Open mike 28/05/2012

98 comments on “Open mike 28/05/2012 ”

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1. Pete George 1

   28 May 2012 at 6:39 am

   Consider careers alongside caring for “the groaning needs of the world” – Professor Bradstock’s graduation address.

   Even more than thinking about your career, give some thought to your calling or vocation.

   What you want to achieve beyond a successful career. What you can do, not just for yourself, but for the greater good.

   As many people will have told you, you have enormous potential as a graduate of this university. But be your own person. Don’t accept what other people tell you is possible or ‘realistic’. Use what you have learned here to serve, of course yourself, but also a higher purpose – what one commentator calls the ‘groaning needs of the world’.

   As we face the very real and impending threat of global warming and rising sea levels, think about how you can most effectively be an agent for positive change.

   As we see violence and aggression met on every occasion with more violence and aggression, think how you might promote an attitude of peace.

   As we reflect that thousands of children still die every day from preventable diseases, and lack of food and water, think how you can leave the world a better place than you found it.

   For the first time in history we have the knowledge, technology and resources to bring the worst of global poverty virtually to an end. What we don’t have is the political will to do so.

   We have the capability, as a global community, to reduce our carbon emissions and slow the rate of global warming. What we don’t have is the political will to do so.

   As you face the future you have a choice between cynicism and hope. A choice between believing nothing can change, and being committed to make it change. And by ‘hope’ I do not mean a vague feeling that maybe things will one day get better.

   The whole address is at Careers plus care for “the groaning needs of the world”.

   (For those fussy about linking I asked for a source for this online and was sent the text for wider publication).
2. vto 2

   28 May 2012 at 8:02 am

   Well we have just gone through a period of more quakes here in Chch. Lots of 3’s and a 5.2 a few days ago.

   This is the period that Ken Ring said would be at risk of increased activity due to the gravitational effect of the moon etc. May was going to be the next busy period and so it has been.

   Maybe he is onto something…
   • Carol 2.1

     28 May 2012 at 8:07 am

     Sorry to hear that people in Christchurch are suffering through another batch of quakes.
   • Pete George 2.2

     28 May 2012 at 8:18 am

     vto – the ‘super-moon” period was nothing out of the ordinary earthquake-wise, not a ringing endorsementn of moon-man’s predictive capabilities.
   • Lanthanide 2.3

     28 May 2012 at 8:30 am

     Given that the moon is currently a ‘waxing crescent’ or 39% of full, I’m intrigued as to how come sometimes it’s when the moon is full that we have more quakes, and other times it doesn’t matter? Surely there should be something consistent that he is ‘predicting’ from.
     • vto 2.3.1

       28 May 2012 at 8:52 am

       To be honest I haven’t followed the detail but it is to do with how close the moon gets to earth not so much full or not. I am not a ‘convert’ but the basic premise that increased gravity will place increased pressure on the earth (as it does with tides) seems entirely sound. And anecdotely it seems to be lining up. I just find it interesting.
     • Uturn 2.3.2

       28 May 2012 at 9:01 am

       From memory it has to do with how close the moon is to the earth (apogee or perigee or somewhere between giving potential strengths of influence); or if it is close, but directly on the other side of the earth; whether it is heading towards northern or southern declination; and if these paths cross or follow a fault line for increased potential. Much the same as predicting the weather by lunar influences, but also several degrees removed, while appearing to be simply linear calculations, which makes it difficult at best.

       For example, it’s easy to see in hindsight a certain moon phase, air tide or distance from earth results in increased activity (weather or geological phenomenon) on earth, but locating the single trigger that gaurantees “a big earthquake right on spot X” is an extrapolation too far.

       It’s like pointing out a social problem, forgetting to ask if the problem is symptom, but charging ahead anyway; measuring the problem with the wrong measures; compiling the raw data into statistics; changing policy to meet the “problem”; only to find reality has changed and policy fails. Dynamic systems that are easy to trace and control wouldn’t be called dynamic.

       Social issues don’t happen in a vaccum and neither do earthquakes. Proving the moon controls the weather might a be a favourite measuring device, but that doesn’t prove they dictate earthquakes and an attempt to make the measuring tool fit the problem is pretty much the bane of modern life and politics.
       • ianmac 2.3.2.1

         28 May 2012 at 9:52 am

         The fullness of the moon is irrelevant. It is only full or not depending on the relationship of the sun shining on the moon and the place of the viewer. The Moon is still a full sphere regardless of the sun. The bits that change are the distances between Earth and Moon as Uturn says, plus Solar and planetary effects.

         The bit that has always been interesting to me is that as the Moon causes marine tides, it also causes Earth Crust tides.

         Earth tides or terrestrial tides affect the entire Earth’s mass, which acts similarly to a liquid gyroscope with a very thin crust. The Earth’s crust shifts (in/out, east/west, north/south) in response to lunar and solar gravitation, ocean tides, and atmospheric loading. While negligible for most human activities, terrestrial tides’ semi-diurnal amplitude can reach about 55 centimetres (22 in) at the equator—15 centimetres (5.9 in) due to the sun—which is important in GPS calibration and VLBI measurements.

         -Wikipedia.
         • KJT 2.3.2.1.1

           28 May 2012 at 12:18 pm

           Err. Not true.

           The fullness of the moon is relevant.

