General Debate 12 April 2011

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kaya

Surely not?
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April 12, 2011 9:03am
mattyroo

Rhetorical question, but, Is Nathan Argent from Greenpeace one of the most economically illiterate people in NZ?

Argent said protesters were trying to protect New Zealand’s economy. Tax breaks for firms looking for oil should be spent on green energy development.

Petrobras commit to spending an amount of money in NZ (I believe in this instance it is more than $180million) which they get a tax break on. If they were not spending the money, it would not exist, neither would the tax break. Effectively there is no money being spent by the gummint.

So, I’m fucked if I know where Mr. Argent thinks this money is going to come from to spend on his “green energy development”.

Perhaps toad and his ilk could illuminate me…..

Even worse, I thought Adam Bennett was smarter than that, to not challenge Argent’s economic fuckwittery.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10718679
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April 12, 2011 9:06am
Bobbie black

I was just watching Dinner For One, which German people I was recently told think is hilarious and play on German TV continuously at New Years Eve…sorry to say, it kind of sucked, majorly.

Apparently it was made in Germany, maybe I missed some cross-cultural ironies?

You can decide if you want to bear it (about ten minutes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1v4BYV-YvA

Maybe a nice German person in NZ can explain the humour?

Chick flick?
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April 12, 2011 9:09am
hj

Who is worse Winston or Tariana. Winston talks about “a tsunami of migrants”; Tariana says “Maori have nowhere else to go”. I feel the the establishment are afraid of Winston as National is in bed with the Property Council and the property Council have dubious positions such as: “debate about the future ownership of the 16 Crafar dairy farms appeared to have tapped a racist vein, when the real issue was New Zealand’s willingness to value its own landholdings ”
😆 and 😉
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1007/S00062/overseas-investment-necessary-for-new-zealand.htm

not to mention advice from the savings working group (immigration) and IMF (capital gains Tax and Land tax).
http://www.interest.co.nz/news/52737/imf-recommends-govt-broaden-capital-gains-tax-base-and-introduce-land-tax-your-view
http://www.interest.co.nz/kiwisaver/52140/migration-policy-linked-inflated-housing-prices-government-spending-and-low-savings#comment-601682
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April 12, 2011 9:17am
nasska

Abortion on Friday….homosexuality on Monday. The rosary beads are approaching meltdown & the ‘Ave Marias’ have crashed the celestial answering service.

What have you got in store for today to keep the god botherers in shape?
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April 12, 2011 9:22am
hj

” Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said that tests were conducted according to international standards and that the responsibility to ensure safety lay in the hands of the building’s owner.

The building had been inspected by the council and ‘green stickered’ after the September 4 quake

But with buildings that had green stickers indicating they were fit for use, owners were supposed to conduct safety checks and carry out any necessary repairs themselves, and there was no obligation to report any reinforcement work.

Local media said that during the September 2010 quake, cracks appeared in the walls of the CTV building, and building users had worried about its safety.”
https://emigratetonewzealand.wordpress.com/tag/ctv-building/
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April 12, 2011 9:26am
flipper

National Party paid up membership has now PASSED 35,000. No compulsory union members in that number.
When will Labour and the Red Greens disclose their numbers???
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April 12, 2011 9:29am
gazzmaniac

Is anyone else just over the royal wedding already? Or is it just me?
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April 12, 2011 9:32am
Pete George

Tariana says “Maori have nowhere else to go”.

In 2008, there were approximately 100,000 people with Māori ancestry living in Australia.

In 2007, the co-leader of New Zealand’s Māori Party, Pita Sharples proposed the creation of an additional seat in the New Zealand Parliament, for Māori living in Australia.
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April 12, 2011 9:33am
gazzmaniac

There could be several seats in parliament for kiwis living in Australia. Methinks none would vote for Labour.
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April 12, 2011 9:34am
Murray

By Turia racist standards a lot of other people have no where else to go either. Anyone here for more than three generations has no rights in any other country.

Its about making Maori a superior race legally, nothing else.

