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October 31, 2014 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 31 October 2014

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Yvette

Immigration NZ confirmed today it was looking into Kim Dotcom’s conviction for dangerous driving, which doesn’t appear on his residency application.

Can Dotcom oppose this possible action on the grounds he is awaiting a February 2015 hearing for deportation to the USA on a 112 page Grand Jury Indictment offering an estimated 88 years prison time?

– Especially as it seems any Electoral fraud charge for using a forged document [the Warners email], to attempt to topple the Prime Minister, bring down the National Government and fraudulently sway the recent Election, is being avoided to not impede the February hearing?
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October 31, 2014 8:03am
Manolo

It does not matter how:
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/391474/non-citizens-are-voting-john-fund
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhjq6y1frPQ
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October 31, 2014 8:06am
hj

See the Property Council marching up the rear (and the Labour Ilam candidate up the front).
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0410/S00266.htm
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October 31, 2014 8:06am
Nostalgia-NZ

Nothing straight forward about the DC case. He may well want to be deported, but obviously not to the states. On the other hand as Weihana pointed out yesterday because DC acknowledged his convictions on far more serious matters it would be unlikely that that he would have needed to have deliberately hidden a speeding ticket and disqualification. That question would have to be asked, along with if the ‘knowledge’ of the speeding ticket would have tipped the balance against his application – in the context of the overseas convictions the answer would have to be no.
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October 31, 2014 8:12am
wreck1080

The more I read about the TPP the more it sounds like a dog.

We are giving up freedom for a few extra dollars.

I’ve never given a rats about trade deals before now, but, this one could be the deal from hell according to media reports.
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October 31, 2014 8:15am
oldpark

Russel Norman alias (Russel Abnormal) seems to be coming more and more irrational, every time the name of his “greenie” mate Nicky Hager gets mentioned .Russel Abnormal almost foams at the mouth, when anyone dares to question the illegal actions and theft of peoples personal emails.Seems like Normans clandestine support for the convicted criminal Schmidz/Dotcon ,has also spilled over to another alleged crook Nicky Hager.Heard him ranting and raving on a once was a balanced news reporting radio station,Newstalk ZB.Pity they allow such a foaming running off at the mouth pest, like Russel Abnormal to espouse such poisonous vitriol, against anyone who does not support the email crook Nicky Hager.
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October 31, 2014 8:15am
kowtow

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants cross to Europe every year.Encouraged by Europes weak border policies and generous social welfare. Thousands have drowned.

Britain is taking a firmer stand. Tony Abbott has shown it can be done.Encouraging illegal immigation invites mass drownings.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/11198140/Church-condemns-Government-as-un-Christian-over-stance-on-drowning-migrants.html
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October 31, 2014 8:21am
kowtow

Notional continues its war on private enterprise ,as dictated by its Maori Party masters.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/another-setback-smokers-duty-free-tobacco-takes-hit-6119862
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October 31, 2014 8:25am
oldpark

Russel Abnormals” greens”.Heard one of them come out with the brainwave that “homeopathy” treatment could be the cure for EBOLA. Norman’s,abnormal greens,are following in their loopy whoopy dogma,they cant be a serious political Party.Of course one of the so called co leaders, a person name of Materialistic Turei graduated from Mcgillycuddy serious party,perhaps that is a clue.
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October 31, 2014 8:26am
IGM

Gutless Norman was obviously involved deeply with weasel Hager; there should be interesting stories to come, as Bradbury, Slobcrim, Cambell, Peters, Cunliffe, McCarten, and Espiner become cornered . . . left wing filth always squeal.
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October 31, 2014 8:29am
Lindsay Addie

A bit of humor: Emmerson’s cartoon on Dotcom’s latest predicament.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news-cartoons/news/article.cfm?c_id=500814&objectid=11350918

Continental drift! 🙂
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October 31, 2014 8:31am
Maggy Wassilieff

The Green’s homeopath advocate Steffan Browning is their spokesperson for Agriculture and Forestry.
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October 31, 2014 8:33am
mandk

@ kowtow,

Why should anyone be able to avoid paying tax on their purchases, simply because they are travelling internationally?

It makes no more sense than being able to buy duty free cigs if you catch the 83 bus from Courtenay Place to Petone.
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October 31, 2014 8:34am
iMP

GOOD GRIEF, now my Apple is Gay? Laptops and Lap Dancers are hardly the same thing, Tim.

http://conzervative.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/a-gay-apple-yawn/
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October 31, 2014 8:36am
Manolo

What a surprise: the racist Maori Party giving orders on tobacco and Labour Lite gladly bending over!
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October 31, 2014 8:39am
Inandout

Now that it appears Australian Muslims are recruiting 6 year olds for the Islamic cause will this mean the Oz tourism will eventually suffer, because of the chance of random attacks? The Abbott government anti terrorist people should be sweeping through all Muslim enclaves and putting a stop to the enemy within. Procrastination will merely allow the boil to fester, and eventually the likes of the Gold Coast will be a no go area for tourists: if you think it can’t happen just look at the once safe Maldives: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9557430/Hardline-Muslims-threaten-tourism-in-the-Maldives.html
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October 31, 2014 8:44am
kowtow

mandk

If you’re happy for the Maori Party to dictate policy to the rest of us then I’m happy for you.

Note it’s not being sold as a tax issue it’s being sold to us as a health issue .It’s being done for our good you see.

All well and good. The real issue is Notional attacking private property rights ,supposedly a fundamental for the Notionals ,at the behest of a tiny, racist interest party.

In other words a betrayal of principles by National.

Did the Murris support them on the Smoko Break legislation yesterday?
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October 31, 2014 8:49am
flipper

The Whale has an excellent follow up this morning on the child poverty bullshit in which he exposes the deceit of the MSM and the left, and Mad Magillicuddy Turei. And morning I posted this (which I noticed on Stuff’s web site this morning) on yesterday’s GD, but it really belongs here:

***Beadle17 hours ago
Well Moderator, if you cannot accept that Mr Small [Vernon Small, well known, ex UK, Labour biased, Dominion Post “reporter”] and Ms Morris-Travers [UNICEF wally in NZ] are away with the fairies, and should visit West Africa to discover real poverty, try this analysis which I suggest, explains the idiocy of their measure as applied in New Zealand and in Britain:

“Poverty” is defined [by some] as below 60% of the **median** income.
The median income means the income of the person in the middle. It is not the same as the average.
In theory, it is possible to have everyone above 60% of median, but that is a hard thing to achieve in the real world.
For example, if you have a mini-country where 4 people earn $100k and 5 people earn $50k, then the median income is $50k and 60% of that is 30k. Here, nobody is below $30k so nobody is in “poverty”.
However if one of those people on $50k was to get an education and increase their income to $90k, then the median would increase to $90k and the poverty level would increase to $54k. All those people on $50k are now “in poverty”.
So “poverty” is really a measure of upward mobility – people increasing their incomes and making something of themselves……”

“So, as is often the case, opinion pieces by Mr Small are gratuitous.

“The issue was debated, and judged in the General Election – not [perceived by the majority as] a major problem in N Z.
John Key has since promised to work on solutions to a perceived “poverty line”, has already put his officials at DPMC to work on it, but included an elephant sized caveat – finding a definition on which everyone can agree.

“So let us first agree on what should be excluded. I will start with Sky, “family holidays”, and overseas travel. But let’s not go near tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and gaming – all parental failings.

“That is just a start. But if Mr Small confined his scribbling to such matters, he would be making a worthwhile contribution to the debate. “

**** Good stuff. Now go read the GDP analysis on Whale.
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October 31, 2014 8:49am
thedavincimode

Despite the fact of the german sausage having declared what some are arguing to be more serious crimes than driving at 159 kph, being 99 kph over a 50 kph residential speed limit, repeat, 99 kph where, presumably, little kiddies, fluffy bunny rabbits and cute little kittens play, it is nevertheless difficult to sustain any argument that the question “Have you been convicted for dangerous driving?” (which is what was asked) is ambiguous or otherwise invited any answer except “Yes”. The response: “oops, it just slipped my mind” doesn’t seem compelling in the circs.

