Open mike 18/10/2013

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 189 comments
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189 comments on “Open mike 18/10/2013”

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  1. 1

    So Bevan Chuang appears to have wisely backed away from Slater. The money trail would be interesting to see because Slater said he was paying Chuang’s accommodation expenses and I do not believe that Stephen Cook would be doing this out of his perception of what is in the public good.

    Is there a frustrated Woman’s day deal in the pipeline? Is Slater’s frustration because the pay day will not now happen?

      1. 1.1.1

        Summer camps? Youth movements?
        Next we’ll be hearing albout the colour of shirts Lusk gets them to wear.
        Our New Democratic right wing – New Zealand’s tea party

          1. 1.1.1.1.1

            a len brown question..

            ..if as claimed..sky city was providing on-call/free bonking-rooms to len brown..

            ..does this..and their obvious knowledge of his extra-marital bonking..

            ..do both/either of these facts..provide some explanation for why brown supported that pokie-deal..?

            ..did they already ‘own’ brown..?

            ..surely not..!

            ..eh..?

            phillip ure..

  2. 2

    “exhausted, unwell, disillusioned, depressed and haunted”.

    Son, husband, father and by all accounts one of the good guys.

    Greg King. A man with all that intellect couldn’t see a way to work through his crisis of values, physical ill-health and depression.

    So very, very sad.

    1. 2.1

      +1…Greek tragedy….if he hadn’t been so good….. ( at his job defending the ……) ….it wouldnt have been so bad

      ….many things can be solved with a holiday away from everything to get some perspective and get some insight as to what needs changing, where to go next, how to get balance etc

      1. 2.1.1

        Agree with both Chooky and Miravox. With a society so focused on the individual and upon performance / success / other pressures, what chance do we have?

        As a society / community we are so self obsessed that we don’t look around and take the strain from those who need it. And those in pressure positions guard the gates to their life’s / professions to stay where they are against competitive elements….

        And then we all go through the dark moments of the soul, on our own. We don’t need to.

      1. 2.2.1

        aye.

        the trouble is that it’s a fine line between being deeply scarred by becoming acquainted with some of the stuff that people do to each other, and becoming defensively calloused.

    3. 2.3

      I was moved, and a little surprised, when I read about these findings the other day. Still, depression (and ill-health, a million ‘obese’ New Zealanders now) are epidemic.

    1. 3.1

      The first comment below the report offers some advice to Brits reading the article.
      “He’s an idiot, my advice is enjoy NZs environment while you can before this man and his party destroy it.”

        1. 3.1.1.1

          Best quote from the article: “For some reason my political staff don’t think me diving off a bridge screaming would be great footage, in case I ever have a big dip in the polls.”

          One would suspect that bungy has dropped, Prime Minister…

      1. 3.3.1

        enjoyed the extract I read of her book yesterday. I read today she had a childhood “without a car or television”.

    2. 4.2

      As for Jane Clifton…

      http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/9297151/Testing-Speakers-temper-ill-advised

      What’s going on there?

      …Three of the MPs walked out in protest yesterday after Speaker David Carter first put co-leader Metiria Turei on the naughty step and then turfed her out – without explaining why.

      All she had done was to ask a question in which she described the Government’s SkyCity casino deal as “sleazy”. Carter disallowed the question, so Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia asked whether the word – a great favourite on all sides of the House – was now unparliamentary.

      Carter said it wasn’t. But when she asked what had been wrong with her question, Carter tersely told her not to challenge his ruling…

      …After a series of tetchy exchanges, Carter’s seeming inability to specify the nature of the sin was getting embarrassing. Acting Leader of the House Anne Tolley obliquely tossed him a lifeline, saying she believed Turia’s phrasing of the question had fallen foul of Section 377 (1)(b) of Standing Orders, which forbade using imprecations, invective, sarcasm and the like in parliamentary questions.

      But Carter didn’t grab the rope, and after a further polite but unwelcome inquiry from Turia, he threw her out

        1. 4.2.1.1

          Hmm – not a broken link – they’ve edited it. Glad I copied it instead of just linking.

          Btw, isn’t it meant to be good form to list edits to a published article rather than deleting it and putting up a corrected copy?

            1. 4.2.1.1.1.1

              Yeah, that’s the new version. The old one is deleted. Take a look at the text I copied and the equivalent sentences at the new url.

              Clifton’s original piece confused Turei with Turia e.g.

              article 1:
              “Carter disallowed the question, so Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia asked whether the word – a great favourite on all sides of the House – was now unparliamentary.”

              article 2:
              “Carter disallowed the question, so Turei asked whether the word – a great favourite on all sides of the House – was now unparliamentary.”

              Bit of a big deal for a seasoned political journalist. Does she get someone else to take notes or write her stuff? And why did Stuff just change it without mentioning the edits?

              2. 4.2.1.1.1.1.2

                Hmmm…. just looked at the scan of today’s Dom Post on Press Display – the glaring Tariana Turia errors are there in print. Jane Clifton

                1. 4.2.1.1.1.1.2.1

                  It’s all edited offshore now, yes? Do we suspect a simple spelling error caused the subeditor to add the explanation of who Turia is? That is, Clifton has mistyped ‘so Turia asked…’ instead of ‘so Turei asked…’ and the editor has added the rest thinking they are being helpful…

                  1. 4.2.1.1.1.1.2.1.1

                    Maybe. I’d like to blame it on off-shoring the subs.

                    They should have issued a correction, not deleted and relocated the corrected article without explanation. Bad manners that, and a bad look for Jane Clifton.

  5. 5

    so..we have one million people people who are obese..

    ..next landmark 1.5 mill..?

    ..and still no reason to reconsider the nz-‘diet’/’food’-marketing practices…?

