Open mike 13/06/2016

59 comments on “Open mike 13/06/2016 ”

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1. Paul 1

   13 June 2016 at 6:18 am

   Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
   We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

   Evictions ‘causing homelessness’

   Housing New Zealand is being accused of causing homelessness by evicting people who can’t get rehoused anywhere else.
   The Tenancy Tribunal made 1430 orders involving Housing NZ last year, an average of 27 a week, and 717, or an average of 36 a week, so far this year up to May 16.
   Auckland Action Against Poverty advocacy co-ordinator Alastair Russell said the state-owned agency, which exists to house people who can’t get housed elsewhere, was “pursuing an aggressive policy of eviction based on non-payment of rent”.
   In one case, he said, a mother of a 7-month-old baby faced eviction today over $666 in rent arrears due to being placed on a sickness benefit instead of a sole parent benefit after the baby was born. Work and Income agreed to pay the arrears after Mr Russell intervened.
   “We are seeing cases where people are increasingly being charged market rent, for example when they don’t fill in the yearly returns [reporting their incomes].
   “Then Housing NZ says they have accrued rent arrears and will automatically take them to the Tenancy Tribunal, and we are having to intervene on their behalf.
   “They are not talking to Work and Income to resolve people’s issues through Work and Income assistance which could maintain their housing.
   “They are acting without a shred of social responsibility and callously locking people out on the street for very minimal reasons, and actually causing people to become homeless.”

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11655261
   • Gangnam Style 1.1

     13 June 2016 at 6:23 am

     “In the other case, two young Eritrean refugees, Muhyaddin Salih, 36, and Idrees Idrees, 30, faced a tribunal hearing on June 16 to end their tenancy for $2601 in rent arrears arising from their rent rising to $345 a week when both men were working, but not being reduced again when Mr Idrees’ job ended after a 90-day trial.”

     A perfect storm is brewing, all the stupid Nat policies reacting badly together to cause pain & misery, except for property developers, bad bosses & casinos.
   • Once was Tim 1.2

     13 June 2016 at 6:45 am

     “Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
     We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.”
     You’re correct @Paul.

     No better illustration than when I visited the local New World supermarket.
     There they were offering donations to charities when one spends over $150 – you put some sort of token in a bin (a bit like Z service stations)

     The biggest donations were to the gym. Admitedly the local school got the next biggest, but coming in well behind and last were charities like Starlight.
2. Gangnam Style 2

   13 June 2016 at 6:21 am

   “A true New Zoolander…” lol, about guess who? I see Max & Paula are fronting an ‘anti cyber bullying’ campaign or some such, what a cruel joke.
   • Paul 2.1

     13 June 2016 at 6:43 am

     Wonder if Paula will do her job and communicate with the public on the issue?
     How many interviews has she declined now?
     • Gangnam Style 2.1.1

       13 June 2016 at 5:59 pm

       I see Amy Adams fronting the ‘anti cyber bullying’ thing too, she was mentioned in the Dirty Politics book as being part of an online right wing troll army back in the day, so kinda ironic really.
       • Gangnam Style 2.1.1.1

         13 June 2016 at 6:09 pm

         Also Adams gets mentioned here for her part in Dirty Politics/Cyber bullying right wing politics http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11319024

         “In September 2013, Slater received another misfired email meant for Labour MPs which had gone to Cabinet minister Amy Adams. It appears to have been copied, sent to Ms Collins and then to Slater who used it to make fun of the party’s new leader David Cunliffe.”
3. Greg 3

   13 June 2016 at 7:40 am

   Figures out on work visa and immigration show huge numbers going into minimal wage jobs. How many of these work visa’s are being signed up for Kiwisaver, I know a couple who have. And I bet that the employer gets to keep the sign up fee’s.
   What a great scam. I bet the owner of the kiwifruit company recently in court signed up his overseas workers.
   • Craig H 3.1

     13 June 2016 at 1:05 pm

     Only residents and citizens are eligible to join Kiwisaver, so nothing should be set up for work visa holders.
4. AsleepWhileWalking 4

   13 June 2016 at 7:51 am

   This morning I saw several stories of Mr Brock, rapist from somewhere in the US. Different parts of this story are being offered up again and again for what feels like weeks.

