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December 23, 2014 8:00am by David Farrar

General Debate 23 December 2014

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Dave Mann

Good morning Kiwibloggers… Christmas is almost here 😀
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December 23, 2014 8:03am
waikatogirl

Did anyone see the story last night on TV1 news that “The Prime Minister could find himself in serious trouble over deleting his text messages from Cam Slater.

Jk is being investigated by the Guardian of Public Records, for not retaining all texts of the PM over the past 6 years.
The Chief Archivist is responding to a complaint from (that well known) Gweens Party MP James Shore.
The PM could face a fine of up to $5,000.00”

So, all the personal texts to Bronagh, his kids, and any other personal stuff is also, I presume, the property of NZ? Or does the Chief Archivist get to read every message of the PM before giving permission to JK to delete his messages?!
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December 23, 2014 8:04am
Pete George

Curia has been blasted by the Pope (the Roman Curia) in his Christmas message.

He began:

“Sometimes [Officials of the Curia] feel themselves ‘lords of the manor’ [It. padroni] – superior to everyone and everything,” forgetting that the spirit, which should animate them in their lives of service to the universal Church, is one of humility and generosity, especially in view of the fact that none of us will live forever on this earth.

He went on to list fifteen ‘diseases’ including:

– The feeling of indispensability “often stems from a pathology of power, the ‘complex of the elect….is the narcissism that looks passionately on its own image and does not see the image of God stamped on the face of others, especially the weakest and most in need.”

– “Existential schizophrenia” of double lives that create “parallel worlds”
– “Terrorism of gossip” that sows discord and that amounts to “cold-blooded murder” of friends and colleagues.
– Being “excessively busy” and not taking time for rest;
– Excessive planning of functionalizing, or trying to “close or direct the freedom of the Holy Spirit”;
– Bad coordination, like an orchestra that produces noise instead of music: “When the foot tells the hand, ‘I don’t need you,’ or the hand tells the head ‘I’m in charge’ “;
– Rivalry and vainglory: “When one’s appearance, the color of one’s vestments or honorific titles become the primary objective of life”;
– Indifference toward the needs of others: “When, out of jealousy or guile, you feel joy at seeing another fall rather than lifting them and encourage them”;
– Accumulation: “When the apostle tries to fill an existential emptiness in his heart by accumulating material goods, not because he needs them but because he’ll feel more secure”;
– Worldly profit and exhibitionism: “It’s the sickness of those who insatiably try to multiply their powers and to do so are capable of calumny, defamation and discrediting others, even in newspapers and magazines, naturally to show themselves as being more capable than others.”

Then he concluded.

After listing these ailments, Pope Francis continued, “We are therefore required, at this Christmas time and in all the time of our service and our existence – to live ‘speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love’”.

“I once read that priests are like aeroplanes: they only make the news when they crash, but there are many that fly. Many criticise them and few pray for them”, he concluded. “It is a very nice phrase, but also very true, as it expresses the importance and the delicacy of our priestly service, and how much harm just one priest who falls may cause to the whole body of the Church”.

He’s a very different sort of Pope. The ‘padroni’ may not like being told hard truth but it’s good to hear the Pope being prepared to shake up their self serving complacency.

His full message: Pope Francis: Christmas greetings to Curia
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December 23, 2014 8:05am
Left Right and Centre

What’s the best food to eat after sex ?

– Dr Oz tackles the tough questions concerning America’s many serious public health issues . . .
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December 23, 2014 8:06am
Reid

This story illustrates how twisted some in this country have become.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/64406798/kids-to-go-without-christmas-mum-says

I think it’s time to declare war on the entitlement mentality.

Jk is being investigated by the Guardian of Public Records, for not retaining all texts of the PM over the past 6 years.
The Chief Archivist is responding to a complaint from (that well known) Gweens Party MP James Shore.
The PM could face a fine of up to $5,000.00

He said at the time it was discussed he deleted them in case he lost the phone. This makes sense and I would not be surprised if it was in fact a security requirement. The Chief Archivist should be told to go to hell and the media should have done their job and reminded people that was the reason he did it, but I bet the story last night didn’t mention that bit at all, did it?
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December 23, 2014 8:09am
oldpark

Christmas special from the Mc Cullyserious joke Party ,which masquerades as the NZ Commie “Green” Party. A funny peculiar joke,that John Key should not be allowed to delete at least 1000 TEXT messages per day from his cell phone as they are public property. The taxpayer funded female so called “ARCHIVIST” has bought into the funny peculiar joke,that only a time wasting waste of space list party “Greens” could dream up. Seems rumour has it John Key will be found guilty, and a decree will be sent to all taxpayer funded public servants ,that it is an offence to delete text messages on their cell phones ,with a fine of up to $5000 dollars. Just think that 10% of NZ VOTERS ,who give the crazy “greens” a leg into parliament ,must agree with the funny peculiar MAC CULLY SERIOUS JOKE PARTY,masquerading as the “greens” and sanctioned by Russel Abnormal,and friar tucks reincarnation, Materialistic Turei.
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December 23, 2014 8:13am
Chuck Bird

This was discussed before on a thread the DPF stated. I do not think these allegations can be just dismissed out of hand and neither does Scotland Yard.

Paedophile MPs focus of Scotland Yard probe

By David Barrett
5:00 AM Tuesday Dec 23, 2014

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11378066
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December 23, 2014 8:13am
mikenmild

The text deletions is an interesting question. If the texts constitute a public record, then they theoretically should be kept to comply with the Public Records Act. I’ve never heard of anyone archiving texts for future reference, but I suppose it could be done, and probably should be done if the texts in question are public records, which are defined quite widely in the act.
I suppose I should really be keeping the text I’ve sent to the boss saying I’m not coming in today.
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December 23, 2014 8:13am
Pete George

Reid – that story isn’t so twisted. The Salvation Army said:

However, the Salvation Army says the parents are to blame for their family’s predicament because they have relied on handouts rather than trying to help themselves.

Salvation Army spokeswoman Brenda King said the family had never been put on the adopt-a-family scheme this year, effectively because they had failed to help themselves.

Shelly had been using the services of the Salvation Army for about two years and when she received more than three food parcels in one year she was referred to a budget advice centre to receive financial planning assistance, King said.

However, Shelly had not engaged with the budget advisory service so was not put on the adopt-a-family scheme, King said.

The Salvation Army’s aim was for its clients to get to the point where they could look after themselves and be self sufficient.

