Open mike 30/09/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 30th, 2013 - 61 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step right up to the mike…

61 comments on “Open mike 30/09/2013 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. amirite 1
    30 September 2013 at 7:43 am

    Not only have most first home hopefuls been kicked off the ladder, now your minister and your MPs are rubbing your nose in it:
    How MPs got into first homes
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11132060

  2. North 2
    30 September 2013 at 8:40 am

    On the Radio New Zealand National website now – schedule for Nine to Noon today 30/9/13 – 11.05 am – “Political commentators”.

    Not “Politics with Matthew Hooton and Mike Williams” – just “Political commentators”.

    Has the spineless Shouty Hooton been pulled ? If so by whom ?

  3. Paul 3
    30 September 2013 at 9:07 am

    The Herald like a truly loyal new sheet in a one party state repeats the government line on everything.
    ‘Early Demand on Meridian’
    ‘Tougher rules cut welfare bill $3b’
    ‘Youth Court sentences at 20-year low’

    All hail the heroes of the neo-liberal revolution.
    Pravda would be proud.

    • McFlock 4.1
      30 September 2013 at 11:32 am

      Given Texan gun control, I don’t begrudge them that.

      Sticking a machine gun on it, on the other hand, I would begrudge. Civilian police really shouldn’t get into the habit of area-only weaponry, rather than each projectile being aimed.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.1
        30 September 2013 at 11:42 am

        Given Texan gun control, I don’t begrudge them that.

        These vehicles have gun ports and hard points for additional military hard ware – like 50 cal machine guns.

        South Africa is where we have seen these military and para-military vehicles used tactically against civilian protestors and civil resistance extremely effectively.

        It is what they are intended for in the USA as well. Taking the lessons of quelling civil unrest in a peropheral place like Fallujah, back to the centre of empire.

        Civilian police really shouldn’t get into the habit of area-only weaponry, rather than each projectile being aimed.

        CS gas standard for US police nowadays.

        • McFlock 4.1.1.1
          30 September 2013 at 12:16 pm

          Of course they have mounts and ports. Hell, knowing the human psyche they probably bung mgs on them as well. But I don’t begrudge them having a protective vehicle – just whether they mount heavy weaponry on it.

          I know of at least one incident in NZ where the area was still at risk but people were wounded, and the cops called around seeing if cash-transit vans were bulletproof. Yeah, nah – people died because help couldn’t get to them. That’s why the NZ cops ask the army to bring out the LAVs these days. And yes, they even fire gas and smoke rounds from them.

          CS gas standard for US police nowadays.

          Yeah, I was thinking about “go through the house and the three buildings behind that the operator couldn’t see, killing people all the way” weapons. But feel free to equate significantly less-lethal weapons with machine guns and HE/frag grenades if you really want to.

          • vto 4.1.1.1.1
            30 September 2013 at 12:26 pm

            So following the typical weaponry track in the US we will shortly see the crims in their own military vehicles as well, with cannons and missiles at the ready…
            … the gun debate in the US – madness

            mad max here we come

            • McFlock 4.1.1.1.1.1
              30 September 2013 at 12:34 pm

              Been progressing that way for a while.

              • Colonial Viper …
                30 September 2013 at 2:56 pm

                Just business as usual then. Everyone go back to your Playstations and your Hopium on via CNN and MTV.

                As for a “protective vehicle”, lol – why are military style APCs now needed in the US now compared to 20 years ago? Apart from controlling protests like Occupy of course.

                • McFlock …
                  30 September 2013 at 5:33 pm

                  Well, they did have them 20 or 30 years ago in the US. As to “why”, it possibly has something to do with the funny way a lot of bad guys have access to very big guns. SLA, BoA/North Hollywood, that sort of thing.

                  But then we even need that sort of thing on occasion in NZ, too, so I reckon you’re being a bit stupid.

                  • Molly …
                    30 September 2013 at 6:38 pm

                    When have we “needed” that sort of thing in NZ?

