Open mike 30/01/2016

49 comments on “Open mike 30/01/2016 ”

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1. Paul 1

   30 January 2016 at 7:00 am

   Further propaganda for the TPP

   http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11582032

   New Zealand, the TPP is good for you, go back to sleep.
   Here’s the new series of the Block.
   New Zealand, the TPP is good for you, go back to sleep.
   Look at this flag. Don’t you think it’s pretty?
   New Zealand, the TPP is good for you, go back to sleep.

   Acknowledgement to the late great Bill Hicks.
   • Gristle 1.1

     30 January 2016 at 7:37 am

     Fran’s argument is that the LP has a proud history of being bi-partisan and working with the Government of the day for New Zealand’s international interests and is not doing so now and is thus deficient has an alternate solution. If you say that the TPP is not in New Zealand’s interest then you would expect that the LP would not be bi-partisan and would object to the TPP. The logic is not broken only her base assumptions.

     Question? Does the NP, whilst in opposition, show a history of being bi-partisan and working with the Government for NZ interests? Back room promises with Saudi and US of getting rid of sheep export bans and nuclear weapons free zones would indicate that the NP does not have this approach.
2. Gristle 2

   30 January 2016 at 7:42 am

   Meanwhile, I’m shortly leaving for Dunedin anti TTP rally. I’m the designated driver being 30 years younger than the car load of old age pensioners who are coming with me. Best placard ” I’m blind not stupid”
   • Pasupial 2.1

     30 January 2016 at 8:12 am

     It looks like we’ll have good weather for it now the rain has finally stopped. Drive safe.

     I’ll be down with my son, so I’ll probably have a simpler slogan on a placard we’ll do in crayon on cardboard this morning as a little project.
3. repateet 3

   30 January 2016 at 7:48 am

   Speaking of the Herald, are they on a ‘change the flag’ campaign? The Air New Zealand chief wants a new flag and gets prominent publicity. Big deal.

   Next will be the trotting out of a prominent rugby league player, a musician, an industrialist a rubbish collector?
   • Jenny Kirk 3.1

     30 January 2016 at 8:42 am

     Looks like it, repateet. Does anyone really care what the AirNZ CEO thinks of the flag?

     By the way, I was down in Auck the other day , driving back home over the bridge – strong wind blowing. The union jack revelled in the wind – strong dark blue flying well. By contrast, the other flag was a pale imitation of a flag and couldn’t cope with the wind, wrapped itself around and around until it just hung down like a squeezed out dishrag. Pathetic.
   • cogito 3.2

     30 January 2016 at 10:44 am

     Waiting for the lockwood design to be printed on toilet rolls. That’s all it’s good for.
4. Dialey 4

   30 January 2016 at 8:19 am

   Brilliant and heartbreaking photography and writing from a former Wall Street trader. Just imagine John Key doing this: http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-arnade-photos-of-bronx-addicts-2013-12
5. Manuka AOR 5

   30 January 2016 at 8:39 am

   Prof Jane Kelsey’s full speech at the Auckland Town Hall 26/1/16:
   
   • Rosemary McDonald 5.1

     30 January 2016 at 9:18 am

     Thanks Manuka AOR….youtube works better on my old laptop…I just can’t get the video through tdb to play without pop ups telling me my computer is about to self destruct.
   • The Chairman 5.2

     30 January 2016 at 10:40 am

     https://youtu.be/F8taG38o_bo
   • Hami Shearlie 5.3

     30 January 2016 at 11:02 am

     This lady is made of sterling stuff – GO JANE!!
6. wyndham 6

   30 January 2016 at 8:53 am

   Where’s Tracey ?
7. ianmac 7

   30 January 2016 at 9:00 am

   Toby Manhire must have been studying every one of Key’s utterances.
   Very funny but very true too!
   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11581309
8. Rosemary McDonald 8

   30 January 2016 at 9:15 am

   Kim Hill interviewed ….