Irrespective of any argument that he will no doubt mount to the effect that the immigration fleas filled the form out, he signed it and in the circs, surely, given the serious nature of the inquiries made of him in that form, there ought to be some presumption that he read it? Why would a Court allow him the benefit of the doubt? To do so would make a mockery of the process.

Resident legal beagles?
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October 31, 2014 8:53am
hj

Gareth Morgan on national’s RMA excuse for child poverty

With its increased majority, National seems likely to push through long planned reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA). In coming weeks we will be explaining why some tweaks might be reasonable, but the wholesale changes planned are really just opening the door up to more dumb and dirty growth. The justification for the change is that it will allow us to build cheaper housing – The NZ Initiative (the reincarnation of the Business Roundtable) even had the gall to use housing to link RMA reform to child poverty. But the simple fact is that we don’t need to bowl the environment for cheaper housing. What we need is a market that shows the true cost of development.

NZ Initiative economist Eric Crampton’s argument is that the income of the poor has been rising at a reasonable rate, but that has been outstripped by the increase in housing costs. This makes housing affordability a big part of our child poverty story. This is a fair point – housing does suck up a big chunk of a poor family’s income. But the real question is why is housing so expensive, especially in Auckland? This is where Mr Crampton and many others go awry – blaming the regulations that stop more land being used for housing.

http://garethsworld.com/blog/uncategorized/jafas-roll-bombay-hills/
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October 31, 2014 8:57am
itstricky

GOOD GRIEF, now my Apple is Gay?

It’s no different from Rod Drury pronouncing he is proud to be Kiwi. So I wonder who it is that is really making a big deal out of it.
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October 31, 2014 8:58am
kowtow

Hey flipper

You can add John Key to your list of those who flap on about “child poverty”,below is from the speech from the throne.Surprise,surprise at the behest of his racist masters.

“As agreed with the Māori Party, ongoing investment will be made in Whānau Ora. The Government will continue to have a focus on poverty, especially child poverty, and will coordinate cross-government activity in this area through the Ministerial Committee on Poverty.”
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October 31, 2014 8:59am
Reid

If Halloween isn’t a Satanic festival, then why does the Church of Satan list it as one of the two official Satanic festivals?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_holidays

http://www.churchofsatan.com/faq-holidays.php

This gives it a quick once over. Plenty more data available at one’s fingertips.

http://www.av1611.org/halloween.html

Even many Christians don’t get the elementary fact that Satan is alive and well and operating on this Earth right here right now. His influence is the reason why for instance the fashion industry increasingly brings us darker and darker images like this and why Hollyweird brings us dark movie after dark movie after dark movie.

Two of Satan’s many titles are ‘The Slanderer’ and ‘The Deceiver.’ Satan slanders God all the time by creating lies and memes that settle into people’s minds such as in those people here who can’t see past the Biblical passages which “prove” to them God is not a loving being. At the same time Satan deceives people and his greatest deception is that he doesn’t even exist.

Getting people involved in Satanic festivals like this and thinking it’s not what it really is, it’s just a “fun” night for kids, is just another example of this tactic. Sadly, even though God through His grace and His love has provided all of us with the means to lift the scales from our eyes, very few of us avail ourselves of those means and most of us, even some unwitting Christians, keep right on going in the deceptive and slanderous world Satan has been given license to create.

For you see, Satan has been thrown down to Earth and given authority over it under a covenant between he and God. There are certain rules: for instance Satan cannot force, which is why he uses deception as a weapon. He took a third of the Angels with him and these are the demons. There is spiritual warfare going on all the time on Earth and the whole purpose is to get people voluntarily to turn to Satan and worship him in favour of God. That’s the whole point of this life – to get you to turn voluntarily to Satan and away from God. And festivals like this and their increasing spread are a part of that. Just thought you should be aware of what you’re doing when you do whatever you do tonight…
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October 31, 2014 9:00am
peterwn

Yvette
Comity between nations would indicate that extradition proceedings take precedence over deportation. Uncle Sam would be pretty annoyed if Kim was deported at this stage, even if Kim adopted a Brer Rabbit stance on this.
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October 31, 2014 9:03am
Nostalgia-NZ

2 cents worth on the ‘fighters’ going to join IS they should be free to go. A quick read of the Terrorism Act, if I have got it right, indicates they could be prosecuted on their return, (possibly denied re-entry if the legislation was ‘tweaked’ or needed to be tweaked), if the Government or Court confirmed the opinion that IS is in fact a terrorist organisation which seems to be a certainty. NZ has forced people to fight in overseas wars, or face imprisonment or worse, forcing them not to fight is as to some argument draconian and breaches the right of choice and free will – on the other hand using the Law as it appears to stand, allowing those that wish to join IS to do so knowing that they will face prosecution here if they chose to return, or even be denied entry provides an answer under the existing Law. When I say fighting, that would include training, ‘indoctrination,’ assistance, support and so on. From what I’ve heard JK say such people are tracked overseas, if knowing they couldn’t return, or might face trial and imprisonment their ‘militancy’ might evaporate.
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October 31, 2014 9:07am
Paulus

I note that The German/Finnish Crim is blaming Aussie Malcolm, his Immigration Advisor, for making the mistake in not putting down his driving offence.
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October 31, 2014 9:10am
mandk

kowtow

I was questioning the principle.

Duty free is just an anachronistic tax dodge benefitting the relatively well-off.
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October 31, 2014 9:15am
Nookin

Thedavincimode

Banks’ defence was that he did not read it. Didn’t work for him.
Worked for Bob Jones, though.
I am just a little curious that he not only overlooked the conviction and fine, he also overlooked having to bike everywhere for 6 months (or rely on his minions to jump when he hollered). He also forgot the insider trading charges in Hong Kong but did declare them after the fact.
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October 31, 2014 9:15am
Longknives

Jesus Fucking Christ-

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11350907

“One of those experts is believed to be forensic scientist Dr Anna Sandiford, who worked as an expert witness in David Bain’s retrial..”

Figures….
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October 31, 2014 9:16am
Manolo

Less bloody law, bean-counting, bachelor of arts and political science degrees.
More engineers and scientists is what NZ needs!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11350829
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October 31, 2014 9:25am
Tarquin North

I blame Halloween for child poverty. Every year it turns innocent young children from good homes in to common door to door street beggars. I hope Russel gets on to this one, it’s a vote winner for sure! Now wheres my Nicky Hager mask!
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October 31, 2014 9:27am
itstricky

are away with the fairies, and should visit West Africa to discover real poverty, try this analysis which I suggest, explains the idiocy of their measure as applied in New Zealand and in Britain:

Your poster shouldn’t confuse relative and absolute poverty.

Relative poverty is a measure of how well a particular society supports it’s own. That’s quite right – it measures upward mobility because that is what it is supposed to do – to show that a society is moving forward and getting a better life for everyone. Comparing this stat year-on-year is the thing to do.
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October 31, 2014 9:28am
Reid

If Immigration withdraws KDC’s residency then it must be on the grounds the non-disclosure of the conviction would have materially affected the original decision to grant it.

Decisions on residency under the high net worth category he came in on, are evidently as we have seen in recent years in various cases, often subjected to political influence from politicians on both sides who are, apparently, often very keen indeed to approve questionable applications, notwithstanding official objections.

Naturally this is not corruption in any way whatsoever.

