A well watered tree

I realise that this story is now a couple of days old, but I couldn't let it slip by without comment.

This Piha tree has had $12,000 spent on it by bureaucrats.

How can you tell?

I know that's a tough one, but if you look closely you will notice that the tree looks exactly the same as it did before the bureaucrats decided it required their collective attention.

Several layers of paperwork, reports, consultation, meetings, lunch breaks, annual leave, conferences and general poobah later.... nothing.

If there was ever an example of our "perfected stupidity", this would be it.

As a society we have taken $12,000 of hard earned, potentially productive money and pissed it up against a tree.

And we wonder why we borrow money every week to pay our bills.

DAD FOR JUSTICE

A short post to advise that I am joining with KiwiBlog in banning D4J, aka Peter Burns, from my blog for life.    His comments on Whaleoil relating to passing of Cam Slater's mother are so insensitive and gross as to justify this action.

 

Never mind his normally incoherent rambling ... this was a 'bridge too far' for me (and David).   He will not be missed.

 

Will be taking a break from blogging for the next two weeks.   On the road.    Back after the RNZRSA Conference mid October. 

 

The art of diverting attention from the real mess by making a big fuss about a smaller one

The media is dutifully full of reports on the PM apologising to Kim Dotcom for the actions of the GCSB in spying on him. Courageous and honest of him, you might think.  Mind you, if you did you'd be wrong.

Hardly anybody in this country's heard of the GCSB.  Key can get up and give them a verbal hiding for incompetence, and people will think "Gosh, these GCSB clowns sound like a real pack of idiots, good job the PM's onto it" and think no further on it.  The PM's problem nicely sorted by drawing attention away from the actual issue at hand.

Which is, as very well laid out in this post by Graeme Edgeler, the role of the New Zealand Police in all this.  Heard the PM mention their involvement and the conclusions we can draw from it?  No, and don't expect to either.  Edgeler sums up:

The actions of the Police in using the GCSB as an end-run around laws we have put in place deliberately limiting police powers are of much greater concern.

This looks exactly like the Police asked the GCSB to intercept Dotcom's communications because NZ law prevented them doing it themselves, which would be of concern all on its own.  However, the Police (in the form of OFCANZ) also falsely assured GCSB that the people to be spied on weren't NZ citizens or residents, and later also falsely assured a New Zealand court that they hadn't involved any other agencies.

That is a steaming pile of very serious shit, and next to it the fact that GCSB took the cops' word for it about Dotcom not being a permanent resident is almost inconsequential.  Let's see some journos or oppo politicians putting Tolley's feet to the fire over this.  Coming after the Urewera "terrorist" fiasco this makes our cops look corrupt and incompetent.

A MOVE THAT HAS POTENTIAL

Further to yesterdays post, Cr Arron Keown is submitting to his Christchurch Council, a proposal to have a buildings state of compliance with earthquake codes posted at the entrance.

I have no expertese on building compliance but we often hear "building X is closed as it is only 40% complian.t,  Now that is fairly clear but is it accurate. Whatever, it appears to give a reasonable guide for informed decision making for a prospective user.

The proviso, of course, will be that hopefully such a rating will be more science based than were the infamous "green stickers" that were posted on many buildings after the initial quake and were subsequently proved to be hopelessly ill-informed and inadequate as a guide to the buildings actual stability.

Councillor Keown's move is more practical than the one size fits all that yesterdays effort portrayed.

SOMEONE ELSE DIED A LONG TIME AGO.

This morning at 0926 hrs we were exhorted to go through a national drill of "drop, cover and hold" in an exercise for preparation for an earthquake.

Years of removing from our psyche any reference to self preservation , personal responsiblity, awareness of danger and many other survival skills has resulted in this latest manifestation of stupidity.

The above mantra was of precious little use to those who died in the building collapses that accompanied the largest of the 11 000 quakes and aftershocks that have hit Canterbury over the last two years.

Robotic reaction could in too many cases be the stupidist thing one could do as a response to an earthquake. Yes for a class of children it may well be the best practice but for many it is courting disaster as rapid relocation to a safer place may be a better option. As an example a person located below a concrete structural beam in a pancaking building will be squished in an instant whereas one a meter away may have a chance of survival.

