Open mike 23/12/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:46 am, December 23rd, 2014 - 93 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Micky Savage christmasThe Authors of the Standard are now in holiday mode. Posting will be less regular and dependant on individual author enthusiasm. Open mike will continue every day and prepare yourself for some year in review posts and some recycling of old stuff. And as R0b has said be nice to each other.

Open mike is your post.

The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

93 comments on “Open mike 23/12/2014 ”

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  1. Skinny 1
    23 December 2014 at 7:15 am

    Female judge thinks the boss is ok slapping a female employee on the bottom as it was all part of a joke;
    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11377890

    The employee cops a 5 K fine for the displeasure. No tickle in that slap!

    • phillip ure 1.1
      23 December 2014 at 7:42 am

      that one is a shocker..

      ..but the one that is grinding my gears is the five yr sentence for deliberately burning someone to death..

      and as an aside..imagine if three people had been smoking pot/’doing drugs’..

      ..and then two of them decided to pour accelerants over the third..

      ..and burnt him to death..

      ..it would have been wall-to-wall-tabloid media..shock/horror headlines by the bushel..and long sentences for an ‘abhorrent crime’..(which it was..)

      ..but they were only pissed eh..?

      ..and we all know how people get when they are pissed..eh..?

      ..so..five yrs’ll do…eh..?

      • David H 1.1.1
        23 December 2014 at 6:03 pm

        That’s the trouble with too much alcohol everyone gets out of control.

        • Paul 1.1.1.1
          23 December 2014 at 6:10 pm

          You will find our news littered with stories every day of the damage alcohol does to our society, communities and families.
          And successive governments don’t care about that cost.
          They prefer to take the cash from the industry and listen to its lobbyists.

          Same applies for Sky City and gambling.

      • TheContrarian 1.1.2
        23 December 2014 at 7:16 pm

        Wow Phil, is there nothing that you can’t spin into your own pot hobby horse.

        You’re a fucking one trick pony.

        • phillip ure 1.1.2.1
          23 December 2014 at 7:31 pm

          you think that compare/contrast has no validity.?..

          …mr reactionary disguised as contrarian..?

          ..and i have many ‘ponies’ eh..?..

          ..more ‘ponies’ than a kaimanawa-herd…

          • TheContrarian 1.1.2.1.1
            23 December 2014 at 7:35 pm

            Given you didn’t even link to what you were referring to I am not quite sure as to what is being compared and contrasted.

            • phillip ure 1.1.2.1.1.1
              23 December 2014 at 9:03 pm

              should you be called ‘the pedant’..?

              ..go back and re-read the thread..

              ..and if u still don’t understand..

              ..ask again..

              ..and/but in general..

              ..do try to keep up..!

              ..eh..?..

              • TheContrarian …
                23 December 2014 at 9:10 pm

                Yes I have read the thread and have no idea what you are referring to because you haven’t provided a link or any thing else therefore there is no way to know what in the fuck you are talking about.

                • phillip ure …
                  23 December 2014 at 9:17 pm

                  what don’t you understand..?

                  • TheContrarian …
                    23 December 2014 at 9:35 pm

                    Who’s getting doused burned, what does it have to do with smoking pot, why do you write like a fucking three yr old, how come you you still don’t understand how the burden of proof works, why can’t you understand the difference between what people mean by ‘medical majiuana’ and just smoking pot for the hell of it, how can you not respond to people enjoy eating meat with anything that ill thought out rants.

                    That will do for a start I think.

    • JanM 1.2
      23 December 2014 at 8:39 am

      Part of the problem may be that anyone old enough to be a judge in this country is so used to that sort of carry-on from men that it still seems normal.

      • Te Reo Putake 1.2.1
        23 December 2014 at 10:09 am

        Not a judge and not old either. She made a decision on the facts presented to her at the hearing and apparently in line with the law in this area. Though I think the applicant is going to appeal the decision, so there will be a review of whether she got the legal aspects right if that actually happens.

      • Murray Rawshark 1.2.2
        23 December 2014 at 6:06 pm

        She’s not actually a judge, but I bet she’s a Tory. The boss has feudal rights over the workers on Planet Key, and many Tory women are worse than the men in their support of the arrangement. It reminds me of the collaborationist Indians during the Raj who strove to be more British than the British.

