Open mike 05/11/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 5th, 2013 - 164 comments
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openmikeOpen mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike…

164 comments on “Open mike 05/11/2013 ”

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  1. Logie97 1
    5 November 2013 at 6:53 am

    Thoughts on the annual scourge of Fireworks.

    They’re going to be with us for the foreseeable future.
    So can we reduce some of the nuisance issues.

    It seems the users have to wait ’til dark.
    What say we make the official “celebration” the heralding of daylight saving.
    Always a Saturday night.
    Still dark around early evening.
    Bushes likely to be less tinder dry.

    • Lanthanide 1.1
      5 November 2013 at 7:40 am

      That would make a lot more sense, actually.

    • AsleepWhileWalking 1.2
      5 November 2013 at 8:28 am

      When I think of fireworks, specifically those sold for use at home, I also think of all the little children from the third world who got chemical burns making them so that someone else’s child could get a few minutes of visual enjoyment.

      • bad12 1.2.1
        5 November 2013 at 9:02 am

        Lolz, after all these years i still have this huge resentment about Guy Fawkes, growing up with little more than the clothes on our back we had it repeatedly drummed into us that there was no way we were going to ‘burn money’ by getting any fireworks,

        Funnily enough i have enough coin so as to afford a trip to the Ware Whare and a couple of huge bags of the money burning stuff and every year on the morning of the 5th i have the same urge to go buy me a pile, just one time,

        F**k i resent it, a money, a urge i have, but, in the back of my mind those words are still there, no way are you getting any it’s just burning money and i just can’t do it…

    • Draco T Bastard 1.3
      5 November 2013 at 9:22 pm

      I liked this tweet:

      I quite like that the thunder makes the fireworks seem just a little bit shit.

      😈

    • vannesa 1.4
      12 November 2013 at 12:45 pm

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    • Annabella 1.5
      12 November 2013 at 1:27 pm

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  2. Paul 2
    5 November 2013 at 6:58 am

    Anonymous writer on the Herald writes the following extreme right wing nonsense.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11151420

    Includes such gems as:
    “Taxpayers should be wary of ‘KiwiAssure'”

    “The idea seems to have come completely out of left field to impress the party’s annual conference at the weekend.”

    “Nothing in the policy announced by Mr Cunliffe at the weekend dealt with any of the real insurance policy issues arising from Christchurch.”

    “Insurance is almost the last business that should be nationalised.”

    and a lot lot more….
    John Roughan the writer?

    What a rag.

    • Saarbo 2.1
      5 November 2013 at 7:54 am

      Actually I wonder if the writer is the head of The Insurance Council.

      But this is the line that intrigues me:

      ‘The illusion of a “home-grown alternative”, as Mr Cunliffe calls it, has a powerful commercial appeal.”

      Because if something has “powerful commercial appeal” then the government is short changing tax payers if it DOESN’T set this up.

      This is an exciting initiative, it has powerful commercial appeal so it is a no brainer.

      I note this morning that Westpac have announced another record profit…clearly Kiwi Bank need more capital to grow. I hope Labour are looking at this also.

      • Akldnut 2.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 8:19 am

        This is what immediately caught my eye,

        “The commission covers damage to land rather than buildings, which are covered by private insurance.”

        If that’s the case, then why does the commission offer only half the land value of sections with no buildings compared to those with houses on them?

        IIRC I saw that on 3 news or Campbell Live.

      • Tat Loo (CV) 2.1.2
        5 November 2013 at 8:23 am

        The NZ Editorial makes some good points and we should pay attention to them to see if they are true. For some reason, it appears that Labour has shied away from creating a true public insurer alternative in the style of the original State Insurance.

        I did wonder why people were saying that Labour only needed $70M to set up KiwiSure. This should be ringing alarm bells. A serious public insurance company needs billions and billions in assets – like ACC.

        From what I understand, KiwiSure is going to be little more than a front office insurance retailer. Sort of like insurance you might buy from the AA, but owned by the Government. It will not be backed by the balance sheet, sovereign guarantee and money printing capabilities of the NZ Government. In this scenario, all the back office underwriting and reinsuring is going to be done by the same international money crowd which has been causing serious problems with Christchurch policies and payouts.

        Apart from the odd bit of right wing spin, until I learn more I am tempted to say that the NZ Herald is correct – a government owned insurance company which is structured in the same way as the current crop of private insurers in terms of reinsurance etc, may not actually be worth having.

        • Not a PS Staffer 2.1.2.1
          5 November 2013 at 8:45 am

          Ref 2.1.2. Tat Loo
          ” all the back office underwriting and reinsuring is going to be done by the same international money crowd which has been causing serious problems with Christchurch policies and payouts.”
          FYI
          International Reinsurers do not give earthquake cover to significant parts of Japan. They do not give earthquake cover to significant parts of California. The Insurers here have done well to sell the NZ story and to keep coverage.

        • Saarbo 2.1.2.2
          5 November 2013 at 10:07 am

          One step at a time perhaps Tat.

        • Draco T Bastard 2.1.2.3
          5 November 2013 at 2:08 pm

          A serious public insurance company needs billions and billions in assets – like ACC.

          No it doesn’t because it doesn’t need to have the cash on hand to pay out the claims. What it would do is use the governments ability to create money (at 0% interest) to pay out the claims and then adjust next years premiums to cover the excess amount of money created (whichshould actually be very little once the previous years premiums are taken into account). That’s how ACC used to be before the 4th National government and then the 5th Labour government fucked with it.

          From what I understand, KiwiSure is going to be little more than a front office insurance retailer.

          If that’s what it’s going to be then it’s not worth our time and effort.

    • tc 2.2
      5 November 2013 at 1:00 pm

      from the online comments section……

      ‘Well perhaps Labour should start a newspaper as well, God knows, this one seems to be a mouthpiece for the National Party ‘

    • Colonial Viper 3.1
      5 November 2013 at 7:06 am

      They really are sucking all the discretionary cash out of circulation of the economy, like a huge money hoover.

      • Lanthanide 3.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 7:41 am

        But surely that’s just money they themselves created through debt, right? And the government can just print more?

        • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.1
          5 November 2013 at 7:48 am

          Correct. But there are two things. Poor people who have little access to cheap credit in this system become increasingly poor and indebted, while wealthy people become wealthier faster as interest repayments on that debt channel more and more income from labour to capital.

          Secondly, we are a country which refuses to engage in strategic money creation, instead preferring to indebt the nation by satisfying its money supply needs through borrowing money that other countries have printed, and want to charge us interest on.

