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Open mike 20/12/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 20th, 2012 - 145 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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145 comments on “Open mike 20/12/2012”

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  1. KhandallaMan-an Absolutely Fabulous QC & Viper 1
    20 December 2012 at 6:08 am

    Our Members, which art in Confusion,
    Restless be thy Mood
    Thy Kingdom come.
    Thy will be done for the next election,
    Though it hasn’t since ’08.
    Give your MPs your daily thoughts.
    And don’t forgive manipulation,
    As you have bit your lip while the Clique trespassed against us.
    And stop Trevor &co lead us into another failure,
    But deliver us from careerists
    For this is your Constitutional Right,
    The power, and the leverage,
    For a members vote in February
    Amen.

  2. Neoleftie 2
    20 December 2012 at 7:08 am

    A counter…
    Just before Xmas I spoke to the few.
    On the feb vote, I hope we get the vote too.
    For the people’s voice i speak of unity
    A new direction, a pathway maybe a cup of tea.

    Time for our say, members and all.
    Time for hope and to stand tall.
    Our pollies are our hope
    They must talk what we dream.

    But I say to you all.
    Time for unity, one voice, one dream.
    So in bright early feb give me just one united team.

  3. rosy viper 3
    20 December 2012 at 7:10 am

    Hang on…
    A man assaults his wife repeatedly and gets discharged without conviction with a comment by the judge that the charges will probably have an effect on his chosen career path of training to be a surgeon.

    A transgendered woman will have to serve 2 years & 1 month in a men’s prison for a single instance of assault after a fight broke out after an argument at home. A month less and the sentence could have been reduced to home detention. The judge recognised that a transgendered person might be at risk in a men’s prison, but sent her there anyway.

    Two questions:
    1. Will the prosecution appeal the first sentence because it’s inadequate and domestic violence needs to be taken seriously?

    2. Will the defence have the money to appeal the second sentence because it’s dangerous and therefore wrong?

    • Neoleftie 3.1
      20 December 2012 at 7:15 am

      Surely you don’t think we live in A land of one rule one law for everyone do you..

    • vto 3.2
      20 December 2012 at 8:10 am

      This is appalling. Judge Cooper is full of shit.

      There are separate standards applied in New Zealand justice. One standard for those who are so-called professionals and one for those are so-called mere workers.

      If a conviction is likely to cause a problem for someone’s job then tough. I would expect that an assault conviction is easier to turn a blind eye to by the NZ Medical Cartel than it is for a lowly delivery driver to avoid losing his job and not being able to find another.

      It is like back when the Amercias Cup was here and that rich billionaire fulla got caught with some pot. The useless judge let him off, and got name suppression because it would have a detrimental to him and his business. Well, frikkin’ duh, it would actually have no impact on a billionaires life. And such a similar event for a local Manuwera lad would have a massive impact on his life.

      So the judges are full of shit.

      In fact Judge Cooper said this “”It is fair to say any conviction is going to impact adversely on your employment.” So if that is the, what do you call it, reason for the decision (latin term?), then I look forward to seeing it applied equally across the land. Convictions have a greater impact on those less well off than those at the top of the pile, completely and totally contrary to the current understanding of our judiciary.

      Judge Cooper is a brainless fool.

      • muzza 3.2.1
        20 December 2012 at 8:38 am

        So the judges are full of shit.

        I wonder how many of these example it will take until people accet that the judiciary in NZ are in fact corrupted, and working for/to a completely differnent agenda.

        As shown by the links I posted about the SFO Prosecutor, and the bizaare events in the court room as allowed by Judge Mary Beth Sharp

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10853717

        Blames fertility drug…

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10853492&ref=rss

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10854173

        On Tuesday, via her QC Paul Davison, Killeen pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court to forgery. However, Judge Mary Beth Sharp discharged her without conviction, describing her as an exceptional person in an exceptional case. The judge accepted Davison’s submissions that Killeen had suffered a rare psychological reaction to a powerful fertility drug she was taking, which can affect 1 per cent of women with symptoms including irrationality, forgetfulness and obsessive behaviour.

        I guess some people are more exceptional than others when committing crime!

        • aerobubble 3.2.1.1
          20 December 2012 at 10:17 am

          You are hopelessly wrong. Justice is not linear. Ever crime has different context and differing evidence, remorse, etc. Second guess courts and replacing it with some mob internet rule is just dumber than dumb, its been tried over and again to replace courts and it never works because those with the most money win.

          Past behavior is indicative of future behavior, past good civil interactions are always going to add weight to remorse displayed. However if you live a marginal life, then of course your lack of remorse is going to play even more against you. Its one of the problems I believe with the high Maori crime rates, Maori culturally aren’t clued up on how to express good standing and remorse to courts.

          While I agree, putting a person who looks and behaves like a women in a man jail does require the prison to take exceptional measures to protect them.

          • vto 3.2.1.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 10:23 am

            I think you miss the point there aerobubble, as is evidenced by your statement ” However if you live a marginal life, then of course your…….”

            The post of muzza and that of mine are (assumed for muzza) based on all else being equal. There is no evidence in the media presentation of these cases that the wife-beater lived a good civil life (simply being a doctor does not equal that – that is just bigotry) or that the tranny lived a less than civil life.

            Your assumption that this is the case would seem to be the same assumption that judges always make. I posted a further example of that with the billionaire. This is the exact problem.

            I hold the judiciary in high regard. However in this exact area it has failed for a long long time and it was time it was highlighted. Best example being the wildly random application of name suppression and the justifications for and against. It is shit.

            • aerobubble 3.2.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2012 at 4:13 pm

              The generalization that courts could produce consistency is farfetched given that each crime has its own circumstances, evidence, people, and I doubt we’d want the dictatorship of consistency. Half the court process is just stressing out the accused, lumbering them with costs, putting their lives on hold, even before the case gets going.
              Yeah, and wonder how the collecting of that crime levy is going.
              The very thing we cannot go into detail about, individual cases, is they very reason we put up a court system to deliberate all the fact in a impartial way. Now yeah, for sure, the Bain of cases comes along too, nobody should think courts are perfect, or could be made that way.
              That’s why I took a stance on your general bullshit that courts are all out of kilter with your world view. Poor you, its called a process of compromises, and its never going to be clean or pretty.

              What is reasonable, a person who turns up to work, does detailed, highly professional work day in day out for decades, or some transient who hits people to solve their problems. Sorry but people have been around long enough to know that drugs will effect people and they can make mistakes of judgment. But violence, whole different level.

              As for the running over, people do, yes even millionaries, have brain fazes when confronted with violence. A very important part, surely of courts, is to find who instigated it. A father with his kid, is more likely to flight than fight, and so if a person is desperate, angry, running at them, avoiding them is only one of the constraints.

              • rosy viper …
                20 December 2012 at 9:21 pm

                Can’t say I agree with you aerobubble. Laws are made and appeals won because courts must show some sort of consistency in sentencing. Of course there are extenuating circumstances in some cases – obviously the reason lawyers argue for them.

                My problem with these two cases is that consistency doesn’t seem to be apparent in these cases, and that someone has no sentence for domestic violence because of his status, not because of the crime, and someone else has sentence that, because of her status is unduly harsh. It may even appear bigoted – 2 years + the 1 month so home detention cannot be considered.

                • aerobubble …
                  21 December 2012 at 12:54 pm

                  Courts hear all the information. Also it doesn’t matter that you can pick out two cases that seem to look inconsistent. Citizens who own their own homes, have savings, are more civil minded because they have more to lose, and so punishing unnecessarily harshly when the mere lose of status in gaining a criminal conviction
                  would see their career prospect shrink, their kids look question their parents…

                  As for the puzzle. A person who has nowhere to serve out home detention, and is already give a 15% reduction on their sentence, should necessity a lot of publicity to keep their jailers keen that nothing averse does happen to them when incarcerated.

