Open mike 28/09/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 28th, 2011 - 67 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

67 comments on “Open mike 28/09/2011 ”

  1. A Swiss study says Forex traders are worse than Psychopaths. What you reckon? Nice, giving, loving people can make it to the top in that world? Neh, but lying, callous, destructive bullies can!! John Key anyone?

  2. Hilary 2

    This trader admits Goldman Sachs runs the world and that recessions are just another opportunity to make money, in this BBC interview

    • marsman 2.1

      Yep , and Goldman Sachs owns part of Mediaworks a virtual monopoly created by and recently handed 30 odd million bucks by Steven Joyce.

    • marsman 2.2

      John Key didn’t care that he could have bankrupted NZ with his currency raiding. He doesn’t care that children are starving, that the elderly can’t afford to heat their homes. MONEY is all he cares about. YUCK YUCK YUCK.

    • ianmac 2.3

      This money trader’s warning is that the Stock Market is going, going, gone as is the Euro, and put that against John Key’s buoyant “she’ll be right” and “we have it under control”, who would you trust? Or as a money trader is John Key looking to make heaps out of the crash?

    • Colonial Viper 2.4

      You got there before I did 🙂

  3. RobC 3

    Random thought: I always wondered how on earth Americans could vote a second term for George W. Bush. As we head to an election, I now know.

  4. Retailers running foul of All Blacks ad ban

    Lingerie store im Designer Bodywear lingerie in Grey St was contacted by rugby authorities last week and told to remove its “All black lingerie” sign, with warnings that it risked breaching the fair trading and trademark acts.

    Manager Sue Moar said she felt bullied by the NZRU but had no intention of removing the sign.

    “The whole thing’s just turned stupid.

    “The guy said, ‘You take it down or you’ll be getting a letter.’ But I haven’t got any letter and the sign’s still up.”

    ooooh a letter…bet she’s shittting herself

    Ms Barnett said she was yet to be challenged about her display but defended her right to use references to the World Cup and the national team.

    “Since when have they had ownership on black?

    “Black’s been around ever since we’ve had nighttime.”

    hahaha…fuck you NZRU!!!

  5. Rodney Hide last night gave the best Parliamentary Speech of this term.

    [Feck did I just say that?] 

    • Jim Nald 5.1

      Oh rite, he gives such speeches before he gets into government and when he is pissing off. He is a useless dildo.

  6. Colonial Viper 6

    An HONEST market trader talks about the coming Eurozone collapse

    “Like most traders, we don’t care that much about having a fixed economy…”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC19fEqR5bA&feature=player_embedded

    He’ll never be invited back to the BBC.

  7. Why did the student protest group at Auckland University allow Omar Hamed to attend? and is his alleged treatment of woman (from various feminist groups) a concern?

  8. prism 9

    I just looked at what the Santa Fe Institute, USA is doing at the moment. In education they are featuring their complexity studies. Our political leaders and economists would learn more that is relevant to doing the best job they can for us if they did not go to Harvard or Chicago, but studied at the inter-disciplinary Santa Fe.

    This is part of their course explanation and provision text.

    Take on our Complex World. Inspire Others.
    Complexity Scholars trained at the Santa Fe Institute are working to understand the theoretical foundations and patterns underlying the systems most critical to our future — economies, ecosystems, conflict, disease, human social institutions, and the global condition.
    To fully understand these complex adaptive systems, with their deep interdependencies and emergent behaviors at many scales, a new kind of science is needed. One that relies on the synthesis of many scientific perspectives. One that unravels today’s most complex problems with revolutionary theories derived both from careful observation of real-world phenomena and proven scientific principles.

    “The core problem is that our education and training systems were built for another era. We can get where we must go only by changing the system itself.”
    — National Center on Education and the Economy 2007, Tough Choices for Tough Times

    • prism 9.1

      Education in NZ is splitting along the pipeline. The leading teachers bodies have been facing off against the School Trustees bunch and have accused them of adopting an attitude to differences of opinion as if it was a master and servant relationship. I think this is an inherent problem in Tomorrows Schools and I think it is a feature in some USA school areas, the USA being where we picked tomorrows schools policy from. If I am wrong somebody who can amend what I’ve stated can reply and put me right.

  9. JS 11

    PM conducting focus groups to see whether he will get more votes supporting or opposing Coronation Street’s new viewing time.

