Open mike 25/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 25th, 2011 - 60 comments
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60 comments on “Open mike 25/09/2011 ”

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  1. Jenny 1
    25 September 2011 at 9:32 am

    The food movement is the way of the future

    We have had the industrial revolution and now with the end of oil, we will have an agricultural revolution.

    This may be a bit extreme I know, but I like it.

    Because of the environmental, economic and social collapse we have to become sustainable and have local economies and local resources.

    Things are going to get really tough over the next 20 years.

    Of course the dragon will not accept the reality and refuse to die. So we see attempts to put restrictions on the food movement like the current food bill now before parliament.

    • Bored 1.1
      25 September 2011 at 11:38 am

      On that note Jenny I have just built a faster compost pile as recommended by the Doms gardening columnist Hannah Schwartz, a green fingered goddess if ever there was one. Her columns are really worth a read even if you think you know, she often surprises with tricks.

      I note (and watch on TV) the food pornography, as Nigella and Annabelle charm the socks off us middle aged chaps with their cream tarts, and Rick Stein ouzes charm and bonhommie, and locally whilst Brownie makes “kai” a real down home blokes deal. Without our plenitude of food they would be out of a job, its down to the vege patch for them. Woe is the future where we will have to grow the ingredients ourselves……

      • AAMC 1.1.1
        25 September 2011 at 12:48 pm

        Those food writers are pretty passionate about the local seasonal food movement and they bring the idea into the mainstream which can only be a step in the right direction. See Harmony products in the supermarket now, they have been strongly endorsed by the food media.

        But my too favorite food hero’s..

        http://rajpatel.org/
        http://michaelpollan.com/

      • Bob Stanforth 1.1.2
        25 September 2011 at 4:12 pm

        Bored, my wife and I started vege gardening years ago when we left the big smoke, and have our kids (3 under 12) actively involved now. A great family thing to do, and the kids love eating what they have helped to grow. We have three large boxed and raised gardens, grow dozens of different things, very easy and lots of fun, and so much nicer than what you can buy. There is something about slicing a still warm tomato, fresh off the vine onto freshly toasted vogels, cant beat it.

        As for Nigella, if you have a broad and open mind go to Youtube and search for Nigella talks dirty – its LOL funny.

    • Jenny 1.2
      25 September 2011 at 10:06 pm

      More on the planet gobbling dragon

      A study reviewed in the highly respected science journal, Scientific American, accuses financiers of “silent mass murder”

      The study was released by Marco Lagi, Yavni Bar-Yam, Karla Bertrand, and Yaneer Bar-Yam of the New England Complex Systems Institute in Cambridge, Mass. Financial speculation made possible thanks to market deregulation ultimately caused the collapse of mortgage and stock markets in 2007 and 2008.

      Commodity Traitors: Financial Speculation on Commodities [especially food] increases Global insecurity

      http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/primate-diaries/2011/09/22/commodity-traitors/

      “This analysis,” conclude the study’s authors, “connects the bursting of the US real estate market bubble and the financial crisis of 2007-2008 to the global food price increases.”

      Following this collapse many investors shifted their assets into “index funds” that allowed them to bet on the likelihood that commodity futures would increase. These index funds would be purchased by commodity traders and then repackaged as derivatives to be resold for twice or three times the initial purchase price. According to data from the United Nations, this investment rose from $13 billion in 2003 to $317 billion in 2008 (pdf here). This flood of cash caused intermittent bubbles as prices increased under artificial demand only to crash because there was no consistency in actual supply and demand (see Figure 1 below). In other words, as the price of food shot upwards many people were unable to buy the food that was actually grown.

      According to Bar-Yam and colleagues, by September 2010 there was 140 million metric tons of grain sitting unsold in storage facilities around the world, an amount that would normally feed 440 million people in a single year. In the face of widespread global hunger, playing with food prices as if it were a casino pushed them beyond the ability of people to pay in regions of the direst need.

