Open mike 09/05/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 9th, 2011 - 88 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

88 comments on “Open mike 09/05/2011 ”

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  1. PeteG 1
    9 May 2011 at 6:39 am

    Hone Harawira’s achilles heels run in the family.

    Harawira pair’s abuse sickens Turia

    Mrs Turia said the entire meeting, at Waitangi’s Te Tii Marae, was disrupted from 10am to 2pm.

    “It was just terrible. It was the whole hui. It wasn’t just two minutes. It was shouting, abusing, swearing, singing loud over the top of people.”

    She said Mr Harawira’s mother, Titewhai, “kept shouting at me that I was a liar … bloody liar … snakes”.

    “Nobody could shut them up. They just shouted and denigrated people the whole way through the hui.”

    Hone is moderate on the surface in comparison to his mother, solutionless but can talk reasonably. Titewhai will keep voters away from the no-Mana party, and may even cost Hone his seat.

  2. ron 2
    9 May 2011 at 7:15 am

    No doubt the Titewhai is a loose canon. No doubt that many with tut-tut.
    However, Turia and her Tory mates need to understand this: we hate your f*#^ing guts.
    We don’t care if you think we’re rude. We don’t care if we “upset” you. We ignore your whining about “fairness” and “personality politics”.
    We know who you are. We can see what you’ve done and we know what you want to do. We will wok very hard to stop you. If that means being noisy at your prissy little meetings, we will be noisy. If that means “:offending” you – we will revel in offending you.
    Tariana. Pita. You lay down with dogs and now l;ike them…we want you gone,,

    • felix 2.1
      9 May 2011 at 7:50 am

      Well said ron.

      Pete’s using the same tactic that conservatives always use to resist dissent, which boils down to:

      “If you women/homos/minorities/peaceniks/poor/oppressed would all just sit politely, keep your voices down, and not make such a nuisance of yourselves then we would find it so much easier to take your issues seriously”

      It’s an argument that’s always directly contradicted by many years, decades, and in some cases centuries of politeness and having issues ignored, but ultimately conservatives – by definition – prefer things to stay as they are thank you very much.

      • PeteG 2.1.1
        9 May 2011 at 8:32 am

        …the same tactic that conservatives always use…
        …an argument that’s always directly contradicted…

        Felix always substantiates his assertions with facts. Waiting….

        Even Hone is aware that being an obnoxious abusive prat would get him nowhere in Parliament, and would be counter productive to getting sufficient support to actually achieve anything worthwhile.

        • felix 2.1.1.1
          9 May 2011 at 9:04 am

          Any reading of history supports my assertions Pete.

          Hint: It’s called “progression” for a reason, dummy.

          • PeteG 2.1.1.1.1
            9 May 2011 at 9:30 am

            Any reading of history supports my assertions

            Very funny felix. Or evasive. Or as arrogant as Harawira.

            Or all three.

            • felix 2.1.1.1.1.1
              9 May 2011 at 9:48 am

              I can’t help you if you’re not prepared to educate yourself Pete.

              I’m also not going to waste my time explaining the bleeding obvious to someone who’s ignorance appears to be entirely wilful.

              • PeteG …
                9 May 2011 at 9:57 am

                🙂 At least very funny and evasive. Obviously you can’t back up your assertions.

                • Tiger Mountain …
                  9 May 2011 at 10:09 am

                  In these days of few actual public political meetings (not saying this MP gathering was public), some people have never experienced and some may have forgotten the practice of “heckling”. This is anything from a witty interjection to an abusive wall of sound. Titewhai can be a prickly customer as Tari has discovered now that it is her not Helen on the receiving end. Snake? Right on.

                  Tories here are concerned because heckling doesn’t fit the sound bite model.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  9 May 2011 at 10:10 am

                  Looking to be spoon fed are we?

                  • PeteG …
                    9 May 2011 at 10:28 am

                    Nah, it’s just interesting to note that you see it as acceptable that any sort of sweeping assertions can be made here without having to bother to even attempt to back them up.

                • felix …
                  9 May 2011 at 10:30 am

                  I’m starting to think Pete’s replies are chosen more or less at random from a database according to number of characters or some other arbitrary criteria, they frequently bear so little relevance to the comments they purport to be replying to.

                  Just in case you’re actually reading though Pete, perhaps you’d like to tell us all how the women’s suffrage movement, the broader feminist movement, the gay rights movement, the civil rights movement in the U.S., the maori movement to get the treaty honoured or any other progressive movement you can think of has achieved recognition and had their social and political objectives realised.

                  Analyse the stated objectives, the various stages and tipping points of the movements, the resistance posed by the supporters of the status quo, the time taken to achieve various degrees of recognition including but not limited to public support and political and legislative realisation of objectives.

