Open mike 26/07/2011

24 comments on “Open mike 26/07/2011 ”

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1. travellerev 1

   26 July 2011 at 7:19 am

   For those of you who want to know who set’s the agenda this is an analysis made by a worried investment banker.
2. joe90 2

   26 July 2011 at 8:53 am

   Daily Kos: Glenn Beck compares Norwegian Labour Party campers to ‘Hitler youth’
   • Tigger 2.1

     26 July 2011 at 9:46 am

     Just…ew. So they deserved it, huh Glenn? Oh come on righties, some of you are thinking that. A bunch of lefties gathered together, they were practically begging for it…
3. Lanthanide 3

   26 July 2011 at 9:57 am

   “The Republican plan may not be enough to avert a downgrade by ratings agency S&P, which has indicated it wants to see a US$4 trillion deficit reduction plan over 10 years. The risk of a lower US credit rating has become the markets’ main worry.”

   That should be enough right there – if we follow the stupid Republican plan, our credit rating will be downgraded, interest costs will skyrocket and we’ll be in the same quandary within 6 months, but far far worse. Just do it properly the first time.
4. joe90 4

   26 July 2011 at 11:03 am

   While the nation froths over Israeli backpackers America Inc may or may not be watching.

   A federal judge has issued an opinion in EPIC v. NSA, and accepted the NSA’s claim that it can “neither confirm nor deny” that it had entered into a relationship with Google following the China hacking incident in January 2010.
5. Lanthanide 5

   26 July 2011 at 11:12 am

   Anyone seen any Faux News style “global warming” beatup re: the cold weather? I’ve only seen references to “extreme weather” but no one mentioning climate change.

   I guess talk back and letters to editor probably will feature some (as well as opponents pointing out that these sorts of storms might become more common thanks to more water in the air), but has anyone seen anyone with a media history commenting on it?
6. Tigger 6

   26 July 2011 at 11:21 am

   Great, so the Tupperwaka will only be open for 11 days, so not to ‘distract from other events’. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740835

   This government loves judging everything by it’s value for money ruler. So this is value Mr Key?
   • Ianupnorth 6.1

     26 July 2011 at 11:34 am

     Last night, Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples said there were a lot of reasons why the waka would be open for only 11 days, including a decision not to distract from other events around the country and to make a big impact at the end of the six-week tournament.

     Oh great, so it’s everybody elses fault Pita, we should let Auckland take all the glory.
      
     But for once Rortney says something sensible!

     The waka has been criticised as a waste of money. Act MP Rodney Hide said to “give away $1.9 million to have a waka that the people of New Zealand won’t even own is appalling”.
   • freedom 6.2

     26 July 2011 at 1:05 pm

     I would be interested in seeing the reservations list for this venue. When first announced they were very clear that it is a corporate function site and had been designed primarily to accommodate banquets and corporate social gatherings during the world cup. There is a small stage and a tremporary gallery system which appeared to consist of some freestanding boards to put some posters up. It was plainly stated these are removable to make way for the tables and chairs that would occupy the bulk of the space during the private social events.

     All these events will be producing a lot of revenue. How much revenue will this produce is the question, and for whom? What are the actual hours the public will have access? In what way is this not just a gimmicky venue to host the self-aggrandizing VIP brigade that will be swilling themselves stupid throughout the debacle that is the 2011 RWC.
7. logie97 7

   26 July 2011 at 12:35 pm

   What is the history of the insurance industry?

   Just listened to Kathryn Ryan and an Insurance industry spokesperson, and was struck with the thought that someone should be examining if there is a place for insurance companies in matters of “life” at all. We know that the industry is angling for ACC to become their domain.

   One could probably make a case for property insurance, but why life and accident. The industry appear to want to litigate their way out of any liability and protect their dividends. What would be wrong with all matters “life insurance” being funded through taxation?
   • Colonial Viper 7.1

     26 July 2011 at 1:23 pm

     What would be wrong with all matters “life insurance” being funded through taxation?

     Bring back state owned insurance.

     We’ve already seen how the private sector will fail us when push comes to shove. Easy dollars = ACC they want. High risks of events and payouts = Christchurch, they don’t want.
   • Ianupnorth 7.2

     26 July 2011 at 2:39 pm

     Separate insurance contracts (i.e., insurance policies not bundled with loans or other kinds of contracts) were invented in Genoa in the 14th century, as were insurance pools backed by pledges of landed estates. The first known insurance contract dates from Genoa in 1347, and in the next century maritime insurance developed widely and premiums were intuitively varied with risks.[4] These new insurance contracts allowed insurance to be separated from investment, a separation of roles that first proved useful in marine insurance. The first printed book on insurance was the legal treatise On Insurance and Merchants’ Bets by Pedro de Santarém (Santerna), written in 1488 and published in 1552.[5]
     Insurance became far more sophisticated in post-RenaissanceEurope, and specialized varieties developed. The will of Robert Hayman, written in 1628, refers to two policies he has taken out with a wealthy Londoner: one of life insurance and one of marine insurance.[6] Toward the end of the 17th century, London’s growing importance as a centre for trade increased demand for marine insurance. In the late 1680s, Mr. Edward Lloyd opened a coffee house that became a popular haunt of ship owners, merchants, and ships’ captains, and thereby a reliable source of the latest shipping news. It became the meeting place for parties wishing to insure cargoes and ships, and those willing to underwrite such ventures. Today, Lloyd’s of London remains the leading market (note that it is not an insurance company) for marine and other specialist types of insurance, but it works rather differently than the more familiar kinds of insurance.

