Open mike 23/12/2009 to 25/12/2009

34 comments on “Open mike 23/12/2009 to 25/12/2009 ”

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1. mickysavage 1

   23 December 2009 at 8:26 am

   Merry Christmas to everyone.

   It is good to see that the country’s current acount is in credit. I bet a few wingnuts will claim that it is because of Key’s wise leadership. Unfortunately it is likely that the surplus will be a one off and we will again be in debit next quarter.

   Apparently most of the surplus can be attributed to Banks starting to pay back the tax they owe.

   I see that the Cabinet wanted to settle the total indebtedness for $500m , a quarter of what was owed.

   Boy would that have been dumb.
   • gitmo 1.1

     23 December 2009 at 8:44 am

     “Excluding the bank tax factor, the September quarter would have recorded a deficit close to $1 billion, as would the June quarter before it. But that is well down from the quarterly deficits of $3 billion to $4 billion which prevailed between 2005 and 2008.”
2. Andrei 2

   23 December 2009 at 8:39 am

   Another waste of space MP pontificating – what has Peter Dunne ever done to command respect – I guess he just has to let everybody know he still is around by issuing awards.

   Mallard scoops bad behaviour awards
   • gitmo 2.1

     23 December 2009 at 8:46 am

     Dunne should be tasered until he starts to smoulder …. as should Jim Anderton ……..Trevor Mallard….Bill English….ah what the hell let’s do the lot.
     
     [lprent: Thanks for that contribution – shall we start with you? ]
     • felix 2.1.1

       23 December 2009 at 9:50 am

       Changed your tune quite sharply since, um, when was it that you used to be shocked by such talk? Oh that’s right, a couple of hours ago!

       Wassamatta? No stomach for death or torture before breakfast?
       • gitmo 2.1.1.1

         23 December 2009 at 10:24 am

         Tasering rorting politicians vs Calling for all climate change deniers to be killed yes very similar indeed.

         Lynn I’m not a politician but will volunteer to be tasered as long as we can enjoy seeing those in the debating chamber getting a good jolt.
3. Mach1 3

   23 December 2009 at 9:14 am

   Gone!

   The Chacaltaya glacier in Bolivia was once the highest glacier ski run in the world — and in the next few months it’s going to disappear completely, five years ahead of the most pessimistic prediction by climate scientists.
4. prism 4

   23 December 2009 at 11:10 am

   I get so sick of hearing that word “overseas”. Some policy is criticised and the answer is that overseas it works OK. First, I would like to know which country in particular is being used as a model and second, why the criticism or suggestion is brushed off with this spurious reply citing an apparent higher authority.

   Latest is the AA saying that ‘overseas’ there is a failure rate in passing driving theory courses of about 50 per cent so the success rate in NZ falling from 77% to 42% does not indicate a need for ensuring that it is not too difficult for a lot of people.
5. The Chairman 5

   23 December 2009 at 4:30 pm

   The Government is to put $45 million into funding research to rein in carbon emissions caused by farming.

   How much is the farming sector contributing?

   Meanwhile, farmers have announced a price hike (milk butter cheese).
6. Pascal's bookie 6

   24 December 2009 at 7:28 am

   Jingle mail is only bad when real persons do it.

   http://www.slate.com/id/2239555/
7. Pascal's bookie 7

   24 December 2009 at 7:47 am

   ’tis the season.

   http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=9150

   Warning: may contain allegory, fiction, splitters, civil disobedience, traces of nuts.
8. Tigger 8

   24 December 2009 at 9:18 am

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10617300

   So one of the flags was actually called ‘the Maori flag’ in the promotional brochure? And it happened to be the flag that the powers that be wanted as ‘the Maori flag’? And when told it would skew the process the Maori Party bullied their way into getting it called ‘the Maori flag’? And they still believe it was (a) a fair process and that (b) ‘Maori’ chose it? Ugh.
9. prism 9

   24 December 2009 at 10:22 am

   Back in the USA, we’re so lucky we say, the husband in the hoax with the hot air balloon and supposed child stowaway has been sentenced to jail time, his wife to community sentence. They are guilty of having tv aspirations, also for money and fame, and carefully planning an elaborate trick that cost the government money.

   This is surely the American dream that all aspire to and echoes the thinking of all the keen men behind the financial hot air balloon that has just floated away with a lot of people’s money. Film stars who are good at acting like political leaders get elected to USA’s top job, so what is wrong with wanting to be a star, showing initiative? Give that couple a top job, put them on the political PR payroll.