                    • McFlock …
                      30 September 2013 at 9:27 pm

                      Napier 2009.
                      Would have been useful at Aramoana, too. Not to mention at least one armed robbery in the media a few years back where (although it later turned out that the offender had fled) a wounded victim died of his injuries over tens of minutes while they secured the area before the medics could go in. Any anti-organised crime drug raid.

                      They don’t need heavy machine guns. Yes, I know they’d have been used in the KDC raid if the cops had thought it’d be awesome (helicopter insertion, ffs). But that doesn’t mean armoured police vehicles haven’t and couldn’t have saved lives in legitimate NZ police work.

  5. travellerev 5
    30 September 2013 at 11:16 am

    In an interview the CEO of AIG, the biggest sponsor of the All Blacks who now wear the corporation’s logo over their heart, Bob Benmosche compared the outrage over the gigantic bonuses paid to him and his bankster buddies even as they had to be bailed out by the American population when they got caught down with their pants down in the aftermath of the Mortgage backed securities collapse, with the lynching of black people in the Southern states of the USA.

    Here is my open letter to the All Blacks to ask them what they are going to do about it seeing as they are selling this creeps company with a Haka composed by A Maori leader and their sports achievements.

    • Tiger Mountain 5.1
      30 September 2013 at 11:37 am

      Dropping dodgy sponsors is a regular act even in the US, i.e. NASCAR drivers on speed, Tiger shagging around etc.

      “Thugby” and the “All Blecks” however are immune from most societal standards Eve, such as wife beating and public assault, it is the dark kiwi way. Support them right or wrong. I agree with and support the issue you have raised but it will likely be Hobbits all over again. Be nice to be surprised otherwise tho!

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 5.2
      30 September 2013 at 3:40 pm

      Very well said, Travellerev,

      The advertising of AIG by the All-Blacks after the damage caused by AIG’s fraudulent and disgraceful antics is an utter travesty.

      Good points too Tiger Mountain

  6. Rogue Trooper 6
    30 September 2013 at 12:11 pm

    RNZ- 3% rise in power prices in year to June, despite 3% fall in consumption over the same period.
    Governments’ market model is uncompetitive and profit-driven.
    -Geoff Bertram

  7. bad12 7
    30 September 2013 at 12:12 pm

    From the midday news, despite demand for electricity falling 3% on an annual basis, prices have risen 3%,

    The next Labour/Green Government cannot come soon enough for power consumers and i hope that planning for the new regime of pricing electricity are well advanced,

    i get extreme flashes of anger when that little drip comes on my TV urging me to save money by cutting my electricity usage,

    i use very little of the stuff in comparison with the ‘average household’, nevertheless over a 2 year period i managed to cut my average usage by a whopping 10%,

    The reaction of my electricity supplier???, increases in the prices they charged me over those 2 years of a whopping 30%…

    • Draco T Bastard 7.1
      30 September 2013 at 12:43 pm

      Economies of scale.

      As demand decreases the total profit decreases and so prices are increased to protect that profit. Completely contrary to what the “economic theory” that the governments follow would predict.

      Greens press release on it

      • bad12 7.1.1
        30 September 2013 at 1:02 pm

        Yes Cartel Capitalism is alive and well with it’s demands of a return not only to the shareholder but also the insinuation of the banks in every level of business activity demanding their 5% off of the top…

      • Chooky 7.1.2
        30 September 2013 at 2:17 pm

        Electricity pricing is a National and Act Party disgrace!

        ….ever since I was a child I can remember New Zealanders paying for hydro power generation on the promise that there would be low electricity pricing and plenty for all….it never seemed to eventuate and now National is privatising and selling off the power generation assets(built on generations of NZ tax payers money) to those with the surplus dollars (Trust Accounts) for investment ,who are least dependent on affordable power.

        It is a betrayal , especially as most New Zealanders don’t want asset sales!

        … Beneficiaries, the low salary earners and Grey Power are extremely angry….If nothing else this will be a huge Election issue !!!!….