Anyhoo, given this guy can afford the very best legal talent available, then what’s the bet that if his residency is withdrawn or even now as I write this, while that decision is being made, there are a series of behind the scenes discussions in various Wellington locales, on the possibilities that said ministerial interference might possibly wind up in open court and what might that entail, if it happened.
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October 31, 2014 9:29am
Weihana

Inandout (39 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 8:44 am

The Abbott government anti terrorist people should be sweeping through all Muslim enclaves and putting a stop to the enemy within.

You mean like in the good ol days?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Posted_Japanese_American_Exclusion_Order.jpg

https://diogenesii.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/000411-copy.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~chtongyu/internment/manzanar.jpg

https://publicintelligence.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/internment-camps-1.jpg
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October 31, 2014 9:30am
kowtow

Reid,don’t get too excited. Halloween is simply the night before All Hallows.

The early church, to get converts,simply rebranded the Celtic Samhain.

As Cpl Jones would say…….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC8nyBr9_-8
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October 31, 2014 9:30am
wikiriwhis business

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says “I think we are seeing a New World Order” http://www.paulbegleyprophecy.com also http://h.churchapp.mobi/paulbegleyprophecy
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October 31, 2014 9:36am
Reid

Reid,don’t get too excited. Halloween is simply the night before All Hallows.

kowtow I’m not excited at all, I’m simply giving people some information they might not have about how this world works. It’s not news to me, I’ve known this for decades. I know it’s called All Hallows Eve. So what?

The fact it’s named that should give you a clue my post above is accurate. Since All Hallows Eve is satanic and All Hallows day is now called All Saints day and it’s a major Christian festival.

But again mate, I’m not excited, I’m just making people aware, so they can make their own decisions. Over to them, really.
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October 31, 2014 9:37am
IGM

When are we going to get a government that will curtail DPB, WFF, and all the other bolt-ons that give reason for feral brats to be bred for money recompense? Every time one opens a paper or turns on radio/Tv there is a bombardment of whingers going on about these deprived people . . . they sow the seeds, let them do the harvesting, or maybe it is time for compulsory sterilisation for unfit breeders.
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October 31, 2014 9:41am
big bruv

I note that Martyn/Martin is advocating rioting in the streets over at the Daily Bog

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/10/30/poverty-inequality-dont-need-protest-marches-they-need-a-riot-ifihadahammer/
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October 31, 2014 9:42am
stephieboy

Reid, get over yourself re Halloween .Absoultly silly nonsense about Statanic rituals .Should I put garlic around and affix a cross to my door to ward off evil spirits when childer come around tonigh trickle treating ?

Manolo , I totally agree with you on that score

BTW Reid , were you aware that Christmas coincides with the Pagan Roman festival of Satur which the early Christians used to celebrate
the birth of Christ.?

.
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October 31, 2014 9:43am
Redbaiter

“When are we going to get a government that will curtail DPB, WFF, and all the other bolt-ons that give reason for feral brats to be bred for money recompense? ”

Good question. I suggest the longer voters like you keep supporting National regardless of anything they do, the longer it will be until we see such a government.
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October 31, 2014 9:48am
calendar girl

There are plenty of National Government actions that annoy me because they contribute to the country’s continual drift towards ‘more government’. A good example right now is PM-led action on a change of national flag as – seemingly – a major strategic issue facing the country.

So, well done to John Key’s Government on its 62-58 passing of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill yesterday, without having to rely on Maori Party support. Meanwhile, lefty journalists are proving super-critical, still in denial about the outcome of the election six weeks ago.
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October 31, 2014 9:50am
flipper

Kowtow……

you missed this in my post:

““The issue was debated, and judged in the General Election – not [perceived by the majority as] a major problem in N Z. John Key has since promised to work on solutions to a perceived “poverty line”, has already put his officials at DPMC to work on it, but included an elephant sized caveat – finding a definition on which everyone can agree.

Clear enough????
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October 31, 2014 9:52am
Reid

BTW Reid , were you aware that Christmas coincides with the Pagan Roman festival of Satur which the early Christians used to celebrate
the birth of Christ.?

I’m aware Christmas isn’t a Christian festival stephie.

You’ll notice my post above said that even some Christians are fooled by Satan’s deceptions. The almost universal perception of Christmas being a Christian festival is an example of that.

BTW, the way to learn to think is to look at the data and use that to make your decision, rather than, as you seem to do a lot, shut your eyes and pretend it doesn’t exist. But I can’t help you there stephie, you need to learn how to that all by yourself, just like a big boy.
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October 31, 2014 9:53am
Redbaiter

“So, well done to John Key’s Government on its 62-58 passing of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill yesterday, without having to rely on Maori Party support.”

Yes, I guess so, but its pissant stuff really. There are far more pressing issues, like RMA reform, but even then will National actually make the changes that will bring results in freeing business from the insufferable dictates of loony watermelon regulators or exploitation by greedy “maori” mafia? I doubt it.
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October 31, 2014 9:54am
wf

Maggy Wassilieff (402 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 8:33 am
The Green’s homeopath advocate Steffan Browning is their spokesperson for Agriculture and Forestry.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.ha..ha…ha….ha…..ha
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October 31, 2014 9:58am
Redbaiter

I predict that if the excuse of failing to declare a driving offence is used to deport KDC it will be another event that backfires on the National party.

Like the original over the top swat raid on the KDC family home and the illegal warrants and the illegal spying, all events that are an outrageous breach of govt powers and yet we are still to see any real accountability.

And yes, there is the Banks issue as well. Easy to claim selective prosecution.
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October 31, 2014 10:03am
Lucia Maria

From Russian Elites Still View Putin as Their Defense Against the Russian People, Skobov Says

Members of Russian elites see Vladimir Putin as the only person who can maintain the existing system in which they are beneficiaries and protect them from having to go head to head with the Russian people as a whole, Aleksandr Skobov says… In a Grani.ru commentary today, the Moscow writer says that this is the real meaning of Vyacheslav Volodin’s recent remark that “without Putin there will be no Russia.” … [This] … is “the imperial, aggressive, Russianoid-fascist ‘Russia’ run by a criminal oligarchy.” And that Russia truly has “few chances to survive without Putin.” The elites know this and they know that there is no one else who can so successfully turn the heads of “’the simple people’” and thus keep them in check.

The “chief resource” of Putin and his entourage which “has permitted the ruling clique to consolidate society around itself” is the so-called “’post-Versailles syndrome,’ which has given birth to aggressive anti-Western revanchism.” That term, of course, refers to the reaction of Germany after World War I. But Russia’s situation is fundamentally different.

Germany was really punished for its involvement in that conflict, but after the end of the Cold War, Russia wasn’t, Skobov says. Indeed, he points out, “not only did no one punish Russia” for its actions in the cold war and against its own people but instead, “everyone tried to help. How successfully is another question entirely.”

But that absence of punishment had an impact on the thinking of Russians who concluded that “the Soviet power did not lose the cold war but in a noble fashion conceded to the West by voluntarily allowing its colonies and semi-colonies to be free.” And then, instead of being grateful to Moscow, these countries flew to the West and the West took them in thus preventing Moscow from taking back its “wayward children.”

Putin and those who are following him today, Skobov continues, are acting as they are because they see “no one intends to punish them for the actions of their beloved Soviet power, a power which unleashed repression against millions of its own citizens, brought grief and tyranny to half of the world, and kept the other half in fear of a global nuclear war for half a century.”

Thus, they justify all the horrors of the Soviet regime because otherwise they are not in a position to “justify their own lies, hypocrisy, conformism” and other shortcomings today. And they adopt the position that “everything with us is being done correctly, we are right in everything,” and no one can complain about “our” past or present.

Russia’s current situation reflects the fact that to a large extent, Russian society was never forced by its own leaders or by the West to fully recognize “the criminal character of the Soviet regime.” In that regard, “history dealt with us too kindly. And the destruction of Putin’s Russia will hardly be so velvet-like.”