    ..and..bacon and saussies for breakfast..?

    ..a big mac/fries for lunch..?

    ..a pizza/ice-cream dinner..?

    ..mmm!!..

    ..big/blubby fat..!

    ..eh..?

    ..and lots of it..

    ..you do know it’s driving you to an early grave..

    ..eh..?

    ..we do all know that that much is not in any doubt..

    ..eh..?

    ..so..what to do..?

    ..over to you..!

    ..eh..?

    ..phillip ure..

      1. 5.1.1

        You may be interested in this:

        The protein leverage hypothesis
        S. J. Simpson & D. Raubenheimer

        Summary
        The obesity epidemic is among the greatest public health challenges facing the modern world. Regarding dietary causes, most emphasis has been on changing patterns of fat and carbohydrate consumption. In contrast, the role of protein has largely been ignored, because (i) it typically comprises only ~15% of dietary energy, and (ii) protein intake has remained near constant within and across populations throughout the development of the obesity epidemic. We show that, paradoxically, these are precisely the two conditions that potentially provide protein with the leverage both to drive the obesity epidemic through its effects on food intake, and perhaps to assuage it. We formalize this hypothesis in a mathematical model. Some supporting epidemiological, experimental and animal data are presented, and predictions are made for future testing.

        https://insects.tamu.edu/REU/ARTICLES/SIMPSON-2005-OBESITY%20THE%20PROTEIN%20LEVERAGE%20HYPOTHESIS.PDF

        1. 5.1.1.1

          Thanks. Reading this I started wondering if Atkins had misread this paper and used it for the basis of his diet. But the Atkins diet was based on a paper done in 1963. Curiously that paper doesn’t seem to have much of a relationship to the high protein, high fat Atkins diet either.

      1. 5.2.1

        +100%…agree philip ure….all kids should be taught home economics….given the obesity epidemic…how to eat cheaply , healthily and vegetarian and (Vegan)…simple Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican etc healthy yummmy recipes also …..all the options!!!!.. (personally I steer well clear of sugar but my partner loves to bake cakes and slices and desserts…certainly better than buying them)

        I went to a vege shop recently and bought $60 worth of veges …the young very well built lovely Maori guy behind the counter said that that was an awful lot to spend on veges and seemed impressed…. and then he said brightly that he had spent that much on Friday night eating at McDonalds….he looked very delighted at the memory…I told him his money would have been better spent on the veges…but felt a bit of a school teacher and spoiler

    3. 5.3

      On subject of health : Alzheimers

      Here are some links on preventing alzheimers naturally ( my friends father …a former professor of commerce and law…died of it recently , so it is no respecter of brain power )…may help or not ….but interesting

      http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/turmeric-produces-remarkable-recovery-alzheimers-patients

      http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/january/coconut-oil-touted-as-alzheimers-remedy/

      http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/13/alzheimers-dementia-treatment.aspx

        1. 5.4.1.1

          The report defined obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.

          So it’s complete bollocks, then. (For the uninitiated: BMI is a crock of shit. Richie McCaw (30.9) and Ma’a Nonu (32) would be counted as “obese” by this “study”.)

    1. 6.1

      I know little about Clow, but alot about the politics of Raffills, who will not be missed by anyone paying attention, and who cares for men and women.

      Bravo!

    2. 6.2

      +5
      Ross’s five fellow Labour candidate for the Whau Local Board also got in.
      That gives Labour five of the seven seats on that board.
      This is the first time a Labour slate was run there.
      For those ouside of West Auckland the Whau rhymes with Clow.

      “The Whau Local Board comprises the suburbs of New Lynn, Green Bay and Kelston, Rosebank, Waterview, Avondale, New Windsor and Blockhouse Bay. The name Whau is from the estuarine arm of the Waitemata Harbour, which extends into the area.”

      It is predominantly in David Cunliffe’s New Lynn electorate with parts in David Shearer’s Mt Albert and Phil Goff’s Mt Roskill.

      http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/representativesbodies/LocalBoards/Whaulocalboard/Pages/default.aspx

      1. 6.2.1

        “For those ouside of West Auckland the Whau rhymes with Clow.”

        Actually these days it’s usually officially pronounced “foe”. Said to be the pronunciation of local iwi. Though not all people accept that.

        1. 6.2.1.1

          i would pronounce Whau as Faa-u, the u pronounced as you without the Y,of course my bones are from Whanga-nui-a-tara where different emphasis might be placed on different letters…

          1. 6.2.1.1.1

            Yes. I think it’s hard to recreate the exact pre-European pronunciation of the Whau area, as the river was largely a transit route and location of seasonal camps used by several iwi.

            Older New Lynn residents do pronounce it “Wow”, and it’s possible that for some iwi it did/does rhyme with Clow.

            1. 6.2.1.1.1.1

              My family always pronounced it “Wow”.

              But then they also said “Wockatarny” and “Wongaray” so I wouldn’t put much stock in that.

              1. 6.2.1.1.1.1.1

                I recall as a 50s kid my mother at the end of her tether loudly exclaiming at the naughty antics of me and my brother – “You’ll have me in the bloody Wow !”

                I later understood this to be a reference to a psychiatric hospital in “Avondale” (1950s – whisper whisper – “Oh, so and so’s in Avondale”). Near enough to the Whau. Might in fact have been the later Carrington, part of it now the Mason Clinic.

                While we’re on this can just tolerate “Wongaray” used by many of the successive generations of Northland Pakeha – habit etc.

                What really gets me as a well intentioned but poor effort is the one used by a member of the Northland Judiciary – “Fongaray”. “Faaarng-are-rare-e”, please !

