General Debate 25 December 2013

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Sidey

Too early for a beer and a slice of cake?
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December 25, 2013 8:01am
Steve (North Shore)

It is now Xmas day morning. Merry Xmas to all in the World as your day arrives. Poor Alaska, they have to wait 22 more hours.

NZ, ahead of the first
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December 25, 2013 8:03am
duggledog

Not if you’re Bad Santa sidey!
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December 25, 2013 8:06am
Pete George

Never too early if that’s what you want.

However you do your Christmas have a good one.
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December 25, 2013 8:07am
Longknives

Sidey- Have that beer and a slice of cake before the Greens ban both of them! In a few years time it will be lentils and mungbeans for Christmas in this Country…

Merry Christmas Kiwibloggers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-ps0SdWyNw
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December 25, 2013 8:26am
Manolo

A classic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e5TYdNqJ8M
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December 25, 2013 8:48am
Colville

A beer with cake would be fine IMHO.
I have some driving to do before I attack the cake and have a single malt with a slice however (with extra strong chedder cheese)

Sparkling Shiraz is calling me from the fridge 🙂
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December 25, 2013 9:28am
Colville

So……does Pants Down Brown call one in or go out to Sky City for a Ho Ho Ho on Its Christmas Day ? 🙂
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December 25, 2013 9:29am
Don the Kiwi

Elevensies are looming – daughters house to see grandchilfren, then family gathering at second son’s new house with a new big pool for all the kids. If the rain pisses off and a bit of heat gets generated, I might even have a dip provided the beer, vino and tucker haven’t taken their toll. 🙂

Merry Christmas all.
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December 25, 2013 9:57am
RRM

Christmas Day… congratulations to all the parents, hosts, and heads of households who made it through! 😉
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December 25, 2013 10:10am
RRM

This is for you:

DUNEDIN PUNCH:

➡ 3 litres orange juice
➡ 1 litre champagne / sparkling wine
➡ 1 litre Vodka

Stir, imbibe, and imbibe some more!
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December 25, 2013 10:15am
Sidey

RRM,
I’m in sunny Dunedin as we speak, on my way over so pour me a pint of that!

Hold off on the orange juice though, that shit’s no good for you.
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December 25, 2013 10:19am
RRM

Oh… and:

http://youtu.be/EIp_sWpytUg
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December 25, 2013 10:20am
Longknives

RRM and Sidey- Is ‘Party Pete’ George coming over to get into that Dunedin Christmas Punch? Things could get a little crazy and out of hand….
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December 25, 2013 10:57am
Steve (North Shore)

Decided not to try and out do each other with the cooking. Also no cleanup.
Buffet House for lunch then home to enjoy a huge amount of beer, wine and other stuff, and Skype in the afternoon/evening.
http://www.buffethouse.co.nz/?
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December 25, 2013 11:09am
john

Having nocked the top off a bottle of Veuve I was silly enough to opine that with all the nuts, dried fruit, bacon, bread and onion in the stuffing that one might just stay hom…. never finished that opine and just off to the in-laws for lunch.!!
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December 25, 2013 11:26am
Fletch

Merry Christmas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH9cSGPUjSU
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December 25, 2013 11:30am
Ryan Sproull

Merry Christmas, brothers and sisters. Have a safe and happy one, and a toast to absent friends.
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December 25, 2013 11:37am
Dean Papa

Happy Holidays!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp81a2XwLck
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December 25, 2013 12:35pm
Longknives

Radio News bleating hysterically “Auckland Mission full of hungry children this Christmas!”

Fuck off lefty media with your pathetic effort at a guilt trip..
I work my butt off 60 hours a bloody week and lose most of it in tax just so lazy,unemployable dropkicks can sit on their fat,lazy arses and spit out children for a living- and I pay them bloody handsomely to do so!
Just because mum wants to spend all her DPB on Cannabis, Woodstock Bourbon and Pokie machines rather than feed/wash her six feral children doesn’t mean I need to be bombarded with guilt trips at Christmas (one of my only bloody days off all year)…

There is no fucking ‘Poverty’ in New Zealand! Just shithouse loser parents…
I pay you losers bloody well all year- At least leave me in peace to enjoy my Christmas!

Bah Humbag!
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December 25, 2013 2:55pm
Paulus

Be grateful for the love of our Families, and with that the fact that we live in a Great Country.

Despite the perpetual Scrooges and Grinches of the Green Taliban and Labour.
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December 25, 2013 3:23pm
eszett

Yes, no christmas spirit without a swipe at your political opponents. Stay classy Longknives and Paulus.

