Open mike 06/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, May 6th, 2014 - 174 comments
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openmike Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step up to the mike …

174 comments on “Open mike 06/05/2014 ”

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  1. Paul 1
    6 May 2014 at 7:18 am

    Meanwhile, while we weren’t looking, transnational corporates loot the NZ economy, stealing billions from NZers.

    “Westpac post record half-year
    The local division of the Australasian lender reported interim cash earnings of $432 million yesterday, a 17 per cent increase on the same period a year earlier.”

    The Herald posts a front page story about a taxi company ripping off its customers, while hidden inside is a tale of a massive ongoing heist happening to our country.

    From CAFCA’s website.
    “Transnational corporations (TNCs) make massive profits out of New Zealand. These can truly be called New Zealand’s biggest invisible export. In the year to March 2013 at $8.3 billion their profits were almost as much as the $8.5 billion earned by the combined exports of seafood and milk powder. In the decade 2004-2013, TNCs made $73.4 billion in profits from New Zealand. Only 27% was reinvested.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11249942

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:21 am

      That’s what you get when private banks have the privilege to print a countries money with interest.

    • tc 1.2
      6 May 2014 at 7:29 am

      Yes but all those frontline resources johnny promised to tackle such practices….oh wait they slashed public servants and installed compliant dept heads instead.

      I dont recall any action against large corporates by the ird under this regime.

    • Tracey 1.3
      6 May 2014 at 7:51 am

      which explains why their economists are always talking up interest rate increased. legalised theft boys and girls.

      • Draco T Bastard 1.3.1
        6 May 2014 at 8:05 am

        The entire banking system is legalised theft and needs to be thrown out.

    • Rodel 1.4
      6 May 2014 at 9:52 pm

      Paul-‘While we weren’t looking..’
      Yes. We are too busy over miserable contrived scandals about Collins and that other guy, Williams, McWilliams or whatever his name is? Two politicians whose survival is guaranteed by the majority they hold in right wing electorates. Their reputations are perceptually impaired but provide great distractions from the Key/ English desecration of our once envied egalitarian society.

      Its the Judith and Maurice Muppet Show folks!

      The important election issues have been successfully sidelined.

      Key( Kermit) will be seen as strong, decisive. Collins (Miss Piggy) and Williamson (Gonzo)will be back unharmed and we’ll all applaud another great show..

      The big issues will have been forgotten.

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    6 May 2014 at 7:19 am

    COLLABORATIVE FUNDING: DISSOLVE AUTHORITY, EMPOWER EVERYONE, AND CROWDSOURCE A SMARTER, TRANSPARENT BUDGET

    We all believed deeply in Enspiral – but Enspiral as it was meant to be, not this. None of us had signed up to be anyone’s manager or boss.

    We looked at each other around the room. When had supporting the people and the network we loved become so frustrating and depressing? Only a few people were running things behind the scenes, while everyone else was disconnected from the core work. And now those few people were fed up.

    So we quit.

    Which is what every manager needs to do.

    • Tracey 2.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:53 am

      which is why “its just a job” was such a transparent cop out.

    • Molly 2.2
      6 May 2014 at 7:57 am

      Good read.

      Interesting figure that took them to the limit. That magic number, 150 people max comes up over and over again in different guises, effective co-housing, Rank Xerox limited their division sizes at one point to 150.

      In practice – anything bigger and you cannot communicate effectively with all members AND have systems in place that allow everyone to fully participate.

  3. captain hook 3
    6 May 2014 at 7:29 am

    she went to china to lecture them on transparency in government. what a bloody lie. These tories dont know up from down and cant lie straight in bed.

    • phillip ure 3.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:41 am

      when you think back on it..from that first breezy disavowal from collins..

      ..that spontaneous ‘just dropping into oravida for a cup of tea..on the way to the airport’…

      ..everything out of her mouth has been a whopping great lie..

      ..and i think national/key will be surprised at how much this has hurt their third-term aspirations..

      ..the stench of corruption coming from collins..with key standing behind her..propping her up..(why?..must be the next question..just how postal could collins go..if given the boot..

      ..why is key scared of her..?..)

      ..that stench is getting overwhelming..

      ..this govt. is rotting from the head down..

  4. Tiger Mountain 4
    6 May 2014 at 7:43 am

    The sound of barrels being scraped at the Herald re Len Brown’s phone use. No wonder the authorities dislike pay as you go phones!
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11249986

    • RedBaronCV 4.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:59 am

      FFS Screams distraction. And what pray tell me is the cost of these calls- $10? $20?. Why bother with rorts in the millions elsewhere when you can concentrate on this. Wonderful sense of proportion the Herald has.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.2
      6 May 2014 at 8:01 am

      Really, where the hell did that come from? That’s been a closed case for nearly a year now. More distraction from National’s troubles by the NZHerald?

  5. bad12 5
    6 May 2014 at 7:47 am

    Names being bandied about in the expected Labour reshuffle of portfolios caused by ‘Shane Who’s’ resignation,

    Trevor Mallard, Clayton Cosgrove, Damien O’Conner, damn refreshing i have to say…

    • Tiger Mountain 5.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:54 am

      …Mens men through and through. Earth to Labour… there is in some circumstances a time for ‘man bans’.

    • Tracey 5.2
      6 May 2014 at 7:59 am

      hopefully its misinformation so the real shadows will be embraced wildly

  6. phillip ure 6
    6 May 2014 at 7:49 am

    am i the only one feeling/surprised by this..?

    http://whoar.co.nz/2014/boko-haram-claims-responsibility-for-kidnapping-nigeria-schoolgirls-comment-how-is-this-not-the-most-telling-example-of-international-racism-in-a-very-long-time/

    (excerpt..)

    “…next question:..

    ..would the world have been so relaxed about this..

    ..if these 200+ kidnapped girls had been blond/european..?..”

    • Tracey 6.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:54 am

      from the usa…

    • Populuxe1 6.2
      6 May 2014 at 8:26 am

      Has Nigeria sked for interntional help in this matter? No, I don’t think they have.
      Is there any similarity at all between a missing civilian passenger jet full of foreign nationals magically disapearing over international waters and what is primarily a domestic matter in a failing state? No, not really.
      Is it racist to suggest western intervention because Nigeria obviously can’t deal with it’s own issues. Oh yes, yes it is.

    • bad12 6.3
      6 May 2014 at 8:50 am

      And you would advise what Phillip, that the Western World invade 3 countries in search of those kidnapped in what is said to be an act of political revenge upon the Nigerian State for their soldiers involvement in another countries conflict???…

      • Populuxe1 6.3.1
        6 May 2014 at 9:21 am

        I am experiencing the unacustomed sensation of being in agreement with bad over something

        • bad12 6.3.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 9:27 am

          Yes, i too am experiencing a level of consternation over such agreement, this behavior will have to stop…

        • phillip ure 6.3.1.2
          6 May 2014 at 9:32 am

          that should be very disturbing for bad..