      Jean Ziegler, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, has called this “a silent mass murder,” entirely due to “man-made actions.”

      “We have a herd of market traders, speculators and financial bandits who have turned wild and constructed a world of inequality and horror. We have to put a stop to this,” he said.

      • Colonial Viper 1.2.1
        25 September 2011 at 11:27 pm

        Thanks for this info. I had been aware that something like this had been happening (and continues to happen).

  2. LynW 2
    25 September 2011 at 9:40 am

    Good morning. Great day for all All Black and Warrior fans. Speaking of heroes ….. I have just enjoyed reading Bernard Hickey’s Herald column

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10754109

    ‘Hero in the Wing’s and followed up the YouTube link recommended.

    http://youtu.be/ZzZIRMXcxRc

    Highly recommend for those who haven’t seen it before. makes ‘ cents ‘ to me! Have a great day.

  3. ianmac 3
    25 September 2011 at 10:23 am

    I wonder if the banks and certain NZ politicians are already planning Robin Hood tax avoidance contingency strategies? “Its legal you know.”

  4. Herodotus 4
    25 September 2011 at 10:27 am

    United First = Only lasting inpact on NZ lengthening Day light savings. Now all I have to do is decided how to invest my savings.
    A hard start for this, Sat early night was destroyed by The Warriors 😉 (I will watch for just 5 minutes !!) greastest game ever? And a great AB display

    • Carol 4.1
      25 September 2011 at 11:26 am

      Dunne’s extended daylight saving periods are a curse for those of us who are early risers. No savings AT ALL, just more lighting and heating used at the beginning of the day, the most productive period of the day for me.

      • Flossie 4.1.1
        25 September 2011 at 12:15 pm

        Yep Dunne’s old lie comes round again: it’s not daylight “saving”, it’s daylight “shifting”. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. Not good for us early risers, as you say Carol.

      • Anne 4.1.2
        25 September 2011 at 12:19 pm

        For me it seems to work out one less hour in the day. Don’t mind later on but this early? In weather terms it’s still winter. We were never consulted over this ridiculously early start either.
        At this moment, if someone did Dunne a serious injury I wouldn’t mind. 😡

        • Vicky32 4.1.2.1
          25 September 2011 at 7:38 pm

          Don’t mind later on but this early? In weather terms it’s still winter.

          That’s bitterly true! 🙁

      • Armchair Critic 4.1.3
        25 September 2011 at 12:58 pm

        I always thought daylight savings was a way of forcing people to get up earlier, and go to bed earlier.

      • marsman 4.1.4
        25 September 2011 at 3:28 pm

        Thought it was earlier this year for the RWC?

        • Anne 4.1.4.1
          25 September 2011 at 4:02 pm

          From Dept. Internal Affairs site.

          The end of daylight saving in 2006 generated public debate, which led to a review of the period. A petition to extend daylight saving was presented to Parliament with an estimated 42,000 signatures.

          The Minister of Internal Affairs Hon Rick Barker announced on 30 April 2007 that the period of daylight saving would be extended to run from the last Sunday in September until the first Sunday in April.

          I suspect that many who signed that petition did so on the assumption that the extension would be confined to the end of the period – ie. first week in April when the weather – due to Climate Change – is still quite Summery. That was my understanding anyway. Peter Dunne played a major role in getting the petition up and running and presented it to parliament. The Lab. govt. gave him his little hour of glory to keep him happy?

  5. Banter 5
    25 September 2011 at 10:27 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5679926/Minor-parties-fates-could-lead-to-volatile-split-Beehive

    interesting article. And here was me thinking National were going to romp home…..

    • The Voice of Reason 5.1
      25 September 2011 at 10:39 am

      Yep, this is why the Tories hate MMP. The better the make up of Parliament reflects the will of the people, the less likely it is that a conservative government gets formed.
       
