Open mike 22/02/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 22nd, 2013 - 87 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step right up to the mike…

87 comments on “Open mike 22/02/2013 ”

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  1. Aww 1
    22 February 2013 at 6:24 am

    Well done David Shearer re: homophobe mumbling.

  2. KhandallaViper 2
    22 February 2013 at 7:58 am

    Congratulations to Clayton Cosgrove for his performance on RNZ this morning. He made very sharp points on the Key&co handling of Solid Energy. He “gives” good radio!

  3. muzza 3
    22 February 2013 at 8:19 am

    John Kerry, in a direct response to Jennys request for action on climate change. Promotes depopulation, channels GHW Bush, breaks speech, thanks sign language translators…

    Kerry called for collective action to deal with this problem. “So let’s commit ourselves to doing the smart thing and the right thing and truly commit to tackling this challenge,” he said. “Because if we don’t rise to meet it, rising temperatures and rising sea levels will surely lead to rising costs down the road. If we waste this opportunity, it may be the only thing our generations are remembered for. We need to find the courage to leave a far different legacy.”

    “We cannot talk about the unprecedented changes happening on our planet without talking about the unprecedented changes in its population – another great opportunity at our fingertips,” he warned.

    But midway through the climate change section, Kerry paused. “Can we all say thank you and to our signers?” the secretary of state said referencing those who were translating his speech into sign language.

    There’s the answer Jenny, the one people can’t get their heads around being foisted upon them!

  4. muzza 4
    22 February 2013 at 8:29 am

    But going against the Kerry talk of depopulation
    Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin back research to extend life

    Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerberg, along with their spouses, joined Russian venture capitalist Yuri Milner to award 11 scientists $3 million each to launch the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

    Solving the enormous complexity of human diseases calls for a much bigger effort compared to fundamental physics and therefore requires multiple sponsors to reward outstanding achievements,” Milner said of the Silicon Valley heavyweights teaming up to back the award.

    This public admission that Google/FB are in fact the same entity being confirmed in this open collaboration, referring to sponsoring research which has long since been going on, and to which the results will not be available, for those John Kerry has designated to be reduced in numbers!

    • James 4.1
      22 February 2013 at 9:22 am

      “This public admission that Google/FB are in fact the same entity ”

      Ahhhh – no they are not.

      You have to lose the tin foil hat.

      • McFlock 4.1.1
        22 February 2013 at 11:10 am

        I also liked the idea that Kerry has a list of designated individuals to kill in order to save the planet.

        Most people would like increased funding for medical research, although a few would merely “+1” it.

      • muzza 4.1.2
        22 February 2013 at 1:34 pm

        Go ahead and argue it then James, be sure to trace the shareholders of those companies all the way back, as far as possible.

        Don’t forget that its been well covered in the MSM, that the intelligence services are *key stakeholders* in both google/FB!

        McFlock – Unprecedented changes in population, and another great opportunity at *our* fingertips – Note, not yours or mine eh, we are not, *our*

        Increased funding in medical research – nah thats an announcement of whats already been going on – i.e – access to advancements that the masses are never going to see or get!

        For someone who seems to take some pride in being a word nerd, you are not at all able to read through the words delivered by the rulers – Which is why you and your ilk flap around wondering WFT is really happening!

        • McFlock 4.1.2.1
          22 February 2013 at 1:46 pm

          As to what medical advances the hooples “see or get” – well, how has your smallpox or polio been? Too long ago? Popped by A&E recently, or do you think the CT scanners want to rob your thoughts? Maybe you meant the bulk of the world population – well, fair call on that, it does take a while to get to those places. Capitalism sucks at that, by definition. Although there are quite a few organisations providing new AIDS or Malaria treatments in deprived regions.

          It’s not “the rulers” words I have much difficulty seeing through.
          Figuring out WTF planet you are on, however…

        • McFlock 4.1.2.2
          22 February 2013 at 1:49 pm

          by the way, you did get that the “like” vs “+1” thing was a fucking joke, right? Smile once in a while – it might stop you being such a tool.

