General Debate 18 January 2017

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BarryB

Oh dear – Sir Bob Jones is in trouble now – not that he (or anyone else ) will give a rats arse about it. As usual his comments about social matters are bang-on.

Mother Devoid will be after him for his comments about street beggars. He’s quite right of course – but the truth doesn’t seem to get through to the Do-gooders and the modern Liberals.
They are a disgrace.
They make the place seem third world (and we are closer to that than we like to believe)
They do make some people feel unsafe.
They are often maori.
And frankly they deserve a good kicking for laying on the street like a heap of goat shit.
And there is absolutely no excuse for them to beg – just as there is no excuse for being homeless. We have a welfare hand out system.
(and don’t give me a load of crap about cost of houses in places like Auckland. Yes they are costly – so move the hell out of the place and head for Aria or Onga Onga or Blackball etc where housing is cheap and –if you have children – they will get a really good rural education and they wont be tempted by fast food and gangs and all that shit.)
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January 18, 2017 8:01am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  You forgot fat in the descriptions of the ‘beggars’
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:10am
- Liberty
  
  Trafalgar St in Nelson is like the 3rd world with its begging Bum.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:10am
  - Lance
    
    Just one beggar?
    Luxury
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:30am
    - Liberty
      
      Luxury
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo
      
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      January 18, 2017 9:35am
  - Happychappy
    
    I wonder whether the Teletubby Co Leader from the Green Party will advise her Nelson Candidate and Counsellor to blame John Key for that to.
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:11am
    - Gabby
      
      How’s the crappy diet going, chappy? Can you see your toes yet?
      
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      January 18, 2017 12:46pm
- lifesgood
  
  Seen Queen St lately? What a pig stye with pigs lying everywhere. Should be a law against it.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:11am
  - peterwn
    
    There used to be – was something like ‘being a rogue and vagabond by soliciting alms in a public place’. Seemed laws such as this and similar ones such as being ‘idle and disorderly by not having means of support’ (usually interpreted as having insufficient cash for one nights bed in a flop house) were written out in the 1960’s or so as being out of date and unnecessary. A guy in the 1930’s got nicked on this one and spent a couple of months in Mt Eden despite having a home and family because the cops wanted to ‘do’ him and the magistrate went along with it.
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:26am
  - GoVege
    
    They have some uses.
    A young P I lawyer I know told me her dad took her to Queen Street to show her the homeless people.
    He told her: “if you don’t study hard, you could end up here”.
    It worked.
    
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    January 18, 2017 5:09pm
- PhilBest
  
  Bit of a daydream: Sir Bob Jones “does a Trump” in NZ…..?
  
  He’s far closer to the model than Winston, Gareth Morgan, or any other pretenders.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:12am
  - Dave Mann
    
    Yes… I was thinking exactly the same when I read the Herald’s report about him online this morning 😀
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:42am
  - Manolo
    
    I believe nobody is closer to the common man than the ponderous Gareth Morgan, The Sage of NZ.
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:43am
  - Liberty
    
    You are off your mark there. Sir Bob is nothing like Trump.
    Sir Bob is all words of wisdom.
    Trump with his bigoted ranting is just a clone of our Winston.
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:47am
    - PhilBest
      
      Lotta people describe sir Bob as a “bigoted ranter” too. It is more a matter of where on the political spectrum the judgement is stated from. Including about Trump.
      
      For example, he just has different ideas to libbewwals, about how to solve the ghetto problem. He says he will gain in share of black vote between now and next election. Libbewwals have been failing for decades. Their response to anyone wanting to try some other approach, is to call them a “bigot”. Should the other approach succeed, libbewwals will remain in deep denial regardless.
      
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      January 18, 2017 9:59am
    - Komata
      
      Liberty
      
      So that everyone is speaking about the same thing, please define ‘Bigoted’.
      
      Thank you.
      
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      January 18, 2017 10:40am
- mandk
  
  The beggars in Wellington are feeling more entitled.
  
  One in Lambton Quay yesterday had a sign saying he wanted $1,910. Another had a sign saying she was waiting for someone to gift her $20.
  
  I don’t believe that either was really in need. There are some beggars who are obviously ill or substance dependent, but they ought to be in care or on a programme of some sort, rather than on the streets.
  
  But while I’m here, would anyone care to gift me $5,000? I can supply my account details for funds transfer.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:18am
  - BarryB
    
    Why dont you start a “Give a little” page. Come up with some story like “Ive just been told Ive got cancer and my kids are going to starve” etc.
    
    Im waiting for the story from some female who says that shes pregnant and that shes “Never been with a man”
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:30am
    - mandk
      
      Good advice. Thank you.
      
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      January 18, 2017 8:36am
    - kowtow
      
      Yeah but where are you going to find the three wise men ?
      
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      January 18, 2017 10:15am
    - G152
      
      And her first name is Mary…..m 🙂
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:01am
    - GoVege
      
      Worked pretty well for one chick about 2000 years ago. ..
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:04am
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        There was a star in the east . . . .
        
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        January 18, 2017 1:16pm
  - RalphT
    
    Sure, mandk, happy to give you $5000. As well as your account number can you give me PIN to make the transaction easier?
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:59am
    - mandk
      
      You’re not from Nigeria, are you?
      
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      January 18, 2017 9:36am
      - RalphT
        
        Me? No, I’m a sweet Russian girl eager to meet you, though I might need a little financial assistance in order to visit your fine country.
        
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        January 18, 2017 10:30am
  - Kimbo
    
    But while I’m here, would anyone care to gift me $5,000? I can supply my account details for funds transfer.
    
    “American Express?”
    
    “That’ll do nicely!”
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:08am
    - VicParking
      
      Send me your bank accpint details including your password and I will deposit the $5000,. My uncle from Nigeria is going to send me $100m in the next couple of days
      
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      January 18, 2017 10:53am
  - GoVege
    
    I was asked for $20 for a packet of fags by a toothless Maori girl a month ago.
    She looked so pitiful, I told her “fags are bad for you, here’s $2 for something from that hot bread shop”.
    Maybe we should be less harsh and somebody should do an investigation into WHY we have all these pathetic, mainly Maori beggars, on our streets.
    I bet most of them come from huge families, mum and dad (if they know who dad is) spend half their life in the pub and pokies.
    Maori Party….step up and take some responsibility for the state of your race!!
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:43am
    - Komata
      
      GV
      
      Re: ‘Maori Party….step up and take some responsibility for the state of your race!’
      
      Surely Sir, you joke!! Since when did the MP take care of the ‘lower orders’ within their own? They (the MP’s MP’s are from the top of the tribal pecking order and they NEVER mix with the lower classes; they might contaminate them (the lower classes that is).
      
      There is as a result, absolutely no chance of ‘their own’ being taken care of – except when it is politically ‘convenient’ to do so and to ‘get one in’ against whitey.
      
      Because this is the way it has always been, I assumed that you knew all that?
      
      (BTW I hit the Report key by accident; sorry).
      
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      January 18, 2017 10:46am
      - GoVege
        
        I live in hope, komata, that things might possibly change.
        But with the MP and other Maori “leaders” forever harking back to a mythical Maori paradise that never actually existed, it’s unlikely.
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:09am
      - marcw
        
        Ah but Princess Mahuta has had indelible scribble on her face now, so that will fix everything – even the young beggars will see that as a path to employment. Next signs – “Want a Job urgently. Need $3000 for my scribble disfigurement. Please donate.”
        
        How many years has the Princess managed to cope on the taxpayer tit again? Without her apparent solution becoming obvious?
        
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        January 18, 2017 1:39pm
  - Fletch
    
    On Stuff yesterday they featured a beggar from West Auckland who makes $150 a day.
    
    A west Auckland beggar who says he makes up to $150 a day claims a “begging syndicate” aggressively targets shoppers.
    
    Conrad is one of a number of beggars in Henderson’s Lincoln North Plaza. Some of the other beggars – shoppers complain – are aggressive and allegedly work as part of a begging “syndicate”.
    
    Conrad says he is not homeless, but says he begs every day and will continue to do so “unless the police drop me dead”. He claims the other beggars are part of a syndicate that he does not like associating with because they are too aggressive.
    
    He says he is not aggressive when he begs. “I just ask,” he said.
    
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/88264521/west-auckland-beggar-makes-up-to-150-a-day
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:55am
    - waikatogirl
      
      Yep, but the bleeding hearts have not mentioned that the Westy begger says clearly that the majority are addicted to drugs.
      
      So that’s why they are on the street demanding more money off the people who have already paid their benefit.
      
      I find this double dipping horrendously discourteous to the poor old taxpayer, but still the left demand more…
      
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      January 18, 2017 12:01pm
  - GoVege
    
    If they can read and write, they’ve got no excuse for begging.
    Many Maori are illiterate.
    This is usually because of being kept back from school to raise the babies mum keeps having,
    1) to prove she’s a “real woman” (the more kids, the more womanly she is.)
    2) to prove how manly her partner is, (if she’s got one)
    3) because every child is a gift from God so you mustn’t use contraception and make God cross.
    
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    January 18, 2017 5:53pm
- Lance
  
  We all know that street beggers are a distinct race
  Therefore Bob Jones is being a RACIST
  
  Susan to the rescue
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:28am
- dime
  
  Dime had a begger come up to him last week and state that he didnt know where his next meal was coming from..
  
  dime replied – neither do i! i dont know im in gonna go to KFC or McDonalds! now get outta here you homeless fuck!!
  
  I may have stolen that off rodney rude.. still makes me laugh though
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:11am
  - Gabby
    
    I wondered why dime was a spotty tub o’ lard.
    
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    January 18, 2017 12:53pm
- Michael
  
  I’m very worried about Sir Bob. He’s actually become one of those people who say, “There ought to be a law against it.” The Sir Bob Jones that we all know and love wouldn’t ever, ever utter those words.
  
  Instead he’d insist on Gareth Morgan’s home being turned into a shelter for the indigent and Metiria Turei and the Greens (plus their fellow travellers in Parliament) to be paid minimum wage while the money saved is diverted to the Gareth Morgan Shelter for the Fat Disgraces to Society.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:16am
- B.L.Zeebub
  
  Lizzy, the queen of the Virtue signalers will be frantically tapping out her self-righteous indignation ask we speak,how dare a privileged old white man prick give an opinion on a subject some halfwitted repeater asked him a question on.
  
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11784114
  And so it begins, the copy sorted for the next week,job done.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:16am
- Mr_Blobby
  
  “They are often maori.”
  
  The vast majority are Maori. That’s fact how can a fact, be racist. Lets call a spade a spade, or a big fat obese waste of space maori. A big fat obese waste of space maori.
  
  Not to mention obese. Most of them look like they have never missed a meal. They are just tacking the piss.
  
  If they got off their bums and started moving around with a purpose they would be on the way to turning their lives around.
  
  I don’t ignore them, one look and they don’t ask.
  
  As for that waste of space NZ Horrid, even with the vast majority supporting Bob Jones they are still trying to skew the story to their point of view. Sorry NZ Horrid it is not working. Can you take the New Zealand out of your name it is embarrassing.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:37am
  - PhilBest
    
    I once saw a well-presented Maori bloke telling one of these beggars, “get off your fat arse, bro, get a job”.
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:01am
    - Lance
      
      We were in Raro at a tourist attraction, a cultural village sort of experience.
      We went to the fishing hut/area and this guy there started his wee spiel just like all the others… except he said ” there used to be large fish inside the reef but now there is practically nothing left because our people have become fat and lazy takers with no self respect and certainly no respect for the sustainability of the reef.
      
      So bloody funny. Only a Rarotongan would get away with berating his own people this way.
      
      What a dude.
      