          • Populuxe1 6.3.1.2.1
            6 May 2014 at 9:33 am

            It should be even more disturbing for you, if only to underline how wrong you are

            • phillip ure 6.3.1.2.1.1
              6 May 2014 at 9:38 am

              do you also share his belief that cannabis is as bad for you as heroin is..?

              ..how are you on that loon-thread..?

              ..he is probably one of those who tried pot once..got all paranoid..

              ..and has been an anti-disciple ever since..

              ..he does seem to be a somewhat uptight/highly-strung individual..

              ..he fits that pattern/model..

              • Populuxe1 …
                6 May 2014 at 10:32 am

                No, but what’s that got to do with the price of fish?

                • phillip ure …
                  6 May 2014 at 10:34 am

                  just trying to place you both within the loon-paradigm..

                  • Populuxe1 …
                    6 May 2014 at 10:46 am

                    Yo Pot. It’s Kettle. Whazzzup my Nizz?

                  • Gosman …
                    6 May 2014 at 10:46 am

                    Quite a way below you on the loon scale I would suggest.

                    However I too am curious what you are suggesting here. Do you think the West should intervene to rescue these girls – Yes or No?

              • bad12 …
                6 May 2014 at 3:39 pm

                So says the self admitted poly-addict Phillip, your continuous drug rants explaining to us all the danger of the addictive psyche engaging in any drug use,

                Trapped forever, scarred by the needle,(and the damage done),a Junky forever…

                • phillip ure …
                  6 May 2014 at 3:46 pm

                  i am afraid that i am unable to engage with you..

                  ..as you seem to have carte-blanche to say whatever you like to whoever you like .. however many times you like..

                  ..whereas i accrued a ban for correcting a factual/perception-error you had made..

                  ..i choose not to engage with you on such a tilted playing-field..

                  ..so you just carry on..!

                  ..the best you will get from me will be oblique..(but i hope potent) third-party references..

                  ..( a pattern you may or may not have already noticed..)

                  ..mm-kay..?

    • Rosie 6.4
      6 May 2014 at 9:03 am

      I haven’t read your article phillip but I would say there appears to be a double standard at work. Consider the almost blind eye treatment towards a large group of abducted Nigerian girls to 7 years of investigations into Madelaine McCann’s disappearance, the trashy mag stories about the heartbreak of the McCann’s and the media attention – it still goes on.

      In those 7 years I wonder how many boys and girls have been abducted in human trafficking rings around the world. The pain of those parents will be no different to that of the McCann’s.

      • bad12 6.4.1
        6 May 2014 at 9:11 am

        i have always had a disquieting question about the McCann’s, ”what sort of parents holidaying in a strange place leave their 3 year old alone in a hotel room while they go out for hours slurping wines and partaking of the local culinary delights”…

        • Rosie 6.4.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 9:20 am

          I can only assume they’ve asked themselves the same question, in hindsight…………….

        • greywarbler 6.4.1.2
          6 May 2014 at 9:18 pm

          Parents do other things beside looking after their children. The McCanns had a right to believe that the children would be safe and were checking on them It is not clear from the reports I have read as to how anyone could get into the apartment, perhaps their windows were open.
          Wikipedia –
          Madeleine and her younger siblings had been left asleep at 20:30 in the ground-floor apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dined with their travelling companions in a restaurant 50 metres (160 ft) away.[5] The parents checked on the children throughout the evening until Madeleine’s mother discovered she was missing at 22:00.

          50 metres is 50 paces at one or two paces per second. So they were not that distant in time or location from the children. The depravity of people who would kidnap a child would be unknown to the McCanns as to most people. Some areas of Europe have a long tradition of kidnap I think.

      • anker 6.4.2
        6 May 2014 at 10:24 am

        Rosie @ 6.4 +1

    • Rosie 6.5
      6 May 2014 at 9:31 am

      On a slightly related theme: It seems we still have work to do in NZ in regard to our perceptions of non white kids educational aspirations and access to opportunities.

      http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1405/S00019/students-thesis-shows-teachers-bias-against-maori-pupils.htm

      What a shocker.

      • bad12 6.5.1
        6 May 2014 at 9:55 am

        Yeah Rosie i read that the other day and thought exactly the same thing, how can Maori rise above such stereotyping,(call it what it is, racism), that a professional body seems to regularly take into the classroom with them,

        It seems from the outside ”attitudes” have changed, but, deep within the psyche of many within the ”profession” lurks some very ugly beliefs which must color their attitudes to certain students, and, effect the outcomes for those students,

        i must admit that my view of those who are tasked with providing education was discolored by being dragged from a social studies class in the early 1970’s and caned for daring to ask the question, ”where were all this lot when this discovery was occurring” as the teacher explained to us all that ”Captain Cook discovered New Zealand”, 3/4 of the class being local Pa kids it seemed at the time a logical question to ask,

        Small wonder that Maori are favoring charter schools…

        • Rosie 6.5.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 11:34 am

          Yeah, it’s interesting, what attitudes are publicly displayed and in contrast, what attitudes remain in the safety and privacy of the living room. Hypocritical really.

          Not being a parent and knowing nothing about primary education I had assumed that we must have evolved, culturally and socially since I started out at school in 1975, where incidentally I witnessed many violent episodes such as you experienced. (We also had other teachers who were wonderful, and looking back on it now must have been liberally minded as we were taught peace songs and how to be nice to one another!)

          Neither am I qualified to speak of charter schools except to say they sound like an unwise path to go down given the failure of charter schools in the US, that there is something wrong with publicly funded schools being run privately and that they are not subject to the same standards as state schools. However, given the mixed results for Maori achievement, it is understandable, whether it be right or wrong, that Maori would feel inclined to move away from a Pakeha based educational system that they may see is failing them, to a system they can claim as their own, and be of genuine benefit to their children. Maybe this is what they are hoping for.

          In the past we’ve tried to squeeze Maori into Pakeha ways of thinking within our institutions, education, health, justice and so on. Maybe they are just trying to reclaim their own autonomy and influence by showing in interest in charter schools.

          • Populuxe1 6.5.1.1.1
            6 May 2014 at 3:33 pm

            While I am for the most part against charter schools, I can see possible utility in allowing individual iwi to operate their own schools.

    • Ennui 6.6
      6 May 2014 at 2:09 pm

      Who says the world is “relaxed”? I’m horrified, I would be equally horrified if it was 230 purple pygmies from Alaska or 230 blond boys from Wainuiomata. Then again I am not the “world”. The implication is racism is it not? Well I know about it, I heard it on Russian TV, on CNN, on TVNZ so the story has jumped “racism” filters.