           Tidal forces on the earth are at their strongest during full and new moon. When the Sun and moon are in opposition or conjunction their tidal pull is combined. Hence “Spring tides”.

           During a half moon the tidal pull is almost at right angles and the effect on the earth is less.

           It is acknowledged by quake scientists that tidal forces can have an effect on earthquakes, but it is thought to be slight compared with the other forces involved.

           We would expect a slightly greater chance of earthquakes when the moon is closer. However as a predictive tool it falls down. The super moon was several weeks ago.
       • Sam Hall 2.3.2.2

         28 May 2012 at 11:57 am

         Beautiful piece. Science philosopher? Gave us a warm fuzzy feeling.

         Criticisms.? Welcome.
3. Dv 3

   28 May 2012 at 8:04 am

   Ken Ring and Pete the first two posts

   Yeech.

   Oh well a Standard free day.
4. Janice 4

   28 May 2012 at 8:16 am

   I have no issue with same sex partners caring for children who are not their birth children, but I was appalled to hear a gay woman speaking on Nat Radio who wants the right to adopt her partner’s two birth children. Doesn’t she realise that under the 1955 Adoption Act her partner would lose all legal rights to the children? Surely using the Guardianship Law under these circumstances would be a better solution, and the children would not become legally separated from their birth mother. Using the Adoption of children to score a “gay” point is despicable. It is well overdue for the Adoption Act 1955 to be totally repealed and the Guardianship Act used for the care of children. The Adoption Act 1955 turns children into chattels and creates ownership for the adopter. Whether in a civil union, partnership or marriage the birth parent is no longer legally considered the parent of the children and in a possible subsequent custody issue would have no legal standing.
   • Lanthanide 4.1

     28 May 2012 at 8:31 am

     Janice, the point is that under the existing Adoption Act 1955 she can’t adopt them.

     She wants the act changed so that she can. One would presume at the same time that if she were to adopt them in her situation, the biological mother would not lose all her rights, because obviously the legislation would have been changed.

     Engage brain before typing next time, maybe?
     • Janice 4.1.1

       28 May 2012 at 8:48 am

       My brain was engaged, have you read the Adoption Act 1955? You presume that the act would be changed at the same time as same sex adoption was enacted, do you trust politicians that much? As someone who has made many written and oral submissions since Muldoon was blocking the Adult Adoption Act I know that this is something that the polies don’t want to touch. Adoption as it now stands creates a legal ownership of children and is a cruel practice both for the children and thier birth parents. The only way is to repeal the act and replace it with an amended Guardianship Act.
       • mickysavage 4.1.1.1

         28 May 2012 at 9:48 am

         I agree Janice.  The Adoption Act should be repealed.
         • Pete George 4.1.1.1.1

           28 May 2012 at 9:55 am

           Kevin Hague and Nikki Kaye are working together on a bill that addresses this. Jacinda Adern has a separate bill – maybe they should combine their efforts.

           Young Nats got a remit passed at the northern conference, and Key sounds sympathetic to it.

           If all this and more can come together it could be dealt with. Positive politics and gay adoption.
       • Lanthanide 4.1.1.2

         28 May 2012 at 12:21 pm

         So you’re assuming when she said “adopt” she meant the legislative 1955 “adoption” term and not the colloquial “adoption” term. I don’t really think that’s a sensible assumption to make without further evidence that yes, she did actually want to own the child like a chattel and take away the rights from the birth mother.

         It’s fine for you to raise this distinction, but to effectively accuse this woman of being a monster (you are “appalled” and think she is “despicable”), to further your own stance on the issue, is pretty rude.
         • Janice 4.1.1.2.1

           28 May 2012 at 1:49 pm

           I am sorry if I offended anyone. I was appalled and found it despicable that nobody had told her the outcome of legal adoption in New Zealand. There is no alternative to legal adoption under law in this country other than the 1955 act. In the circumstances guardianship is the much better alternative and should be promoted. If this partnership broke up after adoption, the adopter would have custody of the children and the birthmother would have no rights in any dispute as she has been wiped off the children’s birth certificate and a new one issued. Many people think that open adoption is the solultion, but it is not a legislated practice and adopters can and do cut off all contact regardless of any contract drawn up before the adoption, becasue the baby who the contract was about no longer exists in law.
           • Lanthanide 4.1.1.2.1.1

             28 May 2012 at 4:33 pm

             It’s quite possible that she was simply ignorant of all of the specific details, because adoption isn’t an option for her (not being ‘married’) and therefore isn’t aware of all the legal ins and outs of it.

             Or, she is entirely aware of all of this and did mean exactly what she said and does want a 1955 legal adoption of the children. We can’t really know for sure, but I think in the absence of any further evidence it’s fairer to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume she was talking colloquially or in ignorance.
         • Vicky32 4.1.1.2.2

           28 May 2012 at 5:41 pm

           It’s fine for you to raise this distinction, but to effectively accuse this woman of being a monster (you are “appalled” and think she is “despicable”), to further your own stance on the issue, is pretty rude.

