Open mike 10/10/09

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 10th, 2009 - 20 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

mike

We’re trying a daily “Open mike”.

This is a place for anyone to post comments on topics that might be of interest, and for any discussion following up on the comments. Over to you…

20 comments on “Open mike 10/10/09 ”

  1. the sprout 1

    Locked-out Auckland bus drivers offer to drive school children for free on Monday

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10602399

    Don’t know who’s handling their PR strategy but they’re bloody good.

    NZ Bus on the other hand have only succeeded in looking belligerent and intransigent.

  2. jcuknz 2

    If Auckland bus fares are anything like here in Dunedin I would have thought it easy enough and small enough for much more than $1.80/hr/driver to be added to each fare to cover the cost for NZ Bus … better than loosing $150T a day while there are no services. Management are being stupid and unhelpful from what I hear on National Radio from their spokesperson.

  3. TightyRighty 3

    where’s the strident defense of acc entitlements now?

    • IrishBill 3.1

      The “blow-out” is just the same tired juking of the numbers we saw last time Smith tried this. I may post on it at some stage this weekend.

      • Sean 3.1.1

        Yea thought ACC was struggling, but not quite this much! Few suggestions:
        1. Get rid of the free physio cover for injuries that have occurred on the sports field.For other accidents/injuries cover should not be free. Perhaps 50% subsidised.
        2. Require that everyone contribute into a personal accident cover savings account held by the IRD. If operations or physio are needed then funds from this savings account can be used. Any funds left in this savings account when you reach 65 get paid out to you in full.

        • Sam Vilain 3.1.1.1

          The nice thing about the current system is that it doesn’t really matter how you got your injury, you are covered so that you get the best treatment and get back to work quickly.

          Taking this away could have a chilling effect on how people enjoy themselves in their free time.

        • jcuknz 3.1.1.2

          You mean to say that the over 65yo don’t injure themselves? 🙂 Any funds that are collected need to be part of a person’s estate as ACT suggests.

          • Sean 3.1.1.2.1

            Healthcare should be fully subsidised for those over 65. The problem with the current system is no one feels like they are spending their own money when they make unnecessary visits to the doctor/physio etc. If you the money coming out of your funds you might not get the abuse of the system that we currently see.

  4. Out of bed 4

    What is it with the Espiners ? Did an environmentalist bully them at school?
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/on-the-house/

  5. Out of bed 5

    What is it with the Espiners? did they get bullied at school by an environmentalist or something?
    Last week we had Guyan Conduct a shocking interview with Meteria
    http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2009/10/sorry-was-i-still-talking-while-you-were-interrupting/
    and now Colin pops out a complete load of twaddle
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/on-the-house/2949774/Green-grow-the-rushes
    I just love the way he equates the Greens with the English rort

    • Herodotus 5.1

      Meteria did not help things with her poor performance without answering some valid questions (from memory there wwere only 2 subjects – International Trade and the Housing ). What is an interviewer suppose to do when questions asked do not tie up with the reply or avoidance of the question.

      • Out of bed 5.1.1

        As someone said “Espiner had ADD in the interview,”
        he never gave Met chance to speak without interrupting
        And yes “free trade” might not be as free as you think eh ?

  6. randal 6

    in my experience never trust anyone who calls themselves colin.
    signed: MIke

  7. Bill 7

    Nice little glimmer on the US msm networks.

    MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan and Mark Ames discussing ‘corporate communism’, a term coined to describe the rorting of the US economy by the banking and health care industries.

    (Links to another worthwhile Dylan Ratigan slot where he crucifies Betsy ‘ Death Panel’ McCaughey)

    Anyway, in the comments below the piece, someone (comment 4) points out that what is happening is essentially Italian Fascism and there is no need to invent a new phrase, but as another commentator wryly notes,(comment 6) fascists feel proud and strong about being called fascists, but corporate commie pinko fags?

  8. BLiP 8

    For all his “more market” stance, Brian Gaynor continues to be the average punter’s best business columnist in New Zealand. In today’s piece he offers sage advice for those individuals silly enough to consider investing in the New Zealand sharemaket and spells out in simple language one of the myriad murky ways of the financial world.

    • Rex Widerstrom 8.1

      I second BLiP’s recommendation. You could just about throw away all those books in investing if you read Gaynor’s column. You’ll also start to feel quite thirsty 🙂

      The Myer float is interesting. They’re flogging it to death in Australia, of course, with ads which seem to be trying to imply that you’ll get to meet Jennifer Hawkins at the AGMs if only you’ll buy a share or two.

      Thankfully sager minds such as I aren’t lured by this sort of nonsense.

      We’re waiting till David Jones needs a cash top-up in the hope they’ll offer to send Miranda Kerr round to our house with a copy of the prospectus.

  9. BLiP 9

    The Employers And Manufacturers Association advocates state censorship as a solution to the problems concerning the s92A of the Copyright Act.

    (We suggest) . . . blocking of file sharing sites or filtering to prevent such sites from being downloaded from. This is similar we believe to the application of Child Porn filtering

    Who cares about pesky civil liberties when they interfere with business, eh?

  10. toad 10

    And now for something completely different!

    Sad, in many ways, that the Israeli blockade of Gaza has led to this.

  11. jcuknz 11

    Thankyou for the link Toad 🙂 Let’s hope the Obama Nobel prize gives him enough edge to solve the problem over there. We were rather more hopeful back in February when nominations were made than I am now.

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