          • muzza 4.1.2.2.1
            22 February 2013 at 2:04 pm

            McFlock – Nah you’re not getting it, don’t want to get etc..

            Love the attempted personality reading though, probably not your strong point I’m guessing, intuition I mean!

            • McFlock 4.1.2.2.1.1
              22 February 2013 at 2:16 pm

              Maybe I “get” more than for what you give me credit, while you flit from shallow thought to shallow thought, thinking the world would be so much better if everyone did what you said.

              • muzza …
                22 February 2013 at 2:25 pm

                McFlock – it make no differnce to me what you do or dont get, that’s for you to fumble around with, I’m sure you can manage some additional fumbling!

                What I can you, is that that use of the words, *shallow thought* in my direction, indicate you don’t understand diddly squat.

                And yes, if people thought a little more deeply etc, then its possible we would not all be in the deep poo we’re in, thats fundamental!

                • McFlock …
                  22 February 2013 at 2:36 pm

                  lol:

                  don’t care
                  I iz deep
                  yez tha wirld wud b betta if peeps did what I sed.

                  You’re a true heir to the vacant crown of Bertrand Russell /sarc

  5. mickysavage 5
    22 February 2013 at 8:29 am

    There is a very good article by Simon Paterson on Stuff’s website this morning.

    He makes the very good point that essentially the Government is selling legislation for the convention centre. There is currently a cap on the number of casinos and on the provision of casino gambling and if the Convention Centre as envisaged is to go ahead then this law will have to change.

    He says:

    Would we mind if a tobacco company were to build the convention centre in return for lowering the smoking age? How about a mining company in return for the right to mine a national park? Would you be outraged if Greenpeace built it in return for heavy regulation on the fishing industry, or perhaps the mining industry? How about PETA build it in return for heavy animal welfare codes for the pork or poultry industries?.

    The point is that the validity of these ideas has nothing to do with a convention centre. Call me naive but I assume laws restricting pokie machines came about through a process focused on the pros and cons of pokie machines. Surely therefore, assessing the pros and cons of pokie machines is the only way this legislation should be changed. A new convention centre may or may not be a great idea, but it is completely unrelated to the debate on restrictions on pokie machines and should stay that way.

  6. ak 6
    22 February 2013 at 8:47 am

    Cripes. Whatever’s become of all our big strong “anti nanny-state” boys?

    Seems they’ve run out of assorted scapegoats and random Lithuanian left-handed beneficiaries to bash, so it’s on to the spouses.

    How is a spouse defined? And does Bluster Borrows’ latest brainwave mean that every criminal act by the little woman is now also blamed on her knowing lord and master? And Vicky Vercoe?

    If not why not?

    Where are the concerned Lords of the Law Societies in all this?

    Or does it just apply to those solo slappers. You know, like Slippery’s mum.

    Ah well, as the boy himself said, if you cancel all their benefits, bugger-all will starve. Just not sure he meant the lads as well…..

  7. just saying 7
    22 February 2013 at 9:48 am

    http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/

    I see Chris Trotter has chucked in the towel over trying to stop the train-wreck that is the Labour Party:

    Charles Chauvel, “Champagne Charlie”, that wilful roisterer whose liberal disposition and utterly brilliant legal mind promised a Labour Attorney General and Justice Minister of rare ability and enduring achievement, is merely the latest victim of a Labour caucus which, increasingly, is distinguished by nothing other than its dreary mediocrity.

    I ask myself: “With Champagne Charlie gone, can the talented Mr Cunliffe be far behind?”

    New Zealand now faces the dismal prospect of a change of government by default. It is entirely possible that, in twenty months’ time, Mr Key and his National Party, in spite of enjoying a ten percentage point advantage over their nearest political rival – will, nevertheless, lose the 2014 General Election

    He concludes:

    The mandate of these three, ideologically distinct, political parties will be impossible for the electorate to discern. Inevitably, New Zealand’s policy direction will default to the usual bureaucratic suspects: Treasury, MFAT and the Ministry for Primary Industries. Their attached ministers are unlikely to cause any trouble. The ambition of courtiers is to climb things – not change things.