Anyone like to apply any of the names for that sort of thing?
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April 12, 2011 9:35am
ciaron

hj (and anyone else) a green sticker means the building is NOT in imminent danger of collapse (i.e. no apparent structural damage). It is NOT a warrant of fitness, and it is ENTIRELY up to the building owner to find the actual state of the structural system, usually in the form of a detailed assesment.
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April 12, 2011 9:37am
hj

Tariana says “Maori have nowhere else to go”.
….
I think she meant (Unlike non Maori = British Isles?) Maori have nowhere else to go” or Maori belong in Aotearoa Non Maori are temporary visitors.
p.s
Her Father was an American serviceman.
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April 12, 2011 9:40am
Yvette

Abortion, homosexuality – what next?

“On which day did God plant all those dinosaur bones – on one of his six work-days as a step in Creation, or on his day of rest, for his entertainment?” usually pokes a couple of buttons.
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April 12, 2011 9:42am
hj

National Party paid up membership has now PASSED 35,000. No compulsory union members in that number.
When will Labour and the Red Greens disclose their numbers???
….
How many people would there be who would vote El Delahunty to #4 on the list?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0702/S00068.htm
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April 12, 2011 9:44am
Manolo

Tom Scott, card-carrying party member, offers his support to the offended faction of the Labour Party.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/opinion/tom-scott-cartoons/
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April 12, 2011 9:56am
barry

I cant get over it – a “gaggle of gays”. Hilarious. I bet hes been waiting to use that one for a long time.

Thats going to stick with labour for a long time. the Gaggle Party……………….
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April 12, 2011 9:57am
Hagues

Yvette “On which day did God plant all those dinosaur bones – on one of his six work-days as a step in Creation, or on his day of rest, for his entertainment?” usually pokes a couple of buttons.

They’d be the result of the global flood in Noah’s time. Got any hard questions?
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April 12, 2011 10:02am
kaya

Great work by the cop in charge of this case.

$10M drug kingpin found guilty…

A multi-millionaire businessman lived a double life – he was also an underworld kingpin at the top of a P ring.

Despite attacking the integrity of the senior detective investigating him, the 63-year-old man was found guilty of 24 serious charges at the High Court in Auckland yesterday…………….A core part of his defence was a personal attack on Mr Schmid, who was also the officer in charge of Operation Manu

The attempt to smear the cop in charge reminded me (very, very loosely, in a nice NZ sort of way) of what happened to Eliot Spitzer, the “Sherriff of Wall St”.
The New York Governor was brought down by revelations he had used high priced prostitutes. I can remember when it happened thinking it was just another pollie caught with his pants down. Turns out it seem to be much more Machiavellian.

A movie by the director who dd “The Smartest Men in the Room – Enron” has just come out called Client 9.

Client 9 – named after the moniker given to Spitzer in the police investigation of the Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring – investigates the powerful financial, business and political interests who benefitted from his fall. It exposes the plotting and subterfuge behind the scenes by those that Spitzer had targeted: the big banks and insurance companies engaged in fraud, the corrupt Republicans, the dubious political dirty-tricks operatives.

This looks like a fascinanting watch, I’m looking forward to getting a look at it.
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April 12, 2011 10:05am
Roflcopter

News headline on ZB radio this morning, re: Damien O’Connor – “Damien to be drilled by caucus today”.

Not the best words to choose, considering the context. 😀
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April 12, 2011 10:07am
Longknives

HJ- That lovely lady Turia has stated on several occasions that ‘Non Maori’ are NOT New Zealanders and are merely “visitors to this land”. It astounds me that the NZ media gives her such a free ride with such racist/seperatist drivel.
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April 12, 2011 10:12am
nasska

Roflcopter @ 10.07

If he’s not homophobic now I’ll wager that by this time tomorrow he’ll be eating bananas with a knife & fork.
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April 12, 2011 10:13am
voice of reason

Surely in that context the correct collective noun would be – A quorum of queers
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April 12, 2011 10:15am
hj

Sad story about horse caught in tsunami
http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/04/inside_radiation_zone&fsrc=nwl
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April 12, 2011 10:45am
bearhunter

So, that SA rugby player who killed three men and decapitated one of them for raping his daughter would appear to…not actually HAVE a daughter. Wonder how that will affect the opinions of all those internet warriors who rushed to back him up when the news originally broke: http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/9177307/rugby-killer-wasnt-motivated-revenge/

The fact that he’s mentally ill won’t bring quite as much sympathy for him, I wouldn’t have thought.
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April 12, 2011 10:57am
Manolo

The wisdom of hindsight, as any modest man like him can attest.

