Open mike 15/03/2015

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, March 15th, 2015 - 97 comments
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National clowns key parata smith english brownleeOpen mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

97 comments on “Open mike 15/03/2015 ”

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  1. Colonial Rawshark 1
    15 March 2015 at 8:28 am

    Iranian cabinet is full of US trained PhDs

    It’s quite likely that Iran understands the USA far better than the other way around.

    https://twitter.com/rezaaslan/status/522076160545419264/photo/1

    http://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2014/nov/13/rouhani%E2%80%99s-us-educated-cabinet

  2. Colonial Rawshark 2
    15 March 2015 at 8:37 am

    Ten steps which narrowed British politics to the extreme centre

    A nation big enough to go to war in the Middle East, but not big enough to fund public libraries.

    http://rt.com/op-edge/240745-uk-neocons-faux-left-establishment/

  3. Philip Ferguson 3
    15 March 2015 at 8:59 am

    The leading secular radical movement in Palestine is the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, founded in 1967. Its key founder was George Habash.

    Some of us at Redline were involved, a couple of years ago, in fund-raising in NZ for the PFLP.

    Its most well-known member is probably Leila Khaled, a Palestinian icon who is today a member of its PolitBureau. Its general-secretary Ahmad Sa’adat, is currently in an Israeli jail, without charge, after the Israelis kidnapped him in 2006.

    We have numerous articles up on Redline on the cause of Palestinian liberation and the PFLP, including an interview that was done with Leila as part of the fundraising campaign.

    Below are a few PFLP pieces:

    Remembering George Habash: Palestinian revolutionary intellectual and freedom fighter: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/remembering-george-habash/

    For a world free of racism, imperialism and capitalist exploitation – message from PFLP to 2014 eirigi conference: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/for-a-world-that-is-free-of-racism-colonialism-imperialism-oppression-and-capitalist-exploitation-pflp-message-to-eirigi-conference/

    Palestinian liberation and the PFLP today – interview with PFLP deputy-general-secretary: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/palestinian-liberation-and-the-pflp-today-an-interview-with-abu-ahmad-fouad-deputy-secretary-general-of-the-pflp/

    PFLP on the Palestinian Authority: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/pflp-on-the-palestinian-authority/

    NZ solidarity activist interview with Palestinian revolutionary icon Leila Khaled: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/nz-solidarity-activist-interviews-leila-khaled-2010/

    The case of Ahmad Sa’adat: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/the-case-of-ahmad-saadat-palestinian-revolutionary-leader-and-political-prisoner/

    Also, check out the Palestine and PFLP categories on the site.

  4. Philip Ferguson 4
    15 March 2015 at 9:29 am

    Fascinating piece of NZ history – Murray Horton on the introduction of peacetime conscription in 1949 and the fight against it: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/labours-introduction-of-peacetime-conscription-and-the-fight-against-it/

    • Morrissey 4.1
      15 March 2015 at 10:30 am

      Excellent. Thanks for that Philip. Murray Horton is a witty and compelling speaker, with a sharp mind. Which means he is totally unsuited for radio programmes like Jim Mora’s The Panel.

  5. Morrissey 5
    15 March 2015 at 9:35 am

    Fantasists of Our Time
    No. 1: MIKE HOSKING

    I’ve just heard, on Radio NZ National’s excellent Mediawatch program, that empty vessel Mike “Contra” Hosking boasting to a simpering, giggling Rachel Smalley how he gave Nicky Hager “a hard time” on his show last year.

    When did that happen? I find it extremely unlikely that Hosking would have got the better of Hager, who is far more articulate, and clearly his superior intellectually as well as ethically and morally.

    Perhaps someone could provide a link to—or a transcript of—this amazing event which I for one do not believe ever happened.

    • Once was Tim 5.1
      15 March 2015 at 9:50 am

      That would be the Mediawatch in which that Lackwit Larry got a mention. It’s been years since I heard that droning voice delivering words of wisdom. Do people actually listen to that guy while conscious or is he the ZB sleep-time for toddlers story teller. 10mg of Mogadon would be a better option.
      …. and yes – it is an excellent programme (watch out for the knives amongst RNZ management)

      • Morrissey 5.1.1
        15 March 2015 at 10:07 am

        and yes – it is an excellent programme (watch out for the knives amongst RNZ management)

        I have no doubt that Richard (Lord Haw Haw Haw Haw) Griffin has conniptions every time that this programme sends up the government’s media wing, as it did this morning with its devastating exhibition of Hosking and Williams. In the last few months alone, they’ve already wielded the knife against Wayne Brittenden and Down the List.

    • vto 5.2
      15 March 2015 at 9:54 am

      I know. Mike Hosking posts here as fisiani. The comparisons are uncanny.

