Open mike 22/05/2013

Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, May 22nd, 2013 - 94 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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

Step right up to the mike…

94 comments on “Open mike 22/05/2013 ”

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  1. lprent 1
    22 May 2013 at 8:02 am

    There will be a period today when I finally move the primary server. Everything is set up for the move. It would have been done last night except that the current supplier managed to put the server out and didn’t get it running for 12 hours after being informed.

    Which is why we are moving.

    • karol 1.1
      22 May 2013 at 8:34 am

      Hope it goes well.
      Thanks.

      • lprent 1.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 9:29 am

        So do I. Working from home today as the remaining operations are simple (mostly copying large sets of a files or pushing them into the right places), but they take some time.

        Just doing an SQL dump on right now. This message is to test what disruption I get to entering comments.

        Unfortunately I never set up a warm backup system after the last move to what was the warm backup. So this is slower than it should be. Especially since I’m working at the same time.

        Nice – a 714Mb database sql taken without anyone noticing. Now to load the database for testing.

    • DH 1.2
      22 May 2013 at 11:44 am

      The recent troubles can’t have been good for the stress levels, very frustrating when providers don’t respond in a timely manner. Do you have a dedicated server or VM? If it’s dedicated you might want to ask if they can give you remote access, can at least reboot the thing yourself if it hangs.

    • lprent 1.3
      22 May 2013 at 3:20 pm

      Back up and running at normal speed (maybe better than normal).

      I’m going to have lunch, then do some work whilst watching the loadings, and I’ll do another pass after 5pm. Let me know here of anything that shows as a problem.

      1. The search isn’t working correctly…

  2. mickysavage 2
    22 May 2013 at 8:07 am

    This week seems to be the “dump the bad report” week. So far I am aware of the following releases or planned releases:

    1. GCSB spying review press release (as opposed to the report itself).
    2. IPCA report of the Urewera raids.
    3. Solid Energy documentation dump by Treasury with no trace of Key’s $1 billion claim.
    4. Release of the decision concerning Aranui school amalgamations.

    It is important for these to be subject to the review of Parliament but it is not sitting this week.

    Coincidental?

    • karol 2.1
      22 May 2013 at 8:37 am

      I’m feeling like we are in the middle of a government blitskreig and am starting to feel like there’s too much to respond to, and that it all feels very negative, and like always being in defensive mode.

      I’m thinking the government are doing as much of the nasties as possible now, and then will start to go into smiley, positive, butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-their-mouths mode leading up to the election..

      • ianmac 2.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 9:20 am

        Dumping all at once follows a strategy used I think by petrol retailers. Keep shifting the price around so that it is hard to get a fix on the target. Dump several reports or part of reports so that we can’t all agree on which deserves the greatest focus.

      • aerobubble 2.1.2
        22 May 2013 at 1:20 pm

        Banks could be gone, Dunne might finally find a spine, Maori might stop vomiting long enough to also vote against National and Key get’s his wish, an early election as he victim of PR.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.1.3
        22 May 2013 at 3:57 pm

        butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-their-mouths

        So, they’re as cold as a refrigerator?

        It’s National so, yes, they are.

        Of course, that’s original usage and modern usage seems to have altered a bit:

        If someone looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth, they look very innocent.

        And I don’t think anyone is ever going to accuse National of being innocent.

        /rant

  3. xtasy 3
    22 May 2013 at 8:20 am

    Got a bit worried yesterday, seeing The Standard had apparently been “down” a fair bit over recent days. So the update by lprent is appreciated.

    There are some worrying anecdotal informations about activists and groups being increasingly “surveilled” and checked on by police and possibly other agencies, so this news about Neazor and the GCSB report of sorts is also highly dissatisfying and worrying.

    It seems like one of the many white washes going on. One old man, “employed” by the Prime Minister, presenting a final position that is neither here nor there, but gives Key the chance to talk his and their way out of responsibilities again.

    Well, this is all disgusting, and in future they (GCSB) will quite legally use their modern equipment to do spying legally on any they have reasonable grounds to suspect certain illegal activities from.

    Times to be highly alert and mindful, 24/7 that is.