     (from Wikipedia)
     • logie97 7.2.1

       26 July 2011 at 9:43 pm

       Thanks for that Ian. Seems to reinforce property insurance where capital risks need hedging, but cannot see justification for life insurance being profit driven…
8. jackal 8

   26 July 2011 at 12:58 pm

   Cactus Kate on the CGT

   Last week right wing elitist Cathy Odgers blogged under her pseudonym Catcus Kate about Labour’s CGT policy. Obviously she’s not in favour of the proposal, and has regurgitated one of her old posts again to try and mount an argument. She does more to highlight Prebble’s hypocrisy than anything else. In fact the only argument she manages to extrude from her bigoted little mind is inconclusive and ultimately incorrect…
   • Ianupnorth 8.1

     26 July 2011 at 2:58 pm

     The sad, deluded Kate, who refuses to engage in any dialogue regarding where she gathered her belief system could really do with looking here (as could others from the right)
     http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/tax_tot_tax_as_of_gdp-taxation-total-as-of-gdp
     (NZ is 14th out of 18 in terms of tax taken as a percentage of GDP)
     and this one
     http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/tax_com_of_tax_per_inc_tax-taxation-components-personal-income-tax
     We pay substantially more as personal income tax than other countries – why? because we don’t have a CGT and we don’t taxes businesses enough! And also we pay above average in sales taxes
     http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/tax_com_of_tax_goo_and_ser_tax-taxation-components-goods-service-tax
      
9. freedom 9

   26 July 2011 at 3:03 pm

   for those with memories longer than last week, we have Sesqui 2.0
   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10740834

   You do not suddenly realise that you need a hundred portaloos on a suburban street a few weeks out from an event five years in the planning

   This is a perfect example of the insidious dishonesty that is the modern free market. Why follow reasonable public disclosure for planning of an event when you can ram it through and anyone who complains can be scapegoated into silence.

   Naturally if the advance notification had occurred there was a high risk of complaints from the residents. I am sure the companies involved duly decided that residents are not at all concerned with the potential hassle, mess, disruption, violence and damage to porpoerty that is inevitable in this scenario.
   • Draco T Bastard 9.1

     26 July 2011 at 4:11 pm

     This RWC is shaping up to be a right shambles. It’s going to turn NZ into a laughing stock. Portaloos next to a multi-million dollar sports stadium so that so that it can handle the attendees? FFS

     Truly feel for the poor sods around Eden Park and am thoroughly glad I don’t live anywhere around there any more.
     • Ianupnorth 9.1.1

       26 July 2011 at 4:19 pm

       Whilst watching the coverage of ChCh and the snow on the news I had an incredible urge to paint one of those as a Tardis!
     • Lanthanide 9.1.2

       26 July 2011 at 5:28 pm

       My bf is also expecting the RWC to be a shambles. He thinks it will ultimately hurt our tourism market more than it helps it. These people coming to NZ are coming here for the rugby. If they were particularly interested in coming to NZ, they probably would have come here by now anyway. Given that, it really seems like there is much more of a potential downside from a badly run tournament, than there is an upside from a well-run tournament.
10. vto 10

    26 July 2011 at 3:06 pm

    Unexpected Earthquake Observation #55:

    Disruption from other disruptive things like snow and ice becomes a doddle.
11. jackal 11

    26 July 2011 at 10:21 pm

    Although I don’t really want to drive traffic in that direction, over at Trueblue there’s a poll on who is the most credible, Nick Smith or Ken Ring? The results are nearly 85% in favour of Ken Ring… on a RWNJ blog site no less. Ha ha ha!
    • logie97 11.1

      26 July 2011 at 10:39 pm

      …have you seen KR’s predictions for the last two weeks regarding weather? Fair weather basically. Perhaps someone with his almanack could paste the page on here. Had a flick through at the Warehouse where it was in the bargain bin selling for 1 dollar more than the 2010 book. Still too expensive though. Apparently we were also supposed to have the wettest June on record.
12. Jim 12

    27 July 2011 at 4:22 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5342791/IRD-chasing-Matt-McCarten-company
13. Peter Wheeler 13

    31 July 2011 at 4:24 pm

    MMP and STV.

    “Greater Wellington Regional Council has decided to move to STV from 2013. Good. STV is a much fairer voting system than the bloc-vote usually used in local body elections (which is in effect a “winner take all” for a narrow plurality). Meanwhile, I’m just hoping Palmerston North City Council, which is considering a similar move, will make the right decision and adopt a fair voting system”. [Quote ends]
    This is a victory for common-sense and one that I believe should happen here in Palmerston North. Democracy is not a static concept but is a living and changing activity. While some will attempt to restrain progressive changes to the accepted process of course democracy has its faults and some will seek to use those faults for their own purposes.
    For years in NZ the system of first past the post was used to favour rural electorates who had fewer voters than city or urban electorates. In fact only once or twice has a party received over fifty percent of the total votes cast. The highest was the Labour Party’s victory back in the thirties when it gathered 54%.
    As Grayling points out, “Democracy is only respectable when it can be made to work effectively and, even more importantly, fairly”. The goals are stable government, accommodating minorities and individuals, plus including majority interests.

    A balance of MMP for national elections [which fairly represents parties] and STV for local government [which fairly represents individuals] seems to me like a sound balance.
    While NZ slowly moves toward this balance other countries seem to be disenfranchising voters, for example the US which likes to see itself as the home of democracy but is slowly but surely removing the right to vote especially for the black and poorer citizens. The last term of Brush was clearly brought about by the disenfranchising of hundreds of thousands of black voters in key states.
    Of course a condition of genuine and effective democracy is an informed electorate and some major political parties and key individuals don’t actually want this to happen and that is a major concern. What they concentrate on is ‘Why not to change’ rather than the greater good. To them democracy takes second place to retaining power for they concentrate on the negative rather than the positive. Thousands of people have died advancing democracy and they deserve better from us for whom they died.

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