Open mike 22/10/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 22nd, 2010 - 81 comments
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81 comments on “Open mike 22/10/2010 ”

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  1. CrosbyTextor 1
    22 October 2010 at 6:03 am

    .

    * * * * C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T.I.A.L * * * *

    TO: Media Operatives

    FROM: HQ – Campaign Control

    SUBJECT: Operation Gandalph

    Above operation, commenced in Septemebr, is on schedule. PJ’s tax issues are on hold at this time and not to be mentioned. Instead, continue with inserting following memes:

    – John Key working to resolve

    – if anyone can, John Key can

    – technicians counter protests

    – jobs at risk

    – international reputation at risk

    – promote division amongst unionists

    – all stories to contain “$US500 million at risk”

    Warner executives will be arriving early next week, dates and times to be confirmed. A successful outcome will be announced and photo-ops with John Key and executives will be made available.

    That is all.

    • Bored 1.1
      22 October 2010 at 6:56 am

      Its all going well, watching the media circus, you forgot to list “tell a sob story to Campbell on camera”, Jacko did a fabulous turn on that last night. Also you forgot “obfuscate and hide any truth, then run a poll on Campbell”…..

      • Adrian 1.1.1
        22 October 2010 at 7:23 am

        And if you watched “Lie to Me ” on TV3 who do you think they fingered as the bullshitters, evasive, failure to make eye contact, general air of discomfit, excessive fidgeting, half closed eyes when answering direct questions or Robyn Malcolm and Tandi Wright looking direct to interviewer and chins up. Take’em away boys and throw the book at ’em.

        • comedy 1.1.1.1
          22 October 2010 at 7:39 am

          Odd, I found Jackson (who’s not an actor) far more convincing than Robyn and Tandi who are actors by trade.

          And don’t let’s even talk about the performance of Helen Kelly.

        • Crashcart 1.1.1.2
          22 October 2010 at 3:36 pm

          I always like to use things I learn on fictional T.V shows to make judgments in real life. Thank god for CSI proving that any crime can be linked 100% by physical evidence and if it can’t then the person must be innocent.

          I had to laugh though when the first question directed at Tandi resulted in her producing a classic stunned mullet before throwing it to Robyn. Someone should have told her that putting on the glasses don’t actually make her smart.

      • Dan 1.1.2
        22 October 2010 at 7:24 am

        Can someone get the Ian Mune interview on TV1 Morning Tv up please. Very good analysis of the issue.

  2. Bored 2
    22 October 2010 at 7:02 am

    Im going to post this again, its about the death of our pollinators, the bees. Have a read please, dying bees leads to dying ecosystems, and in our case hunger (big time).

    http://civileats.com/2010/10/15/sorry-new-york-times-the-bee-die-off-case-is-not-closed/

  3. Jim MacDonald 3
    22 October 2010 at 7:40 am

    ~ ~ Newsflash Questions ~ ~

    * Gerry Brownlee uses The Hobbit to soften up public for changing employment rights ?

    * Judith Collins announces $1m golden handshake for alleged conflicted Supreme Court judge case, burying many unanswered questions ?

    New Zealand pays a high price under John Key’s Government

  4. Lazy Susan 4
    22 October 2010 at 8:05 am

    On the very same day that the UK government announces “austerity measures” slashing 500,000 jobs in the public service there’s this!

    They also estimate 300,000 jobs will go in the private sector. There are currently around 29 million people in employment in UK so that’s around 1 in 36 jobs gone and not even a grumble from the masses. Did Thatcher really disempower them that much?

    • Bored 4.1
      22 October 2010 at 8:20 am

      Its a sad commentary upon how we as a society forget the lessons of previous generations and as a consequence have to refight their struggles again. We take todays benefits for granted without ever asking how did we come by them? And our two enemies remain the same, they are “those that have”, and the “rest of us” who have let them have it.

    • Carol 4.2
      22 October 2010 at 8:25 am

      There have been some protests, but, I think pretty small. There’s a lot of private grumbling from some friends I have in the UK.