    • lprent 3.1
      22 May 2013 at 9:31 am

      In this case I think it is just an under-resourced department with a technical problem on their hardware. Their company needs to throw more resources in to fix the problem. Since they haven’t, I’m moving the site.

  4. joe90 4
    22 May 2013 at 8:21 am

    NASA images and animation of yesterdays Oklahoma weather events.

    http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/moore-tornado.html

  5. xtasy 5
    22 May 2013 at 8:24 am

    Re my comment just made, there as a clear and critical comment and feedback by Mr Buchanan, former US security expert, being interviewed on National Radio not long ago this morning. The report about the GCSB spying on 88 NZers (citizens or residents) should be made public he says, as sensitive parts can of course be blackened out or withheld.

    So he supports the stand by the opposition parties.

    Key is trying to get away with playing Mr Slippery Dodgy, wanting to cover up as much as possible. What a disgusting state of affairs.

  6. ianmac 6
    22 May 2013 at 9:54 am

    This is good that in the Herald they have cottoned on:
    “Andrew Geddis: We owe it to ourselves to be outraged
    Citizens must speak up to protect the constitution when the Government fails to do so, says Andrew Geddis.” (I bet Mr Key has strong feelings about Andrew?)
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10885186

    And : “Law protecting Government, not disabled.
    By Brian Rudman
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10885234

    • Jilly Bee 6.1
      22 May 2013 at 11:24 pm

      I posted a comment on the Herald’s Andrew Geddis’ op ed piece and asked where their headline used a few years ago ‘DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK’ had disappeared to. Of course my comment hasn’t been published – I wonder why.

      • lprent 6.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 11:27 pm

        I think that they were rather annoyed when we took that over and used it about the SuperShitty legislation (and other things)

  7. Hami Shearlie 7
    22 May 2013 at 10:00 am

    I’ve been thinking that if the Labour Party keep promoting the Auckland Unitary Plan , they are not likely to get into Government any time soon. I’ve never seen any local body issue that has got so many ratepayers up in arms, going to local meetings etc. Phil Twyford keeps stating in Parliament that “Aucklanders want a compact city” but unfortunately nobody has thought to ask all of us “Aucklanders” what WE want. Funny that!!! I personally don’t know of ONE PERSON who supports the UP!! So where are all these hundreds of thousands of supporters of the plan??? Has anybody in the Labour Party ever done a survey of Aucklanders to see what they actually want??

    • Colonial Viper 7.1
      22 May 2013 at 10:12 am

      Auckland is going to have a 2M population pretty in 20 years time. Unless it has aspirations of joining up with Hamilton it’s going to have to go up. “What people want” is one factor. “What is workable” and “what is possible” are two others which are just as big.

      Anyone who wants a quarter acre section in Auckland: will need to be a multi-millionaire, become a million bucks in debt to a big bank or move to another town.

    • mickysavage 7.2
      22 May 2013 at 10:16 am

      Out west Hami people are more relaxed about it. This is because Waitakere City has been practising intensification for years. If you want an eco city you have to address urban sprawl.

    • karol 7.3
      22 May 2013 at 10:38 am

      From what I see, it’s largely people on the North Shore who are against the AUP, and some people in Auckland City.

      Not a big issue here in the west.

      “Rate payers”, huh!?

      Well, actually, the affordable housing crisis is much more an issue for renters and low income people, not home owners. Renters (indirect rate payers), are more worried about the cost of rents.

      And young wannabe home buyers are looking at the situation where they can only afford on the outskirts of the city. A more compact city is in their interests -ditto for low income renters, who are worried about getting to work and other services from the outskirts of the city where rents are lowest.

      Looks to me like a situation where the better off home owners are getting more attention from the MSM than the rest of us with less power and status.

    • ratesarerevolting 7.4
      22 May 2013 at 1:52 pm

      Of course they haven’t asked Aucklanders what they want, just like council and government and their automaton foot soldiers like Mickysavage they know what’s best for rest of us why bother asking our opinion.

      • mickysavage 7.4.1
        22 May 2013 at 5:44 pm

        Be a good boy rr and go and learn something about the subject then come back and have an informed debate.