    3. 6.3

      Maybe it’s also a good thing that most of the old Whau Board are gone. I see Bevan Chuang coordinated/s the New Lynn Night Markets in conjunction with the Whau Board – I think as contract work for her company. The Herald is raising questions about that.

      Mr Brown and Mr McKay also refused to say if Ms Chuang had a council contract at the New Lynn market. She claimed to be paid $500 a week by the council as a co-ordinator at the market.

      Would Len Brown have anything to do with such local initiatives? Derek Battersby -still on the Whau Board – seems to have had a lot to do with it.

      Western Leader:

      Mr Battersby has met the mayor’s 32-year-old former mistress. Miss Chuang has been the co-ordinator of the New Lynn Night Markets since they first opened in June this year.

      Auckland Council spokesman Glyn Walters says Miss Chuang was employed through the Community Development Project and the Whau Local Board was keen to support the markets.

      “She would have been appointed a few months ago when the project started,” he says. “It was a normal procurement process for a contractor and there is no evidence to suggest mayoral involvement.”

      However Mr Battersby says the initial idea of the ethnic night markets had little support from the board as it had plans for its own Saturday market.

      Mr Battersby says they had no choice in the matter. “We accepted it and got on with it. It was a bit tongue in cheek and we weren’t particularly chuffed.”

      Mr Battersby says now that Miss Chuang has become a public person she might need review her position.

    5. 6.5

      and to Tom Belford, elected to the HBRC following counting of the ‘specials’ (in by 61 😉 from memory) ; now Four of the Nine councillors a re opposed to the RWSS, :-D. Now, that’s democracy, of sorts.

      2. 7.1.2

        Salacious sex sells.

        One of my grandchildren is covering Brave New World and 1984 at school at the moment… both still as relevant today as they ever were.

            1. 7.1.2.1.1.1

              Look what happens when the whacko pollies powered by that fabulous fuel mix booster Money and Religion get into power. The guy introduced the bill, but wasn’t really serious about it.

              A Republican state senator in Idaho has introduced legislation that would require all high school students in the state to read an Ayn Rand novel that has become popular with the Tea Party movement.

              State Senate Education Committee Chairman John Goedde (R-Coeur d’Alene) introduced legislation Tuesday that would require the reading of Rand’s 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged by every high school student in the state, and the passage of a test on the book, in order to graduate, The Spokesman-Review reported. Goedde said that he only introduced the bill as a way to send a message to the state over a series of recent decisions, and not to force the reading of Rand’s book

              And to show some of the other thinking and events in this country of large historic democracy and huge intellectual and philosophical capability –
              Huffington Post side headings –
              * 10 Things only women with big boobs can understand.
              * Men got us into the shutdown women got us out
              * Stenographer removed for shouting on House floor
              * Principal raped boy in office while parent was outside: Cops

    1. 8.1

      If they won’t ban Richie Mccaw for persistent cheating at the breakdown, it’ll take a lot more than a few more brain damaged kiwis to halt the game.

      Though a precedent has been set with the motorbikers and acc levies, or did the government capitulate? I can’t recall, and it has nothing to do with heading a football.

      1. 8.1.1

        I played for years, explains a lot…head knocks and all that. That was a lot more dangerous than riding a bicycle, which I am forced to wear a stupid bloody helmet on. Who will save me from meddling “safety” commissars from OSH and ACC?

        1. 8.1.1.1

          Ennui, you do know that wearing helmets in American football only makes that game MORE dangerous, indeed lethal? Certainly rugby is terribly dangerous, and there is no one thing in sport more dangerous than a rugby scrum, but wearing helmets is NOT the way to go…..

  9. 9

    Sleaze oil – making friends and influencing people wherever he goes. From the (now Slaterless Truth, yesterday:

    […] Fact: Slater’s father John was also on Palino’s campaign staff.

    Fact: Slater (junior) has a hard on of hate for Brown.

    Fact: Slater (junior) is calling on Brown to resign from the mayoralty.

    Fact: ACT Leader John Banks has been ordered to stand trial for electoral fraud.

    Fact: Instead of lambasting him, Slater (junior) has patted him on the back for resigning from his Ministerial Portfolios, saying Banks has “more integrity” than Brown.

    Question: If Brown is expected to resign from the mayoralty then, by the same standards set by Slater (junior), should Banks resign from Parliament?[…]

    And what is this incident that is referred to on the paepae blog yesterday?

    We know the true-blue Slaters, er … dislike lefty Len Brown* and are, as a family, great friends of John Banks, whom Mr Brown so robustly defeated for the first Auckland ‘super city’ mayoralty three years ago (and who, it was announced today, will stand trial on charges of [allegedly] filing a false electoral return. Tsk.)

    We shouldn’t, I guess, be surprised that the fetid swamp that is Slater junior’s hate blog will never, ever get around to ‘reporting’ (gag) — with or without affidavits — a pattern of night-time disturbance (‘No, this isn’t the right apartment’) which apparently so miffed Jenny Shipley back in the days her Wellington apartment was in proximity to that of one of her Parliamentary colleagues.

    No, of course not. There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

    Aren’t there, Cameron?

    1. 9.1

      Well this just proves that Slater is the victim of an attack campaign. And it’s even worse that he first thought, with tentacles reaching far beyond the entire Herald staff.

      Either that or he’s just a gutless horrible worm and no-one has any time for him. Who knows?

  10. 10

    That’s the trouble if the line gets crossed, politicians private lives are now fair game.
    We should try and not descend to that level.
    Except of course in the case of Nick Smith . He needs an extension to his wardrobe for all those skeletons 🙂

    1. 11.1

      OOps. Sorry Northshoreguynz. Posted below before reading your post. Saw the same thing. Very funny and shrewd is Mr Rudman.

