Open mike 12/05/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 12th, 2011 - 51 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step right up to the mike…

51 comments on “Open mike 12/05/2011 ”

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  1. logie97 1
    12 May 2011 at 7:07 am

    If our finances are so dire and Joky Hen has identified where we can make serious adjustments that will put us back on the right track, how come he won’t implement those changes with immediate effect? Seems to me that if you are haemorrhaging then you apply the tourniquet now This is a sticking plaster approach to managing the economy, where the bleeding is of the government’s making in the first place.

    • Jim Nald 1.1
      12 May 2011 at 8:04 am

      Labour: KiwiSaver

      National: KiwiSlaver

      • Sam 1.1.1
        12 May 2011 at 8:54 am

        So what do you say to Phil Goff who, although bleating about the changes to kiwisaver, is also reported to have said that Labour would not reverse them.
        Another “Axe the tax” campaign coming up?
        Phil Goff is still the best leader of the opposition the government can have.

        • mickysavage 1.1.1.1
          12 May 2011 at 1:20 pm

          Bullshirt Sam, Bullshirt.
           
          The Herald reports that Goff said “Labour would spread the burden more evenly, although such cuts were difficult to reverse all at once when there was a big deficit.”
           
          He has not said he will not reverse them, only that the timing will need to be managed because of budgetary constraints.
           
          Remind me never to believe anything you say ever again.

      • the pink postman 1.1.2
        12 May 2011 at 3:49 pm

        lovely .JM. we should use that in a core-flute at election time.Bye the way how many people picked up Brash’s comment on morning report ‘That the poor spend to much money on groceries. Perhaps he wants us to only eat tinned peas?

      • Vicky32 1.1.3
        13 May 2011 at 12:04 am

        Great Jim! 🙂

        • Jim Nald 1.1.3.1
          15 May 2011 at 9:45 am

          Was checking on whether I had typed something or changed my mind at the last minute and found the follow-up comments … you guys might like one previously posted:

          Helen Kelly: Working Bros
          National: Warner Bros

          🙂

  2. Jenny 2
    12 May 2011 at 7:07 am

    ‘
    The Big Issues

    Social Spending Cuts vs. Tax Cuts for the Rich.

    The above, is the likely main issue around which the General Election will be about.

    – and which all the contending political parties will be judged on.

    One of the groups that has sought to make tax an election issue is the Tax Justice Campaign.

    One of the main calls of the Tax Justice Campaign is the introduction of a Robin Hood tax, relabelled in this country the Hone Heke Tax, after the popular folk hero of New Zealand history.

    Tax Justice are asking Kiwis to send a message to John Key following the release of the budget, next week.

    Join the campaign, read all about it here.

  3. logie97 3
    12 May 2011 at 7:25 am

    “Employers and employees are going to have to shoulder more of the burden.”
    and Phil O’Reilly agrees.

    Kerr and his mates in the Round Table, however, have said that it is not
    the responsibility of business to be involved in socially responsible issues.
    It is their business to be as efficient and as profitable as possible.
    Seems they would assert that the employee should be providing for himself, work harder, get more money and find his/her own retirement scheme.

  4. Scott 4
    12 May 2011 at 7:32 am

    Conservative bloggers use the repatriation of a head to accuse Maori of barbarism and praise European colonisation, but what about the European role in the nineteenth century head trade?
    http://readingthemaps.blogspot.com/2011/05/white-headhunters.html

  5. Robert Atack 5
    12 May 2011 at 7:53 am

    Children and teachers at a fifth of the 1,600 schools in Fukushima are receiving at least 20 millisieverts of radiation per year, said Nakate, according to readings from the government. That’s the limit for a nuclear power plant worker, according to Japan’s nuclear safety commission.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-11/fukushima-students-wear-masks-as-radiation-looms.html

    Prior to this thing happening children were legally ‘permitted’ 2 millisieverts per year, the Japanese government has OKed the higher dose.

    Fukushima is the latest growing disaster the MSM are ignoring, did anyone hear that reactor buildings 3 & 4 were burning for a few days over the weekend, and might still be? And radio active steam and water are still gushing from the plants? With contaminated ground water moving IN land. ‘We’ got more accurate and up to date information from the Russians re Chernobyl …. which was under control 6 weeks after it shit itself, where as Fukushima is at best 9 months away from being ‘under control’ if ever.
    There is song that describes what is going to happen globally regarding cancer – Turning Japanese, oh yes I think so ….