                  You see each persons punishment is best contexted to their circumstances, a father has children, children could be harmed and punished too, they lose in other ways that a prison sentence cannot. Like I said, just being accused is punishment (exceptions like attention seekers, sociopaths), so should judges take this into account, the lack of remorse shown by the sociopathic attention seeker self-victim? So unless and until I see every damn piece of evidence I trust in the judges in these trials to weight up decisions. Now, sure if there is a clear skew over time in lots of cases, and fathers are walking scot-free, and trans-sexuals are getting beaten in jail (or worse), then sure no problem it would merit looking at the sentencing, and sacking some managers in the jail system.

                  One problem with home detention is its consider punishment, so what the country is saying is someone who lives holed up in their home, severely socially inhibited, and effectively the same as punishment to another citizen for the crime of
                  assault? So I point to you beware making generalizations, I’m sure some will
                  take it as quite offensive that home detention is offer to people how have been
                  at the hard end of violence, as they personally may fear leaving their homes
                  as a result.

                  • karol …
                    21 December 2012 at 1:07 pm

                    aerobubble: Citizens who own their own homes, have savings, are more civil minded because they have more to lose, and so punishing unnecessarily harshly when the mere lose of status in gaining a criminal conviction
                    would see their career prospect shrink, their kids look question their parents…

                    Thanks for dismissing all us renters as lacking in community spirit. Actually, the fear of losing one’s home and savings is supporting more of an individualistic focus on what’s in it for themselves and their families. People who rent, and have less savings could be more aware of the need for community-support, caring for others etc.

                    • Napkins …
                      21 December 2012 at 1:13 pm

                      Perhaps we should go back to the good old days where only property owning (Christian men) could vote.

                    • aerobubble …
                      22 December 2012 at 2:26 pm

                      Certainly I agree that horses for courses, some want to acquire wealth, and thats okay as much as someone who wants to rent. My point was that its not punishment if it doesn’t change their circumstances. A social phobic would be more harshly punished in a prison, but also home detention would be a breeze. So a judge could stipulate limits on say internet access while on home detention, this would be more severe than for most people whose whole community wasn’t online say. Its little point giving home detention to a paraplegic.

  4. The Al1en 4
    20 December 2012 at 7:28 am

    So nobody here wants to help me start the ‘Sweet as’ revolution in Hamilton West?
    On my home world, we’d call you all mouth and no trousers.
    Two minutes silence for fallen internet warriors, but two fingers up at food in kids bellies.
    Priorities, nice.

    Second track on my website – Games I play.

    Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s rough.
    Sometimes it breaks your heart inside. You’ve got to break your heart or hide.
    Some people come easy, like some people go.
    Some people break apart in sight. They have to run away in fright. But not me.

    ‘Cause you know? It’s just like a game I play.
    ‘Cause I know we’re just here to fade away.
    ‘Cause I’m only here for so long.
    Been too lonely here, for too long.

    ‘Somethings’ aren’t easy. ‘Somethings’ aren’t wrong.
    ‘Somethings’ can’t fake a hurt inside. They’ve got to take a pain with pride.
    Some people go easy. And some people don’t.
    Some people make a stand and fight. They have to hold their ground and fight. Just like me.

    ‘Cause you know? It’s just like a game I play.
    ‘Cause I’m no way here just to fade. No way.
    ‘Cause I’m only here for so long.
    ‘Cause I’m lonely here, but I’m strong.
    ‘Cause I’m only here for so long.
    I’m still standing here, so come on.

    So come on.
    One by one. All at once, I’ll take you all on.
    One by one. All at once, until you’re all gone.
    And I win.

  5. stever 5
    20 December 2012 at 7:47 am

    Is it snowing on The Standard? 🙂

    • just saying 5.1
      20 December 2012 at 7:56 am

      It stops and then comes back again
      And the screen is twitching.
      Glad you’ve got it too, I thought I might have picked up a bug.

      • Bill 5.1.1
        20 December 2012 at 7:59 am

        Ain’t a twitch. It’s a shiver 😉

      • The Al1en 5.1.2
        20 December 2012 at 8:17 am

        Or a ‘special investigation’ by a ‘special branch’ that the pm will never get an email, text or phone call about, even if he makes jokes about it, that no-one heard or saw footage of, even while they we’re destroying it just in case.

        For the record, I am an alien, but I’m a permanent resident al1en.
        I’m also not a ‘predator’ type teeth gnasher and I never consume humans – It’d be like eating less intelligent Dolphin.

        😉

        • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 5.1.2.1
          20 December 2012 at 2:22 pm

          The Allen
          Merry Christmas dude. Find some earthling to explain it to you and then enjoy it.

          • The Al1en 5.1.2.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 5:02 pm

            Don’t worry, friend. I’ve got your festive customs nailed down.
            Every December, all the politicians get to fuck off on holiday and all the hungry kids don’t.

            Enjoy yours though, if you conscience lets you.

      • freedom 5.1.3
        20 December 2012 at 8:59 am

        it seems to be following the cursor

    • stever 5.2
      20 December 2012 at 8:00 am

      Wind from the NE this time!

    • just saying 5.3
      20 December 2012 at 8:25 am

      Gone from twitching/shivering to fitting at the bottom of the screen.
      Calling Dr LPrent if you have a minute.
      Firefox, vista home premium.

      • stever 5.3.1
        20 December 2012 at 8:32 am

        A feature that’s gone rogue??

        On OSX 10.6.8, Safari it’s still a nice snow shower…sorry hear it’s stormy elsewhere…

        • stever 5.3.1.1
          20 December 2012 at 8:41 am

          And it’s behaving using Firefox 14.0.1 on the same O/S.

          • karol 5.3.1.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 8:57 am

            Whew. I have been working on a post (on media bias -difficult topic) for a couple of weeks. Was working on it just now and made quite a few revisions – clicked save, took forever as all the typing disappeared, leaving me with a blank post. However, I opened the post in another tab and the latest version is all there. Gave me a fright.

            • lprent 5.3.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2012 at 11:22 am

              Happens. I was fixing a problem with a plugin update last night and the system was a bit upset.

              The back button often works if you have to walk backwards…

    • Colonial Weka 5.4
      20 December 2012 at 10:53 am

      If you have a wordpress account you can go here and turn off the snow for blogs you look at (I assume this doesn’t work if you log out):

      https://wordpress.com/#!/settings/ (untick the snow box)

      Eta: doesn’t work 🙁 although it is supposed to http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/its-getting-cold-in-here/ Is this a wordpress.org thing?

  6. Sanctuary 6
    20 December 2012 at 7:56 am

    Remember to take advantage of our position relative to the international dateline to login at midnight onto every form of social media and start making panic stricken reports of massive earthquakes, huge volcanic eruptions and armies of zombies emerging from nowhere.

    • muzza 6.1
      20 December 2012 at 8:11 am

      armies of zombies emerging from nowhere.

      Obviously not been out walking or anywhere near large swaths of the public recently…Zombie like they are, all head in some screen or another, mindlessly wandering around..

    • vto 6.2
      20 December 2012 at 8:17 am

      Better watch out you don’t have to eat humble pie like Nick Smith did last year on March 20th. He said Ken Ring’s prediction of a greater risk of increased earthquake activity around this date was that of a fool so he and others went and had a picnic on the Port Hills of Christchurch to thumb their noses at him.

