Open mike 21/11/09

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 21st, 2009 - 23 comments
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23 comments on “Open mike 21/11/09 ”

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  1. BLiP 1
    21 November 2009 at 6:36 am

    Arrrgggh!!!

    The New Zealand Fox News Herald pisses me off first thing in the morning!!

    Compare headlines:

    16 June 2007 Courtesy demands formal meeting with Dalai Lama

    21 November 2009 At least Key is being upfront over Dalai Lama

    Someone is lying, however. I wonder, is it Key or The Herald?

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      21 November 2009 at 10:20 am

      Well, that pretty much proves that the NZ Faux Herald really is just a JK/National promotional rag.

  2. Di 2
    21 November 2009 at 8:09 am

    NZ Herald Dec 15 2008
    “Prime Minister John Key has said he will meet the Dalai Lama when he comes to New Zealand next year – one week after China retaliated against the French president for doing the same.”
    “The Prime Minister will treat the Dalai Lama in the same way as any other significant visitor, and will meet the Dalai Lama should his diary permit,” said a spokesman for Mr Key.”

    email reply to mine from PM office, Nov 20 2009
    “On behalf of the Prime Minister, Hon John Key, I acknowledge your email regarding the upcoming visit of the Dalai Lama
    The Prime Minister has met the Dalai Lama in the past, and may again in the future, but on this occasion he does not feel that he would get a lot out of the meeting.”

  3. Gosman 3
    21 November 2009 at 8:55 am

    Perhaps you should push John Key to meet up with Richard Gage as well BLiP 😉

  5. outofbed 5
    21 November 2009 at 10:25 am

    Subject: The March for Democracy – TODAY!!
    Hi Everyone,
    Thanks for being concerned for the state of democracy in New Zealand.
    During the last couple of weeks there has been much debate in the media and many other issues have become attached to this cause.

    The core focus is still democracy, the fundamental element that is being watered down as time goes by. This is the unifying driving force that underlies much of what has brought those other groups to join us today.

    It will take some courage and conviction to front up today. You’ve come this far so don’t leave it to others – you count and we won’t get far without people like you.

    Let us stand together today and send a clear message to government that democracy is not to be watered down at their will.

    Regards, The March for Democracy.

    1:30pm Corner Fort & Queen St.

    (Volunteers 1pm – you can still help out if you want to come a little early)

    Should I stay or should I go? its a toughie

    • prism 5.1
      21 November 2009 at 11:15 am

      Which brand of Democracy do you prefer? Is it allergy-free?

    • the pinkpostman 5.2
      21 November 2009 at 2:22 pm

      The so called march for democracy is nothing more than a march for the child abusers , smackers and some religious nuts,
      We have a huge problem with child abuse ,every day there is news of some innocent child being bashed or murdered.Yet we have angy bitter people like Family First’s (Fist) Bob McCoskie
      urging us to march in support of the right to whack our children..
      New Zealanders should be ashamed that so many people believe we should march in support of bashing our kids.
      Decent people will avoid this march loke the plague .

      • Steve Ballantyne 5.2.1
        21 November 2009 at 4:27 pm

        “Decent people will avoid this march loke the plague”?

        Well, they did — according to Nat Radio’s 4.00pm news, “around a thousand” people turned up in Queen St; $500,000 divided by 1000 equals — oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Or perhaps har de har har.

        Apparently we’re still a representative democracy rather than one ruled by ambiguously worded referenda and we won’t march to support beating up kids. Fancy that.

      • gitmo 5.2.2
        21 November 2009 at 4:34 pm

        I think you’ll find that almost all of those protesting for or against the repeal of section 59 aren’t those who are abusing children, and while both sides in the debate continue to vilify each other those who are most deserving of all our vilification continue to abuse and kill our most powerless.

        Surely that’s what we should be ashamed of ?

  7. Draco T Bastard 7
    21 November 2009 at 4:01 pm

    The Great New Zealand Fishing Scandal

    Something really needs to be done about foreign fishing vessels in NZ. The easiest method would be to ban them the same as every other fishing nation does.

  8. prism 8
    21 November 2009 at 4:48 pm

    Anyone keen to support a march against the Citizens Inititiated Referenda? I don’t remember a sensibly worded, understandable question coming from this system, and as for binding ones from an emotional mob, words fail me. We have always had the option of petitions and perhaps can elevate these so they do get their day in parliament, with a sort of question time about them.
    The previous referendum on crime has cost the country big through the ineffective measures introduced after it because it gave politicians the OK to get tough and lock people up. Didn’t help reduce crime did it? Why, because nobody tried except perhaps Kim Workman and similar groups. Longer sentences cost lots, they learn new things in prison, most negative (because the system doesn’t spend enough time enabling prisoners to learn something useful), and then they come out pissed off big time and do worse crimes than before. It is crime that is the hole in the bucket for our economy. If we could help the parents to think about what ethical standards they want to teach their kids and help them do it, it would take ten years but things would have changed for the better towards the end of that time. But no – blame the parents and take the light-hearted view that any ordinary person can bring up children well – it’s like housework or labouring, unskilled people can do it, there is nothing to know about it, and nobody cares to help parents, make their job easier and better. End of rant.

  9. Al 9
    21 November 2009 at 7:18 pm

    I see Hone got himself a white m*****f**** lawyer. I hope no-one here will attempt to defend him again- the man is a total hypocrite.

  10. SPC 10
    21 November 2009 at 7:43 pm

    Apparently there is to be an increase in driver age.

    My opinion is

    1. that there should be a full licence available from age 18.
    2. That there is a one year provisional licence for the first year of driving (at whatever age).
    3. Provisional licences should be available from age 15 in rural areas (last for 3 years).
    4. Provisional licences in other areas should come in from either age 16 (2 years) or age 17 (1 year).
    5. Those on provisional licences – whatever their age have a zero blood alcohol level and no right to transport alcohol in vehicles they drive.
    6. There should be a curfew (hours of use limitation) on provisional licence holders.
    7. And compulsory third party insurance.

    • prism 10.1
      22 November 2009 at 2:44 pm

      SPC Sounds like a lot of good practical ideas that will have beneficial effects. Don’t stand a chance of being adopted though! NZ legislation doesn’t work that way.

  11. Draco T Bastard 11
    21 November 2009 at 8:10 pm

    Well, give it a few years and we won’t have to give up meat to become a vegan.