      1. 11.1.1

        He’s actually having a serious go at Auckland’s Mad Right. Watch out Rudman ! The elephant without a trunk (well, some say not when he’s up to HIS “fun”), SlaterPorn that is, he and his ilk never forget a slight.

        1. 11.1.1.1

          Glad that Rudman is fronting up. There are precious few in the media have the opportunity, ability or will power…Note also according to todays business ‘news’ or that funky little bs gossip section that Bridges is a National hero for taking it to John Campbell.

          1. 11.1.1.1.1

            True. I saw/heard that somewhere too Newsense. About which I don’t give a shit because THEY would. They’d stoutly maintain all sorts of kaka to maintain the “born to rule” psychosis. That’s the way it is in these days of ShonKey Python’s “higher standards”.

            Cleverly, you just deny. If hard pressed you just forget. Never mind. Ugly I know but have pity. They’re just consoling themselves in the niggling knowledge that the Great Feet are now the Clay Feet. Truth is most of the canned laughetr behind him have never picked up such fat salaries. Greedy little wannabee Geckos are shitting. Seriously.

            Thing is Wee Simon didn’t look good in the eyes of those who’ve not sipped the KoolAid. Shouty little Mini-Matthew Hooton. A very shouty little boy minister.

            It’s ANOTHER intimation of how fucked and spiralling down is the ShonKey Python Flying Circus. Just like the early 60s bodgie the “Out Of His Depth Mr Speaker Carter”. He exemplifies it. ShonKeyness.

            This government is a bunch of tired, dying, malevolent, incompetent, fucks.

  13. 13

    Labour MP’s are now openly ‘toying’ with the House Speaker during the Parliament’s Question Time, the Speaker,(snigger, in my honest opinion), is having trouble differentiating His political leanings form His duty as Speaker to deliver impartial rulings from within the Parliaments Standing Orders,

    Metiria in the face of a Government who to all extents and purposes are all functional idiots either by design or birth, has taken to openly giggling at the stupidity contained in answers being given in the Chamber by Government Ministers,

    If there is one thing that the stuffed shirts of the right cannot abide by it’s having their own views of themselves as the ‘power’ in the land being openly laughed at…

  15. 15

    Winston Peters telling unintended funnies via RadioNZ National news this morning, it’s ‘Conference time’ for NZFirst this weekend and Winston appears to be G-ing up the troops with a rousing declaration that NZFirst will decide who the next Government will be, balance of power stuff and all that,

    On another planet He also goes on to declare NZFirst will double it’s numbers in the House after November 2014,

    The first of course would depend entirely on the second as far as coming to pass is concerned and as NZFirst has largely become an irrelevancy in the last few months as a resurgent Labour has hogged all the political airtime just getting across the 5% thresh-hold for NZFirst is likely to become to big an ask,

    Given the latest Roy Morgan, NZFirst’s very survival after 2014 may depend upon it being able to show in the Parliament that it can work in a Labour/Green coalition…

    1. 15.1

      I’m actually picking that next year will be the last election that WP will contest. If he doesnt get tipped out (this depends on the political climate this time next year), he will retire in 2017.

        1. 16.1.1.1

          marsman, i suggest you read the link in Penny Bright’s comment at 16 for background.

          The S-G was requested to take over the case by McCready and co in June; but deferred a decision on this until the case was committed for trial. Hence the S-G is now considering taking over.

          Back in june IIRC Penny provided a link to the formal request for the S-G to take over, but I don’t have time to find that link. It will no doubt be somewhere on the blog site of the link at 16, but the Archives list doesn’t seem to include June 2013.

          1. 16.1.1.1.1

            I think NRT tweeted that he had some concerns about the SG taking over the prosecution – worried about some bias or cover up to protect Banks.

            Idiot/Savant ‏@norightturnnz

            Solicitor-General taking over the Banks case smells like a stitch-up.

            1. 16.1.1.1.1.1

              I also have concerns that if the S-G takes over the case that this could lead to bias or cover-up , Karol.

              However, it was McCready who formally requested that the S-G take over the case back in June in line with legal provisions for this to happen IIRC. (Haven’t had time today to track down McCready’s formal request to verify the reasons, legal provisions etc – but it will be there somewhere on the blogsite Penny linked to). Legal costs obviously would be a major reason as stated/implied in McCready’s latest release on Penny’s link.

            2. 16.1.1.1.1.2

              I don’t really understand the system but does the SG have any power to refer this back to the Police who then shove Banks onto diversion or something similar.

  18. 18

    something wrong with our parliament when the speaker cannot give the reasons for his rulings.
    The present speaker is probably representative of all the lightweights populating the national party caucus but the country expects more than petulant bullying from the supposedly objective officials.
    time for national to pick up its money pack up its tent and piss off.

  20. 20

    Great links Joe – the only ‘f’ word we should be concentrating on is fracking. I wonder how long before we see the same thing here – blockades, confrontation – so far most of it is below the radar but the time is drawing near where there will have to be more visible action to stop the exploiters. We have shown with the tour that people will stand up and fight when they want to and overseas many examples of brave people are there. We either stop them or we stop them – no other choice on this one. Kia kaha.

      1. 20.1.1

        Probably better than than the Parlimentary term…..
        Camo police: “crown land belongs to the government not to f*cking [house niggers] “.

  21. 21

    The NZ Herald is trying to draw on the wisdom of the crowd to find out who sent the threatening text to Bevan Chuang.

    Two things puzzle me about the text

    1) It apparently came after a vague reference to Len Brown and “Asian beauties” in a WO post during the last week of the council elections.

    How would the text sender know that WO was referring to Chuang?