   I’m yet to click on any of them.

   Wondering why the hell we are being inundated with this when we have PLENTY of NZ stories of a similar vein.
   • Gangnam Style 4.1

     13 June 2016 at 8:53 am

     If you have to read anything just read the victims statement, its a very sober & thought provoking piece of writing, would be a nice post & applies to NZ as well.
   • mpledger 4.2

     13 June 2016 at 9:12 am

     It’s because a rich, white guy, caught in the act of raping a women got a sentence of 6 months jail but will be out in 3.
     • Sabine 4.2.1

       13 June 2016 at 9:16 am

       also his instance of drinking is a diminishing factor in his decision making – he was not quite himself you see….., while her drinking was an aggravating fact in the rape – you see she did not protect herself enough to not get raped by having a drink to many.

       This whole case is such a show case for everything that is wrong in this world when discussing sexual assault and rape.
       • marty mars 4.2.1.1

         13 June 2016 at 9:37 am

         +1
       • Greg 4.2.1.2

         13 June 2016 at 11:36 am

         Its not a activity men give each other awards for, quite the contrary, victims in the Roastbusters case got no justice, and unless its in a gang setting, or think of Louise Nicholas.
         Incidentally, what happened to the Auckland academic thesis of Aucklands underage prostitutes being raped or paid by Auckland police, claims of the report have been removed from the Herald online version,
         and what was said by the sister of David Bain? What happened to the book she was writing.
5. Puckish Rogue 5

   13 June 2016 at 9:18 am

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/80836726/mike-williams-and-the-howard-league-gives-prisoners-a-second-chance

   This is pretty good stuff, well done Mike Williams (actually well done everyone)
6. Sabine 6

   13 June 2016 at 9:27 am

   http://www.bryangould.com/whos-in-charge/

   indeed who is in charge?

   http://otakimail.co.nz/outside-the-box-challenging-conventional-thinking-and-offering-new-perspectives-about-our-world/

   good reads in regards to lending, borrowing and creating cash out of thin air.
7. Jenny Kirk 7

   13 June 2016 at 9:46 am

   Another good read on Scoop – Gordon Campbell on the proposal to spend $20 Billion on defence .

   ” Once again, government spending on Defence is increasing by leaps and bounds, without any rational cost/benefit analysis. Yep, even Prime Minister John Key admitted this week that “the country can be confident it does not face a military threat in the foreseeable future” – but alas, there’s no peace dividend in that equation.
   ” Regardless of the lack of any rationally foreseeable external threat to this country or to the South Pacific, we are planning to spend $20 billion over the next 15 years on kitting out Defence with a new generation of top shelf equipment.”

   http://werewolf.co.nz/2016/06/gordon-campbell-on-the-new-defence-white-paper/
   • Puckish Rogue 7.1

     13 June 2016 at 12:03 pm

     The problem is the military have been underspent for so many years (National and Labour) that to upgrade the big items will cost more now then it could have been done before, as I’m sure you’re aware ships and air craft aren’t cheap

     Added to that the completely stupid and criminally irresponsible decisions made by the top ranks hasn’t helped either

     For those with any passing knowledge I’m pretty sure I only have to mention the Charles Upham as an example of some of these problems and then you add in the new LAVs (well new at the time) not fitting into the Hercules and so on

     So yes 20 billion over 15 years is not unreasonable
     • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1

       13 June 2016 at 1:06 pm

       as I’m sure you’re aware ships and air craft aren’t cheap

       True but they’d be a hell of a lot cheaper if we did them ourselves instead of buying USian (which we inevitably do) and we’d reap the benefits of all that R&D and manufacturing applied to our economy. The US has a defence procurement policy that, IIRC, requires all defence equipment and parts to be made in the US. We should have a similar policy here.