    For more info that is way beyond our idiot editors, and the even bigger sacks of shit, you know the ones in the Beehive.

    But we will be ok as we have Kiwi Saver 😉

  6. Robert Atack 6
    12 May 2011 at 8:24 am

    Nuclear collapse looms? Fukushima No. 4 reactor ‘leaning’
    Look at 4:27 ish on this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxbm7iJTT8U
    What you can see is the side of the spent fuel pond gone.
    Not that anyone gives a rats arse

    • rosy 6.1
      12 May 2011 at 8:41 am

      Oh I think most people give a rat’s arse, but there is nothing – repeat – nothing – they can do about it.

      • Robert Atack 6.1.1
        12 May 2011 at 9:06 am

        Yeah not even to demand the truth out of the ruling cartel, because that would mean learning something themselves …. then dragging themselves off the couch and acting.

        • todd 6.1.1.1
          12 May 2011 at 11:26 am

          There are a few positive moves around the World in terms of closing old Nuclear reactors down and undertaking more inspections. This has been a direct result of people making their voices heard. It’s also a result of some politicians waking up and realising that if they don’t do something, similar “accidents” will occur. However not enough is being done to ensure our safety and the human species survival for that matter.

  7. tony 7
    12 May 2011 at 9:30 am

    “The company had “no association” with the contract for the ministerial cars which he said would have been negotiated directly with BMW New Zealand.”
    Question: Who has the maintainance contract on these cars. My guess is that it will probably be a Wellington dealership?
    There are still questions that need answering…will the great Radio NZ political editor Brent Edwards go looking…or is he happy to regurgitate the National spin.

    • Sam 7.1
      12 May 2011 at 10:12 pm

      Storm in a tea cup.
      Now that Hodgson is retiring Labour gets a new attack dog – Hipkins??

  8. Pascal's bookie 8
    12 May 2011 at 9:35 am

    Speaking of smears and big issues and not fronting them, perhaps the PM might want to put his big boy pants on and do a sit down interview with this guy:

    http://www.tv3.co.nz/John-Stephenson-re-Take-No-Prisoners-Apr-27/tabid/1833/articleID/70759/Default.aspx

    Yeah, nah.

  9. joe90 9
    12 May 2011 at 9:44 am

    How to tell when someone’s lying.

    Although deceptive people do not say much, they tend to spontaneously give a justification for what little they are saying, without being prompted.

    They are more likely to press their lips when asked a sensitive question and are more likely to play with their hair or engage in other “grooming” behaviors. Gesturing toward one’s self with the hands tends to be a sign of deception; gesturing outwardly is not.

    Ya reckon?.

  10. todd 10
    12 May 2011 at 11:20 am

    Asshole of the Week Award – Kyle Chapman

    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/05/asshole-of-week-award-kyle-chapman.html

    Well this week’s award recipient was pretty easy to choose. Kyle Chapman jumped up and yelled; “I’m an asshole, look at me.” So naturally he was our top candidate. Kyle’s latest ridiculous crusade after taking a break from his National Front duties (to become a Mormon and rut his new wife Claire Clifford), was to start the fundamentalist group Right Wing Resistance (RWRNZ). Incidentally, Claire left the fascist in 2009 when he again became involved in hate campaigns. Wise move.

  11. Deadly_NZ 11
    12 May 2011 at 12:07 pm

    I started this as an open Letter to old smile and wave, but then I figured he would just ignore and delete so I will put it up here All comments are welcome. BTW I do not write for a living.

    John Key You really think you are smart don’t you? you don’t give a flying fuck that you are leading New Zealand to Financial ruin. And you, who worships, and loves nothing more than money, and a job well done, why do you continue to sabotage Ordinary Kiwi’s?? you could have been a good prime minister. however you are a joke now. They Call you Shonky, Jonky, Smile and Wave and other less flattering things. What a legacy. The rich fool who hated his own country so much, that he lived in America. Until he came home to take his revenge against the very system that made him, gave him a safe environment, an education, (school and University) he went on to make millions, and what did he do ? He extracted his revenge on the very system that made him what he is. State Housing (ruined) ACC (ruined ready to be sold) Power Companies (readying them for sale 100% ( Don’t bullshit me)) WINZ ruined (where staff have been gutted, and now are overworked, demoralised, and underpaid). Early learning centres , Kindys and such funding slashed . The Family court that’s screwed now for sure. How will anyone ever get Free legal assistance ever again, or a competent lawyer, the Legal Aid service Slashed and cut. The Womans Refuge for gods sake the last bastion of safety for a battered woman, Funding Gutted. And I am sure others could add many more. And the numerous, faceless public servants that he has ruined, their lives in tatters, Bills to pay, bills that were incurred on a high income, and NO money or help, except to default. Because Winz won’t help if you can get an appointment in under 2 weeks, then you have to be like a performing dog, jumping through what ever hoops they feel like putting you through (You have NO choice in this. No do. NO MONEY). And then along come the vultures your mates they buy up NZ companies that you have ruined for a song. There are no jobs or if there are they don’t hire you. The minimum wage plummets, benefits are slashed, and crime increases and there you have it John Keys Utopia for all to see. A prison country..

