Open Mike 31/01/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, January 31st, 2019 - 90 comments
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90 comments on “Open Mike 31/01/2019 ”

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  1. Morrissey 1
    31 January 2019 at 7:09 am

    “For more on the situation in Venezuela, we go to the BBC’s Orla Guerin.”
    RNZ National, Thursday 31 January 2019, 6.15 a.m.

    Emotion merchant Orla Guerin is “emotional” as always. Her voice throbs as she summons up an approximate imitation of earnest solicitude and sincerity. It’s clear who she’s been told to portray as the hero in this Washington-directed farce: “The authorities turning up the heat on Venezuela’s young Opposition leader….”

    RNZ National Morning Report host Susie Ferguson (herself a former BBC “reporter”) ends the one minute coverage of Venezuela for the morning: “That’s the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido talking to Orla Guerin.”

    Venezuela has been an object of ridicule and loathing on New Zealand’s state broadcaster for years now….

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/01/rory-carroll-takes-advantage-of-simon.html

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/two-democratic-heroes-two-very.html

    And Susie Ferguson seems to have no other modus operandi than the frivolous once-over-lightly:

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/come-back-kim-hill-urgently-oct-19-2013.html

    • Gabby 1.1
      31 January 2019 at 9:19 am

      You seem to be quite the Nick Manuro fanboi morrie, what’s your adoration based on?

      • Morrissey 1.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 1:37 pm

        I don’t know where you get the impression I “adore” the democratically elected leader of Venezuela. I acknowledge that both he and Chávez before him were far from perfect, and made many mistakes. I was particularly incensed by Chávez’s ideological assault against El Sistema, Venezuela’s world-renowned music program. He attacked it on the barbaric and ridiculous ground that classical music was a middle class thing.

        I was astonished and alarmed to see Chávez grandstanding in the U.S., ostentatiously delivering free fuel to the poor areas of some U.S. cities in order to show up the neglectful Bush administration. That always seemed like a provocative and foolish thing to do. He—and now Maduro—also did little or nothing about diversifying the country’s economy—leaving it prey to pirates like the Bush gang and its obedient vassals in the E.U., Canada, Australia, Israel and the fascist regimes of Central and South America.

        They’ve been pretty damned hopeless—but they’ve never been involved in the destruction of another country, leave alone four or five. And let’s not forget that the plight of the country, the suffering and the violence, is due mainly to the extreme right-wing, democracy-hating Venezuelan insurrectionists, and the aggressive and totally illegal “sanctions” imposed by U.S. regimes, mounting in ferocity and pitilessness following the failed coup of 2002.

        You either support the rule of law and democratic elections, Gabby—or you meekly give in and reluctantly support Trump, Pence, Pompeo, Bolton, and Abrams.

        • Gabby 1.1.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 5:16 pm

          What d’you reckon will happen when a government takes every measure it can to destroy legitimate opposition morrie? Including creating a new legislature to do an end run around the elected one?

          • Morrissey 1.1.1.1.1
            31 January 2019 at 5:36 pm

            “Legitimate” opposition? These are the insurrectionists that fought and lost the 2002 coup. They boycott elections because they know they will never get a large enough vote to win or to even cut a deal.

            Venezuela’s elections in 2013 and 2018 were praised by all observers. Not the insurrectionists and their U.S. backers, but by all people who observed the elections. They were certainly far cleaner than the U.S. elections of virtually any year. (And, no, it wasn’t those Evil Masterminds, the RUSSIANS, it was the Republican gerrymanderers and the army of corrupt officials who disenfranchised hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of mainly African American and Latino voters.)

            The Communists routinely boycotted elections as a matter of strategy in many countries. Did that invalidate all those Western European elections?

            • Gabby 1.1.1.1.1.1
              31 January 2019 at 9:04 pm

              Boycotting is a dumbarse strategy morrie. I’m not recalling the praise of last year’s election though. Who were the praisors? Don’t count yourself.

              • Morrissey …
                1 February 2019 at 8:31 am

                Boycotting is a dumbarse strategy…

                Not always. But it certainly was in this case. As one of the opponents of Maduro in last year’s election, Henri Falcón, explained: “Electoral boycotts almost never work. In country after country, opposition forces that abandoned the field of electoral competition have lost ground and allowed rulers to consolidate power.”

                National effectively boycotted the Epsom seat in several recent elections, so as to enable a member of the ACT cult to get a seat. They did something similar to help Peter Dunne in Ohariu. Do those boycotts invalidate New Zealand’s last three or four elections?

                The elections in Venezuela in 2013 and 2018 were cleaner and more transparent than any U.S. federal election. In 2013, even Forbes magazine could not deny that. Nothing changed in the intervening years, other than the extreme right’s self-inflicted massive injury of the boycott.

                https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2013/05/14/venezuelas-election-system-holds-up-as-a-model-for-the-world/#4bb2eec671e2

  2. Reality 2
    31 January 2019 at 8:28 am

    Kate Hawkesby’s childish column berates Labour MPs for their clothes. Hmm, given her husband’s and her own choices, it was rather hypocritical.

