Open mike 08/09/2011

51 comments on “Open mike 08/09/2011 ”

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1. mickysavage 1

   8 September 2011 at 7:25 am

   I really enjoyed reading the Herald this morning.

   Firstly there was a story about Tau Henare being involved in a road rage incident where he cut a car off and then proceeded to flip the bird to and abuse the upset victim who had tooted him because of his driving.

   He must have missed the Crosby Textor memo that said that National MPs should if at all possible not act like testosterone fuelled gits. 

   Then there was a story about how fellow pseudo westie Paula Bennett had been caught out lying, saying that Labour had not future funded a longitudinal study when budget documents showed that it clearly had.

   Are the wheels starting to fall off the westie tory effort?
   • felix 1.1

     8 September 2011 at 7:38 am

     West Side Tory was only ever a story. The end.
   • Blue 1.2

     8 September 2011 at 9:05 am

     What an embarrassment. Perhaps it should be a requirement for National ministers to not sound completely ignorant and thick.

     Witness the quote below:

     “Just of yesterday I got another request from them for another $5 million of taxpayers’ money. I’ve got to say nearly $26 million spent on a longitudinal study that sounds like they’ve kind of got their fair share to be honest.”

     She then tells them to seek private charity to continue their work:

     “They have a role to actually show the merits of the work they are doing, if it is as good as they keep telling us it is then they will actually have others that want to pay for some of kind of study.”

     I suppose we can all be glad that she doesn’t have the tertiary education or research, science and technology portfolios.
   • law 1.3

     8 September 2011 at 7:19 pm

     that blimin tory rag huh Micky…. oh wait… it was good for you guys today, but still Murdoch must be lulling us all into a false sense of security
2. Pete george 2

   8 September 2011 at 7:39 am

   I’ve often been puzzled by the Peter Dunne enigma.

   Dunne seems to achieve what most parties and politicians strive for. Better than a Harawira chorus?
   • felix 2.1

     8 September 2011 at 7:43 am

     “what most parties and politicians strive for”

     Sinecure?
     • higherstandard 2.1.1

       8 September 2011 at 7:47 am

       That plus a bigger than usual trough even by politicians standards – would be better to have him killed and replaced by his sentient hairpiece.
       • felix 2.1.1.1

         8 September 2011 at 8:21 am

         Yep, if we could teach his rug to yell “sensible” every 3 years we’d save quite bit of dosh there.
         • Tigger 2.1.1.1.1

           8 September 2011 at 9:45 am

           Hard working electorate MP? Ain’t seen him in our part of Ohariu nor did he manage to stop the huge motorway mess that now confronts those of us living in Korokoro.

           And can someone explain what was common sensual about Dunne voting down Civil Unions? Common sense says if a group has inequal rights and there is no compelling reason for that to continue then that should change. Dunne voted against them. That wasn’t common sense – it was bigotry.
           • NickS 2.1.1.1.1.1

             8 September 2011 at 1:32 pm

             It’s because he stocks his sockpuppet-for-rent, I mean “party” with rent-a-Christian politicians in order to have at least some voter base, and oh lordy are they easy to wind up over littl’ things.

             Like extending human rights to teh gays.
   • mickysavage 2.2

     8 September 2011 at 7:46 am

     I am often puzzled as well.  

     How can a politician who has flitted from side to side, who once had a minor party but managed to lose all his MPs, who has stuffed up so many policy reforms that he has handled and for whom the highlight of his political career was when a worm liked him saying “reasonable” continuously possibly still be in Parliament?

     Is it because of his coiffure? 
     • higherstandard 2.2.1

       8 September 2011 at 7:50 am

       MMP plus a somnolent electorate… bit like Jim Anderton really, although Pete D’s doo is more magnificent.
     • mikesh 2.2.2

       8 September 2011 at 12:01 pm

       I think when the United Party was formed in the early nineties its aim was to be so centrist that it would constitute a credible partner for whichever of the major parties won an election. The trouble was it became so centrist that it ended up standing for virtually nothing. Nevertheless it seems to have been a successful strategy inasmuch as Dunne at least is still around, and it seems puzzling that Dunne has recently abandoned this strategy and thrown in his lot with National. One wonders if National has pressured him into adopting this stance.
   • kriswgtn 2.3

     8 September 2011 at 8:03 am

     jump ship,political parties on advice from his wig

     he is not an enigma

     how many parties he been in?