                  Then carry on telling all the uppity maoris they’d be listened to if only they’d shut up.

                  • PeteG …
                    9 May 2011 at 10:59 am

                    You’ve cited examples of movements that succeeded, to some degree – woman’s suffrage helped get the vote but didn’t get rid of alcohol, which was their initial aim.

                    Can you cite all the agitators that didn’t succeed, and why they didn’t succeed?

                    People like the Harawiras do help raise issues, but it’s the grafters rather than the gripers who usually enable change to actually take place.

                    • McFlock …
                      9 May 2011 at 1:06 pm

                      Can you cite all the agitators that didn’t succeed, and why they didn’t succeed?

                      All? Nope.
                      But the Free Tibet folk are pretty peaceful and nice – not getting anywhere though.
                      Vietnamese anticolonialists – particularly 2 Vietnamese Mandarins whose names escape me for the mooment – who tried to work towards Vietnamese economic independence in the late 19th / early20th centuries. Ended up on Con Lon Island.

                      I suppose the one exception that even comes close to mind is Gandhi before everything went to crap, but then even the British baulk at machine-gunning 100,000 passive protest marchers. Even then there was probably some criticism that they were being impolite and blocking the intersections for too long as they crossed.

                      Can you think of any oppressed mass that achieved even partial liberation by being not just peaceful/nonviolent, but polite?

    • vto 2.2
      9 May 2011 at 8:21 am

      It has been apparent for some years that those in the far north seem to think that ANGER and SCREAMING somehow makes their point more valid.

      To be quite honest, despite some sympathy for their situation, the harawiras have cried wolf with their YELLING and SCREAMING once too often. Now it is just boring and ineffectual.

      Next.

  3. PeteG 3
    9 May 2011 at 7:33 am

    Yesterday Matt McCarten’s column was on Here’s why the media demonise Harawira

    He said “However, the real reason for the different slants on Harawira and Brash is that most political journalists are creatures of the system and have no idea of politics outside of Parliament.”

    Titewhai demonstrated one side of Maori politics. Ron reinforces it.

    “Whether we agree with them or not, Harawira and Brash offer clear visions of the future.”
    The vision being presented is full of shittiness with no solutions.

    McCarten closed with “It would be helpful if the mainstream media and the other parties catch up with what is happening.”

    Thanks to Titewhai and Ron we are catching up with what is happening with the Harawira party, and the real reason why the Harawira’s are demonised.

    • Pascal's bookie 3.1
      9 May 2011 at 8:33 am

      “Thanks to Titewhai and Ron we are catching up with what is happening with the Harawira party, and the real reason why the Harawira’s are demonised.”

      Is it becasue they are uppity?

      • Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.1.1
        9 May 2011 at 6:01 pm

        Well, beating up psychiatric patients probably didn’t help Titewhai’s rep. But it’s just not fair to “demonise” people for beating up a few mentals, eh PB?

        [lprent: That is a statement of fact. Link to something credible please – in other words linking to Whaleoil or anything similar will be rejected along with yourself. Or retract.

        It sounds rather like a urban myth to me and is likely to be defamatory. You get a few hours.]

        • Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.1.1.1
          10 May 2011 at 8:48 am

          I thought everyone remembered it. Maybe that would explain why normally mild and civilised people like PB can be convinced that Harawira is being victimised. It was 1989 so pre-interwebs and reference to it was harder to find than I imagined. A 2002 interview with Michele Hewtison refers to it:

          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=889385

          “Because in the background of every conversation with Mrs Harawira – and she is as aware of it as anyone – are the ghouls of her past. Not least her 1989 conviction for assaulting a psychiatric patient.”

          But it does not give the full flavour which (admittedly from memory) involved the Harawira Family being in charge of a unit in a psychiatric hospital which they claimed to running on Maori spiritual principles. Apparently, this dictated systematic physical violence to patients.

          This latest incident might be able to be dressed up as her being victimised for “sticking it to the man” (is that the phrase you guys still prefer?) were it not for her long rap sheet: beating up vulnerable people in her care and bullying Helen Clark until she cried being the most egregious examples.

          [lprent: Accepted. I think that there are some better links floating around.

          Perhaps you hadn’t considered that people born in 1989 would be 20 or 21 years old now. There are authors on this site who’d have been under the age of 5. I’m old and I did remember it (vaguely). But I wasn’t aware that Titewhai Harawira was one of those convicted. It pays to not make statements of fact without a link – memory is often falliable. You get in the position that grumpy is in where he has attributed a statement to Titewhai that I am sure that she never made – it was actually attributed to someone else. ]

          • Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.1.1.1.1
            10 May 2011 at 10:54 am

            If you remembered it, why did you say it sounded like an urban myth?