White House: Obama Vote Against Raising Debt Limit a ‘Mistake’

If President Obama knew then what he knows now, he would not have voted against raising the debt limit in 2006.

That was the explanation trotted out by the White House Monday, as it sought to square the administration’s pleas to Congress to lift the debt ceiling by next month against Obama’s voting history. As a senator in 2006, Obama voted against raising the debt limit. But White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the president now views that vote as a “mistake.”

“He now believes it was a mistake,” Carney said. He said Obama understands that senators want to make it clear when they disagree with the administration, but that there are other ways to go about doing it. He said the debt ceiling vote is not something Washington “can play around with,” warning that a failure to lift the cap would be “Armageddon-like” for the economy.
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April 12, 2011 11:09am
Luc Hansen

In 2008, there were approximately 100,000 people with Māori ancestry living in Australia.

How interesting.

Does anyone know how many are in jail over there?

Is the number in the same proportion to the general Maori population as over here?

If not, why not?
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April 12, 2011 11:12am
Luc Hansen

France has always been a hotbed of anti-Semitism, with a disgraceful record of transferring Jews to Hitler’s killing grounds, and now leads the world in Islamophobia.

Shameful stuff.
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April 12, 2011 11:16am
Sonny Blount

Luc Hansen (2,679) Says:
April 12th, 2011 at 11:12 am

In 2008, there were approximately 100,000 people with Māori ancestry living in Australia.

How interesting.

Does anyone know how many are in jail over there?

Is the number in the same proportion to the general Maori population as over here?

If not, why not?

Because the barrier of the pond means the two populations will have different characteristics.

Not presupposing what information would be gleaned from the information you ask for, I have no idea either way.
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April 12, 2011 11:19am
RightNow

I wonder if Labour will pay for google ads this election? I think I’ve perfected my script to ‘click’ them several times a second, which will save my kid getting bored like he did in 2008 when I had him repeatedly clicking the shortcut button I made.
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April 12, 2011 11:33am
Luc Hansen

Ah, Sonny, so you are saying that environment has an influence?

Surely not.

But if you are, I wonder, what are the differences in the respective environments that lead to different lock-up rates?

Could it be that Australia doesn’t have a record of over a hundred years of active discrimination against Maori (as opposed to its track record as regards its own indigenous people)?
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April 12, 2011 11:34am
bearhunter

Luc: “Could it be that Australia doesn’t have a record of over a hundred years of active discrimination against Maori?”

Or could it be that there are no special provisions for Maori in Australia and the Government doesn’t pander to them with handouts and excuses? Not that I believe that to be necessarily true, just asking…
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April 12, 2011 11:46am
iMP

Yvette…Abortion, homosexuality – what next?
“On which day did God plant all those dinosaur bones – on one of his six work-days as a step in Creation, or on his day of rest, for his entertainment?” usually pokes a couple of buttons.

…and now Tues: CREATION vs EVOLUTION! Yay.

On the 5th & 6th days, Yvette because “Dinosaurs” (ala Job 40, 41) is just a modern name for “animals,” some of which are alive (giraffe, tuatara, crocodillians, elephants, rhinos) and some are extinct. Like the Latimeria chalumnae (Coelacanth) “Dinosuar Fish” supposedly extinct for millions of years but found swimming happily around the sea and now in several aquariums.
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April 12, 2011 12:00pm
joana

Luc ,
There is no such thing as islamophobia. France has the highest population of muslims of any European country. They are invaders and occupiers , not migrants. They have no intention of integrating.
Previous generations were not expected to like the Nazis or the Japanese. Just because the muslim method is different it does not mean their goal is any different.
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April 12, 2011 12:04pm
Sonny Blount

Luc Hansen (2,680) Says:
April 12th, 2011 at 11:34 am

Ah, Sonny, so you are saying that environment has an influence?

