Open mike 20/12/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 20th, 2018 - 194 comments
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Open 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 …

194 comments on “Open mike 20/12/2018 ”

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  1. reason 1
    20 December 2018 at 7:01 am

    Uber Pike

    James a UK immigrant to NZ ,,, and resident troll here …. supports and participates in the the breaking of NZ laws … and such is his pride he brags about it at left wing blogs.

    Uber a tax dodging law flouting corporation came into New Zealand ….. and under the last National Government were allowed to operate …. despite, but yet typically under the last Nact Government, they were at least 80% non-compliant to the Land Transport Passenger Service regulations … under which they are lawfully and legally required to operate.

    It makes you wonder what other laws and regulations James thinks should be ignored …. food?, ignoring all those burdensome hygine and food safty regulations… a james bbq with pink chicken would make a uber fine food provider.

    Uber doctors? …. where maybe they don’t actually have a legit doctors certificate … but they can fill your prescritions cheap of the internet… what a uber bargin that would be.

    anyway it begs the question ….Did James lie on his NZ residency application?? … treating his legal requirements and honesty as merely optional… or did he declare that he would help NZ, by leading the way in showing us what laws and regulations should be ignored

    ###############################

    The Pike River Mine / deathtrap was run like a corner cutting and regulation ignoring Uber outfit.

    I highly recommend this Pike River documentary …

    Watching it left me vastly better informed of the criminal disregard for workers safety .. red line after red line were crossed and ignored …non compliance with the regulations and ignoring laws pertaining to explosive gasses …all leading to the inevitable but preventable deaths for the 29 West Coast workers.

    And for me it really highlighted our dishonest grave dancer Alwyn … and his degenerate smears on this subject relating to Andrew Little.

    • James 1.1
      20 December 2018 at 7:07 am

      Wow you really do have an unhealthy obsession with me.

      Nice to see I’m in that little head of yours so early in the morning.

    • alwyn 1.2
      20 December 2018 at 9:34 am

      “And for me it really highlighted our dishonest grave dancer Alwyn … and his degenerate smears on this subject relating to Andrew Little.”

      My, you really woke up with a hangover this morning, didn’t you.

    • Puckish Rogue 1.3
      20 December 2018 at 9:35 am

      I’m feeling a tad left out, don’t I even rate a mention?

    • Tuppence Shrewsbury 1.4
      20 December 2018 at 9:36 am

      That’s not a documentary, it’s a dressed up presentation of opinions.

    • shadrach 1.5
      20 December 2018 at 11:55 am

      “and his degenerate smears on this subject relating to Andrew Little.”
      I’m not aware of what James has said about Andrew Little and Pike River, but if it relates to Little’s time with the EPMU, then he may well have been referring to this http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-andrew-little-failed-pike-river.html.

      Andrew Little was asleep at the wheel.

      • te reo putake 1.5.1
        20 December 2018 at 12:33 pm

        Bullshit. Little was the head of the union. His job was to administer the organisation, not personally visit every worksite to check for issues.

        • alwyn 1.5.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 12:55 pm

          Well for someone who was only doing what you suggest as being “His job was to administer the organisation,” he certainly had a lot to say about the details of the operation.
          Did you bother to read that link and see exactly what Little did say? They are direct quotes you know.

          • te reo putake 1.5.1.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 1:05 pm

            I’ve read it many times. In fact, pretty much every time some git makes the same mistake about Little’s role. Pike River were anti-union, and incentivised their staff to breach health and safety rules and kept the true situation in the mine secret. Andrew Little is a clever guy, but he doesn’t possess ESP.

        • shadrach 1.5.1.2
          20 December 2018 at 2:17 pm

          “Little was the head of the union.”
          And in that capacity he defended PRC management on their safety record, and led a union that failed to act on specific concerns raised prior to the accident.

          “His job was to administer the organisation…”
          Are you seriously arguing he isn’t responsible for his own comments about PRC? That as head of the union he bears no responsibility for the safety of the union’s members? What was he paid to do exactly?

          “…not personally visit every worksite to check for issues.”
          But he is responsible for what he says. Particularly when what he says reflects precisely on those safety issues. And he was ultimately responsible for the union and it’s members. He failed.

          • te reo putake 1.5.1.2.1
            20 December 2018 at 3:39 pm

            Again, bullshit. His comments were based on what information he had at the time. As I’ve already said, the company lied through its teeth and made life as difficult as possible for the union. To use the National party’s excuse du jour, it was an operational matter. Andrew was an administrator based in Wellington, not an organiser based in Greymouth. He could only report what he was told, becuase he had no direct involvement.

            • Tiger Mountain 1.5.1.2.1.1
              20 December 2018 at 3:55 pm

              be good to see Andrew Little make some sort of definitive statement on this, one mad Trot offshoot newsletter, is what the various Nattys keep quoting

              as I understand it Mr Whitall ran an anti union/union busting culture that saw the organiser reduced to riding the workers bus to try and get access to the site! Rebecca McFie’s “Tragedy at Pike River Mine” lays it out how marginalised the Union was there, requests from Mr Rockhouse to include the EPMU in training exercises were met with dismissive emails from Whitall–“the Union and Pike are not to be mentioned in the same sentence”…etc.

              the attacks on Little are rather transparent given Solid Energy’s “seal it up” plan being derailed, and the Pike River Recovery Agency charging ahead with reentry

              • shadrach …
                20 December 2018 at 4:18 pm

                Hi Tiger.

                The claims regarding Little’s involvement with Pike stem from his own comments and his own inaction. The material in the post (http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-andrew-little-failed-pike-river.html) is damning.

              • alwyn …
                20 December 2018 at 4:54 pm

                You do realise, I hope, that all Andrew’s statements were made AFTER the explosion that almost certainly killed the workers.
                The explosion was on 19 November. Little’s statements were made to the Herald, and Close Up on 22 November.
                If he hadn’t found out what was going on by then he damn well should have. Both he, and the MP for the area, O’Connor had by then been to the mine and still they defended the company and said that everything was fine and there were no concerns by the Union about safety.

            • shadrach 1.5.1.2.1.2
              20 December 2018 at 4:16 pm

              “His comments were based on what information he had at the time.”
              Which were ill-informed, and ignored concerns of others from within the business and the industry.

              “As I’ve already said, the company lied through its teeth and made life as difficult as possible for the union.”
              And Little enabled them.

              “Andrew was an administrator based in Wellington, not an organiser based in Greymouth.”
              That’s a terrific cop-out. Andrew Little was with the EPMU/Engineers Union since before 1997. He was National Secretary from 2000. In summary, at the time of Pike he had been with the union for more than 13 years, 10 as National Secretary. For you to argue his position was simply as “an administrator based in Wellington” is pure nonsense.

    • Muttonbird 1.6
      20 December 2018 at 9:22 pm

      I must say this is a shock. James is not even a real Kiwi even though he pretends he is.

      Immigration management in this country in the last 20 years has been terrible. There has been zero work done on the ability of social infrastructure to cope with the flood of toff-nosed poms washing onto our shores.

      James claims to be about 48 years old and has sent three kids through Kristin at 25K per annum each. The eldest of these kids owns and runs their own business now and is approximately late 20s.

      I’m left wondering when it was that James actually entered New Zealand as an immigrant with his British family?

