General Debate 26 August 2009

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radvad

I see Obama has told a bunch of religious leaders he is in partnership with God. Really?

What do we make of this. Is he the ultimate in political panderers or a common old garden demagogue? I suggest he is both but then I am an anti Obama, pro God kind of guy.

I would however be interested in what all you pro Obama, anti god (small ‘g’ in deference to your tender sensitivities) think about this.
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August 26, 2009 8:34am
philu

reason number 53 to end prohibition..

http://whoar.co.nz/2009/want-to-have-great-sex-smoke-a-joint-2/

“..So what exactly is it about weed that turns people on?

Besides the obvious: it heightens your senses, relaxes you and makes you feel hyper connected..

.. there are also physiological effects..”

(mmm!!!!..’physiological effects’..!..)

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 8:36am
wreck1080

Didn’t realise how well Telecom employees are renumerated… 2865 of 8500 staff earn more than 100k.

If you’re working for Telecom on less then 100k, and in a reasonable position, you’d be a bit upset I imagine.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/chris-keall/telecoms-100k-club
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August 26, 2009 8:39am
XChequer

I feel a lot of sympathy for people out there who are disgruntled over the remuneration levels for senior Telecom staff. 11 Million dollars in senior staff pay when compared as a percentage to EBITA is significant – too high maybe?

Given the amount of attention corporate remuneration has received in the US, one would have thought that the Telecom guys and gals would have been a bit more savvy.

Slashdot.Org had an interesting fact the other day “In the 1950’s the average CEO’s package was equal to 49 times the average income of the US salaried worker. Now it is 242 times the average income” Chuck some numbers into that equation and you start to come up with some interesting figures.

Sure, one can say, “Ahh, but we need this remuneration level to attract and retain top talent” and I don’t disagree with that entirely. However are we as a culture getting 242 times better value from these people? When is enough, enough?
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August 26, 2009 8:39am
XChequer

Philu – there are times when you drive me mad with your posts.

Then again there are times when you just outright make me laugh (as above).

Funny post.
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August 26, 2009 8:42am
Cerium

radvad – I’m not pro Obama, I have very mixed feelings about him so far. I don’t like this God connection the presidents seem to think they have to make, GW did similarly. Although the US prides itself in separating church and state I can’t see them getting a president that doesn’t align closely with the church, it seems to be an essential “quality” there.
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August 26, 2009 8:46am
toad

phil u said: want-to-have-great-sex-smoke-a-joint-2

Problem is, Phil, if your doobie and your dick are the same size you might end up tugging the wrong one.
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August 26, 2009 8:48am
philu

if you liked that xchkr..

you’ll love this one..

http://whoar.co.nz/2009/watch-a-couple-have-sex-in-an-mri-machine/

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 8:51am
philu

what a strange little person you are..toad..

(do you have some ‘size’ issues..?..)

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 8:53am
starboard

Tau Henare is such a ……top bloke….I wonder if he would like to…. come around for dinner….
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August 26, 2009 8:53am
Ryan Sproull

Tau Henare is such a ……top bloke….I wonder if he would like to…. come around for dinner….

Sounds like you’re filling out a madlib.

Tau Henare is such a [adjective] [noun]. I wonder if he would like to [euphemism for anal sex].
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August 26, 2009 8:59am
radvad

Yes Cerium. And imagine the firestorm if a Repub said anything like that. And imagine it it was Palin.

I don’t know what is worse: the politicians that indulge in pandering, the slobbering audience that laps it up or the media that is very selective in the “scandals” they create.
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August 26, 2009 9:00am
Inventory2

Anyone (other than Phil U) want to take over a blog? We’re outa here …

http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2009/08/goodbye.html
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August 26, 2009 9:00am
wreck1080

Jeez….the US economy is an bad shape. I wonder why their sharemarket is recovering, this debt is an albatross the size of king kong. They just don’t see too worried though.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10593258

The Obama administration said today that it now expects the 10-year budget deficit to reach US$9 trillion*, or about US$2 trillion more than it estimated earlier in the year.
….
A 10-year deficit of that magnitude means the debt held by the public – the accumulation of all annual deficits over the decades – would reach 82 per cent of gross domestic product.
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August 26, 2009 9:10am
Cerium

“And imagine the firestorm if a Repub said anything like that”

Like this?

‘I feel like God wants me to run for President. I can’t explain it, but I sense my country is going to need me. Something is going to happen… I know it won’t be easy on me or my family, but God wants me to do it.’