    • rata 2.1
      31 January 2019 at 8:40 am

      To be fair for a 67 year old the make up artists do
      a decent job on Mike Hosking.

      • Muttonbird 2.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 7:22 pm

        Hosking dresses like a man with serious insecurity and self esteem problems.

        And for Hawkesby, well that was a petulant and child-like rant. It didn’t do the Nats any favours at all which I’m sure was the purpose of the article.

    • Tiger Mountain 2.2
      31 January 2019 at 8:51 am

      Yes, our ripped jean, hairsprayed hero, Mr Hosking, and Katie’s “Ibiza nightclub” look are real fashion gems…

      • Reality 2.2.1
        31 January 2019 at 12:43 pm

        She would fit right in as one of the cast in that Brit programme “Benidorm”. And yes, clothing choices are up to each person’s preference, but when KH tosses the first stone……

    • Gabby 2.3
      31 January 2019 at 9:21 am

      Does she not approve of clothes?

    • Anne 2.4
      31 January 2019 at 9:24 am

      You beat me to it Reality:

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12198959

      Yet another puerile and vitriolic rant by a Nat aligned MSM lackey. The CT backed instructions went out about 2 weeks ago I reckon – it’s “Dirty Politics” in its most virulent form from now until the next election.

      Edit: Even questioned the presence of baby, Neve. She’s seven months old for God’s sake and needs her Mum. Dad might have work commitments as the moment.
      Here it is:

      Jacinda Ardern’s baby Neve was also there – I don’t know why, I’m not sure if other people’s kids were there, but let’s not call that weird because we’ll be lynched.

      Nasty piece of work.
      Wonder what her teenage brats are up to these days.

      • Gabby 2.4.1
        31 January 2019 at 9:30 am

        How DARE people out of the office dress like they’re out of the office. It’s creeping communism gone mad.

        • Anne 2.4.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 9:40 am

          Yeah Gabby, as she says weird as..

          I’ll get in first before some dim-witted rwnj rabbits on about conspiracy theories;

          The reference to CT backed instructions… is tongue in cheek. Got it?

      • OnceWasTim 2.4.2
        31 January 2019 at 9:52 am

        +1
        Crime against Humanity lashes out at its perceived crime against fashion

      • mary_a 2.4.3
        31 January 2019 at 1:27 pm

        Anne @ (2.4) …

        If KH had any idea and you’d think she would being a mother, she’d realise the reason baby Neve is there, Jacinda is most likely still breastfeeding!

        KH comes across to me as dripping with envy and spite!

        • Anne 2.4.3.1
          31 January 2019 at 3:27 pm

          KH comes across to me as dripping with envy and spite!

          Absolutely. She, and her other half, are so up themselves they can’t bear to think anyone is more intelligent and attractive than they are.

          Every so often KH does produce a reasonable piece but I’m beginning to think its more by good luck than good management.

      • Peter 2.4.4
        31 January 2019 at 4:24 pm

        If her teenage offspring turn up half normal they’ll be doing okay. Some regularly scream about kids being to be taken off their parents to get them out of abusive environments. The sort of people who strenuously support Mike Hosking.

        Is it right to leave kids in environments with polluted outlooks of their parents?

      • Morrissey 2.4.5
        31 January 2019 at 5:54 pm

        Hosking’s wife. What would you expect?

    • mac1 2.5
      31 January 2019 at 10:09 am

      Her seventh to last paragraph sums it up.

      “Nothing to see here”.

      Nothing to read here, either, in this article

      And if she can’t actually see what is happening at a retreat for a party in government’s caucus, then she is blind.

      And if she thinks that she will get close to what is happening in politics, then taking pot shots at politicians over their casual dress won’t help.

      Perhaps that is why she writes the shite. She can’t hack the real stuff, so instead hacks trivia.

  3. Andre 3
    31 January 2019 at 8:43 am

    More things to make you go hmmmm. Steve Munchkin has possible financial links to rooskies, lifts sanctions on rooskies, rooskies hire former Drumpf transition staffer.

    https://www.salon.com/2019/01/30/with-sanctions-lifted-trump-transition-member-gets-board-position-on-russian-oligarchs-company/

  4. millsy 4
    31 January 2019 at 9:03 am

    As the arguments about taxation culminate in the release of the tax report either today or tomorrow, the human cost of a low tax economy needs to be remembered. Richardson and Garner need to get of their high horses and go to Hospital Hill in Napier. There used to stand Napier Hospital. Closed in 1995 to pay for Bill Birchs tax cuts. It has been demolished now, but for 2 decades it stood as a reminder of where tax cuts after tax cut will enventually get us.