“If we keep handing out we are enabling them to stay in the situation they are in. We aren’t actually helping them at all in the long run.”

Shelly and her partner had six children and they were responsible for them, King said.

“I have been in touch with her budget advisor and she assures me they do have money. Like everyone Shelly has known Christmas is coming.”

Sounds like a very realistic and sensible approach from the Sallies to me.

It might be a bit embarrassing for the parents of six children who expected a hand out Christmas but sometimes life’s lessons need to be harsh.
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December 23, 2014 8:16am
Dave Mann

Oh shit. Joe Crocker has died. He was one of the true greats, and he never played the mindless ‘celebrity game’. RIP and thanks for the fine music. 🙁
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December 23, 2014 8:18am
Maggy Wassilieff

@ Waikatogirl… I wonder if anyone in the Green Party has ever been involved in running a business?

It is hardly prudent for businesses to retain every text/phone communication.

The Public Records Act 2005 clarifies the standard for retention of public records:

” Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.”
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December 23, 2014 8:19am
Chuck Bird

“Did anyone see the story last night on TV1 news that “The Prime Minister could find himself in serious trouble over deleting his text messages from Cam Slater. ”

I am no fan of the Greens but I think future procedures should be looked at. However, if there where no rules regarding the saving of texts and the PM did not save texts prior to this incident he certainly should not be charged.

The Greens has at least on minister during the last Labour government. I wonder if they saved texts.
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December 23, 2014 8:22am
IGM

PG: The continual bleating by those that are too tired to work, but can find energy to produce kids for monetary gain. What the hell can be done to make these bludgers take responsibility for their offspring, other than remove the kids, and cut their taxpayer-funded income.
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December 23, 2014 8:23am
tvb

The Chief Archivist can get these texts from the phone companies and only those texts that relate to official business. John Key should be allowed to continue to delete texts on his phones for security reasons.
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December 23, 2014 8:24am
m@tt

I thought the deal was that Sky City would fund the convention centre in exchange for some law changes. Now it looks like they also want public money to do it. So is this a case of market failure or did Sky City just screw up the numbers that badly, and if so why should the tax/rate payer have to bail them out?
Rates cash eyed for SkyCity
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December 23, 2014 8:24am
Simon

“Pakistan school massacre: Government to execute 500 jailed terror suspects after lifting death penalty ban”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/pakistan-school-massacre-government-execute-4856379

Summary execution. It is what is required. The West anit up to the fight. The fighting should be out sourced to people who can get the job done.
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December 23, 2014 8:26am
Left Right and Centre

Oh shit. Joe Crocker has died. He was one of the true greats, and he never played the mindless ‘celebrity game’. RIP and thanks for the fine music.

Wow – you must’ve been a big fan if you don’t even know the man’s freakin name – good one mate.
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December 23, 2014 8:31am
Reid

Reid – that story isn’t so twisted. The Salvation Army said:

Pete, why am I not surprised that yet again you’ve completely missed the extraordinarily elementary point I was making.

I know what the Sallies said because I read the fucking article, duh.

The reason I said it was twisted is because the family displayed an entitlement attitude of biblical proportions and that was what was twisted about it. Duh.

I mean seriously mate, how the fuck could anyone possibly misinterpret that simple statement?

And yet, once again, you manage to.

Again.

How about you desist from ever responding to any of my posts ever again. That way you won’t get into any more trouble, will you.

I assure you, I won’t miss in any way the tedious process of having to – sigh – correct you – over and over and over again.
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December 23, 2014 8:31am
Sofia

The Chief Archivist is responding to a complaint from (that well known) Gweens Party MP James Shore.

The Greens, obsessed with DIRTY POLITICS, are trying anything they can to nail the Prime Minister.
Obviously there may be a glitch in the Public Records law which has probably not changed since texting started, but then does it require all cell phone calls to be recorded and logged?

The Chief Archivist or some Records staff must be aware of John Key’s comment regarding deleting texts for security reasons since cells phone can easily be lost. So why, if it is an unforseen breach of records have they not contacted the Prime Minister about it, rather than have the Greens alert them to it?

And it will be interesting to see if anyone can fine the Prime MInister $5,000 for actions he has taken in the interests of national security 🙂
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December 23, 2014 8:34am
hj

“A leading Canadian race relations group has discovered a “troubling schism” among Canadians in regards to the country’s official multicultural policy.

While many Canadians are positive about multiculturalism at a theoretical level, most also told Leger Marketing they’re “uncomfortable” with the way it’s being acted out in practice.

Two out of three Canadians believe multiculturalism “appears to allow for the pursuit of cultural practices that are incompatible with Canadian values,” according to the survey of more than 2,000 people for the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF)”

British Columbians were slightly more inclined than most Canadians to stress the incompatibility, as well as to be concerned about the wearing of hijabs, niqabs etc.”
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/12/04/multiculturalism-incompatible-with-canadian-norms-say-two-of-three/
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December 23, 2014 8:35am
mikenmild

I don’t think there is much chance of the PM being prosecuted by National Archives. At most, ministers and senior officials will be reminded that they should ensure that they have systems in place to archive significant public records, which could include texts.
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December 23, 2014 8:39am
waikatogirl

He said at the time it was discussed he deleted them in case he lost the phone. This makes sense and I would not be surprised if it was in fact a security requirement. The Chief Archivist should be told to go to hell and the media should have done their job and reminded people that was the reason he did it, but I bet the story last night didn’t mention that bit at all, did it?

No Reid, they couldn’t get past their smiles. Who is this James Shore from the Gweens? I’ve missed his high profile.
You can imagine the ‘ brain storming’ annoying questions to ask of National. It’s a wonder they haven’t asked Penny to join their brains trust 😉
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December 23, 2014 8:42am
Colville

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/64406988/christchurch-homeowner-feels-justified-by-courts-decision

So the Supreme Court rules that the insurance company must fork out the cost of rebuilding the house on the now munted land, not just the cost of rebuilding a new house on ok land.

So, if this chap had owned a house on a cliff edge and half of his land had fallen into the sea during the quake the insurance company would have to pay for sky hooks to hold up the new house ?

So if this chap had owned a lake edge house and the land had slumped below lake level then the insurance company would have to pay to rebuild the house on piles to keep it above water level?

I find it odd.
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December 23, 2014 8:42am
mandk

@ Reid and Pete George,

I think the most significant statement is this:

“If we keep handing out we are enabling them to stay in the situation they are in. We aren’t actually helping them at all in the long run”

Well done to the Salvation Army for having the guts to say it. Socialists should recognise that truth, too. But that is probably too much to hope for.
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December 23, 2014 8:42am
Than

So is this a case of market failure or did Sky City just screw up the numbers that badly, and if so why should the tax/rate payer have to bail them out?

