General Debate 04 August 2024

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greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350354021/mysterious-charity-no-accounts-website-or-physical-presence-under-investigation

Why don’t we just call it by its proper name: Another Chinese Scam.
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August 4, 2024 8:04am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  The funding came from pokies money; the administrator of the trust making grants has previous business links with the recipient of the grants.
  
  That in itself is a smoking pistol.
  
  Does DIA not require financial reports? Does Audit NZ not audit this area?
  
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  August 4, 2024 8:14am
  - peterwn
    
    I looked it up on the Charities web site. It has filed one set of accounts (its initial period) – $0 in $0 out, 40 hours volunteer labour.
    The 31 March 2023 accounts are grossly overdue which would be why the outfit is under investigation.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:19am
    - Paulus
      
      Are not tens of Thousands of Charities being looked at because so many of them do not produce Accounts on time or at all ?
      Of course many just do not do so and the greatest proportion are of course Maori I believe.
      
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      August 4, 2024 2:25pm
- Inandout
  
  grey, may I remind people that during the covid era untold millions of dollars were poured into the ‘Maori cause’, and accounting was not sought. A lot of people became wealthy due to this.
  
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  August 4, 2024 8:14am
- kowtow
  
  Every day there seems to be yet another story about corruption in New Zealand .
  
  Prisons , pokies , police ,marae , Worksafe investigation into White Island ……
  
  ps Why has the media adopted that ridiculous Americanism “staffers” , I thought our media hated all things from there .
  
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  August 4, 2024 8:33am
- emmess
  
  Check out this incredibly sophisticated deep fake scan of Elon Musk
  https://www.youtube.com/live/q7tvXjDi97k?si=1BQAdPC6NWORn78W
  Do not be fooled
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:35pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    Yes, it is sophisticated and also very dangerous. Keep a wary eye out for more of this sort of thing coming your way.
    You mentioned ‘scam” so that had me primed to look for flaws, but there are a few problems that I think I would have spotted anyway.
    Firstly, the name of the source “tesla” seems to be wrong. It’s a name associated with Elon Musk, but it’s not presented correctly. Big corporations protect their names and logos very jealously and a legitimate business link is easy to check.
    Then they have fallen into the classic trap of the conman’s greed, they need your money and contact details NOW!
    No time to think or explain!
    Scan this code or regret it!
    A legitimate businessman making a legitimate pitch is perfectly happy to go through every last little detail at length, but not here.
    What they actually do is start with an emotional trigger, Trump and the assassination attempts. That use of emotional triggers is what actors, conmen and firebrand preachers do, not legitimate businessmen looking for legitimate investors.
    There is another thing about this “Elon Musk’s” appearance and voice that seems odd, he’s just too smooth.
    Elon Musk is not a naturally confident public speaker, he has many odd pauses “umms and errs” in his voice, and I’m just not seeing that here.
    I think that sort of thing is difficult to reproduce with this current generation of AI as they have been designed to produce pleasant excellent voices not rough ones.
    this reminds me of a bit from one of the “Star Trek” movies when an odd human beams aboard The Enterprise, they seem too beautiful, too intelligent and too strong. Mr. Spock say something like
    “If an alien intelligence were tempted to create a human, they may be tempted to create a perfect one”.
    But it’s the imperfections that are very human, shirt slightly untucked, one shoe a bit dirty, maybe a pimple on the face or an uncomfortable noise when you stand up too fast.
    But of course, AI is a machine capable of learning so they will eventually learn these tricks too.
    In the meantime, here is a little fun with AI fakery
    Elvis Presley The King of Rock ‘n Roll (died in 1977) singing Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s famously lewd song “Baby Got Back” (released in 1992)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XT6I2XTC2s
    
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    August 4, 2024 9:14pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Media report that an Englishman has been arrested.

Would that have said that about a Samoan, in the same circumstances?

I don’t think so.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350366117/offshore-masterminds-direct-local-couriers-scam-targeting-elderly
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August 4, 2024 8:07am
- kowtow
  
  “English national” , not necessarily English . Innit.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:25am
  - Taieri
    
    “English national” should actually be English, perhaps whoever called it that meant “British national”?
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:55pm
- peterwn
  
  A friend of mine was on the receiving end of this sort of scan but was smart enough not to be taken in. He went along with it short of parting with real money to see what would happen then contacted the Police. He considers himself fortunate that he was nor stripped of his $$$. The worrying thing is if someone is losing their marbles they could fall for that sort of scam.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:28am
  - Jake Dee
    
    Don’t think that it’s only stupid people or those with mental difficulties who get scammed. Plenty of very clever people get conned, these tricksters are master psychologists.
    You might be able to spot that one particular scam but then it probably wasn’t aimed at your particular personality type.
    A woman is unlikely to be conned by a beautiful woman in the same way a man might be, but there are plenty of “Romeo” romance scammers who manipulate lonely women, they just adapt their approach depending on the target.
    
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    August 4, 2024 9:28pm
- nygr
  
  ZB news said “pakeha”. Me thinks the police are starting to identify “pakeha” and when they don’t identify race then you know it’s maori.
  
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  August 5, 2024 7:29am
David Garrett

Greetings from the Kingdom of Tonga…u chaps freezing ur arses off dont want to know what the temp here is this fine morning…but then u all have a plethora of choices of how u will spend ur day…whereas up here the country is closed until midnight
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August 4, 2024 8:13am
- Biscuit
  
  Freezing?
  
  I will have you know that here in Upper Hutt at 8.20 am my PC reckons it is a balmy 4 o C outside!
  
  Once it cools down a bit, I have a golf date to look forward to…
  
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  August 4, 2024 8:20am
  - David Garrett
    
    Biscuit: I assume you mean 4C not 40??
    
    I am congratulating myself on learning how to use WhatsApp, which means i dont need to go into the office to log on here…
    
    But to more serious matters…although the killer of the three little girls appears not to be a Muslim, i am very pleased to see some Brits in the north of England finally making it clear they’ve had enough of the members of the Death Cult who have made parts of their cities No Go areas, even for the cops
    
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    August 4, 2024 8:28am
    - Biscuit
      
      Def just the 4, David!
      
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      August 4, 2024 8:35am
      - David Garrett
        
        4 degrees! Fuck that…can you play golf wearing a puffer jacket?
        
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        August 4, 2024 8:41am
      - rouppe
        
        I played golf once in Wanaka in the snow.
        
        Made it bloody difficult to find the ball…
        
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        August 4, 2024 9:09am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Minus 5 in Christchurch at 7.00 am. ❄
        
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        August 4, 2024 9:10am
      - Colville
        
        Yeah Rouppe…I think you would struggle to find your balls in 4C…hiding somewhere up behind your ears to keep warm I expect!!
        
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        August 4, 2024 9:46am
      - pdm
        
        DG – although I have never met Biscuit face to face I have been communicating with Biscuit by email for close to 30 years.
        
        You would be very surprised at what he says he can do.
        
        You would also not be surprised at the bullshit excuses he dreams up when things he tries don’t work.
        
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        August 4, 2024 10:16am
      - wsk12345
        
        Do t you two – Biscuit and pdm – both live in the H Bay?
        
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        August 4, 2024 6:35pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Colville I expect the other bits would be quite shriveled too.
        
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        August 4, 2024 10:16pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Interesting, if you look at the BBC app there’s virtually no news about these riots. There’s a link to video “Watch – Clashes and burning cars etc”, but when I click on the link, the app drops.
      
      The story is some way down the page – you would think that multiple riots across the nation would be at or near the top. Unsurprisingly, the story is not in the top ten on the site.
      