    We need a capital gains tax. What is left of our health system need it.

    • Ed1 4.1
      31 January 2019 at 1:16 pm

      We have a capital gains tax. Bridges has promised to remove it, but we don’t know how much tax revenue that will lose. (Yes there are many exemptions from treating capital gains as income – the family home being well-known.) National increased revenue from tax on capital gains by its “bright line” test which said that gains from the quick sale of property will automatically be regarded as taxable income unless there were special reasons – Bridges now wants to cut out all tax on capital gains – whoopee for those involved in buying and selling companies for a profit . . .

      • patricia bremner 4.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 4:40 pm

        Ed1 yes business would like that.

        • Ed1 4.1.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 11:21 pm

          if you bought shares when some of the SOEs were sold, you have done quite well, but it would be good if you didn’t have to pay tax on those gains – does Bridges have a cunning plan to help a few blind trusts for retiring National politicians?

  5. millsy 5
    31 January 2019 at 9:05 am

    Bill English’s role in the destruction of a world class health system in this country has been forgotten. Which is a pity.

    • ianmac 5.1
      31 January 2019 at 9:32 am

      Yes. English intended to drive the Public Health system into ruin so that Presto. The Private system can ride in to pick up the broken bits that can be turned into profit. Just as in Britain it is happening so, right now.
      We must have a Health system like the Americans. Right?

      • SaveNZ 5.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 10:32 am

        Yes, American’s spend the most on health care in the world and have one of the worst most expensive and inequatitable systems. I think something like 40% of American’s don’t even have access to health care and they are paying through the nose for that!

        Happy to say, NZ health system is still very good, like our educations system, but you can see how the privatisation and routing and lowering of standards, while making it free (in real terms) to 4 million tourists per year and hundreds of thousands of the world living here who don’t require to pay any extra in real terms (because even if you are supposed to pay, you don’t really have to) or have private health insurance before entering the country, so the quality issues are being subtly and not so subtly pushed… We now seem to have as many people in NZ per year in NZ using all the roads, medical and hospitals and services as those who permanently live here…

        • Drowsy M. Kram 5.1.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 11:07 am

          The government might be aiming to stabilise migration, but decreasing immigration seems to be “in the ‘too hard basket” for now. Hope they keep their eye on the long-term ‘ball’.

          “privatisation and routing rorting and lowering of standards” (just once, for info only)

          • SaveNZ 5.1.1.1.1
            31 January 2019 at 12:31 pm

            Thanks Drowsy. But under Labour/NZ First/Greens last year sounds like immigration and work permits INCREASED (not stabilised) dramatically, according to TDB, 4 million tourists, 129,000 new migrants and 150,000 temporary work permits, combined they nearly equal the resident population of NZ.

            Meanwhile reports of apparently work shortages seem to be lies… as local workers in constructions are having to lay off people because their wages have become too low and small (local) builders are shut out of the contracts as it becomes about who you know and lowest cost …

            Smaller Christchurch building companies struggling to find work
            https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/381149/smaller-christchurch-building-companies-struggling-to-find-work

            Chch builders out of work as rebuild construction dries up

            https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018680157/chch-builders-out-of-work-as-rebuild-construction-dries-up

            Meanwhile a lot of money spent on middle men touting to place overseas workers into NZ…

            New Zealand Job Openings for Filipinos, No Placement Fee Country, and Manpower Agency List

            https://mattscradle.com/new-zealand-job-openings-for-filipinos/

            • SaveNZ 5.1.1.1.1.1
              31 January 2019 at 12:51 pm

              NZ has a quality construction issue which after lazy immigration, is the 2nd biggest problem facing the housing crisis. As fast as our Rogernomics market based construction solutions build them, they need remedial work and can’t be lived in, throwing more people out to rent who should be home owners living in their homes, and then the construction firms themselves are liquidated…

              If a company is liquidated there should be proper penalties for the directors including not being able to be a company director for at least a decade… and personal fines.

              Perhaps then the firms would be more choosy and of a higher standard and less likely to liquidate at the first sign of trouble so they don’t have to pay their workers and subcontractors…

              It seems that being undercut by so many overseas players with deep pockets is a factor. Who knows how many of them are bringing in overseas workers and profiting from underpaying them (like the listed NZ firms) and getting payments for the job…. meanwhile the big players are able to hoover up all the housing contracts…

              Also poor plans being approved by council have also been a factor…

              Big builder Corbel Construction in liquidation
              https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12170789

              Leaky building repairs drag on: $24m bill yet 81 townhouses still uninhabitable

              https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12098276

              Auckland construction company folds, 55 staff laid off, more failures predicted

              https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11909184

              • SaveNZ …
                31 January 2019 at 1:10 pm

                The problem is that the firms bringing in the low cost labour and tourists are having their profits subsidised by Kiwi taxpayers who have to pay for the hospitals and schools and roads and wastewater that all these cheaper workers and tourists need, meanwhile throwing our local firms paying better wages under the bus and putting them out of work, or the standards have fallen so low with construction with planning, labour and materials that the new buildings need remedial work almost immediately and the tourist ventures are more likely to be overseas owned with substantial overseas labour to run them… so it’s a Ponzi… because it is not sustainable.