          • felix 3.1.1.1.1
            5 November 2013 at 8:25 am

            “we are a country which refuses to engage in strategic money creation, instead preferring to indebt the nation by satisfying its money supply needs through borrowing money that other countries have printed, and want to charge us interest on.”

            That’s the insane bit. Why do people freak out at the idea of creating money but are happy to borrow money someone else has created?

            • Lanthanide 3.1.1.1.1.1
              5 November 2013 at 8:35 am

              Well personally I’m still not convinced by the government only printing as much money as is necessary, and also adequately taxing it back out of the economy at the appropriate rate.

              • Tat Loo (CV) …
                5 November 2013 at 8:46 am

                If the local private sector (households and NZ businesses) is ever to be able to net save it needs to be able to experience a consistent net surplus.

                This net surplus can come from only two sources: the government sector, or the foreign sector. There are no other sectors, at this high level of analysis.

                We know through our current account figures that our private sector almost always bleeds money out and experiences a deficit to the foreign sector.

                Which leaves the government sector. If the government sector insists on returning to a surplus, it can only do so by taking more from the local private sector than it spends into it. Essentially forcing the local private sector to run a deficit – depleting private profits and household savings.

                This results in a doubly worse result for the local private sector: it is structurally forced to run deficits to both the government sector and to the foreign sector. This is the very definition of “austerity”.

                The implications for what we understand as ‘responsible economics’, are paradigm shifting.

                I’m going to be pushing this a lot over the next year.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  5 November 2013 at 2:16 pm

                  +1

                  Well explained.

                • SpaceMonkey …
                  5 November 2013 at 3:09 pm

                  Absolutely spot on Tat… Russell Brand said something similar in his excellent interview with Jeremy Paxman: “David Cameron says profit isn’t a dirty word. I say profit is a filthy word; wherever there is profit, there is deficit”.

                • Descendant Of Sssmith …
                  5 November 2013 at 5:13 pm

                  Moved my comment as it made others non-sensical where it popped up/

              • Draco T Bastard …
                5 November 2013 at 2:15 pm

                Unless you’re being sarcastic I think that proves your inability to do logic.

              • muzza …
                5 November 2013 at 2:45 pm

                What are you not convined about, Lanth?

                • Descendant Of Sssmith …
                  5 November 2013 at 5:15 pm

                  Surely though there’s another aspect to this.

                  It’s that the private sector is not running a deficit in reality but is constantly shifting profit out of workers wages/productivity and into capital and shifting capital into private and overseas pockets.

                  The transference of income to capital whether through paying those at the top very high salaries or through deliberate action to disproportionately inflate property prices is the biggest scam pulled on the ordinary working person I’ve ever seen.

                  • muzza …
                    6 November 2013 at 12:31 pm

                    Aided by accounting methods, and underfunded, controlled, and in some cases, non existent regulatory bodies.

            • Tat Loo (CV) 3.1.1.1.1.2
              5 November 2013 at 8:36 am

              I tried to bring this up at Labour Party Conference but people just looked at me strangely like I was repeating heresy. It’s like peoples’ heads have been completely befuddled through listening to years of economic and monetary lies.

              Available on youtube, the likes of L Randall Wray, Stephanie Kelton and Warren Mosler have it spot on IMO.

              • thatguynz …
                5 November 2013 at 11:08 am

                And that needs to change Tat – and fast. People need to get their heads around it or the citizens of this once fine country are going to wind up as indentured servants on foreign owned land. And make no mistake – that is not an accidental by-product of the current economic model.

                I don’t expect our “elected representatives” to take the lead on this as it is political suicide, but I sure as hell expect them to be open to listening to alternate economic viewpoints and actually doing the “representative” part of representative democracy.

                None of the debt=money concepts are particularly difficult to understand but you have to actually want to understand it first 🙂 I know you’ve made that leap – now we just need to get some of your current and future colleagues to do the same.

                • Tat Loo …
                  5 November 2013 at 11:48 am

                  Yeah dude, that really needs to happen, and as you say, fast.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  5 November 2013 at 2:19 pm

                  People need to get their heads around it or the citizens of this once fine country are going to wind up as indentured servants on foreign owned land.

                  Which, from what I can make out, is what the capitalists want.

              • RedBaronCV …
                5 November 2013 at 8:07 pm

                I’m sure they did TLCV but where the reasoning and outcomes are sound then the left has to distill it into an attractive sound bite.

                Not everyone wants the full info and all of us in various areas are inclined to rely to some extent on others research -like TPP – I’ve got the general outline and I’ve selected the commentators that appear to be protecting NZ’s interest

                The right manage to make the most ghastly things into attractive slogans. The left need to do this but better.

            • captain hook 3.1.1.1.1.3
              5 November 2013 at 12:21 pm

              so what do they actually want the money for?
              a leaf blower, angle grinder, plastic replica hotrod, chainsaw, trip to the grand final.
              The whole country is mad from choices.

              • Descendant Of Sssmith …
                5 November 2013 at 5:21 pm

                Those at the bottom generally want to pay their rent, feed their kids, pay their power bill, buy their clothes, not want to go to WINZ for help, afford to support the local businessmen who might be their neighbor or friend or family member, afford to pay more tax for a good quality social security system and free education and good services, not be castigated and demonised by the right, take the occasional holiday, not have three jobs, can support a family on one income, and so on.

          • johnm 3.1.1.1.2
            5 November 2013 at 1:30 pm

            Hi CV 🙂
            You’ll find this a very interesting article:

            “The Great Austerity Shell Game: Here’s How the Capitalist Scam Works
            Let government borrow for crisis bailouts, then insist cuts pay for them. Guess who loses.
            by Richard Wolff”

            http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/11/04-3

            excerpt:
            “Nor is that all. Corporations and the rich used the money they saved by keeping governments from taxing them to provide the huge loans governments therefore needed. Middle- and lower-income people could lend little if anything to their governments. Corporations and the rich, in effect, substituted loans to the government instead of paying more in taxes. For those loans, governments must pay interest and eventually repay them.

            Government borrowing rewards corporations and the rich quite nicely. It amounts to a very sweet deal for capitalists.”

            • Tat Loo 3.1.1.1.2.1
              5 November 2013 at 1:36 pm

              Ahhhh yes R.D. Wolff, a marxian economist and one that I follow from time to time. Thanks mate. He’s also got some good youtube presentations.

            • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.1.2.2
              5 November 2013 at 2:22 pm

              Corporations and the rich, in effect, substituted loans to the government instead of paying more in taxes. For those loans, governments must pay interest and eventually repay them.