        The Greens are right on the button with this …imo Gareth Hughes , despite his youth , is very able and should get a cabinet position in the new Labour/Green coalition 2014 government.

  8. karol 8
    30 September 2013 at 12:29 pm

    There’s a prolonged siren going off in the New Lynn area. Civil Defense test? Just stopped.

  9. tricldrown 9
    30 September 2013 at 12:58 pm

    The govt policy on power prices is to maintain the cartels that run this country!
    Free market is a myth run by the
    monopolies that keep wages down profits high and Kiwis borrowing from their monopolies!

    [Bunji: you changing (misspelling?) your name/email slightly, which is why you keep ending up in moderation (as a “new” user) – please can you settle on one spelling…]

  10. Sable 10
    30 September 2013 at 2:50 pm

    Sounds like the bumbling buffoon of Balmoral is finding things aren’t all going his way:

    http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/19166163/pm-reacts-to-description-as-a-colonial-clot/

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 10.1
      30 September 2013 at 4:21 pm

      “Galloping Colonial Clot” ~ The Daily Mail

      LOLZ! Thanks Sable!

      The British Newspapers summarize him astutely in so few days of exposure, whereas our media continue to fawn slavishly over him despite years of evidence to the contrary.

      • newsense 10.1.1
        1 October 2013 at 12:48 am

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11132460

        this in the Herald:

        “In a good humoured piece…”

        Surely scathing and scornful is more like it, at the dog whose tail is set wagging so by the master’s favour.

        Is interesting that he got such access and intimacy. Maybe HRH just likes him, but it seems he does have some connections in Britain, the mayor et al…Has no one picked up on him making a joke about asking Johnson to come and run for mayor in Auckland?

  11. Rogue Trooper 11
    30 September 2013 at 2:58 pm

    “And a bearded lady said to me
    if you start your raving and your misbehaving
    you’ll be sorry
    Then the chicken-fancier came to play
    with his long red beard (and his sister’s weird
    she drives a lorry).

    Saw Johnny Scarecrow make his rounds
    in his jet-black mac (which he won’t give back)
    stole it from a snowman”.

    – TULL

  12. arants 12
    30 September 2013 at 4:50 pm

    Who’s running the Labour Caucus now? Completely at odds with Cunliffe’s stated position, Goff seems to have been given a licence to betray…

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11131278

    • newsense 12.1
      1 October 2013 at 12:43 am

      wondered about that article…assume Cunliffe has ok’d it….surely?!? after all he chose Goff for trade. Not sure about the licence to betray, but Cunliffe has assured us that he wants to get the text in the public arena for discussion. Goff seems to be saying it will be a good deal, we just need to say why more…

      This is one of the Big choices we will have to make coming up. It surely would be strategically stupid to be trade dependant on a Chinese bloc only…

      • Draco T Bastard 12.1.1
        1 October 2013 at 1:06 am

        It’s strategically stupid to be trade dependent.

        • Colonial Viper 12.1.1.1
          1 October 2013 at 2:50 am

          Even so, it turns out that we are heavily trade dependent. 45 days without international trade and our country will be in a fuel crisis, hospitals will and pharmacies will run out of life saving drugs, many food staples will disappear from store shelves, fleets of vehicles will start getting parked up due to lack of replacement parts (and fuel shortages), even many NZ made food products will disappear as minor ingredients, additives and packaging materials run out; well you get the idea.

    • Murray Olsen 12.2
      1 October 2013 at 8:02 pm

      The Sun will shine more brightly and the birds will sing more cheerfully on the day Goff retires. He will go down in history as the Rogernome who lacked the courage to join ACT. Why does Labour still put up with him?

  13. srylands 13
    30 September 2013 at 5:09 pm

    National have SMEs’ confidence on economy

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1309/S01074/national-have-smes-confidence-on-economy-support-needed.htm

    A very significant survey of 1000 firms. Only 10% consider that Labour would be superior economic managers.

    A real issue for Labour is the very low level of support amongst manufacturers. Labour portray the Party as champions of manufacturing. It doesn’t get traction.