  10. Lanthanide 12

    Stuff have got a very interesting interactive breakdown of their polls up on their site. You can break it down by different demographics such as age or who they voted for in 2008, and then which party they’ll vote or what issues concern them most (the most interesting figures I think).

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/polls/election-poll

    The full stats aren’t available for their latest 28th September poll, but in 30th August we can see that people who voted National in 2008 considered Law & Order the most important issue, and people who Don’t Know or Undecided about their vote this year have Law & Order their second most important issue.

    Preferred PM is another interesting one. 29% of labour voters want Phil Goff while 14% want ‘Other’ and 39% ‘Don’t know’.

    Previous 2008 vote with intended 2011 vote:
    89% of Nats stick with Nats, 5.3% go to Labour
    79% of Labour stick with Labour, 7.8% go to Greens and 12% to National
    84% of Greens stick with Greens, 9% go to Labour and 3.5% to National.
    Mana picks up 1.7% from Greens and 1.6% from Other.

    Be interested to see what other people can dig out of this.

    • Puddleglum 12.1

      Yes, that is a good link. September 28 seems to be there now.

      Apparently, 52% of men and 56% of women in the sample intend voting National (though, 2.6% of men intend voting ACT and only 0.5% of women). Labour is 28% for each gender.

      Those who are comfortable (22% Labour, 10% Green, 60% National); getting by ( 26%; 8.9%; 58%); struggling (43%; 14%; 37%).

      Preferred PM for under 35 42% Key; 35-59 54% Key; over 60 58% Key.

       

  11. Akldnut 13

    Just heard on the radio another SAS soildier shot and killed in Kabul.
    Starting to drop like flies now – but smiley wavey guy will make it all OK.

  12. Campbell Larsen 14

    This threat was recently sent to one of my employers:

    ” From: mattyroo@gmail.com
    Do you think this is appropriate for one of your models to be publicly saying:

    Campbell Larsen1619 September 2011 at 7:19 pm
    I wish the mad butcher would hurry up and die.
    Fuck Close Up for giving this National party cheerleader a free slot in primetime.
    [link ommitted to reduce rehashing of old ground]

    How do you think your clients would feel, if they were to find out what someone that they have engaged through you, has been saying about a Kiwi icon?

    I’m sure Vodafone, whom you prominently advertise on your website as a client, would certainly be interested to know about this…. Especially considering Sir Peter Leitch has a longstanding relationship with them.

    I’m interested to hear your response? ”

    Seems Sir Peter and his mates are not above going after the little guy….

    [I see that mattyroo once copped a lifetime ban for similar “real world” bully tactics. The ban was never enforced, but it is now. r0b]

    • McFlock 14.1

      Fuck I hate tories. I can’t say I agreed with your comment, but this sort of shit is why I use a pseudonym. It ain’t perfect, but it’s a disconnect from my personal and professional life. 

    • The Voice of Reason 14.2

      Yep, that’s pretty low. The next time someone brings up the real name versus anonymous poster argument, I’ll remind them of this attack on your freedom of speech.

    • grumpy 14.3

      …..you’re a model??????

      That explains it then.

    • Aye another RWNJ feeding frenzy.  They are great at picking up on the slightest comment and then turning it into an attack.  They are oblivious to the criticism that they are hypocrites.  It seems they have learned this technique off the slithery one.
       
       

      • Joe Bloggs 14.4.1

        two questions for the legal fraternity…

        how do you justify calling Larsen’s post “the slightest comment”?

        what is the substantive difference between Darien Fenton calling for a boycott of Mad Butcher shops and Mattyroo calling for a boycott of Larsen?

    • higherstandard 14.5

      “Seems Sir Peter and his mates are not above going after the little guy
.”

      How is Peter and his mates going after the little guy ?

      As you’ve outed yourself as an actor do you also take umbrage to Robyn Malcolm and Lucy Lawless using their fame for influencing politics ?

      How about Michael Jones and Inga ?

      What about Pio and Oscar Keightly ?

      Are you going to object to all of them having their right to free speech as well and wish they all hurry up and die ?