    It is in the nature of bulls to defend their own. Mr Cunliffe’s supporters should, therefore, console themselves with the knowledge that while they lacked the judgement to avoid a head-on collision with Labour’s locomotive, they retained just enough courage for one final, redeeming, charge.

    I disagree with the misleading term “Cunliffe’s supporters” , but his blog pretty much sums up my views.

    • Socialist Paddy 7.1
      22 February 2013 at 10:05 am

      Ouch. He can be a bit hit and miss but on this occasion can I say that Trotter describes the situation perfectly.

      Of course Shearer can use the upcoming rejig of Labour’s parliamentary seating arrangement to show that Trotter is wrong.

      But I am not holding my breath.

  8. Rogue Trooper 8
    22 February 2013 at 11:30 am

    not “spam” (green eggs and ham)
    is that Maryanne Street?
    Prescription Charges- (“an inflation adjustment”; Ryally?)
    -inflating stressors
    -cost
    -overwhelming discounting retailers
    -and, surprise, surprise, scripts left on pharmacy shelves. (not mine, i only take an anti-histamine, amongst the privet i’m allergic to what NAct is pollinating)

    Y-because we like you (but you are awe, shucks) agriculture’s Fall dethroned by Joining the National Party in December gifts may be exchanged, and briefly, “Jack’s as good as his master” Led by the braided F-ring circus when The Levee Breaks it will be Titian to the rescue we Assume / know Virgins were harmed in the painting of this tryptich tableaux, Actaeon though, was torn to pieces by his own hounds.Sooo…satyagrahn down, a node yore out there somwhere Cath; remember golden splendour? That was Delicious (Waves theta warm Helio-); can you see paradise by the dashboard light.

  9. NoseViper (The Nose knows) 9
    22 February 2013 at 11:35 am

    I haven’t read Geoff Bertram, Economist, Victoria University – today he made commented on Radionz about Solid Energy’s problems. I’ve decided for me he is someone with sound ideas whose mind is worth following, and I give a link to extensive notes he used at a lecture on our economy. It has great charts for those who like to see trends at a glance.

    Notes for Fabians Seminar “Fresh Ideas for a Productive Economy”
    July 2011 – Legislative Chamber, NZ Parliament

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1107/S00315/geoff-bertram-fresh-ideas-for-a-productive-economy.htm

    • Rogue Trooper 10.1
      22 February 2013 at 11:54 am

      comprehensive (give us 40 acres and we’ll turn this rig around; bit tricky to reverse a road-train)
      “failing states”; interesting. coming to a casino near you Monty?
      (thanks for the weekend reading joe; it’s all agape where i hang out;”Giant steps are what you take, Walking On The Moon…”)
      being the H-SS blade that i am sometime, i just about wept watching Campbell on the Canterbury Water Catchment, and all this “desert” has transpired in 40 years or so; smells like the fragrance of “Egypt” to me.

  11. Rogue Trooper 11
    22 February 2013 at 11:37 am

    btw…
    “the distinction between two sorts of truths…profound truths recognized by the fact that the opposite is also a profound truth, in contrast to trivialities, where opposites are obviously absurd.”
    (Neils), hope that doesn’t Bohr you.

    rhetorically, grammatically and logically speaking, experience is ambiguous and that’s a
    Porcupinestarfish Fact.Record. (thank God for Martin Hannett the mad bastard).

  12. Pete 12
    22 February 2013 at 11:39 am

    Add Telecom to the list of companies laying off hundreds in this government’s term. It’s particularly bad as National prides itself on ICT.