Happy holidays to everyone!
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December 25, 2013 3:42pm
RRM

Predicted lineup for the 6pm news, tonight (and every other year):

1 – Auckland, Wellington & Chch City Missions Xmas dinners fully attended, organisers putting in huge hours to put a smile on the faces of the unfortunate
2 – Heartwarming/breaking story about an unwell child having Christmas in hospital
3 – Campers at Upper Waikikamukau Forks flooded out after weeks of rain
4 – Pope leads a vast throng of faithful in huge open air Hajj in Rome
5 – Queen’s Christmas message

I expect the Queen’s Christmas message to be the only bit worth watching, as usual…
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December 25, 2013 3:45pm
Left Right and Centre

Happy holidays KB commenters.

At 3pm I finished a ‘Santathon’. That’s 42.3km dressed as Santa Claus.

I’ll start with what I think is the most interesting part of it. I got up and my daily weigh-in was 78.8kg. Loaded up with food to fuel the Santathon. Pre-start weight was 83.4kg. Post run weight ? 78.6kg !! My last marathon was months ago – I’m blown sideways by that eh ? I had to have a few gos on the scales – that can’t be right I thought. Really ?? (it was actually 78.8kg but I had a 250ml drink before remembering).

Finish time was 3:52’10”. Stopped for a lot of little walks on the later laps. With 30km down and enough time left – I just wanted badly to get under four hours. Sub four Santa. After the run two sugar free Red Bull cans had been sitting in the fridge for weeks. I thought perfect – I’ve definitely earned them. Gone. Months old bottles of Pepsi Max. Sweetners are bad for you. Stuff it. Earned that too.

Had a really styley Santa beard and wig. Each end of the beard attaches to the face using elastic straps that go around the ears. My ears are sore and now slowly recovering from this torture. With the tailwind, the wig covered the face 100%. Into the wind it blew off to the sides. That’s the first time I’ve ever ever been happier running into the wind -hahahaha – brilliant !!

I had a couch cushion strapped around my gut held by the end notches of a belt. The Santa Pants are very thin felt material. They were literally a rip-off. There’s a hole in my trousers, dear Liza, dear Liza. That’s torn it. The show must go on. And there was more to show after that. If you’re looking for the hole in this story, you’ve found it.

I started off the run sitting on 3 970kms. So at 30kms I got a hard-earned present on xmas day. Calendar year 4 000kms. On the km to bring up 4 000 of course I wanted to drop and die but I was determined enough to run all of the final km that does the trick.

Believe it or not Santathon actually comes in fourth fastest out of five marathons this year – hahahaha – cool. I was just hoping to finish it today.

I had one request for a picture from pedestrians – a couple – so somewhere out there is a photo of Santa with a random lady out for a walk.

Very very very hot. Eventually you just have to deal with it. That’s all there is to it. I can either whine about it mentally for another two hours or just say yeah it’s hot – but you haven’t forgotten how to run because of that so get on with it mate.

The lungs were never in any trouble but the legs and backside – after a heavy weekly leg workout on Sat – yeah.

I could just C&P this post and e mail it to my mother – sweet.

And you swear the same thing after a marathon. I am never, never never ever…..ever doing that shit ever ever ever again. 🙂 🙂 😉
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December 25, 2013 3:52pm
Left Right and Centre

Oh well – I don’t give a fuck how many fucking red ticks I get from some of the fuckwits who read this blog – on my run I got a shitload of green ticks from real people, who like a laugh unlike some of the miserable suckarse queer dipshits on here.
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December 25, 2013 4:10pm
Nookin

LR@C

Hard to believe you got a thumbs down for that. Someone clearly burdened with postprandial inertia, sunstroke and too much bubbly. I hope this isn’t some kind of religious kick for you. If you found Xmas hard then Easter is going to be a real bastard. Good luck and well done.
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December 25, 2013 4:17pm
Longknives

“Yes, no Christmas spirit without a swipe at your political opponents. Stay classy Longknives”

Firstly Eszett – I’m not involved in Politics.. So I don’t have any “Political Opponents” (or even affiliations)..
I am simply a hardworking taxpayer- one of those so-called ‘Rich Pricks’ (meaning anyone who isn’t on a benefit) the left so openly detest yet are only too happy to hoover up taxes from.
Boo hoo all those poor people at the City Mission who blew all their WINZ money on the Pokies and drugs- Imagine if they actually had to experience getting up and going to work at 5am six days a week to earn their cash- then they’d really have something to cry about!