                Labour and Auckland council wants more taxes on the middle classes because they are easy targets, National is seizing it’s chances to squeeze back into power… all in all very depressing…

                If user pays were user pays, then shouldn’t those using the services and bringing in the workers have to pay big bucks for the visas, have a bond if their workers leave so are not actually doing the work, have a much higher threshold for being able to bring someone in, (aka pay at the top end of the pay scale for the so called ‘experience’) so that there is money to pay for the hospitals and schools and roads and waster water of their overseas workers and 4 million tourists are not subsidised by the tax payers on NZ who are also being shunted off the hospital waiting lists or spending 4 hours in traffic each day or can’t swim in their water ways because their is too much pollution.

                Like wise the ‘private’ educational institutions many of whom are just conduits for residency of low quality poorly educated people, who suddenly sport a ‘masters’ they bought from a NZ institution mostly private who gets $20k per year from them.

                Unlike the more well known international universities in the top 100 universities in the world, increasingly in NZ we are devaluing our tertiary institutions with paid degrees that accepts anybody with the cash… regardless of their educational ability or inability.

      • patricia bremner 5.1.2
        31 January 2019 at 4:44 pm

        YES. And if memory still serves, wasn’t there some question about NAT’S investing in Ryman’s?? and that policy looked tailormade ????? Someone may recall.

    • SaveNZ 5.2
      31 January 2019 at 10:24 am

      +1 millsy

  6. ianmac 6
    31 January 2019 at 9:37 am

    Reality drew attention to a very interesting column on Noted. It is very perceptive written by Graham Adams. It gives a insight into the words of Jacinda, the background to Paula, Jamie Lee, and Sarah. Worth reading for its own sake.
    Thanks Reality.
    https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/politics/sarah-dowie-jami-lee-ross-parliaments-star-crossed-lovers-who-crossed-each-other/

    • Anne 6.1
      31 January 2019 at 10:21 am

      Thanks ianmac.

      Filed for future reference.

    • rata 6.2
      31 January 2019 at 11:31 am

      @ianmac Re the article by Graham Adams on Noted.
      I did not note any perception in the article.
      Just the usual selective bias cherry picking info
      and juxtaposition to ” prove” a point
      Some one else comes along and through similar
      cherry picking juxtaposition proves the opposite.
      Does get tiresome .
      No shortage of cherry pickers in this country.
      There are thousands on social media 🙂

      • ianmac 6.2.1
        31 January 2019 at 12:39 pm

        Your cynicism rata, could be applied to all and every point of view especially where no scientific evidence is available but even then bias can twist.

        So by your rule there is no value in exploring any idea ever. How boring.

        Sorry The Standard has been killed off by Rata. Goodbye all.

        • dv 6.2.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 12:54 pm

          Rata would have improved his ‘argument’ with examples and evidence.

        • veutoviper 6.2.1.2
          31 January 2019 at 1:14 pm

          Ianmac

          Please don’t go. You and your contributions here have been long and valued by me, and I know, many others.

          I and some others (Anne, Redlogix) have been having a conversation this morning over on the post on “The world cannot afford billionaires” about behaviours here and related matters. Go and have a read – just check the sidebar as the links are there eg Anne to me, me to me, Redlogix to me etc. Hope that may help change your mind.

          Re Rata, I am not going to criticise him or her as he/she has the same rights to comment here as me, provided he/she complies with the rules in the TS’ Policy.

          However, since this new personality appeared recently, I have been a bit bemused by his/her postings and personally I decided the best thing to do was just ignore. IMHO he/she really does not post enough substance to bother replying to or attempting any debate on the issues raised. There is not much point when there are so many other more interesting interactions going on here.

          And thank you for posting that link. I meant to do so on Sunday (?) when I first read it and we were discussing that issue on MS’s post on the $100,000 donation. So we need you to stay!!!!

          • RedLogix 6.2.1.2.1
            31 January 2019 at 2:29 pm

            Same sentiments from me ian.

          • ianmac 6.2.1.2.2
            31 January 2019 at 4:06 pm

            veutoviper. I have a huge sense of humour (though my wife only laughs sometimes) and I was really just grinning to myself as I wrote my response to rata. I thought he was trying to be too clever so responded in that vein. I am not leaving TS. Some serious ideas here but I like the sort of response people like Robert sometimes give us too. Brightens the day.