   The jail sentence illustrates the wasteful punitive approach to bad or naughty behaviour. Getting these guys to do some work for the community, learn something that will enable them to use their skills in legal and acceptable ways should be where the money is spent, not just put them in sow stalls.
10. prism 10

    24 December 2009 at 12:26 pm

    The man who shot the policeman three times has been in hospital himself, being treated for a police dog bite. Good dog, good dog. Hope that the dog has been checked for possible resultant infection from this malicious male.
11. Westminster 11

    24 December 2009 at 1:07 pm

    Whale’s wet fart reveal about Darren Hughes is risible. For days, Slater has been posting tease items suggesting he had some dirt on a Labour MP. Today, he revealed all. Darren Hughes invited an ACT staffer to his office, had a few drinks with him and then, shock, sat on his lap. Wow, despite the hugely underwhelming nature of the story, it’s the rampant anti-gay sentiment that leaves me breathless. This beat up is only newsworthy in Slater’s eyes because it’s a guy! I guess, being anti-gay is, for Tory-boys like Cameron, an acceptable form of discrimination. Gay is the new black, so to speak. I also see he’s now cowering after being charged by the Police for breaking suppression order. He was all cock-a-hoop about doing it at the time…now the Police are showing an interest, Cameron’s now pleading that he innocently left random pictures on his blog. Yeah, way to stand on principle, you turd. By the way, I don’t think this is the only suppression he breached. He recently announced the name of a prominent Olympian too. Far from just posting images, he also gave the .jpg file the actual name of the alleged offender. Hell, I didn’t know the guy from Adam – but now know his name simply because of Cameron’s smarmy attempt to make some sort of stand. Idiot/Savant covered it far more eloquently than me, but Cameron blithely disregarded the suppression order without any regard to the victims or the integrity of the subsequent trial process. HIs dimwitted attempt to breach what he considers a frivolity may have re-victimised someone and or compromised a trial outcome. What a prize wally. No wonder Farrar, who is pretty execrable himself at times, has cut this guy loose.
    • Rex Widerstrom 11.1

      25 December 2009 at 5:07 pm

      This beat up is only newsworthy in Slater’s eyes because it’s a guy!

      While I suspect you’re correct in ascribing that particular motive that doesn’t make the incident any less concerning.

      When I was a staffer if a female MP of the time… say, Jenny Shipley, with whom I led a series of negotiations on health policy… had come round the desk and sat on my lap, I’d have been seriously disturbed (all jokes, such as me needing to be lifted by an egg slice afterwards, aside).

      Let me reverse your logic – if it’s not alright for The Garrotte to get up to this sort of carry on (and it most certainly isn’t) with female staffers, why is it defensible when it occurs between two men?
12. the pinkpostman 12

    24 December 2009 at 3:13 pm

    Unfortunatly the latest shooting of a policeman will result in a demand from the political Right to armthe police force.
    The evidence from the USA is that more police are killed by “friendly fire” than from the crims.
    The arming of our police would be a baxkward step and would result in many fatal shootings. Many innocent people would be killed or injured. No doubt the highest number of people shot would be Maori
    most quite innocent .
    There must be other ways to combat crime it just needs debating and
    studying. it can be done it just needs courage ..
    • Deus ex Machina 12.1

      25 December 2009 at 9:35 am

      The very act of carrying a loaded gun should imply a willingness to use it, and the use of a loaded gun should imply a willingness to kill, and anyone in our society who demonstrates a willingness to kill should be executed by society for its own protection. The onus should be on anyone caught with a loaded gun to make a case for their not being executed.

      That might just get through to the thugs that carrying a loaded gun is not a good idea. Oh and happy Christmas.
      • Zorr 12.1.1

        25 December 2009 at 11:14 am

        So where does that leave the police officer carrying a loaded gun?

        Flimsy argument there Deus.
        • Deus ex Machina 12.1.1.1

          25 December 2009 at 11:48 am

          Zorr, a police officer carrying a loaded gun in the performance of his public duty would have a clear and almost unanswerable case against execution, as once would assume in that situation a high degree of reluctance to actually use it, rather than a willingness to do so.

          Personally I’d go further and make anyone who kills or who shows a willingness to kill in the furtherance of another crime liable to the death penalty.
          • Zorr 12.1.1.1.1

            25 December 2009 at 12:23 pm

            –sigh–

            /facepalm

            There are two possibilities here:
            1) You are playing Devils Advocate. Good for you but a waste of time to discuss with.
            2) You actually believe that arming our police and making intent to cause harm a crime with the punishment of summary execution. That just strikes me as just a little bit Draconian.
            • Deus ex Machina 12.1.1.1.1.1

              25 December 2009 at 4:43 pm

              Zorr, do you read and not comprehend, or just not read?

              I do not believe in arming the police and did not say otherwise. I am suggesting a method for ensuring police need not be armed which protects both them and society. I merely responded to your argument that my proposal would involve executing an armed policemen by saying they would automatically have a defence, just as they do now.

              Nor have I argued that an intent to cause harm should be a capital offence. I have merely suggested that killing or being prepared to kill in the course of performing a ‘lesser’ crime such as robbery or rape should be a capital offence.

