Pete George causes a lot of discussion in comments. Moderators have been considering it, there’s no strong consensus on what to do.
There’s no doubt that Pete’s debating “tactics” (for want of a better word) are infuriating to many and generally disruptive. There’s no doubt that he uses The Standard for link whoring (sorry – never liked that phrase). But in most cases he stays on the right side of the Policy, so a permanent ban seems unwarranted.
At this point Pete we’ve decided on a week-long ban for your behaviour yesterday (the deliberate misrepresentation of another commenter was way out of line). As for the linking, lprent has his own ideas about that…
Thanks for that, R0b. I for one understand and respect the position and decisions of the moderators.
I notice that two links to PG’s own website have now appeared in the comments section in the right hand column. Are these in line with the moderators’ decision?
Those are comments that Pete has made today. Because he’s on the ban list the comments themselves go to the spam queue, but that link in the comments pane does still appear.
I’m wishing now I had not been so busy elsewhere and had come back to hose things down sooner.
To his credit PG has responded sensibly to my own response here.
I could add in my defense that my original statement … the one that started the whole shitstorm … is curiously enough, pretty much modelled on an very similar one that no-one other than Maanu Paul himself ran on me about 20 years ago.
IMO I don’t think you should in any way feel bad or regretful about your original comment or the resultant ‘dialogue’. Most of us read the original in the manner you intended. In fact, I believe that the situation has had a good side, in allowing people to express their views on what has been happening and to discuss ways of handling it in a ‘community’ type of way – in effect, a form of detoxing and community-building!
It may have also been a warning to others who seek to undermine here….
PS – I have been impressed with Maanu Paul and his forthrightness in the last few days – and can well imagine him running the line you mentioned.
For those of us who do not have the power of moderation there is an easy way to silence PG. Ignore him. It is very difficult for him to debate with silence.
You can almost guarantee that following every PG comment is a Savage ‘Petey’ response. And from there the game begins for him. In my mind the two of them are as bad as each other. Savage the rest of your comments are insightful but your Petey ones are infuriating.
Yep, that was pretty much the consensus toward the end of yesterday. Either just ignore the bore or post a patronising smiley face.
I think the whole debate has been excellent and it echoes the dilemma union members have when there is one hold out who won’t join and insists on the boss passing on the results of union bargaining to him. It’s best to simply ignore the bludger and let the silence be the rebuke.
DNFTT only works if everyone does it (or most people most of the time). I will be interested to see if those how are now on record as not replying to PG are able to manage that once he is back 😉
Quiz: What has Clare Curran, Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson and David Shearer have in common?
They work hard to make sure the Labour Party rank and file members do not upset the cosy little world they have come to enjoy in Parliament. They believe they know better than you, when it comes to selecting a leader for the whole party, your party.
You see, they put Shearer in power to maintain the status quo. Shearer is the new Goff. Jacinda, Clare and Grant are in the golden circle now and they are not going to let the great unwashed upset the apple-cart. And they have a great plan (ok, ok Pagani has). Just don’t irritate people who voted National last two times and watch them flock in droves to Labour in 2014!
Marvellous! Four geniuses! And the nice NZ Council did what they were told.
Crikey that’s harsh. I’m not even sure yet what is changing, or what is staying the same. I am guessing you have seen the remits. Would love to be enlightened.
Is there such a thing as a plan in Labour, I mean for things other than succession?
Probably I would care less about who was leader or even by what means if I could see a plan of where Labour and the Greens could go together (other than wait for National to fail).
As an ex LEC chair (we all walked because Roger stayed) I have long held the deepest suspicion of “party central”. As the song goes
“The peoples flags a shade of pink,
Its not as red as you might think”.
Hence we are burdened forever by the likes of Shearer and Parker. careerist, not boat rockers. Status quo, but capable of managing a broken system better, (it will remain broken however because they are all straight jacketed into the present paradigm).
An an ex LRC chair for three years, Policy Council and committee member, along with founding a youth branch (which was eventually destroyed by a party-central candidate’s actions), I would concur with those remarks.
The party desperately needs a circuit-breaker to cut off these elements of caucus.
Can’t see what would have brought that accusation on TRP. Is any comment on the currently insipid Labour Party a de-facto comment of a troll or a spin line?
I mean, that says a lot about any appetite (or lack thereof) for any discussion on the Labour Party, it’s pathetic presence or any (reasonable imo) suspicion that it’s decended to the level whereby internal dynamics that are akin to navel staring and cock comparing has consumed the party as the ‘old guard’ manouvere to hang on to, well…basically pay cheques that flow from ‘their turf’.
We’re in a bar at a regular drinks/bullshit session. Quite a few diverse folk around, lots of different opinions.
A guy comes in who nobody’s ever seen before. He loudly yells some unimaginative lines, thus causing a bar fight. He is never seen again.
A while later, the same thing happens with a different guy, but similar lines. And so on.
After a few iterations, the random folk start trying harder to cause a bar fight. Their expressions evolve, become more blunt, but all have the same objective. Some of them let slip that they are regulars or even staff at another bar, or are seen there by some of the regulars. It’s going around town that your own bar is rough and prone to fights.
After a while, it becomes pretty obvious that someone’s just trying to give your bar a bad reputation, and that randoms coming in and calling your mother a whore are usually part of that plan. And if they’re not, they sure as hell aren’t trying to make a serious comment or have a meaningful dicussion.
Do you know what has been decided in regard to party membership input?
I’d be interested to know, but I’m not convinced your comment is anything more than guesswork.
Apologies Olwyn. It was emailed to secretaries of constituent bodies rather than members. If you check with your branch secretary they should be able to let you have a copy.
John Key has admitted that the MRP share float may be delayed because of Maori’s legal challenge over water.
The Herald reports that Key acknowledged in 2009 that Maori had “specific rights and interests” in fresh water in a 2009 letter to iwi leaders.
And Manu Paul, co leader of the Maori Council has urged the Maori Party to walk away from the coalition while its mana is intact. On radio he used the word “kupapa” meaning collaborator, in describing those who continued to support the Government. He said if they had mana they would walk. Strong words …
Oddly I think the main party to worry about now is New Zealand First.
The intersecting media themes of “Maori” and “Treaty” and “Save our assets” is custom built for Winston Peters. I could easily see him sustaining sufficient base to be an alternative support partner to National in 2014. Nowhere near as strong as the Greens, but doesn’t yet have to be.
This theme intersection will be amplified as Key goes for the High Court, and then has to make a call to either go for Court of Appeal, and negotiating in parallel for a share allocation. Or alternatively put fresh legislation into the house stripping Maori of any water claim.
I think Key will go for negotiate with a High Court backup, because he will see it taking away much of the asset sale bogey and waking people up to how much this is just about everyone’s financial self-interest. He will then be ablet o complete the first listing.
That will largely strip Labour of its’ most important policy advantage: being anti-asset sales.
The public bitterness a pro-Maori share of the IPO engenders will again play into Winston’s hands. Maori without being Maori Party, pro-seniors, pro-assets, pro-talkback sympathy. And I think by December tracking to 8%.
ADd peters is anti asset sales so ditching that policy would leave him out in the cold again as a lot of his support came from disaffected labour supporters wanting him in parliament to give national a run for their money but alas Peters has lost his Mojo and can’t be found.
Not that I would try to fathom Peters’ murky mind but if I did I would join the Government, and negotiate that no further asset sales would occur. Key could say “I floated one, Maori are being settled with, and I no longer need further sales to achieve financial stability”.
The point is merely that we should not presume that Key has no options, and could still win in 2014. Even if it is harder.
Nobody could fathom Winston’s mind – not even himself.
Unless it is a publicity stunt to get into the media periodically (and the MSM love him – he would not have got back into Parliament without their help).
If the MSM love him, why do they only report on anything he says that might be framed as controversial, rather than, say, reporting on NZF policy?
NZF is anti asset-sales and it will be a cold day in hell before we go anywhere near National
Governments in NZ, from the point they could comprehend the rough idea, have been actively negligent in their response to the necessary elevation of indigenous identity here. It is necessary though, to point out one thing in this latest act of a cold war by our Prime Minister and his supporters. As much as I despise it’s modern popular form, Pakeha culture allows a point of contact, without conflict, for whatever other peoples it meets.
Put aside the question of racism and insult over John Key’s comments that he did not have to listen to a tribunal ruling, before it happened, and you find that he is not acting under Pakeha culture.
John Key does not have mandate, or right, to misrepresent Pakeha culture in such coarse, rude, ungracious, disrespectful to office, void of diplomatic, etiquette.
For a moment, place aside who he has insulted and realise he has also insulted the honor of Pakeha people and their culture. Who is this man? What cultural protocol is he using? He has insulted the people he represents, the office of the Prime Minister and since we are still part of the Commonwealth, the office of Governor General and by association, the Queen Herself. What he has done can only be matched in Pakeha culture, to the deeds of a victorious General during talks for unconditional surrender. No such conditions exist. Under Pakeha culture, under Commonwealth diplomatic etiquette, he should be replaced immediately. This will not happen, but that is not the point.
To those watching, with justifiable outrage at a rude and culture-less man: do not call your own people Kupapa over this. If your mainstream political party leaves government, it should be for the right reasons; not under pressure of shame, by associating with a corrupt system, the only official system of participation; in which there is a worthy history. The value of a certain kind of leader should be appreciated. How can anyone attempting to subdue the pigs stay clean while in the sty? It would be unfair to condemn them for doing their job.