I dread seeing the stories on the news about all those ‘poor folk’ at the City Mission. I reckon the poor guy who is working nightshift at my local Petrol Station tonight deserves that kudos…(but I guess he is one of those ‘Rich Pricks’ eh?)

Bah Humbug!
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December 25, 2013 4:20pm
Monique Angel

Still Christmas Eve here. Looking forward to tomorrow.
http://www.enlightenedhousewife.com/2013/12/tis-season-christmas-menu/
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December 25, 2013 5:01pm
Left Right and Centre

Nookin – nah – I’m non-religious. I just thought it might be a laugh – and I like the idea of people living life – it’s a day off – just another boring day – and of course there’s Santa running along the street – just the usual…..

I won’t lie to you. I get off at the thought of joining a very exclusive group of people who ‘ran marathon distance on Dec 25 dressed up as Santa Claus’. Powerball or no amount of cash can buy that skite – hahahahaha. It’s got to be earned.

I’ll have to think about Easter – dressed as the Easter bunny ? I did Anzac Day. I like running marathons on days that are easy to remember if I can. I ran 22kms the day of the RWC final. Easy to remember. 22kms is nothing special now though. 36 20km runs in 2013 at age 36. Easy to remember.

Having invested in a Santa beard – I’m eternally grateful that the weather came to the party. It’s weird to be burning hot and really pleased about it – hahaha

I kept on passing these people who have BBQs in their garage. They would really think I’m out of my mind after they’ve seen me 16 times…..
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December 25, 2013 5:03pm
Steve (North Shore)

The red ticker will be some miserable shithead lurking and just being an arsehole. This type of person has the mindset and brainset of people like John Minto – they are always like that.
Forget the red ticks – fuck them. Enjoy your Xmas Day afternoon and evening. Keep that fridge stacked with beer and ice ok?
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December 25, 2013 6:18pm
Steve (North Shore)

Just been up to North Shore Hospital to visit a family member recovering from spinal surgery.
Santa came for a visit (the surgeon) other Doctors also played Santa. The nurses also got into the act. The patients thoroughly enjoyed it.
Don’t knock North Shore Hospital, the only problem is Admin, the rest of the staff are crackers
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December 25, 2013 6:27pm
Steve (North Shore)

I see I have one red tick already, come on you slacker – create new identities and give me 10, use your skills you lazy mindless person
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December 25, 2013 6:29pm
Ed Snack

Nah Steve, one red tick was me because people were complaining about red ticks on Christmas ! The rest of the reason was jealousy because I though. About a run but instead went and ate too much and drank Pol Roger and Pelorus until I have no more interest in a run today. Take the red tick as a badge of honour LR&C for such a crazy act !
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December 25, 2013 6:42pm
wiseowl

Merry Xmas all kiwiblogger maniacs.
Usual story ,have eaten too much ,drunk too much and had a nap.
Boys all registering drinks on some new app that gives prizes.Must get it.

Light tea and early bed .Work Tomorrow.

Bottoms up.
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December 25, 2013 7:36pm
chiz

eszett – maybe longknives has just had bad day?
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December 25, 2013 7:43pm
Steve (North Shore)

Downthumb Monster
Downthumb Monster
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Downthumb Monster

Downthumb Monster
Downthumb Monster
Downthumb Monster
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December 25, 2013 8:54pm
F E Smith

Merry Christmas, everyone! At least, I hope it was for all of you.

Now, apparently the lefties are right and we really can learn from Sweden:

During the recent financial crisis, Sweden has emerged as one of very few financially sound economies. The country’s strong position, setting it apart from most Western nations, makes it an interesting example of what could — or should — have been done. Indeed, Paul Krugman, the former economist and Nobel Prize laureate, has repeatedly pointed approvingly at how the Swedes handled their depression in the early 1990s as the reason for their recent success. Specifically, he notes the nationalization of some banks at the time of the crisis. While he misses the point by focusing exclusively on a narrow selection of short-term measures rather than longer-term changes, as is the hallmark of a Keynesian, Krugman is right that Sweden has done some things right.

In September of 1992 the Riksbank, Sweden’s central bank, raised the interest rate to 500 percent in a vain attempt to save the fixed exchange rate of the Swedish krona (Sweden’s currency). This drastic measure was taken in conjunction with large spending cuts and tax increases to address the free-fall of the nation’s economy. The economic meltdown was the culmination of two full decades of decline, and it fundamentally changed the political situation in Sweden.

