Open mike 18/02/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 18th, 2010 - 37 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

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37 comments on “Open mike 18/02/2010 ”

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  1. andy (the other one) 1
    18 February 2010 at 7:09 am

    Dear John Key

    Thanks for sending me the ‘information’ on the national party national standards. I had a quick browse of it all and was quite taken by the part where a movie should be watched with a child and then we should discuss the characters and plot together. I got the Bruce Lee box set for christmas so the wife won’t be able to complain know thanks.

    I am a little at a loss as to why you sent them to me in the first place, was it a hint to my missus or something? Because yes she is ready to have kids and we are trying. At present we don’t have any kids (probably can’t afford them as we had banked on a tax cut north of $50 and it never arrived) and the last school age kid living in this house was back in the 1970’s so someone got the address wrong, should I drop the letter back to you some time at your place in Parnell or your office in Helensville?

    Cheers
    andy (the other one)

  2. logie97 2
    18 February 2010 at 7:39 am

    Just a quick note. Has anyone else noticed how the MSM have accompanied their stories about Helen with happy and some even stunning photographs now that she is out of their political sights. Strange that?

    • blinded by the right 2.1
      18 February 2010 at 8:48 am

      Maybe it’s easier to find her in situations where she is happy now that she has left the cesspool of Parliament?

      • logie97 2.1.1
        18 February 2010 at 6:09 pm

        Nah, I don’t wear that for an argument. She was proud of her role and was visibly disappointed at losing in 2008. The barons of the media circus just needed to portray her in an every-which-negative-way and will have instructed the editors to constantly use negative images. And for those of us who have had the privilege of meeting her, know this.

  3. Bill 3
    18 February 2010 at 8:45 am

    And compensating landowners for the presence of public infrastructures that deliver electricity to them? Know….if you or I fuck with pylons…interrupt supply… it’s terrorism. Always has been. But we’re not landowners I guess who, it seems can fuck with supply with impunity.

    And why after all these years is this piece of shit popping up anyway? A done deal being trundled out as a distraction to other matters perhaps?

    Meanwhile, will these generous landowners pay reverse compensation for fucking our water supplies or the general despoilment of our environment they bring about in the name of…. feeding us?…em, no that’s wrong…export, export, export…. in the name of private profit….which couldn’t be generated without those pylons and that electric which we are now going to pay them (retrospective?) compensation for the inconvenience of.

    • Armchair Critic 3.1
      18 February 2010 at 9:12 am

      Not satisfied with their welfare subsidies arranged through National’s terrible ETS, farmers have set their sights on gouging further subsidies. From Transpower, this time. Who is next?
      Bet these same farmers rant on about the injustices of treaty of waitangi settlements. I can hear them grumbling from here “those treaty settlements are never full and final…bloody maaries”. Pot, kettle?

      • BLiP 3.1.1
        18 February 2010 at 9:21 am

        Not sure who’s next but one previously New Zealand based but now foreign-owned genetic engineering outfit was handed a no-strings-attached $4 million government grant the other day. Priorities, eh?

        • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.1
          18 February 2010 at 12:37 pm

          Great for the shareholders, not so great for NZ as it watches all the wealth that it creates from its own investment be siphoned off shore.

        • ParkDrive 3.1.1.2
          18 February 2010 at 5:39 pm

          I still blame the previous government for the loss of Living Cell Technologies.

          Needless to say, It’s still good that it’s based in NZ, and employs NZ scientists.

  4. BLiP 4
    18 February 2010 at 9:02 am

    Sport, individual civil liberties, truth, and freedom . . . . . . 0

    Multinational corporations and the “terrorists” . . . . . . . . . 21

    Game over.

  5. prism 5
    18 February 2010 at 9:21 am

    Why shouldn’t farmers receive something for giving up part of their land, for the pylon, then another piece for access road, then having to plan around pylon and be governed by requirements about what to grow under lines, so must be careful with trees planted presumably. It is fair that there should be compensation from the electricity supplier as part of their cost of supply, and the public should agree with such payment as long as it is kept to a reasonable level.

    • BLiP 5.1
      18 February 2010 at 9:25 am

      Federated Farmers are to blame for this mess. Negotiations have been going on for something like four weeks years but the Feds only got around to delivering a proposal for consideration last month. As someone else suggested, it looks like a beat up to distract the media from other, more important issue. $10 to the charity of your choice says a “break through” will be announced shortly.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.2
      18 February 2010 at 12:41 pm

      The farmers didn’t have to buy the farm if they didn’t like the conditions and the conditions about the pylons have been there since the 1950s.

  6. prism 6
    18 February 2010 at 9:30 am

    How shortly be specific Blip – then you’re on.

    • BLiP 6.1
      18 February 2010 at 9:36 am

      No wriggle room, eh? Okay – there will be some sort of resolution to the current deadlock in relation to the farmers “locking out” Transpower announced on or before 1 March.

      This year 🙂

      • prism 6.1.1
        18 February 2010 at 9:42 am

        my captcha is assumption – presumably yours is immaculate.