              Yep, worked that one out years ago. It’s why I keep saying that government should create the money they need and should never borrow. Government borrowing just becomes a government guaranteed income for the rich as they continue to avoid paying taxes.

      • tc 3.1.2
        5 November 2013 at 10:28 am

        Their Oz operations are about to be brought under stricter deposit/holding guidelines as they’ve been deemed ‘too big to fail’ and Treasurer Hockey has to make a call on how much they give over to their reserve bank.

        Any excuse really with these bloodsuckers to plunder the NZ branch even more.

    • David H 3.2
      5 November 2013 at 12:15 pm

      Or at least move the govt accounts from Westpac to Kiwibank and stop helping them make millions off of us.

  4. phillip ure 4
    5 November 2013 at 7:01 am

    the law of diminishing-returns:..’hobbit-fever’..?..anyone..?

    phillip ure..

    • Lanthanide 4.1
      5 November 2013 at 7:42 am

      Yeah, not really sure I’m going to see the 2nd one, after having seen all the previous movies at the theatre. 1st Hobbit movie was really pretty lame.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 7:50 am

        If you look it up, with the Hobbit Jackson has delivered to his Hollywood studio masters an ROI of only about half that of the original LOTR series he created.

        • Puckish Rogue 4.1.1.1
          5 November 2013 at 12:25 pm

          Thats one way of looking at it I guess and another is the budget for the first movie is estimated at $200–315 million and the box office take is estimated to be $1,017,003,568 which is not bad going in anyones language

          But sorry I forgot any chance to run down Sir Peter Jackson…

          • Tat Loo 4.1.1.1.1
            5 November 2013 at 12:30 pm

            budget for the first movie is estimated at $200–315 million and the box office take is estimated to be $1,017,003,568

            That’s what I meant – the Return on Investment of the new movies so far is much less than the original LOTR series.

            “Return of the King” scored significantly more box office money, on a budget of less than $100M.

            I also note that the new Hobbit movie has scored a massive 30% less on the critics sites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, than the original LOTR movies did.

            But sorry I forgot any chance to run down Sir Peter Jackson…

            I’m glad you genuflected with the appropriate respect, mate.

            • Puckish Rogue 4.1.1.1.1.1
              5 November 2013 at 4:07 pm

              Yes I’m sure the studios are worried because they only made 3-4 times back the investment, sort of missing the big picture there

              and since all the movies were shot back to back the return for the next two movies will more than make up for the 700 – 800 million they made of the first movie

              • Colonial Viper …
                5 November 2013 at 4:53 pm

                Not denying that the studios are still raking it in, plus it’s very clear that they did not need Key to stump up with tax payers money to subsidise them.

            • Tracey 4.1.1.1.1.2
              12 November 2013 at 1:45 pm

              “With a total budget of $561 million (and climbing), Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy — the second installment opens this December — is the most expensive movie-making endeavor ever. Although, it should be pointed out that the first movie has already brought in more than one billion dollars for Warner Bros., the distributor of all three films.

              Financial documents disclosed in New Zealand, where the trilogy was shot—just like the much cheaper $281 million Lord of the Rings trilogy—shows that incredible sum has already been spent on The Hobbit, and does not include additional shoots or any further post-production work needed on the last two films. The second movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (below) is scheduled for a December 13 release; the final installment, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, will be in theaters a year later.

              The Hobbit movies are easily the most expensive production cycle ever, outpacing the pair of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, which reportedly topped $500 million to create.

              Read more: ‘Hobbit’ Budget: More Than $500 Million | TIME.com http://entertainment.time.com/2013/10/04/budget-for-the-hobbit-now-exceeds-half-a-billion-dollars/#ixzz2kO6BfMA8

          • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.1.2
            5 November 2013 at 2:30 pm

            And just think, if the NZ government had footed that $300m we would have been $700m better off on just one movie. Instead, we helped line a foreign corporations pockets.

      • millsy 4.1.2
        5 November 2013 at 8:00 am

        Take the NZ scenery out and it gets lamer.

        And all of the middle earth films are horrendusly dragged out……

    • Morrissey 4.2
      5 November 2013 at 4:22 pm

      How many interesting independent films could have been made for the money extorted for this snore-fest?

      • Colonial Viper 4.2.1
        5 November 2013 at 4:54 pm

        a few dozen

      • chris73 4.2.2
        5 November 2013 at 5:21 pm

        Interesting to who?

        • Morrissey 4.2.2.1
          5 November 2013 at 5:35 pm

          Interesting to whom?

          Interesting to people who enjoy intelligent, thoughtful films. The very opposite of what “Sir” Peter Jackson churns out for his Hollywood masters, in other words.

          • chris73 4.2.2.1.1
            5 November 2013 at 9:27 pm

            Yes because popular films are sooo unworthy…

            • Morrissey 4.2.2.1.1.1
              6 November 2013 at 7:19 am

              Most of them are. And they’re deadly dull, to boot. Do you think that, other than a few million Tolkien tragics, ANYONE would watch those dire Rings epics if it wasn’t for the massive advertising, paid for by you and me, but signed up for under duress by our hopeless “government”?

  5. Paul 5
    5 November 2013 at 7:18 am

    Another rabid right winger on Jim Mora’s increasingly biased panel selection this afternoon.
    Graham Bell.
    I’m sure Morrissey has had words about him before.

    • Saarbo 5.1
      5 November 2013 at 8:03 am

      Agree.

      Annoying that the Right dominate commercial talk back, I expect RNZ to be balancing and intelligently “Left”…Graham Bell is a typical thick righty, after listening to Graham Bell you realise why our police make the continuous fuck ups that they do, because most of them are just really dumb.

    • Sanctuary 5.2
      5 November 2013 at 9:50 am

      I don’t mind Graham Bell. Be may be an out-of-date right wing dinosaur ex-cop who probably still thinks Arthur Allan Thomas did it, but he is honest in his views. Much more dislikable is the dishonesty of Mora’s manipulation of topics to try and get comments that suits his conservative moral agenda, andGuest like Farrar and Jordan Williams who pretend to be disinterested observers to push propaganda lines.

      There is nothing wrong with a conservative with a honest agenda, even if he is wrong. The new generation of right wingers are not honest, and that is my problem with them.

      • Paul 5.2.1
        5 November 2013 at 12:54 pm

        Fair call.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.2.2
        5 November 2013 at 2:37 pm

        The new generation of right wingers are not honest, and that is my problem with them.

        QFT

      • phillip ure 5.2.3
        5 November 2013 at 4:09 pm

        the panel is an intellectual talkfest today..