Behind him were two banners. ‘King of Kings’, proclaimed one. ‘Lord of Lords’, said the other. The symbolism of how fervent Christianity has become deeply entwined with the most powerful man on the planet could not have been stronger.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/nov/02/usa.religion
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August 26, 2009 9:28am
dime

wreck – whos gonna pay debt collector with the US?

Some country – “Hey US, can we have that money back that you borrowed?”

US – “fuck off”

Some country – “ok”
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August 26, 2009 9:28am
philu

that ‘some country’ is china..

and america is already part of their economic-empire..

the chinese govt owns so much of americas’ debt…

..it’s hard not to see tears before bedtime..

..the new empire buys the old empire..

..in a fire sale..

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 9:36am
kaya

Wreck – the fundamentals of the US economy are screwed completely, it is only a matter of “when” the US dollar implodes, not “if” anymore. 3-5 years is my guess. “Cash for Clunkers” is finished soon, what are they going to prop up next to make their figures look a little better?

Even worse news, the 11th largest bank in the US, Guaranty Financial of Texas just went belly up last week along with a couple of others. That’s 81 for the year. The FDIC which is America’s deposit guarantee scheme is nearly broke. They had $52 billion dollars in funds at the start of 2008, by March this year they were down to $13 billion and 60 banks have failed since then. Guess the Fed will have to start the printing presses up again.
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August 26, 2009 9:51am
nickb

Would someone be able to point me to a link or a press release from Sue Bradford regarding her outrage at the latest acts of child abuse? I can’t seem to find it. Any help?
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August 26, 2009 10:07am
big bruv

Great to see that Paul Henry will not face any punishment for his “moustache” comment.

There was nothing offensive about the comment at all.
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August 26, 2009 10:08am
MyNameIsJack

kaya (161) Vote: 0 0 Says:

August 26th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Wreck – the fundamentals of the US economy are screwed completely, it is only a matter of “when” the US dollar implodes, not “if” anymore.

its amazing what another war can do…

The invasion of Iraq was designed to maintain the USD as the world’s trade currency. Saddam Hussein was well advanced on a new oil marketing group that was going to use the Euro, not the USD, and that was something Shrub could not be allowed to permit.

just like WW1, it had nothing to do with freedom, it was all about trade.
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August 26, 2009 10:09am
Cerium

Bad done badly?

With just two weeks of training, or about half the time it takes to become a truck driver, the CIA certified its spies as interrogation experts after 9/11 and handed them the keys to the most coercive tactics in the agency’s arsenal.

It was a haphazard process, cobbled together in the months following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington by an agency that had never been in the interrogation business. The result was a patchwork program in which rules kept shifting and the goals often were unclear.

At times, the interrogators went too far, even beyond the wide latitude they were given under the Bush administration’s flexible guidelines….

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzr_yE5_yaI1vEav8lxIHFFlSdGQD9AA53O00
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August 26, 2009 10:11am
Jack5

New topic if I may…

How can ACC last under its dilution into a super welfare handout agency? While small business folk, especially those in safe fields, pay huge imposts, Labour governments have allowed the several hundred thousand bludgers in NZ to ruin what began as a sensible alternative scheme to the lawyer paradise that was chocking up our courts and causing years-long delays. The bludgers, egged on by Labour, have turned it into a parallel welfare scheme.

“Sex abuse” claims are pouring into ACC at 500 a month according to the following report, and the whingers have caused ACC to back off in ways to sift through them.

Can even bringing in private firms now save ACC? Surely it has to be trimmed back to compensation for physical work-related industries.

Why should I pay heavy ACC duties on top of ordinary tax to run a welfare scheme unrelated to work injuries? Especially when a chunk of the money will go to the professional bludgers who have milked ACC and social security using fake damage from nefarious causes from repetitive strain injury to, now, sex abuse? With Labour’s legalisation of their trade, prostitutes probably will now qualify for compensation for the psychological abuse of their customers, as well as diseases caught in the business. They already get full Labour Department services, such as advice on safe practices.

The NZ Herald story on sex abuse claims:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10593228
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August 26, 2009 10:29am
nickb

Good post Jack, completely agree.
Surely employers shold be able to opt out of ACC and take out private indemnity insurance instead… I thought this was Nats policy???
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August 26, 2009 10:38am
toad

nickb said: Surely employers shold be able to opt out of ACC and take out private indemnity insurance instead… I thought this was Nats policy???

Nope, that’s turned out to be a broken promise.

“Investigating opening up the Work Account to competition is not part of the stocktake and is not a priority of the Government.

