Open Mike 10/04/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 10th, 2018 - 167 comments
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167 comments on “Open Mike 10/04/2018 ”

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  1. Ed 1
    10 April 2018 at 6:07 am

    This is scary scary stuff.
    And this is the reason why it is SO important for the media not to be under corporate control.
    With lies about spies, a lot of rushing to judgement and now a false flag in Syria, we find ourselves at the brink of WW3 – thanks to a media that supports the interests of the military industrial complex – not us.

    Donald Trump says ‘nothing is off the table’ for US response to alleged Syria chemical attack
    Donald Trump has said he will soon make a decision, “probably by the end of today”, on how the US will respond to the latest alleged chemical attack by the Syrian government, adding that ”nothing is off the table” in terms of military action.
    He condemned the reported poison gas attack in Douma, a rebel-held town in Syria, and said he was talking to military leaders and would decide who was responsible.
    “I’d like to begin by condemning the heinous attack on innocent Syrians with banned chemical weapons,” the president said at a cabinet meeting. “This is about humanity and it can’t be allowed to happen. If it’s the Russians, if it’s Syria, if it’s Iran, if it’s all of them together, we’ll figure it out.”

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-syria-chemical-weapons-attack-latest-assad-regime-douma-a8296581.html

    So the head-chopping Jihadis of Al Nusra and ISIS are not even to be considered as suspects.
    Just Syria, Russia and Iran.
    A kangaroo court.

    Instigated by two madmen.
    Trump and Bolton.

    And with a media gunning for war.

    What could possibly go wrong?

    • Jenny 1.1
      10 April 2018 at 6:38 am

      So the head-chopping Jihadis of Al Nusra and ISIS are not even to be considered as suspects.

      Ed

      In his unbalanced and bigoted manner Ed asks us to consider, (and as is usual with Ed, without any evidence at all), that the rebels are gassing their own people to make the Assad regime look bad.

      • spikeyboy 1.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 7:45 am

        The “rebels” have a history of chopping the heads off of their”own people” exactly as Ed says and documenting it on video. So yes quite easy to believe that they have done this

      • Jenny 1.1.2
        10 April 2018 at 7:49 am

        It seems that the air strike on the Assad regime’s airbase was carried out by the Israeli Airforce, and not the Americans as the regime have claimed.

        A simple error?

        Or something else?

        If indeed this strike on the regime airbase was carried out by the Israelis, similar to past Israeli airstrikes, it will only serve to fulfil Israel’s limited strategic interest, which is; the targeting of arms shipments, especially missiles, from the regime to regime ally Hezbollah.

        Previously before the civil war, the Assad regime was a close ally of Israel just as the regime of El Sisi and before him Mubarak still are.

        It is likely that some regime insiders still maintain covert links with Israel and help provide the Israeli airforce with the intelligence of these weapons movements to allow their precise targetting.

        Just like previously, for similar limited and targeted Israeli airstrikes, there will be no response or reprisal raids carried out on the Israeli airforce assets by the regime to deter these attacks.

        A fact that no doubt rankles with Hezbollah.

        Which is possibly why the regime is pointing the finger at the US rather than the Israelis.

        But what about the Americans?

        Currently President Trump is making noises about the gassing of civilians, especially children in the Douma attack, similar to those he made after the Khan Shaykhun gas attack a year ago. Words that Trump followed up with a cruise missile attack on the Ash-Shayrat airbase.

        However that attack may have had more to do with Trump trying to intimidate the Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, than any real concern for the Syrian people. At the time Trump was hosting the Chinese Premier at his Key Largo resort. Trump had ordered the air strike before he sat down for dinner with Xi, it was only during desert, when he Trump was in the act of offering Xi a piece of chocolate cake, that Trump reportedly casually remarked to Xi, “Oh by the way, I have just launched 59 cruise missiles into Syria.”

        So even if Trump does make some sort of military strike on the regime in response to the chemical weapons massacre in Douma, it will be purely theatrical and not likely to intimidate the regime.

        After Khan Shaykhun gassing, Trump hit a very small part of the Ash-Shayrat airbase and only after giving the Russian ally of Assad prior warning of the attack. Predictably it had little effect. Apart from killing 6 civilians in a community near the airbase no regime troops were hurt, and the airbase was up and running again within days.

        The US nor anyone else is intent on aiding Syrians. It the US does strike the Regime, it will be another limited one off. It won’t save lives. It won’t the stop genocide, it is not intending to. The intention is to show that Trump is a hard man, and give a demonstration of US firepower for the benefit of the Russians.

      • mauī 1.1.3
        10 April 2018 at 8:29 am

        US armed mercenary “rebels”, some from far flung parts of the world have little to do with Syrian civilians however.

      • Brigid 1.1.4
        10 April 2018 at 9:56 am

        Jenny your comment ” (and as is usual with Ed, without any evidence at all),”, is, dare I say, a blatant lie.
        Ed often backs his reports with links.
        Could you provide links from a credible source that shows the head-chopping Jihadis of Al Nusra and ISIS have been considered as suspects?

        They’d be the prime suspects because like, you know, it was they who controlled the area. So there should be no dearth of publications questioning their involvement.

        Yid think

    • Cinny 1.2
      10 April 2018 at 10:24 am

      Wondering if there has been a lull in arms sales in the USA after the outcry re school shootings. War will boost their coffers.

      Bolton…. Game of Thrones springs to mind, nasty bunch they were.

      Agent orange aka Trump, his longtime personal lawyer has just had his office searched by the FBI re Stormy Daniels. All this war talk, makes for a media distraction from that circus.

      And while people are pointing the finger in all directions as to the gas attack, more are dying. Money, power, and greed are killing humanity.

  2. Jenny 2
    10 April 2018 at 6:10 am

    What is often overlooked in the kettling of over 1.5million Palestinians in Gaza by the Israelis, is that this only possible with the active support and involvement of the counter revolutionary dictatorship in Egypt.

    “Blood Brothers”

    “Our solidarity with the children of beloved Syria against an oppressive regime that has lost its legitimacy is a moral duty as much as a political and strategic necessity that stems from our belief in a coming future for the free proud Syria.

    “And we must all offer our complete, undiminished support for the struggle for freedom and justice in Syria, and to translate our sympathy into a clear political vision that supports [a]… transition to a democratic government reflecting the desires of the Syrian people for freedom, justice and equality.”

    Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, 30 August, 2012

    https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/comment/2017/8/29/blood-brothers-in-arms-sisis-support-for-assads-counterrevolution

    https://www.timesofisrael.com/army-blows-up-houses-egyptians-evacuate-near-gaza/

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/11196738/Thousands-forced-from-homes-as-Egypt-clears-Gaza-border-area-after-bombing.html

    https://hummusforthought.com/2016/10/12/on-the-allies-were-not-proud-of-a-palestinian-response-to-troubling-discourse-on-syria/

    • Ad 2.1
      10 April 2018 at 6:43 am

      No Arab state has much interest in the Palestinian Arabs now.

      Sure they all stay on record supporting the cause, but after 70 years backing them and several very unsuccessful wars to seek to wipe israel off the map by joining their armies together, and no results for the Palestinians, the Arab countries are shifting their focus more and more away.

      They are beginning to appreciate the idea that it is better to have Israel there, that not. They make the equation about the Palestinians from there.

  3. Tony Veitch (not etc) 3
    10 April 2018 at 6:43 am

    Wow! Ed on one side and Jenny on the other?

    Is there a middle? Can people be rational about Syria and Gaza and . . . the Skripal case?

