Open Mike 19/05/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 19th, 2018 - 98 comments
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98 comments on “Open Mike 19/05/2018 ”

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  1. Ed 1
    19 May 2018 at 7:21 am

    The UN will be investigating the ‘disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces .

    Time for sanctions.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gaza-killings-israel-hamas-un-war-crimes-investigate-border-deaths-sniper-a8357981.html

    • AsleepWhileWalking 1.1
      19 May 2018 at 7:46 am

      I doubt that will ever happen, but we can hope.

    • Cinny 1.2
      19 May 2018 at 9:07 am

      Ed, the OIC has just declared political measures against countries recognising Jerusalem as the capital.

      Have been watching the OIC summit live on Al Jazeera this morning,Erdogan is currently speaking.

  2. Ed 2
    19 May 2018 at 8:27 am

    The BDS movement is gaining in strength.

  3. Siobhan 3
    19 May 2018 at 9:21 am

    “If you are planning to be a lifelong renter, a reality check.”

    That has to be the most hilarious opening line I’ve read for a long time…there is a serious disconnect of understanding in this country between home owners and actual ‘lifelong renters’.

    very very few people in this country, with options/money would ever rent their whole life, seriously

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/104021981/renters-planning-to-be-tenants-in-retirement-face-big-savings-target

    • AsleepWhileWalking 3.1
      19 May 2018 at 8:35 pm

      The fact is high rentals have destroyed the social fabric of this country and the only exits are the social housing or home ownership at any price.

      Clearly Stuff need to quote better experts.

  5. Bill 5
    19 May 2018 at 9:41 am

    Not very flash of Kim Hill to claim the “Are Hamas killing their youth” (so-called) question as her own this morning’s interview with Dr Ramzy Baroud. It’s been a while since I tuned into Saturday mornings. Oh well.

    And did I just hear her comment rather off-handedly that his sister will be “busy” given that she’s in Gaza?!

    • andrew murray 5.1
      19 May 2018 at 9:57 am

      Yes Bill, her evolution to a system lacky has been slow but certain.

    • Gabby 5.2
      19 May 2018 at 10:18 am

      You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs billy.

      • reason 5.2.1
        19 May 2018 at 11:10 am

        Lots of little eggs gabby …. 2014: Operation Protective Egg: Killed / Broken 495 were children and 253 women.

        Life in Gaza

        1.8m people / eggs living in Gaza

        4,505 per square kilometre

        475,000 living in emergency shelters or with other families

        17,200 homes destroyed or severely damaged by Israeli attacks

        244 schools damaged

        Source: Ocha (26 August 2014)

        2008, as part of Operation Cast Egg . Around 1,391 Palestinians were killed, including an estimated 759 civilians, according to B’Tselem. Reports say this included 344 children eggs and 110 women eggs.

        19 medic eggs shot in one day 10.30 mins

        • Gabby 5.2.1.1
          19 May 2018 at 3:19 pm

          Hamas is going to get sick of omelets at that rate reasy, or maybe not.

          • reason 5.2.1.1.1
            20 May 2018 at 8:31 pm

            I think your comparing eggs to grass gabbzy

            https://www.nrc.no/news/2018/april/gaza-the-worlds-largest-open-air-prison/

            “Israel’s favorite metaphor for its periodic strikes on Gaza—”mowing the lawn”—suggests violence that is routine, indiscriminate, and risk-free.”

            The regular pattern is for Israel, then, to disregard whatever agreement is in place, while Hamas observes it — as Israel has officially recognized — until a sharp increase in Israeli violence elicits a Hamas response, followed by even fiercer brutality. These escalations, which amount to shooting fish in a pond, are called “mowing the lawn” in Israeli parlance.

            “Israeli military strategists talk, chillingly, of “mowing the lawn”. Even leaving aside the morally questionable nature of seeing human flesh as grass”

            Eggs / grass aside …. Hamas are a red herring … “The Gaza open air prison camp where 1.94 million Palestinians live behind a blockade and are refused access to the other occupied Palestinian areas and the rest of the world is the problem”. ….

