General Debate 30 December 2013

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EAD

Extraordinary video that highlights the reality of the “independent” media. This time the topic is 2013 Christmas Shopping and the whole meme seems to be to make brainwashed consumers buy things they don’t need with money they haven’t got. It seem like retailers are now able to script news wording to inform us we have the “right” to buy ourselves 10 gifts!!

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-12-28/its-ok-you-can-admit-it-independent-us-media-just-wants-you-shop-till-you-drop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM8L7bdwVaA
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December 30, 2013 8:08am
Pete George

Most people are disillusioned and/or angry with politics. Most of the current parties are looking past their Use-By date.

There are a number of possible new parties offering themselves next year, including:
– (Colin Craig) Conservative Party
– Act V
– Dotcom Megaparty
– Hooton Tootin’ Party
– Civilian Party

What would appeal to the politically dispossessed? Any of the above?
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December 30, 2013 8:11am
EAD

The “religion of peace” strikes again!

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-12-29/caught-tape-suicide-bombing-russias-fifth-largest-train-station-kills-15-one-month-a

Remember that time when a member of a non-Muslim religion blew themselves up and killed a bunch of people?

Me neither.

PS: always worth reading Zerohedge for an insight into the larger geo-political permutations of these events that the MSM is now too lightweight & dumbed down to delve into
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December 30, 2013 8:17am
Manolo

The NZ MSM will make saints and heroes of the eco-terrorists: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/9562078/Greenpeace-pair-back-in-New-Zealand

Await the stories of how badly they were treated by the Russkies, the horrible food and dismal weather, and how much they missed their families. Sob, sob.
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December 30, 2013 8:18am
Keeping Stock

So Graham McCready is now employed by NZ Private Prosecution Service Limited, and being paid $125 per hour to be a serial litigant. This strikes me as extremely dodgy, given his past convictions for tax fraud and blackmail.

He’s also a serial bankrupt, and has a conviction for trading whilst bankrupt. I hope that the Official Assignee takes a very close look at the company to ensure that McCready hasn’t hidden any direct involvement in its formation and management, which would be a serious and repeat breach of the insolvency law.

And the big question that needs to be answered is this; who is funding these cases he is taking against individuals and corporates, in order for him to be paid his hourly fee? This has a seriously fishy odour to it…

http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/so-thats-mccreadys-motive.html
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December 30, 2013 8:22am
calendar girl

Agreed, Manolo. Maybe even contrived allegations about “torture”while they were inside.

These trouble-makers know how to play our weak MSM like a violin.
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December 30, 2013 8:25am
Chuck Bird

“Remember that time when a member of a non-Muslim religion blew themselves up and killed a bunch of people?”

@EAD, People have no choice in the colour of their skin or what race they are but they do have a choice in what religion they believe in. I cannot remember neither.
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December 30, 2013 8:25am
doggone7

“So Graham McCready is now employed by NZ Private Prosecution Service Limited, and being paid $125 per hour to be a serial litigant. This strikes me as extremely dodgy…”

Dodgy is as dodgy can? Like politicians including Ministers (Bill English, etc.) with their housing arrangements? If you can get away with it is it dodgy?
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December 30, 2013 8:28am
Manolo

Will Labour Lite deliver on this? Maybe it’ll balance it by increasing GST!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/john-armstrong-on-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502865&objectid=11174150
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December 30, 2013 8:28am
Manolo

Bleak future. New York City going to the dogs:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10540378/Bill-de-Blasio-to-embark-on-battle-against-inequality-as-New-York-mayor.html
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December 30, 2013 8:30am
peterwn

Keeping Stock – I think Graham McCready will be in for a rude shock if he does gain a successful prosecution and seeks costs to cover this $125 per hour. This would most probably be classed as legal work and hence should be handled by a law office. A lay person taking or defending legal action is not entitled to costs, and a judge will probably rule Graham and Private Prosecutions Ltd as one and the same.
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December 30, 2013 8:35am
kowtow

“Remember that time when ……..”