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      January 18, 2017 3:43pm
  - GoVege
    
    A lot of Maori are depressed…who can blame them with put-downs their whole lives.
    Maybe that’s why they have trouble “moving”.
    Unfortunately even their own mums do it.
    Several times I have heard Maori mothers call their little girl a “useless c**t”.
    But then Maori women are virtually coerced into having kids from an early age so all that anger and frustration has to go somewhere…
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:17am
- Stars And Stripes
  
  Beggars are no more than smelly trash who should not be romanticised and fawned over like some sections of the media do.
  Disgust and derision are the only feelings they evoke in me as they carry on their fetid lives in doorways and dumpsters in full view of everyone.
  Shameless.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:38am
- oldpark
  
  Sounds like NZs seven star Social Welfare system, does not cut the mustard,in the eyes of the bleeding hearts,and do gooders hoping for a New Year Honour. Wonder how they will get the begging beggars,to come up with a plan to get them off the streets, especially they would lose tax free $150 a day, on top off their seven star benefit payments.
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:21am
- GoVege
  
  Surely you can’t expect these people to move out of Auckland!
  They might have to get up at 5am to milk moo cows….like my grandpappy did when he came here from Europe.
  They might miss their relies…
  like my grandparents did.
  They might not be able to talk the lingo…like my grandparents….no, hang on….
  Anyway, far easier (for them, anyway) for the taxpayers to fork out $1200 a week to put them up in a nice motel.
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:50am
- BananaLlama
  
  He’s half right at least from first hand experience you can’t even have a smoke after a few drinks in Auckland city without bloody beggars flocking around you like seagulls after a fishing trawler.
  
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  January 18, 2017 12:18pm
- mikenmild
  
  The Spinoff have accurately summed up Bob Jones:
  http://thespinoff.co.nz/society/18-01-2017/opinion-bob-jones-can-now-descend-back-down-into-the-abyss-from-whence-he-came/
  
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  January 18, 2017 12:49pm
  - pentwig
    
    Just more lefties venting their anger, envy and jealousy about a self made man.
    The arseholes deserve to be poor Milky.
    
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    January 18, 2017 1:32pm
    - MCos
      
      He may be a ‘self-made man’ with a mansion on a hill, but for all his millions in the bank he just seems to be a grumpy old malcontent.
      Maybe after a lifetime of achievement & hobnobbing with NZ’s rich & famous Bill English won’t take his calls.
      
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      January 18, 2017 2:40pm
      - pentwig
        
        Really?
        Why?
        
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        January 18, 2017 8:22pm
- GoVege
  
  BarryB, the problem is not the lack of money /welfare, it’s the lack of decent parenting (plus contraception.)
  Ann Tolley is trying to do something about it, by placing kids, not on the basis of being “whanau”, but in the kids’ best interests.
  This woman needs all our support to make sure Kiwi kids are no longer raised by losers and end up on the streets.
  Otherwise we all pay.
  
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  January 18, 2017 4:11pm
Longknives

If mouthy Bantamweight Susan Devoy dares to take on veteran Heavyweight Bob Jones over this I’m picking a first round knock-out!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11783845
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January 18, 2017 8:03am
Manolo

Obama’s legacy:
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/01/17/10-killed-29-wounded-in-mlk-day-weekend-shootings/

At least 39 people have been shot across Chicago over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend, leaving 10 dead.
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January 18, 2017 8:05am
- cmm
  
  Yes we can!
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:17am
  - Gabby
    
    The lousy cmmists.
    
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    January 18, 2017 12:57pm
Jack5

Conman preying on backpackers turns nasty.

His name is unfortunately similar to that of a reputable political operator in NZ. Care needed by those in the MSM spelling it.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/88213814/conman-wayne-eaglesome-allegedly-behind-ugly-posts-targeting-accusers
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January 18, 2017 8:09am
Manolo

Top Washington bureaucrats and elite feel threatened:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/us/angst-simmers-in-washington-as-trump-presidency-nears.html?_r=0
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January 18, 2017 8:09am
- Inandout
  
  The ‘old tribe is feeling angst’. Bloody good show!
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:14am
Hugh Pavletich

Canterbury rebuild ‘plateau’ knocks business confidence to four-year low | Stuff.co.nz

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/88494124/canterbury-rebuild-plateau-knocks-business-confidence-to-fouryear-low

Business confidence in Canterbury has plummeted to its lowest level in four years, but it is no surprise to the Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (CECC).

The employment and construction sectors are reporting less demand for their services as the central-city rebuild momentum slows.

A Westpac McDermott Miller Regional Economic Confidence survey for December found 14 per cent of Cantabrians expected the region’s economic fortunes to improve over the coming year. … read more via hyperlink above …

CHRISTCHURCH CENTRAL AREA – IS THE PARTY OVER ? … THE PRESS

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/88246094/christchurch-nightlife–is-the-party-over
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January 18, 2017 8:10am
- Jack5
  
  “To rent” signs become frequent in Christchurch residential streets.
  
  The rebuild plateau marks the real revival challenge.
  
  Now the city will feel some of the business down sizing or recent years, such as tax-free Sanitarium moving production north. The big factory now a big (Mitre 10) retail store.
  
  This follows the conversion of what was the Feltex carpet factory into a supermarket, and the closing of the Firestone tyre factory and its replacement by new blocks of offices.
  
  Many hundreds of jobs gone that once sustained Christchurch families. Meanwhile, the fastest growing sector may be the plethora of fast-food joints largely staffed by Asian “students”.
  
  A recipe for economic stagnation.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:21am
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Jack5 … Excellent points and thank you.
    
    A Regional Economic Report from MBIE back Nov was most interesting.
    
    Over the past 10 years the compound employment growth for ChCh has been a woeful 0.3% … Waimak 5.3… and Selwyn a staggering 9.8%.
    
    Can you hear that great big sucking sound for Christchurch going forward … as the downturn really sets in … and fast ?
    
    This will all be speeded up by the anti-business Christchurch City Council of course … where the dead in the head bureaucrats STILL rule supreme !
    
    Mayor Lianne Dalziel and CE Dr Karleen Edwards haven’t started in to sorting these guys out yet.
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:43am
    - Rodney Randall
      
      “Mayor Lianne Dalziel and CE Dr Karleen Edwards haven’t started in to sorting these guys out yet.”
      
      They have certainly been very busy adding to the bureaucracy with the appointment of 2 Maori Race Relations Advisors,, a 6 person Maori Committee and a Mayoral Co Chair, an Eco Architcect Advisor, and a Rockefeller appointed Chief Resilience Officer.
      
      We are not allowed to know what their positions cost the rate payer, because apparently as unelected staff, that would infringe their ‘natural persons’ rights. So they avoid transparency and accountability by hiding behind this clause.
      
      Throw in a rapidly escalating $95+ mill monument to pomposity (library) and you see where this shit heap is headed.
      
      Chch needs a group similar to Auckland Rate Payers to get Chch councillors to sign a pledge to cap rates.
      
      The dumb f#$ks sitting around the table are subordinate to the real criminals upstairs – the glut of overpaid senior managers and underlings who rule the roost.
      
      Lianne Dalziel’s office cost north of $1mill to run and she has her own diary nanny and a presidential suite of minders and PR hacks.
      
      This BS has to stop.
      
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      January 18, 2017 9:05am
      - wiseowl
        
        Christchurch needs a Penny Bright!
        
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        January 18, 2017 10:51am
      - Jack5
        
        Rodney Randall is right about the Christchurch City Council. Lianne Dalziel has been a disappointment. The previous mayor, who stuck his head above the parapets almost daily, copped a lot of criticism, but Dalziel snoozes away, enduring little criticism.
        
        Incoming waves of MBAs in top jobs and added management tiers have made the council even top-heavier.
        
        Race relations advisers are an example of the council extending its role into what has been the field of central government.
        
        Meanwhile the model of plan then raise the cash has seen rates rising. No-one seems to give a rat’s arse for the ratepayer.
        
        With the Christchurch Press being squeezed in size and resources by the flight of advertising to the internet and with the sad closing of the regional TV station, bureaucrats and councillors blunder on with too little challenge.
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:18am
      - marcw
        
        Reply to Jack5 – problem there is that the Press Editor and the Mayor are BFF’s. There will be no cross words between the sisterhood.
        
        Sorry, hit REPORT in error too.
        
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        January 18, 2017 1:49pm
- Rodney Randall
  
  CHRISTCHURCH CENTRAL AREA – IS THE PARTY OVER ? … THE PRESS
  
  This article is quite frankly some of Liz’s best work.
  
  Usually this Press reporter is a captive parrot for the real estate agents and real estate advertising dollar, however in this piece she reveals the sad truth about businesses in the central pit.
  
  Well done Liz for an honest, sober piece.
  
  Thanks for posting Hugh
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:36am
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Thank you for your comments Rodney.
    
    I too was very impressed with Liz’s effort above.
    
    It is very heartening.
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:48am
- cmm
  
  To some extent the Canterbury economy has recently been running on other people’s money. ie. overseas insurance underwriters funding the rebuild.
  
  That has largely made up for the losses caused by disrupted business. There will be a bit of a lag while normal business kicks into gear again.
  
  Transitions are always a bit worrisome so it is really no surprise that business confidence takes a hit.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:42am
oldpark

Was wondering why there are so many Maori beggars on the streets of Wellington and Auckland. With the separate Maori economy said to be in the vicinity of $40,000,000,000 Billion dollars,who is getting the money. Seems the Maori Billionaires have a lot more money than our man for all reasons and seasons Bob Jones,when it comes to telling it like it is.He certainly would not be a candidate for the Emperors New Clothes myth,Unlike the weeping wailing, holier than thou pests who frequent cap in hand so called charitable institutions,heart scared that they will be out of a job,if bludging defacto beggars are exposed to the truth.
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January 18, 2017 8:15am
- Manolo
  
  The truth hurts.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:19am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    So does a kick up the jacksi
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:23am
- PhilBest
  
  There are people who have been trying to persuade Sir Bob to “do a Trump” in NZ.
  
  He fits the profile like nobody else. Certainly not Winnie Peters or Gareth Morgan.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:22am
  - Viking2
    
    Done it once already. N Z Party and wiped Muldoon out.
    13% of the vote from memory but no seats in Parliament under fpp.
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:28am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    Jones enjoys life and speaking his mind too much to be a politician. firing shots at various snowflake agendas is far easier and more entertaining for him.
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:30am
    - Inandout
      
      And he is untouchable with no retail outlets or products to boycott, the socialists must simmer with frustration when he speaks.
      
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      January 18, 2017 8:39am
    - PhilBest
      
      Yeah, but that’s Trump to a T. “Firing shots at various snowflake agendas” and winning the Presidency.
      
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      January 18, 2017 10:03am
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    Would be great. A NZ Trump would drain the gutters and doorways of the scum that laze on Queen St with their begging bowl. They really are an embarrassment – the tourists have second thoughts.
    Waaaahh waaahh here come the liberal snowflakes
    
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    January 18, 2017 6:27pm
  - stephieboy
    
    Phil Best , what about this chap ?
    
    https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rBfZgXuXcwg/hqdefault.jpg
    
    Alt right to the core !
    
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    January 18, 2017 6:30pm
- cmm
  
  “Was wondering why there are so many Maori beggars on the streets of Wellington and Auckland.”
  
  The hand-out system has been training them for years to expect koha to fall from the sky, so what would you expect?
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:44am
  - Steve (North Shore)
    
    Falls from the 9th floor
    
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    January 18, 2017 6:28pm
- Komata
  
  The rationale goes something like this:
  
  IF Maori receive a ‘treaty settlement’ then it should be invested to make more money rather than divide it amongst the members of the tribe. By doing the latter (sharing it out) each individual within the tribe will get only a small amount and it will soon be spent. By ‘investing’ the money instead, the whole tribe profits. The theory is a good one, but falls at the first hurdle in that the money gained by investing rarely ‘filters down’ to the ‘lower orders’ but instead swirls around at the top of the tree and is repeatedly invested . Casual observation suggests very strongly that those within the tribe who do the investing become addicted to the idea and suffer from the well-known ‘short arms; deep pockets’ disease that is a characteristic of the Scots, Dutch and Chinese. As a result they are very, very wary about investing in their own tribal unit (possibly because of personal experience) and would rather continue to accumulate ‘invested’ money for some ill-defined purpose (although noticeably such individuals can always justify their late model cars to their somewhat bemused tribal members; should the latter express an opinion concerning the need for such things) and leave the welfare of ‘the tribe’ in general to that well-known (and easily duped) financial provider, the NZ Government (aka You and me).
  
  As I said, this is the rationale. It is unlikely to change any time soon, and certainly not in our lifetimes.
  
  Gravy trains are wonderful things aren’t they?
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:00am
  - stephieboy
    
    No gravy train here ,
    
    Manuka boom grips Wairarapa as Ngai Tahu iwi invest in Masterton honey firm Watson & Son
    
    “South Island iwi Ngai Tahu have bought 50 per cent of Masterton premium honey firm Watson & Son in a multi-million-dollar deal.”
    