           IMO, it’s very rude of you to accuse Janice of being rude! You don’t know her circumstances and adoption is a very emotional subject and always will be. Those of us who have lost children that way, never recover from it, no matter what the middle class kiddies (who are 90% of adopting ‘parents’ would like to believe). Adoption is always wrong, unless it’s inter-family adoption of genuine orphans, otherwise it amounts to the well-off ‘buying’ a child on the pretence that the child they’re taking is ‘unwanted’.
   • Sam Hall 4.2

     28 May 2012 at 11:59 am

     We were adopted, then the better parent died. Very sad outcomes relatively.
   • Vicky32 4.3

     28 May 2012 at 5:37 pm

     but I was appalled to hear a gay woman speaking on Nat Radio who wants the right to adopt her partner’s two birth children. Doesn’t she realise that under the 1955 Adoption Act her partner would lose all legal rights to the children?

     Thoroughly agreed, Janice! It’s the ownership aspect that upsets my son the most (his brother was adopted away from our family when I was 18, not through my choice, I assure you!)
5. Carol 5

   28 May 2012 at 8:19 am

   So Mr Conservative Party craig has been trying to buy himself some political ifluence, via a seat in parliament (as campaigned for in last year’s election). In so doing, he used a lot of his own money and some creative accounting.

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10808910

   Conservative Party leader Colin Craig loaned $1.9 million to his party for its election expenses, but this month wrote off $1.6 million of that loan as a donation.
   […]
   Labour MP David Parker said if Mr Craig himself had loaned the money in election year, it was odd to subsequently transform it into a donation after the election return period ended.

   “If it’s permissible as law to have a loan instead of a donation, which after the election period you can then forgive and treat as a donation, it just shows again how completely inadequate our rules are on transparency on donation in New Zealand.”

   Funding rules for elections need a big overhaul. it should never be about the wealthy being able to buy elections, even while the less well-off are increasingly giving up on our so-called “democracy.”
   • David C 5.1

     28 May 2012 at 12:46 pm

     Carol, pretty clear that Craig underwrote the costs and waited till the total bill was known (less income) and wrote off the rest.

     It is not as tho he was selling citizenship for donations or anything was it 🙂
6. muzza 6

   28 May 2012 at 8:31 am

   It made sense to consider adoption and surrogacy together, as they reflected the more modern arrangements New Zealanders were choosing to structure their families.

   — Yes aren’t we just the “modern” society, wow adressing these sorts of issues really gets to the heart of where NZ is going wrong. /sarc

   Yet more smoke and mirrors for gullible people
7. muzza 7

   28 May 2012 at 8:38 am

   Other measures already signed off include doubling prison penalties for dangerous drivers who cause death, and introducing alcohol-detecting car-ignition locks and a zero alcohol limit for repeat drink-drivers.

   — I wonder how long it will take, until we are no longer allowed to drive a car for ourselves!

   1: What consitutes dangerous driving, anyone got the official word?
   2: What other gadgets will be forced into cars.. always start it off with something for “yours and others” safety, then progress into any other in car device you might want to use to “control safety”

   Must be smoke and mirrors day at the NZH, actually scrub, thats everyday. There is never any serious news happening so far as reporting in NZ goes!

   This issue is BS!
   • Carol 7.1

     28 May 2012 at 8:47 am

     They do have a minority of significant news articles, but you have to hunt for them beneath/beyond the tabloidish headlines and spin on the main pages.

     Meanwhile both Stuff and NZH focus on aged care, as does Nine-to-Noon. Surely the exploitation of women workers (usually from immigrant or marginalised ethnic groups) in the sector is scandalous.

     The government says they have other priorities.

     I think the whole care of the aged issues needs a major re-think. Elderly people in their final decline are shut away in below standard facilities. How about a solution that involves valuing the elderly and keeping them more within the mainstream community?
     • True Freedom is Self-Governance 7.1.1

       28 May 2012 at 9:42 am

       The thought of ending up in a cheap resthome is motivation for many people I know to ‘get ahead’ so they can look after themselves in their old age. These are the same people who believe that a little suffering now for the masses will benefit the masses in future. I dont think many realise how much their ‘fantasy’ retirement is going to cost them, or that fewer and fewer people are actually living the dream (thanks to more competition plus greedy investment bankers losing other people’s savings). I guess it’s comforting for them to believe they may be one of the chosen ones that ‘make it’, rather than be seen as pessimistic.

       It is a shame that a person’s contribution to society is measured purely by how much money they put in the kitty. It’s pretty well documented that outcomes are more positive for elderly who are able to remain in a familiar environment, or at least with familiar people around them. The recent ruling regarding carers of disabled family members gives me a shred of hope that looking after one’s aging family member will be viewed with the same importance in the future.
       • prism 7.1.1.1

         28 May 2012 at 12:41 pm

         There is regular promotion for the idea that a couple should be able to retire and live at the same level as when they were working. For people comfortably off, the pension plus their own investments allow them to hold onto their million dollar houses and have holidays and spend on up to date vehicles and household machinery. The idea of limiting cash to those with plenty through surtax is far too unpleasant to contemplate, let the poor scrape by as best they can.
   • Rosie 7.2

     28 May 2012 at 9:16 am

     Hey Muzza. I get what you’re saying about this being an insignificant issue in light of big news and I hear you questioning the validity of measures to decrease damage from dangerous drivers. Indeed measuring “dangerous driving” has its challenges. However please be aware that NZ has many victims of drunk drivers. I have been one of them as a passenger, 23 years ago and the effects of my injuries from my “accident” are still with me today, affecting many aspects of my life. The drunk driver got away with it. I also had a friend who lost her just about to be son in law to a drunk driver who had 44, yes 44, drink driving convictions. The grief for that family was unbearable. Last year my nephew ended up taking a year to rehabilitate after he was a victim of another drink driver. I have many other examples but would run out of room here.
     Even though I’ve been a victim of drunk drivers as well as other serious crimes I’m not into an SST type “lock em up and throw away the key” mentality. But I do support efforts to control drink drivers and other dangerous drivers, and believe me there are many sober dangerous drivers on the road too. I’ve had years of working on the road and have been witness to and continue to witness insane driving behaviour just about every time I drive.
     • muzza 7.2.1

