Open Mike 29/06/2018

146 comments on “Open Mike 29/06/2018 ”

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1. AsleepWhileWalking 1

   29 June 2018 at 6:38 am

   
   One officer told the 2004 Operation Austin investigation into the police sex allegations that [Wally] Haumaha, who was appointed to the senior role by Police Minister Stuart Nash last month, described Nicholas’ allegations as “a nonsense” and that “nothing really happened and we have to stick together”.

   https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12079622
   • Anne 1.1

     29 June 2018 at 10:11 am

     I know how Louise Nicholas is feeling.

     The anger, humiliation and above all the shock when you have reported criminal behaviour and then find yourself the target of an investigation and/or punishment because you have been disbelieved is something that never leaves you.

     From the sounds of it, this man Haumaha made no attempt to personally apologise to her or to openly admit he had been wrong and yet here he is… about to become Assistant Commissioner.

     What message does that send to all the women [and men] who have been seriously wronged over the years?
     • marty mars 1.1.1

       29 June 2018 at 11:03 am

       +1
2. cleangreen 2

   29 June 2018 at 6:48 am

   Auckland; welcome to reality, – as this weekend you will have a large fuel tax increase to dampen down your dreams of taking all the rest of the regions road taxes for all your roading, while our regional roads and rail all crumbles.

   But hey! – if we recieve some of that ‘pile’ of cash in the ‘consolided road funding’ for fixing all our rural and narrow hilly roads, we dont mind also recieving a National fuel tax incease also.

   The reality is that we use far to much road freight now (over 92% of all NZ freight now) when kiwirail is searching for freight for our public rail infrustructure so if kiwirail get ‘inventive’ and restore all our regional rail services they will help to take the pressure off all roads in NZ using “mixed train” services using one train hauling freight and passengers?\

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_train.

   We advocate that Kiwirail now start a “mixed freight/passenger train’ service, with two or more passenger carridges on the back of a freight train as other global countries do to save money and keep regional rail going????
   • Draco T Bastard 2.1

     29 June 2018 at 11:05 am

     Auckland; welcome to reality, – as this weekend you will have a large fuel tax increase to dampen down your dreams of taking all the rest of the regions road taxes for all your roading, while our regional roads and rail all crumbles.

     You’re still spouting that lie.

     Is Auckland costing New Zealand too much?

     The answer, in a word, is no. If anything, the government’s spending a little bit less in Auckland than it spends elsewhere.

     Auckland has been subsidising the rest of the country for decades so stop your bloody whinging, your lying.

     The reality is that we use far to much road freight now (over 92% of all NZ freight now) when kiwirail is searching for freight for our public rail infrustructure
     Yes and the answer to that problem is to actually charge trucks the full costs for the damage that they cause rather than having them subsidised by private car use.
     • Gabby 2.1.1

       29 June 2018 at 12:31 pm

       That would be down to the owners of productive businesses throughout the country living in Aucky wouldn’t it draccy.
       • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1

         29 June 2018 at 2:13 pm

         No. Charging trucks the full amount comes down to government regulation.

         The businesses would then be able to make informed decisions because the prices would be accurate. What do you think would happen if the shipping costs from Wellington to Auckland were $1000* for a truck and $200* for the train?

         * numbers pulled out of arse for illustrative purposes.
         • David Mac 2.1.1.1.1

           29 June 2018 at 2:46 pm

           The financial aspect aside, for many people requiring freight services it’s a time consuming hassle to use rail. I can load 20 cases of wine on a truck at my vineyard in Northland and the same driver I know and trust can be unloading those cases at a restaurant in Upper Hutt for the dinner service tomorrow.

           Rail: I still need to load it on a truck, then it goes to a warehouse and is unloaded. Then it is uplifted and put on a train. At the other end my vintage 240 bottles are unloaded from the train and into warehousing. It is loaded onto another truck and delivered to the restaurant.

           Different for the bulk stuff, logs, coal etc but the large % of what we’re moving around are fridges to Harvey Norman, step ladders to Mitre 10, and online Warehouse garden furniture purchases.

           My consumer concerns re: rail? Firstly, passing through all those hands and not even knowing the company let alone the driver that will be making the final drop off of the wine, I’d be concerned about pilfering. The hassle, all those modes of transport and storage needs to put in place. Finally, the duration, my customer would really like to be serving my wine tomorrow night and the sooner I get it there, the sooner he needs more.

           I think NZ Rail could address my concerns. They could have an ‘easy to navigate’ guarantee policy re: pilfering and damage, a cost for them included in their pricing. A 1 phone call to get it there call-centre, they organise the pick-up, rail, drop off and associated warehousing. The light electric trucks that are starting to come on line now could be ideal for pick-up and drop off, nice Green story to tell.
           • McFlock 2.1.1.1.1.1

             29 June 2018 at 11:40 pm

             If you’re relying on trust and knowing the person to preserve your goods, that’s the worst security known to humanity.

             You’re describing something a bit like courierpost, but I believe some regular logistics companies are well ahead of even that when it comes to cargo tracking.
             • David Mac …

               30 June 2018 at 9:37 am

               Of course I’d still need cover against theft or damage, I believe there’s less chance of it happening if my consignment is not passing through 10 pairs of strangers’ hands. I have firsthand knowledge of rail and port pilfering, never from a van or truck.

               Yes re: something like Courierpost. Yes re: cargo tracking, a tag could be put on my consignment and I could go online and see my load in the relevant cameras on route.
               • McFlock …

                 30 June 2018 at 11:19 am

                 Van and truck pilfering happens too. Even under camera – friend in the industry had a story where they finally figured out the the trucks parked side by side were offloading one to the other while the drivers were doing paperwork. All the can showed were two empty trucks alongside each other.

                 But tech cuts that down (they could see exactly in the chain where the leak was) as a byproduct of lean management. Allocating warehouse space and freight weight means these days they have a lot of internal tracking even if the customer doesn’t pay to see it.
           • Draco T Bastard 2.1.1.1.1.2

             30 June 2018 at 1:58 am

             The financial aspect aside, for many people requiring freight services it’s a time consuming hassle to use rail. I can load 20 cases of wine on a truck at my vineyard in Northland and the same driver I know and trust can be unloading those cases at a restaurant in Upper Hutt for the dinner service tomorrow.

             Fine, not a problem. It;s going to cost you several thousand times as much as sending by train.

             Rail: I still need to load it on a truck, then it goes to a warehouse and is unloaded. Then it is uplifted and put on a train. At the other end my vintage 240 bottles are unloaded from the train and into warehousing. It is loaded onto another truck and delivered to the restaurant.

             And after all that rail still uses less people and gets it there just as quick.

             Different for the bulk stuff, logs, coal etc but the large % of what we’re moving around are fridges to Harvey Norman, step ladders to Mitre 10, and online Warehouse garden furniture purchases.