            • lprent 3.1.1.1.1.1
              10 May 2011 at 1:06 pm

              Obvious. There are two separate facts in your statement – not one.

              1. That there was such an incident at Carrington.
              2. Titewhai had done it

              I vaguely remembered 1. I was not aware that 2 was the case and thought that was likely to be an urban myth – just like grumpy’s rural myth that attributed someone elses statement to Titewhai.

              I don’t particularly like Titewhai, but some of the nutters around here seem to want to attribute everything that has been a Maori dogwhistle to her at present. I’m half expecting to see some dickhead painting a verbal picture of her out with a axe in Cornwell Park

          • Morrissey 3.1.1.1.2
            10 May 2011 at 11:00 am

            Lyn, I can’t believe you did not know about the conviction of Titewhai Harawira for beating up patients! Next thing you know, you’ll be working for NewstalkZB, where such ignorance is something they are actually proud of.

            • Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.1.1.1.2.1
              10 May 2011 at 11:13 am

              Yeah, I didn’t link to to it because I thought it would sound like I was claiming it as some sort of revelation, when I always thought it was common knowledge. It would be like providing a link to prove that NZ has a nuclear ships ban, or something.

            • lprent 3.1.1.1.2.2
              10 May 2011 at 1:15 pm

              Perhaps you should consider my profession. I’m a computer programmer – not a journo.

              When I see you being capable of remembering the arcane incantations of the winapi,  posix, and iOS programing interfaces whilst juggling c++, c#, html, javascript, css, php, python, shell scripts, SQL, MFC and Qt all at the same time (in other words my last week) then I’ll consider how relevant your opinions are on how I should organize my memory.

              I barely have room to keep a partial familiarity (by my standards) with current affairs. Remembering the same stuff from 20 years ago is very much a question of if I’d noticed it at the time and if I haven’t dumped it to give me some more room.

      • Sam 3.1.2
        9 May 2011 at 10:10 pm

        No, they are sh*tstirrers and mum is a phony red head.

        • Colonial Viper 3.1.2.1
          9 May 2011 at 10:17 pm

          National’s laid metric tonnes of shit around to be stirred, and that’s exactly what we’re looking to Hone for.

          • McFlock 3.1.2.1.1
            10 May 2011 at 1:14 am

            don’t blame the cook if the boss gives them nothing but shit to work with – oh, along with some “smile and wave” as garnish, of course

  4. rd 4
    9 May 2011 at 7:45 am

    From the Heratld.
    Frustrated Mayhew fires parting shots

    As Commissioner for Financial Advisers, Mayhew was responsible for implementing a regulatory regime intended to make an industry severely damaged by the finance company meltdowns more professional. But he also made no secret of his view that much more needs to be done.

    He was surprised, for example, that the business community was so alarmed about giving the FMA the power to seize potential evidence.

    “There was a lot of fussing about that as if it was going to be exercised against the top end of town. The whole point of those powers is you are going after people who have something to hide and will destroy evidence before you get the chance to investigate. So there is a lack of appreciation that a regulator must have those powers and will necessarily exercise them with discretion.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/new-zealand/news/article.cfm?l_id=71&objectid=10723767

    This is a very interesting read-

    • Draco T Bastard 4.1
      9 May 2011 at 1:11 pm

      Sounds like the banks and other parties which benefit from low to no regulation won out over rationality – again.

  5. logie97 5
    9 May 2011 at 8:04 am

    What a disgrace Geoff Robinson on RNZ Morning report today!
    Derisive laughter at the Samoan government’s decision to change their position
    on the International Date line to bring itself in line with the Australasian calendar.

    • Flossie 5.1
      9 May 2011 at 9:09 am

      I’m pleased I’m not the only one who was offended by Geoff’s patronising behaviour on this issue. I sent them a text message complaining about it. It was obvious from Geoff’s response to the more knowledgeable reporter that he had no idea of the background and why Samoa is in that particular time zone.
      Also I was taken aback by Simon Mercep’s mispronunciation of Kiribati, although to be fair he did get it right later in the item.
      All in all, not a good morning for Morning Report coverage of Pacific affairs!

    • Lanthanide 5.2
      9 May 2011 at 9:29 am

      I don’t think it was “derisive”.
       
      He missed a clear opportunity to ask the Greenstone Energy (Shell) spokesperson why a refined oil price drop on “Thursday and particularly Friday” last week results in a retail petrol price drop today, Monday, 2 days after the event.