      Yes, Thatcher disempowered the unions and tamed the media. As one Brit friend said recently, the majority of the population are showing how they have been affected by a couple of decades of being fed Thatcher principles via the media.

    • weizguy 4.3
      22 October 2010 at 9:16 am

      I’m in the UK at the moment, and there’s plenty of grumbling. There will be even more when people start losing their jobs…

      What’s most bizarre, and for me, delusional, is that the coalition is planning to reduce the number of prisoners, in a recession, when they’ve cut 500,000 jobs, and when they’re cutting the police budget, and the number of courts. Unless they’re planning on pulling police off the streets so they can’t arrest anyone – it’s a tall order…

    • Vicky32 4.4
      22 October 2010 at 2:50 pm

      To judge by my penfriends, they’re grumbling all right, and also on the BBC WS vox pops, but they need to make their displeasure louder and more public!
      Deb

    • Draco T Bastard 4.5
      22 October 2010 at 4:15 pm

      British Fashion Victims

      No widespread fad ever passes, however, without leaving some fashion victims in its wake. In this case, the victims are the people of Britain, who have the misfortune to be ruled by a government that took office at the height of the austerity fad and won’t admit that it was wrong.

      The economy does need rebalancing but not through the means of making poor people poorer and the rich richer as seems to be happening with the British Government and ours.

  5. Pascal's bookie 5
    22 October 2010 at 8:40 am

    COIN is hard. Especially when UR doin it rong…

    Mahmoud Dawood, a 35-year-old farmer from the western tip of the Horn of Panjwaii, the area Afghan and Nato forces are trying to take, described how he was woken last Thursday night by explosions in a neighbouring village. Suddenly the blasts came closer, and the silhouette of an Afghan commando appeared in his open door. “There was a bright white light and a voice said in Pashto ‘Stand up’,” he said.

    “They took me, my brother and our neighbours” to a prison they’d established in a hamlet called Saidan, he added. Dawood claimed to be one of 66 prisoners held there, a figure confirmed by a local elder. The district governor, Haji Baran, confirmed that he had intervened to help secure the release of many of the prisoners following the weekend assault on the peninsula. After being questioned and having biometric data taken, Dawood claimed he was taken home to fill sandbags as they turned his home into a firing point. “They made us walk in front,” he said, “so if there was a mine we’d hit it.”

    Julias Cavendish reporting in the Independent, via…

    http://www.newshoggers.com/blog/2010/10/taliban-flee-us-offensive-but-promise-to-return.html

    …that boldy bit? A war crime as it happens, not that the west pretends to care about that shit nowadays. beyond that though. It’s stupid. We are supposed to be protecting the civilians. We are supposed to be getting the civilians to prefer the government to the Taliban. When you have the civilians being sacrificed to protect the government, that’s not COIN, it’s occupation.

    And someone should ask John Key, (who tells me we are in Afghanistan to prevent the Taliban taking over because terrorism that’s why), if the fact that NATO is flying Taliban highups to ‘negotiations’ means we lost.

    • prism 5.1
      22 October 2010 at 12:36 pm

      Ironic that Britain is there in Afghanistan bringing democracy into bad repute (the opposite of their stated intention), while at home there are huge sackings of civil servants because the Brits can’t afford to run their own country. They’re like a dog after a stick that the USA throws. Panting, tongue out, catch and repeat, still fixated to the game.

    • Colonial Viper 5.2
      23 October 2010 at 1:00 am

      Yeah COIN is hard especially if you make prisoners walk in front of you at gun point, forgetting that a decent AP mine will have an effective blast injury radius of 15-20m, sometimes more.

  6. jacinda 6
    22 October 2010 at 8:53 am

    Heres one to warm the cockles, and is relevant seeing as its provisional tax week next week:

    This financial year I will pay $24,000 in income tax, on $165,000 of income which includes zero-rated salary from an offshore contract and rental income on two properties which are both making a slight loss.

    Morally, my obligation is to legally pay as little tax as possible, so that I can provide for my family, and also ensure that our future is looked after.

