Open Mike 10/02/2017

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 10th, 2017 - 58 comments
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58 comments on “Open Mike 10/02/2017 ”

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    • Ad 1.1
      10 February 2017 at 7:18 am

      By ‘hope and change’ are you referring to this citizen taking a holiday?

      • Morrissey 1.1.1
        10 February 2017 at 5:53 pm

        He took a holiday for eight years. He did nothing to stop the depredations against the Standing Rock tribe. He did nothing to stop the Republicans ganging up against him and reducing his Affordable Care legislation to a farce. He did nothing to stop Israel attacking the captive population of Gaza, or killing peace activists in international waters.

        Yes, he’s certainly earned his time off kite-surfing and horsing around with Richard Branson. He wisely leaves it to saps like Bernie Sanders to waste their time marching with common folk.

  2. Andre 2
    10 February 2017 at 6:46 am

    What happened at that Kauri Rescue meeting in Titirangi last night:

    Bad news first: there is no treatment ready yet to introduce to the public or councils to treat their own trees, and the treatment that looks most promising is not a full cure but something that helps the tree fight back. It’s unknown yet how often and what repeat doses will be needed in the future. I got the impression it’s likely to be several years away before there will be a general recommendation and treatment materials available to go out the general public.

    The good news is that treatment using phosphite is showing promising results. So the meeting was about recruiting motivated property owners with infected trees to volunteer as “citizen scientists” to do a much wider study refining dose rates and schedules. Think of it as clinical trials for new meds, or beta software testing.

    It sounds like the team is planning to do this program in all areas affected by kauri dieback. So if you have infected kauri on your property and want to participate, the first thing to do is contact your council and have soil samples taken to confirm the disease is present.

    In the meantime, keep on eye on:

    http://www.kaurirescue.org.nz/

    http://www.kauridieback.co.nz/

  3. lprent 3
    10 February 2017 at 8:42 am

    Overnight power cut for maintenance drained the UPS batteries. Unfortunately the power bill isn’t in my name so I didn’t get a warning until the UPSes started beeping. Some body forgot to tell me until 0030

    Also left the mail server off and inaccessible this morning. Had to do some work to get everything back on line.

    Cables and open computer cases this morning. All operating now. I will clean the mess up tonight.

    Oh well off to paid work.

    • Barfly 3.1
      10 February 2017 at 8:47 am

      Thank you

    • Infused 3.2
      10 February 2017 at 10:39 am

      Time to get it hosted somewhere decent.

      • lprent 3.2.1
        10 February 2017 at 12:35 pm

        Why?

        The operational cost at present is $194 per month running 24/7 at more than 99% uptime and moving about 600gb to 800gb per month. Average cpu runs on 8 cores and peaks at about 20% average during the day. Ie lots of room for expansion.

        Everything I have seen so far indicates that we’d be paying at least 2.5x to get anything with half the capacity inside nz. And more at election time.

        That means actually needing to spend time raising funds compared to just letting people donate what they feel like.

        • bwaghorn 3.2.1.1
          10 February 2017 at 12:46 pm

          ”Why”

          because he’s a rwnj , he doesn’t understand that some one could enjoy doing something themselves on the cheap when they could outsource and go for a profit.

  4. One Anonymous Bloke 4
    10 February 2017 at 8:56 am

    The only way to Tory proof anything is to take back everything they steal, with punitive sanctions, and zero compensation. Do that every single time it happens and the bludgers will think twice, and realise that they need to learn how to do an honest day’s work instead.

    [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.]

    • weka 4.1
      10 February 2017 at 9:21 am

      How would you achieve that OAB? Shoot all the National Party voters? Maybe try and put your plan in the context of the post to eh?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1.1
        10 February 2017 at 9:32 am

        The same way they do it: get elected then impose un-announced policies under urgency.

        I’d start small, too: cancel a few contracts, start bringing public services back into public hands. Reverse all the creeping privatisation, then fry the bigger fish.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 4.1.2
        10 February 2017 at 12:15 pm

        A constitution that enshrined the rights of Nature is probably the only way to Tory-proof that.

        How do you propose to stop them amending it? Or indeed, to sign up to it in the first place?

        Look how much has already been lost by attrition. I’m sure my opinion on this isn’t relevant to the post. Is yours?

        • weka 4.1.2.1
          10 February 2017 at 11:52 pm

          Relevant is a word the programmer chose when he kindly gave the authors a way to move comments out of their posts. I think off-topic is closer to it this time. You’d probably have gotten away with it if you’d related it back to the post.