    A Labour MP urging caution and an evidence based foreign policy:

    https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2018/04/09/a-labour-mps-blistering-video-sums-up-the-conservative-hot-heads-running-the-skripal-affair/

    ‘God heard the embattled nations sing and shout
    “Gott strafe England” and “God save the King!”
    God this, God that, and God the other thing –
    “Good God!” said God, “I’ve got my work cut out!”

    Sir John Collings Squire.’

    NB – not from RT so lots of commenters can view it without contaminating their principles!

    • Ad 3.1
      10 April 2018 at 6:46 am

      The middle ground would look like a nasty Skripal-Syria-Palestine-Yemen-Ukraine-Putin-Trump soup.

      For which there will be plenty of tasters, and not a lot of nutrition.

    • Ed 3.2
      10 April 2018 at 6:51 am

      What did I type that was not reasoned?

      Like the Labour MP you quote, I am ‘urging caution and an evidence based foreign policy.’

      • Tony Veitch (not etc) 3.2.1
        10 April 2018 at 7:06 am

        Agreed, Ed. I was, perhaps over-, reacting to Jenny’s “In his unbalanced and bigoted manner Ed” comment – anything about the Middle East tends to polarise people!

    • mauī 3.3
      10 April 2018 at 7:56 am

      Ed is right. Jenny is wrong. Apologies Jenny.

    • Daveosaurus 3.4
      10 April 2018 at 7:18 pm

      The rational middle ground would be for all foreigners to pack up their armies, their pet dictators and their artificial puppet-states, get the fuck out of the Middle East and stay the fuck out for at least two generations until the people who actually live there have reached some sort of equilibrium again.

  4. Sanctuary 4
    10 April 2018 at 7:34 am

    Syria is a sacrifice to great power and regional ambitions. If Assad gains an advantage, the US pumps up the support of it’s rag tag alliance and eases off the squeeze on ISIS. If ISIS shows signs of recovery, everyone pummels it again. Shia militias from Iran alongside Russians fight Shiite Militias from Iraq backed by the USA. The United States funds the Kurds, the Iraqis and the Turks even though those three groups are locked into a three way war. Israel wants to keep Syria in perpetual war, to keep it’s opponents weak. Israel tolerates Russian forces in Syria as a brake on Iranian help for Assad, while the Russians in turn seek to use the conflict to further their prestige and power in the region.

    The only solution to the agony of Syria is to let Assad win. Half a million people have died so far in Syria. 20-25% of the population has fled the country. Another 25% are refugees in their own land. Someone needs to end it, no matter how brutal the vengeance of the post war regime it isn’t going to match the starvation of millions and deaths of hundreds of thousands this dragging on war has produced. Just give the vast majority of Syrians peace and order with an Assad victory. He is going to eventually win anyway.

  5. The Chairman 5
    10 April 2018 at 7:41 am

    With both candidates for the Green Party co-leadership expressing doubts about signing up to the Budget Responsibility Rules, do you think the Greens will now pressure Labour to loosen them?

    Just seen Jacinda on the telly saying Labour will cut spending in other areas to cover the extra cost of repairing Middlemore, etc. Hence, it doesn’t sound like Labour is willing to loosen them.

    Robertson told reporters “It’s always a balance … New Zealanders want us to strike that balance and I believe we’ve done that.”

    • Incognito 5.1
      10 April 2018 at 7:50 am

      You’re behind the eight ball, which is surprising for someone who follows politics and particularly the Greens like a blowfly. As far as I know the co-leader has been selected and as far as I know the Greens were always sceptical about BRR. Obviously, Labour is not going to give up the ‘balance the books’ mantra any time soon because TINA. What do you want to them, the Greens, to do, specifically? Grandstanding and arm-waving your concerns around don’t count for much; constructive criticism does IMHO.

      • The Chairman 5.1.1
        12 April 2018 at 11:19 am

        I’m aware Marama has won. I was merely stating both candidates running for co-leader openly expressed doubts.

        After hearing them openly expressing their doubts, it’s not unreasonable for supporters to now have an expectation they may act on these doubts.

        I think they should at least have a discussion with Labour (putting their best arguments forward) and see if there is any willingness to loosen them.

    • faroutdude 5.2
      10 April 2018 at 8:06 am

      Should be irrelevant anyway. DHB possibly knew about the relatively minor building maintenance issues, sounds like Coleman wasn’t informed. Possibly Labour were and decided to play politics with peoples health. DHB had been underspending budget anyway so why wouldn’t they just get it fixed – again perhaps playing politics. Looks like an excuse anyway – Govt should have kept some in the kitty for issues such as this instead of blowing it on wealthy students and PI Countries. Tweet from Patrick Smellie

      “Is pedantic to question the narrative about under-investment at Middlemore when today’s DHB stats show the capital budget is significantly underspent? I.e., under-funding can’t be the issue if money for capital upgrades is going unspent.

      — Pattrick Smellie (@pjsmellie) April 9, 2018

      This will blow up in JA’s face, maybe she is being white – anted (again)??

    • Wayne 5.3
      10 April 2018 at 8:14 am

      Labour can’t have it both ways. Blame National for everything, then say their fiscal responsibility rules prevent them from really fixing it. Labour is the government, they have choices.

      If there really is a gross crisis (which I don’t really believe, a lot of it is shroud waving) then they should fix it. Run a small deficit, borrow some more. After all they are not the National Party, no-one expects them to run as tight a ship as National.

      Much of Labour’s problem is that their promises around the size of the public sector, plus their intent to substantially raise public sector salaries, especially for teachers and nurses, which will have flow on effects, makes everything else unaffordable. Increasing public sector wages by 5% or more will have virtually zero effect on actually increasing outputs. Then add in say a 5 to 10% increase in the total size of the public sector (another 25,000 people) then Labour’s promises around fiscal responsibility simply don’t work.

      But Labour can’t raise taxes, that really was a cast iron promise to the electorate.

      I know people here will use the example of increasing GST to 15% shows you can increase taxes without political difficulty, but that increase was fully offset by income tax reductions, across all the rates plus increases in working for families. There was no net change.

      In contrast Labour would need a real increase in taxes to afford everything they promised. All of this is the reason why Steven Joyce referred to the $11 billion fiscal hole. Labour (Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson) are affirming the truth of it every time they speak about fiscal issues.

      • Molly 5.3.1
        10 April 2018 at 8:23 am

        “All of this is the reason why Steven Joyce referred to the $11 billion fiscal hole”
        He referred to it, because National were the architects of creating the hole and hiding within it necessary maintenance and investment in public services.

        The murderer always knows where the body is buried.

        But strangely enough, agree with you on the tax promise. But disagree on the solution.

        I think they need to be upfront and say that taxes for those that have the ability to pay will have to be raised. For a start, that includes corporations, those juggling businesses, trusts and accounts to reduce taxable income, and those landbanking or holding residential houses empty in the middle of a housing crisis.

        After all, how much is going to be enough for those comfortably off, before they will start addressing the cost of failing to keep investment going in our public services and social communities?

        I’m guessing, there is never enough for many of those who are doing very well. So the government needs to provide that balance.

        • Muttonbird 5.3.1.1
          10 April 2018 at 8:26 am

          Yeah, pretty happy with the idea of a progressive company tax. Small family businesses struggle with 28% while big business has a culture of dodging tax entirely!

          • Draco T Bastard 5.3.1.1.1
            10 April 2018 at 1:14 pm

            A well run business doesn’t pay any tax and shouldn’t do. So, if a small business is having trouble with the tax it’s paying then it’s doing it wrong.

            The people who get the profits from the business should be paying personal tax on the PAYE scale. We need to question why they’re not.