    However, there is also the moral debt to society to pay my fair share of tax. In my opinion, my moral obligation to society is completely fulfilled by paying around 24k in income tax, plus GST on top of that, the other incidental taxes as well as the business I generate for other people via my property investment company. Additionally, my salary is totally generated offshore, so I am bringing in money into the country as opposed to shifting deckchairs around.

    Additionally, all my health care, where possible is paid for by private insurance and ACC (my ACC bill is $2800 this financial year). I actually have only used physio therapists in the last 15 years for sports injuries, as I don’t get sick.

    Why then, do certain left-leaning people I have had discussions with, call me a greedy prick and selfish and acuse me of “stealing from hard working Kiwis”? Surely I more than pay my debt/obligations to society, and do it far and above most other Kiwis? What the hell do people expect?

    • Bored 6.1
      22 October 2010 at 9:46 am

      A few words Jacinda. Without being in any way judgemental (given I too run the tax on a number of ventures)…your approach has me a little puzzled.

      Morals dont come into legal obligation to pay as little tax as possible. Its a regulatory relationship, you comply. Any moral virtue is attached to compliance as opposed to minimisation.

      You operate income through an off shore contract at zero rate: as above if it is legit that it is zero rated then good luck, nice if you can do this. And you are only taking a tax loss position like so many property owners who took advantage of the tax minimisation policies followed by successive administrations, so far so good. Nothing moral, immoral etc here, virtue all dependent on your viewpoint.

      The paying a moral debt to society bit through tax??? And the greater moral position garnered by bringing the benefit of offshore money to NZ plus the savings on private healthcare to society? I just dont get this, this poses no superior position to my thinking. When we work we all generate some contribution, especially tax which is what we pay to have the society we have. Its not a debt, it is how we afford healthcare etc. If you wish to pay again so be it, your choice, but it does not represent any greater good.

      Maybe those calling you a selfish greedy type are reacting to your claims of deserving your position as opposed to keeping your affairs to yourself. Flaunting your good fortune as a “virtue” is never a good look.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.2
      22 October 2010 at 12:27 pm

      Have you considered that it maybe because you actually have those tax write offs and most other people don’t? You do realise that you’re boasting about paying ~15% tax where most other people are paying closer to 20%. Someone on $100k PAYE will actually pay more tax than you. As I’ve said – everyone needs to be on the same tax rules.

      (my ACC bill is $2800 this financial year)

      My nephew is paying $3500 even though his income this year, after expenses, is slightly less than the dole. Apparently it’s based on his income from 2008 when his income was as high as yours. He’s a builder.

      And, to top it all off, I can’t actually see where you’ve produced any wealth. If you’ve described yourself accurately then you’re one of those parasitical rentiers that cause damage to the economy by taking wealth out away from productive enterprises.

      • nzfp 6.2.1
        22 October 2010 at 3:20 pm

        you’re one of those parasitical rentiers that cause damage to the economy

        I couldn’t have said it any more elegantly!

        Captcha:ENGINEERS – now there is a productive industrious member of society.

    • Cnr Joe 6.3
      22 October 2010 at 6:09 pm

      sports injuries = “I don’t get sick”
      does now compute

      • Vicky32 6.3.1
        22 October 2010 at 6:29 pm

        How many sodding sports injuries? Are you aware that a huge chunk of ACC payouts are for sports injuries? I forget the exact figure but it is the majority…

    • millsy 6.4
      22 October 2010 at 8:38 pm

      Jacinda,

      Do you support the concept of a public health care system?

  7. joe90 7
    22 October 2010 at 10:36 am

    Tea party nationalism, a report from the NAACP about, well, the tea party.

    We know the majority of Tea Party supporters are sincere, principled people of good will. That is why the NAACP—an organization that has worked to expose and combat racism in all its forms for more than 100 years—is thankful Devin Burghart, Leonard Zeskind and the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights prepared this report that exposes the links between certain Tea Party factions and acknowledged racist hate groups in the United States. These links should give all patriotic Americans pause.