    • bad12 12.1
      22 February 2013 at 12:10 pm

      The miners at the States Huntly coal mine are attending a meeting this afternoon, not sure what this is about but expect the worst,

      Possibly ‘take a pay cut or face redundancies’ will be the best thing that those employed at Huntly can hope for…

  13. vto 13
    22 February 2013 at 11:42 am

    What does this mean when you phone some large organisation….

    “… please note that your call may be recorded for training purposes…”?

    Sounds like BS to me and that they are simply being recorded for any purpose that may arise in the future.

    It’s like its bloody big brother wherever one turns today.

    • Pascal's bookie 13.1
      22 February 2013 at 11:46 am

      Recorded for ‘training’ the operator you speak to should they not perform to company expectations.

      • vto 13.1.1
        22 February 2013 at 11:50 am

        aaah, so monitoring, not really training. But in effect it is to monitor the entire conversation at a later point for whatever purpose necessary I imagine. I don’t trust any such large organisation – in either intention or competency

        • felixviper 13.1.1.1
          22 February 2013 at 5:35 pm

          Some of them have stopped saying “training purposes” and instead now simply say “for our purposes” which is a bit creepier but probably more honest.

          • Anne 13.1.1.1.1
            22 February 2013 at 6:07 pm

            Many moons ago a former acquaintance of mine worked at a local international toll exchange before it became fully automated. She regularly listened-in to conversations especially if they were well known people – pollies were a particularly good source of info. She got away with it because they didn’t have the ability to record every toll-call made through an operator. Years later I heard she was summarily sacked, and have always assumed she was eventually caught.

            I repeat this anecdote because there can also be legitimate reasons for recording phone calls. For one thing it ensures the operators will always be polite and helpful and not try to fob the caller off in some way.

            • McFlock 13.1.1.1.1.1
              22 February 2013 at 6:30 pm

              or mislead the customer. You never know if the customer has a recording of an unauthorised verbal guarantee, too.

              • felixviper …
                22 February 2013 at 9:15 pm

                Yeah, I sometimes record my phone conversations if I’m expecting sneakiness or duplicity from an organisation.

                (And sometimes I just say I’m recording… )

  14. Pascal's bookie 14
    22 February 2013 at 11:49 am

    Amoungst all the pretty bleak news, there’s this:

    http://news.smh.com.au/world/vatican-scandal-cited-in-pope-resignation-20130222-2euzj.html

    which promises weeks and years of lulz.

    I love their language, I really do. Problems related to the 6th and 8th comandments. Quite so, yes indeed. *laughs*

    • Rogue Trooper 14.1
      22 February 2013 at 12:02 pm

      i fellow-ship at least three to four times a week with some wonderful “disciples”, all at different stages on their journeys (try not to stumble anybody), anyway, the same themes keep cropping up between people who are not individually in direct communication…
      an interesting one is a perception of a reverse traversal of the biblical narrative unfolding all around
      anyway,

      P.S:4-Aldous would be chuckley, or would he?

    • Treetop 14.2
      22 February 2013 at 3:02 pm

      Open Mike 12/02/2013 I asked “What has really made the Pope’s job untenable?”

      To think that the Pope is more concerned about sex between priests than his failure to address child sexual assault sickens me. Consenting sex among adults is seen by the Pope as being a problem (adultery) and priests who have offended against children, they have not been exposed (reported to law enforcement) because of being protected by the Vatican.

      Sounds as though there is a well organised theft ring in the Vatican and when you steal from your own action will be taken.

      I can now see why the Pope does not have the stamina for the job and how he would have had to watch his back more than he will have to in the future. Quite clever in handing over the rot to his successor.

      Can a cardinal refuse the job?

    • muzza 14.3
      22 February 2013 at 6:25 pm

      That article is a load of rubbish – I think you can be reasonably sure that the stories about underground gay sex, and corrution may well be true, but are being used as cover.

      On December 17, 2012, they handed the pontiff two red-leather bound volumes, almost 300 pages long, containing “an exact map of the mischief and the bad fish” inside the Holy See, La Repubblica said.

