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Of course there is widespread shock and disappointment at the decision not to rebuild the Christchurch Cathedral. But it's hardly unexpected. The building is stuffed. And even if rebuilt at massive expense, who could guarantee its future safety? I grew up in Christchurch. Many's the…
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In my previous post I laid out the reasons why a NATO/US intervention in Syria is unlikely, even though the alternative will almost certainly be defeat of the freedom fighters and even more mass murder by the regime. There's no strategic gain from the Right's…
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Labour has obtained a cabinet paper showing the Nats' plan to introduce a 'two-tier' immigration system - those with money go to the front of the queue. It's more evidence of how everything is for sale under National - our employment laws, our power plants,…
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Anyone saying there are plenty of jobs, people are just to snobby (ie lazy) to take them, has to explain why 90,000 people suddenly got lazy between 2008 and 2009 as 80,000 jobs disappeared.
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Wikileaks have given us another glimpse at the reality behind the curtain of international diplomacy. For all the smiling photo-ops, the reality is, of course, that NZ is an insignificant blip in the middle of nowhere. Anthony Hubbard and Nicky Hager give us a summary:…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Israel and the US have both been ratcheting up their rhetoric against Iran in the past few months and an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities looks highly likely. Just the other day, Obama told Iran to stop its nuclear programme or else adding, "I don't…
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Remember the hagiographies after the first hundred days of National's first term? In the second term, things couldn't be more different. The Sunday-Star Times has printed dozens of emails it obtained (a leak?) that were sent to Key opposing the sale of Crafar farms. Many…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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My Vodafone bill this month listed some text "info" payments from 5655 - $6.08 a week for several weeks. I had no idea what it referred to so rang Vodafone to ask. They said it was a service called MobileFun, which I had never heard…
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From the relative calm of damp Dunedin I'd like to wish everyone up North good luck with the the current "weather bomb". The Herald headline and reports of power outages etc is here. NZ is not alone, Australia is getting hammered too. Currently "Three-quarters of…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Nice Mr Key said... This is a Budget that will see 170,000 new jobs created. But Bill English said: "A government can’t have a lot of impact on the job market. It is what it is.” Mr Key was just spouting useless rhetoric, as usual,…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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National's New Zealand becomes a scarier place by the day. Clare Curran has revealed that TVNZ ordered Fair Go staff to bear the interests of advertisers in mind when making their stories. Well, there goes the reputation of the gold standard in New Zealand TV.…
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4 days into 4 weeks of strikes, Ports of Auckland is back at the bargaining table. From usually docking 4 ships a day, they've docked 2 in 4 - 88% reduction. POAL can't provide service. Ships are going elsewhere in our over-capitalised port system and…
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For reasons that I just can't fathom, iwi fishing quota-holders have decided to use their fishing rights, not to create 2,000 jobs for their own people, but to maximise their profits by employing slave-fishing boats. Our quotaholders are making money from slavery in our waters.…
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So, National wants to re-assure us that, when they sell our assets against our will, they'll keep 51% and control. But, um, minority shareholders have rights and private boards have to maximise profits ahead of the national interest. If they decide to sell off the…
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Louise Upston had a patsy for Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee about a bridge replacement in her electorate (the Nats have big achievements to crow about, eh?). Upston asked about the project's benefits. Brownlee responded "First, I would expect re-election of the local member". Now we…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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To be a Nat seems to require tunnel vision and the ability to ignore reality. Case in point, National's fixation with roads. Repeat after John: "Roads are good!", "Roads are good!", "Roads are good!". Except, not so much: Billions spent on big road projects show…
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The Left has its fair share of conspiracy theorists - who think that, for reasons tenuously explained at best, various, often opposing, organisations are secretly carrying out massive cons and not being discovered. But we've got nothing on the Right. Belief that climate change is…
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No-one wants to see people who are likely to hurt people released on bail. That's why successive governments have tightened bail rules. Now Sensible [sic] Sentencing wants every charged with a crime bearing 2 or more years locked up without bail. Not the first organisation…
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Two weeks ago, Labour's Clare Curran asked Broadcasting Minister Craig Foss whether he had received any advice or reports about Stephen McElrea’s potential conflict of interest between his role as John Key's electorate chair and his role as a board member of New Zealand on…
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SkyCity is shrugging its shoulders after 2 adults left 5 children in locked in a van while they gambled in its casino. The Problem Gambling Association has revealed this is the 25th such incident at NZ casinos this year. Yes, these are bad parents. Really…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...