            Half of all children have been psychologically traumatised by war, occupation and blockade. Close to 300,000 children need psychosocial help.

            Same with The west bank where …. “ • Israeli terrorists, both soldiers and settlers, harass, kidnap, and kill Palestinians with almost complete impunity.

            • Also in the West Bank, countless checkpoints are established and manned by Israeli terrorists/soldiers. When these are open and closed is completely arbitrary. They make the simple act of going to school or work an hours-long ordeal. People have died at checkpoints when seeking emergency medical treatment, simply because the Israelis manning them didn’t feel like letting them through

            • Over 550,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, in violation of international law.

            • Palestine homes are routinely bulldozed, leaving the families that resided in them homeless, to make room for new Jewish-only roads or illegal housing developments.”

            http://johnpilger.com/videos/palestine-is-still-the-issue

            “Hamas represents a large constituency. Many Gazans voted for the party because they were disgusted with the corruption of the secular Fatah movement and were impressed with the social service system Hamas had created. Like other resistance movements—the African National Congress, the Irish Republican Army—Hamas was on its way toward becoming a political party. “…

            “if you claim to respect democracy, you must recognize the results of free and fair elections. And if you want a party to change its position—and it’s willing to talk—you have to sit down at the table and negotiate with it.,,, But Israel—and by extension the United States—didn’t choose this option.”

            https://www.alternet.org/noam-chomsky-real-reason-israel-mows-lawn-gaza

            https://fpif.org/mowing-lawn-gaza/

            https://www.mintpressnews.com/counting-israels-next-mowing-lawn-palestine/216640/

    • Brigid 5.3
      19 May 2018 at 5:25 pm

      Yes, I was stunned when she put it to Dr Ramzy Baroud that is is very hard for Israel to except that Palestinians want the right to return to their land (or some such)
      If someone stole stuff from you 70 years ago, and you’ve been asking for it back for 70 years why in the name of all things sane should the thief be shown compassion because they don’t want to give the stolen goods back?

      Was she just being the devils advocate?
      I do hope so.
      Though she even insulted him suggesting he wasn’t alive during the 87 intifada, therefore I suppose without the right to speak for those who were. But he replied with modesty and courtesy that she didn’t deserve.

      As Baroud said, we’re sick of hearing about Israels rights.

      And another point is, that if Jews have the right to return to a land they claim was theirs 2000 years ago, why do Palestinians not have the same right to return to land that was theirs 70 years ago.

  6. Ankerrawshark 6
    19 May 2018 at 10:06 am

    http://subzpsubzp.blogspot.co.nz/2018/01/farrars-honeymoon-scam_19.html?m=1

    I posted this on open mike on the 17th, but it might of got lost with the budget stuff.

    This written by sword fish”……..it’s about how the meme about the honey moon bounce in the polls was started by Ferrari and picked up by msm and spouted as fact

    This is a must read. Maybe even post it with sword fishes permission.

    We need more of this

  7. Pete George 7
    19 May 2018 at 10:19 am

    I thought that Grant Robertson looked good on The Nation this morning. A bit like a younger version of Steven Joyce in a good way.

    Ten years as an MP, three years in Opposition with finance responsibilities, and now as Minister of Finance he comes across as in control of his job and responsibilities.

    He looks to be a financial asset for the Government, and has the potential to be a real asset for the country if he stays on track as a prudent and incremental progressive.

    Labour may end up benefiting more from his behind the scenes work than from the surface celebrity of Ardern.

    • One Two 7.1
      19 May 2018 at 10:52 am

      Unfortunately for the country GR probably does not underatand that incrementalism is a death sentence in a myriad of ways…

      Neither do you Pete George…it seems from your comment…

      How many disingenuous statements can you identify in your comment…don’t confuse with the backhanded compliments or memes…they’re slightly different…

      • patricia bremner 7.1.1
        19 May 2018 at 12:09 pm

        One Two, Incrementalism is not fashionable but it is sensible.