    The deal was confirmed in advertisements this week for a new chief executive and directors for the firm, which stated that Watson & Son is “jointly owned by its founders and Ngai Tahu Holdings Limited”.
    
    Wellington-born apiarist Denis Watson established the firm in 2004 and until now has wholly owned it with son Dan.
    
    Industry sources understood the deal was worth more than $40 million, but Ngai Tahu representatives had not responded to requests for confirmation on Wednesday afternoon.
    
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/74658753/manuka-boom-grips-wairarapa-as-ngai-tahu-iwi-invest-in-masterton-honey-firm-watson–son
    
    But one Iwi showing responsible stewardship with their TOW settlement.
    
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    January 18, 2017 11:34am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      If an Iwi owns 50% of a firm, does that firm only have to pay 50% of its tax?
      
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      January 18, 2017 12:07pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      It’s a ‘Honey Train’!
      
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      January 18, 2017 1:22pm
    - Komata
      
      SB
      
      Re: ‘But one Iwi showing responsible stewardship with their TOW settlement’ .
      
      My reply to your ‘Apiarist’ comment would be: Not necessarily. What are they doing to ‘uplift’ their own (and yes, there are ‘poor’ Maori within the tribal circle)? Check to see how THEY are faring before heaping praise; you may find that the situation is as I described above. I’ve seen what Tainui do to their own so have no reason to doubt that Ngai Tahu will be very different.
      
      However, should you find verifiable evidence to the contrary, please let us know.
      
      Thank you.
      
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      January 18, 2017 2:44pm
      - stephieboy
        
        Komata , appears all above board here . Downlaod their report and tell us all about it since you seem to be (as always ) in the know ,
        
        http://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/investment/ngai-tahu-annual-reports/2015-annual-report/
        
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        January 18, 2017 6:36pm
  - Paulus
    
    And as Registered Charities they are Tax Free.
    
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    January 18, 2017 1:01pm
Happychappy

Anna Lourk keeps true to ethic by calling for the resignation of Hawkes Bay Mayor and hopeful National Party Candidate Lawrence Yule. Same old whine from either Labour or their wantabe MP’s what is ok for Labour like the recent trough dipping Phil Goff and his bid for the Auckland Mayoralty while a Labour Minister is again’st the rules for other party’s to do the same. Hypocrisy is Labour’s main policy.
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January 18, 2017 8:39am
- Paulus
  
  It is only Democratic when Socialists win.
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:02pm
peterwn

Anne Tolley used the horrible words ‘operational matter’ when referring to a question about a Wellington resident being invoiced for drainage repairs. Ministers should not use those words – it is a vote loser. In this case she should have said it was a matter for the council which was elected by the people to sort out.
Judith Collins said the same years ago when some people were being continually picked on by Immigration when returning to NZ. The issue was they had the same names as people on Immigration’s ‘bad list’. What she should have said was ‘I cannot comment on individual cases, but I have asked my officials to come up with a way of sorting this problem out’.
Ministers and National MP’s must be very conscious of not giving their political enemies and the media any excuse for them to complain about ‘third term-itis’, ‘hubris’, etc.
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January 18, 2017 8:42am
- peterwn
  
  Had another thought on this one. Seems left wing MSM did not want to put the left wing Mayor on the spot on this one. Seems a Council committee wanted to change the policy but was not supported by full Council for whatever reason. So the Minister’s answer should have been that it was a local democratic policy rather than an ‘operational matter’.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:10am
- Kimbo
  
  What she should have said was ‘I cannot comment on individual cases, but I have asked my officials to come up with a way of sorting this problem out’.
  
  Nope. Don’t acknowledge or say in the first instance that there is a “problem”, as there may not be. Media beat-ups and activist-inspired bogus “problems” are much more prevalent in these days of social media. If you say there is a “problem”, you give the story more oxygen, and then open the door to the “problem” being re-visited next week, next month, next year to check in on the progress in “solving” the “problem”.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:18am
  - peterwn
    
    In that instance there was a genuine problem. A small number of travelers were being repeatedly inconvenienced through no fault of their own. The obvious solution is for Immigration to put such people together with their passport numbers on a ‘white list’ so they are not needlessly taken to one side for questioning. Uncle Sam has such a system and hopefully NZ now has a similar system. It is just common sense stuff.
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:34am
    - Kimbo
      
      Seems like a “first world problem”. So you get called aside for a while until Immigration ascertains it is a shared name? Would rather our government erred on the side of caution…
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:26am
Manolo

Land-mining the scene:
http://nypost.com/2017/01/17/obama-rushes-to-fill-dozens-of-federal-jobs-before-leaving-office/

President Obama rushed to fill nearly 100 federal government vacancies during a frenzy of appointments in his final few weeks in office.

Since the new year, Obama has named 72 people to federal job openings and nominated another 17 for positions requiring Senate confirmation, according to CBS reporter Mark Knoller.
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January 18, 2017 8:51am
- Gabby
  
  100 federal jobs? Why that’s a tsunami of jobs.
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:11pm
lastmanstanding

So enjoying the elites at Davos scratching their arses wondering why the peasants are revolting. Talking about populist movements . Well you morons the people have had a gutsful of your pompous do as we tell you attitude and dont questions us we are the all knowing.

Fact is as the last decade shows the elites know jack shit they make it up as they go along. All their pontificating has now been shown up for what it is.

LOL
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January 18, 2017 8:56am
- Disaster Area
  
  Yes, electing a President who is Billionaire, who has a $100 Million NY apartment and flies around in his own private jet is really sticking it to the elite.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:35am
  - SPC
    
    Voting for another big tax cut for the rich – those who once had working class unionist jobs really sent a message from Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania when they delivered stadium sized majorities to the GOP scary clown “Uncle Donald”.
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:41am
  - Komata
    
    A little bit of envy there DA?
    
    On the basis of your statement, I take it that you gave to the Clinton Foundation and and have lost most (or all) of your money.
    
    Oh dear, how sad, never mind…
    
    (Just saying).
    
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    January 18, 2017 11:07am
    - Disaster Area
      
      Komata,
      Absolutely no jealousy here, I would genuinely hate to have as much money as Trump.
      I have no issue with people earning vast amounts of money, as long as their efforts justify it. How many people on the Sunday Times Rich List (the 1,000 richest people in the UK) have inherited their wealth or their business?
      I do wonder if it would be better for the economy and society if 10 people had $1,000,000 rather than 1 person having $10,000,000.
      
      I was only pointing out that if people voted for Trump because he isn’t one of the global elite, then they are wrong – anyone with a private jet is not ‘Joe Public’. The way that he is building his cabinet at the moment is almost a ‘who’s who’ of billionaires.
      
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      January 18, 2017 4:09pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        He has only two Billionaires in his Cabinet. Wilbur Ross who is self made, and Betsy De Vos who is the daughter in law of the co founder of Amway
        Others;
        Tillerson worked his way up from the bottom of the Company.
        Steve Mnuchin- self made in Finance.
        Andy Pudzer- bailed out Carl’s Jr owner and built that company up with him.
        Ben Carson- Neuro surgeon, author and served as a Director on Kellogg’s and Costco
        Elain Chao- public servant but her parents are rich.
        Tom Price- orthopedic surgeon and Congressman.
        Jeff Sessions- Senator
        James Kelly and John Mattis- Military
        Rick Perry, Mike Pence- politicians
        Ryan Zincke- landlord
        What’s surprising to me, looking at this list, is how little the majority of them are worth…
        So your who’s who of Billionaires is complete rubbish.
        
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        January 18, 2017 4:54pm
      - stephieboy
        
        All On Wed , the facts remain the New POTUS inherited a substantial chunk of his .
        
        BTW Ben Carson ( rather like you ) is not the sharpest knife in the draw and despite his 26 million ( with naturally a big lift up from welfare and affirnative action programs )
        
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        January 18, 2017 5:23pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Ben Carson a Neurosurgeon not the sharpest knife in the draw(sic)? I bet he could spell ‘drawer’- lol.
        It’s joke getting criticised about brains and work by you.
        
        Oh and your math is suspect if you think what he ‘inherited’ (and that’s a doubtful statement) is a ‘substantial chunk’ of what he is now worth.
        
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        January 18, 2017 5:29pm
      - Disaster Area
        
        Point taken about the billionaires, from now on I shall only refer to them as multi-millionaires!
        I’m not bothered how much money they have, I dislike their political views regardless of how much they have in the bank.
        
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        January 18, 2017 5:38pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Actually a couple aren’t even worth 1 Million.
        But good of you to admit your political bias. Just quietly I think we already knew…
        
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        January 18, 2017 5:42pm
      - mikenmild
        
        Only two billionaires (three if you believe Trump’s claim to be a billionaire himself)? Wow.
        Can we consider that swamp drained then?
        
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        January 18, 2017 5:51pm
      - Disaster Area
        
        I would say that I’m as politically biased against Trump’s cabinet as a lot of people on here are against Obama.
        
        My bias against Trump is more to do with some of the things he has said and done. Regardless of his politics or his wealth, I just don’t think he’s a person suitable to be President.
        
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        January 18, 2017 6:24pm
      - Disaster Area
        
        I’m reading Ben Carson’s wikipedia entry. It makes for interesting reading. His rise to be Head of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins is amazing, but then he has rejected Evolution (only accepting micro evolution), the Big Bang Theory and Carbon Dating. He wants to increase gun control in high crime areas, but get rid of Medicare and Medicaid. And he believes that the pyramids were built as grain stores.
        
        I think I could spend a very interesting evening talking with him.
        
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        January 18, 2017 6:38pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        DA,
        I’ve said several times I think Trump is a bit of an idiot the way he behaves.
        However, there are several reasons I like him;
        1. He has made lots of Lefties looks stupid by proving them wrong and has caused many of them to totally lose the plot- which is yuge fun to watch.
        2. See reason no 1
        3. See reason no 1
        ?
        On Carson- yes he is an odd one. Probably a Christian? But I think his hearts in the right place and he does genuinely care.
        On Tumps Cabinet. I’m pragmatic and understand rich people create jobs so don’t mind that experience being used. I’d rather have people with experience than ex schoolteachers, unionist and second rate lawyers running the country.
        
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        January 18, 2017 6:52pm
      - Disaster Area
        
        But my issue is that liking Trump because of who he annoys and proves wrong is not the same as liking him because he’s the best person for the job.
        
        We shall see what actually happens. I’d like to think that Trump isn’t as stupid as he seems, but at times he makes it easy to think that he is.
        
        Trump might not be a professional politician, but the House of Representatives and the Senate are, and they aren’t going to go with things that will get them dumped by the voters.
        
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        January 18, 2017 7:17pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      Trump isn’t stupid that’s for sure. Illjudged at times, intemperate also. But not stupid.
      So far I reckon the vast majority of the House and Senate are behind him. If you’re honest about the numbers it’s only the 4.5 million extra in Cailfornia gave Hillary the popular vote win. Everywhere else the story was a little different.
      Ok I’m an optimist but I reckon he might surprise us all.
      Oh, and I love how he’s fucking over the MSM. Looooong overdue. Bunch of liars.
      
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      January 18, 2017 7:25pm
      - stephieboy
        
        And Trump of course had never told a lie ?
        
        Trump’s Lies Destroy Logic As Well As Truth
        Fact-checkers can’t show us the real authoritarian danger posed by our dissembling president-elect.
        
        https://newrepublic.com/article/139025/trumps-lies-destroy-logic-well-truth
        
        I think even Orwell would have to do a re write of Aninal Farm .
        
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        January 18, 2017 7:27pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        You’re the biggest liar here Creepyboy.
        You get caught all the time- too easy.
        Had a good Xmas leering at young girls?
        Unbelievable you have the nerve to keep posting here.
        No shame huh
        
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        January 18, 2017 7:42pm
      - stephieboy
        
        All on Red , so fact check my link for errors with the reassurance that Trump has never, nver told a lie ?Of course you never could , you deluded buffoon !
        
        You a festive time leering at young twinks ?
        
        Revolting !
        
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        January 18, 2017 8:20pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Twinks?
        Homophobe huh
        Such a liar.
        
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        January 18, 2017 8:27pm
  - Gabby
    
    Those l33ts in his cabinet be quaking.
    
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    January 18, 2017 1:12pm
    - pentwig
      
      steffie
      you are starting to get angry about references to your self confessed pedophilia
      keep it up
      
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      January 18, 2017 8:45pm
Lucia Maria

Putin comes to Trump’s defense ..