      James himself might like to shed some light on this…

  2. reason 2
    20 December 2018 at 7:22 am

    …. anyway it begs the question ….Did James lie on his NZ residency application?? … treating his legal requirements and honesty as merely optional… or did he declare that he would help NZ, by leading the way in showing us what laws and regulations should be ignored

    Did ya james ? … do tell.

    it will also distract you from your unhealthy obsession with Ed … otherwise known as trolling.

    Spill your 10 pound pom uber guts ….

    • Ed 2.1
      20 December 2018 at 7:59 am

      Resin – if James trolls you, you are doing something right.
      Remember Roosevelt’s words.

      “I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”

      • Dv 2.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 9:33 am

        And are reasons statements true James?

      • Enough 2.1.2
        20 December 2018 at 9:42 am

        James is an opinionated ignoramus. A classic case of “opening mouth before engaging brain”. I recently posted about the demise of CanTeen’s AYA regional cancer service, only to receive an uninformed, abusive response from this idiot.
        Surprisingly little reaction from other Standardistas to what is an avoidable calamity for young cancer patients in New Zealand.
        https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/12/19/370303/the-fight-to-save-cash-strapped-canteen

        • marty mars 2.1.2.1
          20 December 2018 at 11:00 am

          I missed your post thanks for reposting.

          “CanTeen, which relies on community support and donations, helps youngsters aged between 13 and 24 dealing with cancer. It provides someone to talk to, connects peers, runs activities and workshops, helps people with their grief. The website says: “CanTeen takes care of things like topping up your phone, getting you to appointments or the food situation in your cupboard so you don’t need to stress.””

          Such great work supporting very vulnerable people. My niece is younger, with her third cancerous growth returning, at age 12. Such a tough area to be able to support people. I hope finding can come – a vital, underrated service.

          As for James he’s just another weakling rwnj. A loser pretender who is probably the saddest of all of us here truth be told.

    • James 2.2
      20 December 2018 at 9:52 am

      Your comments beg the question that you obviously have issues.

      Do you stalk women on the internet publishing what you think you know about them?

      Are you one of those creepy internet stalkers ?

  3. Dennis Frank 3
    20 December 2018 at 7:37 am

    Trump tweeted that Isis is defeated in Syria: “Trump is reported to have ordered a full, rapid withdrawal of the 2,000 US troops in Syria, declaring victory over the Islamic State, and taking allies and his own advisers by surprise.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/19/us-troops-syria-withdrawal-trump

    Leading war-mongers are dismayed. “Trump’s own national security adviser, John Bolton, is adamantly opposed to the decision”. “Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican senator who is a Trump loyalist on most issues, denounced the decision. “If these media reports are true, it will be an Obama-like mistake made by the Trump administration,” Graham said in a statement. “While American patience in confronting radical Islam may wane, the radical Islamists’ passion to kill Americans and our allies never wavers.”

    Trump wants a Nobel peace prize? He didn’t actually tweet that he had made peace in Syria – yet. But Obama got one without making peace. Perhaps Trump is considering calling the Nobel committee bluff. Would look good on the cv. He could send his Secretary of State to meet Assad with terms: you declare peace, thank Trump for creating it, we’ll give you foreign aid to grind up all them random bits of concrete everywhere, for recycling.

    • Dennis Frank 3.1
      20 December 2018 at 9:05 am

      His cabinet ministers calling him a moron, his hired help getting sent to prison, you might think prospects of impeachment had increased since Democrats started promoting them, eh? Well, Gordon Campbell assessed those prospects a week ago and concluded “Trump’s destiny is to be a winner, not a loser.” http://werewolf.co.nz/2018/12/gordon-campbell-on-whether-trump-is-likely-to-be-impeached/

      I still feel the same, and doubt Mueller has any rabbit in his hat. Doesn’t matter how much the US media trumpets Trump’s influence-buying, voters know that’s all just American politics as usual – the only way it could harm him is if there was a positive alternative they could anticipate. No sign of that.

    • SPC 3.2
      20 December 2018 at 9:06 am

      Erdogan will be pleased, he can now go ahead and butcher those of the most effective force fighting Islamic State in Syria (which Turkey itself never did).

      This might well also enable the settlement of Islamists backed by Turkey in their failed attempt to depose the government of Syria in “Kurdish” areas on their border.

      The withdrawal otherwise means the US has no leverage in the future of Syria, but Turkey’s hand will be stronger.

      • francesca 3.2.1
        20 December 2018 at 9:21 am

        I think its probably also an acknowledgement that the Astana process for a peace settlement and a new constitution in Syria is the only game in town, and the US is not part of it. When you’ve lost the war and are not part of the peace(and the spoils)why waste any more cash
        I predict a fresh “outrage” chemical or otherwise,clearly perpetrated by the Syrian govt, to pull the US back in .
        Trump attempted this withdrawal once before, Khan Sheikhoun was the result.
        I guess Assad just doesn’t want the Yanks to leave (eye- rolling -tongue -in- cheek)

        Surely the Kurds knew the US would betray them in the end?
        Maybe now they’ll consider the offers of increased autonomy from the Syrian govt
        Probably a little late, but there’s surely no chance now of a purely Kurdish state at this point

        • SPC 3.2.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 9:32 am

          Sure the smart move for the Kurds would be to do a deal with Damascus and get Syrian government troops in before the Turks can act.

          The complication might be the presence of some of the Syrian Arabs who fought IS alongside them, some of whom left the battle against the Syrian government once Islamists began to dominate rebel held areas – they might well now be in the refugee category.

      • Ad 3.2.2
        20 December 2018 at 10:03 am

        Next comprehensive Kurd massacre coming up.

      • Draco T Bastard 3.2.3
        20 December 2018 at 1:33 pm

        Erdogan will be pleased, he can now go ahead and butcher those of the most effective force fighting Islamic State in Syria (which Turkey itself never did).

        That does seem to be the case.

        The withdrawal otherwise means the US has no leverage in the future of Syria, but Turkey’s hand will be stronger.

        True about the US but I’m sure that Turkey won’t have any say either. This is going to fall to Syria, Russia and Iran to fix. Assad would do bloody well stepping up to support the Kurds.

    • joe90 3.3
      20 December 2018 at 9:15 am

      Since Trump and Erdogan talked last Friday the US has cleared the sale of Patriot missiles to Turkey, ordered State Department personnel in Syria to be evacuated from the country within 24 hours, declared victory over ISIS, and Turkey’s request to extradite Fethullah Gülen is to be looked at.

      That’s one helluva phone call.

      /

  4. marty mars 4
    20 December 2018 at 7:59 am

    “President Putin, speaking at a meeting with his top military brass in Moscow, singled out his new Kinzhal hypersonic missile and the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, saying they have significantly bolstered Russia’s military capability, reports news.com.au.

    “No one has hypersonic weapons yet, but we have it,” he said.”

    ummm vlad I think you mean no one ELSE has them

    Also overnight, the US government admitted it is powerless to defend against these ‘game changer’ hypersonic weapons. The Government Accountability Office says their speed, altitude and maneuverability simply make them too difficult to stop.

    The report states: “There are no existing countermeasures.”

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12179868

    Okay now I see a problem – facing a humanity wide crisis of climate change you toolboxes decide to build more deadly weapons – I curse you all.

    • Dennis Frank 4.1
      20 December 2018 at 8:27 am

      “Putin has said about a dozen countries were producing missiles of the type banned by the INF treaty.” Well okay, but if Russian intelligence agencies have indeed discovered this and reported it to him, why doesn’t he identify them? If those countries have signed the INF treaty, wouldn’t it expose them to ridicule and condemnation?