        Michael Cullen and Labour introduced Kiwi Saver. The impact is only now being truly felt and understood for some nearing home ownership or retirement. That is ten+ years for the policy to really make a difference in people’s lives. It will continue to do good for people and the country.

        The so called “Cullen Fund” has countered our debt and added strength to our current retirement planning…. again ten+ years in the making and strengthened by this Government

        Both policies were so valuable that the last National Government watered them down, but did not remove them.

        That this budget of 2018 is a “Foundation Budget” working towards by increments to the “Well being Budget” of 2019, which will be a world wide first, putting people and the environment front and centre, with money as the change agent used in clever ways to achieve a sustainable way of living.

        Any person repeating national memes of “no plan” “we did more” “we are better” “the election was stolen” “not enough” has not been paying attention.

        After 9+ years of squeeze… there are so many voices in the wilderness and this new Government cares and that is why they are working so hard and so fast to try to mitigate the many tragic circumstances some people face… it will never be enough for some, but they are doing what they said they would. Put people and environment first incrementally. Sadly powerful forces in the world and here do not like change that shares wealth or power, so working incrementally is key. “Good things take time”

        • Ad 7.1.1.1
          19 May 2018 at 2:01 pm

          +100

          Robertson in the steps of Cullen is simply doing what a wise Minister of Finance does: invest for the long term.

          Lest I forget, I am on record here being very skeptical of Roberston and he is proving me wrong.

    • Anne 7.2
      19 May 2018 at 11:02 am

      It is good to hear you praise Grant Robertson and I agree with you PG. He is clearly on top of his job. But I take issue with your depiction of Jacinda Ardern as a “surface celebrity”. If you really believe that is all there is to her, then your judgement of her is seriously awry.

      While this is the picture her Nat opponents are trying to paint of Jacinda, all the evidence has succeeded in proving the exact opposite. She is highly intelligent and has a maturity well beyond her years. Her grasp of national and international affairs is equal to her predecessor, Helen Clark and the respect and confidence in her that her overseas counterparts have openly expressed… is testament to that. Add to that her strength of character and resilience, and there’s not much more one could ask for.

      • Stuart Munro 7.2.1
        19 May 2018 at 11:32 am

        Her rhetorical skills are right up there too – she absolutely savaged the hapless Bridges with natural triplets and juxtapositions like “too much shouty shouty and not enough planny planny”.

        The Gnats, accorded too much sunshine by a limp media, have neglected their skills and become accustomed to lying as a default strategy. It’s weak.

      • james 7.2.2
        19 May 2018 at 11:51 am

        “Her grasp of national and international affairs is equal to her predecessor, Helen Clark ”

        You have got to be kidding on that one.

        • Stuart Munro 7.2.2.1
          19 May 2018 at 1:29 pm

          Not at all – Helen never got anything like the ringing endorsement Jacinda got from Angela Merkel. Gnat wishful thinking has fooled you guys bigtime about Jacinda – sure she presents well, but she’s got plenty of depth, and is a much better communicator. There is a sincerity about her which is rare in contemporary politicians – reminiscent of Edward Walker’s description of Ivy.

          Of course if you take your views from tragic mistakes like Malcolm Turnbull or the near-sighted and vindictive scribblers of the Herald you won’t pick that up.

    • patricia bremner 7.3
      19 May 2018 at 11:08 am

      Pete George, They are truly complementary. But personally I would like Grant to be more progressive. Jacinda Ardern has cut-through. She has the ability to connect emotionally and shows judgement in having Grant Robertson in that portfolio. Do not think Jacinda is ‘surface’ only. She is a policy wonk with a phenomenal grasp of complexities, and any who work with her soon show admiration for her acumen work ethic and humanity, coupled with sharp wit and eloquence. She is the coalition’s glue.