This is what I’ve brought up from time to time – the lack of accountability that Russia has to her past. That lack of accountability means that the world still has a very dangerous wannabe superpower with nukes that wants her own empire back. That lack of accountability also means that Russia has not turned her back on her actions in the past and therefore could easily revert back to form.

Many “simple people” are obsessed with finding every single little fault they can with the United States, yet ignore far more dangerous powers that are just waiting for the the US to fall so they can take her place in the world.
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October 31, 2014 10:04am
Harriet

“…..The Abbott government anti terrorist people should be sweeping through all Muslim enclaves and putting a stop to the enemy within.

You mean like in the good ol days?…….”

Muslim communications will all be monitored like they are now in NZ.

And anyone deemed a problem will eventually be stopped from traveling overseas – as government ability to monitor communications then makes the government more liable for the actions of those Australians going overseas.

Governments will not want to ever be seen having in their posession the communications of terrorists as their governments will then be seen as being useless and more importantly UNRELIABLE — as this is a war that will take several decades. It’s about restricting the movements of muslims.

Abbott is also giving mental health funding to young male muslims ‘at risk’ – which is then most of them. A by product of that is the restriction of gun licences to those ‘at risk of mental issues’ — young muslim males. The police would get in serious shit for giving out gun licenses to people under the current ‘mental health threat’. That means that we can defend ourselves against them!!

Another line of defense is to bring back travel visas.
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October 31, 2014 10:10am
Lucia Maria

Stephieboy and Reid,

Here is something I wrote a number of years ago : Christmas is not a pagan holiday

The coolest part of the whole argument for December 25 being the birthdate of Christ is that March 25 is traditionally considered the date of this conception (ie the Annunciation). March 25 also the old Jewish tradition for the date of the beginning of the world. So, December 25 is 9 months after March 25, which ties in very nicely.
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October 31, 2014 10:11am
Redbaiter

“Less bloody law, bean-counting, bachelor of arts and political science degrees. More engineers and scientists is what NZ needs!”

Yes, I could be wrong but if my memory serves me correctly, I think Singapore has a limited number of University slots for non productive professions. Consequently as a country, they can pay their way in the world and have no govt debt. (NZ has borrowed about $70 billion so far to prop up its delusional lifestyle and failing socialist economic system)
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October 31, 2014 10:13am
tranquil

These two groups seem to be doing great work in the area of “academic freedom”. All Western countries should have groups like this –

http://www.psaf.org/ – students up to late high-school

http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org/ – for universities

From the PSAF site –
“New Initiative Fights Indoctrination in K-12 Schools

A case that poignantly illustrates the problem of indoctrination took place at a Delaware public school last spring. An eight-year-old second grader wrote a composition saying that he wanted to be a soldier like his grandfather. “If you ever write anything like that again, you are going straight to the principal’s office,” the teacher threatened. When his mother complained, the teacher denied the incident and accused the child of making the story up. But the mother was able to confirm the story with two of the child’s classmates. The child himself was so upset that he didn’t want to return to class.

Students for Academic Freedom has seen tremendous growth at the collegiate level in its first year of operations. The organization has inspired legislators in at least ten states and the U.S. Congress to take up the Academic Bill of Rights, and students on 135 campuses across the nation are now working to persuade their school administrations to adopt the Academic Bill of Rights and enact reforms promoting intellectual diversity on campus.

Parents and Students for Academic Freedom will also promote legislation at the state and federal level to ensure that students are protected by a Bill of Rights designed to guarantee them an education that is fair, inclusive and non-partisan. A sample resolution and contact information is available on the organization’s new website at http://www.psaf.org.”

Here is the SAF “academic bill of rights” –
http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org/documents/1925/abor.html

Groups like these are *desperately* needed here.
Remember Anna Penn and the crap she had to put up with in her nursing studies? I’ll bet things are even worse there now (and the same goes for our so-called teachers’ training (indoctrination) colleges.

Groups like this are THE KEY to ridding this country of the infestation of leftism in our schools, universities, training centres and the media.
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October 31, 2014 10:14am
Milburn35

Changing this country’s flag would have a dual purpose. First of all the present flag shows a tie to Britain which we no longer are. The second point, which I believe is more relevant, is that we will become a republic one day and necessitating a change in flag, whether we like it or not. JK has stated that he is a royalist, but when ER vacates the thrown and JK is no longer PM a republic for us is inevitable. Having two binding referendums on the flag change would be unusual as referendums’ are usually ignored. The flag change will happen.
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October 31, 2014 10:15am
Weihana

thedavincimode (6,778 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 8:53 am

Despite the fact of the german sausage having declared what some are arguing to be more serious crimes than driving at 159 kph, being 99 kph over a 50 kph residential speed limit, repeat, 99 kph where, presumably, little kiddies, fluffy bunny rabbits and cute little kittens play, it is nevertheless difficult to sustain any argument that the question “Have you been convicted for dangerous driving?” (which is what was asked) is ambiguous or otherwise invited any answer except “Yes”. The response: “oops, it just slipped my mind” doesn’t seem compelling in the circs.

Irrespective of any argument that he will no doubt mount to the effect that the immigration fleas filled the form out, he signed it and in the circs, surely, given the serious nature of the inquiries made of him in that form, there ought to be some presumption that he read it? Why would a Court allow him the benefit of the doubt? To do so would make a mockery of the process.

Resident legal beagles?

I agree the form is not ambiguous. But that doesn’t stop this sort of thing from happening far too often. By signing was he supposed to have read it carefully in detail? Yes. Is it likely that he didn’t? Yes.

The normal procedure for determining whether someone has a character issue for providing false information (or withholding information) is whether on the balance of probabilities there was *intent* to withhold information or mislead. If there was no intent then there is no character issue for providing false information. Dotcom disclosed more serious offences which were wiped under Germany’s clean slate provisions. If you are a person with dishonest intent it makes no sense to disclose serious offences which would not otherwise be revealed, and attempt to hide less serious offending which is available if INZ simply requested his police record from the NZ police. I don’t believe a reasonable decision maker could find on the balance of probabilities that there was an intent to mislead given those circumstances.

However in addition to the two issues I raised yesterday, the new information itself would have raised a character concern assuming dangerous driving was treated under the previous policy the same as it is treated now. But again, the Minister would have to determine that on the basis of that information he wouldn’t have been granted a character waiver and this determination would be subject to an appeal on the facts. This would depend on the considerations applied in granting residency. It seems questionable whether this conviction could reasonably tip the balance of his application given the more serious offending which resulted in a waiver.

I presume any deportation liability would be appealed so perhaps it’s a good idea not to waste more judicial resources. But then again Dotcom doesn’t really bother me and for some people having a backup plan if the extradition fails might be worth it.
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October 31, 2014 10:17am
tranquil

@kowtow – “Britain is taking a firmer stand. Tony Abbott has shown it can be done.Encouraging illegal immigation invites mass drownings. ”

I agree. As I understand it, Europe has unanimously agreed to stop the rescue missions (*at long last* – thank goodness).

The people who go on these boats are (supposedly) adults. They know the risks. If things go pear-shaped and the boat sinks, well…. “them’s the breaks.”

As the old saying goes – “you’ve got to be cruel (or firm) to be kind.”
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October 31, 2014 10:29am
tranquil

@Redbaiter – “…Singapore has a limited number of University slots for non productive professions. ”

Sounds good – exactly as it should be.

IMO the university fees should be sky-high for law, accounting, political science and social science.
The fees should be next-to-nothing for the *real* sciences.
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October 31, 2014 10:34am
Hugh Pavletich

NEW ZEALAND SEEKS TO AVOID ‘GENERATION RENT’ … WENDELL COX … NEW GEOGRAPHY

http://www.newgeography.com/content/004678-new-zealand-seeks-avoid-generation-rent
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October 31, 2014 10:38am
Hugh Pavletich

China … update

Posted at … Chinese bank’s bad loans take off | | MacroBusiness Australia …

China’s housing headache in one chart – beyondbrics – Blogs – FT.com

… google search title if blocked …

http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2014/10/30/chinas-housing-headache-in-one-chart/

The downturn in China’s property market is well documented, and one of the biggest points of interest for global investors. Whether you mine copper, sell TVs, or buy bonds, chances are the Chinese housing market matters to you somehow.