  8. freedom 8
    22 October 2010 at 10:50 am

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1010/S00385/justice-wilson-resigns.htm

    and it is business as usual for the scammers that wear the right ties. Have we not seen this enough times, a high ranking official type person gets accussed of suspected wrongdoing, a huge amount of tax dollars get spent investigating the accusations only for the eleventh hour to raise its head and the accused falls on their sword as ‘To proceed with this case would have caused incalculable damage to confidence in the judiciary.’

    If ever one of these b’satrds was actually convicted of their crimes the judiciary would probably gain some public confidence, instead we have just thrown a million bucks into another rigged game as the marked deck is slipped back to the dealer.

  9. john 9
    22 October 2010 at 11:09 am

    UK’s Ignorant,stupid Prime Minister,Cameron follows NeoLiberal othodoxy over the cliff:Bankers get billions in bonuses and Vodafone owes 6 billion in Tax but Osbourne says they needn’t pay!.Meanwhile poorer people are having their supports cut away from underneath them such that Britain is heading for Dickensian times again! Refer report:

    http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article26657.htm

    Relevance to NZ? Be assured our NeoLiberal Dinosaurs want to go down the same path if they can get away with it!

    • john 9.1
      22 October 2010 at 11:34 am

      Further comment on UK’s current garb.ge Prime Minister by George Monbiot: The current crisis is being used to implement what Naomi Klein calls “Shock tactics”: UK is a Government-Corporation Fascist State,where ordinary persons’ needs and opinions matter not a jot! John Key is our Corporate Man : Majority of kiwis don’t want privatization of ACC but does that democratic majority matter? not a jot! The whole NeoLiberal thrust is anti democratic and downright criminal from the criminal invasion of IRAQ for oil to the overthrow of the Chilean democracy by Pinochet later lauded by Thatcher:One of the most Pig Ignorant pollies the UK has ever had the tragedy to spawn.

      http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2010/10/18/britains-shock-doctrine/

  10. nzfp 10
    22 October 2010 at 11:56 am

    German economist and environmentalist Margrit Kennedy demonstrated in her 1987 book (free to read online) “Interest and Inflation Free Money (ISBN 0-9643025-0-0)” that all widgets produced in a debt based economy such as ours incur interest costs totaling 50% of the total cost of production for each item.

    Margrit Kennedy speaks on interest free economy (youtube video linked below). For those of you who are Green Party followers – you really need to consider the importance of monetary reform. Kennedy’s work on ecological architecture in 1982 led her to the discovery, that it is “virtually impossible to carry out sound ecological concepts on the scale required today, without fundamentally altering the present money system or creating new complementary currencies.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuBy3BzCXwg

    Watch the video (6mins 39secs).

    • nzfp 10.1
      22 October 2010 at 12:13 pm

      After you watch the youtube clip above – watch an excerpt from the film “The International” which describes “The Essence of the Banking Industry…”

      • nzfp 10.2.1
        22 October 2010 at 1:10 pm

        Thanks KJT.
        However I don’t see monetary reform in the green Party policies:

        http://www.greens.org.nz/policysummary/economic-policy-summary-thinking-beyond-tomorrow

        Monetary Policy

        Inflation is now being driven by new factors such as the world prices of oil and food, a carbon price to address climate change, and shortages of key resources. These cannot easily be controlled by changing interest rates, the one tool available to the Reserve Bank. The Green Party proposes:
        * Better coordination of monetary and fiscal policy.
        * Economic policies to minimise the effects of resource shortage driven price shocks.
        * Measures to limit future asset (especially house) price inflation.
        * Consideration of a more actively managed exchange rate through measures designed to reduce the attractiveness and profitability of currency speculation.

        Without a change in the monetary system – the system remains the same. did you watch German economist and environmentalist Margrit Kennedy’s comments about debt based monetary systems?