    • Incognito 7.4
      19 May 2018 at 6:05 pm

      Labour may end up benefiting more from his behind the scenes work than from the surface celebrity of Ardern.

      What do you mean by “behind the scenes work”? Stuff that cannot bear the bright sunlight of transparency and accountability?

    • Grey Area 7.5
      19 May 2018 at 7:08 pm

      Yawn….

  8. Jenny 8
    19 May 2018 at 10:58 am

    How come I keep getting this, when I try to post reminisces of my time in Syria?

    Request Timeout
    Server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client.

    Apache/2.4.33 (Ubuntu) Server at thestandard.org.nz Port 443

    • Brigid 8.1
      19 May 2018 at 5:52 pm

      Because TS server is not responding because of a ‘Request Timeout’

      You know, like it’s given up waiting for you to post your

      comment.

      • Sacha 8.1.1
        19 May 2018 at 8:48 pm

        it detected the phrase “my time in syria” 🙂

        • Brigid 8.1.1.1
          19 May 2018 at 9:43 pm

          It detected the phrase “my time with the Hay’et Tahrir al-Shamin (read ISIS) in the Yarmouk Syrian refugee camp”
          Clever wee server

  9. Incognito 9
    19 May 2018 at 11:06 am

    To Lynn Prent: what happened to the Replies drop-down menu on the RH side? I can only see Comments or Opinions but no longer the replies to my comments!?

    Edit: As soon as I submit a comment my details disappear too and I have to re-enter them for each and every comment, which is cumbersome 😉

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      19 May 2018 at 11:49 am

      Have you changed settings in your browser? Specifically, cookie settings?

      • Incognito 9.1.1
        19 May 2018 at 5:54 pm

        No, I haven’t knowingly changed anything. But to be sure I played around with settings in two different browsers (MS Edge and G Chrome) and ran a few tests here on TS and it made no difference.

    • james 9.2
      19 May 2018 at 11:52 am

      Same as for me.

    • NZJester 9.3
      19 May 2018 at 12:53 pm

      I just noticed it as I commented to that my required name and mail get wiped automatically too. I’m using Firefox and it did update to V60.0.1 the other night between my latest reply with the fields empty and my previous one when they auto-filled in. Mozilla has been making a lot of security changes to Firefox with every update.

      • greywarshark 9.3.1
        19 May 2018 at 1:19 pm

        I have lost my automatic login and have to enter info individually with a different icon thing. I thought it might be connected with my site going down last night – through Vodafone but it seems that others have problems too. I have Firefox too, and have been getting red notices that I have too update my details which I haven’t got round to.

      • Sacha 9.3.2
        20 May 2018 at 8:41 am

        Same. Firefox 60 has some big CSS rendering changes under the hood. Developer-oriented link at end of this page: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/60.0/releasenotes/

    • Jenny 9.4
      19 May 2018 at 5:21 pm

      Drill baby, drill

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/104024959/rise-in-oil-and-gas-exploration-activity-in-taranaki-by-early-2019

      A flurry of oil and gas exploration is set to be unleashed in Taranaki during the next 18 to 36 months as companies make decisions on whether to ‘drill or drop’ existing permits.

      The schedule will see as many as 20 wells being drilled both onshore and offshore in the region before early 2019 as the price of oil steadily rises, to US$80 from below US$40 two years ago.

      Among the companies involved in the region are Todd Energy, Tamarind Resources, and OMV.

      A Petroleum Exploration and Production Association New Zealand (PEPANZ) spokesman said a decision would be made on a total of 31 exploration permits to be completed in Taranaki, as well as off the east coast of both the North and South Islands over the next three years.