            And yes I read your plan of how a blog should run. Good stuff.

            • veutoviper 6.2.1.2.2.1
              31 January 2019 at 5:05 pm

              I am pleased you were grinning to yourself – but I didn’t laugh because I thought you were serious! Agree re Robert’s responses.

              And my other comments were not a plan – just thoughts.

        • patricia bremner 6.2.1.3
          31 January 2019 at 9:19 pm

          Stay please ianmac. Your posts are always interesting and informative.

  7. Andre 7
    31 January 2019 at 11:12 am

    Another interesting snapshot of how perceptions of women’s and men’s performance varies even when doing the same job.

    https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/01/theres-a-bigger-difference-between-6-and-10-than-you-think/

  8. joe90 8
    31 January 2019 at 12:29 pm

    50 years ago the Beatles played their rooftop concert.

    It was their last appearance together as a band.

    • David Mac 8.1
      31 January 2019 at 4:51 pm

      Ace.

      Lennon and McCartney = the greatest composers of popular music since Mozart

      This utube clip has had over 205 million views….

      • gsays 8.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 5:38 pm

        Cough cough, Bob Dylan, cough cough.

        • Morrissey 8.1.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 5:49 pm

          Cough, cough, Michael Maybrick, cough cough.

          Cough, cough, Irving Berlin, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Gerry Goffin, Ellie Greenwich, Paul Kelly….

          • David Mac 8.1.1.1.1
            31 January 2019 at 6:25 pm

            Yeah…nah.

            If I hummed tunes, the 50+ masses would excel at identifying the Beatles numbers. The Beatles ownership of popular music is waning but what a run.

            C’mon Morrisey, I could whistle 30 Beatles tunes and you’d identify every one of them.

      • Pat 8.1.2
        31 January 2019 at 10:16 pm

        Thanks for that…is so easy to forget how timelessly good they were/are

  9. Morrissey 9
    31 January 2019 at 3:06 pm

    Idiot Piers Morgan upset when historian points out that
    Churchill was responsible for the starvation of millions of Bengalis.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/piers-morgan-in-furious-row-with-msp-over-tweet-labelling-churchill-a-white-supremacist-mass-a4051366.html

      • ianmac 9.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 4:13 pm

        Churchill as Minister of defence in 1914 refused credit to Turkey to enable for them to regain their repaired naval ships. The result was that Turkey was powerless to withstand pressure from Germany. The Germans “gave” a ship to Turkey, raised a Turkish flag on her, then sent her in to the Black Sea to shell a Russian town. Thus, Churchill’s decision tipped Turkey into being our enemy. Well done Winston.

        • McFlock 9.1.1.1
          31 January 2019 at 5:00 pm

          Churchill is one of the few people about whom I am very ambivalent. He did great things and he did terrible things, and most of his actions all came from the same place and attitude. He connected with people from all classes and was a considerate officer in the trenches, but he also set tanks and cavalry on workers. And so many other juxtapositions.

          Pretty much everyone with an opinion on him is correct, lovers and haters all.

          • Morrissey 9.1.1.1.1
            31 January 2019 at 5:50 pm

            He certainly contained multitudes.

            It’s perhaps worth noting that his descendants continue to wreak havoc among the underprivileged. His horrible grandson Rupert Soames was in charge of that awful Serco shitshow.

    • Jenny - How to get there? 9.2
      31 January 2019 at 9:23 pm

      ‘

      “I know Churchill is a monster. But he is our monster”

      Clement Attlee

  10. Morrissey 10
    31 January 2019 at 3:22 pm

    Starts off badly as it’s possible to start off, by endorsing a less than mediocre book by that numbskull Boris Johnson, for pity’s sake.

    The “Churchill Project” is going to be about as rigorous as a Mike Hosking three minute radio rant.

    • Stunned Mullet 10.1
      31 January 2019 at 4:12 pm

      It is all referenced and appears to be in direct contradiction to the piece you have chosen to troll with.

      • Morrissey 10.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 4:17 pm

        It starts off by endorsing Boris Johnson. Any organization with so little judgment is neither serious nor credible.

  11. SaveNZ 11
    31 January 2019 at 4:12 pm

    The sort of stupidity and bureaucracy we have come to expect from NZ officials…

    Kaikoura homeless sent 260km away as housing units sit empty

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018680086/kaikoura-homeless-sent-260km-away-as-housing-units-sit-empty

  12. Morrissey 12
    31 January 2019 at 4:22 pm

    “Non a l’Eurovision 2019 en Israel!”
    Move Eurovision From Israel, Peter Gabriel and Leading U.K. Artists Urge BBC
    Signatories to letter say venue must change because of ‘Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights’; BBC rejects call

    Haaretz, Jan. 30, 2019

    Some 50 British cultural figures, including musician Peter Gabriel and actress Julie Christie, signed a letter published on Tuesday in the Guardian calling on the BBC to push for the locale of this year’s Eurovision song contest to be changed because of “Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.”