      Surely the BBC are not censoring this story?
      
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      August 4, 2024 8:37am
      - NothingLeft
        
        Muslim mob armed with machete’s etc who assembled outside of a mosque under watchful eye of UK police then went around Stoke looking for anti-immigration protestors:
        https://youtu.be/3LWpGRpL8-k
        https://x.com/RMXnews/status/1819792575697400077
        
        Left-wing propagandist legacy media will of course avoid reporting on this.
        
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        August 4, 2024 12:08pm
      - slijmbal
        
        Currently in the UK – lots of news on the riots on ITV – vague about details around motivation and participants outside of the usual ‘far right and anti-immigration’ meme.
        
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        August 5, 2024 2:42am
      - slijmbal
        
        Also – lots of claims problems caused by out of towners and not the locals – I think the situation is more complicated than currently presented
        
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        August 5, 2024 2:51am
    - Matt Long
      
      The British police aren’t afraid to go door to door picking up protesters of the wrong type.
      https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1819814597483958663
      
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      August 4, 2024 8:46am
      - David Garrett
        
        Matt: Lovely…judging by the disgraceful inaction last year when Posie Parker tried to exercise her right to free speech, such scenes will inevitably be seen in NZ sooner than you think…its even starting to happen up here…Muslims used to be prohibited from entering Tonga, but u now see the odd one about
        
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        August 4, 2024 8:56am
    - softail 1450
      
      DG , I’ve seen reports that he was born in the UK just days after immigrating there from France on an inflatable across the Chanel and that his parents are Muslim , it’s getting harder by the day to know what’s BS and what is the truth and when Ai gets wound into top gear it’ll be impossible.
      
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      August 4, 2024 8:56am
    - Matt Long
      
      And kudos to Keir Starmer for doing what so many have failed to do in the past.
      Uniting Unionists and Republicans in Belfast is no small feat, and all he had to do was be so repugnant that both sides realise their past differences are less important than the struggle against global “progressivists”.
      https://x.com/CountDankulaTV/status/1819733973188186503
      
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      August 4, 2024 8:56am
      - Jake Dee
        
        The Green Irish vs. The Orange Irish is a classic example of “The Vanity of Small Differences”. just like there was no one that The Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) publicly hated more than The Communist Party (Trotskyist-Internationalist).
        I also notice that no one is rioting in the streets of the Buddhists.
        “Damn you Buddhist Bastards! Coming over here and quietly burning your incense and not eating meat! Damn you all to one of your twelve different types of Hell!”
        
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        August 4, 2024 9:39pm
    - peterwn
      
      Rouppe – Does not the Pro Shop in Wanaka sell coloured golf balls? You could mail order some from Golf Warehouse.
      
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      August 4, 2024 10:32am
  - mandk
    
    Metservice says it is still -1.2C in Hutt Superior.
    Lots of ice around.
    
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    August 4, 2024 8:40am
  - mogg
    
    Looking in your direction I can see a blanket of snow glistening in sunshine on Mt Holdsworth. Best view is from Jetstar flight headed for Gold Coast.
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:36pm
- Michael Sommerville
  
  Well, in Beachlands, it is 7 degrees but the aircon is set to a very pleasant 18 degrees. The sun is shining. What more do you need?
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:01am
  - Jethrod
    
    Felt so cold here in Havelock North at 0700 that it was called no number….. just 0
    
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    August 4, 2024 9:55am
    - pdm
      
      8% in Hastings by Cornwall Park now Jethrod.
      
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      August 4, 2024 10:18am
gravedodger

Minus 5,4 degrees here, south of the Village of The Damned, a second serious frost in two days, crunchy.
If my lawn was a putting green a ball would double in size travelling ten meters to a hole.
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August 4, 2024 8:28am
- pdm
  
  GD back in the good old days golfers were not allowed on any greens until they were clear of frost.
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:43pm
Cassandra

Talking of cold, John Key calls for a cooling down regarding Maori issues. Rich coming from someone who has much of the responsibility – having given them the yard, the Maoris have now tried to take the mile. Key then compounds his errors by referring to the Maoris as the Crown’s partner. NO. It was never a partnership. Crown and Maori are parties to a treaty, they are not partners in any accepted sense of the word. How do we reconcile the question of sovereignty? Either the Crown is sovereign or it is not. There’s no mid point, no compromise. Maori has half the water and the rest of us have the other half? Don’t be silly.
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August 4, 2024 8:32am
- Chuck Bird
  
  “Maori has half the water and the rest of us have the other half? ”
  
  Which Maori have half the water?
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:16am
  - Cassandra
    
    Maori have claimed ownership of the water. I don’t understand your question. My point is that a compromise such as we share 50/50 is not possible.
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:19am
    - Chuck Bird
      
      My question is simple. Do all Maori have half the water or just the brown elite?
      
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      August 4, 2024 2:10pm
    - Jake Dee
      
      Not true, a certain clique of people have made those claims on behalf of all Māori.
      It’s an important difference.
      
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      August 4, 2024 9:41pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        The majority of Maori get nothing. That clique of Maori claim to speak for all Maori but the claim is false.
        
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        August 5, 2024 7:27am
- Damocles11
  
  John ‘UNDRIP’ Key sold us down the river and is transmitting a message that we must all remain sullen and quiet while forced maorification and the destruction of our democracy gathers pace. Resisting would only be ‘bad for business’ and result in Key and his cronies making less money, and we can’t have that. The problem is that Luxon looks to Key as his mentor and has no problem with selling us down the river as Key did.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:36am
  - Matt Long
    
    In the immortal words of the architect of Te Mana o Te Wai, as well as UNDRIP, Race based voting wards, etc. etc.
    “In a Labour Government I lead…”
    
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    August 4, 2024 12:03pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Yep and Key has his foreign bolt hole/s and is set up very nicely thank you very much. I wonder if he felt he was on some kind of lofty god-king style mission to gift control of NZ to people of Maori descent.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:21pm
- kowtow
  
  The good “managers” with absolutely no understanding of the basics of the constitution.
  
  Our political Elites ; Dumb and Dumber.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:37am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  The treaty is a partnership between two races, what is could it be.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:50am
  - kowtow
    
    It’s a sale and purchase agreement and a surrender of sovereignty to the Crown.
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:41am
    - David Garrett
      
      Kowtow: I happened to be talking to Prof. Philip J0seph the other day; Joseph is the acknowledged expert on NZ constitutional law.
      
      I asked if what he said 30 years ago in Public Law was still true: “If it was anything, it [the treaty] was a treaty of cession”.
      
      Rather to my surprise he hedged a bit…basically saying that court decisions since I graduated in 1992 have given the bloody treaty more weight than it deserves, and it is now – for good or ill – part of our constitution.
      
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      August 4, 2024 1:07pm
  - Damocles11
    
    Maori became citizens of the British Empire with certain right & obligations, such as to be decent law-abiding citizens. Let me know when they start fulfilling that part of the scenario.
    
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    August 4, 2024 12:41pm
  - Grunter
    
    How do you get to that conclusion?
    
    Māori ceded sovereignty to the British. They also agreed to become full British citizens, with the same rights and responsibilities as all other citizens.
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:05pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Only a “partnership” in the same sense that you and I are in a partnership as citizens of NZ.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:26pm
- thirteenstars
  
  Luxon is described as a Key acolyte and you can see it quite clearly. Never forget he described ACT’s desire to clarify the Treaty principles through referendum as “divisive”.
  