Putin says those who spread fake allegations about Trump are ‘worse than prostitutes’

MOSCOW, Russia —
Russian President Vladimir Putin is accusing the outgoing U.S. administration of trying to undermine President-elect Donald Trump by spreading fake allegations.

Putin, speaking at a news conference Tuesday, described a dossier on Trump as part of efforts by President Barack Obama’s administration to “undermine the legitimacy of the president-elect” despite his “convincing” victory.

He said some now want to “stage a Maidan in Washington,” in reference to the alleged U.S. role in organizing protests in the main square of the Ukrainian capital, which chased the nation’s Russia-friendly president from power in 2014.

Asked about a dossier alleging Trump’s sexual activities at a Moscow hotel, Putin dismissed it as “fake” and charged that people who ordered it are “worse than prostitutes.” Trump has rejected the allegations as “fake news” and “phony stuff.”

Being defended by Putin, yeah, that’ll make Trump look innocent.
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January 18, 2017 9:01am
- Gabby
  
  Pootie knows it’s fake. He looked at the tapes right through.
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:14pm
- All_on_Red
  
  Has anyone else noticed that there’s the same number of letters in ‘Putin’ as there is in ‘Satan’!
  This can’t be a coincidence!
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:20pm
  - Disaster Area
    
    And Obama.
    And Trump.
    
    My god, they should have elected Clinton!!
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:07pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      Clinton? Nah, same number of letters as ‘Lucifer’
      We’re doomed I tell ya, doomed.
      
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      January 18, 2017 9:16pm
SPC

May has chosen to fully separate from the EU, leaving both the common market and customs union. The so called global Britain option.

The ambition for a free trade deal within the two year time frame for leaving and a customs agreement (one allowing the UK to start on its own free trade deals at the end of the two year period). And if the time frame is not possible using a financial contribution to sustain access to the common market till a free trade deal and customs agreement are concluded.

Otherwise a reciprocal deal covering EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU, a city of London deal with the EU, and a UK Eire deal on free movement (that existed prior to the UK joining the EU).
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January 18, 2017 9:08am
- SPC
  
  This will lead to the SNP seeking another referendum on independence.
  
  And it will almost certainly also lead to a surge in demand for an Irish passport.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:16am
  - SPC
    
    Anyone with an Irish grandparent can claim one, and this includes the entire island of Ireland, not just Eire.
    
    I wonder how many devout unionists will obtain an Irish passport as a matter of European convenience?
    
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    January 18, 2017 9:29am
  - James Stephenson
    
    This will lead to the SNP seeking another referendum on independence.
    
    Scotland can’t afford independence, they’d be broke in a heartbeat and Sturgeon knows this, she just needs the idea of another referendum as a continuing distraction from the incompetence of her administration.
    
    Spain will block any thought of them joining the EU because they don’t want to give Catalonia any encouragement and anyway Scottish voters won’t want the Euro.
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:05am
    - All_on_Red
      
      ‘she just needs the idea of another referendum as a continuing distraction from the incompetence of her administration.’
      Yep, the Dwarf from the North is pretty useless, except at pointless posturing.
      
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      January 18, 2017 1:07pm
Lucia Maria

Fake news is not just an American problem…

Russia spreading fake news and forged docs in Sweden: report

[O]ver the past few years, Russia has increasingly been returning to what the KGB historically referred to as “active measures” to impact public opinion in Sweden.

According the report, “active measures” are designed “to hamper the target country’s ability to generate public support in pursuing its policies”.

Such measures have included the Russian government deploying troll armies on Swedish Twitter, launching its own Swedish-language version of the news site Sputnik, and spreading fake documents, 26 of which Kragh has identified.

“In social media, troll armies are targeting journalists and academics, including the ‘hijacking’ of Twitter accounts,” the report reads.

“Disinformation on NATO and suspected intrusions by foreign submarines have appeared in Swedish media, themes which were picked up by Sputnik, RT and other sources of Russian public diplomacy and broadcast to an international audience.”

Kragh and his colleagues identified ten forged documents relating exclusively to Swedish affairs, three of which they examine in detail in the paper.
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January 18, 2017 9:17am
- MH
  
  according to Jane’s defence site Sweden has reactivated its coastal defences along the Baltic …
  
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  January 18, 2017 5:54pm
Rodney Randall

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/88517768/Mother-promised-her-daughter-a-wedding-reception-instead-she-burned-her-alive

“A week after her mother’s arrest, a group of Pakistani clerics issued a fatwa, a ruling under Islamic law, calling honour killings “unethical and unjustifiable” and urging the government to draft new legislation to punish perpetrators.

In October, Pakistan’s parliament passed a landmark law guaranteeing 25-year prison sentences for men convicted in honour killings and barring families from legally pardoning killers.

Previous law allowed a victim’s family to absolve killers of guilt, making prosecutions difficult or impossible in many cases.

Hassan Khan, Rafiq’s husband, described his wife as his high school sweetheart in an interview with Newsweek Pakistan.”

Great work by the Pakastani clerics expediting the Fatwa so early on in the piece. There really is no need to rush these things.

At least they gave it some serious thought and had pause to reflect on the 2015 stats:)

” In 2015, about 1100 women died in honour killings, while another 900 suffered sexual violence and 800 attempted suicide or took their own lives, the country’s independent Human Rights Commission said in its 2015 report.”
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January 18, 2017 9:30am
- Manolo
  
  Isn’t Islam wonderful?, asks stephieboy, KB’s resident multiculturalist and Muslim apologist.
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:00am
- stephieboy
  
  Honor Killings have no place in modern liberal and progressive society . However though outlawed in both e.g India and Paksitan the custom still persists in especially more remote rural locations. As you will see below it is not exclusive to Muslims but also Hindus and other the practice still persists in certain parts of e .g Latin America.,
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_killing#India
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:20am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    remote rural locations
    
    This honor killing took place in Lahore – the 2nd largest city in Pakistan; the 32nd most populous urban city in the World.
    
    It is not a rural backwater.
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:27am
  - stephieboy
    
    Maggy W, I meant it in a generalised sense . My main point is that honour killings are not confined t exclusively to Muslims in very similar in many ways to female genital mutilation .
    
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    January 18, 2017 11:30am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      You wrote:
      
      “Honor Killings have no place in modern liberal and progressive society .”
      
      So you are quite happy for them to be occurring in remote rural locations, then?
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:47am
      - All_on_Red
        
        The idiot is strong in Stephie today.
        
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        January 18, 2017 12:36pm
    - stephieboy
      
      All on Red, as the buffoon in you and your pal !
      
      https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=buffoon&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijkOrSlMvRAhUMgrwKHTAeCfIQ_AUICCgB&biw=1111&bih=911#imgrc=Kxyoe6SphWujpM%3A
      
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      January 18, 2017 8:22pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Lol at idiotboy.
        Bit worried about you Stephie. I used to have to look at your links to make an idiot of you but now you do it yourself. It too easy. Everything all right?
        You seem to be becoming unhinged
        #TDS
        
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        January 18, 2017 8:29pm
    - pentwig
      
      steffie
      where are your links to prove yourself
      you demand links from everybody else so be consistent at least!
      
      3 1
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      January 18, 2017 8:56pm
  - holysheet
    
    What, no reference to some christian doing the same? No squirrel action this time?
    The world has gone to hell in a hand cart if you cannot deflect this Stupidboy.
    
    12 3
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    January 18, 2017 11:51am
RF

Every day the MSM subjects us to Trump dramas.

You name it… he’s done it or it is alleged he has done it. Now it’s a call for his impeachment.

There appears to be a common denominator…

His accusers appear to be mainly black people.

Just saying….
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January 18, 2017 9:39am
- SPC
  
  It is supposed to be a criminal offence standard as a basis for impeach, but Congress lowered the bar with Bill Clinton. Many in Congress had done worse while seeking to prosecute him.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:46am
- fernglas
  
  RF
  No, his accusers aren’t mainly black. There’s heaps of whites, Latinos, Jews, Catholics, Protestants who agree that the man is not fit to be President. Check his most recent approval ratings (which, of course, he says are fake because he doesn’t like what they say)
  Just saying.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:58am
  - RF
    
    Sorry fernglas .. guess I have been watching that crap CNN too much. They have a never ending nightly line up of black folk jabbering on about how evil Trump is.
    
    At least they are all taking their ugly pills.
    
    5 2
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    January 18, 2017 2:37pm
- mikenmild
  
  He will be liable for impeachment from day one of his presidency due to violation of the constitution’s emoluments clause.
  
  5 14
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  January 18, 2017 10:18am
  - SPC
    
    He should change the ownership structure of the business assets.
    
    0 1
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    January 18, 2017 10:31am
    - mikenmild
      
      He could do a number of things, but seems to have decided that ignoring the constitution is just fine.
      
      6 10
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      January 18, 2017 10:32am
- stephieboy
  
  RF , you need to understand that Trump the egotist and narcissist thrives on attention and drama.
  
  Fact !
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:24am
  - Manolo
    
    Very different from Obama, right?
    
    27 3
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    January 18, 2017 10:26am
    - stephieboy
      
      Yes very different !
      
      Fact !
      
      2 20
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      January 18, 2017 11:31am
  - Garbageman
    
    Wow that’s the biggest pot kettle comment of 2017 …so far
    
    13 2
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    January 18, 2017 11:52am
  - pentwig
    
    and you, steffie?
    
    3 0
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    January 18, 2017 8:58pm
- Jack5
  
  RF at 9.39 says of Trump: “… his accusers appear to be mainly black people.”
  
  AND TVNZ and Radio NZ journos.
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:52am
Manolo

Class betrayal!
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnns-marc-lamont-hill-denounces-fellow-panelist-as-mediocre-negro-for-defending-trump/

CNN analyst Marc Lamont Hill attacked a fellow panelist Monday for his work on Donald Trump‘s National Diversity Coalition, calling him a “mediocre Negro” being manipulated by Trump.
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January 18, 2017 9:45am
- cha
  
  Class.
  /
  
  I am tired of this jigaboo telling black people who they should be, what they should do. He's a lackey for Democrats https://t.co/XRI5bEPo0F— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) January 17, 2017
  
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  January 18, 2017 4:01pm
Happychappy

I see Andrew Little has a appointment with the Pike River Mine Family’s today at their picket line where they are protesting. Labour and their Leader must have felt neglected with Winston visit last weekend and the reckless promise’s he made and must feel they have a better bribe if they become the Government after the next Election. This situation is getting bigger every day and it is going to be interesting to see who’s bluff will be called.
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January 18, 2017 9:49am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Given today’s forecast for that part of the world I hope they’re all wearing aqualungs.
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:00am
- peterwn
  
  If this protest is gaining traction, where is the support coming from? If traditional National voters are supporting Winston on this, that would be a worry to National. If however the support is from within the left wing bloc (eg Labour supporters switching to NZ First) then the only possible benefit is strengthening Winston’s hand at any coalition talks.
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:47am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    Given the oft-repeated untruth by the Pike supporters that “John Key promised to bring our boys home”, I doubt many National supporters will be swayed by Peters’ and Little’s corpse-cuddling.
    
    16 2
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    January 18, 2017 11:49am
    - Gabby
      
      They know better than to be disappointed by broken Ponypromises.
      
      1 13
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      January 18, 2017 1:30pm
  - marcw
    
    I think the only support is coming from the Lame Stream media – they sense potential EDS material.
    
    *EDS English Derangement Syndrome, side effect to KDS after successful treatment.
    
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    January 18, 2017 2:06pm
stephieboy

“America: behold, your Snowflake-in-Chief”

It’s ironic that the alt-right’s insult of the moment applies above all to their hero, president-elect Donald Trump

“ If you’ve ever sat through a rightwing YouTube rant or spent five minutes on Twitter, you’ve likely heard the word “snowflake”. The term has supplanted the old standby of “social justice warrior” to describe a certain kind of liberal. This is thanks in large part to the far-right blog Breitbart, which lobbed it at anyone who criticized Trump’s incendiary rhetoric. But if you’re unfamiliar with the term, allow me to explain…”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/16/snowflake-in-chief-donald-trump
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January 18, 2017 10:07am
- Garbageman
  
  Meltdown mode engaged will you give us all a couple of days peace once Trump is crowned king like you did when he won the election it takes a special kind of alt-left snowflake to come back after that kind of humiliation to only double down on the anti Trump rhetoric
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:59am
fernglas

“Britain will leave the EU regardless of whether Parliament backs the particular Brexit deal that Theresa May strikes with Brussels.