             Ah, I see your problem – you think that retail should still exist.

             My consumer concerns re: rail? Firstly, passing through all those hands and not even knowing the company let alone the driver that will be making the final drop off of the wine, I’d be concerned about pilfering.

             I’m not – just so long as I can leave validated feedback.

             I buy online all the time from everywhere in the world. In 20 years of doing so I haven’t had a single issue. the worst that happens that was a delivery didn’t arrive in the promised time. I complained and they sent a new one. I actually received the new one before the old one but I just gave the old one to the library. They were happy and so was I.

             My consumer concerns re: rail? Firstly, passing through all those hands and not even knowing the company let alone the driver that will be making the final drop off of the wine, I’d be concerned about pilfering.

             You seem to misunderstand the concept of specialisation.

             You give it to the transporter, they deliver it to the final destination.

             What happens in between you and the final destination is of no interest to you at all.

             Unless it doesn’t get delivered.

             In which case you ask why and, perhaps, change couriers.

             That’s the market for you.

             Finally, the duration, my customer would really like to be serving my wine tomorrow night and the sooner I get it there, the sooner he needs more.

             Well then. I just hope you paid enough for next hour delivery.

             And charged your customer for it of course.

             BTW, research has shown that fuel savings are huge when delivery is left to the next viable delivery schedule.

             This is a good article on how Amazon is winning.

             Pity I can’t find the article Linked to a few years ago that showed how ‘next available’ delivery saved 90% on carbon dioxide emissions.

             I think NZ Rail could address my concerns. They could have an ‘easy to navigate’ guarantee policy re: pilfering and damage, a cost for them included in their pricing. A 1 phone call to get it there call-centre, they organise the pick-up, rail, drop off and associated warehousing. The light electric trucks that are starting to come on line now could be ideal for pick-up and drop off, nice Green story to tell.

             Improving service is always a possibility. Why don’t you contact them and talk to them about it?
             • David Mac …

               30 June 2018 at 10:04 am

               I don’t get your reasoning Draco

               Several 1000’s of times more when using a truck? So my current freight of $1.00 per bottle would become $2000 per bottle? It’ll be $200 a bottle to get it to the train. I’ll pass thanks, I’d rather put a carton under each arm and walk.

               How will rail use less people? Onto truck, delivered to customer vs onto truck, into warehouse, onto train, into warehouse, onto truck and delivered.

               How can my goods pass through all those stages and get there faster?

               I think retail should still exist? Yes, I don’t want to import 300 washing machines or arrange for the delivery of 1 with Haier in China….I suppose it could morph into that way of doing business….buy my new Toyota directly from head office in Japan but I think there will still be bottles of milk in the Mobil fridge.

               I have seen rail workers stealing my goods with my own eyes, the port workers were caught on camera.

               I am concerned about what happens with my goods between me and my customer. I’d like to do the right thing by the planet.
               • Draco T Bastard …

                 30 June 2018 at 1:23 pm

                 Several 1000’s of times more when using a truck?

                 Ok, that was a bit of an exaggeration.

                 ATM, trucks are aren’t charged enough for using the roads. Cars are charged $1 for the damage that they cause. Type43 trucks are charged a little over $300. Thing is, type43 trucks do 138,000 times the damage of cars which means that, if the amount charged to cars is correct (which I don’t believe*), type43 trucks should be charged $138,000 instead. About 460 times.

                 * IMO, Cars presently subsidise trucks by being charged too much so that trucks can be charged too little.

                 I have seen rail workers stealing my goods with my own eyes, the port workers were caught on camera.

                 And I used to be friends with a truck driver who stole huge amounts of shit off of the truck.

                 I think retail should still exist? Yes, I don’t want to import 300 washing machines or arrange for the delivery of 1 with Haier in China….I suppose it could morph into that way of doing business….buy my new Toyota directly from head office in Japan but I think there will still be bottles of milk in the Mobil fridge.

                 Retail is a question of logistics. In the old days it was better to order whole container loads which would then be held on a shelf at the retailer to keep costs down. But that is slowly changing. A few decades ago suppliers and manufacturers started using On Demand Systems to keep storage costs down and to decrease waste. Such systems are now moving into the retail realm. I can go to Alibaba and order directly from the manufacturer and often for single units.

                 The use of computers is having an effect upon the logistics chain and making it easier to have a full container despite it not being full of washing machines.
                 • McFlock …

                   30 June 2018 at 1:50 pm

                   A lot of those internet products are so lean that they don’t exist before purchase. Especially things like t-shirts or cups with decals – the “keep calm and…” merch got into trouble because one option was “keep calm and rape a lot”. No, not some jerk copywriter, their production model was to computers generate ” keep calm and” plus a verb and adverb combination. The generated slogans were auto photo shopped onto example images in different colour combinations, and the first people to view them were customers. Only after purchase was an item fabricated.

                   Zero storage of finished goods. Pretty lean.
     • cleangreen 2.1.2

       29 June 2018 at 2:01 pm

       Hi Draco,
       Goodbye “roads of National Signifigance” – Draco they were a deam for the rich.

       Yes you said that to me back in 12th july 2015 when I raised this subject on TDB you said;

       quote,

       https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/07/11/treasury-on-rail-lets-play-a-little-game-shall-we/

       7. DRACO T BASTARD says:
       JULY 12, 2015 AT 12:48 PM
       Wonder how much profit the trucking companies would make if we charged them for the full costs of the damage that they do to the roads rather than having them subsidised by private cars…
       Wonder how that would stack up against rail which already doesn’t get to hide it’s subsidies?
       Then there’s the real economics that Treasury seems to have lost sight of. Which of the two uses less resources? Trucking or Rail? Rhetorical question. We already know that rail uses less resources. It uses less people, less fuel (especially when electrified from renewable power generation), less land and of course, rail has less accidents and causes less environmental damage (especially when electric).
       Treasury has mistaken finances for the economy and assumed that the purpose of the economy is financial profit rather than providing for the people who actually live here. The only thing that will come from such blatant mistakes is the maldistribution of the countries scarce resources.
       End.