        Watch Kennedy’s video, then compare the Greens with Social Credit

        http://www.democrats.org.nz/Policy/Finance/tabid/83/Default.aspx

        • Make the Reserve Bank the sole provider of new money.
        • Abolish GST and replace it with a Financial Transactions Tax which would mean the currency speculating “financial sharks” would pay their fair share of tax.
        • Make the Reserve Bank responsible for seeing that foreign debt is repaid, and overseas transactions are in balance.
        • Establish a social credit economy where people will be able to use the country’s resources without mortgaging their own or their children’s future.
        • Replace local body and D.H.B. debt with interest-free community credit.
        • Recover effective control of New Zealand’s economic affairs and establish greater political independence.
        • Ensure a property-owning democracy, in which the ownership of assets is spread as widely as possible amongst individuals.

        Without a change in the monetary system – the system remains the same.

        Why isn’t monetary policy central to the Greens?

        • Colonial Viper 10.2.1.1
          22 October 2010 at 1:39 pm

          The Greens don’t really get the nature of money, do they?

          And perhaps tacitly believe that anything which facilitates commerce, industry and trade is going to be problematic from an environmental stand point.

          I have a lot of time for the Social Credit guys.

          We should move to a debt free, interest free source of money – issued directly by the Govt, with the quantity of currency in circulation closely controlled by Govt.

          Cut the private banks out of the picture in terms of the creation of interest bearing ‘bank cash’.

          • nzfp 10.2.1.1.1
            22 October 2010 at 3:14 pm

            Hey CV,

            The Greens don’t really get the nature of money, do they?

            No and that is a concern – especially as the Greens were in a coalition with Social Credit for the duration the Greens and Social Credit were part of the Alliance party.

            The Greens would have been given a thorough grounding in the importance of monetary reform from the Social Credit MP’s – yet despite this there is zero acknowledgment of monetary reform in their literature.

            However there is discussion on water levy’s – yet as has been explained many times over in this forum – the monetary system drives the behaviour of corporations and farmers.

            No, the lack of monetary policy from the Greens greatly concerns me – at times I wonder if the Greens are a limited hangout for the Left. Voting Greens allows one to assuage their collective guilt for environmental destruction – but hang on – I’m not responsible for BP’s behaviour.

            The Greens offer the Left some great environmental policies and some great societal policies – but they don’t offer true monetary and economic reform. Their policies are peripheral to the question that really matters – who controls the creation and distribution of money!

            It appears that the Greens are defining the Left debate – without the key issue ever being discussed. Hence they are a limited hangout.

            This begs another question – is this by design, is it purposeful or do they truly not understand the nature of money. Remember that they used to be in the Alliance with Social Credit and the Progressives who incidentally have nearly identical monetary and fiscal policies as Social Credit.

            Therefore the Greens should understand money in the same way that Social Credit and the Progressives do.

            That leads me to conclude – for now – that the lack of monetary reform policy from the Greens is purposeful – therefore Limited Left hangout.

            Green supporters – please prove me wrong! Show me the literature – show me the statements from Metiria Turei ma – e pa ana ki te kaupapa o te putea.

  11. Carol 11
    22 October 2010 at 12:22 pm

    And Nat Rad is now reporting an item that shows that the attacks on unions is being extended to scaremonger about union action disprupting next year’s rubgy world cup.

    So the struggle contunies, with Cosby Textor pulling out ll the stops to appeal to kiwi iconic activities.

    Unite has said they haven’t ruled out action during the world cup. Others have responded angrily.

    • Colonial Viper 11.1
      22 October 2010 at 1:36 pm

      Unite should state a very clear and simple list of requirements. Put the ball back in the employers court to show the world what a first world country we are, one which respects workers rights.

  13. Carol 13
    22 October 2010 at 1:08 pm

    So the reports scaremongering about union action comes from an employers organisation, and links it with the Hobbit controversy….. easy to see how this is further aimed at undermining unions:

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/60139/don%27t-disrupt-rugby-world-cup,-employers-tell-unions

    A major employers’ group is urging unions not to take industrial action during next year’s Rugby World Cup.

    Employers fear union action similar to that threatening The Hobbit movies could disrupt the Rugby World Cup.

    David Lowe of the Employers and Manufacturers Association says disruption is possible after Unite Union said it will take industrial action during the Cup if employment agreements aren’t settled.