They shouldn’t.

The price rise is reported to be a combination of design improvements, and rising cost of construction. The later is presumably just the result of supply/demand with so much construction going into the Christchurch rebuild. The design improvements are SkyCity getting a better building, so that’s definitely their cost to bear. Rising construction costs, that’s a risk they would have been aware of going in. If construction costs had gone down they would have just pocketed the extra cash, so they have no grounds to start bleating just because the dice went against them.

If compliance and regulatory rules are adding significantly to the cost then maybe the government could look at intervening. But apart from that Steven Joyce should stand firm. If SkyCity want to walk, fine.
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December 23, 2014 8:44am
NoCash

Left Right and Centre (3,016 comments) says:
December 23rd, 2014 at 8:06 am

What’s the best food to eat after sex?

……

I know the answer… but only for ladies…
;-p
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December 23, 2014 8:47am
hj

Russell Brown

The web has changed the way we organise information in a very clear way: from the boundaried, solid format of books and newspapers to something liquid and free-flowing, with limitless possibilities.

A newspaper is complete. It is finished, sure of itself, certain. By contrast, digital news is constantly updated, improved upon, changed, moved, developed, an ongoing conversation and collaboration. It is living, evolving, limitless, relentless.

“This idea of a fixed and limited version of the truth applied particularly to the New Zealand in which I grew up, because – just as there were two kinds of beer and two brands of refrigerator – there simply weren’t very many versions of the truth to be had.

The colonial cacophony in media had long consolidated. Governments of either stripe had their used ownership of all broadcasting to control the discussion. For all that we revere Michael Joseph Savage, it is worth recalling that he not only nationalised all radio, he personally vetted the news radio put to air. For decades, it was forbidden to discuss politics or religion on the radio and for longer, to broadcast individual opinion.

Deregulation and re-privatisation did not, of course, necessarily fix things. In 2014, we have access to many brands of refrigerator but most of us get our radio from one of two large media companies. State radio, once a monolith, now seems like a blessed alternative.

Much more revolutionary, for me, anyway, was the discovery, on getting online in late 1992, of a group of people who knew things and were skillful and prolific in communicating what they knew. These were ideal attributes of journalism, but these people were not journalists. I found this exciting, but other journalists seemed to find it threatening, and some still do.”
http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/were-in-this-together/
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December 23, 2014 8:47am
Longknives

Meet the Left’s new Poster family for ‘Poverty’-

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/64406798/kids-to-go-without-christmas-mum-says
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December 23, 2014 8:49am
Sofia

Penny Bright, of the two Wellington region mayors you saw yesterday, what exact instances were you able to indicate to them as being examples of corporate corruption resulting from the establishment of the Auckland Super-city Council?

Precise examples like the Boag grab of Aucklanders funds as Cameron Slater has been whistle blowing on, or this morning’s item by him that calls for Local Government policing –

Everything I hear tells me that developers and property people are sick to death of Auckland Council’s officers ignoring the rule of law and doing whatever they like.

They run the Council much like a Mafioso or a fiefdom and like all narcissistic control freak organisations they are quick to react to the stinging criticism with fob offs and rebuttal.

… But one can hardly blame them for their unlawful behaviour – there isn’t anything that happens to them. No punishment. Not even a slap with a wet bus ticket. And thats why they do what they do. Time to police them.
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/12/auckland-councils-head-planning-thug-hits-back/#more-169426

What specific examples did you present yesterday?
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December 23, 2014 8:50am
Longknives

And very sad about Joe Cocker- Great voice and an absolute Icon from the Woodstock era..
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December 23, 2014 8:50am
Manolo

The radical NYC mayor is in trouble: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/nyregion/a-widening-rift-between-de-blasio-and-the-police-is-savagely-ripped-open.html?_r=0
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December 23, 2014 8:53am
Nukuleka

Reid:

It’s sad to see someone getting so riled so early in the morning and feeling the need to resort to foul language and acrimony. Relax, mate. It’s Christmas, and the family (presuming you have one) and Kiwibloggers deserve a break from the ranting and cussing that so obviously form such a significant part of the way you deal- or perhaps don’t deal- with life.

If you can’t get that negative and destructive aspect of your personality under control maybe you’d find a more natural and conducive blogging home over on The Standard.
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December 23, 2014 8:54am
Odakyu-sen

mandk

I agree. Help should always be aimed at helping people to help themselves.

The practice by some women on welfare to have extra children in order to stay on welfare (so-called “meal-ticket kids”) needs to be stopped.

The state should expect people on welfare to (temporarily) trade off their personal freedom in order to be supported by the workers’ taxes. Such freedoms would include the choice of where you live, use of private vehicles, and the choice of having children.

Is it really moral to have a system that produces helpless, needy people with a sense of entitlement?
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December 23, 2014 8:54am
Reid

No Reid, they couldn’t get past their smiles…. It’s a wonder they haven’t asked Penny to join their brains trust 😉

Smarmy little creatures, aren’t they.

They probably did, but as soon as she joined there was a “coincidental” and completely unforeseen market calamity of 1929 proportions that oddly disappeared straight after she left the room, but unfortunately too late since the press release about the text message deletion “scandal” had already been faxed to the astute 4th Estate watchdogs.

Normally of course the astute 4th Estate people would have straight away picked up on the error, but again unfortunately Penny at that moment “coincidentally” walked in to announce the upshot of her recent meeting with two Wgtn mayors and sadly the whole thing went to hell in a handcart after that, resulting in the widespread uptake by the astute 4th Estate watchdogs the results of which are still unfolding before our eyes and ears as the breathless mentalism continues unabated hour after wretched hour…
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December 23, 2014 8:57am
Hugh Pavletich

WILL THEY DE-CENTRALIZE THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL ?

Shipley to lead transition from Cera – Georgina Stylianou and Charlie Gates – The Press

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/64406938/Shipley-to-lead-transition-from-Cera

… Pavletich comment … in moderation …

The failure of the top-down centralized approach by Central Government, CERA and the Christchurch City Council have been obvious since the date of the first earthquake events 4 September 2010 … over 4 years ago now.