       Thanks for the support.
       • Draco T Bastard 2.1.2.1

         30 June 2018 at 2:03 am

         Yep, if trucks weren’t so heavily subsidised they’d never be used for long distance.
3. Robert Guyton 3

   29 June 2018 at 7:44 am

   Good morning Puckish Rogue.
   This:
   “This week’s @nzherald column is about @grantrobertson1. It has a higher standard of accuracy than last week’s effort about @DavidParkerMP. With everything that has come to light, it’s now clear Mr Parker was entirely blameless in the Te Arai matter. My apologies to you minister.”
   Matthew Hooten’s words, my bold, your bad.
   • Pat 3.1

     29 June 2018 at 8:13 am

     Good morning Robert.
     On a different topic, how was the meeting the other night?
     • Robert Guyton 3.1.1

       29 June 2018 at 9:01 am

       I’ll pen something very soon (today) Pat (in a meeting at present 🙂
       (It was pretty excellent)
     • Robert Guyton 3.1.2

       29 June 2018 at 10:31 am

       Hi Pat
       The Invercargill meeting was very well attended and I’m pleased to say there were 6 regional councillors there 🙂 Plenty of farmers too and none of them being obstructive! No climate change deniers in the audience either, or at least they kept their heads down. The ministry staff presented very well and their message was a tough one; they made it clear that significant changes are coming at everyone. The three options they were putting to the public; zero by 2050: C02 only, CO2 and N20 with methane “stabilised”, all greenhouse gases down to zero, were sobering, especially for the farmers in the audience (I sat amongst a group of 5 and talked with them as the meeting progressed) and it seems that as the consultation has moved around the country, the majority of attendees have voted for the “all gases to zero” option, much to my surprise. The presentation was quite technical but the ministry people were personable. James Shaw wasn’t able to get to Invercargill (boo 🙂 I’m sitting in the chamber of Environment Southland now (it’s morning tea time) and the zero carbon bill has already been discussed in our caucus and it’s going to come up again during the main body of the ordinary meeting starting in 5 minutes 🙂 There’s an atmosphere of acceptance and a sober approach to what to do next and how does this tie in with the other environmental issues we face and attempt to deal with. I’m quite stunned by the pace at which the climate change issue has ‘taken hold’ everywhere I go. It’s making my head spin a little 🙂 Gotta go!
       • Puckish Rogue 3.1.2.1

         29 June 2018 at 11:03 am

         Good to see those at the sharp end talking about the issues without rancour
       • Bill 3.1.2.2

         29 June 2018 at 12:38 pm

         You have contributor access, yes?

         Any chance of you submitting a post on your impressions when you’ve the time?
         • Robert Guyton 3.1.2.2.1

           29 June 2018 at 1:11 pm

           Okay.
       • patricia bremner 3.1.2.3

         29 June 2018 at 1:37 pm

         Thanks Robert. It definitely is now more “sober acceptance” regarding this.
       • Pat 3.1.2.4

         29 June 2018 at 7:31 pm

         Thanks for the report Robert…sounds like it may have been more positive than expected…look forward to your post
   • Puckish Rogue 3.2

     29 June 2018 at 8:20 am

     Good morning Robert

     https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/74988660/judith-collins–exonerated-vindicated-and-on-the-comeback-trail

     ‘An inquiry by retired High Court judge Lester Chisholm later found there was “no probative evidence that Ms Collins undermined or attempted to undermine Mr Feeley”.

     Chisholm concluded: “The implication that she was so involved is untenable.”

     Chisholm trawled through six years worth of Collins’ emails and phone records.’

     Also good on Matthew for admitting his mistake and as soon as I learnt that Sir John Key had convinced Labour that it was all kosher then I realised it was probably all above board
     • Ed1 3.2.1

       29 June 2018 at 9:44 am

       Not sure why you are raising a 2015 article, Puckish Rogue – I had forgotten that accusation – was that those heady days before Oravida, Kauri log exports, dirty tricks with Slater, Legal aid cuts, ACC selective levy increases, privacy breaches, and the realisation that policy failures meant the end of the already marginal National-led government?
       • Robert Guyton 3.2.1.1

         29 June 2018 at 10:58 am

         Judith was practically a virgin back then, Puck.
         • Puckish Rogue 3.2.1.1.1

           29 June 2018 at 11:40 am

           She still is, in my eyes 🙂
           • Robert Guyton 3.2.1.1.1.1

             29 June 2018 at 11:47 am

             Only because you keep gazing at that dog-eared photo of Lolita Jude you pinched off Whale Oil; how old is that photo and how old was Judith when it was taken, 16?
             • Puckish Rogue …

               29 June 2018 at 11:54 am

               https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/04/post-day-judith-collins/

               ‘Judith Collins posted to Facebook this photo of herself in 1978…the last time that crime rates were as low as they are now.’

               Judith Collins was born in the year 1959 so she is 19 in that pic however she is very youthful looking and has a delightful personality which comes through in her radiant smile so I can understand how you might think she looks 16 🙂
               • Robert Guyton …

                 29 June 2018 at 12:10 pm

                 ‘Judith Collins posted to Facebook this photo of herself in 1978…the last time that crime rates were as low as they are now.’
                 From which we can conclude that the photo was the reason for the increasing crime rate since then. This is no surprise to many of us.
                 • Puckish Rogue …

                   29 June 2018 at 12:18 pm

                   In a way she is, shes obviously so attractive that most men once they laid eyes on her desire her so greatly that once they learn that they can’t have her they commit crimes in a fit of jealous rage in an attempt to get her attention (her being a lawyer and minister of police and all)

                   Shes sort of like a cursed character from Greek mythology or something
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 12:57 pm

                     When you say, “most men”, Pucky, you mean, of course, “I”.
                     And yes, like a cursed character from Greek mythology – Medusa!
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:10 pm

                     What is it with men being jealous/threatened by intelligent, attractive, confident and capable women that they have to turn them into monsters?

                     I’ve always been rather taken with them myself 🙂
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:48 pm

                     “What is it with men being jealous/threatened by intelligent, attractive, confident and capable women that they have to turn them into monsters?”
                     So you’ve seen the vitriol on Kiwiblog and Whaleoil (Pete George’s blog too) aimed at Golriz Ghahraman?
                   • McFlock …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:52 pm

                     Dunno about the intelligent, confident, capable bit. It was the flippant joking about the rapes that would result from her policy announcement that put her into monster territory, for me.
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:57 pm

                     Did you chortle, Pucky?
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 3:26 pm

                     That was in response to plans to double bunking prisoners wasn’t it, I’m glad that plan isn’t going ahead because apparently that can lead to rape, violence, riots and all sorts of stuff so best not to let it continue

                     https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104702124/Double-bunking-and-a-PPP-wasn-t-what-Kelvin-Davis-had-in-mind-for-Waikeria

                     ‘Half of the cells at the new Waikeria facility will be double-bunked, meaning two-thirds of the 500 people inside will be sharing a cell.’
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 3:29 pm

                     “So you’ve seen the vitriol on Kiwiblog and Whaleoil (Pete George’s blog too) aimed at Golriz Ghahraman?”

                     Seen it, don’t approve of it and I can’t remember the last time I ever posted on those web sites

                     Theres a lot of stuff to have Golriz on about so theres no need to attack her on anything other than her policies and views and such like
                   • McFlock …

                     29 June 2018 at 4:01 pm

                     Is Davis joking about it? No? Then labour didn’t do it too, and Collins is a monster.
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 4:11 pm

                     Are the writers of Revenge of the Nerds, 16 candles, Trading Places etc monsters as well?