    The BBC rejected the call, saying it was ‘inappropriate to use the BBC’s participation for political reasons.’

    “The European Broadcasting Union chose Tel Aviv as the venue over occupied Jerusalem – but this does nothing to protect Palestinians from land theft, evictions, shootings, beatings and more by Israel’s security forces,” read the letter.

    “The BBC is bound by its charter to ‘champion freedom of expression,'” the figures said. “It should act on its principles and press for Eurovision to be relocated to a country where crimes against that freedom are not being committed.”

    Also among the dozens of signatories were filmmakers Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, and musician Roger Waters.

    Earlier this month, protesters in France stormed the stage after a performance by Netta Barzilai, who won the song contest in 2018, carrying a sign saying “Non a l’Eurovision 2019 en Israel!” (No to Eurovision 2019 in Israel).

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/01/peter-gabriel-move-eurovision-from.html

    • Bazza64 12.1
      31 January 2019 at 9:01 pm

      I would think letting Israel host the Eurovision Song Contest would be a form of punishment for them, but they aren’t sharp enough to know the difference.

      • Jenny - How to get there? 12.1.1
        31 January 2019 at 10:02 pm

        Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel? Surely this in itself is an admission that Israel is not part of the Middle East, but an artificial Western colony, in the Middle East

  13. SaveNZ 13
    31 January 2019 at 4:25 pm

    Who knew Ports of Auckland were privately owned… maybe they think that they are because of the stupid COO structure but unless they were sold off by Auckland council they are still an asset owned by the ratepayers of Auckland or are supposed to be even if they are under the Rogernomics structure…

    Pretty sure Ports of Auckland will face climate change issues, but of course keep head head in sand and collect bonuses…

    Govt needs to fill gaps on climate infrastructure cost

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/381388/govt-needs-to-fill-gaps-on-climate-infrastructure-cost

    • Jenny - How to get there? 13.1
      31 January 2019 at 10:15 pm

      Hi Save, (from the RNZ link you supplied)

      Lyttleton “Port and Ports of Auckland were not included in this report as they privately-owned.”

      It is hard to believe that this sentence was written by an actual journalist. As well as being factually incorrect, it is grammatically incorrect as well.

      If they spoke this sentence out loud, you would wonder if they were mentally challenged.

  14. CHCOff 14
    31 January 2019 at 5:07 pm

    https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/international/362616-uk-finance-industry-to-shrug-off-brexit-and-grow—hammond

    https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5879428/hard-brexit-could-be-hard-on-aussie-farm-export-plans/

    The old economics’ engines of imperialism are outdated. Further more, no one can out China, China.

    Technology, and the unstoppable nature of the demands of a increasingly multi-polar nature to world economic growth, along with those practicalities to sustainable resource management, requires the economics of Quantity, whether that be the numbers of segregated financial gains or overall volumes traded, transition to the economics of Quality ( the value systems of the less direct tangibles in the co-operative life styles of the societal demand & supply being developed – which NZ is starting upon to the terms of the Govt’s first wellbeing budget).

    A Brexit of that for example,
    https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/high-earners-pay-to-rise-seven-times-faster-than-average-in-2019-37766793.html

    isn’t really that different to the outcomes on societal market forces to a free trade deal with expansionist China perhaps.

  15. joe90 15
    31 January 2019 at 5:17 pm

    If shit like this doesn’t drive Lenin to rise from his grave to strangle the kleptocratic gangsters occupying the Kremlin, then nothing will.

    Russia’s Justice Ministry has proposed exempting officials in “exceptional circumstances” from anti-corruption regulations in new draft legislation, following a plan set by Russian President Vladimir Putin last year.

    Russia ranks among the world’s most corrupt countries, with Transparency International’s annual corruption perceptions index ranking it in 138th place this year out of 180 countries.

    […]

    The Justice Ministry did not provide examples of the “exceptional circumstances” that would allow officials to escape punishment. Russia’s Vedomosti business daily reported Monday that the ministry would provide specific examples of exemptions to anti-corruption laws after public discussions of the proposal wrap up on Feb. 8.

    The measures to amend the legislation were proposed by Putin in an anti-corruption plan he signed in June 2018.

    Ilya Shumanov, the deputy head of Transparency International Russia, told the publication that the amendments provide loopholes for officials to avoid responsibility.