      My advice to these companies; Don’t

      • Jenny 9.4.1
        19 May 2018 at 9:14 pm

        Related:

        There are 31 oil and gas exploration permits currently active, 22 are offshore. These permits cover an area of 100,000 square kilometers, nearly the size of the North Island, and run as far out as 2030 and could go an additional 40 years under a mining permit.

        https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/new-zealand-says-no-to-new-offshore-permits#gs.QssfB=s

        New Zealand will still be drilling for oil in the deep sea in 2070?!?

        When climate change is due to have ravaged most of the natural world.

        When super storms are tearing up all infrastructure and making industrial civilisation and agriculture a marginal proposition.

  10. NZJester 10
    19 May 2018 at 12:41 pm

    Another day waking up to find there has been another US shooting. They are becoming so common in the US. But then when you have a lobby group like the NRA sponsored by gun manufacturers legally bribing politicians to make sure that no legislation is passed to slow these things down and protect the people, what can you expect.
    The NRA in the US has no shame having elected a man as their NRA president who in testimony has admitted to being a Traitor to his own country and selling guns to those deemed terrorist organizations by the US. He only got out of jail time on a technicality because a lot of the evidence used to convict him was found to be inadmissible as it was given by him during a hearing to a congressional hearing while he was under an immunity deal.
    These are the sort of problems you have when you give lobbyists access to legally bribe politicians. This was something you saw in very minor ways starting to creep into NZ under previous National Governments with their Cabinet Club dinners where lobbyists got full access to National MPs and the former PM John Key. Here we saw a small number of deaths to with no one really held accountable, but the deaths here where due to lobbying for lax safety enforcement in places like the logging and mining industry.

    • dv 10.1
      19 May 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Apparently 22 school shooting this year!!
      The shooter was 17.

      • greywarshark 10.1.1
        19 May 2018 at 1:27 pm

        A comment made about one young USA shooter has stuck with me. He is supposed to have said something like – society is so bad and everyone is contemptible and humans destroying the earth and that it would be better if all of us died. It is dangerous for young people to start thinking like this before they have had layers of denial of the reality of their, and general human behaviour, to insulate him.

  11. greywarshark 11
    19 May 2018 at 1:30 pm

    The NZ Herald have run a very interesting and full piece on early Maori history and artefacts found.

    Myth of Mangahawea: How scientists uncovered the home of our earliest Polynesian arrivals 19/5/2018
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12043041

    Another item from 17/5/2018 on the apartheid-like laws that used to be the norm in earlier times. A book explores that history.
    ‘Racist as f***’: Book backs up Taika Waititi’s claims about New Zealand racism
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12053300
    Looking at archives and old newspapers, he discovered Māori were treated as “enemies of the state”, long after the Waikato War had finished.

    “During a series of epidemics, Māori were banned from moving about the country, because their brown skin was equated with disease,” Hamilton said.

    “When smallpox broke out in 1913, Māori villages were sealed off, and Māori were banned from the roads and from trains unless they had a special certificate showing they’d been immunised.

    “No Pākehā was ever subjected to these rules. They were blatantly racist, made life almost impossible for Māori, and were in force for many months.”

    Māori were also excluded from bars, cinemas and barber shops in South Auckland.
    “For much of the 20th century it was hard to get a drink in places like Papakura and Pukekohe if you were the wrong colour,” Hamilton said.

    The book details the experience of Rongomanu Bennett, a Māori psychiatrist who was refused a beer in the Papakura Tavern in 1959.
    He began a campaign and made headlines around the world.

    “The New York Times called Papakura ‘the Little Rock of New Zealand’, after the Arkansas city where African Americans were fighting segregation,” Hamilton said.

    The Prime Minister at the time eventually backed up Bennett, and Papakura Tavern agreed to serve Māori.

    • barfly 11.1
      19 May 2018 at 4:13 pm

      “Book backs up Taika Waititi’s claims about New Zealand racism”

      didn’t he say “racist as fuck”

      he didn’t say “was”

      all this is before he was born.