      • Once was Tim 5.2.1
        15 March 2015 at 10:07 am

        I reckon fisiani sounds more like Jamie-Lee after a morning prayer sermon from Dear Leader & Joyce

        • Rodel 5.2.1.1
          15 March 2015 at 12:01 pm

          No. Hoskings and JLR don’t use the American pronunciation of ‘class’ rhyming like ‘ass’ as your subject (Fis) does. (Catching up with Key 14th March) They rhyme the word ‘class’ with ‘arse, speaking the same way as real New Zealanders.

    • Anne 5.3
      15 March 2015 at 10:19 am

      Seven Sharp- shortly after the DP book was launched so it would have been mid to late August Morrissey.

      There was no “intellectual” superiority in the so-called “hard time”. It was just loud noise coming from Hosking not unlike Key’s attempts to discredit Hager at the same time. Everything Hager said was rubbished by Hosking, but he presented no cogent or logical explanation fore the rubbishing. You know the type of thing:

      Hager: I’ve just heard that President Kennedy has been assassinated.

      Hosking: That’s rubbish. You’re making it up. The President of the USA been assassinated? Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous.

      A few hours later there is an official statement… “President Kennedy has been assassinated”. Hosking goes quiet for a long time. Then he boasts loudly on a radio programme… I remember giving that creep Hager a hard time last year.

      • Morrissey 5.3.1
        15 March 2015 at 10:25 am

        Thanks for that, Anne. I wonder if this is available on YouTube. I’ll have a search; I’m sure it will end up there some time.

      • Philip Ferguson 5.3.2
        15 March 2015 at 12:54 pm

        Excellent one, Anne.

        That’s Hosking to a tee!

        It’s a sign of how low standards are at TV1 that this himbo-bimbo fronts their evening newsmagazine show.

        I heard part of Mediawatch and one of the things Hoskings did on his radio show was read out a text or email from one of his listeners (although I wouldn’t be surprised if Hosking had’ve made it up) referring to Hager as “that little prick Hager”.

        I wonder if he would’ve read out a text using the same words to describe Key.

        And what a withering intellectual critique of Nicky Hager, eh? But that’s Hosking’s level.

        Given that he is still banging on the same nonsense about Hager all these months later, he has a real bee in his hairdo about Nicky. Nicky must’ve really made him look bad!

        Phil

    • hoom 5.4
      15 March 2015 at 11:24 am

      The thing about all this spying stuff is its our ‘Are we the baddies?’ moment.
      https://youtu.be/ToKcmnrE5oY?list=RDToKcmnrE5oY

    • Philip Ferguson 5.5
      15 March 2015 at 12:41 pm

      I knew Hosking was an airhead and narcissist.

      But now, yes, it appears he is totally delusional as well.

      Hosking is that unfortunate specimen: a working class boy who has “made good” and takes on the simpering narcissism and prejudices of the class that he thinks he has joined, even though he’s really tolerated by them because he’s a useful idiot.

      Phil

    • Philip Ferguson 5.6
      15 March 2015 at 12:45 pm

      I knew Hosking was an airhead and a narcissist. But now it also appears he’s totally delusional.

      He’s a prime example of that unfortunate creature, the working class boy ‘made good’ who takes on the prejudices and simpering narcissism of the class he thinks he’s joined when really they tolerate him because he’s a useful idiot.

      Phil

  7. marty mars 7
    15 March 2015 at 9:52 am

    hide frothing at the mouth like the c-grade actor that he is

    “Respect for private property is what makes a free and tolerant society.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11417397

    • Draco T Bastard 7.1
      15 March 2015 at 10:00 am

      Private property is what makes a society greedy and divisive leading to an inevitable collapse.

    • miravox 7.2
      15 March 2015 at 10:05 am

      Yeah, I read the headline. Thought it was unbelievable that someone thought respecting private property was the definition of a free and tolerant so society so didn’t want to add to the page views. I’m guessing it was about the Titirangi Kauri, but any statements on what he thinks about respect for people or the environment?

      • marty mars 7.2.1
        15 March 2015 at 10:20 am

        yep, this

        But that’s not how these characters play. They are puffed-up bandwagon-jumpers, holier-than-thou busybodies, always ready to bully and abuse at no expense or inconvenience to themselves.

        To hell with minority rights – in this case, the Lenihan’s. We can jump up and down, and scream and shout and be clapped and reported about. It’s glorious. Look at us, we care. To hell with the law.

        minority rights? lol what a dickhead hide is

        • miravox 7.2.1.1
          15 March 2015 at 10:37 am

          So no tolerance and freedom to have an opinion for people or respect for the environment – can’t see the ownership titles I suppose.

          He’s gotta be pretty pissed off about how his pet supercity project is working out huh? 🙂

    • Stephanie Rodgers 7.3
      15 March 2015 at 10:16 am

      It really is interesting to consider that quote in the light of the early US leaders who waxed lyrical about freedom and justice. And “owned” other human beings as slaves.