Don’t worry ,there’ll be a dhimmy or two along in no time to tell us and failing that there’s no shortage of self loathers who’ll mention the Crusades or the Inquisition ,so we don’t have only the actual terrorists to contend with but their mates in the media,political parties and blogs….
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December 30, 2013 8:37am
EAD

@ Manolo 8.18am

Putin= Puts greenpiss in it’s place
Takes no crap from Stephen Fry
Virtually zero government debt and accumulating 1000’s of tonnes of gold
Pride in his own country and it’s ancient heritage
Abhors the welfare state and encourages the development of strong traditional families

Obama = drops hellfire missiles on children regularly
Keeps people for years without due process or trial in Guantanamo
Spies on his citizens and the rest of the world
supports Al Qaeda invasions of sovereign countries
1 trillion+ annual deficits and busy flogging all of their countries gold & wealth to the East

I know who I would vote for.
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December 30, 2013 8:39am
Don the Kiwi

KT
……………not to mention that terrible Catholic church. 😉
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December 30, 2013 8:46am
Manolo

The many joys of multiculturalism: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/un-children-39-expert-praises-canada-39-focus-163549456.html
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December 30, 2013 8:47am
hmmokrightitis

EAD, interesting view of Putin’s Russia. You’ve missed out some bits, but then I suspect that’s deliberate.
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December 30, 2013 8:49am
Chuck Bird

“A lay person taking or defending legal action is not entitled to costs”

Sadly this is the law. BTW, I have done very well on my last Court appearance. I got a competent judge who was not hostile to self represented litigants. I am reasonable confident that the ridiculous counterclaim will get thrown out and the Court will rule mostly in my favour. Fighting this vexatious and false counterclaim has cost me hundreds if not thousands of hours of my time.

I see not reason why a civil self represented litigant should not be compensated when they have been forced to fight such a claim as I have. Self represented litigants initiating a civil or a criminal case to score a political point is a different matter.
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December 30, 2013 8:49am
Gulag1917

A wage of $8 per hour is disgraceful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLr5oWfoWRY
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December 30, 2013 9:05am
stephieboy

EAD Just a reminder to correct your lavish and gushing portrayal of Putin the ex KGB Lt Colonel.
The grim reality is that a great many Journalists and other dissidents have been murdered under his tutelage including notably Anna Poliitkovskaya,

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/dec/18/observer-editorial-putin-russia-journalists-murdered
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December 30, 2013 9:14am
Keeping Stock

A lay person taking or defending legal action is not entitled to costs, and a judge will probably rule Graham and Private Prosecutions Ltd as one and the same.

That’s the key issue for me peterwn. It’s especially important, given that McCready was convicted in 2006 for trading whilst bankrupt, and sentenced to 75 hours community work. It beggars belief that he is not in some way intimately involved with the operations of NZPPS Ltd, and is not merely a contractor being paid an hourly rate.
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December 30, 2013 9:15am
Komata

Gulag1917

To put it in a New Zealand perspective: USD8 = NZD10.03.
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December 30, 2013 9:15am
Alan

On the subject of the tax cuts thing in the herald today, whilst I’d love lower taxes I think we should continue as is until we repay the huge debt we’ve run up over the past 5 years. We’re run up $6000000000 of debt.

Tax cuts because we’ve got a budget surplus isn’t the way to go, We need to spend the next decade paying this off and removing the large interest payments from the books, then we can cut taxes.
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December 30, 2013 9:17am
EAD

@ Gulag 9.05am

errrrrr I think Peter Schiff is explaining that the magic money tree is not real & is taking the piss

In this video he is advocating that Walmart raise prices by 15% and use the extra cash to pay its low-skilled workers $15 per hour (Schiff suggests that the surcharge be added to customer’s bills at checkout, just like a gratuity at a restaurant).