Maori and Pakeha relationship will outlive – and lives outside – one particular individual or regime. Almost one million people did not vote in the last election. This also does not include people who are old enough to be forming the views that will shape the future, but who are still too young to vote. Realise that the acts of an economic theory, are not the rules of culture for Pakeha at large – however many of us have lost the ability to recognise the difference. We have no rule that allows insult to host or guest. We know that money does not make right. We know how, when and why to apologise. What you are seeing illustrated in this latest conflict is pure greed and hubris, and those are human traits. Consider that in calling your own people useless, traitors or collaborators, you are allowing the poison of greed to do its full damage.
Your last paragraph identifies the real culprit: the culture of greed that has its own theological justification (the words of St Ayn, Friedman etc). I fear that the likes of Key were brought up and educated in the narrow amorality of this thinking: worse I suspect that culture does not come into it. There are Maori. Pakeha, Chinese, Eskimos etc who are also afflicted with the same materialist malady. For example what will it take to make Turia walk from the baubles of office?
Excellent post, Uturn. In his approach to this whole issue, Key certainly does not represent me as a NZ pakeha, and IMO continues to exhibit a total lack of regard, respect and/or knowledge for NZ’s unique Treaty of Waitangi relationship.
I agree, CV, that Key exhibits a banker/dealer culture and is continuing to do so, despite the reactions to his approach over the last week, as evident in this Stuff article this morning:
Prime Minister John Key says negotiating directly with the Government is a ”much more logical and sensible way” for Maori to resolve water rights issues than through the Waitangi Tribunal.
Maori had achieved good outcomes over the Waikato River, Taniwha Springs in Rotorua and more recently at Tahuna, he said.
”The Government’s view is that is the right process, it’s been the most successful.” …
Key today said much of what had been raised at the Tribunal hearing had already been dealt with or was in the process of being dealt with by the Government.
”There is a much more logical and sensible way of dealing with that,” he told TV3’s Firstline programme.
”We don’t agree there is ownership rights in water and we never have.” …
The Maori Council only represented one group within Maoridom, Key said.
”It’s not necessarily the view shared by many other groups within Maoridom.”
In other words, divide to undermine the existing Treaty issue process, and I’ll cut you a deal if you deal with me directly.
And his attempts to discredit the Maori Council continue in an updated version of the above Stuff column (it still contains the above version in the second half of the column)
Seems to be digging hiis heels in terms of going ahead with the sale of MRP regardless of possible legal action – and possibly buying a fight with the judiciary?
Last night Annette Sykes suggested the same thing, re: baubles and the Maori Party. She has respect in her circles and I don’t challenge that, but I disagree. This particular conflict is not about Turia or anyone associated with maori parliamentarians. If there are maori issues with the Maori Party, that’s none of my business. The MP can vote as they see fit on any particular issue, with responsiblity to whoever voted for them, or whoever they claim to represent. That’s as fair as our system gets.
The self interest of certain people to see the Nats go down at any cost or the Maori Party go down at cost to maori justifiable by hastening the demise of the Nat government, is also an act against the partnership between maori and pakeha. What this means is that certain pakeha are willing, through the excuse of combatting the applied greed of John Key and friends, to have maori hacking off another historical limb of their own, while we look on and wait for the fall out to settle – fall out, we know, that will favour pakeha. Then our favorite pakeha system can get back to enforcing more destructive attitudes on maori through legislation and leave them not only with a mainstream link to control in their affairs in tatters, but further animosity between ranks within their own world.
This is unacceptable, and if done consciously, worse than John Key’s openly demonstrated efforts. Maori are proud of their attempts to engage the, so far, reluctant and unengageable. Young people being groomed for leadership positions in the maori world look up to the examples of several historic maori parliamentary leaders. Regardless of philosophical reasoning, to consciously attack that link, would be dishonorable and despicable by pakeha standards. It is not Pakeha’s place.
That is the evil of applied greed. The Maori Party, per see, is not the target. Maori claims supporting a maori world view are not the target. How can they be? They have remained unchanged since forever. It is Key and his aggressive bullying incompetent supporters who are the target – by their own acts. That is where the pakeha attention must go, not on (sometimes inadvertently) manipulating or profiting from the the damage they cause.
“…At this point Pete we’ve decided on a week-long ban…”
Hallelujah! I refuse to bother even engaging with him. It became very clear very quickly to me that he was an old man with to much time on his hands. Once upon a time he would have written endless tedious letters to the ODT on all manner of subjects but primarily about how right he is all the time. Unlike today, when such people can infest multiple blogs across the internet for only a modest outlay of money, the only victims of this habit would have been the long-suffering readers of Dunedin newspapers, until such time as the ODT letters editor would have finally banned him. Probably then some sort of endless litigation would have been embarked upon, as a substitute for letter writing.
Eventually such old fellows die, usually mid-court action, and after a few years every ones opinion softens and people start to fondly recall the eccentric old duffer who wrote incessant letters to the editor and had the temerity to sue the ODT.
+1 Sanctuary. If we all ignore him then we can get on with the real business of this Blog. That, in my view, is the pushing , teasing, challenging of policies and strategies that improve the lot of the people of new Zealand .
the only victims of this habit would have been the long-suffering readers of Dunedin newspapers, until such time as the ODT letters editor would have finally banned him.
Actually no, editors of newspapers are under no obligation to publish letters and regularly choose not to for all sorts of reasons. Someone writing letters to the editor all the time has no guarantee of them being published, and editors are not going to overload their letters space with someone spamming them.
There is no reason why TS couldn’t also exercise such discretion (except maybe it would be alot of work for TS admin/moderators).
“If gareth or anyone else thinks they’re hard enough they can meet me outside.”
Colonial Viper said “I’m really very dubious ”
So I’ll quote a response to my criticism (I am sickened) of that in full so it can be judged in it’s entirety:
Gareth, that is the most disgusting example of one way racism I have ever seen
I think there is growing concern about what appears to be one way reverse racism.
I’ve been confronting them at The Standard and seem to have initiated an uprising against me. They don’t like being challenged. They’ve been trying to hound any challenging out of there, and this time made a concerted effort.
I think we should reafirm to work positively a bit more and work together a bit more (rather than wallowing in bitch and moan) then things will work better.Here’s a challenge to step back and consider Positive Politics, what can be done better in political blogs and in parliament.
I won’t respond or comment in Open Mic today – that may be a positive for some. If there’s anything positive here today I’ll collate and summarise.
Suggestions, pledges, whatever – people here claim The Standard is much better than Kiwiblog, show that it is at least as good. Get positive.
And as information grows I will firm up a position – if it’s important enough for me to do that. But it is rarely a fixed position, new information or circumstances can adjust it, a major revelation or time can lead to a major change of position.
Nothing to worry about, Gareth, CV (and felix). Just a bit of humour that appears to have been misundertood. I rather enjoyed the exchange; it was the funniest extended satire I think I’ve ever seen here.
No offence or misunderstanding I enjoyed it as well, It’s hilarious searching back some of Petes posts everything above is pretty much word for word cut n paste, That last paragraph has to be my favourite Pete quote of all time. Pretty much sums up both Pete’s ( George & Dunne)beautifully….
Peak water
I-Pad in preschool-machine wedge
“little victorians” pursuing self-seeking bias
content?
North American APA stories, particularly machine analogy story
essential ideas being filed in machine
not
Connecting in brain
Apple-fruit machine
hope slave
Master act-not act
NAct intermittent reinforcement (generally effective for behav maintenance and shaping) fuels intoxication of people in plunge, Anticipation, of saviour.
but no fuhrer, fuhrer not necessary anymore
all people can “read” history
Occams razor
ratio of scientist/priest tribute spent on description and tradition?
It seems to me to be a description of society and how it works. The money go round that enriches the few while dis-empowering and impoverishing everyone else.
An actual money go-round wouldn’t be this bad. This is the money going around society briefly, then being trapped and hoarded by the elite who sit on it, or sit on assets bought with it.
So was interesting watching it all unfold yesterday, already todays open mic seems alot more informative. Last night I was sent a link to a NZ design company “String Theory” for an ad the did for Good Books international. Cool Hunter S Thompson styled ad, bnut while there I saw this ten minute video they have done for Cunliffe on the Economy. Can’t find it anywhere on youtube etc but it’s brilliant, just click the picture and it should play. I really wanted to share it with a few friends but it’s nowhere to be found besides here:
Just having a read of the proposed changes to the LP constitution, policy development, list selection and party leadership. Excellent stuff and it gives the lie to the C/T and leftist trolling that has been going on here for the last couple of days. Particularly the rubbish about caucus refusing to listen to the membership.
No, I’m not going to let the cat out of the bag, but, as Micky notes above, members should contact their branch sec’s in the first instance. Your next branch meeting is going to be an exercise in democracy and creative thinking! Members, branches and LEC’s are actively encouraged to have their say in this set of changes and have no doubt, this is a real step forward in the evolution of our great party.
Righto, the feline has exited the enclosure. The details of the review process and proposals are up on the LP website.
Highlights are a slimmer moderating committee, list rankings in bands (ie top 5, next 5 etc.), a move to have branches and LEC’s more closely linked (the Palmy model?) and an increased say from the rank and file in the selection of the Parliamentary leader. That is proposed to be 40% members, 20% affiliates, 40% caucus.
the funny thing is if you disagree with whalesh*t or fatboy farr*r then you are kicked off their blogs but here you can mostly say what you like.