      Unfortunately for them there were several earthquakes that day, including the biggest aftershock since Feb 22, and it was Nick Smith and his cronies that had to back down and admit they didn’t know what they were doing.

      Let’s see what happens.

      You are aware I’m sure that this date tomorrow is solely a measure of a confluence of astronomical cycles. It is simply a physical measurement of stars and planets and galaxies spinning through space. It is as real and as simple as measuring the trajectory of a ball thrown in a backyard.

      • Colonial Weka 6.2.1
        20 December 2012 at 10:00 am

        Port Hills? They lack the courage of their convictions. Sitting under the Cathedral would have been more impressive.

        • vto 6.2.1.1
          20 December 2012 at 10:08 am

          Ha ha, yep, that’s what many people suggested. Even if they had picniced at the bottom of the Port Hills would have had more cred. There have been many rockfalls at the slightest shake or rain now that the hills have been shattered like a glass block courtesy of the Great Earth Monster.

          Not very convincing when they go to the very safest place to go nyah nyah nyah to possible earthquakes. But then again, like John Key, Nick Smith has never come across as a courageous man. In fact the opposite as exhibited here – cowardly.

          Actually, this government can be characterised by this and the bully boy tactics described in the Wellington Cuncil thread. They are cowards and bullies, as is so often the case with bullies.

          Cowardly bullies

      • Populuxe1 6.2.2
        20 December 2012 at 12:01 pm

        “Unfortunately for them there were several earthquakes that day, including the biggest aftershock since Feb 22”

        Really? I live in Christchurch – and I remember the Port Hills stunt, but I don’t remember any big aftershocks. Ring is full of shit, but even a broken clock can be right twice a day.

        • vto 6.2.2.1
          20 December 2012 at 1:02 pm

          Well you need to check your facts Pop. Biggest aftershock since Feb 22, one of the largest for a long time in kaikoura and activation of an old similar fault system in McKenzie Basin.

          Also, if Ring is full of shit then so too is Isaac Newton.

          Tell me Pop, why do you think Ring is full of shit? Some detail and solid points if you could ta.

          • McFliper 6.2.2.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 1:21 pm

            Wasn’t this all discussed at the time?
            The guy is so vague in dates, location and magnitude that it’s like the met office saying “some rain will occur somewhere on the Pacific Rim this week”. And if a typhoon breaks in Fiji, folks jump on the interwebz to say how accurate he is. You can’t predict a chaotic system based on relatively minor influences, compared to say fucking great loads that might or might not already exist on a particular fault.

            And that’s without his “read your cat’s future in its paws” book.

            • vto 6.2.2.1.1.1
              20 December 2012 at 2:32 pm

              “You can’t predict a chaotic system based on relatively minor influences, compared to say fucking great loads that might or might not already exist on a particular fault.”

              Fault systems aren’t chaotic. Example, see Alpine Fault measured movements over time.

              Relatively minor influences? Sheesh, ever heard the sayings about straws and camels backs? Then place that into context.

              • McFliper …
                20 December 2012 at 5:27 pm

                The thing about straws and camel’s backs is that there are many other straws on the camel’s back, too. focusing on one and “predicting” that one like it will eventually break the back is just stupid. There are much bigger straws that planetary alignment.

                Fault systems are chaotic. Example, Saharan rainfalls over time.

                The point is that there are many factors that affect the friction either side of the fault. Then there are the inner earth magma currents affecting tectonic forces. And different rock densities. All obeying basic and predictable laws of physics, but in exponentially compounding combinations are not even roughly predictable on a slide rule with an astrological chart.

          • Populuxe1 6.2.2.1.2
            20 December 2012 at 1:44 pm

            “Tell me Pop, why do you think Ring is full of shit? Some detail and solid points if you could ta.”

            Science. All Ring does is fling vague scattershot figures around and sometimes they stick. Sideshow psychics do pretty much the same thing. There are earthquakes of varying magnitudes everyday somewhere in the world. And comparing him to Sir Isaac Newton? You win the arsehat prize for that – the second in the space of a week.

            • vto 6.2.2.1.2.1
              20 December 2012 at 2:30 pm

              Do you know what Newton was about? I am not a fan of Ring but what he says is simply that when the moon is closer to the earth there is an increased gravitational effect. This has a gravitational effect on the air. This has a gravitational effect on the water. This has a gravitational effect on the land.

              It is as simple as that.

              His underlying proposition is not shit, it is sound. Tell me how the above is not right.

              As for arsehat prize – keep it. I see others have you lined up for similar prize. Egg

    • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 6.3
      20 December 2012 at 2:26 pm

      sanctuary
      Don’t frighten the horses. There are enough real and terrible things happening without merry japes as you mention. Not funny. Watch some Mitchell and Webb or something and have laughs at people and politicians to occupy your spare time.

  7. Morrissey 7
    20 December 2012 at 8:09 am

    “…. former South Korean military di– uh, ruler”
    Language censorship on Television One Breakfast

    Television One Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Thursday 20 December 2012

    Newsreader Melissa Stokes read the following: “South Korea has elected its first woman president. Park Geun-hye is the daughter of a former South Korean military di– [pause] uh, ruler.”

    The change was so sudden, and Melissa Stokes seemed so momentarily nonplussed, that there’s only one plausible explanation: her actual script said “former South Korean military dictator” but some producer urgently hissed into her earpiece “Don’t call him a dictator, call him a RULER!”

    Why would Television One’s administration be reluctant to call a dictator a dictator?

    • travellerev another viper 7.1
      20 December 2012 at 9:42 am

      There are no dictators any more. Here is a brilliant speech from the Dictator! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEUKZCFqyIw

      • Morrissey 7.1.1
        20 December 2012 at 10:49 am

        That guy’s not funny. He’s even unfunnier when you look at his actual (not “satirical” or “ironic”) support for the mass murder perpetrated by his favorite real-life regime.

        • travellerev another viper 7.1.1.1
          20 December 2012 at 10:51 am

          I totally agree but he is of course describing the US as it really is. Brilliant the speech is but funny he is not!

          • Morrissey 7.1.1.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 11:12 am

            I did think he was funny until I realized how hardline and shameless he is in real life. He actually IS Borat, with all of Borat’s brutal anti-Semitism and callous disregard for others. In the same way that some Jewish people cannot listen to Wagner, I just can’t respect Baron Cohen since I learned what a vicious person he is.

            • Te Reo Putake 7.1.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2012 at 11:28 am

              Citaions needed. Lots of them!

              Mozza, you appear to be unaware that Baron Cohen is jewish (and a socialist). He’s not anti-semitic and I think you are going to struggle to find any evidence of him supporting mass murder. He has also won a Golden Globe for comedy, something neither of you is ever likely to do. So, objectively, he is funny. He’s got an award for it and made millions making people laugh. And saying he’s not funny, then admitting that you ‘used to’ think he was funny is pretty funny in itself, Moz.

              Is there the slimmest chance that Sacha Baron Cohen is actually the funniest comedian Britain has produced in the last twenty years and you two are humourless bores?

              • Morrissey …
                20 December 2012 at 11:37 am

                I respect your intellect, my friend, but in this case you don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll return to this later, with citations you are more than capable of finding for yourself, were you to allow yourself to get out of hero worship mode towards this moral imbecile.

                Right now, I have to leave for a few hours, I’m afraid.

                Meanwhile, you need to do a little research into Sacha Baron Cohen, that unfunny fraud.

              • Populuxe1 …
                20 December 2012 at 12:03 pm

                An antisemitic practicing orthodox Jew????

                • Morrissey …
                  20 December 2012 at 12:07 pm

                  Populuxe, please look on the thread below. You have a case to answer.