        ..it’s ‘doorknobs’ bell..and that booze/beer-pimp/pusher…

        ..bell will bang on about..police 10-7..

        ..and the booze-pimp will push his latest product-push..

        ..as they do..as they do..

        ..phillip ure..

    • Morrissey 5.3
      5 November 2013 at 4:18 pm

      Another rabid right winger on Jim Mora’s increasingly biased panel selection this afternoon.
      Graham Bell.

      It’s actually far worse than that: the other guest is the insufferably smarmy right winger Neil Miller.

      I’m sure Morrissey has had words about him before.

      I have indeed charted the many appearances of this obnoxious old bully. Usually he’s simply vacuous….
      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-16102013/#comment-710684
      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21062011/#comment-343515
      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-05022013/#comment-584721

      Occasionally he takes a delight in cowering lesser talents into submission, as he has with Jeremy Elwood and several other “liberal” guests. It’s no doubt the kind of behaviour that gets you promoted in the Police.

      Occasionally, though, he comes up against someone with the cojones to challenge him—like Gordon Campbell. Invariably Bell collapses….
      http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-12042013/#comment-618074

      N.B. It is instructive to note the Standard regulars who lined up to praise my coverage of that last one.

      • Paul 5.3.1
        5 November 2013 at 4:51 pm

        How we’re Bell and Miller today?

        • Morrissey 5.3.1.1
          5 November 2013 at 5:03 pm

          NEIL MILLER
          On the positive side, Miller excoriated the dreadful Kerre ohoWmad, who now rejoices in the splendid moniker of “Kerre McIvor”, for this typically disgusting column….
          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/kerre-mcivor-on-new-zealand/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502870&objectid=11142935

          After that, however, he went off on a dyspeptic rant against Len Brown and John Campbell. He was so extraordinarily biased and unfair that even Jim Mora himself felt compelled to contradict him.

          GRAHAM BELL
          His Soapbox contribution was, as always, another grumble. Not about the standards of service in tea-rooms this time, but about the poor standard of customer service with Telecom.

    • Murray Olsen 5.4
      6 November 2013 at 12:57 am

      Known in certain circles as Gardner Bell because some say he’s really good at planting things.

  6. Pascal's bookie 6
    5 November 2013 at 7:22 am

    Really good thoughts here about the auckland rapist thing, and the mob mentality that is swirling about the place. Anger is good, but let’s be good humans eh.

    http://thehandmirror.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/the-baying-mob-or-how-i-carry-torch.html

    • RedBaronCV 6.1
      5 November 2013 at 8:12 pm

      I passed a crown limo this morning stuffed full of one G Brownlee and managed to refrain from shaking my fist. Much self congratulation

  7. phillip ure 7
    5 November 2013 at 7:30 am

    i have just two words to say to the tories claiming their mp’s are chosen on ‘merit not gender’…

    ..craig foss..

    ..mm-kay..?

    phillip ure..

    • miravox 7.1
      5 November 2013 at 8:16 am

      You missed Aaron Gilmore.

      • phillip ure 7.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 8:22 am

        nah..!..i..i’ll definitely see your gilmore… and raise you..

        ..yes..gilmore shares that dull-gleam in the eye..of the foss..

        ..but for wall-to-wall w.t.f..!..

        ..it’s hard to walk past the ‘craig’….eh..?

        phillip ure..

    • northshoreguynz 7.2
      6 November 2013 at 8:04 am

      And to play devils advocate, I give you Amy Adams, Anne Tolley, and the doyen of incompetence, Hekia Parata.

  8. tricledrown 8
    5 November 2013 at 8:06 am

    The only way National would increase its gender balance would be for it to loose by a landslide.

  9. tricledrown 9
    5 November 2013 at 8:10 am

    The amount of profit the big 3 down from 4(the National bank should never have been aloud to be taken over by ANZ) is similar to our balance of payments shortfall.

    • Tat Loo (CV) 9.1
      5 November 2013 at 8:15 am

      This is a very important observation. Critically important. It answers why we as a tributary nation feel constantly indebted and constantly poorer, despite sacrificing more and more of both our people and our environment in pursuit of “economic growth”.

      • phillip ure 9.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 8:26 am

        aye..the fact our deficit equals the amount of profits sucked out of the country in corporate-profits..

        ..each and every year..

        ..(leaving us as a nation in a state of eternal-penury..)

        ..and that welfare-fraud is $23 million a year..

        ..yet corporate/elite tax-dodging/’fraud'(?) is over $2 billion..(!)

        ..each and every year..

        ..have been my recent takeaway-economic-facts about nz..

        ..eh..?

        ..phillip ure..

    • Draco T Bastard 9.2
      5 November 2013 at 2:59 pm

      When private profits = government deficit then it obvious that profit is a dead-weight loss and that the people funding that deficit, the poor and the workers, are always going to be worse off while a few get richer and richer.

  10. Chooky 10
    5 November 2013 at 8:27 am

    Tibetan persecution in their own country; Please support the Tibetans

    Tibetans who refuse to fly the Chinese flag above their homes risk being beaten or shot in the latest attempt to break their spirits. But now is the best moment in ages to bring hope to Tibet’s proud, but desperate people.

    China’s leaders are mounting an intense campaign to draw a veil over their rights abuses and persuade governments to vote them onto the UN Human Rights Council. So if enough of us shine a light on what’s going on in Tibet — squashing an ancient religion, banning journalists, dawn arrests — we can get China to back away from its hard-line policy to be sure of getting the 97 votes it needs.

    Let’s show the Tibetan people that the world hasn’t forgotten them. China is feeling the heat as 13 governments just called them out on human rights in Tibet. Sign to stand with Tibet, then share this with everyone. When one million have signed we’ll deliver it to critical UN delegations, and make it massive in the media:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_tibet_loc/?tSQzacb

    Pressure on China is mounting. In an unprecedentedly strong show of support, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, US, UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland and Austria just called on China to protect freedom of assembly, religion and association in Tibet. This request arrives just days after a Spanish court indicted China’s former President for genocide in Tibet!

    The situation is really dire. More than 120 people have taken their own lives by setting themselves on fire to protest the suffocation of the Chinese occupation and hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have been wiped out. China’s ongoing policies systematically suppress the Tibetan language, force people from their homes, and strictly control the Tibetans’ movement and religion.

    China’s failed policies hurt China too, but having dug themselves in this deep, they need pressure to change course. This is the week that change can start. If enough of us speak up while China is under the global microscope, we can make sure our governments know we haven’t forgotten Tibet. Sign now and tell everyone — let’s build the biggest petition ever for Tibet and demand they hold China to account:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_tibet_loc/?tSQzacb

    Proud Tibetans are struggling against China’s brutal rule and long for change, but they can’t do it alone. No one can create changes that big alone.