    “There’s not a single rational explanation for the use of exceptional circumstances when an official couldn’t declare a conflict of interest,” Vedomosti quoted Shumanov as saying.

    https://themoscowtimes.com/news/russia-moves-decriminalize-unavoidable-corruption-following-putins-proposal-64316

  16. francesca 16
    31 January 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Really interesting case study of “conversion disorder”, previously referred to as mass hysteria
    The diplomats withdrawn from the Cuban embassy with injuries caused by a mysterious “”sonic or microwave weapon developed by the Soviets” turned out to have been bothered by crickets
    I’m feeling the same , the cicadas are crazy noisy this year.

    an excerpt

    ” In terms of locations under pressure, embassies are strong candidates, especially when a considerable number of the staff are undercover spies. One C.I.A. agent told me that these low-grade panics happen a lot. Writing in The New Yorker in 2008, the novelist and former British spy, John le Carré, made the case that spies are susceptible to a unique form of hysteria. ”

    https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/01/the-real-story-behind-the-havana-embassy-mystery

    Strangely the Guardian is still pumping this fake news story
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/31/canada-cuts-staff-in-cuba-embassy-after-mystery-illness-strikes-again

    • ianmac 16.1
      1 February 2019 at 9:13 am

      The unknown cause struck a building of people here in NZ recently. Ambulances etc. Then the kids who smelt compost?
      (I heard my first cicada for the season yesterday here in sunny Marlborough.)

  18. Eco Maori 18
    1 February 2019 at 8:44 am

    Kia ora The AM Show technical you are correct mark officially a heatwave is 5 days of 5 degrees above the normal level of heat. But I say our temperature should be measured in the full Sun then we will get the actual temperature that will be 5 degrees higher than what is been reported. Why my you ask that Eco Maori is advocating this change well its to warn the vulnerable elderly people.
    People under the bridge the actual temperature they will be exposed to when outside with no nice air conditioning whare /house like the wealthy can afford and minimise any deaths caused by the heat wave records are still being broken. Also that neanderthal from America that you and duncan were waving your little flags for has been suppressing any media around Papatuanukue from taking about climate change. I also know that for accuracy of the Papatuanukue temptures by metrologist the whole Papatuanukue will have to change and measure the actual temperature in the midday Sun to minimise un factual temperature readings
    The Tawhirirmate wind of change is getting under big businesses skirts that its is not on that management get more money than they can spend and the people making the company’s dividends are just serviving. West Pack bank giving there workers the living wages. The AM Show is a cracked record replaying Kiwi build every day that’s a typical neanderthal trait repeat repeat can not think of a intelligent positive topic I see this trait in other Neanderthals. All intelligent people can work out whats bullshit and what’s fact 97 % of OUR scientist have proven that climate change is a fact but thee neanderthal goes with the 3% of scientists that have a conflict of interest and the oil barrons spinning and deny climate change. Your man in New York is not quite accurate the polar freezing that’s hitting New York at the minute was predicted by the 97% of scientists that neanderthals chose to ignore years ago . The cause of New York freezing is directly linked to the polar ice caps melting and that phenomenon is causing the Polar Vortex to wabble hence the polar vortex now covers thousands of miles of more land in that region than in normal condition. I did look at the story now for accuracy but I read this prediction last year.??????????.Bruce Stick LEASE HOLD LAND to foreigners. But for THE Average KIWIS that system of leaseing land will make us much more poorer Make it that foreigners only being able to lease land this will protect the average KIWIS living standards. judy why didn’t you talk about the duopoly of buildings suppliers in Aotearoa when you weren’t warming the opposition seats O that’s why the old men hogging the dividends from those 2 big companies are nationals main political donator /BRIBES Who shorted the housing market this phenomenon has been traveling throughout the Western Society’s housing markets being shorted so the wealthy can reap the capital gains. The neanderthal that are shorting housing market in the west cannot think past there own well-being or even their tamariki future.
    The banks make enough profits to cover paying their employees a living wage especially when they charge life insurance policy holders 4 million people have some cover 25% in fees that’s the highest charges in the Western Papatuanukue.? Advertiseing Alcohol????. Its the cleaners the security guards that will be better off with the bank finally paying the living wage. Bull trades are getting $25 a hour +. What a the lower paid workers get has know collaborations or a effective on what the higher skilled worker earns at all. Ka kite ano. P.S know mark all commercial organisations will use most things to gain customers. The bankers don’t like – – – – Ana to kai