      • muzza 7.4.2
        22 May 2013 at 5:49 pm

        Correct, and they don’t care what your opinion is anyway, the lip service of *public consultation*, is an absolute farce!

        We live in what amounts to dictatorship, in many ways!

  8. freedom 8
    22 May 2013 at 10:09 am

    another Tracy Watkins lesson in how to appear to cover a story without actually covering the story
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8702204/Dissenter-raises-trade-deal-questions

    • ianmac 8.1
      22 May 2013 at 11:12 am

      Yeah. What actually happened? Did she ask her questions? Did she call bullshit out loud? Weird report- unless it was edited out in case it conflicted with the Government position.

    • ghostrider888 8.2
      22 May 2013 at 1:07 pm

      “world-famous in Hawkes Bay”. 😀

    • freedom 8.3
      22 May 2013 at 4:03 pm

      You will notice that the ‘journalist’ was not interested in what the woman said or in the content of the agreement, just that someone had the audacity to go off script. Here is some of the information the ‘journalist’ could have included if they were not so concerned with losing their place in the junket queue. The comments on the Stuff article are largely and deservedly derisive of the appalling lack of fact reported in the media regarding the TPPA.

      Here is an excellent new poster from the NZNO.
      https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/965105_277538135716249_151427129_o.jpg

  9. Draco T Bastard 9
    22 May 2013 at 10:24 am

    This is disturbing:

    Call it security through absurdity: a pair of telecom firms have branded reporters for Scripps News as “hackers” after they discovered the personal data of over 170,000 customers—including social security numbers and other identifying data that could be used for identity theft—sitting on a publicly accessible server.

    But mostly because of this:

    The two companies are separate legal entities but are substantially owned by the same people and, as the company’s attorney put it, “share some key management employees.”

    How much competition has the free-market truly given us? Because all I’m seeing is conglomeration.

  10. The Al1en 10
    22 May 2013 at 11:06 am

    I just found out it will cost me $470.20 to become a New Zealander.

    Great Britain, how much are you willing to pay to keep me?
    I’ll start the bidding at one gazillion pounds.

    • Draco T Bastard 10.1
      22 May 2013 at 11:12 am

      Great Britain, how much are you willing to pay to keep me?

      😆

    • Chrissy 10.2
      22 May 2013 at 4:30 pm

      Allen. I’d wait until after the next election to see if it will be worth it. If key wins I’d go back to Blighty.

      • The Al1en 10.2.1
        22 May 2013 at 4:44 pm

        I couldn’t go back and leave my hybrid kiwi born daughter, so I’m exiled here, for better or worse.

        But don’t say anything in case immigration put the extortionate prices up and foil my invasion plan.
        Plus with dual citizenship I double my chances of getting a Brit award or a tui.

  11. Bill 11
    22 May 2013 at 11:17 am

    A highly topical and relevent piece by Dean Baker that focusses on the USA situation but that translates rather nicely to NZ austerity policies.

    “Destroying the lair of the budget balancing cretins.”
    If the deficit hawks are “really concerned about our children’s future”, they should focus on the over-valued dollar.

    At some point everyone alive today will be dead.

    This means that the government debt (bonds) that people alive today possess will be passed on to future generations. Future generations will not just owe future debt; they will also own future debt. If we take the extreme case where the ownership of government bonds is evenly divided among our children and grandchildren, then the burden of the debt will be money that they are paying to themselves. How can that make them poorer?

    Of course, the debt is not evenly held so there can be intra-generational distributional issues. Suppose that Bill Gates’ grandchildren end up owning all the debt. Then the debt will impose a burden on everyone else’s children and grandchildren. They will be paying interest to Bill Gates’ grandchildren.

    But this is an issue between Bill Gates’ grandchildren and everyone else’s grandchildren. If our children and grandchildren tax Bill Gates’ grandchildren, then they will face little burden from debt built up today.

    Many of the deficit scaremongers have raised the issue of foreign, and especially Chinese, ownership of the debt. While this may appeal to racist sentiments, it has little to do with government deficits.