            • faroutdude 5.3.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2018 at 2:37 pm

              A well run business should generate it’s own profit, pay some tax on it, and keep cash reserves for emergencies, investment opportunities, working capital etc. Shareholders (ie the people, generally working in the business who get the profits) are required to pay tax, and often this is PAYE via a shareholder salary.
              “We need to question why they’re not”
              Aren’t they?
              As we have seen, your knowledge of business is minimal, and comments regarding business generally ignorant (to be charitable) or just dishonest.
              I guess the reason you spend so much time here is that you don’t have the clues to operate a business, or that no business will take you on.
              Lift your game.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                10 April 2018 at 3:01 pm

                A well run business should generate it’s own profit, pay some tax on it, and keep cash reserves for emergencies, investment opportunities, working capital etc.

                Nope. A well run business will generate an income. Some of that income will be spent maintaining and running the business which is all tax deductible.

                What’s left after that is the profits which should go out to shareholders. The business won’t pay tax on those either as the shareholders will be paying at PAYE rates.

                Or, perhaps, I should say should be. Unfortunately we have a corrupt system designed to minimise taxes paid by the rich while maximising taxes paid by the poor. But I’m not surprised to find you defending that corrupt system.

        • Wayne 5.3.1.2
          10 April 2018 at 8:33 am

          Middlemore didn’t even spend its capital budget. Seems like the blame lies with the Board and CEO.

          • Molly 5.3.1.2.1
            10 April 2018 at 8:38 am

            There is direction, and there is misdirection in management.

            Creating a culture where there is never enough money to effectively provide services to your patients, and ensure a high-level of care, will ensure that money not immediately required will be held onto with tight fists. A false economy in the long run, but understandable.

            The Ministry creates that culture, and reinforces it.

            But of course with National – the buck stops… there.

          • Chuck 5.3.1.2.2
            10 April 2018 at 8:46 am

            Lester Levy did put a temporary freeze on all new capital expenditure when he took over as chairman across all three Auckland DHB’s.

            This was to coordinate planning across the three DHB’s.

            However I agree, the CMDHB board is at fault here.

            • Draco T Bastard 5.3.1.2.2.1
              10 April 2018 at 2:23 pm

              Of course you do – you’ll never accept that National is wrong.

              • Chuck …
                10 April 2018 at 5:13 pm

                National get things wrong plenty of times.

                However in this case, unless someone can point to evidence that CMDHB informed National of the issue (last year when in Government), then its what my leftie friends call dirty politics 🙂

                The Auckland DHB chair was recently down in Wellington at a select committee hearing. Why did he not raise the issue then?

                If the issues were known, do you not think for one second that when Labour was in opposition they would not have screamed blue murder?

                Anette King would have jumped all over it.

                Ardern has taken a gamble on this, caught with no spare change in her piggy bank.

                • McFlock …
                  10 April 2018 at 5:20 pm

                  Southern DHB showed all the others what happens when you inform National of inconvenient facts like funding being inadequate to keep people alive: you get replaced by people who will ship down frozen meals from auckland.

                  • Chuck …
                    10 April 2018 at 5:43 pm

                    Between friendly DHB board members and the health sector unions (receiving complaints re – moldy buildings from its members), Labour would have been given the heads up so to attack National in parliament (when National was governing).

                    Would have been great ammo for Ardern in the debates during the election.

          • Muttonbird 5.3.1.2.3
            10 April 2018 at 8:48 am

            The National government’s underfunding of public services is legendary. They prided themselves on it.

            The public know this and that’s exactly what lost them the election.

            For the Nats PR machine to now claim they didn’t underfund public services is simply not going to wash with voters.

        • Chuck 5.3.1.3
          10 April 2018 at 8:36 am

          “because National were the architects of creating and hiding necessary maintenance and investment in public services.”

          Molly, can you point to evidence of National “hiding maintenance and investment” If you can then that will be a big deal…heads will roll.

          This current Government has spent all the spare $ on election promises does leave the cupboard bare. And as Joyce pointed out nothing for a rainy day or pay increases etc.

          • Molly 5.3.1.3.1
            10 April 2018 at 8:49 am

            “Molly, can you point to evidence of National “hiding maintenance and investment” If you can then that will be a big deal…heads will roll. “

            Chuck, given my lack of access to Government accounts, and the ability of National MP’s to prevaricate, I cannot provide you with the forensic accounts necessary to take to whatever court you seem to think this would apply. But thanks for the laugh, implying that the previous government was so invested in public services that all that was necessary to ensure their high performance was being done. (Can you provide evidence of that, Chuck? Apart from the political press releases I mean.)

            However, the values culture of the National party and the legislative changes they made over the years, gives an indication of the level of underinvestment they give to public services and infrastructure. (Unless of course, there is a by-election in Northland.)

            If you have followed the spending and cuts to funding over the last three terms, then you will have ample evidence of services being run down to the ground by culture as well as underinvesting. If not, get reading.

            Also note: increase in budget does not necessarily mean investment in essentials. An increase that pays for consultants, and dismantling current good practices is not an “investment” – whether it is in health, ACC, or social welfare.

            • Chuck 5.3.1.3.1.1
              10 April 2018 at 5:31 pm

              You don’t need forensic accountants…you can’t “hide maintenance and investment”.

              “then you will have ample evidence of services being run down to the ground by culture as well as underinvesting”

              Have a look at the DHB’s performance target measurements over the last 10 years. And then try to link “underinvesting” to the results that most DHB’s have been achieving in patient care.

          • tracey 5.3.1.3.2
            10 April 2018 at 12:47 pm

            National has run down our health system to “pay” for its election promises…

      • Gabby 5.3.2
        10 April 2018 at 9:13 am

        National’s shit wasn’t all that tight wayney, they just kept the loo door shut and said I’d give that 3-6 years if I were you.

      • Ad 5.3.3
        10 April 2018 at 10:09 am

        It’s looking pretty directionless from this government in finance at the moment.

        They had the PREFU. They did their mini-budget in December.

        Blaming the previous team has the hallmark of Key’s timid managerial order .

        The aww-shucks routine is such a terrible approach.

        They are five weeks before budget and should be neck-deep rolling out announcements by now, not making excuses.

        • Pat 5.3.3.1
          10 April 2018 at 10:35 am

          ‘They are five weeks before budget and should be neck-deep rolling out announcements by now, not making excuses.’

          Or maybe they are softening the electorate up for a stretching of the fiscal cap…a sensible solution IMO,though one i note that has had some luke warm water applied….we shall see.

      • Anne 5.3.4
        10 April 2018 at 10:19 am

        Labour can’t have it both ways…

        National couldn’t have it both ways but they sure as hell tried. Remember the tax cuts for the wealthy? They paid for it by cutting back on the public sector. Now, we are all paying the price.

        If there really is a gross crisis… then they should fix it. Run a small deficit, borrow some more.

        According to Shamubeel Eaqub (an economist who can think outside the square and not afraid to say so) now is the exact right time to borrow when international lending rates are apparently at an all time low. So, hopefully this government will have the nous to take advantage of it.

        Increasing public sector wages by 5% or more will have virtually zero effect on actually increasing outputs.

        Pay a worker well, and that worker will repay his/her employer double time by way of loyalty and hard work. It applies equally to public and private sectors.

        people here will use the example of increasing GST to 15% shows you can increase taxes without political difficulty, but that increase was fully offset by income tax reductions, across all the rates plus increases in working for families.

        The Nat govt. deductions favoured all those who earned above the average wage and next to nothing for those below it. The Lab govt. plans to do the opposite. Higher excise and fuel taxes will be offset by significant increases in the average hourly rate plus big income rises for families and beneficiaries (including pensioners). Fair? I think so.