      So the response? Yeah, lets call in the Good “Ol US Marines…bugger, although they are largely black and latino…well they are needed around some oil war somewhere…and there is no oil up there, or a big enough Monsanto contract so, flag that.

      UN Peacekeepers, fully deployed. Legitimate local authorities and forces? Who knows? Send the NZ Army perhaps? The “world”…well who are they? Not saying I don’t want help for these poor girls but how?

      What do you suggest?

  7. bad12 7
    6 May 2014 at 8:19 am

    Watch them hypocrites dance, the whole Parliament is about to fall all over the place in a gross knee-jerk reaction against legal highs,(John Campbell must be laughing up His sleeve,

    No animals will suffer the use of such drugs upon them to ascertain the ‘safe’ level of consumption for us humans, the mantra from the hypocrites being that ”there’s a big difference in testing for recreational drugs and testing for drugs that might save human lives”,

    Here is the real story of the testing of ”products” on animals, from the gunk that the humans spread on their bodies to make them feel ”prettier”, smell ”better”, or look ”nicer”, the products of human vanity are regularly tested on animals to the point of those animals deaths,

    No one knows the exact numbers of animals that are killed on behalf of human vanity yearly in this country the link below says at least 50% of the 200,000 animals, from rats to dogs, suffer to the point of death on behalf of our vanities each year,

    http://www.safe.org.nz/campaigns/animal-testing/

    Send a message to Slippery the Prime Minister and this Government that ALL animal testing should be banned in this country, below,

    http://www.safeshopper.org.nz/…/be-cruelty-free-ban-animal-tested-cosmetics

    • phillip ure 7.1
      6 May 2014 at 8:55 am

      for me..despite the delights on offer from collins..that dairy-based banquet..

      ..the television moment of the week..(so far..)..was john banks getting sneered at by the compere of that q&a..for his stand against testing legal highs on animals..

      ..the subject of the overdose test was raised..and the compere sneered:..’we don’t even know what that test is’..

      ..banks snapped back:..’yes we do..!’

      ..he then went on to describe how the overdose regime works:..

      ..ten bred-to-be-used-for-testing beagle dogs are strapped down..(banks said their ears are nailed down..to keep them fixed in one place..to aid testing..)

      ..the ten dogs are then given ever-increasing doses of these drugs..until five of them die..

      ..that level of drugs causing the death of the five dogs..

      ..is then deemed to be the official overdose-level of that drug..

      .are we all relaxed/comfortable with that..?

      ..i can also provide blow-by-blow details of how these scum torture/kill animals to test cosmetics/laundry-products..etc..

      ..and as for the number of animals tortured/killed in nz by the vivisectors each/every year..?

      ..my understanding is that it is over 300,000..

      ..nearly a thousand animals..each and every day..

      ..and of course..we must not forget that most of that testing could be done using computer-models etc..

      ..the reason these over 300,000 animals are tortured/killed each/every year by these scum…

      ..is a matter of cost..

      ..torturing animals costs much less than using computer-modelling etc..

      ..are we all comfortable/relaxed with that..?

      • Tracey 7.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 9:13 am

        it’s good to see he cares about animals phi… if he gave a toss about more than 1% of humans in this country, maybe their lives would improve along with their attitudes toward meat eating and animals?

    • Tracey 7.2
      6 May 2014 at 9:11 am

      did lots of rats and dogs and monkey’s get cancer during the testing by tobacco companies to satisfy the FDA?

      what happened to all the rats, dogs and monkey’s who were made drunk on alcohol?

    • Jackal 7.3
      6 May 2014 at 10:46 am

      bad12

      No one knows the exact numbers of animals that are killed on behalf of human vanity yearly in this country.

      Looks like Anthony Hubbard from Stuff has some pretty solid numbers in this article

      In total, more than 87,000 animals died or were put down during experiments in 2012. In some years the number is much higher – in 2009 it was 163,000.

      Personally I cannot see why so many animals need to be tortured? The testing for most products we use was concluded many years ago and the amount of new products is limited. In fact we already have ample products to choose from and so no further animal testing is actually required.

      When so many animals are dying, John Key proclaiming that no animals will have synthetic cannabis chemicals tested on them is misleading! His statement to gain media attention is also not based in reality, because it was his government that legislated for synthetic cannabis chemicals to be tested on animals.

      Now that there’s a public outcry and Labour have gained the upper hand, John Key pretending he cares about fluffy bunnies and saying “think of the cute little animals” is all a bit dishonest!

      • Lanthanide 7.3.1
        6 May 2014 at 11:32 am

        The testing for most products we use was concluded many years ago and the amount of new products is limited.

        Really? The amount of new products is limited?

        • Jackal 7.3.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 12:39 pm

          How many new products do you see coming to market Lanthanide? Most of the products we buy have been around for ages.

          • Colonial Viper 7.3.1.1.1
            6 May 2014 at 3:49 pm

            Reformulations using existing components/ingredients usually require no additional testing.

            So “new” products can certainly appear, but if they are essentially only derivative in nature, and its the same old parabens, colours, stabilisers and flavour enhancers just in a different combo then its very unlikely it will be tested.

            • Jackal 7.3.1.1.1.1
              6 May 2014 at 4:07 pm

              Exactly! Makes you wonder why so many animals are dying because of experiments then?

              • freedom …
                6 May 2014 at 7:49 pm

                +1
                With the compound simulators that stampede across vast plains of terabytes these days, the resulting data is probably more controlled and more accurate than any animal testing torture chamber could deliver.

  8. phillip ure 8
    6 May 2014 at 8:30 am

    (as a bit of ‘relief’ from matters judith…)

    “..Masturbation: the secret to a long life?..”

    “..Dodson has a mouth like a sailor –

    and the easy manner of a wisecracking Scorsese character.

    She looks incredible –

    with a zest for life that belies her age (85).

    She credits ‘masturbation – pot – and raw garlic’..”

    (cont..)

    (..heh..!..there ya go..!..there’s the formula..

    ..the mp&g-plan..

    ..and on that subject..of elder use of cannabis..

    ..one of the findings coming out of colorado’ new legal-weed regime..

    ..is that it is not the younger ones using increasing in number..(those that do already do..)

    ..the jumps in numbers using/buying legal-pot..

    ..are those in their 40’s-50’s and 60’s..

    ..(with the aphrodisiac/sex-enhancement qualities of pot appreciated by long-time-together couples..)

    ..we will see the same thing here..

    ..when sanity prevails..

    ..and of course the health-benefits to/for those elders swapping from booze to pot are another (as yet unquantified) positive outcome from ending cannabis prohibition..