    He’s calling on the Council of Trade Unions to say they won’t take any action during the tournament.

    He says the tournament is not the right time to pursue agendas, and if industrial action is taken next year, New Zealand’s reputation for welcoming hospitality could be wrecked.

    • Draco T Bastard 13.1
      22 October 2010 at 1:12 pm

      Personally, I’m quite happy for the RWC to be disrupted. It’s only purpose is to enrich the already rich. The majority of people will receive no benefit from it and will most likely be out of pocket because of it. Those are our taxes going to pay for it.

      • prism 13.1.1
        22 October 2010 at 1:50 pm

        DTB Haven’t the taxes already been spent? Our only way is to go through with it and hope we break even.

        • Carol 13.1.1.1
          22 October 2010 at 2:02 pm

          Hmm… and who would think less of NZ for union action during the RWC?
          The French team and supporters, cos, like, their country is not associated with such shinannigans?
          The Aussies, cos like, they don’t have strong unions at all do they?
          England? – well they might feel shamed that their country can’t produce demos like France.
          Wales, Scotland, with their strong working class sentiments?
          South Africa, which has no troubles of disorder and dissent, does it?

        • Draco T Bastard 13.1.1.2
          22 October 2010 at 2:23 pm

          The RU was anticipating it running at a loss even before the government went ahead and got it. The point of the RWC (and other similar events like movies) is that the economy has more money coming into it from overseas sources but the people who will get that money are the people already with money as they’re the only ones in a position to do so. Basically, such events are a government subsidy of the rich to make them richer. If the rich want such events then they can pay for them – government shouldn’t be subsidising them.

          It’s going ahead anyway, doubt if there’ll be that much disruption anyway the cookie crumbles, but it’s not an excuse to stop asking for a better deal.

      • M 13.1.2
        22 October 2010 at 2:11 pm

        In agreement here DTB – can’t see any way a profit will be made given the situation in Europe and the US getting worse by the day. Oz could conceivably inject some money into the economy but for your average Joe the wallet is staying firmly closed.

        As usual the beleaguered tax payer will pick up the tab – our version of TARP?

        • Crashcart 13.1.2.1
          22 October 2010 at 3:52 pm

          This you have to side with the unions on. They have let employers know well ahead of time there could be disruptions. The ball is now in their court to negotiate an acceptable solution to prevent those disruptions. If they can’t do that any disruption is as much the employers fault as the union. The employers are just trying to use the Hobbit issue to remove any teeth that the unions may be able to use in negotiations.

          As to holding the cup here. I would think you would find a large number of Kiwi’s aren’t looking at it from the standpoint of the money made as you are DTB. They are more interested in the Rugby itself funny enough. I don’t care who is making money off it. I just want to take my kids to some games.

          • Draco T Bastard 13.1.2.1.1
            22 October 2010 at 4:26 pm

            That may be so but the rational for it, and why the government supported it, was the hypothetical boost to the economy.

    • Colonial Viper 13.2
      22 October 2010 at 1:33 pm

      Thats almost funny, a call for not pursuing agendas when such a call is exactly part of the EMA pursuing its agenda.

    • Colonial Viper 14.1
      22 October 2010 at 1:34 pm

      Whenever SAG lifts a boycott on a production, it immediately informs many different parties, officially. Studios, actors, agents, casting companies, affiliated unions, the whole works.

      For Warners to say that the first they heard about the boycott lifting was on the news: Utter BS.

  15. prism 15
    22 October 2010 at 1:48 pm

    Gerry Brownlee is not interested in helping ordinary people hard hit by the Christchurch earthquake. I thought being all-powerful he could move things along to assist worst-hit residents to recover and regain a normal life. Instead they have been left with very few options – have to rebuild etc and maybe not for two years. No matter if getting out is what you need. It’s a bit like the attitude to the leaky homes, tight-fisted and limiting so that people can be stuck with awful housing and no help to improve their lot

    It seems that all the money being spent is on infrastructural large projects with below-earth ‘dams’ ringing the liquifaction area. The people affected by it have to suck it. Bob Parker sounds fairly lacklustre about what he is trying to do for residents too.