          Seeing as how I wrote the post, I think my opinion is probably relevant 😉 But a conversation for another time (the strategy stuff).

  5. Molly 5
    10 February 2017 at 9:05 am

    Despite recent articles considering the impact of oil exploration on whales and dolphins, one of which mentions mentioning current exploration around Farewell Spit, the Herald fails to mention this in an article this morning regarding 300 dead whales in that area.

    • Cinny 5.1
      10 February 2017 at 9:23 am

      Nature leaves many signs for us. Hot cold weather, full moon, whale stranding. Hope I’m wrong. Making sure water bottles are full etc here.

      The whales that stranded are pilot whales, not sperm whales like what washed up at Rabbit Island a few weeks back.

      Pilot whale strandings are common at the Spit. But this one is alarming, due to the sheer volume of the whales. It is estimated that around 70% of them have died. High tide is almost here and the air is buzzing with air traffic at the moment.

      Please go over and help if you can.

  6. Cinny 6
    10 February 2017 at 9:10 am

    If you live in Motueka please don’t forget to VOTE for the COMMUNITY BOARD.

    There are four choices, here is what I have discovered about the candidates, yes i’ve been asking people around town and ex TDC councillors about the candidates.

    Two of the candidates are older men, one failed to be re-elected to the TDC last year, another has failed twice to become the Mayor. Old boys club. One of them is super dodgy, and one day that truth may come out in a public forum, can’t disclose what I was told, but dang! Someone has some skeletons in their closet.

    There is a woman standing, she is an ultra conservative christian, i won’t hold that against her, but IMHO it’s not what Motueka needs, we are way to diverse for another conservative community board member.

    Then there is a young fella, he owns one of our local cafes, is full of enthusiasm, has many bright forward thinking ideas, loves Motueka and is energetic and optimistic.

    Link here for the profiles of the candidates

    Voting closes at noon on 17 February

    Special Votes will also be available in the TDC Motueka office (7 Hickmott Place) between 10am-12 noon on 1, 3, 8, 10 and 15 February 2017, and between 9am and 12 noon on Friday 17 February 2017.

    Special Votes can be posted out directly to electors. The completed voting paper, however, must be in the hands of the Electoral Officer or the Deputy Electoral Officer, at either the Richmond or Motueka Council office, by noon on election day, Friday 17 February 2017. Please contact the Council on 03 543 8554 for assistance.

    PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE 😀 THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY 😀

  7. Cinny 7
    10 February 2017 at 9:16 am

    There has been a MASSIVE whale stranding out on the Spit.

    Are you able to help? Grab your wetsuit and some warm clothes, sunscreen, insect repellent and food. Please don’t come to rubber neck, help is what is needed.

    More info on what to take with you if you are going over to the Spit to help can be found here.

    • mauī 7.1
      10 February 2017 at 8:26 pm

      Sorry if anyone takes offence, but I think it’s a perfect time for people to take meat and whale bone for personal/family or community use but this probably isn’t allowed under DOC and the don’t touch nature approach. I just think it is a huge resource wasted and another sign we aren’t connected with nature as much as we used to be. I can’t imagine the american indians watching a herd of bison rot away in similar circumstances. This is what we could do, like modern day bison harvesting (vegetarians might want to look away…)

      • weka 7.1.1
        10 February 2017 at 10:09 pm

        I was thinking this too especially if it was done in conjunction with having locals studying the whales and the strandings. Matauranga Māori.

        Great vid btw, thanks for that.

      • marty mars 7.1.2
        10 February 2017 at 10:55 pm

        Bone too pourous for carving. In the old days it was feast time. The settlers would render them down too in their day for oil. It is different now. Can’t imagine after spending so much time trying to save them that people are going to go back to their car for the chainsaw and buckets to get a feed for later.

        Sometimes it is best to just leave alone. When I did the spit tours I would often stop and show the punters a decomposing pilot whale. Facinating and unforgetable in many ways.

      • Cinny 7.1.3
        11 February 2017 at 8:32 am

        I’m of a similar mindset Maui, interesting clip, thanks for posting. So much logic in your words.

  8. Bearded Git 8
    10 February 2017 at 9:47 am

    Toby Manhire nails Trump’s first 20 days-sooo funny.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11797687

    FFS we have another 1441 days of this to go.