    2) The sender seems to be certain that Chuang has been talking “to the Slaters”.

    And yet, according to Chuang, it was Luigi that was pressuring her and he had said that he had people set up to go with the story. And Chuang says she only decided to agree to signing an affadavit after the election results came out on the Sunday.

    Why did the text sender seem certain that Chuang had been talking to the “Slaters” (plural) before voting ended for the elections?

    1. 21.1

      Those texts to Chuang and others did not ‘compute’ to me from my first hearing of them – and still don’t.

      IMO the sender is probably an ‘insider’ within the Slater/Luigi et al camp to put further pressure on Chuang in a perverse/reverse manner to reveal all – and at the same time setting up a red herring as to who else knew. The timing of the texts is too coincidental to WO’s post about Asian beauties. Probably a cheap prepay phone thrown away once the texts had been sent.

      But something else that does not now compute to me that popped into my head as I was writing the above:

      – Slater senior supposedly also received a text from the same number as Chuang last week;

      – but he has also claimed that he knew nothing about the affair until WO informed him an hour or two before WO released his substantive post with the full details this week.

      1. 21.1.1

        On the last point. Brian Rudman today – heh.

        There was a time when nothing happened inside the National Party or its local body shadow, the Auckland Citizens and Ratepayers organisation, without Mr Slater’s knowledge. Not any more.

        This week, after the Len Brown scandal erupted forth from his son Cameron’s blog, Mr Slater confessed to the Herald that his very own, hand-made Frankenstein had not bothered to consult him beforehand about it, or the ongoing dirty tricks campaign to try to bring Mayor Len Brown to his knees.
        […]
        Which does beg the question, if Mr Palino can’t even keep track of what his tiny campaign team are up to, what does it say about his ability to keep on top of a business employing more than 8000 staff and an annual budget of $4.5 billion?

        I know nuzzink!

        1. 21.1.1.1

          I read Rudman this morning but did not notice that bit! So yet another ‘discrepancy’!

          Also loved the “I know nothing” cartoon this morning.

              1. 21.1.1.1.1.1.1

                Bradbury can be spot on sometimes. i think that post on Wewege is based on some stuff he’s getting in his tip line. In that post, though, I think he takes to much notice of Hooton’s spin.

      2. 21.1.2

        Slater Jnr says the txt to his father was too vague about who was involved for him to really be clued in to what was going on. OTOH, apparently Chuang’s father also got one of the threatening txts, which makes it seem like they came from someone closer to Chuang.

      1. 21.2.1

        Unknowable. Burner phone so it all comes down to character of the various actors I guess, and people will make their own judgements about who was most likely.

        things aren’t looking good for team dirty tricks in that regard I suspect.

        1. 21.2.1.1

          it is interesting that John (my hands are off this ) Key said (on 3News) “is not pushing for” Len’s resignation and “he’ll be back on the horse as soon as he possibly can”.

  22. 22

    why are the anti-people party, the burn the barn to
    make a profit, eat several Earths party, one might
    say future murderers and pillage party, the most likely to
    fear the prison population will vote. Are they putting innocent
    people in prision, planning to? Well duh, I mean if you believe
    you’ve stolen wealth, then obviously you want to do everything
    to stop the opposition taking you to rights, so you create
    a cult and culture of removing and extinguishing those rights.

    Protest on the seas, be locked up, and denied the vote at the
    election. Its a pincher, increase crimes and decrease rights,
    has historically been motivated by illegitimate governments
    and power blocks.

  23. 23

    …. just an observation:

    The so-called “ANZAC SPIRIT”.

    What has it come to mean now?

    It once signaled the close relationship/brother-sisterhood between Australians and New Zealanders – empathy, compassion, co-operation et al.

    The pollies love it. For me its becoming a label the politicians can use at will to piss on my ancestors’ graves.
    The Howard 2001 law changes that see contributing NZers living in Australia disadvantaged and ineligable for some pretty basic ‘services’ and benefits available to Australians living in NZ.
    – doesn’t seem very compassionate or cooperative to me.
    – the pathetic representations made by Shonkey on NZers behalf

    Those ANZAC symbols and totems erected on various bridges and elsewhere are fast becoming meaningless and merely reference points for pollies to draw on nationalism and supposedly feelings of patriotism in order to ease their consciences for doing SFA for veterans welfare, etc.

    I’ve just listened to some deekhead called Tarn Yabbit – who apparently has a Koiwoi woifey giving a speech at some Legacy Club in Brissie.

    NOT ONCE in all of that speech did the name NZ get mentioned. (Btw … Canada did).
    I guess “AAC” would be kid of hard to pronounce.

    I find myself having to laugh at times when I see the various trolls that visit here mock Russell Norman – using his birthplace as their justifcation.
    In my mind, Norman would have more of an understanding what that “Spirit” is than many.
    It seems the right probably just think of CER, Australian vestmint tunetees, flogging off as much turf and assets to transTas cuzzies as possible alongside a few sporting events and Crosby Textor type ‘mateship’.

    ANZAC “spirit” indeed! Crapola! The Okkers can’t even spell Labour correctly these days!

  25. 25

    Hmmmmmm Commodore Kevin Kent has been found guilty on 5 of 8 charges brought against him, but no sign of anything in Granny Herald as yet, though it is on the Radio N Z and Stuff webpages. Thought the Herald is supposed to be up with keeping us informed, but they seem to be eternally stuck on the Slater, Chuang, Wewege, Brown saga and who sent that text message. I note it was sent in ‘complete’ text, not txt speak.