      • Macro 7.3.1
        15 March 2015 at 5:08 pm

        Yes the concept of “private property” as conceived by John Locke in 1690 in his “ Second Treatise on Government” is shot full of logical and ethical inconsistencies. This is the founding statement and justification of the right to private property and to protection of that property by public law and force. Locke argues that the right to private property and protection is the foundation of all government legislation and duty, of all individual rights, and – if violated – of the rights to rebel against the state or sovereign. Market doctrine since Locke has presupposed his position as canonical (vis Hide’s stupid out burst!).
        We have to reinvestigate the whole concept of what constitutes property – just what rights “ownership” carries as well as protection of the commons as well.

      • Colonial Rawshark 7.3.2
        16 March 2015 at 12:48 am

        By the time George Washington became President he was the richest man in the USA. His wealth came from the extermination of the Indian nations and the expropriation, farming and on selling of their land.

        In fact it is clear that the Founding Fathers of the USA did everything they could to make sure that the USA would not be a popular democracy. The appointed senate, the electoral college, and the barring of women and blacks from voting were just a few clues to that.

        • Macro 7.3.2.1
          16 March 2015 at 1:34 am

          I came across an excellent book in the Ottawa library last year “Unequal Freedoms – the global market as an ethical system” by John Mc Murray published 1999. It investigates and critiques the philosophical basis of both the “free market” and the globalisation of such. Highly perceptive and a devastating critique of market doctrine. We see that modern economic theory is based on very flimsy foundations and it is unsurprising that our conventional economic practices are failing.

    • vto 7.4
      15 March 2015 at 10:48 am

      Hide doesn’t recognise that his much treasured rules of ‘private’ property are not actually sustainable in society, certainly not to the level of paramouncy as he seems to believe.

      He has been caught out believing his own bullshit.

  8. weka 8
    15 March 2015 at 10:01 am

    Murdoch in the great package deal being offered Northlanders by National.

    https://twitter.com/domesticanimal/status/576845854364938241

  9. Tautoko Mangō Mata 9
    15 March 2015 at 10:29 am

    SIS papers release to dotcom lawyers: shocking reveal!
    https://twitter.com/KimDotcom

    • weka 9.1
      15 March 2015 at 11:01 am

      hmmm, I hope he’s going to release the documents. Too much assertion otherwise.

      • Murray Rawshark 9.1.1
        15 March 2015 at 5:19 pm

        Oh, I really hope so. While I can imagine SIS agents (basically jumped up school prefects from Grammar school 2nd XVs) saying that sort of thing, the stupidity needed to put it in writing would be monumental. At least Simon Bridges level.

    • rawshark-yeshe 9.2
      15 March 2015 at 12:34 pm

      Hope someone will introduce into the House the letter of apology from new head of GCSB for written comments ‘spies’ ( ie employees of NZ taxpayers) made about raping Mrs Mona Dotcom and replacing her with one of their own.

      KDC is a sublime rust for Key. Keeps on giving and eating away, and he may yet be the one responsible for bringing him down.

    • rawshark-yeshe 9.3
      15 March 2015 at 12:38 pm

      This on Twitter from Jessica Williams .. can’t find anything further about it .. anyone know anything ?

      ” Jessica Williams
      @mizjwilliams

      Why is the government trying to sneak through a fat increase to MPs’ travel perks? Listen to @LIVENewsDesk! “

      • Murray Rawshark 9.3.1
        15 March 2015 at 5:15 pm

        I suspect it’s this. Annette King has given it the walrus of approval.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11417644

        • alwyn 9.3.1.1
          15 March 2015 at 5:59 pm

          Since the article says that it applies to those who were there prior to 1999, and therefore King qualifies, it is hardly surprising that she’s in favour. Anything to build up her slush find for when she quits at the next election.
          Incidentally has anyone heard a rumour I was told about last week. My informant, who is subject to a bit of hyperbole, claimed that the price of Annette being deputy for a while was that she would quit and allow Little to stand for Rongotai. Seems a bit extreme but it could be possible. Certainly I’m sure he would like an electorate that he could possibly win.

          The travel perk was, of course one of Norman Kirk’s schemes. Norm wanted to give MPs, and himself, a pay rise but not to appear to be doing so. He therefore brought this in so he could sanctimoniously say that MPs were sacrificing for the country without actually doing so.
          He also brought in the extra allowance for former PMs. He carefully worded it so that Jack Marshall wouldn’t get it, but in time Norm would. When he died before the requisite time period the Rowling Government changed it so that Ruth King, along with Wallace Rowling himself would get the money.
          Never get between a trougher and the money pot seemed to be the motto of those charlatans.

          • Murray Rawshark 9.3.1.1.1
            15 March 2015 at 6:11 pm

            Thank you for another post from the Tory misinformation service. How about Norm’s super scheme? Tell us about that instead.

            • alwyn 9.3.1.1.1.1
              15 March 2015 at 6:22 pm

              I will if you like but you might not want to hear about it.
              The main promoter of the scheme, despite being a junior minister, was the bete-noire of the left, Roger Douglas.
              The scheme grew out of a private member’s bill put forward by Douglas when in opposition.