      Not to mention discrediting the entire notion of arms reduction treaties. And their usage in international law. And, consequently, the viability of international law as a method of peace-keeping. So now we await deployment by those countries, and the reassurance that such proliferation will provide its own deterrent effect on usage.

      “Which countries are developing hypersonic weapons? “The U.S., Russia and China are ahead of other nations in developing hypersonic weapons,” Richard Speier, adjunct staff with Rand, told CNBC. Speier, who worked to initiate the Pentagon’s Office of Counter-Proliferation Policy, added that France, India, and Australia are also developing military uses of hypersonic technology.” https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/hypersonic-weapons-what-they-are-and-why-us-cant-defend-against-them.html

    • mauī 4.2
      20 December 2018 at 9:17 am

      I think you will find Russia’s missiles are more of a defensive mechanism than an offensive weapon. Useful against western propaganda at least. For instance without the Russian S-400 we would have seen much more destruction in the Middle East.

    • Draco T Bastard 4.3
      20 December 2018 at 1:43 pm

      ummm vlad I think you mean no one ELSE has them

      It’s most likely a bad translation.

      Okay now I see a problem – facing a humanity wide crisis of climate change you toolboxes decide to build more deadly weapons – I curse you all.

      Climate change is going to cause mass migration and resource wars. Given this fact responsible governments are gearing up to repel the invaders.

      https://www.vox.com/world/2017/11/14/16589878/global-climate-change-conflict-environment
      https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/once-again-climate-change-cited-as-trigger-for-war/
      https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/377634/defence-force-sets-its-sights-on-climate-change

      People in danger of dying tend to act in ways to protect their life.

      • marty mars 4.3.1
        20 December 2018 at 2:19 pm

        Responsible governments wasting billions on stuff that won’t work while the things they could do go undone. That is irresponsible imo.

        • Draco T Bastard 4.3.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 2:56 pm

          You do understand that there’s nothing that they can do right?

          Climate change is happening. This will result in mass migration. The target countries for that mass migration can’t support the migrants. This means that those target countries have to stop those migrants. Some of those migrants are going to be bloody well armed and so the target countries will also need to be well armed. There will be some well armed other countries trying to force the target countries to take the migrants despite knowing that they can’t afford them.

          Countries have the right and the responsibility to defend themselves.

          • marty mars 4.3.1.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 3:27 pm

            Yeah you’re a real gunfight on the titanic type of guy – I’m not.

            • Draco T Bastard 4.3.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2018 at 8:34 pm

              Just accepting reality an the simple fact that, when climate change truly bites, it’s going to leave a lot of people (measured in the billions) either facing death or looking to migrate an that the places that they can migrate to can’t afford them.

              The UN really should have looked at curbing population growth back in the 1970s. They didn’t and most governments of the world still think that increasing population is the Bees Knees and so still won’t do it and so out younger generations are still fucked.

  5. Puckish Rogue 5
    20 December 2018 at 8:57 am

    NZfirsts facebook page makes for interesting reading today

    https://www.facebook.com/NZFirst/?ref=br_rs

    • Gabby 5.1
      20 December 2018 at 9:14 am

      They’re a pretty selfish vindictive bunch aren’t they puckers. Forget pulling up the ladder, just set that sucker on fire.

    • OnceWasTim 5.2
      20 December 2018 at 9:16 am

      Yep. I especially liked one comment:
      “Stuart Ward BREAKING NEWS !!!
      The ‘national’ party has welcomed the news that they no longer have to worry about what their M.Ps and SUPPORTERS will use for brains if KFC needs the cabbages for coleslaw.
      A new product on the hair care market, Control GX “the shampoo with brains” will provide a satisfactory alternative.
      Consideration is being given to replacing Simon Bridges with either a “complimentary hotel bottle” of the shampoo, or his nearest contender, an adolescent tiger slug by the name of Slimey Norman”

      • Puckish Rogue 5.2.1
        20 December 2018 at 9:33 am

        Well you won’t have to worry about Simon Bridges because it”ll be JC sorting NZ out when shes elected PM 🙂

    • mac1 5.3
      20 December 2018 at 9:28 am

      Thanks, PR, for the peek into the abyss.

      • Puckish Rogue 5.3.1
        20 December 2018 at 9:31 am

        I probably should have added a warning to the comment 🙂

        • The Fairy Godmother 5.3.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 1:53 pm

          Do I sense another ode coming on.

        • mac1 5.3.1.2
          20 December 2018 at 2:54 pm

          “Shaken but not Stirred” An ode to the Collins

          I took a look in th’ abyss,
          Just a look, a little peek,
          And what I saw will never miss
          Down in the pits where she doth tryst-

          Worse than the seven levels of Hades,
          Where Tantalus strove in the Greek,
          The Ban Sí in Eire’s green glades
          Or the fell dwellings of the Shades-

          The horror of her Gorgon gaze,
          Too close e’en from the peaks
          Of Darian- ‘mid the Centaur’s maze-
          Where Judith eyes her prizéd preys.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.4
      20 December 2018 at 3:01 pm

      Conservatives proving, yet again, just how bloody ignorant and stupid they are.

  6. greywarshark 6
    20 December 2018 at 9:06 am

    Meanwhile here in NZ, trying to find out some information through an 0800 number about CourierPost’s processes, I have been taken through 4 options that don’t apply and left with 5 which seemed mostly related to NZPost, where shops are etc and tried that in the absence of other options. I got a repeat of the options from 1-5 again.

    So NZPost apparently doesn’t know what it is doing, and proposes to keep customers on a loop running after their tails, while they decide.

    Really a small example of the route the country has gone.

    • Ed 6.1
      20 December 2018 at 9:29 am

      Try Spark.
      They take the biscuit in this.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.2
      20 December 2018 at 2:06 pm

      I find that true of many businesses and not just in NZ. Their attempt to get the customer to the right person via an automated system almost invariably ends up confusing the customer.

    • JohnSelway 6.3
      20 December 2018 at 7:54 pm

      If you keep button mashing they machine gets fed up and you’l get a person. That’s what I have always found with the IRD at least. And ANZ

  7. SPC 7
    20 December 2018 at 9:29 am

    Some have called for New Zealand to be more involved in peace-making and arbitration, as per Norway and Sweden.

    Neither of them (Norway is in NATO and Sweden is in the EU) have been involved in the matter of Ukraine. And we have our stalled FTA with Russia to consider. So this is one which we might well take up.

    The issues are well known, Russia does not like former territories of the USSR joining NATO or the EU. It uses the presence of ethnic Russians in these territories as an excuse and economic dependence on gas as a means to intefere in their nations affairs politically.

    The central issue is the tension that occurs when loyalty to nation state and ethnic identity patriotism (over the future of the Ukraine in the EU and NATO) is divided.

    There are obvious paths to resolution, but the question is whether NATO and Russia would prefer the impasse to continue rather than realise one. So the first question that we would have to ask each party (before offering to mediate), do they want the matter resolved?