  27. 27

    In the messages between Bevan and WEdgie, he asked her to tape record conversations. Surely there’s something illegal about that..trying to get someone to do something illegal? Also, surely that’s a story taht should be ripe for exploring – hunt down Wedgie and Palino who have been in hiding ever since the story backfired on them. The journos are hounding Len, so how about appplying their hounding equally

    2. 27.2

      Well what the journalists should really be asking is how “Spray and walk away” Len voted during the sky city deal and was it coincidental he had sexy, fun time at the hotel…

      But the journalists won’t of course, they’ll wait to see what Cameron Slater comes up with first and pretend its their work

      2. 27.2.2

        Love the way this issue has allowed righties to think it’s now OK to take their inner racist out for walkies. Very revealing.

        4. 27.2.2.4

          Let me explain why its not rascist…while the phrase was popularized by a stereotypical asian man that’s not how I’m using it (though I can see how you might jump to that conclusion)

          I’m using spray and walk away in reference to his habit of blowing a load on a woman and then leaving like shes some sort of prostitute ie spray (blow the load) and walk away (from the hooker)

          PS Dirty Len was the one calling a chinese woman “geisha girl” and “manchu girl” so you might like to consider the rascist or at the very least demeaning aspects of 4/10 Lens personality

            1. 27.2.2.4.1.1

              Let me check:

              “Hey darling”
              “Yes dear”
              “What would you rate my love making abilities?”
              “You spend far too much time on blogging sites and what do you want for dinner?”
              “Yes darling and I feel like pasta tonight”

              Sorry its a bit inconclusive

      3. 27.2.3

        And, of course, WO’s right on to Banks’ corruption trial, and digging to find every bit of dirt on that. Not waiting for the journalists…. 🙄

    3. 27.3

      Recordings? Remember that through the US, our govt security services have access to all of the calls and txts between Brown and Chuang. This is what the system is there for.

  28. 28

    ‘

    Had to have a chuckle today. The hard-copy New Zealand Fox News Herald “Business” section has the stock market listings on pages B7 – B9 and, without interruption, the next two pages show the the horse racing events, field and form. Seems apt.

  29. 29

    Seen a few tweets from Herald and tv3 journos hinting this is all going to blow up again soon.

    Questions they are saying they have an answer to is : ‘Was this all a right wing conspiracy, and how deep, who knew, who lied about knowing, and who’s keeping quiet even though they know quite a bit’

    awwwwkwaaard.

            1. 29.1.1.1.1.1

              ha ha! get you you card.

              On the subject of rails, saw a great ad on tv just now (do not miss ads though) for kiwirailscenic.co.nz, passenger service.
              “Take A Train”.

              1. 29.1.1.1.1.1.1

                Yes RT saw it earlier. Backgrounded with an aria from Puccini’s Madam Butterfly? Someone will correct me if I have the wrong opera. 🙂

                1. 29.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                  ‘The Pearl Fishers Duet’ by Georges Bizet from the Opera “Les Pecheurs De Perles” -Yes it is she the most fascinating and beautiful goddess-who has brought us together….. our fates are linked ? Kiwirail?

                  1. 29.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                    Goodness me. That was a wrong call. Must refresh my operatic knowledge. Whatever, it is a truly beautiful aria, and a perfect foil for the Ad.

                    1. 29.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                      Yup, that’s one of the most beautiful tenor-baritone duet and it is from Bizet’s Pearl Fishers (Act One, Scene IV).

                      Oui, c’est elle!
                      C’est la déesse qui descend parmi nous!
                      Son voile se soulève et la foule est à genoux!

                      (And correctly translated by ‘Not Another Sheep’.)

                      I don’t recognise the singers but a quick search reveals Youtube stating they are our local folks, Moses MacKay and Pene Pati.

                      And Moses and Pene are having fun here, with Pene’ brother, Amita:

                    1. 29.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1

                      Could be a black sheep..hahaha….

                      Love the other link Jim Nald. Talented lads and a crack up trio here. I wasn’t sure who performed the backing music.

                    1. 29.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1

                      fucking hell. the dude is seriously fucked up.

                      saw something a while ago, on kickstarter I think, where some dudes were raising money to make a movie about his epic dungeons and dragons one, playing it straight to the script.

            2. 29.1.2.1.1.2

              Strange old Chris73 there……..the closer we get to about 7% for the former 62% Man, the PM you’d crow about ’73, and crow and crow and crow………that’s right……. your Cult Cargo ShonKey Python……….your subliminal if not conscious prophet.

              Well it’s just that your expressions now are much more general, even as a troll. Suggestive of a mature standing back, an intelligent appraisal. Not into the KoolAid in quite the same way what ? Very nice.

              Your well known lower standards and your kupapanui wouldn’t have you a scab on Johnny Boy would they ?

          2. 29.1.2.1.2

            “Word from Russell Brown is; Palino knew”

            His fiancee is/was friends with Bevan, plus ‘friends’ with his campaign advisor. Hard to see how he didn’t at least have an inkling.

            A possible pick the texts… if Team Palino thought it had lost control of the situation.

    3. 29.3

      Some of those questions are somewhat irrelevant as we don’t give a shit about the how’s and why’s. What’s more important is who else did he tup and did he make any entries into the probity register or did he just cash them in.

  34. 34

    Dave, do you mean the “Aotearoa Youth Leadership Institute” and ” Doing Good Fellows” (True title) Wewege as the Founders of these organisations?

    Ironical that he took the second organisation’s title a little to the extreme.

    This is the same Wewege that is also on the International Youth Council.

    His profile -: ” How do you want to get involved ? Connect with other global-minded leaders, Contribute Knowledge and/or Resources. What issues are important to you? Education, Media, Sustainability, Leadership, Partnerships, Policy”

    A fine role model and representative of NZ youth to the world ?