   “Dr Erica Chenoweth is Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. An expert on non-violent civil resistance, she was named one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2013 by Foreign Policy magazine, and her 22011 book with Maria J Stephan, Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict (Columbia Universiy Press), has won many awards. Professor Chenoweth is visiting New Zealand on a William Evans Fellowship as a guest of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago (to 12 February). While at the university, she will present a seminar, Do Violent Flanks Help or Hurt Campaigns of Nonviolent Resistance? (2 February), and a public lecture, Why Civil Resistance Works (11 February).”

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday

   Not up on podcast yet….but WELL worth a listen…please.
9. cogito 9

   30 January 2016 at 9:37 am

   For anyone who may have an interest in the history of post-war Britain.

   I was recently sent “Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain” on dvd. It’s a BBC political/historical documentary of nearly 300 minutes over several episodes and it is absolutely fascinating, providing context, analysis and perspective.

   http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007xcfc/episodes/guide

   Some parts may be available to watch online.
10. Penny Bright 10

    30 January 2016 at 10:01 am

    Will JAPAN struggle to ratify the TPPA after their top TPPA negotiator resigned over alleged bribery scandal?

    Where is the coverage of this scandal by NZ mainstream media?

    Anyone seen any?

    “Corruption is just not something that goes down well with voters, and there’s going to be a lot of media scrutiny. It’s going to be a bit of a rough road.”

    http://www.vietnambreakingnews.com/2016/01/japans-economy-minister-resigns-over-money-scandal-denies-bribery/

    In a packed news conference televised live, Amari acknowledged taking money from a construction company executive but said he told his aides to correctly record the funds as a political donation.

    While asserting his legal innocence, Amari said he was stepping down to prevent the scandal from being a distraction to the Abe administration’s drive to pull the country out of deflation.

    “Japan is finally emerging from deflation,” he said. “We need to pass legislation through parliament for steps to beat deflation and create a strong economy as soon as possible.”

    “Anything that hampers this must be eliminated, and I’m no exception. I, therefore, would like to resign as minister to take responsibility” for what he said his aides had done.

    Part of the money has gone missing because of mishaps by his secretaries, Amari said, but two of them have resigned and he must take responsibility as their supervisor.

    Just hours before the news conference, Amari had said he would fulfil his duties as minister “with utmost effort”.

    The yen, considered a safe haven from risk, ticked higher on Amari’s resignation, while Nikkei stock futures slipped.

    Amari is a close ally of the prime minister and a core member of his policy team. He led Japan’s negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade bloc.

    “This is definitely not good news for Abe and it’s going to make it harder to sell the TPP,” said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University’s Japan campus.

    “Corruption is just not something that goes down well with voters, and there’s going to be a lot of media scrutiny. It’s going to be a bit of a rough road.”

    ……

    __________________

    Penny Bright

    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
    • alwyn 10.1

      30 January 2016 at 12:20 pm

      “Where is the coverage of this scandal by NZ mainstream media”

      You should try reading The Herald sometime Penny.
      That is a paper published up your way isn’t it?
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11581298
      That was published yesterday apparently.
11. marty mars 11

    30 January 2016 at 10:28 am

    RIP Paul Kantner

    this country is so white rabbit at the moment

    “…When logic and proportion
    Have fallen sloppy dead
    And the White Knight is talking backwards
    And the Red Queen’s off with her head…”
    • Pasupial 11.1

      30 January 2016 at 2:47 pm

      Here’s one of Kantner’s own compositions, in all its acid-drenched live glory :

      Crown of Creation, and; We Can be Together, are both pretty great too, but I absolutely love this early track:

      RIP to yet another great Talent lost in 2016.
12. greywarshark 12

    30 January 2016 at 11:12 am

    This may have been up before but good to think about regularly, just to keep track of how we are doing as intelligent species applying our minds to ….what?

