Open mike 28/06/2016

94 comments on “Open mike 28/06/2016 ”

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1. Paul 1

   28 June 2016 at 6:04 am

   Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
   We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.

   It was 4 degrees in Christchurch last night.
   Not very warm to be sleeping in a car.
   Not very warm to be sleeping in a container.
   Not very warm to be sleeping in a garage.
   Not very warm to be sleeping on the street.

   The mainstream media may think the Zac Guilford, Lydia Ko and Mark Todd are all important news items, but they are not.
   The majority of the media is doing everything they can to support Paula Bennett and move homelessness off the headlines.

   “Try walking in my shoes, it’s not actually that easy.”
   This was the challenge TA set to Prime Minister John Key. But really it’s a challenge for us all.
   • I Feel Love 1.1

     28 June 2016 at 6:20 am

     Don’t forget Millie has found love in Greece.
     • Paul 1.1.1

       28 June 2016 at 6:35 am

       This is the Herald’s lead story online…’Manager who stole $730k from Wanaka health centre had stolen before’
       not Brexit
       not homelessness.

       What a joke!
       • tc 1.1.1.1

         28 June 2016 at 6:41 am

         You could write that headline any day and substitute minister for manager and abuse/disregard process for stolen.

         But hey that would be journalism which has no place in granny’s celebrity, fear mongering, distraction agenda.
       • save nz 1.1.1.2

         28 June 2016 at 6:58 am

         @Paul – Granny’s main focus is to warn the business owners and shareholders and the public against workers! Don’t trust them, they steal! Don’t trust anyone for that matter! The world is a scary place that only ‘The bachelor’ and ‘cops 4’ can lighten your day.
       • Greg 1.1.1.3

         28 June 2016 at 8:14 am

         White collar criminals do little to not jail time, and pay back none of the money, as compared to the full conviction rate and claw back of any benefit fraud.
   • tc 1.2

     28 June 2016 at 6:38 am

     Zac Guildford, an overrated sports jock with issues. Did he have his pants on this time ?
     • Paul 1.2.1

       28 June 2016 at 6:44 am

       Used to be one of the Herald’s favourite soap operas.
       Looks like they’re hoping for a sequel.

       Pity they don’t tackle the issue of alcohol in New Zealand seriously and instead do celebrity tittle tattle.
2. Paul 2

   28 June 2016 at 6:51 am

   Should we be worried after Brexit?
   Rachel Stewart thinks so…
   What do you think?

   OBR policy a scary bank secret

   Let’s talk about the Reserve Bank’s open bank resolution policy.

   The what? The open bank resolution (OBR) is an extremely important piece of policy that most New Zealanders have never heard of. Trust me, I have asked around and they haven’t.

   If you have debt, it will likely not concern you in the slightest. If you have savings, then, like me, you will possibly endure sleepless nights.

   It is not entirely hushed up but you do need to go looking to find it.

   First, some context………

   http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/9988749/OBR-policy-a-scary-bank-secret
   • weka 2.1

     28 June 2016 at 8:44 am

     James Shaw has been doing work on this too in the past few weeks. I think the concerns were there even without Brexit but I’m not sure why it’s come up now.
     • weka 2.1.1

       28 June 2016 at 8:55 am

       https://blog.greens.org.nz/2016/06/21/national-leaves-kiwi-savers-the-most-vulnerable-in-oecd/
       • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1

         28 June 2016 at 1:27 pm

         Kiwi Saver, as an entire scheme, puts Kiwi wages into feeding the Wall St growth seeking investment animal. Thanks Labour, thanks Greens.
         • weka 2.1.1.1.1

           28 June 2016 at 2:20 pm

           Feel free to post some alternatives including plans CV.
   • Halfcrown 2.2

     28 June 2016 at 10:02 am

     Yeah and this after seeing year after year after year these arsoles paying themselves massive bonuses after the BIG bailout in 2008.

     As I have said on many occasions I would not trust this incompetent Double Dipping Dickhead from Dipton with the local Boy Scouts Jamboree money.

     I find it amusing that the likes of Prat Henry thinks he’s so Wonderful. Not surprised the international elite like the IMF thinks he’s first class as he’s of the same ilk and is borrowing heaps to keep us in hock for ever.
     • Halfcrown 2.2.1

       28 June 2016 at 12:09 pm

       The other thing is, In Australia all the major trading banks have to have a deposit guarantee for the customer deposits.