Surely not.

But if you are, I wonder, what are the differences in the respective environments that lead to different lock-up rates?

Could it be that Australia doesn’t have a record of over a hundred years of active discrimination against Maori (as opposed to its track record as regards its own indigenous people)?

No Luc, I’m saying that the Maori in Aus are a different group of people with different characteristics to Maori in NZ.
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April 12, 2011 12:06pm
iMP

The megafuna tend to go first (triceratops, indricoterio); smaller related species surviving longer (rhinos, camels). Just look at the armour plating of a rhino, or a crocodile’s structure, and tell me they aren’t dinosaurs? Komodo dragons are cool.
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April 12, 2011 12:08pm
kaya

Aucklan council have just announced they are holding their talks on fundung for the maori satutory board in secret. Vote was 11-9 and media have been kicked out. Christine Fletcher and Mike Lee the only 2 to vote against. Gotta love democracy and transparency of process. What does comrade Len have to hide?
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April 12, 2011 12:09pm
iMP

France has every right to ban the Bedouin (pre-Islam) sand burkha in public, in the same way you can’t wear crash helmets into banks. They can still wear it (at home or at mosque) so what’s the beef?
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April 12, 2011 12:18pm
Komata

Kaya

Re: ‘What does comrade Len have to hide?’

His secret deals with the supposedly full-blood locals, his integrity (oh, sorry, that went years ago), his negotiating skills, his socialist agenda, his instructions from New York . . . (add more as appropriate)
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April 12, 2011 12:20pm
iMP

A Brace of Quail
A Pride of Lions
A Murder of Crows
A Gaggle of Gays
A Labour of Lesbians?
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April 12, 2011 12:25pm
Komata

imp

Re: ‘so what’s the beef?’ Easy – they’re Muslims – the Western socialist’s and liberals new ‘fad’; the (supposedly) opressed, poor, hardworking, underprivilged, devious and untrustworty ones who are coming to a country near you with the avowed intention of destroying all and any beliefs that you (and the socialists and liberals) may have, that they decide unilateraly are offenseive.

That, my friend, is ‘the beef’
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April 12, 2011 12:26pm
DrDr

In the report called Māori in Australia, published by TPK in 2007, the author states that separate figures for Māori in prison are hard guage because the Australians collect their stats by country of birth. So all NZers are lumped together. The other problem is that many Māori families have been there for a number of generations and their off-spring will be counted as Australian born, still without ethnicity attached. There is a table on pg 148 that reports that of 60 Māori households (representing 252 people) 20% had spent time in police custody, 11.7% had been arrested and charged with a criminal offence and 10% had been imprisoned. If you generalised these figures out to the total Māori popln in Australia, it would be safe to say that Māori in Australia are not imprisoned at the same rate as in NZ. However without an accurate statistical study, this generalisation will remain exactly that, a generalisation.
See http://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/in-print/our-publications/publications/maori-in-australia/?ts=1
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April 12, 2011 12:27pm
KH

When considering the statements of who has a right to be in New Zealand remember this.

Maori handed over sovereignty to the British Crown in return for British citizenship. Which was a very very good deal for them.
We live here under the law and have the right to do so under that deal.

There have been a lot of attempts to redefine what the treaty says. But it’s there and quite simple in all versions.
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April 12, 2011 1:14pm
James Stephenson

France has every right to ban the Bedouin (pre-Islam) sand burkha in public, in the same way you can’t wear crash helmets into banks. They can still wear it (at home or at mosque) so what’s the beef?