Better chanels of communicating what turned out to be very real fears that the CTV and to a lesser extent the PGC buildings were not as stable after the Sept 4th quake as some of those whose work included reassessment of building stability, concluded.  Yes too many people who should have known better assumed, tragically in error as it turned out, that a little green paper  around 150 by 200mm, stuck on a front door meant that the structure was sound, stable and safe to occupy.

When a vehicle is involved in a smash the seatbelts if employed should be replaced as the stress exerted has in all liklyhood rendered them suspect.

People have to be re-educated to be aware of danger and cease relying on "someone else" to be the arbitrator and decision maker, as poor old someone else is now long dead.

Quiz answers

Simon by a neck from Allan.
Chris B on track with  q 2 the owners graze parts of the old "Reserve".

Some entertaining logic, lightens the weekend somewhat.

Answers;
1 Kate Edgar first female to graduate from a NZ University.
2 Muzzle Stn , in the middle Clarence River Valley, Colin and Tina Nimmo current occupiers, Colin is addressing the assembled on the two day safari of the SI High Country Committee for the day two briefing.
3 Maraetai  B power station.
4 "Olveston" in Dunedin,   An outstanding example of Edwardian architecture and  representative of how a wealthy family lived at the turn of the century. Open for viewing since it was donated  to the nation on the death of the last occupier, a descendant of the businessman who had it built, David Theomin. Well worth a visit.
5 Havelock Village nestled at the head of  Pelorous Sound.

Apologies for lateness.

Garbage in, Garbage out

Fairfax have assured us they didn't publish the primary schools national standards data as a "business decision" based on the likelihood of hordes of parents using Fairfax media to look up their local schools.  Missing from the explanation was an explanation of why they did do it, if not for "business purposes."  Draw your own conclusion.

Still, the damage has been done.  Why it's a bad idea to let people who know nothing about statistics set about drawing conclusions from bad data is being well covered by the Dim Post: this one explains what the data actually shows, and this one explains a basic failure by the HoS in concluding increased class sizes improve pupil's learning.

My personal favourite was the SST's panic-mongering about the difference in reading and writing ability between boys and girls at primary school.  This isn't news to anyone familiar with the field, but now we can put meaningless numbers on it based on bad data, and the "something must be done" squawking has started.

Well, maybe it is a problem, but who'd know?  Boys and girls differ in their pace of development - what counts isn't whether there's a performance difference between boys and girls at primary school, it's whether there's still a gap when they leave school.  There doesn't seem to be a significant gap at that point if you judge by the kids starting their first year at university - maybe there is one if you take the cohort as a whole, but I haven't seen any research on it reported in the papers.  Could be this is the first of many bad-data-generated crises.

LIMITED SERVICE VOLUNTEER SCHEME

I had occasion recently to discuss the worth of the Limited Service Volunteer scheme with a serving officer who was closely involved with the programme.

For those who are not up with the play, the scheme revolves around a six week residential course run by the military for young persons aged between 18 and 25 who have been on a benefit for six months or more.   It teaches basic life skills in a controlled environment.    Since 2008 the Government has beefed up the scheme with an additional 7,000 places on offer in the belief that it helps young people turn their lives around.

 

I had, quite frankly, expected a low level of enthusiasm for the scheme from the officer I spoke to ... after-all, it is a couple of steps removed from what he signed up for and might have been considered a dead-end type posting.

 

I was wrong.   He said it was a posting he looked back on with pride and was one of the most enjoyable he had .... watching young adults with low levels of esteem grow and mature and start believing in themselves to the point that when they graduated they had something positive to offer prospective employers.    

 

Having experienced a taste of service life some end up seeking to make a career in the military and that is well and good but my understanding is that a significant number of graduates move into general paid employment within six months.   That being the case it is money well spent.

 

Employers should be encouraged by the success of the scheme.   I note too  there is an incentive for employing such people under the Government's Job Streams programme.

 

 

Know Your Country Sun 23rd Sept

Obasama

This one* is for the conspiracy theorists amongst us......and on this topic, there are many.

Obasama

*Stolen from Facebook.