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/may/05/masturbation-secret-to-a-long-life-betty-dodson-self-love

    (see what i did with the ‘relief’ there..?..)

  9. jh 9
    6 May 2014 at 8:37 am

    From The Landlord Says prior to last election:

    Meanwhile the National Party released its immigration policy. You may wonder what this means for the property market. It is clear from research that immigration is one of the key drivers of house price growth.
    The logic is simple. If you import more people into the country, then you need more houses. Supply and demand means that prices are then pushed up, this is particularly so in Auckland.
    While the latest immigration numbers show the number of people coming into New Zealand is starting to rise, the Nat’s policy looks like it wants to increase immigration levels even further.
    (Although it is unclear what sort of number they are targeting.)
    This policy is, arguably, a plus for people who want house prices to rise. (But may be not so good for first home owners wanting to buy.)
    My guess has always been that property investors lean heavily towards the right rather than the left. (This was made clear in an email newsletter I saw from one developer this week.)

  10. bad12 10
    6 May 2014 at 8:46 am

    Why are Labour dragging the chain over the nominations for the candidate in the Tamaki-Makaurau seat,

    Selecting Shane Taurima at this point would seem to be offering up National a ‘free hit’ in the future, Julian Wilcox i would suggest would make a winning candidate for Labour in the seat,

    Mind you the longer the delay the more the contest might be one between the Maori Party and Mana Party…

  11. jh 11
    6 May 2014 at 8:49 am

    “Claims that immigrants improve the economy, introduce new technology and grow the business sector are being exaggerated,” Clydesdale said. “Much of the literature suggesting immigrants bring in new technology and contribute to a growing business sector is misleading. “There is often no economic evidence to support the claims made.” He quoted Department of Labour figures that showed only 2% of business immigrants introduced new technology. Many new arrivals under the business, investment and entrepreneurial categories bought existing businesses such as restaurants, cafes and takeaways, Clydesdale said. “There is little new activity. There’s no added value, it’s just a change of ownership,” Clydesdale said. There were also very real costs. “An extra $3600 a year in your pocket, or more immigrants? “The question is one New Zealanders should be considering because it sums up the relationship between rising mortgage interest rates and our current immigration policy,” Clydesdale said. He estimated people with an average $160,000 fixed mortgage would be be $3600 a year better off if rates had remained steady in the latest Reserve Bank rate hike. “Of course, immigration is not the only force driving inflation, but we only need to get inflation down within a limited range to stop the interest rate increases,” Clydesdale said. “Dramatically reducing immigration may keep inflation within that range, without the economic casualties. “The Government’s current policy mix is putting real estate agents ahead of exporters.”

    Has Labour started listening to Treasury, Reserve Bank.. Savings Working Group, (Australian Productivity Commission)?

    Cunliffe said he had seen the research, but disagreed. “House prices are a complex phenomenon which reflect the interaction of a wide variety of factors,” he said. Those factors included interest rates, wage levels and population growth, of which migration was just one component. “Net migration is itself a balancing factor between people leaving New Zealand and people arriving,” Cunliffe said. According to Statistics New Zealand, during the 12 months to December 31, 2006, the population grew by 45,100 to 4,165,600, Cunliffe said. The contribution of net migration to that was just 14,600 people. “Businesses are still telling us that skills shortages are a constraint to their growth,” Cunliffe said. “There is no denying that we have ageing populations, lower birth rates and the need for a growing workforce. “As Kiwis traditionally go overseas and some do not return, immigration is a must to supplement the workforce we need to ensure our country continues to prosper,” Cunliffe said.

    Migrant benefit ‘overstated’ By DAN EATON – The Press | Saturday, 7 April 2007

    • bad12 11.1
      6 May 2014 at 9:00 am

      The more fundamental question need still be asked of the Reserve Bank Governor of why He sees the need to hike the Official Cash Rate twice when inflation is only at an annual rate of 1.6%,

      A move which hands the Trading Banks the perfect excuse to dramatically increase their profit taking from the New Zealand economy…

  12. jh 12
    6 May 2014 at 9:03 am

    Libertarian Urban Plan

    During my visit to Houston there was much fuss about a high-rise apartment being build next to a very plush community of single family homes. The pro-zoning elite were using this as an argument for a comprehensive city plan complete with zoning and the usual host of regulations and controls.
    However, people who buy into a neighbourhood controlled by a Homeowners’ Association know very well that the edge properties are vulnerable to such unexpected activities and hence sell at a considerable discount. Buyers pay their money and accept the risk.

    Houston – the well-planned City without a Plan
    Owen McShane

    May 1, 2014 | Updated: May 1, 2014 9:19pm

    Developers can move forward with the proposed Ashby high-rise after a much-anticipated ruling Thursday by a judge who agreed the tower is a nuisance for its immediate neighbors but concluded there was no way he could stop the project or determine a more appropriate alternative.

    “If an injunction is granted, there is no question but that it will have a chilling effect on other developments in Houston,” wrote state District Judge Randy Wilson, a stance that drew mostly positive comments from the development community for eliminating uncertainty for groups considering future projects.

    But Wilson also awarded $1.2 million in damages to 20 of those residents who had filed suit against the developer, Buckhead Investment Partners of Houston. While that is $438,000 less than a jury recommended in December, it still reflects a belief that those who live closest to the project, on a 1.6-acre site at 1717 Bissonnet, will see their property values suffer.

    In firmly denying the residents’ primary request, however, Wilson said a permanent injunction would be difficult to enforce and would invite an “endless series of lawsuits” testing various tweaks and revisions to the project’s scope.

    “A 21-story residential development is believed by the neighbors (and the jury) to be too big,” Wilson said in the ruling. “However, this court has zero evidence with which to find what size is just right.”

    http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Ashby-ruling-allows-high-rise-to-go-forward-5447064.php?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=edb67c600d3b9e5e12

  13. logie97 13
    6 May 2014 at 9:25 am

    More evidence that Key’s philosophy on life is purely self interest and
    making money. The man doesn’t know what a “conscience” is.

    It is some comfort to know that we have Joky Hen PM and not Joky Hen MD.
    Imagine going to Key as your doctor with symptoms of severe stress. He gives you a
    sick note for a few days off but not before you have to face a couple more days of
    what has put you into this state… (is he trying to tip you over the top).

  14. Ant 14
    6 May 2014 at 9:26 am

    The attempt to link NZ First MP Tracey Martin with Williamson is a bit desperate:

    “A New Zealand First MP wrote to a senior police boss to voice “significant issues” about the possible transfer of a local sergeant who was also on the same school board of trustee as her.