Since 1992, Sweden has, across the board, seen consistent government cutbacks while increasing restrictions on welfare policies, deregulating markets, and privatizing former government monopolies. The country has instituted an overall new incentive structure in society making it more favorable to work. The national debt tumbled from almost 80 percent of GDP in 1995 to only 35 percent in 2010.

In other words, Sweden successfully rolled back its unsustainable but world-renowned welfare state. Despite Krugman’s wishful thinking, this is the real reason for Sweden’s success in riding out the present financial crisis.

The Rise and Fall of the Welfare State

Sweden experienced a century of high economic growth from approximately 1870 to 1970, which literally made one of Europe’s poorest countries into the world’s fourth-richest. The first half of this period of growth was marked by extensive free-market reform, and the latter half is notable for Sweden’s staying out of both world wars and thus benefiting from intact industrial infrastructure when the rest of Europe lay in ruins. While a welfare state was established and expanded during the post-war period, it was generally built around capitalist institutions and therefore had limited impact on economic growth.

But the political situation changed. The 1970s and 1980s saw a welfare state run amok with a greatly expanded scope with new government benefits, the introduction of very rigid labor market regulations, active propping up of stagnating sectors of the economy, and drastic increases in tax rates with some marginal rates in excess of 100 percent. In an attempt to fully nationalize the economy, löntagarfonder (“employees’ funds”) were instituted in 1983 to “reinvest” private companies’ profits in stock ownership and to be administered by the national labor unions.

During this period government deficits abounded and the national debt increased almost ten-fold from 1975 to 1985. Sweden also saw high price inflation, a situation aggravated by repeated devaluations of the currency’s exchange rate to boost exports: in 1976 by 3 percent; in 1977 by 6 percent at first, and then an additional 10 percent; in 1981 by 10 percent, and in 1982 by 16 percent.

Overall, the rapid expansion of the welfare state can be illustrated by the ratio between tax-financed and private-sector employment, which rose from 0.386 in 1970 to 1.51 in 1990. Sweden was heading for disaster.

Explaining Sweden’s Great Depression

A popular explanation of the meltdown in the 1990s blames deregulation of the financial markets that occurred during November 1985. But as our research (still in progress) suggests, deregulation was an attempt to solve increasing problems to finance the Swedish government’s already weak and deteriorating financial situation. In the fiscal year 1984-85 alone, the interest payments on Sweden’s national debt amounted to 29 percent of tax revenue — equal to the government’s total spending on social security. The country’s unsustainable financial situation made deregulation necessary.

The increased access to financial markets made a desperate situation somewhat more tenable. But Sweden then experienced an immense increase in credit. Our numbers show that the volume of bank loans to non-financial businesses increased from 180 billion in late 1985 to 392 billion in late 1989, an increase of 117 percent total or 21 percent annually. Where did all this money come from? Some of it can be explained by deregulation and the inflow of funds that followed. But it was also made possible by monetary inflation.

Several factors were at work during the 1986-1990 credit-infused boom that ended in the depression of 1990-1994. Some factors had no inflationary effect or even a deflationary effect, but other factors, especially those that relate to government policy, or are driven by government policy, were strongly inflationary and quite substantial. These include increases in the Riksbank’s advances to banks (a 975-percent increase from 1985 to 1989) and purchases of government debt and securities (a 47-percent increase from 1985 to 1987, followed by a 7-percent decrease from 1987 to 1989).

Sweden is an interesting case to study. We do indeed, as Krugman repeatedly tells us, have much to learn from it: from the long-lasting era of economic growth thanks to free markets to the rise and fall of the welfare state. The country’s recently regained financial strength and its ability to resist a global recession are due, not to a strong welfare state as Krugman claims, but to the long-term rolling back of the expansive welfare that Keynesians so often praise.

Who could have guessed? Or is that not what they were meaning?
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December 25, 2013 9:22pm
Steve (North Shore)

I have had enough, tummy is full of food and drinkies and tonight I will have the best sleep since last Xmas day.

ffs now I have to put up with the stress of Boxing Day sales – but I don’t need anything!
Best I stay home – sort my dinghy out and potter around the harbour.
I do feel sorry for all of those traveling tomorow – getting out of Auckland is a mission. Traffic, kids with trumpets, drums, iWhatevers; yeah used to be fun – now I stay home and wait until it is quiet.
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December 25, 2013 9:40pm
igm

Longknives : Time you entered politics, you are 100% correct!
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December 26, 2013 7:19am

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