Open Mike 21/09/2016

Written By: notices and features - Date published: - 63 comments
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63 comments on “Open Mike 21/09/2016”

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    2. 1.2

      Brilliant thanks Paul but chilling too. Parallels with the uphill battle facing NZ Labour-Greens? You bet. Ken Loach has declared the problems so well.

  2. 2

    Syria Bombing Exposes Cracks in American Facade

    Yesterday, the USA committed what is – essentially – an act of war against the legitimate government of Syria. The official position is that, due to a breakdown in communication (or possibly bad intelligence), the US Air Force – with Australian support – bombed SAA men and vehicles resulting in the deaths of at least 60 Syrian soldiers.

    The Russian’s are, understandably, incensed. Accusing the Americans of “assisting ISIS” and describing it as an “intentional provocation”, all of which ties into a speech Putin gave yesterday, in which he questioned American commitment to the deal.

    But why did this attack happen? Assuming it wasn’t just straight incompetence, which is always a possibility when dealing with an American military far more concerned with being expensive than efficient, what was the motivation? Why has the Obama administration worked for weeks to get this deal together, only for the USAF to bomb Syrian soldiers days into the ceasefire? Why has Kerry spent hours carefully negotiating with Sergei Lavrov, only for Samantha Power to immediately launch into abusive and hysterical language the moment any even minor conflict occurs?

    The only logical position to take is that, for some reason, some parts of the American political or military establishment are trying to scupper the ceasefire before it can take hold. To smother peace in its cradle.

    https://off-guardian.org/2016/09/18/syria-bombing-exposes-cracks-in-american-facade/

    1. 2.1

      Thanks for the post, Paul.

      The video at the end is well worth watching: “: Echoing the questions posed by this article, Russia’s UN Ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, asked in his speech at the UN: “Who is in charge in Washington? Is it the Pentagon or the White House?”

      He asks this question about 15 mins into the video. The question is important, and has been asked before by some of the more astute “US War-watchers” out there.

      This line of yours above is also very good:
      “Assuming it wasn’t just straight incompetence, which is always a possibility when dealing with an American military far more concerned with being expensive than efficient, . . . ”

      Which IMO is exactly the point. These US-led wars are fought totally for economic reasons.

      1. 2.2.1

        Payback? Get a grip.

        Russia denies its air force had anything to do with this, and a Russian spokesperson has said that their analysis shows no evidence of the explosive craters, shell holes or blast damage consistent with an airstrike.

        Attacking a UN convoy for retaliation (or “payback” as you clumsily put it) against a US airstrike is ridiculous. The Russian’s don’t consider going after an uninvolved party for retaliation FFS. If they ever wanted to get revenge, they will go after the parties involved.

          1. 2.2.2.1.1

            It’ll be interesting to see how Key responds in his security council meeting – don’t see many bridges being built – maybe he’ll fall back on “Get some guts”.

            Far as it goes I think it was deliberate – the Cold War is back with a vengeance and it’s no longer safe for pawns or neutrals in Syria.

          2. 2.2.2.1.2

            Pretty sure the Russians will cooperate with the UN in the investigation.

            Meanwhile, it looks to me like the Pentagon wants the White House’s ceasefire deal in Syria to fail.

    3. 2.3

      The Russian’s are, understandably, incensed. Accusing the Americans of “assisting ISIS” and describing it as an “intentional provocation”, all of which ties into a speech Putin gave yesterday, in which he questioned American commitment to the deal.

      Wonder if that’s why the US are suddenly accusing Russia/Syria of bombing an aid convoy.

    1. 3.1

      NZ reduced to complaining about Canadian trade practises. We are negotiating from a position of weakness. And our dairy industry is not exactly a pillar of virtue

  4. 4

    “Get some guts”
    Remember that?

    Email shows MPI feared prosecuting fish dumpers.
    A recently released email shows the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) did not want to prosecute fish dumpers for fear it would jeopardise future operations.

    Prime quota species being thrown overboard has been caught on camera by MPI. It’s blatantly illegal behaviour, but MPI decided no one should end up in court.

    “The way in which the decision not to prosecute over the apparent dumping of quota fish is regrettable,” says MPI Director General Martyn Dunne.

    “It is also very disappointing that the process was characterised by confusion and a lack of adequate documentation and communication.”

    The case for a prosecution was made clear in a 2013 MPI report called Operation Achilles. The purpose of the operation was to put observers and cameras on vessels to monitor dolphin by-catch.

    When investigators also filmed illegal fish dumping, they recommended a prosecution.

    But that never happened, and an email that has just been released explains why.

    “My concern is that prosecuting these fishers where there seems to have been implied immunity could potentially scuttle this very important project,” it read.

    It means they feared punishing those who volunteered, which could make it difficult to get by in the future.

    “This is supposed to be the agency that enforces the law and the senior managers of that agency blocked prosecution, even though they were sitting on evidence that showed flagrant, systemic fish dumping,” says Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman.

    The author of the email was MPI’s Director of Fisheries, Dave Turner – but he gave Newshub a different explanation for not prosecuting in June this year.

    “We couldn’t prosecute because of the legislation – we couldn’t use the evidence gathered by the video footage,” he said at the time.

    The Independent Investigator investigating the case says the decision to not prosecute was “flawed” in that the law simply wasn’t enforced.

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/email-shows-mpi-feared-prosecuting-fish-dumpers-2016091619

    1. 4.1

      Never mind whom the major shareholder of the company named in the reports is… Sanford shareholder and National Party president Peter Goodfellow.

      I’m so angry about the fish dumping, having worked in the industry, i know exactly what goes on, as well ex father inlaw was quota manager for one of the largest seafood companies in NZ.