      This is something out of Nancy Drew – Its all terribly exciting if it was not such a load of crap.

      Expose the sinister nature of the Church, people undersand what it represents, the trail of child abuse is the calling card for what sits at the heart of this *religious* entity.

      Oh they worship a god alright, but its not the god they have the world believing it is!

      • Pascal's bookie 14.3.1
        22 February 2013 at 6:30 pm

        Oh do go on.

        You’ve clearly got your finger on it.

        • muzza 14.3.1.1
          22 February 2013 at 7:21 pm

          Put it this way, whatever has been going on, is well before benedict became the pope, so stepping down on account of these gay sex stories is a nonsense, in any case wasn’t it because he was sick etc…

          If anyone is being blackmailed it is likely to have been the pope himself, with these cover stories keeping people guessing.

          What sort of entity hides the what could be the worlds history in its vaults, and among other secretive dealings, also supports a structure which preys on children, now what sort of religious entity feasts on that kind of energy!

          • Treetop 14.3.1.1.1
            22 February 2013 at 8:06 pm

            The source who will do the exposing if the Pope is implicated has to be powerful e.g. connection to a marfia like organisation. This would make any Pope’s job untenable.

            Also class one drugs may flow freely and a drug lord could be another source. Possibly priests mixed up in a drug cartel, (there could even be a P lab down in the winery cellars).

      • Treetop 14.3.2
        22 February 2013 at 6:46 pm

        I also said on Open Mike 22/02/2013 “Probably the last eight decades of child sexual assault creating a backlog of settlements” The reason I only went back eight decades was because there will not be many survivors alive.

        Regardless of commandments 6 & 7 being mentioned as the reason for the Pope’s resignation I want to know more about what the blackmail is about.

        • Pascal's bookie 14.3.2.1
          22 February 2013 at 7:06 pm

          I imagine that would be the gay sex. They’re shameless about everything else.

        • McFlock 14.3.2.2
          22 February 2013 at 7:11 pm

          heh – if you did, then it wouldn’t be useful for blackmail 🙂

          The cardinals were said to have uncovered an underground gay network, whose members organise sexual meetings in several venues in Rome and Vatican City, leaving them prone to blackmail.

          You could probably add a few secret families a la Schwarzenegger and some financial stuff to the list, too. Plus any paedophiles or their protectors that might still be about.

  15. McFlock 15
    22 February 2013 at 12:45 pm

    Another police chase, another death.

    Not really political, but I note that once again the crash occurred after “pursuit was abandoned”, which seems to be a recurring theme. Questions being whether the driver knew pursuit had been abandoned, and whether the crash occurred because the driver was still amped up after the chase, and whether “abandoned” is the same as “let go, move on to other jobs”. Not to mention whether the line about abandoning pursuit is pr spin.

    I’m not suggesting the police shouldn’t do anything about joyriders. It’s just such a waste.

    • joe90 15.1
      22 February 2013 at 1:06 pm

      Surprise surprise, adolescents dished up ‘wildest police chases’ as entertainment, think police chases are cool.

      • McFlock 15.1.1
        22 February 2013 at 1:09 pm

        bit more complicated than that, issue-wise.

        The question is how to stop kids dying, rather than blaming a tv format for something that predates reality television.

        • higherstandard 15.1.1.1
          22 February 2013 at 2:25 pm

          Get he parents to take away their keys ?

          • higherstandard 15.1.1.1.1
            22 February 2013 at 2:29 pm

            I see this was not an option in this instance as the vehicle appears to have been stolen.

          • McFlock 15.1.1.1.2
            22 February 2013 at 2:32 pm

            stolen car.
            But I’m thinking more of alternative tactical solutions for police to use, rather than preventative measures like boosting social services and reducing inequality and deprivation.