  We have all seen the violence in England these last few days as a result of politicians, for many years, pretending there’s no problem, these aren’t the droids you’re looking for, and don’t be divisive.
  
  Yip, yip.
  
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  August 4, 2024 11:04am
  - Damocles11
    
    Eventually enough is enough and even the mildest people become enraged. If you go to the Daily Mail website and read the comments, you will see a massive outpouring of anger from the ordinary everyday people. They know the urban elites and major political parties won’t listen to them, and they are furious. The UK is broken. Labour won their election in a landslide with only 33.7% of the vote. Elected with a huge majority, but hated by the vast majority from Day 1 of their new term. Make it make sense. The glaring issue with ‘First Past The Post’ has never been more apparent.
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:18am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Starmer is inflaming the situation. He has labelled protesters as far right and has threatened them with retribution from the police.
      He has also commented that it will be a summer of violence.
      That indicates he prefers the public fighting each other rather than criticising his incompetent government.
      He will certainly be gone by Christmas.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:38pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      It’s worse than that; only 20% of registered UK voters voted for Labour.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:44pm
      - Damocles11
        
        Presumably a lot of registered voters didn’t even bother voting, as they didn’t think there was any point in doing so.
        
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        August 4, 2024 1:56pm
      - mawm
        
        Damo – the Conservatives have only themselves to blame for so few voters turning up for them. I wonder if the same will happen with National.
        
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        August 4, 2024 3:20pm
David Garrett

Whatever happened to Stupid boy who, every time i made a comment about Muslims, told us that the 57 Muslim immigrants in Dunedin were all lovely people…as if that proved anything
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August 4, 2024 8:33am
- Mike
  
  Someone is pining for more stupidity on Kiwiblog! You might be referring to stephieboy, who got viciously doxed, to the applause of the rabble.
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:43am
  - Swifty
    
    What’s the difference between ‘doxed’ and ‘viciously doxed’?
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:04am
    - David Garrett
      
      Swifty: I have never understood this ridiculous fear of “doxing”…back in the day, ones address was in the phonebook…do we still have phone books?
      
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      August 4, 2024 10:35am
      - Jake Dee
        
        I know some people think it’s cowardly or unnecessary but there are legitimate reasons for writing pseudonymously and there is plenty of precedent too.
        “Voltaire” was actually François-Marie Arouet.
        All the Federalist papers were written pseudonymously, “Publius” was actually Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
        Benjamin Franklin was Richard Saunders and also Silence Dogood.
        “Junius” was a famous but anonymous writer whose political letters criticized corruption in the British government. He wrote in the London Public Advertiser between January 1769 and January 1772. We still aren’t exactly sure who he really was.
        
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        August 4, 2024 10:03pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Swif
      
      Viciously doxxed:
      
      Bold type?
      All in caps?
      
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      August 4, 2024 10:35am
    - Mike
      
      Swifty
      You may delete the adverb if it aids your understanding.
      
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      August 4, 2024 11:41am
      - Swifty
        
        Kimbo would be very upset at your indiscriminate use of adverbs.
        
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        August 4, 2024 11:57am
  - Matt Long
    
    Oh really, stephieboy was doxxed?
    Who was the genius mastermind? Chris Bishop? Andrew Coaster?
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:59am
    - Swifty
      
      A rather sad elderly gentleman living just off Dominion Rd.
      
      Saw himself as a lefty knight sallying forth daily to vanquish the evil doers on Kiwiblog.
      
      The fact that it was him being beaten up daily on here, and for years, was lost on him.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:37pm
      - David Garrett
        
        The fact that it was him being beaten up daily on here, and for years, was lost on him.
        
        No surprise there. He always came across as richly deserving the variation of his handle, Stupid rather than Stephieboy.
        
        But I had always assumed he lived in Dunedin, as he kept on about the 57 Muslim there who were – and in fact may well be – lovely people. It’s their children who pose the greatest potential threat.
        
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        August 4, 2024 1:11pm
Close Hen Counters

John keys comments re Maori needing respect because they are an indigenous … he’s never watched te pati Maori at play??? I hope David and Winston go full throttle on this bullshit … I suspect John has spent too much time at woke as fuck ANZ bank
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August 4, 2024 8:44am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Maori are not indigenous, they are immigrants.
  Key needs to learn this and stop his nonsense.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:06am
  - Mike
    
    Do I need to explain what indigenous means again, Steve?
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:54am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Go ahead, I won’t read it.
      You version depend on your activist sources.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:14pm
    - Grunter
      
      Go on, I need a laugh
      
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      August 4, 2024 1:07pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Mike you realise the indigenous people were so approx 200 years ago? And you know that NZ now approx 200 years down the track is a vastly different country in a vastly different world? You realise almost every person (if not all) of Maori descent also have heritage from other races and peoples? You are no doubt wedded to the UN definitions. NZ is not governed by the UN. The UN is a collection of unelected activists of the far left.
      
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      August 4, 2024 10:34pm
  - Aquarius
    
    Māori are indigenous I’m told
    But the dogs and rats that came with them in the canoes
    Are introduced species…….
    
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    August 4, 2024 3:46pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Stop it please, you are making the followers look stupid.
      
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      August 4, 2024 6:34pm
- PurplePen
  
  That’s a racist statement BTW from Key.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:48am
Gravelroad

https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/350364940/damien-grant-we-may-be-avoiding-technical-recession-we-are-failing-confront-reality
This guy makes a lot of statements.
Apparently, Labour will form the next government.
Coalition government doesn’t have the guts to make major necessary changes to economic management -in less than 12 months.
We are doomed.
Will go out on a cold and frosty morning here and feed hay to the cows and prepare the sheep for a shift to Australia.
They like sheep in Australia.
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August 4, 2024 8:59am
- David Garrett
  
  Gravel: i have read that wool is now virtually worthless, but of course u still have to shear the blighters…is that right? What does shearing ur lot cost you?
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:27am
  - Gravelroad
    
    About $9.80 per sheep. More for wethers and x3 for rams.
    Includes wool handling in shed.
    
    14 1
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    August 4, 2024 9:43am
    - David Garrett
      
      And is it true that the wool is currently virtually worthless? I once worked on a shearing gang for a few days…the bastards had me catching the rams…bloody exhausting until a lovely Maori guy showed me how to do it…just like the old saying in the oilfield: “fuck all to it when u know how”
      
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      August 4, 2024 9:54am
      - Matt Long
        
        Yes, course wools are pretty much worthless, my handful of sheep are now self shedding and I don’t regret the change at all.
        Of course if wool insulation had been used instead of paper in Fletcher’s convention center, it would have been worth $150 million. Such is the price of stupidity.
        
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        August 4, 2024 12:08pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        Fine fibrous synthetics are now superior, and far cheaper than wool in basically all applications.
        
        2 0
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        August 4, 2024 12:46pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        “Fine fibrous synthetics are now superior, and far cheaper than wool in basically all applications.”
        
        Never mind they take hundreds or thousands of years to break down. Keep chucking them in the landfill?
        
        1 0
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        August 4, 2024 10:37pm
    - Countrygirl
      
      Wow! Country Boy used to think he did well at 75c per sheep. When he grows up I want him to be a ram shearer. 2 per hour will be higher wages than he has had in the past 65 years.
      
      7 0
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      August 4, 2024 12:20pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    It has improved markedly, up 22 cents just this week, double the price of the lies not so long ago
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:58am
  - T for Tim
    
    We don’t shear as we have self shedding sheep. Best thing ever invented.
    
    2 0
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    August 4, 2024 12:05pm
- pdm
  
  gravel I consider Damien Grant to be the best Opinion writer Stuff have.
  