    • francesca 7.1
      20 December 2018 at 9:49 am

      Does the EU actually want Ukraine?
      Particularly now that Its economy has dive bombed. And its adherence to European “values”is seriously in question with the current Poroshenko govt at least
      Tymoshenko won’t be much better
      Of course Russia doesn’t want NATO on its doorstep, any more than the US would have accepted the Warsaw pact in Mexico
      Ukraine can’t be in NATO while there is the war in Eastern Ukraine
      Russia would need very strong assurances from NATO (and would they be worth the paper they’re written on) to withdraw their support for Donetsk and Lugansk
      And what about the wishes of the people who live in those areas?
      Very early on in Putin’s rule , he wanted to join NATO
      Maybe this should be looked at again

      https://www.deseretnews.com/article/853851/Putin-wants-NATO-to-let-Russia-join.html

      I think he had a point

      I would love NZ to be involved in mediation etc, but it would not be possible without serious “arm twisting” from our “special friend”over the ocean

      • SPC 7.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 10:12 am

        Sure back in mid 2001 there was the option of a European security co-operation on the one hand and a united defence force for world peace-keeping at UN direction. Russia in NATO. But the later military intervention in the ME (choice of response to 9/11 soon ended the trust required for that).

        At the moment the momentum is towards a EU defence force (ironically made possible by the US request for 2% GDP defence spending in the region), with independent relationships with both Russia and (possibly via a continuing NATO) the USA (and maybe UK depending on where that is headed).

        The medium term issues – the nature of the EU and Russian gas supply agreements while sanctions continue and whether Russian pressure on Ukraine has any impact on its domestic politics.

        • francesca 7.1.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 10:52 am

          Germany’s economic and industrial well being depends on Nord Stream2 ;any alternatives are too expensive. US imposed sanctions are only going to reshape how Europe does business, to the detriment of US control.
          US gas, reliant on fracking, is never going to be cost effective against Russian gas, which doesn’t involve fracking, let alone the difficulties of transport.
          Germany and Russia together…the horror!
          After all NATO was to keep Russia out, to keep America in, and to keep Germany down

      • Draco T Bastard 7.1.2
        20 December 2018 at 2:14 pm

        Does the EU actually want Ukraine?
        Particularly now that Its economy has dive bombed.

        Probably not any more. The Ukraine’s economy wasn’t all that good to start with which is why the USSR’s leadership gave it Crimea. Now that Crimean has left it’s back to being a basket case.

        And what about the wishes of the people who live in those areas?

        According to the US’s overturning of democratic governments – they can be ignored.

  8. Morrissey 8
    20 December 2018 at 9:30 am

    I’m baa-a-a-a-a-aaackkk!

    Eight days suspended, and I’m back.

    Hopefully.

    Testing….

    • te reo putake 8.1
      20 December 2018 at 10:03 am

      Welcome back, cobber. I trust your loins are fully girded and you have a weeks worth of pent up commentary with which to handsomely entertain us.

      PS, good on your former professor for staying away in solidarity 😉

    • Ed 8.2
      20 December 2018 at 12:34 pm

      Great news.

    • OnceWasTim 8.3
      20 December 2018 at 9:35 pm

      Earth to Morrissey, are you reading?
      Nice to have you back old bean. Squadron Leader and I were seriously, seriously concerned about your time in the brig.
      Pip pip. Chin up, let bygones be bygones and we’ll all move forward what?

  9. SaveNZ 9
    20 December 2018 at 9:30 am

    The country’s first crime and victims survey suggests almost two million crimes were committed last year, about seven times the number reported to police.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/378680/survey-reveals-volume-and-nature-of-crimes-committed-in-new-zealand-last-year

    • soddenleaf 9.1
      20 December 2018 at 11:33 am

      I don’t think they got everyone. S.S. trust wrongly exposed a criminal, and so frustrated the he’ll out of everyone who wants to know who these peolle are, it’s a crime surely to distract and misinfirm. Geez how can I be sure that anything the Sen.Sen.Tru. say!

  10. Ad 10
    20 December 2018 at 9:32 am

    Washington DC is sueing Facebook over Cambridge Analytica.

    I’m hoping 2019 is the year all open societies legislate and regulate Facebook et al, as radio was in the 1920s and tv was in the 1950s.

    Its corroding global democracy and must be controlled.

    • joe90 10.1
      20 December 2018 at 9:41 am

      For those who want to join the stampede; a couple of tutorials on grabbing your data and deleting your account.

      #DeleteFacebook

      https://deletefacebook.com/

      https://www.vpnmentor.com/blog/how-to-delete-your-facebook-account-really-update/

      • Bruce 10.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 3:15 pm

        I ‘ve thought it easier to just keep posting pics of nipples and tits till they delete it , seems easier.

    • Ad 10.2
      20 December 2018 at 9:48 am

      Sorry FCC formed 1930s.

      Hopefully if Trump gets angry enough with tv news he’ll reform the Act.

    • alwyn 10.3
      20 December 2018 at 9:50 am

      Perhaps the Coalition of Losers will try and take New Zealand back to the situation in the late 1930’s.
      Radio news broadcasts were written in the Prime Minister’s office and had to be read out on New Zealand radio stations exactly as they were written.
      I’m sure that Tsar Winnie and his off-sider [Jacinda] would love to bring that back.

      Then we wouldn’t get stories on the TV news about how they are going to halve the number of children in poverty, but not for at least a decade, book-ended by a story about the number of people needing food parcels from the City Mission having doubled during their first year in office and another story about how the number of homeless people and of drug users on Queen St having also risen greatly in the last year and how people working in shops are routinely assaulted these days.

      I’m afraid that this current Government is offering only the promises that were described so well in the Union rallying song of 1911.
      As the International Workers of the World put it.
      “Work and pray, live on hay, you’ll get pie in the sky when you die.”

      [Don’t use belittling language, ta. TRP]

      • Ad 10.3.1
        20 December 2018 at 9:59 am

        Radio and tv and advertising are already regulated.

        Alwyn do you do Facebook on a Remington?

        • alwyn 10.3.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 10:06 am

          “do Facebook”?
          Wash your mouth out. I looked at the way Facebook was designed to operate when it started. I decided that I would never, ever go on that crazy system.
          Never have and never will.
          Obviously I looked at how it would work with a great deal more care than those of you who rushed into it like lemmings running over a cliff and are now regretting it.

          • Ad 10.3.1.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 10:17 am

            I’ve never been on Facebook and never will.

            I can see from your clear comments you agree to the necessity of regulating Facebook and similar companies.

            • alwyn 10.3.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2018 at 10:34 am

              “I’ve never been on Facebook”.
              I have obviously misjudged you in my assumption.
              You are very sensible. I think their business case is a terrible one, particularly as it has become almost compulsory for teenagers to use it if they don’t want to be isolated from everything their friends are up to.

              On the other hand I don’t really see how it can be safely “regulated” as you put it. That just puts someone else in a position of power over what people are allowed to see. I think I still prefer the glorious anarchy that was the original internet. The only regulation I would accept is that people should legally own their own data and they, and they alone, should have the ability to allow, or disallow, companies like Facebook from using it.

              • Ad …
                20 December 2018 at 10:47 am

                No other part of our information or broadcasting is unregulated.

                The Washington v Facebook re Cambridge Analytica case I pointed to is exactly the kind of regulation you are seeking.

              • BM …
                20 December 2018 at 11:08 am

                I think their business case is a terrible one, particularly as it has become almost compulsory for teenagers to use it if they don’t want to be isolated from everything their friends are up to.

                Not quite, Facebook is now for Mums and Grandmothers.

                All the younger people have bolted to Instagram , snap chat, twitter, what’s app etc.

                https://www.statista.com/statistics/250172/social-network-usage-of-us-teens-and-young-adults/

                Which is hardly surprising, you don’t want your mother/grandmother reading about all the bad shit you’ve been up to.

                • alwyn …
                  20 December 2018 at 1:02 pm

                  I had heard that was happening but I didn’t realise that the decline started so long ago.
                  Those numbers are for the US I suppose. I wonder when it dived here?