So who is the real standard bearer of freedom and truth?
obviously not the wing nuts of the right who only want obedience and slavish adherence to their desires to beat down the people who actually do the real work in this society.
send it anywhere you want in the universe, maybe “right” maybe “wrong”
but new boss not same as old boss
learning Revolution
or
the resurrection
(on forgiveness, memory and forgetting)
dedicated and in memoriam to people who Chose to love.
Master of Being
slave to fate
Master of destiny
slave to His-tory
Master of faith
slave to priest
Master of wisdom
slave to truth
Master of Comedy
slave to Tragedy
Master of emotion
slave to thoughts
Master of thoughts
slave to stories
Master of stories
slave to telling
Master of fear
slave to guilt
Master of happiness
slave to content
Master of sadness
slave to loss
Master of awareness
slave to denial
Master of surprise
slave to excitement
Master of anger
slave to outrage
Master of interest
slave to boredom
Master of disgust
slave to contempt
Master of anticipation
slave to obsession
Master of security
slave to exchange
Master of shelter
slave to lender
Master of wealth
slave to debt
Master of diet
slave to process sugar,fat
Master of warmth
slave to generator
Master of apparel
slave to sweatshop
Master of gold
slave to mine
Master of activity
slave to compulsion
Master of aggression
slave to hostility
Master of curiosity
slave to addiction
Master of achievement
slave to recognition
Master of affiliation
slave to status
Master of autonomy
slave to loneliness
Master of solitude
slave to crowd
Master of nurturance
slave to control
Master of exhibition
slave to fame
Master of order
slave to geometry
Master of Dominance
slave to Authority
Master of play
slave to rule
Master of universe
slave to electron
Master of nature
slave to extinction
Master of energy
slave to entropy
Master of growth
slave to decay
Master of water
slave to thirst
Master of breath
slave to lungs
Master of land
slave to fence
Master of home
slave to ancestors
Master of time
slave to clock
Master of cycle
slave to routine
Master of motion
slave to road
Master of road
slave to car
Master of car
slave to oil
Master of learning
slave to book
Master of exploration
slave to teacher
Master of labour
slave to contract
Master of contract
slave to government
Master of creativity
slave to medium
Master of medium
slave to media
Master of Profession
slave to form
Master of role
slave to economy
Master of economy
slave to wind
Master of sex-tant
slave to galley
Master of consumption
slave to market
Master of chance
slave to dice
Master of insight
slave to drug
Master of innovation
slave to tradition
Master of tool
slave to machine
Master of machine
slave to ghost
slave pick crop
slave built road
slave carry water
slave chop wood
slave mine rock
slave built monument
slave shepherd flock
slave built temple
slave guard altar
slave bear tribute
slave rear children
slave ferry old
John with respect, after the fourth or fifth line I started to get bored and I thought, what the fuck is he on about. Is this generation X or Y speak, so us down to earth “oldies” cannot comprehend it? It looks very academic and very intelligent to me. but frankly whatever the point you are trying to make has gone completely over my head and I suspect quite a few others as well. Do me a favour pal, in future if you have an opinion to tell, do it in simple terms so a thicky like me may comprehend what the fuck you are on about.
HCM – Here is a thought to help get out of the hole you have fallen into , as others here seem to also.
Let people post how they want, or like to, if you don’t or can’t comprehend it, then try asking for clarification, as opposed to asking for the writer to change his/her style…
On Marae Investigates on Sunday, Hone said that whanau Ora has received 13.4 million and that the Maori Party asked for 134 million. The Maori Party looks as though they usually end up with one tenth of what they ask for.
I am finding that the biggest diversion from the day to day running of the country is the issue over water:
Who owns it?
Who manages it?
What Maori interest is?
The Glenn Family Foundation has announced a 80 million dollar package to stem family violence and abuse, with children at the top of the pyramid. 8 million dollars was pledged today with a pilot programme in Otara. I expect that demand is going to exceed supply. I am going to watch the gains which the Glenn Family Foundation make in regard to child poverty, child abuse and violence in the home.
I also read today that ACC is dragging the ball and chain when it comes to 11 recommendations concerning sensitive claims. The other recommendation 16 counselling sessions has strings attached.
This has got to be the WORSE government on record for child poverty, child abuse, violence in the home and not supporting ACC sensitive claimants.
“National embrassment” according to Glenn re child abuse and that he will pay 10 – 15 million for a commission into child abuse; highlighted is child fatality if the government will not.
Over 200 million for consultants to build roads and nothing for a commission into the death and serious injury of children, I regard this as a national embrassment.
Thank you for supplying the links, I was not aware of the Child & Youth Mortality Review Committee and I will read up on them. I am interested in the funding they get.
14.1 paragraph 4.
“Nothing” is a broad word, inadequate funding to deal with the issue, (death and serious injury of children involved in abuse and violence in the home) is not seen as a priority compared to road consultants.
I saw on stuff.co.nz today that adults who have a sensitive claim pertaining to childhood are really being let down by ACC. This is the consequence of children being sexually and physically harmed and EVERYTHING possible has to be done to prevent the criminal damage done to vulnerable children.
I got a letter from John Key in the mail today (actually addressed to my wife and myself) asking me what I thought was important about the budget. Anyone else get one?
You were lucky we received one from our local nondescript MP (problem when you live in a protected rotten borough) as he was canvassing to what we thought the local area issues were, nothing asked re macro issues, I am now receiving emails !!!. It was extremely difficult to write anything of substance or constructive criticism, just enough space for 1 medium sized word or 2-3 small words !!!!
Still better to be asked and have some input.
I never got my letter.
If they send one they better include some return postage so I can tell them exactly what is wrong with their excuse for a government.
The unanimous decision of the “Dateline London panel last Sunday was that Private/Public ownership in the UK was a complete failure . Somebody should tell Key . It certainly would not be his doppelganger in the British Parliament who is slowly but surely destroying what is left of the Uk
This will interest some people. It’s a study into the collapse of present society.
It is argued that in order to understand systemic risk in the globalised economy, account must betaken of how growing complexity (interconnectedness, interdependence and the speed of processes), the de-localisation of production and concentration within key pillars of the globalised economy have magnified global vulnerability and opened up the possibility of a rapid and large-scale collapse. ‘Collapse’ in this sense means the irreversible loss of socio-economic complexity which fundamentally transforms the nature of the economy. These crucial issues have not beenrecognised by policy-makers nor are they reflected in economic thinking or modelling.
Two items on 3 News that I wish to comment on – the ‘body-snatching’ case where James Takamore was taken from his Pakeha widow and children before he could be buried. Is this okay? Definitely not. Is the refusal of iwi to obey court rulings against them okay? IMO, definitely not.
Iraena Asher. She was the victim of sexism, and a refusal to take seriously the fears of a woman with bipolar disorder. Why has it taken until now, for the authorities to investigate? That’s definitely not okay.
Note to Captain Panic Pants Re: getting the Slippery shyster to talk tough over asset sales, it’s a total FAILURE when the tough talking is via a Lithp…
Would filling out and sending back a response to the personally-addressed propaganda (sorry, survey) I received from John Key today use up some of their PS-funded-budget that they wouldn’t be able to use for other purposes, or has the money already been spent regardless of whether the response actually gets sent back? Can I put something heavy into the Freepost envelope to increase how much it costs them to ‘hear my views’?
Once upon a time I believe that a letter sent to an MP at parliament did not have to have a stamp.Democracy was free but I don’t know if that is still the case so maybe don’t muck around with that
The best route back might be to your local branch of the Nat party or to the Nats party Headquarters address. This means it will go right to the heart of the organisation -stamps optional. When I receive unsolicited mail, stuff off public registers like MV licensing gets to me but rather than stew I go for a positive approach.
I return the offending material with a typed note thanking them profusely for the supply of reading matter and say that I would like to return the compliment by supplying them with some reading matter that I find interesting. Of course I have lots of this weighing a ton so it needs a very large envelope and inevitably someone has given the cat it’s dinner on a really important piece that I had meant to save… so I send that too.
Commercial stuff is usually best sent to a director – address courtesy of the coy’s office site …
How Britain’s top spy is beating the drums for war on Iran
by Michael Higgs, Stop the War Coalition, 15 July 2012
SIR JOHN Sawers has reared his head in public for the second time since being appointed head of MI6 in 2009. Last time it was to claim that Britain has “nothing whatsoever” to do with torture.
We know this to be untrue following the revelations over MI6’s role in ‘renditioning’ Libyan dissidents to Tripoli to be tortured, as a favour to the intelligence services there. One might hope that, having learnt from his previous mistake, this latest speech would be rather more honest.
It was not to be.
In an article appearing in the the Daily Telegraph, the head of Britain’s overseas spy service is quoted at length from a speech recently given to senior civil servants. In it, he discussed Iran and its nuclear programme, claiming that covert operations by MI6 had prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons by 2008, but that the Islamic Republic is now likely to become (and we are assured it is their goal) a “nuclear weapons state” by 2014.
Coming shortly after a fresh round of sanctions, almost every line in the Telegraph article beats the drum for war. The screws are being tightened on Tehran and propaganda for an attack is in full swing.
In keeping with Sawers’ previous public appearance as head of MI6, he boasts of the agency’s relevance and effectiveness in the field, perhaps still smarting from the humiliating episode in Libya where SAS and MI6 officers were captured by rebels.
The grim reality of covert operations in Iran is acknowledged by the Telegraph, however, in what they refer to as the ‘apparent assassinations’ of multiple Iranian scientists. A reality check is in order here.
Five nuclear scientists have been murdered in as many years in a campaign of state terror directed against Iran. One, Darioush Rezaeinejad, was shot dead outside his daughter’s nursery. Israel is the most likely suspect, possibly with the support of Britain or America. Certainly neither country has condemned the killings. Imagine for a moment the outrage if Iran had, in broad daylight, executed the director of a nuclear plant in the UK.