Ms May managed to placate some critics in the Commons and Lords by promising Parliament a vote on the Brexit terms she agrees, but sources indicated the country will leave the bloc even if her particular deal is rejected by MPs and Peers.”

That will be interesting; if the majority of MPs who oppose leaving vote against a negotiated deal, Britain would leave without any deal in place. Truly the world is a changing place.
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January 18, 2017 10:08am
sooty

Stuart Little the first leader of any parliamentry party never to have been elected to parliament. He trys to say that he needs the fexibility to go any where at anytime. Bullshit! I say. NO BALLS LITTLE. How come every other leader of any party could do both? You are Chicken Little!
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January 18, 2017 10:18am
- mikenmild
  
  I think you are mistaken. Andrew Little has been elected to Parliament twice.
  
  2 21
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  January 18, 2017 10:22am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    OK smartarse, which electorate elected him?
    Being appointed by the unions doesn’t count.
    
    17 3
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    January 18, 2017 11:02am
    - mikenmild
      
      Are you going to claim that list MPs are not elected?
      
      2 18
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      January 18, 2017 11:05am
      - Inandout
        
        They aren’t elected by the people, they are ring ins.
        
        16 1
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        January 18, 2017 11:23am
      - mikenmild
        
        So when you tick the box for a party vote, you aren’t doing so as a person?
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:26am
      - Kimbo
        
        Correct me if I’m wrong, but list MPs aren’t permitted to resign from their party and/or “party-hop” as with electorate MPs, so it does reflect a qualitative difference in the standard of direct approval by voters.
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:29am
      - Kimbo
        
        Looks like the waka-jumping legislation was repealed in 2005 – although the fact it existed in the first place highlights the difference in the standard of representation and democratic accountability.
        
        5 0
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        January 18, 2017 11:35am
  - Happychappy
    
    With the help of union funds.
    
    11 2
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    January 18, 2017 11:14am
    - pentwig
      
      you lost that one milky
      again!
      
      5 1
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      January 18, 2017 9:00pm
SPC

Congress Republicans are seeking to halt federal funding for Planned Parenthood, and to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Trump has promised to sign both measures if they reach his desk.
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January 18, 2017 10:24am
- stephieboy
  
  For Trump more a reflection of his anti women views as are many males like him are with anti abortion ,
  ‘
  http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/donald-trump-abortion-pro-life-pro-choice-equality-us-presidential-election-women-a7416611.html
  
  Not forgetting his numerous flip flops on abortion !
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:30am
  - pentwig
    
    I have forgotten steffie
    please remind me
    with credible links of course
    
    4 2
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    January 18, 2017 9:02pm
Stars And Stripes

Green lawyer hopes to be first refugee to win a seat in Parliament
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/88498722/green-lawyer-hopes-to-be-first-refugee-to-win-a-seat-in-parliament
“Auckland-based human rights lawyer Golriz Ghahraman is aiming to be the first refugee to become a New Zealand MP.”

Well she is exactly the sort of bleeding heart the Greens love to have on board.
All the key words are there in the story, refugee, diversity, women and minorities, United Nations, child rights, vulnerable, poverty and all the other bollocks.
Another waste of space.
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January 18, 2017 10:41am
- stephieboy
  
  Stars and Stripes , I suppose it does gripe and morify you that the Greens consistently have taken in 10-15% of the popular vote c f the miserly 3.8 % the now defunct Conservative party?
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:09am
  - Komata
    
    To the SB who is on duty at the moment:
    
    I’ve heard of Morri Fou’s (Great little cars BTW), but never ‘MORIFY’.
    
    As I have an interest in linguistics and the evolution of language, Would you please give a definition of this most fascinating new word, and also tell me how you arrived at your equally interesting (and previously-unknown) use of the word ‘gripe’ in that same sentence.
    
    Linguistics is fascinating isn’t it?
    
    (And you were doing SO well… )
    
    7 1
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    January 18, 2017 11:19am
    - stephieboy
      
      Komata , yes that should be ” mortify ” from someone like Jesus has never ever made a single mistake in his life ?
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:40am
      - pentwig
        
        steffie 99% of people learn from their mistakes
        you don”t and keep on repeating past mistakes
        you even still comment on KB
        some people just don’t learn
        
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        January 18, 2017 1:54pm
  - Stars And Stripes
    
    So apparently I am a Conservative supporter now!!!.
    Thanks for informing me of that.
    Well I suppose it is at least a change from being told every week or so by you that I live in South Auckland.
    
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    January 18, 2017 11:28am
    - stephieboy
      
      Stars and Stripes , so you didn’t e.g support the Trump and GOP campaign ?
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:42am
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        I had just about nothing to say about the America election actually as I was not interested.
        Maybe 2 or 3 comments maximum so in answer to your question, no I didn’t.
        
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        January 18, 2017 1:04pm
  - pentwig
    
    proof steffie?
    
    3 1
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    January 18, 2017 9:04pm
Keeping Stock

Watch for the excrement to hit the air conditioning now; Obama has commuted Chelsea Manning’s 35-year sentence:

Washington (CNN) — President Barack Obama on Tuesday commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of documents and videos to WikiLeaks.

The President also pardoned James Cartwright, the former vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, pleaded guilty in October to a single charge of making false statements to federal investigators in 2012 when he was questioned about leaking top secret information on US efforts to cripple Iran’s nuclear program to two journalists.

Manning, a transgender woman and former US Army soldier, was serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, an all-male Army prison in eastern Kansas, despite her request to transfer to a civilian prison.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/17/politics/chelsea-manning-sentence-commuted/index.html
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January 18, 2017 10:44am
- Stars And Stripes
  
  Pardoning a traitor such as this thing is bad enough but if you must do it for political expediency purposes then at least send them to the nut house or community service at the nearest bathhouse to resolve their identity crisis.
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:08am
  - Manolo
    
    Obama, the first anti-American president.
    
    20 1
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    January 18, 2017 11:10am
    - stephieboy
      
      Manolo, now hold on there ,
      
      BREAKING: Bush Pardons Osama bin Laden,
      
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-rees/breaking-bush-pardons-osa_b_159272.html
      
      For 2, 700 deaths 9/11 ?
      
      1 22
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      January 18, 2017 11:20am
      - Fletch
        
        Sounds like fake news to me. A Reddit group considered it satire. Apparently, blogger David Rees is a known satirist.
        
        https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/7r82t/breaking_bush_pardons_osama_bin_laden_huffpost/
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:22am
      - fernglas
        
        Steve
        A sense of humour is not your long suit, is it?
        
        9 0
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        January 18, 2017 11:34am
      - stephieboy
        
        A wiki list here includes the various felons , criminals etc pardoned under US Presidents . Notable is Traitor Tokyo Rose and as well as Richard Nixon pardoned by Gerald Ford and Racketeer and gangster Jimmy Hoffa and William Calley ( Mai Lai Massacre ) by Richard Nixon ,
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_or_granted_clemency_by_the_President_of_the_United_States#Richard_Nixon
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:48am
      - All_on_Red
        
        ‘BREAKING: Bush Pardons Osama bin Laden,’
        Hahahahaha , idiot Stephie believes it!!!
        Just like those satirical Huff Po tweets made up about Trump.
        That bridge is still for sale Stephie, be a good deal.
        Soo funny.
        
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        January 18, 2017 12:29pm
      - Manolo
        
        Didn’t the camel agree to it today? 😀
        
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        January 18, 2017 12:31pm
  - cha
    
    Pardoning a traitor
    
    Manning wasn’t pardoned, the sentence was commuted.
    
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    January 18, 2017 3:48pm
- fernglas
  
  I bet Snowden wishes he had stayed around to face the music.
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:33am
- Dave Mann
  
  This is a disgusting act of treason by Obama.
  
  Not only has he pardoned this piece of excrement… but he has now commuted the sentences of 1,385 individuals – the most grants of commutation issued by any President in this nation’s history. President Obama’s 1,385 commutation grants – which includes 504 life sentences – is also more than the total number of commutations issued by the past 12 presidents combined.
  
  Obama is basically saying that he doesn’t support or have any faith in his own country’s security or its justice system. Asshole.
  
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  January 18, 2017 12:16pm
  - Disaster Area
    
    Although it could be a master stroke: Last week Wikileaks said “If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ [Department of Justice] case.”
    
    I’d much rather see Assange on trial than have Manning in jail.
    I’m also pretty certain that Assange doesn’t have the spine to follow through and surrender to the US.
    
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    January 18, 2017 6:44pm
- All_on_Red
  
  But but but Manning is a reminder of the days when Wikileaks did good by exposing military secrets rather than evil by sharing John Podesta’s risotto recipe./sarc
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:37pm
  - stephieboy
    
    And on Red , and Pizzas = a pedo ring at the dungeons of Comet Ping Pong ?
    
    Heh, heh , heh …
    
    0 5
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    January 18, 2017 7:33pm
    - All_on_Red
      
      Wow, what a complete fuckwit.
      
      3 0
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      January 18, 2017 7:38pm
    - pentwig
      
      heh, heh,heh….
      steffie at a mt roskill cafe anyone?
      
      3 1
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      January 18, 2017 9:07pm
Jack5

Well done John Key for his support and promotion of cycle ways as tourist attractions. Bold, far sighted, and correct.

Cycling’s given a lift to Garston, a tiny northern Southland ~~town, village, hamlet~~ settlement on the 175 km Around the Mountains Cycle Trail from Walter Peak to Kingston.

Garston has a pub and restaurant, and local high-country farms. It’s on the route from Queenstown to Milford Sound, Queenstown, and Invercargill, and is visited by NZ and foreign trout fisher ~~men~~folk. Wikipedia says Garston is ” the most inland settlement in New Zealand.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/88046788/garston-a-new-tourist-destination-in-the-south
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January 18, 2017 10:48am
- gump
  
  The pub in Garston closed about six or seven years ago.
  
  The building is still sits beside the main highway, but it’s just a shell. The locals have been unable to attract a new licensee to take it over.
  
  Having said that, Fish & Game NZ have been trying desperately to get the cycle trail shut down (since it passes close to the headwaters of the Oreti river). So it’s early days yet.
  
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  January 18, 2017 5:06pm
Fletch

A former CIA officer (for 40 years) criticizes Brennan on Fox: says Brennan is damaging the CIA with he behaviour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWX9Wc9Zo_o
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January 18, 2017 11:03am
Fletch

The second Project Veritas video infiltrating groups planning to disrupt Trump’s inauguration. In this video they take about blockading highways, chaining trains and other illegal activities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIjbkYLI1nY
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January 18, 2017 11:12am
- mikenmild
  
  Project ‘Veritas’ is an amusingly ironic name for a guy who produces fake videos.
  
  4 12
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  January 18, 2017 11:21am
  - Fletch
    
    mm, again, watch the video and tell me how is it “fake”? The FBI, Secret Service, and DC Metro Police are now involved. I doubt they would be if it was fake.
    
    9 3
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    January 18, 2017 11:27am
    - mikenmild
      
      Looks like O’Keefe has been outwitted, yet again:
      https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/01/16/dc-antifascist-coalition-okeefe-stink-bomb/
      With his track record, why would anyone bother with any of his stories?
      
      4 15
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      January 18, 2017 11:39am
      - Fletch
        
        LOL, oh yeh, right. Pull the other one. “Um, yeh, we knew we were being filmed undercover, so we made this stuff up”. Give me a break 😆 That excuse didn’t even work on your mom when you were 9.
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:51am
      - Fletch
        
        O’Keefe responds…
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I059AF23JQw
        
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        January 18, 2017 12:11pm
Andrei

Last night on ONE news they had an item about why the apple crop was late this year

Apparently it has been too cold for the apples to ripen and so this years apple crop harvest has been delayed

So far so good

But a few nights previously they were hyperbolically reporting that 2016 was the hottest year on record

I’m confused – did no one tell the apples it was warm enough to ripen?
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January 18, 2017 11:24am
- rangitoto
  
  Griff will be along to explain any moment.
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:43am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  When did apples in NZ ever get picked in January?
  
  Apple picking season might start around February for some early varieties, but I don’t imagine the main crops will be harvested until March- April.
  
  In December-January you only get the last of the stored NZ apples (usually crappy, and with internal rot) or imported USA apples (tasteless).
  