                     Are the performers monsters as well?

                     Is Peter Fonda a monster?
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 4:31 pm

                     Jude was just joshing’?
                     Pffffffttttttt!
                   • McFlock …

                     29 June 2018 at 5:11 pm

                     Here’s the thing. Collins didn’t just write a joke about it. She announced a policy and people pointed out a risk of that policy. She didn’t try to pretend she’d mitigate that risk, she joked about it. It was amusing to her that her actions would result in rape.

                     Not fiction movies thirty years ago. The thought that her announcement that day would cause actual instances of sexual assault caused her to smile. So, yeah, monster territory
               • Gabby …

                 29 June 2018 at 12:35 pm

                 This calls for an ode to her eyebrow puckers.
                 • Puckish Rogue …

                   29 June 2018 at 12:43 pm

                   Heres a little something I’ve been working but I think it might work better as a song, what do you think?

                   She can kill with a smile
                   She can wound with her plucked eyebrows
                   She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
                   And she only reveals what she wants you to see
                   She hides like a child
                   But she’s always a woman to me

                   She can lead you to love
                   She can take you or leave you
                   She can ask for the truth
                   But she’ll never believe you
                   And she’ll take what you give her as long as it’s free
                   Yeah, she steals like a thief
                   But she’s always a woman to me

                   Oh, she takes care of herself
                   She can wait if she wants
                   She’s ahead of her time
                   Oh, and she never gives out
                   And she never gives in
                   She just changes her mind

                   She will promise you more
                   Than the Garden of Eden
                   Then she’ll carelessly cut you
                   And laugh while you’re bleedin’
                   But she’ll bring out the best
                   And the worst you can be
                   Blame it all on yourself
                   Cause she’s always a woman to me

                   Oh, she takes care of herself
                   She can wait if she wants
                   She’s ahead of her time
                   Oh, and she never gives out
                   And she never gives in
                   She just changes her mind

                   She is frequently kind
                   And she’s suddenly cruel
                   She can do as she pleases
                   She’s nobody’s fool
                   But she can’t be convicted
                   She’s earned her degree
                   And the most she will do
                   Is throw shadows at you
                   But she’s always a woman to me
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 12:50 pm

                     You ought to try putting that to music, Pucky.
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 12:52 pm

                     I dunno, i’m not too happy with it to be fair, its coming off a bit cheesy
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:04 pm

                     Plus a bit short; perhaps if you applied yourself to the task, rather than dithering over it, you could come up with something a bit gruntier .
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:10 pm

                     I looked online, Pucky and found some of your earlier “I love Judith” works. This one intrigues:

                     A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy
                     grew in my mind,
                     which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes
                     as though my thoughts
                     hissed and spat on my scalp.

                     My bride’s breath soured, stank
                     in the grey bags of my lungs.
                     I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued,
                     yellow fanged.
                     There are bullet tears in my eyes.
                     Are you terrified?

                     Be terrified.
                     It’s you I love,
                     perfect man, Greek God, my own;
                     but I know you’ll go, betray me, stray
                     from home.
                     So better by for me if you were stone.

                     I glanced at a buzzing bee,
                     a dull grey pebbly fell
                     to the ground.
                     I glanced at a singing bird,
                     a handful of dusty gravel
                     spattered down

                     I looked at a ginger cat,
                     a housebrick
                     shattered a bowl of milk.
                     I looked at a snuffling pig,
                     a boulder rolled
                     in a heap of shit.

                     I stared in the mirror.
                     Love gone bad
                     showed me a Gorgon.
                     I stared at a dragon.
                     Fire spewed
                     from the mouth of a mountain.

                     And here you come
                     with a shield for a heart
                     and a sword for a tongue
                     and your girls, your girls.
                     Wasn’t I beautiful
                     Wasn’t I fragrant and young?

                     Look at me now.
                   • Gabby …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:10 pm

                     I’m disappointed pluckers, I expected more eyebrow related rhapsodising.
                   • Ad …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:14 pm

                     Omg Billy Joel!
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:15 pm

                     Thats pretty damn good
                   • Robert Guyton …

                     29 June 2018 at 1:24 pm

                     sty
                     fly
                     wry
                     cry
                     eye
                     Eyebrow
                     brow
                     sow
                     cow
                     scowl
                     howl
                     cowl
                     fowl
                     foul

                     Puckish Rogue – Early Works
                   • Red Blooded One …

                     29 June 2018 at 3:45 pm

                     Sounds a little Joel-esk, hope you paid the royalties.
                   • Puckish Rogue …

                     29 June 2018 at 3:56 pm

                     Naah I don’t mind other people getting rich and famous off my plagiarised works
               • Draco T Bastard …

                 30 June 2018 at 2:05 am

                 I think that she looks 100+

                 She’s simply that deceptive.
4. Puckish Rogue 4

   29 June 2018 at 8:44 am

   https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/06/speaker_lashes_twyford.html

   Now normally I’d take this opportunity to lambaste Twyford however thats not very productive (or interesting) what I’m more interested in is the idea that being in government is the most important job/position in the country, everything flows from parliament and yet it also seems to be one of the few positions where you don’t need any qualifications, any prior experience, anything at all really (apart from the obvious votes)

   Consider what a nurse, police officer, doctor, lawyer etc etc has to go through to prove they can do the job yet a politician doesn’t need to

   Its a shame there isn’t some sort of training course for politicians to supplement the otj training, a short course or something…imagine that NZQA level 4 How to be an MP 🙂
   • dv 4.1

     29 June 2018 at 8:46 am

     Yep and charge them for the course!!
     • Puckish Rogue 4.1.1

       29 June 2018 at 9:31 am

       There we go, a self-funding two week intensive course on how to be a minister that has to be completed before a minister can do whatever it is a minister wants to do…I dunno a private members bill or something
   • Pat 4.2

     29 June 2018 at 8:57 am

     suggest the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy psychometric test….any one who shows a desire to be a politician is automatically ruled ineligible.
   • Ad 4.3

     29 June 2018 at 9:13 am

     Twyford should keep his head down and not sound cocky until he has done opening ceremonies for a whole bunch more houses and done something concrete in transport.

     He is about to have the biggest political moment in this term this weekend with the imposition of the new regional fuel tax.