     Labour-10 yrs
     Future NZ-1 year- well done you
     United NZ-7 yrs
     United Future-9

     27 yrs- 4 parties in this time………….

     must be due for another jump- watch the wigggggg

     wheeeeee

     Someone who has been in Parliament since 1984 as nothing but a lifer @ the pig trough

     Achieve what?? he voted for the 90 day right to sack,has voted with National on so many bad legislation
     how is that achieving anything
     • mickysavage 2.3.1

       8 September 2011 at 8:38 am

       Aye he is a member of the christian huntin shootin troffin party!
   • felix 2.4

     8 September 2011 at 8:44 am

     I’m sure the Reverend “Shooter” Dunne feels a far greater sense of purpose now that he has the young Pete “Anakin” George on the team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUCg7Oov88s
     • Campbell Larsen 2.4.1

       8 September 2011 at 10:50 am

       LOL – that is comedy gold felix : )
3. Bill 3

   8 September 2011 at 8:25 am

   Not sure what to make of this.

   http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/07/racial-harassment-charge-golliwog-window

   The same toys are (or recently were) for sale at Auckland airport. And yup, there is a context to this story from the UK that’s absent in the case of Auckland airport.

   Now, I had one of these as a kid. Never crossed my mind that it was a derogatory racial stereotype. But then, I was a kid and a whole host of concepts were unknown to me.

   Is it all down to a take on the old adage that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’? And if so, then what?

   I remember many years back referring to a particular woman (not vindictively) as ‘a bitch’. And I got hell visited on me. (The word ‘bitch’ didn’t have any baggage attached where I was from from; ‘cow’ did.)

   Anyway. ‘When in Rome…’ So I dropped my use of the word ‘bitch’ in certain circumstances…

   It’s early. First coffee not quite down, so i’m just going to throw this comment out ‘as is’. Make of it as you will…
   • Carol 3.1

     8 September 2011 at 8:59 am

     Gollywogs were prevalent when I was young, but in the 70s we (especially us teachers of young children) had it explained to us why they were an offensive stereotype for many black people. They represent black people as infantile, a little thick, subservient, funny fluffy black hair and facial features etc. Consequently they largely disappeared from the market.

     In the case you link to, it looks like the people in one house deliberately placed the gollywog in the window, where it could only be seen by the neighbours they were in dispute with – a deliberate slur.
     • prism 3.1.1

       8 September 2011 at 5:48 pm

       @Carol – To protect white women from the slur of being thick brainless body-obssessed lightweights Barbie dolls should be banned in gollywogs are so offensive to all black people.
   • ianmac 3.2

     8 September 2011 at 9:04 am

     Yes Bill I was brought up with a “Golliwog” toy and loved the story of Little Black Sambo and that busy tiger. Still can’t see the offence but as you say “when in Rome…”
   • joe90 3.3

     8 September 2011 at 9:32 am

     Every time the ‘golliwog’ thing comes up I think of the awfully sad Blackface Montage from Spike Lee’s Bamboozled.
   • Kevin Welsh 3.4

     8 September 2011 at 1:00 pm

     I bought a golliwog keyring on my last trip to Vanuatu from a local.
   • Vicky32 3.5

     8 September 2011 at 3:03 pm

     Now, I had one of these as a kid. Never crossed my mind that it was a derogatory racial stereotype. But then, I was a kid and a whole host of concepts were unknown to me.

