. These politicians want to talk up our importance and our high standing in the world on one hand, then on the other we are too small and poor to do things we need to do and have. The truth is in the middle somewhere.

      But we have had a few successes in the business world, one being our farming. Now big business wants to do what it does with smaller capable entities and take them over and receive the benefits as the johnny-come-lately. The pollies have made us so needy and dependent on farming, and then are prepared to sell it off to foreigners. What will we have left that we can run and be successful at. We are being emasculated and defemininised by the free market, lacking vital force, not making much now for ourselves. And while big foreign-country business raids our dairy markets, and would no doubt put pressure on Fonterra’s control over much of the dairy farms which ensures standards are upheld, Turners & Growers are trying to break the kiwifruit organisation which has been successful in the world. They have an opportunity to trade but want more. Why should NZ Inc have the right to get together to compete against giant countries and giant corporations?
18. Draco T Bastard 18

    5 August 2011 at 6:46 pm

    Wonder what our government thinks of this:

    Many public authorities, including the ICO, have created Twitter accounts to communicate with their customers. Does this mean that people can use Twitter to submit freedom of information requests?

    Answer

    While Twitter is not the most effective channel for submitting or responding to freedom of information requests, this does not mean that requests sent using Twitter are necessarily invalid. They can be valid requests in freedom of information terms and authorities that have Twitter accounts should plan for the possibility of receiving them.

    It would certainly make the process of getting information out of government far easier.
19. Bored 19

    5 August 2011 at 8:28 pm

    Check out the stockmarkets: they are going down fast world wide. The US markets lost 4-5 % today, over 10% for the week. More importantly if you look at the Automaticearth today http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/ you will see the mega banks have taken a bath, up to 30%+ in the last 6 months. For your weekend viewing watch the US markets tomorrow and the European and Asian tonight.

    A little while ago commentators on this site including myself said that oil over $100 US would kill any growth, and create job losses. Brent is still over $100 but dropping fast. That is because there is a lack of demand, even from China. When the US consumer is out of work and broke China has issues selling.

    Earlier this week everybody was assuming a National victory under Key…myself and others said there were too many uncertainties even 4 months out. This one is a game breaker, show on. Now we will see if he is up to much. My money is on him to fail abjectly with the economy.
    • Colonial Viper 19.1

      5 August 2011 at 8:39 pm

      NZers need to stop giving Key a pass on National’s bad management of the economy however.

      At the moment, too many people are buying the line that “National is doing a good job in the face of strong global headwinds”.

      By the way, I think that the final aim of these ongoing market crashes and rolling sovereign debt crises is to eventually replace the USD as the worlds reserve currency with IMF SDRs, or a version thereof.

      Countries are going to find that their own central banks become irrelevant, their sovereign governments hog tied, and there will be a global central bank set up to direct the finances of the world.
      • Lanthanide 19.1.1

        5 August 2011 at 10:03 pm

        John Key is a successful businessman. He’ll sort it out.
        • Colonial Viper 19.1.1.1

          5 August 2011 at 10:22 pm

          </sarc tags?
20. logie97 20

    5 August 2011 at 10:38 pm

    Gather there are some reports that Dunne has been putting some of his “extras”down to a credit card while on overseas junkets.

    Now let’s see, a hitherto secret document is released to the cetacean to spread some dirt. (That document’s release would have been countenanced by the PM).
    Now there is a release of Dunne’s expenses.

    Anyone smell a rat here. Dunne’s lustre is fading and he is in fact a possible liability to Key who believes he can govern without him.

    This election is going to be dirty. Expect to see an unprecedented release of more department documents where political capital can be made.

    Remember Bennett’s questionable release of confidential documents when she was backed into a corner.
21. vto 21

    6 August 2011 at 12:01 am

    Unexpected Observation # 500;

    If we want to hit the 7,000,000,000 people mark and supply more customers for mainstreet retailers then this is the way to go
    .
    by randal, 2011
22. vto 22

    6 August 2011 at 12:12 am

    Unexpected Earthquake Observation # 500;

    earthquakes become no longer scary
23. Dave Kennedy 23

    6 August 2011 at 10:24 pm

    This government’s practice of ignoring all professional advice or evidence and using flawed process continues with the Misuse of Drugs Amendment bill.
    http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/08/commonsense-absent-from-drug-laws.html

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