              Would a drunken driver killing an innocent motorist or bystander qualify? No, because the intent or preparedness to kill in the performance of the crime would not be there. Would a bank-robber with a gun who accidentally shoots a teller in the course of the crime qualify? Yes, because the purpose of the gun was to facilitate the crime with a threat of causing death. It need not have been loaded, in which case no willingness to kill could be inferred.
          • Rex Widerstrom 12.1.1.1.2

            25 December 2009 at 5:18 pm

            once would assume in that situation a high degree of reluctance to actually use it, rather than a willingness to do so

            One would assume wrong. And the same applies to nightsticks, capsicum spray, and tazers, which are all regularly used for purposes other than defence from immediate threat of the officer, his or her colleagues or the public.
            • Deus ex Machina 12.1.1.1.2.1

              25 December 2009 at 11:19 pm

              No, the prima facie assumption would be that a policeman with a loaded gun does not thereby demonstrate a willingness to use it. However IF that prima facie assumption can be displaced then the policeman would – and should – be just as guilty of a crime as is one who misuses a nightstick, capsicum spray or a tazer.

              Oh sorry, I forgot that every member of the New Zealand police is a secret Nazi who spends his off-duty time training in Gestapo methods and seeks the slightest excuse to try them out.
              • felix …

                26 December 2009 at 10:34 am

                Instead of being such a reductive idiot why don’t you try addressing Rex’s point which is based on historical fact, not ridiculous exaggeration.

                The weapons and powers we have trusted the police with already are deliberately and systematically abused at every step. It’s an appalling and shameful record. There’s no need to make comparisons to n*zis or anyone else, the factual record speaks for itself.

                Hardly surprising that you’re not interested in looking at facts though – you’re calling for the death penalty and the further arming of the police! Both recognised as absolute failures at combating violent crime throughout the world.

                This tells me that you’re clearly not motivated by any serious desire to combat crime but by some other urge. Some celebration of vicious cruelty and senseless infliction of pain and suffering.

                What kind of person would advocate state-sanctioned violence which has been proven to have no positive effect on society? Hmmm.
13. logie97 13

    24 December 2009 at 6:27 pm

    Anyone remember the Simunovich Fisheries and Scampi.

    Can anyone advise on the situation after last night with TVNZ’s (through Dallow) unreservedly apologizing for false statements made regarding this case?

    Does this change the situation where Hide pursued Winston Peters repeatedly in parliament last year?

    Does this vindicate Peters?

    Will Winston be having a happier Christmas?
14. logie97 14

    24 December 2009 at 6:27 pm

    Anyone remember the Simunovich Fisheries and Scampi.

    Can anyone advise on the situation after last night with TVNZ’s (through Dallow) unreservedly apologizing for false statements made regarding this case?

    Does this change the situation where Hide pursued Winston Peters repeatedly in parliament last year?

    Does this vindicate Peters?

    Will Winston be having a happier Christmas?
15. Draco T Bastard 15

    25 December 2009 at 10:41 am

    White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin
16. Salt and Vinegar Clips 16

    25 December 2009 at 11:06 am

    And Merry Christmas from Maui…
    
    
    
17. felix 17

    25 December 2009 at 12:47 pm

    What the feck is wrong with kiwi kids??!!!?!

    Look at the top searches: youtube, facebook and google. Are they really too thick and lazy to type a “.com” at the end of those words?
18. BLiP 18

    25 December 2009 at 2:13 pm

    Merry Christmas to us all.
19. Eric C. 19

    25 December 2009 at 7:20 pm

    Merry Christmas.

    And, Merry Christmas to our PM at his Ho’olei townhouse at Wailea Beach, Maui. Hope he is enjoying the sunscreen rubs and pina colada deliveries from his Diplomatic Protection Squad boys.

    I did as he said not as he did and stayed in New Zealand for Christmas. New Zealand is a great country. We are so lucky.

    Enjoy the summer.
20. Bill 20

    25 December 2009 at 7:38 pm

    May I suggest that you ( I, we) take a moment or two to raise a symbolic though impotent glass to the well being of NZ’s forgotten patients?

    The link is to the US forgotten patients. But the same is happening here right under our noses and it’s like, well…..cheers and all that jazz.
21. The Chairman 21

    26 December 2009 at 12:45 pm

    What’s notable is the big NZ financial contribution – some $45 million of the $150 million so far committed.

    But it’s important to note this foreign policy initiative has not been universally acclaimed.

    The US Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy is concerned that research agenda will “simply duplicate the pitfalls we’ve seen within the US agriculture research agenda, which for example spends billions of dollars on genetically engineered seeds that largely benefit transnational corporations and can take a decade to develop”, said its president Jim Harkness.

    More here:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/fran-osullivan-on-business/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502864&objectid=10617074&pnum=0

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