      • Campbell Larsen 14.5.1

        Funny, as it happens I haven’t seen any of those you have mentioned granted a patsy interview on close up recently (actually not ever, but then I try an avoid close up, and campbell live as those shows are rubbish tv, certinly not news, not even info-tainment)

        What I do remember is that Lucy Lawless and Robyn Malcom (the most memorable of those you mentioned) campaign on issues and policies – they encourage people to think when they vote.
        On the other hand, minor celebrities like the butcher who gushingly make statements like I think so-and-so is the best man for the job contribute nothing useful to the voting process – I would even go a step further and call it a cynical attempt at manipulation.

        If you require further clarification due to your memory and comprehension problems go back to the original thread and the discussions therein – Puddleglums contributions are especially eloquent and insightful.

        I am finished with you sir – this topic is closed.

        • higherstandard 14.5.1.1

          Ah, so you’re a hypocrite as well as an arse.

          And I see you’re still avoiding a response in relation to your other comment

          “Seems Sir Peter and his mates are not above going after the little guy
.”

          How is it that Peter and his mates are going after the little guy ?

  13. Bored 15

    Breaking News Herald A New Zealand SAS soldier has died after being shot in the head in an ongoing assault on a group of insurgents in Afghanistan. The soldier was killed while supporting an assault on an insurgent team in the Afghan capital


    A sinking feeling of here we go again, “peace keeping, reconstruction AND if youread it leading the assault. Bring our boys home please!

    • Soo sad! Wonder when people are going to wonder why NZ soldiers have to die in other peoples wars?

    • prism 15.2

      I wonder if our army are in the forefront of Afghanistan fighting as mentors, (is that what used to be called advisors?) to please the USofA so that we can progress the free market giveaway of the quality of our sovereignty, such as it is, and get a cardboard replica back covered no doubt in modern technologically advanced hologram material displaying and enhancing our shrinking taonga. ‘My kingdom for a free market deal’ said Jokey Hen and offered the sacrifice of some young people paid by New Zealand to die for the cause.

  14. prism 16

    For anyone who wants a full overview of RWC I recommend Wikpedia. I was trying to get the playing points of teams and couldn’t find anything except the pools points on the other sites I went to. With all the information available I didn’t think a simple chart for all the games played would be so hard to find.

  15. It isAuckland Mayor Len Brown who has effectively taken the flak for Mark Ford, Chair of the Auckland Transport Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) over the RWC transport debacle on 9 September 2011.

    It is the Auckland Transport CCO – NOT Auckland Council which is supposed to be responsible for transport.

    Following is the suggestion that I made directly to Auckland Transport when I addressed the (unelected) Board of Directors on 19 September:

    The public effectively own the railway tracks through KiwiRail, and the public effectively own the trains and railway stations through Auckland Transport.

    So – why don’t we just change the uniforms and business cards of those who actually DO the work, driving the trains and collecting the tickets etc to ‘AUCKLAND TRANPSORT’ and cut out French mutlinational private ‘piggy-in-the-middle’ Veolia Transport – who has the contract – (for private profit) to operate and manage Auckland rail services?

    _____________________________________________________________________

    Why don’t we get rid of the unaccountable ‘Council Controlled Organisation’ model which we the public never voted for and the unelected CCO Boards of Directors while we’re at it?

    It seems that the only ones who have benefitted from Council services being run in a more ‘business-like’ way are those businesses / businesspeople who have got the contracts?

    And how exactly was it decided WHO got these contracts?

    Who is checking for ‘conflicts of interests’ between those who are giving the contracts and those who are getting the contracts?

    Where’s the publicly available ‘Registers of Interests’ for all local government elected representatives and their spouses, all CCO Board members, and all Council (and CCO) staff responsible for property and procurement?

    Where are the publicly available central registers of contracts, and ‘devilish details’ available for public scrutiny – giving the name of the contractor / scope/ term and value of each contract?

    Without this information – how is ‘line-by-line’ accounting possible?

    Where is the ‘cost-benefit’ analysis, which proves that private provision of services formally provided ‘in-house’ at central and local government level, is a more ‘cost-effective’ use of public monies?

    How come in NZ ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world (along with Denmanrk and Singapore) according to the 2010 Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’ – we have so little genuine transparency when it comes to public expenditure on private sector contractors?

    At both central and local government level?