        • Te Reo Putake 1.2.2.1
          23 December 2014 at 6:32 pm

          Sexist much, Murray?

          • Murray Rawshark 1.2.2.1.1
            23 December 2014 at 7:22 pm

            Not at all. I could name quite a few who fit my description, and you know it. But trooling is so attractive, isn’t it?

            I find your automatic support of the boss quite eye opening as well.

            • Paul 1.2.2.1.1.1
              23 December 2014 at 7:33 pm

              It seems like a default position.

              • The Al1en …
                23 December 2014 at 7:41 pm

                Not speaking for TRP but I don’t think that is his default position.
                He is making his calls based on the information in the rulings handed down by the era. That those rulings don’t include the errors made by the adjudicator, nor take in to account the ‘factual errors’ in supporting testimony given to bruce sanson – bum slap man, but that’s not his fault, and those failings in the process will be addressed at a later date when justice will finally seen to be done.

            • Te Reo Putake 1.2.2.1.1.2
              23 December 2014 at 10:39 pm

              Yeah, divert all you want, Murray, but your misogyny remains for all to see. And I haven’t made a single comment in support of the boss in this thread, or the earlier one, so telling porkies won’t get you off the hook either.

    • Te Reo Putake 1.3
      23 December 2014 at 10:06 am

      There was a lengthy discussion here on TS about this case a few weeks ago. Without wanting to revisit the whole thing, the complainant has been badly advised, the case was weak in law and poorly prepared. The secondary part of it, going for name suppression, was also never likely to succeed in the circumstances.

      As a result, the complainant has had costs awarded against her, not a fine. In other words, the ERA thought the case was so poorly presented, and had such little merit, that the defending party had a right to not be financially penalised. That’s not always the outcome of losing a case in the ERA, but it can happen.

  3. philj 3
    23 December 2014 at 8:36 am

    The Annual health Report has been released just before Christmas. The Minister of Health could not be contacted for comment, he was on holiday, and no Ministry Official was available for comment. RNZ leads with “the health of most New Zealanders is improving”. Could this be interpreted that for a large minority of New Zealanders is getting worse or the same? The analysis of this report by the MSM is poor. Statistics can be misrepresented and misused, and increasingly are, by a weak and compromised MSM.

  4. Jenny Kirk 4
    23 December 2014 at 8:45 am

    HOT AIR to screen at 8.30pm Tues 30th Dec on Maori TV:

    Alister Barry’s documentary – -not to be missed if you want to understand NZ’s abysmal climate change policy and how it came about. Apparently its riveting viewing…. according to the friend who sent me this message.

    • tracey 4.1
      23 December 2014 at 2:38 pm

      Thanks for the heads up. If you are around closer to the day can you repist a reminder and i can put it up as a post on the day?

  5. Ross Francis 5
    23 December 2014 at 8:54 am

    It is great to see Lynley Hood and Don Brash (!) asking the Justice Minister to set up a wide ranging inquiry into the Peter Ellis case. Will Labour MPs take up this cause in the New Year?

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1384115/letter.pdf

    http://peterellis.org.nz/2007/2007_francis_new_evidence.pdf

    • Halfcrown 5.1
      23 December 2014 at 12:23 pm

      “Will Labour MPs take up this cause in the New Year?”

      Don’t hold your breath, If I remember correctly, Phil Goff then Minister of Justice advised the Governor General Sir Hardie Boys to reject Ellis’s attempt to get a pardon.

      At the time, the way Goff tried to close it down, I suspected that Goff was shit scared that the then Labour government would have to pay out LARGE dollars in compensation if Ellis was pardoned.

    • tracey 5.2
      23 December 2014 at 2:38 pm

      Have they given a cost estimate?

  6. gsays 6
    23 December 2014 at 9:21 am

    i want to say a big thanx to the authors on this site for their efforts over the last year.
    i am part of the demographic that visits and reads the standard regularly but rarely comment.
    i find the posts generally well written and often with a refreshing angle. this helps provide ammo when discussing politics with flesh and blood entities.

    to the wider standard community, thanx also for their input.
    most of the time the debates that occur in the comments section are worth following.

    wishing a fun and safe festive season to you and yours.

  7. phillip ure 7
    23 December 2014 at 11:45 am

    joe cocker is dead..