       So yes 20 billion over 15 years is not unreasonable

       It’s fairly pathetic really.
       • aerobubble 7.1.1.1

         13 June 2016 at 2:19 pm

         Underspending and misspending could, okay long string, explsin some of the view of Australia toward kiwis in Oz. When they talk about sponging they mean carrying NZ militarily. As to misspending, i mean all that open water means missiles, drones, capacity, since these are cheaper than frigates, subs etc. And this would explain why dumpind lots of personels geared toward last century defenses.
8. mac1 8

   13 June 2016 at 9:53 am

   Agreed, Puckish Rogue. An article well worth reading. A call to us for support of literacy campaigns at schools as well as within prisons.

   Williams says that prospective prison numbers can be judged by 11 year old literacy levels.

   On a related issue, I have just heard that you can gauge levels of future individual education achievement by the amount of TV watched during childhood. The more, the less.
   • Molly 8.1

     13 June 2016 at 10:51 am

     Having had children who have had difficulty with reading – dyspraxia and dyslexia, I would add the proviso that any literacy programme in schools needs to be developed to accommodate different learning styles, abilities and levels.

     My son, who was read to from a very young age, had a lot of difficulty reading himself, although he enjoyed audio books etc. He was reviewed at the age of eight, by a very experienced assessor – who said that he had the basic building blocks and he would get there. A couple of months later he did, and was reading Harry Potter, and The Hobbit soon after.

     But he did this in an environment without National Standards, that would have marked him as underachieving from the moment he entered school. The damage done by this approach to children’s innate belief in their ability must be huge.

     (Also, I remember reading about a study on the hearing of many prisoners, and there being quite a large percentage who are hearing impaired. Undiagnosed and not accommodated, this would indicate another possible cohort of people who are failed by our current approach to literacy.)

     Adult literacy programmes are often overlooked for their impact, but can be very effective and life-enhancing.
     • mac1 8.1.1

       13 June 2016 at 11:18 am

       Agreed, Molly. I understand the same about prisoners’ hearing. There is a link between hearing, literacy, anger, being left behind in education, alcohol/drug issues.

       I have a friend who in retirement from being a drug and alcohol counsellor, has become a literacy mentor in the local high school. He’s seen the connections, and acted, as a 70 year old. At our Grey Power AGM last week he was espousing this cause.
   • Puckish Rogue 8.2

     13 June 2016 at 12:42 pm

     What I liked about it (and respect to Mike Williams for it) was it appears to be working, it hits the “common sense” button and he was non-partisan about it so took the politics out of it

     I’m going to save the article at home and once I have the time, probably in a couple of months, I’ll email Mike and see if theres anything happening in Christchurch
9. Bearded Git 9

   13 June 2016 at 10:03 am

   Duncan Webb a good choice for Christchurch Central-Labour seems to have its act together with its candidate selections.
   • Pat 9.1

     13 June 2016 at 10:15 am

     a very good choice…..I would not be surprised if N.Wagner chooses not to stand
10. Jack Ramaka 10

    13 June 2016 at 10:17 am

    With regards to employment in NZ a lot of Asian students here in NZ are on Student Visa status whereby they can work up to 20 hours per week, many of these people are getting jobs here on minimum wages ahead of Kiwis, from what I have heard there is no incentive for Kiwis to work in low paid jobs as it will affect their benefit payments.

    I think we need something like Australia where the first $18,000 per year you earn is tax free, we need to give people in NZ an incentive to actually work.

    Unfortunately social engineering by both Labour and National Governments, has created a “feral class of people” here in NZ who are uneducated, state dependent, unskilled and many involved in illegal activities.

    We need to break the cycle and get these people contributing to a functional equitable society.
    • Sabine 10.1

      13 June 2016 at 11:02 am

      Have you got any stats to support your ‘facts’?

      it might also be do that a lot of businesses owned by business investors from overseas tend to employ students with work visas from their own countries.

      Fwiw, i have people apply with me, and while we pay above min wage we are not quite yet at the ‘living wage stage’, and those that apply are kiwis (of all ages) and they seem to be keen as getting a job.