THEY BREED THEM TOUGH DOWN SOUTH

See here for the job advert to beat all job adverts.

Speights Beer, Bluff oysters and real Southern Men.

THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE

 

Regular readers of my blog will recall that I argued against Romney being selected to take on Obama in the race to the White House.   I thought the odds were stacked against him from the start made worse by the vicious attacks by his rivals for the Republican nomination.  

 

I guess if I had a preference it would have been for ex Governor Mike Huckerbee, one of the 2008 contenders, but clearly he was not interested in a second shot.

 

Right now Romney's campaign is in tatters caused by some inept campaigning highlighted by 'foot in mouth' disease.    Yesterday Romney's Campaign Chair resigned.   You can read the details here.  That, coupled with a poll shift indicating a strengthening of Obama support including for the first time the chance that the Democrats may retain control of the Senate, is all bad news for the Republican Party.

 

And not good news for the world economy either.   With the US deficit out of control and with the Federal Reserve adopting Social Credit's solution of printing more money things ain't looking like improving any time soon.

 

 

THAT WOMAN

As a keen historian I have always been fascinated with the events leading up to the abdication of Edward V111 and beyond.     Discerning fact from fiction has always been a challenge.

 

And so it was with great interest that I have just finished reading 'That Woman' (ISBN: 978-0-297-85896-6) the first full biography of Wallis Simpson authored by Anne Sebba, one of Britain's most distinguished biographers.   Based on new archives and material only recently made available  this scrupulously researched biography sheds new light on the character and motivations of a powerful, charismatic and complex woman and asks: was this really the romantic love story of the century?

 

The book contains some really interesting tit-bits including the transcript of a telephone conversation between Simpson and the Duke of Windsor two days after the abdication recorded secretly by the Metropolitan Police who tapped her phone ...     

 

[Mrs S] If they don't get you this thing (presumably money) I will return to England and fight it out to the bitter end.  The coronation will be a flop compared with the story I shall tell the British press.  I shall publish it in every paper in the world so the whole world may know my story.   Your mother is even persecuting me now.   Look in all the Sunday papers to see what she has done .......

 

And also the revelation that with the Duke and Duchess spirited out of Portugal and on the way to the Bahamas where he was to serve as Governor for the remainder of the war, he was 'chaperoned' by a naval intelligence officer, Sir Peter Russell, who was issued with a pistol not simply to use it in any attempt to defend the Duke and Duchess but to use it against them in the event of a kidnap attempt.

 

Better dead than in Hitler's hands.

 

Compelling reading.   Recommended.

They Sould Stick To Saving Souls

I see a group of 'pastors' in the US is planning to preach partisan politics from their pulpits is a effort to entice the IRS to take action against them.  As an aside, what to you call a 'group of pastors'?   In this case, apart from idiots, perhaps it's a 'spaghetti.'

The move is being made, one is piously told, because they believe the legal prohibition on politics from the pulpit is a violation of their right to freedom of speech.

More than 1,000 pastors are planning to challenge the IRS next month by deliberately preaching politics ahead of the presidential election, despite a federal ban on endorsements from the pulpit.

Well, Adolf could have told these ecclesiastical genii before they started that all they will achieve is the removal of their respective congregations' tax exempt status, a privilege which is granted to churches on condition they do not engage in partisan politics.

The excuse used is pretty woolly headed - a common trait of theological thickos.

“If I would have said 50 years ago that ‘Tearing up a baby in the womb is a bad thing,’ people would have said ‘Of course it is,’” Garlow said. “But If I said that today, people would say ‘Pastor, you’re being too political.”

 

Someone should have told him that advocating against abortion is no 'making an endorsement for a candidate.'

I wonder also what these brain boxes will do when after they have advocated a vote for Obama, all their Republican members leave (with their cheque books): or after advocating for Romney, all the Democrat members leave (with their food stamps.)

In all my years as a minor Presbyterian church office holder I'm pleased to say we all managed to leave our politics at home on Sunday.  Thus it was that I was able to serve happily on committees which included a member of the notorious 'peace movement' and another bloke who would have been thrown out of the Klu Klux Klan on account of his extremist right wing views.

WE WONT LET FACTS GET IN THE WAY.