Not surprisingly few shoppers supported his cause. Even those who felt Walmart workers should be paid more did not want to pay higher prices themselves to make it possible. Perhaps, as Schiff notes, those demanding higher wages for Walmart’s workers should consider the importance of low prices to Walmart’s customers.

Idiots like yourself who advocate across the board wage increases assume that the company can meet the additional payroll by simply dipping into profits. But with just $6,600 profit per employee any significant raise in pay will largely cut into profits, greatly alter return on equity, and force dramatic changes in the company’s operations.

I certainly agree that it is increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to raise a family on entry level Wal-Mart type pay. But such jobs were never intended to be careers, but simply stepping stones for low skilled workers to gain entry into the labor force.

Being a classic Austrian School Economist (I can’t recommend his book “How an Economy grows and why it crashes” enough) Peter Schiff would understand that the economy is now providing no other stones on which to step is not the fault of Wal-Mart. Instead, the better paying jobs that used to form the backbone of the middle class have been strangled by an out of control government that strangles businesses with excessive taxation and regulation
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December 30, 2013 9:22am
eszett

I know who I would vote for.

Yeah, as if you would get to really vote under Putin.
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December 30, 2013 9:23am
Chuck Bird

I believe Joe Karam was paid something like $75/hr for investigation but not Court work. Does this set a precedent?
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December 30, 2013 9:23am
EAD

@ StephieBoy

Useful idiots like yourself and the Western elite and media circus are a bunch of undiluted hypocrites.

After the fall of the Soviet Union from decades of Socialist rule that resulted in utter ruin and extreme poverty, whoever sought to straighten Russia out into an economic power and give it self respect, that man was ALWAYS going to be interpreted as a “dictator”.

I admire the guy, but despite having spent considerable time in Russia, I confess I don’t know all the facts, and before all you tofu munching fantasists start crying “human rights …”, neither do you.

The Western media has gone over the top in promoting Homosexual “Marriage”, and MultiCulture. As Paul Craig Roberts notes in this excellent piece – “Diversity at home and hegemony abroad are consuming values and are dismantling the culture and the rule of law. There is plenty of room for cultural diversity in the world, but not within a single country. A Tower of Babel has no culture. A person cannot be a Christian one day, a pagan the next and a Muslim the day after. A hodgepodge of cultural and religious values provides no basis for law – except the raw power of the pre-Christian past”

http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/12/23/greatest-gift-paul-craig-roberts/

Nothing wrong in wishing to preserve tradition & Civilization. He gets my backing.
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December 30, 2013 9:36am
Gulag1917

It is not as if Walmart is struggling
http://www.walmartstores.com/sites/annual-report/2012/financials.aspx
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December 30, 2013 9:46am
stephieboy

EAD . All I’m doing is reminding you of a few facts . Let me repeat:
1 Putin is an ex KGB Lt Colonel of some 30 years standing.
2 He and his thuggish regime were responsible for the murder of numerous Journalists including Anna Politkovsska.
I Do for one regard the murder of investigative journalists like Anna as an important human rights issue and abuse but maybe Colin Craig and the Conservative Party as well as you don’t see it that way.
No “,nothing wrong in wishing to preserve tradition and civilization “which includes the Rule of Law.But guess that also is not high on Mr Robert’s and your agenda.??
Certainly not Putin’s one.!!
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December 30, 2013 9:50am
Gulag1917

Walmart Pays Workers Poorly And Sinks While Costco Pays Workers Well And Sails-Proof That You Get What You Pay For
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/04/17/walmart-pays-workers-poorly-and-sinks-while-costco-pays-workers-well-and-sails-proof-that-you-get-what-you-pay-for/
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December 30, 2013 9:51am
slijmbal

@EAD – I remember reading an excellent analysis decades ago how the increase in general automation would destroy semi-skilled jobs, increase no-skill jobs, increase the value of highly skilled jobs and generally gut the middle wage earners.

Economics in action, now being sold as an increase in inequality – as I say to my white, liberal, middle class acquaintances – a consequence not a movement.