        … Steven Joyce referred to the $11 billion fiscal hole. Labour (Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson) are affirming the truth of it every time they speak about fiscal issues.

        Oh, pull the other one. He told a whopping lie and thought he could get away with it. He didn’t.

        • tracey 5.3.4.1
          10 April 2018 at 12:50 pm

          Well said. Coleman is a liar a bully or incompetent.

          Middlemore is a hufe part of the Health portfolio. It is not a shack in westport masquerading as a clinic.

          Dunedin hospital promised for 9 years…

          Christchurch hospital built of low numbers to keep costs down but the DHBs figures turn out to be correct. That hospital will open unable to supply sufficient beds for its community.

          Coleman didnt know about those as well?

      • tracey 5.3.5
        10 April 2018 at 1:10 pm

        Imagine if this were a legacy of a 9 year Labour government Wayne. Would you have come here and defended them and blamed their underlings or would you just not have posted?

        Middlemore is a substantial asset in the Health portfolio. Kind of like you not knowing the Waiuru camp was falling apart.

      • The Chairman 5.3.6
        12 April 2018 at 10:59 am

        @Wayne

        If it has merit (which I believe it does) there is nothing wrong with Labour blaming National’s shortcomings while highlighting their inability to fix it (without making cuts elsewhere) due to their self imposed fiscal constraint.

        I agree it gives them scope (by providing a valid argument) to loosen their self imposed fiscal constraint.

        I disagree with your assertion their intent to raise public sector salaries makes everything else unaffordable. While increasing salaries is a cost they will have to contend with, what’s pressuring the budget is the unexpected repair costs.

        All Government spending fell as a share of GDP under National and Labour are having to come to terms with the fiscal impact of that.

        With their self imposed fiscal constraint, it’s clear Labour can’t afford to address it all in one budget. As a result, it will be interesting to see who will miss out and have to wait. That will test their assertion they have the balance right.

  6. R.P McMurphy 6
    10 April 2018 at 8:14 am

    Nationals party operative Gluon Espinner was very busy this morning on Radio New Zealand reading out swingeing texts from nationals toadys slagging off Jacinda Adern.
    This is politicing pure and simple and espinner must go.

    • tracey 6.1
      10 April 2018 at 1:12 pm

      I do not regard him as a right wing sympathiser. Didnt John Key start bypassing RNZ for pop radio?

  7. Macro 7
    10 April 2018 at 8:49 am

    Hmmmm I see the tin-foil hat brigade are out in force again this morning.
    Is this what LPrent had in mind when he created The Standard? That it would become a mouth-piece for Russian propaganda fostered by RT and Sputnik, and alt-right memes promulgated by 21st Century Wire*?

    I shall not be replying to any responses to this comment as I have far more better things to do than engage in mindless argument about what is, and isn’t, fact wrt the continuing atrocities around the globe, in which the Kremlin obviously has a hand.

    I have enjoyed reading and participating in the debate here on The Standard for a long time – longer than I care to remember – but over recent months there has been a growing element of commentating and moderating by one which show a clear bias to Russian influence, and now it as a stage where one is very hesitant to express any view whatsoever, wrt world events without fear of banishment.

    *Patrick Henningsen, the founder, is a former editor of Infowars.
    And yes Alex Jones has also taken up the conspiracy theory that the White Helmets are an “al-Qaida affiliated group funded by George Soros”. But this is the sort of nonsense that some commentators are prone to repeat here.
    The White Helmets have never received funding from George Soros or any of his foundations.

    • gsays 7.1
      10 April 2018 at 9:23 am

      Have to agree with your notion about a reluctance to comment on certain subjects.
      Part of this reluctance is because of terms like ‘tin foil hat brigade’.

      There is a tendency to ignore and belittle any opinion that either cites RT or doesn’t regurgitate The Guardian’s angle.

      What is also common recently, is the attacking of the opinion writer rather than discussing (debating, arguing) the issues. Willy waving in other words.

      We are also keen to throw a blanket over folk and all sorts of subtleties are willfully swept under the carpet. E.g. I get called a right winger for questioning the ‘official narrative’ around 9/11.

      I would like to add in regards to moderation I have found it to be reasonable, tolerant and even handed,

      • McFlock 7.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 12:47 pm

        heh

        I’ve been reading an Iliad-based book lately, and the intervention of divine and diabolical beings on the battlefield reminded me a bit of recent moderation – often sudden and terrible to behold, laying waste to both sides in great numbers… 🙂

        And, of course, the flipside to the tinfoil hat allegation is the suggestion that the only alternatives available are to say nothing against Russia or to be eagerly provoking WW3.

    • Brigid 7.2
      10 April 2018 at 10:27 am

      “I shall not be replying to any responses to this comment”
      So if you’re not willing to enter into a debate, I’m wondering why you wrote anything.

    • mauī 7.3
      10 April 2018 at 10:48 am

      I’ll do my best at doing a fair assessment of Henningsen’s work. I’ve seen a bit of his work over time and two of the major subject areas he covers are geo-politics and critiquing the media.

      I’m not sure if I’ve seen him do racist rants, support the NRA or whatever else the worst of the right do. But you appear to have put him in the same category as the ‘raving right wing loons’ who can’t find a space in the same-stream mediaz.

      Something I’ve found is that people appearing in alternate media are not always 100% wrong, and it’s worth being open minded when listening to them. Particularly someone like Henningsen who provides a very detailed picture of what’s going on around the world. His detailed picture makes more sense to me than what comes from the other side.

      • weka 7.3.1
        10 April 2018 at 12:02 pm

        Nice comment. I don’t know Henningsen, and am not particularly following the Russia/US etc debates apart from as a moderator. More comments like yours, evenhanded and explanatory, would do much to improve the debate.

        • mauī 7.3.1.1
          10 April 2018 at 5:18 pm

          Thanks weka, although I probably changed tack because I thought I could win the argument that way 🙂 It certainly is difficult to leave your bias at the door though. Everyone’s got an opinion. I think this debate could be going on for some time…

    • weka 7.4
      10 April 2018 at 12:09 pm

      Can you please be careful in how you frame comments about moderators and moderation? There are very good reasons why Lynn established that one can ask about moderation but when one starts challenging how the site is run or criticising moderators we tend to crack down on it. I’ve spent a fair amount of time explaining that this year and will go into it again if needed, but it’s important to understand that there are ways to raise these issues that are useful and ways that cause problems.

      I tend to agree with gsays about the use of the term tinfoil hat. There is a lot of aggravation in these convos and reducing it to sides where one are framed as loonies just entrenches the aggro imo.

      I do agree there are issues. One thing that has come up a few times now is whether we should have a dedicated thread for these discussions so they’re not taking up Open Mike (we did this during the US election). An issue there is what would the boundaries be for topics. US/Russia? Syria? Foreign wars? All international comments?

      I’m in two minds about it, but am wondering if it is worth trialling. Probably not daily, but maybe a bi-weekly thread that gets bumped up each morning. Am weighing up the value vs the amount of work in that.

      • Violet 7.4.1
        10 April 2018 at 5:57 pm

        I don’t agree a separate thread is needed – improved commentary with less abuse would solve the problem. It is Open Mike and these are important current issues. Anybody should be able to post contentious, but polite, views. Impolite and abusive comments should result in a ban. No warning. Scan comments for inflammatory words like ‘tinfoil hat’ and implement automatic bans. Your moderation is accompanied by polite reason Weka, make that the norm for all moderation.

      • Sacha 7.4.2
        10 April 2018 at 8:00 pm

        Please do find a way to quarantine the incessant focus by a handful of commenters on a couple of narrow topics that are peripheral to the kaupapa of this site.