     I had a doll I called “Black Robyn”. She was – black, that is. There are pictures of me clutching Black Robyn as if she was a stuffed toy! I was 3 years old. I never gave her colour a thought – though I am sure there are people who would now call her ‘racist’ – as far as I can remember, she was a pink doll (to judge by facial features) that had been made with brown or black skin tones (I really don’t remember.)
     I didn’t care. My mother had very dark skin and black eyes. My father had very fair skin and blue eyes. It was just the way it was. Kids have to be taught “oh your toy is a symbol of oppression! Get rid of it!”
4. thejackal 4

   8 September 2011 at 9:12 am

   Stop State Persecutions

   A day after the charges against Tiki Tane were amicably resolved, many of those charged after the Urewera raids of 15 October 2007, also found themselves free from further Police persecution… with a few notable exceptions; Tama Iti is still facing firearms charges despite them being weak and the continued backtracking making the crowns case look like a sick joke! What is clear after millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent is that the initial raids were completely unjustified and the Police have simply wasted time playing repress the natives instead of catching real criminals…
   • freedom 4.1

     8 September 2011 at 10:59 am

     If the organised criminal activity that now makes the bulk of the case, is serious enough to continue with after four years, it beggars belief that Tame Iti was allowed to travel overseas to attend a theatre performance. I do wonder how his alleged life in organised crime will go down with his Ak elite fanclub he has gathered around him the last ten years. Having a radical on their Gallery walls is one thing, will the same welcome be given a man charged with the offences of a common criminal?

     This case is now at a stage of desperation that exposes the illegitimacy of the initial charges and an apology is nowhere near as powerful as the egg congealing on the State’s face.
5. AAMC 5

   8 September 2011 at 9:35 am

   Some vieweing to keep you from your work…
6. AAMC 6

   8 September 2011 at 9:36 am
7. Ianupnorth 7

   8 September 2011 at 10:20 am

   Just when you thought the UK government couldn’t get any more stupi
   http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/84160,news-comment,news-politics,economists-urge-george-osborne-to-drop-50p-tax-rate-asap

   TWENTY economists have urged the Chancellor to drop the 50 per cent tax rate for incomes over £150,000 in order to help boost economic growth. Their appeal, in the form of a letter to the Financial Times, comes the morning after Chancellor George Osborne used a speech in the City to signal he will have to downgrade the government’s already gloomy growth forecast when he makes his autumn statement in November.
   The 50p tax rate is ‘damaging’
   “Britain’s 50p income tax is doing lasting damage to the UK economy”, write the economists, who include former members of the monetary policy committee, Dr DeAnne Julius and Sushil Wadhwani. They say the tax “gives the UK one of the highest personal tax regimes in the industrialised world, making it less competitive internationally and making us less attractive as a destination for both foreign investment and talented workers.”
   Furthermore, the 50p rate “is often portrayed as a justified tax on the rich, but the economic damage it causes means that it is against the interests even of ordinary workers who don’t pay it.”
   Actually, Osborne ‘wants to drop it’
   “The question is not so much whether to get rid of it but how to get rid of it”, says BBC political correspondent Norman Smith. Osborne has already indicated that he sees the tax as temporary, but “the problem is not just selling such a policy to the electorate – remember all that rhetoric about those with the broadest shoulders bearing the heaviest burden – but also squaring such a move with the Lib Dems”.

   So all good, the rich can get richer (again)
   • Colonial Viper 7.1

     8 September 2011 at 10:25 am

     Haha more (legalised) looting of the society by the rich
   • Draco T Bastard 7.2

     8 September 2011 at 1:16 pm

     Just more proof that the economists either a) have NFI WTF they’re talking about or b) that they’re in the pay of those who would benefit from having the top tax rate dropped.
     • AAMC 7.2.1

       8 September 2011 at 1:55 pm

       Well, given that Tony Blair is the Godfather of one of Rupert Murdoch s children, I’d go with option B.
8. Rijab 8

   8 September 2011 at 11:07 am

   Check out Lauren Brazier’s attempt to positively spin VSM …

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10750101

   Comments appear to be pretty supportive, I suppose you’d expect that from young ACT members who’d rather tell everyone else what to do than actually get on and study themselves.
   • Jum 8.1

     8 September 2011 at 1:54 pm

     Rijab,

     I have a few questions.

     1. Are those people still in the Student Union when there is an opt out clause?

     2. What will happen to the Student Association assets? If land and buildings are in jeopardy of being sold, guess who will make a mint out of them. The parents of Act students…?