Poor people are generally poor because of lack of ability. Sad but true.
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December 30, 2013 9:51am
F E Smith

Gulag,

those poor people, forced to work for Walmart for only US$8 per hour. If only they could get permission to obtain work somewhere else. Aren’t you glad we live in a country where you are not forced to work for a particular employer?
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December 30, 2013 9:56am
stephieboy

slijmbal You obviously like e.g the Austrian School do not believe in a society that is fair and just.?
Correct.?
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December 30, 2013 9:56am
slijmbal

@stephieboy

lovely assumptions there – getting paid what you’re worth is one version of fair and just – I presume by your comment that your version includes getting others to pay.

I do believe in a Welfare State btw.
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December 30, 2013 10:02am
F E Smith

A lay person taking or defending legal action is not entitled to costs

I am not sure that is correct as a general principle of law. I think that what would be more accurate would be to say that costs are rarely awarded in the criminal jurisdiction, although I would point out that the SPCA regularly get them awarded.

Personally I think it is unjust not to award costs as a matter of practice in the criminal jusridiction, but then, what would a simple defence lawyer know?
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December 30, 2013 10:05am
SGA

EAD at 8:17 am

Remember that time when a member of a non-Muslim religion blew themselves up and killed a bunch of people?

I don’t think that the Tamil Tigers were a particularly muslim outfit, and they used suicide bombers on occasion (and perhaps even adopted this tactic before it became popular in the middle east? not sure). The murder of PM Ghandi is the most famous example.
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December 30, 2013 10:07am
flipper

F E Smith (3,036 comments) says:

December 30th, 2013 at 10:05 am

A lay person taking or defending legal action is not entitled to costs
***********

I would back FES on this…and he has the backing of Young J.,
Ron Young said that he doubted private prosecution cost claims would produce much revenue.
So McCready goes tits up again…. 🙂
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December 30, 2013 10:16am
Odakyu-sen

“slijmbal You obviously like e.g the Austrian School do not believe in a society that is fair and just.?”

The key point for me is whether power in society is centralized or distributed.

I want a society in which I as an individual can strive to make it fair and just. In other words: the drive for fairness and justice comes from the bottom up. (From the People.)

I don’t want a society in which the drive for fairness and justice is from the top down by the nomenklatura.
(Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomenklatura).
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December 30, 2013 10:29am
F E Smith

Ron Young said that he doubted private prosecution cost claims would produce much revenue.

If it did then surely the Police would already be claiming costs in their prosecutions?
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December 30, 2013 10:37am
Scott Chris

What would appeal to the politically dispossessed? Any of the above?

They all have baggage so none of them.

I’d possibly vote for Weihana if he stood for office.
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December 30, 2013 10:38am
stephieboy

Odakyu. !
Now in what specific ways is our society and political system depriving you of the opportunity or any other individual for that matter to from making it the bottom up or whatever.??
Do you seriously believe that by abolishing all the organs of state as the Nutters in the Austrian School believe will achieve this ?
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December 30, 2013 10:39am
Manolo

Vultures? http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8777368/concerns-over-mandela-family
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December 30, 2013 10:42am
Fletch

Muslim immigration in France reaches critical mass. They are turning Marseilles into a copy of the Middle East.

Marseilles is now 30-40% Muslim. Excessive violence, riots, and rapes has made it into the most violent city in Europe

France is probably the worst affected of all western nations by immigration, since it is on the brink of losing its European identity to the insistent Muslims increasing in numbers within French borders. As they grow in population, they come to believe they can impose the will of Islam on the French people, and when they don’t get their way, they often resort to violence.

A number of extraordinary stories have come out of Marseilles in recent weeks. Collectively, they attest to the fact that the city is sinking rapidly into the third world. It has been massively colonised by Muslims, and they are now reproducing there the conditions found in their home countries.

MORE – http://themuslimissue.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/marseilles-is-now-30-40-muslim-excessive-violence-riots-and-rapes-are-turning-it-into-the-most-violent-city-in-europe/
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December 30, 2013 10:43am
Scott Chris

Remember that time when a member of a non-Muslim religion blew themselves up and killed a bunch of people?