Early 2012, former Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns explained this serious issue most eloquently in a The Press Opinion … SHINING A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS …

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/6380541/Better-communication-can-shine-a-light-in-the-darkness

“For this city to best recover from its seismic nightmare, the process of decision- making needs to be inverted to truly empower communities. Such a radical change is very difficult to accept for anyone – of any political persuasion – who happens to be in power.”

“To date, the required response is tokenistic. A top-down command and control system may be appropriate in the days after a disaster but not in a recovery which will take years. Among the ultimate victims will be those who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk when it comes to true community engagement. Just look at the Christchurch City Council.”

The only question now is … will local community leaders belatedly take back real control by de-centralizing the Christchurch City Council?

Mayor Lianne Dalziel, with other elected representatives and Council CE Dr Karleen Edwards have said this must happen.

Sadly … the progress to date has been glacial. All talk and no action.
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December 23, 2014 8:58am
Hugh Pavletich

Surge of rebuild workers predicted – Tim Fulton – The Press

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/64406916/Surge-of-rebuild-workers-predicted

… Pavletich comment … in moderation…

When do they belatedly intend to release affordable land on the fringes of Christchurch, to allow desperately needed affordable housing to be built ?

Where is the new fringe starter housing at about $1,000 per square metre all up ( serviced lot and construction costs). Refer Andrew Atkin THE REAL DEAL …

http://andrewatkin.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/the-real-deal-housing-in-new-zealand.html

Christchurch housing is currently internationally rated “severely unaffordable” at about 6.0 times annual household incomes ( refer Demographia Survey http://www.demographia.com ).

A sustainable recovery cannot take place until the Authorities ALLOW affordable housing to be built.

It has been a very long wait indeed, since the first earthquake events 4 September 2010 … some 4 years now.

Hugh Pavletich
Co-author Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey
http://www.performanceurbanplanning.org/ & http://info.scoop.co.nz/Hugh_Pavletich
Christchurch
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December 23, 2014 8:59am
Manolo

Is it really moral to have a system that produces helpless, needy people with a sense of entitlement?

No, it is not. One wonders if the parasitical husband ever held a job, or was he too busy procreating?
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December 23, 2014 8:59am
waikatogirl

It is hardly prudent for businesses to retain every text/phone communication.

We certainly don’t keep texts from our business.

Hell, it would be RIDICULOUS to keep the (few) personal texts I receive and send, even they add up to an annoying number!

Off to do the last of the Xmas shopping… Merry Christmas!
Have a good day everyone
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December 23, 2014 8:59am
holysheet

As we all know, hullin the hun, was an avid texter. Can someone point me in the direction of the archive that has a true and correct record of all her texts. No? didn’t think so!!!!!
So why all this fuss about JK?
Oh thats right, it’s different when the left don”t it.
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December 23, 2014 9:03am
Reid

Is it really moral to have a system that produces helpless, needy people with a sense of entitlement?

And that’s the problem. It’s an approach that damages the recipients of the treatment, and their families.

And you see it in the mental health system as well as in the welfare system and also in the family court system.

Success in life is impossible if you feel you are a victim. And that is what the systemic approaches in these institutions encourage. And when it’s systemic it doesn’t matter if a particular case worker tries to inculcate the correct attitudes, it won’t work, because as soon as that case worker is assigned off that person, the system goes right back to what it’s been designed to inculcate.
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December 23, 2014 9:07am
Komata

Re: ‘ Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor[.

The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘Public office’ in the followign manner:

‘A position of authority or service involving responsibility to the public, especially within the government’.

It would seem that being a ‘Member of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition’ is ‘A position of authority or service involving responsibility to the public…’,

On that basis, and in the interests of the ‘equality’ that they are always going-on about, I would suggest that the ‘National Archivist’ must also be required to investigate and view the text records of ‘calls’ made by messers Norman, Turei,Shore et al, since what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

In the interests and fairness of course.

We all know that the Archivist won’t ‘because she hasn’t been asked to’, but one has to wonder if there would be a sudden ‘deafening silence’ from the gweens if that course was pursued.

If only…
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December 23, 2014 9:09am
Lucia Maria

Texts are like very short phone conversations. Just because they are written down doesn’t necessarily mean they should be archived. I doubt actual phone conversations need to be recorded for posterity, either. Or actual conversations between people.
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December 23, 2014 9:15am
mikenmild

Personally, I think an archive of text messages to and from MPs and public servants would be a fascinating resource for future historians. I’m not technically minded, but surely there are relatively straightforward ways of archiving texts for future reference.
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December 23, 2014 9:15am
Lucia Maria

Investor Peter Thiel Planning to Live 120 Years

The 47-year-old investor, who co-founded PayPal and made an early bet on Facebook Inc, said he’s taking human growth hormone every day in a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg Television’s Emily Chang.

“It helps maintain muscle mass, so you’re much less likely to get bone injuries, arthritis,” Thiel said in an interview in August. “There’s always a worry that it increases your cancer risk but — I’m hopeful that we’ll get cancer cured in the next decade.” Thiel said he also follows a Paleo diet, doesn’t eat sugar, drinks red wine and runs regularly.

Thiel’s Founders Fund is investing in a number of biotechnology companies to extend human lifespans, including Stem CentRx Inc., which uses stem cell technology for cancer therapy and Modern Meadow Inc., which is aiming to grow leather and meat in labs. Thiel said, however, that “it’s not yet clear whether people will eat it.”

He’s taking a bit of risk with expecting cancer to be cured over the next decade, but then by not having any sugar he might be cancelling that risk out. Be interesting to see if he lives as long as he wants – though I’d have to get to almost the same age to check up on him!
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December 23, 2014 9:20am
jcuk

The major question of our times, here in little young Kiwiland, is ” How do we look after the innocent young and vunerable while controlling their procurators to ensure there are not so many of them*?” [*the IYAV]
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December 23, 2014 9:31am
Odakyu-sen

Read @ 9:07 noted:
“Success in life is impossible if you feel you are a victim.”