    ..shit..!..

  8. Halfcrown 8
    23 December 2014 at 12:28 pm

    joe cocker is dead..

    Yeah agree with your sentiments Phil.
    Looks like all the good ones are going, must be because we are members of that age group.

    • phillip ure 8.1
      23 December 2014 at 12:29 pm

      i am surprised by how much this one is effecting me..

      • The Al1en 8.1.1
        23 December 2014 at 12:53 pm

        You’ll get by with a little help from your friends

      • Skinny 8.1.2
        23 December 2014 at 4:12 pm

        Sad day indeed makes me want to crank up the sounds, Last Waltz perhaps, and have a little puff in his honour. Unfortunately I’m such a square these days I don’t even know a source to get some. Oh well I’ll just have a beer for him instead.

        • phillip ure 8.1.2.1
          23 December 2014 at 5:23 pm

          i’ll take up the slack for you there..

          ..i’ll have one for you in his honour..

        • phillip ure 8.1.2.2
          23 December 2014 at 6:48 pm

          ok skinny..here is the breakdown..

          ..it is a blend of little bits of three v.good examples..

          ..encompassing both indoor and out..

          ..(‘the ‘blend’ is so much more multi-faceted in effect..i find..

          ..takes care of both body and head..and most else..)

          ..so..at seven o’clock..if you would like to direct yr thoughts..

          ..i will fire up said ‘puff’…

          ..in joes’ honour..

          ..and on yr behalf..

          ..under the circumstances..it’s the best/least i can do..

  9. logie97 9
    23 December 2014 at 1:07 pm

    What is that these three gentlemen appear to fear that we cannot see … perhaps the photographer(s) could enlighten us – (obviously something on the Hard Right)?

    Kim Dot Com
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11378376

    Blinglish
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11378044

    Tony Abbott
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11378333

  10. Draco T Bastard 10
    23 December 2014 at 2:23 pm

    Mail theft: Stolen cheque cashed for $10,000

    Amazingly, that was actually a cheque for $100.

    Why the hell are people still using cheques? and WTH are they putting them through the post in such a way so that they can be easily intercepted?

    • tracey 10.1
      23 December 2014 at 2:41 pm

      I pay IRD by cheque so I have the money in my account for longer. That is my reasoning anyway.

      • Draco T Bastard 10.1.1
        23 December 2014 at 5:11 pm

        And paying it by bank transfer means that you can schedule payment to the day, that it uses up less resources and that it can’t be stolen by anyone walking past.

  11. tracey 11
    23 December 2014 at 2:44 pm

    In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell

  12. Peter 12
    23 December 2014 at 3:29 pm

    A Brief History Of NZ from the perspective of a National Party supporter.

    Perhaps some clues here for Labour strategists?

    ” New Zealanders originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters and gatherers.
    They lived on animals on the plains during the summer and would then go to the coast and live on fish and mussels in the winter.
    The two most important events in all Kiwi history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel.
    The wheel was invented to get man to the beer.

    These were the foundation of modern Kiwi civilisation and together were the catalyst for the splitting of New Zealanders into two distinct sub-groups:
    1. Nationals, and
    2. Labour.

    Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture.
    Neither the glass bottle nor aluminium can were invented so while our early Kiwis were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how villages were formed.

    Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night, while they were drinking beer.
    This was the beginning of what is known as the National movement

    Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting, learned to live off the Nationals by showing up for the nightly BBQ’s and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing.
    This was the beginning of the Labour movement.
    Some of these Labour men eventually evolved into women. They became known as pooftas.

    Some noteworthy Labour achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that the Nationals provided.
    Modern Labourites and Union leaders drink imported beer and they like their beef well done.
    Sushi, tofu and French food are standard Labour fare.

    Another interesting, evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men.
    Most social workers, government workers local and national, personal injury lawyers, journalists (especially at The DomPost), TVNZ staff, and group therapists are Labourites.

    Nationals drink domestic beer, mostly Steinlager or Speights.
    They eat red meat (rare), and still provide for their women.
    Nationals are police officers, engineers, corporate executives, athletes, members of the military, airline pilots, business owners, farmers, Doctors and Nurses and generally anyone who works productively.
    Nationals who own companies, hire other Nationals who want to work for a living.