      Maybe we rather have to accept that we may not have enough minimum wage jobs / low skill jobs for the Kiwis who need them and an extra 20 – 30 thousand students per year with work visas, plus those that come on working holiday visas.

      i do however agree that the first $ 20.000 should be tax free, as that is the min required in NZ to actually just provide the basics for survival.
    • Draco T Bastard 10.2

      13 June 2016 at 1:23 pm

      …from what I have heard there is no incentive for Kiwis to work in low paid jobs as it will affect their benefit payments.
      I think we need something like Australia where the first $18,000 per year you earn is tax free, we need to give people in NZ an incentive to actually work.

      These two things are not related. Having zero taxes on the first few thousand dollars of income won’t change the massive abatement rates on benefits that can leave you worse off if you work a few hours a week.

      To do what you want requires a UBI. Nothing else will do.
11. b waghorn 11

    13 June 2016 at 11:28 am

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11655519

    Dept to income rules will lock more people out of first home buying and is more about protecting banks .

    Also to my utter shock I see key has said something I agree with ,around the banks restrictions on lending to foreign buyers , its ” a stunt”
    • Puckish Rogue 11.1

      13 June 2016 at 12:49 pm

      See its always hard and not always satisfying the first time but the next time it’ll be easier and then, soon, you’ll start to enjoy it

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C4uTEEOJlM

      Welcome back to the fold 🙂
      • b waghorn 11.1.1

        13 June 2016 at 3:20 pm

        Very interesting look into the inner workings of the national caucus that clip .
        • Puckish Rogue 11.1.1.1

          13 June 2016 at 3:37 pm

          I know right, I thought it was going to be more along the lines of the mad hatters tea party but this was much more inclusive and welcoming so just to help you out I thought I’d send you a link you might find useful:

          https://www.mynational.org.nz/Donation
          • b waghorn 11.1.1.1.1

            13 June 2016 at 4:03 pm

            Why ever would they need a few dollars from a working class stiff ,when its far easier to get big donations in return for a few sweet deals.
            • Puckish Rogue 11.1.1.1.1.1

              13 June 2016 at 4:25 pm

              Because they tend to use cheques but working stiffs donate coins so we can do this:

              http://giphy.com/gifs/money-swimming-diving-n59dQcO9yaaaY
              • b waghorn …

                13 June 2016 at 5:12 pm

                You mistakingly linked to destiny churches web page.
    • aerobubble 11.2

      13 June 2016 at 2:49 pm

      Key introduced the million dollar migrant. They came and brought housing, this pushed out wealthy kiwis, who in turn pushed out middle nz, so pushing out lower nz into garages and over night cars. Others foresaw this, wanting migrants to invest in building not buying. Key wasnt listening, too busy pulling up the ladder, after he grewup in a state house. Now we hear of empty mansions in the heart of Aucklanded all that infrastruture purposed to suport empty houses, or worse, the non english speaking isolated grandparent left to house sit and claim all the venefits while their wealthy relative pays income taxes elsewhere not nz. Dont geme wrong i loathe NZF view that families cant bring relatives over, but theres always abuses that need to be managed. Introduce a empty house tax, build not buy, and granny dumping must been here for a decade before getting super, must own their homes have savings.
12. aerobubble 12

    13 June 2016 at 2:36 pm

    Cycling. Cyclists wobble while they peddle undr their own power, comparable to skate boarders, zimmerframers, etc. They are essential pedestrians, and like all pedestrians being hit by a metal petrol powered vehicle is pretty nasty for them. In ths context is shaming that its illegal for kids to ride on the foot path. And we can see wht historucally the car lobby made up thus clueless law, that only posties can cycle on footpaths. Whuch statistically is pretty accidentless for posties, no deaths?