If you feel you are a victim and someone “owes” you, then you will look towards “Big Government” to look after you. Therefore, Big Government will want to create as many “victims” as it can, to preserve and promote its symbiotic relationship with them.
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December 23, 2014 9:35am
jcuk

Mike 9.15 While it would maybe interesting what concerns me is the use of earth’s resources to keep the storage facilities running for all the TXT ing and other electronic communications ….at least paper usually rotted away to recycle itself.
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December 23, 2014 9:37am
you reap what you sow

Anyone looking for a non MSM review of the year will get a laugh out of this: enjoy!
http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/89840/2014-year-review
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December 23, 2014 9:38am
Hugh Pavletich

BANKING DISRUPTION IN CHINA …

Lenders look to attract deposits with goodies – Business – Chinadaily.com.cn

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2014-12/22/content_19137187.htm

… via …

US housing market stumbles; IMF sees boost from lower oil prices; banker bonuses up; Chinese saver disruption; oil prices rise; gold drops; NZ$1 = 77.3 USc, TWI = 78.4 | interest.co.nz

http://www.interest.co.nz/news/73471/us-housing-market-stumbles-imf-sees-boost-lower-oil-prices-banker-bonuses-chinese-saver-d

In China, a major banking transformation is unfolding. Mainline Chinese banks are hemorrhaging cash. That is because China’s savers have been pouring money into online money-market funds offered by the likes of Alibaba and Baidu. Yu’ebao, pioneered last year by Alibaba affiliate Alipay, drew 535 bln yuan (NZ$110 bln) in its first 15 months of existence from 149 million customers, (which is larger than the combined populations of France and the Britain). Users simply tapped a few buttons on their mobile phones to secure an annual rate of return that soared as high as 6.8% before falling to about 4% recently.

In response, the banks are offering their departing savers cash rebates, trips abroad, iPhone 6’s, cars, interest rates at the highest premium ever over the official benchmark rate, or even free vegetables. But the competition is expensive and they are getting nothing but higher costs from this situation. New deposits are 23% lower this year than last and costs are skyrocketing to win them.

This type of disruption is every banker’s fear and it is going on right now in China.
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December 23, 2014 9:39am
Odakyu-sen

It would be ironic if new companies in communist China (like Alibaba) offering competition to the traditional banking models manage to forment a banking revolution that challenges the established banks of the West.

Ain’t innovation and competition grand!
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December 23, 2014 9:48am
mikenmild

jcuk
Again, I’m no expert, but I should have thought it would be possible to transfer huge numbers of text messages to inert storage media.
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December 23, 2014 9:51am
Reid

mm, one assumes Key has taken advice from security experts who know what they’re talking about and who setup his phone for him accordingly.

Perhaps you’d be better relying on their professional expertise than trying to second-guess why a security policy is the way that it is. Lest you look at mental as the Gweens will when Key or the duty minister turns round and patiently explains to the assorted morons in the media and in politics just why the security policy has been setup the way that it has.
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December 23, 2014 9:58am
Tarquin North

How thoughtful of the Greens, giving us an own goal for Christmas complete with lashings of sanctamonious whining to top it all off. Thankyou Mr. Shaw, you’ve had your 15 minutes of fame and can now vanish back to your unelected bludging.
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December 23, 2014 10:00am
laworder

Reid wrote

He said at the time it was discussed he deleted them in case he lost the phone. This makes sense and I would not be surprised if it was in fact a security requirement. The Chief Archivist should be told to go to hell and the media should have done their job and reminded people that was the reason he did it, but I bet the story last night didn’t mention that bit at all, did it?

Well said, this is an extremely good point. Phones are easy to lose, I have nearly done it so many times.
Certainly I’d be deleting texts from my phone if I wasnt a total nonentity, and I probably should do so anyway for my own safety and security

Regards
Peter J
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December 23, 2014 10:04am
Paulus Gnome

I just cannot wait to see all Cunliffes texts to Matt McCarthy and Martin Martyn Martian and the pearl; fucktard Hager!

These must also be public record as having being created sent and received on a public pay phone (provided for his use by my largess as a tax payer)

Will the MSM ask? Answer on a postcard.
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December 23, 2014 10:06am
Yvette

The texting furore was of course over it emerging that Prime Minister John Key and Cameron Slater had texted the evening before the release of the Gwyn report.
So Labour demanded the texts be released, to show as they hoped, that the Report was discussed, out of line with the legal restraints to not do so. However the texting had been initiated by Slater to say journalists had confirmed to him that Goff had in fact leaked the Report.

The public release of the texts was through Cameron forwarding his copy to the Prime Minister’s Office, and so the discussion continues.
But without reference to the actual text, which the moment it was revealed it nailed Goff was totally ignored – the Opposition, Greens in particular – are arguing about keeping a text for eternity when they have immediately dismissed its actual content themselves.

What absolutely hypocritical bastards they are 🙂
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December 23, 2014 10:10am
mikenmild

I’m just wondering whether the Chief Archive will advise against the automatic deletion of text messages on security grounds. If security is the actual issue, then text messages that are in fact public records could be transferred periodically to secure storage.
I should have thought it unwise for any public official to use a cell phone for any business that should be kept strictly secure.
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December 23, 2014 10:11am
freemark

As we know the Greens invested a lot of (taxpayer funded) time and money on the failed “Dirty Politics” scam. It was an abject failure, almost to the extent of being an own goal. They may just be trying to recoup some of that investment..but in reality it appears they are just throwing (someone elses) good money after bad. Rumour has it one or two disgruntled supporters/members are starting to sing like canaries..will be an interesting Jan/Feb . .
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December 23, 2014 10:18am
doggone7

Sound of the day? Nigel Morrison throwing his toys out of the cot.
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December 23, 2014 10:21am
Grendel

I have to keep all records of client communication as part of my job so have an app that emails copies of all txts to my pa to file.

Dont know if its as secure as the pm would need but it works for me.
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December 23, 2014 10:22am
mikenmild

There won’t be much noise about that on Kiwiblog, doggone, until Steven Joyce has cooked up a new deal for DPF to promote.
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December 23, 2014 10:24am
Nookin

Grendel
Is your dad full-time?
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December 23, 2014 10:30am
Lucia Maria

EAD might want to read today’s Dom Post, pg A11. The article, ‘Is Putin bringing back the bad old days for ordinary Russians?’ spells out why Russia’s economy is not that crash hot. The main problem is lack of diversification and dependence on selling oil, coupled with the Kremlin’s fear of losing control of the population.

As the writer says:

It shouldn’t be this way. The one thing Russia doesn’t have a shortage of, after all, are brilliant scientists, programmers and mathematicians.

By rights, it should have a booming high tech economy. A Silicon Valley on the steppes. But that would require giving people the freedom to challenge authority, which is far too much for Putin when he thinks that any opposition amounts to a “fifth column”.

Washington Post link to the article: Putin’s Groundhog Day: The Russian people keep paying the price for their leaders’ incompetence, complete with graph that is referred to, but not published in the Dominion Post version.
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December 23, 2014 10:30am
Lucia Maria

Grendel,

I have to keep all records of client communication as part of my job so have an app that emails copies of all txts to my pa to file.