    Labourites produce little or nothing.
    They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production.
    That is why most of the Labourites created the business of trying to get more for nothing – and usually plead for government money to fund their unproductive, parasitical activities.

    Here ends today’s lesson in New Zealand s history.

    It should be noted that a Labourite may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.
    A National will simply laugh, and be so convinced of the absolute truth of history, that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more Labourites – just to piss them off.

    And there you have it.”

    • emergency mike 12.1
      23 December 2014 at 4:21 pm

      David Farrar’s been busy.

    • Draco T Bastard 12.2
      23 December 2014 at 4:49 pm

      What a sexist rant.

    • fender 12.3
      23 December 2014 at 6:00 pm

      I know it meant to be humour (despite it’s lameness), but like I told the person who showed me this the other day; it’s typical of National to re-write history to fit their warped perception of reality..

    • fender 12.4
      23 December 2014 at 6:08 pm

      “That is why most of the Labourites created the business of trying to get more for nothing – and usually plead for government money to fund their unproductive, parasitical activities.”

      I had no idea Sky-City, Warner Bros., Rio-Tinto etc. were Labourites..

    • Murray Rawshark 12.5
      23 December 2014 at 6:17 pm

      That explains why FJK thinks Aotearoa was peacefully colonised.

    • Halfcrown 12.6
      23 December 2014 at 6:55 pm

      Peter,

      Your wind up, piss take or whatever has failed miserably for the following reasons,

      It is not funny, or witty and in fact I think it is juvenile, but don’t let me put you off writing these parables for your National party friends, and please use words with no more than two syllables so they can understand..
      As a socialistic ex engineer, and business owner, can I suggest the next time you put pen to paper, remember to add that other bit of right wing folklore, which is, “socialist or labourites as you put it are all for pocketing their own dollar whilst they spend yours.” Surprised you missed that one out.

      Do you honestly think that some of the “labourists” who come on here are going to get pissed off with the rantings of a 5 year old?

      • Peter 12.6.1
        23 December 2014 at 7:12 pm

        It’s not mine ………

        • mac1 12.6.1.1
          23 December 2014 at 7:25 pm

          No, Peter, you’re probably not smart enough to have written it, certainly not smart enough to see how laboured its humour was and definitely not smart enough to realise that what you quote is what you own, unless and until you say different.

          So, I’m waiting for you now to distance yourself from what you quoted, or to shift the goalposts so far as to be playing on another paddock.

          You could try the old “don’t you sozies have a sense of humour?” line, though.
          I do, it was not engaged and I’m sorry you can’t see why.

          • logie97 12.6.1.1.1
            23 December 2014 at 9:14 pm

            This contributor appears to an example of one of those who immediately forwards “virus warnings” before checking with sites like Hoax-slayer or Snopes – the sort of person who fills everyones in-boxes with crap.

            http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/jokes/bljokehistorylesson.htm

          • Draco T Bastard 12.6.1.1.2
            23 December 2014 at 9:19 pm

            Really, why are you attacking Peter?

            He clearly stated that it wasn’t his. Of course, it would have been nice to see a link but I’m still amazed that RWNJs can actually use a computer as they seem to still be living in the 15th century.

    • phillip ure 12.7
      23 December 2014 at 8:57 pm

      r/w s.o.h byepass @ birth..

      ..q.e.d..

  13. Pat O'Dea 13
    23 December 2014 at 4:27 pm

    The price of coal…

    “US coal mines nearing record low in worker deaths”

    “Less than five years after an explosion fueled by excess coal dust killed 29* men deep inside a West Virginia underground mine, the nation’s coal mines are on pace for an all-time low in work-related deaths”
    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky. (AP) NEWS

    *The same number of men that were killed in the New Zealand Pike River Mine disaster

    “After Upper Big Branch, Main’s agency created a list of mines with a pattern of violations and targeted them with “impact” inspections, which mobilize a team of inspectors at one site. The first list named 51 mines, and 42 were coal operations. In the years since, the agency has conducted more than 830 impact inspections, and in the latest review this year, the mines on the problem list had dwindled to 12, half of them coal mines.
    With a few days left in the year, there have been 15 coal mining-related deaths. The previous low mark was 18 in 2009.”
    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky. (AP) NEWS