    Read more here http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/05/20135136395629832.html

    • Draco T Bastard 11.1
      22 May 2013 at 3:10 pm

      The problem, of course, is that every country (except NZ) is trying to reduce the value of it’s currency so as to address the trade imbalances and so it won’t work. What’s needed is a more active way of addressing those imbalances.

      • Bill 11.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 3:35 pm

        I don’t dispute that, but within the context of current economic orthodoxies, this government seems happy to have a high NZ dollar and to enact austerity on the back of false premises…premises that Baker exposes in a clear and easily understood logical fashion.

      • muzza 11.1.2
        22 May 2013 at 5:55 pm

        Showing your support for the single global currency by any chance in that comment, DTB?

  12. lprent 12
    22 May 2013 at 12:42 pm

    Having the database many thousands of miles away around the world is likely to make this site a bit sluggish.

    Moving on to getting the database and the web server in approximately the same location.

    • ghostrider888 12.1
      22 May 2013 at 1:10 pm

      it is slower (like a reply to my last e-mail? please?)

      • lprent 12.1.1
        22 May 2013 at 3:23 pm

        like a reply to my last e-mail?

        Ah yes – the combination of restructuring code at work and the noise of the server randomly failing has been distracting.

        It may have to wait for the weekend but it will be done.

    • lprent 12.2
      22 May 2013 at 3:13 pm

      Ok finished for the moment. The primary server is all in it’s new location and the speed looks somewhat better.

      I’ll get back to writing some code whilst keeping an eye on the system

  13. Penny Bright 13
    22 May 2013 at 1:22 pm

    2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright will be addressing the Auckland Council on Thursday 23 May at 10am – ‘Neutrality of Public Servants’.

    Speaking rights confirmed at Auckland Council Governing Body Meeting
    Thursday 23 May 2013, 10am
    Reception Lounge Auckland Town Hall
    301-305 Queen Street Auckland

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/SiteCollectionDocuments/aboutcouncil/governingbody/governingbodyag20130523.pdf

    7 Public Input

    7.1 Penny Bright – Auckland Council Local Government Election Year Policy

    Penny Bright will be present to speak to the Governing Body regarding the Auckland Council Local Government Election Year Policy

    – “Neutrality of Public Servants”.
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    My subject matter is:

    Auckland Council Local Government Election Year Policy
    “Neutrality of Public Servants”.

    At this Governing Body meeting of Auckland Council, you are discussing the proposed ‘Auckland Council Local Government Election Year Policy’.

    “Who does this policy apply to?

    4) This policy applies to all Auckland Council elected members and Auckland Councilemployees.”

    “Neutrality of Public Servants

    12. A major characteristic of New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements is that public servants are apolitical.

    This applies to public servants in local and central government.”

    If Auckland Council employees are supposed to be apolitical ‘public servants’ – then why is Auckland Council CEO, Doug McKay, still a member of the ‘invitation-only’, powerful private sector lobby group – the Committee for Auckland?

    http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz/membership/member-organisations

    “Doug McKay Chief Executive Officer Auckland Council”

    Please be reminded of the LGOIMA reply I received from Wendy Brandon, General Counsel for Auckland Council dated 10 February 2012

    (“Official Information Request No: 9000114213:)

    “1. I have advised you previously that Mr McKay is a member of the Committee forAuckland in his capacity as Chief Executive of Auckland Council.

    2. Mr McKay is an honorary member of the Committee for Auckland. As such, there was no joining fee charged or paid.

    3. No resolution of any committee of the Auckland Council was sought or given in relation to Mr McKay’s membership of the Committee for Auckland. The Committee for Aucklandis an independent organisation and its aims and objectives are a matter of public record.”

    (Item 4)

    http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Please be reminded that membership of the Committee for Auckland is ‘invitation’ only:

    http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz/membership

    Membership Information
    Membership to the Committee for Auckland is by invitation. Members meet quarterly and are invited to be involved in those aspects of the work programme that interest them.

    Members are Chairs of Boards, Directors and Chief Executives

    Corporate Membership annual fee $10,000.

    Associate and Individual Membership comprises organisations or individuals who support the aims and purpose of the Committee but who, for various reasons, are unable to take a full part in contributing to the Committee’s portfolio of initiatives.