        I encourage those folk to go set up their own site if that is all they want to talk about. Or maybe they can start and moderate their own whole posts here dedicated to those topics.

        • One Two 7.4.2.1
          10 April 2018 at 9:55 pm

          Still here Sacha…

          Still requesting that others be reprimanded or worse…can you understand that taking a dive the way you repeatedly do…is no way to carry on…you get that , right…

          How is the setup of your own blog site coming along by the way…

    • One Two 7.5
      10 April 2018 at 10:05 pm

      Macro, in case you’ve not self assessed your form…here it what it reads like…consistently…

      * Throw disparaging and dismissive clichés around…

      * Stumble around while another dump by calling out sites which you don’t like because they carry a narrative and information you find confronting…

      * Pick up ball…go home…

      And you say that others are lowering the bar…

      Senior Manager material, that is…

  8. Ad 8
    10 April 2018 at 8:55 am

    FBI raids Trumps main lawyer Cohen.

    Sweet work Muller.
    Keep at it.

    • JohnSelway 8.1
      10 April 2018 at 9:05 am

      Looks like the ball is not only rolling but gaining speed

    • joe90 8.2
      10 April 2018 at 10:44 am

      At a press conference about Syria tRump’s had a glorious melt down, on camera. He’s all folded arms and tucked chin, squealing about break ins, blaming Sessions, crying witch hunt, ranting about Hillary, repeating himself, etc, etc.

    • joe90 8.3
      10 April 2018 at 7:50 pm

      The Republican National Committee’s finance chair Steve Wynn was forced out over #MeToo allegations.

      RNC sure has shady AF characters looking after the books.

      Michael Cohen, National Deputy Finance Chair of the @GOP, has disappeared in the last five minutes from their website. pic.twitter.com/yuvGpM1tX7— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) April 9, 2018

  9. Muttonbird 9
    10 April 2018 at 8:56 am

    National’s claims of the so-called golden age Labour inherited are the botoxed facade of an ageing and under funded infrastructure.

    -Tracey Watkins

    Lol.

  10. Adrian 10
    10 April 2018 at 9:01 am

    For 9 years National claimed that it built Blenheim’s new hospital which was opened a little while after they came to power in 2008.
    It was designed , substantially built, and paid for under the Clark Government.
    National are, and always have been dirty lying fuckers.

    • ianmac 10.1
      10 April 2018 at 10:26 am

      As a small hospital the Wairau Hospital in Blenheim is brilliant. Efficient. Friendly. Easy to navigate. Friendly staff. Great work the Clark Government.

      (Wasn’t it the Waterview tunnel being claimed by Bridges yesterday, actually another project designed by Labour?)

  11. joe90 11
    10 April 2018 at 9:16 am

    The world’s most moral army.

    /

    Israel's @news10 just published the following video. An Israeli sniper filmed himself shooting a Palestinian protester inside the occupied Gaza Strip, as he & other soldiers celebrate.The Israeli army said it's 'investigating'.https://t.co/5y4jTR2wkdhttps://t.co/gaObKf0AOt pic.twitter.com/yeqLQP23v7— Ben White (@benabyad) April 9, 2018

    And here's the original video with English subtitles.https://t.co/ZuUptCs1G7 pic.twitter.com/b6tVsDFGnD— Ben White (@benabyad) April 9, 2018

    https://twitter.com/benabyad/status/983429404805263362

  12. joe90 12
    10 April 2018 at 9:23 am

    The world’s most moral army.

    /

    (mods – machine ate my first attempt to post, please delete any double)

    Israel's @news10 just published the following video. An Israeli sniper filmed himself shooting a Palestinian protester inside the occupied Gaza Strip, as he & other soldiers celebrate.The Israeli army said it's 'investigating'.https://t.co/5y4jTR2wkdhttps://t.co/gaObKf0AOt pic.twitter.com/yeqLQP23v7— Ben White (@benabyad) April 9, 2018

    And here's the original video with English subtitles.https://t.co/ZuUptCs1G7 pic.twitter.com/b6tVsDFGnD— Ben White (@benabyad) April 9, 2018

    https://twitter.com/benabyad/status/983429404805263362

  13. Bob 13
    10 April 2018 at 9:54 am

    Close the bloody gate on all of them, this Govt has too much to do to repair the half million the Gnats let in.
    I’m over the lazy attitude of this So called coalition, it’s a joke, let’s hope the baby hormones disappear asap. And she can make a Nuclear free decision, or whatever she said.
    I’m voting green come 2020. Yes it may be a wasted vote, but I have lost faith in both major parties.

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    • Bearded Git 13.1
      10 April 2018 at 10:55 am

      I don’t think it will be a wasted vote Bob-the Greens have a solid 7-8% because no other party matches them on clear visionary environmental and social justice thinking.

      The meme being put forward by people like Hooton-that they are bound to fall below 5% because of their association with the coalition-is complete self-serving bollocks.

      • james 13.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 12:06 pm

        “I don’t think it will be a wasted vote Bob-the Greens have a solid 7-8% ….”

        Except on election night – when they were only 6.3.

        Below 5% isnt impossible.

        • weka 13.1.1.1
          10 April 2018 at 1:34 pm

          being the majority party isn’t impossible either 🙂

        • veutoviper 13.1.1.2
          10 April 2018 at 2:57 pm

          As you note, the 2017 general election percentage was 6.3% and then it rose in the first poll (Roy Morgan) after the election back up to 11% in the period 2 – 10 Oct 2017 before the coalition negotiations had been completed.

          Since the coalition government was established, however, the GP vote percentages has steadily declined in the four subsequent polls taken – 10%, 7%, 6% and then 5% in the last poll, the One News Colmar Brunton Poll in the first half of Feb 2018.

          So while the average of the election result plus the five polls taken to date averages out at 7.5%, the downward trend is not looking good, but we don’t know what the non-public polls are showing.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_New_Zealand_general_election

          • Bearded Git 13.1.1.2.1
            10 April 2018 at 5:53 pm

            But the Green “brand”, to use that horrible word, is very strong and clear.

            The 6.3% election result was majorly influenced by all the ordure flying around after the MT affair, and Bill English and Jacinda’s attempts to paint the election as a 2 horse race. Labour did the Greens no favours in the campaign.

            I know people who tactically voted Green and people who realised this was a good idea but ended up tribally voting Labour.

            The key point here is that as things stand Labour is unlikely to be ever able to form a government without the Greens. A new Left-wing party might change that equation.

  14. Penny Bright 14
    10 April 2018 at 9:59 am

    Halt the forced sale of Penny Bright’s house. | TOKO

    Petition to Auckland Mayor Phil Goff.

    Please SIGN and SHARE?

    Thanks!

    Penny Bright 🙂

    https://www.toko.org.nz/petitions/halt-the-forced-sale-of-penny-bright-s-house

    • james 14.1
      10 April 2018 at 10:03 am

      I think you are on a losing battle Penny.

      Just pay your rates and then you can keep your house.

      • Tricledrown 14.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 10:29 am

        Penny doesn’t see how much peril she is she is just as stuck in her Dogmatic windmill tilting as you James.
        Her house is worth more than $1.5million.
        So she will have plenty of cash.
        But James I thought it would be right up your street to pay no tax
        Penny seems he’ll bent on cutting off her nose to spite her face.
        The self sabotage is not a mentally healthy thing.

        • james 14.1.1.1
          10 April 2018 at 11:09 am

          “Her house is worth more than $1.5million.
          So she will have plenty of cash.”

          No – she may have lots of equity – that’s different to cash.