    In New Zealand, coming off a smaller base, there have been no mining related deaths since Pike River, Though in the much bigger Australian coal industry, there have been a number of mining deaths. (Often described by safety experts as having higher mining safety standards than New Zealand, this means that more coal mining deaths in New Zealand are inevitable)

    “But the improved record has coincided with a plummet in coal production in Appalachia, leaving far fewer mines operating in a region where many of the worst violators have historically been found. Eight of the coal deaths this year have been in Appalachian mines.”
    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky. (AP) NEWS

    We must all know by now, that the days of mining coal are numbered, that coal mininng has to end if we are to have a surviable climate. The sooner the better, so all these pointless coal worker deaths come to an end as well.

    ….is death

    Declaration: Pat O’Dea is the Mana Movement spokesperson for climate change

    • Draco T Bastard 13.1
      23 December 2014 at 5:08 pm

      We must all know by now, that the days of mining coal are numbered, that coal mininng has to end if we are to have a surviable climate.

      False dichotomy. Just because coal is mined doesn’t mean that it has to be burnt. It has many of the some compounds in it as oil and thus can also be used to produce recyclable products such as plastics and rubbers.

      • Pat O'Dea 13.1.1
        23 December 2014 at 7:22 pm

        Oh to be accused of being a false dichotomist. The quaint steampunk manners and turn of phrase, the scented frockcoat that conceals the stilleto that cuts me to the quick. But I suppose it’s better than being accused flat out, in straight English, of being a liar.

        TARSH TURNER

        • Draco T Bastard 13.1.1.1
          23 December 2014 at 8:44 pm

          I think we should be legislating that the coal we mine cannot be burned or be sold to those who will burn it. This would force us to consider other uses for it that doesn’t involve causing damage to the biosphere including leaving it in the ground.

    • Murray Rawshark 13.2
      23 December 2014 at 6:20 pm

      I wonder if the increase in the death rate of Aussie miners has been since Abbott got in federally and Bjelke-Newman in Queensland? They certainly love cutting back things like government inspectors, which they see as a drain on profits.

  14. Akldnut 14
    23 December 2014 at 4:37 pm

    Here’s the list of Nations attacks on our education system since the marauding band of thieves got into power 6 years ago.

    Preparation for Charter schools?

    From Save Our Schools NZ
    http://saveourschoolsnz.com/2014/03/17/the-list-what-national-has-done-to-new-zealand-education/

    $35 million gifted to private schools (4% of students).
    $25 million slashed from the Education Ministry (according to assessments it is the worst performing ministry).
    Introduction of new curriculum abandoned and National Standards implemented without trial, against advice and with limited consultation (legislated into law).
    Cost of repairing leaky school buildings over $1.2 billion (after National’s de-regulation of building industry in 1991).
    $400 million wiped from the early childhood budget and the target for qualified teachers dropped to 80% (many centres operating at 100% had massive budget cuts).
    Curriculum narrowed to literacy and numeracy and all other advisors sacked(Science, Technology, Arts…).
    The expectation that schools provide healthy food wiped to allow commercial interests into schools again to sell processed food and fruit in schools scheme slashed.
    Funding for technology teachers in intermediates cut.
    Class sizes over 1:27, 6 more than the OECD average
    Health camps closed.
    Residential schools for behavioural needs closed (one illegally).
    Schools who questioned Standards were threatened with having boards and principals sacked and had PD withheld.
    Christchurch school closures are poorly managed and questioned by an ombudsmen and found wanting by a court decision.
    New Education Ministry head employed from UK with a background in Charter Schools and limited knowledge of New Zealand system.
    Novopay signed off and implemented without a proper trial despite having 147 software faults. Schools are having to devote hours of time every week to deal with past and ongoing problems.
    Charter Schools introduced despite no evidence of need and are given a financial advantage over public schools. The Civilian’s satirical take on Charter Schools is actually not far from the truth.
    Private schools capture special needs funding over low decile schools.
    Hekia Parata remains in Ministerial role despite poor performance and little respect from the public or the education sector.
    After five years under National, New Zealand’s international ranking plummets to as low as 23rd.
    Internationally regarded research reveals New Zealand schools are suffering serious harm under the National Standards regime.
    The Prime Minister announces that $359 million will be spent on Executive Principals and Teachers who are successful in raising achievement in National Standards. Many question why the money is supporting a corporate management system and isn’t being spent directly to help children with high needs.