John Sawers is a liar. We know he lied about MI6’s complicity in torture and we should be skeptical, to say the least, about his denial of complicity in the murder of Iranian civilians, particularly given the nod just made to the existence of covert action by MI6 in Iran.
Whatever the details of the covert operations Sawers has run in Iran, his claim that they prevented the development of a “nuclear weapons state” there by 2008 is a revelation to say the least.
If Iran was on the brink of possessing nuclear weapons in 2008, then I hope someone told the Americans. Because in 2007, a report by the CIA — surely the world’s largest and most well-connected spy network (no offense, Sir John) — stated “with high confidence” that “in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program” and that “Tehran had not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007”.
There is no convincing evidence it has since been restarted.
The IAEA has confirmed in all of its reports that nuclear material has not been diverted from use in energy and medical research, where inspectors keep a close watch.
Nonetheless, Sawers’ claims that Iran will be a “nuclear weapons state” in just two years time. Based on what? We are expected to take his word for it.
Sawers’ phrase of choice, “nuclear weapons state” is perhaps of interest given America’s recent re-definition of its ‘red line’ with regard to Iran. The red line is the situation that America is categorically unwilling to tolerate, that is, they will go to war to prevent it. Until May this year….
Thanks for kind words Standardistas. A short break, a visit with my grandchild in Christchurch and some weeding will leave me with overdue jobs done and happy memories. So I’ll concentrate on such things for a while and return a better person, with a tidier section, I hope.
We’ve all heard about “piracy” and how it’s theft from the music and film industries but…
Five years ago a composer created music for use in a one-off anti-piracy video. However, without his permission it was used time and again on dozens of commercial DVDs such as Harry Potter. Even in the wake of a huge controversy over “corrupt” and “mafia-like” practices, the local music rights group that got involved in the case failed to pay him the money he was owed. The case went to court and this week the music rights group lost.
…apparently these groups don’t think that those same standards apply to them.
No apparently about it mate. One set of rules and enforcement for the creatives and the workers. Another completely different set for the elite and the corporates (and they get to write both sets).
“elite and the corporates (and they get to write both sets)”
Yeah nah. This is a case of a slack collection agency.
Gotta watch those torrentfreak headlines, they have a habit of conflating quite separate things. In this example they’re making it appear as if the anti-piracy group were the ones not paying up.
Which is, you know, impressively hypocritical-sounding to a 13 year old on Digg.com
Any particular reason you decided not to deem that private sector collection agency (which appears to cover deals totalling many millions of euros) a “corporate”?
You know, since they are supposed to collect monies from the huge entertainment companies they have relationships with and consequently pass them on to artists, but whoops, appears not to.
But you wouldn’t be too surprised if the senior management of that collection agency happen to be former employees of Time Warner, Sony Pictures, Viacom, etc. right?
Because as you know, that’s how the elite and the corporates do their dirty work.
Its not a “collection society”. Its a for-profit private sector corporate.
It also happens to be the same private organisation which took Kazaa to court for copyright infringement against the major media companies. Nice that they’re such good friends of the big studios.
Collection societies are always private sector organisations, designed to turn profits which are in most cases entirely distributed to their members.
Their role is to collect money payable to composers and authors of musical works, and in my experience they generally do a pretty good job of it considering the logistics.
Sounds like this particular society was a pretty slack in this instance, but I’m not going to spend time looking into it because it’s a fricking torrentfreak story which are generally either deliberately misleading (as this one seems to be) or entirely bullshit.
Couldn’t give a fuck about Kazzaa but I’m sorry for your loss.
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
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From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Asia Pacific Report A group of 65 Auckland University academics have written an open letter to vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater criticising the institution’s stance over students protesting in solidarity with Palestine. They have called on her administration to “support” the students who were denied permission to establish an “overnight encampment” by ...
The Student Volunteer Army is on the march, generating approximately 1.6 million hours of volunteering from roughly 35,000 secondary school students in just five years. For Rebekah Brown, the pathway to volunteering started with her singing coach. With a passion for the arts, the suggestion to volunteer at Acting Antics, ...
Keeping up with online communication can be exhausting, so Fran Barclay enlisted the help of Meta’s new ‘intelligent assistant’ to respond to all her messages. Could her mates tell the difference? For centuries, technology has ruled the ways in which we communicate. From the dawn of written language, to the ...
Jamie Arbuckle, a councillor who has become an member of parliament, says he has settled into having two roles so comfortably he's going to keep both pay cheques. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis Gómez Romero, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory, University of Wollongong Fifty years ago, Australian feminist Anne Summers denounced “the ideology of sexism” governing over so many women’s lives. Unfortunately, sexism is as lethal today as it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images The COVID-19 pandemic and the hybrid work patterns it fostered have changed the way we think about office space, and central business districts in general. While fears ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dale Boccabella, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, UNSW Sydney There’s a good reason your local volunteer-run netball club doesn’t pay tax. In Australia, various nonprofit organisations are exempt from paying income tax, including those that do charitable work, such as churches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Deller, Casual Academic, Creative Writing and English Literature, Flinders University NetflixComedy is opening up spaces for silences to be broken and trauma stories to be told. In 2018, Hannah Gadsby started a revolution with Nanette, asking audiences to rethink ...
The workplace can be a minefield of bad comms and passive aggression. Kinksters can help you navigate it. A friend and colleague recently gave me a compliment I loved. They told me I’d always been good at emotional communication and making people feel comfortable. “But I feel like it’s really ...
Even if some students are now just texting on their laptops. Stewart Sowman-Lund writes in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Councils from Horowhenua, Kāpiti, Wairarapa, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Wellington City will meet this Friday to work together on a plan for a Greater Wellington region water deal. ...
Renowned musician, advocate, and proud born and raised daughter of Tauranga, Ria Hall, is announcing her candidacy for Mayor of Tauranga and Pāpāmoa Ward for the upcoming election on July 20th. ...
The new Aotearoa histories curriculum is rich with potential. There’s still work to be done, but the education minister’s criticisms about ‘balance’ miss the mark, argues primary school teacher Jessie Moss. In 2015, Ōtorohanga College students presented to parliament a petition signed by more than 10,000 people calling for a ...
For too long our so-called national bird has maintained its stranglehold on the economy of regional New Zealand. Thanks to the fast track legislation, we will have our revenge. Theories abound on what ails New Zealand’s economy. National leader Chris Luxon has posited that we’re negative, wet, whiny, and inward-looking; ...
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For the past 12 years, Georgia-Rose Brown has balanced on the brink of making an Olympic Games – but always landed gracefully on the wrong side. Reaching the Olympics is a dream the gymnast has harboured since she was a six-year-old; a dream that would dwindle every four years, yet ...
Late one afternoon in March 1860 a man in a thin green velveteen jacket and a wide-awake hat arrived on foot at a sheep station named Glenmark, about 65 kilometres north of Christchurch. The man was in his mid-fifties but he looked older. Several people who met him that day ...
If building one of Auckland’s possible waterfront stadiums was funded privately, it would need to hold a sold-out Ed Sherran concert every weekday for 25 years. That’s Rob Hamlin’s finding – he’s a senior marketing lecturer at the University of Otago. “It’s not going to happen; forget about it,” he ...
Comment: The debate over the future relationship between news and social media is bringing us closer to a long-overdue reckoning. Social media isn’t trying to kill journalism, because social media has never really cared about journalism. Social media is resolutely in the attention business. News propels some attention — perhaps ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A new Commonwealth Prac Payment will provide students with $319.50 a week when they are on clinical and professional placements. The payment will be means tested and start from July 1 next year, which ...
Asia Pacific Report About 500 people honoured Palestinian journalists in the heart of the New Zealand city of Auckland today for their brave coverage of Israel’s War on Gaza, now in its seventh month with almost 35,000 people killed, mostly women and children. Marking the annual May 3 World Press ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
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Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
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Pete George causes a lot of discussion in comments. Moderators have been considering it, there’s no strong consensus on what to do.
There’s no doubt that Pete’s debating “tactics” (for want of a better word) are infuriating to many and generally disruptive. There’s no doubt that he uses The Standard for link whoring (sorry – never liked that phrase). But in most cases he stays on the right side of the Policy, so a permanent ban seems unwarranted.
At this point Pete we’ve decided on a week-long ban for your behaviour yesterday (the deliberate misrepresentation of another commenter was way out of line). As for the linking, lprent has his own ideas about that…
Thanks for that, R0b. I for one understand and respect the position and decisions of the moderators.
I notice that two links to PG’s own website have now appeared in the comments section in the right hand column. Are these in line with the moderators’ decision?
Those are comments that Pete has made today. Because he’s on the ban list the comments themselves go to the spam queue, but that link in the comments pane does still appear.
I’m wishing now I had not been so busy elsewhere and had come back to hose things down sooner.
To his credit PG has responded sensibly to my own response here.
I could add in my defense that my original statement … the one that started the whole shitstorm … is curiously enough, pretty much modelled on an very similar one that no-one other than Maanu Paul himself ran on me about 20 years ago.
IMO I don’t think you should in any way feel bad or regretful about your original comment or the resultant ‘dialogue’. Most of us read the original in the manner you intended. In fact, I believe that the situation has had a good side, in allowing people to express their views on what has been happening and to discuss ways of handling it in a ‘community’ type of way – in effect, a form of detoxing and community-building!
It may have also been a warning to others who seek to undermine here….