       As the major banks in NZ are Australian owned we now have a situation that if the major banks fail and they bring in the OBR New Zealanders will be financing Australians
       How about that for a fucking MIckey Mouse set up. As I have said on many occasion, This shower of shit as a government could not organise a piss up in a brewery.

       “Every other country in the OECD protects savers’ deposits with deposit insurance. Australians saving with the parent banks of ANZ, BNZ, ASB, or Westpac all have their deposits guaranteed up to $250,000. Kiwis saving with these same banks get no protection whatsoever.”

       blog.greens.org.nz/2016/06/21/national-leaves-kiwi-savers-the-most-vulnerable-in-oecd/
   • Bill 2.3

     28 June 2016 at 11:11 am

     heh – I thought it was Cullen who had legislated for using customer deposits to bail the banks at the tail end of the last Labour led government. Guess I was a wee bit off the mark.
     • Halfcrown 2.3.1

       28 June 2016 at 12:14 pm

       The Double Dipping Dickhead from Dipton (National) introduced that very quietly (not reported on TV or in Granny) in 2011.
       The banks don’t make their customers aware of it either
       • Colonial Viper 2.3.1.1

         28 June 2016 at 1:30 pm

         I believe that these changes were mandated by the international central banking authority, the BIS (Bank of International Settlements). Another key institution of the power elite that most have not heard of.
3. swordfish 3

   28 June 2016 at 7:03 am

   Right, so we’re now witnessing a long-planned coup against Corbyn that was always scheduled to happen at some point in the immediate wake of the EU Referendum result, regardless of outcome.

   Naturally enough, the PLP plotters needed to fabricate some sort of plausible-sounding pretexts and seed them in the MSM.

   What I find interesting, though, is just how internally incoherent these pretexts are.

   Despite the most authoritative polls taken on Referendum Day all suggesting Labour voters went heavily for Remain … 63/37 (Lord Ashcroft), 65/35 (YouGov), 60/32 (with 8% not voting) (Survation) … and the likelihood (based on the detail of the figures) that even Labour’s working and lower middle class C2DE voters (as a whole) either mildly favoured Remain or were relatively evenly split … Corbyn’s critics have pushed the notion that he has to go because “millions of Labour voters” defied his authority by ignoring his advice to support Remain. He clearly can’t command Labour voters’ respect, the argument goes.

   At the same time, however, they’re also pushing the rather contradictory idea that he didn’t campaign hard enough for Remain, indeed appeared to be lukewarm and somewhat sceptical of the EU at best (in which case, the minority of Labour supporters who chose Leave did not, in fact, defy him !)

   Utterly incoherent.

   I mean, you could mount a reasonable argument that Corbyn got it pretty much right by keeping both types of Labour voter happy – going through the paces of formally supporting Remain while making it clear the EU needed significant reform.

   It’s also a fact that Tory voters were rather more divided than Labour ones (42/58 in favour of Brexit – Lord Ashcroft Poll), (39/61 Brexit – YouGov). Does that mean Boris Johnson shouldn’t stand because he failed to exercise authority over a large-ish minority of Tory voters ?

   And what about Nicola Sturgeon ? According to the Lord Ashcroft Poll, as many SNP supporters in Scotland voted Brexit (36%) as Labour supporters throughout the UK (37%). Should she also resign given that her Party is pro-Remain ?

   The other implausible pretext comes courtesy of The Guardian:

   It’s supposed to be some sort of Shock !, Horror ! King-Hit:

   “Leaked internal Labour Party polling of people who voted for Labour in 2015 reveals that nearly a third (29%) would support a different party if a general election was held today … It shows that just 71% of those who voted for Ed Miliband’s party in May last year say they would vote Labour now.”

   And, in another article from The Guardian:
   “Leaked internal Labour party polling suggested that Labour would attract nearly 3 million fewer votes than it did in the 2015 general election if one were called today.”

   On Kiwiblog, David Farrar approvingly quotes the article, commenting that: “Labour MPs know they’ll do even worse than in 2015.”