Last evening Christchurch saw a further example of exploitation of children when a "protest at everything" was organised with the Bridge Of Remembrance as the venue.

Targets included the reorganisation of schools in response to precipitous drops in student numbers following the quakes allied with natural demographics and as a second string, the proposed extension of having the functions of the regional Council continued under the governance of commissioners for another three years.

As a tactical ploy combining targets went some way to ensuring a crowd but even that was less than successful with only hundreds of souls participating. However the numbers were swolen by having children from schools included in the proposed reorganisation, attend after a day of learning their lines and preparing placards.
How many adults with an appreciation of the facts involved were there?

Did the actvists spend any time explaining the actual background reasons for what will appear to the pupils to be the most significant upheaval in their lives. Sadly I think not, the pupils emotions were toyed with in a manipulative effort at political protest. Seriously how many of you actually knew who the Minister of Education was when you were at school, sheesh how many of you knew who your MP was and that was without the faceless "listies" to complicate things, when attending primary/intermediate school.

I have already made my position on the temporary replacement of the disfunctional Ecan troughers but the response to the serious fallout for pupil numbers and the demographic/ geographic pressures at work is another matter.

Le Bons Bay School is a classic case of disfunction and waste as a principal, safely ensconced in a job for life, manipulated people who should have had more intelligence into maintaining a school with scant regard for the social, educational and economic reality that presented.
I would be very interested in the true cost per pupil incurred over the last decade of the roll that has been almost permanently rooted in single figures. "Le Bums" bay community has been seriously challenged by events including rural depopulation, lifestyle options, low cost housing opportunities and an opportunity for people to move there to avoid the more troublesome effects of welfare moves around employment.

Yes a school does become a focus for a community but times change and using children who are only discovering how to reason and process information to enable opinions to be formed in an employment preservation opportunity  does not  stack up with my basic philosophy of allowing kids to just be kids.

PARKER SEEKS RELEVANCE.

Not Bob nor James the pedo but the Shadow finance spokesman for the government in waiting, one of the many Davids who see themselves as the answer. Sadly it must have been a bloody stupid question.
Idjit Parker has joined the economically deficient chorus seeking a return to the past with a call for "the government to lower the value of the $NZ".

There are only three basic choices:
Indulge in a managed economy ala North Korea, sort of advanced  Muldoonism.
Print money and destroy the savings of everyone with inflation.
Accept the challenges that a stronger dollar delivers and adapt.

Redundancy, retrenchment, refocussing yes, have halfwits looking for an answer that has appeal to the ignorant NOOO.

Dairy prices are making a small recovery and there are very apparent advantages in the current situation, petrol down 2 c today.

Oh and a word of explanation to the media jerks who expect us to be in thrall of their every word, the $NZ is really fairly stable, the fact is with the US Political leadership playing for another  4 years and printing money quaintly called Quantative Easing mark 4 it is the greenback tanking that is  the major factor influencing the value of our dollar.

The dwindling intellect that is Peters can indulge his fantasies but for one who would be the man in charge it is just plain scary.

STUPIDITY TRUMPS COMMON SENSE.

A medical supplies sales rep programmed his next destination into his GPS at Hanmer Springs and set off for Richmond near Nelson City.

Apparently unconcerned when the route selected by technology had him ascending the Jacks Pass route that takes skiers to the Amuri Ski Area on Mt St Patrick. That road is hewn out of the Greywake with a dash of crushed metal (shingle for people of the Mainland) over the range behind Hanmer, down to the upper reaches of the Clarence River, on to Lake Tennyson and through the Rainbow to St Anaud, Top House and on to Sunny Nelson.
It is alpine country that can cause extreme difficulty in summer months but SPRINGTIME???

Poor stupid idiot didn't get that far, with family and friends alerting the Police when he didn't make Richmond, his Subaru off road for the first time,soon became stuck in snow and after a cold night with his engine running he abandoned the car and set out to walk back to the Alpine village.

I am unaware of any education achievement or life skills that are needed to carry out his chosen work but the common sense exhibited sure leaves me gasping.
Thats Incredible, did he notice no lessening of carriage-way quality between the road to Hanmer Springs and the road his gadget chose for him continuing on what is a 4/5 hour trip.