      • logie97 5.2.1
        9 May 2011 at 6:40 pm

        Lanthanide – I think derisive was a totally appropriate description of Robinson’s attitude to the Prime Minister of Samoa and the country.

        As for the Greenstone interview. I agree. Robinson’s opening question was right to the core of the matter of price hikes and the spokesperson answered a completely different issue – Robinson did not appear to have the nouse to bring him back to his own question. Totally inept.

  6. vto 6
    9 May 2011 at 8:56 am

    I see Gerry Brownlie has been personally contacting owners of large and problematic buildings in central Christchurch to give things a hurry along. The concern is getting the centre of town open for Show Week in early November. And also no doubt for rugby world cup purposes.

    Of course the real reason is the election. Unless there are happy punters in Chch, or rather, punters whose happy-counter is on the rise rather than the fall, then the political pointer will be swinging anti-government. In fact it will be swinging anti-everything I imagine.

    Key, Bronwlie, Carter, etc, they all realise that simple physical progress must be happenning come spring. Damaged buildings in the way must be down, new buildings must start going up (but not too far up ay), action must be underway. If it stalls and splutters then so too does the incumbent. This is their sole aim – to get physical construction and progress underway for election purposes. Just like the memorial service held to coincide with Prince William so too is all action about the November election.

    How likely is this? Well I have a rule of thumb for this which may be applicable – work all the timeframes out as accurately as possible… then double it. Not always the case but generally so. Five months to get somewhere decent? ha ha ha not on your nelly…

  7. Pascal's bookie 7
    9 May 2011 at 9:24 am

    What game developers are doing *right now*

    http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/05/06/the-actuals-plan-for-bin-ladens-pucca-house/

    you betcha.

  8. arants 8
    9 May 2011 at 10:09 am

    Bernard Hickey asserts there is a culture of tax avoidance dominating our ‘policy-making’ (and property-owning) class.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=10724090

    The conflict of interest between taking steps to avoid impending economic crisis and safeguarding MP’s personal tax and financial arrangements is laid bare.

    The proof of his assertion seems to be provided by Labour’s complacent response to these issues.

    • Lanthanide 8.1
      9 May 2011 at 11:03 am

      Labour was complacent. But at the same time, if they’d made the bold moves required on this, National would have campaigned against it and repealed it. Just like Muldoon did with the pension fund (imagine how different NZ would be economically now…).
       
      In that context, Kiwibank, Working for Families, Kiwisaver and interest-free student loans have all been huge successes – National still haven’t been able to gut these as much as they’d like.
       
      Much the same as only Nixon could go to China, only National could put up GST – if Labour had done it, I’m sure National would’ve reverted it.

      • PeteG 8.1.1
        9 May 2011 at 11:18 am

        Kiwibank, Working for Families, Kiwisaver and interest-free student loans have all been huge successes – National still haven’t been able to gut these as much as they’d like.

        There has been no gutting. I didn’t think National had changed Kiwibamk or WFF at all.

        Kiwibank has been a success, WFF has had some benefit but has been too generous, is not good with marginal tax rates and is a major financial burden.

        KiwiSaver has also been a success at getting a widespread participation in retirement savings. I think there is some room for reducing the generosity of the government contributions now.

        • Campbell Larsen 8.1.1.1
          9 May 2011 at 12:01 pm

          LOL – ‘generosity of the government contributions’

          Its hardly generous – the very assertion ignores the strategic importance of increasing individual savings for retirement in order to reduce the costs to govt of an aging population.

          I think a more appropriate way to say it is ‘reducing the incentive of government contributions’ which highlights the fact that the Nats are not committed to the goal of reducing poverty and indebtedness amongst the elderly.

          • PeteG 8.1.1.1.1
            9 May 2011 at 12:15 pm

            Those most likely to not get this “government contribution” – some of their tax back – are the lower earners who can’t afford to contribute to KiwiSaver themselves, so they miss out. It favours those who earn more.

            There should still be sufficient incentive to continue with KiwiSaver if the Government contribution is scaled back, and that would be a sensible change in difficult financial times.

            • Campbell Larsen 8.1.1.1.1.1
              9 May 2011 at 1:06 pm

              ‘Those most likely to not get this “government contribution” – some of their tax back – are the lower earners who can’t afford to contribute to KiwiSaver themselves, so they miss out’

              A ‘sensible change’ would be ensuring that these people don’t miss out.

              A nonsensical change is reducing the amount that individuals save for their retirement – irrespective of where it comes from.

        • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.2
          9 May 2011 at 1:41 pm

          The only bit you got right in that diatribe PeteG was this bit:

          I didn’t think

      • arants 8.1.2
        9 May 2011 at 1:38 pm

        “Labour was complacent.”

