Open mike 25/10/2011

52 comments on “Open mike 25/10/2011 ”

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1. Bored 1

   25 October 2011 at 6:44 am

   I heard word that the Occupy people in Wellington were going to be removed today? Anybody know anything?
2. millsy 2

   25 October 2011 at 7:40 am

   Only 2 months till Christmas, folks. And from where I am sitting, its probably going to be a very bleak one for a fair few people.
   • mickysavage 2.1

     25 October 2011 at 8:02 am

     34 days Millsy until people get a chance to do something about it.  Everyone should so the country a favour and get a young person enrolled and vote Labour/Greens/Mana depending on your particular lefty preference.
     • Lanthanide 2.1.1

       25 October 2011 at 9:33 am

       No matter what the electoral outcome, a very slim minority is going to be upset at the result of this election.
   • Uturn 2.2

     25 October 2011 at 9:54 am

     If you are a christian or a staunch supporter of euro/american culture, then Christmas is fine for you and being unable to celebrate it may seem bleak.

     I freed myself from a personally irrelevent holiday by asking a few questions:

     Am I a christian? No
     If I was a christian, would I be celebrating with a pine tree and The Warehouse’s best discounted items? No
     Do I like to waste money on trivial plastic items? No
     Do I need an excuse to see my family and friends? No
     Do I use money as a form of emotional proxy? No
     Does this holiday mean anything to me as a person? No
     Does it have any celestial/calendar relevence? No
     Am I legally obliged to participate in this cultural celebration? No

     If people are unaware of the arbitrary nature of Christmas and it’s making them sad, that’s unfortunate. They can invent their own more meaningful celebrations. Being part of the group may seem important, but it’s not as important as society would have you believe.
     • KJT 2.2.1

       25 October 2011 at 10:08 am

       Christmas is the original midwinter celebration. Co-opted by religion as they have so many originally cultural celebrations.

       A secular or pagan celebration is entirely appropriate given the real origins of the festival.
     • felix 2.2.2

       25 October 2011 at 10:17 am

       I feel much the same way, but the pressure to participate is enormous. When you have loved ones who really are emotionally affected by your non-participation – however absurd and irrational that response may seem to you and I – it’s hard to ignore.

       I’ve kinda settled on a compromise where I take some time to mark the occasion – largely for the sake of others – but try to find less crass ways to do it, e.g. inviting the family to spend the day at the beach fishing, or for an easy hike and a picnic.

       It’s damn near impossible to get any work done at that time of the year if your work relies on anyone else, so you might as well find an enjoyable way to spend the time I reckon.
       • M 2.2.2.1

         25 October 2011 at 10:56 am

         Same here felix. Over time I’ve come not to hate Christmas but to see it for what it is, a cynical manipulation of people for financial gain.

         For the past three years the sibs and I have not exchanged gifts and the kids get something small because for us sharing the day together is more important and we don’t end up maybe buying plastic junk that will end up in a landfill.

         I look forward to Christmas because it’s when I have to take annual leave.
         • William Joyce 2.2.2.1.1

           25 October 2011 at 11:53 am

           Same with our family. Over the years decided that the comercialisation is a crock and just want to get together, play some traditional European christmas/parlour games, let the kids go feral, knock back a few bevies.
           Even in a secular society like NZ we need to have some moments of festivity.

           Perhaps we can borrow other country’s traditions and make them our own?

           We could have the “Running of the Pollies” where they stampede down main street towards a slops trough in which tokens are hidden for places on the party list.

           Barrels full of dairy farm run-off where politicians can bob for votes.

           Mud wrestling leadership competitions in large vats of oil scraped off the Bay of Plenty.

           We could have a very large wicker man stuffed full of convicted finance executives and burn it on national tv as lesson to our children.

           We could play games of “Pin the Email on the Scapegoat”,
           or chrades where we guess what the throat slitting gesture means,
           or a form of musical chairs where the last person without a chair has to take the blame for all government failures,
           or Blind Man’s Bluff where the blindfolded person has to guess who is lying to them.
            
     • Ianupnorth 2.2.3

       25 October 2011 at 1:46 pm

       trying telling my missus that! I am emotionally obliged to partake and I hate Xmas.
     • Draco T Bastard 2.2.4

       25 October 2011 at 3:00 pm

       Do I need an excuse to see my family and friends? No

       My family is spread out around the country so it’s nice to have a predetermined time to get organised about seeing most of them.

       Does it have any celestial/calendar relevence? No

       Actually, that’d be yes although it’s a couple of days out but you can’t really complain about that – The ancients didn’t have the same capabilities of measuring the universe as we do.
     • Puddleglum 2.2.5

       25 October 2011 at 10:18 pm

       “Being part of the group may seem important, but it’s not as important as society would have you believe.”