    That’s why we’ve come together for Tibet before. Let’s make this the moment where the whole world commits to the survival of the Tibetan people.

    With hope,

    Ben, Alice, Patricia, Alex, Ricken, Emily, Sayeeda and the whole Avaaz team

    SOURCES

    UN criticises China’s rights record at Geneva meeting (BBC)
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24611657

    Dalai Lama Says China Has Turned Tibet Into a ‘Hell on Earth’ (New York Times)
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/world/asia/11tibet.html

    Spain probes Hu Jintao ‘genocide’ in Tibet court case (BBC)
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24490004

    Four Tibetans Shot Dead as Protests Spread in Driru County (Radio Free Asia)
    http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/shoot-10112013200735.html

    China denounces Spanish court’s Tibet case against ex-president (Reuters)
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/14/us-china-spain-tibet-idUSBRE99D09120131014

  11. bad12 11
    5 November 2013 at 8:47 am

    ”Desperado wont you come to your senses”, a gem off of Maori TV’s Native Affairs last night had Labour’s Shane Jones alleging that Slippery the Prime Minister, begging bowl in hand, had convinced the Maori Parties Tariana Turia not to resign at the 2014 election,

    Jones talking out of His tiro???, quite possibly as we all know He has the ability to drop s**t into the public arena that would have been better wiped and flushed,

    Desperation tho would be the PM looking across the political landscape for that ingredient needed to form a Government, coalition partners, and seeing far off in the distance only the Colon Craig loony tunes fundies offering a whiff of opportunity, so i can well imagine Slippery trying to keep Auntie Tari and Her Labour hating venom on in the Parliament for another 3,

    Hat tip to Mihi and Native Affairs for providing us all with a show that grinds the reality into and out of the politicians across the spectrum,

    The other interesting rumor doing the rounds at the moment is that ex Native Affairs presenter Julian Wilcox is thinking of putting His name forward for Labour in the Tamaki-Makaurau electorate which Sharples after wasting six years pretending to make gains for Maori with His ‘feet under the table’ has decided, rather than be tossed out of, to resign from…

      • bad12 11.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 5:22 pm

        Thanks for the linking Karol, one of these days i will get edumacated in linking to stuff with cool wording in the sentence, until such tho i have to rely on the ‘goodwill’ of others with better skills,

        ”Desperado wont you come to your senses” part two, i made reference last week to what looked like and what the Wellington rumor mill said was a concerted media effort orchestrated by the Henchmen in the employ of the Slippery little Shyster we have as Prime Minister to in effect manufacture a coalition partner out of Colon Craigs Conservatives using the compliant mass media to spread a barrage of publicity across the spectrum leading up to Labour Weekend,

        In the week following this ‘experiment’ to gauge the effect of using their influence over the editors of the countries mass media to bolster the electoral appeal of Craig’s Conservatives,(with a deliberate omission of the ‘Christian’ from the title), National has conducted further internal polling to gauge just how effective this ‘campaign’ has been,

        The rumor mill,(not normally known for taking the vows), has gone silent with regards ‘a result’ either way for Slippery’s efforts at manufacturing that pivotal coalition partner post the 2014 election and i have to wonder if Slippery’s sack-cloth approach to Tariana Turia of the Maori Party rumored by Shane Jones on last nights Native Affairs gives a hint that such machinations by the mass media has been an abject failure…

  12. Tautoko Viper 12
    5 November 2013 at 9:09 am

    This explains why mass surveillance is not very useful for catching terrorists.

  13. karol 13
    5 November 2013 at 9:22 am

    NAct’s – silencing education that encourages a critical examination of society. Martyn Bradbury posts:

    Why the fuck is Auckland University gutting it’s arts courses by 50% in favor of bloody tourism? Arts students attempting to enroll yesterday suddenly were confronted with over half their courses being dumped.[…]

    Course after course are being butchered at Auckland University and crucified as National’s pressure to cull education critiquing the economic hegemonic structure that benefits National’s ideological blindness becomes reality. History, sociology, politics – anything critical of National’s hard right agenda is being culled.

    Facebook protest page.

    With some of the courses not being offered in 2014.

    Sociology.

    Women’s Studies

    Classics

    History

    It’s usual to have some courses not run during any one year due to things like a lecturer being unavailable. But it is the extent of the courses not being run this year that is appalling.

    Since the neoliberal rise, there has been an ongoing privileging of courses that immediately serve the current economy and business world. In contrast courses like history and classics are seen as not economically viable. There is an undervaluing of the role of universities in being guardians of the heritage of human knowledge from the past: and of courses that enable a long term critical examination of human societies.

    Three’s also been a “bums on seats” approach, and an undervaluing of the benefit to society of specialist knowledge in areas that usually attract a small number of students.

    • RedBaronCV 13.1
      5 November 2013 at 8:25 pm

      I see universities as a reservoir of knowledge that we might not need right now.

      Welcome to the Brownlee dark ages.

  14. Rogue Trooper 14
    5 November 2013 at 10:41 am

    Chorus, the Commerce Commission and the UFB
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11151658
    Comin’ down in three-part harmony… 😀
    (not An Old Fashioned Love Song).

    • NickS 14.1
      5 November 2013 at 1:19 pm

      Here’s hoping National ignores the polling results and tries to reverse the ruling :3

      • Jim Nald 14.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 1:33 pm

        At their UFB policy-making table, the National Government can dine to custard – copious amounts of custard. To a chorus of groans and wails.

        • Tat Loo 14.1.1.1
          5 November 2013 at 1:39 pm

          I think a new Department of Public Works can take over Chorus’ role in the UFB layout for a fraction of the cost.

          • Naturesong 14.1.1.1.1
            5 November 2013 at 2:25 pm

            My preference would be for the govt to buy chorus.
            That way we get back the monopoly which is the local loop as well as the near monopoly on fibre being created now.
            Also, makes it easier to have chorus start hiring and training NZers for their tech jobs instead of importing labour which appears to be their current practice.

            • RedBaronCV 14.1.1.1.1.1
              5 November 2013 at 8:26 pm

              Price $1 I hope.

            • millsy 14.1.1.1.1.2
              5 November 2013 at 11:08 pm

              A lady I work with used to work for Chorus, or more correctly, Transfield, one of their contractors — she said that the practise of hiring Filipino techs were purely to “get rid of union troublemakers”.