              As Wikipedia says
              “Douglas was an early and enthusiastic promoter of the government’s plans for a compulsory contributory superannuation scheme that would supplement the old age pension. In 1972, while still in opposition, he introduced a private member’s bill that provided for a form of compulsory superannuation. In Cabinet, Rowling, who was then Minister of Finance, and Douglas were largely responsible for a 1973 White Paper setting out the government’s proposals for superannuation. As well as augmenting individual provision for retirement, the scheme was intended to be a source of capital for investment in the domestic economy.[11] The scheme became law in the form of the New Zealand Superannuation Act 1974.

              The law was passed a few days before Norm died but it wasn’t really his work, was it? You have to give credit for the short-lived scheme to Rowling and Douglas.

              • Murray Rawshark …
                15 March 2015 at 6:41 pm

                Yes, this was when Douglas still acted for the good of the country and well before his book “There’s Got to be a Better Way”, which laid out some plagiarised Friedmanite rubbish as his own thoughts. Norm knew what the country needed, Lange was too blinded by his own witty performances to even notice what Douglas had turned into.

                Legislation for a major change like super doesn’t go through without the approval of the PM, just as a very dodgy MP doesn’t stand for re-election without the specific approval of the PM.

                • alwyn …
                  15 March 2015 at 9:40 pm

                  “Legislation for a major change like super doesn’t go through without the approval of the PM, just as a very dodgy MP doesn’t stand for re-election without the specific approval of the PM.”
                  You may be right, although if the second part is true one must worry about the honesty of Helen Clark, given what Taito Phillip Field had been up to.
                  I have been told by people who had to deal with Kirk that he really had little control over anything during 1974. He had, unfortunately, had heart problems, circulation problems and other health problems during the entire year and was not really in command of his job. I cannot comment from personal experience but some of the people who have told me this were very senior public servants at the time.

                  • Murray Rawshark …
                    15 March 2015 at 10:26 pm

                    Taito Philip Field was merely dodgy. For very dodgy you need to look at the right. I don’t think Field ever molested the children of anyone who worked on his house. Graeme Cappill came from the right.

                    • alwyn …
                      15 March 2015 at 11:09 pm

                      You may be right.
                      On the other hand perhaps you can remind us again what Party Mr Capill belonged to, when he was an MP, and therefore which PM is responsible for his behaviour? At least tell us which PM was the leader of his party?
                      You can also tell us who was the party leader responsible when the former MP for Otaki got into Parliament and how you might justify the rather “iffy” behaviour he got up to when he entertained a teenager in the present Labour Parties deputy leader’s home? How do you justify that sort of behaviour, where the kid ended up having to flee naked down the street?

                    • felix …
                      16 March 2015 at 12:44 am

                      “perhaps you can remind us again what Party Mr Capill belonged to, when he was an MP, and therefore which PM is responsible for his behaviour? At least tell us which PM was the leader of his party?”

                      Th’ feck are you on about? No PM was ever the leader of Capill’s tawdry little conservative right-wing christo-fascist party.

                      Ps did you know that the right-wing conservative pedophile Graham Capill also worked for the NZ Police?

                      Just like Mike Sabin did.

                  • Murray Rawshark …
                    16 March 2015 at 12:25 am

                    I think you know that it’s the type of offences that Capill was found guilty of that’s important here. Maybe I’ll be able to tell you the rest next week, if you don’t know already.

  10. Clemgeopin 10
    15 March 2015 at 11:03 am

    Some scathing views about National’s Northland BYELECTION-BRIBES:

    * “New” jobs which may or may not be full-time jobs; “new” road bridges which are not a priority; “new” promises on the roll-out of broadband which are old promises.

    * Is there no limit on the lengths to which the National Party will go to pull the wool over voters’ eyes and hope that prevents the seat of Northland from falling into Winston Peters’ clutches?

    * Deserving of special scrutiny is the repeated claim by Steven Joyce that 7500 new jobs were created in Northland last year. [Note: The link below explains why that claim is just pig shit]

    * With more pork yet to come, National is setting a none-too-useful benchmark which risks turning contests in electorates into unseemly auctions.

    * But National does not care one jot what Labour or anyone else thinks. It is locked in an almighty struggle with the man who has been its nemesis for longer than the party cares to remember.

    * It was Mark Osborne, National’s candidate in Northland, who announced that the Government would be spending up to $70 million on replacing 10 single-lane bridges in the electorate. It is Parliament which sanctions such spending and Bridges who will be responsible for ensuring the money is spent on exactly what Parliament has decreed it be spent on – not Osborne, who as yet has no parliamentary standing and should not have made the announcement. It takes pork-barrelling to a new level when the candidate is doing it.

    * Equally disturbing is the scale of the pork-barrelling by National.

    * But National does not care one jot what Labour or anyone else thinks. It is locked in an almighty struggle with the man who has been its nemesis for longer than the party cares to remember. The stakes are not just high; they are stratospheric. So far, National appears to have no idea how to do that beyond trying to crowd him out of the media.