       I wouldn’t push that too far. We are developed in the context of others and we are psychologically maintained in the context of others.

       Feeling like an outsider is not pleasant, at base, no matter how determined one is not to be affected by others.

       The best – perhaps ‘healthiest’ – way to be unaffected by ‘the group’ is to form another group. 
3. logie97 3

   25 October 2011 at 7:53 am

   So yesterday it was 250,000 lined Auckland streets for the parade.
   This morning an estimated 100,000 according to RNZ.

   I wonder if either survey was done by Curia.

   “If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the
   newspaper your are misinformed.” Mark Twain.

    
   • ianmac 3.1

     25 October 2011 at 9:19 am

     How true Logie!
   • Lanthanide 3.2

     25 October 2011 at 10:23 am

     You know the big estimates of 200,000 people in the central city for the opening ceremony, and that’s why the transport system broke down?

     A statistician estimated the number as being closer to 50-70,000 (with some caveats – doesn’t include all areas):
     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10752405

     Also: “In December he calculated that 30,000 had attended the Santa Parade, despite its organisers reporting a figure of 250,000 to 300,000”
   • KJT 3.3

     25 October 2011 at 10:29 am

     That is something in the order of 60 per square metre??
4. Colonial Viper 4

   25 October 2011 at 8:16 am

   Wall St Banker calls OWS Protestor a Monkey

   The racist arrogance is breathtaking. Watch from 2 mins in.

   http://www.youtube.com/user/RussiaToday#p/u/9/lYL6DgfvosU

   (reposted from yesterday)
   • Bill 4.1

     25 October 2011 at 10:05 am

     Wouldn’t that be ‘specie-ist’?

     And I be guilty of such transgressions. I’ve seen me refer to bosses as, variously a (fucking…arse hole of a… dumb fuck… bastard…jabbering…and so on and so on [usually stringed together in combination])…. monkey. (Admittedly, I usually offer up some cavaet that I mean no disrespect to monkeys)
     • Tigger 4.1.1

       25 October 2011 at 10:17 am

       Great piece.
5. William Joyce 5

   25 October 2011 at 9:44 am

   With the Occupy Wall Street protests and an election that could shape what sort of NZ we want, it’s good time to re-read (or read for the first time) the “leaked” Citigroup memos that gained wide exposure in Michael Moore’s movie Capitalism – A Love Story.
   Plutonomy should be a more used and understood term.
    
   One source for copies of the memos
    
   Citigroup
   Equity Strategy
   Plutonomy : Luxury Buying and Explaining Global Imbalances
   16 Oct 2005

   At the heart of plutonomy, is income inequality. Societies that are willing to tolerate/endorse income inequality, are willing to tolerate/endorse plutonomy. Earlier, we postulated a number of key tenets for the creation of plutonomy. As a reminder, these were: 1) an ongoing technology/biotechnology revolution, 2) capitalist friendly governments and tax regimes, 3) globalization that re-arranges global supply chains with mobile well-capitalized elites and immigrants, 4) greater financial complexity and innovation, 5) the rule of law, and 6) patent protection…..

   Our overall conclusion is that a backlash against plutonomy is probable at some point. However, that point is not now. So long as economies continue to grow, and enough of the electorates feel that they are benefiting and getting rich in absolute terms, even if they are less well off in relative terms, there is little threat to Plutonomy in the U.S., UK, etc.

   Citigroup
   Equity Strategy
   Revisiting Plutonomy: The Rich Getting Richer
   5 March 2006

   Back in October, we coined the term ‘Plutonomy’ (The Global Investigator, Plutonomy: Buying Luxury, Explaining Global Imbalances, October 14 2005). Our thesis is that the rich are the dominant drivers of demand in many economies around the world (the US, UK, Canada and Australia). These economies have seen the rich take an increasing share of income and wealth over the last 20 years, to the extent that the rich now dominate income, wealth and spending in these countries. Asset booms, a rising profit share and favorable treatment by market-friendly governments have allowed the rich to prosper and become a greater share of the economy in the plutonomy countries. Also, new media dissemination technologies like internet downloading, cable and satellite TV, have disproportionately increased the audiences, and hence gains to “superstars” – think golf, soccer, and baseball players, music/TV and movie icons, fashion models, designers, celebrity chefs etc. These “content” providers, the tech whizzes who own the pipes and distribution, the lawyers and bankers who intermediate globalization and productivity, the CEOs who lead the charge in converting globalization and technology to increase the profit share of the economy at the expense of labor, all contribute to plutonomy.
6. thejackal 6

   25 October 2011 at 10:37 am

   Occupy Movement is not Anti-Semitic

   I’ve read a few articles recently that have claimed the Occupy protests are Anti-Semitic. At first I just dismissed these claims, but after the number of reports grew, I decided to take a closer look…
7. Colonial Viper 7

   25 October 2011 at 11:21 am

   Cameron faces backbencher revolt over EU referendum

   http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/24/cameron-backbenchers-resist-eu-referendum
8. Hammer 8

   25 October 2011 at 12:15 pm

   An open letter to Trevor Mallard re:
   the Labour Party team have been running a cool fundraiser – the No-Dinner Dinner.
   