  The shame is they only let him loose on Sundays – or perhaps it is his choice and he does not want to be tainted by association.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:21am
  - Ghost
    
    He just goes to show you can completely screw up your life and turn it around.
    
    7 1
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    August 4, 2024 10:29am
- Damocles11
  
  Grant has simply reached the conclusion that New Zealands decline is irreversible. He is a realist who has weighed up all the available evidence and come to this conclusion. To my mind, he is entirely correct. We will not be able to overcome the deeply ingrained structural reasons why we have reached this point, because there are no workable solutions and no strident political or societal will to do even a fraction of what is required.
  
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  August 4, 2024 3:29pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Last person out turn out the lights (if they are still on, at all)?
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:39pm
colina

“National Party conference: Sir John Key’s call to ‘take the temperature down’ on race relations”
So, there will be no progress on continued Maori pandering, consultations, handouts, extortions, and national division will continue to grow along with the destructive economic impact.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-party-conference-sir-john-keys-call-to-take-the-temperature-down-on-race-relations-verdict-on-the-national-coalition-with-nz-first-and-act/OPFFPXREPRAYVJ754HDSRFBDKM/#google_vignette
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August 4, 2024 9:00am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  John Key needs to have a chat with those responsible – the Waitangi Tribunal and the activists.
  
  24 2
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  August 4, 2024 10:19am
  - Damocles11
    
    John Key needs to have a chat with himself, as he one of the main culprits regarding the race mess we are in.
    
    21 1
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    August 4, 2024 10:56am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Yup!
      
      4 1
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      August 4, 2024 12:15pm
    - Quail
      
      Like Ardern , Key resigned. They both are no longer relevant!
      Both of them should now shut up and let those who have to make the decisions get on with it.
      
      2 0
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      August 4, 2024 8:03pm
      - Ghost
        
        Great thing about nz is the right of people to freedom of expression. So why should Key, or any other former politician not have the rights you have?
        
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        August 4, 2024 8:12pm
rouppe

Damian Grant nails it:

Meanwhile the leadership of National are showing themselves to be the same timid and ineffective party of cautious inactivity that we saw under Key. They lack the political will to take on the teacher unions and improve education. They are unable to introduce market discipline into health that is the only means of driving improved performance.

They lack the political will to bring state spending under control and while they will improve things at the margins they are unable to undertake the structural changes that we saw from Roger Douglas.

We are not in a recession because a recession implies a hiatus between periods of economic growth. We are experiencing sustained economic decline and are unwilling to either discuss this fact, nor do anything about it.

Still. We have some nice bush walks and Fiordland is pretty.
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August 4, 2024 9:07am
- Colville
  
  Grant (who I enjoy reading) ignores the political reality that to effect change you need to stay in power and to stay in power you cant piss everyone off tooooooo much!
  National are doing some good work, not as much as most on the Right (including me) would like but its a lot better than going backwards at a million miles an hour under the toothy one or ginga replacement.
  Its really going to be slowly slowly catchee money I think.
  A few years of tough love for the MSM will help too!
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:54am
  - Damocles11
    
    So you are essentially saying we should rejoice in Labour Lite because Labour would be worse. Is there a new edition of UNDRIP we can sign up to because that has been the biggest hangover from John Keys Labour Lite government, that and repealing the Foreshore and Seabed legislation. What you people seem to not realise is that eventually Labour / TPM / Greens will get back into power and if the boat has just been rowed in circles in the interim then we are truly stuffed.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:53am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      How is scraping almost all of Labours ideological bullshit make them Labour lite?
      
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      August 4, 2024 11:02am
      - Mike
        
        Not just scraping, there’s some bowing going on as well.
        
        7 3
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        August 4, 2024 11:43am
      - Damocles11
        
        What ‘ideological bullshit’ has been scrapped? You’ve got your head buried in the sand.
        
        6 3
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        August 4, 2024 12:01pm
      - pdm
        
        There is your problem G.
        
        Scraping them is only scratching the surface.
        
        Scrapping them entirely is a much better option.
        
        5 0
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        August 4, 2024 12:49pm
      - Grunter
        
        🤣🤣🤣
        
        🙄🙄🙄
        
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        August 4, 2024 1:15pm
    - Colville
      
      I am saying we should support the coalition in getting on with correcting the basics (housing, education, health, crime) and lets hope they can move the mood of the electorate to come along for the journey.
      National going nuclear and smashing hot topic issues will see them (1) not achieve anything meaningful in the big four items and (2) see them chucked out in ’26 to have Willie Jackson and Chloe running the country and any changes instantly repealed.
      Do you want that??
      
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      August 4, 2024 11:16am
      - Damocles11
        
        Damien is right. Far too timid.
        
        7 4
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        August 4, 2024 12:02pm
      - Ghost
        
        Agree, what people want the government to do at a rapid pace would see labour back in government at the next election.
        
        5 3
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        August 4, 2024 12:08pm
      - Colville
        
        Ghost.
        Its not what “the people” want its what 10% of the people want.
        Same loud voices that wanted Collins to be the new Thatcher…and the Nats got trounced.
        
        New Zealand is a lefty country…get used to that fact or be forever angry.
        
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        August 4, 2024 12:54pm
      - Ghost
        
        Yeah, the same people that complained that under labour that Winston was the tail wagging the dog, now support and want their tail to wag the dog. There is a disconnection on kiwiblog between what people here think New Zealanders what, and what they actually want.
        
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        August 4, 2024 12:58pm
      - Damocles11
        
        Come on Colville, the 2020 election was essentially a referendum on the handling of Covid pandemic by the Ardern government, yet you’ve made up something about Collins acting like Thatcher and getting punished for it. Complete nonsense. The amount of excuse making and faux history being created to justify Nationals weakness is extraordinary.
        
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        August 4, 2024 2:00pm
  - newview
    
    Completely agree Colville
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:20am
- imalwaysright
  
  Rouppe
  
  “We are not in a recession because a recession implies a hiatus between periods of economic growth. We are experiencing sustained economic decline…”
  
  Well put.
  We are a “post war” country.
  Labour waged the war from within.
  They attacked infrastructure, health, education, personal wealth and social cohesion.
  We have fewer capable people and small and medium businesses are failing daily.
  We lost the war.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:48am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    That leads to communism, Labour wanted everyone equally poor, thanks to Peter’s they got far closer to success than ever
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:04am
    - Damocles11
      
      We’re still getting poorer by the day. And no answers or leadership on how to turn it around, except borrow more – which won’t work.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:03pm
- Pope Punctilious II
  
  I don’t think Grant nails it. He does say some good things, but he’s hampered by a strangely one-dimensional worldview. He pines for Roger Douglas, apparently overlooking the culturally leftist character of the Lange-Douglas government and that the dysfunctionality of some of the institutions they created e.g. DOC, and turning universities into pseudocorporations. Turning students into paying customers effectively puts the students in charge, and now we have 8 universities spending big bucks marketing wares that differ only slightly more meaningfully huge than those sold by BP, Mobil, Z etc. Neither does Grant pay due attention to the ideological capture of our institutions.
  
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  August 4, 2024 1:26pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Apparently, Muslims are no safer in NZ than they were before the Mosque attacks. Never mind that 36 of 44 recommendations ex the Inquiry report have or will be implemented.