One very lucky young man.

Leadership MIA

The late Haki Apiata of Oromahoe once said to young Adolf nearly fifty years ago:-


"The is nobody smarter than the Maori at getting hold of money.  And once he's got it there is nobody more stupid."

He was right.

Events of the last month will be regarded as important when the history of race relations in New Zealand is written - if ever it is..

The events to which I refer are first, the claim by various fools within Maoridom that somehow Maori 'own the water' and second, the revelations of massive commercial extortion engaged in by a couple of Maoridom's so-called 'royals' - one of them ably trained by the Bilious Bitch herself.  People will know these revelation are but one example of a widespread network of cultural extortion.

When Adolf left new Zealand for Australia in early 1970 his impression was that Maori people were looked upon by most whites as second class citizens.  Lazy, ignorant, indolent scum who should be avoided if at all possible.   Suited mainly to fixing potholes and railway lines but little use elsewhere.

That has all changed over the last forty years and for the better, culminating in the formation of the Maori Party which in most cases has acquitted itself well in parliament.   Significantly, with a few exceptions (Harawira,) there had grown a widespread respect and tolerance amongst white New Zealanders for all things Maori..  

That all changed in August/September 2012.  The Maoris just shot off both their feet with muskets.

Maoridom has been revealed for all to see to be primarily engaged in wholesale extortion and 'selling of indulgences'  - atheists won't know what that means. I think these events will have profound effects, none of which these smart arse short term rip off merchants will have anticipated. ( Included in this description are the hordes of Maori and Pakeha lawyers, so-called anthropologists and historians who rely for their daily bread on the extended, lifelong deliberations of the Waitangi Tribunal)

I suspect there will be an upsurge of support for the abolition of the much prized Maori seats in Parliament and the winding up of the Waitangi Tribunal gravy train - a direct result of public anger at the brazenness of these people.  Did the gentlemen at the Tribunal and the dopey Maori king's hooey on water forget that MMP is up for grabs?  Do they realise how easy it would be to deliver those seats to oblivion with a single vote in parliament?  All it takes is the perception by politicians that such a move will be supported by the public.  Whatever the support level was three months ago, it is far greater now - thanks to these events.

There will be many who have changed their minds on this issue. I certainly have. This has been the tipping point..  And take out the non elected council seats as well.

In all of this, one has to wonder where is the real leadership within Maoridom?  Where are the people like Ngata, Pomare, Henare, Tapsell?  These people would have seen the looming distaster fueled by greed and avarice.  They would have brought to bear respected influence to ameliorate the excesses.

One thing is for sure.  New Zealand can kiss goodbye to any real prosperity until this cancer is excocised.

As for closing the income gap with Australia?

Forget about it.

Well, I've heard it all now

David Cunliffe was on Newstalk ZB this evening arguing not for officials to veto overseas investment (such as the Overseas Investment Office), but rather, that power should be given directly to Ministers.

Labour actually believes that politicians in New Zealand should actively intervene in our capital markets.  This is music to the ears of Red Russell and Red Winston, but should scare the shit out of the rest of us.

Imagine being a shareholder in Fisher & Paykel (or any other listed company for that matter) and being told by a politician you cannot sell your shares because she thinks it is not in the country's interest for you to do so. 

I don't often swear on the internet, but that's fucking disgraceful.  We can kiss goodbye to capital investment in this country if that is ever introduced.  And if that happens, then say hello to 20% unemployment.

Next they'll be telling us that if you do sell, there will be a comprehensive capital gains tax on the profit.

IT'S MOSTLY YOUR FAULT, STUPID.

Photo withheld.

Hey Duchess, here's a thought, if you do not want your mammaries on the worlds media, keep your freekin kit on.

You and the Duke are apparently educated to a higher level than many of  us who are mere supporters of the Monarchy, so use the brains god gave you and take the necessary steps.

Be thankful the git that took the pics was only armed with a camera and not a .50 cal rifle.

DAVID CUNLIFFE

I see that Mr Cunliffe, in an attempt to upstage his leader yet again, has called upon the Government to act to prevent a private company, listed on the SX, to be sold to foreign interests.