  14. Paul 14
    30 September 2013 at 5:15 pm

    Source MYOB
    From Wikipeida
    “MYOB, Mind Your Own Business, is an Australian multinational corporation that provides tax, accounting and other services to small and medium businesses.”
    A source with no agenda?

  15. Rogue Trooper 15
    30 September 2013 at 5:26 pm

    When the actual Business Confidence, does not match the Headline
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11132354

  16. risildowgtn 16
    30 September 2013 at 6:40 pm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9226949/Chris-Tremain-to-quit-politics-for-his-family

    The rats are desertin’ early……….

    Wonder whom the *Others* are… More More More

    • ScottGN 16.1
      30 September 2013 at 8:18 pm

      Hopefully the other Hawke’s Bay MP whose constituency is named after the Tukituki River will be one.

  17. Anne 17
    30 September 2013 at 8:54 pm

    The National Party just LURVE taking photos of themselves. Here’s 24,548 of them if you’re interested:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/nznationalparty/

  18. vto 18
    30 September 2013 at 9:51 pm

    ha ha ha ha, look at this. John Key says something and expects that people will believe him…

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9226635/Higher-interest-rates-without-new-rules-John-Key

    Give it up John, nobody believes anything you say anymore. The party is over, go home.

    • Draco T Bastard 18.1
      30 September 2013 at 11:00 pm

      If the government issued money instead of the private banks then we could get rid of interest rates altogether.

      • vto 18.1.1
        30 September 2013 at 11:10 pm

        Yep, the loopy system of the right wing. Nutbars, thinking that the world’s largest ever Ponzi scheme is somehow sustainable…

        fruit de loops

    • newsense 18.2
      1 October 2013 at 12:55 am

      ok- but what about the same rules, with some exemptions for first home buyers? No change in interest rates?

      IN Qld they used to simply pay 7K to first home buyers, not sure if they still do.

      • newsense 18.2.1
        1 October 2013 at 1:03 am

        “Under National they’re paying $20,000 a year less in interest on their mortgage than they otherwise would have done under Labour.”

        This is the kind of scaremongering hypothetical shit we’ve got to counter some how. John Howard whipped the crap out of Mark Latham with ‘interest rates will go up under Labour’ despite everyone saying it wasn’t true and that the Coalition actually had higher spending promises than Labour.

        • newsense 18.2.1.1
          1 October 2013 at 1:05 am

          Also, you can’t make capital gains on a house you can’t afford to buy= 100% reduction on your capital gains…

  19. Sable 19
    30 September 2013 at 10:58 pm

    Seems insidious right wing scum everywhere think alike. This sounds all too familiar, use government legislation to create an environment that fosters inequality by catering to greedy elites and then blame the victims:

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/29/george-osborne-crackdown-jobless-costs?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2&et_cid=50894&et_rid=7665268&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2fpolitics%2f2013%2fsep%2f29%2fgeorge-osborne-crackdown-jobless-costs

  20. Ugly Truth 20
    1 October 2013 at 7:30 am

    BEIRUT — Syrian opposition groups and international relief organizations are warning of the risk of mass starvation across the country, especially in the besieged Damascus suburbs where a gas attack killed hundreds last month.

    With the world’s attention focused on the regime’s chemical weapons, activists said six people — including an 18-month girl — have died for lack of food in one of the stricken suburbs in recent weeks.

    Save the Children said in an appeal Monday that more than 4 million Syrians, more than half of them children, do not have enough to eat. Food shortages have been compounded by an explosion in prices.

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=225637421

  21. amirite 21
    1 October 2013 at 7:36 am

    ‘Key rejects builders’ fears mortgage rules will reduce home starts’

    Well, Shonkey, it is been happening already – have you hears the head of the Master Builders Association saying exactly that the other day? Are you implying he’s lying?
    I think we all know who’s the liar and it ain’t him.

    • Rogue Trooper 21.1
      1 October 2013 at 12:52 pm

      Yes amirite ; from 3Newz last night, “Home construction in New Zealand is Slowing”

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