       28 May 2012 at 9:56 am

       Hi Rosie,

       I probably should have been a little more detailed with why I think that particular article was referred to as BS…

       Let me say that I think much heavier punishments for drink driving injuries/deaths is the way to go, I am in agreement with this 100%. Drink driving has very clear and understood parameters, and measures for what “drunk” is.

       Its when I hear the term dangerous driving, and then not able to get clear consenus on what that is, or that “the authorities” get to decide, because frankly this could see alot of people in prison when they potentially should not be, and this is where problems can really start.

       Drunk driving and dangerous driving, should not be classified under the same heading IMO…

       Ill also add that given our increased population, and road journeys vs road toll, where is the mention of how we have improved its been a dramatic lowering…Its only ever a drive to have a lower road toll, which at is at a certain juncture, no longer possible using the current methods. This is where I don’t like the look of where it could be heading….As I said, how long until humans are not allowed to drive their own cars anymore!

       I am also against legislating against people because of the lowest possible denominator in society, but I am in facour of making existing pentalies severe, in the case of drink driving, not only causing death or injury, but in general for being DIC.

       There are many times the equivilant deaths of our road toll being killed by all manor of other factors, which are not being addressed, and then there is the poverty issue involving hundreds of thousands….yet we focus on a few hundred on the road…

       Thats my major issue…wrong focus, too hard basket, pick the easier option of road related!
       • risildo 7.2.1.1

         28 May 2012 at 10:58 am

         There should have zero tolerance for driving after drinking any alcohol.
         I mean zero/none at all alcohol in the persons system.
         This way a drastic reduction in accidents which cause pain to the family

         E molto difficile imbattersi in inglese dopo aver vissuto in Italia per 25 anni

         I finding it hard to make my English clear to understand what I mean 🙂
         • Sam Hall 7.2.1.1.1

           28 May 2012 at 12:19 pm

           We Agree
         • Vicky32 7.2.1.1.2

           28 May 2012 at 5:48 pm

           There should have zero tolerance for driving after drinking any alcohol.
           I mean zero/none at all alcohol in the persons system.

           Sono assolutamente d’accordo con te! (Anche, il tuo inglese e’ molto chiaro, quindi, non preoccuparti! 🙂 )
           I agree, 100%…
       • prism 7.2.1.2

         28 May 2012 at 12:48 pm

         muzza
         What has stunned me about drunk driving sentences is to hear that they aren’t MADE to go to courses on good driving, taken through defensive driving practices, have to attend programs helping them to find their own ways to limit their drinking, and if they continue to offend after all this, have their car sold and get put into jail for ten years at least because they are a danger to society, and in reoffending again show a big likelihood to be potential murderers.
       • John72 7.2.1.3

         28 May 2012 at 1:15 pm

         Everyone seems to agree that ” driving under the influnce” is a very real problem.
         There is a solution. Alcoholics Anonymous has been solving the problem for a long time now with a personal, mentor style approach. BUT first, the person having trouble with alcohol has to acknowledge that they have a problem. This is a turning point that each individual has to face. We can not do it for them. Putting them in prison makes so many feel persecuted. What they need is some form of mentor to take a personal interest in them. There are various charities trying to help those in prison but you can only offer. You can not force yourself upon them.
         You can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink.
         • risildo 7.2.1.3.1

           28 May 2012 at 1:26 pm

           What about using that drug injection to prevent them from drinking if they insist on driving after alcohol consumption

           A bit harsh but as I lost my sister to a drunk driver 28 yrs ago I feel i maybe biased?
           • Rosie 7.2.1.3.1.1

             28 May 2012 at 1:47 pm

             So very sorry for the loss of your sister’s life Risildo. Of course your feelings about drunk drivers will be strong, that is only normal.
       • Draco T Bastard 7.2.1.4

         28 May 2012 at 4:13 pm

         As I said, how long until humans are not allowed to drive their own cars anymore!

         Why should people be allowed their own cars considering that such transport is the most inefficient available and that we can no longer afford them?
         • muzza 7.2.1.4.1

           28 May 2012 at 7:28 pm

           Its a fair question B…

           What do you propose?
           • Draco T Bastard 7.2.1.4.1.1

             28 May 2012 at 7:31 pm

             Public transport, walking and bicycles.
             • prism …

               28 May 2012 at 9:03 pm

               Those kids on scooters seem to get along pretty fast – perhaps we adults can adapt these for personal transport.
               • rosy …

                 28 May 2012 at 9:23 pm

                 You’re right Prism, and scooters are a perfectly acceptable mode of transport for adults in Vienna. They call them ‘rollers’ and ride them on footpaths or bike lanes depending on speed. As with cycling, over here it’s not about sport and how fast you can go, it’s simply getting from A to B with ease.
                 • prism …