With that in mind, we’d like to present this handy chart from Moody’s – showing the annual price changes for newly completed apartments in China. It’s quite telling. … read more via hyperlink above …

Forbes … Fortunes Of Chinese Property Billionaires Tumble Amid Chilling Market

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hengshao/2014/10/29/fortunes-of-chinese-property-billionaires-tumble-amid-chilling-market/

ICBC Posts Biggest Jump in Bad Loans Since ’06 on Economy – Bloomberg

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-29/icbc-posts-biggest-jump-in-bad-loans-since-06-on-economy.html
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October 31, 2014 10:40am
Lance

@tranquil
I tend to agree but I would urge strong caution as to what a useful degree is or is not.

Many people scoff at Psychology for example but only part of Psychology is ‘clinical Psych’.
Most is very practical hard research.
Like where is the best place to place instruments in an aircraft cockpit, MP3 type music compression relies on Psych based research on what can and cannot be heard by the listener (not just high and low frequencies) for maximum data compression. The effects of drugs on judgement, human factors in while operating complex machinery etc etc.

Just saying
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October 31, 2014 10:44am
Reid

Your poster shouldn’t confuse relative and absolute poverty.

Relative poverty is a measure of how well a particular society supports it’s own. That’s quite right – it measures upward mobility because that is what it is supposed to do – to show that a society is moving forward and getting a better life for everyone. Comparing this stat year-on-year is the thing to do.

Lefties shouldn’t confuse society’s role and the individual’s role in getting any given person into an upwardly mobile position, itstricky. But they do, all the time. Possibly they’re mental, possibly because they’re evil. Who knows, but it’s one of those two, for sure, because achieving upward mobility sure ain’t the rocket science lefties hallucinate it is.

Achieving upward mobility is simple. I bet that you and every other lefty who blogs here would consider themselves to be upwardly mobile. And what is the difference between you people and those who you look at and consider to be “in poverty?”

The answer my friend stares all of you in the mirror every single day yet none of you evidently recognise it. What stares you in the mirror and is the only relevant distinguishing factor between you and someone you would consider to be in poverty, is your own attitude toward yourself. It is the effect of that attitude day after day year after year decade after decade which produces what you look at when you step out of the shower and it’s also what produces what someone in poverty looks at when they wake all bedraggled and hung over or whatever it is they do when they wake up.

And as you well know, that attitude is free. It costs nothing. It’s a decision in your own mind and like anyone else, changing your own mind costs nothing.

Sure, it is a fact that attitudes can be and are inculcated by things like good or bad parenting and life experiences, but it’s ALSO a fact about attitudes that they don’t have to be, they can be chosen, at anytime and in any place or circumstance. Extreme examples of this are the wonderful art that came out of the Concentration Camps and Mandela’s attitude during and after his incarceration.

And since attitudes drive every single thing a person says or does 24/7/365 it’s a logical and indisputable fact that achieving upward mobility in any given person must and has to start and end with attitude change and nothing else will do. Period.

And the interesting and universal thing about lefties is that they completely and utterly deny this totally obvious Humans 101 fact and instead spend literally all their time making up various reasons as to why the poor widdle darlings aren’t at all responsible for their own circumstances and how this gweat big meanie called society oppwesses them and keeps them down under their gweat meanie boots and we’ll come along and save them because our widdle hearts are simply bursting with compassion. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

This hallucination appears to give lefties their raison d’etre, they really do appear to hallucinate that taking this gallopingly mental approach will actually achieve something and they believe it so very much some of you devote your whole lives to this pointless pursuit which will never work in a million years. You might as well get a donkey and charge a windmill.

The worst thing about you fools is that when someone does come along and actually does address the root cause and tries to change attitudes, you morons rush in and try to stop them, on the grounds that we musn’t cwiticse the poor widdle darlings, because in your hallucination, they’re victims. If it wasn’t so responsible for perpetuating the utterly real tragedy that these people actually do experience through their unnecessarily wretched existence, such mentalism as you display would be hilarious. Instead, as far as I’m concerned, it’s contemptible. Because you idiots, even though you don’t mean to, actively prevent the very people you proclaim you wish to help, from making any progress whatsoever. And recognising this folly and changing your strategy, is elementary, to any student of life, as simple as looking in the mirror, and yet, none of you, evidently, ever do.
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October 31, 2014 10:44am
stephieboy

I see EAD yesterday has been spamming misinformation about the Gold Standard including .Alan Greenspan’s apparent support for the idea . I suppose he might of thought Gold was sort of panacea for some some of his pretty disastrous economic policies that contributed to the debt cries.

Five myths about the gold standard.

Excerpt ,

(3) Years on the gold standard were years of prosperity and stability. –

” Not exactly. The United States returned to the gold standard after the Civil War and remained on gold through the beginning of World War I. During this period the United States experienced a 20-year deflation and two of the worst financial crises the country has ever seen — in 1893 and 1907.
After World War I, most of the industrialized countries reestablished the gold standard. Britain’s return was engineered in 1925 by Bank of England Governor Montagu Norman and was made law under the leadership of Chancellor of the Exchequer (Secretary of the Treasury) Winston Churchill, which encouraged other countries to follow suit. Britain’s return to gold had disastrous consequences. The pound was returned to gold at the same rate that had existed before World War I, which substantially overvalued the pound. This began a half-decade characterized by high interest rates, falling prices, incessant labor strife, and overall economic sluggishness, which ended with Britain’s abandonment of the gold standard in 1931.

Britain’s interwar experience with the gold standard has been echoed in southern Europe’s experience with the euro. Because all euro-zone countries share a currency and a central bank, they are unable to undertake independent monetary policy. Thus, Greece must live with the same monetary policy as Germany, which has proved ruinous for the Greeks. ”

etc, etc
– See more at: http://blog.oup.com/2014/02/five-myths-about-gold-standard/#sthash.YCc2PUK5.dpuf
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October 31, 2014 10:45am
big bruv

Milburn35

“First of all the present flag shows a tie to Britain which we no longer are.”

Just hold on a second there please. Who the hell are you to deny me (and other Kiwis) my heritage?

I would wager that you would not be brave enough suggest that Maori do away with their heritage, so please don’t tell me that my heritage does not matter.

Keep the bloody flag as it is thanks.
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October 31, 2014 10:46am
Manolo

Cruz writes: http://time.com/3549597/obama-israel-ted-cruz/

This week, the world was treated to yet another embarrassing display of the Obama administration’s incompetent foreign policy.

According to The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, various anonymous officials referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as both “a chicken****” and “a coward.”
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October 31, 2014 10:51am
dirty harry

What a sick fucked up country NZ is when shit bags like this can appeal and appeal. A rusty blunt knife is all Reid deserves and I would gladly do it for free…as well as his lawyer.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/10684181/Killer-Liam-Reid-to-appeal-conviction-again
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October 31, 2014 10:53am
stephieboy

wiki.,

this what Chuck Hagel actually said re NWO. As you can see it was in entirely difference context that Paul Craig Roberts or his mate Alex Jones would mean it.

“I think we are living through one of these historic, defining times,” Hagel said. “We are seeing a new world order—post-World War II, post-Soviet Union implosion—being built. There are many questions, foremost among the American people: What’s the role of America in this new world that is evolving? Should we have a role? What is appropriate?”
But hey conspiracy theorists have a favorite pastime called quote mining. i.e taking words said by another totally out of context and distorting them.Larry Silverstein and his alleged “pull it “quote WTC7 comes to mind

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/10/defense-secretary-chuck-hagel-get-used-to-endless-war/382079/

As I have explained before I have nothing but contempt for Paul Craig Roberts for spreading his kind of disinfo.
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October 31, 2014 10:58am
Weihana

Lucia Maria (2,451 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 10:04 am

Many “simple people” are obsessed with finding every single little fault they can with the United States, yet ignore far more dangerous powers that are just waiting for the the US to fall so they can take her place in the world.