PS – I have been impressed with Maanu Paul and his forthrightness in the last few days – and can well imagine him running the line you mentioned.
I have found this interesting video of a typical argument involving Standarnistas and Pete George. Hint, he is the one sitting …
For those of us who do not have the power of moderation there is an easy way to silence PG. Ignore him. It is very difficult for him to debate with silence.
You can almost guarantee that following every PG comment is a Savage ‘Petey’ response. And from there the game begins for him. In my mind the two of them are as bad as each other. Savage the rest of your comments are insightful but your Petey ones are infuriating.
Don’t feed the Troll
Apart from the second to last sentence you’re spot on.
Yep, that was pretty much the consensus toward the end of yesterday. Either just ignore the bore or post a patronising smiley face.
I think the whole debate has been excellent and it echoes the dilemma union members have when there is one hold out who won’t join and insists on the boss passing on the results of union bargaining to him. It’s best to simply ignore the bludger and let the silence be the rebuke.
Your metaphor is retarded.
How so, HS? PG uses this site to pimp his own, so he is very much like the worker bludging off his unionised workmates.
And up steps another troll to fill the void 🙄
DNFTT only works if everyone does it (or most people most of the time). I will be interested to see if those how are now on record as not replying to PG are able to manage that once he is back 😉
Armed with smileys and ready to ignore 😀
:-roll Just testing to see if I’ve got that ‘eye rolling’ smiley code. more expressive of indulgence, resignation and dismissal.
edit nope. Anyone?
🙄
😛
colon to finish the roll as well as start it 🙂
:-:roll: Ah! Cheers McFlock…cept it ain’t working 🙂
Lose the dash. 🙄 😛
test
‘:shock:’ => ‘icon_eek.gif’
‘:roll:’ => ‘icon_rolleyes.gif’
oops
‘icon_eek.gif’
‘icon_rolleyes.gif’
oops
🙄
😮
nice – final edit worked – yay
sheesh 🙄 cheers
No angry smileys though I reckon. That’d just encourage him. 😉
There’s always this
@:-)
or maybe
$:-)
Haha are those the Peter Dunne smileys? (“Dunnies”)
They are!
‘Dunnies’ rofl
Quiz: What has Clare Curran, Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson and David Shearer have in common?
They work hard to make sure the Labour Party rank and file members do not upset the cosy little world they have come to enjoy in Parliament. They believe they know better than you, when it comes to selecting a leader for the whole party, your party.
You see, they put Shearer in power to maintain the status quo. Shearer is the new Goff. Jacinda, Clare and Grant are in the golden circle now and they are not going to let the great unwashed upset the apple-cart. And they have a great plan (ok, ok Pagani has). Just don’t irritate people who voted National last two times and watch them flock in droves to Labour in 2014!
Marvellous! Four geniuses! And the nice NZ Council did what they were told.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
Crikey that’s harsh. I’m not even sure yet what is changing, or what is staying the same. I am guessing you have seen the remits. Would love to be enlightened.
Is there such a thing as a plan in Labour, I mean for things other than succession?
Probably I would care less about who was leader or even by what means if I could see a plan of where Labour and the Greens could go together (other than wait for National to fail).
As an ex LEC chair (we all walked because Roger stayed) I have long held the deepest suspicion of “party central”. As the song goes
“The peoples flags a shade of pink,
Its not as red as you might think”.
Hence we are burdened forever by the likes of Shearer and Parker. careerist, not boat rockers. Status quo, but capable of managing a broken system better, (it will remain broken however because they are all straight jacketed into the present paradigm).
An an ex LRC chair for three years, Policy Council and committee member, along with founding a youth branch (which was eventually destroyed by a party-central candidate’s actions), I would concur with those remarks.
The party desperately needs a circuit-breaker to cut off these elements of caucus.
L’Heure, I don’t think you’ve posted here before. Where are you getting your evidence from?
Are you a Labour Party member?
…curious use of “your” rather than “our” ne c’est pas?
A member of the C/T branch of the party, Carol. Sames as yesterday’s visitors. National must be fair crapping themselves if they’ve sunk this low.
CT as in Concern Troll, or Crosby Textor?
Both!
Can’t see what would have brought that accusation on TRP. Is any comment on the currently insipid Labour Party a de-facto comment of a troll or a spin line?
I mean, that says a lot about any appetite (or lack thereof) for any discussion on the Labour Party, it’s pathetic presence or any (reasonable imo) suspicion that it’s decended to the level whereby internal dynamics that are akin to navel staring and cock comparing has consumed the party as the ‘old guard’ manouvere to hang on to, well…basically pay cheques that flow from ‘their turf’.
the ‘old guard’ manouvere to hang on to, well…basically pay cheques that flow from ‘their turf’. so true Bill, sort of “DunneLites”.
I think of it like this:
We’re in a bar at a regular drinks/bullshit session. Quite a few diverse folk around, lots of different opinions.
A guy comes in who nobody’s ever seen before. He loudly yells some unimaginative lines, thus causing a bar fight. He is never seen again.
A while later, the same thing happens with a different guy, but similar lines. And so on.
After a few iterations, the random folk start trying harder to cause a bar fight. Their expressions evolve, become more blunt, but all have the same objective. Some of them let slip that they are regulars or even staff at another bar, or are seen there by some of the regulars. It’s going around town that your own bar is rough and prone to fights.
After a while, it becomes pretty obvious that someone’s just trying to give your bar a bad reputation, and that randoms coming in and calling your mother a whore are usually part of that plan. And if they’re not, they sure as hell aren’t trying to make a serious comment or have a meaningful dicussion.
…And the nice NZ Council did what they were told…
Do you know what has been decided in regard to party membership input?
I’d be interested to know, but I’m not convinced your comment is anything more than guesswork.
Papers were emailed to members last night. There are proposed constitutional changes which are to be considered at the Conference in November.
EDIT: I have this feeling of deja vu …
I am a member, but have not yet received an email about it.
Apologies Olwyn. It was emailed to secretaries of constituent bodies rather than members. If you check with your branch secretary they should be able to let you have a copy.
Thanks Mickey. I dare say it will be forwarded in due course. If not I will get in touch with the branch.
Papers were emailed to members last night. There are proposed constitutional changes which are to be considered at the Conference in November.
National – Maori Party relations are teetering.
John Key has admitted that the MRP share float may be delayed because of Maori’s legal challenge over water.
The Herald reports that Key acknowledged in 2009 that Maori had “specific rights and interests” in fresh water in a 2009 letter to iwi leaders.
And Manu Paul, co leader of the Maori Council has urged the Maori Party to walk away from the coalition while its mana is intact. On radio he used the word “kupapa” meaning collaborator, in describing those who continued to support the Government. He said if they had mana they would walk. Strong words …
Oddly I think the main party to worry about now is New Zealand First.
The intersecting media themes of “Maori” and “Treaty” and “Save our assets” is custom built for Winston Peters. I could easily see him sustaining sufficient base to be an alternative support partner to National in 2014. Nowhere near as strong as the Greens, but doesn’t yet have to be.
This theme intersection will be amplified as Key goes for the High Court, and then has to make a call to either go for Court of Appeal, and negotiating in parallel for a share allocation. Or alternatively put fresh legislation into the house stripping Maori of any water claim.
I think Key will go for negotiate with a High Court backup, because he will see it taking away much of the asset sale bogey and waking people up to how much this is just about everyone’s financial self-interest. He will then be ablet o complete the first listing.
That will largely strip Labour of its’ most important policy advantage: being anti-asset sales.
The public bitterness a pro-Maori share of the IPO engenders will again play into Winston’s hands. Maori without being Maori Party, pro-seniors, pro-assets, pro-talkback sympathy. And I think by December tracking to 8%.
ADd peters is anti asset sales so ditching that policy would leave him out in the cold again as a lot of his support came from disaffected labour supporters wanting him in parliament to give national a run for their money but alas Peters has lost his Mojo and can’t be found.
Not that I would try to fathom Peters’ murky mind but if I did I would join the Government, and negotiate that no further asset sales would occur. Key could say “I floated one, Maori are being settled with, and I no longer need further sales to achieve financial stability”.
The point is merely that we should not presume that Key has no options, and could still win in 2014. Even if it is harder.
ad
Nobody could fathom Winston’s mind – not even himself.
Unless it is a publicity stunt to get into the media periodically (and the MSM love him – he would not have got back into Parliament without their help).
If the MSM love him, why do they only report on anything he says that might be framed as controversial, rather than, say, reporting on NZF policy?
NZF is anti asset-sales and it will be a cold day in hell before we go anywhere near National
Governments in NZ, from the point they could comprehend the rough idea, have been actively negligent in their response to the necessary elevation of indigenous identity here. It is necessary though, to point out one thing in this latest act of a cold war by our Prime Minister and his supporters. As much as I despise it’s modern popular form, Pakeha culture allows a point of contact, without conflict, for whatever other peoples it meets.
Put aside the question of racism and insult over John Key’s comments that he did not have to listen to a tribunal ruling, before it happened, and you find that he is not acting under Pakeha culture.
John Key does not have mandate, or right, to misrepresent Pakeha culture in such coarse, rude, ungracious, disrespectful to office, void of diplomatic, etiquette.
For a moment, place aside who he has insulted and realise he has also insulted the honor of Pakeha people and their culture. Who is this man? What cultural protocol is he using? He has insulted the people he represents, the office of the Prime Minister and since we are still part of the Commonwealth, the office of Governor General and by association, the Queen Herself. What he has done can only be matched in Pakeha culture, to the deeds of a victorious General during talks for unconditional surrender. No such conditions exist. Under Pakeha culture, under Commonwealth diplomatic etiquette, he should be replaced immediately. This will not happen, but that is not the point.