                   28 May 2012 at 9:33 pm

                   rosy – Thanks for that – hadn’t actually heard about their use.
8. yeshe 8

   28 May 2012 at 10:38 am

   A day or so ago someone posted part the recorded dialogue of Tame Iti and his buddies discussing/joking about Bush as a target using a bus catapaulted towards his head .. can’t find it anywhere now .. any help to find it please ?? many thx.
   • Campbell Larsen 8.1

     28 May 2012 at 11:08 am

     Adele posted this:

     http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-24052012/#comment-475926

     If that’s not what you are looking for try using the search with combos like iti+bus+George bush
     • yeshe 8.1.1

       28 May 2012 at 11:37 am

       that’s the one – thx Campbell ! oh, what John Clarke might have done with it all ….
9. Rosie 9

   28 May 2012 at 10:39 am

   Hey Muzza, thanks for clarifying.
   Firstly I do get what you are saying about the NZH and what they choose to or choose not to report, and how such an article deflects from other also serious issues. EG I wonder how many people die prematurely each year in NZ as a direct result of poverty and would we ever see an article about that? Probably not because people living in poverty are kept hidden and it maybe unpleasant for the media to acknowledge such a shameful reality. Like Carol said above sometimes there is important issues published such as yesterdays very thorough article on stuff.co.nz about the exploitation of elder care workers, the appalling state of our care and respect, or lack of it towards our elders and the view of elders being a cash cow for some businesses. Stuff seem to save their decent journalism for a Sunday. Every other day is some sensationalist BS in which they will open up a comments section for the right wing retards to have a little moan. If we relied on fairfax for unbiased news we’d never learn a thing. There is good journalism available to us. scoop.co.nz is reliable for NZ and international news with a focus on political events. Have you visited http://www.democracynow.org? Some interesting reporting there too.

   Secondly dangerous drivers being jailed. I’d eat my hat if I ever saw that happen. Try reporting dangerous drivers and see how seriously the cops take you. Dangerous driving isn’t even on our radar as an issue. No ones going to take away anyones keys in a private car mad country like NZ. Lol, the AA are very effective at lobbying for drivers, er “rights”. I’m an AA member but man have they got their priorities wrong about public transport. Honestly humans will be allowed to drive their cars as long as we have enough oil to run. Nothing to worry about there.
   • muzza 9.1

     28 May 2012 at 12:10 pm

     Rosie, I tend to pick on the NZH and other MSM outlets, as this is where the perceptions are formed for those who feel that they need a “current affairs fix”, and then want to feel like they are on top of the issues as a result.

     Plenty of other options to research, but keeping an eye on the MSM is important, for the reason I mention above, as it helps to understand where they are trying to deflect towards.

     Dangerous driving takes many forms, actually if there were proper standards for measuring the ability of people to drive, there would be few people on the roads. Driving is a 360 degree exercise requiring multiple abilities operating effectively at the same time, most people simply do not have these capabilities, and should not be in control of a vehicle!

     Cheers
     • Sam Hall 9.1.1

       28 May 2012 at 12:24 pm

       “Know Your (and societys’) Enemy
     • Rosie 9.1.2

       28 May 2012 at 1:48 pm

       I’m with ya there Muzza – on both counts:-)
     • Draco T Bastard 9.1.3

       28 May 2012 at 4:32 pm

       Driving is a 360 degree exercise requiring multiple abilities operating effectively at the same time, most people simply do not have these capabilities, and should not be in control of a vehicle!

       Well, good job we can now remove drivers from vehicles then. Hell, if I was a bus company I’d be lobbying the government for this technology to become legal ASAP and if I was government I would actually do it. The biggest expense for running buses (and trains for that matter) is the drivers, remove the drivers and they become significantly cheaper to run.
       • Joanne Perkins 9.1.3.1

         28 May 2012 at 7:23 pm

         Sorry Draco,
       • Joanne Perkins 9.1.3.2

         28 May 2012 at 7:26 pm

         As someone who is intimately involved in paying to keep buses on the road for a fair size company, I can assure you Draco, the drivers wages are far from the greatest expense in that exercise.
         • Draco T Bastard 9.1.3.2.1

           28 May 2012 at 9:11 pm

           I read a study that said the opposite. It was about the balancing act between having lots of PT so that people could go where they wanted when they wanted and the costs of that PT. It pointed out that the more time per day on the road you had the more bus drivers would be needed but not necessarily more buses. The bus could be used at both the 6am and the 6pm run but you couldn’t use the same bus driver which made bus drivers the determining factor for how much PT coverage you had.

           Self-drive buses and trains removes that particular resource limit and frees up a lot of people to do more important things (real economics). Of course, under capitalism and the delusional monetary system that we have that latter won’t actually happen – they’ll just end up on the dole and the RWNJs will be whinging about having to pay taxes.
           • Joanne Perkins 9.1.3.2.1.1

             28 May 2012 at 9:55 pm

             I won’t deny what you say re needing 2 or more drivers per bus per day, but the cost is not as high as the costs of maintaining the vehicles in a roadworthy condition. Think about what it costs to buy spare parts for a european car, say a bmw or mercedes, then realise that abbout 90% of buses on NZ roads are european in origin, MAN, Scania, Volvo etc. The cost of spare parts is huge and with vehicles being used for, as you say, long periods of the day, the use of spae parts is equally significant. bus drivers earn about $17-$19 per hour so at the top end gross about $152 per 8 hour shift, enough to cover the cost of a single brake rotor. They never get changed 1 at a time. Just saying. Anway, off to bed have a great night
             • Draco T Bastard …

               28 May 2012 at 10:18 pm

               bus drivers earn about $17-$19 per hour so at the top end gross about $152 per 8 hour shift, enough to cover the cost of a single brake rotor.