                • travellerev another viper …
                  20 December 2012 at 12:24 pm

                  Zionism is inherently Anti Semitic. Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians and other Arabs living in the Levant are all Semites.

                  Added to that the Semitic Jews who lived with the Arabs for 2000 years are equally discriminated against by the criminal ruling elite of Israel because the are anti Zionist.

                  Sasha Baron Cohen is a hardcore Zionist (well documented) and I have always avoided his nasty kind of humour.

                  I call this speech brilliant in that it describes the US (Which he regards as and which behaves as a Zionist slave state) and most Americans have no idea he is talking about them and their regime (1% is in total control).

                  Nope Sasha is as wrong as it gets!!!

                  • vto …
                    20 December 2012 at 1:04 pm

                    But tracellerev, Jews are Arabs too. They are not their own separate race, no matter how much that may suit their aims and ends. Why is this such a problem for people?

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      20 December 2012 at 10:18 pm

                      No actually, TRV let’s not move on. For those of you interested Sasha Baron Cohen a Habonim boy and his work, every film he made one way or another was intended to ridicule Islam and Muslims.
                      His impact is huge and he defends Israel and attacks Muslims so to say he is neutral is hypocrite to say the least. You want to move on from this discussion that is fine but for those of you curious hit the search button

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      22 December 2012 at 10:56 am

                      To PB,

                      God you don’t talk halfshite. Militia, ZOG (fucked if I know what that stands for) and how you’re so disappointed. Are those the new catchphrases your are told to use. Militia, Preppers AND 911 truthers are now primed to be the next terrorists with their wilkd weapon collecting blahblah blah (I hear the mother of the SH shooter was a prepper too! Is that how you have been told to typecast people who want a new and independent investigation into the events of 911?

                      And the disappoining thing, is that so people will get the impression you are a patient lot but them preppers, militia and 911turhters are such a trying lot?

                      (ROFL) You don’t know me, you don’t know what I do in my daily life (Or maybe you do…) and you have the gall to be “Disappointed”?

                      Fuck you PB, Fuck you and your sad and futile attempts to typecast me or those of us who want to have a new and independent investigation into the events of 911.

                    • Pascal's bookie …
                      22 December 2012 at 11:25 am

                      Wow.

                      I guess it’s the Zionists telling me what to say huh?

                      Watch out Eve, the Jews are coming for yer shootn arns.

                  • Te Reo Putake …
                    20 December 2012 at 1:12 pm

                    “Sasha Baron Cohen is a hardcore Zionist (well documented)”

                    So you’ll have no problem providing proof, then, will you, Ev?

                    • Morrissey …
                      20 December 2012 at 1:37 pm

                      You’re playing the ignoramus, Te Reo. That’s never a charming look.

                    • Te Reo Putake …
                      20 December 2012 at 1:42 pm

                      Well, ignoramus is a harsh word to describe Ev, but, yes, I am playing her. But only in the sense of fish/barrel, you understand.

                      Any chance you’ve found the cites you reckon you were gonna provide? Just curious, because my brief google search finds nothing to support your various and contradictory descriptions of Baron Cohen.

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      20 December 2012 at 1:57 pm

                      That’s funny TRP because my quick google search comes back with 250.000 results in 0.26 of a second!

                    • Te Reo Putake …
                      20 December 2012 at 3:00 pm

                      Great, Ev. Perhaps you’d like to share some of the ones that prove SBC is a “hardcore zionist”. Skip the ones that are just opinion, and just cite the factual ones. Preferably quotes from him saying “I’m a hardcore zionist”. Bet that takes more than 0.26 seconds.

                    • Morrissey …
                      20 December 2012 at 3:21 pm

                      Well, ignoramus is a harsh word to describe Ev, but, yes, I am playing her.

                      “Her”? [Straightens tie, rubs Brylcreme through hair] “Travellerev” is a GIRL?!?!?!?!??

                      But only in the sense of fish/barrel, you understand.

                      C’mon, Te Reo, seriously—stop messin’ about.

                      Any chance you’ve found the cites you reckon you were gonna provide? Just curious, because my brief google search finds nothing to support your various and contradictory descriptions of Baron Cohen.

                      Baron Cohen is a racist, extreme supporter of the Holy State. There is nothing “various” or “contradictory” about any of those positions.

                    • Te Reo Putake …
                      20 December 2012 at 4:12 pm

                      Evidence, Mozza, evidence! No point you having a crack at Populuxe for not backing up his/her arguments if you can’t do it yourself.

                      And, yes, Ev is a woman. Is if that mattered. 🙄

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      20 December 2012 at 5:24 pm

                      What is the problem with being a hardcore Zionist TRP? Why is that something that has to be proven. What is a Zionist other then someone who supports the state of Israel as the homeland of the Jews? And as a consequence has to support the discrimination of Arabs, Palestinians especially?

                      Tell you what. Here is a link from Jews sans frontieres and people who read this and want to know more to form their own opinion can Google Sasha Baron Cohen and Zionism and draw their own conclusions.

                      I wouldn’t call my self a “girl”. That has come and gone but yes, I’m of the female gender and I thank you for the sentiment expressed. 🙂

                    • Te Reo Viper …
                      20 December 2012 at 8:41 pm

                      Fair enough, Ev, I get where you are coming from. Like you, I think Zionism is bigotted, but I don’t think all Jews are Zionist, nor all Israelis. I think its unfair to call Baron Cohen a Zionist (and therefore, a racist) without evidence. And there really doesn’t seem to be any evidence. Lots of opinion, sure, but nothing that confirms that he is any other than an excellent comedian who has a Jewish heritage.

                      Anyhoo, time to move on?

                  • Pascal's bookie …
                    21 December 2012 at 9:36 am

                    I call this speech brilliant in that it describes the US (Which he regards as and which behaves as a Zionist slave state) and most Americans have no idea he is talking about them and their regime (1% is in total control).

                    I’m not sure what you mean by this Eve, but it really is an unfortunate turn of phrase. On the off chance you aren’t aware of why, please take the time to read this:

                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionist_Occupation_Government

                    I know that you read Alex Jones (or at least you used to) so you may have picked up some of this stuff from some of the things he publishes and links to, or not, I don’t really care. But what I do care about is that when people are researching conspiracy stuff, they practice discernment. There really really are some nasty people manipulating things and pushing memes, and using codes. Don’t be one of their dupes. Please.

                    • Morrissey …
                      21 December 2012 at 9:42 am

                      There certainly is a lot of conspiratorial, anti-Semitic rubbish in cyberspace. This idea that the U.S.A. is “manipulated” by Israel (which is basically Mearsheimer & Walt’s thesis) is plain wrong, but it’s at the root of a lot of noise on the internet.

                      However, it is not conspiratorial or paranoid to see that Sacha Baron Cohen is a brutal and unapologetic supporter of Israel, and a ruthless defamer of the Holy State’s victims.

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      21 December 2012 at 10:18 am

                      For your information. Alex Jones is married to a Jewish lady if I’m correct and goes through great pains to avoid the Israel controversies.

                      He is actually accused of being a Zionist shill for that reason even though he has no problem pointing out obvious crimes such as the shelling of Gaza.

                      So please back off with your patronising shite.

                      For those of you wanting to know more about how the US is duped into being Israels bully boy here is some information you don’t get from the MSM about one of the most powerful Lobbying groups in the world AIPAC

                      Oh and PB, over the years you have never given any “conspiracy nutter” as you call them the benefit of being able to have discernment so fuck off about that too.

                      America is Israel’s slave state and while Netanyahu may not like Obama and that is mutual in the end America will abide by what Israel wants to do. End of story.