    Tracey Martin wrote a letter to Inspector Scott Webb on her official MP letterhead in her capacity as the chair of the Mahurangi College board of trustees about the redeployment of long-serving Sergeant Bede Haughey, the officer in charge of the Warkworth station.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11250250

    Sounds like Martin is doing the job an MP is supposed to do, ie. advocate for a community in their best interests, not try and pervert the course of justice in regard to a rich donor.

    Is Jared Savage using the OIA to get these communications or are Collins flunkies releasing them?

    • freedom 14.1
      6 May 2014 at 9:49 am

      snap 🙂

    • karol 14.2
      6 May 2014 at 9:57 am

      Tweet from Dave Armstrong:

      Spot the diff: “I’m worried you’re transferring a great cop out of our community” “Do you realise that guy you’ve arrested is very wealthy”

      • Ant 14.2.1
        6 May 2014 at 10:14 am

        World record for OIA must have been broken on that request, overnight service 😀

    • Tracey 14.3
      6 May 2014 at 12:52 pm

      not a ps staffer suggested yesterday that as the oias are out of mfat the fingers point toward mccully… fellow strategist of joyce and suffering majorly from small man syndrome. also a major control freak.

    • Murray Olsen 14.4
      6 May 2014 at 5:04 pm

      That’s total desperation. Tracey Martin is representing her community in a way that MPs used to do, before the ACT wing of Labour imported the idea that community doesn’t exist and they should only help wealthy individuals. I can see how a Herald journalist might get confused after sucking on the neolib Koolaid for 30 years or more. This just makes Winston First look like a party that actually does something.

  15. freedom 15
    6 May 2014 at 9:49 am

    What’s your take on this?
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11250250

    IMHO The Herald is openly attempting to besmirch the community minded actions of the NZ First MP. Here is an MP simply doing her job. In the letter, (see PDF below) it is clear that Tracey Martin was responsibly advocating for the strength and continuity of her community.

    By including the Williamson reference, the NZH is not just ‘presenting context to the story’, it is taking the legitimate actions of a MP who is openly concerned with what she perceived to be uncertainty over significant changes in their community and deliberately associating these actions to Williamson’s active support of a person involved in a domestic violence investigation. This perverse act suggests The Herald is facing a hell of a lot of pressure to muddy the waters as fast and as widely as possible.

    National is obviously hurting
    Is it 2pm yet 🙂

    Question re PDF:
    Is the reason Cameron Slater’s name is listed in the index of the PDF something to do with the application process of the OIA?

    • jh 15.1
      6 May 2014 at 10:00 am

      I recall talking to an English policeman about issues in the force. He must have been a manager. I recall him talking about the need to rotate officers or they can become too comfortable and (perhaps) lead to corruption. It made sense at the time.
      I think the difference here is that it is just a community issue rather than a (excuse me) greasy businessman from China.

      • jh 15.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 10:09 am

        greasy businessman from China.
        …..
        a successfull Chinese property developer would come out a bit greasy?

      • freedom 15.1.2
        6 May 2014 at 10:15 am

        This story is nothing to do with corruption in the community, or the Police. It even has nothing to do with your suspiciously xenophobic imagination! Staff get rotated, but sometimes these staff movements need to be properly reviewed in case details might have been overlooked. Central office might not have been fully aware of just how heavily involved the officer was in these projects. The obvious concerns of the community were responsibly and sensibly raised by the MP representing that community.

        One MP is doing their job, one MP is abusing their position,

        do you know which is which jh?

        • Ant 15.1.2.1
          6 May 2014 at 10:21 am

          Slater must be OIAing something too, maybe the cops used the same master document to produce a number of OIA PDF responses then deleted Slater’s email.

          Probably shows that the directions for Slater’s dirt digging and Savage’s are coming from the same source: Collins.

    • Puckish Rogue 15.2
      6 May 2014 at 10:14 am

      If you want to know the reason:

      http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/05/exclusive-will-winston-peters-say-tracey-martin-meddling-police-operational-matters/

      Theres likely going to be more as hes put in more OIA requests

      • freedom 15.2.1
        6 May 2014 at 10:57 am

        PR, I do not know any details other than what is in the Herald. Maybe they were all secretly involved in illegal activities, but if Slater had any actual [or imagined] details, that showed wrongdoing, then we would all be hearing about it!

        Instead we have heinous acts like helping thy neighbour and building a brighter future for their community. What unseen horrors have these people been creating in these community groups? What dark shadows lurk? Based on what is presented I am perplexed that a rational person would think there is anything untoward to see here.

        From the wording of the email on WOBH, it is not unreasonable to think that Slater has sent OIA requests to every Police District in the country on a major a fishing expedition. An expedition that will use hundreds of hours of Police time? Is this a justifiable use of resources? If any other person, including journalists, submitted (what we can imagine is) a large number of OIA requests so openly vague in their intention and so obvious in their motivation, they would very likely not get processed without repeated communications requesting more precise definition of the OIA objectives.

        Maybe it exposes how much pressure is being applied. The last few days have seen some extraordinary events. From outside the government camp it looks as if stones are being thrown, and thrown blindly in rapid fire succession in every direction. Has Slater considered, even for a moment, the collateral damage his innuendo might inject into these communities? Just suggesting wrongdoing can be enough to permanently destabilise the complex relationships in community groups.

        What I see in that NZH article is a MP wanting a good cop to stay on in their community .

        • Puckish Rogue 15.2.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 12:16 pm

          Whaleoil drip feeds the information, there’ll be more to come

          • freedom 15.2.1.1.1
            6 May 2014 at 12:42 pm

            what do you expect to see PR?

            I really really want to know what seems so out of place with a MP directly and openly advocating for her community, by writing a letter to the Police in an official capacity using official correspondence?

            What MW did is of no comparison apart from both used the english language. Slater’s non-specific fishing trip is a distinctly suspicious waste of public resources. OIA requests are generally not processed in five days. As I said above, when the OIA objective is so poorly defined they are usually not answered at all, except for requests demanding greater detail.

            I would wager that the sinkhole has nothing and will deliver nothing on this story.

            The story has now plummeted down the NZH page,
            that should tell you a lot about how much water the fisherman has in his waders.

            • Tracey 15.2.1.1.1.1
              6 May 2014 at 1:01 pm

              looks like the slater followers, incarnations have done their reading today so they know what to think about collins.

            • Puckish Rogue 15.2.1.1.1.2
              6 May 2014 at 3:15 pm

              If you really really want to know then keep visiting this site:

              http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/

              He likes to drip feed information so its best to keep visiting the multiple times per day

          • Ant 15.2.1.1.2
            6 May 2014 at 12:56 pm

            Sounds like Slater has some really juicy stuff… LOL no it doesn’t, Slater yet again reveals how much of an entry level political operator he actually is, couldn’t even get Brown with the dirt of the century.

            Oh no a MP is telling police how good a cop is for the community! Watchout career ender right there.