  16. Draco T Bastard 16
    22 October 2010 at 2:28 pm

    More bullshit from Gilmore

    Last month, National MP Aaron Gilmore was exposed as having lied on his CV.

    Gilmores excuse?

    He also told the Herald it had been confirmed that the information was not sent by him.

    “However, there is an email from my secretary saying:

    The butler secretary did it…

  17. KJT 17
    22 October 2010 at 2:39 pm

    http://www.management.co.nz/Editorial.asp?eID=52146&Wcat=12”

    As Walshe points out, research has “been telling us for decades” that financial rewards are limited in their value to motivate. “But,” she adds, “one of the things we did learn over the past year or so is that remuneration packages loaded with bonuses encourage behaviours that may not be good for business – or ethics.
    “Customers and shareholders have watched in horror as executives with key roles during periods of significant stuff-ups are still paid sizeable bonuses. Consequently, trust is undermined, reputation is lost, and brand and share values fall.
    “The bonus is perhaps becoming another four letter word – never mind that it contains five letters – and may yet become the currency of shame,” she offers”.

  18. nzfp 18
    22 October 2010 at 3:40 pm

    Woohoo!

    “VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY BREAKS SIEGE AND ENTERS GAZA” (youtube)

    New Zealand is represented breaking apartheid Israels seige of the Palestinian people.

    Day 34: 21 October 2010

    […]

    3.54pm: Chris

    We’re through the gate! We’re in Gaza! Our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters back home in Aotearoa! Without you all we would not be here.

    3.58pm: Roger

    Red Cresent youths arrive and pose for photos alongside convoy vehicles. A relaxed atmosphere.

    4pm: Chris

    We’ve parked our vehicles just past the border, and are being guided to seats for a media rally.

    4.23pm: Chris

    There’s a festival mood. Everyone is hugging each other, and there’s lots of joyful tears.

    […]

  19. Draco T Bastard 19
    22 October 2010 at 4:47 pm

    Queenstown airport sale under wraps

    The partial sale of Queenstown International Airport was kept secret because there was no time to consult the public, the airport’s board decided.

    Records of a Queenstown Airport board meeting on June 28 – released under the Official Information Act – show the board was concerned informing the Queenstown Lakes District Council would delay the sale for up to a year.

    “Markets for QAC [Queenstown Airport] is strong right now; this may not be the case next year.”

    Delays associated with the possible election of a new district council was another reason given for keeping the deal under wraps, the records show.

    I’m pretty sure selling something without consulting the owners is considered theft.

    • wtl 19.1
      22 October 2010 at 6:32 pm

      I’m a bit confused here. It seems that the board of a company can issue a new shareholding without consulting with or having this approved by the current shareholders? Is that this case? And so CCOs can do this as well, i.e. they can effectively self-privatise if the board decides to?

    • come get some 19.2
      23 October 2010 at 12:28 am

      how quickly will this happen in Auckland? Especially with Hide setting up his new commision

  20. big bruv 20
    22 October 2010 at 6:24 pm

    Oh joy….Labour have had a shocking week.

    A huge public backlash at the parasitic union low life.

    A thrashing in the house.

    And now we find out that two Labour party MP are acting for those solid citizens the Mongrel Mob.

    Are you guys really that desperate for votes?

    • Vicky32 20.1
      22 October 2010 at 6:36 pm

      ” that two Labour party MP are acting for those solid citizens the Mongrel Mob”
      Details, link and proof please…

      • KJT 20.1.1
        22 October 2010 at 7:35 pm

        Two Labour MP’s gave constituents in their electorate advice, on their rights ,when Housing NZ decided to evict them because of possible connections to the MM.

      • felix 20.1.2
        22 October 2010 at 7:38 pm

        Yep as KJT says, nothing very exciting: http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/labour-mps-supported-gang-associates-3848292

        Just big bruv bullshit as usual.