     Just play it with a straight bat until the second year Minister.
     • marty mars 4.3.1

       29 June 2018 at 9:41 am

       Yep – shows that he is loose but he thinks he’s tight. That brainfart anti Asian rubbish he put out previously was not an aberration.
     • Herodotus 4.3.2

       29 June 2018 at 9:44 am

       Twyford is going to have his “true, big” moment in the spotlight, very soon. Then the country will see how well the Kiwi build program is to be implemented, with announcements of the Crown Infrastructure Partners being imminent.
       https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12015249
       Also as someone who has been privy to some Kiwi Build contracts, The govt has placed financial penalties for late delivery, and fair enough. The developers mange the process, but to include subbies to also “contribute” to poor delivery of the finished house, when in most cases they are not at fault, (From my observations it usually is poor project management that is the cause for delays.) There is in the industry already a reluctance to be part of the Kiwi Build solution, as it is just not worth it financially to be a sub contractor. Pity, we need more houses built !!
       • Ad 4.3.2.1

         29 June 2018 at 10:06 am

         All the more reason for Twyford to keep his head down until he has something rock solid to say.

         Until he and Ardern can start lifting chairs into the first big batch of homes apropos Michael Joseph Savage …
         • Puckish Rogue 4.3.2.1.1

           29 June 2018 at 11:55 am

           Sounds a bit like Twyford likes the spotlight a bit too much
   • mac1 4.4

     29 June 2018 at 9:45 am

     Puckish Rogue, certainly training is required and many skills are vital, from public speaking in a confident and engaging way to one on one engagement with distressed constituents.

     But I’d go back a step, and it’s one of the reasons why I have been active in a party for forty plus years. It’s about choosing the right candidate with not only the right skill base, or many of them anyway, but also decent, empathetic, individuals who know the difference between confidence and super-egos, who are not one issue nutters, who have the right motivation to serve as an MP and most importantly can think clearly and logically.

     All our parties need to have larger memberships, to enable a wider, more representative and balanced group to be the selectors and the candidates, and wiser policy, people and politics will happen.
     • Puckish Rogue 4.4.1

       29 June 2018 at 9:50 am

       I agree with you the need for better candidates and a wider range of candidates as well
   • Baba Yaga 4.5

     29 June 2018 at 1:44 pm

     I watched this yesterday…I have a new-found admiration for Mallard, particularly with the way he dealt with that prat Hipkins at the end of QT.
5. DH 5

   29 June 2018 at 9:22 am

   Hard to believe Goff was ever seen as a leftie….

   “Auckland Council’s sales of public land spark a marina protest over the ‘City of Sales'”
   https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12079411

   Marinas themselves are (mostly) for the wealthy but the public access to boatramps, ferry terminals and reserves requires a lot of carparking close by. Seems gated communities for the rich are more important to Goff and his asset-sales mates.

   Why did Labour keep Goff so long? He only won the mayoralty on the back of his Labour affiliation, now I bet I’m not the only one regretting ever trusting the bastard.
   • Draco T Bastard 5.1

     29 June 2018 at 11:18 am

     Selling council assets is not something I voted for. I doubt that there’s much support for it in the general Auckland community either.

     This is something so important it should go to referendum first.

     And you’re right – Goff was never Left. But then, Labour isn’t either.
6. ianmac 6

   29 June 2018 at 9:32 am

   Melanie Reid has been to interview the cow beater’s share milking farm. She shows the awful video of the beatings. The man is in denial and gets pretty cross.
   https://www.newsroom.co.nz/
   • marty mars 6.1

     29 June 2018 at 9:50 am

     On fbook I received some good links of farmers being nice to their cows. Those rellies of mine are disgusted by that torturer – they don’t see him as representative.

     There are lots of abuses to the cows from the actual system on down and as an ex dairy farm worker i can say the pressure is enormous, the hours are long, the pay is shit and some people can’t do it. I couldn’t do it for long because of the cruelty to the innocent cows, the mother.
   • Draco T Bastard 6.2

     29 June 2018 at 11:21 am

     Which article are you actually talking about?

     Simply linking to the main newsroom site doesn’t tell us.
   • Gabby 6.3

     29 June 2018 at 4:33 pm

     But the farmer’s a ‘nice guy’.
7. ianmac 7

   29 June 2018 at 9:37 am

   But there is also this:
   “New Zealand claims to have one of the most progressive legal frameworks on animal welfare in the world, but there’s little meaningful protection for animals used for agricultural purposes in practice….Rodriguez Ferrere says while MPI may be grossly under-resourced, having only 23 inspectors and 20 investigators overseeing up to 60 million commercial animals in the country, the issues are also jurisprudential.”

   https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/06/28/134192/animal-legal-framework-meaningless?preview=1
8. Sabine 8

   29 June 2018 at 9:45 am

   America the beautiful

   when you need beertent tables to register the arrests of women one should start wondering if something might be amiss

   https://twitter.com/aletweetsnews/status/1012422424917413888/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1012422424917413888&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2F
9. Sabine 9

   29 June 2018 at 9:54 am

   ahhh those three year olds with law degrees., climbing on tables and such.

   https://www.texastribune.org/2018/06/27/immigrant-toddlers-ordered-appear-court-alone/
10. Grafton Gully 10

    29 June 2018 at 10:07 am

    Synlait’s good intentions, including “working hard to address existing coal infrastructure.”
    https://www.synlait.com/about/news/
11. Draco T Bastard 11

    29 June 2018 at 10:14 am

    The Case for a Maximum Wage

    Description
    Modern societies set limits, on everything from how fast motorists can drive to how much waste factory owners can dump in our rivers. But incomes in our deeply unequal world have no limits. Could capping top incomes tackle rising inequality more effectively than conventional approaches?

    In this engaging book, leading analyst Sam Pizzigati details how egalitarians worldwide are demonstrating that a “maximum wage” could be both economically viable and politically practical. He shows how, building on local initiatives, governments could use their tax systems to enforce fair income ratios across the board.

    The ultimate goal? That ought to be, Pizzigati argues, a world without a super rich. He explains why we need to create that world — and how we could speed its creation.

    Of course, it cant be a maximum wage but a maximum income and done in such a way so that it removes the bludgers*.

    * Anybody with passive income from owning something
    • ianmac 11.1

      29 June 2018 at 10:37 am

      No doubt the unscrupulous would find ways around such limits. The CEO of Fonterra had a salary of only $2million I think but was paid out 7 or 8 mil. Then there are free vehicles and free houses etc.