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  January 18, 2017 11:59am
  - Andrei
    
    I am only reporting on what the News said Maggy
    
    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/all-sudden-ive-gone-into-fruit-shop-and-they-dont-have-any-apples
    
    7 4
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    January 18, 2017 12:18pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Yep, I know.
      
      I saw the item myself and despaired!
      
      1 0
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      January 18, 2017 3:30pm
  - BananaLlama
    
    /rant. When did anyone in the news room pick apples through the Summer-Autum. You know this kind of shit is why Trump ended up getting elected.
    
    8 1
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    January 18, 2017 12:30pm
  - wiseowl
    
    The first apples used to be Gravenstein which were pretty sour but they are rare now.
    The first Gala/Royal gala usually ready mid -late January but this year everything has been running late.
    Watch any of the first apples on the market because the corporates will pick before really mature and get to market to make money not friends.
    
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    January 18, 2017 1:24pm
- Jack5
  
  That One news item Andrei mentioned suggested there were no apples in supermarkets, presumably Auckland.
  
  Apples harvested last autumn are still available in Christchurch markets, and some of them, specifically the Eve variety, are still reasonably crisp.
  
  Imported Washington-Oregon apples are usually on sale around this part of the season, but I haven’t seen any this year.
  
  Pears – presumably new season’s – are available in Christchurch in a number of varieties. I assume pears mature earlier than apples.
  
  I’m guessing apples mature a little later in the South Island – mainly Nelson, South Canterbury, and central Otago.
  
  But the One news item was uninformed.
  
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  January 18, 2017 12:59pm
- Lucia Maria
  
  My Christmas plums still haven’t ripened. At most, they’ve only ever been two weeks late – until this year.
  
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  January 18, 2017 2:12pm
  - Stars And Stripes
    
    “My Christmas plums still haven’t ripened.”.
    
    Oh la la. Tell us more.
    
    6 0
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    January 18, 2017 2:36pm
  - Jack5
    
    Lucia, I thought you Poles used plums to make śliwowica (slivovitz) – plum brandy.
    
    When the old folk arrived in NZ it would have been illegal to home distill it. Pipes with more three bends were said to be illegal because of the Southland moonshiners. Now, no problem.
    
    As you will know, Lucia, best served warm.
    
    (A “worm”, or a pipe with three or more bends, is central to a still.)
    
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    January 18, 2017 3:26pm
- Komata
  
  Perhaps you should ask our resident climate ‘Expert’ Griff when he arrives. I am sure he will be able to quote chapter and verse as to the ‘reason why’ and also give you a lecture as to why the cold is totally a state of mind and that if you / the apples felt it they are ‘deniers’.
  
  Just a suggestion you may care to consider…
  
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  January 18, 2017 2:54pm
lifesgood

Yep folks the tide is turning on the SJWs here in little old Auckland. The Herald poll on whether beggars should be fined for begging is currently running at 72% in favour of fining them and only 21% against.
Bring it on! The Council could very easily make it a by law.
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January 18, 2017 12:29pm
- Jack5
  
  Good luck collecting the fines.
  
  There have always been down-and-out’s in NZ, but why are they now so “in your face”? Is it drugs?
  
  In the Depression jobless men walked the country swapping odd-job work for food, and sometimes lodging in a shed. Before that there were the “swaggies,” often alcoholics, wandering about. John A. Lee collated great stories about them.
  
  Is the problem that now we think it’s too expensive to lock beggars up as “idle and disorderly”, with all the attendant costs that would ensue – psychologists, social case workers, part-time university courses – and hysteria about incarceration rates?
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:05pm
  - MH
    
    The Shiner…..sometimes they get left in jail for over 48 hrs.
    
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    January 18, 2017 5:40pm
  - Gabby
    
    It’s cheaper to leave them on the street with the mentals. The costs are borne by the public.
    
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    January 18, 2017 8:33pm
- Gabby
  
  Fining beggars? That’s up there with debtors’ prison for dumbarsery.
  
  2 6
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  January 18, 2017 4:00pm
  - Awww C-mon
    
    “debtors’ prison for dumbarsery”
    
    current resident: Gabby.
    
    4 2
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    January 18, 2017 5:49pm
    - Gabby
      
      Current demented crow: squawwwwkie.
      
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      January 18, 2017 8:31pm
Manolo

It could be Soros’ money. Rioters for hire:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/17/ads-two-dozen-cities-offer-protesters-2500-agitate/

Donald Trump may have a point about paid protesters: Job ads running in more than 20 cities offer $2,500 per month for agitators to demonstrate at this week’s presidential inauguration events.

Demand Protest, a San Francisco company that bills itself as the “largest private grassroots support organization in the United States,” posted identical ads Jan. 12 in multiple cities on Backpage.com seeking “operatives.”

“Get paid fighting against Trump!” says the ad.
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January 18, 2017 12:44pm
- Fletch
  
  This sort of stuff is incomprehensible, really. They are protesting on what he might do. If he were a mad Middle East dictator lording it over his people then there might be an excuse. But they guy hasn’t even started yet. This is more to do with identity politics and liberals not getting their way.
  
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  January 18, 2017 1:49pm
  - Albert_Ross
    
    Well, Obama got a Nobel prize for what he might do before he’d actually done anything.
    
    3 0
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    January 18, 2017 10:14pm
- stephieboy
  
  Manolo, I had difficulty finding the link authenticating and substantiating the claim ? The imbedded link within the item appears to take you back to the original story.
  
  Could you oblige ?
  
  0 11
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  January 18, 2017 2:07pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Here’s one of the ads from Tulsa
    http://tulsa.backpage.com/MiscJobs/get-paid-fighting-against-trump/12627241
    
    They are running on an Internet Job site called backpage.com.
    
    How difficult is it to use Google?
    
    5 0
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    January 18, 2017 2:43pm
    - Tauhei Notts
      
      Maggy,
      Thank you for bringing that matter to my attention.
      I had no idea that the protest industry has now been corporatized and is becoming such a lucrative occupation.
      The web site has no mention about their close association with the main stream media. There is the inference there; we can get you great publicity!
      
      4 0
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      January 18, 2017 3:00pm
    - stephieboy
      
      Maggy W , use google ? Easy came up with this in seconds ,
      
      “Demand Projest”
      
      While several ads were placed for paid protesters in January 2017, the group reportedly behind the campaign may not be telling the truth about their intentions.
      
      CLAIM: The group Demand Protest LLC is paying $2500 for people to protest Donald Trump’s inauguration.
      
      UNPROVEN X
      EXAMPLE: [Collected via e-mail, January 2017]
      
      Can you check out a story for me? I have seen repeated articles on my conservative friends sites about people being paid to agitate and throw acid at the inauguration. I have also seen that there are conservatives who are paying people to agitate the protestors and try to get them to commit violent acts.
      
      I do not want to spread false news. Can you verify these stories?
      
      ORIGIN:In January 2017, several web sites reported that a group called “Demand Protest” had placed several ads on Backpage.com looking for people to protest against President-elect Donald Trump at his inauguration:
      
      ………”
      
      http://www.snopes.com/paid-protesters-donald-trumps-inauguration
      
      Maybe like All on Red your not the sharpest knife in the draw !
      
      1 13
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      January 18, 2017 3:13pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    hey Pizzaboy, you seem to have an ongoing difficulty authenticating and substantiating most things!
    #Bush/Bin Laden
    #Huff Po Trump tweets
    You’re our very own Mr Fake News.
    
    8 1
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    January 18, 2017 2:50pm
    - stephieboy
      
      All on Wed , introducing to you your Godfather of fake news ,
      
      “Michael Moore weighs in on Donald Trump’s role in the rise of fake news and several other subjects that came up at the president-elect’s first news conference in 167 days.”
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MecLstDQPao
      
      How are the Blueprints coming on with your ” “Metaphor ?
      
      Consulting Engineers and Architects ?
      
      1 12
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      January 18, 2017 3:22pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        And you will be able to buy a piece of that wall through Huff Po- just like it said at the bottom
        “DISCLAIMER: None of these tweets, of course, have actually been sent from Trump’s real account. If you believed they were, then we’ve got a wall in Southern Texas to sell you.”
        That was so funny. You’re such an idiot. And you keep on doing it- lol
        
        6 2
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        January 18, 2017 3:32pm
      - stephieboy
        
        All on Wed, me an idiot ?
        
        You a jerk !
        
        http://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/jerk-store.jpeg
        
        1 12
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        January 18, 2017 3:41pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Yes, you’re an idiot.
        Day after day after day after day.
        It’s almost cringeworthy to watch. And you keep doing it!
        
        Edit- “they’re running out of you” hahahahaha- that’s so lame, you’re such a pathetic old man.
        
        8 3
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        January 18, 2017 3:44pm
    - GoVege
      
      Diabetes is at epidemic levels here in Auckland among Polynesians and Maori.
      We need to tax fast-food and use the money to subsidize healthy alternatives.
      
      3 1
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      January 18, 2017 3:28pm
  - pentwig
    
    ever thought of research of credible sources steffie?
    
    4 0
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    January 18, 2017 9:10pm
Stars And Stripes

Tongan man on life-sustaining dialysis granted 12 more months in New Zealand
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/88521854/tongan-man-on-lifesustaining-dialysis-granted-12-more-months-in-new-zealand.

Another dirty bludger scamming NZ taxpayers and getting away with it courtesy of the soft cock Immigration Tribunal.
Gutless.
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January 18, 2017 1:50pm
- Jack5
  
  Tongans aren’t the only people with high rates of kidney disease. Maori, other Pacific Islanders, Australian Aborigines, and North American Indians are among those with high rates.
  
  Obesity and diabetes (U.S.A. Native Americans have the highest rate of diabetes in the world) seem to be the causes.
  
  If NZ gives aid to Tonga, perhaps some could be channelled into healthy-lifestyle promotion and dialysis equipment.
  
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  January 18, 2017 3:02pm
  - Longknives
    
    Nah it’s ‘Evil’ White Man’s food that is killing these poor people!
    Everything is the White Male’s fault You see…
    
    8 3
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    January 18, 2017 3:18pm
    - GoVege
      
      Some white guys are making a fortune off new immigrants’ ignorance.
      The rest of them are paying for the consequences.
      
      0 5
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      January 18, 2017 4:56pm
- GoVege
  
  Apparently this Tongan gentleman was an assistant director of the Fire Dept in Tonga so he was hardly a “dirty bludger”, stripes.
  Nice to see a little compassion shown to visitors unfortunate enough to become seriously ill.
  Unlike the poor young Fijian guy who was sent back to die a few years ago, even though his relations had raised nearly all the money to pay for a transplant for him!
  How cruel and callous and unnecessarily so.
  
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  January 18, 2017 3:17pm
  - Stars And Stripes
    
    Ever heard of travel insurance Vege?.
    Normal people take this out to cover themselves, bludgers turn up in a country for a “holiday” then two weeks later get diagnosed with stage 3 renal failure then expect the host country to pay.
    Guys a parasite through and through.
    
    9 2
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    January 18, 2017 3:28pm
    - GoVege
      
      Tell me, Stripes, if you had just arrived here and discovered you had to have dialysis or die, and had no insurance, what would you do?
      
      2 2
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      January 18, 2017 4:45pm
      - GoVege
        
        Wonder how much it would cost to set up a dialysis service in Tonga?
        Maybe the Tongan king could sell off that flash place he has in Epsom to start it off?
        Should be worth millions in this market.
        Then Tongans wouldn’t need to come here and bludge off NZ.
        How about it, your Majesty?
        
        5 1
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        January 18, 2017 4:53pm
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        Hypothetical question which is not relevant to me as I always take insurance so would never be in this situation.
        Its called personal responsibility but who cares about this nowadays right as it is easier to just have a bludge.
        
        5 1
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        January 18, 2017 4:58pm
  - Jack5
    
    GoVege: are you saying foreigners should be able to share in NZ transplants?
    
    I thought we had waiting lists of NZ’ers for transplant organs.
    
    7 0
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    January 18, 2017 3:41pm
    - GoVege
      
      If their families raise all or most of the money to pay for them, I definitely think we shouldn’t send them home to die.
      