    * National’s post-mortems on the byelection will also have to ask how the party managed to select a candidate who is so obviously out of his depth. Putting him up against Peters was lamb for the slaughter.

    * National’s campaign is further handicapped by its confused stance in this byelection. The subtext of Joyce’s gushing statements about the strong growth in the Northland economy is that this is all down to National’s sound management of the overall economy and its business development programmes. Yet, the ever-lengthening line of Cabinet ministers trekking to Northland bearing gifts speaks of a regional economy still in dire straits and desperately short of capital, infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce needed to attract business ventures.
    Northland is either a burgeoning success story or an economic cot-case. It cannot be both.

    * If things are on the improve in the region – as Joyce insists – why is National being punished by a large chunk of the party’s supporters deserting to New Zealand First?

    The full article is here:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/john-armstrong/news/article.cfm?a_id=3&objectid=11416930

    • Paul 10.1
      15 March 2015 at 11:12 am

      Armstrong’s awful biased journalism prior to the election makes me question his authenticity.

      • Clemgeopin 10.1.1
        15 March 2015 at 11:35 am

        A lot of journalists and media commentators were. I think now at least a few of them seem to have seen the light and are coming out of the dark side.

    • Rodel 10.2
      15 March 2015 at 11:49 am

      This is not the John Armstrong I’m used to..He must be due for the chop after this must read.

    • Incognito 10.3
      15 March 2015 at 2:36 pm

      I sometimes wonder about Armstrong’s (political) convictions. Perhaps he ‘adapts’ his style & contents to maximise the number of page views (reads?) & comments? After all, he’s a qualified professional with lots of experience unlike the likes of Rodney Hide and Mike Hosking.

    • Murray Rawshark 10.4
      15 March 2015 at 5:23 pm

      “Northland is either a burgeoning success story or an economic cot-case. It cannot be both.”

      It can, actually. Northland is like a 3rd world country where the wealthy live in gated enclaves and the poor live in misery. Take a drive from Kerikeri to Moerewa. It’s not far.

  11. Penny Bright 11
    15 March 2015 at 11:16 am

    Tomorrow, Monday 16 March 2015, after confirming with the Electoral Commission the ‘due process’ to follow – it is my intention to make a formal complaint against National’s Northland candidate Mark Osborne, for reported comments allegedly made by him, which, in my opinion, are a breach of s.216 (2) of the Electoral Act 1993 – “BRIBERY”.

    In my view, in order to get an ‘outcome’ – you need to first put something into a ‘sausage machine’.

    Just ‘howling at the moon’ doesn’t ‘cut it’ – in my opinion and experience.

    The chain of events that ended up getting John Banks removed from Parliament, started with a complaint to the Police….

    I was one of the three complainants.

    Once I have the ‘process’ confirmed with the Electoral Commission – I will pass on the information.

    Under NZ electoral law – “BRIBERY” is an offence.

    But, situation normal, nothing will happen until someone actually MAKES A COMPLAINT?

    I’ve already emailed the Electoral Commission – asking them this ‘due process’ question, so the ‘sausage machine’ has been ‘switched on’ – as it were….

    Penny Bright

    • Clemgeopin 11.1
      15 March 2015 at 11:31 am

      +1
      Good on you, Penny Bright.

      You are courageous and a tenacious fighter for accountability.

      If I may say so, you are bold and Bright..putting your Penny and pen where your mouth is.

    • rawshark-yeshe 11.2
      15 March 2015 at 12:41 pm

      Good luck Penny. Maybe you can also include/allude to the early votes deliberately cheated out of confused elderly as mentioned in Open Mike yesterday ? ( Can find you link if you missed it).

      Very serious indeed, and possibly could be part of same complaint ?

      • alwyn 11.2.1
        15 March 2015 at 6:13 pm

        I haven’t seen the comment you refer to but the voting of people suffering from dementia by the staff of their aged care home seems to be a standard feature of every election.
        I worked as a clerk at a polling booth in one of the homes at an election some years ago. Their were people who obviously suffered from dementia whose voting papers were collected by a staff member. The staff member had to tell us who the resident was as they didn’t seem to be in a position to know their own name.
        The staff member then “helped” them to vote. I don’t think some of them had the faintest idea that there was even an election on.
        One can only hope that there are never enough to unduly affect the results.

        • fisiani 11.2.1.1
          15 March 2015 at 9:22 pm

          Disgraceful conduct like that by the union reps in rest homes has been happening at every election.

          • alwyn 11.2.1.1.1
            15 March 2015 at 9:26 pm

            I have no idea who the votes were being cast for.
            I certainly never saw the completed ballot papers. I can only say that I don’t think the “voters” knew either.

          • Atiawa 11.2.1.1.2
            15 March 2015 at 9:38 pm

            Headlines.

            Fate of countries RMA reforms in hands of 137 elderly KeriKeri dementia sufferers.