      I wonder just how much people actually need to live a good satisfying life. And have enough to be able to make choices.
      • arkie 11.1.1

        29 June 2018 at 10:54 am

        There was this study;

        “It’s been debated at what point does money no longer change your level of well-being. We found that the ideal income point is $95,000 for life evaluation and $60,000 to $75,000 for emotional well-being. Again, this amount is for individuals and would likely be higher for families.”

        https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2018/Q1/money-only-buys-happiness-for-a-certain-amount.html
        • arkie 11.1.1.1

          29 June 2018 at 11:06 am

          The study also found once the threshold was reached, further increases in income tended to be associated with reduced life satisfaction and a lower level of well-being. This may be because money is important for meeting basic needs, purchasing conveniences, and maybe even loan repayments, but to a point. After the optimal point of needs is met, people may be driven by desires such as pursuing more material gains and engaging in social comparisons, which could, ironically, lower well-being.

          https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2018/Q1/money-only-buys-happiness-for-a-certain-amount.html
          • ianmac 11.1.1.1.1

            29 June 2018 at 1:44 pm

            @ arkie: “once the threshold was reached, further increases in income tended to be associated with reduced life satisfaction and a lower level of well-being.”
            We were intrigued that our car was more than 20 years old which gave certain neighbours great pleasure because their car was much newer. How sad. Materialism at work.
          • ropata 11.1.1.1.2

            29 June 2018 at 3:21 pm

            Income caps would resolve the orgy of debt fuelled property speculation that is turning capitalism into debt servitude/feudalism
        • mikes 11.1.1.2

          29 June 2018 at 4:13 pm

          What a joke. 95% of Kiwi workers have incomes less than $95,000 USD so won’t be reaching the threshold anytime soon…

          The study is pretty much irrelevant to the vast majority of workers
      • Draco T Bastard 11.1.2

        29 June 2018 at 11:32 am

        No doubt the unscrupulous would find ways around such limits.

        The idea there would be to make it so that they can’t and if they do that they’re committing crime and will lose everything.
        • ianmac 11.1.2.1

          29 June 2018 at 1:47 pm

          The catch cry of National and Act is if you work hard you too will become rich. And those who are poor are so because they are lazy and stupid.
          Would those parties support such Legislation?
          • Draco T Bastard 11.1.2.1.1

            29 June 2018 at 2:30 pm

            The catch cry of National and Act is if you work hard you too will become rich.

            Which is a lie. Ask any of the working poor in NZ. They’re working hard and going backwards.

            Would those parties support such Legislation?

            Of course they won’t. They want to be rich bludgers and so they’d be really unhappy if we eliminated even the possibility of being rich.
      • ropata 11.1.3

        29 June 2018 at 1:09 pm

        Would be more powerful to have a tax on wealth

        Ask Gareth Morgan…
        • Draco T Bastard 11.1.3.1

          29 June 2018 at 2:27 pm

          You need both a maximum income and a tax on wealth. The more wealth that you own the more tax that you pay. Eventually, it will get to the point that you simply wouldn’t be able to own more. Done properly no one would even think of owning a business or shares in a company.
12. millsy 12

    29 June 2018 at 10:25 am

    National’s crocodile tears about fuel taxes hurting the poor irk me, given that the ACC levy reductions they brought in were wighted towards new cars (and their richer owners).
    • Puckish Rogue 12.1

      29 June 2018 at 10:31 am

      So what, in your opinion, will hurt poor peoples pockets more: ACC levy reductions weighted towards new cars or the fuel taxes
      • sabine 12.1.1

        29 June 2018 at 10:37 am

        both hurts poor people, simply because the shortfall in ACC levies will need to be carried by someone and obviously it will be paid by people who can’t afford new cars.

        seriously Puckish, you used to be better at this.
        • Puckish Rogue 12.1.1.1

          29 June 2018 at 10:51 am

          You don’t think its worthy of comment that Labours fuel taxes will hurt the poor more than Nationals ACC levy reductions?
          • Sabine 12.1.1.1.1

            29 June 2018 at 12:44 pm

            Its what rich people have been doing ever since.

            I agree with you that Companies like Oravida should pay high taxes to build the roads they use when transporting swam kauri.
            I agree with you that ToP dude should pay taxes rather then be able to screw every single on of us tax payers.
            I agree with you that ordinary working people should be able to write of their transport costs such as ‘self employed’ or ‘companies’ do.

            But alas, it is not so.

            I am looking forward to reading your concern letter to Judith and the Party with no Mates advocating for cheap public transport solutions so that the poor people of this country will finally stop subsidizing people that would be rich enough to pay their own way, but who are simply to greede, selfish and arrogant to contribute to this society. This includes Transport companies and Dairy Farmer btw.
            But then, i am not sure anyone would be left to vote for the No Mates Party.
            • Puckish Rogue 12.1.1.1.1.1

              29 June 2018 at 12:47 pm

              “I am looking forward to reading your concern letter to Judith and the Party with no Mates advocating for cheap public transport solutions so that the poor people of this country will finally stop subsidizing people that would be rich enough to pay their own way, but who are simply to greede, selfish and arrogant to contribute to this society. ”

              I could but then we’d have to wait two and half years before any action is done, isn’t it better for the present government to sort this issue rather than wait for National
              • Sabine …

                29 June 2018 at 2:21 pm

                what you were not concerned during the last 9 years of the reign of Judith Collins, Sir John Key the Hairpuller, Bill English Housing Allowance Welfare fraud, Paula ‘Zip it sweety before i doxx you’ Bennett, Simon “not in Northland” Bridges?

                Oh my hypocrisy much?

                You need to get better talking points Puckish, your lack of inspiration is showing.
                Maybe a personal audience with ‘Oravida’ Collins to get your feels back up again?
                • Puckish Rogue …

                  29 June 2018 at 4:22 pm

                  Do you support this:

                  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12079377

                  I assume you do since its from Ex-Labour leader Phil Goff and not the evil righties
    • ianmac 12.2

      29 June 2018 at 10:41 am

      Yes millsy. Thinking that too. National the defenders of the poor whether within Social Welfare or Living Wage or Maternity Leave. Thank the stars that we have Paula and Simon to protect us. Hah!
    • Gabby 12.3

      29 June 2018 at 12:45 pm

      You’d expect newer cars to be less hostile to the environment wouldn’t you millsy.
    • cleangreen 12.4

      29 June 2018 at 1:17 pm

      yes millsy,

      What upset National most here, was because now they see that labour is now using their own policy of stealing more from the massive amount of private road users again as they did.

      Because when they looked around for funding for their trucking mates they saw a very large private taxpaying goup to levy fuel taxes with, rather than taxing trucking mates more.

      IPENZ study showed Govenment now that private road users pay 66% of their damage to the roads, while trucks pay only 54%.

      So private road users now subsidise trucks to the tune of an extra 12% more in fuel levys.
13. marty mars 13

    29 June 2018 at 11:08 am

    Not fair!!!

    Mortal engines is looking bloody good.

    Can a person and their creative work be seperated?

    Can you like and dislike – love and hate – the same person? What about lines in the sand?