    So it seems strange that cyclists who avoid death, and ride much slower on footpaths due to more obstacles, driveways, pedestrians, and potential harm, would be seen as objectable because the law was written by the car lobby to stop kids getting into cycling. And please, who argues that! That cyclists accidents on footpaths is the same, when the outcomes i.e death from being runover by a truck…

    Anyway i get it. Cycling has seen a resurgence, the infrastrucure was built for cars, the culture was pro car, the people unuse to bikes, especially older drives have a harder time adapting. But why are the buke lobby anti riding on footpaths? In Japan its legal, in time people will create the best rules, like speeding cyclists, and alwats giveway to pedestrains, that will bring down the accident rates as people get used to it.

    Cyclists have been persecute to long, and still are when its obvious they cyclists will come off much worse. Sure there was one case where a cyclits stupidly cycled in front of a doorway, and the pedestrian needed a new hip, by like i said its a learning curve.
    Cyclists are so obviously a class of pedestrian.
    • aerobubble 12.1

      13 June 2016 at 2:53 pm

      Oh can some clearup cycle way rules for me, on road cycle ways are one way, but cycleways on footparhs are both ways right?
    • McFlock 12.2

      13 June 2016 at 3:44 pm

      New hips aren’t trivial.

      If you want to cycle, put yourself in danger, not me. I don’t walk on cycleways, you shouldn’t cycle on footpaths.

      As for direction on shared paths (not footpaths), there doesn’t seem to be any regulation in the cycle code, so do as you will (in accordance with the general directions on behaviour etc).
      • Gangnam Style 12.2.1

        14 June 2016 at 5:39 am

        Now you have DX Mail riding their motorbikes on the footpath delivering mail, also the footpath will be shared by NZ Posts new golfcart things (they have a cute name ‘Paxters’), so that footpath is getting very busy indeed!
        • aerobubble 12.2.1.1

          15 June 2016 at 2:49 pm

          Worse. Cars for sometime now been blocking pathways, driving on them, in fact cyclists aren’t doing anything that cars, motorcycles and every does. Yet McFlock seems to ignore the obvious chilling over reach of big govt, making it illegal fot kids to cycle on footpaths. Just show how unethical the ban cycle lobby has been.
          • McFlock 12.2.1.1.1

            15 June 2016 at 5:34 pm

            I seem to recall the cutoff for riding on the footpath is 12.

            A little kid is not going to knock me over as badly as a lycra-clad middle-aged jerk.
            • aerobubble 12.2.1.1.1.1

              17 June 2016 at 3:03 pm

              Campbell Live did a story that i’m sure had someone say kids had to ride on the road, so yes, thirteen year olds on footpath because the could concievable kill someone. really. A kid will knock over a zimmerframer. The point is a balance between harms and risks, cyclists will die when hit by a metal powered vehicle, whereas pedestrians will just learn to be more careful in future, while a very few will meet morons on bikes. Most people already navigate skakeboarders, old, push chairs, cars leaving driveways that their attention is already turned up that cyclist, riding slowly, giving way to them, and being cordial will have a notice decline in ACC if they were in the road, but are not due to this draconian law. Take it as said, that should accidents spike, of pedestrain and pedestrian cyclists colliding, then there are laws regards recklessness, cyclists who speed on footpaths are idiots like their car idiot mates, it is not a reason for a draconian ban. Cars e footpaths, mopeds do, its not a criminal proceeding when we dont prosecute all the other behaviour. Its jus a nonsense law that should shame parliament
              • McFlock …

                17 June 2016 at 3:32 pm

                Lol
                so when pedestrians are hit by cyclists, it’s the pedestrian who needs to “learn to be more careful in future”?

                Here’s the thing, though: cyclists who choose to cycle on the footpath are puuting other people at risk of a directly associated injury or death because of the decision of the cyclist. A cyclist on the road is making an informed decision to shoulder the risks of their own choice.

                You want to ride a bike, you take the risks of your decision: don’t force me to accept your risk. That’s like me smoking and offsetting some of my lung cancer risk to you, if that were possible.

                And yes, cyclists speeding on footpaths is a reason for a ban. No speedometer to check safe speeds, no registration plate to identify the reckless speeder, so the only recourse is a general ban to preserve the safety of others from the stupidity of the few. In my local central city, skateboarders are banned from footpaths. Should be the same for cyclists everywhere except designated shared paths that are wide enough for both users.