    Who would have thought Key would have watched Star trek Voyager episode 1 season 1 where a guy called Paris was serving on a prison colony in New Zealand.

    Maybe that’s his goal a prison country.

  12. Penny Bright 12
    12 May 2011 at 12:44 pm

    Elections tend to be won or lost in Auckland – so, in my considered opinion, opposition to the proposed Auckland ($upercity) Council 4.9% increase, is not to be underestimated.

    When the good folk in Epsom, living in their medium/ high value properties, realise that the Citizens and Ratepayer Councillors on 13 December 2010 supported a 3.9% rate increase – when they were led to believe that the Auckland ‘$upercity’ was going to achieve ‘economies of scale’ – I believe that some form of electoral backlash is to be expected….

    __________________________________________________________________________

    FYI:

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/act-begins-search-epsom-candidate-replace-hide-ne-92821#comment-121262
    Colin Williscroft | Wednesday May 11, 2011 | 13 comments
    Act begins search for Epsom candidate to replace Hide

    Nominations are open for an Act candidate to replace Rodney Hide and contest the Epsom electorate in the November 26 election.

    “Act has always had a strong presence in Epsom – from 1996, when the party won 22% of the party vote, to the present day,” Auckland South board member Barbara Steinijans said.

    “In Rodney Hide the people of Epsom have had strong local representation for the past six years. Once again, Act will be running a strong electorate vote based campaign.”

    The incumbent MP, Mr Hide, does not have the support of new party leader Don Brash, although Mr Hide is yet to formally rule himself out from standing in the seat.

    Mr Hide won 56% of the vote in the 2008 election, although National won 63% of the party vote.

    Nominations close at 5pm on May 24.

    __________________________________________________________________

    MY COMMENT:

    John Banks was a loud and proud ‘$upercity’ supporter from Day One.

    But – the first thing the $upercity -$uper RIP OFF Auckland Council wants to do is to put up residential and commercial rates 4.9%.

    So much for the ‘economies of scale’ that were to be achieved by forcibly amalgamating our 8 former Councils, in another ‘Rogernomic$ blitzkrieg’ (without a binding poll of citizens and ratepayers).

    For those who just want to jump on the band wagon and blame Mayor Len Brown and the ‘left-leaning’ majority on the Auckland Council – here are the FACTS:

    C&R Councillors on 13 December 2010 voted in support of a 3.9% rates increase.

    (You will note that young National Party ‘Wonder boy’ (?) Jami-Lee Ross supported a 3.9% rate increase? )

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/meetings_agendas/committees/Pages/strategyandfinancecommittee.aspx

    Auckland Council Finance and Strategy Committee meeting 13 December 2010 (Pgs 7-8)

    12. Annual Plan 2011/2012 – High Level Budget Review

    (c) That the Strategy and Finance Committee agrees a rates target of 4.9% for 2011 -2012 to inform the Mayor’s development of the draft annual plan.

    MOVED by Councillor Wood seconded Councillor Fletcher

    That a rates increase of not more than 3.9% be struck and officers work to identify further savings.

    A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

    For

    Councillors

    Cameron Brewer
    Hon Chris Fletcher
    Des Morrison
    Callum Penrose
    Noelene Raffills
    Jami-Lee Ross
    Sharon Stewart
    George Wood

    Against

    Councillors

    Anae Arthur Anae
    Len Brown
    Dr Cathy Casey
    Sandra Coney
    Alf Filipaina
    Ann Hartley
    Penny Hulse
    Richard Northey
    Sir John Walker
    Wayne Walker
    Penny Webster

    Councillors Michael Goudie and Mike Lee were absent.