               The correct comparison is how much maintenance costs on a per hour basis.

               Think about what it costs to buy spare parts for a european car, say a bmw or mercedes, then realise that abbout 90% of buses on NZ roads are european in origin, MAN, Scania, Volvo etc.

               You can’t compare the prices of luxury private vehicles with very standard commercial vehicles.
10. chris73 10

    28 May 2012 at 10:56 am

    T. Mallard: Winning

    https://twitter.com/TrevorMallard/status/206863207002947586
    • ianmac 10.1

      28 May 2012 at 11:07 am

      Chris73. What was said a few weeks ago about those who serve papers can be very scary heavies?
      • chris73 10.1.1

        28 May 2012 at 11:13 am

        I may be mistaken but I believe this to be known in secret squirrel circles as a “honey trap” but as I say I may be wrong
      • Rob 10.1.2

        28 May 2012 at 12:04 pm

        Poor Trevor,  he must be traumatised after being roughed up by these leather jacket wearing thugs during the serving process. 

        I think he needs to apply a cool flannel to his forehead and have a bit of a lie down.
        • chris73 10.1.2.1

          28 May 2012 at 12:11 pm

          Just out of interest but how does someone become a process server?
          • David C 10.1.2.1.1

            28 May 2012 at 12:35 pm

            Not a great job tho, I mean look at the people you need to serve documents on!

            Ewwwwww!
            • chris73 10.1.2.1.1.1

              28 May 2012 at 12:49 pm

              Probably not a bad part-time job though plus it’d be interesting meeting some so-called upstanding members of the community
              • David C …

                28 May 2012 at 12:59 pm

                My understanding is that the effective servers have a well paid informant network who help with the who/when/where stuff.
                Friends in low places.
        • Te Reo Putake 10.1.2.2

          28 May 2012 at 12:27 pm

          It was Little that used the ‘heavies’ line, not Mallard. Perhaps its time for your lie down, Rob?
          • Rob 10.1.2.2.1

            28 May 2012 at 12:31 pm

            Perhaps you need to learn how to read TRiPe, where have I mentioned ‘heavies’. 
            • Te Reo Putake 10.1.2.2.1.1

              28 May 2012 at 6:12 pm

              “Perhaps you need to learn how to read TRiPe, where have I mentioned ‘heavies’.”
               
              When you referred to thugs, Rob. A heavy is another word for thug. To make it easier for you to understand I even added an emphasiser, putting the word heavy in single quotation marks so that even the dull witted would get the connection. Comprende?
               
               
11. alex 11

    28 May 2012 at 11:27 am

    If anyone bothers to read Stuff, you will notice that they are now publishing lists of the Top 10 most clicked stories of the week. It’s budget week, so politics must be high on the nation’s agenda. Actually, as it turns out, the number of stories about politics is equalled by the number of stories about naked bottoms. http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/stuff-top-10-budget-week-special.html
12. joe90 12

    28 May 2012 at 11:31 am

    SLPC: 30 to watch.
    • Sam Hall 12.1

      28 May 2012 at 12:28 pm

      A Wonder to behold
13. Dv 13

    28 May 2012 at 12:02 pm

    Ryhman made a profit of 84m.
    I recall there are 48,000 people in resthomes

    IF all were in Rman, They will have made a profit of 1750 per client per year.

    All wont be in Ryman so that is a low figure.

    Any one else shed any light on the nos. I did a search but didn’t turn any sensible info.
    • David C 13.1

      28 May 2012 at 12:17 pm

      Ryman dont make much out of care at all, profit comes from resale of units.
      They are very very smart property developers and the scale and placement of operations helps too.
    • joe90 13.2

      28 May 2012 at 12:57 pm

      Ryman dont make much out of care at all

      With 410 hospital / dementia beds at around $4k / bed / month the income stream would most certainly feature in Rymans books.
14. Enough is Enough 14

    28 May 2012 at 12:04 pm

    David Parker has really disspointed me in the past week.

    In a week when he had the chance to show why he should be the next Finance Minister I am left wondering why the greens are not more popular. My vote is just about in their camp now.

    On the Nation he was terrible. When given the chance with an open question to articulate what Labour would have done differently, he came out with a nothing answer “we would be focussing on growth”. What the fuck does that mean and once again what would you be doing.

    He then had the gall to suggest the CGT was Labour’s idea and ignored the fact the greens have had it as central plank for years. In fact everything that Labour proposes which differs from National, is a Green economic policy. They seem to me to either be National lite, or Green Lite. There is no positive difference between them and one of those two parties.

    Shearer has to bury his issues with Cunliffe and put him back in charge of finance. Parker is not up to the job. He had weeks to be ready for Thursday. All he could come up with were meaningless slogans.
    • Lanthanide 14.1

      28 May 2012 at 12:45 pm

      Consider the point in the electoral cycle. I’m not convinced that Cunliffe would have been able to say a lot more in specifics either.