          “But James I thought it would be right up your street to pay no tax”

          Really ? because I pay tons of it.

      • Bearded Git 14.1.2
        10 April 2018 at 5:56 pm

        Agreed James.

        OK now I have to have a sit down after saying that.

  15. joe90 15
    10 April 2018 at 10:30 am

    Journalist Marie Colvin’s family allege the Syrian government hunted her down, murdered her and cried false flag.

    The Colvin family filed the video and nearly 2,000 pages of documents, including military intelligence memoranda and testimony from Syrian defectors, as part of a federal civil lawsuit against the Syrian government. The documents provide detailed and unprecedented evidence to support the claim that Colvin was deliberately hunted and killed as part of a policy by the Assad regime to eliminate journalists. They also offer an insider account of the death of French journalist Gilles Jacquier, who, according to one regime defector, was assassinated in a government attack staged to look like a rebel assault while Jacquier was reporting in Syria under official approvals. The Syrian government declined to comment on the allegations, according to a spokesperson for the Syrian Mission to the United Nations.

    https://theintercept.com/2018/04/09/marie-colvin-syria-assad/

  16. Tricledrown 16
    10 April 2018 at 10:31 am

    Penny doesn’t see how much peril she is in, she is just as stuck in her Dogmatic windmill tilting as you James.
    Her house is worth more than $1.5million.
    So she will have plenty of cash.
    But James I thought it would be right up your street to pay no tax
    Penny seems he’ll bent on cutting off her nose to spite her face.
    The self sabotage is not a mentally healthy thing.

  17. veutoviper 17
    10 April 2018 at 10:38 am

    RADIO ALERT

    I have only come into this in the last ten minutes, but this is currently on Nine to Noon on RNZ National – and is an excellent discussion, well worth listening to.

    “10.05 (to 10.35) The leadership of change: Mary Robinson and Jacinda Ardern

    Former President of Ireland and human rights campaigner Mary Robinson in conversation with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Kathryn Ryan.

    [Photo – Former President of Ireland and human rights campaigner Mary Robinson in conversation with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Kathryn Ryan Photo: Ray Tiddy]

    The former President of Ireland, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern discuss working for change at local, national and international levels. Some changes come easily and quickly, and an act of Parliament can formalise a major shift in people’s thinking. Other changes can be glacially slow, for instance achieving peace in Northen Ireland or reaching a global solution on climate change. The conversation was facilitated by Kathryn Ryan at the Aspiring Conversations event in Wanaka.”

    I will post the recording as soon as it is up on the RNZ website.

  18. Keepcalmcarryon 18
    10 April 2018 at 11:12 am

    Very good article in the ODT on freshwater issues particularly in Otago but some damning statistics on Nationals environmental destruction, over intensification, degradation, farmers using archaic sluicing rights to irrigate.
    Let’s hear what labour are going to do- in same publication David Parker says fresh water is number 1 priority as environment minister- let’s see some action!
    https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/stream-conscience

    https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/shocking-how-bad-waterways-have-become

  19. Whispering Kate 19
    10 April 2018 at 11:52 am

    Well wonders will never cease. Hoskings has just crashed his Alpha Romeo at Hampton Downs Raceway – the car isn’t insured – way to go Mike – the article says he has crashed into his garage a few times – what the hell – the man shouldn’t get a licence for a wheel barrow.

    Boy will there be some comments on this – the guy is just a bloody twit of the first order.

    http://spy.nzherald.co.nz/spy-news/mike-hosking-crashes-80-000-sports-car/

    • Stunned Mullet 19.1
      10 April 2018 at 11:59 am

      In the famous words of Nelson Muntz…Ha ha !

      • james 19.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 12:12 pm

        What were the odds of the first comment being laughing at someones misfortune simply because you dont like their political views.

        • Carolyn_Nth 19.1.1.1
          10 April 2018 at 12:20 pm

          According to a quote I saw on Twitter, Hosking said previously car crashes are not caused by idiot roads, or idiot rules, or something similar, but they are due to idiot drivers.

          Edit: ah, here’s the article:

          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12025579

          Mike Hosking: Road crashes aren’t speed-related or tourist-related. It’s idiot-related
          …
          but it’s idiots and speed that’s the combination, not speed by itself. Any experienced, professional operator behind the wheel will tell you speed in isolation is not an issue.
          …

          Since joining Hampton Downs and taking my car round a track at 220km/h I have not crashed, will not crash, and have concluded I am vastly less likely to be in trouble on a track than I am on a road. Why? Because there are no idiots. There is respect and concentration and rules are adhered to, and – oh the irony – ever safer cars.

          • Keepcalmcarryon 19.1.1.1.1
            10 April 2018 at 1:23 pm

            Yes the moralising hypocrite deserves all the shit he gets.
            As far as everybody thinking everybody else is the problem, there is only a small subset of truly dangerous drivers most full license holders are not those causing fatal high speed crashes.
            There are many inconsiderate drivers however – slow and not pulling left or the converse, fast and pushy and a lot of frustration because of it.
            Removing driver frustration would be money better spent than the failing strategy of speed targets – more passing lanes less trucks better control of foreign drivers.

            • Stunned Mullet 19.1.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2018 at 2:41 pm

              Personally I’d push for the death penalty for anyone texting of speaking on their phone while driving and don’t get me started on woman putting their makeup on while driving to work in the morning….

        • McFlock 19.1.1.2
          10 April 2018 at 12:32 pm

          Political views.
          Personality.
          Face.

          His car doesn’t make me laugh so much as his blubbing about the change in government.

        • Cinny 19.1.1.3
          10 April 2018 at 1:50 pm

          Karma is especially delightful when it befalls an egomaniac. The only bruises are to his ego and his thumb.

        • Whispering Kate 19.1.1.4
          10 April 2018 at 1:55 pm

          Come on James – he crashes (plural) into his garage – the man shouldn’t have permission to be behind the wheel.

        • Stunned Mullet 19.1.1.5
          10 April 2018 at 2:27 pm

          Nothing to do with his political views, more the fact he’s a noisome cunt.

          • james 19.1.1.5.1
            10 April 2018 at 2:32 pm

            Classy as always Stunned Mullet.

            • Stunned Mullet 19.1.1.5.1.1
              10 April 2018 at 2:39 pm

              Always a pleasure.

              • james …
                10 April 2018 at 2:49 pm

                Just checking – since its a subjective insult (ie you believe that they are a noisome cunt) – are you OK with people using it for Grant Robertson or Jacinda?

                • Muttonbird …
                  10 April 2018 at 2:56 pm

                  But they aren’t. Hosking is.

                  • james …
                    10 April 2018 at 2:58 pm

                    you struggle with the concept of people disagreeing with you dont you?

                    • Muttonbird …
                      10 April 2018 at 3:57 pm

                      Um, it’s actually a fact. People don’t like Hosking because he’s a jumped up prat without the remotest sense of compassion nor empathy.

                      Even most of the mild rabid right think he’s a dick. They’ll quietly nod at his racist and antisocial reckons but they still think he’s a dick.

                    • James []
                      10 April 2018 at 5:46 pm

                      Muttonbird – self appointed expert on what other people think since ages ago.

                • Stunned mullet …
                  10 April 2018 at 3:45 pm

                  yep – I’m sure they’d give as much of a damn as Hosking would in regards to an anonymous poster on a little blog giving them a gobful.

        • Daveosaurus 19.1.1.6
          10 April 2018 at 7:24 pm

          Crashing a car isn’t ‘misfortune’ – it’s usually either poor driving or poor maintenance.