            Good on you for mentioning those prevention measures that might actually be effective at stopping kids from being killed, rather than simply apportioning blame in what might otherwise appear to be an effort to wash your and society’s hands clean of any obligation to try and stop our teenagers from being killed. Oh, um…

            • higherstandard 15.1.1.1.2.1
              22 February 2013 at 2:49 pm

              I’ve had friends who have done the job of coroner in various places around the country, and even with the most forgiving will in the world after you’ve seen your hundredth instance of drunken youths wrapping themselves and their passengers around other cars, pedestrians and inanimate objects they tend to have little sympathy left for the reckless unthinking behaviour and what are usually young men barely out of or into their teens.

              • McFlock …
                22 February 2013 at 4:48 pm

                I’m sure you and all your friends never did anything remotely stupid or dangerous as teenagers.

                I’m a great fan of insensitivity born of bitter experience, but if we (as a society) are raising our kids wrong and then not finding ways to deal with them in safer ways than we are at present, then we are authors of our own demise (or irritation, as the case may be).

                • higherstandard …
                  22 February 2013 at 7:39 pm

                  I’m sure we did lots of stupid stuff but stealing cars, fleeing from the police and causing death wasn’t amongst the stupid stuff we did.

                  • McFlock …
                    22 February 2013 at 11:10 pm

                    The “causing death” bit is often a matter of pure luck. And not just for stealing cars. Some really interesting work on brain development in teens has been done with scanners over the last ten or fifteen years. There are interesting reasons why they have seem to have shit impulse control and so on.

                    But okay. You and your mates are better than teenagers today. If only because one or two of your mates might have A) been lucky to avoid causing serious harm; and B) got diversion or a discharge without conviction.

                    So, do you have a solution for today’s teenagers and young adults? Or are you limited to “Get the parents to take away their keys”?

                    • higherstandard …
                      23 February 2013 at 7:35 am

                      It is certainly a very difficult problem with no quick fix.

                      In relation to the particular problems we seem to have with young people in vehicles there may be a number interventions needed.

                      Vehicle immobilizers
                      Tougher and more thorough driving tests and education
                      Greater restrictions and penalties on alcohol
                      Greater restrictions and penalties on young drivers having more than one occupant in the vehicle
                      Greater restrictions on the power/top speed of vehicles
                      Taking a look at similar countries that don’t have these problems and asking why ?

                      Unlike some I do not believe these incidents are caused by police doing their job.

                    • McFlock …
                      23 February 2013 at 7:33 pm

                      Unlike some I do not believe these incidents are caused by police doing their job.

                      And you suggest immobilizers? Isn’t that changing how the police change their job?

                      And increased penalties might just increase the incentive to escape/run.

                      gah, i dunno.

      • joe90 15.1.2
        22 February 2013 at 2:49 pm

        Yeah, I know McFlock, trite, and I am well aware of the stolen vehicle/police pursuit thing some youngsters engage in being an outcome of a youth disconnection that continues to grow.

        sigh..

        • RedLogix 15.1.2.1
          22 February 2013 at 3:02 pm

          I agree with joe90 on this.

          While young men have always been drawn to riding their horses fast, there is nonetheless a strong element of modelling going on here.

          All I can suggest is that when I was this age it would scarcely have occurred to any of us to actually try and outrun the cops. It just never happened. Something has changed.

          • Rogue Trooper 15.1.2.1.1
            22 February 2013 at 3:36 pm

            Well…some of us were extremely naughty even back then (been reading my thoughts Red; was just nostalgically reminiscing with some “peers”, both former and current coincidentally last night, yet this longitudinal research being carried out by Otago recently demonstrated associations between media exposure and violence / anti-social / “deviant behaviour, then there is the “myth of invincibility”, anomie, gnomes without “homes”…(i was particularly interested when the availability / affordability of cars that were more powerful per mass than bikes came about.In the 70’s it seemed like a lot of moolah had to be outlaid to own a car that would beat a GSThou’ from the bay to taupo; 40mins, junction to junction)

        • Tim 15.1.2.2
          23 February 2013 at 12:06 am

          +1. What more can be said though – I mean really! Life lost ….. next, next, next
          – But you know… when you listen to them (AND hear them), they’re mostly of the “do the crime, pay the time ilk” in all their pathetic machismo – even though the lack of brain development, the peer pressure, and all the shit is well known.
          I’d have thought a smart Police force would have picked up on that attitude (if they’re genuinely concerned about saving lives).
          Unfortunately there seems to be a Polis Force that can be just as ficked as the ‘perps’ they pursue.