Not that I mind, of course.

jack5 said: Why should I pay heavy ACC duties on top of ordinary tax to run a welfare scheme unrelated to work injuries?

You don’t. The employer’s levy funds only work injuries. Yes, that includes what you call repetitive stain injuries. It does not include sex abuse claims – they are funded from general taxation.
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August 26, 2009 11:01am
Jack5

Even if Toad is correct about ACC funding for non-work injuries, what about the overhead? Who carries that? Surely the premium payers contribute to this, and ACC’s overhead is high. The overhead includes losses on ACC investments in downturns, administering investments, and running offices and staff. How can we be sure our money isn’t going this way to staff, buildings, cars, etc to service non-work “injury” claimants, including the many bludgers?

And what are non-work injuries doing under ACC coverage any way? That the lefties put these under the organisation demonstrated an intention to welfare-ise what started as an insurance scheme.

Privatising ACC would make for cheaper work injury cover and higher safety standards. This was demonstrated before Labour lefties blocked private company participation in the scheme. For example, forest worker injuries dived in the big companies that chose private coverage. Private insurers refused coverage to contractors with high accident rates.The big foresters then refused to deal with contractors without insurance coverage. This put them out of business and accident rates dived. Good for everyone, especially the workers. Not that today’s Labour gives a fig for blue-collar people and their families.

ACC needs competition as we all do, and non-work injuries need to be taken right out of its coverage.
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August 26, 2009 12:10pm
nickb

Have never made an ACC claim myself, but understand dealing with them is an absolute bloody nightmare.
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August 26, 2009 12:36pm
CraigM

I2 – We’re outa here …

Glad to hear your business is going well, sad to lose someone with common semse from the blogosphere. The numbers are dwindling fast.

The loonies , whilst not completely in charge of the asylum, certainly have control of a few rooms. Probably because they have more spare time to post 🙂

Best of luck.
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August 26, 2009 1:29pm
Ryan Sproull

Just in case you didn’t know, Hell Pizza have put their foot in it.
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August 26, 2009 1:49pm
Brian Smaller

Couldn’t help this one: Philu posted this link at the start of this thread

reason number 53 to end prohibition..

http://whoar.co.nz/2009/want-to-have-great-sex-smoke-a-joint-2/

“..So what exactly is it about weed that turns people on?

But it seems that despite the fact that the dope may make you horny you end up either failing to reach orgasm or suffer premature ejaculation. Female dope smokers tend to have more STDs as well.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17671-regular-marijuana-usage-robs-men-of-sexual-highs.html
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August 26, 2009 1:56pm
racer1

“nickb
Good post Jack, completely agree.
Surely employers shold be able to opt out of ACC and take out private indemnity insurance instead… I thought this was Nats policy???”

I believe larger companies already can.

Acc has always been quick and easy for me, thankfully haven’t needed it in a fair few years now.
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August 26, 2009 1:57pm
Brian Smaller

Ryan – I thought that was quite funny. It was Hell Pizza after all.
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August 26, 2009 2:04pm
MyNameIsJack

here’s one for the “Only in America Files”

Yale Press opts not to include pictures of Muhammad in their book about pictures of Muhammad

http://www.mediawatchwatch.org.uk/2009/08/19/yale-university-press-official-statement-on-motoon-book/

Unfortunately, its not only in America.
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August 26, 2009 2:16pm
wreck1080

the government needs to legislate that these TV companies cannot copyright tv listings.

It is ridiculous that TVNZ / TV3 / Sky try to exert control over each other by refusing to share programming information.

This is really stifling innovation around EPG’s.
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August 26, 2009 2:18pm
MyNameIsJack

wreck, but that would be taking away private property rights.
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August 26, 2009 2:28pm
Herman Poole

Some good news. Mugabe rushed to hospital.

http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1055371
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August 26, 2009 2:42pm
big bruv

So far three National party speakers have taken the call in today’s general debate, each and every one of them can think of nothing better to speak about than the leadership of the Labour party.

This is the type of shit we used to see from Labour, I expect better from the Nat’s, it is another poor reflection on Neville Key’s leadership.
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August 26, 2009 3:15pm
big bruv

Make that four National party speakers……..and we pay these idiots over $130k per year..FFS!
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August 26, 2009 3:22pm
philu

130k + ‘expenses’/rental subsidies/more ‘entitlements’ than we know of..

..and let’s not forget the ‘holidays’..

as noted in the msm today..

..when you add it all up..they are some of the best-paid people in the country..

..and for what..?