   The Guardian, I suspect has read far too much into the figures, smuggling some highly questionable assumptions into their analysis.

   For starters, they fail to realise just how much churn there always is in public opinion. 71% loyalty to a Party is pretty typical in the UK. Take, for example, the latest Survation Poll conducted just a few days ago, immediately following the Referendum (and almost certainly after Labour’s Internal Poll):

   2015 Labour voters = 73% Loyal, 15% Other party, 12% Don’t Know
   2015 Tory voters = 71% Loyal, 13% Other party, 16% Don’t Know
   In this Poll, Lib Dem loyalty was just 60% and, among people who had either voted for Other parties in 2015 or Not Voted, there were significant swings to Labour (far greater than movement to the Tories). Which is why Labour and the Tories were neck-and-neck on 32% each.

   And I can cite plenty of other polls over the last year that say the same. There’s nothing at all shocking about 71% loyalty.

   That’s why this idea of Labour being 3 million voters down is such utter rubbish. Not only will a reasonable chunk of their currently “disloyal” 2015 voters be in the Don’t Know category (many of whom will end up choosing Labour again) but also the usual degree of churn means that Labour will be largely compensated (or, as the latest Survation suggests) more than compensated by significant swings from people who voted for other Parties in 2015.

   Corbyn’s critics are selling a lie.
   • Ad 3.1

     28 June 2016 at 7:13 am

     And his Preferred PM stats are still better than Little’s.

     Rolling Corbyn is like Brexit itself: revolution always sounds good while you plot get everyone emotional and even while you do it.

     Then you wake up and reach for the plan. And there isn’t one.
   • BM 3.2

     28 June 2016 at 7:26 am

     Corbyn screams instability, which is the last thing you want while the country is about to go through a period of instability.

     I don’t think the UK economy would survive Brexit and Corbyn as PM, so he’s out the door.
     • save nz 3.2.1

       28 June 2016 at 10:06 am

       @BM – I think the screams are from the Labour supporters as their preferred leader is knifed in the back by his own party, at a time where the instability of the Conservatives could be utilised by looking like Labour is the stable safe haven. Apparently Labour’s personal careerists politicians and hungry warmongers are more interested in their own dramas and career climbing and appeasing their lobbyists to actually do something like shutting up, 9months in about their leader and actually helping win the next election.

       Funny enough voters can easily work it out and learn politics in not worth it, and not vote.
       • BM 3.2.1.1

         28 June 2016 at 10:22 am

         At a time where the instability of the Conservatives could be utilised by looking like Labour is the stable safe haven.

         Never happen while Corbyn is at the wheel, which is why he has to go.

         If Corbyn stays, the Labour party won’t be able to capitalise on the disarray within the conservatives.

         The man is voter poison.
         • Richardrawshark 3.2.1.1.1

           28 June 2016 at 11:41 am

           When was the last time you were in the UK BM?

           Talking from your arse or from living there?.
         • Richardrawshark 3.2.1.1.2

           28 June 2016 at 11:45 am

           “The man is voter poison.”

           This is a big Fat complete lie and the opposite of actual reality.

           London is not the whole UK BM.

           It’s mostly London MP’s too who resigned, good riddance to champagne socialists IMHO

           As for the people who live in the UK and vote labour, the majority want Corbyn the stupid posh soft southern part of Labour thinks it knows better
         • Stuart Munro 3.2.1.1.3

           28 June 2016 at 3:56 pm

           Corbyn screams of the end of the neo-liberal accomodation. The voters love him.
         • framu 3.2.1.1.4

           28 June 2016 at 4:33 pm

           name me one other time in recent history when a potential party leader got queues out the door at a meeting
       • Kevin 3.2.1.2

         28 June 2016 at 11:44 am

         Smart choices on his new Shadow Cabinet, heavy on Northerners and a few Scots.

         Is this the beginnings of the Blairite/Mandelson purge?
   • Incognito 3.3

     28 June 2016 at 7:40 am

     Bryan Gould made some surprising comments in the NZ Herald today, but perhaps not all that surprising if you know the man, which I don’t:

     Analysis of the voting pattern will surely show that a majority of Labour voters favoured leaving.