    Penny Bright
    ‘independent Public Watchdog’
    Candidate for Epsom

  16. Prime Minister Material?

    John Key made a dick of himself again in an interview yesterday. I’m not just talking about the Prime Minster’s stupid joke about Australia gifting New Zealand a coalmine. I’m talking about one of the biggest lies that has ever been foisted on the New Zealand public. John Key said that National had created employment and that unemployment had fallen. This is such a blatant lie that I’m almost lost for words. Here’s what the moron said


  17. Big bruv 19

    And so it starts…..VSM is being read for the third time.

    All students will now be free.

    What a great day!

    • r0b 19.1

      They’ll be much less free.

      Less free because they’ll still be paying the same amount in compulsory fees to University administrations instead of their own organisations.

      You lot have sold student freedom down the river.

      • McFlock 19.1.1

        Well said. I couldn’t get past a string of expletives.

        • r0b 19.1.1.1

          Expletives work too. Perfectly appropriate for this situation.

          • McFlock 19.1.1.1.1

            We can but hope it is short term – the one good thing about their slimey self-pleasuring is that it will turn to bile with a vengeance if national can’t scrape together 45% in november.

    • Joe Bloggs 19.2

      ironic how anti-democratic some leftie ideologues can be.

      As for students complaining about the erosion of democracy by demanding compulsory unionism, words fail…

      • prism 19.2.1

        JB That would be a change.

      • McFlock 19.2.2

        What, you mean after students – the only people affected by it – voted on it?
        ACTiods lost the democratic vote, so ran to a fucking stupid old fossil (or whatever the phrase was) for help.

        • Joe Bloggs 19.2.2.1

          Scoff…

          The only scientific poll done amongst students (during the last VSM bill) on this issue showed a majority support voluntary membership.

          • McFlock 19.2.2.1.1

            And the democratic elections held at each and every tertiary institution on the matter in 1999, and thereafter whenever 10% of students decided the issue needed revisiting. Idiot.

      • Draco T Bastard 19.2.3

        Still got the blinders on but, then, that’s a normal part of being a RWNJ.

        NAct removed democracy from:
        ECAN
        Auckland
        Parliament through massive abuse of urgency

        It’s the right who are ideologically opposed to democracy.

    • RobC 19.3

      Yep, today is a great day BB. Almost as good as yesterday where my wife gets a 5 figure payout on behalf of the taxpayer that makes you choke on your own vomit. Cheers! Hic!!!

  18. wasted 20

    Is there any truth to the rumour currently going round, the outage on Slaters web site is tied to the major outage in the govts computer system, and he is funded via the a slush fund? smoke fire etc

  19. Joe Bloggs 21

    .
    As for the TupperWaka – what a bilious and pathetic sop to Maoridom that’s turned out to be.

    Four weeks into the RWC, and construction is just starting – still, I suppose that’s what you get for being obliged to bow and scrape to local iwi.

    • Colonial Viper 21.1

      Four weeks into the RWC, and construction is just starting – still, I suppose that’s what you get for being obliged to bow and scrape to local iwi.

      Bad government, bad coalition, bad outcomes.

  20. AAMC 22

    Former NYT journalist joins and is interviewed at #occupywallstreet

    http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/chris_hedges_occupies_wall_street_20110926/

  21. burt 23

    Stuff: Asset sales, Christchurch rebuild on voters’ minds

    Fairfax Media-Research International poll results, out this morning, show the overriding concern is for the state of hospitals and education, followed by the economy.

    But hang on, the country agreed in 1999 that they didn’t mind paying a few cents more tax to fix health and education – guess 9 years of Labour just wasn’t enough…. Now waiting for someone to tell me National have failed for not doing in 3 years what Labour couldn’t do in 9.

  22. prism 24

    I have been listening today to a repeat interview from Nine To Noon on Tuesday 31 May 2011.
    Dick Smith is more than just the founder an electronics retail empire, he is also the founder of Australian Geographic magazine, an adventurer, philanthropist, and now the author of a new book on unsustainable growth.
    Dick Smith is very clued up about Australian business and economics. When I heard him speak on Tuesday 27/9 he had a lot of things to say relevant to nz.
    He refers in the interview to the practice of buying food as cheaply as possible and finds it unsustainable as the food industry and farming in Australia will collapse if it continues. He gives an example of importing peaches from Swaziland.
    I think one of the worrying signs about the food industry and farmers’ problems is the way that supermarkets have gone into competition with milk, using it as a loss leader. One farmer had Coles supermarket state that they were going to reneg on their contract with him by dropping prices 5 per cent and his agreement was necessary if he wanted to retain their business. He mentioned nz lower wages and Heinz closing beetroot processing there to bring it here at 20% lower wages.
    From 31 May, 2011 (31â€Č27″)
    Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3 | Embed
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/library?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=dick+smith+31+May+2011

  23. Anyone else have problems trying to make an on-line submission on the Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill?