          • Tracey 15.2.1.1.3
            6 May 2014 at 1:00 pm

            has slater posted his requests for oia releases? it would be useful to see what he requested. i dont expect him to post that until he has the info, but for completeness when he posts the docs, it would be useful to see the nature of his request/s

            are all his referenced docs stamped with the oia red?

          • Paul 15.2.1.1.4
            6 May 2014 at 1:02 pm

            Slater… your hero …says a lot

          • Murray Olsen 15.2.1.1.5
            6 May 2014 at 7:23 pm

            More to come? More evidence of opposition MPs doing their jobs? The fat slug is even more stupid than I’d suspected.

      • Draco T Bastard 15.2.2
        6 May 2014 at 11:55 am

        The reason is the oily one is trying to produce distractions to protect Collins.

      • Tracey 15.2.3
        6 May 2014 at 12:57 pm

        on what youve read so far do you equate this mps actions with williamsons.

    • Tracey 15.3
      6 May 2014 at 12:55 pm

      the robertson and nz first examples only make williamsons actions look worse imo.

  16. Jenny 16
    6 May 2014 at 11:35 am

    Feed the Kids Members Bill – update

    When will the bill be up for its first reading?

    The bill has moved down the agenda (‘order paper’) as a large number of Members bills have been reported back from select committee for second reading – and second readings take precedence over first readings on Members days. At this stage we’re anticipating it will come up in late May/mid-June.

    Is it likely to have the votes to pass at first reading?

    We need 61 votes and we currently have 60! Hone is continuing to meet with National Party MPs to try to get it passed but National is holding to the line that the KickStart breakfast programme they partially fund is enough. Our analysis shows it feeds about 12,000 of the 100,000 children estimated to go hungry each school day – so it’s not enough at all. We’re still hoping someone in National is able to do the maths and agree to support the bill.

    What else has been done to build support?

    Hone has continued to promote the bill and recently hosted two events at Parliament (see the MANA website, http://www.mana.org.nz, for speeches and media statements and http://www.feedthekids.org.nz for news stories and photos):

    The first was a morning tea to thank the 30+ organisations who’ve supported the bill as part of the Community Coalition for Food in Schools, and helped make it the major policy news story of 2013. Many thanks to the guest speakers, Deborah Morris-Travers (Unicef), Kiri Smith (NZEI), Angela Roberts (PPTA), Lisa Beech (Caritas NZ), Major Pam Waugh (Salvation Army), Rawiri Wright (Ngā Rūnanganui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa), and Katherine Rich (Food and Grocery Council).

    The second was a lunch event with 50+ senior students of Naenae College who help run the school’s breakfast club. The students fielded questions with the media, went on a tour of Parliament, and attended question time to watch Hone challenge the government to do more to support the 100,000 students who go to school hungry each day.

    What can I do to help?

    Continue to lobby your local MP, and especially if they’re John Banks, Peter Dunne, or a National MP! See http://www.feedthekids.org.nz for info and further suggestions.

    • Tracey 16.1
      6 May 2014 at 1:10 pm

      let them eat cake. the govt has rich guys to assist. have contacted my mp, mr banks. have asked him to show similar compassion to children as he does to animals.

    • BLiP 16.2
      6 May 2014 at 1:24 pm

      ‘

      Wouldn’t it be better to agitate for higher wages so families can feed their kids? Just askin’.

      • Draco T Bastard 16.2.1
        6 May 2014 at 2:14 pm

        Nope. With work estimated to decrease by about 50% over the next decade or so and more after that we really need to think of something better than wages.

        • Colonial Viper 16.2.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 2:50 pm

          There’s going to be more than enough work to do Draco, that result will be natural in an era where the population is massively aging and fossil fuels are disappearing; it’s just that the economic system as it stands cannot or will not structure that work as paid employment.

          • Ennui 16.2.1.1.1
            6 May 2014 at 3:10 pm

            Good work CV, you are on the button: when my personal “energy slaves” of fossil fuel no longer is available to “transport me in my metal overcoat”, nor plough the fields, nor truck stuff around…well its back to the humble Clydesdale, the water mill and the gleaners after the fallen corn. We will live in a Constable picture. It will be hard work, and there will be lots of it.

            • Colonial Viper 16.2.1.1.1.1
              6 May 2014 at 3:30 pm

              A mate and I moved a bit of firewood in the weekend, not much, maybe 300-400kg’s worth and it didn’t take long. Up and down hills was a piece of cake – with a Falcon V8 and a trailer, that is. With horses and a cart, it would have taken an entire day and been far more troublesome.

              Life post fossil-fuels is going to be a lot slower and a lot harder than people are used to right now.

              But somehow, all our politicians can keep chanting about is “growth” of one kind or another (green, sustainable, export, global, etc.). It’s like some kind of religious litany.

              • freedom …
                6 May 2014 at 3:40 pm

                ” With horses and a cart, it would have taken an entire day and been far more troublesome.”

                but it would have had its good moments too CV 🙂

              • Draco T Bastard …
                6 May 2014 at 9:34 pm

                See, that’s a good example of what’s not going to happen any more as fossil fuels dry up as it will be a lot easier to build and maintain renewable generation and heat pumps. Renewable generation that can also maintain the present farming, mining and pretty much all other industries. About the only thing that it won’t be able to support is private motor vehicles.

  17. Tracey 17
    6 May 2014 at 1:12 pm

    palua bennetts community meeting on april 28 was in hobsonville.

    is hobsonville in her current electorate? its in john keys.

    so, she has already abandoned her constituents that she loves so much as being her precious westies.

    • Ennui 17.1
      6 May 2014 at 3:14 pm

      Have they changed the boundaries? Has she increased in size and crossed the boundaries without having to move? Do the boundaries neatly bisect her current position? In the absence of Judith challenging Keys leadership is she the next cab off the rank? So many questions!

      • Tracey 17.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 3:20 pm

        i know. shes holding her meetings in keys electorate but close to her new seate. so, the convenience of her constituents is irrelevant, shes looking after herself, as she so ineloquently said in parliament today

        ” national likes people to help themselves.”

        • Jilly Bee 17.1.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 10:59 pm

          I thought Paula Bennett may have had a wee snort of something or other today prior to coming into the House. She got a bit carried away there for a while and was generally on a bit of a trip (maybe to Christchurch).

  18. Tangled_up 18
    6 May 2014 at 1:29 pm

    “The rebuild following the Christchurch earthquakes was creating thousands of jobs and there were people ready to take them up but who did not have the means to get to Christchurch.”

    “To qualify the job must be for over 30 hours a week and be longer for 91 days. The
    payment would be non-taxable and exempt from any income and asset test.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11250450

    If you only qualify after 91 days then the $3000 isn’t going to be available to relocate is it?