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11664386
     • Bearded Git 3.3.1

       28 June 2016 at 1:31 pm

       Yes he got that completely wrong Incognito-see my comment below the article.
   • Pasupial 3.4

     28 June 2016 at 7:51 am

     swordfish
     Thanks for that, I was wondering percentage of that alleged (cherry-picked?) 29% had gone to undecided rather than another party. This seems to me to be the coup that was scheduled for after the local body elections earlier in the year, which then had to be rainchecked when Labour’s vote heldup (except in Scotland). This line seems to neatly sum up the antidemocratic mindset of the Labour traitors:

     Corbyn’s critics have pushed the notion that he has to go because “millions of Labour voters” defied his authority
   • Colonial Viper 3.5

     28 June 2016 at 7:57 am

     The Guardian have always hated Corbyn, favouring the Blairlite candidates from the start
   • miravox 3.6

     28 June 2016 at 8:14 am

     “Corbyn’s critics are selling a lie.”

     They’ve had so much practice at it. They have no credibility with the electorate, imo. But meanwhile the Tory’s are managing the Brexit fallout (they’ve had a lot of practice at that!) and are looking composed (relatively speaking).

     All over for Labour thanks to the Blairites. Shouda held off… but then they have July 6th to worry about…
   • miravox 3.7

     28 June 2016 at 8:57 am

     Owen Jones on the plight of UK Labour

     Jeremy Corbyn is being blamed for sins principally committed by others. It is remarkable, when you think about it. The left is accustomed to being savaged by the Conservatives for promoting policies that would cause economic chaos and threaten the future of the country. That’s what they claimed against the modest social democratic proposals of Ed Miliband at the last general election. Look at what these people have now done to Britain. History may judge the Tory Brexiteers to be the architects of the most radical, and ruinous, proposition to be offered and (presumably) implemented in Britain since the war.

     Launching a coup in the Labour Party at this moment has diverted attention away from those responsible for this national crisis — not least by staggering resignations to ensure Labour’s woes dominate the news cycle for as long as possible. The opposition has a crucial role right now in filling the vacuum and offering leadership and a plan for dealing with the coming turmoil. The nation’s crisis has been deepened as a consequence of this political paralysis. It will now be harder to define the coming crisis as a Tory-created crisis…

     The conclusion provides food for thought.
     • Pasupial 3.7.1

       28 June 2016 at 10:52 am

       This in Politico is hardly unbiased (being based on a leak from an MP who has obviously chosen their side already), but I found this interesting:

       The Labour Party now faces an internal constitutional crisis, unable to remove a leader his MPs will not serve.

       MPs emerged shell-shocked from the meeting, and told POLITICO they were contemplating the very real possibility that it will have to split. The Parliamentary Labour Party is now considering electing its own leader in a move which would essentially create a separate party. This nuclear option is being referred to by MPs as a “universal declaration of independence.”

       http://www.politico.eu/article/inside-account-of-labour-mps-attacks-on-jeremy-corbyn-shadow-cabinet-resignations-brexit/

       It seems incredible that the revolting Labour MPs would sacrifice their careers in this fashion. Given the UK’s FPP system, two Labour parties splitting the vote would be electoral suicide. Perhaps they’ve got lucrative “consultancy” positions lined up for when they are turfed out of parliament?

       Speaking of breakups, this is interesting in light of the Plaid Cymru suggestion of Welsh independence (though that’s generally their answer to anything). Perhaps a Celtic confederation is on the cards? You could could argue that Scotland and Northern Island have more in common than the Republic of Eire and NI (though you’d have a lot of argument from catholic Ulstermen).

       former Labour lord chancellor and justice secretary Charlie Falconer is consulting constitutional lawyers on whether a new federal relationship would be a legally sound alternative route to a full divorce between the EU and all parts of the UK… a possible federal deal where each devolved region could negotiate their own membership of the EU, while staying in the UK.