     3. Is this coalition government forcing through this VSM Bill, that wasn’t really required as people could opt out of student membership, so that at election time the student body will be as dumbed down politically speaking as the mainstream of New Zealand voters are?

     I can’t understand why the students haven’t marched previously if having this membership was so unwanted.

     Intelligent students would have picked up by now that their costs will increase not reduce with the closing down of compulsory membership and the university administration, which is already under the onslaught and nearing control by this government via Steven Joyce (to sell places to overseas students at the disadvantage of New Zealand students, and destroy the academic mana of the staff) will then manipulate the reducing government funding towards their pyramid building not the students or staff excellence.

     What happens to Craccum? That magazine had a place for all opinions and previously featured the columns of Gareth Hughes of Greens and Roger Douglas of Act. Does it fold? Does the University administration now control the content of it? That alone would be the destruction of student democracy. Yet nobody cares that when this legislation is signed off this government has effectively closed down the freedom of students to get support as one of the clauses will prevent the student Association from contacting students.

     The University students of every country are often the only people who are interested in keeping governments to account. John Key’s smile seems to have captured the brains of most other voters in New Zealand (at least the rightwing polls tell us so) so that our entire future as a sovereign government is at risk after this election if Key gets in.

     Without the questioning of government by a strong association of students there really is little left of intelligent debate here. The media have seen to that.

     The people who are allowing this to happen are you and me. Why aren’t we marching on behalf of students? The destruction of their freedom will be the reduction in our influence on what government does. Remember that.
9. Sanctuary 9

   8 September 2011 at 12:15 pm

   From this year’s World Economic Forum global competitiveness report:

   http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2010-11.pdf

   “…New Zealand (23rd) posts a performance largely in line with last year. The country possesses some of the best-functioning institutions in the world, ranking 3rd, behind only Singapore and Hong Kong in this pillar. Specifically, it ranks 4th for the quality of public institutions while it retains its leadership in the private institutions component. Overall, the environment is extremely conducive to business, supported by efficient goods (7th) and labor markets (12th) and by one of the soundest banking systems in the world (2nd).Notwithstanding the relatively small size of its domestic and export markets (60th), the area with the most room for improvement remains infrastructure (37th)…”

   So we have a government hell-bent on destroying the 4th best public service in the world, and a business elite that constantly whines about red tape and labour laws, despite having an “extremely conductive” business environmnet and the 12th most efficient labour market in the world.

   Oh for a media that actually read reports like this one…
10. Jum 10

    8 September 2011 at 1:22 pm

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1109/S00094/cost-in-abortion-case-could-prevent-unwanted-pregnancies.htm

    All to take control over women’s bodies. Yes, good point; who IS paying for all that court action?
11. freedom 11

    8 September 2011 at 3:20 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/5587220/Defence-Force-rushes-back-for-World-Cup
    the headline is more honest than the content for a change,
    as we know it is to make sure VIPs get to the trough on time.
    I wonder why they even mention the RWC in this story,
    it buys no favours and exposes them to suspicion
    • Campbell Larsen 11.1

      8 September 2011 at 8:13 pm

      At least the govt is not bringing the aussie cops back over here for another installment of the “World Police” the softening up exercise – I suppose I would have been a bit too much like admitting NZ couldn’t handle the event on it’s own.
      The article is pretty much still framing the inclusion of the defense force as a ‘natural’ part of civilian management – even if they mention a civil defense emergency you can bet that going by the quality of intel that the SIS seem to rely on that what they really fear is a sleeper cell of Al-Qaeda armed with vuvuzelas clad in matching non sponsor branded clothing upsetting the orgy of nationalism meets consumerism with a blokey backdrop that we must endure for the next few weeks.
12. Ianupnorth 12

    8 September 2011 at 4:00 pm

    John Key’s New Zealand
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10750312

    A young mother and her baby facing a cold night with nowhere to stay in Gisborne turned to a real estate agency for rescue, after three social service agencies were unable to help.
    The plight of the 20-year-old woman and her four-month-old baby has highlighted the lack of emergency housing in the Gisborne area.

    and from the real estate agent who managed to home her

    “I’m looking at this girl with her four-month-old baby and thinking, `what is happening in this country?’ Is it really possible that there is more support for a penguin than for a mother and her child here in New Zealand? What happens to people like this?”

    and just to prove it isn’t an isolated incident

    Salvation Army community ministries co-ordinator Bev Hauiti said the mother received food parcel assistance from them the next day.
    She also confirmed a lack of emergency housing in Gisborne.
    “A lady came in with three children and they had been sleeping on the beach.”