  19. Eco Maori 19
    1 February 2019 at 10:02 am

    What Eco Maori is upset about this system is it lies to Maori & PI people the professionals say they don’t know why we have these health problems . Thats discrimanation there who cares about them If they die so be it they are infiror dosen’t matter. How is the system lieing these professionals know for a fact that SUGAR and ALCOHOL is one of the main causes of many health deases that kill US off before we get to 55 years old hence the longevity gap .The system lets business surround poorer communitys with shop’s selling these EVIL prouducts sugar and alcohol and gambling bars as well WTF. If one goes to a wealthy suburb you won’t see outlets flogging this shit for many miles. You see the innocent Tangata think we would not sell someone a prouduct that would cause there life to be shortened by 20 years so the white man would not do this they trust the system to have there best interest at heart YEA RIGHT .The capitilist system is buyer be ware on price and the effects of the prouduct has on ones health. Even if the system knows the prouduct kill’s people early one still has to prove its a FACT in the UNJUSTICE system before it becomes fact or have millions of dollars of studys dune to prove the facts that the professionals know is a fact but say nothing to keep there dividens flowing into there hip pockets from the companys that flogg this SHIT. Thats OUR reality WHANO
    Western medicine says many Māori and most Pasifika people are obese. Some people are angry about the system that ‘fat-shames’ them in this way. Others are focused on finding solutions that actually work. Carmen Parahi reports.
    Gina Sausau is vital, her body is strong, she fizzes with enthusiasm.
    The 31-year old encourages others – mainly Māori and Pasifika people – motivating them with her words and inspiring them into action.
    Yet three years ago, she was a different, physically and mentally heavier woman.
    The health sector and the measures they’re using for Māori and PI is not working. They don’t take into consideration our culture. Everything they’re doing to combat obesity is not going to work.”
    The New Zealand Health Survey 2017/18 found nearly a third of Kiwis are obese. Those living in deprived areas, where Māori and Pasifika peoples are often over-represented, were 1.6 times as likely to be obese.
    Letele wants the Government to put a cap on the number of fast food joints allowed to operate in low socio-economic areas.
    “Go and look around Mangere and parts of West Auckland. You won’t see that in Remuera or Mission Bay. We’re being targeted but we’re falling for it.
    “Our kids are walking to school eating fizzy and pie. We’re bombarded with it, that’s the issue for me. We get less money, it’s just hard.” Ka kite ano links below P.S Alcohol is loaded with sugar

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/110265031/the-stigma-of-a-system-that-
    fat-shames-mori-and-pasifika-people

  20. Eco Maori 20
    1 February 2019 at 10:49 am

    Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.

  21. Eco Maori 21
    1 February 2019 at 11:35 am

    Well Whanau Eco Maori has been reasearching our history our tipuna’s .
    I seen storys back in 1840 of maori complaining about not getting the same money for poaka as his Europeen neighbours they got $2 a poaka and maori only got $1 so one can see that this discriminational behaviour would have flowed through all froms of commerce in the New Zealand systems for 250 years. Quickly eroding Tangata Whenua money whenua and mana this is the compounding effect in reverse
    A compounding effect is if my 6 X greatgrand father Jose put $2 in a bank acount it would be worth $2 million at the minute. So one can see that this Europeen behaviour to Tanagta Whenua O Aotearoa has had a devestating effect on Maori wealth how well if my 6x greatgrandfather Jose had $2 million in assets back then it would eroded down to $2 at the minute . (Kia Kaha Wahine Eco Maori Tau tokos you all they way)
    First milestone for Mana Wahine claim at Waitangi Tribunal
    A claim lodged by Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Awhina – the rūnanga of the Public Service Association – to address employment inequities suffered by Māori women has now been officially registered by the Waitangi Tribunal as claim Wai 2864.
    “It’s fantastic the Tribunal will hear our claim. It calls out the Crown for its failure to address injustices that have relegated generations of wāhine Māori to low paid jobs with working conditions that leave them extremely vulnerable,” said Georgina Kerr, one of four PSA members who lodged the claim on behalf of Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Awhina.
    This includes the failure of the education system to adequately prepare wāhine Māori for meaningful employment, the failure to eliminate bias and discrimination in the workplace, and the failure to consistently fund services that should be enhancing the lives of Māori wāhine and their whānau.
    PSA Kaiwhakarite Māori Marcia Puru said “many wāhine Māori have been chronically disadvantaged by these breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. That has to stop”.
    Latest figures from the State Services Commission show while Pākehā women in the Public Service earn 13% less than their male counterparts, wāhine Māori earn 22% less than Pākehā men. Ka kite ano links below

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1901/S00144/first-milestone-for-mana-wahine-claim-at-waitangi-tribunal.htm

  22. Eco Maori 22
    1 February 2019 at 11:53 am

    Some Eco Maori Music for the minute

  23. ianmac 23
    1 February 2019 at 12:47 pm

    Was it really the “unruly tourists?”

    “An 82-year-old woman believes a trio of the unruly tourists scammed her out of almost $9000, claiming they would fix her roof but left a hole in her ceiling….

    Leonard (the 82 year old woman) told Newshub that she recognised one of the three from the rowdy British tourist group when she saw photos.

    The group caught the attention of worldwide media after a seemingly innocuous litter incident at Takapuna Beach erupted into a North Island tale of thefts, unpaid bills and general nuisance behaviour….

    …The police arrived shortly after, saying they had tracked the car’s registration to a motel but that they had not yet made any arrests.”
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz//nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12199489&ref=clavis