I don’t think that’s quite the right analogy, but I think they do have the right to assert the supremecy of some of their cherished principles if they wish. Personally I would come at the issue from the other direction – ie protect the rights of businesses (shops, banks, potential employers) and individuals to refuse to transact with burka wearers. I think a message of “wear it if you like, but don’t expect the rest of us to treat you like a normal member of this society” is better than a police-enforced dresscode.
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April 12, 2011 1:21pm
RightNow

KH: “Maori handed over sovereignty to the British Crown in return for British citizenship”

So in theory they can get British passports just by identifying as Maori?
By dint of birth I am unable to classify myself as Maori, but would in an instant if I could, especially if it would gain me a passport to Europe.
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April 12, 2011 1:32pm
iMP

James Stephenson: I disagree, because then we create social outcasts and “them.” Besides, its not a State-enforced dress code, but a non-dress code. The law seeks to establish context for dress (entirely appropriate everywhere else, “no jandals in pubs”). The burka carries certain female-oppressing cultural associations and actuals (like wearing it) that French society (ie Liberté) is not prepared to accept on its turf. It wants an acceptable open collective civil code.

Bttm, line is, wear it, but not in public. If you want to live in France, then women are free to dress unshackled by religious dress-codes. this is a core of our western morality and culture. Go live in pure Yemen if you want women in burka. Doesn’t wash in France.

Muslim countries have do.s and don’ts all the time. No Jews, No Christians, no heels showing, so why can’t France reject this straitjacket on women?.
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April 12, 2011 1:47pm
Rodders

Good!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/4877381/Pauline-Hanson-fails-to-win-seat-in-NSW
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April 12, 2011 2:12pm
RightNow

Incisive!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GZuYGowXMFo/TaHfFgVFcvI/AAAAAAAAD-o/DxZxO4PHp8A/s1600/hate_or_art.jpg
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April 12, 2011 2:36pm
kaya

Just off the news, Len and his mates at Auckland Council have come up with a figure for the funding of the maori statutory board, but nobody else is allowed to know how much it is and the councillors have been gagged.

Pardon??????
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April 12, 2011 2:38pm
bearhunter

Coolest video I’ve come across in ages:

http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/science/article/973001–orbiting-astronaut-plays-flute-duet-with-jethro-tull-founder?bn=1#video
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April 12, 2011 2:40pm
kaya

Iceland rejects deal to pay for bank failure

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10718647

Finally, a country with balls. Or more likely a country with binding refernda built into their legislation. I go with the latter.
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April 12, 2011 2:56pm
kaya

bearhunter – thanks for that link, excellent. The astronaut chick needs a hair-tie though……….:)
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April 12, 2011 3:03pm
Bevan

Finally, a country with balls. Or more likely a country with binding refernda built into their legislation. I go with the latter.

Unfortunately for Iceland, that referendum will not hold any sway when the UK & Netherlands take them to court over the matter.

I also wonder what the rest of Europe (or the world for that matter) will think when Iceland comes begging cap in hand for a bailout, when they have reneged on their current obligations. If someone reneged on a deal with me, the last thing I’d do is loan them anymore money.
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April 12, 2011 3:48pm
lofty

@Bearhunter, thanks for the link, fantastic, I get so excited when I think about what the future holds for generations to come, mankind is so adventurous and clever.

Thank god that it is so, and the desire to explore and learn will outweigh those who would have us back in the dark ages.

I just wish we could find the elixer of life so I could be around to wonder at mans acheivements, in spite of wasters, and introspective political thinkers. This in my mind includes islamists, greens, greenpeace “activists” communists, & anyone else who does not wonder at mans ability to find answers to problems, and then institute them.
How I would love to be around to watch my great grandchildrens and beyond generations.
I have no doubt that life will be full of wonderous things then.
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April 12, 2011 4:03pm
Rex Widerstrom

gazzmaniac suggests:

There could be several seats in parliament for kiwis living in Australia. Methinks none would vote for Labour.

Yes, why not? There’s plenty of us expats who care just as passionately about our homeland as anyone who lives there… moreso than many, I’d suggest. Italy already does this, with seats in its Parliament reserved especially for expats.

Why not NZ?
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April 12, 2011 4:07pm
lofty

& before anyone asks, Yes my glass is always 1/2 full, I would have it no other way.