  15. Morrissey 15
    23 December 2014 at 6:19 pm

    Latest U.K. govt. line: Edward Snowden hampers crime fighting!
    Poor old Zara Potts is clearly unhappy about having to repeat this nonsense.
    The Panel, Radio NZ National, Tuesday 23 December 2014
    Jim Mora, Steve McCabe, Sue Wells, Zara Potts

    The first half of the pre-show chat is light and inconsequential as always. The Panelists lightheartedly comment on several topics, including Flight MH17 conspiracy theories, bad weather on Christmas Eve in the United States, a Seattle timber company CEO who has handed back his $2.3 million bonus because he felt he hadn’t earned it, and a new beer that will boost your creativity. The really nasty bit comes in the next item for discussion; the producers have decreed that it’s time to pile onto a dissident again.

    This program has become notorious for its brutal repetition and amplification of official lies. During today’s pre-show, it will be quite clear from her hesitations and stumbling that Zara Potts, at least, is not happy about having to wield the axe against the designated victim. Meantime, though, maybe if she can keep them talking vapidly about beer they won’t have time to use their weapons on the appointed target…..

    ZARA POTTS: A person’s creative peak comes when you reach a blood-alcohol level of point zero seven five.
    JIM MORA: Point oh seven five.
    ZARA POTTS: Yes, that is the peak of creativity apparently, when your blood alcohol hits that, so make a note of it!….

    …..For a minute or so, the Panelists indulge in a laughter-filled, light-hearted discussion about beer….

    MORA: It depends on your capacity to handle alcohol, surely?
    ZARA POTTS: Well, yeah, it does, yeah….
    MORA: This sounds like a way to sell BEER.
    ZARA POTTS: Well, yeah….

    ….The discussion and the laughter continues. It’s like they’re trying to put off the unpleasantness of the item scheduled this one. But they can’t keep putting it off forever…

    MORA: You could probably apply this to COFFEE. Couldn’t you? You could apply it to MOST things.
    ZARA POTTS: There must be a magic coffee point at which you become more creative, yeah. I might—
    MORA:How far up a cup of tea do you get when your ideas improve?
    ZARA POTTS: I might test it!
    SUE WELLS: This to me equates to the three mouthfuls and suddenly you’re giggly and spontaneous—
    ZARA POTTS: Exactly! [sing-song voice] That’s called the Problem Solver! So there you go! It’s interesting anyway.
    MORA: Very good.
    ZARA POTTS: Ha ha ha ha!
    MORA: It’s INTERESTING anyway!
    ZARA POTTS: It IS interesting.

    ….There is an awkward pause; she knows she can’t keep delaying the inevitable. She moves on, diffidently, to her bloody task….

    ZARA POTTS: Ahhmm, now, intelligence agencies have lost track of the some of the country’s most DANGEROUS crime lords and have had to ABORT surveillance of others, ahhh, after CIA whistle-blower Edward, Edward SNOWDEN revealed their tactics. Now, this is the British spy agency GCHQ, which has suffered SIGNIFICANT damage in its ability to MONITOR, uh, organized CRIME following the exposes BY Snowden, which is interesting because we’ve heard about, you know, the threats to, ah, ah, you know, errr, the, affecting the, the efforts to track terrorists—
    MORA: [deadly serious tone] Mm.
    ZARA POTTS: But this is the first time it’s been revealed that efforts to combat organized CRIME—
    MORA: Ordinary old CRIMINALS.
    ZARA POTTS: —have also been compromised.
    MORA: Right.
    ZARA POTTS: Yeah. So GANGS apparently have now moved to more secure forms of communication, including the dark web, umm and ahh, it’s almost impossible to track them. So, errrrr, this is, this is quite an interesting, ahhhh, an interesting kind of r-r-revelation, really.
    MORA: Pointing the finger at Edward Snowden. I saw this—
    ZARA POTTS: Yeah.
    MORA: I saw this in the Telegraph, I didn’t READ it though. So this is what they’re WARRANTING, that in fact he’s, he’s made it far harder—
    ZARA POTTS: He’s made it much harder just to track ordinary crim–, criminals and organized crime and, ahhh, and things like that, and they, I think they’re saying that it, it now takes three times as LONG to crack any kind of communications thanks to these Snowden LEAKS, because the criminals KNOW how it’s kind of, WHERE they’re going to be looking and how they’re going to be tracking them.
    MORA: You’d be SCARED to go into the dark web, wouldn’t you, whatever the dark web IS?
    ZARA POTTS: Ohhh, God! WOULDN’T you! Yeah, it’s awful.
    SUE WELLS: Reader’s Digest could help.