       Although the UK as a whole voted by 52% to 48% to leave the EU last Thursday, Scotland voted 62% to 38% to remain and Northern Ireland voted by 56% to 44% to stay…

       Those involved admit the “associative status” proposal is theoretical and based in part on two previous decisions by the EU to modify its normal membership rules. Diplomatic sources in Brussels said the only realistic route for Scotland to stay in the EU after Brexit would be to apply as an independent country.

       https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/27/scottish-labour-seeks-possibility-federal-uk-brexit-aftermath?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
       • Olwyn 3.7.1.1

         28 June 2016 at 11:38 am

         With regard to what is going on in Labour, I think that the results of 2008 are coming to a head in the UK, triggered by the Brexit. I was interested in this comment by RedLogix on last night’s daily Review: http://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-27062016/#comment-1195717

         It is a comment on Labour’s right wingers, dated 1981, and it occurred to me that prior to Thatcher, etc. Labour right wingers did actually a have a devil’s advocate role to play, and they also helped to keep Labour policy from jeopardising the fortunes of the country as a whole, as well as protecting the party from accusations of communism. The third way period placed this lot in ascendancy, but since 2008 the right have held such economic sway that not rocking the boat has come to mean supporting austerity and not doing a single meaningful thing that a Labour Party exists to do. Now I see an unholy panic in UK Labour at the thought that the actual left might get mileage out of the Brexit. But the thing is, there is actually nothing attractive now for a market-centred Labour to convincingly pitch to the voters. If they cannot represent their abandoned constituents they have no further purpose.
       • miravox 3.7.1.2

         28 June 2016 at 6:02 pm

         “It seems incredible that the revolting Labour MPs would sacrifice their careers in this fashion. Given the UK’s FPP system, two Labour parties splitting the vote would be electoral suicide

         Yes. This is a very high stakes play from the Blairite wing. The UK (un-united kingdom) really does need to convert to to proportional representation. The limits of FPP are glaring with this break-up on the left. The trouble is, the Conservatives are comfortable with the status quo. Meanwhile, citizens with the most difficult living conditions are unrepresented (again!) if Corbyn is ousted.

         On a lighter note – a celtic confederation has been sorted! … 🙂
         https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnionOfCraic?s=04
     • Incognito 3.7.2

       28 June 2016 at 9:52 pm

       The opposition has a crucial role right now in filling the vacuum and offering leadership and a plan for dealing with the coming turmoil.

       This vacuum is rapidly & easily filled by the far-right, which is all too keen to offer leadership and obviously has strong views on how to deal with present and future turmoil.

       Here in New Zealand we worry and complain about the lack of a strong opposition but it ain’t nothing compared to what goes on and has been going on for some time in Europe.

       If the UK or the World indeed goes into recession (again) all Hell could break loose (again).
4. Greg 4

   28 June 2016 at 7:56 am

   Key is getting a lot of publicity with so called wonderful opportunities in a FTA with England/Britain, its like wow, its two years away, and they cant even negotiate a deal as of yet.
   Constant claims by National claim more trade will raise wages and improve our living costs is unproven.
   Its a fiction because the complete opposite happens.

   Has employment costs increased for apple growers, since the Aussie market was opened up,
   Prices for apples have tripled in the supermarket for low quality fruit.
   Is there any evidence any primary producers have increased their employment costs on the back higher export volumes

   FYI, I grew up on an a 3 acre apple orchard in the Tron.
   • save nz 4.1

     28 June 2016 at 10:10 am

     Exactly – it is pretty clear that so called ‘trade deals’ do not work for consumers or workers.

     In the UK supermarkets own everything, so that when you get an apple it has been picked before it is ripe so tastes horrible and has hundreds of food miles.
     • Greg 4.1.1

       28 June 2016 at 11:09 am

       Most get put into cold storage here before being shipped.

       I am waiting for anyone to post some proof how increases in trade volumes have added to employment costs,
       which would happen if wages increase, wouldnt it?
       • save nz 4.1.1.1

         28 June 2016 at 4:08 pm

         Free market seems to work only theoretically. Most of it’s admirers do all their work paper pushing and making a killing on ‘the markets’ rather than growing or producing real stuff. Now we have the GFC because some banks got some maths whizzes to make up some new products with debt to ‘produce’ something theoretical. No lessons learnt there by the look of it.
5. Hanswurst 5

   28 June 2016 at 8:11 am

   Given that the petition to keep Mike Hosking has just over 2,700 signatures, as against the approximately 21,700 signed up to get rid of him, and given that the pace at which the latter is gathering supporters still far outstrips the former, the question must be asked as to whether getting rid of him is really enough, or whether the only appropriate option might not be to sack him, proclaim his sacking in a special announcement across all channels to the musical backdrop of What a Wonderful World, revoke his passport, prohibit his dining at any restaurant or public bar, or purchasing any edible produce fresher than twenty-one weeks old, and legislate to replace the overnight programme of all free-to-air channels with uninterrupted repeats of his least flattering moments in broadcasting, mostly drowned out by pre-recorded flatulence.