            • Weepus beard 11.2.1.1.2.1
              15 March 2015 at 10:31 pm

              Lol.

              I’m more concerned with this new, and insidious, practice by the National party to have helpers phone and door-knock offers of rides to the polling booth.

              On election day in 2014 we got an automated call from Sam Lotu Iiga’s electorate office apparently offering a ride to the polling booth. I don’t know how many houses this call went out to on election day but one must assume it was all households in the Maungakeiei electorate.

              I complained to the Electoral commission on the day, and to be fair to them they had their chief lawyer call me back almost instantly, but he said it was within the rules agreed to by all parties.

              While a higher proportion of constituents voting for parties of the socially responsible left are more likely to require help to get to a polling booth (or in this case – advanced voting for the infirm), this agreement is likely to not be in Labour’s benefit because the National party will cynically use it to have a last ditch advertising push on election day to all voters, regardless of mobility status…

              …as Sam Lotu Iiga did in Maungakeikei in September 2014.

              A solution to this would be for the Electoral commission themselves to have the funding to help vulnerable voters fulfil their right to vote uninfluenced by the Nats.

              • alwyn …
                15 March 2015 at 11:21 pm

                I would love to know what evidence you have for the statement that “While a higher proportion of constituents voting for parties of the socially responsible left are more likely to require help to get to a polling booth”.
                On the other hand I do know one person, who does vote for right leaning parties, who called the Labour Party to request help to get to the polling booth. After voting she then, on the way home thanked “the nice young man and assured him she had voted for his candidate XXX. XXX was the National candidate”. She said that the driver managed, just, to resist tossing out of the car.
                I told this story to one of my Labour leaning friends and she did it the other way round at the next election. She got National to take her to vote Labour. She claimed he was, in a strained way, quite polite to her.

                • Weepus beard …
                  15 March 2015 at 11:37 pm

                  Nice story, but I don’t believe a word of it.

                  You’d have to be stupid to not accept that more lower socio-economic people vote left and that more lower socio-economic people lack private transport.

              • lprent …
                15 March 2015 at 11:57 pm

                I complained to the Electoral commission on the day, and to be fair to them they had their chief lawyer call me back almost instantly, but he said it was within the rules agreed to by all parties.

                It is. Labour has always offered rides especially to the elderly and infirm in well supported electorates

                • Weepus beard …
                  16 March 2015 at 8:45 am

                  That’s what the Electoral Commission’s lawyer said too.

                  “Labour do it too”

                  I had to laugh because it sounded like something straight out of the Crosby Textor handbook.

                  I felt at the time that help to the polling booth targeted to immobile voters is fair enough, but an automated and apparently random phone message? Sounds like campaigning to me.

          • millsy 11.2.1.1.3
            15 March 2015 at 10:12 pm

            Do you want unions to be banned fisi?

        • millsy 11.2.1.2
          15 March 2015 at 10:11 pm

          If it stops rich pricks like you from bleeding the poor dry, then it is justified.

          For too long people like you have been screwing over those at the bottom, demanding high rents, high divedends, low taxes, low prices, etc.

          • Clemgeopin 11.2.1.2.1
            15 March 2015 at 10:26 pm

            “For too long people like you have been screwing over those at the bottom, demanding high rents, high dividends, low taxes, low prices, etc”

            Yes, especially the Selfish Rich Prick RW bastards.

          • alwyn 11.2.1.2.2
            15 March 2015 at 11:27 pm

            Given your comment reference, 11.2.1.2 you appear to be replying to my comment which is 11.2.1.
            What the hell are you talking about? Am I not allowed to help run the election by giving my time, and the payment went to a charity, to help run the election? I was a clerk in the polling booth. I wasn’t a bloody party representative.

        • Rodel 11.2.1.3
          16 March 2015 at 7:18 pm

          alwyn-You really think people believe your Bullshit?

          • alwyn 11.2.1.3.1
            17 March 2015 at 11:59 am

            1. It is not “bullshit”
            2. I hate to dent your little ego but I don’t really care in the slightest what you think. I have yet to read anything by you that matters in the slightest.

    • fisiani 11.3
      15 March 2015 at 7:58 pm

      You mean real bribery like interest free student loans Or just a fevered deluded inference?
      When are you going to stop freeloading and pay your rates?

      • millsy 11.3.1
        15 March 2015 at 10:08 pm

        Yes, god forbid that we should reduce the financial burden on those getting an education.

  12. Penny Bright 12
    15 March 2015 at 11:44 am

    Lest we forget, the process which led to the legally enforced corporate takeover of the Auckland region via the Auckland ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%) amalgamation, effectively started on 5 September 2006, with the attempted ‘Mayoral coup’.

    The purpose of the (failed) Auckland ‘Mayoral coup’ was to get rid of the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) and replace it with a ‘Supercity’.

    The ‘ring leaders’ of this attempted Auckland ‘Mayoral coup’, were Waitakere City Council Mayor Bob Harvey, Manukau City Council Mayor Barry Curtis, North Shore City Council Mayor George Wood, and Auckland City Council Mayor Dick Hubbard.

