Open mike 20/02/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 20th, 2010 - 22 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

Comment on whatever takes your fancy.

The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

22 comments on “Open mike 20/02/2010 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. logie97 1
    20 February 2010 at 7:56 am

    Of people in the news. Ms Boag.
    What ever happened to her recent aspirations of becoming a primary school teacher. Did she ever graduate from teachers college?

  2. Doug 2
    20 February 2010 at 9:55 am

    So much for Phil gaining traction.
    Poll dated 19 Feb 2010

    The latest Roy Morgan NZ Poll shows support for John Key’s National-led Government is down 1% to 56.5% comprising National Party 52% (unchanged), Maori Party 2.5% (down 0.5%), ACT NZ 1.5% (down 0.5%) and United Future 0.5% (unchanged).

    Support for Opposition Parties is 43.5% (up 1%); Labour Party 33% (up 1%), Greens 8% (up 2%), NZ First 2% (down 1.5%) and Others 0.5% (unchanged).

    If a National Election were held today the National Party would win easily.

  3. r0b 3
    20 February 2010 at 10:36 am

    I moved some comments re “party central” from here to the post on that topic.

  5. NickS 5
    20 February 2010 at 11:39 am

    http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/councils-baulk-timeframes-3373898

    lolwut?

    So apparently reducing the time it takes to do a resource consent in NACT land translates to cutting corners and forcing rate-payers to pay for the process when the time needed to do it properly is taken + likely bearing part of any future costs when things go wrong from corners being cut…

    Yay for intelligent, reality based governance.

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      20 February 2010 at 9:27 pm

      Yay for intelligent, reality based governance.

      You weren’t really expecting that from the NACTs+Mp were you?

    • Armchair Critic 5.2
      20 February 2010 at 10:01 pm

      I had thought the same thing.
      When Nick Smith says “the fee (for the consent processing) will be discounted”, the actual processing costs will increase, and both the discount and the increased cost will be borne by the ratepayers.
      In short, he is advocating an increase in rates.
      And advocating an even more confrontational approach to the consent application process.
      With the impending state of confusion in Auckland, this is another “leaky buildings” type issue waiting to happen. It’s a pity Dr Smith can’t be held personally liable.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.2.1
        20 February 2010 at 11:28 pm

        Leaky, substandard buildings courtesy of NACT+MP. It was National that caused them last time and it will be them causing the next lot.

        Unfortunately, we can’t bill them for the damage that they cause with their delusional policies.

        • Armchair Critic 5.2.1.1
          21 February 2010 at 9:39 am

          There will be a lot of planning work needed in Auckland over the next ten or so years, yet I’ve been told the number of planning staff at the new council is to be significantly reduced. That might work. But then again, it might not.
          Auckland doesn’t need another whack of costs from inadequate planning. Or the potential pillaging when developers realize no one is watching.

  6. Zorr 6
    20 February 2010 at 12:18 pm

    Apparently, ex-PMs arent allowed to hold an opinion according to the DimPost.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3352006/Clark-speaks-out-on-park-mining-plans

  7. John Dalley 7
    20 February 2010 at 12:36 pm

    Just love the way John Key is supporting Kevin Rudd’s condemnation of the Japanese Whaling!

  8. Quoth the Raven 8
    20 February 2010 at 12:41 pm

    Schools in America are spying on children in their own homes. Truly sickening.
    School Accused Of Spying On Kids In Their Homes With Spyware That Secretly Activated Webcams

    This is an older article of another sickening case although the social democrats here may cheer the state’s actions against these rapacious libertines UK: Imagine a Sandal Stamping on a Human Face Forever

    Leanne Shepherd and Lucy Jarrett were on a job sharing arrangement in which they both worked part time. Being good friends, they did what parents have been doing since children were invented, which is to take it in turns to look after each others nippers when the other was working.

    For this outrageous act of blatant common-sense, they were reported by a neighborhood busybody to the Office of Standards in Education (OFSTED), who subsequently visited Mrs Shepherd to inform her that without the appropriate permits she was breaking the law.

  9. the sprout 9
    20 February 2010 at 1:53 pm

    I see John Banks and Don Brash were also directors of Huljich Wealth Management, the company before the Securities Commission for fraudulent dealings over Kiwisaver

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10627381

    The Mayor of Auckland and former National Party Minister, and the former Leader of the National Party – who would have thought such nice rich white men would be so bent?

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      20 February 2010 at 11:36 pm

      Quoting article

      “I had no idea there were so many hurdles to jump through to give someone money.”

      It’s not the giving people money that’s the problem but the deceit that went with it. The effort to cover up losses.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.