Life is exciting and we only get 1 shot at it, and I will be buggered if I am going to waste a minute of it with a life of defeatism, and negative thoughts and actions. Unlike some here.

Our Grandchildren get the same message, to shoot for the moon and take part in the wonderful acheivements, and help to make more.
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April 12, 2011 4:08pm
big bruv

Cooking with Bruv….today’s top tip.

Sick of your sausages splitting of squirting out of the end of the casing when you cook them?

Well worry no more……Place your sausages and oil/fat in the pan before you turn on the heat/gas, sausages placed in a cold pan will not split or squirt out of the ends as the skins can adapt to the change in heat without shrinking.

More top advice from Bruv.
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April 12, 2011 4:12pm
lofty

See Big Bruv has just proven my optimisim, and faith in mans cleverness.
Thanks Big Bruv you are the tops. 🙂
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April 12, 2011 4:13pm
kaya

Bevan – the people of Iceland aren’t voting to renege on their obligations. They are saying they don’t want to pay for the obligations of private banks who took risks, embezzled money, looked after themselves and their mates and generally fucked the country over.

The Icelandic public didn’t renege on anything and have no need to feel obliged to bail out corrupt, private financial institutions. They are doing it hard in their economy and I’m sure understand the ramifications of becoming financial pariahs. and possibly being refused entry into the EU (not a bad thing I reckon). They don’t care and are standing on principal. Good on them. A pity the Irish didn’t do the same thing.

The US dollar based monetary system is a Ponzi scheme with not many ways to get around it until it eventually implodes and we can start looking at a real system that will work. Bring it on.
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April 12, 2011 4:35pm
Luc Hansen

Soony Blount is quite clearly racist. He is, in effect, saying that Maori in New Zealand possess inherent characteristics (does he mean genes?) that predispose this population to commit crimes and be imprisoned (and of course,ignores the sentencing disaparity between Maori and Pakeha).

It’s racist nonsense.

Should go down a treat on this site, though.

As regards the Niqab discrimination, this will go to the EU and France will be left with egg on its face. So much for dedication to liberty and fraternity.

Whiteys are such pussies! So scared of a woman in a veil. No wonder Muslims are taking over the world!
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April 12, 2011 4:38pm
Manolo

Whiteys are such pussies! So scared of a woman in a veil. No wonder Muslims are taking over the world!

Luc, I invite you to move to Saudi Arabia to be among friends.
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April 12, 2011 4:49pm
RightNow

“No wonder Muslims are taking over the world!”
ROFL. What are you smoking? Muslims aren’t taking over the world. In fact they’re becoming rift by infighting as their youth are increasingly exposed to western culture.
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April 12, 2011 4:50pm
pct

Rex Widerstrom – 4.07pm.

You no doubt have heard the expression ” no taxation without representation” from your american history.

Turn it around for your suggestion: “no representation without taxation”.
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April 12, 2011 4:53pm
nasska

Rex @ 4.07pm

Two salient points spring to mind;

1) Expats generally don’t pay tax in NZ

2) To paraphrase an old quote…No representation without taxation.
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April 12, 2011 4:56pm
Sonny Blount

Luc Hansen (2,686) Says:
April 12th, 2011 at 4:38 pm

Soony Blount is quite clearly racist. He is, in effect, saying that Maori in New Zealand possess inherent characteristics (does he mean genes?) that predispose this population to commit crimes and be imprisoned (and of course,ignores the sentencing disaparity between Maori and Pakeha).

It’s racist nonsense.

Should go down a treat on this site, though.

Please show me where I said this you piece of shit scumbag cunt.
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April 12, 2011 5:25pm
KiwiGreg

You left out “hypocritical” Sonny
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April 12, 2011 5:28pm
Sonny Blount

Indeed, thank you KG.
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April 12, 2011 5:34pm
Put it away

Luc Hands-on simply making shit up? Say it ain’t so…
Sometimes I think he must be deliberately trying to be wrong about everything.
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April 12, 2011 6:22pm
Mary Rose

Rex >Incidentally, anyone interested in the brain (not the mind, the actual physical structure, chemical environment etc of the organ itself) and its effect on offending …

That Dr Eagleman piece was really interesting.