I think it a mistake that Russia be the standard by which America judges itself. Holding the United States to a higher standard is what makes it better than many other countries in the first place. Being critical of the United States doesn’t imply that one wishes to see its downfall, rather that through identifying faults the United States can better itself. No advantage is gained by overlooking or denying one’s own faults.

The “chief resource” of Putin and his entourage which “has permitted the ruling clique to consolidate society around itself” is the so-called “’post-Versailles syndrome,’ which has given birth to aggressive anti-Western revanchism.” That term, of course, refers to the reaction of Germany after World War I. But Russia’s situation is fundamentally different.

Germany was really punished for its involvement in that conflict, but after the end of the Cold War, Russia wasn’t, Skobov says. Indeed, he points out, “not only did no one punish Russia” for its actions in the cold war and against its own people but instead, “everyone tried to help. How successfully is another question entirely.”

This seems an odd point… considering that another world war followed the first one.
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October 31, 2014 10:59am
James Stephenson

The fact it’s named that should give you a clue my post above is accurate. Since All Hallows Eve is satanic and All Hallows day is now called All Saints day and it’s a major Christian festival.

Most pre-Christian cultures had a time of year when the separation between “this” world and the “next” was weak and they would celebrate ancestors and so on. Halloween is just that and a bit of pagan Harvest celebration wrapped up with the opportunity to have a bit of fun before a boring Christian prayer-fest.

It’s no more “satanic” than Mardi-Gras
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October 31, 2014 11:00am
Maggy Wassilieff

@wf 9:58am

“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.ha..ha…ha….ha…..ha”

As someone posted yesterday, they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after hearing about Steffan Browning’s advocacy for homeopathy.

But let’s just consider for a brief moment the implications of Steffan’s response of “Why not” when asked last night (TV1 news) whether homeopathy should be used in the fight against Ebola.
As he’s the Green’s spokesperson for Agriculture, Organics, biosecurity then we really need to know whether he thinks homeopathy would be useful against all the agricultural diseases that harm NZs livestock.
Surely it wouldn’t be too difficult for Steffan to run a wee experiment with a few lambs with infectious scours or such and treat half with homeopathic brews and the other half with conventional medications.

Well, why not?

Perhaps because there’s been a host of such experiments, e.g.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16646998

and they have yet to show that homeopathy benefits any living thing apart from the manufacturer and seller of the product.
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October 31, 2014 11:01am
stephieboy

Manolo, not this Ted Cruz by chance, ?

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Ted_Cruz

If so provides some context about his diatribe as guest post Time against OBama and Netanyahu .
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October 31, 2014 11:03am
Reid

It’s no more “satanic” than Mardi-Gras

Perhaps you’d better explain that to the Church of Satan James because apparently, they disagree.

Do you have any idea who Anton LeVey was?

How about Alastair Crowley?

I’m picking from your glib response, no. If you don’t know anything a given subject, it’s normally a good idea not to draw any particular conclusions about it until you do. Those two people BTW are only the tip of an enormous iceberg on this subject, and even when you do know their respective histories in detail, you haven’t even started your analysis of Satanism as it exists right here and right now. But they’re a start.
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October 31, 2014 11:12am
OneTrack

wreck – “I’ve never given a rats about trade deals before now, but, this one could be the deal from hell according to media reports.”

According to “media” reports. Well, there’s your problem. Of course the left-wing echo chamber that is the MSM in New Zealand is against the TPP – they are just doing what their activist mates tell them to do.

In other words, I will suspend my opinion until something concrete is on the table from a reliable source.
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October 31, 2014 11:18am
Griff

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/302464-crowley-had-always-known-that-he-would-be-around-when
Crowley had always known that he would be around when the world ended, because he was immortal and wouldn’t have any alternative. But he hoped it was a long way off. Because he rather liked people. It was major failing in a demon. Oh, he did his best to make their short lives miserable, because that was his job, but nothing he could think up was half as bad as the stuff they thought up themselves. They seemed to have a talent for it. It was built into the design, somehow. They were born into a world that was against them in a thousand little ways, and then devoted most of their energies to making it worse. Over the years Crowley had found it increasingly difficult to find anything demonic to do which showed up against the natural background of generalized nastiness. There had been times, over the past millennium, when he’d felt like sending a message back Below saying, Look we may as well give up right now, we might as well shut down Dis and Pandemonium and everywhere and move up here, there’s nothing we can do to them that they don’t do to themselves and they do things we’ve never even thought of, often involving electrodes. They’ve got what we lack. They’ve got imagination. And electricity, of course. One of them had written it, hadn’t he…”Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” Crowley got a commendation for the Spanish Inquisition. He had been in Spain then, mainly hanging around cantinas in the nicer parts, and hadn’t even known about it until the commendation arrived. He’d gone to have a look, and come back and got drunk for a week.”
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October 31, 2014 11:29am
James Stephenson

Perhaps you’d better explain that to the Church of Satan James because apparently, they disagree.

Church of Satan are basically an organisation set up to troll Christians. I’m sure they’d be rapt to know how well they’re still succeeding after all these years.

No idea who Alastair Crowley is, Aleister Crowley on the other hand…

http://youtu.be/DM9n96CgzfU
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October 31, 2014 11:31am
Griff

New Zealand could turn its back on a Pacific-wide free trade deal if Kiwi dairy exports are excluded from it, Trade Minister Tim Groser says.

Mr Groser was among those meeting in Sydney over the weekend to progress talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal.

The TPP could cover close to 40 percent of the world’s economies and set boundaries for global commerce between 12 countries, including New Zealand.

Mr Groser says real progress was made during the Sydney meeting and that the finish line is in sight.

However, he said New Zealand could walk away from the deal if dairy products are excluded from it.

“We can’t do a deal that will exclude New Zealand’s number one export, which is dairy products,” he told Radio New Zealand.

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/tpp-spotlight-focuses-on-nz-dairy-exports-2014102816#ixzz3HfchOQxF
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October 31, 2014 11:34am
big bruv

White people are evil!

Todays madness from the Moonbat.

http://blog.greens.org.nz/2014/10/30/te-wakaputanga-learn-school/
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October 31, 2014 11:42am
Reid

Aleister Crowley on the other hand…

Yeah I knew it had a weird spelling James I just couldn’t be arsed looking it up.

Church of Satan are basically an organisation set up to troll Christians.

No it’s a lot more than that James but that’s all part of the deception isn’t it. Like I said, one of Satan’s greatest deceptions is that many of you don’t even realise he really does exist.
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October 31, 2014 11:43am
Weihana

Lance (2,657 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 10:44 am

@tranquil
I tend to agree but I would urge strong caution as to what a useful degree is or is not.

Many people scoff at Psychology for example but only part of Psychology is ‘clinical Psych’.
Most is very practical hard research.
Like where is the best place to place instruments in an aircraft cockpit, MP3 type music compression relies on Psych based research on what can and cannot be heard by the listener (not just high and low frequencies) for maximum data compression. The effects of drugs on judgement, human factors in while operating complex machinery etc etc.

Just saying

Good examples, but I can’t help think it a critical mistake to believe that institutes of higher learning must have to demonstrate some sort of economic practicality in fields of research. That kinda misses the whole point of these institutes. Knowledge should be valued for its own sake. Some of the most important advancements in human understanding have come about not out of any economic agenda, but out of a pure quest for understanding. If economic practicality was the basis for study would Galileo have ever pointed a telescope into the sky?
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October 31, 2014 11:46am
Ryan Sproull

No it’s a lot more than that James but that’s all part of the deception isn’t it. Like I said, one of Satan’s greatest deceptions is that many of you don’t even realise he really does exist.