        • Carol 20.1.2.1
          22 October 2010 at 7:47 pm

          Charles Chauvel explained on Red Alert. Sounds like a bit of a TV One ambush and beat-up. Is the journo a Crosby Textor intern?

        • NickS 20.1.2.2
          22 October 2010 at 10:22 pm

          I was laughing at it, it’s basic civics 101 that MP’s are there to provide help and support to people in their electorates. Even if they’re partners to otherwise dodgy types, and especially more so if a government department is seemingly treating them like subhumans.

          Also, Phil Heatley was oh so adorably stupid in trying to say MP’s should say anything about teh government’s stuff ups. It’s like he was never in opposition at all…

    • millsy 20.2
      22 October 2010 at 8:40 pm

      God forbid that women should have a decent roof over their heads. Even if they are in relationships with gang members

  21. just saying 21
    22 October 2010 at 6:47 pm

    http://liberation.typepad.com/

    For anyone wanting a break from PJ vs the union, and other issues of the day, Bryce Edwards has an insightful piece on the Carter affair, and what it demonstrates about the state of the Labour Party and parliament as a whole.

    Marty G, Eddie, and Rex Witherspoon feature….

  22. millsy 22
    22 October 2010 at 8:57 pm

    While we are arguing about hobbits, the government plans to flog our military bases off to the Chinese.

    The Defence White paper comes out in a couple of weeks, and there are hints that we could see a mass privatisation of defence force functions – which should be a very close core role of the state.

    Can you imagine Blackwater goons racing round Burnham in their Humvees?

    • NickS 23.1
      22 October 2010 at 9:51 pm

      …

      /snark.exe

      snark.exe failed to load

      try again? Y/N

      /Y

      …

      No. Because they only reason it seems this is happening is because once more a NZ local government body is failing to do the right thing and hand back land they’ve appropriated in the past, which has violated the Treaty of Waitangi or generated significant bad blood via other means.

      It’s also a iso-fucking-lated incident.

      So, prey tell, where art the armies of more than understandably pissed off Maori’s storming the Beaches, the National Parks, even your local, sacred Cricket Ground?

      Oh that’s right, it’s only in the racist majority’s delusions of what actually going on.

      __________________________
      Hmmn, I really had to force that, and summon up past readings of kiwiblog comment threads and stuff on Reading the Maps. So only partly a successful snark.

  24. millsy 24
    22 October 2010 at 9:59 pm

    I dont care if the land was ‘stolen’. I do care that Maori want to take it over and charge white people for having picnics.

    Dont come crying to me when you cant take your kids for a walk along the maori owned beach.

    [lprent: Deleted the comments. Do not repeat that stupidity. Just to remind you of how it annoys me cleaning up after people – have a 5 day ban. ]

    • KJT 24.1
      22 October 2010 at 10:12 pm

      Millsy. I have had a Pakeha land owner set their dogs onto me when I was going along the public access to a beach. Another trying to tell me I could not row up a creek and yet another trying to stop us landing on Mercury Island.

      While I think the Popata’s are not the full quid, I do not see hundreds of Maori trying to stop access to the beach.

      Some Maori suggest we should all have access to the foreshore and seabed. It all becomes unsaleable public domain and all current owners are compensated equally.

    • NickS 24.2
      22 October 2010 at 10:16 pm

      Lolwut?

      Here’s an idea, go take a night class in high school english, I hear they teach this skill called “critical reading”.

      Because nowhere in their are they saying that they want payments to be made, what they do say want is that permission should be asked of the local Iwi to use the beach etc, as it forms land that was taken from them, in their view, without due process. Besides that, there’s likely other beaches within a short drive to go to if you want a picnic etc.

      And we already have privately owned beaches and water fronts you fool, which we don’t have access to, because it’s private land. Along with the rather obvious inference that blanket bans are deeply unlikely and that access will probably only be restricted to culturally significant sites and bits they can get a income off via renting it out to those with teh cash. Which is pretty much restricted to the east coast of Northland.

      Oh yeah, with private roads, the owners have to pay for the up keep etc, so really, they are well within their rights to charge for access.

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