Talk about dog whistle politics devoid of substance designed only to enhance his profile among 'true believers'.

The scary thing about all this is that Labour does have in its bag of philosophical tools the ability to to prevent the sale .... if they were true to their core beliefs they could 'NATIONALISE' the Company .... and their senior opposition party colleagues in the Greens would cry 'hallelujah the promised land beckons'.  

Might not go down too well though with F&P shareholders but then again not many of them will be voting when Labour chooses its next leader.

But it won't happen and Cunliffe knows that.   He won the headline over Shearer and that, for him, was all that mattered.

Cunliffe for the Muppet of the weak award.

Quiz answers

Anne Robinson of the Weakest Link would have had a pithy comment for that Effort.

I am awarding Hp the winners place on the podium for Prose and application and a point for the beach location.
Marc 1 for the cliffs and PMofNZ 1 for The Man.
Sorry William no bananas

Answers:
1 Sir William Hamilton,founder and patriarch of CWF Hamilton Engineering.
   Widely regarded world wide as the originator of applied hydrojet   propulsion of watercraft, although he always attributed it to an older guy Archimedes.
 Born in Ashwick Flat, NW of Fairlie, Bill  purchased Irishman Creek Station on the Tekapo/Pukaki Rd at the ripe old age of 21then indulged in his passion for engineering, first at the Station then in Christchurch.
 Wanting a craft that could negotiate the shallow shingle rivers that were   the main fare around his home base, he worked on impeller pumps then in a departure from earlier thinking, placed the steerable outlet above the line of the bottom of the hull and the rest as they say is history.
Taking his boats to the Colorado with his son Guy and his mates they did the Impossible according to all local knowledge and completed the first ascent of the river through the Grand Canyon and then to complete the job took the boats back down again.
2 Red Beach north of Auckland City.
3 Lake Benmore near Otematata.
4 Waikato Falls on the Tongariro east of the Desert Road on the boundary of the Kaimanawa Forest Park.
5 Cathedral Cliffs with Gore Bay behind, From The Port Robinson Road.

Hilarious

Maybe Helen Clark should have tried this when she was getting stick over Taito Philip Field's antics:

Mr Key said [he] had not, and would not, read the police report.

The reason he hasn't and won't read it, of course, being that it makes quite clear that one of his ministers acted illegally and lied to him about it.  Makes me wonder what dirt Banks has on him - after all, it's not like a by-election in Epsom is something a National govt would need to worry about.

DAVID SHEARER

David Shearer's disastrous performance on Q & A this morning would have even tribal Labour voters shaking their heads in disbelief.   

His inability to articulate a vision of what Labour stands for coupled with his 'National Lite' stand on issues led the panel comprising Josie Pagini (from the left), Dr Ray Miller (Auckland University) and Matthew Hooten (from the Right) to pan his performance.

 

The cruelest cut of all was for Ray Miller to label Shearer as a modern day Bill; Rowlings .... nice guy perhaps, leader and potential PM, never. 

 

One more performance like that and the BBQ season could well come early this year .... 'Labour' Day anyone?

 

 

Know Your Country Sunday Sept 16th

US CREDIT RATING

I see that the Egan-Jones rating agency has cut the  US credit rating to AA-.  You can  read it here.

No doubt the Obama apologists will 'spin' this as good news.

"Film protests?" Pull the other one...

Stuff reports:

Fury about a film that insults the Prophet Mohammad tore across the Middle East after weekly prayers on Friday with protesters attacking US embassies and burning American flags...

Spare us, please.  This has as much to do with movies as pogroms in old eastern Europe had to do with Jews poisoning wells, or eating babies, or whatever the current bullshit story of the time was.  Fortunately, unlike the Jews of eastern Europe, Americans aren't living unprotected among the people who hate them.

This basically is a pogrom: ignorant, oppressed people with too much time on their hands, too oppressed or too ignorant to overthrow their corrupt, repressive political and religious leaders, are taking out their frustrations on an identifiable and hated "other."  And given the action is all on after "Friday prayers," ie after the locals have spent an hour being harangued and revved up by their corrupt, repressive religious leaders, look no further for the trigger.  There really is nothing more to it than that, and we should have the contempt for these people that we'd have for Russians or Ukrainians if they were to rush into the streets to burn down the Jews' buildings and kill them.  Stop with the "trying to see both sides" news reports, already.