        • NickS 14.1.1.2
          5 November 2013 at 3:18 pm

          Custard spiked with Chilli bombs of lost votes 👿

  15. David H 15
    5 November 2013 at 11:30 am

    Did anyone see John Key on Nightline about the drink drive limit or even better have a link I had to rewind it but I forgot to hit record

  16. David H 16
    5 November 2013 at 11:30 am

    Did anyone see John Key on Nightline about the drink drive limit or even better have a link I had to rewind it but I forgot to hit record

  17. Rogue Trooper 17
    5 November 2013 at 11:50 am

    Private Security is Growing Globally by 7.9% / Year: $244B / Annum by 2016
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11151770
    -outsourcing by the UN could further negatively tarnish their badge.

    • McFlock 17.1
      5 November 2013 at 12:05 pm

      as opposed to using untrained draftees from developing countries that pocket the substantial difference between UN remuneration and the soldiers’ daily pay.

      • Rogue Trooper 17.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 12:09 pm

        well, there’s always that to be grafted on. 🙂

        • greywarbler 17.1.1.1
          5 November 2013 at 1:45 pm

          It could be that part of any new politicians preparation is to cover the various possibilities there are for them to be offered graft, or to spot likely candidates and opportunities in their work force. Part of being street-wise looking out for those who think the streets are paved with gold. A lovely melody, but with real meaning.

          • McFlock 17.1.1.1.1
            5 November 2013 at 2:19 pm

            When individuals do it, it’s “graft”.
            When corporations do it, it’s “finding an innovative new source of incremental revenue”.
            When countries do it, it’s “a valuable contribution to the nation’s books”.

    • millsy 17.2
      5 November 2013 at 11:15 pm

      A few of the older posters on here would remember hearing about the activities of mercenaries in Africa during the 60’s and 70’s.

      And find there is little distinction between the likes of Mike Hoare in the ’70s and Blackwater today.

  18. Sanctuary 18
    5 November 2013 at 12:01 pm

    Well, One thing David Farrar knows is which way the wind is blowing inside National, and he is implicitly putting the boot into blubber boy today. Quoth Mr. Farrar:

    “…Having now read the entire message history, I have to say I’m appalled. The emotional blackmail and manipulation is beyond intense…”

    Meanwhile, in a fantastical post today, Cameron Slater is now claiming Bevan Chaung is in fact some sort of Manchurian candidate planted by Len Brown to discredit Palino and his campaign (*sigh* yes, I know…).

    All over, red rover.

    • Rogue Trooper 18.1
      5 November 2013 at 12:08 pm

      my take from the Sunday interview
      -a smart women, yet a ‘hopeless romantic’
      -not aware apparently of her own sub-conscious motives
      -Palino – suggested Blackmail, effectively
      -One woman actor utilized by at least five men for personal or political advantage (boast-busters).

    • McFlock 18.2
      5 November 2013 at 12:13 pm

      Cameron Slater is now claiming Bevan Chaung is in fact some sort of Manchurian candidate planted by Len Brown to discredit Palino and his campaign

      BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

  19. captain hook 19
    5 November 2013 at 12:19 pm

    he knew exactly what to do with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  20. captain hook 20
    5 November 2013 at 12:24 pm

    yep trooper.
    As soon as I get the latest bag of plotlines down from real life in New Zealand I am sailing for Hollywoood immediately.

    • Rogue Trooper 20.1
      5 November 2013 at 12:36 pm

      plenty of material to plunge in to; some even Barrie could not have imagined carrying his children away. It’s beyond planking.

  21. NickS 21
    5 November 2013 at 1:23 pm

    http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/collector-s-firearms-probably-in-criminal-hands-police-5672550

    T_T

    Here’s hoping he wont get his fire arms licence back. Especially given this remarkably stupid comment:

    “I am not the one pulling the trigger,” he said.

    “That might be a bit of a hard thing for you to take but it is up to each individual.

    “You pull the trigger and it doesn’t work out right it’s down to you and nobody else, not the previous owner of the weapon.”

    Teh stupid is strong with this one.

    • Draco T Bastard 21.1
      5 November 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Admits to selling 30 illegally but 130 disappeared at around the same time…yeah.

  22. weka 22
    5 November 2013 at 1:42 pm

    Does anyone have a yahoo email account? I’ve just had to change my password and it keeps telling me the password I choose is invalid. Apparently they want me to make it really complex, so complex that there isn’t a hope in hell of me typing it out correctly the first time. Have tried combinations of letters, numbers and symbols with mixed capitalisation and it’s still not working. Is this a known issue?

    • Naturesong 22.1
      5 November 2013 at 2:32 pm

      Weka,
      Think of a phrase and use that. I.e. “iUsedToLiveOnSmithStreet”
      Make it something personal to you. If numbers are required swap out some letters; e=3, a=4, o=0 etc.
      If other characters are required, punctuate your sentence.

      • weka 22.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 2:51 pm

        Thanks! The sentences and punctuation of a sentence would work well for me. I can’t handle long strings of more random things unless I can see the password visible as I type.

        In the end it looks like yahoo was not reading my current password attempts properly. I had to change browser and try repeatedly. I suspect that that live updating and feedback about password strength works better on a faster internet connection.

      • NickS 22.1.2
        5 November 2013 at 3:16 pm

        THIS.

        Better to use a mix of grammatically valid and invalid stuff in the password though, as it makes it harder to guess 😛 Add on capital/numbers to the end if the website designer(s) are sticking to flawed password quidelines, like WINZ.

  23. Rogue Trooper 23
    5 November 2013 at 4:19 pm

    Guy Fawkes Eve, NZ Parliamentary Question Time, 2013
    well, as fitting, there were indeed some fireworks in the House, fireworks that would be entertaining if the implications were not so serious, as serious as a four-year-old girl scarred on her face for life by the products of a commercial celebration.

    Q.4 (was late due to unforeseen puncture) 🙂 Parker: on Kiwiassure, Cunliffe waving a copy of The Hollow Men in the foreground as English utilizes, what are real, fears about the risks of any company insuring New Zealand, particularly with regards to the seismic implications, while Key has earlier proposed on interest.co.nz that the government may become an equity partner in Chorus.
    Great economic management displayed by National so far…Not!

    now to the teaser from the Boom Box,

    Q.7 Winston to Key about advice to ministers from departments, specifically Treasury on “reigning in Parata” and “spinning change in the education sector”.
    Key-“I haven’t seen that Treasury advice”.

    Tabling of an instant refutation to the claim requested by Peters (ruled admissible by an earlier Speaker’s Ruling) was denied by Roy.