                      And Morrisey. wipe the shit out of your eyes and start doing some proper research about Israel and it’s puppet masters. You’re smart, use your brain!

                    • Pascal's bookie …
                      21 December 2012 at 10:33 am

                      So you were endorsing a ZOG thesis then.

                      Fits with some of the other militia inspired crap you’ve endorsed over the years, ( OMG FEMA camps etc) so it’s not really a surprise, but disappointing all the same.

              • Morrissey …
                21 December 2012 at 8:01 am

                Citaions needed. Lots of them!

                My course of reading to get you up to speed has begun today, with the Steven Salaita piece from Electronic Intifada. I’ll put more up for you each day. Of course, you are entirely capable of doing this for yourself, but I get the feeling this is a case of having to lead a horse to water.

                Mozza, you appear to be unaware that Baron Cohen is jewish (and a socialist). He’s not anti-semitic

                Yes, he is. He is virulently anti-Arab, and most relevantly, anti-Palestinian. As a state-friendly clown, he is absolved from the necessity to even pretend he gives a damn about the victims of his callous “humour”, and doesn’t have to make any false statements that he cares about Palestinians (like Alan Dershowitz keeps claiming about himself) or pretend to be troubled by Palestinian deaths (like the official spokespersons for the Holy State routinely do even as they justify the killings).

                …and I think you are going to struggle to find any evidence of him supporting mass murder.

                The evidence is irrefutable. Hopefully, after you’ve read today’s introductory article, you will engage in a little more extensive reading for yourself.

                He has also won a Golden Globe for comedy,…

                I grant you, Sacha Baron Cohen can be funny, but the old Aristotelian device of Arguing from Awards is unwise. Barack Obama won a Nobel Prize for ….. (WAIT FOR IT!) ….. Peace. Martin Devlin and Murray Deaker have both won awards for sports journalism. Some of the direst songs ever written have won Academy Awards for “Best Song”. I could go on, and may well do so at a later date….

                ….something neither of you is ever likely to do.

                WHAT?!!??!?!? Now that is hurtful.

                So, objectively, he is funny.

                So, by the same logic, Martin Devlin and Murray Deaker are, objectively, outstanding sports journalists; “Into the West”, “My Heart Will Go On” and “You Light Up My Life” are, objectively, top-notch songs; and Barack Obama is, objectively, a Man of Peace.

                He’s got an award for it and made millions making people laugh. And saying he’s not funny, then admitting that you ‘used to’ think he was funny is pretty funny in itself, Moz.

                I can see he’s funny, and I don’t criticize you for seeing the same thing. However, he clearly has an agenda—and it’s a brutal one, that needs to be called out.

                Is there the slimmest chance that Sacha Baron Cohen is actually the funniest comedian Britain has produced in the last twenty years…

                Not a chance. Have you never heard of Jack Dee? Or Frankie Boyle? Or Steve Coogan? Or Ricky Gervais? Or Mitchell and Webb?

                …and you two are humourless bores?

                I have systematically and seriously made a case for the careful examination and reconsideration of a comedian who is lionized by the establishment. You can call me a “humourless bore” if you want, just like Jimmy Savile used to do about anyone who had the temerity to criticize him.

                • Te Reo Putake …
                  21 December 2012 at 8:06 am

                  You could start with evidence, mozza. Any evidence at all would be good. But so far … nothing.

                  • Morrissey …
                    21 December 2012 at 8:45 am

                    You could start with evidence, mozza. Any evidence at all would be good. But so far … nothing.

                    If you were a lawyer, you would be admonished (at the very least) for contempt of court. I have argued with you in good faith, and provided an excellent scholarly analysis of Sacha Baron Cohen’s political agenda for you to read—but you have simply closed up and retreated into your shell.

                    I leave it to others to see who is arguing, and backing his argument with evidence, and who is cynically trying to stymie any argument.

                    • Te Reo Putake …
                      21 December 2012 at 8:47 am

                      Oh dear, this is well below your usual standard, Mozza. No evidence at all? Surely you must have found at least one quote from the man by now. Nothing? Really?

                    • Morrissey …
                      21 December 2012 at 9:03 am

                      Playing dumb does you no credit, my friend.

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      21 December 2012 at 9:06 am

                      M, TRP is a shill. This is what he does. He is an excellent tool to give people who read them links but he will always sidestep, accuse, malign and avoid. Still he keeps threads alive and that means more people will eventually get the information they need to make up their own minds. And many over here have done over the last five years.

                      For those of you interested in understanding the likes of Te Reo Putake here is a nice list of 25 hallmarks of shill behaviour

                    • Morrissey …
                      21 December 2012 at 9:26 am

                      M, TRP is a shill.

                      I am well aware of that. Thanks for the heads-up.

                      This is what he does. He is an excellent tool to give people who read them links

                      Really? Recently, he has refused to read links, or simply denied their validity.

                      but he will always sidestep, accuse, malign and avoid. Still he keeps threads alive and that means more people will eventually get the information they need to make up their own minds. And many over here have done over the last five years.

                      You’re being very charitable, travellerev.

                      For those of you interested in understanding the likes of Te Reo Putake here is a nice list of 25 hallmarks of shill behaviour.

                      Or, to see a shill in action, simply observe Sacha Baron Cohen’s behaviour.

                    • travellerev another viper …
                      21 December 2012 at 10:37 am

                      No, you are right HE won’t read the links but others will and those are the ones I aim for.

                      Don’t try to win over the haters, you’re not the jerk whisperer is my motto but over the backs of the haters you can actually reach those who are willing to learn.

                      I apologise for telling you to wipe the shit out of your eyes and start doing research about Israel but I do mean you should do mor9e research on the state of Israel.

                      Here is a facebook friend of mine. His name is A href=”http://www.gilad.co.uk/”>Gilad Atzmon. He is Jewish and Israeli. He is also a great musician and writer and he recently published a book called: The wandering who? You might want to start there!

  8. Morrissey 8
    20 December 2012 at 8:20 am

    WHERE IS HE?
    Whither Populuxe1?
    Mass Murder Advocate Fails to Front His Critics

    I note with some concern that poor old Populuxe1 has failed to surface after being keel-hauled by all and sundry on Tuesday.

    I can see five possible explanations for his failure to mount an argument in defence of himself and his outlandish statement on Open Mike:

    1.) He lacks the wherewithal to mount a coherent argument;

    2.) He is “on leave”, a la the Rt. Hon. Hekia Parata;

    3.) Professor Stuart McCutcheon has gotten wind of Populuxe1’s extra-curricular nonsense, called him in for a talk and delivered a stern warning: “If you continue to make a fool of yourself like this, Dr. Hoadley, even under a preposterous surname, we will have to look at your position a little more rigorously….” ;

    4.) He is licking his wounds and preparing for an AWESOME comeback, where he sprays around even more awesomely absurd epithets;

    5.) In his shame and desperation, the poor oaf has actually shown some courage and taken the time-honored option, viz. …..
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Giotto_-_Scrovegni_-_-47-_-_Desperation.jpg

    Conoisseurs of the bizarre and deranged can peruse the poor chap’s comment by clicking here….

    Open mike 18/12/2012

    • Lanthanide 8.1
      20 December 2012 at 9:07 am

      Sorry, but Hekia is only Hon., not Rt. Hon.

      • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 8.1.1
        20 December 2012 at 9:20 am

        But she is a real Right One.

      • Morrissey 8.1.2
        20 December 2012 at 9:31 am

        Thank you for that, Lanthanide. While we’re on the subject of errors, I note another grievous one, where I show Prof. McCutcheon warning Dr. Hoadley that he must not make a fool of himself, even under the cover of “a preposterous surname“.