          Never mind though aye! The trivialities such as the rep of silly little pricks at the wheel of a car (with underdeveloped brain material – as we already know) will soon be forgot.

          Instead, the bastions of those mandated to protect us from evil – all wearing a uniform, and waddling like ducks with the necessary weaponry to suppress and protect (both themselves and a supposedly supporting public) have our undivided support and attention – after all – they’re such HEROES. Why they’ve even got a ‘personality’ ready to pop-up on the next MSM venue to remind us that’s so. Even before anyone ends up before the courts (usually).

          I’ve never been able to understand how once upon a time, a comparatively primitively armed Polis force coped with gang warfare (Aro Valley/Wadestown bikie warfare – for example), – all the shite elsewhere, all the while dressed in suits of heavy serge, whilst today, tasers, long batons, suped-up cars carrying guns with bullets seem to be required.
          Let’s just give them tanks and surface to air missiles now aye Greg!?

    • felixviper 15.2
      22 February 2013 at 2:19 pm

      ‘Oops, he’s leaving the road. Abandon pursuit.’

      • McFlock 15.2.1
        22 February 2013 at 2:26 pm

        yeah, it’s pretty interesting how they almost never crash while the pursuit’s still going.

        In which case there are issues around alternative pursuit measures (air, distance tailing without lights, anything else? ).

        Heck, the sci-fi answer is a gps tag fired at the vehicle to everyone can pull back out of sight. Worst thing that would happen is that the occupants notice it and stop to either ditch the car or remove the tag, in which case the operative word is “stopped”. Even for a moment it gives time to put a roadblock up ahead.

        • mac1 15.2.1.1
          22 February 2013 at 3:51 pm

          The 1984 solution is to have a gps tag fitted to every car, one that also acts a transponder so the pursuer can identify the vehicle. Then the police would know where every car is, how fast it was going, where the boy racers are congregating on Saturday night, where all the park up sites are, who’s been into the grog shop, stopped by the tinny house, visited the dope patch or the burglary site, etc.

          If the boss can monitor where the workers in the company car are by GPS, well …….nah, it’s all right, just joking……… though, …….. hmmmm……….. hmmmmm?

        • joe90 15.2.1.2
          22 February 2013 at 4:35 pm

          Heck, the sci-fi answer is a gps tag fired at the vehicle to everyone can pull back out of sight

          Of course, but only if the little darlings involved are EGGS or ABGSS.

          http://www.starchase.com/news-section/an-alternative-to-vehicle-pursuits.html

        • joe90 15.2.1.3
          22 February 2013 at 4:42 pm

          Heck, the sci-fi answer is a gps tag fired at the vehicle to everyone can pull back out of sight

          Of course, but only if the little darlings involved are EGGSS or ABGSS.

          http://www.starchase.com/news-section/an-alternative-to-vehicle-pursuits.html

      • joe90 15.2.2
        22 February 2013 at 4:34 pm

        Heck, the sci-fi answer is a gps tag fired at the vehicle to everyone can pull back out of sight

        Of course, but only if the little darlings involved are EGGS or ABGSS.

        http://www.starchase.com/news-section/an-alternative-to-vehicle-pursuits.html

  16. Rogue Trooper 16
    22 February 2013 at 1:14 pm

    well, this Krap is certainly not helping (been stung myself, i know, was “tired” and not thinking clearly)
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10866933