    John Pilger.
    ‘We all live in an information age – or so we tell each other as we caress our smart phones like rosary beads, heads down, checking, monitoring, tweeting. We’re wired; we’re on message; and the dominant theme of the message is ourselves. Identity is the zeitgeist.
    A lifetime ago in ‘Brave New World’, Aldous Huxley predicted this as the ultimate means of social control because it was voluntary, addictive and shrouded in illusions of personal freedom. Perhaps the truth is that we live not in an information age but a media age. Like the memory of Mandela, the media’s wondrous technology has been hijacked. From the BBC to CNN, the echo chamber is vast.’

    http://johnpilger.com/articles/is-media-just-another-word-for-control
    • Rosemary McDonald 12.1

      30 January 2016 at 11:43 am

      And from an earlier time…

      Ray Bradbury (prophet?) predicts a time where merely out walking of an evening is considered aberrant behaviour…

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

      …and violently divorcing oneself from all pervasive communication devices is murder.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Murderer_(story)

      a truly fine writer, Bradbury.
      • vto 12.1.1

        30 January 2016 at 11:53 am

        Today’s “communication culture” is rough, barbaric and unrefined… it achieves very little to nothing
      • Graeme 12.1.2

        30 January 2016 at 6:08 pm

        Memories of 3rd – 6th form English classes in the early 70’s at Kelston. We did all of those, and Orwell, 1984 and Animal Farm. And got right into it, 3A – 6B were mostly a pack of lefties, teachers often weren’t, but were into a good “discussion” Went onto town to see 2001 on the big screen too, that kept us busy for a while.

        What ever happened the education system, there was some good challenging thinking in those classes that had done me well. Conformity has been a challenge though.
13. James 13

    30 January 2016 at 11:32 am

    http://nominister.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/the-most-curious-case-of-selwyn-clarke.html

    This is an interesting story on Mr Selwyn Clarke. I think there is more to come on this.

    Im sure that the military folk will be less than impressed.
    • b waghorn 13.1

      30 January 2016 at 12:22 pm

      He said she said who gives a shit.
      Are we that miserable a country that we cut an old mans benefit ?
      He’s hardly going to go on the run ,I’m sure a couple of bobbies could go find him on court day.
      And in case your interested I don’t hold with anyone using the I don’t recognize the courts of this country bs.
14. Paul 14

    30 January 2016 at 11:57 am

    Anyone else noticed that Hooton felt he had to get his spin right at the top of the recent thread against the TPPA by Andrew Little ?
    I sense the Nats are very nervous about the public’s perception of TPPA.
    • Rosemary McDonald 14.1

      30 January 2016 at 12:03 pm

      Now, now.

      It could merely be the case that a weak bladder forces him out of bed really early in the morning.

      Takes a piss, then hops on the net…
      • mac1 14.1.1

        30 January 2016 at 12:45 pm

        Then again, those early morning actions could be held in reverse order. Net hopping first.

        Those issues which attract the apologists and spinners indicate where the government is vulnerable.

        MH is first on to the Saudi Arabia issue on the Standard with a line with which I agree. Good tactic. Draw the teeth of the opposition by agreeing with them.
    • Incognito 14.2

      30 January 2016 at 2:22 pm

      Interesting observation.

      The first comment in the NZ Herald usually gets most likes.

      The first candidate on a ballot form can get more votes than when placed elsewhere.

      It pays (often literally) to be the first.

      In chess it’s called “the first-move advantage”.

      A deliberate tactic, you bet?
      • b waghorn 14.2.1

        30 January 2016 at 2:35 pm

        But surely to most standard readers, when hooton or mapp turn up its as sure a sign that some thing is off as it would be to see a cloud of blow flies rise from the grass as you walk past.
    • Reddelusion 14.3

      30 January 2016 at 2:49 pm

      Don’t confuse the circles you move in as representative of the silent majority Paul, or replace delusional hope with reality
      • Reddelusion 14.3.1

        30 January 2016 at 3:18 pm

        Correction, replace reality with delusional hope
        • Stuart Munro 14.3.1.1

          30 January 2016 at 11:01 pm

          Yes indeed – because we live under the oppressive rule of the crook and traitior John Key.