    Also too bad if you’re let go under the 90 day probation period – you’d have to pay to relocate and then miss out on the $3000.

    • freedom 18.1
      6 May 2014 at 1:58 pm

      “If you only qualify after 91 days then the $3000 isn’t going to be available to relocate is it?”

      I understand the incentive programme is set up so the job you are being offered must be for longer than 90 days, which means it being a job that the employer is not attaching the 90 trial contract to. Which is immediately removing a large number of employers from the pool of jobs that the Government is counting on.

      The focus is stated to be on 18-24 year olds, this makes this is a quizzical incentive as they are the group most likely to be faced with a 90 day trial contract.

      Maybe it is the cynic in me but on one hand I feel the actual number of these incentives that will be paid out, according to what they have ascribed to the policy, is likely to be very small. On the other, I suspect the programme will be manipulated somehow and ‘special circumstances’ will see the incentivet applied to jobs that turn out not to be so permanent after all.

      • Hayden 18.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 2:05 pm

        It could be simply that the job is intended to be permanent, so even with a 90-day trial you can still get the incentive. Probably worth holding on to it though, for when you find yourself in a city far from your family and friends, newly unemployed, again.

        • freedom 18.1.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 3:27 pm

          According to what the Government has said, the job must be for over 90 days, I take that to mean the 90 day trial can not be applied to any job that is taken as ‘collateral’ for the incentive payment.

          What I understand that to say is any persons taking up this offer will not have to sign a 90 day trial contract. If any of these jobs are unfairly terminated or fail to be permanent, the lucky employees will be able to utilize all aspects of our employment laws, not just a select few.

          Certainly is an added bonus for those who find a job 🙂

    • Draco T Bastard 18.2
      6 May 2014 at 2:09 pm

      I want to know where they’re going to house all these enthusiastic young people.

      And NRT has it sussed:

      Which is a shame, because the idea of WINZ paying people’s relocation costs to get them jobs in areas which need workers isn’t bad. But it needs to be their actual relocation costs, not some pittance, and it needs to be risk-free for them. Relocating to another city for a job is risky enough, and WINZ should be trying to reduce that risk, rather than pile more on top of it.

      • Tracey 18.2.1
        6 May 2014 at 3:23 pm

        young people dont need a house. especially unemployed young people. young people today need to toughen up. cue the four yorkshiremen monty pyhton.

    • Populuxe1 18.3
      6 May 2014 at 3:56 pm

      It’s not going to do them much good if they have nowhere to live

  19. ffloyd 19
    6 May 2014 at 2:32 pm

    Trevor Mallard ordered out of Parliament!

  20. captain hook 20
    6 May 2014 at 2:37 pm

    something has to be done about this nostrum abroad that MP’s are employees. They are there to represent the electorate in the parliament. as long as people have the idea that MP’s are employees then people like collins can bamboozle ordinary folks that she can do the sort of shit she has been putting down in china.

    • Ennui 20.1
      6 May 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Spot on Captain, I also despise the whole language of government that crept in with Roger and Geoff Palmer. making it a corporate professional place where a man had to wear a suit. Fekk it if I ever get elected I will wear a “boiler suit”. A bright orange one. And I will refuse to have “clients”, or even “constituents” (a much older word)…just “people” I “represent” and “advocate for”..

      • Tracey 20.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 3:34 pm

        amen.

        nz inc is an insult to us all.

        its precisely cos our leads treat the nation as a business that the environment, society and most of the people are fucked.

        money is a by product not an end in itself.

  21. karol 21
    6 May 2014 at 3:18 pm

    Urgent debate on Maurice Williamson now under way in the House.

    • Tracey 21.1
      6 May 2014 at 3:25 pm

      GREAT SPEECH RUSSELL NORMAN.

      john key nowhere to be seen.

      • freedom 21.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 3:31 pm

        he left very soon after his q.t. answers were delivered

        Guess he didn’t want the cameras to see him wincing during Collins’ performance

        ( wow, compare the content of Norman’s speech to this crap by English )

        • Tracey 21.1.1.1
          6 May 2014 at 3:46 pm

          justifying the unjustifiable. his voice is cracking as he tries to equate refunded secret donations with telling the cops to do a thorough job cos your mate has lots of money… even he doesnt believe the shite he is spouting.

          key making others front speaks volumes about his lack of leadership.

      • karol 21.1.2
        6 May 2014 at 3:43 pm

        Cunliffe: focused & controlled. Without the OTT shouty stuff he does a lot. “These are the lowest ministerial standards in a generation”.

        • Tracey 21.1.2.1
          6 May 2014 at 3:51 pm

          closing by norman was great… linking the low standards to the lack of leadership. not that the leader would have heard. as if to prove normans point, he was long gone.

        • freedom 21.1.2.2
          6 May 2014 at 3:55 pm

          The discipline of the opposition during qt was good to see, it started slipping by about Q7 but tomorrow is a new day and I hope we see a lot more of such discipline.

          Good spine shown by Mallard too.

          I get the distinct feeling there is some clear agreement amongst the opposition in how to manage National’s behaviour in the House. Silence is often the loudest argument.

          It shows up National for the school yard principles that are their modus operandi and would certainly limit how selective The Speaker can be in what he perceives as having occurred.

  22. Colonial Viper 22
    6 May 2014 at 3:58 pm

    US tax payers fleeced by oligarchs through costly, opaque public pension fund investments

    For all you peeps who think that making KiwiSaver compulsory and giving even more workers’ money to Wall St is a good idea.

    When you think of the term “public pension fund,” you probably imagine hyper-cautious investment strategies kept in check by no-nonsense fiduciary laws.

    But you probably shouldn’t.

    An increasing number of those pension funds are being stealthily diverted into high-fee, high-risk “alternative investments” that deliver spectacular rewards for the Wall Street firms paid to manage them – but not such great returns for pensioners and taxpayers.

    And yet… despite the fact that they deal with the expenditure of taxpayer money, the agreements between public pension systems and alternative investment firms are almost entirely secret.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-05/leaked-documents-show-how-blackstone-fleeces-taxpayers-public-pension-funds

    • Chooky 22.1
      6 May 2014 at 7:13 pm

      …Labour should make it compulsorily reinvested in New Zealand

    • blue leopard 22.2
      6 May 2014 at 7:42 pm

      Your comment has questionable logic CV,

      Surely it is better that we push for tight rules on how that money is invested rather than have it handed over to banks who will conduct the same corrupt practices with it – and considerably more on top of those ones anyway?