To those watching, with justifiable outrage at a rude and culture-less man: do not call your own people Kupapa over this. If your mainstream political party leaves government, it should be for the right reasons; not under pressure of shame, by associating with a corrupt system, the only official system of participation; in which there is a worthy history. The value of a certain kind of leader should be appreciated. How can anyone attempting to subdue the pigs stay clean while in the sty? It would be unfair to condemn them for doing their job.
Maori and Pakeha relationship will outlive – and lives outside – one particular individual or regime. Almost one million people did not vote in the last election. This also does not include people who are old enough to be forming the views that will shape the future, but who are still too young to vote. Realise that the acts of an economic theory, are not the rules of culture for Pakeha at large – however many of us have lost the ability to recognise the difference. We have no rule that allows insult to host or guest. We know that money does not make right. We know how, when and why to apologise. What you are seeing illustrated in this latest conflict is pure greed and hubris, and those are human traits. Consider that in calling your own people useless, traitors or collaborators, you are allowing the poison of greed to do its full damage.
Your last paragraph identifies the real culprit: the culture of greed that has its own theological justification (the words of St Ayn, Friedman etc). I fear that the likes of Key were brought up and educated in the narrow amorality of this thinking: worse I suspect that culture does not come into it. There are Maori. Pakeha, Chinese, Eskimos etc who are also afflicted with the same materialist malady. For example what will it take to make Turia walk from the baubles of office?
Key’s culture is the bankster culture. Manipulative, presumptive and parasitic.
Notice how over the last few years, hundreds of billions of dollars worth of banking scandals and fraud keep getting announced?
These aren’t exceptional instances in this vampire squid industry. Its the norm.
Excellent post, Uturn. In his approach to this whole issue, Key certainly does not represent me as a NZ pakeha, and IMO continues to exhibit a total lack of regard, respect and/or knowledge for NZ’s unique Treaty of Waitangi relationship.
I agree, CV, that Key exhibits a banker/dealer culture and is continuing to do so, despite the reactions to his approach over the last week, as evident in this Stuff article this morning:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7290658/Key-Maori-should-negotiate-with-Government
Prime Minister John Key says negotiating directly with the Government is a ”much more logical and sensible way” for Maori to resolve water rights issues than through the Waitangi Tribunal.
Maori had achieved good outcomes over the Waikato River, Taniwha Springs in Rotorua and more recently at Tahuna, he said.
”The Government’s view is that is the right process, it’s been the most successful.” …
Key today said much of what had been raised at the Tribunal hearing had already been dealt with or was in the process of being dealt with by the Government.
”There is a much more logical and sensible way of dealing with that,” he told TV3’s Firstline programme.
”We don’t agree there is ownership rights in water and we never have.” …
The Maori Council only represented one group within Maoridom, Key said.
”It’s not necessarily the view shared by many other groups within Maoridom.”
In other words, divide to undermine the existing Treaty issue process, and I’ll cut you a deal if you deal with me directly.
He certainly does not know when to stop digging.
And his attempts to discredit the Maori Council continue in an updated version of the above Stuff column (it still contains the above version in the second half of the column)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7290658/Key-Maori-should-negotiate-with-Government
Seems to be digging hiis heels in terms of going ahead with the sale of MRP regardless of possible legal action – and possibly buying a fight with the judiciary?
Last night Annette Sykes suggested the same thing, re: baubles and the Maori Party. She has respect in her circles and I don’t challenge that, but I disagree. This particular conflict is not about Turia or anyone associated with maori parliamentarians. If there are maori issues with the Maori Party, that’s none of my business. The MP can vote as they see fit on any particular issue, with responsiblity to whoever voted for them, or whoever they claim to represent. That’s as fair as our system gets.
The self interest of certain people to see the Nats go down at any cost or the Maori Party go down at cost to maori justifiable by hastening the demise of the Nat government, is also an act against the partnership between maori and pakeha. What this means is that certain pakeha are willing, through the excuse of combatting the applied greed of John Key and friends, to have maori hacking off another historical limb of their own, while we look on and wait for the fall out to settle – fall out, we know, that will favour pakeha. Then our favorite pakeha system can get back to enforcing more destructive attitudes on maori through legislation and leave them not only with a mainstream link to control in their affairs in tatters, but further animosity between ranks within their own world.
This is unacceptable, and if done consciously, worse than John Key’s openly demonstrated efforts. Maori are proud of their attempts to engage the, so far, reluctant and unengageable. Young people being groomed for leadership positions in the maori world look up to the examples of several historic maori parliamentary leaders. Regardless of philosophical reasoning, to consciously attack that link, would be dishonorable and despicable by pakeha standards. It is not Pakeha’s place.
That is the evil of applied greed. The Maori Party, per see, is not the target. Maori claims supporting a maori world view are not the target. How can they be? They have remained unchanged since forever. It is Key and his aggressive bullying incompetent supporters who are the target – by their own acts. That is where the pakeha attention must go, not on (sometimes inadvertently) manipulating or profiting from the the damage they cause.
“…At this point Pete we’ve decided on a week-long ban…”
Hallelujah! I refuse to bother even engaging with him. It became very clear very quickly to me that he was an old man with to much time on his hands. Once upon a time he would have written endless tedious letters to the ODT on all manner of subjects but primarily about how right he is all the time. Unlike today, when such people can infest multiple blogs across the internet for only a modest outlay of money, the only victims of this habit would have been the long-suffering readers of Dunedin newspapers, until such time as the ODT letters editor would have finally banned him. Probably then some sort of endless litigation would have been embarked upon, as a substitute for letter writing.
Eventually such old fellows die, usually mid-court action, and after a few years every ones opinion softens and people start to fondly recall the eccentric old duffer who wrote incessant letters to the editor and had the temerity to sue the ODT.
+1 Sanctuary. If we all ignore him then we can get on with the real business of this Blog. That, in my view, is the pushing , teasing, challenging of policies and strategies that improve the lot of the people of new Zealand .
Actually no, editors of newspapers are under no obligation to publish letters and regularly choose not to for all sorts of reasons. Someone writing letters to the editor all the time has no guarantee of them being published, and editors are not going to overload their letters space with someone spamming them.
There is no reason why TS couldn’t also exercise such discretion (except maybe it would be alot of work for TS admin/moderators).
Just programme the system to accept posts from PG on even numbered dates of the month.
Or give him an automated curfew. None after midday until 8am the next day.
None before midday would be better. Give others a chance to set the debate for the day.
yeah that works better.
The only other time I have heard this song was as a theme to a saturday morning children’s programme of the same vintage.
I’ve been accused of taking this out of context:
“If gareth or anyone else thinks they’re hard enough they can meet me outside.”
Colonial Viper said “I’m really very dubious ”
So I’ll quote a response to my criticism (I am sickened) of that in full so it can be judged in it’s entirety:
Gareth, that is the most disgusting example of one way racism I have ever seen
I think there is growing concern about what appears to be one way reverse racism.
I’ve been confronting them at The Standard and seem to have initiated an uprising against me. They don’t like being challenged. They’ve been trying to hound any challenging out of there, and this time made a concerted effort.
I think we should reafirm to work positively a bit more and work together a bit more (rather than wallowing in bitch and moan) then things will work better.Here’s a challenge to step back and consider Positive Politics, what can be done better in political blogs and in parliament.
I won’t respond or comment in Open Mic today – that may be a positive for some. If there’s anything positive here today I’ll collate and summarise.
Suggestions, pledges, whatever – people here claim The Standard is much better than Kiwiblog, show that it is at least as good. Get positive.
And as information grows I will firm up a position – if it’s important enough for me to do that. But it is rarely a fixed position, new information or circumstances can adjust it, a major revelation or time can lead to a major change of position.
Nothing to worry about, Gareth, CV (and felix). Just a bit of humour that appears to have been misundertood. I rather enjoyed the exchange; it was the funniest extended satire I think I’ve ever seen here.
No offence or misunderstanding I enjoyed it as well, It’s hilarious searching back some of Petes posts everything above is pretty much word for word cut n paste, That last paragraph has to be my favourite Pete quote of all time. Pretty much sums up both Pete’s ( George & Dunne)beautifully….
yeah I like a bit of satay too every now and again.
Peak water
I-Pad in preschool-machine wedge
“little victorians” pursuing self-seeking bias
content?
North American APA stories, particularly machine analogy story
essential ideas being filed in machine
not
Connecting in brain
Apple-fruit machine
hope slave
Master act-not act
NAct intermittent reinforcement (generally effective for behav maintenance and shaping) fuels intoxication of people in plunge, Anticipation, of saviour.
but no fuhrer, fuhrer not necessary anymore
all people can “read” history
Occams razor
ratio of scientist/priest tribute spent on description and tradition?
E.O Wilson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._O._Wilson#God_and_religion
“bottle-neck of time”
“Big Economics always trumps big POLITICS
-Wolfson
fly capital, fly
RT white Russian in information war. LIGHT
Auckland not “understandable” yet
meaning?
rosetta stone?
lifestyle creep
lifestyle settle
joyce built house on sand
liqui-faction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_Fetish
Master of growth
slave to decay
Adapt as
remainder
of Dinosaurs shed golden scales
Cerebral cortex evolved effectively to CHEAT and detect CHEATING
DETECTION superior to deception
Art
( )
Troll seeks Master
What is reclaimed from machine
Telegram via machine
round sphere
machine connected
bot to gather money
Telegram to disperse money
good faith ala Jean-Paul
not
taught to commerce
-“good Bargain”
badfaithbadfaithbadfaithbadfaithbadfaith
participatory distant
listening close
shelter, warmth, medicine
people might see 100 years
not take madicine
cell Home Hive COLLECTive
In bad faith I buy what is necessary;
Using that which no one can afford;
To hide in plain view,
From those who are dangerous.