      I’d have to say that Winston is doing well, given that he’s doing nothing.

    • ianmac 5.2
      25 September 2011 at 11:17 am

      The possible splits would have a strong effect on the MANDATE that National is expecting to allow them to bring in the sweeping changes to Social Welfare, Assets, Crime, Education, Lower Taxes, Bigger rewards for the rich etc.

    • Jenny 5.3
      25 September 2011 at 2:56 pm

      And here was me thinking National were going to romp home…..

      Banter

      And here was I thinking I could never be so prescient.

      here

      here

      and here

      This Horizon poll shows that, if Labour would only lift their vision, and actively woo the Maori Party, And/OR, let NZ First’s votes count.

      – Then the election would be won for a Labour led coalition government.

      There is no doubt about it.

      Please, please, please Labour, make these (relatively small) tactical concessions, and the country needn’t suffer the depredations and long term harm the coming nACT government plan to inflict on your core support base.

      Don’t let us needlessly suffer.

      • Anne 5.3.1
        25 September 2011 at 7:49 pm

        Hear hear Jenny.

      • Colonial Viper 5.3.2
        25 September 2011 at 8:07 pm

        Unfortunately, Turia is not going to have a bar of Labour, no matter what.

        • Anne 5.3.2.1
          25 September 2011 at 8:22 pm

          Agree CV. Now there’s a woman eaten up with hate. Nobody in Labour, including Helen Clark, did anything to her… she did it to herself.

          • Blue 5.3.2.1.1
            26 September 2011 at 12:14 pm

            Anne, what a short memory your have, “Nobody in Labour, including Helen Clark, did anything to her… she did it to herself.” Really?

            Labour betrayed Maori over foreshore and seabed, then ‘Ms’ Clark described the Maori Party as the “last cab off the rank” when it came to including Maori in Government, reducing their representation to Party hacks they can control. Disenfranchising them in the process. Please try to spin and justify that as the ‘right’ thing to do.

            I’m not sure what other reasons Turia would need to despise them, but those seem more than enough. I imagine it would be more than enough for Labour if the shoe was on the other foot. A spiteful mob those lefties. Labour would rather deal with Winston Peters than Maori. Says it all really.

      • McFlock 5.3.3
        25 September 2011 at 8:38 pm

        It has always come down to who national can make friends with. Those who really think that national are certain to get an outright majority are the ones who are into wishful thinking.

  6. prism 6
    25 September 2011 at 11:04 am

    I think we need as a country to celebrate successful NZ businesses and aim for more. Here is a a short background by a proud business in Blenheim I’ve just discovered. Thousands of these businesses will help to cut our unemployment way down, along with reasonable employment controls ie less snakeskin casuals (the skin that you just shed when the time suits) etc.

    Established in 1987 on bare land with minimal capital, Morgans Road Nursery now produces in excess of half a million plants annually. Our area of expertise is mainly in New Zealand natives but also in hedging with a variety of shelter and forestry species available.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1
      25 September 2011 at 2:16 pm

      Business is the curse that has driven an increase in poverty and destroy our environment. Really, nothing to celebrate.

      • prism 6.1.1
        25 September 2011 at 9:40 pm

        DTB Cobblers. Now if you had put the word alcohol where you have put business then you would have made a valid point.

        • Campbell Larsen 6.1.1.1
          25 September 2011 at 9:47 pm

          You are both right – now I need a drink, or to watch some rugby , it’s the same thing after all isn’t it?

  7. Fisiani 7
    25 September 2011 at 11:15 am

    Todays Horizon poll shows a tied parliament 61-61. Labour+ Greens +New Zealand First+Mana could easily make up the next strong stable government. They have 8 weeks to gain just one more seat. Should be easy. Horixzon is the only accurate poll.

    • Policy Parrot 7.1
      25 September 2011 at 11:56 am

      Your post is tinged with sarcasm, Fisiani – but in reality – what you say could well be sincere.