     
    Don’t remember stories like this during Helen Clark’s time in charge….
     
    • Vicky32 12.1

      8 September 2011 at 5:36 pm

      Don’t remember stories like this during Helen Clark’s time in charge….

      Me neither! Poor woman… poor women!
      • marsman 12.1.1

        8 September 2011 at 6:32 pm

        @ Vicky. Me neither! Poor NZ!
      • millsy 12.1.2

        8 September 2011 at 8:27 pm

        This case is depressing, but to think that scenarios like this didn’t happen under Labour is very, very naive. Because they did. I personally know of a couple of instances.

        Though I can see this happening more as landlords hike their rents further and further and the state housing stock shrinks.
13. Jum 13

    8 September 2011 at 4:56 pm

    ‘…ground to a halt yesterday after a national strike was called to protest against austerity measures being forced through Parliament to placate the markets…’

    Yeah, it’s Italy, don’t panic…..yet.
14. freedom 14

    8 September 2011 at 5:12 pm

    Ten years on, and in a little over eight hours theTruth will be investigated properly for the first time
    torontohearings.org
    • MrSmith 14.1

      8 September 2011 at 6:32 pm

      and the result will be the same as when any people take on city hall years later , a huge waste of money with everyone except the butler declared innocent! Unfortunately he (the Butler) is now conveniently Dead.
15. Ianupnorth 15

    8 September 2011 at 9:08 pm

    Anders Breivik – a nice piece pointing out his links – scary stuff!
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/07/anders-breivik-hate-manifesto
16. Morrissey 16

    8 September 2011 at 11:01 pm

    http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2010/7/6/are_sports_boring_arun_gupta_debates_dave_zirin

    Are Sports Boring? Arun Gupta Debates Dave Zirin

    Hilarious but highly thought-provoking debate.

    http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2010/7/6/are_sports_boring_arun_gupta_debates_dave_zirin
17. freedom 17

    9 September 2011 at 1:11 am

    Streaming live right now

    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings

    9:00 – 9:30 Moderators: Opening Remarks
    9:30 – 9:45 James Gourley: Introduction to the Hearings and the Panel
    9:45 – 10:15 Lorie Van Auken (Video): Statement by a Jersey Widow
    10:30 – 12:00 Lance deHaven-Smith: 9/11 & State Crimes Against Democracy
    1:00 – 2:30 David Ray Griffin: Inadequacies of the 9/11 Commission’s Report
    2:45 – 4:15 Kevin Ryan: Inadequacies of the Reports by the National
    Institute of Standards and Technology
    4:15 – 5:00 Audience Question and Answer
    • freedom 17.1

      9 September 2011 at 1:31 am

      sorrry, here are the NZ times for the events for today
      01:00 Moderators: Opening Remarks
      01:30 -01:45 James Gourley: Introduction to the Hearings and the Panel
      01:45-02:15 Lorie Van Auken (Video): Statement by a Jersey Widow
      02:30-04:00 Lance deHaven-Smith: 9/11 & State Crimes Against Democracy
      05:00-06:30 David Ray Griffin: Inadequacies of the 9/11 Commission’s Report
      06:30-08:30Kevin Ryan: Inadequacies of the Reports by the National
      Institute of Standards and Technology
      08:15-09:00 Audience Question and Answer
18. Dave Kennedy 18

    9 September 2011 at 1:47 am

    The fact is that National Standards are based on a lie and their very existence is based on more lies. As this house of cards continues to grow in this fashion every step or level brings us closer to collapse.
    http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/09/legal-temporarily-trumps-ethical-in.html
19. freedom 19

    9 September 2011 at 5:04 am

    David Ray Griffin speaking right now
    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings

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