I think Samson set the precedent.

Then Samson prayed to God, “remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” “Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines!’ He pulled the two pillars together and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more as he died than while he lived. (Judges 16:30)
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December 30, 2013 10:44am
Manolo

@stephieboy, do they teach Von Mises and Hayek at Women’s Studies (Massey University)?
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December 30, 2013 10:46am
Manolo

Marseilles is now 30-40% Muslim. Excessive violence, riots, and rapes are turning it into a third world city in the heart of Europe.

But the mosques are beautiful and the baguettes wonderful (for now).
True to form, the Frogs have surrendered their city to the savages. The worst is yet to come.
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December 30, 2013 10:50am
Fletch

I think Samson set the precedent.

So, you have to go that far back to find an example then 😉
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December 30, 2013 10:50am
Odakyu-sen

Here’s an example of bottom-up community-based empowerment.

Hypothetical situation: You see four hoodies loitering around near some tourist tents. You know they’re up to no good. You are concerned about the image of your local small-town community. You call your mates and a bunch of you go and sort them out (community-style). (Later, you go and sort their parent(s) out.)

Although you can get away with stuff like this in rural Japan, I don’t think the authorities in NZ would take to kindly to having their power undermined by community action.

And yes, the potential for abuse of any kind of power is always there. At least when it’s decentralized, the local people have a far better idea of what needs to be done than does the central agency.
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December 30, 2013 10:54am
Pete George

@NzMorningReport

The Morning Report team is delighted to welcome journalist and broadcaster Guyon Espiner to the presenting role from April.

Guyon should be good for that.
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December 30, 2013 10:54am
Scott Chris

I want a society in which I as an individual can strive to make it fair and just. In other words: the drive for fairness and justice comes from the bottom up.

Yeah, like banning wi-fi from your school because you think it’s giving kids brain cancer. Some rules need to be centralized imo – ie the important ones.
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December 30, 2013 10:55am
Scott Chris

So, you have to go that far back to find an example then

No, to find out who started it 🙂
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December 30, 2013 10:59am
Odakyu-sen

“Yeah, like banning wi-fi from your school because you think it’s giving kids brain cancer.”

With power comes responsibility. Emotive, ill-informed decision-making is never wise.
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December 30, 2013 11:05am
skyblue

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25545993
F1 champion Michael Schumacher ‘critical’ after ski fall
OMG – I went to his first victory as a F1 driver, Belguim GP in 1992.
Hope he recovers.
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December 30, 2013 11:08am
OneTrack

scott – “So, you have to go that far back to find an example then

No, to find out who started it ”

Fair enough. Anything a bit more recent, say in this century?
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December 30, 2013 12:11pm
OneTrack

“Some rules need to be centralized imo – ie the important ones.”

Like shower head sizes and electric light bulb types.
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December 30, 2013 12:15pm
duggledog

So Guyon Espiner is a left footer then. You can’t work at RNZ unless you are
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December 30, 2013 12:20pm
Reid

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/11/worlds-longest-wood-carving-zheng-chunhui/

Shame Maori don’t do stuff like this.
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December 30, 2013 12:28pm
Reid

Something to avoid on the golf course. Maybe the Gweens need to put some signs up and ban it.

http://www.connectingsingles.com/forum_0_144654_1/most_stupid_death_or_injury_warning_wtf_ouchy_mama.htm
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December 30, 2013 12:55pm
stephieboy

Odakyu-sen (154 comments) says:
December 30th, 2013 at 10:54 am

Bottom up community based empowerment.?
Your example is a poor one.We do have the power of citizens arrest which the local community can use. But in the instance of the German tourists it is far better left to the local Police which they are there for obviously.
They have appeared done a very capable job which could of been disastrous and a lot more serious with untrained locals.
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December 30, 2013 12:55pm
stephieboy

OneTrack (1,367 comments) says:
December 30th, 2013 at 12:15 pm

Its obvious that there needs to be common sense when it comes to appropriate controls and legislation. Doctor, Nursing and Chemist Registration and compliance comes to mind.
The present government has it moreorless right in that regard .
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December 30, 2013 1:01pm
flipper

CHORUS CRISIS….It may be a couple of weeks old……
BUT….