      I don’t think it would be that difficult for this group to come up with a 10 point government platform that would survive a parliamentary term (5 Labour policies, 2 Green, 2 NZFirst, and 1 Mana – note this is about more claiming credit for policies – many policies like CGT and $15 p.h. minimum wage are likely to get approval from all parties). All other bills are voted for/against by individual parties.

      Labour and Greens would constitute the formal government, Winston would get his role outside of cabinet, and the Mana Party would support on confidence and supply. If this is the case, at least 50% of the population has voted against the policies of the current government, and such is legitimate.

  8. joe90 8
    25 September 2011 at 11:27 am

    Climate Wizard lets you to access climate change information and visualize impacts anywhere on Earth.

  9. Brett Dale 9
    25 September 2011 at 11:49 am

    Warriors were awesome!!!!!!

    Cant wait for the Grand final.

  10. Bored 10
    25 September 2011 at 11:51 am

    We agree, a very pleasant surprise, the Mad Butcher predicted it (he is reliable, always predicts a Warriors win)…go Butchers boys!!

  11. prism 11
    25 September 2011 at 11:57 am

    You lucky people in Auckland – take the opportunity to go to the Bruce Jesson memorial lecture
    with Professor Paul Dalziel talking on Recreating Full Employment.

    University of Auckland Political Studies Department and the Bruce Jesson Foundation
    2011 Bruce Jesson Lecture
    Professor Paul Dalziel
    AERU, Lincoln University
    Title Recreating Full Employment
    WHEN Wednesday 26 October, 6.30pm
    Maidment Theatre, Alfred Street
    The University of Auckland
    The Maidment Bar will open from 5.30pm

  12. freedom 12
    25 September 2011 at 3:20 pm

    Although the Networks are avoiding Occupy Wall St en masse, it is ongoing.
    If you want a live stream of what is actually occuring at Liberty Park here is the live stream.

    http://front.moveon.org/live-stream-watch-whats-unfolding-on-wall-street-right-now/

    The ongoing stream is only possible due to donations of new gear that is cycled into use as Police confiscate and damage the media equipment on a regular basis.

    The organisers have law on their side and are adhereing to it
    The Police are finding more and flimsier reasons to abuse it.

    CITIZEN MEDIA IS NOT A CRIME

    #OccupyWallStNYC

  13. KTY 13
    25 September 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Could one of the infofmed please tell me if there is a point were a electorate actualy becomes a marginal or safe seat, and how and by what means is this calculated.

  14. joe90 14
    25 September 2011 at 4:43 pm

    The Future of Europe’s Radical Right

    Why the Politics of Race Are Here to Stay

    For years, commentators and citizens overlooked a worrying trend in European politics: growing right-wing extremism, including staunch nativism. Until its defeat in last week’s election, Denmark’s ruling center-right coalition was allied with the forceful extreme-right Danish People’s Party. In government, they had imposed tough immigration legislation and border controls that ran the country afoul of the other Schengen states. The Freedom Party, which is Euroskeptical, overtly anti-Muslim, and against dual citizenship, is one of the strongest parties in the Netherlands. In Italy, the neo-Fascist granddaughter of Benito Mussolini is a popular parliamentarian and a founding member of Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party. The Northern League party, known for its anti-Islamism, is powerful in Italy’s wealthy north. In France, the extreme-right leader of the Front National party, Marine Le Pen, is a serious contender in upcoming 2012 presidential election. All of these parties share a common vision of a “pure” Europe that excludes immigrant populations from everywhere else in the world.

  15. thejackal 15
    25 September 2011 at 5:13 pm

    Contradictory Key

    John Key recently took over the chairmanship of the Pacific Islands forum. It was reported that he wants a change in how development aid is provided, and that addressing climate change will be one of his priorities…

  16. Anne 16
    25 September 2011 at 7:22 pm

    OMG. Peter Leitch gushing over Key’s text messages to him during the Warriors game. Makes you want to reach for a basin!

    http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-league-news/pm-all-blacks-bask-in-warriors-glory-4418781

    Sir Peter Leitch said the team had some high-level support last night.