  9. weka 9
    10 February 2017 at 9:58 am

    I’m compiling a list of NZ MPs who have spoken out against their party on matters of principle or conscience. So far I’ve got Marilyn Waring and Tariana Turia. Who else?

    • marty mars 9.1
      10 February 2017 at 9:59 am

      Hone Harawira – in starting the Mana Party

    • Carolyn_nth 9.2
      10 February 2017 at 10:07 am

      Was the whole Lange disaffection with Roger Douglas a speaking out on a matter of conscience, or as wikipedia says, a fracturing of the Labour Party?

      then there was the Chris Carter business: though that was more clandestine.

      Shane Jones (a conscience?), and Katherine Rich.

      • Jenny Kirk 9.2.1
        10 February 2017 at 3:17 pm

        oh yes – David Lange did too. In fact, I spoke out in support of what he was saying. And yes – his was a matter of conscience. He had been trying for months during 1987 to get Douglas to slow down, or reduce, or even stop the momentum that was build on neo-liberal economics. And in early 1988 (during January I think) he spoke out against them. And I followed suit (being a new MP and not realising how punishing such an action could be).

        I think Shane Jones found himself in the wrong party. What did he speak out about?

        • Jenny Kirk 9.2.1.1
          10 February 2017 at 3:55 pm

          Just remembered – David Lange spoke overseas – in USA – about NZ leaving the ANZUS agreement and apparently he did so without running it past Cabinet first. There was a huge ruckus in the caucus about that. Does Wikipedia have details of that ?

        • Carolyn_nth 9.2.1.2
          10 February 2017 at 6:19 pm

          Thanks, Jenny.

          Jones frequently had a go at the Green Party in a way not done by the NZLP MPs, and spoke for commercial fishing, as I recall – speaking against environmental policies.

    • Bearded Git 9.3
      10 February 2017 at 10:38 am

      Anderton et al and the formation of the Alliance?

    • McFlock 9.4
      10 February 2017 at 11:31 am

      Didn’t Damien O’Conner cross the floor on the wind-blown logs thing?

    • Carolyn_nth 9.5
      10 February 2017 at 11:36 am

      Winston Peters frequently spoke out against the National Party when he was in their caucus. not sure if conscience was involved.

      So far I can think of more right wingers who have spoken out against their party than left wingers.

      • Jenny Kirk 9.5.1
        10 February 2017 at 3:20 pm

        That’s because they do not sign up to a clause which states they will not speak out in opposition to anything their govt is doing. Labour MPs (and candidates) sign up to obeying the direction of the Leader and Cabinet, and to keeping any arguments “inside the tent”. ie caucus. The Nat MPs have a greater freedom of speech I suppose you could say, but do they ever speak out on behalf of the poor, the disadvantaged, or vulnerable ?

    • Jenny Kirk 9.6
      10 February 2017 at 3:13 pm

      I did, too. Against Rogernomics – but I didn’t leave the Party. I stayed, and have continued to work with the Party over the years in the hope that Labour would return to its roots – which it is now doing.

      Mr Minogue also spoke out against the Nats. Might have been on the same subject as Marilyn Waring, but I think he also spoke out about other matters.

    • mary_a 9.7
      10 February 2017 at 5:58 pm

      @ weka (9) … then there was also Michael Minogue. He and colleague Marilyn Waring were more often than not crossing the floor to vote with the opposition during the last Muldoon government. In fact, it was Waring and Minogue who together helped bring down Muldoon in the mid 1980s. Despite being members of a National government, both were damn good MPs, sticking firmly to their principles.

    • Anne 9.8
      10 February 2017 at 7:07 pm

      Derek Quigley spoke out against Muldoon’s financial policies in the 1980s. Muldoon fired him. He left National and later he and Roger Douglas became co-leaders of the newly formed ACT Party.

  10. Tarquin 10
    10 February 2017 at 12:13 pm

    Alamein Kopu was Jenny Shipleys puppet and the reason “waka jumping” legislation came about. She went in as a left winger and propped up a right wing government that was falling apart.

  11. marty mars 11
    10 February 2017 at 12:44 pm

    the stealthy approach to destroying a culture must also be opposed vigorously

    Former Māori Party co-leader Dame Tariana Turia is threatening to march to Parliament again and voice her concerns regarding the Children, Young Persons and their families (Oranga Tamariki) legislation currently before Parliament. She’s concerned that the proposed amendments give CYPFS the legal power to determine who will raise Māori children who have been uplifted from family.

