I was having a look through some old news stories the other day and I found this wee cracker: The Government plans to speak to Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman in its effort to publicise its Christchurch earthquake fund. Prime Minister John Key opened the…
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?
John Key says we must stay in Afghanistan to honour the dead, leaving us to wonder who'll be the last to die for a mistake. But he's shown before that war is not about principles, or people's lives to him - he's quite happy to…
Claire Trevett describes an exchange in Parliament on Tuesday (love the "achievements"). The video is below - relevant section starts about 7:30 minutes. Judge for yourself. PM gets the giggles over dope as Act MPs go up in smoke ... Accused by Mr Cunliffe of…
Grateful citizens rejoiced this week at the passage of the VTM (Voluntary Taxation Mechanism) bill. Now at last tax-paying citizens have the same freedom as everyone else. They can no longer be anti-democratically compelled to pay taxes to the Government. Governments have no mandate to…
National has borrowed $37 billion in less than three years and delivered no growth for it. In fact, it has repeatedly failed to meet its growth projections and GDP per capita has fallen. That failure has now resulted in the credit rating agency Fitch downgrading…
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...
Key says we have to leave men in Afghanistan, killing and dying, to "honour" the ones we've lost. Typical chickenhawk bullshit. This isn't about 'tearism' or 'Afghanistanians' or 'honour'. It's all about PR. All about politics. Before Smith's even in the ground, this arsehole Key…
Since I can't seem to leave a comment on his site to refute John Pagani's current foolishness on the operation 8 outcomes and 'evidence'. That is unfortunate because I'll put it here instead with a wider audience just to please him with a response from…
Asset sales are on the agenda before the election. Michael Fay, strangely, is leading a coalition of underbidders for the Crafar farms against a bid from China worth $300 million more. According to the Waikato Times, New Zealanders have forgotten Fay's involvement in the toxic…
We have been lied to by our Prime Minister. He told us the SAS was going to Afghanistan to train government soldiers. 10% casualties (2 deaths, 2 injuries from 38 soldiers) in 3 months makes it clear we're there fighting on the frontline for one…
It's not often that 'bald truths' escape the filtration of the msm. The video below is an example of one of those rare moments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsDjTbP7TS0&feature=related hat tip Hilary and CV The follow up in the msm has been rather peculiar and revealing. Rather than focussing…
National Employment Indicator - 46,710 fewer jobs now than in October 2008. That's what you get from a government that regards "muddling through" as economic leadership.
It's had very little coverage in the "mainstream media", but an interesting protest in America has now passed its tenth continuous day. The aim of the protest is to Occupy Wall Street: Our Mission On the 17th of September, we want to see 20,000 people to…
Ecocide Mock Trial @ UK's Supreme Court in London The crime of ecocide will be tested, as if it is already law, by barristers before a judge and jury. The mock trial this Friday on 30 September will last just one day and will stream…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5V9XcRACag Hon Phil Goff: When he also said yesterday: “Unemployment is starting to fall—not too bad.” had he read the latest National Employment Indicator for July, which shows that nearly 5,000 jobs were lost in New Zealand in that month alone? Rt Hon JOHN KEY:…
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...
Ever seen one of those celebrity fundraiser dinners and wondered how much money was going on the fancy food that could have been going to the cause? Well, Labour's latest offering is giving you the chance to cut through the middleman with the 'no-dinner dinner'.…
John Kerry, when he was spokesperson for Vietnam Veterans against the War, asked a Senate Committee: "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?" That question confronts us now, as we learn another New Zealand soldier has…
There have been several reports, here's one from Stuff: Kiwi soldier killed in Afghanistan, PM confirms Prime Minister John Key this afternoon confirmed a second SAS soldier was shot dead while on a mission to prevent an attack on Kabul. There are currently about 35…
Some day this country needs to have a proper debate about decriminalising marijuana (and other minor drugs). One unfortunate consequence of Don Brash's politically ill-advised blurtings on this topic is that the very incongruity Brash as an advocate (and the way that the Banks backlash…
250 jobs lost at Chch meatworks. 55 jobs lost at Canterbury leather. Insurers warn they'll pull out. Kaiapoi redzoners to be $24K worse off. That's before they get screwed by the landbankers. 10,000 Cantabrians left for overseas in the past year. The recovery 'delayed' again.…
Despite the incessant media drumbeat about incipient doom and gloom, Labour's loyal support base refuses to lie down and die. The latest Fairfax poll has the gap with National closing a bit. Labour is up from 25.7 last month to 28.1, the Nats are down…
While looking at something else, I came across John Key's 2007 promise to provide Food in Schools for poorer schools. I wondered what action had been taken on that promise? Well they allowed junk food back in all schools, but I don't think that counts…
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...
The Sleepover Wages (Settlement) Bill is due for its first reading under urgency in Parliament tonight. This is expected to happen at 8.30pm although it may be later than this if previous Bills have a lot of speakers. The Bill marks almost the end of…
mickysavage at Waitakere News blog* has an analysis of the legal and unconstitutional implications of the Nationals dubious plan to override the courts with poor kneejerk legislation. The urgent legislation the Government is rolling out in response to the Supreme Court decision in Hamed is looking like a well-choreographed…
John Key delegated Rodney Hide to create a SuperCity that would mean that Auckland spoke with one voice. The process may not have been great, the details and lack of democracy over CCOs etc may need improving, but they succeeded in creating one Auckland that…