      • Molly 11.1.1
        19 May 2018 at 6:02 pm

        Apparently in the 70’s there was separate seating for Māori patrons in the Pukekohe theatre. Two years ago, I heard the Tangata Whenua providing a report on the health of a stream in a council meeting being referred to as ‘n*****s’. As residents of Franklin we have the misfortune to receive the eLocal, ensuring at least one Māori bashing article per issue. My list of present day casual racism witnessed is long, but others would be much longer, and no doubt, more damaging.

        Bastion Point was in 1976.
        Moutoa Gardens 1995.
        Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.
        Tuhoe raid – Operation 8 2007.

        These have happened in this generation.

        Are you sure that you are living in this country, if you think Taika Waititi doesn’t have a point?

        • Barfly 11.1.1.1
          20 May 2018 at 12:04 am

          All I was saying was that the book quoted only stuff from when before Taika Waititi was born.

          Yeah new Zealand is racist IMO in that some members of all races hate other races.

          • Molly 11.1.1.1.1
            20 May 2018 at 9:34 am

            Your comment implied that Taiki Waititi had no evidence to back up the present tense. I provided a small number, which you ignored.

            If you want to maintain your complacency over the specific racism directed towards Maaori in New Zealand, then continue on as you are. Ignore the living reality of Tangata Whenua and dilute any conversation with generalisations. I’m sure your comfort level will not be disturbed.

            • Barfly 11.1.1.1.1.1
              20 May 2018 at 9:58 am

              There’s an article about a book dealing with historical racism – it was used in relation to Taika Waititi’s comment I pointed out the two did not overlap in terms of history – and lo abuse cometh in my direction. I did not ignore the references you made – I have no argument with them. Your focus is on specific racism towards maori – I find all racism objectionable and I tire of one category of racism being portrayed as more important than others.

              • Molly …
                20 May 2018 at 11:27 am

                If you find abuse in my comment, then I’m not surprised at your perspective.

                Generalising about racism, particularly noticeable in NZ is an avoidance technique. No one has suggested that racism is not a global issue. My response to you paraphrases the BLM movement: “Racism towards Maaori matters as well.”. I haven’t seen you acknowledge that the existence of it still causes damage and is harmful.

                • greywarshark …
                  20 May 2018 at 11:44 am

                  Let’s acknowledge that racism etc occurs all around the world in Tom Lehrer’s inimitable style.

                  Then let’s get back to regarding Maori people respectfully and understand their strivings to cope in our capitalist world of take from above (the Highland Clearings syndrome). It should be noted that –
                  Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell GCMG KC PC was a New Zealand lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 10 to 30 May 1925. Wikipedia
                  considered Maori communist because they shared and lived co-operatively, not coldly, individually with rich and abject poor as the settlers were prepared to do. (This is in my memory, and I can’t quote source.) And this country’s citizens are increasingly adopting the same behaviour as a satisfactory culture now.

                  We have much to learn from Maori in living with those of a different culture and be co-operative to the advantage of both. When we acknowledge that, we will be able to turn aside lingering accusations of racism.

      • greywarshark 11.1.2
        19 May 2018 at 9:55 pm

        Flies have short memories too.

  12. Ed 12
    19 May 2018 at 4:47 pm

    What an amazing coincidence.
    Sergei Skripal is sneaked out of hospital the day before the Royal Wedding.
    How convenient.

    And how convenient for the lying corrupt British state has a compliant media that asks no difficulty questions.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 12.1
      19 May 2018 at 6:37 pm

      The only reason you know about it is that the BBC et al reported on it. Otherwise, it falls under the category of “none of your goddamn business how people who’ve survived attempted murder choose to convalesce”.

      PS: witless assumptions and slavish adherence to Moscow propaganda do not generate “difficult questions”. They just say something about you.