      Labour just came out of a nasty defeat where they had some very specific economic policies and aren’t wanting to lay their policies out widely just yet. I don’t necessarily agree with that approach, but that’s the approach they’re taking, so if Cunliffe were in the hotseat it’s hard to see him being significantly different.

      Meanwhile the Greens don’t seem to have any worry about putting their policies out whenever they have them – they had their Alternative Budget all ready to go and have done similar things in previous years.
    • tc 14.2

      28 May 2012 at 12:51 pm

      +1. Parker has been pathetic from the get go, plenty of lies from NACT, numbers and evidence yet nada from the smarmy candidate for Epsom.

      And if shearer doesn’t replace Parker with someone who can articulate simply, keep the message short and show some passion about where the NACT are driving us and highlight the alternatives then Shearer/Robertson need to go also.

      Man up DS and make the call and make it your call without the duck and other past their use by date advisors. Show you can lead labour back to being a major party and not contuning on to becoming a minor party.

      Their hardcore is drifting away under DS/GR’s tenure, a hardcore that’s critical to election sucess.
15. Sam Hall 15

    28 May 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Main Stream Media and its manipulation of business confidence! Sucking people down the gurgler everyday with a smiling face.Yuck. Whores we say WHORES.

    and….THE VATICAN. THE WHORE OF BABYLON THAT BITCH. oops, caps stuck.
    • risildo 15.1

      28 May 2012 at 1:07 pm

      The Vatican is enormous influence in all the aspects of Italian Peoples lives.
      The Vatican itself is independent state within Italy.
      The Papal doesnt extend now to outside the Vatican but the influence in everyday life significant in modern Italy

      Everyday we were bombarded on TV with the Popes messages and what they Vatican has been up to. They refuse to report everything though of course.

      Memeber of Berlosconi’s PDL party belong to a Roman Catholic sect called Comunione e Liberazione – Communion and Liberation.

      When the Vatican disagrees with any aspect of policies of the government these members of Comunione e Liberazione lend their support to blocking legislation which is goes against the teachings of the Vatican

      There is growing opposition to this nonsense…

      https://www.facebook.com/laicitadellostato
      • Vicky32 15.1.1

        28 May 2012 at 5:57 pm

        There is growing opposition to this nonsense…

        Grazie Risildo, sto leggendo ora, anche se sono Cristiana! 🙂
16. prism 16

    28 May 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Radionz 7.25 a.m this morning
    Jo Goodhew, Associate Health Minister was very nifty – didn’t answer any question but each time came up with some deflecting comment about govt’s efforts. A piece of perfection of the PR trainer’s art.

    The NACTs have up and coming female talent for another Shipton, Richardson type dame, scrooge leader when John Key biggers off. Look out men you’ll have to raise your sights and get them between the eyes. Ooh will I have a police contingent on my doorstep for saying that.
17. Dave Kennedy 17

    28 May 2012 at 1:49 pm

    For National to put their collective fingers in their ears and hum loudly as each damning environmental report is released just doesn’t cut it any more!.
    http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/head-in-sand-over-wwf-report.html
18. aerobubble 18

    28 May 2012 at 2:26 pm

    Any deviations from average normal behavior will mean public electrocution results.
    Slow, mentally or health challenged, and Police will be provoked to public electrocution.
    Ordinarily brain damage in custody, or during arrest, immediately causes a Police investigation.
    Is the justification for all Police assaults to be – well we could of used a gun?
    Police freed up from aggressive arrests have opened up cost savings, but at what social harm?
    Shifting the risks of public policing onto those who come in contact with Police harms the standing of Police.
    If one person shrinks from calling Police due to memories of being tasered, surely in time more will, and police job actually becomes harder in the long term.
    Now that ACC has been removed from those injured when dealing with Police, there is no limit on the remedied consequential harm for all who are less socially adept. Government has over time put mental health
    patients back into the community, hospitals are now finding faster ways to get the ill back home,
    more are running around with pace makers, if citizens aren’t given the opportunity to back off and
    will still get tasers then they are less likely to have positive outlooks of engaging Police.

    The heavier the concrete thrown the harder it is to be accurate, even harder at night, if someone threw a piece on my lawn I might be apt to throw it back having enjoyed too many beers at home, should Police then rock up and aggravate the situation by tasering you on your garage forecourt, leaving you with a head injury? a baton would have been less cruel. What’s worse if you suffer from retardation due to an accident and you haven’t connected that the concrete is your own, that the flashing lights are in fact Police not a raging boy racer? should Police have assumed that if someone was throwing concrete that it was likely they weren’t willing to engage more personally, and so likely were not a threat UNLESS approached and that when they did, the individual backed up!#@ and so was even less likely to be immediately likely to harm others? Did this incident really require the Police to escalate to the use of force?