        IS complacent, as well as compromised in the area of trusts and tax avoidance.

        Perhaps we should follow the US example and encourage publication of the tax returns of MPs and their trusts, exposing those with vested interests and allowing others to address this fundamental issue of social equity?

        • Draco T Bastard 8.1.2.1
          9 May 2011 at 1:42 pm

          No, Labour have promised to close tax loopholes. It will be interesting to see just what they intend.

          • PeteG 8.1.2.1.1
            9 May 2011 at 2:28 pm

            For how long have governments been promising to close tax loopholes?
            How many tax loopholes are there still?

            National have done a little to try and close them up a bit. For now.

            Our tax and benefit system is so complex it is an inevitable sieve.

            • Draco T Bastard 8.1.2.1.1.1
              9 May 2011 at 10:03 pm

              How many tax loopholes are there still?

              The better question is How many have they closed? and How effective were they? The latter is especially relevant to this government alignment of tax rates which resulted in at least $120m being borrowed every week.

              National have done a little to try and close them up a bit. For now.

              BS, Nact are the ones who put tax loopholes in place on purpose.

              Our tax and benefit system is so complex it is an inevitable sieve.

              It doesn’t have to be so why is it? I suspect you’ll find that it’s been designed to be a sieve.

    • Draco T Bastard 8.2
      9 May 2011 at 1:37 pm

      This week the Government agreed to try to set up a tax haven for the administration of pension funds.

      So our government is actually helping people to avoid paying taxes.

      Or do we have to wait for our creditors to force us to slash public services and wages and sell assets?

      That, of course, is what NACT want to do. Removal of our assets from us to them and their rich mates is about the only reason they’re in government.

  9. M 9
    9 May 2011 at 11:07 am

    I tried installing Internet Explorer 9 last night and now can’t access any sites at home hence this communique from work.

    I have Windows 7 and have had a look at an article on how to revert to IE7 from IE9 but wonder if this will work OK or will make matters worse. I have phoned Microsoft and was given a refence number to quote for when I can get a hold of someone but may have to wait until the end of days before I get any help.

    I can’t really afford to engage Geeks on Wheels at the moment as I’ve just been saddled with a big plumbing bill so any advice from computer enthusiasts as to whether these fix-its work would be appreciated. This is the site:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/forum/ie9-windows_7/how-to-go-back-to-internet-explorer-7-from-9/be944ce4-126b-e011-8dfc-68b599b31bf5

    • outofbed 9.1
      9 May 2011 at 11:39 am

      put firefox on a usb stick and install that at home

    • lprent 9.2
      9 May 2011 at 11:49 am

      Pop chrome, firefox, safari, or opera on to a usb and install one of them. Damn sight easier and safer both short-term and long term.

      I only use IE these days when I’m debugging IE’s problems with standard CSS

    • joe90 9.3
      9 May 2011 at 11:50 am

      After all sorts of bother I ditched IE and Firefox and installed Chrome as my browser, disabled the windows automatic updates, grabbed AVG as my free anti-virus and ran the free AVG tuneup. Sweet.

      • M 9.3.1
        9 May 2011 at 2:32 pm

        Thanks everyone, Firefox seems to be the way to go – I’ll give it a bash.

      • Lanthanide 9.3.2
        9 May 2011 at 4:00 pm

        You really should get the windows updates. If the bandwidth bothers you, at least set it to “let me choose what to download”.

    • Deadly_NZ 9.4
      9 May 2011 at 6:37 pm

      Use Firefox it’s much more secure and it’s easily customised by the use of Addons like ADBlock No annoying ads on every page. Or if you are near Levin I can have a look for you.

      But if you really want to use your previous copy of IE then use the system restore to turn your computer back to before you installed it IE would have set one before it installed IE, you can find it by start button then where it says Search programmes and files, type system restore and select it from the menu that shows, and it will take you to it if you click the Show me more then it will show all the restore points just select the one that says installed IE9, and follow the instructions. that should do it.

  10. mikesh 10
    9 May 2011 at 11:27 am

    There seems to be a belief about that cell phone calling rates will fall with the reduction in termination fees. However termination fees simply transfer cost from one network to another without reducing the total costs of running the various networks, so it is difficult to see how price reductions could come about. Of course the reductions may bring about shifts in the relative profitabilities of the various networks.

    • Draco T Bastard 10.1
      9 May 2011 at 1:49 pm

      The regulator has found that the termination fees are far higher than they should be which is why they’ve forced them down. Of course, this may or may not make any difference to the retail price and may just go to boosting profits for the telcos.