If Satan didn’t exist, how would you know?
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October 31, 2014 11:49am
thedavincimode

As he’s the Green’s spokesperson for Agriculture, Organics, biosecurity

Maggy – Biosecurity as well? Goodness me.

Do you have a view from a scientific perspective on the effectiveness of burning incense, nettles and goat droppings at our borders in order to ward of unwanted biohazards?
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October 31, 2014 11:50am
Inandout

Weihana: As regards WW2 treatment of the enemy..if the Jap fits…
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October 31, 2014 11:56am
Reid

If Satan didn’t exist, how would you know?

Same reason you’d know if gravity didn’t exist Ryan. The universe would behave in a different way. Simple as that.

The more you understand the subject, the more it explains the behavioural patterns which occur in the world. And if you think that’s a mere self-fulfilling prophecy, then unless and until you understand the subject at least as well as I do, you’re not really in a position to argue the case for that one way or the other, are you.
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October 31, 2014 11:57am
Manolo

This guy should hold hands with Obama: http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/pope-francis-caring-for-the-poor-does-not-make-you-a-communist/ar-BBc3F1k?ocid=mailsignout
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October 31, 2014 11:57am
thedavincimode

I agree the form is not ambiguous. But that doesn’t stop this sort of thing from happening far too often. By signing was he supposed to have read it carefully in detail? Yes. Is it likely that he didn’t? Yes.

The normal procedure for determining whether someone has a character issue for providing false information (or withholding information) is whether on the balance of probabilities there was *intent* to withhold information or mislead. If there was no intent then there is no character issue for providing false information. Dotcom disclosed more serious offences which were wiped under Germany’s clean slate provisions. If you are a person with dishonest intent it makes no sense to disclose serious offences which would not otherwise be revealed, and attempt to hide less serious offending which is available if INZ simply requested his police record from the NZ police. I don’t believe a reasonable decision maker could find on the balance of probabilities that there was an intent to mislead given those circumstances.

Weihana

However in addition to the two issues I raised yesterday, the new information itself would have raised a character concern assuming dangerous driving was treated under the previous policy the same as it is treated now.

But again, the Minister would have to determine that on the basis of that information he wouldn’t have been granted a character waiver and this determination would be subject to an appeal on the facts. This would depend on the considerations applied in granting residency. It seems questionable whether this conviction could reasonably tip the balance of his application given the more serious offending which resulted in a waiver.

Does that mean there is no room for the Minister to assess the offending together, such that, at the margin, the additional conviction tips the balance against residency, and is the nature of the offending relevant? For example, had the proper declaration been made, from a lay perspective the facts raise issues such that:

1)it would have presumably been open to the Minister to approach matters

I presume any deportation liability would be appealed so perhaps it’s a good idea not to waste more judicial resources. But then again Dotcom doesn’t really bother me and for some people having a backup plan if the extradition fails might be worth it.
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October 31, 2014 12:01pm
Lucia Maria

Backing up Reid on Halloween

Vatican’s official exorcists declare war on Halloween

Exorcist Father Aldo Buonaiuto says his exorcists are receiving up to 40 calls for help a day in the lead-up to the pagan carnival. On October 31st, he expects this to spike to “hundreds”.

“Many say Halloween is a simple carnival, but in fact there is nothing innocent or fun about it — it is the antechamber to something much more dangerous,” he said. “There are always more evil rituals, animal sacrifices, desecrations of cemeteries and thefts of sacred bones at the time of the 31 October.”

It is a date on which the Devil goes on a recruiting drive.

Halloween is “like an initiation into the Occult”, he said. “For the sects it is the best time of year to recruit new members. From here the door to the Devil can be opened.”
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October 31, 2014 12:04pm
Griff

Maggy may have some inside imfo but this post sums up Rudolf Steiner generated moonbat woo agriculture pretty well
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2007/02/23/your-friday-dose-of-woo-old-macdonald-ha/
same site and moonbat homeopathetics curing ebola
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2014/10/29/here-they-come-to-save-the-day-homeopaths-vs-ebola-again/

Vote green get wackadoodle.
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October 31, 2014 12:09pm
kowtow

“First of all the present flag shows a tie to Britain which we no longer are. The second point, which I believe is more relevant, is that we will become a republic one day and necessitating a change in flag, whether we like it or not. ”

Yeah we should also ditch our language, common and statute law ,the Westminster system,our constitution, driving on the left,rugby,cricket,golf, football, roast beef, lamb cutlets and tea.

All show “a tie to Britain which we no longer are”.

And God forbid if we ever do become a republic, which I suspect won’t happen for a very long time,that is no more a reason to change the flag than any other.
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October 31, 2014 12:25pm
Viking2

big bruv (13,926 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 10:46 am

Milburn35

“First of all the present flag shows a tie to Britain which we no longer are.”

Just hold on a second there please. Who the hell are you to deny me (and other Kiwis) my heritage?

I would wager that you would not be brave enough suggest that Maori do away with their heritage, so please don’t tell me that my heritage does not matter.

Keep the bloody flag as it is thanks.

====================================
No wonder you are a grumpy prick. Came here from Grumpy land.
As one from the happy isles of Scandinavia the sooner we change the bloody awful flag with something colourful the better.

No doubt grumpy bruv you will want a black flag All Black style.
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October 31, 2014 12:27pm
tom hunter

While most people in NZ think that Halloween is about dressing up for trick-or-treating it’s also about making your house as cool as possible. Here are twenty houses as examples.

My favourites are numbers:
– #1 (Pirate ship crashing through house)
– #7 (Shelob or Agog?)
– #14 (Ghostbusters) – and #15
– #16 (crashed flying saucer in front yard)
– #28 (The house is watching you)

I also liked the guy who rigged up a 4-prop drone as a ghost. Now that would scare the crap out of you if you saw it floating along the footpath.

I don’t think we’ll approach any of these but we’ll see what my daughter and her friends can come up with given limited time and materials.
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October 31, 2014 12:28pm
dime

“So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.” – Tim Cook

What an odd statement.

Being gay is a gift from god now?

I dont give a flying *&^$ if hes gay or straight. Just think that is weird.
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October 31, 2014 12:32pm
Fletch

Pope Francis, in his latest Homily, addresses the reality of the Devil.

There are three “enemies of Christian life,” Pope Francis said: “The devil, the world and the flesh,” in other words, the carnal passions that are “the wounds of original sin.”

“But this generation, and many others, made people think that the devil was a myth, a character, an idea, the concept of evil,” the pope said, according to Vatican Radio.

“The devil exists and we have to fight against him. Paul says so — I’m not the one saying it. The word of God says it,” the pope said, referring to the day’s reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians (6:10-20), which calls on believers to “stand firm against the tactics of the devil.”

Even believers “are not too convinced” the devil exists, he said, or else “we are a bit lazy in the fight and we let ourselves be led by our passions, by some temptations. It’s because we are sinners — all of us.”

“However, do not be discouraged. (Have) courage and strength because the Lord is with us” and supplies all that is needed in battle, the pope said.

Because the devil is “the father of lies, the father of deception,” Christians must arm themselves with the “armor of God — the truth.”

St. Paul says Christians must be “girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace,” the pope noted.

People need to “hold faith as a shield” and take up “the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” he added, and they must pray all the time.

“You cannot be Christians without working continuously at being righteous. You can’t,” the pope said.

People need faith to go forward and they need to know “that it is God defending us, to resist the devil’s temptations,” he said.

“Is that clear? You cannot think of a spiritual life, a Christian life,” he said, “without resisting temptation, without fighting against the devil, without putting on this amour of God, who gives us strength and defends us.”