   A big thank you to all of the right-leaning Standard readers who advocated increasing the merriment of the rest of us by creating a counter-petition for keping him. Your contributions are always appreciated.
   • Greg 5.1

     28 June 2016 at 8:18 am

     its really just stroking his ego, either which way, he will be loving it.
     • Puckish Rogue 5.1.1

       28 June 2016 at 9:47 am

       Of course he will:

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11663786
   • mauī 5.2

     28 June 2016 at 8:36 am

     Without Hosking where else would I get my daily reminder of what a dismal, desperate, callous, corrupt, hateful, heartless and truly horrible place New Zealand will become if the national party and it’s cronies remain in power ?

     ^That’s one of the top comments on the Keep Mike Hosking petition. I think its really a taking the piss petition.
   • Richardrawshark 5.3

     28 June 2016 at 11:46 am

     I would have added , deserving of at least two of the three strike rule?
6. integralenz 6

   28 June 2016 at 8:31 am

   Dam-ning article on the Ruataniwha dam. Exposes, yet again, Nick Smith’s deliberate negligence and incompetence. An interesting read. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=11664300
   • Greg 6.1

     28 June 2016 at 11:11 am

     Another National ideological driven gambit to make the taxpayers pay for it,
     while privatizing the profit, so who will own the water rights?
7. locus 7

   28 June 2016 at 8:46 am

   oh the irony…

   London Young Labour have just blamed Corbyn for not mobilising more Labour voters to vote against Brexit

   – with only 30% of young voters turning up to vote, you’ve got to wonder whether LYL are just spoilt kids of Blairite era dinosaurs

   http://www.politico.eu/article/inside-account-of-labour-mps-attacks-on-jeremy-corbyn-shadow-cabinet-resignations-brexit/
   • Bearded Git 7.1

     28 June 2016 at 10:49 am

     The lazy buggers don’t turn up to vote and then blame Corbyn.

     In fact 3.5 million people aged under 35 were not registered to vote in the UK. If most of these people had got their act together and voted 70% Remain, Remain would have won.

     There is an inherent contradiction with those in their 20’s at the moment; on one hand they say F%^& It I’m not going to vote, the whole system is rigged/crap; on the other hand they whinge when old people vote and so get what they want. My niece in England is a classic example.
8. jcuknz 8

   28 June 2016 at 8:53 am

   Priorities ? People raising 16 million, 11 already found thank you generous NZ, for some Art Centre while people are homeless.
   • One Anonymous Bloke 8.1

     28 June 2016 at 9:12 am

     Yes, because it was artists who attacked workers’ rights and refused to ensure that wages kept pace with inflation, and failed to build enough state housing.

     These false dichotomies (we can have housing or art and not both) are the very stuff of witless populism that made such a dog’s breakfast of the Brexit debate.

     Bravo.
   • jcuknz 8.2

     28 June 2016 at 12:37 pm

     Just checked this comment at KB ” Vote: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 11″ 🙂
   • Colonial Viper 8.3

     28 June 2016 at 12:58 pm

     Perhaps the art centre donors could run a bake sale and give the poor people cake
     • jcuknz 8.3.1

       3 July 2016 at 10:47 am

       CV 🙂
9. dv 9

   28 June 2016 at 9:12 am

   AND England got beat by ICELAND in the soccer euro cup.
   • mac1 9.1

     28 June 2016 at 10:48 am

     A lesson for political parties here. Don’t take the game seriously, underestimate the opposition, lose focus with distractions, and finally, blame the manager and not the players themselves.

     And lose.
   • Bearded Git 9.2

     28 June 2016 at 10:50 am

     as Monty Python said…..”and Iceland are bringing their spin-dryer on to bowl”
   • joe90 9.3

     28 June 2016 at 12:55 pm

     Papa Crimblecheeks FTW!.