    The division was declared lost 8 votes to 11
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    The Auckland Council ‘books’ are NOT open.

    If a giant scalpel were to be applied to all that consultant and private contractor BLUBBER, and core council services returned to ‘in-house’ provision (cutting out all these private ‘piggies-in-the-middle’), in my considered opinion, rates could be slashed by hundreds of millions of dollars.

    That’s why I’m standing in the Howick by-election.
    To help achieve that.

    ‘OPEN THE BOOKS! – CUT OUT THE CONTRACTORS!’

    PS: If you think replacing the ‘bureaucracy’ with the ‘contractocracy’ is so ‘efficient’ – ask yourself this one simple question.

    Over the last 20 years – have YOUR rates gone up or down?

    Penny Bright
    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

    http://www.stopthesupercity.org.nz
    http://www.stopprivatisation.org.nz
    http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz

    • Drakula 12.1
      12 May 2011 at 10:50 pm

      Penney I fully sympathasise because we are experiencing the same phenomenon with the Selwyn District Council who have just put up our rates nearly 15% on top of a 20% increase last year for Lake Coleridge Village.

      The situation is a wee bit different as these increases are mostly on targeted rates like water and sewage on a small village of 40 households, but having said that we have to pay for a new swimming pool at Rolleston that is about 2 hours drive from here.
      This pool cost about 14 million was approved regardless of earthquake damage in the area and on top of $14 million that was spent on building the new council chambers two years ago.

      A couple of weeks ago I wrote to Mr Hide (a bit late) but I also wrote to Sue Kedgley we are trying to get the audit office in to have a look at the books.

      Yes I agree the more it is outscoursed the less accountability there is, well I guess the most obvious example is contractors putting in their tenders, that has to be treated as commercially sensitive information. Still an auditor can still go through the books without compromising anyones privacy.
      Yet they seem powerless and furthermore there doesn’t seem to be any political will to back them up.

      So much for Rodney Hide’s promise to put a cap on Rates that exceed the rate of inflation, that promise can’t even be held in a supercity such as Auckland where the economies of scale is vastly different to the Selwyn District in Canterbury.

  13. Pascal's bookie 13
    12 May 2011 at 12:56 pm

    World’s Satirists Jump Under Buses

    “Just can’t compete with this shit”

    http://uk.news.yahoo.com/arctic-countries-seek-cooperation-ice-melts-150250967.html

    US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her colleagues from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden will gather in Greenland’s tiny capital of Nuuk to discuss how to manage the [Arctic’s] development while protecting its fragile ecosystem….

    …It “is a historic turning point to deepen and strengthen international cooperation in the Arctic as we seek to meet the dramatic challenges of the equivalent of a melting continent over the next several decades,”…

    …”By working together to ensure the safety of human life in a newly emerging region of human activity we can show in particular that Russia and the United States are key actors in helping to propel cooperation on core issues.”

    …Earlier this month scientists said that warming in the Arctic is occurring at twice the global average and is on track to lift sea levels by up to 1.6 metres (5.3 feet) by 2100, a far steeper jump than predicted a few years ago…

    wait for it, wait for iiiiit…

    …

    …Washington wants the Nuuk talks to launch a task force designed to negotiate an instrument for handling Arctic oil spills.

    “We know that there are significant deposits of oil and gas that were in the past difficult to access and may become more accessible over time,” he said.

    The United States wants the Arctic countries to be prepared to both prevent oil spills or other disasters and to create “effective mechanisms to deal with accidents should they happen,” Steinberg said.

    More than one fifth of the world’s undiscovered but technically recoverable reserves of hydrocarbons are located north of the Arctic Circle, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

    The region accounts for about 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of the undiscovered natural gas, USGS data shows. About 84 percent of the resources are offshore.

    Exploration off Greenland has yet to produce any commercially exploitable reserves, but that did not stop British firm Cairn from boosting its investment there by one billion dollars on the back of “encouraging” first results.

    • Lanthanide 13.1
      12 May 2011 at 1:10 pm

      I’ve always been puzzled by the apparent certainty that the Arctic holds huge amounts of ‘undiscovered’ resources. Isn’t it also possible that it actually holds very little? Or that some other part on the planet that hasn’t been thoroughly explored (and there are lots) could actually turn out to have the motherlode?