      • joe90 10.3.2
        20 December 2018 at 10:00 am

        Context.

        Long-haired preachers come out every night
        To tell you what’s wrong and what’s right
        But when asked how about something to eat
        They will answer in voices so sweet:

        You will eat, bye and bye
        In that glorious land above the sky
        Work and pray, live on hay
        You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.
        That’s a lie

        And the starvation army they play
        They sing and they clap and they pray
        ‘Till they get all your coin on the drum
        Then they’ll tell you when you’re on the bum:

        You’re gonna eat, bye and bye, poor boy
        In that glorious land above the sky, way up high
        Work and pray, live on hay
        You’ll get pie in the sky when you die
        Dirty lie

      • mac1 10.3.3
        20 December 2018 at 10:27 am

        What the PM told us has been achieved so far by this coalition government when she spoke yesterday in the adjournment debate.

        “…… I could just say this about the last 12 months: 3.9 percent unemployment, a Budget surplus, 73,000 more jobs, 2.7 percent GDP growth including 1 percent in the June 2018 quarter alone, 111 Provincial Growth Fund projects, 60 million trees planted, $917 million contributed to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund after almost a decade of nothing, 384,000 families better of with the Families Package, 774,000 New Zealanders now receiving a winter energy payment, 4,000 KiwiBuild homes under contract, 1,200 new public housing places, more than 200 new or rebuilt classrooms, 1,500 new teachers, 600 new learning support coordinators, 600,000 New Zealanders with access to cheaper GP visits, and hundreds of new police officers already.”

        Good eating, that. Gourmet. Tasty. Healthy.

        • alwyn 10.3.3.1
          20 December 2018 at 7:04 pm

          “including 1 percent in the June 2018 quarter alone”.
          Well that didn’t last very long did it?
          Latest quarter was 0.3%, the lowest number for 5 years.
          https://www.nzherald.co.nz//business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12180129&ref=clavis

          ” $917 million contributed to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund”.
          That is a bit like saying that you contributed $100 to the TAB.
          In October the return on the fund was -4.84%. That’s right it dropped in value by a couple of billion dollars. I suspect the same thing happened in November and will probably also happen this month.
          https://www.nzsuperfund.co.nz/sites/default/files/documents-sys/October%202018%20Monthly%20Report.pdf

          “4,000 KiwiBuild homes under contract,”.
          Really. It is rather more significant that they can’t even get offers on the houses that Twyford is buying, and that the sort of place that they are calling “homes” are studio apartments. Subsidies are now being made available to anyone who will buy a place.
          Those places were meant to be for families who were locked out of the market. Instead they have sold to people like the Doctor/Marketing Manager couple we were told about.
          Other stories tell us that the lottery winners who are offered the property refuse to buy them and that they are then sold on the open market for whatever they can get for them.

          • mac1 10.3.3.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 7:52 pm

            Try this one.

            “Yes, I’m extremely proud of the actions we have taken this year as the Government, some of which include extending paid parental leave, stopping foreign purchasing of Kiwi homes, making the first year of tertiary study free, stopping the State house sell-off, building that first KiwiBuild home, restarting super fund contributions, increasing the minimum wage, passing the Child Poverty Reduction Bill in my name, implementing the Families Package, making GP visits cheaper for many New Zealanders, investing in fixing hospitals and schools, funding more teachers, beginning to plant one billion trees, investing in the regions through the Provincial Growth Fund, beginning to recruit 1,800 more police—”

            PM Ardern Q 1 18 December 2018 to Simon Bridges

    • gsays 10.4
      20 December 2018 at 2:28 pm

      I am trying to suppress the smugness, about 6 or 7 years ago a colleague made the observation that ‘ with Facebook, you are not the customer, you are the product’.

      Seems to be spot on.

      • alwyn 10.4.1
        20 December 2018 at 7:06 pm

        I wish I had thought of that wording. It very accurately, and succinctly, sums up what I thought when I first looked at the scheme.
        I suppose I should also follow your example and try and suppress the smugness about never having gone near it.

      • joe90 10.4.2
        20 December 2018 at 7:10 pm

        A variation of if it’s free, you’re the product.

  11. francesca 11
    20 December 2018 at 9:55 am

    I finally managed to get out of Facebook (it was like the bloody Hotel California …you can check in but never leave) but still had concerns about my profile being up , so thats a great piece of info there. Thanks for that Joe

  12. Morrissey 12
    20 December 2018 at 10:06 am

    Jim Mora apparently believes substandard content is acceptable as long
    as he occasionally “balances” it with “the NYT, the Guardian, the Atlantic.”

    On Friday 30 November this writer, and no doubt many other people, listened with disbelief and horror as Jim Mora abandoned all pretence to be running any sort of intelligent or reasoned discussion on his RNZ light chat show. The first two guests seemed designed to insult and provoke anyone who cared about anything. At 4:28 p.m. I sent the following email….

    Kiwiblog?!!?? Bob McCoskrie?!! WTF?

    Dear Jim,

    You first quoted the extreme right wing Kiwiblog, then in the very next breath you quoted the even more extreme Bob McCoskrie. Ali Jones reacted the way that any sensible listener would have: “What a load of RUBBISH!”

    What’s next? Are you going to approvingly quote the complacent right wing New York Times opinionist David Brooks, or some mad article from the Daily Telegraph, or the so-called “Sensible Sentencing Trust”, as you so often do?

    Have you thought of quoting someone who actually writes in a thoughtful and balanced manner? Gordon Campbell perhaps?

    You have a duty, surely, to assemble a credible and serious hour of broadcasting. Kiwiblog and Family First are anything but credible and serious.

    Yours in concern at the standard of your program,

    Morrissey Breen
    Northcote Point

    At 5:10 p.m. Jim Mora replied:

    I also quoted The Standard yesterday, Morrissey, I regularly quote the NYT, the Guardian, the Atlantic. Jim

    And that is the core of the problem with Mora and his show: this spurious hypothesis that quoting something relatively sane makes up for treating the likes of Bob McCoskrie as a serious commentator.

    Yesterday (Wednesday December 19th) Mora—or his producer Julie Moffett—was back at it. To discuss the planned Hamilton-Auckland rail link, they once again wheeled on the worst possible person. I sent off another email pronto…

    Gary Mallett???!!!
    Dec 19, 2018, 4:37 PM

    Dear Jim,

    A lot of people and organizations have spent a great deal of time and effort considering the pros and cons of the Hamilton to Auckland rail link. However, instead of bringing on someone who knew what he/she was talking about, you—or your producer—chose the extreme right wing Hamilton councillor Gary Mallett. He’s an ACT Party member notorious for, amongst other things, his unhinged attacks on Māori. His language in your interview this afternoon reflected his simplistic thinking: “absolutely pathetic….pathetic…absolutely no impact in reducing congestion…. costing mega-millions… this is people’s hard-earned money…I’m completely agnostic as to how we travel…”

    Both Penny Ashton and Mike Rehu expressed their disapproval, but you joked that “Gary’s supporting some interesting arguments though!”

    That’s five minutes of airtime wasted.

    Yours sincerely,

    Morrissey Breen
    Northcote Point

    So far, Jim Mora has not replied to that remonstration.