     Brian Bilston
     ‏@brian_bilston

     If you ever wondered why the Icelanders are so tough, it’s because they are raised on lullabies like this.

     https://twitter.com/brian_bilston/status/747522413043322880

     https://brianbilston.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/papa-crimblecheeks.jpg?w=620
10. Ad 10

    28 June 2016 at 9:52 am

    Iceland beat England!

    Iceland, same population as Wellington!

    Leeeeeeeewserrrrrrrs!
    • mickysavage 10.1

      28 June 2016 at 10:05 am

      Stand by as Jeremy Corbyn gets the blame …
      • Puckish Rogue 10.1.1

        28 June 2016 at 10:35 am

        I thought it was john Keys fault…
        • whateva next? 10.1.1.1

          28 June 2016 at 11:39 am

          no, he has no responsibility for anything, how could he be blamed?
          • Gangnam Style 10.1.1.1.1

            28 June 2016 at 3:35 pm

            He’s claiming not to have even read the Shewan Report in the House & he commissioned it!
    • Richardrawshark 10.2

      28 June 2016 at 11:48 am

      Calling my mum a lewsser eh?

      Iceland.. lol She got up to watch it, huddled in her blanky, poor thing.
    • Bearded Git 10.3

      28 June 2016 at 1:35 pm

      Big mistake widening the competition to 24 teams to let in the lesser football nations like England.
11. ianmac 11

    28 June 2016 at 10:23 am

    1 hours ago:
    “Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to dig in as Labour leader despite the resignations of 46 members of his front bench and an expected vote of no-confidence from the vast majority of his MPs.

    Mr Corbyn is facing the biggest rebellion against a party leader in modern UK history, brutal in its scale and determination, yet he has refused to budge. Propped up by a hard core of loyal MPs and by the unions, he said on Monday that he would not leave until he was defeated in a leadership contest. ”
    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/568a85c0-3c87-11e6-8716-a4a71e8140b0.html#axzz4Cox2Qvki
    • BM 11.1

      28 June 2016 at 10:28 am

      If he doesn’t go the Labour party will split.

      A Lexit could be on the cards.
      • ianmac 11.1.1

        28 June 2016 at 10:43 am

        Or emerge stronger and more focussed. The pseudo Labour Blarites will be gone.
        • whateva next? 11.1.1.1

          28 June 2016 at 11:39 am

          Aye to that
      • Editractor 11.1.2

        28 June 2016 at 1:19 pm

        Lexit – sounds like a trade name for a laxative – you know, getting rid of all the shit.
      • save nz 11.1.3

        28 June 2016 at 4:09 pm

        Good riddance to the Blairites.
    • Karen 11.2

      28 June 2016 at 10:49 am

      There is another excellent but extremely depressing post from Owen Jones on the current state of the Labour Party in the UK.

      https://medium.com/@OwenJones84/my-thoughts-on-the-plight-of-labour-38413229f88#.rjpdpzeuw
      • ianmac 11.2.1

        28 June 2016 at 3:53 pm

        You’re right Karen. Depressing.
        MMP would allow the different factions of the Left to participate.
        Wonder if the Conservative Party will splinter?
        • Cricklewood 11.2.1.1

          28 June 2016 at 7:51 pm

          Nah, if there’s one things that tories the world over know it’s how to swallow dead rats to stay in power.
          • whateva next? 11.2.1.1.1

            28 June 2016 at 8:21 pm

            it’s the only thing they have, but it seems to work for them, like a panza unit.Unfortunately, Labour being a democratic party, allowing for debate, gets interpreted as being rudderless, rather than respectful of others opinions
            • Cricklewood 11.2.1.1.1.1

              28 June 2016 at 8:32 pm

              There’s democratic and then there is stupid which uk labour seems to be.
              They had the option of shutting up looking united and pushing for a snap election instead they go for the nuclear option that will likely end in a drawn out bitter leadership challenge.
              I wouldn’t be surprised if the tories shuffle in a new leader and call an election while labour is in disarray in the midst of a leadership election.
              • whateva next? …