   
   Pathetic idea Trev.
   Similar to Labour’s policies in recent days.

   Your “Work and Wages” is the winner of the laugh-out-loud award for best Back to the Future idea.

   Sorry, just remembered – it isn’t even your policy; it is just a cut & paste from the Council of Trade Unions.
   Enjoy your non-dinner dinner, dinner,dinner.
   • Colonial Viper 8.1

     25 October 2011 at 12:38 pm

     😎
9. Uturn 9

   25 October 2011 at 12:54 pm

   My anti-virus has just warned me this site is running a Blackhole Exploit virus that is being blocked. Had a manual check of my system and where it should have done it’s job there is no change. How does it look from the admin’s side?
   • lprent 9.1

     25 October 2011 at 1:41 pm

     Nothing showing up as far as I can see looking at the file system (and it would have to be present unless it is in the adverts). Also can’t see anything from my client side logged in or not.

     Is it on any particular page? And what operating system and browser are you running?
     • lprent 9.1.1

       25 October 2011 at 1:57 pm

       Looks like this is what is going on.

       http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/10/24/another-widespread-site-defacement-attack-leading-nowhere/

       There are several reports of this happening. http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=blackhole+exploit&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=,qdr:d

       It is likely that it is in one of the external javascript sites or by a men-in-middle javascript injection.
     • lprent 9.1.2

       25 October 2011 at 2:10 pm

       Checked with a few external online threat checkers now including AVG which according to google searchs has been picking up the current blackhole expoits.

       Basically need more information to localize the problem. I suspect it was transient (and a really good reason to keep your AV up to date).
       • Uturn 9.1.2.1

         25 October 2011 at 2:25 pm

         The warning popped up once I arrived at the home page. Windows 7 Ultimate, Internet explorer 9.
         • lprent 9.1.2.1.1

           25 October 2011 at 3:33 pm

           Ok, I was mostly testing the front page and the two highest page hits.

           Whatever it is, I can’t see it from my location or the location of several website testers. It certainly didn’t come directly from our files.

           It could have been something in one of the ads (which change frequently and we don’t host). Or from javascript from external suppliers (ie google analytics, google adsense, statcounter, neilson, wordpress stats or gravator). Or it could have been from a man-in-the-middle.

           Or could have been in your IE tabs, caches etc (I don’t trust IE).

           Let me know if it persists. But the site looks clean so it may pay to look at other open tabs in IE and to give your system a good scan.
10. aerobubble 10

    25 October 2011 at 12:54 pm

    Its interesting how traffic patterns have changed in residential
    areas, lots more heavy trucks trying to avoid start and stop
    traffic lights and round abouts. Even boy racer type cars
    all heading for the non-stop residential (longer0
    route???
11. joe90 11

    25 October 2011 at 2:14 pm

    100 years of artificial nitrogen – but how many left?

    I recently was asked in an interview to name the one thing I would change in the world if I had the power to do so. Surprising even myself, I replied quickly “the Haber-Bosch (H-B) process for industrial nitrogen fixation. Imagine – a world without synthetic N! One can imagine the blank look I got when I pulled that one out of the blue.
12. Colonial Viper 12

    25 October 2011 at 2:50 pm

    Military veteran who shouted down NYC Cops urges military veterans to help Occupy Protestors

    Thanks again to Russia TV

    http://www.youtube.com/user/RussiaToday#p/u/22/Ve8HlH8w9Uo
13. ianmac 13

    25 October 2011 at 4:31 pm

    Messy handshake by Key as Ritchie is congratulated but as usual the mess was not Key’s fault.
    “”Bernard wouldn’t let go of his hand”, Mr Key said by way of explanation on TVNZ’s Breakfast yesterday.” Always someone elses fault.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10761453
    Oops forgot to send this this morning 8am.
14. William Joyce 14

    25 October 2011 at 6:01 pm

    key being likened to that embarrassing uncle
     
    plus….what they didn’t show you after the handshake
    • willie maley 14.1

      25 October 2011 at 10:03 pm

      I posted a comment in the embarrassing uncle article, over two hours later it is still in moderation. Nothing controversial in the comment, however the comments supporting Key keep on coming.
15. Joe Bloggs 15

    25 October 2011 at 7:43 pm

    So what’s with David Parker’s mis-statements about the Sensible Sentencing Trust and getting Garrett into Parliament?