..esp. with the backbenchers..

theirs is a life of total impotence/irrelevance..

and that’s a government backbencher..

opposition/minor party mp’s only turn up to clip their tickets/get their pay..

their impotence/irrelevance is benchmark-setting..

..they do/say nothing in parliament..

..and it must be totally soul-destroying to those who entered with ideals shining bright/looking to make a difference..

(oh..!..look..!..another national mp talking about goff/the bus-trip..

is that five .. or six .. on the trot..?)

it is getting rather boring/annoying..

..how if key/english are asked a question about the crap we all face..

..their answer is to always moan about the time labour were in power..

how much fucken longer can they play that evasion..?

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 3:42pm
grumpyoldhori

Jack5 going back to what we had for workers compo before ACC, no thanks it was a bloody dream for lawyers and a bloody nightmare for both employers and employees.

I suggest you check what the Aussies are paying before being too keen on throwing a system away.
And yes, I agree that the ACC should tighten up, because you cannot do a forestry job from injury does not stop you from doing a desk job in a lot of cases
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August 26, 2009 4:15pm
nickb

racer at your 157 im not so sure…
Maybe what your thinking of is the accreditation scheme where employers pay lower acc levies for managing their own accidents, becoming “accredited” employers?
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August 26, 2009 4:17pm
big bruv

It seems that to have a “healthy relationship with Maori” you only have to agree with everything they say and give them everything they want.

Is there any other race on the face of this earth who holds their hand out more than Maori?, is there any other race on the face of this earth who seek to blame others for all of their ills more than Maori?
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August 26, 2009 4:19pm
big bruv

Phool, you are the last person who should be talking about holidays.

You have no rights at all to discuss what politicians earn or their hours of work, get a job and you can have your say, until then, shut the fuck up.
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August 26, 2009 4:25pm
philu

“..s there any other race on the face of this earth who holds their hand out more than Maori?, is there any other race on the face of this earth who seek to blame others for all of their ills more than Maori?..”

you mean apart from whinging whites..?..with their hands firmly on the levers of power..?

..and greedily cawing for ‘more..!..more..!’..?

apart from them..?

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 4:27pm
philu

“..until then, shut the fuck up..”

no..!

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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August 26, 2009 4:28pm
Hurf Durf

The last Kennedy has finally dropped off this earth. Mary Jo Kopechne has no comment.

What is it with all these important people dying off in the middle of important political events? Bammy’s grandmother died the day before the election, Kennedy dies in the middle of the healthcare debate. Redbaiter should investigate to see if there’s some assassination team led directly by David Axelrod.
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August 26, 2009 6:02pm
Viking2

Union boss paid $127,000 by Corrections
NZPA

One of the Government’s most vocal union critics has been paid almost $130,000 a year by the taxpayer to subsidise wages and expenses.

NZPA understands that the Corrections Department paid the Corrections Association and its president Beven Hanlon $127,727 in the 2008/2009 financial year.

This was made up of $44,889 in subsidising Mr Hanlon’s salary for the two days per week that he undertakes union business and the amount to hire a replacement for those days.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins said she was very concerned at the amount being used to subsidise the union.

‘I also understand that this money from the taxpayer has allowed the union to amass close to $2 million in savings,” Ms Collins said.

“I would be interested to hear from the union how they can justify this and why they need funding from the taxpayer when it receives unions fees from members and has so much money supposedly in the bank.”

She had become aware of the payments due to an Official Information Act request and had asked Corrections Department boss Barry Matthews to look into the issue.

Ms Collins said she did not believe Mr Matthews had been aware of the size of the payments until the OIA request alerted to him to it.

The argument that it might help smooth industrial relations was not evident from Mr Hanlon’s comments.

Ms Collins said she would be concerned if the taxpayer was paying for a “jet-set lifestyle” for union bosses, when others were being asked to tighten their belts.

The department had been asked to consider what to do about the payments.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2804525/Union-boss-paid-127-000-by-Corrections
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August 26, 2009 6:53pm
starboard

Union boss paid $127,000 by Corrections
NZPA

..more fucken snouts in the trough..makes me wana puke…
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August 26, 2009 7:20pm
Viking2

Why texting while driving hurts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGE8LzRaySk&feature=player_embedded
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August 26, 2009 8:01pm
Hurf Durf

..it’s hard not to see tears before bedtime..

..the new empire buys the old empire..

You’d like that, phool, being pro-Chicom.
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August 26, 2009 9:40pm
racer1

You on the other hand are pro slavery and racism mr Durf.
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August 26, 2009 11:03pm

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