      • Colonial Viper 10.1.1
        9 May 2011 at 4:04 pm

        That’s what you get from a regulator which believes that “market forces” and “competition” are now going to solve the remaining problems in the industry – despite the big players making very clear noises that they intend to continue on as they always have done.

      • Deadly_NZ 10.1.2
        9 May 2011 at 6:38 pm

        I’m with telstra and they have dropped the cost of a call from 29c a min to 19 so I happy.

  11. joe90 11
    9 May 2011 at 11:31 am

    Guns:

    Florida Gov. Rick Scott is expected to sign a bill that will make the state the first in the nation to prohibit doctors from asking patients if they own guns. The bill is aimed particularly at pediatricians, who routinely ask new parents if they have guns at home and if they’re stored safely.

    • joe90 11.1
      9 May 2011 at 11:32 am

      And drugs:

      HB 353 requires all adult recipients of federal cash benefits — the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program — to pay for the tests, which are typically around $35. The screen would be for all controlled substances and applicants would have to disclose any legal prescriptions.

      • joe90 11.1.1
        9 May 2011 at 1:30 pm

        And shrooms.

        • Draco T Bastard 11.1.1.1
          9 May 2011 at 1:59 pm

          “And it’s important to emphasize that psilocybin may only need to be administered once within the context of ongoing psychotherapy, whereas conventional medications are generally used daily for weeks, months, even years.”

          The drug companies won’t like that. How will they maintain their super-profits if people only need a single dose?

  12. Zorr 12
    9 May 2011 at 11:48 am

    Is it considered appropriate to vomit in ones own mouth when listening to Matthew Hooten spout bullshit on NatRad? I only held it back because, even in the privacy of my own vehicle, I felt that it would be uncouth. Yet may some gods take mercy on us all for producing RWNJ attack trolls like him.

  13. vto 13
    9 May 2011 at 11:59 am

    Unknown Earthquake Observation #92(a);

    Sometimes they wind themselves into it with the prime shake arriving some tens of seconds after an initial whirring, pinging, or other minor shuffling sound. These ones generally have quite a bang when they finally arrive.

  14. Penny Bright 14
    9 May 2011 at 12:07 pm

    I totally agree with Hone Harawira’s following opinion in his Sunday Star Times article:

    “Mana crosses the divide to fight for the marginalised” (Sunday 8 May – Pg 8)

    “……………………………….

    And while I’m talking about Brash, let me just say that while I ain’t no great fan of Rodney Hide, the way he got shafted was an example of the corporate style of democracy and government that should send a shiver down the spine of every Kiwi.

    No reference to the voters, not even any discussion with the membership of Act, just a backroom deal with a bunch of rich boys, and Rodney gets dumped to make way for a 70-year-old whose claim to fame is that he lost a safe National seat back in the 80s, lost an election in 2005, and then lost the leadership of his party in 2006.

    Don Brash is polite and pleasant but his political views make Attila the Hun look like a Socialist. ………….”

    ‘Shonky’ John Key has been reported in the NBR stating:

    “ACT has always had an extreme right-wing doctrine as the founding philosophy of that party,” he said.

    “It typically had an appeal to quite a narrow audience in New Zealand and, in my view, that will continue.”

    My response to that is:

    So – how come the policies and personnel of the National and ACT parties are so readily interchangeable?

    Isn’t the reality that IN PRACTICE there is very little difference between the policies of National and ACT – when one looks at the legislation which has been passed by this National/ACT Government?

    Take the Auckland $upercity.

    National PROMISED to ‘consult with Aucklanders once the findings of the Royal Commission were known’.

    http://www.national.org.nz/files/2008/local_government_policy.pdf

    National LIED – on ‘shonky’ Prime Minister John Key’s ‘watch’.

    Roger Douglas didn’t need to be a ‘Minister’.

    The Local Government (Tamaki Makarau Reorganisation) Act 2009 which set up the underpinning Auckland $upercity (corporate takeover) framework was railroaded through Parliament under urgency in another ‘Rogernomic$’ blitzkrieg.

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2009/0013/latest/DLM2044508.html

    Of course – in order to get those extra MPs to make up the numbers needed for a centre-right coalition government – the ‘perception’ deception that somehow National and ACT are politically different creatures, must be maintained.

    It is however – just ‘spin’.

    The reality is that National and ACT are politically joined at the hip (pocket) – with big busine$$ backing to serve a big busine$$ – pro-privatisation agenda.

    National and ACT are the pro-corporate “A” team and “B” team.

    I agree with Bomber Bradbury – ‘A vote for John is a vote for Don’.

    If the Botany by-election results for National (and ACT) are anything to go by – ‘shonky’ John Key’s masterful ‘Mr Popular’ spin-doctored ma$k is slipping.