Is that because you charge for all your time?
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December 23, 2014 10:32am
mikenmild

Many professional firms are required to keep copies of all their communications for their public liability insurance.
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December 23, 2014 10:36am
wf

I can imagine the delight Hagerial ‘historians’ in search of ‘truth’ would have in immersing themselves in prime ministerial texts –
I have sympathy for the PM here. I wonder how many people have his mobile number? How many of those send unsolicited texts (the neighbours dog barks in the night; it’s still barking; and it’s keeping me awake etc.)
How many Penny Brights send important messages? How much abuse?
Gone are the days when the PM was listed in the phone book, and anyone could ring and complain about something, but I bet some people think texting is the modern equivalent.
Anyway, by about #50, I’d be deleting like crazy, or simply not reading any of them at all.
Incidentally, has anyone noticed the number of photos of the PM showing him reading his phone, lately? Of course he might be playing Candy Crush.
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December 23, 2014 10:43am
mikenmild

I would have thought that the PM would have someone to answer all those texts for him. Screen out the gibberish and leave him the important and personal ones.
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December 23, 2014 10:47am
rightoverlabour

Crap morning to all the miserable who read this blog! Good day to the rest of you. I would like some debate on this. Would using nukes be morally defensible to wipe out ISIS? If we are concerned about the fact that ISIS are human, we may need to look at the definition of human. It would be traditionally argued that DNA defines humanity. I would argue that behaviour defines it. And their behaviour shows a complete lack of what the rest of the world considers “Human”. Thus nuking them would be considered a morally acceptable solution. And hats off to Pakistan on the way they are dealing with the Taliban!!
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December 23, 2014 10:50am
EAD

@ LuciaMaria

When you compare the current state of Russia’s finances with those of the likes of the US, or the UK or even NZ, you realise just where the ‘real problems’ actually lay.

I mean, Russia has little in the way of debt, she has a good holding of foreign reserves, and, most importantly, she has been actively stockpiling ‘gold’ just for this very occasion.

Look at the UK, and the US for instance, with their many ‘zombie’ banks and companies. Zombie banks and companies that are only being ‘kept alive’ through the long term implementation of low interest rates. Along with all of the rounds QE that we have so far seen.

Zombie banks and companies that were bailed out using many TRILLIONS of Dollars, Pounds, and Euro’s. That is many ‘TRILLIONS’, not a mere £363 million.

I just think that we in the west have a bared faced cheek to criticise the likes of Russia, when we constantly ‘rob’ our savers and pensioners of their wealth in order to continue to subsidise our now ‘dead’ economies.

I mean. talk about hypocrisy.
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December 23, 2014 10:50am
mikenmild

How’s your gold buying going, EAD?
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December 23, 2014 10:51am
Komata

mm

Re: ‘I’m not technically minded, but surely there are relatively straightforward ways of archiving texts for future reference’.

The answer is ‘sort of’.

Unfortunately, while texts ‘could’ be archived in 2014, come 2035 (for instance), there may be absolutely no way of accessing them!! The theory is great, the technical reality is not, and ‘digital’ material that is being archived now will probably be unable to be retrieved in a few years. This has been the experience of many organisations (both government and private), and is a result of the way that the ‘computer-based’ technology on which our society now depends is changing so rapidly, as that technology is developed. As a consequence, items which are extremely hi-tech today are anything but within a (very) few years; the ‘Floppy disc’ being a classic example of this. Can YOU put a floppy Disc in your new 2014 computer? I certainly can’t and most of us are in the same situation. The technology required to read such items (even that archived (say) 10 years ago) is simply not available any more; something that could never have been foreseen, especially in the early days of the ‘digital age’. This situation will not of course change and, as technology improves, will probably become even worse.

There is also the simple reality that it is not physically possible to store examples of every computer made ‘against the day’ that the technology they contain may be required at some (unknown and undefined) ‘future’ time.

This ‘minor detail’ is of course, going to cause immense problems for any historian or researcher in the future; since although immense amounts of material will be ‘theoretically’ available, they will have absolutely no way of accessing it. Very frustrating of course and proving (at least to some, myself included), that ‘paper’ archives have certain ‘advantages’.

As I said, the answer to your question is ‘sort of’.

Hope this helps.
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December 23, 2014 10:52am
mikenmild

Thanks for that. I think that National Archives have policies about the retention and storage of electronic records, and the question of changing media over time would, I imagine, be a consideration for those policies.
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December 23, 2014 10:54am
cha

With A Little Help From My Friends (1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnfXoVCUAS4
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December 23, 2014 11:04am
Ross12

I think the Greens are trying hard to try to mitigate any damage to themselves when all the background to the Hager BS comes out. They are trying to pin something on JK so they can say” everyone is doing it” as a defence for their own activities.

Conspiracy thinking on my part , yes –but there has to be something behind the Greens continuing on with this rubbish. As I said yesterday did Norman archive his texts with Kim Dotcom ???
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December 23, 2014 11:15am
EAD

Gold buying is going good Mikey,

I don’t watch the price on a daily basis – I think of it more as insurance against the stupidity and vanity of politicians.

Something you hope you never need but when you do, it’ll be the one investment above all that you were glad you made.
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December 23, 2014 11:22am
mikenmild

Just sold all our scrap gold actually.
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December 23, 2014 11:28am
OneTrack

The looney lefties ( aka the greens ) and their witch hunt regarding Key’s texts.

These guys are now off the planet and it is even harder than it was to take them seriously. When contracts are being agreed via text, then sure, but, until then, what are these twits going on about?

JK has lots of verbal conversations with people too – does he need to carry around a stenographer on his back to take down everything he says – “for the public record”. When he scribbles a picture of a unicorn on a pad, is that “the public record” and we need an army of public servants (mike could move departments) to keep track of everything JK writes or says or farts.

Beyond farcical. And bordering on Orwellian.

Or they could do their real job and hold the government to account over their policies. Oh, that’s right – they have tried that and they failed. Now they are on to Plan Q – dig muck and show the country how much wasted public service overhead there will be if we ever have a Green/Labour government. Vote Green, and get a Stasi-style surveillance system at the same time. High-five.
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December 23, 2014 11:29am
mikenmild

I’m quite interested in public record keeping, One Track. If the Pm is conducting public business by text message, then there is a public interest in retaining copies of those messages. The public interest inherent in John Key’s doodle of a unicorn is less straightforward, although such pieces of ephemera tend to be of marketable value to collectors.
The pre-eminent example would be the Walter Nash papers. The man never threw anything away and it’s all stored in the archives now.
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December 23, 2014 11:33am
Redbaiter

The Greens only attack JK on text issues because as far as everything else goes he’s doing just as they want.