                What do cars and mopeds do on footpaths that we don’t prosecute?
                • aerobubble …

                  20 June 2016 at 2:03 pm

                  Speeding anywhere kills. As to banning Cycling on footpath becuase it kills is farfetched because it doesnt. Take the individual leaving a shop, was not looking where he was going, not looking if their was an old lady, or a skake boarder, or mail man on a bike and really they should of since they had real potential to break a hip. Sure they were probally too boring to get into exercise and break their hip anyway. Accidents happen, its not a reason to totally ban. We can selectively ban like we do in every endeavour, banning racing bikes that have vet thin tyres a,nd so are really wobbly at low speed, yet lighter at speed of 30kms, is a reasonable argument. Yet a man who wasn’t looking out for a mail man on a bike legally riding is no excuse just because they weren’t delivering mail. You see its quite legal for a middle age person to ride a cycle on the footph, its just banned for the rest of us.
                  • McFlock …

                    20 June 2016 at 2:28 pm

                    It’s quite legal to drive without a safety belt in certain circumstances, too, where the job requires it. Mail deliveries need to be done, and a bike is the best way of doing them in some circumstances. Public benefit vs public safety.

                    Where’s the public benefit in you choosing to cycle on the footpath? If there were any appreciable public good, cyclists would be in such great numbers they should have their own cycle way, and pedestrians have a footpath.

                    But what I really love is your claim that if I’m walking down the footpath and you hit me, breaking my hip or I fall funny and hit my head, this is somehow my fault. And moreso because if I’m walking, I must not cycle enough and that contributed to my injury. Really, it’s not your fault that I viciously through my body in front of your bicycle at all. You should get compensation from me for any repairs your bicycle requires – take it out of my estate. /sarc

                    I know people who have been seriously injured by cyclists on the footpath – fucked up his face and gave him a concussion. And yes, he is a gym-goer (but I don’t hold that against him). Take your victim-blaming bullshit elsewhere. Cycling on the footpath is the cyclist forcing their reduction in personal risk onto pedestrians. Just another example of how cycling is an inherently selfish and arrogant exercise.

                    [lprent: Released this from moderation.

                    I changed a security setting the other day (while helping weka with her password). It said that if someone uses a ’email’ that matches that of one of our few registered (ie has a login) users, that the comment should go into moderation. I suspect that is what is happening to you, CV, weka, and others who have logins, but who are leaving not logged in comments with their email.

                    Could you confirm if that is what is likely to be happening to you? Try logging in. ]
                    • McFlock …

                      20 June 2016 at 3:00 pm

                      lol whoops – locked myself out with too many attempts.

                      Part of it could be that my mobile autofills my email address with a typo, so every time I use that and have a stubby-finger moment it might piss off the machine.
      • aerobubble 12.2.2

        15 June 2016 at 3:03 pm

        Cycles have to cycle on footpaths, in many instances its the safe way to avoid been pinchered because our road aren’t considering them. Take the lady riding in a cycle lane, door opens in front of her, and a lorry drives over kiler her. Council should have gotten a manslaughter charge.

        Accidents will always occur,this shiuld never be used as a instrument to ban lawful public transit. Take dual carriageways, are you saying cyclists should not ride the footpath, or dangerously and confusingly to drivers, ride up the wrong way of a cycle way? and instead wait a traffic lights to get over to the left side, which of course dont change because they dont notice you, then have to negioate to the right hand lane of the dual carriageway, to turn right, then u turn to get to the address which riding on the footpath woukd have taken a minute, stead of ten. Thats just stupid, unproductive nonsense.

        Its only time before a squad of cyclists sit at a red traffic light block it so it cant detect a car, and causes auckland grid lock. And all they needed was the right to ride on the footpath!

        Sure racing bikes should be on a footpath, they are far too wobbly, and need to be ridden faster, too fast, as the hip replacement person discovered. Sports cycles, highly designed for speed and unstable…
        • McFlock 12.2.2.1

          15 June 2016 at 3:29 pm

          Cyclists don’t have to cycle anywhere. They can walk.