The fact that Abdur Razzaq Khan wants the hate speech recommendation to be implemented shows that his belief in authoritarianism runs deep.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/08/03/govt-scrapping-recommendations-shameful-muslim-leader/
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August 4, 2024 9:09am
- Swifty
  
  I do wish journos would mention Anjum Rahman has stood for Labour multiple times whenever she launches into yet another government-bashing rant.
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:59am
- imalwaysright
  
  Never
  Maybe he should get to the back of the queue.
  
  We are still working on the safety of New Zealand infants, too many of whom are being tortured and murdered in this country.
  
  Perhaps he can pardon us if we don’t give a fuck about his perceptions of his personal safety and his hurty feelings .
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:14am
- sirknz
  
  If he and his fellow followers of Islam don’t feel safe here, they’re welcome to return to wherever it is they called home prior, it’s not like NZ doesn’t permit people to leave as they please.
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:24pm
andrewo

I suspect Melissa Lee only got fired because Luxon and the rest of National didn’t have the balls to do what she was proposing – cut TVNZ and RNZ adrift and force them to fend for themselves.
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August 4, 2024 9:09am
- MCōs
  
  Did she want to sell those two entities or is that just your suspicion?
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:52am
  - Ghost
    
    Lee has become a hero to people who have invented a whole new story about her
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:18am
- David Garrett
  
  Andrew: Ms Lee used to be very effective..
  Perhaps its time for her to move onto pastures new
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:00am
  - MCōs
    
    She sounded like she might be effective when she was in Opposition criticizing Willie Jackson, but it all signified nothing and then is heard no more in cabinet
    
    6 4
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    August 4, 2024 10:28am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I suspect activist Luxon is holding Melissa Lee back on doing anything about TVNZ and RNZ because the media is the Maori activist’s propaganda machine.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:31am
  - pdm
    
    Steve – she has no responsibility now.
    
    It is Goldsmith and he will only do what Luxon tells him.
    
    13 0
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    August 4, 2024 10:56am
    - MCōs
      
      The way I understand how these things work is a proposal is put to cabinet for consideration and once agreed upon, or not, it’s all for one and one for all, or resign, which rarely happens in NZ
      About six months before the election Winston normally gets stroppy to get his support back up to 5% for the run home
      
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      August 4, 2024 11:23am
      - Paulus
        
        At present rate I am becoming an ex National Voter, and all things being equal, I will go to NZ First next time to keep them in the Coalition.
        
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        August 4, 2024 2:39pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      She has been booted out I now see. Missed that. Too aggressive?
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:18pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      “It is Goldsmith and he will only do what Luxon tells him”
      
      Luxon will tell him to run it past Willie.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:47pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Peter’s for some reason had the screws on
  
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  August 4, 2024 11:05am
- thirteenstars
  
  There’s no evidence Lee supported such policies as minister.
  
  I paid close attention to her radio and TV interviews during her time as broadcasting minister because she had been such a staunch advocate for keeping the state out of media while in opposition.
  
  But after Newshub announced its coming demise and TVNZ showed itself to be in a poor state of health, she expressed much interest in exploring exactly the bill that Labour proposed and Goldsmith has now submitted, the purpose of which is to subsidise failing media by taxing successful media. She was asked in several interviews if that option was off the table and she would neither confirm not deny.
  
  She was a great disappointment. If she is truly an advocate of the things she espoused while in opposition she would be better to resign from National and join ACT. Indeed David Seymour has said if he had his way NZ on Air and similar media funding would not exist at all.
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:00pm
  - Damocles11
    
    Just another reason why Seymour is genuine right wing and the blues are an ersatz imitation.
    
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    August 4, 2024 2:02pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Another firm announces its HQ will leave California, and it’s a biggie.

“California’s policies have made it a difficult place to invest so we have rejected capital projects in the state,” Andy Walz, president of Chevron’s Americas Products business, wrote in a filing in late 2023. He added, “Such capital flight reflects the state’s inadequate returns and adversarial business climate.”

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Chevron-Ditches-California-for-Texas.html
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August 4, 2024 9:17am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

There could be another attempt on Trump’s life within 30 days warns a SS sniper.
5 high level supervisors responsible for the Butler fiasco need to go.

https://patriotpulse.net/all-hell-broke-loose-when-trump-got-this-warning-about-an-assassination-attempt/?
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August 4, 2024 9:21am
- MCōs
  
  So why don’t they arrest that sniper now?
  
  6 15
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  August 4, 2024 9:32am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Almost like the USSS is infested with agents who want another assassination chance.
    
    4 10
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    August 4, 2024 10:47am
- Mike
  
  In other news, Trump has sewn up the valuable Kyle Rittenhouse endorsement, albeit after some dithering on the part of the young gun.
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:47am
- david in Aus
  
  @Steve Otto. You seem to be fixated on US politics. The quote from Winston Churchill seems apt, “A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject”.
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:53am
  - Mike
    
    He’s also keen on welding, boating and Treaty of Waitangi conspiracy theories.
    
    4 18
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    August 4, 2024 10:02am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    I have a solution for you – don’t read my comments.
    FIFY.
    
    15 11
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    August 4, 2024 10:48am
- Drone
  
  Wot 9:56 am and only one post Steve, you must have slept in..
  
  7 3
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  August 4, 2024 9:57am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Enjoying a sleep in, breakfast in bed, and watching the Olympics.
    
    5 7
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    August 4, 2024 10:49am
- Quail
  
  There needs to be a lot more transparency about the whole event.
  The secret service will not name names of their staff involved, in particular the person in charge of drawing the security perimeter. The perimeter specifically excluded the roof of the building used by the assassin.
  There is no obvious reason for the security perimeter to sharply deviate in and out to exclude that building.
  There may be some good reasons for this , but if so Americans and others are entitled to be told.
  Failure to be transparent can lead to all sorts of speculation even conspiracy theories.
  
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  August 4, 2024 9:59am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    That email sent by the sniper was quickly deleted. Why? The SS needs a cleanout, just like the FBI etc.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:52am
  - Jake Dee
    
    There are also plenty of downsides to making you procedures and personnel public knowledge.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:17pm
Maggie Pie

Another beautiful day in Fielding – said no one ever! 😀

One of the gurls from Mass just shared this with us.
If you’re attention span runs to a tad over 12 min, it’s the funniest thing you’ll see all day….

GAY SOCIALIST vs LESBIAN TERFS

https://youtu.be/ZpJ86p41P6o
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August 4, 2024 10:27am
NeverMindTheBollocks

If elected, Kamala Harris will be the first white female US President. Said no MSM outlet to date.

But, it’s true.
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August 4, 2024 10:48am
- Ghost
  
  I wonder if someone has leaked who her running mate is…..
  
  https://x.com/PeopleforParker/status/1819436801280389542
  
  2 1
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  August 4, 2024 11:03am
  - slightlyrighty
    
    I think Parker has jumped the gun here, and there will be campaign officials in her ear over this.
    
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    August 4, 2024 11:24am
    - Steve Todd
      
      Maybe, but I think she’s right (although I may be wrong). I prefer Tim Walz.
      
      For what it’s worth, which may or may not be anything, I was watching the incisive Cenk Uygur at The Young Turks a couple of days ago, and he said the “betting market” has Shapiro at 69%, Beshear at 10%, and both Kelly and Walz at 9%.
      
      We wait and see.
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:07pm
- NothingLeft
  
  She’s 50% Indian, so most accurately Female Indian president
  
  8 4
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  August 4, 2024 11:19am
  - Mike
    
    It’s important to get her racial classification right. Perhaps a South African ~~refugee~~ immigrant could advise.
    
    2 12
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    August 4, 2024 11:49am
    - NothingLeft
      
      The antediluvian indentitarian left have made this an issue. It’s toxic, but fuck going along with their propaganda, lies and spin on the matter, they need to be called out on their bullshit.
      