          • James 19.1.1.6.1
            10 April 2018 at 7:54 pm

            Yeah. That’s what happens in formula 1 also.

            Ffs it was a track day. It happens. A lot.

            • Keepcalmcarryon 19.1.1.6.1.1
              10 April 2018 at 9:09 pm

              It does in Hoskings garage by the sound of it.

            • Daveosaurus 19.1.1.6.1.2
              11 April 2018 at 3:25 pm

              Most people it happens to don’t go and have a good cry in public about it.

              Should have maintained his brakes better.

        • reason 19.1.1.7
          12 April 2018 at 9:45 pm

          I was going to say he drives cars like Paul Holmes used to flys planes … mind the bump

    • james 19.2
      10 April 2018 at 12:11 pm

      Anyone involved in tracking cars faces this risk- its all part of the package.

      Its popular with a ton of people – go any weekend and you will see people there. Not all in expensive sports cars – plenty of track days open to all sorts.

      A lot smarter than driving like an idiot on the road.

      • Monty 19.2.1
        10 April 2018 at 12:23 pm

        I find car racing incredibly dull. But I know lots of others who love it and as you say have cars that they race. They can’t get crash insurance just fire and theft due to the type of car and how it’s modified. They accept that and the risk.

        I am not a fan of Hosking but I agree with your above comment re making fun of his misfortune. His crashing into the garage wouldn’t be news if he was t in the public eye.

      • Cinny 19.2.2
        10 April 2018 at 1:54 pm

        Do cars have to be scrutineered like drag cars prior to racing, unless one has a special certificate?

        Awesome that people have a track up there that the public can use, car racing is super boring to watch, but a hell of a lot of fun when you’re behind the wheel.

        • james 19.2.2.1
          10 April 2018 at 2:35 pm

          It was a track day – so they are not racing.

          the cars are checked over – but its just a basic check – not like motorsports requirements – thats why you can use a normal road car.

          Same with the “run what you brung” drag days.

          • Cinny 19.2.2.1.1
            12 April 2018 at 12:19 pm

            Thanks James, for explaining, appreciate that. I know with the drags it is highly recommended to have a secondary braking system.

            Brakes failing, change gears. No gears, I would have yanked on the handbrake if I was the only one on the track, possibly resulting in a mean as donut at the least, lololololz 🙂

            • james 19.2.2.1.1.1
              12 April 2018 at 12:25 pm

              Probably not the idea to go with – good way to end up on your roof 😉 Still hard to think when things go wrong fast.

              Best option is to just use the gravel run off – that’s what it is there for.

              Hampton’s is just down the road from the drags – its well worth checking out.

              • Cinny …
                12 April 2018 at 12:34 pm

                Sweet, I haven’t been up that way in years. Mental note….. if driving to Auckland have some fun in the car on the track; that would be epic.

                Gravel run off, good safety feature.
                James, the drags here in Motueka are at the local airport on one of the runways, it’s a real hard case, skydivers falling back to earth in the background. Worth a visit if you enjoy drags, just for the small town novelty factor 🙂

      • Keepcalmcarryon 19.2.3
        10 April 2018 at 9:13 pm

        Shit yeah, all those skills Hosking has developed so long as there are no corners or braking involved.
        What a toolbag.
        Don’t get me wrong , I love him, he’s so representative. Also when I picture him, it’s his election night face.
        Thank you.

    • Muttonbird 19.3
      10 April 2018 at 1:53 pm

      “No brakes”. What a liar.

      • james 19.3.1
        10 April 2018 at 2:34 pm

        of course you must know more than him.

        but his comment makes sense if he was using standard brake pads – they simply dont hold up on track days.

        plenty of others have made the same mistake – or lied according to Muttonbird – expert on everything (backed up with nothing)

        • Sacha 19.3.1.1
          10 April 2018 at 4:13 pm

          “if he was using standard brake pads”

          well-deserved, if so.

        • reason 19.3.1.2
          12 April 2018 at 9:59 pm

          ‘Normal brake pads’, have a little metal nipple which starts grinding / squealing when your brakes are getting low …. it’s a warning feature. …. and plain to hear if this was happening…. and the car still has brakes / braking at this point

          So Hosking is saying a catastrophic failure …. which in non maintained vehicles usually means a blown brake hose …. followed by more rare O ring failures.

          I suspect Hoskings mouth was simply to fast for his ability … or brakes

    • joe90 19.4
      10 April 2018 at 7:56 pm

      I’m drowning in schadenfreude…… send help, immediately!.

  20. james 20
    10 April 2018 at 12:17 pm

    Some nice news from Pack and Save.

    Pak’nSave has taken its $2 deals to a whole new level — providing a community centre for Kaitaia’s youth for a single gold coin.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12029503

  21. ianmac 21
    10 April 2018 at 12:22 pm

    How sad. Mike Hosking damaged his Alfa Romeo 4C car on the race track and no insured.
    http://spy.nzherald.co.nz/spy-news/mike-hosking-crashes-80-000-sports-car/

    • Sabine 21.1
      10 April 2018 at 1:40 pm

      yesterday someone asked the question when is someone too rich,

      i guess when someone has a spare car worth an annual wage and a half and does not see it fit to insure it before going on the track.

      Cheap, useless, dumbarse, fuckwit, thy name is Mike Hoskings.

      • Zorb6 21.1.1
        12 April 2018 at 11:28 am

        You may find Insurance coys are not interested in insuring race cars.Apparently they crash quite often.

        • Sabine 21.1.1.1
          14 April 2018 at 8:00 pm

          They do, but on the Track you can get insurance for your cars and your bikes. I volunteered enough as a marshall (usually for bikes) and you can get insurance.
          Track day insurance they call it. And while the type of car he drives is a super car and a fast one, i would not call it a ‘race car. Its a car someone with too much money and a profound lack of life.

          Mind the insurance might be a bit costly, and who knows maybe he was our of pin money?

          http://www.platinumautoinsurance.co.nz/wawcs0144583/Track-and-Training-Days.html

  22. Anne 22
    10 April 2018 at 12:31 pm

    Watch this truckie drive through a tornado and be scared:

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/102964499/live-an-april-storm-hits

  23. Bob 23
    10 April 2018 at 12:58 pm

    They should profile all the Asian & Russian money launderers, who were allowed to enter this country because of their wealth, them bring in the whole tribe (whanau) who have never paid tax in NZ & get free medical care and the rest.
    Bad move which she is doing nothing about for fear of being called a racist.
    Coming from a 3rd world country to a soft touch like NZ is, the Asians and the Indians know how to manipulate the system in NZ.
    TOUGHEN UP LABOUR. !!!!

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

  24. Draco T Bastard 24
    10 April 2018 at 2:30 pm

    Tori Sullivan: Taxman’s robots to hunt out cash jobs
    Taxpayers beware! The roll-out of Inland Revenue’s new $1.9 billion transformation project will significantly increase the risk of detecting cash jobs, under-reporting income or over-claiming deductions.

    But it could also see significantly increase compliance costs for small and medium-sized businesses, which comprise a large chunk of New Zealand’s economy.
    OMG, people may actually have to pay the taxes that they owe. OMG, THE Humanity.

    Or something like that. Imagine NZ business managers and owners actually having to become good enough just to obey the law.

    And if businesses find that their record keeping costs goes up that actually means that there weren’t doing it right in the first place.

    Second, innocent taxpayers will often lack the records to explain any departure from what IR says is the industry norm.

    If they don’t have the records then they’re not innocent as they’re breaking the law.

    And in tax disputes, the taxpayer must disprove an IR allegation. That means increased record-keeping is required, creating an increased compliance cost for all businesses if they are to prove their innocence.