    FACT.

    The ‘form’ taken by these four City Council Mayors – was a letter – co-signed by all of them – addressed to then LABOUR Prime Minister, Helen Clark, asking for her urgent intervention and assistance, on behalf of those who were really pushing hard for this – BUSINESS leaders.

    Luckily, fellow community activist Lisa Prager and myself, having been ‘tipped off’ about this meeting to be held in the Auckland Town Hall, gate-crashed it and disrupted it – on the basis that the Auckland ‘Mayoral Forum’ under whose auspices this meeting had been called, was NOT a ‘creature of statute’ – had no lawful right to do anything – and under the then Local Government Act 2002, there had to be a binding poll of the PUBLIC before any ‘amalgamation’ took place.

    Our action on 5 September 2006, at least helped to slow down the process …

    Penny Bright

  14. Clemgeopin 14
    15 March 2015 at 1:17 pm

    NORTHLAND BYELECTION : The I-PREDICT price movements so far:

    Investors and gamblers have been estimating, daily, the % chances of which candidate will win :

    The predictions so far are for the dates, March 4th, 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th and today, the 15th (The ides of March of Winston’s march!):

    The Nat candidate : 90%, 75%, 65%, 65%, 60%, and today, 53%.
    The Winston Peters: 10%, 22%, 45%, 35%, 37%, and today, 48%.
    The Lab candidate : 10%, 25%, 15%, 15%, 15%, and today, 0.3%.

    Here are the graphs:

    NAT : https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=graph&sym=BE15.NTD.NAT&size=xlg&col=%230392D7&cbgcolor=%230089EF&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF

    WP : https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=graph&sym=BE15.NTD.OTHER&size=xlg&col=%230392D7&cbgcolor=%230089EF&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF

    LAB: https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=graph&sym=BE15.NTD.LAB&size=xlg&col=%230392D7&cbgcolor=%230089EF&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF

  15. greywarshark 15
    15 March 2015 at 1:21 pm

    Looking at the RT site for what it has about President Putin’s whereabouts.
    The news at the 12th March was that he had cancelled some things but was having meetings out of the public eye. He had some trouble in 2012 similarly and this was ascribed to old sports injuries etc.
    http://rt.com/politics/240025-russia-peskov-putin-health/

    Comments on the Ukraine business from Gorbachev and Kissinger. Two old guys who have definite views on the subject and sound as if they are very sharp still. Kissinger is not glad handing the USA.
    http://rt.com/news/203475-gorbachev-speech-berlin-wall/
    http://rt.com/news/203795-kissinger-warns-cold-war/

    • veutoviper 16.1
      15 March 2015 at 2:28 pm

      This has been hot on Twitter since late yesterday when Philip Lyth picked it up, then Idiot/Savant (NRT) and Graeme Edgeler. Graeme researched it and then posted on Public Address:

      http://publicaddress.net/legalbeagle/mps-to-vote-on-raising-international-travel/

      Graeme’s post includes links to Philip and I/S posts.

      Marama Fox (MP) and Metiria Turei (GP) were contacted via Twitter and both said they would oppose the increase.

      Last night Annette King tweeted Graeme asking where he got the information from regarding former MPs travel and “No-one else has heard it!”

      https://twitter.com/annetterongotai/status/576598331515756545

      The whole situation seems to changing minute by minute. According to Graeme the Stuff article has been updated to exclude a sentence included in the original article referring to Fox, Turei and King opposing the changes. *

      Graeme’s Twiitter feed is possibly the only way to keep up with the changing situation. Lots more details, questions, comments there.

      https://twitter.com/GraemeEdgeler

      EDIT – the earlier version also included the fact that only one dissenting vote is needed for the changes to not pass! Apparently this still stands, but taken out of the Stuff article.

      • b waghorn 16.1.1
        15 March 2015 at 3:19 pm

        Cheers I thought I’d seen a comment on The Standard some were but couldn’t find it so thought I’d chuck this up.

        • veutoviper 16.1.1.1
          15 March 2015 at 9:19 pm

          Pleased you did!

          I suspect that this is going to be all over the MSM news tomorrow, The Stuff (Dom Post) article was obviously written in haste – I suspect by a pretty junior on duty journo. Herald also has a fairly vacuous article up tonight. Won’t bother providing a link unless you would like one.

          But it continues to be debated on Twitter – Graeme Edgeler, Jessica Williams, Hoots, Annette King (qualifies when she leaves Parliament), Tau Henare (another qualifier now) etc. King seems to be out there trying to justify the change on behalf of National. Say no more.

          Edgeler seems to be holding his ground and refusing to let it go which IMO is good. Could be the start of another bad week for Key …. !

          Death by a thousand cuts, perhaps. Time will tell.