      5 5
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      August 4, 2024 12:41pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    “She’s 50% Indian, so most accurately Female Indian president”
    
    So 50% Indian and 50% female?
    
    2 5
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    August 4, 2024 12:59pm
- MCōs
  
  Mr Trump is 50% Scottish and 50% German ethnicity, if that’s of any furtherance to the discussion
  Down the road from me is a supermarket owned by former AB Shane Howarth who used to have Welsh ancestry until he didn’t.
  
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  August 4, 2024 3:05pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  Mum Indian. Dad part Jamaican mixed with a bunch of Euro heritages. Mum and Dad both academics. Kamala’s brown skin is some kind of magical attribute according to the loons of the far left.
  
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  August 4, 2024 10:46pm
Maggie Pie

AND FINALLY – CONFIRMATION OF THE MADNESS!

Despite repeated warnings about allowing MALE Boxers to compete against WOMEN,
the IOC chose to completely ignore it…..

https://x.com/ReduxxMag/status/1819673010393031115

Will this see the end of the OLYMPICS as we knew it?
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August 4, 2024 11:05am
- sirknz
  
  Bring on the overt drug freak Olympics I say.
  
  I want to see what fully enhanced athletes are capable of doing, before dying of multiple organ failure…
  
  5 4
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  August 4, 2024 12:32pm
  - MCōs
    
    Interesting you should say that
    I used to compete in throwing events at club level in Christchurch in the mid sixties as a junior
    One of the guys there was Robin Tait who went on to represent NZ at the 1968 & 72 Olympics
    Two or three years before that he fronted up at the start of the season about three stone heavier than when we’d last seen him.
    He was a real loudmouth and told everyone he’d been taking steroids, which wasn’t banned back then. Suddenly he was chucking the discus all over the place.
    He was a bit of a tragic figure in his latter years – not that there were many
    He died at 43.
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:27pm
    - Jake Dee
      
      Well big men don’t tend to live very long but there are MANY stories of premature deaths in bodybuilding, weightlifting and professional wrestling, some of those men turn their bodies into mad-science experiments.
      If you want a tragic story, check out Aziz Sergeyevich Shavershian, better known as “Zyzz”. A thin and shy kid he had a cult following and the body of a Greek god 5 years later.
      However Greek gods do not die of a heart attack in the sauna of a Thai brothel at the age of 22.
      
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      August 4, 2024 10:29pm
- MCōs
  
  The person quoted is from the WBO, which has our Joseph Parker as their heavyweight champion of the world
  Suffice to say it’s an organization that doesn’t carry much weight in the strange world of international boxing
  
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  August 4, 2024 1:09pm
nathie

Hey when I took a look at one of Maggie Pie’s YouTube recommendations (on LGBT issues in friendly feilding) the algorithm presented me with this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVMRw3mBo_o

How fitting!
5 2
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August 4, 2024 11:07am
- Swifty
  
  Oh you are awful, but I like you.
  
  5 1
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  August 4, 2024 11:39am
  - mogg
    
    Those were the days!
    
    3 0
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    August 4, 2024 1:42pm
Ipanema69

Whilst listening to the hosk on newstalk I heard a radio ad warning about cartel like behaviour from those astute boys and girls at the comcom. Apparently it is very bad to engage in market fixing.

Strangely enough whilst going through the mail I found an invoice from an organization that quite blatantly fixes the market for personal accident insurance in new zealand.

I thought right this is something those boys and girls at the comcom will be right on to! They will bring truth and justice to this market in no time. However I then discoverred that those boys and girls at the comcom and the insurance fixing crowd all work for the some guy named Luxon in Wellington.

Seems to be a case of do as I say but not as I do.
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August 4, 2024 11:17am
- peterwn
  
  A former National government did break that monopoly, but the subsequent Labour Government reinstated the monopoly to appease the Unions.
  A former National government also allowed charter schools to break the MOE/PPTA/NZEI cartel, but the subsequent Labour government ran them out of business (like Qantas did to Rec Aviation in Oz). Yes, I mean you, Chippy.
  
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  August 4, 2024 11:42am
Steve Todd

A devastating summation of Trump’s manoeuvrings to avoid debating Kamala, by Brian Tyler Cohen. It’s only 8 minutes. Great viewing.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s204a0oXBk.
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August 4, 2024 11:21am
- kowtow
  
  ‘Devastating ‘ , te he he.Bwah ha ha.
  
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  August 4, 2024 11:40am
- Inandout
  
  ST, KH is a loose cannon with her word salads.
  
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  August 4, 2024 11:49am
  - Steve Todd
    
    That wasn’t relevant to my post, Inny, but I’ll bite.
    
    As with her laugh, or, more accurately, compilations of snippets thereof, her word salads are now a thing of the past. Since stepping up two weeks ago, she has not put a foot wrong. She is on a roll, and The Don-old does not like it.
    
    Trump is running scared, especially after his innate racism (and sexism) was laid bare for all to see at the Black Journalists’ convention.
    
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    August 4, 2024 12:31pm
    - sherp
      
      Lol so what has Harris accomplished….. you know other than cackling about smoking weed while locking people up for smoking weed?
      
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      August 4, 2024 12:55pm
    - emmess
      
      Don-old?
      Is that the latest Democratic Party approved talking point?
      Lame
      
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      August 4, 2024 1:43pm
    - Tom Hunter
      
      Trump is running scared…
      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
      
      Here’s Black Single Mother Michaelah Montgomery letting Kamala have it right between the eyes:
      She’s only Black when it’s time to get elected
      
      Actually she’s only anything anybody wants her to be on any issue to get elected.
      
      ….her word salads are now a thing of the past.
      
      Sure Steve, sure….
      Kamala responding to a question about the border.
      
      And Kamala speaking at the return of the American prisoners from Russia
      
      This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy.
      
      She’s still got it! 🤣
      
      Here’s the “official” transcript of that spiel from Kamala HQ.
      
      Serious question Steve: have you decided to just become the perfect doppleganger here for Steve Otto(North Shore), because I’d hoped for better from you than just regurgitating the US MSM’s Kamelot turnabout?
      
      And yes, that last link is not a parody but the actual cover of New York magazine. And here was I thinking the panty-tearing excitement of Obama in 2008 was peak vomit.
      
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      August 4, 2024 3:41pm
      - Mike
        
        Looking forward to peak argle bargle if they ever agree to debate.
        
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        August 4, 2024 3:58pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        Oh, for goodness’ sake, Tom, as is your want, you’re trying to say too much in a single comment. I can’t be bothered.
        
        I thought Brian Tyler Cohen, The Young Turks and The Bulwark were independent media outlets. Am I wrong?
        
        I can’t wait for the debates, especially the one at ABC News on September 10, when Kamala debates an empty podium.
        
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        August 4, 2024 4:25pm
      - Tom Hunter
        
        The Young Turks? Cenk! Anna! The Team!
        
        Herewith one of my faves, TYT’s Special Election Night Meltdown, 2016. Eight minutes of juicy goodness as the team passes from the standard smug Leftiness to horrified anger.
        
        Oh yeah. They’re sober, serious analysts with a balanced take on things.
        
        And The Bulwark? Christ! You’re serious aren’t you. Might as well just haul up The Lincoln Project if you want to go full Never-Trump “conservatives”.
        
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        August 4, 2024 4:41pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        It’s called alternative commentary, Tom.
        
        Just because it doesn’t meet with your approval — and let’s face it, nothing to the Left of Far-Right would — doesn’t mean it must therefore be universally dismissed.
        