        Right hold me to that Blip. It’s not far off – sure you have allowed enough time? – good decisions take time you know, so they can have the proper cheesy smell.

        • BLiP 6.1.1.1
          18 February 2010 at 9:57 am

          Heh! Good point, but I was silly enough to make the statement. How about you pick a date and we see who’s closest 🙂 Yeah, yeah, I know . . . too late.

          Just spotted a typo in my earlier comment – this thing has been going on for something like four YEARS, not weeks.

          • prism 6.1.1.1.1
            18 February 2010 at 10:14 am

            Think that it could go on till there is a crisis. It doesn’t matter though – at least they have got rid of the government running electricity and they would be doing it worse!!!

            Four years of negotiation with the farmers demanding too much and the power company considering the precedent and the demands from up and down the country once they come up with dough to these guys. I would say middle of winter?

            It is fair that they get something but it can’t be based on the assumed value of commercial loss, it has to be costs based.

  7. Tiger Mountain 7
    18 February 2010 at 9:30 am

    The slow strangulation of Radio NZ continues. The Nats cannot handle public radio from an ideological perspective as well as it being almost the last msm organisation that reports a few facts and prompts some accountability from politicians.

    Time for those that care to get organised. On Facebook there is a newish “Save Radio New Zealand’ group, and unlike many “Facebilge’ groups the calibre of people on this one so far is encouraging.

    • Lew 7.1
      18 February 2010 at 9:44 am

      Yeah, TM, this is the #1 story for me today. It’s a fucking travesty. That might well be the best $38m a year spent on anything at all in this country.

      L

    • prism 7.2
      18 February 2010 at 9:51 am

      Thanks Tiger M – it is time to watch over Radio New Zealand our little pearl of national information with informed, intelligent people who have wide, adult world views. Inanity is fun for a short period, preferably half hour on the Sunday comedy spot at 2pm. But let Nats at it and it will be like good bread lines taken over by a large commercial baker, ending up spongy, easily squashed and the quality wholegrains all sprinkled on the top for show.

      Remember Nats can not be trusted – they got rid of the broadcasting building in Wellington that had apparently the best recording studios in the country. It was a treasure house, but had no gold in it and that’s all these money morons know. And also it could try to hold them accountable. Anyone remember the lovely little summary of hints for handling the media which I think Stephen Price prepared. Another pearl.

  8. prism 8
    18 February 2010 at 9:39 am

    Auckland needs a logo so that people will recognise it in the streets. How about our great minds coming to their rescue, or providing some humour about it?

    Rangitoto with a golden shimmering circle over it – The one ring that rules them all.

    Auckland – the Hip Hop capital of NZ – all that young hip people could need.
    With reference to star Pauly Fuemana- NZ Hip Hop Pioneer for world hit How Bizarre (and little RIP note expressing sorrow at his passing).

    Skytower pointing hopefully upwards and onwards with people floating up on one side, arms outstretched to dollar bills just out of reach and people falling with arms flailing on the other side with dollar bills just out of reach.

    A big ribbbon bow, with Auckland and Newmarket CBD in the centre and all the streamers of roads marked with the suburbs snaking away around this hub.

    A giant with seven league boots stepping across the harbour carrying the Harbour Bridge full of happy commuters with lovely little sailboats between his legs and the slogan – We have water on the brain.

  9. prism 9
    18 February 2010 at 9:58 am

    Mickey is an important and revered name on this site, so definitely not taking that name in vain.
    Have a go Lew – fame and fortune? may be yours if them up in the Auckland glass towers like it.

    • Lew 9.1
      18 February 2010 at 10:22 am

      How about “Auckland — not as expensive as Sydney”?

      See, I’m no good at this sloganeering.

      L

      • Pascal's bookie 9.1.1
        18 February 2010 at 10:28 am

        “A volcanoe for every week”

        • prism 9.1.1.1
          18 February 2010 at 10:53 am

          Buy a dead volcano naming rights for a month! (Apply to tangata whenua).

          Auckland – drawn as A with a light bulb above (eco friendly?) then Open to planning ideas from overseas, suggestion box here, winner gets a dried pea (representing tiny brain) inscribed with ancient taniwha by inspired Maori artist. Wild eh! Crazy. Just thinking about Auckland takes one off in flights of fancy.

      • prism 9.1.2
        18 February 2010 at 10:55 am

        Like it Lew. Punchy, factual, offers something but not too definite and slags Sydney which needs it.

  10. BLiP 10
    18 February 2010 at 10:38 am

    Remarkable, isn’t it, that we can have acres of newsprint, gazillions of pixels, and hours of air time describing the ins and outs, the whys and wherefores of the current chapter in the War On Terror, and not one mention of Helmand’s location in relation to TAPI.

  11. Rodel 11
    20 February 2010 at 10:40 pm

    Loved that interview on TV with the stroppy right wing business woman who is going to take her talents back overseas if she doesn’t get “more, more, more” from Nationals tax cuts.
    “When asked on TV what is one thing that John Key has done?”, she couldn’t answer and said insipidly,
    ” Well he seems like a nice person”
    The depth of it!