It was on another thread, I know, but ‘thanks for the link’ might have got somewhat lost amid the couple of hundred comments on the other one.
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April 12, 2011 6:45pm
Hurf Durf

Where’s Bryla? Surely it’s time for another day of ill-considered hysteria in light of certain recent events?

Go on, journalists, do your worst. It’s not like anyone’s paying any attention to it anyway.
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April 12, 2011 7:13pm
KH

Seems the Iceland people have decided not to pay back the debts of private banks.
Can’t see whats wrong with that.
Underneath all of the strife and opinion is there any infortmation that says that is not the factual situation.
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April 12, 2011 7:15pm
Pete George

Like this HD? Radioactive Boars Rampaging Through Germany

The problem has been aggravated by the lingering effects of the Chernobyl disaster from twenty-five years ago; a large portion of the wild animals are contaminated by radioactivity.

Poisonous radiation leaves the beasts completely inedible, and the phenomenon is becoming expensive for the German government. In the last hunting season, 650,000 boar were shot versus 287,000 in the previous year. And due to atomic energy regulations, the government must buy contaminated animals from hunters who catch them.

Though the Chernobyl explosion happened a quarter century ago, high levels of radiation remain in the region’s vegetation. And wild boars are especially susceptible because of their proclivity for mushrooms and truffles, which are especially efficient at absorbing radiation.

“In the regions where it is particularly problematic, all boar that are shot are checked for radiation,” Andreas Leppmann from the German Hunting Federation told the paper. There are 70 measuring stations in Bavaria alone.

While general radioactivity in plants should continue to decrease, levels in fungi may even increase, leaving no end in sight for this issue. One expert told Der Spiegel that the problem will likely remain for at least another 50 years.
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April 12, 2011 7:24pm
Hurf Durf

Radioactive boars?!?!?!

Holy shit, it’s like Fallout 3. Badass.
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April 12, 2011 7:39pm
kaya

Hurf Durf – roflmao
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April 12, 2011 7:50pm
kaya

KH – that is fact as it stands. The UK and Netherlands are talking about taking them to court. The international lawyers will be pleased.
Iceland is a bit like NZ. Capable of being self sufficient if the shit really hit the fan. Loads of geo thermal energy. Good fisheries. Good on them. Their banks were privatised and fucked up. Find the owners and get the money from them.
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April 12, 2011 7:55pm
Put it away

Obelix wouldn’t give a shit
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April 12, 2011 8:24pm
reid

kaya I’d say the UK and Holland have a hard road to hoe. Iceland did not compel third-party govts to bail out their own citizens. If so, how? If was therefore, the choice of those govts to bail out their own citizens. Therefore where’s the enforceable contract explicit or implicit between Iceland and UK/Holland?

Unless they can point to an explicit agreement or diplomatic convention, they’re screwed. Were justice to prevail, and that remains to be seen.
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April 12, 2011 8:45pm
adze

“Radioactive Boars Rampaging Through Germany”

And I for one welcome our new radioative porcine overlords…

In Soviet Russia, … etc

Any I’ve missed? 🙂
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April 12, 2011 9:36pm
kaya

reid – Absolutely.

I have no doubt the whole circus is nothing but politicians posturing (as they do), knowing that in a few years it will no longer be their problem. They will be voted out of office and will spend their days writing their memoirs in a seaside cottage in Brighton or trendy Amsterdam apartment.

They have no show of getting the money and the international lawyers will have a field day. All because private banks gambled with other people’s money.

We are repeatedly seeing the level of control the financiers have over the political systems in the US and Europe (and presumably the rest of the Western world).

Bob Diamond, chief executive of Barclays and the industry’s self-appointed shop steward, announced a couple of months ago that the time for remorse about the crash was over.