        There are opinions out there that are contrary to those held by the self-appointed élite.
        
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        August 4, 2024 5:19pm
      - Tom Hunter
        
        There are opinions out there that are contrary to those held by the self-appointed élite.
        
        Chuckle. You may have read these the other day but in case you didn’t here’s Lefty Danyl Mclauchlan writing about the self-appointed elite in 2021 (In A Captured State.) and in 2022 (An Administrative Revolution), with the key quote from the latter:
        
        The revolting elites in his book are the professional managerial class: the educated technocrats who occupy a commanding position across post-industrial economies, not by direct ownership of capital or overt command of the political system but by managerial control of all our institutions. They run everything.
        
        I’ve written about the professional managerial class [PMC] before – I don’t think you can understand 21st century politics without them – and for Lasch their most important qualities are: a) they’re a global class; b) they’re more concerned with the virtual and abstract than the physical, and, c) the primary purpose of their politics is therapeutic.
        
        Those are the people you follow, and they range from the MSM to Jacobin (though they would scream and howl in protest at the categorisation), to The Young Turks to The Bulwark. And they are most definitely people like Kamala Harris, almost all of the Democrat Party and a good chunk of the GOP, especially the ones who’ve spent a decade now clutching their pearls and screeching about crude monstrosity of Trump and the ruffians he’s dragged into their precious party.
        
        Opinions contrary to those held by the self-appointed élite? Pfft.
        
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        August 4, 2024 6:38pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        Heh, heh. I was referring to you, Tom.
        
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        August 4, 2024 6:53pm
      - Tom Hunter
        
        I did consider that possibility, but I didn’t think you’d go there since – while I very much have no problem with having opinions “contrary to those held by the self-appointed élite” 😂 – I didn’t pick you as being so craven as to hew so closely to their opinions – e.g. the Kamala cringe you pushed above.
        
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        August 4, 2024 7:43pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        @Tom Hunter @ 7:43PM
        
        Yes, true to form. You get a little bit of push-back and you turn nasty.
        
        You did that before, didn’t you, Tom? Remember when I exposed you for deceiving readers to Chris Trotter’s blog? Eventually, you had to concede defeat, but not before you turned septic on me.
        
        Now that I have confirmed your type, I will ignore you from now on.
        
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        August 4, 2024 9:52pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        @Tom Hunter @ 7:43PM
        
        I’ve read your comment again, Tom.
        
        To be clear, I was saying that you are a member of the “self-appointed élite”, and that there are comments out there that are contrary to yours, hard as that is for you to accept.
        
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        August 4, 2024 10:31pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Steve Todd: “Eventually, you had to concede defeat, but not before you turned septic on me.”
        
        Steve it appears you may be spending way too much time on Reddit and the like. Eventually you’ll realise having a brain hemorrhage and/or RSI over someone “being wrong on the internet” is a losing game.
        
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        August 4, 2024 10:54pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Jesus, that raver gave me a headache!
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:26pm
slightlyrighty

So we are getting close to knowing who Harris might pick as a VP.

Sources say that it’s down to a short list of 6 People.

Tim Walz, Pete Buttigeig, Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, Andy Beashear and J.B. Pritzker.

Who she picks will be an interesting indicator of how a potential Harris Presidency might operate.

Walz would be a good pick if she wanted to shore up support in her own party. He is a Liberal educator, but wouldn’t do as much nationally to attract voters from the wavering right.

Buttigeig is personable, young and a great communicator, but we cannot avoid the elephant in the room. I Think the US is ready for a woman as president, but a Gay VP at the same time would detract from the policies.

Pritzker is a mamber of the family that owns the Hyatt Hotel chain. I guess you could almost say that he is the Mirror Universe Trump. While he is seen to have a business background, he has primarly worked as an Attorney and politician, like Harris.

Beashear is a young, vibrant and effective democratic governor in a Bluegrass state. However, we have yet another Lawyer, States Attorney General. Essentially another person with a similar skill set to Harris.

Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania, a state that may prove crucial to the election, is another career politician and Lawyer. He has a habit of Obama impressions when he speaks publically as if he has modelled his style by listening to Obama. Some of his views on Israel have caused consternation. He may get Pennsylvania, but at what cost?

This leaves Mark Kelly. Former Navy Aviator who saw combat in the Gulf War, Test Pilot, Astronaut. Married to Gabby Gifford, the Congresswoman that was shot in the head and survived to become an advocate for Gun Control. Kelly has national recognition, and would help raise support not just in his Home state of Arizona, but across the country. He has the added benefit of having expertise in areas Harris is not well versed in. He has a resume that would put J.D Vance to shame, be an effective counter for any campaigning Trump might do on the recent assassination attempt, and has a working class background, being the son of 2 Police Officers.
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August 4, 2024 11:21am
- Maggie Pie
  
  We have friends based in the US with knowledge of the matter… they are saying you can take ‘Josh Shapiro’ to the bank.
  
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  August 4, 2024 11:56am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  What??? AOC is not on the list for VP?
  I thought two clowns would be a hoot!
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:28pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Sleepy will die soon so that they can harvest the bump in votes that Camela will get for being the incumbent .
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:18pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Some Democrat politician accidentally shared a document that says it’s Shapiro. Interesting choice of Jewish Governor of battle ground state Pennsylvania who was a volunteer member of the IDF. That’s not going to go down well with far left Hamas huggers.
  
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  August 4, 2024 12:52pm
- Tom Hunter
  
  It’ll be Shapiro given that he’s 61% approval as Pennsylvania governor, smart, effective and Harris must have that swing state. Sure, the jew-hating section of the Democrats, concentrated mainly in Michigan but with “anti-Zionist” support from all over, will likely scream and cry, but my bet is they’ll fold on election day given that their situation with Trump would be worse on their issue.
  
  Walz and Pritzker are from two Democrat One-Party states that are failing. The GOP would tear Walz apart over his response to the 2020 riots ($1/2 billion damage in Minneapolis and the downtown is dying fast), plus the steady loss of working people from both states.
  
  Pritzker much the same although Chicago’s sad and declining state is not really his fault (but he and the Springfield Dems haven’t helped either with their tax, spending, crime and sanctuary state bs).
  
  Think of them both as lessor-Newsoms – and not as good looking either. Too bad about Harris being from California and preventing that pick.
  
  Don’t know much about Beashear but he seems like Shapiro so would be a good pick, but his state is not as important as the Mid-West ones.
  
  Kelly looked good right up until news broke about his divorce and his investments with the Chinese. The photo of him on a motorbike carrying the flags of China and the USA is so 2010.
  
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  August 4, 2024 4:20pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Donald and Melania’s 20th wedding anniversary Jan 2025.
What a great gift the Inauguration will be.
She thought Donald was dead when he went down after being shot.

https://patriotpulse.net/donald-trump-shared-a-story-about-his-wife-that-nearly-brought-laura-ingraham-to-tears/?
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August 4, 2024 12:04pm
- Mike
  
  Really? Did she smile?
  
  [If posters want to continue with juvenile snarking comments here, then as a moderator I won’t continue taking my free time up on a Sunday to read them. Up your game, (you know who you are) or moderation times may become extended as I will be occupied on something useful. mod.]
  
  [Mod – different mod. Three people in the last two weeks have got bans. Calm it down people. Do not think because you are unmoderated you can say what you want, two more are close to getting a ban]
  
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  August 4, 2024 1:11pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    “Unmoderated”
    Interesting.
    
    [Don’t push your luck Steve. mod.]
    