          You’re the jerk who wants to ride a bike. Don’t endanger me using the footpath with my feet.
          • aerobubble 12.2.2.1.1

            24 June 2016 at 9:55 am

            I see where you are coming from. Cyclists aren’t citizens with equal access. Accidents do happen, if you were a responsible person you’d care that your stance perpetuates the idea that firstly cyclist are not worth so can be mowed down by a truck, and secondly, that pedestrians dont need to look out for cyclist because they are not supposed be there. Your position is not credible since as i have already ponted out, its legal for cyclists delieving mail, for all black 11 year olds to cycle on pavement, hell even mopeds delieving mail and those awful motorized wheelchairs that leave no room, in fact we should ban old people using zimmerframes, and anyone potentially incapable of standing up less they hur themselves, because in your view the balance of safety is with the cyclists, as they die, and if they were using pavements…

            You need to teach your fellow invalids that cyclists are lawful users, for mail, up to the age of twelve, that skateboarders and unicyclists, and an awful lot of cafe street furniture, areall vying to make potential accidents, and maybe, when you realize life aint easy, that cyclists avoid certain death on the road aint so bad after all.
            • McFlock 12.2.2.1.1.1

              24 June 2016 at 1:16 pm

              You do realise that it’s legal to drive witrhout wearing a seatbelt under certain employment-related situations? Same with cycling on a footpath.

              But mail deliverers are stopping every ten yards, so don’t have much opportunity to get up to any appreciable speed. Whereas communting cyclists can be going like the clappers.

              If you were a responsible cyclist you’d take on the risks and responsibility for your choice of vehicle, you wouldn’t expect me to shoulder that burden. But no, you want the fun without having the risk, so you’ll put others in greater danger. At least be honest about it.
              • aerobubble …

                27 June 2016 at 12:31 pm

                You know mail numbers are dropping, posties are using mopeds to speed up deliveries, hell just the other day there was one.

                Fact is u are uncouth to velieve that banning access was ever a position worth defending without a rasonable argument. Saying its the law just undermines any integrity you have.
                • McFlock …

                  27 June 2016 at 12:57 pm

                  Who’s banning access?

                  Just walk. Same as how you shouldn’t walk along the road or in a cycle lane.

                  I’m not saying you shouldn’t cycle on the footpath because it’s illegal. I’m saying that it should remain illegal because it’s unsafe for everyone around you.

                  You don’t seem to want to address the point that you want to endanger me with your choice of commuting vehicle and path. If you cycle, keep off the footpath. That way you choose the risks along with the benefits, rather than forcing the risks onto me. Your proposal is just selfish.
                  • aerobubble …

                    27 June 2016 at 1:22 pm

                    Now you want to force me to walk! Not jog, not skateboard, not rollerskate, not hop, is there no end to your authoritarianism!
                    • McFlock …

                      27 June 2016 at 2:06 pm

                      lol

                      You [still] don’t seem to want to address the point that you want to endanger me with your choice of commuting vehicle and path.
13. whateva next? 13

    13 June 2016 at 3:28 pm

    Pondering the announcement of Woods for Mt Roskill, yet another quality candidate, as are ALL our Labour MP’s, solid back stories and commitment to an egalitarian society, in which we all benefit…then I think about new MP’s on the right, and the glaring vacuum when it comes to any signs of anything solid.
14. Chooky 14

    13 June 2016 at 4:05 pm

    This show is going to be good:

    ‘Tariq Ali: Global revolt against corporate capitalism & inequality’

    https://www.rt.com/shows/on-contact/346258-chris-hedges-tariq-ali/

    “In the first episode of ‘On Contact’, host Chris Hedges discusses the global revolt against corporate capitalism with radical intellectual and author Tariq Ali.

    Ali talks about how the world banking system pitched Greece and other European countries into financial difficulties, and how big business may be behind the impeachment of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

    RT Correspondent Anya Parampil joins the show with a report on global inequality.”

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