    I couldn’t.

    So – I tried Plan “B” ……………..

    28 September 2011

    Members of the Justice and Electoral Select Committee:

    MP Name Party, Electorate
    Justice and Electoral Member Adams, Amy National Party, Selwyn
    Justice and Electoral Member Bakshi, Kanwaljit Singh National Party, List
    Justice and Electoral Member Beaumont, Carol Labour Party, List
    Justice and Electoral Chairperson Borrows, Chester National Party, Whanganui
    Justice and Electoral Deputy-Chairperson Bridges, Simon National Party, Tauranga
    Justice and Electoral Member Chauvel, Charles Labour Party, List
    Justice and Electoral Member Graham, Kennedy Green Party, List
    Justice and Electoral Member Quinn, Paul National Party, List
    Justice and Electoral Member Sepuloni, Carmel Labour Party, List

    It is now 11.30pm, Wednesday 28 September 2011.

    Although it is stated:
    “The closing date for submissions is Wednesday, 28 September 2011. Submissions will close at midnight.”
    – I cannot make a submission on-line.

    The message which has come up on screen states:

    ” Alert. www,parliament.nz uses an invalid security certificate. the certificate is not trusted because no issuer chain was provided. (error code: sec_error_unknown_issuer)

    This is a disgrace.

    It is bad enough that this legislative change which is trying to retrospectively make lawful – unlawful Police action – is being railroaded through Parliament – but for it to prove impossible to make on-line submissions after being told this is possible – is simply appalling.

    I therefore expect this submission to be included.

    I have tried to follow your ‘process’ – but it is not working.

    What sort of country is this New Zealand ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world?

    Penny Bright.

    WHAT WAS STATED ON THE PARLIAMENTARY WEBSITE:

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/5/0/e/49SCJE_SCF_00DBHOH_BILL11056_1-Video-Camera-Surveillance-Temporary.htm#captcha

    Select committees
    Make a submission
    Content provider
    House of Representatives

    Information

    Date:
    28 September 2011

    Related documents

    Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill
    Business before the Justice and Electoral Committee
    Making a submission to a Parliamentary select committee

    Contact details
    Committee Secretariat
    Justice and Electoral
    Parliament Buildings
    Wellington

    Phone: +64 4 817 9508
    Fax: +64 4 499 0486
    Email contacts

    Committee Secretariat

    Related links

    Bennetts Book Shop online legislation enquiry
    Having trouble making an online submission?

    Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill

    Public submissions are now being invited on the Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill.You can make your submission online – scroll to the bottom of this page.
    The closing date for submissions is Wednesday, 28 September 2011. Submissions will close at midnight.

    This bill clarifies the use by the Police of video camera surveillance following a recent Supreme Court decision.

    The bill is available for download from the `Related documentsÂŽ panel. Print copies can be ordered online from Bennetts Government Bookshops.

    The committee requires 2 copies of each submission if made in writing. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. To assist with administration please supply your postcode and an email address if you have one.

    Further guidance on making a submission can be found from the Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee link in the `Related documentsÂŽ panel.

    _______________________________________________________________________

    What follows is my URGENT submission on the
    Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill
    ___________________________________________

    Surely ‘ignorance of the law’ is NO excuse and NZ Police must lead by example and follow the ‘Rule of Law’?
    ………………………….

    Penny Bright
    Independent Public Watchdog
    Candidate for Epsom

    • thejackal 25.1

      Hi Penny, It sounds like you might want to update firefox or go to
      this website for a fix. Not sure how it will work as I’ve never needed to use it.

      You might be the victim of David Farrar’s insidious little LSO cookie that I have previously blogged about. As well as cleaning out your normal cookies, you might want to have a read of this post on how to get rid of their interference.

      Although government websites have been having problems lately and it could be a number of issues, that’s where I would start.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.