Outside myself, I meet the authentic
Who accepts cowardice.
DEMOTIC
Pop culture
As Greece falls.
Incapable of objectivity,
grasping only my beliefs, I’m two parts blind.
Mistaking the past for hope.
The only moment of worth, in the error.
Erm…. Huh?
It seems to me to be a description of society and how it works. The money go round that enriches the few while dis-empowering and impoverishing everyone else.
An actual money go-round wouldn’t be this bad. This is the money going around society briefly, then being trapped and hoarded by the elite who sit on it, or sit on assets bought with it.
So was interesting watching it all unfold yesterday, already todays open mic seems alot more informative. Last night I was sent a link to a NZ design company “String Theory” for an ad the did for Good Books international. Cool Hunter S Thompson styled ad, bnut while there I saw this ten minute video they have done for Cunliffe on the Economy. Can’t find it anywhere on youtube etc but it’s brilliant, just click the picture and it should play. I really wanted to share it with a few friends but it’s nowhere to be found besides here:
http://www.stringtheory.me/index.html#/another-dimension
Maybe it’s something coming out soon and I got a sneak peak… But none the less I thought that it would be popular with some of you.
Looks like something form the 2008 election that was never used – he’s got a beard now.
This is pretty good stuff though, and well found.
Been up on youtube for months and, yes, it was popular.
I figured it was from the election, couldn’t find it on Youtube though.
I wish they ran these styled and informative ads on policy more often.
Just having a read of the proposed changes to the LP constitution, policy development, list selection and party leadership. Excellent stuff and it gives the lie to the C/T and leftist trolling that has been going on here for the last couple of days. Particularly the rubbish about caucus refusing to listen to the membership.
No, I’m not going to let the cat out of the bag, but, as Micky notes above, members should contact their branch sec’s in the first instance. Your next branch meeting is going to be an exercise in democracy and creative thinking! Members, branches and LEC’s are actively encouraged to have their say in this set of changes and have no doubt, this is a real step forward in the evolution of our great party.
Righto, the feline has exited the enclosure. The details of the review process and proposals are up on the LP website.
Highlights are a slimmer moderating committee, list rankings in bands (ie top 5, next 5 etc.), a move to have branches and LEC’s more closely linked (the Palmy model?) and an increased say from the rank and file in the selection of the Parliamentary leader. That is proposed to be 40% members, 20% affiliates, 40% caucus.
Background
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJTURFcBuB8
Free money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSHf1svbQrA
calmer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OVnNePQPsQ
waiting..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0kypyGSKsE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvhAxP-lhpU
know self know other
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee0Czl3370Y
these days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNLhxlEU52c
return of the chisel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN17DKU7IHI
Tull
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxiHgm5UEsA
Alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM0zINtulhM
the funny thing is if you disagree with whalesh*t or fatboy farr*r then you are kicked off their blogs but here you can mostly say what you like.
So who is the real standard bearer of freedom and truth?
obviously not the wing nuts of the right who only want obedience and slavish adherence to their desires to beat down the people who actually do the real work in this society.
parley-a-ment today
not kicked off, Left
redaction Complete
send it anywhere you want in the universe, maybe “right” maybe “wrong”
but new boss not same as old boss
learning Revolution
or
the resurrection
(on forgiveness, memory and forgetting)
dedicated and in memoriam to people who Chose to love.
Master of Being
slave to fate
Master of destiny
slave to His-tory
Master of faith
slave to priest
Master of wisdom
slave to truth
Master of Comedy
slave to Tragedy
Master of emotion
slave to thoughts
Master of thoughts
slave to stories
Master of stories
slave to telling
Master of fear
slave to guilt
Master of happiness
slave to content
Master of sadness
slave to loss
Master of awareness
slave to denial
Master of surprise
slave to excitement
Master of anger
slave to outrage
Master of interest
slave to boredom
Master of disgust
slave to contempt
Master of anticipation
slave to obsession
Master of security
slave to exchange
Master of shelter
slave to lender
Master of wealth
slave to debt
Master of diet
slave to process sugar,fat
Master of warmth
slave to generator
Master of apparel
slave to sweatshop
Master of gold
slave to mine
Master of activity
slave to compulsion
Master of aggression
slave to hostility
Master of curiosity
slave to addiction
Master of achievement
slave to recognition
Master of affiliation
slave to status
Master of autonomy
slave to loneliness
Master of solitude
slave to crowd
Master of nurturance
slave to control
Master of exhibition
slave to fame
Master of order
slave to geometry
Master of Dominance
slave to Authority
Master of play
slave to rule
Master of universe
slave to electron
Master of nature
slave to extinction
Master of energy
slave to entropy
Master of growth
slave to decay
Master of water
slave to thirst
Master of breath
slave to lungs
Master of land
slave to fence
Master of home
slave to ancestors
Master of time
slave to clock
Master of cycle
slave to routine
Master of motion
slave to road
Master of road
slave to car
Master of car
slave to oil
Master of learning
slave to book
Master of exploration
slave to teacher
Master of labour
slave to contract
Master of contract
slave to government
Master of creativity
slave to medium
Master of medium
slave to media
Master of Profession
slave to form
Master of role
slave to economy
Master of economy
slave to wind
Master of sex-tant
slave to galley
Master of consumption
slave to market
Master of chance
slave to dice
Master of insight
slave to drug
Master of innovation
slave to tradition
Master of tool
slave to machine
Master of machine
slave to ghost
slave pick crop
slave built road
slave carry water
slave chop wood
slave mine rock
slave built monument
slave shepherd flock
slave built temple
slave guard altar
slave bear tribute
slave rear children
slave ferry old
slave write programme
slave connect globe
slave attack enemy
slave of future
slave of present
slave of past
slave elect master
slave buried beneath master
Master of looking
slave to belief
Master of power
slave to power
Master of mask
slave to deception
Master of instinct
slave to drive
Master of game
slave to run
Master of Ego
Slave to Self
Master of death
slave to life
Master of change
slave to despair
Master of prophecy
slave to before
slave to darkness
master sage
slave to art
amor fati
Be well
John
(master of compassion, slave to charity: master of moderation, slave to excess: master of humility,
Slave to hubris)
thankyou to Peter Exeter and David Sharp
TEACHERS
John with respect, after the fourth or fifth line I started to get bored and I thought, what the fuck is he on about. Is this generation X or Y speak, so us down to earth “oldies” cannot comprehend it? It looks very academic and very intelligent to me. but frankly whatever the point you are trying to make has gone completely over my head and I suspect quite a few others as well. Do me a favour pal, in future if you have an opinion to tell, do it in simple terms so a thicky like me may comprehend what the fuck you are on about.
HCM – Here is a thought to help get out of the hole you have fallen into , as others here seem to also.
Let people post how they want, or like to, if you don’t or can’t comprehend it, then try asking for clarification, as opposed to asking for the writer to change his/her style…
On Marae Investigates on Sunday, Hone said that whanau Ora has received 13.4 million and that the Maori Party asked for 134 million. The Maori Party looks as though they usually end up with one tenth of what they ask for.
I am finding that the biggest diversion from the day to day running of the country is the issue over water:
Who owns it?
Who manages it?
What Maori interest is?
The Glenn Family Foundation has announced a 80 million dollar package to stem family violence and abuse, with children at the top of the pyramid. 8 million dollars was pledged today with a pilot programme in Otara. I expect that demand is going to exceed supply. I am going to watch the gains which the Glenn Family Foundation make in regard to child poverty, child abuse and violence in the home.
I also read today that ACC is dragging the ball and chain when it comes to 11 recommendations concerning sensitive claims. The other recommendation 16 counselling sessions has strings attached.
This has got to be the WORSE government on record for child poverty, child abuse, violence in the home and not supporting ACC sensitive claimants.
ACC making little progress on sensitive claims – report
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10820174
80 million to tackle family violence
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/owen-glenn-commits-80-million-tackle-family-violence-4973756
“National embrassment” according to Glenn re child abuse and that he will pay 10 – 15 million for a commission into child abuse; highlighted is child fatality if the government will not.
Over 200 million for consultants to build roads and nothing for a commission into the death and serious injury of children, I regard this as a national embrassment.
embarrassment is the correct spelling
Um – govt already has the Child & Youth Mortality Review Committee, as well as the Childrens’ Commissioner, and a couple of others as I vaguely recall. Not sure about “serious injury” as such, offhand. In addition to the coronial process, of course.
I mean, I agree with the sentiment, but it’s not like ‘nothing’ is being done at the moment.
Thank you for supplying the links, I was not aware of the Child & Youth Mortality Review Committee and I will read up on them. I am interested in the funding they get.
14.1 paragraph 4.
“Nothing” is a broad word, inadequate funding to deal with the issue, (death and serious injury of children involved in abuse and violence in the home) is not seen as a priority compared to road consultants.
I saw on stuff.co.nz today that adults who have a sensitive claim pertaining to childhood are really being let down by ACC. This is the consequence of children being sexually and physically harmed and EVERYTHING possible has to be done to prevent the criminal damage done to vulnerable children.