    Eternal puzzles…
    • Puckish Rogue 13.1

      29 June 2018 at 11:39 am

      Stephen Fry goes into this very subject about Richard Wagner

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlmaEpw7oz0

      But for its like Michael Jackson or Kevin Spacey…what they did (or accused of) is abhorrent but the work they created or helped create is some of the best of its kind

      Do I stop watching American Beauty or Glengarry Glen Ross or resist tapping my feet to Beat it or Can You Feel it?
      • marty mars 13.1.1

        29 June 2018 at 12:08 pm

        Thanks and yep tough choices indeed.

        This is great imo – worth a watch is nanette

        https://www.google.co.nz/amp/amp.abc.net.au/article/9486436
      • Robert Guyton 13.1.2

        29 June 2018 at 2:12 pm

        And sell your wobble board!
        • Puckish Rogue 13.1.2.1

          29 June 2018 at 3:22 pm

          This really happened:

          https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5xe7vo
      • Draco T Bastard 13.1.3

        30 June 2018 at 2:12 am

        Do I stop watching American Beauty or Glengarry Glen Ross or resist tapping my feet to Beat it or Can You Feel it??
    • gsays 13.2

      29 June 2018 at 3:58 pm

      Heh, I assume i’ve been wrestling with a similar thing: separate the artists behaviour from their art.

      Peter Jackson’s craven behaviour in regards to warners, Aotearoa employment law and the lies about the film going off shore (when it was ‘in the can’t that it would be filmed here) vs a highly entertaining body of work.
14. Carolyn_Nth 14

    29 June 2018 at 11:17 am

    John Campbell to join TVNZ in September with a “roving brief”.

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/john-campbell-set-return-tv-news-roving-brief

    It’s my view that Clare Curran has made a big mistake by not including TVNZ in her policy for revitalising public service media. She seems to have put it in the too hard basket.

    It’s important, not just for factual programmes, but for fiction/drama. Cultural values are supported through such a media, and public service media needs diverse fiction programmes – as with Maori TV.

    TVNZ has been steadily increasing it’s ondemand programming, with many overseas programmes going online exclusively, or before being broadcast on TV.

    Tracy Martin’s NZ First public service media policy included a role for TVNZ. The government should look to include some of that in Curran’s policy.
    • AsleepWhileWalking 14.1

      29 June 2018 at 11:33 am

      Damn. I listened to Checkpoint because he was there.

      Hope he enjoys TVNZ.
    • cleangreen 14.2

      29 June 2018 at 1:18 pm

      RNZ was already stolen from us all under the last National Government under John Key/Steven Joyce, from the taxpaying public and is firmly still under the control of National Party sympathisers.

      Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran must resign along with her RNZ Chief Executive Paul Thompson for their failure to take control of this errant ‘National Party leaning heavily biased’ public radio platform after she botched the failed attempt to produce a new channel for the citizens called RNZ plus.

      Paul Thompson was chosen by John Key as leader of the National Government in 2013 to provide support for National Government policy, and should have been removed by now after that government was removed from government.

      The Labour coalition must begin ASAP a new media platform to supply a free to air level platform from where all labour coalition parties can present their policies in a ‘balanced fair, independent’ manner to the taxpayer, and produce quality “investigative journalism’ programming to clearly inform the population in all current affairs.

      https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/360703/broadcaster-john-campbell-to-leave-rnz

      John Campbell – “ TVNZ want me to do some presenting, yes, but more importantly (for me) they’re asking me to spend much more time in the field.”
      He will take up the new role in September. TVNZ’s Head of News and Current Affairs John Gillespie said he’s excited Campbell will be returning to TV.”
    • ianmac 14.3

      29 June 2018 at 1:33 pm

      Wonder what “roving brief” means. It would be great if it meant in depth issues could be fully explored in prime time. Not every day or every week but as the need arose. And yes John made Checkpoint an important listen. Not sure that those who have filled in for him cut the mustard.
15. adam 15

    29 June 2018 at 11:49 am

    Hope you are enjoying the world cup.

    https://libcom.org/news/struggles-workers-making-footballs-fifa-world-cup-25062018
    • indiana 15.1

      29 June 2018 at 12:49 pm

      …so we should abandon the World Cup and remove the opportunity for these people to escape poverty?

      https://youtu.be/GfE_BrnP5fg
      • Gabby 15.1.1

        29 June 2018 at 1:14 pm

        Or we could pay a fair price for footballs? Maybe trim the bribe budget a smidgen?
16. Sanctuary 16

    29 June 2018 at 1:26 pm

    We need to introduce exactly this:

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-national-service-emmanuel-macron-young-people-military-charity-police-a8420616.html

    “…France’s Emmanuel Macron to bring back compulsory national service for young people. Prime minister says restoring national service will inspire patriotism and social cohesion…”
    • marty mars 16.1

      29 June 2018 at 2:02 pm

      Yes but in reverse – all the olders can take up service from say 50 until retirement – they can fight and peacekeep and the young can get on with living and creating their world. I wonder if wars would stop. Certainly the olders could do disaster relief as pennance for their part in climate change, comodification and exploitation. The young would take up responsibility earlier and learn to deal with their issues and hopefully learn from their older mistakes. Win win win.
      • David Mac 16.1.1

        29 June 2018 at 2:09 pm

        The way to stop wars is to make women the boss of everything, they’re useless at killing each others’ kids.
        • marty mars 16.1.1.1

          29 June 2018 at 2:23 pm

          That smacks a little of abdigating responsibility – very few humans enjoy killing another humans children imo whatever their acknowledged gender.

          The olders can give up on their obscene accumulation fixation – the actual cause of most wars. Obviously a generalisation – some olders, like me for instance, are not fixated by accumulation and i’d say others here would be in the same boat.

          You can’t take it with you when you die and in 4 generations most of us are forgotten so why do it? It is a construct that serves no one imo.
        • McFlock 16.1.1.2

          29 June 2018 at 2:25 pm

          Thatcher killed a lot of women’s kids
          • David Mac 16.1.1.2.1

            29 June 2018 at 3:24 pm

            Yeah, we can only speculate if the same thing would of happened in a world of female heads of state.
        • Puckish Rogue 16.1.1.3

          29 June 2018 at 3:41 pm

          Myra Hindley, Beverley Allitt, Genene Anne Jones, Miyuki Ishikawa, Rosie Alfaro, Gertrude Baniszewski, Belle Gunness, Yoselyn Ortega all seem to be quite proficient

          Theres probably more but its quite a depressing subject to go through
          • David Mac 16.1.1.3.1

            29 June 2018 at 3:55 pm

            I don’t think I’d vote for Myra Hindley, would you?

            Yes of course there are rare psycho serial killer women, lets not give them the keys to the city.
            • Puckish Rogue 16.1.1.3.1.1

              29 June 2018 at 4:02 pm

              Well you did say: “The way to stop wars is to make women the boss of everything, they’re useless at killing each others’ kids.”