        Of course, Prof. McCutcheon, a highly educated man, would have used his words far more accurately.

        This is what he would have said: “If you continue to make a fool of yourself like this, Dr. Hoadley, even under a preposterous pseudonym, we will have to look at your position a little more rigorously.”

        My apologies for the careless error in the original post.

        • McFliper 8.1.2.1
          20 December 2012 at 1:51 pm

          This line of comments offends me greatly. Not only are you speculating on identities based on the flawless logic “I disagree with H, P disagrees with me, therefore P=H”, you also seem to have constructed a fantasy about H’s legislated academic freedom being interfered with by M, who is connected to you only by virtue of being H’s boss’s boss.

          Here’s a thought – lose the obsessive vendetta part of your shiny hat. You might be less of a jerk.

          • Morrissey 8.1.2.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 3:13 pm

            This line of comments offends me greatly.
            I’ve already admitted out that my (entirely reasonable) speculation was wrong.

            Not only are you speculating on identities based on the flawless logic “I disagree with H, P disagrees with me, therefore P=H”, you also seem to have constructed a fantasy about H’s legislated academic freedom being interfered with by M, who is connected to you only by virtue of being H’s boss’s boss.

            As I’ve already said, it was a reasonable supposition. Not many in academia, bar a couple of certifiable cases at Waikato, are as ideologically extreme as Steve Hoadley; our friend Populuxe1 made a stunningly foolish and extreme anti-Palestinian comment; Populuxe has made a point of telling this online community that he works in a university, ergo it was a reasonable inference that the extreme anti-Palestinian Populuxe1 was the extreme anti-Palestinian Steve Hoadley.

            Happily, Populuxe1 assures us that he is now “on the side of the innocent civilians, both Palestinian and Israeli”, so assuming he is not lying, there will be no more erroneous assumptions by anyone that Populuxe1 is Steve Hoadley.

            Here’s a thought – lose the obsessive vendetta part of your shiny hat.

            That was a reasonable inference. You can call it “obsessive”, but on reflection I think you’ll recognize that is not a fair portrayal of my stance.

            You might be less of a jerk.

            Oooff! Now THAT hurt. I now have hurt feelings….

            • McFliper 8.1.2.1.1.1
              20 December 2012 at 5:20 pm

              I work at a university. Am I Hoadley?
              There are literally thousands of academic and general university staff, if P was even telling the truth about the sector they worked in at the time they wrote it.

              And yeah, inventing conversations between real people based on the fact that you disagree with one person’s pseudonym and another person’s media comments, so therefore it’s a “reasonable supposition” that they are the same person. That’s obsessive.

              But nice to know you genuinely believe you were trying to “out” a Standard commenter’s identity. Jerk.

              • Morrissey …
                21 December 2012 at 8:57 am

                I work at a university. Am I Hoadley?

                I do not think so. Unlike Populuxe1, you have not been making Hoadley-esque public statements pouring scorn on the victims of state terror.

                There are literally thousands of academic and general university staff,

                There would be only half a dozen of them that are so brazen and shameless in their public praise of the Holy State.

                And yeah, inventing conversations between real people based on the fact that you disagree with one person’s pseudonym and another person’s media comments, so therefore it’s a “reasonable supposition” that they are the same person. That’s obsessive.

                No, it is reasonable to assume that an academic brazen enough to publicly state (on radio) that he supports the state that is engaged in the mass murder of imprisoned, ghettoized untermenschen might be foolish enough to come on a popular forum like this and make similar statements, as well as spraying the ridiculous accusation of “anti-Semitism” at anyone who protests at the Holy State’s campaign of terror. That’s what our friend Populuxe1 did.

                You can call that “obsessive”, but that slur carries as much critical heft as our friend Te Reo Putake’s repeated claim that any and all evidence is “no evidence”.

                • McFliper …
                  21 December 2012 at 3:07 pm

                  But what about pseudonymous comments? With no career reputation to worry about? And besides, I reckon you vastly undercount the number of right-wingers in academia.

                  No, it is reasonable to assume that an academic brazen enough to publicly state (on radio) that he supports the state that is engaged in the mass murder of imprisoned, ghettoized untermenschen might be foolish enough to come on a popular forum like this and make similar statements,

                  That is indeed a reasonable assumption. But the assumption you made was that any person who uses a pseudonym to state similar (for a given margin of error) opinions is probably therefore the same person who uses their own name and academic freedom in mass media. Not to mention the defamatory assertion of a vice chancellor interfering in the freedom of an academic to express his opinions.And at least I stated exactly why, with reference to specific facts, I thought you were obsessing over this. Inventing defamatory conversations on the illogical leap you made is not healthy.
                  But you merely make the assertions, and almost never relate them to verifiable specific facts. Also known as “evidence”.

    • Populuxe1 8.2
      20 December 2012 at 12:04 pm

      Have you changed your meds recently?

      • Populuxe1 8.2.1
        20 December 2012 at 12:08 pm

        And I don’t know who Hoadley is, but I ain’t he. However isn’t that sort of speculation against the rules here? Usually the moderators are all over that.

        • Morrissey 8.2.1.1
          20 December 2012 at 12:15 pm

          You don’t know who Hoadley is? He’s a far-right commentator from the University of Auckland, who during the recent escalation in Israeli terror against the citizens of Gaza, came onto Radio Rhema (which laughably calls itself the Christian station) and expressed his support not for the victims, but the killers.

          Your irrational response the other day led me to think he was you. Seeing you live in Christchurch, obviously that was a mistake.

          • Populuxe1 8.2.1.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 12:48 pm

            Anyway, in answer to your vitriol, I condemn Israel’s excessive use of force against the Palestinians and their continued illegal colonisation of the West Bank. It’s bizarre that you assume I would just because I find the continued one-sided generalisations about Israel from you to be irritating, antisemitic and smacking of obsession. FYI Bebe and his Likudniks do not represent the entirety of Jewish or even Israeli opinion.

            However I also condemn Hamas for its continued provocations of Israel with little regard for the ordinary Palestinians they were foolishly elected to represent, and for the continued climate of fear it creates for ordinary Israelis. I regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation and I lose no love on them.

            I am on the side of the innocent civilians, both Palestinian and Israeli. Now go fuck yourself you presumptive freak.

            • Morrissey 8.2.1.1.1.1
              20 December 2012 at 1:27 pm

              Anyway, in answer to your vitriol,

              The vitriol is entirely yours, my friend. I simply held up a mirror.

              … I condemn Israel’s excessive use of force against the Palestinians and their continued illegal colonisation of the West Bank.

              “Excessive use of force”? What, are you suggesting that there is an ACCEPTABLE use of force that an illegal invading force can use against a civilian population?

              It’s bizarre that you assume I would just because I find the continued one-sided generalisations about Israel

              What you reflexively and stupidly damned as “anti-Semitism” was in fact a careful, scholarly analysis of systematic bias by the BBC.

              … from you to be irritating, antisemitic and smacking of obsession.

              I’ve posted some things about Israeli state crimes, as well as crimes by other countries. That’s “obsessive”? You have no strategy other than spraying lame epithets at me?

              FYI Bebe…

              That’s “Bibi”, actually.

              …. and his Likudniks do not represent the entirety of Jewish or even Israeli opinion.

              As if we did not KNOW that. So who are Mark Regev, Tzipora Menache and Israel’s other ghastly apologists for state terror representing—the Likudnik regime that runs Israel—or those who belong to the humane, liberal, thoughtful Jewish tradition?