    Did David forget that the insinuations around Garrett’s candidacy for ACT were promulgated by Labour? Has he forgotten that audited statutory returns prove him wrong? Has he started believing his own party’s mudslinging?

    Fancy using Farrar’s act of kindness – a platform on which to post as a guest – and repaying that kindness by using it to sling the same old mud … a tacky move.

    And coming on top of Young Labour pamphlets that verge on corrupt practices? Either Parker authorised those or he’s not in control of his own campaign.

    Something seriously wrong is going on in Parker’s campaign office.
    • Colonial Viper 15.1

      25 October 2011 at 10:08 pm

      Something seriously wrong is going on in Parker’s campaign office.

      I agree.

      Parker’s campaign team strategised wholly and foolishly on a scenario where Epsom voters would back ACT on a tactical basis and leave Goldsmith stranded and no where.

      Now that Epsom voters have shown that they will not be taken for granted any more by cynical ACT and National operators, Parker’s team has been caught completely short without a plan in place.

      What a problem this is 😀
16. Carol 16

    25 October 2011 at 8:02 pm

    So the RWC revelries has resulted in larger than normal cases going through emergency departments in Auckland;

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10761635

    Celebration turned to injury for many rugby fans during the World Cup, with a record number of patients treated at Auckland Hospital during the tournament.

    Between September 9 and October 23 staff at the hospital’s Adult Emergency Department treated 7419 patients – many of them with injuries directly related to rugby nerves and elation, said department clinical director Dr Tim Parke.

    […]
    Alcohol was a factor in many cases and there was a higher volume of injuries typically seen by the department , said Dr Parke.

    These related largely to falls, such as ankle fractures and cuts to the head, and to fights, which often resulted in broken cheeks and damaged eye sockets, he said

    So the hospital department coped OK, but what about ACC? Is this why I have had a delay in getting ACC approval for further physio for my severely injured limb? – Something that the specialists say I need for good rehabilitation of the limb. I’m told there’s an unusual general delay of a week to a week and a half in getting ACC approvals.

    Meanwhile I have been 2 weeks without physio & am left anxious and making up my own exercises, because I have been told I now need to be actively moving the limb in limited ways and regularly.
17. ianmac 17

    25 October 2011 at 10:05 pm

    The ship has broken in half! Watch the news.
    • Colonial Viper 17.1

      25 October 2011 at 10:11 pm

      Frak me…don’t have a TV handy and it is not on the Herald website yet
    • Colonial Viper 17.2

      25 October 2011 at 10:19 pm

      Update please, latest status update?
      • ianmac 17.2.1

        25 October 2011 at 11:07 pm

        Well I can find no update anywhere. Sorry Colonial. Will wait and see????
    • ianmac 17.3

      25 October 2011 at 10:58 pm

      The “Breaking news” about 9:30 on TV 1 at the bottom of the screen said Rena had broken in two, but I have found nothing since ????
      • Kty 17.3.1

        25 October 2011 at 11:27 pm

        On tv3s f/b page says reports were in error, Maratime n.z. and Coast Guard both say she’s still intact but will notify if any thing occurs. hope this clearifies situation.
        • Colonial Viper 17.3.1.1

          25 October 2011 at 11:29 pm

          thx Kty. Reminds me of BBC reports that WTC 7 had come crashing down. Before it actually had.
      • Colonial Viper 17.3.2

        25 October 2011 at 11:28 pm

        Yeah i have been unable to find anything either?

        Its either the most random mistake (which I would be suspicious of any way), or someone is desperate to get the PR spin fine tuned before the news breaks for real.

        You sure you had your glasses on? 😛
18. logie97 18

    25 October 2011 at 10:24 pm

    Oh Dear, the Nats won’t like this sort of column either

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/what-s-he-said/5847475/Our-embarrassing-uncle

    or this

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/what-s-he-said/5768888/Wheres-the-master-of-disaster
19. Brett Dale 19

    25 October 2011 at 10:44 pm

    too cool for words.

    http://gma.yahoo.com/video/househome-26594254/calif-halloween-house-s-party-rock-anthem-27049229.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fhousehome-26594254%252Fcalif-halloween-house-s-party-rock-anthem-27049229.html
    • felix 19.1

      26 October 2011 at 12:46 am

      That’s awesome! You might like this one too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAQS0LQy05A
20. Dave Kennedy 20

    25 October 2011 at 11:15 pm

    The Government has opened the country’s financial books but we also need to know what is contained in the TPP agreement if we are to truly judge their stewardship of our national interests.
    http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/10/national-government-hides-tpp-terms.html
21. thejackal 21

    27 October 2011 at 12:42 pm

    Key meets Ashcroft

    Last night Patrick Gower informed us on the six O’clock News that John Key had met with disgraced Conservative “Lord” Michael Ashcroft…

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