    Associate Membership annual fee $5,000

    Individual Membership annual fee $2,500

    For further information about Membership, please contact the Executive Director”

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    How many Auckland Council or Auckland CCO contracts are going to member companies of the Committee for Auckland?

    How can this not be a ‘perceived conflict of interest’ for the Principal Adminstrative Officer of Auckland Council – the CEO Doug McKay – to be a member of this private sector lobby group, particularly when his membership has not been ‘authorised /endorsed’ by elected members of Auckland Council?

    Is the Governing Body of Auckland Council going to ensure that CEO Doug McKay, terminates his membership of the Committee for Auckland, in order to comply with his ‘apolitical’ role as a ‘public servant?

    Yes or no?

    If not – why not?

    Penny Bright
    ‘Anti-corruption/anti-privatisation’ campaigner

    2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/?page_id=137

  14. mac1 14
    22 May 2013 at 3:24 pm

    One of the best reads I’ve had for a while. From the Herald yesterday. Bob Jones on getting rid of our armed forces. Takes me back to, was it?, 1984!

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/defence/news/article.cfm?c_id=32&objectid=10884948

    • millsy 14.1
      22 May 2013 at 11:05 pm

      He’s probably sizing up the prime real estate freed up by the abolishment of the NZDF. A port, 3 airports, and 3 residential villages, will bring in a lot of coin for someone.

      • mac1 14.1.1
        24 May 2013 at 12:55 pm

        Did you read his comment, Millsy?

        The real estate occupied by the military in owned by the Government. The decision as to how that is disposed of is up to the government. With the ragtag bunch of asset salesmen that we have posing as the current government, you may well be right.

        I would have preferred, though, that any comment on Jones’ ideas would have dealt with them, rather than his supposed motivation.

        We are too ready to attribute suspect motivations as an attack on a person rather than deal with their ideas.

        Bob Jones has stepped right away from usual socially conservative views on military expenditure. He pushed the same views in 1984, as I remember. Interestingly, he enlisted Phil Goff as an ally in his thinking.

  15. Rhinocrates 15
    22 May 2013 at 3:31 pm

    At last, a report isn’t a whitewash!

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10885376

    http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8662623/report-on-police-urewera-actions-due

    Tolley’s attempts at spin might be comical under other circumstances.

    Alas, I expect Greg O’Connor to see this all as a reason for the pigs to carry nukes.

  16. Chooky 16
    22 May 2013 at 3:35 pm

    What is happening with Kiwi Bank? Is it true that the NZ Treasury had Kiwi Bank evaluated by Goldman Sachs last year?!!!! Is it true that Standard & Poors has given a negative outlook for Kiwi Bank , a rating downgrade from stable to negative today?

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    22 May 2013 at 3:43 pm

    After reading this:

    Since then, the Ella/Lorde dichotomy has been developing, and it’s apparent from even a phone conversation that the teenager feels the split within herself already.

    all I can think is poor girl and that there’s some parents and a multi-national corporation that need to be done for child abuse.

  18. prism 18
    22 May 2013 at 4:25 pm

    lprent
    I was unable to search my past comments. Have these gone west – or perhaps been purloined by spy masters to be pored over for deep secrets and frightening revelations! They should be so lucky.

  19. Morrissey 19
    22 May 2013 at 5:04 pm

    John Key cheats at Quiz Evenings
    What a piece of work our Prime Minister is.
    The Panel, Radio New Zealand National, Wednesday 22 May 2013

    In the introductory chatter today, David Farrar, honorary life member of the Young Nats and blogger extraordinaire, revealed something highly interesting about the character, or lack of character, of the Prime Minister….

    JIM MORA: I hear that one of the things you do at Young National conferences is run Quiz Evenings.

    DAVID FARRAR: Yes we do, and they are always very popular. The Prime Minister enjoys these quiz shows very much, and he is EXTREMELY competitive. He hates to lose. And that’s a good thing in a prime minister! At the last quiz—I don’t know if I should be saying this!—he used his CELL-PHONE to check a question about police commissioners.

    MORA: [with mock seriousness] You’re making a serious allegation there!

    DAVID FARRAR: Oh, ha ha ha! It’s all good fun!