    • Draco T Bastard 13.2
      12 May 2011 at 4:07 pm

      Obviously, the concern about the 1.6m rise in sea levels is about how much more it’s going to cost to build the offshore oil rigs.

      • joe90 13.2.1
        12 May 2011 at 4:11 pm

        Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age?.

        Dr Jan Zalasiewicz of the University of Leicester is one of the leading proponents of the Anthropocene theory. He told BBC News: “Simply put, our planet no longer functions in the way that it once did. Atmosphere, climate, oceans, ecosystems… they’re all now operating outside Holocene norms. This strongly suggests we’ve crossed an epoch boundary.”

  14. Samuel Hill 14
    12 May 2011 at 1:35 pm

    Read this..

    Funny photo of John Key too.. lol

    http://www.webcitation.org/5VxD4yxyR

    • Lanthanide 15.1
      12 May 2011 at 1:54 pm

      Yeah. Hopefully he’ll be able to sort EQC out and get some proper co-ordination going there.
       
      I really think they need to move to a model where people have case managers to deal with their claims so there’s some continuity of information and handling, instead of getting the ridiculous run-around of ringing up the call center, being put on hold for 20 minutes only to be told “no, we have no information for you”.

  16. The Voice of Reason 16
    12 May 2011 at 1:56 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4992150/PM-announces-Tai-Tokerau-by-election-date

    25th June. Hone has till 31 May get his 500 members or he’ll have to run as an independant.

    • Descendant Of Smith 17.1
      12 May 2011 at 9:51 pm

      Interesting the thought of lowering taxes for business to a really low rate.

      Had a mate just come back from living in Vegas for many years and he talked to me about how well that’s not gone over there.

      As a result of lowering business taxes to low levels, and in some case state taxes to zero, new business has not been attracted to states like Nevada because as they now have no money services and infrastructure and education has been cut and no business wants to move there – you can’t for instance get skilled staff because the education system doesn’t produce any.

      Sure Nevada for instance has other problems such as billions of dollars of clean up needed from now absent mining companies but lowering taxes has made things worse not better.

  18. todd 18
    12 May 2011 at 2:11 pm

    90% of Climate Denial Papers linked to ExxonMobil

    http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/05/90-of-climate-denial-papers-linked-to.html

    A recent article by the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), concerning a number of peer reviewed scientific papers, has received widespread global condemnation from environmentalists, scientists and some of the authors of the papers themselves. The article references more than 900 papers which, according to the GWPF, refute “concern relating to a negative environmental or socio-economic effect of AGW.

  19. ianmac 19
    12 May 2011 at 4:47 pm

    Roger Sutton will start in the role in mid-June, as the permanent chief executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. CERRA
    Crikey. That was suggested by many including Jim Anderton at least 2months ago. A great leader for the job, as long as he can manage Brownlie.

  20. Terry 20
    12 May 2011 at 5:09 pm

    # David Farrar (1,467) Says:
    May 12th, 2011 at 1:52 pm

    I might donate to Kelvin also.

    Kelvin has no chance … labour party policy don’t give him the room to capture enough votes, and why vote your Kelvin he is already in next term at 23 on the list.

    Hey David I think the last thing Kelvin would want is an endorsement from yourself, that would surely lower his mana in the north.

    In the last Election Hone had a 32% mayority over Kelvin. If Kelvin wants a mandate he should also stand down from the Parliament, and remove himself from the list for the general election to test his mandate at this by election. I doubt he would.

  21. felix 21
    12 May 2011 at 7:37 pm

    Ok serious issues now, what the frack was Maurice Williamson on today?

    Check out what he’s saying at 1:57, 2:00, and 2:17 in this vid: http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/8742

    What’s he playing at meow?

  22. Draco T Bastard 22
    12 May 2011 at 7:59 pm

    http://labour.org.nz/news/national-shows-further-contempt-for-workers%E2%80%99-rights

    “A number of jobs currently being advertised on Work and Income’s ‘Find a Job website offer positions below the legal minimum wage and without employment rights such as holiday pay and sick leave.

    This is what I’ve been saying for years now about the building industry in Auckland especially but around the country in general. It’s possible to be offered a position as a builder (4 years on the job training) for $15/hr +GST and for that one low price you have to supply all your own tools and vehicle (and old junker won’t cut it either as it will be unreliable). The tools aren’t cheap and need to be maintained and certified every three months.