    Then, following Key receiving advice during QT concerning an error made earlier by DC, freakin’ bolshy Brownlee starts winding up, challenging the Speakers ruling at least 3 times to enable Key to grand-stand, then Key starts tag-teaming with Brownlee also challenging the Speaker’s ruling, more than once, finally blurting out the reference to make his points victory.
    Great work by Grant Robertson standing up to the bully Brownlee, more than a match!

    Brownlee attempts for the last word…”Will the Speaker give consideration to…”

    Eric Roy capably sums up that “the House is in a fractious mood” (all that sublimated tension).

    Yet, it got better, or worse, depending on your humanity,

    Q.9 Jan Logie to Collins regarding implementing trials of alternative evidence-giving (inquisitive ) Criminal Trial formats for sexual offences, particularly in light of these recent pack-rapes of minors.

    Collins (just getting warmed up under the collar) -refers to what is currently being done to assist victims and rules out inquisitive format. Ironically, referencing the work around and by Louise Nicholas, who was a rape victim of the Police.

    Logie-” yet 90% of sexual abuse victims still do not lay complaints”

    Collins- “I accept that there are many who do not come forward…” Then …Collins really hit her strides and repeated that Logie raising these matters “could taint trials”. hmmm.

    Still winding up, along came some Supplementaries from her old play-mate Andrew Little

    Little- “Will she modify evidence-giving procedures for sexual abuse trials?”

    Collins- really seeing red, and spitting tacks, “that man lacks the courage..etc etc etc”)

    Onto the Ardern / Bennett tussling

    Q.10 Ardern questions Bennett on the government using, and obtaining, an objective measure of Child Poverty in New Zealand.

    Bennett (clearly emotional ) cannot deny that this government does not possess such a measure with which to verify any reduction in child poverty arising from their policies.

    However, she can argue this- “If the member (Ardern) can get on her high horse…”

    Yep, that’s how it was today with our people. 😀

  24. joe90 24
    5 November 2013 at 4:34 pm

    Emissions hit a new high but the rate of increase slows.

    Actual global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) reached a new record of 34.5 billion tonnes in 2012. Yet, the increase in global CO2 emissions in that year slowed down to 1.1% , which was less than half the average annual increase of 2.9% over the last decade. This is remarkable, as the global economy grew by 3.5%. This development signals a shift towards less fossil-fuel-intensive activities, more use of renewable energy and increased energy saving. Increases in fossil-fuel consumption in 2012 were 2.2% for natural gas, 0.9% for oil products, and 0.6% for coal.

    http://www.pbl.nl/en/news/newsitems/2013/2012-sees-slowdown-in-the-increase-in-global-co2-emissions

    Infographic:

    http://infographics.pbl.nl/website/globalco2/

    • Rogue Trooper 24.1
      5 November 2013 at 4:37 pm

      is the upshot sustainable…ERoEI…

      • Colonial Viper 24.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 5:06 pm

        This is remarkable, as the global economy grew by 3.5%

        I think a lot of this “growth” was via financial speculation – not very energy and fuel intensive. Nor is it ‘real’ growth, just more gaming of the numbers system.

  25. Colonial Viper 25
    5 November 2013 at 4:57 pm

    Europe is about to have their democracy smashed by a TPPA style agreement

    Corporate power rules.

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/04/us-trade-deal-full-frontal-assault-on-democracy

  26. Morrissey 26
    5 November 2013 at 5:55 pm

    Something rotten in the state of Victoria
    Why is Gai Waterhouse being lionized? She should be shunned.

    The trainer of Fiorente, the horse that won the Melbourne Cup today, is one Gai Waterhouse. Far from being hugged and praised after the race, many people believe she should not be allowed anywhere near Flemington, or indeed any other race course.

    Gai Waterhouse’s husband was responsible for the most notorious racing ring-in in Australasian equine history. In August 1984 at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm race-course, an ordinary 8-year-old gelding, Fine Cotton, was replaced for a novice handicap by a horse called Bold Personality, complete with white paint on his legs in a crude attempt to match Fine Cotton’s white markings on his hind legs. Officials smelt a rat when betting on Fine Cotton dived in from 33-1 to 7-2. The horse won by a short head, but with the paint beginning to run down the horse’s legs as it returned to scale and some onlookers shouting “ring-in” the game was up. New Zealand trainer Hayden Haitana shot through shortly after the race, only to be nabbed by police in South Australia and subsequently jailed along with scam organiser John Gillespie. But it involved some of Australia’s big racing names, and prominent bookmakers Bill and Robbie Waterhouse were warned off the country’s tracks for 14 years. ….

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10370810

    The controversy continues to swirl around Gai Waterhouse. At the 2013 Sydney Cup, owner John Singleton sacked Gai Waterhouse live on television after her son Tom Waterhouse, a bookmaker, allegedly told acquaintances that Singleton’s horse More Joyous would lose the All Ages Stakes, which it did. Both Gai Waterhouse and Tom Waterhouse denied any wrong doing. ….
    http://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/john-singleton-and-gai-waterhouse-in-spectacular-bust-up-at-randwick/story-fndpqu3p-1226630746541

    • Te Reo Putake 26.1
      5 November 2013 at 7:02 pm

      “… many people believe she should not be allowed anywhere near Flemington, or indeed any other race course.”

      Who they, Morrissey?

      And is there a word for people who think woman are defined by their husbands? Mozogynist, perhaps?

      ps. fine for a minor ‘failure to disclose’ verdict in the “controversial” Singleton case: $5k. Winnings in the last couple of hours: $3.5 million. Giddy up!

      • Morrissey 26.1.1
        5 November 2013 at 8:12 pm

        Who they, Morrissey?

        People who care about integrity in sports. Yes, Te Reo, I know that, when you consider such travesties as the 1999 and 2011 RWC finals, every single Tour de France and nearly every professional boxing bout, that’s probably a crazy idea, but some people still do believe in the IDEA of sportsmanship and honesty.

        And is there a word for people who think woman are defined by their husbands?
        I don’t think the Gai Waterhouse should be judged by her criminal husband, any more than I think John Banks, should be judged by his criminal parents, or Hillary Clinton should be judged by her criminal husband. The misdeeds of Gai Waterhouse, like the misdeeds of John Banks and Hillary Clinton, should be judged on their own terms.

        Just as a matter of interest, however, are you trying to suggest that Gai Waterhouse was innocent of any involvement in the Fine Cotton fraud?

        Mozogynist, perhaps?
        Good one! I see what you did there.