    • Rapunzel 12.1
      20 December 2018 at 5:49 pm

      What is it with these husband and wife media “duos” you would expect they would have common interests but some impartiality surely goes with the job?
      In a double dose today his wife, somebody Lambie, was “doing” the afternoon show on a “competing” station and doing her best to absolve the “Sensible Sentencing ‘Trust'” for their appalling and derelict behaviour. The result was her interviewing the (?) McVicar who immediately somehow to turn it round inextricably to the “trust” being the victim in all this.
      Why are these tag teams insulting the people of NZ – that pair, Hosking etc, Soper etc it’s getting beyond tedious they’re everywhere like pack of “Stepford” wives”.

      • Morrissey 12.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 6:06 pm

        Mora introduced an ex-S.S. trooper this afternoon as “victims’ advocate Ruth Money.”

        Another horrible media husband and wife team, by the way, is Bill Ralston and Janet Wilson. It’s not always plain sailing between them, obviously….

        https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22032013/#comment-607420

        • Rapunzel 12.1.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 6:46 pm

          It’s as they say “all about the business” and by the look of it cases of not “what you know” but “who”, do they get two for the price of one?
          I find it quite off-putting being harangued, I like something a bit topical or “newsy” while driving but this level of “opinion” will see me turn to the music stations. I’m still trying to work out how Lambie framed McVicar as the “victim” but she did with very little mention of what they had posted and how serious that was – it was found out about last March so that was kept quiet for a long time while donations were still being sought publicly.

          • Morrissey 12.1.1.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 7:18 pm

            She presented McSticker as a victim as smoothly and casually as she and her husband call him and his cronies “victims’ advocates.”

            The dishonesty has its limits, however. In 2011 Noelle McCarthy was forced to interview McSticker. She could not hide her revulsion….

            https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/noelle-mccarthy-swallowed-vomit-for-15.html

            • Rapunzel 12.1.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2018 at 8:26 pm

              Makes my head spin sometimes, but I can believe it – I live in Tauranga and while in lots of ways it is great, the divide in the way we think between me and some family members/aquaintances is sometimes surprising and I am hard pressed to understand how we can see things so differently.
              Then I read this https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12180474 and conclude that there are some people in the world who are going quite mad.
              Who is this “we” being referred to very often? I believe in the “village” much of the time but not one rigid mindset.
              Is he one of these increasingly crazy people who think the public needs saving from itself and only he/we/they “peddle” the truth? It’s becoming quite bizzare.

              • Morrissey …
                21 December 2018 at 10:04 am

                That fool was nominally “in charge” of the NZRFU in 1999; most infamously, he allowed advertising lout Kevin Roberts to have an Air New Zealand jet “decorated” with a hideous distorted picture of the All Black front row on it. The players were mortified and embarrassed, and pleaded for them not to do it, but Moffett and Roberts didn’t care and the monstrosity was forced through.

                Jacinda Ardern is not the first person to be dismissed rancorously by David Moffett. His harebrained “traitors” remark is just the latest in a long line of stupid insults. When he was NZRFU head creep, he angered Rugby League supporters by (accurately) scoffing at the sport as “five tackles and kick”. Later, the hypocrite took a job as CEO of the National Rugby League.

                Another Australian whacko, Peter Scutts, was the CEO of the Auckland Blues while Moffett was running his ignorant mouth. Scutts, to show how “professional” the Auckland Rugby Union was, took it on himself to ban the Wellington Supporters Club from running onto the hallowed turf of Eden Park with their Leo the Lion mascot, something that they’d done for about a hundred years. Even worse than that little piece of meanness, in 1997 Scutts refused to change the playing strip of the Blues for the Super 12 final against the ACT Brumbies; both teams had almost identical strips. Scutts cited “the heritage of the Auckland Blues”—-the team was less than two years old. In the event, the final was a shambles, with two almost identically dressed teams on the field, and the game of rugby football reduced to a laughing stock.

  13. Wayne 13
    20 December 2018 at 10:14 am

    Morrissey,

    David Farrar, who writes all the primary items on Kiwiblog (it is his blog), is not extreme right. You have confused him with Cam Slater.

    I would agree that some of the commenters on Kiwiblog are extreme right. But not David.

    Just as I would say that The Standard is not extreme left, though I certainly think a number of the commenters are.

    • Morrissey 13.1
      20 December 2018 at 10:23 am

      I like Mr Farrar, and I appreciate the light hand he wields on his site. However, to pretend that anyone with his stridently anti-union and wildly pro-Israel views—he came back from a (guided) tour of the Occupied Territories a few years back and solemnly informed Jim Mora that he had seen nothing going on there—is not extremely right wing would be less than honest.

      He’s certainly more civilized and personable than Cameron Slater, but there’s not a great deal of difference in their politics.

      • SPC 13.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 11:27 am

        There are many Jewish (and wider related group of relatives) centrists blinded by nationalism and or religion into a pro Zionist position, this does not make them right wing, let alone extreme right wing. DPF would be in the former cateogry (though he is right wing all the same).

        There are many Christian Adventists (Slater is one) whose support for Zionism is religious and part of some concept of a Judeo-Christian nationalism where Israel is a western Christendom colonial pet project.

        This is right wing in that this Christian dominionism (American) uses the idea of end time Advent ending human self government/democracy to justify lack of human action on social justice (and climate change) in the USA or the wider world. It serves to enable the GOP to serve 1% mammon with their votes.

      • Dennis Frank 13.1.2
        20 December 2018 at 11:30 am

        Tempting to file him in the `useful idiot’ category of rightists, but probably a tad unfair and I was inclining toward your more generous view when I realised a reality-check is probably a good idea. So I googled his political alignment and found this on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Farrar_(blogger)

        “Farrar professes a classical liberal approach to politics, that is often compromised by his party affiliation with the liberal conservative National Party (for instance over state security powers vs individual rights) and identifies as a moderate of the center-right on the political spectrum. He was a co-chair of National’s Classical Liberal Policy Advisory Group at its formation in 2004. He supported the legalisation of prostitution and of civil unions in New Zealand. Farrar supports a New Zealand republic, and is on the National Council of the New Zealand Republican Movement. Economically his views are more in keeping with those of parties to the right of the National Party, such as the market fundamentalism of the minority ACT party.”

        So socially liberal, economically dry, but the quote implies he self-identifies “as a moderate of the center-right on the political spectrum.” As a Republican, he seems progressive rather than conservative to us (but the contrary to Americans due to their early departure from monarchy).

        • SPC 13.1.2.1
          20 December 2018 at 11:52 am

          He uses being liberal/progressive to assist with mainstreaming his right wing cause. The rich get richer, the state doing less …

    • SPC 13.2
      20 December 2018 at 11:12 am

      Extreme right and extreme left is quite rare, so I would agree.

      He is a liberal, but a right wing one, certainly no centrist.

      The debate point is between centre right or simply right. I’d go with the latter – some confuse his being liberal with being centre right. No so for mine. Sure there is common cause between right wing and centrist and centre-left liberals from time to time but his vehemently anti-Green posts do not come from a centrist position, but a right wing one. The same with his involvment with the Taxpayers Union.

      Like most of the right wing of the National Party they tend to hide in plain sight and manouvre to achieve the right wing change by both stealth and by increment.

  14. Ed 14
    20 December 2018 at 10:33 am

    I challenge anyone to condemn me for promoting a plant based diet.
    After watching this 45 minute documentary from the UK.
    It is not for the faint-hearted.

    https://www.kinderworld.org/videos/animal-rights-documentaries/land-of-hope-and-glory/

  15. Wayne 15
    20 December 2018 at 10:37 am

    Just because he is pro Israel does not make him extreme right.
    I would agree he is right rather than centre right. But if you think David is extreme right, then so is Simon Bridges. But maybe that is what you think.