  23. chris73 23
    6 May 2014 at 5:49 pm

    A very good performance by John Key “paraphrasing Helen Clark” was a good ending but wheres the passion from Cunliffe? Sounded like he was reading out his shopping list, at least Norman gets excited every now and then…

  24. karol 24
    6 May 2014 at 6:11 pm

    Speaker David Carter bought shares in Mighty River Power & Meridian Energy. I/S calls it corruption.

    Paul Foster Bell also bought shares in Mighty River Power.

    • chris73 24.1
      6 May 2014 at 6:13 pm

      The register showed Labour leader David Cunliffe’s new trust, which he used to take donations for his leadership bid last year.

      The TR Trust collected around $9500 in donations from supporters Selwyn Pellett, Perry Keenan and Tony Gibbs and two anonymous donors.

      Don’t be scared Dave tell us who the donators are and what they want for their money

      • karol 24.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 6:25 pm

        yawn Try hard. That one’s already been answered. Then there’s the Cabinet Clud….

      • ScottGN 24.1.2
        6 May 2014 at 6:29 pm

        Whatever Cunliffe manage to garner in his election trust is pretty small beer don’t you think, compared to the nationwide scam called Cabinet Club that National is running. Where if you pay enough cash you get facetime with a Cabinet Minister. Once again the Cabinet Manual is just a guideline eh?

        • chris73 24.1.2.1
          6 May 2014 at 6:34 pm

          Oh well since its only small beer thats ok, perhaps you could let us know what the cut off point is?

          • ScottGN 24.1.2.1.1
            6 May 2014 at 6:42 pm

            At the moment sir, the cut off point seems to be a taxpayer funded trip to China where you use your ministerial kudos to try an influence a border official to go easy on a dairy company that your husband happens to be a director of and which is run by close friends. Mind you, given what we’ve learned tonight about National’s shoddy scam to raise funds it’s no wonder Collins and Williamson don’t think they’ve done anything wrong.

          • karol 24.1.2.1.2
            6 May 2014 at 6:45 pm

            Nothing to say about National under pressure over it’s widespread encouragement of big money into government? And Paula Bennett lying about it?

            Tough times for NAct astroturfers!

  25. phillip ure 25
    6 May 2014 at 6:17 pm

    campbell live has an interview with the inventor of legal-highs..

    ..he sez they are dangerous..

    ..should not be consumed..

    ..and should all be banned..

  26. Weepu's beard 26
    6 May 2014 at 6:34 pm

    The ironing was strong today when the PM described Twitter users (who dared front up to Judith, using her own language and medium of choice) as bottom feeders and trolls. This, when his own office “employs” a certain bottom feeding, trolling blog-which-wants-to-be-known-as-media to do its dirty work.

  27. Ant 27
    6 May 2014 at 8:37 pm

    It’s funny how the will is found to report things like cabinet club once journos get pissed off. Must not have been much of secret around the press gallery.

    Also it’s correspondingly scary that the only political discourse some people are exposed to is shaped by these chumps.

    As much as I’m glad the Nats are taking a pounding the idea that the major improprieties of a government only get reported if the journos get all ornery is pretty unsettling.

  28. Ergo Robertina 28
    6 May 2014 at 9:01 pm

    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/05/jobseekers-zero-hours-contracts

    The unemployed in the UK are to lose the benefit for three months or more as sanction if they refuse to take a zero guaranteed hours job.
    Does anyone know Work and Income’s rules around refusing to accept jobs with no guaranteed hours?
    It’s not clear from the ‘obligations’ section of Work and Income’s website what constitutes suitable work.

    • karol 28.1
      6 May 2014 at 9:14 pm

      Unbelievable! And then the UK government will crow about improved employment stats. How inhumane are such MPs?

      More than one in 10 employers are using such contracts, which are most likely to be offered to women, young people and people over 65. The figure rises to almost half of all employers in the tourism, catering and food sector.

      The article says that benefits will be paid for the weeks not worked – fluctuating payments. But i can’t see WINZ organising that efficiently. And in the UK critics are saying it’ll be hard to do training to improve work prospects, or to get another job, if a person has a zero hour job.

      • Ergo Robertina 28.1.1
        6 May 2014 at 9:45 pm

        It normalises these arrangements, which should be shunned by governments for the social and health harms they cause.

    • Draco T Bastard 28.2
      6 May 2014 at 9:19 pm

      As I understand it, if you don’t accept a suitable job you will get your benefit cut. I have no idea as to what they mean by the word suitable. I’d say that a job that could leave you worse off would be unsuitable but National’s in power so they may consider a job with no hours suitable.

  29. Draco T Bastard 29
    6 May 2014 at 9:13 pm

    The return of El Nino

    The spectre of flooding and drought in different parts of the world appears to be looming large as an increasing number of climate scientists predict the return of El Nino.
    ————————–
    The last major El Nino was in 1997-8. It was blamed for the flooding along the Yangtze River in China, which killed more than 1,500 people.

    Globally, the economic cost of this event was calculated at $35 to $45 billion, largely as a result of its impact on the agriculture and fishing industries.

    And, yeah, it’s looking like it’s going to be a big one.

    • karol 29.1
      6 May 2014 at 9:16 pm

      It’s been a barmy autumn in Auckland so far. Today still seems like summer.

    • Colonial Viper 29.2
      6 May 2014 at 9:27 pm

      Globally, the economic cost of this event was calculated at $35 to $45 billion, largely as a result of its impact on the agriculture and fishing industries.

      It’s so common, news sources framing the impact of environmental, political and social disruption in terms of how it affects capitalism and investors. Meh.

      • Draco T Bastard 29.2.1
        6 May 2014 at 9:37 pm

        Yeah, I was disturbed by that as well but, unfortunately, some people seemingly just can’t understand the changes in any other terms.

  30. Harry Holland 30
    6 May 2014 at 11:33 pm

    I’m surprised I haven’t seen more recent debate on further state funding of political parties.

    The Greens made a statement back in January that partial public funding would help to avoid parties being captured by wealthy interests.

    Mike Williams is on record as calling for state funding when he was president, and Key is on record as opposing it as of late 2013.

    I believe that a similar discussion is being had in the UK.

    • chris73 30.1
      7 May 2014 at 7:14 am

      Of course Labours for it because they can’t raise any decent money on their own, I’m against it because I support National so why would I want any of my tax payers money go towards the Greens

      • One Anonymous Bloke 30.1.1
        7 May 2014 at 7:22 am

        Your tax-payers money can go to National and bribes and Oravida. The Greens can have mine.

  31. Philj 31
    7 May 2014 at 9:27 am

    xox
    Where are all the libertarians shouting about nanny state taking away individuals rights on legal highs. The same ones who shouted out about lightbulbs, shower roses, and compulsory insulation and superannuation. And Helping out needy Warners, Rio Tinto, Americas Cup, Sky, etc. The hypocrisy and our msm complicity is incredible. We have been had.

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