        • Te Reo Putake 26.1.1.1
          5 November 2013 at 10:27 pm

          Name them, Moz! Cite the “many people” who agree with you.

          If you don’t think Gai Waterhouse “should be judged by her criminal husband”, why did you do it? And why do you libel her by claiming she was involved in the Fine Cotton affair?

          • Morrissey 26.1.1.1.1
            6 November 2013 at 7:05 am

            Name them, Moz! Cite the “many people” who agree with you.

            You obviously have spent no time in Australia.

            If you don’t think Gai Waterhouse “should be judged by her criminal husband”, why did you do it?

            I made it clear that I had not done that. To further clarify for you, I even made the analogy with two other notorious people who should not be judged by their criminal family members, but have earned opprobrium for themselves by their own foul deeds. You have made a habit of deliberately disregarding the evidence I put up to counter your rabid accusations and also of willfully misconstruing what I write; here you are at it again, pretending I judged this dodgy woman by her husband’s crimes. If I had done that, then you would have a fair point. But I had not, and you have not.

            And why do you libel her by claiming she was involved in the Fine Cotton affair?

            I did not libel her. She was involved in that ridiculously unsuccessful fraud just as surely as she was involved with her dodgy son’s foolish activity in Sydney this year. Or maybe you think she was, and is, the very picture of the saintly wife and mother, oblivious to the actions of her husband and son?

            • Te Reo Putake 26.1.1.1.1.1
              6 November 2013 at 7:25 am

              C’mon, Moz, get the whip out! Usually when you’re caught out bullshitting you try to defend yourself, so I guess this time even you know you’ve blown it. To put this one in racing terms, you’ve just dead heated with the ambulance.

              • Morrissey …
                6 November 2013 at 7:35 am

                Again, bluster to hide the fact I’ve called you out. You’re quite humorous, though, so I don’t mind you too much.

                While you’re on the line, buddy, could you just tell us what it is about Gai Waterhouse that you find so appealing?

                • Te Reo Putake …
                  6 November 2013 at 8:00 am

                  Who says I find her appealing? Why, just you! Poor Moz, such a fascination with the English language and, alas, such a weak grip on the finer points of its effective use.

    • greywarbler 26.2
      5 November 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Morrisey
      You’re just sore because you’re horse lost.

      • Morrissey 26.2.1
        6 November 2013 at 7:07 am

        You’re just sore because you’re [sic] horse lost.

        I refrained from betting this time, warbler.

        • greywarbler 26.2.1.1
          6 November 2013 at 10:31 am

          Morrisey
          Watch it, you’ll become a wowser next. Then you may have to give up the joy of poking fun at Jim Mora and we’ll lose some fine moments of irony and farce, pathos and bathos. (I’ve always wanted to use that word, bathos. Not seen much. I give it to you like a rare, fine pearl (of wisdom)!

          • Morrissey 26.2.1.1.1
            6 November 2013 at 5:55 pm

            Indeed, warbler, “bathos” is a fine word. Here’s a splendid recent example of it, all the more effective because this appallingly bad actor obviously lacks even the slightest sense of irony….

  27. Matthew 27
    5 November 2013 at 8:23 pm

    Willie and JT were incredibly misogynistic in their interview with a victim of the rapists known as the “Roast Bunchers” – http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Friend-of-an-alleged-Roast-Busters-victim-calls-Willie–JT/tabid/506/articleID/38783/Default.aspx

    Make sure to lodge a compaint – http://bsa.govt.nz/complaints/formal-complaint

    • joe90 27.1
      5 November 2013 at 8:49 pm

      Thankfully I missed it, Jackson’s opening statement had me doing my man shouts at cloud shtick and turning the damn thing off.

    • millsy 27.2
      5 November 2013 at 11:20 pm

      Homosexuals, unionists, feminists, teenage girls. Is there not a group that JT doesnt want to string up with piano wire?

      I wouldnt want to be a lesbian teenage female trade union member…JT’s Waitakere brownshirts would come for me.

  28. Paul 28
    5 November 2013 at 9:44 pm

    Banks make off with billions.
    Nationalise the lot of them and recover our stolen money.
    A few trials might restrain their corporate greed.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11151951

  29. joe90 29
    5 November 2013 at 9:59 pm

    Mr Richards makes a point in todays DomPost.

    Adding insult to injury, the American bank that bought 8 per cent of the shares that were sold in Meridian (US Meridian buy-up fuels Labour’s foreigner fear, Nov 1) would have received money from United States taxpayers in the form of quantative easing, with the intention that the money would be lent out to stimulate the US economy.

    The trouble is that as very few people want to take on more debt (surprise, surprise) the banks are now using that money to buy up overseas assets.

    US taxpayer money is being used to buy assets paid for by Kiwi taxpayers and the dividends are going overseas to the one per cent.

    It’s not possible to get out of debt by taking on more debt, and it’s not prudent to sell an asset that’s returning a 17 per cent yield to pay off debt that’s being charged at five per cent.

    The only winners in this madness are the banks who got us into this mess in the first place.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/letters-to-the-editor/9362122/Letter-The-asset-sales-money-go-round

    • Colonial Viper 29.1
      5 November 2013 at 10:03 pm

      The only incorrect line is this:

      would have received money from United States taxpayers in the form of quantative easing

      Liquidity from QE does not come from tax payers; it is not money from tax revenues. It is money magicked “out of thin air” via the Fed.

  30. dv 30
    5 November 2013 at 10:33 pm

    >> It is money magicked “out of thin air” via the Fed.

    Social Credits funny money.

  31. lprent 31
    6 November 2013 at 12:39 am

    Another round of upgrades to (hopefully) improve performance. Let me know if anything shows up in the javascript as it is using a new minification system.

    Next stage is the automatic spawning of a extra servers when the load goes up. Which will be pleasant as it can spike to 4-5x ‘normal’ levels over an hour.

  32. lprent 32
    6 November 2013 at 2:59 am

    Testing entering a comment whilst not logged in.

    • lprent 32.1
      6 November 2013 at 3:12 am

      Better. I have cookies back again.

      Umm something wrong in the minify and re-edit. Now why wasn’t that a surprise…

      It is in the CSS this time..

      • lprent 32.1.1
        6 November 2013 at 3:20 am

        ok an irritating lack of any ability to survive minification. It can stay off.

        Yes that works…

        Some deferred javascript… That seems to work..

        Good.

  33. AsleepWhileWalking 33
    6 November 2013 at 7:29 am

    How can we expect young women who have been raped to make formal statements when there is a clear lack of funding for qualified and experienced support for them?