    In my considered opinion – once a ‘corporate raider’ – always a ‘corporate raider’…

    NZ voting public – BEWARE!

    Penny Bright
    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

    • Draco T Bastard 14.1
      9 May 2011 at 2:22 pm

      …the way he got shafted was an example of the corporate style of democracy and government that should send a shiver down the spine of every Kiwi.

      That was an excellent example of dictatorial rule and, yes, everyone should be terrified of what it means for our democracy.

      So – how come the policies and personnel of the National and ACT parties are so readily interchangeable?

      Because National has the same extreme right-wing views and policies. It hasn’t been a “centre-right” party since Muldoon left. Of course, the more radical shift that occurred in the 1980s was Labour shifting from being a left-wing party to a right-wing party. National actually had to go to the extreme just to maintain being right of Labour. The same is still true today.

    • Sam 14.2
      9 May 2011 at 10:14 pm

      Penny – sell up and move into the real NZ – south of the BP service station at the Collision Xroads on top of the Bombay Hills.

  15. ianmac 15
    9 May 2011 at 12:19 pm

    Mr Williams on Nat Radio Politics 9 to Noon this morning, mentioned a little known research/poll question.
    “Do you think National should be re-elected for another term in Government?”
    Mr Williams said that the figure of support is steadily dropping.

    • Zorr 15.1
      9 May 2011 at 1:33 pm

      That one was easily explained away by Hooten. Apparently the reason it is dropping isn’t due to centrists moving away but because National isn’t acting crazy enough and so all those poor little RWNJs have nowhere left to go.

      • ianmac 15.1.1
        9 May 2011 at 2:31 pm

        Zorr: “That one was easily explained away by Hooten.” but of course now Hooton can’t get away with “explaining away.” Mr Williams held him to account. And of course Hooton’s explanation confirms the trend.

  16. ak 16
    9 May 2011 at 3:07 pm

    Who said this?

    “By the way, frankly, I think Matthew Hooton is an idiot. …. Matthew is totally full of himself, and not half as good as his own self-image. He tries hard to impress, with over-the-top enthusiasm – an actor.”

    Clues: “frankly”, THM86

  17. Penny Bright 17
    9 May 2011 at 3:16 pm

    Hi folks!
    Seen this?

    Judicial ‘Public Watchdog’ Vince Siemer is facing imprisonment for the FOURTH time – for ‘contempt of Court’ – although he has not broken any law.

    His trial ‘for publishing High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann’s December 2010 order denying the accused their statutory right of trial by jury is set to commence in the Wellington High Court on 8 June 2011.’

    “In related action, Crown Law has claimed to have spent over $100,000 prosecuting kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer for breaching suppression orders relating to these secret court proceedings. Siemer’s trial for publishing High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann’s December 2010 order denying the accused their statutory right of trial by jury is set to commence in the Wellington High Court on 8 June 2011.

    The Solicitor General David Collins is asking for Mr Siemer’s imprisonment notwithstanding the fact that even Crown Prosecutor Ross Burns has stated suppression cannot be justified in law and the accused in the case being reported on by kiwisfirst are realistically facing fines according to the Police.”
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    Vince Siemer has stuck his neck, right out to help expose judicial corruption, and the lack of transparency and accountability in the NZ ‘justice’ system; he deserves and needs our support.

    I’ll be coming down to Wellington, and want to help to organise a protest rally outside the Wellington High Court (opposite Parliament – Molesworth Street) from 8.30am Wednesday
    9 June 2011.

    Who can help?
    Please email me: [email deleted]
    _______________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz/

    POLICE CONCEDED MOST EXPENSIVE PROSECUTION IN HISTORY IS LIKELY TO RESULT ONLY IN FINES

    9 May 2011

    In a Wikileaks disclosure posted on 28 April 2011, it is revealed at cable “7” that New Zealand Police advised the U.S. Embassy in Wellington in late 2007 that the 18 accused in the Operation 8 “terror raids” are likely to face fines not exceeding $4,000.

    This revelation is the latest in a massive prosecution which has since cost taxpayers over $13 million ahead of trial and is the subject of a United Nations complaint against the New Zealand Police and blanket suppression orders by the New Zealand courts.

    In related action, Crown Law has claimed to have spent over $100,000 prosecuting kiwisfirst publisher Vince Siemer for breaching suppression orders relating to these secret court proceedings. Siemer’s trial for publishing High Court Judge Helen Winkelmann’s December 2010 order denying the accused their statutory right of trial by jury is set to commence in the Wellington High Court on 8 June 2011. The Solicitor General David Collins is asking for Mr Siemer’s imprisonment notwithstanding the fact that even Crown Prosecutor Ross Burns has stated suppression cannot be justified in law and the accused in the case being reported on by kiwisfirst are realistically facing fines according to the Police.