              I’m also guessing theres probably one or two leaders on this list that have caused the deaths of children

              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_and_appointed_female_heads_of_state_and_government
        • MikeS 16.1.1.4

          29 June 2018 at 4:18 pm

          “The way to stop wars is to make women the boss of everything,…”

          Do you know any women?
          • Draco T Bastard 16.1.1.4.1

            30 June 2018 at 3:38 am

            +11
      • joe90 16.1.2

        29 June 2018 at 2:25 pm

        OTOH, there’s nothing quite like the prospect of their children being the cannon fodder to deter the cheerleaders.

        The new political strategy is to deny the need for conscription in every case: to use limited military power to achieve limited objectives at the cost of stability; to pass the political football forward to the next generation or politician; and to maintain public support at all costs, or to merely create enough apathy to prevent collective action — even if maintaining that public support chokes the war of the resources it needs to win.

        It should be noted that many aspects of the all-volunteer force are beneficial. Citizens are allowed to choose if service is right for them. But the benefits belie great social cost. The AVF’s sensibility is precisely why it is an insidious institution. Political actors have the ability to shrug off popular disapproval because the war is rarely a priority among voters.

        This has been — more or less — understood since the beginning. In 1968, then-Former VP Nixon became interested in ending the wartime draft for similar reasons. He felt that abolition would undermine the anti-war movement because well-off youths would no longer be threatened by involuntary conscription. They would have no drive to continue the anti-war movement. He was right, but he missed his target window by approximately forty years.

        The validity of his insight wouldn’t become clear until now. The United States has been involved in an imbroglio in Afghanistan for seventeen years. In Iraq, the anti-war movement was nowhere to be seen. Our collective inattention to that war left potentially fifty (50) million casualties in its wake. But in addition to political apathy, the AVF also encourages politicians to deny troop increases that might actually bring wars to a rapid conclusion.

        https://medium.com/@sean.d.norton/its-time-to-reinstate-the-draft-28689469af18
        • marty mars 16.1.2.1

          29 June 2018 at 2:33 pm

          Nice point.
    • Pat 16.2

      29 June 2018 at 2:46 pm

      “We need to introduce exactly this:”

      Really!?…..in a world of diminishing resources, mass migration and increasingly nationalistic politics you advocate increased militarism?

      I think there may already be more than enough pushing the world towards conflict without adding to it.
17. veutoviper 17

    29 June 2018 at 2:18 pm

    As Robert Guyton mentions at 3 above (and I also reported in Daily Review last night), Matthew Hooton has apologised via Twitter to David Parker for his inaccurate article in the Herald last week re the Te Arai matter.

    The Herald has also issued an apology on its website this morning.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12080025

    Very short so here it is in full:

    In an opinion column by Matthew Hooton published on the Herald website on Thursday 21 June 2018 the columnist described the Minister for Economic Development, David Parker, as a former business associate of a property developer.

    The Herald accepts that this description was inaccurate, and that they are not former business associates.

    The Herald apologises for the error in the column. The Herald also apologises for any implication in the column that Parker acted inappropriately by reason of such an association, and for any distress that the publication has caused him.

    Matthew Hooton also apologises personally for the description and any such implication, as well as for any distress that the matter has caused the Minister.
    • Robert Guyton 17.1

      29 June 2018 at 2:27 pm

      Thanks for alerting us to this, veutoviper. David Parker was very impressive throughout; Hooten not so much.
      • veutoviper 17.1.1

        29 June 2018 at 3:10 pm

        Agreed re Parker being very impressive throughout; and it has also been good to see the strong support for him and his integrity that Peters has been expressing in the House in relation to this issue.

        In light of Hooton’s NBR debarcle, he would appear to have run close to the wind in relation to the Herald and his ongoing relationship with them but his article this week is about Grant Robertson. Haven’t seen it as yet …
        • ianmac 17.1.1.1

          29 June 2018 at 3:36 pm

          Hey Puckish! Are you going to join Matthew by withdrawing and apologising? I suspect that Matthew and Herald were avoiding prosecution.
          You too?
          • Puckish Rogue 17.1.1.1.1

            29 June 2018 at 3:44 pm
            • Draco T Bastard 17.1.1.1.1.1

              30 June 2018 at 3:46 am

              An apology that’s not an apology.

              In your own words please.
              • Robert Guyton …

                30 June 2018 at 8:47 am

                Unctuous, isn’t he.
    • North 17.2

      30 June 2018 at 4:14 pm

      I’m holding on to my hat and Imagining being Hooton/Herald. Acknowledging their essence I trust there were some meaningful bucks in there as well. It was an advised falsehood designed to damage.
18. veutoviper 18

    29 June 2018 at 3:18 pm

    Well it seems Bridges is still doing his travels around NZ and this week visited Gisborne – with mixed reactions. Came across these two Gisborne Herald articles this afternoon which I thought I would share:

    I take it that Clean Green was not at this meeting but presumably he would not like Bridges’ views on rail as expressed in this article …

    http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/3436024-135/plan-is-to-stay-the-biggest

    Love the photo in the above article and also this one! Get the feeling the photographer is not a Bridges’ supporter.

    http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/3434813-135/bridges-hears-neighbours-anger

    PS – If you get the ‘do you want to subscribe’ screen, just click on the Not Yet option.
19. ianmac 19

    29 June 2018 at 3:41 pm

    All for freedom of religion but if Simon Bridges is a member of ultra AOG I fear for us.
    Unless it was the questioner who is from AOG? Text not quite right?
    • adam 19.1

      30 June 2018 at 2:57 am

      I found that very confusing as well.

      Bridges lives in Tarunga, so the questioner?
    • veutoviper 19.2

      30 June 2018 at 6:55 am

      The meeting was in Gisborne, and I read the article as the questioner being an AOG member from Christchurch – not Bridges who is from Tauranga (previously Auckland) and is Baptist. Father is or was a Baptist Minister.
20. Eco Maori 20

    29 June 2018 at 6:28 pm

    John Campbell is coming back to TV that’s cool it was plain to me that shonky pulled strings to cancel his show Campbell live the link is Below

    John Campbell leaves RNZ (Video)

    1 hour 45 min ago
    Broadcaster John Campbell has resigned from RNZ to take up a role with TVNZ.
    Reporters like Campbell and Grower keep everyone with power on their toes Ka pai
    Ka kite ano

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/105111297/john-campbell-resigns-from-rnz-moves-to-tvnz
21. North 21

    29 June 2018 at 7:20 pm

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/06/29/campbells-tvnz-coup-the-mutilation-of-rnz-and-why-mediaworks-are-the-biggest-loser/

    I am making like the Laughing Policeman !
22. Eco Maori 22

    29 June 2018 at 7:42 pm

    This is some music ECO MAORI is listening to the great legend Tom Petty

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nvlTJrNJ5lA

    Ana to kai Ka kite ano

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