      2 2
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      January 18, 2017 4:41pm
Manolo

A good article on obsolete Marxism:
http://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/01/finishing-off-marx/

Ridley took us by the hand and led us through a century full of communist horror stories which collectively killed an average of a million people a year. But what is a little matter of a 100 million deaths among friends – or should I say comrades – providing, of course, that they died as a result of a familiar, brutal and unworkable ideology?
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January 18, 2017 2:19pm
wikiriwhis business

‘According to the Inland Revenue Department half the wealthiest 150 New Zealanders declare incomes of less than $70,000 for tax purposes. In other words, they don’t even get into the top tax bracket.

So, while it’s true that those on high salaries and the middle class pay the bulk of income tax, this masks the failure of the super-rich to pay anything but the most miserly amount despite stripping billions from the economy annually.

Last year, for example, the net wealth of those on the rich list increased by $4.5 billion – an average increase of $30 million each in unearned, untaxed income.’

“Inequality is at the heart of the social and economic crisis facing New Zealand with the term bludger directed at the wrong end of the inequality spectrum.” stuff.co.nz
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January 18, 2017 2:28pm
Fletch

This is a few years old now but worth watching. Stefan Molyneux compares the climate model predictions of the last 30 years with what actually happened in reality. The result? The models don’t even come close.

So why do governments use these models as a basis for policy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gDErDwXqhc
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January 18, 2017 2:59pm
- mikenmild
  
  Starting with O’Keefe and now a serving of Molyneux? What’ll be the main dish of crazy for tday, Fletch?
  
  3 10
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  January 18, 2017 3:06pm
  - pentwig
    
    Milk?
    
    2 0
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    January 18, 2017 9:12pm
Komata

So now we know that political inclinations of Stuff. The statement ‘…With the term bludger directed at the wrong end of the inequality spectrum’ has a certain socialist inclination methinks; ‘Rich Pricks’ et al.

No prizes for guessing the political faction/s that Stuff will be supporting this year…
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January 18, 2017 3:01pm
- Manolo
  
  …and wikiriwhis business. 🙂
  
  8 0
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  January 18, 2017 3:04pm
Jack5

Small Indonesian vessels known as “blue boats” are now reaching New Caledonia as they pirate national fish stocks.

On similar boats, scores of thousands of South Vietnamese were able to escape from the Communists at the end of the Vietnam War.

How long before: 1/ “Blue boats” reach NZ waters? 2/ They bring “boat people” immigration crashers?

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/pacific/322590/sinking-illegal-'blue-boats'-not-enough-of-a-deterrent-advisor
10 1
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January 18, 2017 3:10pm
- stephieboy
  
  Jack 5 , in the meantime go and visit your Doctor and if need be up the dosage of your meds !
  
  1 12
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  January 18, 2017 3:17pm
  - stigie
    
    Funny that Stiffy, i always thought that your dosage was way over the top !~
    
    8 2
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    January 18, 2017 3:27pm
  - Jack5
    
    I was about to reply to the Stephiestani Islamic troll team, but no, I won’t.
    
    I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
    I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
    I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
    I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
    I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
    I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
    
    There … beaten the impulse.
    
    10 3
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    January 18, 2017 3:31pm
    - stephieboy
      
      Jack5 ,
      
      “How long before: 1/ “Blue boats” reach NZ waters? 2/ They bring “boat people” immigration crashers?”
      
      Stretching it a bit there , eh what ?
      
      A bit like Dunedin becoming the Medina of the South Pacific , eh what ?
      
      Sure it doesn’t warrant a visit to your Doctor ?
      
      3 12
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      January 18, 2017 3:36pm
      - Jack5
        
        Stephie X, are you fucking deaf, or blind, or both?
        
        My response to the Stephie team:
        
        I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
        I will not feed these trolls. I will not feed these trolls.
        
        6 2
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        January 18, 2017 3:43pm
      - mikenmild
        
        Sorry Jack, but that was a response…
        
        3 5
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        January 18, 2017 3:44pm
      - Jack5
        
        Milky, but it was a meta response! Jack 1, Stephiestanis 0.
        
        Sorry about the repetition. All that head banging repetition of words in tiny type and muezzin screeching fucks their hearing and sight, you know.
        
        4 1
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        January 18, 2017 3:45pm
      - Jack5
        
        There you go. The way to halt the Stephiestanis island hopping through a blog.
        
        Declare victory General Macarthur style, then leave, with the GI’s and Aussies left to mop up the Nips.
        
        6 0
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        January 18, 2017 3:52pm
      - kowtow
        
        I’m glad the troll mentioned the Medina of the South.
        
        These people are costing the tax payer a lot of money , time and trouble.
        
        We don’t need them.
        
        “The former refugees were receiving free GP appointments through a voucher scheme but Dunedin’s largest practice, Mornington Health Centre, is not happy with the funding and has accepted no refugee patients yet.
        
        Practice manager Jo Rowe said the money offered by WellSouth PHO was not enough.
        
        Mornington would accept former refugees if they enrolled and paid like other patients, but it would not accept the vouchers.”
        
        https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/health/refugee-counselling-big-unmet-need
        
        5 0
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        January 18, 2017 4:37pm
      - stephieboy
        
        kowtow, fail to see the problem other than some very tenuous ones that seem to be more a part of your dark imagining .
        
        1 10
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        January 18, 2017 4:44pm
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        Apart from not wanting the vouchers this medical practice probably don’t want them in there fullstop in case they are forced to close for a week afterwards due to the need to fumigate.
        
        6 3
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        January 18, 2017 4:54pm
  - pentwig
    
    need proof of that steffie
    please provide it
    
    4 1
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    January 18, 2017 9:21pm
- RF
  
  Jack5. I hit the report button by mistake. Sorry.
  
  You had commented about General McArthur.
  
  A retired US Marine once told me that Dugout Doug was full of shit. After running from Aussie back to the states after leaving thousands of captured troops in the hands of the Japs in the Phillippines he made a big display returning after other troops had retaken the islands.
  
  The landing craft bringing him back to the beach was going to drop the ramp on the sand. Dugout saw cameras so demanded he be dropped off in the surf and them waded to the beach to be the conquering hero.
  
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  January 18, 2017 6:40pm
publicwatchdog

POLITICAL SATIRE!

Seen this ?

Pullya Bennefitt gate crashes NIKI’S EVICTION PROTEST! –

Tuesday 17 January 2017

YouTube

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LcAWBHFqHlw

Penny Bright

2017 Independent candidate
Mt Albert by-election
2 23
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January 18, 2017 4:27pm
- thedavincimode
  
  Idiot.
  
  13 3
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  January 18, 2017 4:28pm
  - mikenmild
    
    Do you really mean to offend idiots everywhere by comparing them to Penny?
    
    11 2
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    January 18, 2017 4:47pm
    - thedavincimode
      
      That’s a very good point milky.
      My apologies to those idiots I may have offended; stephie, kowtow … well, you know who you are …
      
      15 1
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      January 18, 2017 4:51pm
    - publicwatchdog
      
      Thanks for watching 🙂
      
      Pullya Bennefitt
      
      1 17
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      January 18, 2017 5:13pm
  - publicwatchdog
    
    Don’t be mean to Pullya 🙁
    
    Pullya (leg 😉
    
    2 16
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    January 18, 2017 5:11pm
  - Keeping Stock
    
    I guess
    
    I hate lies and I detest liars. I don’t do gossip or personal comments. I don’t do political dirt.
    
    has gone out the window again.
    
    Three cheers for Penny; hyp, hyp, hypocrisy!
    
    16 2
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    January 18, 2017 5:25pm
    - publicwatchdog
      
      Do the words ‘POLITICAL SATIRE’ mean anything to you Keeping Stock?
      
      Kind regards
      
      Pullya (leg 🙂
      
      1 21
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      January 18, 2017 5:34pm
      - Keeping Stock
        
        “Penny Bright is a batshit-crazy rates dodger, and the Auckland Council should have kicked her out of her house years ago.”
        
        That’s “Political Satire” Penny 😎
        
        16 2
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        January 18, 2017 5:40pm
      - stigie
        
        Your whole house is “POLITICAL SATIRE” along with yourself Penny, your smelly cats and your bath that takes about 3 weeks to fill up unless you can steal the water from other decent ratepayers !~
        
        9 2
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        January 18, 2017 7:02pm
- publicwatchpuppy
  
  BIG DOG!!
  
  I am very grumpy at you big dog! I helped and helped when you wanted to be Mayor because I thought you would stay in Auckland!
  
  I wont be helping you move to Wellington though (although a new house with running water and puppy baths sounds nice)
  
  Paula is my friend too! I dont think you are being very nice, you should never make fun of people like that!
  
  10 2
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  January 18, 2017 5:58pm
  - pentwig
    
    I am lost here.
    Who is big dog?
    
    1 0
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    January 18, 2017 9:28pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      The publicwatchdog is the big dog… or correctly she is a b….(but that’s a naughty word for humans)
      
      publicwatchpuppy yapped around here last civic election time… and I bet (s)he’s not a puppy anymore… probably been fixed.
      
      7 0
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      January 18, 2017 9:37pm
  - publicwatchdog
    
    Make fun?
    
    Pullya is drop dead GORGEOUS!
    
    Ask her!
    
    😉
    
    0 8
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    January 18, 2017 10:18pm
  - publicwatchdog
    
    I won’t be moving to Wellington – just staying in Wellington when Parliament is sitting 😉
    
    It will be SUCH fun!
    
    0 8
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    January 18, 2017 10:22pm
- Steve (North Shore)
  
  See?
  I Spray and Walk Away
  Rubbish stays
  I walk away
  
  Steve N/S
  Not a 2017 Independent candidate inMt Albert by-election.
  Attendee: Glenfield Trolley Derby 1986
  Fuck got trolleyed
  
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  January 18, 2017 6:37pm
gorse

Andrew Little’s election promise to table a bill to enable entry into the mine at Pike river. Complete disregard to OSH. Why bother having laws to protect the safety of New zealanders if labour are going to completely disregard them to garner a few votes? This sort of transparent electioneering, praying on people’s emotions when they have lost family, is beyond sick.
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January 18, 2017 5:20pm
- Keeping Stock
  
  Don’t forget that this is the same Andrew Little who, after the Pike River disaster, denied that there were any safety issues with the mine.
  
  EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said he was not aware of any safety concerns at the site.
  
  He said the proper time to raise these questions would be at a formal inquiry.
  
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10689068
  
  Today’s announcement by Little however takes his corpse-cuddling for electoral advantage to new depths.
  
  14 1
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  January 18, 2017 5:30pm
  - Happychappy
    
    How can the Union inforce Health and Safety in the work place if Andrew Little gets his proposed Bill that he will give to Parliament on the first day of sitting in 2017. This bill will exon’erate any legal responsibility from the Directors and allow the Pike River Family’s their right to bring out their loved ones and also keep the promise to the Family’s that the Government would do all they could to get the body’s out know mater of the cost. How could any person in their right mind have Little elected Prime Minister and lead this Country with reckless promises like this.
    
    12 2
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    January 18, 2017 7:27pm
  - Nookin
    
    Despite the assurances advanced by the authors of the Families’ experts namely that it is safe to enter the mine and retrieve the bodies, it is an integral part of the plan that the mine be transferred to an ad hoc government department in order to ensure that responsibility is not dumped on directors.
    
    If entry into the mine was safe, such a proposal would not have to be considered let alone recommended.
    
    Now we have Mr Little offering dispensation from engaging in criminal activity in order to satisfy a select few who, understandably, would like to retrieve their family members (assuming that there is anything to retrieve) and possibly a few more conspiracy theorists who are convinced that entry into the mine will give rise to the “Great Revelation”.
    
    Mr Little seems to think that parliamentary dispensation from accountability for what would otherwise be criminal activity would be sufficient comfort to those orchestrating the recovery operation — safety by parliamentary decree.
    
    Again, the very fact that he is considering such a unique and extreme step suggests that entry into the mine is very much a risky business.
    
    What they seem to be overlooking is that these dubious exercises in butt protection will be of little comfort to the families of any would-be rescuers who may lose their lives if it turns out that Solid Energy’s technical advisers are correct.
    
    SENZ’s advisors have, I gather, read the Families’ report and remain unconvinced. Nothing in that report causes them to change their position.
    
    Despite that, their initial report and their analysis of the contrary report are dismissed out of hand by the likes of Little, Peters, Bird, Mune et al.
    
    Here are a few points to remember:
    The SENZ directors have no particular axe to grind here. If anything, it would be in the company’s interests if the ghosts were laid to rest – something which will never happen without re-entry.
    The SENZ technical advisors have no axe to grind either. Their focus in on the safety issue. They have a duty of care to SENZ and would be accountable if they get it wrong. They have skin in the game.
    