    • mauī 12.2
      19 May 2018 at 8:29 pm

      Correct again Ed. The lamestream who can dish the dirt on anyone they so choose, have no idea what’s happened to the two victims in the biggest story in Britain. What the hell!

      • Ed 12.2.1
        19 May 2018 at 8:36 pm

        The only fatalities of the event were two guinea pigs and a cat.
        And they died of starvation, poor creatures.
        ‘Industrial strength’ novichok.

        They just think we are fools to believe the lies they spin.

  13. Gabby 13
    19 May 2018 at 5:14 pm

    They could at least have notified the Russian embassy eddy.

    • alwyn 13.1
      19 May 2018 at 5:33 pm

      Give them another chance?
      Would they have sent a wet team to get him leaving the Hospital?
      John le Carre would have a ball with this affair.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 13.2
      19 May 2018 at 6:51 pm

      Generally speaking, police don’t keep suspects up to date with developments in ongoing investigations.

      • Ed 13.2.1
        19 May 2018 at 8:26 pm

        I’d forgotten how much you hated Russia.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 13.2.1.1
          19 May 2018 at 9:04 pm

          Try again Ed: Russia is an official suspect of the UK investigation, no matter how much you love or hate them. Suspects don’t get updates; saying so makes no statement as to guilt whatsoever.

          • Ed 13.2.1.1.1
            19 May 2018 at 9:10 pm

            I suggest you educate yourself by listening to Galloway, Murray, Ford and others on the subject.
            Independent, intelligent sources.

            Don’t rely on what May and Johnson tell you.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 13.2.1.1.1.1
              19 May 2018 at 9:24 pm

              Suspects don’t get updates, Ed, no matter what the man who introduced Nadira Alieva to spanking says.

    • Grey Area 13.3
      19 May 2018 at 7:13 pm

      Youry addingy y toy people’s namesy isy really tediousy already.

    • Ed 13.4
      19 May 2018 at 8:38 pm

      The media could at least ask some questions.
      Oh, but they’re all at Windsor Castle, simpering away.

      Useful fools.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 13.4.1
        19 May 2018 at 9:19 pm

        they’re all at Windsor Castle

        Apart from Steven Morris and Patrick Wintour and Jill Lawless and Andrew Griffin and Fiona Hamilton and Leila Nathoo, who’ve all had stories on the Skripal poisoning published in the last 24 hours, that is.

        • Ed 13.4.1.1
          19 May 2018 at 9:46 pm

          You get the point.
          It’s a perfect day to make a story disappear.
          Are you being argumentative for arguments sake?
          Quite tiring.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 13.4.1.1.1
            20 May 2018 at 8:08 am

            I get the point: you see conspiracies everywhere, and deeply resent any factual contradiction.

            • Ed 13.4.1.1.1.1
              20 May 2018 at 9:51 am

              The Skripal poisoning requires a conspiracy, whoever you think did it.
              You ‘see a conspiracy’ enacted by the Russians.
              I accept there was a conspiracy. There had to be.
              But I am not prepared to be judge, jury and executioner based on evidence presented by such dubious sources as MI5, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

              Also, you continually use the word conspiracy as if it were an insult.
              Have you looked up what the word means in a dictionary?
              To help, you….

              noun
              a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.
              “a conspiracy to destroy the government”
              synonyms: plot, scheme, stratagem, plan, machination, cabal; More
              the action of plotting or conspiring.
              “they were cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice”
              synonyms: plotting, collusion, intrigue, connivance, machination, collaboration; treason
              “he was due to stand trial for conspiracy to murder”

            • mauī 13.4.1.1.1.2
              20 May 2018 at 10:05 am

              Ed is not a conspiracy theorist. From what I’ve seen he’s got a good grasp (of reality) in geopolitical, environmental and local issues, etc. Using good independent journalism Ed can’t really go wrong. Craig Murray, John Pilger, Robert Fisk, Rachel Stewart et al.