      1. 34.1.1

        Yes and I was being cynical about Wewege and the organisations and businesses he drags down with him.

        The 99ers should have removed him too, rightly so!

        Wewege one of the elite chosen global top 99 for 2013 “…. a community of some of the brightest and most innovative minds of the time….our third class of 99ers continues to prove to the world the power of breaking traditional models and thinking outside the box for new solutions to old problems. Bring a group of 99ers together in a room, and feel the world shift….. each and every one a gleaming ray of hope … ”

        innovative
        breaking traditional role models
        new solutions for an old problem

        He sure does that ! Wonder if the IYC know too?

    2. 34.2

      do you mean the “Aotearoa Youth Leadership Institute” and ” Doing Good Fellows” (True title) Wewege as the Founders of these organisations?

      Read somewhere today that the AYLI have said he isn’t a member let alone a founder

      1. 34.2.1

        His Bio on the Diplomatic Courier says he is. Long, impressive Bio. Shame.
        Check Daves ‘google’ cached address above. That page has now been removed from the “Diplomatic Courier” itself

  35. 35

    WIMP WALLOPING
    Wimp: Jeremy Elwood. Walloper: Nevil Gibson
    The Panel, Radio New Zealand National, Friday 18 October 2013
    Jim Mora, Jeremy Elwood, Nevil Breivik Gibson

    JIM MORA: It’s Susan Baldacci, with what the WOOOOOOORLD’s talking about!
    SUSAN BALDACCI: Well the first story today is a rather sad one. It seems that slavery is still rife around the world.
    MORA: Slavery?
    SUSAN BALDACCI: Y-y-yes. And the country with the most slaves is India.
    MORA: Is it India that has the most slaves?
    SUSAN BALDACCI: [betraying slight irritation] Mmmmm. …. [Pause]….The country with the highest proportion of slaves is Mauritania. It has five to twenty per cent of the population as slaves.
    MORA: Five to twenty per cent of the population of Mauritania are slaves?

    …..[Pause]…..

    SUSAN BALDACCI: Mmmm.

    …..Some minutes later….

    MORA: Mmmmmmm, mmmmmm!
    SUSAN BALDACCI: Mmmm, mmmm!
    JEREMY ELWOOD: Mmmmm!
    MORA: Mmmmmmm! This is delicious cake! Who brought it in?
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: I did!
    MORA: What, is it your birthday?
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: It is.
    MORA: Happy fiftieth birthday! Ha ha ha ha ha!
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: Ha ha.
    MORA: I mean, happy FORTIETH birthday! Ha ha ha ha!
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: Ha ha.

    A couple of minutes later, as the music gradually rises to usher in the 4 o’clock news, the Panelists are discussing the stunning revelation that we’ve been lied to for the last hundred years about a crucial historical event….

    MORA: So if the band on the Titanic didn’t play “Nearer My God to Thee”, what DID they play?
    JEREMY ELWOOD: “Sailing”.
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: Heeeeeeeeeeeee!
    MORA: That was the resident comedian on the program, Jeremy Elwood. Back after the news!

    ……4 o’clock News…..

    After the four o’clock news, Mora always drags his hapless guests through a mandatory ritual of introductory or (more commonly) catch-up chit-chat. This would be pretty dull at the best of times, but seeing that he has a small roster of Panelists, this is also (almost always) a wasted seven or eight minutes.

    However, these informal chats occasionally reveal some highly interesting aspects of character, or lack of character. Yesterday (Thursday October 17th), for instance, right wing Stuff business editor Ellen Read and that grouchy old hippie-hater and scourge of progressive thinkers, Rosemary McLeod, took the opportunity to boast about all the books they had not read. First of all they dealt to The Bone People, defiantly announcing that they found it boring, over-rated and unreadable. If they had stopped there, their little excursion into book criticism would have been reasonable and unexceptionable. But this pair of Mother Grundys were incapable of stopping there; they couldn’t help themselves. Warming to the task, McLeod announced she would never ever look at anything by Pope or Dryden. Ellen Read warmly endorsed this strident declaration of philistinism.

    That, however, was as bad as it got yesterday. For the rest of the program, Read and McLeod were considered and reasonable in their comments. Long-time listeners would have been not only surprised at this, but also a trifle disappointed. Ellen Read has a particularly nasty, acerbic personality and has in the past unloaded both barrels on opponents, or amiable victims like Tim Watkin. So her failure to deliver on yesterday’s program left many listeners sans our fix of righteous right wing raving. Listening to a young lout playing nice and agreeing with everything an old lout says is nobody’s idea of entertainment, surely. If we wanted that, we’d just listen in on Cameron Brewer sucking up to Don Brash.

    Many of us sufferers were no doubt hoping that today’s extreme right wing guest would come through with the good stuff, i.e., the crazy stuff. After all, with Nevil Breivik Gibson on board, the probability of a demented comment is extremely high.

    Today’s post-four o’clock chat revealed (1) that Jeremy Elwood recently met Dan Marino and Dan Ackroyd, and, more interestingly, (2) that Nevil Gibson has visited Ireland recently. That trip provided the springboard for Gibson to make one of his trademark cock-eyed observations, a paean to the “excellence” of Ireland’s Sunday newspapers. That would have come as a surprise to anyone who has actually read an Irish Sunday newspaper, which to any literate Irish person is a synonym for “crap”.

    Still, as Breivik Gibson comments go, raving about the quality of crap Irish papers was pretty mild. More extreme stuff was to come just before the end of the show. Before that, though, there was a bit of excruciating banter with the host….