Mr Diamond is equally unapologetic about the return of big bonuses. Rather, he has been urging his staff at Barclays to take more risks in order to generate them. As one person close to Mr Diamond’s thinking told Patrick Jenkins of the Financial Times: “One of our [Barclays] challenges is that not enough risk is being taken.” The bank, it seems, should be placing bigger bets with the public subsidy it gets in the form of its too-important-to-fail guarantee.

The Barclays chief executive is no fool, however. My guess is that he judges that, for all the sound and fury at Westminster, the banks have got away with it. Politicians eager to hurl rhetorical brickbats have been a lot more reluctant to embrace the radical regulatory reforms that would meet Mr King’s criteria for a well-functioning market economy.

The financiers have thrown the bluff from hell at the politicians. “We are too big to fail”. The politicians have fallen for it completely.
What it means for most of people is a nightmare. Politicians will print money in a useless attempt to stave off recession and stay in power. This will absolutely guarantee inflation (which has already started though manipulated statistics don’t show it yet) and consequently interest rate hikes which Bollard is already warning about.

The money men won’t give a shit, they control the stuff and will just increase their bonuses.

Unless someone takes this industry by the throat and chokes it till it bleeds our society will sufffer socially and financially for many years to come. I seriously hope I am wrong. It would be good if more countries followed the lead of Iceland, I don’t know what the result would be but the status quo is completely untenable.
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April 12, 2011 9:38pm
kaya

Reid – here is a small organisation trying to chip away at it. The video on this page is worth a look. He points out that after the independent commission report was released, bank shares went up in value. Tells you how tough the proposed reforms are.

http://www.positivemoney.org.uk/2011/04/independent-commission-on-banking-reports-back/#comment-3269

Right, I’m off for a couple of beers and slaughter a few people on Battlefield Bad Company 2.
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April 12, 2011 9:58pm
reid

GL with the slaughter kaya, let’s hope it’s really bad company. Thanks for those links.
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April 12, 2011 10:07pm
James

Nice tip on the sangers Bruv…I take back all the shit I post about you as “dad4justice”.

😉
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April 12, 2011 10:11pm
Rex Widerstrom

pct and nasska:

I’m happy to (and would prefer to) pay tax to NZ provided I didn’t have to pay it here. But I’m not permitetd to do so. And yet despite paying tax here, I get no representation as I can’t vote because I retain my NZ citizenship. So I guess it’s a question of whether NZ wants expats who care about its future to vote, or give up our citizenship so that at least we get a vote someplace, even if it’s a place we care less about.

Mary Rose:

You’re welcome 🙂
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April 12, 2011 11:23pm
joana

I am with Manolo. I’ll contribute to any fund which would send Luc to live in an islamic country. There he would be able to live his dreams. No PR , no citizenship , no job , if a job no promotion , no protection under the law , constant prejudice and discrimination , discrimination for his wife and children.. and all the other joys non muslims experience in muslim countries..but then of course , he would probably be so overjoyed by it all that he would convert.
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April 13, 2011 7:37am
Manolo

The advanced and well developed nation of Bolivia and its contribution to the modern world.

United Nations — Bolivia will this month table a draft United Nations treaty giving “Mother Earth” the same rights as humans — having just passed a domestic law that does the same for bugs, trees and all other natural things in the South American country.

The bid aims to have the UN recognize the Earth as a living entity that humans have sought to “dominate and exploit” — to the point that the “well-being and existence of many beings” is now threatened. The wording may yet evolve, but the general structure is meant to mirror Bolivia’s Law of the Rights of Mother Earth, which Bolivian President Evo Morales enacted in January.

That document speaks of the country’s natural resources as “blessings,” and grants the Earth a series of specific rights that include rights to life, water and clean air; the right to repair livelihoods affected by human activities; and the right to be free from pollution. It also establishes a Ministry of Mother Earth, and provides the planet with an ombudsman whose job is to hear nature’s complaints as voiced by activist and other groups, including the state.
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April 13, 2011 7:47am
Luc Hansen

Hey Joana, I wouldn’t have any of those problems.

It’s easy to convert to Islam, no worries for me.

Now about the bonuses – I especially like the multiple wives idea.

🙂
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April 13, 2011 4:24pm

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