    ….Awkward pause…..

    MORA: I beg your pardon?
    SUE WELLS: Reader’s Digest. They could help. They can find people anywhere.
    MORA: Huh. Ha ha. Okayyyy.
    STEVE McCABE: Hur hur hur hur hur!
    ZARA POTTS: Ha ha ha ha!
    MORA: Thank you for that. Now, the spelling mistake that cost the principal his job.
    ZARA POTTS: [desperately relieved to be allowed to move onto something light-hearted] Ah yes, in New JERSEY, yeah….

    ….et cetera, ad nauseam….

    Of course, the most important revelation in the Snowden leaks was that the U.S. regime, aided by vassal states from London to Auckland, is spying, massively and illegally, on its own citizens, and running a vast criminal enterprise including kidnapping, torture and murder of civilians all around the world. This “concern” expressed by GCHQ about Snowden is clearly spin, and the latest in the never-ending campaign to denigrate this dissident. Note that the token “liberal” in that studio, Steve McCabe, maintained a silence closely resembling stupidity. Hardly a surprise, given that a couple of years ago, he ranted about how Julian Assange had “let down” his “supporters” like Jemima Khan. This afternoon, McCabe’s contribution to the slander consisted of nothing more than a few giggles, but by recycling the nonsense of Jemima Khan and her circle, he has played his part in this campaign of black propaganda.

    • philj 15.1
      23 December 2014 at 9:25 pm

      Thanks Morrissey,
      Maybe The Panel and the discussion of Snowden was a joke. I don’t think Jim Mora is capable of anything serious.

      • Morrissey 15.1.1
        24 December 2014 at 7:58 am

        Maybe The Panel and the discussion of Snowden was a joke.

        The normally smooth and assured Zara Potts was hesitant and stumbling for a few minutes on this programme—when she was reading out that piece of black propaganda from the British government. She knew perfectly well that she was compromising herself, and participating in something reprehensible. Mora passed that point long ago. Sue Wells didn’t have a clue, and Steve McCabe’s almost total silence, save for a bit of phatic snickering, shows just what he thought of it.

        I don’t think Jim Mora is capable of anything serious.

        They’re not very deep, and they’re not very clever, but they go about their work with a deadly seriousness. This time the target was Snowden again, but they’ve gone after other targets with a similar display of malice—especially Julian Assange and Nicky Hager.

  17. Draco T Bastard 17
    23 December 2014 at 8:40 pm

    Awesome pic of Sun

    Would love to know what the colours mean.

  18. Draco T Bastard 18
    23 December 2014 at 9:13 pm

    6 things i learned from riding in a google self-drive car

    They ignore the fact that 95% of a car’s lifetime is spent parked.

    That is the most important for it shows just how uneconomic cars really are. IMO, one of the things that should be taken into account in economics is how much a resource is used. Any resource that is used less than 50% of the time is obviously inefficient.

  19. Ross Francis 19
    24 December 2014 at 8:17 am

    Have they given a cost estimate?

    Not that I’m aware of. But it’s worth remembering that the cost of the ministerial inquiry into the case came in well under budget. And what price justice?

  20. Ross Francis 20
    24 December 2014 at 8:23 am

    From my research:

    On 13 March 2001, Phil Goff announced the outcome of the ministerial inquiry. He told National Radio listeners that justice had to be seen to be done. “We went the extra mile,” he exclaimed. He added that the expert advisers – “two of the best people in the world” – had both concluded that the children’s evidence was reliable. Both experts, Goff said, had “an impressive list of publications to their name”. He had “no reluctance at all” in spending half a million dollars. Listeners would have assumed that that was how much the inquiry had cost. In fact, it cost less than $150,000.