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    August 4, 2024 6:38pm
stewmar

Inspiring speech by PM Luxon on getting education back on track
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August 4, 2024 12:23pm
Damocles11

Luxon has made his big speech at the conference: the government is going to put a big focus on teaching kids maths. Personally I’ve always found a calculator can cover most bases when it comes to number stuff in the modern world. Anyway, you’ve all got your instructions: zip it about maorification, co-governance, government spending, the structural problems with our economy: we’re going to focus on maths.
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August 4, 2024 12:51pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  “… I’ve always found a calculator can cover most bases when it comes to number stuff in the modern world.”
  
  You are confusing mathematics and arithmetic.
  
  Mathematics allows us to understand the world. No mathematics, no bridges, roads, power stations, no sciences. Well maybe” Maori Science”.
  
  So yes, fixing the maths disaster in New Zealand is kind of important.
  
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  August 4, 2024 1:04pm
  - thirteenstars
    
    You might be missing the point, BY.
    
    Amidst the current cultural decline the extra hour of maths and reading per day will simply turn out more-literate Marxists.
    
    Is there much point in higher pass rates in maths exams when the little darlings are anguishing over their white privilege and marching in support of hate speech laws?
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:25pm
    - Damocles11
      
      The children are marching in ‘climate strikes’ which have now been expanded to include Palestine, ‘social justice’, and ‘Te Tiriti justice’. Their teachers are simply commissars organising the revolutionary activities of the marxist youth cadres. But yes, there will also be a focus on maths.
      
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      August 4, 2024 2:07pm
    - Taieri
      
      Amidst the current cultural decline the extra hour of maths and reading per day will simply turn out more-literate Marxists
      ——–
      
      What’s your solution then? Abolish schools altogether?
      
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      August 4, 2024 5:31pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Too many people think its cool to be innumerate. They giggle and say something inane such as “I can’t do maths”
    
    I then ask if they are also illiterate?
    
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    August 4, 2024 1:29pm
    - Damocles11
      
      “Some people aren’t proficient musicians. I then ask if they are also poor at painting landscapes”.
      
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      August 4, 2024 2:09pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Nice one Dam, you’re clearly several levels beyond my capabilities . I can’t do disparate comparisons .
        
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        August 4, 2024 3:10pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        @imalwaysright @ 3:10PM
        
        I then ask if they are also illiterate?
        
        So, you admit then, that you have never asked anyone that question; that you were just being a smartarse?
        
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        August 4, 2024 3:33pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      S. Todd
      
      “I then ask…”
      Seems pretty obvious that I have asked that question.
      But be assured that I wouldn’t ask it of you…
      
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      August 4, 2024 5:09pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        Seems pretty obvious that I have asked that question.
        
        Given that we now know you were just relating a story, with that question being nothing more than rhetorical, then no, it is not obvious.
        
        You’ve been caught out, pal. Accept it, and move on.
        
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        August 4, 2024 5:51pm
  - Jethrod
    
    If I heard right, only 28% of year 9(?) have acceptable maths skills. Ok, perhaps that has the job market covered for engineers and similar scientists. That means we need to train/teach better maths skills to another 30% so we have the accountants and school teachers .
    
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    August 4, 2024 3:30pm
Pope Punctilious II

The new UK Labour government is already going after free speech. Apparently free speech will make campuses unsafe.
https://unherd.com/newsroom/labour-to-axe-university-free-speech-bill/
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August 4, 2024 1:15pm
- Damocles11
  
  Free speech is dying no matter who is in power in Western countries. The main right wing parties have been hollowed out and have been pushed to the centre left under the direction of urban liberals.
  
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  August 4, 2024 2:11pm
Chuck Bird

Did anyone view the Monk Debate about anti-Zionism on Sky News last night?
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August 4, 2024 2:14pm
- Steve Todd
  
  Why do you ask?
  
  Did something that was said upset you? If so, why don’t you just tell us what that something was, and those of us who are interested, can respond as we see fit?
  
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  August 4, 2024 2:27pm
  - Chuck Bird
    
    There no point in discussing it unless someone viewed. I think in not practical to summarise an hour’s debate.
    
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    August 4, 2024 2:42pm
    - Steve Todd
      
      You do this all the time, Chuck. It’s very annoying.
      
      It’s up to you to start the discussion. You’re the one who’s upset about something. You do that by putting forward your point of view, seeing the responses, and taking the discussion forward from there.
      
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      August 4, 2024 2:52pm
- Ghost
  
  Do you mean the munk debates?
  
  https://munkdebates.com/
  
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  August 4, 2024 2:57pm
  - Chuck Bird
    
    Thanks for the link. I should have Googled it.
    
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    August 4, 2024 5:00pm
- Steve Todd
  
  Chuck — an afterthought. What if I had said, “Yes, Chuck, I saw that programme.”
  
  What would you have said, in response?
  
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  August 4, 2024 5:01pm
  - Chuck Bird
    
    I would ask you what your view was. The audience had different views.
    
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    August 5, 2024 7:29am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Fake Harris. Dumb as a sack of hammers.
Overdo it a little, but this is ridiculous!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kamala-branded-fake-over-photo-of-chatting-to-alexey-navalny-s-widow/ss-BB1r4Que
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August 4, 2024 3:12pm
- fernglas
  
  Clicked on the link Steve. It says nothing about why she has been branded as a fake, or who has branded her. The whole article is a headline and one other sentence. With some meaningless pictures. But I guess that’s enough information for you to comment about it.
  
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  August 4, 2024 4:53pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Sorry, my opinion
    
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    August 4, 2024 6:40pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Plenty of material to indicate a lack of authenticity Fernglas (like pandering to African Americans in speeches using an inauthentic African American accent). Remember also she was involved in touting bail to violent criminals during their feral and destructive insurrection during the pandemic. Her weird and vacuous comments also suggest to me she’s on something that’s affecting her mind (and if she’s not, then that also is a worry!). There’s a heap of material to work with! And it’s not hard to find.
    
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    August 4, 2024 10:12pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

[Mod – deleted. Just post the link, say what it is, and leave out the usual trolling rubbish]
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August 4, 2024 3:34pm
Ghost

Not sure Boeing can survive many more issues with the different divisions. If Elon has to fly their crew home that will be a major hit to Boeing. If they don’t and something goes wrong on the return trip, worse hit

NASA management has been in deep discussion this week about whether to return the agency’s astronauts on board Boeing
’s misfiring Starliner capsule or to go with the alternative of using a SpaceX craft to rescue the crew.

The agency’s concern with Starliner — which flew NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station in early June — comes from not having identified a root cause for why multiple of the spacecraft’s thrusters failed during docking, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC.

Article
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August 4, 2024 4:23pm
NZer In Exile

From the MrReagan Channel:

Should Women Be Allowed to Vote?

https://www.bitchute.com/video/0T27sVQD6Hk

Worth a listen.
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August 4, 2024 4:35pm
- Mike
  
  Well, JD Vance’s owner, Peter Thiel, does blame America’s decline on women being given the vote.
  
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  August 4, 2024 6:09pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Milky your statement is BS rolled in BS. Also evidence you have no clue what is in the video because you didn’t watch it.
    
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    August 4, 2024 9:19pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350365057/gisborne-forestry-companies-fined-126000-breaching-consent-conditions
Wow! $126,000 !!!
That is about the average salary of a forestry worker !
So they have to forgo the equivalent of one worker for a year.
Any company or business in NZ could do this , and probably do so these days.
What an absolute disgrace.
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August 4, 2024 5:49pm

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