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

I have long suspected that the Human Rights Commission was a wasted space.   Now I'm sure.

 

Below is their response into my complaint concerning Maoridom's chief 'wasted space'.   

They're actually suggesting I take my complaint to the Mana Party!!!!

 

The HRC is a toothless tiger and an apology for the indefensible.

    Mr English ... here's the axe, use it.

Ref #90779

Confidential

14 September 2012

Dear xxxx,

Thank you for contacting the Human Rights Commission about a comment made by MP Hone Harawira on Facebook and widely reported elsewhere, accusing other Maori MPs of being the Prime Minister’s ‘little house niggers’.
 

 

The Race Relations Commissioner, Joris de Bres, recognises that this is a highly abusive term and will be offensive to many people. He considers it deplorable that Mr Harawira continues to use language so unbecoming of a Member of Parliament. 
 

The use of such an abusive term is however not, in itself, a breach of the Human Rights Act. While the Act does cover serious threats to racial harmony, it is not enough that a comment offends people who read it, is racist or factually inaccurate – such comment is protected by s.14 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 which affirms the right of freedom of expression. Only comments that actually incite racial disharmony, rather than merely offend, are unlawful under the Human Rights Act. Most instances of racially offensive language are instead dealt with through the enforcement of standards such as those promulgated by the Broadcasting Standards Authority, the New Zealand Press Council or an organisation of which the person complained against is a member, employee or to which they are in some other way accountable. In this case that would be the Mana Party.
 

In light of the above, your complaint is not one on which the Commission is able to take any formal action under the relevant provisions of the Human Rights Act. If you disagree with this decision, you are entitled to take your complaint to the Human Rights Review Tribunal, either directly or by seeking representation from the Director of Human Rights Proceedings. These agencies can be contacted at 04 4626680 and 09 3758623, respectively. In making this referral, we are not suggesting that the Tribunal’s consideration would be different from that of the Commission.
 

We recognise that this matter has caused you offence and appreciate you bringing your concern to our attention. A record of your complaint will be retained by the Commission.
 

Yours sincerely,

 

Maxine Aoina

Team Leader, Infoline

Logical Conclusion

It's been a running joke that every time Key's government is in trouble, it gets Paula Bennett to announce some new crackdown on beneficiaries - or re-announce one, if they're short of ideas for new ones at the time.

The approach seems to be rapidly coming to its logical conclusion - the descent into farce.  I had thought the govt was scraping the bottom of the barrel with the re-announcement of drug-testing for beneficiaries, but no, they really aren't going to stop just because they've reached the point of looking like vindictive morons.  Now, they've come up with a double-whammy of malicious stupidity:

First, the stupid: making school attendance compulsory for beneficiaries' children.  Now, I may be expecting too much of right-wing politicians here, but shouldn't an NZ government  be familiar with the Education Act 1989?

Second, the malicious:  compulsory professional childcare.  This is the kind of authoritarian idiocy I could almost picture coming from a Labour govt in its death throes, but a National one?  Seriously?  Of course, Labour wouldn't make it compulsory only for beneficiaries - that kind of extra little vindictive twist is a National specialty.

'INNOVATIVE' CUSTOMER LOYALITY PROGRAMME

You can read about it here.    Wonder if it will catch on in New Zealand   ... Rainton J Hastie would have been impressed.

ZIMBABWE

Those of you who follow events in that unhappy country will have picked up that in recent times thjere has been a substantial shift away from Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC back to Mulgabe and ZANU-PF.

The reason is a basic one.   MDC legislators at all levels have proved themselves just as capable of enriching their persons from the public purse as their ZANU-PF counterparts ... and all the while the country continues to post a 90% unemployment rate and Harare runs dry of water.

And in the lead up to the election (if there is to be one) the revelation that Ian Smith and Lardner Burke (PM and Justice Minister, both long dead) remain on the voter roll ... begs the question doesn't it.

Zimbabwe is a failed state failing further.

A Better Solution Is?