    Keeping accurate records is a requirement of law. If they don’t have accurate records then they’re breaking the law.

    But hey, it appears this prick thinks that breaking the law is AOK if you’re a business.

  26. roy cartland 26
    10 April 2018 at 3:30 pm

    Wow, this is cool:
    They’ve basically admitted that the public and iwi are pissed off about the wastefulnes of bottled water.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/354674/company-at-centre-of-poroti-water-dispute-sells-to-crown

    • veutoviper 26.1
      10 April 2018 at 3:40 pm

      THAT IS FANTASTIC!

      Thanks so much for bringing this to attention. Fine they did well out of the sale, but what a great outcome.

      • roy cartland 26.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 3:50 pm

        Totally, hopefully many more will fall – water sent offshore in plastic, but “no one owns it”. The absurdity alone hurts my brain.

      • patricia bremner 26.1.2
        10 April 2018 at 8:05 pm

        Just brilliant, and the land surrounding the springs is SO important to their health.

  28. mary_a 28
    10 April 2018 at 4:21 pm

    Idiot drivers cause car crashes, according to the oh so wise Mike Hosking.

    Well and truly proved his point at Hampton Down didn’t he?

    Congratulations Mikey. Correct for once. However not so smart Mikey … no insurance for his big bucks Alfa Romeo … tsk tsk.

    • John Shears 28.1
      10 April 2018 at 4:51 pm

      Is it possible that Mike Hosking was not able to get insurance on his fancy car from any Insurance company ‘cos No company thought that his driving skills were up to the standard that they require for driving at speed on a track?
      No evidence, just saying.

    • John Shears 28.2
      10 April 2018 at 4:54 pm

      No Insurance on expensive car ,maybe the insurance industry thinks that the owner is not a good risk driving at speed on a race track.
      No evidence, just saying.

  29. Drowsy M. Kram 29
    10 April 2018 at 4:38 pm

    Now that the former Minister of Health (blunderer-plunderer Coleman) has buggered off to the private healthcare sector, who in the National party will take responsibility for the Middlemore hospital debacle?

    So much wrecked during National’s eyes wide shut ‘management’ of health, education, the environment, housing etc.

    Aimless Adams is off-target with her ‘crying wolf’ comment.

    Ms Adams said rather than crying wolf the government should be thanking National for inheriting such a strong economy.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1804/S00030/pm-hints-of-further-public-underfunding-revelations.htm

  30. Ad 30
    10 April 2018 at 5:30 pm

    Winter’s coming.

  31. eco maori 31
    10 April 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Prime News it gives me a smile that the Auckland council has closed 75 % of the walking tracks that are affected by the Kauri die back virus.
    It will be great music from fleetwood mac and Neil Finn I enjoy the music from both.
    Ka kite ano P.S tawhiti has been going hard today

    • eco maori 31.1
      10 April 2018 at 6:45 pm

      Newshub I wonder if this weather is going to convince the money men that man made Global warming is a reality .
      There you go a young brown man wins a gold medal ka pai David Liti for your great effort and winning your gold medal.
      The Wahine disaster was a sad occasion 53 people died what a waste of lives I have had a bit of fun when I ended up in the drink lucky it was a fine day it was my crew-mate fault he let something go and there you go I’m in the drink I spat my false teeth out swearing at him strait to the bottom of the sea the teeth went LOL .
      I believe what Mark Zuckerberg is saying Face Book does a lot of good for the community most TV company’s that have live streaming TV on the Internet use Facebooks soft ware to complete that feat thats a fact and many more use there platform for live streaming.I say that because of this fact the powers that be are trying to undermine Facebooks credibility can not have live stream videos getting out to the Papatuanuku world with the money men editing it KNOW. Ana to kai Ka kite ano P.S its good the neighbour has stop stuffing with sky i can watch The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime TV

      • eco maori 31.1.1
        10 April 2018 at 7:14 pm

        Mulls about time I seen you on The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime TV e hoa.
        We have had a good nite and day of sports OUR Wahine have been stepping up to the mark Mana Wahine.
        Thats a good name for Blake Green from the Warriors balaka I say use Kakariki ka pai .
        Thats the way Mulls tell it like it is lets just enjoy the success of The Warriors and cut out all the bull—–.
        Ka kite ano . P,S good show to-nite James I can remember
        when Danny Morrison first started his international Cricket career now he looks like me long in the tooth

        • eco maori 31.1.1.1
          11 April 2018 at 7:47 am

          Good morning Newshub Tawhiti Mataaho Whaitiri were mahi last nite in Auckland . Good on OUR Queen for letting her English humor shine Ka pai.
          I would have preferred the Auckland Council to close off all the walking tracks around OUR precious ancient Kauri till they find a cure to that Kauri die back virus.
          Amanda I have changed many CV joints on vehicles I taught my self before the internet I would go and ask a mechanic what was wrong and how to fix it.
          Now one has youtube well its all on there how to fix most things I like working on Nissan’s and Toyota’s as they are built with the mechanic in mind easy to work on. Dancan that’s one way to tow a car not for me thought .
          Kia Kaha sports stars Ka kite ano P.S Gut cancer is a major problem we have about a kilo of waste sitting in our boules one time I used a jack hammer for to days going hard I lost about a kilo of waste it got vibrated out it was disgusting lucky I figured out the cause .

          • eco maori 31.1.1.1.1
            11 April 2018 at 8:03 am

            Here a link to the video on my Pa having the Carving unvailed
            Watch “Ngāti Porou hapūb celebrate completion of carving restorations” on YouTube
            https://youtu.be/mxg1bEJ5VEA
            Kia kaha Ka kite ano

          • eco maori 31.1.1.1.2
            11 April 2018 at 9:11 am

            The Cafe yes its a pheromone you should avoid favoritism of children I observed it while I was growing up and still do now .
            I have one but I make sure to override it and sheer my attention with the others as they will let me know when they grow up also its bad for the children’s wairua that miss out on your attention . I have been on both sides of that pheromone enough said . Ka kite ano

            • eco maori 31.1.1.1.2.1
              11 April 2018 at 6:47 pm

              Newshub there need to be more archaeology going on in New Zealand theres a lot of our history being covered over with roads ECT.
              trump will start a war and people will be killed just to hold on to his job what a idiot .
              Good on OUR Queen for acknowledging man made Climate Change publicly
              and her common wealth forest she is getting planted the trees are OUR lungs and they can live for hundreds of years it sad that our Kauri is suffering a virus at the minute . Kia kaha Katrina Grant captain of the Silver Ferns Netball team Mana Wahine. Ka kite ano P.S someone has stuffed with my computa idiots . Ha I know when the ECO MAORI effect has happened they start advertising because te Kumara never tells how sweet it is Ana to kai

              • eco maori …
                11 April 2018 at 6:58 pm

                Ingrid there is snow on te maunga in Rotorua ka kite ano
                P.S I will watch The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime TV now Ana to kai

                • eco maori …
                  11 April 2018 at 7:17 pm

                  The Crowd Goes Wild James we have simler taste in sports teams .
                  Yep Jenny May is cool One sports person tryed to bait me it bit him on the ass he ended up in the principals office she the new CEO of that organisation I have alread thanked the powers that be for her appointment . Funny WAI Josh was a machine in his day hope his head does not get to big for you guys . Ka kite ano P.S O your are a hard case Mulls with the reff comment

                  • eco maori …
                    11 April 2018 at 7:29 pm

                    YEP Mulls and James ECO MAORI will always be grinding for his causes
                    to much Portia Woodman Mana Wahine ka kite ano.
                    P.S you guys gave me a sore face