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                20 May 2018 at 10:16 am

                Craig Murray? A deeply compromised masochist fop (by his own admission) with no access.

                Stewart is excellent, but then she doesn’t write foreign policy articles.

                Pilger does some good work, despite his bias.

                As for Fisk, The Intercept does a better job.

                • Bill …
                  20 May 2018 at 10:21 am

                  The intercept has some excellent contributing journalists.

                  Robert Mackey isn’t one of them.

                  • One Anonymous Bloke …
                    20 May 2018 at 10:22 am

                    What parts of the linked article did he get wrong?

                    • Bill …
                      20 May 2018 at 10:38 am

                      What?

                      So first you link to an organisation as though to suggest the organisation is a person, and I simply point out that the person you linked to doesn’t measure up against the other journalists he shares a platform with, and then you ask a question that makes no sense whatsover.

                      If you want a sense of Robert Mackey’s journalism, read his NYT and Guardian pieces. He tends towards being descriptive.

                      edit – if you want to argue with yourself over what Mackey did and didn’t get wrong in that piece, you could begin with the content of the 148 comments it attracted. They cover it off quite well. 😉

                • One Anonymous Bloke …
                  20 May 2018 at 10:55 am

                  “as though to suggest”?

                  All I suggested is that The Intercept (or Mackey if you prefer) did a better job than Fisk on this occasion, which is pertinent to Maui’s assertion that Ed is well informed.

  14. Jenny 14
    19 May 2018 at 6:34 pm

    It is becoming clearer that the Government’sKiwi build and the increase in state house construction announced in the budget will not be enough to catch up with the 9 years of neglect by the National government.

    Should the government be thinking of a solution that could end the housing crisis overnight and not cost the taxpayer a cent, and legislate against perfectly good houses
    and apartments being allowed to be left empty, without reasonable excuse?

    Ghost homes – properties lie empty in spite of crisis

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11676319

    Inner-city Auckland apartments and residences in Manly, Takapuna, Newmarket and Gulf Harbour rate highest for empty or “ghost” dwellings, an analysis shows.

    John Polkinghorne, associate director of specialist property consultancy RCG, said a breakdown of the city’s empty dwellings showed these areas had the highest number of vacant dwellings on Census night.

    Stanley Bay, Turanga, Grafton West and Glen Innes East have the next most vacancies in the top 10, he found in his analysis of the 33,330 vacant dwellings from the last Census.

    Chris Darby, an Auckland councillor, is concerned about Stanley Bay, where he has noticed many empty properties, particularly in one prestigious street

    The analysis showed 75 empty houses there at Census 2013 but Darby says many more are now vacant. One former resident complained how her family home had been left empty and how upsetting she and the family found that…..

    ……In Auckland, Watercare cannot supply data on low-use properties.

    “Our water use data is held within our billing system, which is set up to enable us to support our customers by identifying unusually high water usage. Unfortunately, our system has not been set up to identify customers that use no water,” said a spokeswoman.

    • NZJester 14.1
      19 May 2018 at 7:54 pm

      You would think it would also be set up to track low use of water by properties.
      Low use of water week after week should raise an alarm and have someone dispatched out to check on water monitoring equipment to make sure it has not been tampered with or is faulty.

  15. patricia bremner 15
    19 May 2018 at 10:12 pm

    Thanks Ad. I must admit I was a bit doubtful of Grant initially, but after meeting Jacinda on several occasions, I trust her. She is genuine.

  16. eco maori 16
    20 May 2018 at 9:00 am

    Company’s like this make a mess and when the——–hits the fan they file bankrupt and start another company and carry on cheating.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12054766

    Ka kite ano

    • eco maori 16.1
      20 May 2018 at 10:25 am

      Marae thats the way Narnia Mahuta you tell them they national and Maori party they stuffed up the prospects for maori they were the government that has suppressed the poor people whom are mostly brown and Maori you are doing good holding your own against two men .Ka pai e hao Ka kite ano