          You that enter New Zealand all hope abandon.
15. Andre 15

    30 January 2016 at 12:10 pm

    If anyone’s still interested in the LA gas leak, this article is interesting

    http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-porter-ranch-greenhouse-20160124-story.html

    edit: also http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/27/464570341/air-regulators-sue-calif-utility-over-massive-gas-leak-alleging-negligence
16. Penny Bright 16

    30 January 2016 at 12:53 pm

    FYI – I have sent the following by email to John Minto and have tried to post this as a comment on The Daily Blog:

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/29/inclusive-leadership-needed-for-tppa-protests/

    In any case if the movement to oppose the TPPA wants to avoid any possibility of a “law and order” issue around TPPA then it has a responsibility to ensure all groups are represented in decisions as to what form protest at the signing will take.
    Under a policy of non-violent protest, which may include civil disobedience, the anti-TPPA movement as a whole should organise a colourful, loud, disciplined, creative, unified, political protest which ends outside Skycity.
    ….
    __________________________________________________

    OPEN LETTER TO JOHN MINTO: 30 January 2016.

    Back in 1981, along with you John Minto, I was named in Muldoon’s ‘SIS list’ because of my involvement in organising opposition to the 1981 Springbok Tour.

    On this issue – as a ‘veteran protestor ‘ I TOTALLY disagree with you.

    In my considered opinion, (and the opinion of a number of others – Sky City is a provocative Government-selected TRAP.

    Why on earth would you encourage people to walk into a TRAP?

    Along with others in the Auckland ‘It’s Our Future’ organisation, which has helped to organise thousands of New Zealanders on to the streets to oppose the TPPA, our position is clear and simple.

    The protest that we have organised is starting at Aotea Square at 12 noon on Thursday 4 February 2016 and ending at Britomart (at 1pm).

    This It’s Our Future organised march is NOT going to Sky City.

    End of story.

    Posters advertising this It’s Our Future organised march state :

    “Join thousands of other kiwis for a BIG, colourful, and family-friendly march against the signing of the TPPA.”

    When the It’s Our Future organised march finishes in Britomart at 1pm – I for one – will NOT be going to Sky City, and look forward to thousands of peaceful protestors doing the same.

    You cannot have ‘inclusive leadership’, in my view, on any matter, where the purpose is diametrically opposed?

    In December 2012, a peaceful protest against the TPPA held outside Sky City, was, in my view, effectively ‘hijacked’ by provocateurs, who, without any democratic mandate, arbitrarily changed the demand not to sign the TPPA – to ‘close down the
    TPPA’.

    Suddenly – all hell broke loose – and unsuspecting peaceful protestors, were put at risk.

    That – in my view – was absolutely unacceptable.

    It is equally unacceptable, in my view, for peaceful protestors to be put at risk outside Sky City on Thursday 4 February 2016, and to give this John Key led National Government to use any potential confrontation outside Sky City as a ‘law and order’ issue, as did Muldoon in 1981 over the Springbok Tour.

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
17. Rosemary McDonald 17

    30 January 2016 at 2:09 pm

    And this up on TDB…

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/30/tppa-free-zone-peoples-protestival-in-auckland-31st-sunday/

    doesn’t say where, or what time.

    A bit short notice for those from out of town…
18. Paul 18

    30 January 2016 at 2:42 pm

    Any chance of a Standard thread on the ongoing protests against the TPPA.
    Herald reports several going on round the country.

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11582294
    • Pasupial 18.1

      30 January 2016 at 2:57 pm

      I was down at this one today, which was well organised with some good speeches. I liked that they kept them down to three minutes each (particularly Curran who I have heard run-on a bit long in the past). The Kelsey/ Wallach talk last night was apparently standing room only in Burns Hall.