“Christian life is a battle, a very beautiful battle because when the Lord wins at every step of our life, he gives us a joy, a great happiness, that joy that the Lord has won in us” with his free gift of salvation, the pope said.

http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=172375
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October 31, 2014 12:40pm
James Stephenson

One might observe, that if the devil didn’t exist, the Church really would need to invent him. There’s nothing like a good scary enemy to help you to exert your control over the masses…and that applies whether you’re Obama, Putin or the Pope.
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October 31, 2014 12:48pm
Maggy Wassilieff

@DaVinci mode 11:50am

Alas I’ve been contaminated by my years of science training….but now that I’m in my dotage I could do a pretty good job as a witch, aka wise woman
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/10683747/Halloween-no-treat-for-real-life-witch

No trouble for me to rustle up a few nettles, animal droppings,etc.
I reckon I’d scare a few biohazards from our shores…. but I come at price.
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October 31, 2014 12:53pm
thedavincimode

Weihana

However in addition to the two issues I raised yesterday, the new information itself would have raised a character concern assuming dangerous driving was treated under the previous policy the same as it is treated now.

But again, the Minister would have to determine that on the basis of that information he wouldn’t have been granted a character waiver and this determination would be subject to an appeal on the facts. This would depend on the considerations applied in granting residency. It seems questionable whether this conviction could reasonably tip the balance of his application given the more serious offending which resulted in a waiver.

Does that mean there is no room for the Minister to assess the offending together, such that, at the margin, the additional conviction tips the balance against residency, and is the nature of the offending relevant? For example, had the proper declaration been made, from a lay perspective the facts raise issues such that the Minister could take the view:

1) there was an acceptable gap between the NZ conviction and the prior overseas convictions and, accepting that the NZ offence was a lesser offence in the eyes of the law at least, this was “only” a driving conviction which ought not in itself be a barrier to residency; or

2) irrespective of the time-frame issues, this is still a serious conviction given the behaviour put public life and limb at risk meaning that this german sausage has not changed his spots, so no residency.

As a society we seem to regard speeding as something of a lesser and even victimless crime. But there is a point at which that behaviour, in terms of risk to the public at large, is no different from wandering up mainstreet blasting at traffic lights with a firearm.

The normal procedure for determining whether someone has a character issue for providing false information (or withholding information) is whether on the balance of probabilities there was *intent* to withhold information or mislead …Dotcom disclosed more serious offences which were wiped under Germany’s clean slate provisions. If you are a person with dishonest intent it makes no sense to disclose serious offences which would not otherwise be revealed, and attempt to hide less serious offending which is available if INZ simply requested his police record from the NZ police. I don’t believe a reasonable decision maker could find on the balance of probabilities that there was an intent to mislead given those circumstances.

Does that mean that INZ makes no inquiry overseas to validate declarations? Was this application an exception in that INZ routinely checks NZP but this was a more or less isolated instance of no such check being made? Or is it the case that “sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t” or a case of “they hardly ever do”?

If the circumstances are such that overseas checks are never made and this was an isolated instance of failure on NZ checks, then there would be little doubt that this was an innocent or naïve oversight. If that isn’t the case, then other possibilities are raised. One thing that blobcon has demonstrated very publicly in NZ is that far from being naïve and unworldly, he is in fact manipulating and scheming. That surely cannot have assisted his cause in circumstances where the administration of the system meant he had a bolter’s chance or better of winning the odds; irrespective of whether he set out to do so.

His cause in that respect won’t be helped either if Banks gets home on the basis of the lunch attendees.

As for whether he would appeal any deportation order, that might well depend upon the nature of any extradition treaties the US might have with Germany and Finland and the threshold in those jurisdictions for effecting extradition. The prospect of being a cold sausage in Finland might have more appeal than being a much warmer sausage in an orange jumpsuit.
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October 31, 2014 12:54pm
Lucia Maria

Weihana,

I think it a mistake that Russia be the standard by which America judges itself.

That wasn’t what I was saying. You may not have noticed a growing number of anti-American comments that have appeared on this blog that are either uncritically accepted, or just not noticed. The most disturbing one was something posted by someone called Gulag1917 recently, that was a propaganda video disparaging Americans for supporting their government and democracy. The video itself was calling an American style government a religion. Gulag’s introduction to the video was “Statism; the most dangerous religion”.

Holding the United States to a higher standard is what makes it better than many other countries in the first place. Being critical of the United States doesn’t imply that one wishes to see its downfall, rather that through identifying faults the United States can better itself. No advantage is gained by overlooking or denying one’s own faults.

I don’t disagree with what you’ve said above. That’s not what’s been happening on General Debate, as a number of commenters here seem to believe that the United States is the great evil in the world that must be defeated, and countries like Russia are far more free and just misunderstood. You’d have to read weeks worth of GD over the last few months for this to be clear, however.

On post Versailles syndome

This seems an odd point… considering that another world war followed the first one.

Maybe. If you ignore that however, and think about what he is saying, which is that Russia has never been held to account for she has been responsible for over the last century. At all.
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October 31, 2014 1:02pm
Ryan Sproull

Same reason you’d know if gravity didn’t exist Ryan. The universe would behave in a different way. Simple as that.

If gravity didn’t exist, we would float into space. If Satan didn’t exist…?

The more you understand the subject, the more it explains the behavioural patterns which occur in the world. And if you think that’s a mere self-fulfilling prophecy, then unless and until you understand the subject at least as well as I do, you’re not really in a position to argue the case for that one way or the other, are you.

How is that different from saying, “Unless you agree with me, you are unqualified to disagree with me”?

What I’m asking is…

1. Are you capable of being incorrect about the existence of Satan?
2. If you are, how could you learn that you are incorrect?
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October 31, 2014 1:03pm
thedavincimode

Maggy

First a tip: never squint into the camera. Save it for casting spells.

Perhaps we could pop you on a pedestal up at North Cape. That should do the trick.

I’ll let the melons’ witchdoctor know that you are up for the gig and get him to arrange for your installation and transportation by environmentally sensitive horse and cart. I expect you’ll get lots of visitors – mostly pilgrims with worn out sandals, missing teeth, body odour, bad hair and macramé underwear. Russell might even wave down to you when he flies overhead on his way to environmental fact-finding visits to the other side of the globe.
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October 31, 2014 1:08pm
stephieboy

Manolo (13,834 comments) says:
October 31st, 2014 at 11:57 am

Why do you believe in such weird stuff.?

Should the poor be strung up and hung.??

Fletch, every time you quote Pope Francis or the Vatican there is this whiff of hypocrisy that even would make the Sanhedrin green with envy.!
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October 31, 2014 1:10pm
tom hunter

… as a number of commenters here seem to believe that the United States is the great evil in the world that must be defeated,

The thing is that such sentiments have been around forever, I was reading such stuff in the 1980’s and some of it dated from at least twenty years before that.

What’s different this time is that you’re seeing these old themes from the Far Left now emerging from the mouths of people who are – or were – supposedly “right-wing”, and perhaps still are in terms of religion and social conservatism. Your former blogmate Andrei being the numero uno of such a metamorphosis.
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October 31, 2014 1:11pm
kowtow

Notional have flakey mates in the Murri party.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/321791/government-survives-first-confidence-motion

“However, the Maori Party’s newest MP Marama Fox then tried to change the Maori Party’s vote to support the no confidence motion instead — something that would have been in breach of its confidence and supply agreement with National.”
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October 31, 2014 1:20pm
stephieboy

tom hunter, amen to that . I I note this Anti American sentiment is also rife among conspiracy theorists like Tyler Durden of Zero Hedge and Paul Craig Roberts etc let alone the likes of Noam Chomsky or Yoza.

As I Have pointed out before these people condemn the very thing that allows them to so freely disseminate their nonsense in the first place .!
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October 31, 2014 1:20pm

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