              However I also condemn Hamas for its continued provocations of Israel with little regard for the ordinary Palestinians they were foolishly elected to represent, and for the continued climate of fear it creates for ordinary Israelis. I regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation and I lose no love on them.

              You don’t know what you’re talking about. You would have condemned the French Resistance, the Yugoslav partisans and the Jewish fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto.

              I am on the side of the innocent civilians, both Palestinian and Israeli.

              High time you said so, sir. We can look forward to an improvement in the quality and morality of your posts, no doubt.

              Now go fuck yourself you presumptive freak.

              That sort of abuse is fine when used against, say, Araboushim, or, if you like, untermenschen. Here, all it does is re-emphasize the poverty of your argument.

              • Populuxe1 …
                20 December 2012 at 1:55 pm

                It’s a lovely day out. Why don’t you get a book on New Zealand birds and go twitting… Or even some bark rubbings. I think you need to get outside in the fresh air more.

                • Morrissey …
                  20 December 2012 at 2:57 pm

                  It’s a lovely day out. Why don’t you get a book on New Zealand birds and go twitting… Or even some bark rubbings. I think you need to get outside in the fresh air more.

                  TRANSLATION: “I got nothing.”

      • Morrissey 8.2.2
        20 December 2012 at 12:09 pm

        That’s a clever response.

        Pretty much a literary correlative to Option 5, really.

  9. PlanetOrphan 9
    20 December 2012 at 9:08 am

    Now I know where DunnoKeyo got his fiscal directions from ….
    Australia will be a casualty of the currency wars

    He’s copying the Australian reserve bank example note for freakin note M8’s!

    The NZ MSM should take note of a real article written by real journalists as well!.

    • vto 9.1
      20 December 2012 at 9:24 am

      I keep telling folks that Greece should play the exact same game. They should build a printing press right in the middle of the city square of Athens, wind it up and churn out mountains of euros, then drive it by the truckload to the German border and tip it out.

      That will expose the system for exactly what it is.

      Debt is the most heinous evil inhabiting and inhibiting the world today.

      Does it not register with people that money is;
      1. issued by privately owned banks and
      2. is backed only by a printing machine and
      3. must be paid for with interest (even though it is only printed paper backed by nothing. Paying for nothing).

      It is the western world’s achilles heel. And nobody even fucking knows!

  10. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10
    20 December 2012 at 9:24 am

    I have the worst hangover in the history of the world.

  11. Bill 11
    20 December 2012 at 9:31 am

    At some point, should any fellow poster with editing rights have a moment to spare… I’m having the same old, same old problem with scheduled posts not publishing themselves at the designated time I set them for.

    There was one slated to go up around 9 O’Clock this morning that didn’t ‘go’. I’ve reschedueled it for tomorrow morning at 8 O’Clock.

    Thing is, this same problem has happened previously. Is there something really obvious I’m overlooking in the settings that causes this? I can’t figure it. So…if you have a moment and the inclination, I’d appreciate somebody going into ‘dashboard’ and having a wee look at the post I’ve re-scheduled for tomorrow morning and letting me know if there’s something I’ve not done right or overlooked on the settings front.

    Cheers.

  12. NoseViper (The Nose knows) 12
    20 December 2012 at 9:35 am

    I’m getting an effect of tiny white balls falling over my screen from the top noticeable against a dark background. Christmas snowflakes? How cute. By the way Happy Christmas to all and a 2013 year that offers improvements and hope for good direction and achievements in 2014.

    • lprent 12.1
      20 December 2012 at 9:59 am

      Yep. It was a feature that snuck in on wordpress 3.5.

      Up in this hemisphere I thought it would be psychological air-conditioning in the sweltering heat. Down in those chilly northern climes it might be a different story as I suspect the storms will be extreme in their winter this year.

      It will turn itself off on Jan 4

      • rosy viper 12.1.1
        20 December 2012 at 10:02 am

        In these northern climes it makes up for the rain outside when it should be snowing 😉

        • lprent 12.1.1.1
          20 December 2012 at 10:26 am

          Actually I suspect that they will get some quite large snowstorms this year. The oscillating jetstreams have more energy at this phase of the solar cycle and on top of the warming of the Arctic, they’re quite a bit further south. So they’re pushing cold air from the Arctic further south and then it hits more wet air coming up off land and the gulf stream….. Guess what I think will happen.

          • rosy viper 12.1.1.1.1
            20 December 2012 at 9:29 pm

            I agree. We’ve had snow much earlier than usual this year, but have hit a warm-ish period so it’s raining. Pretty boring just before Christmas. It’s an odd climate here with the continental effect enhanced by mountain ranges creating foehn winds up from the desert and then the Siberian/Artic blasts coming the other way.

            I’ve been looking around for some graphics of how the oscillating jetstreams are (mis)behaving this year, but there’s not a lot beyond the focus of Britain’s early summer rains.

      • just saying 12.1.2
        20 December 2012 at 10:24 am

        You saying the outside of the screen will be twitching and black dots will rain across the screen from different directions – whenever I’m at the Standard……until Jan 4?!

        Anything I can do to mitigate Lprent?

      • Draco T Bastard 12.1.3
        20 December 2012 at 11:21 am

        Up in this hemisphere I thought it would be psychological air-conditioning in the sweltering heat.

        No, it’s just irritating.

  13. Morrissey 13
    20 December 2012 at 9:39 am

    WITCH TRIAL
    Witness | Pfc. Bradley Manning’s Testimony, Article 13 hearing Nov. 29 and 30, 2012

    US v. Pfc. Bradley Manning is being conducted in de facto secrecy. For more information on the lack of public and press access to United States v. Pfc. Manning, visit the Center for Constitutional Rights, which filed a petition requesting the Army Court of Criminal Appeals (ACCA) “to order the Judge to grant the public and press access to the government’s motion papers, the court’s own orders, and transcripts of proceedings, none of which have been made public to date.”

    This transcript of Pfc. Bradley Manning’s testimony at his Article 13 motion hearing was taken at Fort Meade, Maryland on November 29th and 30th, 2012.

    [DEFENSE EXAMINATION OF PFC. BRADLEY MANNING ON NOVEMBER 29, 2012]

    Defense (Coombs)
    Pfc. Manning I know this is a little nerve racking. So what we are going to do, is we are going to ease into this, and just take a little bit of time. Okay?

    Pfc. Bradley Manning
    Yes, sir.

    Defense (Coombs)
    Alright, I want to first start off by asking some questions about when you were detained in Iraq. Okay?

    Pfc. Bradley Manning
    Yes, Sir.

    Defense (Coombs)
    Alright, do you recall the date that you were initially detained by [Army] CID?

    Pfc. Bradley Manning
    It was May 27 of 2010.

    Defense (Coombs)
    And, how did CID first approach you?

    Pfc. Bradley Manning
    CID first came to– well I was first in the Supply– I was in the Supply office at the Brigade annex, which was a separate building from Brigade headquarters at FOB Hammer in Iraq, and I was– and then, I was escorted by the Supply NCOIC [Non Commissioned Officer in Charge] to an interview room. It was a conference room that had been turned into an interview room. And, I knew that–

    Defense (Coombs)
    When you walked in, what did you see– when you walked into that?

    Read more…

    http://www.alexaobrien.com/secondsight/wikileaks/bradley_manning/witness_profiles_us_v_pfc_bradley_manning/pfc_bradley_manning_testimony_article_13.html

  14. Morrissey 14
    20 December 2012 at 11:09 am

    Anyone else hear this Mad, Bad and Sad Santa?
    NewstalkZB, Thursday 20 December, 10:40 a.m.

    NewstalkZB’s notorious supercrank Leighton Smith never turns down an opportunity to turn any occasion into a soapbox for his crazed theories about the world.