      Dunedin activist Scout Barbour-Evans, who was door-knocked by police this week ahead of today’s event, said the relatively low-key nature of the protest showed the visit had been an “absolute joke”.

      http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/371457/protesters-declare-octagon-tpp-free-zone
19. seeker 19

    30 January 2016 at 2:50 pm

    @Rosemary 2.09pm re Protestival:

    Tahaki Reserve, 250 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden North. 10.00-22.00

    PS tried to use reply button but it didn’t work for some reason
    • Rosemary McDonald 19.1

      30 January 2016 at 3:07 pm

      Thanks seeker.
20. Rosemary McDonald 20

    30 January 2016 at 3:31 pm

    While checking out the ODT protest report, stumbled across this…

    “There are fears for the viability of the meals on wheels delivery system in Dunedin after reports of recipients cancelling the meals, which are now trucked frozen from Auckland and Tauranga.

    A delivery volunteer has spoken out about the quality of the meals, and Age Concern Otago says its delivery runs seem to be getting smaller.

    “The old people deserve better than this, they really do,” meals on wheels volunteer Liz Green said after making deliveries on Thursday.

    Since January 18, the meals have been brought frozen from the North Island by the Compass Group, rather than being made in Dunedin Hospital’s kitchen.”

    http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/371407/absolutely-yuck-meals-upset-elderly

    Now Compass, (“Our objective is to deliver value to our customers by leveraging the benefits of being a group to deliver structured and sustainable organic growth and achieve our vision to be a world-class provider of food services and support services.”) promises to save the DHB $6.96million over 15 years…clearly by providing meals that five out of eight people find ‘yuck’.

    http://compass-group.co.nz/who-we-are/our-company/

    Another multinational fails to deliver….
    • weka 20.1

      30 January 2016 at 7:05 pm

      Entirely fucking predictable 🙁
      • Rosemary McDonald 20.1.1

        30 January 2016 at 7:15 pm

        Five out of eight meals on wheels recipients reject Compass’ shit food.

        Now, if we were living in a democracy…
        • weka 20.1.1.1

          30 January 2016 at 8:10 pm

          Compass said in a statement the meals were prepared in Tauranga and Auckland.

          “We aim to provide meals that suit the majority of people, but for some, meals may not be to their personal taste. This is particularly so for people who have received the same meals for many years,” the statement said.

          Compass welcomed feedback and would make changes if there were “genuine problems”.

          Sleazy corporate shill making out the problem is with the elderly.
21. Penny Bright 21

    30 January 2016 at 4:02 pm

    Phil Goff supports the TPPA.

    I do not.

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/01/28/goff-shearer-not-sure-an-action-station-hate-pile-on-is-the-best-solution/?utm_content=bufferd519b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

    Now I love a political blood letting as much as the next blogger, but Goff has already signed his right to stomp around the sandpit on this issue off with the Labour Caucus earlier this week.

    Phil is a well respected member of Caucus, he just happens to be wrong on the TPPA.

    He needs Labour and Union activists mid year to win the Auckland Mayoralty so his huff may be short lived.
    ….
    ____________________________

    The last Auckland Mayoral candidate that Martyn Bradbury supported – I beat.

    Just saying….

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
22. Penny Bright 22

    30 January 2016 at 4:13 pm

    So – does Martyn Bradbury support TPPA peaceful protestors going to Sky City – on Thursday 4 February 2016, yes or no?

    Anyone know his latest position?

    Penny Bright
    2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.

    Who does NOT support NZ signing the TPPA.
23. ianmac 23

    30 January 2016 at 7:04 pm

    A modest number of us held our TPPA protest march in Blenheim today.
    My point is “Free Trade = sweetener
    The poison is hidden in the rest of TPPA”
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11582344
24. ianmac 24

    30 January 2016 at 7:09 pm

    Photo: “Obama welcomes Tim Grosser.”
    Tim is grinning proudly.
    Off camera John Key is seething with jealousy. Barak has a new Best Friend now John.

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