    Its not good enough that Tasers don’t harm the majority much, since they would not even have been certified for use had this been the case. Tasers however do harm certain groups of the population disproportionately and are discrimatory in my view. Do we really want Police work to become so easy that public electricution becomes a bit of fun for the public, they can get over it?
    Instead of just chatting for a while longer before they arrest them? Which I might add he justly deserved, but not a brain injury
    • prism 18.1

      28 May 2012 at 9:13 pm

      I didn’t know that a claim can’t be made on ACC if injured by police. I would guess that people cannot claim on the police either. Who pays for the poor to get treatment after a run in with the police which leaves them with injury? Even if it was self-defence for the police recovery would need medical help.
19. Tiger Mountain 19

    28 May 2012 at 4:56 pm

    Tasers ‘are a substitute for lethal force’ was the line from bluebelly HQ when they were first introduced. Practice has shown that they are often employed to obtain compliance or punish when cops can’t be bothered negotiating or even drawing a baton.
    • Te Reo Putake 19.1

      28 May 2012 at 5:55 pm

      Or even just when they can’t be arsed running after a suspect.
      • prism 19.1.1

        28 May 2012 at 9:22 pm

        When the groupthink and excitement gets hot, police can’t be trusted to control themselves when using tasers or guns. They mightn’t be able to control underbelly type criminals in Sydney but the biscuit pinchers petty criminality sure brings out the people hating response in them.
20. Carol 20

    28 May 2012 at 5:45 pm

    I recall posting last week, that the NZ Herald’s article about an “average” family who thought the budget was sensible, looked far from average to me.

    Tapu Misa agrees, in another insightful piece from her – this time on aged care workers, how they are underpaid and exploited, and paid less in private care facilities than in government ones.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10808840

    On Campbell Live last week, a tired-looking single mother of two talked about life on the $13.50 minimum wage.

    “Come and live my life,” challenged Kelly Belsher, a minimum-wage cleaner and part-time student. “Not for a week, not for a month. [For] at least six months – no car, no home phone – for the insanity to really set in, the hopelessness, the desperation.”

    I suspect the careworn Kelly wouldn’t have been as relaxed about the zero budget as the “average” Auckland family featured in the Herald a couple of days later.

    They pronounced it “sensible”, which may have had something to do with their household income being above $105,000, making them better off than three-quarters of households. Austerity looks a little different on the minimum wage.
21. OneTrack 21

    28 May 2012 at 6:47 pm

    What do you do when you are an MP, and a lowly paid elderly female process server hands you documents?

    Apparently, the approved action is to find out who the server is ( which is how you know they used a false name – probably just as well for them ) and then post a picture of them on the Internet. I wonder if the party leader will say anything?

    I would be so proud to belong to that party.
    • Te Reo Putake 21.1

      28 May 2012 at 6:55 pm

      Lowly paid? Elderly!? You know her age and fees, do you? And you are wrong to say that Mallard knows her real name, but he does know the name she gave is not real, it was made up to help her get access.
      • OneTrack 21.1.1

        28 May 2012 at 7:14 pm

        My point was he obviously checked up on her name, which is how he knows it was a false name. Who cares what the process server’s name is? Why did he want to know? Scary stuff.

        The other two points, I simply “assumed”, based on what I saw in the photo and what I imagine a process server would get paid. But you are right, maybe she is the CEO of a process serving conglomerate and is one of the 1%.
        • Te Reo Putake 21.1.1.1

          28 May 2012 at 7:20 pm

          It was the elderly that got me going! Mallard checked up on the false name, but whatever. Gotta go … duty calls.
22. Reality Bytes 22

    28 May 2012 at 10:23 pm

    Budget ‘App’ Cost 57k, or $6.90 per download.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10809074

    Good grief. Fucking noobs, what’s wrong with hosting a PDF! It’d costs a fraction of a cent per download even in it’s multi-10s of megabyte bloated glory.

    Not meaning to push pdf or any particular format, just saying $6.9 is very inefficient.

    And the ‘App’ format would only be a trivial little convenience for a few owners of ipads and smartphones that care. Devices on which a pdf or some other mundane format would work on anyway.

    But I guess it’s trendy and trying to look up with the play wins votes I suppose.
    • Draco T Bastard 22.1

      28 May 2012 at 10:36 pm

      And next year when it gets used again the price of the app goes down per user. It also happens to be a lot easier to use than a PDF. In fact, I really do wish people would stop using PDFs – they really suck at being a good information distribution system. Probably because they were designed for printing. Which bring me to the next point:

      Finance Minister Bill English said the development costs would be funded from $100,000 or more in expected savings in Budget printing.

      Which do you think is cheaper, 57k or 100k?

      The only problem I have with it is that they didn’t launch a PC version.
      • McFlock 22.1.1

        29 May 2012 at 1:07 am

        Personally I find PDFs of long documents fine, as long as the tables of contents and figures are hyperlinked. Without hyperlinks it gets ugly, quick.
              
        And one of my IT friend’s pet topics is the diversity of functionality within the pdf format – apparently 90% never gets used, including a lot of interactive stuff like forms and online data submission/retrieval. The things one discovers over beer…

        [edit] … and google: embedding flash in pdf documents
      • felix 22.1.2

        29 May 2012 at 7:35 am

        “And next year when it gets used again the price of the app goes down per user.”

        Heh, except that next year it’ll “need” redesigning…
23. Draco T Bastard 23

    28 May 2012 at 10:39 pm

    Good post up over on The Handmirror:

    You could be forgiven for assuming beneficiaries and the poor are sucking up resources unfairly, completely to blame for our economy stalling and many New Zealanders feeling frightened and even so hungry they eat pig scraps.

    But what happens if we focus on the wealthy?

    Firstly, they are doing pretty well under National, as this handy graphic from the Green Party shows:
    • Draco T Bastard 23.1

      28 May 2012 at 11:09 pm

      Like this one:

      http://www.jackyfleming.co.uk/cartoon.php?gall=&p=48

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