    ……Long, long pause….

    MORA: [dubiously] Ye-e-e-e-e-esssss…..

    • North 19.1
      22 May 2013 at 6:46 pm

      And good on Shonkey Python for his efforts at the Young Nats cheating camps I say !

      It’s all good Morrissey. Everyone’s happy.

      Especially that theistically charmed band of young cargo-cultists, wannabees, snobs, and potential appointees. Gulp. And gilmores ?

      Churlish Morrissey !

      Raining on their parade. And getting all atheistic about ShonKey Python. Aka Shyty P’nnnoKeho.

    • Paul 19.2
      22 May 2013 at 7:18 pm

      Yup.once I heard that the voice of National would be warbling on Mora’s show, it was an easy decision not to listen to RNZ until 5 p.m today.

  20. yeshe 20
    22 May 2013 at 6:02 pm

    A man in Moore, Oklahoma filmed the last moments of the incoming tornado right before going underground with his family into their bunker .. then filmed again as he came out.. the before and after .. chilling.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10…

    and

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10…

  21. marty mars 21
    22 May 2013 at 6:24 pm

    More lies from key for you BLiP

    “The Government’s job is to make sure there’s balance between the economy and and a safe environment,” he said.

    “Of the 18 [sedimentary] basins in New Zealand, only one is tapped and that’s in Taranaki and if you look at its economy, there are high levels of growth. Fracking is safe and we should say yes to oil exploration, but make sure it’s done to a high standard.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10885403

    A safe environment wtf does that mean?

    Fracking is safe says key – that bastard is so slimey he is personified fracking fluid

  22. dan1 22
    22 May 2013 at 7:02 pm

    WTF!!!
    What educational philosophy justifies 5 year olds being educated in the same school as 18 year olds?
    Christchurch is just the start. Watch out the rest of NZ.

    • Morrissey 22.1
      22 May 2013 at 7:59 pm

      What educational philosophy justifies 5 year olds being educated in the same school as 18 year olds?

      ACT.

      I would not dignify their mad dogma with the label of “philosophy”.

    • millsy 22.2
      22 May 2013 at 11:00 pm

      recipe for bullying if you ask me.

      The only place where educating 5-18 year olds together really work are our area schools, which have a smaller roll than regular schools, allowing a family type atmosphere.

      It would make better sense for all 4 schools to have a shared board of trustees, this would enable them to share resources, but have a unique identity.

      Good news though, Salisbury special school is staying open, reversing a trend of dumping out those who have higher needs than most out in the community to sink or swim.

    • ghostrider888 22.3
      23 May 2013 at 12:52 am

      This Year 1-13 will not be helpful; and, oh look, what socio-economic area is it located.

  23. Morrissey 23
    22 May 2013 at 7:50 pm

    Hypocrite of the Year: “Sir” Graham Henry
    Believe it or not, he’s ranting against referees
    21 May 2013

    Actually, make that Hypocrite of the Century. This cantankerous old codger has no sense of irony, no sense of decency, no sense of sportsmanship. Obviously Graham Henry thinks that nobody can remember anything. Henry’s ugly mug is back on the TV screens; this time the old fraud is bitching and moaning about a few marginal calls that went against his Auckland Blues. In a foam-flecked rant on the news tonight the shameless old coot had the brazen effrontery to call the referee of Saturday night’s game “blind”.

    Graham Henry was not so bilious a year and a half ago, as his All Black team was delivered the RWC final by a gentleman who makes Glen Jackson look like Eagle-Eyed Eric from Eagle Mountain, California….
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=1XBqetaCfgo

    Analysis of the refereeing—actually NON-refereeing—straight after the final, on The Breakdown on Setanta Sports….
    “The World Cup was decided on non-refereeing decisions. Unbelievable… shameful…really bad…he refused to make any
    decisions. Shameful… so sad…. France should have had two or three opportunities to win that game from penalties but the referee did not have the same rules for both sides.That World Cup was decided on non- refereeing . A shameful, shameful performance. The French knew what was going to happen before they went in to this game, I think Paddy O’Brien did brilliantly to ensure a benign referee from New Zealand’s point of view was in charge. He didn’t referee them at the breakdown, he was completely inconsistent. That Kaino non-decision was just
    disgraceful. That was on the 40-metre line and was very kickable.
    The referee abrogated responsibility.