I got a letter from John Key in the mail today (actually addressed to my wife and myself) asking me what I thought was important about the budget. Anyone else get one?
Yep, went the same way as all political/council mailers – into the recycling bin.
I’ve been thinking about cutting a slot in my recycling bin and keeping it at the top of the driveway.
The idea certainly has merit.
I might scrawl weird prophecies concerning lizard people and Manta Ray’s all over mine and post it back.
We wrote back saying we were strong National supporters, but hated asset sales. Just to screw with them a little.
I am SO DOING THAT.
I’ve already done it, letter to the local MP and all. Even got a politely worded reply, that basically said “piss off, we’re doing it anyway”.
Write to the lowest ranked list MPs, I reckon. After all, they are first in line to look for a new job after the next election.
Write to the National MPs with the skinniest margins. Just make sure that your postmark is local and you have a local postal address.
Those will be Auckland Central, Christchurch Central, Waitakere and Waimakariri.
And Epsom and Ohariu.
why not return to sender i’m still waiting for my brighter future.
No, and if I did, it would go straight to the recycling bin.. 🙂
You were lucky we received one from our local nondescript MP (problem when you live in a protected rotten borough) as he was canvassing to what we thought the local area issues were, nothing asked re macro issues, I am now receiving emails !!!. It was extremely difficult to write anything of substance or constructive criticism, just enough space for 1 medium sized word or 2-3 small words !!!!
Still better to be asked and have some input.
I never got my letter.
If they send one they better include some return postage so I can tell them exactly what is wrong with their excuse for a government.
Jah, it comes with a return slip – its a survey of sorts.
The unanimous decision of the “Dateline London panel last Sunday was that Private/Public ownership in the UK was a complete failure . Somebody should tell Key . It certainly would not be his doppelganger in the British Parliament who is slowly but surely destroying what is left of the Uk
Sign the petition!
“We call on the actual Editors of New Zealand’s Newspapers to bring an end to unattributed/ anonymous Editorials.”
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/An_end_to_unattributed_anonymous_Editorials_in_New_Zealands_Newspapers/?fWBudcb&pv=3
This will interest some people. It’s a study into the collapse of present society.
My emphasis.
Two items on 3 News that I wish to comment on – the ‘body-snatching’ case where James Takamore was taken from his Pakeha widow and children before he could be buried. Is this okay? Definitely not. Is the refusal of iwi to obey court rulings against them okay? IMO, definitely not.
Iraena Asher. She was the victim of sexism, and a refusal to take seriously the fears of a woman with bipolar disorder. Why has it taken until now, for the authorities to investigate? That’s definitely not okay.
Note to Captain Panic Pants Re: getting the Slippery shyster to talk tough over asset sales, it’s a total FAILURE when the tough talking is via a Lithp…
Would filling out and sending back a response to the personally-addressed propaganda (sorry, survey) I received from John Key today use up some of their PS-funded-budget that they wouldn’t be able to use for other purposes, or has the money already been spent regardless of whether the response actually gets sent back? Can I put something heavy into the Freepost envelope to increase how much it costs them to ‘hear my views’?
Once upon a time I believe that a letter sent to an MP at parliament did not have to have a stamp.Democracy was free but I don’t know if that is still the case so maybe don’t muck around with that
The best route back might be to your local branch of the Nat party or to the Nats party Headquarters address. This means it will go right to the heart of the organisation -stamps optional. When I receive unsolicited mail, stuff off public registers like MV licensing gets to me but rather than stew I go for a positive approach.
I return the offending material with a typed note thanking them profusely for the supply of reading matter and say that I would like to return the compliment by supplying them with some reading matter that I find interesting. Of course I have lots of this weighing a ton so it needs a very large envelope and inevitably someone has given the cat it’s dinner on a really important piece that I had meant to save… so I send that too.
Commercial stuff is usually best sent to a director – address courtesy of the coy’s office site …
Its still free.
I like that idea, I might start keeping some of the guff I get in the post just for JK. Thanks 🙂
http://stopwar.org.uk/index.php/iran/1683-how-britains-top-spy-is-beating-the-drums-for-war-on-iran
How Britain’s top spy is beating the drums for war on Iran
by Michael Higgs, Stop the War Coalition, 15 July 2012
SIR JOHN Sawers has reared his head in public for the second time since being appointed head of MI6 in 2009. Last time it was to claim that Britain has “nothing whatsoever” to do with torture.
We know this to be untrue following the revelations over MI6’s role in ‘renditioning’ Libyan dissidents to Tripoli to be tortured, as a favour to the intelligence services there. One might hope that, having learnt from his previous mistake, this latest speech would be rather more honest.
It was not to be.
In an article appearing in the the Daily Telegraph, the head of Britain’s overseas spy service is quoted at length from a speech recently given to senior civil servants. In it, he discussed Iran and its nuclear programme, claiming that covert operations by MI6 had prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons by 2008, but that the Islamic Republic is now likely to become (and we are assured it is their goal) a “nuclear weapons state” by 2014.
Coming shortly after a fresh round of sanctions, almost every line in the Telegraph article beats the drum for war. The screws are being tightened on Tehran and propaganda for an attack is in full swing.
In keeping with Sawers’ previous public appearance as head of MI6, he boasts of the agency’s relevance and effectiveness in the field, perhaps still smarting from the humiliating episode in Libya where SAS and MI6 officers were captured by rebels.
The grim reality of covert operations in Iran is acknowledged by the Telegraph, however, in what they refer to as the ‘apparent assassinations’ of multiple Iranian scientists. A reality check is in order here.
Five nuclear scientists have been murdered in as many years in a campaign of state terror directed against Iran. One, Darioush Rezaeinejad, was shot dead outside his daughter’s nursery. Israel is the most likely suspect, possibly with the support of Britain or America. Certainly neither country has condemned the killings. Imagine for a moment the outrage if Iran had, in broad daylight, executed the director of a nuclear plant in the UK.
John Sawers is a liar. We know he lied about MI6’s complicity in torture and we should be skeptical, to say the least, about his denial of complicity in the murder of Iranian civilians, particularly given the nod just made to the existence of covert action by MI6 in Iran.
Whatever the details of the covert operations Sawers has run in Iran, his claim that they prevented the development of a “nuclear weapons state” there by 2008 is a revelation to say the least.
If Iran was on the brink of possessing nuclear weapons in 2008, then I hope someone told the Americans. Because in 2007, a report by the CIA — surely the world’s largest and most well-connected spy network (no offense, Sir John) — stated “with high confidence” that “in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program” and that “Tehran had not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007”.
There is no convincing evidence it has since been restarted.
The IAEA has confirmed in all of its reports that nuclear material has not been diverted from use in energy and medical research, where inspectors keep a close watch.
Nonetheless, Sawers’ claims that Iran will be a “nuclear weapons state” in just two years time. Based on what? We are expected to take his word for it.
Sawers’ phrase of choice, “nuclear weapons state” is perhaps of interest given America’s recent re-definition of its ‘red line’ with regard to Iran. The red line is the situation that America is categorically unwilling to tolerate, that is, they will go to war to prevent it. Until May this year….
Read more….
http://stopwar.org.uk/index.php/iran/1683-how-britains-top-spy-is-beating-the-drums-for-war-on-iran
Thanks for kind words Standardistas. A short break, a visit with my grandchild in Christchurch and some weeding will leave me with overdue jobs done and happy memories. So I’ll concentrate on such things for a while and return a better person, with a tidier section, I hope.
Go well prism. I look forward to you posting again.
Is the soap opera really necessary…
Maybe best to spend some time back in real life there prism, where the online ansgt is not a feature!
Enjoy, Prism…will read you soon, I hope.
+1
We’ve all heard about “piracy” and how it’s theft from the music and film industries but…
…apparently these groups don’t think that those same standards apply to them.
No apparently about it mate. One set of rules and enforcement for the creatives and the workers. Another completely different set for the elite and the corporates (and they get to write both sets).
“elite and the corporates (and they get to write both sets)”
Yeah nah. This is a case of a slack collection agency.
Gotta watch those torrentfreak headlines, they have a habit of conflating quite separate things. In this example they’re making it appear as if the anti-piracy group were the ones not paying up.
Which is, you know, impressively hypocritical-sounding to a 13 year old on Digg.com
Any particular reason you decided not to deem that private sector collection agency (which appears to cover deals totalling many millions of euros) a “corporate”?
You know, since they are supposed to collect monies from the huge entertainment companies they have relationships with and consequently pass them on to artists, but whoops, appears not to.
Yeah, it possibly has a corporate structure.
Not really the point though.
But you wouldn’t be too surprised if the senior management of that collection agency happen to be former employees of Time Warner, Sony Pictures, Viacom, etc. right?
Because as you know, that’s how the elite and the corporates do their dirty work.
I think you’re a bit confused about the role of a collection society.
Its not a “collection society”. Its a for-profit private sector corporate.
It also happens to be the same private organisation which took Kazaa to court for copyright infringement against the major media companies. Nice that they’re such good friends of the big studios.
They consequently had Kazaa shut down.
Dude, you’re confused.
Collection societies are always private sector organisations, designed to turn profits which are in most cases entirely distributed to their members.
Their role is to collect money payable to composers and authors of musical works, and in my experience they generally do a pretty good job of it considering the logistics.
Sounds like this particular society was a pretty slack in this instance, but I’m not going to spend time looking into it because it’s a fricking torrentfreak story which are generally either deliberately misleading (as this one seems to be) or entirely bullshit.
Couldn’t give a fuck about Kazzaa but I’m sorry for your loss.