If you have not seen it, track down the Chorus letter to shareholders dated December 11. It is on their website and is accompanied by a two pager entitled “Addressing some myths”. All excellent.

After reading that document, and reading what has been published of the EY report, I think it is time that Hooton fessed up, that the silly bint from Consumer retired….an ALL THOSE who believe in the copper tax BS should go back to sleep until then silly Commerce Commission gets its arse handed to it in the High Court. If Chorus is forced to make changes it will be back to the days of the old P &T…. and work to rule to save costs and fuck the consumer.

This is a crisis that should never have happened. It is a bureaucrat’s attempt at daylight robbery. Shame on all those who helped promote the Vodafone and Telecom bullshit.
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December 30, 2013 1:07pm
stephieboy

Manolo (11,791 comments) says:
December 30th, 2013 at 10:46 am
@stephieboy, do they teach Von Mises and Hayek at Women’s Studies (Massey University)?

Nope.!
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December 30, 2013 2:07pm
iMP

Is this Iraqi man the 2014 emerging force of terror in the powder-keg of the world?

http://conzervative.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/a-new-country-emerges-in-the-m-east-the-new-bin-laden-is-this-the-little-horn/
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December 30, 2013 2:23pm
iMP

Is this Iraqi man the 2014 emerging force of terror in the powder-keg of the world?

Is this http://conzervative.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/a-new-country-emerges-in-the-m-east-the-new-bin-laden-is-this-the-little-horn/
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December 30, 2013 2:24pm
ShawnLH

Good News for a change.

Free speech and decency: 1. GLAAD: 0

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/a-e-welcomes-phil-robertson-667647
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December 30, 2013 2:31pm
Manolo

Blair, the liar: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-private-talks-between-tony-blair-and-george-bush-on-iraq-war-to-be-published-9029531.html
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December 30, 2013 3:28pm
stephieboy

ShawnLH (35 comments) says:
December 30th, 2013 at 2:31 pm

Re Duck dynasty

A great day for Bigotry that infests the far right.!
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December 30, 2013 3:31pm
Manolo

@stephie: Given your eloquence and impeccable opinion-writing, I trust Massey University will award you Summa Cum Laude on your Women’s Studies Bachelor degree. Good on you, young Nat.
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December 30, 2013 3:35pm
Odakyu-sen

stephieboy, I imagine that bigotry infests the extremes of any political spectrum.

If you are convinced that you are correct on almost any topic (especially those of a faith-based, political or ideological nature) then you will surely appear to be a bigot in someone’s ones.

“Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
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December 30, 2013 3:58pm
chiz

One-sentence summaries of people’s theses:

Poop is poop, even if it is diluted to 1:100

I don’t know what genes are responsible for guiding zebrafish embryos to grow into mature fish, but I killed thousands of them to find out.

This machine will now *tell you* before it catastrophically fails, but there’s still nothing you can do to prevent it

If you want to get drugs directly into your brain, then drill a hole in your head.

Look at this zombie. Isn’t it racist and sexist? Yes, it is.

More here.
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December 30, 2013 4:09pm
Reid

Something our Family Court needs to take note of:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2517239/CHRISTOPHER-BOOKER-A-terrible-act-inhumanity-shows-justice-secret.html
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December 30, 2013 4:52pm
Bruce Forbes

Delicious irony for those that question any aspect of the catatrophic man-made global warming (CAGW) movement.

A group of scientists, explorers and tourists has been stuck on the Russian research ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, about 1500 nautical miles south of Hobart, for the past week.

There’s quite an ongoing worldwide fascination over the event. There’s so much sea ice in Antarctica that a research vessel gets stuck, in summer!