    JIM MORA: Nevil Gibson, happy birthday. That’s a nice cake you’ve brought in for us. Did you bake it yourself?
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: No, no, I got it from Hollywood.
    MORA: You got it imported?!?!???!?
    NEVIL BREIVIK GIBSON: Heeeeeeeeeeee! Actually it’s the bakery chain!
    MORA: Oh!

    The bulk of the program was pretty run of the mill. There was something about Len Brown, and both Gibson and Elwood made bland contributions for the “Soabbox” segment. It seemed that, apart from Gibson’s endorsement of substandard Irish rags, this was going to pass away into the space-time continuum without leaving a trace.

    But then THIS happened……

    In the last five minutes, Mora brings up the subject of the Republican extreme right and its determined assault on civic and public life in the United States, AKA “the government shutdown.” Just as I suspected he would, Nevil Gibson takes up the opportunity to deliver one of his crazed homilies—this time on behalf of the Tea Party loons. He embarks on an utterly untrue and fantastical speech, asserting that Ted Cruz and his cronies, far from being thugs and vandals, represent a significant section of the U.S. population. “Don’t they have a right to be heard?” he pleads, his voice croaking with emotion.

    Gibson would never have gotten away with such nonsense if the other Panelist were, say, Gordon McLauchlan or Gordon Campbell or Mai Chen. But his interlocutor today is that nice Jeremy Elwood, a man who goes out of his way during his comedy appearances to make it clear he is a concerned and thoughtful liberal thinker. Unfortunately, Elwood has a dismal track record of going out of his way to “find common ground” with people who are philosophically and morally opposite to him. A few years ago Elwood brought down ignominy and contempt on himself after he cravenly voiced agreement with every single thing uttered by the bullying ex-cop Graham Bell during one of Bell’s infamous swingeing rants against liberals, conservationists and young people.

    It was always a forlorn hope that Elwood would show a bit of courage and actually argue with Gibson. And so, just as we knew he would, he caved in. Instead of challenging him, Elwood joked lamely that there are huge numbers of Americans that take no notice of the government, and don’t need it in their lives. “They got on just fine during the shut-down,” he snickered. Nevil Breivik Gibson guffawed his approval.

    Mercifully, the insistent sound of Carmina Burana wells up. Time to sign off…

    JIM MORA: Nevil Gibson, happy birthday. Thank you for bringing in the cake!

  37. 37

    Hallo – again

    Yesterday, I took action, on my own. I went outside the Avondale WINZ office, to do a picket and protest. I held up a sign warning of “hatchet doctors”. There was nobody else, but I know a few others keep up the fight. I only wanted to raise awareness, and was there between 10,20 to 11.30 am on Friday.

    Only 10 or 15 minutes into the action I was approached by a security person, one of the WINZ ones, coming out of their office. I had a sign and already handed out a few flyers (all stating the truth). He asked me, after staring at me for a few minutes, whether he could have one of my flyers. I gave him one. Then he disappeared, and I am sure he reported to the manager.

    Soon after he came back, he tried to start a nonsensical chat, but held a pen and paper in his hands, and he took notes of the words on my sign. This all happened in a totally public place, on the footpath, which is a fair few steps away from the WINZ office. I had lots of people interested and handed out many flyers.

    But what really SCARED ME, was the fact this security guy took record of all, reported to his manager, while I was in a public place. I am disturbed, and also angry, as this country is supposed to be democratic and “free” country. I did nothing wrong, and I also heard of others in the same area, at various WINZ offices being harassed.

    Now, I ask you here, as NZers, is this what you condone? Is this what you want your country to be like? I have been out on the street in a few places recently, and while I got a lot of support, I also faced much hostility and frowning. I am afraid now to go out of my place, as my impression is, that this is no longer a free country. We are being persecuted and stigmatised, being beneficiaries, we are apparently hunted down.

    Now, dear Labour, where do you stand on this, same on the welfare reforms, I hear little or nothing, and I honestly feel I live in a bloody dictatorship. I come from Europe and wish I had never come back to this horrible place, as I experience it as a beneficiary “bludger”. Better kill me and other, and get rid of us, if you do not like us!

  38. 38

    My response is by these messages from a more cultured society and country:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWlkWPXfvXc

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8y_0y-cT5g

    My impression is that NZers have sold their country, are not even caring to fight for it, and thus are a gutless people, not worth of the soil you live on.

    If you would all bloody care, you would fight and take a stand, I see NONE of it. David Cunliffe will not deliver what he talks about, I can tell you now, you are all falling for a big fat lie and another disappointment. There is no “true left” in this country, is is just fashionable wannabe stuff, as one real leftist told me long ago. Learn from Chile and other places, as you all need learning lessons, and who by the way, of all of you “bothers” to take to the street these days, I see NONE, cowards!

    2. 38.2

      @X,
      It’s not that they sold out so much is that NZers are up against a carefully cultivated climate of suspicion regarding beneficiaries. To give an example at the place where I volunteer I quickly noticed that any new clients we get keep reassuring us that they ARE doing everything they can to get a job, and that they are not like those “other” beneficiaries.

      The problem is that the “other” beneficiaries (those that don’t want to work and are sponging ungratefully off the system) don’t appear to exsist outside of the media spin. Since I started a few months ago I haven’t met any of the “others”, just broken and stressed out people trying to get essential needs met.

      1. 38.2.1

        X doesn’t seem to realize that beneficiaries are the hardest group of people in our society to organize, most are seriously looking for work and the ‘churn’ in the demographic always means that today’s beneficiary is tomorrows worker,

        i don’t take kindly to the deliberate insults X has taken to tossing around and have deliberately, having ‘had words’ with that one previously where he/she has gone off the deep end, shrugged off the insults,

        If he/she is thrown into a paranoid fear fit over a simple conversation with a WINZ security guard then i would suggest he/she discontinues the activity…

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