      The fishers get their orders from the top, to co-ordinate with the factory and wharf unloading as well as export orders.

      I’d say Goodfellow has more say than Nathan banjo plucking Guy any day of the week.

    1. 5.1

      The Chairman….. In answer to your question……Probably no worse than the tpp. would give us.

      The results of us rushing into all these ‘fabulous’ free trade deals are starting to show.We, being the minor party in all these deals ,are the ones that lose more than we gain. The question I would like answered, by all these so called experts on trade, is how do we retain our independence and sovereignty?

      1. 5.1.1

        The history of the world is about invasion, colonisation etc etc so if we’re taken over by China then good on them for managing it

        We shouldn’t be so arrogant as to think it couldn’t/shouldn’t happen to us

                1. 5.1.1.2.1.1.1.1

                  Nope – just a cheap shot and preemptive strike to deflect the argument away from it’s core:

                  Is a large or influential Chinese influx in the public interest?

                  By all means support the proposition that it is.

                  1. 5.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1

                    Yeah on the balance of probabilities it is, the Chinese influence in NZ has been positive for over 150 years

                    I mean yes I’d like some things to change but not if it means no Chinese immigration or investment ever

                    1. 5.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1

                      I’d be inclined to go with it depends where you stand in society, and it depends how many come or how much influence they obtain. And it depends on what skill sets if any they bring.

                      Immigration always occasions displacement among the poor and vulnerable. Real estate folk love it. Often it’s a temporary fix for poor long term governance. I’d sooner have good governance.

                    2. 5.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.2

                      That’s a lot of depends but i think we can all agree that immigrants and refugees have made NZ a better more interesting place to live

                      So really its finding a balance which is easier said then done

                  1. 5.1.1.2.1.1.1.2.1

                    You compared China to an alien force, its obviously how you see China and its not positive

                    And as for being sexist you singled out the male gender specifically and then started talking about my boner so what else would you call it?

                    4. 5.1.1.2.1.1.1.2.1.4

                      “The history of the world is about invasion, colonisation etc etc so if we’re taken over by China then good on them for managing it”

                      “Is it a bad thing though?”

                      Is it a bad thing though? Is NZ being taken over by China a “bad thing”? What a thoughtful question – is New Zealand on the cusp of something special, maybe a “Great Leap Forward” of Tibetan proportions? Guess it could be good for some – sell sell SELL!

      2. 5.1.2

        The problem I see with these trade deals is as you say, our relatively small size coupled with the fact these deals also open up more of our businesses, land and resources to foreign ownership.

        It’s one thing trading goods with other countries but once they can come in and buy up our businesses etc, they are virtually exporting to themselves, with the bulk of the return generated heading to offshore investors.

        While this may give kiwis jobs, the benefits of ownership and the political influence that comes with it will no longer be ours. Negatively impacting upon our independence and sovereignty.

  9. 9

    Imagine that the NZ government passed a law requiring all citizens to carry a tracking device. Such a law would immediately be found illegal at our Supreme Court.

    Yet we carry cell phones everywhere.

    If the Police required us to notify them whenever we made a new friend, we would all rebel.

    Yet we notify Facebook.

    If our spies demanded copies of all our conversations and correspondence, we would refuse. Yet we provide copies to our email service providers, our cellphone companies, our social networking platforms, and ISPS.

    I think we should fear losing our freedom not as much from government, but from williingly giving it away to Vodafone, Facebook and Google.

    1. 9.1

      Imagine if there was a website where people could go and freely admit their political affiliations and was linked to an address which could be tracked 🙂

  11. 11

    Ann Pettifor, economist was given a heads up in this earlier The Standard post. She was speaking last night, Tuesday 20th.
    https://thestandard.org.nz/delivering-the-green-new-deal/

    This is Ann Pettifor on Radionz interviewed by Kathryn Ryan. Good to hear an economist with a brain involved in reality. Someone to listen to and think about.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201816970

    Predicting the Crash: Ann Pettifor
    Kathryn Ryan speaks to Ann Pettifor – one of the few economists who correctly predicted the 2008 global economic crash. Ann was also one of the leaders of a successful campaign to cancel 100 billion dollars worth of debt owed to by some of the world’s poorest nations to some of the richest.

    She is currently the director of the left wing economic think tank Policy Research in Macroeconomics or PRIME.

    2. 12.2

      Wonderful news? Here’s what farmers in the article you quoted said, fisiani.

      “It was also good news for the region’s sharemilkers. While the lift took some financial pressure off, it did not necessarily mean farmers would make a profit this season. The industry needed more good payouts to allow farmers to get out of the financial hole created from the past few years.

      We will need three good years of top payouts to get us out of the last two years of struggle.”

      Saying that good news is wonderful news, fisiani, is not positivity, either. That’s called spin, adulation or sycophancy.

  14. 14

    How much longer are we going to is the news media going to be dominated by the sordid antics of Colin Craig and his sleazy old mates.
    I’m sure there must be more interesting news for even the has been Herald .

  15. 15

    Just a comment about Channel 1’s new Breakfast Show, it seems it is becoming even more fluff than it was with Rawden and Nadine. With Jack Tame being obviously a lover of everything to do with the USA we now seem to be getting more click bait rubbish on celebs and other news from the States than we have otherwise had to put up with as background noise. Hilary Barry is trying too hard and it doesn’t seem to be as much entertainment as it was before.

    Now I know you are all going to say well don’t watch it – Rawden had his moments and had a dry sense of humour and Nadine possessed a brain which was I thought was wasted on the show but she helped to put it together. It will be interesting to see if they can pull back from the ratings from the polarising Paul Henry on TV3 who you either loved or loathed. Whatever – the two shows are an insult to viewing intelligence and are not keeping us up to date with current affairs which occur each day.

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