    • Sabine 15.1
      20 December 2018 at 1:11 pm

      you finally typed something that is correct

      “if you think David is extreme right, then so is Simon Bridges.”

      Simon Bridges is far right, so is the current lot of all National MP’s, and i would include Bill English, the double dipper from Dipton in that lot too.

      There is not one current man or women in the National Party that would not put themselves and Party above Country, Duty and Honor. A bit like the republican lot in the US.

      • Draco T Bastard 15.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 2:48 pm

        /agreed

        The National Party is extreme right-wing.

        • JohnSelway 15.1.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 7:59 pm

          Bullshit Draco. Extreme right is what we see in the US republicans.
          Extreme right are starting to build in Europe also. National is NOT extreme right.

          They only seem extreme to you because you are so far left that you’re not even left anymore. Just some weird authoritarian collectivist.

          • Draco T Bastard 15.1.1.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 8:38 pm

            The National party are extreme because their beliefs do no match up with reality.

            Me, I’m all for living within the physical limits of the world. Which means to say that I’m not extreme in anyway, shape or form.

            The problem that you, like many, is that you think that trying to live within those limits is extreme. And yet, the whole point of the market was actually to bring about living within those limits.

            The market is there to restrict use of resources.

            • JohnSelway 15.1.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2018 at 8:47 pm

              I don’t actually think how you think I do and we have more in common that you might realise. Particularly around how finite our resources are and how they need to be utilised.

              But you can’t just say “National are extreme right” based upon your own metrics because it doesn’t work that way. They aren’t extreme right by any real political, economic or social methodology that is in common parlance or study. It’s no different to someone on Kiwiblog saying labour are extreme left because they are so far right themselves.

              When you or the kiwi blogger say “extreme right/left” what I hear is “I don’t know what words mean”

              • Draco T Bastard …
                21 December 2018 at 1:10 pm

                I don’t actually think how you think I do and we have more in common that you might realise. Particularly around how finite our resources are and how they need to be utilised.

                I have, occasionally, considered that we may be talking past each other.

                But you can’t just say “National are extreme right” based upon your own metrics because it doesn’t work that way.

                Reality isn’t my metric – it just is. It has physical constraints that we need to live within and we’re not doing that.

                And compared to reality Labour is also extreme right-wing as they’re still following the same failed economics that National follow.

                That’s what that article you posted is about. It’s a good article and shows up some of the failings of the economists.

                https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DucIFuBU8AAAsIn.jpg

        • JohnSelway 15.1.1.2
          20 December 2018 at 8:22 pm

          On a totally different topic but replying here to get your attention…

          This might be of interest to you:

          https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/12/why-do-econ-classes-barely-mention-behavioral-economics/578092/

          • Draco T Bastard 15.1.1.2.1
            20 December 2018 at 8:40 pm

            The question I have is: Why do so many econ students (or anyone else for that matter) not learn about the physical resources that the economy is based upon?

          • Draco T Bastard 15.1.1.2.2
            21 December 2018 at 1:02 pm

            Given the greatly amplified role of professional economists at every level of policy making, the extent to which economics is disconnected from reality is becoming more alarming.

            This is most telling point about modern economics that needs to said and repeated:

            Modern economics is simply not connected to reality.

            This article misses a bit though that may even be far more important than the fact that economics ignores actual human motivations. Modern economics misses the fact that economics is about the availability and distribution of scarce resources.

            How much land do we have?
            How much of that land can be used to support humanity?
            How much is needed to maintain a healthy environment?

            These are questions (and others of a similar bent) that modern economics not only doesn’t answer – it doesn’t ask. And so we have nations converting every square in of land to farms and the extinction rate increasing tilting the environment further to outright collapse. We’ve fished up so much fish that the ocean ecology is also close to collapse.

            We do this for profit because its supposed to bring about the best outcome and yet all the evidence shows that the profit motive is bringing about the worst possible outcomes. Climate change and ecological collapse has been brought about by the drive for profit and the need to have a growing economy to feed that profit. A growing economy can only come about with a growing population.

            All the evidence is that the carrying capacity of the Earth as far as humans go is about two billion. We’re presently at seven and climbing.

            Economics, the stuff that the economists and politicians ignore, tells us that we need to live within physical constraints but we’ve gone way past those constraints chasing profit.

          • Pat 15.1.1.2.3
            21 December 2018 at 1:15 pm

            excellent article…well spotted

    • Wayne 15.2
      20 December 2018 at 3:18 pm

      Somehow that got posted in the wrong place. It was about David Farrar, though I assume most people know that.

      As for the comments, well if you think National is extreme far right, then I guess that makes Labour centre right or right.

      • Ed 15.2.1
        20 December 2018 at 3:20 pm

        Labour are Centre right.

      • SPC 15.2.2
        20 December 2018 at 4:20 pm

        National is right wing.

        Labour is centrist, and the Green Party’s agreement with them to spend no more than 30% GDP declared their coalition government would be centrist. This is why they could and did include NZ First. They had to in any case to get a majority and that need gives them an excuse for their moderation – which is given again and again to their party members and all those in society who wanted more.

        It’s not getting worse under them, it’s going to get better … slowly.

        Or they will not go further right, but they will not cross any centre lines moving back to the left at such a slow pace.

      • Draco T Bastard 15.2.3
        20 December 2018 at 8:41 pm

        How long have I been saying that the Labour Party is right-wing?

  16. Cinny 16
    20 December 2018 at 11:00 am

    Parliamentary expenses and receipts.

    Dang !!! That’s a lot of expensive bureaucratic paperwork.

    Has been suggested to give out credit cards, which would absolutely cut back processing costs for expenses.

    I thought they would already have ministerial credit cards, then I remembered paula bennet, her staff member misused the office credit card.

    Can someone clear up my confusion please, as it appears ministerial credit cards are not a new thing, were they scrapped at some stage? Or did they never exist?

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/12/66-50-for-coffee-and-eggs-the-huge-cost-of-processing-mps-receipts-revealed.html

  17. SPC 17
    20 December 2018 at 12:27 pm

    Up north the land of stupid people end their year will all the class one would expect of them.

    May the great prevaricator, who takes procrastination to another level, has apparently reduced Corbyn, the great communicator, to whispering to himself “stupid woman” (no recording of this exists, he claims he said “stupid people”).

    After recent attempts to pose a vote of no confidence in the PM, but not yet her government, this does not seem credible (the argument that either stupid woman and stupid people were statements of fact is a strong one, and one leads to the other, as these were the people that kept her on as leader of their party).

    Apparently because May is a woman, noting that she is stupid while being a woman is seen as a sexist attack, or misogny. This is taking identity politics micro aggression to the next level, and given this is the Tory Party, it is obviously an attempt trying to divert attention from their own reality – May has chosen to delay the vote on her Brexit plan and leave it to the media to run a Brexit with no deal scare campaign over the holiday break to soften up the MP’s before the vote.

    All ones eggs in one basket (she has said their will be not be another referendum to over-ride a parliamentary impasse).

    So should the deal not get parliamentary approval, Corbyn will propose a vote of no confidence in the government over it facing a no deal Brexit (the media scare campaign will help him in this).