    • bad12 16.1
      22 February 2013 at 1:23 pm

      Lolz, never tried the stuff myself, having the belief that the mind can only be expanded so far i spent the 80’s doing just that with other illicit substances and the odd variety of mushroom and now happily stimulate my inner cranium with mugs of tea and the odd coffee while occasionally being the recipient of an infrequent flash-back,(or is that forward)…

      • vto 16.1.1
        22 February 2013 at 1:30 pm

        .
        up
        down

        all around

        please don’t
        let
        me
        hit
        the
        ground

      • Rogue Trooper 16.1.2
        22 February 2013 at 3:46 pm

        Iggy and The Stooges on the cafe radio as I type…sorry to read of your health struggles…rare for any of us to get out of here unscathed…Killing us Softly with his song…(hey there is always Ray Winstone in The Sweeny to watch as we await Last Orders / Nil by Mouth you Sexy Beast; Ripleys Game, and even beyond the Edge of Darkness, beyond The Departed, is the horror of The War Zone (like The Woodsman); anyway, for something lighter there is always Jerusalem or The Magic Roundabout 🙂

    • Treetop 16.2
      22 February 2013 at 7:04 pm

      That K2 shit does push people off the edge. I see empty packets around the street most weeks.

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    22 February 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Climate change: Locked out

    Reading the background documents on FYI, the government’s clear aims were to avoid commitment while retaining access to the international carbon market. In that context, the lockout can only be viewed as a major foreign policy failure.

    Another failure by this government. One that’s going to hit the financial markets and the local economy hard I suspect.

  20. Pascal's bookie 20
    22 February 2013 at 5:10 pm

    Crazy old John Key saying don’t be too concerned about up to 1000 jobs going at telecom because we have ‘a flexible job market.’

    • McFlock 20.1
      22 February 2013 at 5:17 pm

      trouble is, it only ever seems to bend in one direction: backwards

    • Treetop 20.2
      22 February 2013 at 7:12 pm

      The only job market is being on an unemployment benefit and searching for work or going to a job interview if you’ re lucky.

    • Arfamo 20.3
      22 February 2013 at 7:23 pm

      Ha. It’s so bloody flexible if anyone manages to catch a job they soon discover they can’t hang on to it.

      • McFlock 20.3.1
        22 February 2013 at 7:30 pm

        greased up and flexible then – and prepared to fuck anyone.

        Only the nats could make that description repulsive.

        • Arfamo 20.3.1.1
          22 February 2013 at 7:37 pm

          It’s all that time Jonkey spent in the US – invent a nice-sounding advertising slogan to hide a disaster, and just keep repeating it until people think it must be a good thing.

    • Rogue Trooper 21.1
      23 February 2013 at 3:15 pm

      1:1 over the complete cycle EROI

      • Colonial Viper 21.1.1
        23 February 2013 at 7:23 pm

        1:1…that’s running hard just to stay in the same place.

        Gail the Actuary has some good thoughts on this issue, posted at The Oil Drum

        The world outside of Saudi Arabia is now running into an investment sinkhole issue as well. This takes several forms: water limits that require deeper wells or desalination plants; oil and gas limits that require more expensive forms of extraction; and pollution limits requiring expensive adjustments to automobiles or to power plants.

        These higher investment costs lead to higher end product costs of goods using these resources. These higher costs eventually transfer to other products that most of us consider essential: food because it uses much oil in growing and transport; electricity because it is associated with pollution controls; and metals for basic manufacturing, because they also use oil in extraction and transport.

        Ultimately, these investment sinkholes seem likely to cause huge problems. In some sense, they mean the economy is becoming less efficient, rather than more efficient. From an investment point of view, they can expect to crowd out other types of investment. From a consumer’s point of view, they lead to a rising cost of essential products that can be expected to squeeze out other purchases.

        http://www.theoildrum.com/node/9825

  22. Pascal's bookie 22
    22 February 2013 at 7:02 pm

    Crazy old John Banks on Focus on Politics said that the critics of Charter schools are right, but no one is listening to them.

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