He’s a left wing socialist greenie pretending to be a National Party member when the people who founded the party would have long ago kicked his prog arse back where it belongs, into the Labour party.
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December 23, 2014 11:38am
Keeping Stock

Dear Russel Norman

Given that your party claims text messages are public records, please send me your taxpayer-supplied phone so I can check if there are any text exchanges between yourself, Martyn Bradbury, Kim Dotcom, Nicky Hager, Rawshark, Andrea Vance, Patrick Gower, John Campbell, Winston Peters, Hone Harawira, Matt McCarten and David Cunliffe.

Thanks a bunch, and have a happy (and phone-free) Christmas.

KS
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December 23, 2014 11:46am
OneTrack

mike – “If the Pm is conducting public business by text message, then there is a public interest in retaining copies of those messages”

What “business” is he going to be conducting via text? He is much more likely to be conducting “business” verbally, which leads to the logical outcome – his own personal fleet of stenographers ( 24/7/365 ) going everywhere with him to record everything he says, whenever he says it.

Because that is what the greens are basically saying they want out of Key’s phone. Hence my reference to the Orwellian nightmare.

Even if they go with the phone scenario – would there then be a requirement for Key to submit himself and his phone for daily downloading of all the texts for storage for the “public record”. Where would the public record be – on Hansard? Doesn’t that sound slightly East German to you? It does to me.

I think Key has a facebook page. Should that be recorded for the public record? If texts are, then why not.

Sorry mike, this is just a scary left-wing joke. It’s an expensive waste of time which the Greens are quite happy to screw around with, because they get paid heaps anyway.

Now, the next question is, how much of what our public service currently does, is just a waste of time and money like this?
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December 23, 2014 11:50am
Jack5

What loathsome scum the Islamic extremists are.

An escaped Yazidi woman tells of 3000 Yazidi girls and women captured and auctioned as sex slaves.

And some people with NZ residency or citizenship want to go and fight for these extremists.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30573385
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December 23, 2014 11:51am
fernglas

The stupid thing about this whole texting nonsense is that if the messages were oral communications, they could not be kept. So many misunderstandings and beaches of privacy come from texts, you would think the art of conversation might be reviving. No, it’s just too easy to press a few buttons and commit to the phone network things you would not dream of saying in person. It’s a bit like the debates on this blog……..
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December 23, 2014 11:54am
OneTrack

“The Greens only attack JK on text issues because ”

They have nothing else. Norman had his chance to step up while Labour were stalled. He didn’t, and it appears he didn’t because he doesn’t know how. He is just a hard-left activist who is now in the most well paid job he will ever have, for doing nothing except throwing dirt and more gotcha around.
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December 23, 2014 11:55am
OneTrack

m@tt – “So is this a case of market failure or did Sky City just screw up the numbers that badly, and if so why should the tax/rate payer have to bail them out?”

Not sure it is a case of market failure. Much more likely Sky City just screwed the numbers up.

I supported the pokie machine concession for them, but there is no way in hell that the taxpayer should be giving them any money, even if the development then fails.
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December 23, 2014 12:01pm
Komata

mm

You are correct about NZNA (as they are required by statute to do so), BUT, as I previously noted, having the information is all very well ACCESSING that information is the problem; the ‘Floppy Disc’ analogy being a good example of what is involved. There is currently no real solution to the problem. Where-as it is possible to access the information contained in a book printed in (for example) 1773, and to use that information, to access the information available on (again for example) a computer disc (actually tape) recorded on an Atari in 1973 is almost impossible; where, for instance would you even ‘locate’ a 1973 Atari computer, yet these were very hi-tech at the time, and even if you COULD locate an Atari, there would be no guarantee that the tape you had and wished to use on it, was even compatible anyway.

So what exactly DOES one do in these situations? There is no ‘universal’, ‘will last forever and be compatible with everything, irrespective of its age’ ‘computer system in existence, and, indeed, it is unlikely that there ever will be, and definitely not one that is ‘Free to use’ for ‘Everyone’.

Viewed from that perspective, books and the printed word do have a certain attractiveness…

However, IF (or, indeed anyone) you have any ideas Nat’ Archives (sorry, ‘Archives New Zealand’), the National Library of NZ, and many other organisations world-wide would be VERY interested to learn what they might be. Whoever can create such a system would, potentially, very, very wealthy.
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December 23, 2014 12:04pm
OneTrack

Longknives – “Meet the Left’s new Poster family for ‘Poverty’-”

At least, this time, the picture is more tightly cropped. So now you can’t see the My-Sky and the Xbox-1 under the 55-inch TV on the other side of the room.
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December 23, 2014 12:05pm
mikenmild

‘Now, the next question is, how much of what our public service currently does, is just a waste of time and money like this?’
What an excellent question. The answer of course is some of it.
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December 23, 2014 12:09pm
laworder

Rightoflabour wrote

Crap morning to all the miserable who read this blog! Good day to the rest of you. I would like some debate on this. Would using nukes be morally defensible to wipe out ISIS? If we are concerned about the fact that ISIS are human, we may need to look at the definition of human. It would be traditionally argued that DNA defines humanity. I would argue that behaviour defines it. And their behaviour shows a complete lack of what the rest of the world considers “Human”. Thus nuking them would be considered a morally acceptable solution. And hats off to Pakistan on the way they are dealing with the Taliban!!

And a very good morning to you….

And you raise an extremely good question actually, one that I would love to see debated in a wider context beyond just that of ISIS. The definition of humanity is something that has implications for all sorts of ethical issues around how we solve a number of pressing problems in society and in the justice system.

I completely agree with you that behaviour defines it, and will also make that definition somewhat blurry, in that there will end up being degrees of humanity, the vast majority being completely and unquestionably human, some falling in a grey area, and a small number definitively falling short.

That said, I dont know if I’d be comfortable with nuking ISIS, as too many innocents would also die as a result.

Regards
Peter J
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December 23, 2014 12:15pm
you reap what you sow

‘Now, the next question is, how much of what our public service currently does, is just a waste of time and money like this?’
What an excellent question. The answer of course is some of it.

well they could stop spending half the day reading and answering their spam mail. I predict this could lead to a halving of the number of civil servants and local body moronic wilder beasts.
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December 23, 2014 12:22pm
Reid

Someone needs to lookup the definition of asymetric warfare if they think nukes are the solution to ISIS.