                29 June 2016 at 6:42 pm

                I agree, self serving Blairites could be the ruin of Labour
12. Halfcrown 12

    28 June 2016 at 12:27 pm

    There is definitely something wrong with the climate. Apart from being the warmest winter so far, my Garlic which I plant on the shortest day and pick on the longest, normally would not show it’s head until mid/end of July, and that would only be poking just above the surface.
    It is now the 28Th June 7 days after the shortest day and it is about 30 mm in growth out of the ground. Worrying times, not for the Garlic but for the planet.
    • jcuknz 12.1

      28 June 2016 at 12:41 pm

      Interesting +1
    • Colonial Viper 12.2

      28 June 2016 at 12:50 pm

      That suggests your soil temp this year has been 1 deg to 2 deg warmer than normal over this period. Which is utterly massive. And it’s 15 deg C down here at the moment. Which for Dunedin is warm spring time weather.
13. joe90 13

    28 June 2016 at 1:42 pm

    WTF is wrong with people.
    //

    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/06/sanders-staffers-tried-to-rig-the-game-in-nevada.html
14. ianmac 14

    28 June 2016 at 2:00 pm

    Oh boy! An hour ago:
    “Britain should have a second referendum on the terms of leaving the European Union if it can secure a deal to control its borders, a Cabinet minister says.

    Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, becomes the first minister to suggest Britain could hold another vote on Brexit, despite the Leave victory last week.

    He says the new prime minister must be allowed to “negotiate a deal” with Brussels and “put it to the British people” either by calling a general election or having another referendum…..”
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11664894
15. Draco T Bastard 15

    28 June 2016 at 2:55 pm

    Privatisation and profiteering strike again:

    The Electricity Authority is investigating claims New Zealand’s largest electricity generating company manipulated the electricity market to maximise its own profits.

    The case concerns an electricity price spike early this month, during which wholesale prices shot up for two short periods from a norm of $60 to $70 a megawatt hour to an average of $230.

    A small power retailer, Electric Kiwi, said Meridian Energy withheld cheap electricity from the South Island to drive up the price.

    When will we learn that privatisation always costs us more and thus stop voting for the psychopaths hell bent on selling our stuff?
16. Gangnam Style 16

    28 June 2016 at 3:21 pm

    “Captain Cook Highway”, I dunno if someone has it in for Foster-Bell but he’s pretty good at sticking his head above the parapet. How about Kupe Highway?

    “The first the PM knew about Paul Foster-Bell’s idea to rename SH1 ‘Captain Cook Highway’ was today. He’s not keen.” – Newshub
    • mauī 16.1

      28 June 2016 at 3:38 pm

      They really needed Paul to hit the news a few weeks ago when either Panama came out or the homeless hit the news. Useful distraction.
      • Gangnam Style 16.1.1

        28 June 2016 at 3:51 pm

        10% of NZrs own more than 60% of the wealth, 40% of NZrs own less than 4%. Though Foster-Bell hardly going to distract us from that surely?
        • Gangnam Style 16.1.1.1

          28 June 2016 at 5:35 pm

          It’s OK though, John Key said it was the same under Labour, yup Labour did it too.
        • ianmac 16.1.1.2

          28 June 2016 at 5:46 pm

          Key says it is OK because he reckons it was about the same as when Labour was in power. So it is Labour’s fault.
          OOps. gangman snap.
          • Gangnam Style 16.1.1.2.1

            28 June 2016 at 5:51 pm

            Astounding isn’t it ianmac, so why vote National when you get the same as Labour, so much dissonance & white noise. When shown a problem Key just shrugs his shoulders & sings “It wasn’t me”.
17. ianmac 17

    28 June 2016 at 5:50 pm

    Foreign Minister McCulley fronts up on Checkpoint tonight to explain at length the story of a lowly Embassy staffer was wanted for discussion with S Korean police over a minor matter.
    What! You might find that odd given McCulley’s total absence over very serious issues like sheep and Ombudsman reports. Mmmm!
    • Anne 17.1

      28 June 2016 at 6:57 pm

      Mmmm alright.

      I asked yesterday if… anyone knows what Murray McCully has been up to lately?

      I have a suspicion it might be something to do with an Ombudsman, and some minor ‘Kiwi businessman’ in Korea is a convenient distraction?
      • ianmac 17.1.1

        28 June 2016 at 7:41 pm

        Yes my point Anne. Very visible on the miniscule. Missing on the big stuff. Typical of them all.

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