    Having been bankrupted by the New Zealand Courts, Mr Siemer is on legal aid. The cost of the trial is expected to cost taxpayers another $70,000 to prosecute and half this again to defend. This is assuming no appeal is necessary.”
    ____________________________________________________________________________

    A number of questions arise from this leaked US Embassy cable:

    WHY and ON WHAT LAWFUL BASIS did the New Zealand Police advise the U.S. Embassy in Wellington that the 18 accused in the Operation 8 “terror raids” are likely to face fines not exceeding $4,000?

    Were NZ MPs so advised?

    Were the NZ public so advised?

    If not – why not?

    Penny Bright
    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

  18. Samuel Hill 18
    9 May 2011 at 4:24 pm

    Just watched Hard Talk with Stephen Sackur interviewing John Key.

    “Why are New Zealand’s wages 30% less than Australia’s?”

    “More than a quarter of NZ’s graduates are now living outside of New Zealand – 10 times the rate of Australian Graduates!”

    “That suggests to me you have a serious structural problem!”

    “New Zealanders can do better when they leave New Zealand – country is too small” lol

    Sackur hitting the NAIL ON THE FUCKING HEAD.

    Sackur fully dominating Key. Should be on the Labour front bench. LOL.

    “You made a lot of money overseas, I wonder if you’re the right person to be telling New Zealanders to stay at home and make money”

    WOW.

    He doesn’t buy John Key’s bullshit AT ALL.

    • The Voice of Reason 18.1
      9 May 2011 at 9:20 pm

      Just watched it, Samuel. Dead eyes and bullshit by the bucketload. I can’t get the video via the BBC website, but no doubt it’ll be up eventually.

      I laughed when Sackur quoted Phil Goff talking about the 30% wage gap with Oz, and Key weaseled that he couldn’t rely on Phil Goff’s figures. They weren’t actually Goff’s figures, he’d just referenced them. They were actually Bill English’s numbers from the ‘wage gap = market advantage’ speech. Clearly Key didn’t realise he was unintentionally calling his finance minister untrustworthy.

      I got the feeling that by the end Sackur felt a bit sorry for Key. Or us?

  19. Draco T Bastard 19
    9 May 2011 at 5:10 pm

    Government plans even more gifts of taxpayer money to private profiteers:

    Agriculture Minister David Carter has also announced an irrigation acceleration fund worth $35 million over five years, designed to help get new irrigation projects get off the ground.

    The irrigation fund will be included in this year’s Budget and could be expanded by up to $400m. It would be capital to help encourage third-party investment. It would be used with the Crown as a minority partner in large-scale irrigation schemes and would likely become available from 2013/14.

  20. prism 20
    9 May 2011 at 7:25 pm

    19.20 Bryan Crump on Radionz is now talking to a USA finance professional on Freddie Mac and Fanny May.
    Some like me don’t quite understand all this stuff so more input is good.

  21. Peter 21
    9 May 2011 at 7:29 pm

    A very new satirical piece on the omnipresent Mr Key at http://www.bryangould.net/id155.html

    • ianmac 21.1
      9 May 2011 at 11:09 pm

      Reminds me of the AA Milne “Has Anyone seen my Mouse?
      Actually Mr Key has looked a bit as though he has overdosed on Media and after John Campbell savaged his argument about wages keeping pace with the cost of living tonight, maybe he needs to have a wee lie down.

  22. weka 22
    9 May 2011 at 7:40 pm

    Not sure if this has been discussed already, but what is the relevance of Don Brash’s age in anything written or said about his political life or ACT or NZ politics in general?

  23. Draco T Bastard 23
    9 May 2011 at 10:14 pm

    Cook Strait ferry setting sail for Clifford Bay

    Preliminary work on a $200 million port south of Blenheim to replace the Picton ferry terminal could begin within months, with the Government set to announce a high-level study today.

    KiwiRail is backing the plan for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) terminal at Clifford Bay, with its own work suggesting it would boost its business and the wider economy significantly.

    I’ll save them the bother – don’t do it. Clifford Bay is a large, rugged and empty half-moon bay facing the Pacific Ocean. Get a strong north through easterly in there and your ships are going to get torn apart on the dock – until such time as the dock itself smashed to bits. There’s a reason why we’ve been building ports in harbours since forever.

    • ianmac 23.1
      9 May 2011 at 11:05 pm

      Its all about money. Tourists love the Sounds entry especially after a rough trip. However the roads that are being destroyed by huge trucks might get a rest.