Then there’s the comedy of a “scientific research expedition” that is really a junket for activists and reporters.

One fellow, Chris Turney, has some science credentials, but also has a propensity for wackadoodle alarmism.

Mostly, it’s a media sponsored event, presumably so they can tell us how terrible things are in Anarctica with melting and such:

it seems this expedition was more a BBC/Guardian/ABC CAGW exercise!

Mother nature doesn’t seem to care about the comedy either way, as Antarctic sea ice is still over 2 standard deviations above normal -as recorded over the past 30 years by the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
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December 30, 2013 4:56pm
wikiriwhis business

Reid

No wonder CYFS wants complete anonymity in their dealings
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December 30, 2013 4:58pm
wikiriwhis business

‘Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies.’

I would have thought convictions are held by visionaries. Not unknowns complaining about Sth Akld where some of our greatest athletes have been raised whilst their criticising bigots in Remuera go to their graves unknown and forgotten
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December 30, 2013 5:01pm
Manolo

The whore Dunne speaks and says (as expected) sweet fuck all:

2013 is close to being just a memory. As usual, the end of year reviews are being written, and the lessons, if any, for the future noted.

For me, the most significant feature of the year has received scant attention, which makes it also the most disturbing. This was the year when what has been a hitherto subtle, but otherwise unspoken change to the way our justice system operates became explicit, and even worse, officially sanctioned. I am referring to the death of the principle of innocent till proven guilty, which has been the cornerstone of our justice system, for centuries. It was the citizen’s ultimate protection against harassment and coercion by a domineering state. Yet today the principle lies in tatters in New Zealand, thanks to the conduct of both the Henry and Rebstock Inquiries.

Yet in the Henry and Rebstock cases, the follow-up was merely the quick, unquestioning endorsement by the government of such unsubstantiated conclusions as they reached. (It has to be conceded that the conduct and process – and therefore the credibility – of the Henry Inquiry have been utterly and rightly destroyed by the subsequent Privileges Committee investigation.) Nevertheless, the personal costs of both these inquiries have been high – a precipitate Ministerial resignation; the resignation of a senior public servant and the rejected resignation of another; with two other distinguished public servants forced to identify themselves – but no specific allegations against any of them. Rumour and innuendo have prevailed over evidence. And all the while, the government has backed without flinching the integrity of these shabby Inquiries’ processes. This has eerie shades of other countries in other times, not New Zealand as it should be in 2013.

Nothing to hide, nothing to worry about seems to be the new norm. It is as unacceptable a notion, as it is slick spin. In a world where increased surveillance at all levels – from the security camera at the local store, through to the international environment – is a sad, but growing reality, innocent till proven guilty has to be upheld as never before as the citizen’s ultimate protection against tyranny.
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December 30, 2013 5:16pm
muggins

Chuck,
Re legal aid paid to Joe Karam.
For work completed under the supervision of Michael Reed QC, in relation to the Privy Council appeal Karam was paid
$28440 in fees [ 379 hours at an hourly rate of $75]and $24080 in disbursements [travel costs , food and accomodation expenses,etc.].
In relation to the David Bain retrial he was paid for 749 hours at $75 an hour and 2351 hours at $95 an hour, a total of $279615 in fees, plus $93055 in disbursements.
That comes to a grand total of $308055 in fees and $117135 in disbursements.
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December 30, 2013 5:21pm
Manolo

Another savage is captured: http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8777556/fifth-arrest-made-over-tourist-attack
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December 30, 2013 5:24pm
F E Smith

Further to muggins’ 5.21pm comment, criminal legal aid is only available once charges are filed, and I believe only for a person charged with or convicted of a criminal offence (see ss 6 & 8 Legal Service Act 2011). All of Joe Karam’s work was done either in prosecution of an appeal or in assisting the defence of criminal charges.