    The Families’ technical advisers owe no duty to any one. No-one is going to take action on the strength of their advice and so no-one will hold them accountable. From memory, they recommend that experts independent of the family prepare and oversee the operation. Unlike the SENZ advisers, they have no skin in the game.
    
    I am curious why there are so many qualifications if there is so little doubt about safety — transfer ownership to the crown, get someone else to take responsibility for the final plan and implementation of the operation, call it off if it becomes apparent that they got it wrong….
    
    I am not convinced. Too many ifs, buts and transference of responsibility.
    
    Peters’s bombast and Little’s trivialisation of health and safety legislation and the end that it seeks to achieve leave me cold. Even more chilling is the possibility that their spin may convince an electorate.
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:02pm
Reid

http://www.infowars.com/report-cnnbuzzfeed-to-release-damaging-new-trump-tape-48-hours-before-inauguration/
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January 18, 2017 6:04pm
Reid

With Obamacare in its well-deserved death throes, supposedly “affordable” care act champion Nancy Pelosi has taken to Twitter to rigorously defend her piece of crap legislation to its bitter end with hilarious Tweets that come across as proof that she has completely lost touch with reality in a way that she should probably go get professional medical advice on.

The bandwagon of fail really kicked into full swing a few weeks ago when Pelosi sent this out… and apparently she wasn’t joking:

http://www.dcclothesline.com/2017/01/17/nancy-pelosis-latest-tweets-defending-obamacare-make-people-wonder-if-she-has-dementia-and-just-isnt-telling-anyone/#more-68541
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January 18, 2017 6:10pm
- stephieboy
  
  Reid , I viewed your link regarding Robert Mercer by Real Clear Politics .
  
  Intrigued to know your thoughts about his role in the great scheme of things .Behind the scenes pulling the marionette strings for Trump ?
  
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  January 18, 2017 6:21pm
  - Reid
    
    You mean like the Soros puppet master was for the Obama puppet?
    
    No I don’t think so, Trump is a different character. He’s not so malleable.
    
    I think Mercer will use his influence to ensure Wall Street action continues apace and with his technique he’ll make money no matter where the market is, so I don’t mean he’ll demand Trump keeps it buoyant by loading debt like Obama has done as well as did the last three before him and that’s the only way to do it given offshoring and globalism has hollowed out their economy. I mean he’ll demand Trump keeps the outrageous security laws package that greases the Wall Street casino, for the benefit of no-one but a small handful.
    
    Trump’s most damaging manipulations IMO will come from Kissinger stephie, if you want to know.
    
    But its extraordinarily stupid to imagine that POTUS A is manipulated and POTUS B isn’t. That is fucking dumb. The sensible thing is to recognise they all are and find out WITH ACCURACY who those people are and what they want and why they want it. Unless and until one starts doing that one has very little chance of achieving any geopolitical insight more penetrating than that offered on the nightly news by a moron to the sheeple in 30 seconds.
    
    Congratulations on the first sensible question you’ve ever asked me.
    
    If you ask me another, I’ll respond in kind, if I feel like responding at all, which I may not.
    
    But if you continue your vapid insulting and condescending balance the scales bullshit with me I’ll also respond in kind.
    
    I mean stephie, who the fuck do you think we are that:
    (a) all of us don’t already know and more about whatever aspect you are balancing the scales of the moment and
    (b) that we are such dark soles that we’d for a second approve of it, anyway?
    
    How fucking condescending are you, to assume that we as a group under general discussion, need YOUR moderating influence lest we break out in rampant whatever fucking …ism is in your head at the time you chose to insert your balance the scales comments?
    
    Put a sock in that stephie. Please. By all means continue with your sensible questions and observations. Most of the time I’ve noticed you respond to others, I suggest you start opening a few lines of argument, see what happens. It’s different when you post something original.
    
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    January 18, 2017 7:13pm
    - nasska
      
      Never mind Reid……you tried. Remember the words of the late, great John Wayne:
      
      …..”I’m only responsible for what I say…..
      
      …..not for what you understand.”……
      
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      January 18, 2017 7:27pm
      - stigie
        
        I think that sums up Penny Bright Nasska..?
        
        7 1
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        January 18, 2017 7:37pm
      - nasska
        
        I’m still trying to get my head around Penny’s defence of her anti- Paula garbage being “political satire” stigie. Google offers this as a definition of “satire”:
        
        noun:
        the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
        
        Her idiotic crap this arvo didn’t come close.
        
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        January 18, 2017 7:43pm
    - stephieboy
      
      Reid , well at least is reassuring you wont try to call me a C… ever again.
      
      The rest of your waffle was tediously predictable .!
      
      However we can only but try .
      
      Sigh !
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:05pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Hey Idiotboy, when you are at Church on Sunday’s do you ask forgiveness for all your creepy behaviour?
        
        6 1
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        January 18, 2017 11:07pm
      - Reid
        
        No you are a cunt stephie, you just proved it by your response to my entirely reasonable request.
        
        Noted.
        
        [DPF: Strike 4 and two weeks off]
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:29pm
- cha
  
  Apologies to Joni Mitchell –
  
  Don’t it always seem to go
  That you don’t know what you’ve got
  Till it’s gone
  
  http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/brink-repeal-obamacare-has-never-been-more-popular-n707806
  
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  January 18, 2017 6:22pm
Longknives

Just watched One News-
Now I’m no PR ‘Whiz’ but…
I know Labour are married to the batshit insane Greens- But why are the Labour Party doing media interviews with feral looking hippies standing in the background?? (Sorry but that ain’t going to appeal to the ‘Working class Man’ Andy..)
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January 18, 2017 7:28pm
All_on_Red

This is great. Tucker interviews the Demand Protest guy. Really funny
http://video.foxnews.com/v/5286321953001/?#sp=show-clips
“So what we’re doing now is protesting the Donald Trump protesters”
“We support Peyton Manning to get the truth out there”
Lol
Release the Roswell documents!
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January 18, 2017 8:16pm
Reid

The city of Deir Ezzor (Deir ez-Zur) in east-Syria is on the verge of falling into the hands of the Takfiris of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). More than 100,000 civilian inhabitants of Deir Ezzor and thousands of soldiers defending them are in immediate danger of being murdered by the savage ISIS forces. The current situation is a direct consequence of U.S. military action against the SAA and non-action against ISIS.

Four days ago a new attack by ISIS on Deir Ezzor was launched and has since continued. ISIS reinforcements and resupplies had come over months despite air interdiction from the Russian and Syrian airforces. Yesterday ISIS managed to cut off the airport, where the local SAA command and its main supplies are hosted, from the city proper. It is now attacking in full force from all sides. Bad weather makes air support from the outside sporadic and difficult. Unless some unforeseen happens it is only a question of time until the airport and the city fall to ISIS.

The U.S. has condoned and/or even actively supported the imminent ISIS taking of Deir Ezzor by (at least) three measures:

a massive U.S. air attack on SAA forces in September 2016 enabled ISIS to take a controlling position and to cut off SAA resupplies

a U.S. attack against a power station in January disabled the last electricity supplies to the city

U.S. non-intervention enabled ISIS reinforcements from Mosul and west Iraq to Deir Ezzor in east-Syria

And then it goes on to detail each of those three bullets.

Russia flew more sorties over Deir Azzar in the last 24 hours than it did the whole of December. But it won’t hold it, it’s trying to delay it till Trump gets in. And rightly so.

Because newsflash sheeple, your beloved US of A is throwing ANOTHER hundred thousand lives and more to the child rapists and head choppers. Yes. It is. Look at it. I’d rub your stupid noses in it, sheeple, if I could. Your stupidity deserves it. All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing, and you’re doing it, sheeple.

And for the lefties who can’t add 2+2, this is Obama’s last fling. His last ISIS hurrah. After loyally and lovingly birthing, nurturing, supplying and healing ISIS he gives them one last push before, he hopes, returning in 4-8 years under a Michelle ticket after poisoning Trump’s every move and incidentally but who cares to him, leaving the US a smouldering ruin.

And the military-security complex is there because Eastern Syria is the Sunni-ISIS stronghold. Without it the whole Sunni expansion-through-war-by-proxy expires. And ISIS supporters don’t want that. So again sheeple, not only Obama but your beloved US of A military is behind a campaign to entrench conflict in the ME, not caring we’re talking child rapists and head choppers, this is who the US of A is supporting. It is. Yes. It is. Educate yourself. You’ll see.

http://www.moonofalabama.org/2017/01/how-the-us-enabled-isis-to-take-deir-ezzor.html#more
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January 18, 2017 8:32pm
- Gabby
  
  Chump’ll stop all that stone dead.
  You’ll see.
  
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  January 18, 2017 8:44pm
  - Reid
    
    I’m not convinced he will Gabby. I hope he will.
    
    But whether or not he does will be an interesting test to witness, won’t it.
    
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    January 18, 2017 10:15pm
- Reid
  
  To the three downtickers who clearly didn’t bother reading the article because if they had, after reams of facts they would have read:
  
  The U.S. official rhetoric about fighting ISIS is not supported by observable facts on the battle field. One can only conclude that the U.S. military does not only condone but supports ISIS in gaining control over Deir Ezzor despite the extreme high risk for anyone left in the city.
  
  This likely to further the larger long term plan of installing a “Salafist principality” in western Iraq and eastern Syria that creates a justification for the U.S. military to stay in the area to “fight ISIS” and which can be activated against the Syrian and Iraqi government whenever convenient. U.S. President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry have both admitted that they earlier allowed ISIS to grow in Iraq and Syria for exactly such political purposes.
  
  And how can you be in favour of child rapists and head choppers when that’s going on. Which it is.
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:49pm
- stephieboy
  
  “..The U.S. has condoned and/or even actively supported the imminent ISIS taking of Deir Ezzor by (at least) three measures:
  
  a massive U.S. air attack on SAA forces in September 2016 enabled ISIS to take a controlling position and to cut off SAA resupplies…”
  
  BS !
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:59pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    Ahh, there you are Stephie with your last word late night troll
    What.a.wanker!
    
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    January 18, 2017 11:02pm
    - stephieboy
      
      All on Red , there you are beleive in everyhing the Syrian Information Minsitry tells you.
      
      Glug , glug , glug . The Trumpanzee to the rescue .
      
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      January 18, 2017 11:07pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Hey at least you didn’t call me a Nazi eh Strike 3 idiot
        
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        January 18, 2017 11:09pm
nasska

A Man Who Boozes
(An Irish Poem of Unknown Origin)

It was a year ago, September
a day I well remember
I was walking up and down
in drunken pride
when my knees began to flutter
and I fell down in the gutter
and a pig came by and lay down by my side

As I lay there in the gutter
thinking thoughts I could not utter
I thought I heard a passing lady say,
“You can tell a man who boozes
by the company he chooses…”
The pig got up and slowly walked away
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January 18, 2017 9:03pm
- Fletch
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvP9exf-eZw
  
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  January 18, 2017 9:53pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  and for Scottish drunks (and art lovers and Burns worshippers)
  http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-38589577
  
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  January 18, 2017 10:00pm
Manolo

The clown warns us:
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/18/joe-bidens-final-speech-at-davos.html

Vice President Joe Biden delivered an epic final speech Wednesday to the elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The gist of his speech was simple: At a time of “uncertainty” we must double down on the values that made Western democracies great, and not allow the “liberal world order” to be torn apart by destructive forces.
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January 19, 2017 6:36am
Manolo

It is likely Oxfam’s representatives were there:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/business/dealbook/world-economic-forum-davos-backlash.html

For years, economic inequality has ranked as one of the most discussed issues at Davos, both in the formal conference agenda and in the conversations that fill hallways and the private parties and dinners held throughout town. For years, little to nothing has changed.

“People talk about inequality, how it’s a major problem, the greatest threat to globalization and the global economy,” Mr. Stiglitz said. “You have to recognize that the way we have managed globalization has contributed significantly to inequality. But I have not yet heard a good conversation about what changes in globalization would address inequality.”
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January 19, 2017 6:40am
BeeSting

Increased Homelessness is a direct result of increased accomodation costs.

In amongst the Fake Beggars there are genuine cases.?

This will increase until all the issues are addressed
Drug abuse, Violence etc etc
it is really that simple.
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January 19, 2017 9:04am

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