    So will posing Corbyn as an anti-semite, and now as a misogynist, save the Tory Party from their own Brexit divisions. May needs the so called “Blairites” (while moderates and the May deal is the middle course between a no deal Brexit and staying in the EU, they mostly prefer going back to a referendum) to vote for the deal for fear of a no deal Brexit if they vote no. Thus the hard-line refusal to go to a referendum is to influence them.

    Stupid people are playing chicken on the highway called Brexit in the UK parliament because they claim giving the people another say, is not respecting what they decided last time they were asked. This is a brain dead parliament that reigns as a tyrant for 5 years and treats it subjects for this period of incarceration as fools. Stupid people.

    • Gabby 17.1
      20 December 2018 at 1:37 pm

      I hope he did it in a cod French accent.

    • Wayne 17.2
      20 December 2018 at 3:23 pm

      On the face to it, Corbyn has shown himself completely incompetent during the Brexit debates. His standing will have gone down (including among his moderate MP’s), though perhaps not enough to stop him becoming PM at the next election.

      However, nothing he has done has either bought an election forward, or will result in a second referendum. He should have been able to achieve one of those.

      Instead he has made it more likely May’s deal will get through. Maybe that is what he wants, hence his tactics to date. So an election, whenever it happens, can be fought in clear air.

      • SPC 17.2.1
        20 December 2018 at 4:49 pm

        His policy is to have the May deal fail in parliament.

        A sort of alliance between the hard Brexit Tories and those who want a referendum facilitated by having a position based standards for a deal they would support not being met (maybe not possible).

        If he is successful, May might resign rather than preside over a no deal Brexit – after all parliament could easily deny consent to a no deal Brexit government being in office.

        Corbyn could however choose to play white knight – entice Tories against a no deal Brexit into supporting a parliamentary move to suspend Brexit and call for a new referendum, rather than a new election.

        With a May deal, the government takes responsibility – most now favour remain in polls – and the Tory Party divisions (there are as many for a hard Brexit and remain as in favour in their caucus and party membership) are going nowhere. Nor is the Northern Ireland, Scotland and the LD (where will the pro remain Tories and anti Corbyn Blairites go?).

        There is no way the Tories can win this game, whatever happens, Corbyn’s Labour has the advantage/all the cards.

      • gsays 17.2.2
        20 December 2018 at 6:29 pm

        While no expert on UK politics, I can’t help think that there is little to gain by acting too forthrightly currently.

        Akin to being leader of the opposition.

  18. marty mars 18
    20 December 2018 at 12:52 pm

    101 stuff that UK labour or Corbyn haven’t found an answer to. The distraction that sticks

    Parliament descended into chaos on Wednesday as angry Tory MPs accused Jeremy Corbyn of calling Theresa May a “stupid woman”, which the Labour leader vehemently denied.

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/19/jeremy-corbyn-accused-of-calling-theresa-may-a-stupid-woman

    It may have been better to say yep I said it and here’s why…

    • Dennis Frank 18.1
      20 December 2018 at 1:25 pm

      I liked this bit: “While May was still in the house, the former Tory chair Patrick McLoughlin asked Bercow to censure Corbyn. “He muttered words which were quite clearly visible, accusing the prime minister of being a ‘stupid woman’,” he said, as MPs shouted “Shame!” and “Disgrace!””

      Since the former Tory chair confirms that the words were clearly visible, they will show up on any video recording of Corbyn uttering them, so their inaudibility is no real problem. Sceptics just need to watch the recording to see those words hanging there in the air just after emerging from his mouth…

      • SPC 18.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 2:23 pm

        Guilty of being seen as having a thought crime – which is apparently calling a stupid person, a woman.

        • Gabby 18.1.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 9:04 pm

          Stupid old white man would’ve been fine.

          • SPC 18.1.1.1.1
            20 December 2018 at 10:00 pm

            Everyone in the Commons would have looked at each other – the comment could have applied to themselves or the first other man they looked at.

      • Gabby 18.1.2
        20 December 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Bercow’s a silly moo.

      • OnceWasTim 18.1.3
        20 December 2018 at 4:38 pm

        What he should have said was “I realise honourable members are looking for ways to take offence, and I now wonder whether they’d have preferred it if I’d said – Silly Lady boy, and “I’m offended you are offended just as you will be offended I am offended by you’re being offended”

  19. Philip Ferguson 19
    20 December 2018 at 3:16 pm

    A concerned school teacher provides a critical take on the issue of transgender children and medical intervention: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2018/12/20/death-by-puberty/

  20. Chris T 20
    20 December 2018 at 3:49 pm

    Surprised no one has brought up the Haumaha report.

    Would be interesting to hear justification for Ardern not sacking him.

    • Gabby 20.1
      20 December 2018 at 4:22 pm

      To piss off Chris Basher Bishop christy.

      • Chris T 20.1.1
        20 December 2018 at 4:37 pm

        She doesn’t consider the report serious to the point of using it to annoy someone?

        Interesting

        • Gabby 20.1.1.1
          20 December 2018 at 9:03 pm

          Well it looks like Hummer’s an arsehole but not a workplace bully christy, and being an arsehole is pretty much de rigueur for high placed smootharse bureaucrats.

  21. The Chairman 21
    20 December 2018 at 5:17 pm

    A new report (on the Funded Family Care system) commissioned by the Government points to a host of failings, but makes no recommendation for change.

    A disability advocate says the report is a waste of time and the Government should simply get on with changes everyone knows are overdue.

    There is concern the report will allow the Government to procrastinate.

    Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter said she expected the government would announce its plans to overhaul the Funded Family Care system in less than a year, but she wouldn’t commit to a specific time-frame nor give away any details. However, she acknowledged affected families have been waiting a long time for justice.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/378613/report-highlights-discriminatory-disabled-care-system

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018676219/disability-advocate-says-new-report-treats-people-as-fools

    Lets hope the Government gets their A into G on this one and comes up with a balanced overhaul that will appease concerns.

  22. OnceWasTim 22
    20 December 2018 at 8:54 pm

    @Anne and Denis, and probably a few others:
    You might be interested in this (as in when the PS started to go tits up with corporatisation):
    https://www.bbc.com/news/education-46608818

  23. greywarshark 23
    20 December 2018 at 9:27 pm

    For those of you with hair and wanting a new image, to present a new younger you what about this:

    https://www.dufp.co.nz/headlines

  24. greywarshark 24
    20 December 2018 at 9:57 pm

    Manus Island – too small and vulnerable to cope as a dumping ground for problems too big for Australia to cope with.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/378215/manus-island-s-social-fabric-broken

  25. eco maori 25
    22 December 2018 at 6:44 pm

    Kia ora Newshub One has to expect more accidents with all the exra cars and people in Aotearoa of late and not much investment in the road network in the last few years.
    Those are huge hailstones in Australia hope not to many people have been hurt what a mess we have to get use to weather like that.
    We need to pay a return on waste to save our wild life and enviroment that poor seal nearly lost its life paying a return on all waste is way cheaper than have to try and pull plastic waste out of the sea the size of the Pacific waste .
    Ka pai Mark with your song we built this city on sausagerolls hitting number one in Britain lol
    One must be real carefull when working in construction I have heard of some shocking accidents
    Rob that’s the way Wellington showing you the aroha for being Maori santa . People in Aotearoa have expect maori are going to show there pride of being a tangata whenua.
    Kate Wreck it Ralph will keep the mokopunas happy for a while.
    ka kite ano P.S I have to use a new search ap and it has not got spell check loaded yet some one crashed the old one

  26. eco maori 26
    22 December 2018 at 8:57 pm

    Eco Maori video for the minute