    He said he got texts from Prime Minister John Key throughout the match, one saying you ‘you beauty’ and another exclaiming ‘what a ripper’.

    “He phoned me and said he’s going to come to the grand-final next week,” Sir Peter said.

    Talk about a mutual fawning club!

    • Tim 16.1
      26 September 2011 at 9:16 am

      I agree…the preservative in his sausages must be effecting his mind. But whats scary is the way the media from Granny Herald to Radio NZ, is carrying these political endorsements from personalities….last week it was Peter Leitch…week before, Mathew Ridge…Perhaps we should embark on a campaign of not buying those sausages and chicken breasts while he’s out there on his love fest with John Key…but then again, perhaps “Mad” has to publicly fawn over the man who gave him his knighthood.

      Any fundraisers between now and the election won’t be grilling any MB products.

      Tim

  17. Willie Maley 17
    25 September 2011 at 8:17 pm

    No surprise to see Key jumping on the Warriors bandwagon. At least our previous PM was a league fan through and through.

  18. logie97 18
    25 September 2011 at 8:21 pm

    Anyone know how you can take an alternative commentary for the RWC games.
    I know (from overhearing the commentary in the background while on Facetime to the UK) that there is at least one alternative broadcast.
    Just getting sick of the carping-know-all-no-one-knows-rugby-better-than-me-Fox and his side kick Ian-ex-cricket-wicketkeeper-Smith and the Northern-hemisphere-despising Nisbett. It would also be nice to know if there are any non-kiwi referees who actually know the rules of the game. Saints Lawrence and Walsh can do no wrong apparently, while others should be given plane tickets to leave immediately…

  19. Hilary 19
    25 September 2011 at 9:19 pm

    Exciting non-violent activist movement starting in New York. Report here of latest happenings including arrests. Includes a video clip of brave blacks from Nashville in the 60s fighting segregation using the same non-violent Gandhi principles http://www.indypendent.org/2011/09/24/nonviolence-at-liberty-plaza/

  20. thejackal 20
    25 September 2011 at 11:34 pm

    National Flouts the Law

    David Farrar and Cameron Slater have been tediously going on and on about Labour putting some election signs up around the place. What they’re failing to understand is that National is doing the exact same thing. It’s a bit rich of the right wing sycophants to point their chubby little fingers and jump up and down while not acknowledging that National is breaking the law as well…

    • Draco T Bastard 20.1
      26 September 2011 at 12:42 am

      It’s simple really. According to the Right Wing Authoritarians the Right Wing Authoritarians are allowed to do whatever they like and everyone else has to do whatever the Right Wing Authoritarians tell them to do.

  21. Jum 21
    26 September 2011 at 12:24 am

    A little bit of history pre 2008 election.

    http://www.nickyhager.info/keys-election-advice-invoices-undermine-attacks-on-labour/

    A very clear sign that Auckland councillor Cameron Brewer is riding shotgun for NAct.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1109/S00355/labour-election-signs-breach-council-bylaw-and-advice.htm

    It appears National has one rule for itself and another for the opposition.

  22. logie97 22
    26 September 2011 at 1:30 am

    In 1981 he was indifferent.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laEXIrKK8rI

    Now he is Rugby mad … what gives?
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/5682543/PM-John-Key-opts-for-NRL-grand-final-over-rugby
    “You know the Warriors have captured the imagination of a nation when they can lure rugby-mad New Zealand Prime Minister John Key across the ditch in the midst of a Rugby World Cup.”

    • Draco T Bastard 22.1
      26 September 2011 at 7:48 am

      All for show. He probably has about as much interest in rugby or league that I have (ie, none).

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