    But you would have thought that station management would have warned the old loon that it was off-limits to attempt to pound his anti-science, anti-reason, anti-academic agenda into the heads of children, and that it was distasteful, even immoral, to dress a global warming denier up as St. Nick and let him loose on a programme aimed at little children.

    Apparently, however, anything goes at NewstalkZB. Absolutely anything….

    LEIGHTON SMITH: Ummmm, ahhhh, ummmm…. Here’s a letter, Santa, and I’d ummmmm, aaaahhhh, really ahhhhhmmmm like to, ummmmm, hear what you have to ummmm, say. It says: “How is the state of the polar ice-cap, given that we are told so much about global warming?”

    SANTA CLAUS: Oh there is no problem here in the North Pole! There’s PLENTY of ice! All this talk of global warming! What a lot of nonsense!

    LEIGHTON SMITH: Thanks for clearing that up, Santa. You’re quite right, this global warming is a load of nonsense. Okay, ummmm, ahhhhh, on the ummmmm…. phone we have another child. Jessica, what do you want to ask Santa?

    INTERESTING FACT:
    One of NewstalkZB’s many mottoes is “Tune Your Mind.”

    • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 14.1
      20 December 2012 at 2:18 pm

      Morrissey Thanks for the reports from the front. How you can bear to listen to it beats me. You deserve a medal. Watch out that you listen extensively or you will suffer a bad case of post traumatic stress disorder – too much could blow your receptor valves.

      And that bit about Tune Your Mind. Makes me think of the old large console radios that had a function of a green light that brightened as you turned the knob to the optimum station reception. Guess now we’ll have those transplanted in our young so we can receive the sacred murmurings of our old western gurus like Leighton Smith. China had Confucius, Greece had Socrates, we have LS.

      • Morrissey 14.1.1
        20 December 2012 at 10:11 pm

        Thanks for that, Mr. Nose. I sent an admonitory e-mail to the great broadcaster, but he did not deign to reply.

        Luckily for aficionados of the unhinged rant, however, I have a few of his on-air comments and e-mails from some time back, relating to other topics. If you or anyone else is interested, I will give them another airing.

        Just for a laugh.

  15. Draco T Bastard 15
    20 December 2012 at 11:25 am

    The Alleged “Lump-of-Labor Fallacy”

    Economic historians instead trace the “lump-of-labor fallacy” back to an 1892 publication by a certain D.F. Schloss who was discussing workers’ attitudes toward piece work. In the first decades of the 20th Century, the National Association of Manufacturers adapted this concept to its fight against the eight-hour day. Economists such as Samuelson unthinkingly picked up arguments from that discussion. The “lump-of-labor fallacy” was just public-relations rhetoric in service to a now discredited cause.

    So, the Lump of Labour Fallacy starts off as anti-worker PR and then gets picked up as gospel by the economists but never actually questioned. Sounds like almost everything in economics – stated as fact and yet reality differs and yet the economist fail to note the differences.

  16. vivaciousviper 16
    20 December 2012 at 11:56 am

    Another ‘FarCup’ by the big man with the big stick in chch, his appeal has been lost on the
    re-zoning near the airport.
    This story is on the TV3 web site.
    Sorry can’t link.

  17. King Kong 17
    20 December 2012 at 12:30 pm

    Lies and hatred from a coward and a bully. 2 more months untill the Messiah returns

    [lprent: Context free silly comment – moved to OpenMike. ]

  19. Draco T Bastard 19
    20 December 2012 at 12:50 pm

    Berlin to buy back grid and go 100 percent renewable

    The move marks a stark reversal to the neoliberal policies of the 1990s, when a large number of German municipalities were convinced to sell their public services to large corporations. The result was skyrocketing water and power prices.

    Well, at least some governments are waking up to the lies of the neo-liberals. Unfortunately, our government happens to be the neo-liberals and they’re the source of the lies and the actions that doom us to increasing poverty.

    • vto 19.1
      20 December 2012 at 1:09 pm

      ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

      This could be put to Key by one of our esteemed regular interviewers of our PM, say like that radio station The Rock. Ffs.

    • veutoviper 19.2
      20 December 2012 at 4:00 pm

      And here is what Bill English is up to, no doubt hoping to slide this in ‘under the rader’ at this time of year.

      Hidden deep in the Business section of Stuff today

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8101449/Possible-sale-of-three-SOE-power-companies

      Fresh from its court victory on asset sales, the Government is considering selling all three state-owned electricity companies next year.

      Finance Minister Bill English linked the possibility of three sales to buoyant financial markets and the plan would also mean the most controversial sales were over before election year.

      Earlier this month the High Court dismissed a bid by the Maori Council to delay the float of Mighty River Power, now scheduled for the first half of 2013.

      The council is appealing to the Supreme Court, but the matter could be resolved in February.

      Mr English said this could clear the way for at least two floats in 2013 as previously signalled, while a third was now being considered.

      “We’d certainly do two [sales in 2013], the question is whether we do three. Some people have suggested it,” Mr English said.

      “I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, [but] the market’s suggesting it might be possible. That will all get tested if we get through the Supreme Court case.”

      • vto 19.2.1
        20 December 2012 at 4:08 pm

        For this “… the market’s suggesting it might be possible…”

        Read … the brokers and investment banks want to get in as quickly as possible.

        For fucks sake that is like listening to real estate agent advice. They only aim for their fee.

      • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 19.2.2
        20 December 2012 at 4:55 pm

        The market, the market, the market is best,
        So up with the market and down with the rest.
        (Apologies to Flanders and Swan)

      • Geoffcartwright 19.2.3
        22 December 2012 at 3:11 pm

        Treasury advise against the sale of all three power companies due to flat market and low return rate from the sale.
        Hopefully the referendum will stall the sale and or polarise the electorate. Roll on 2014.

    • ad 19.3
      20 December 2012 at 5:25 pm

      Possibly the most encouraging global-Left news all year.

      Great stuff.

  20. Penny Bright 20
    20 December 2012 at 4:17 pm

    What do folks think of this one?

    Road rage man seeks job back or $600,000
    By Matthew Theunissen

    Guy Hallwright was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard.

    Former Forsyth Barr financial analyst Guy Hallwright is seeking his job back or about $600,000 in lost earnings after being dismissed following his conviction for running over a man with his car.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10855219

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Wonder what the sentence had been if a patched gang member had done the same thing to Guy Hallwright?

    Let’s change the scenario…….

    ‘Mongrel Mob member XXXXX – in a fit of ‘road rage’ – runs down senior Forsyth Barr analyst Guy Hallwright, and breaks both his legs.

    Mr Hallwright has multiple operations since the 2010 incident.

    Mongrel Mob member XXXXX is sentenced to 250 hours community work, disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay victim Guy Hallwright $20,000 reparation after a jury finds he unintentionally ran Hallwright down with his car in September 2010.”

    Seems to be QUITE a different story/ sentence if you swap the patched jacket for a pin-striped suit ……?

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption campaigner’

    http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com

    • NoseViper (The Nose knows) 20.1
      20 December 2012 at 4:57 pm

      Was this a first time offence for Guy Allright! Some leniency to suit guy please! /sarc

  21. xtasy 21
    21 December 2012 at 1:21 am

    Facebook is so intensively tracking readers and commenters on this site, for profile details, with background scripts they use to do this. It is a real worry.

    Like a WSJ article on 07 Dec. rightly reported, the internet is anything but free and anonymous anymore, and rather becoming a large grazing ground for information gathering for commercial profiling, advertising and so forth.

    I just wonder how many here are aware of this.

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