  24. geoff 24
    22 May 2013 at 8:22 pm

    Here’s an interesting link showing the proportions of full home ownership vs people with mortgages vs renters, for the main cities.

    http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/auckland-has-lowest-home-ownership-5445037

    Roughly speaking, the average is about a third for each grouping.

    A quote from the article that aligns with what I had suspected:

    Other factors included wealthier baby boomers looking for second properties as investments, and they were competing with first-home buyers on price.

    • prism 24.1
      22 May 2013 at 9:45 pm

      I know. I know miss. I know the answer!
      The government builds 2 storey units, two bedroomed each and four to a reasonable sized section, each with a balcony.
      And only first home buyers who have a track record of managing their money or saving regularly for the past two years can get the places on low interest. And they can save their money and raise a deposit and get a further low interest loan on a three bedroom house, when they sell the two-bedroom places back to the government for cost plus annual increase based on bank interest on term deposits plus a bonus for leaving the property in tidy repair.

      That means that people are not being milked by property speculators and of course the baby boomers will soon be paying CGT and that money can make up for R&D tax allowances. And we’ll get more industry going

  25. prism 25
    22 May 2013 at 8:40 pm

    Oh dear NZ is now a good friend of the USA and shown themselves in the forces to be useful and so likely to be invited again to partake in Men’s Own adventures. We could use UN work as peacekeepers as an employment arm, or set up mercenary SOE’s sending out soldiers as contractors, to foster our GDP, and be like Fiji, and perhaps some of our soldiers will come home as happened there, and solve our political balancing problems in their own unique way.

    We might eventually step on China’s toes if we get involved in soldiering etc areound the world. China is more important to our income than the USA, marginally perhaps now.

    We can’t have peace though because armaments manufacturing will soon be the only thing that gets made in the west (USA and France). Haven’t checked Britain and Russia stats. Everything else will be done in China – eureka the west may think – use the armaments to attack China and get back western capacity for business and employment. Gee I get some crazy ideas.

    • prism 25.1
      22 May 2013 at 8:49 pm

      This should have gone to Open Mike. Sorry I have gone off thread too much. But edit time has vanished.

      [lprent: No problem. ]

    • ghostrider888 25.2
      23 May 2013 at 12:56 am

      The first two paragraphs, yes.
      Israel; the largest exporter of drones. carry on.

    • Morrissey 25.3
      23 May 2013 at 7:17 am

      NZ is now a good friend of the USA and shown themselves in the forces to be useful…

      TRANSLATION INTO PLAIN ENGLISH:

      After we screamed at and threatened the New Zealand troops, they obediently handed over captive civilians to be tortured.

  26. Ugly Truth 26
    22 May 2013 at 9:05 pm

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/markgibbs/2013/05/20/finally-independent-testing-of-rossis-e-cat-cold-fusion-device-maybe-the-world-will-change-after-all/

    Published on May 16, the paper titled “Indication of anomalous heat energy production in a reactor device” would appear to deliver what we wanted.

    The paper was authored by Giuseppe Levi of Bologna University, Bologna, Italy; Evelyn Foschi, Bologna, Italy; Torbjörn Hartman, Bo Höistad, Roland Pettersson and Lars Tegnér of Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; and Hanno Essén, of the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. While some of these people have previously been public in their support of Rossi and the E-Cat they are all serious academics with reputations to lose and the paper is detailed and thorough.

    … if we consider the whole volume of the reactor core and the most conservative figures on energy production, we still get a value of (7.93 ± 0.8) 10^2 MJ/Liter that is one order of magnitude higher than any conventional source.”

  27. Chooky 27
    23 May 2013 at 10:06 am

    I hope Winston Peters is going to protect the NZ Mums’ and Dads’ ‘KIWI BANK’ from privatisation ( as John Key and National wanted to do). Winston and ‘NEW ZEALAND FIRST’ should give KIWI BANK a government guarantee and protection from overseas predators and those who want to plunder Mums’ and Dads’ New Zealand assets.