I also note that costs in criminal cases are governed by the Costs In Criminal Cases Act 1967 and the Costs In Criminal Cases Regulations 1987, rather than those governing civil costs which I believe are set out in the High Court Rules, issued under the auspices of the Judiciature Act 1908.
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December 30, 2013 5:58pm
kowtow

Who edits the TVNZ news?

They led at 6 o’clock with Schumacher!

Muslim outrage in Russia trumped by fame and celebrity.
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December 30, 2013 6:09pm
igm

Another lead item was a party political broadcast for the Labour Party by PSA and journos trying to gain political sympathy for the culled public servants in Wgtn.
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December 30, 2013 6:23pm
Manolo

“My clients tell me how much they hate this government”, a delicate hair-stylist said during an interview.
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December 30, 2013 6:27pm
Odakyu-sen

wikiriwhis business

You don’t have to be a visionary to be convinced that you’re right.

(There’s a fine balance between conviction and pragmatism.)

I think I’m beginning to sound like a cheap fortune cookie…
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December 30, 2013 6:32pm
Manolo

This article will incense and enrage KB’s resident feminist and male-hater:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2530741/Theres-no-room-MANLY-Controversial-feminist-writer-Camille-Paglia-speaks-against-loss-masculine-virtues-negative-impact-society.html

Self-described ‘dissident feminist’ Paglia, 66, believes that attempts to deny the biological distinctions between men and women is to blame for the much that is wrong with modern society.

‘What you’re seeing is how a civilization commits suicide’ she told the Wall Street Journal.
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December 30, 2013 6:44pm
kowtow

igm ,manolo

On that Labourite piece….my thoughts exactly.
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December 30, 2013 6:47pm
kowtow

Another reason to despise the joys of multiculturalism and the political/judicial class that imposes it on us and attempts to pervert our ancient institutions.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2530893/Reporting-Muslim-lawyers-trial-banned-cultural-reasons-Judges-gagging-order-lifted-appeal-Daily-Mail.html
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December 30, 2013 6:56pm
Dean Papa

for those still on holidays, don’t forget to catch the darts. It is semi-finals time,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2LEU9vLxQY
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December 30, 2013 7:29pm
nasska

Moses is sitting in the Egyptian ghetto, things are going tits up: the Pharaoh won’t even talk to him, the rest of the Hebrews are mad at him for making the overseers even more irritable than usual, etc. He’s about ready to throw it in.

Suddenly a booming, sonorous voice speaks from above: “You, Moses, heed Me. I have good news & bad news.”

Moses is staggered. The voice continues:

“You, Moses, will lead the people of Israel from bondage. If the Pharaoh refuses to release your bonds I will smote Egypt with a rain of frogs.”

“You, Moses, will lead the people of Israel to the promised land. If the Pharaoh blocks your way I will smote Egypt with a plague of locusts.”

“You, Moses, will lead the people to freedom and safety. If the Pharaoh’s army pursues you, I will part the waters of the Red Sea to open your path to the promised land.”

Moses is stunned. He stammers, “That’s, that’s fantastic, I can’t believe it! – but what’s the bad news?”

“You, Moses, must write the environmental impact statement.”
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December 30, 2013 8:00pm
RF

Manolo. 5.24pm. Re savage being captured… Is there a hint what race this arse hole was spawned from. Maybe Outer Mongolia. Just asking. There are several hand wringers here that seem to think it is the Maori race. Hate to disappoint them.
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December 30, 2013 8:35pm
Left Right and Centre

kowtow – They lead with what will sell the bullshit in the adverts.

Are you a bit thick ?
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December 31, 2013 2:50am
Azeraph

Our time is coming to an end. The European generational emipirism view will be replaced by the planet view. i can’t wait to see this ship burn.
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December 31, 2013 12:10pm
Rowan

Congratulations to Bob Parker on getting a new years knighthood and commiserations on the loss of your father. I would have you over Lianne Dalziel as mayor of Christchurch any day.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9567134/Sir-Bob-Parkers-father-has-died
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December 31, 2013 4:12pm

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