What would be the solution is use the much vaunted powers of the NSA to trace its funding routes and execute with extreme prejudice using the Special Forces, those responsible for providing it. And if they did said executions in particularly brutal and painful ways and publicised them, pretty soon ISIS would find itself with no money at all.

But they’re not about to do that, simply because the funding investigations would trace back to what might be termed inconvenient sources.
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December 23, 2014 12:27pm
OneTrack

mike – “What an excellent question. The answer of course is some of it.”

I think I expected that :-). But maybe it is more than we should be comfortable with?
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December 23, 2014 12:29pm
OneTrack

“and local body moronic wilder beasts”

Call me pedantic 🙂 but it’s wildebeests.
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December 23, 2014 12:31pm
Nostalgia-NZ

ISIS have been in deep trouble since they became trapped in traditional open warfare, siege and ground attacks, at the point the allies introduced air attacks against them in response to their atrocities the writing was on the wall for ISIS. Recently, it has been reported that they killed at least 100 foreign fighters who wanted to leave the ranks. So 2 messages are presented that ISIS cannot win in a conventional war, ISIS will, without hesitation, kill its own soldiers. At the moment, because of an apparent inability, to change tact – they present a soft underbelly to their opponents, many already driven by hate that has replaced the fear ISIS previously attempted to instil. I think they have failed poorly, if they continue fighting against odds they can’t defeat – driven by pig mindedness or fear of failure, they weaken by the day and give the allies the chance of a resounding victory from which it will be difficult to rebuild, even if reverting to their clandestine tactics, their leadership looks to be being picked off. Too early to say, but had they not resorted to the terror tactics and engaged in traditional combat they may have been in a position to compromise in some way perhaps without the allies becoming involved, as it is – their position of provocation in a most gruesome way looks to be what most likely will defeat them or drive them deeply underground where they will still be hunted. Bloody good stuff.
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December 23, 2014 12:54pm
OneTrack

mike – “I would have thought that the PM would have someone to answer all those texts for him.”

I’m losing you here mike. It’s a phone. It’s in Key’s pocket. It makes a beeping noise indicating a text has arrived in the inbox. So, you being the public service aficionado that you are, think Key would (or should?) have a person standing there at all times, who would fumble in Key’s pocket for the phone, view the text, ring Russel Normal or Rachel Smalley to check if it is ok for Key to look at the text (well, it might be from Cameron Slater – ohhhhh, the horror) , and then pass the phone to Key.

Is that what you are saying?
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December 23, 2014 1:17pm
Grendel

Lucia, i am required to keep a record orf all correspondence for 7 years after someone ceases to be a client (so potentially past my own death as i have very long term clients) due to the wonderful regulation that relates to my profession (financial services)

As i have many clients who like to have detailed relevant conversations via txt, i decided it made sense to keep copies of txts as well, so got an APP that emails all txts sent and recieved to my P.A, who files them. we also will copy and past any Facebook message conversations into word docs and save them as well

Possibly over the top but the regulators can decide what the rules are so better safe than sorry

For MPs i cannot see how the PM is any different to any other MP for records. IF JK has to keep all his txts and they are discoverable, then so too are all of russell normans to kim dotcom and the arsonists working for his party in 2011. Remember the greens only like rules for other people, not for themselves
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December 23, 2014 1:22pm
mikenmild

Well OneTrack, let’s say John Key’s number has become so widely known that he gets 100 texts per day. At a certain point, it would become highly inefficient for him to read every text and decide whether to respond to each one. So, can’t he have all his texts forwarded to an assistant who would sort them, much like email, and only leave the ones that Key actually needs to see?
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December 23, 2014 1:25pm
Biscuit

Curious that the Red Greens nutter who is demanding Mr Key effectively make public all of his texts isn’t one of the senior Red Green nutters but rather is among quite a few of the Red Green ilk who 90% of the public have never heard of?

Is it possible, you think, that Wuss and Clotheshorse are treading warily and just ‘feeling the water’ – i.e. waiting for the public to make a call before they offer us their so-valued (dripping sarcasm, there) opinions?

Equally curious is that the Red Greens, so much on the side of individual rights during the GCSB debate, are so anti individual rights in this instance.

Hypocritical, no?
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December 23, 2014 1:30pm
Lucia Maria

EAD,

I mean, Russia has little in the way of debt, she has a good holding of foreign reserves, and, most importantly, she has been actively stockpiling ‘gold’ just for this very occasion.

That’s not what I’m reading:

More bad news for Putin: Russia’s banks need to be bailed out now

That’s money that Russia is going to start running out of. It spent $97 billion unsuccessfully defending the ruble this year, and although it has over $400 billion left, only half of that may really be useable. Now, it has managed, at least for now, to stabilize the ruble at around 61 per dollar by spending a little bit more of its war chest of dollars. But that doesn’t change the reality that the fundamentals of its economy are weak—and are only going to get worse.

And:

Ex-minister Kudrin warns of ‘full-fledged crisis’ in Russia

Kudrin — a darling of investors who is credited with building Russia’s $170 billion sovereign wealth funds — warned that Russia risked having its debt downgraded to junk status in 2015.

“Today, I can say that we have entered or are entering a real, full-fledged economic crisis. Next year we will feel it clearly,” the former minister told a news conference.

News just updated on Washington Post by the author I quoted in my first comment today, Matt O’Brien: Russia’s financial crisis just claimed its first victim: A bank with Bruce Willis ads

There are two lessons everybody eventually learns this time of year: Santa isn’t real, and you can’t trust Russian banks that run ads with Bruce Willis saying “When I need money, I just take it.”

The latest news is that Trust Bank, Russia’s 32nd-largest by assets, is getting a 30 billion ruble, or $531 million, bailout from their central bank. That makes it the first Russian domino in what figures to be a long line of them as the country’s economic crisis turns into a currency crisis that morphs into a financial crisis—which will only make the economic one even worse.
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December 23, 2014 1:54pm
waikatogirl

PGnome: I just cannot wait to see all Cunliffes texts to Matt McCarthy and Martin Martyn Martian and the pearl; fucktard Hager!

***

Oh Please! pretty please, can we see those texts! If they are embargoed for ‘security reasons’ I’m going to live for the next 50 years just so I don’t miss out. They would be priceless 😉
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December 23, 2014 2:17pm

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