    People are frustrated, angry and ready to support Tariana Turia in her march to Parliament.

    Dame Tariana Turia told Te Kaea, “It is timely for the government to be listening to Tangata whenua about these issues, after all, these issues impact on our whānau long term, and we know that there’s a negative down trend when you take children out of their families.”

    http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/if-we-can-fight-our-land-we-can-fight-our-tamariki-dame-tariana-turia

    more detailed background and an open letter to read

    “Tēnā koutou i ngā tini āhuatanga o te ao,

    On Wednesday, October 12, a hui in Ōtaki discussed the changes Anne Tolley has proposed to the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act, removing the clauses that consider the effects of decisions on whānau, and that prioritise placing a child within their hapū or iwi.

    Those clauses came out of the 1988 report Puao-te-ata-tu. After extensive research around the nation, Puao-te-ata-tu found that ‘institutional racism’ was at the root of Māori social welfare problems, and predicted that the Crown would continue to fail Māori unless this was fixed. The report found that Māori succeed when rangatiratanga is recognised and supported, and recommended that Māori should be resourced to solve the problems Māori are facing.”

    http://starspangledrodeo.blogspot.co.nz/2016/10/open-letter-from-hands-off-our-tamariki.html

    Plus my take on the whole sordid and desperate situation

    “The time has come – we cannot stay silent or still anymore – we will march and we will fight for our culture and we will win”

    http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2017/02/nah-children-stay-with-us.html

    • weka 11.1
      10 February 2017 at 1:08 pm

      What’s the rationale given by the govt? Hard to see this as anything other than racist.

      • Macro 11.1.1
        10 February 2017 at 1:55 pm

        The argument as I recall – and I can’t find any link – just heard in passing on RNZ 9 to noon I think – was that it was better to place children at risk in “better care” than could be offered by some whanau. It made me think at the time – this isn’t going to go down well!
        It’s all about cost really – probably “cheaper”* to place children elsewhere rather than provide proper support.

        *Cheaper meaning the cost today – the long term effects of course are never factors considered by a National govt.

      • Brutus Iscariot 11.1.2
        10 February 2017 at 2:27 pm

        The idea is to get children out of toxic environments by any means necessary.

        • marty mars 11.1.2.1
          10 February 2017 at 3:30 pm

          every care giver is given the same scrutiny so that is not actually a reason to disregard international studies and persistent advice and evidence that keeping children within (as much as is possible) their culture is better for them.

        • weka 11.1.2.2
          10 February 2017 at 3:37 pm

          I agree, putting Maori kids into a Pakeha system that is way to often toxic is a bad idea, like this legislation.

          • Brutus Iscariot 11.1.2.2.1
            10 February 2017 at 3:56 pm

            How about all the whanau and neighbours etc in the Nia Glassie case who didn’t lift a finger to stop it, or even notify the authorities? The further the kids are taken from those sort of communities, the better.

            Again, the reflexive ideological backlash whenever a key buzzword is mentioned (Maori, woman etc) seems to trump practical reality.

            • weka 11.1.2.2.1.1
              10 February 2017 at 4:07 pm

              Are you saying that because of that case Maori can’t be trusted? Why would you judge Maori on the worst situation you can think of? By that’s criteria we shouldn’t trust Cyfs, the govt, or Pakeha either. Frankly if you think the Glassie situation is representative of Maori, that’s weird.

            • Carolyn_nth 11.1.2.2.1.2
              10 February 2017 at 4:31 pm

              I wish all those in the know about the PM’s ponytail pulling, setting up NZ as the equivalent of a tax haven, and all those in the know about the amount of tax avoidance specific companies do, would step up and say something.

              Otherwise, maybe we should just take people away from those jobs and put them somewhere where there is more ethical over sight.

    • Carolyn_nth 11.2
      10 February 2017 at 1:40 pm

      Thanks for this info, marty. Sounds unacceptable on the part of the government.

    • DoublePlusGood 11.3
      10 February 2017 at 2:14 pm

      Bit hypocritical of Turia to complain here when she’s been supporting the government that has been pulling this sort of shit for 9 years. She could always, you know, start opposing the government.

  14. The decrypter 14
    10 February 2017 at 5:44 pm

    See double dipper go-in shearing tomorrow. Supportive of agriculture etc etc ,(-in the herald.) Wonder if he could show to how pollute rivers/ streams next — -episode I’ll call it.–or maybe how not to pollute??