    Basically, once you take into account all your expenses for that hourly rate you’re quite literally paying to go to work. Paula Bennett’s “any job’s a good job” just shows how out of touch she is.

    If you’re on the UE benefit WINZ will cut you off if you turn down said job because you must accept any reasonable offer of a job and the idiots at WINZ just look at the $15/hr and think it’s reasonable.

    • Carol 22.1
      12 May 2011 at 8:17 pm

      Yes, I saw that live today:

      http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QOA/9/5/2/49HansQ_20110512_00000009-9-Find-a-Job-Website-Vacancies-Employment.htm

      Hon PAULA BENNETT: I suppose the difference between this side of the House and the other side is that this side thinks that any job is a good job. We do not always get to do our dream job. Sometimes we have to work hard, sometimes we have to get a bit stuck in, sometimes we have to prove ourselves to get promoted, and sometimes we have to wash dishes in a rest home for a while, or dig drains. But there are opportunities out there, and that is a great thing. Work and Income currently has 5,386 open positions, and over the last 12 months it has listed more than 65,000 positions on its website. I cannot guarantee that every single one of them is right, but I think it has got the criteria pretty strong, as much as they are.

      My thought at the time was that she was assuming only young people would be looking for such jobs. But what of the people who have already proved themselves, have a lot of experience and have been made redundant, especially older people? I heard a section on Nine-to-Noon this week about discrimination against older workers by recruitment practices, making it hard for older people to get jobs.

      • felix 22.1.1
        12 May 2011 at 8:29 pm

        The great right wing myth that the min wage is just something kids get paid until they “move up”.

      • Vicky32 22.1.2
        13 May 2011 at 1:00 am

        That website is utter shite! Having been told that we have to make x applications per month through it, I look every so often. Many of the vacancies listed are old (and actually the positions are closed) and one can’t apply directly, but have to go through a case manager…
        Getting the ‘case manager’ to pull finger and put in an application within the time specified is a job in itself (I have missed out on being considered for many jobs because of lazy or incompetent case managers and job brokers one of whom could not find my CV on time, although I followed her instructions and sent it to her time and time again, and it was already on their system!
        All of the jobs seem to be unskilled, and some of them are frankly scams (telemarketing, pyramid selling etc.) One job broker referred me for a job I had already applied for and been turned down for, and then referred me for a job way above my competence. I was very embarassed when the employer (DOS of a language school) phoned to tell me gently that I wasn’t qualified, sorry, and I told her “I know. I didn’t want to be referred for the job, but WINZ wouldn ‘t listen”
        WINZ don’t know their rectums from their ante-cubital fossae..

  23. Colonial Viper 23
    12 May 2011 at 8:44 pm

    I heard that Goldman Sachs has been hired to help AMI Insurance.

    Learn a bit more about Goldman Sachs on the excellent Keiser Report. NB some offensive language 🙂

    • Draco T Bastard 23.1
      12 May 2011 at 9:51 pm

      Summing up Goldman Sachs business practice: Finangle a sale of paper to the client that we get paid a commission for, when the paper fucks over the client it we will benefit again because we took bets out that the paper we sold the client will collapse.

      Yeah, I don’t think that getting G/S to help AMI will help AMI – probably do G/S real good though.

  24. Vicky32 24
    13 May 2011 at 12:28 am

    Today on my way to Parnell, I had the misfortune to sit right behind a chatty bus driver who insisted on pointing out John Key’s house, and telling me how much better he is under NACT, and how NACT will force his ‘malingerer’ brother on a sickness benefit to get a job, and force his prisoner ‘good for nothing’ brother in law to go straight…
    Then he showed  some more of his true charm by letting me off outside off at the primary school where I was going to interview for a special needs teacher aide job – and as I got off the bus saying to me “There they are, the little bastards. Rich kids!” *  as he drove away.
    As my son said later when I told him about it, the guy is the second type of RWNJ, a poor or middle class guy who thinks that a leader like Shonkey will make him (Mr Bus Driver) into a plutocrat, who can crap on the poor, as in his perception the ‘dictator’ Helen Clark used to do. By him Phil Goff is a weak ninny who wouldn’t stand up to Helen, and John Key is a brave knight who has rescued our economy. (Above all, my making beneficiaries ‘shape up’! )
    *As the school principal interviewing me said, the school is decile 10, but it takes children from all over the show, including the children of doctoral candidates from University of Auckland, and its make up is changing. Not all “rich kids” by any means.

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