  17. joe90 17
    15 March 2015 at 3:17 pm

    heh

    http://www.fastcoexist.com/3043346/a-google-for-scientific-articles-for-the-next-time-youre-locked-in-a-debate-about-vaccines

    Sparrho is like the Google for scientific papers—and patents, posters, events, and grants. Just type in keywords, like “GMO food,” and you’ll soon have access to all the latest research. Here’s a snapshot of what comes up when you search for GMO food:

    As you can see, the latest results are up-to-date (I performed the search on March 6). Some are accessible to laypeople, some are not. That’s because Vivian Chan, Sparrho’s CEO and co-founder, originally designed the platform for herself. “I was doing my PhD at Cambridge University, and realized using search engines for science doesn’t work. There are all of these databases out there, but you have to know exactly what it is you’re looking for,” she says.

  18. rawshark-yeshe 18
    15 March 2015 at 5:31 pm

    worth some thought maybe …

    http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-famiglietti-drought-california-20150313-story.html

    and Sao Paulo, Brasil, with population of 25 million is on water rationing with supplies only two days a week …

    thank goodness there isn’t any such thing as human=induced climate change. Imagine how bad things might really be !!!

  19. fisiani 19
    15 March 2015 at 7:50 pm

    The so called Housing Crisis in Auckland myth has been exploded http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Auckland_Housing_Accord_Monitoring_Report_5.pdf

  20. Ergo Robertina 20
    15 March 2015 at 9:02 pm

    Good analysis and ideas in the Observer today for addressing Britain’s housing crisis, which shares most of the hallmarks of NZ’s:

    ”The Homes for Britain campaign, which brings together housing associations, private house builders, landlords, planners and architects, is holding a rally in Westminster. It aims to solve the housing crisis “in a generation”, which is a realistic time frame, given that it has taken a generation to create the current situation

    ”The crisis in house prices is therefore not an act of pure economic fate but constructed and willed by policy over decades. As such, it can also be defused by policy, if not easily or quickly. So far, the main government response has been to try to relax planning rules and to encourage the market with measures such as Help To Buy which, presented as much-needed assistance to first-time buyers, tend to push up prices further.”

    http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/14/britain-housing-crisis-10-ways-solve-rowan-moore-general-election

  21. weka 21
    15 March 2015 at 11:26 pm

    Aid agencies reported that around 90% of houses in Port Vila have been destroyed, many people displaced, and schools ripped apart. Oxfam Australia’s executive director Helen Szoke said:

    It’s becoming increasingly clear that we are now dealing with worse than the worst case scenario in Vanuatu. This is likely to be one of the worst disasters ever seen in the Pacific.

    Up to 75,000 children in Vanuatu could be in desperate need of food, water and shelter, Save the Children has said.

    ‘Lack of urgency’ on climate change, says World Bank V-P

    As reported earlier, Vanuatu’s president, Baldwin Lonsdale, is, by coincidence, at the UN world conference on disaster risk reduction in Japan, from where AFP sends this report:

    Despite ominous predictions of mass devastation in cyclone-wrecked Vanuatu, policymakers at a UN disaster meeting in Japan do not seem to understand the pressing need to tackle climate change, the World Bank warned Sunday.

    A state of emergency has been declared in the impoverished Pacific nation, where dozens are feared dead after one of the most powerful storms ever recorded smashed through. Aid agencies have spoken of “grave fears” over the scale of the human tragedy.

    But Rachel Kyte, World Bank vice president and special envoy for climate change, said there appeared to be a disconnect between policy and the increasingly-frequent weather-related disasters the world is suffering.

    “I worry that a sense of urgency and a sense of shared ambition is not at the right level,” she told AFP in an interview on the sidelines of the UN conference on disaster risk reduction in Sendai, Japan.

    “It’s hugely ironic that this storm should hit Vanuatu while we are all here. If we truly care for those people, we have to respond,” she said, referring to the need for environmental commitments.

    “I think we have to hold ourselves accountable and at least voluntarily we should have targets” on emission reductions from the Sendai conference, she said.

    The conference comes ahead of COP 21 talks scheduled for December in Paris, at which countries will try to thrash out agreements on cutting greenhouse gases.

    French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, who will chair the meeting, told AFP Sendai could act as a springboard to success later in the year.

    Kyte told AFP:

    I don’t think I would say climate change caused [Cyclone] Pam, but I would say the fact is in the past three or four years we’ve seen category fives coming with a regularity we’ve never seen before.

    And that has some relationship with climate change. It is indisputable that part of the Pacific Ocean is much warmer today than in previous years, so these storms are intensifying.

    We may have helped communities become resilient to the kinds of storms we experienced in the past, but resilience to a storm with wind speed of up to 300km per hour – that’s a whole new intensity.

    The UN development bank chief, Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, said it was “impossible” to protect against natural disasters without addressing one of the root causes:

    Unless we tackle climate change on the global level we are making the task of building resilience to disasters almost impossible.

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/mar/15/cyclone-pam-aid-agencies-head-to-vanuatu-as-death-toll-rises#block-55053188e4b08cb82df08263

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