Following a long overdue policy to end a welfare subsidy for those who see it as part of their entitlement, access to a benefit as they give the fingers to the Law, Minister Bennett has announced some stick policies for those in society who might be tempted to accept their spawn are just an adjunct to an increased cash entitlement, while they ignore any responsibility for that poor innocent's  wellbeing.

I see welfare as a safety net for people who are temporally disadvantaged by events and acceptance implies a contract to fulfill the needs of the involved vulnerable.

A serious detrimental side effect of welfare is the double edged blade of diminishing personal responsibility  of the recipient and the redirection of resources intended to improve the lot of the young to the advantage of the beneficiary.
To threaten the cash flow of a beneficiary who declines for whatever reason to allot assistance for what are today seen as basic requirements for health, education and wellbeing of children, may be the only effective way to get the attention of those who see welfare as a way of life for them at the expense of their children.

If there is a better way let me know, so far it does not occur to me.

F D N Y

It does not seem it was 11 years ago the free world was reeling as the destructive atrocity by adherents of the religion of peace shattered the heart of Manhatten with a bloody, calculated destruction of the symbols of commercial success and in so doing ended the lives of around 3000 innocent victims.
They also Crashed a third Hijacked plane into the Pentagon and a forth into a field in Pensylvania after the passengers in an act of selfless courage prevented an attack on another target.

This is a picture of the sculpture created as a tribute to Fire-fighters from steel recovered from the wreckage of the twin towers , and now placed beside the Avon River adjacent to the now condemmed Christchurch Central Fire station in Kilmore St.

To those emergency response  souls who died after entering the Twin Towers to do what your training and service asked of  you I pause and mark that terrible day and honour you.
Many more are suffering and dieing from problems associated with the heroic rescue effort, you also are remembered and your service honoured.

Odd shoe day Sept 14th

On Friday wear an odd pair of shoes, oh and send a bit of dosh, to Camp Quality.

Since becoming a Lion, one of the most rewarding and humbling things it has involved me in, is Camp Quality.

In January each year, 5 regions, Auckland, Waikato, Wellington , Canterbury and Otago run camps for a week where kids battling serious illness are taken in to give the kids and their Parents a bit of a change, respite if you like.

Each young person is assigned a carer and through the generosity of many people they enjoy some amazing experiences.

Lions clubs as well as financial support volunteer to assist with the serving of a meal and cleaning up after.

The Canterbury camp is held at "Living Springs" near Govenors Bay at the head of Lyttleton Harbour, a beautiful place and with input from classic cars clubs, Big rigs, motorcycle clubs and many others of similar good people give these kids a memorable week.
They are seriously sick and sadly some succumb but working around them it is hard to see it, their spirit literally shines through their afflictions.

It comes at a cost so please if you can make the effort and give a little or a lot, it will make a difference, oh and the odd shoe thing can be a bit of fun also.

Reminds me of a day c 1965 when I spent a day in the city wearing a light tan brogue on one foot and a dark tan on the other and it wasn't until late in the day while waiting for swmbo and the ankle biters, there I was, outside PGG in Cashel St and on looking down noticed what some must have thought a bit odd during the round of meetings during the day. I however, had been blissfully unaware.

Now anyone can do it and help those remarkable young people have a week of serious fun and quality care at a camp near you.

That Might Settle it.

He became a little more British after winning the Olympic Gold for the Mens Singles.

The Scottish tag re-emerged as nerves were exposed in the lead up to the US Open Final.

Today he made the break through, Well done Andy Murray.

Leading by 2 sets to love the wobbles manifested losing the next two 6-3 6-2 then he powered home to win his first major.

At least south of the border anyway, its British.

MAORI OWNERSHIP

I see another two Northland Iwi 'leaders' have joined David Rankin in claiming that Maori have a commercial right to the wind.   You can read it here.

So, with the debate hotting up it may be useful to establish where the various political parties stand on the twin issues of  who owns the 'water' and 'wind'.

Please feel free in fill in the gaps .....

Water

National - No-one (although it is accepted some Iwi may have 'guardianship'  be negotiated on a case by case basis).

Labour - No-one (unclear re guardianship).

Greeens - Support for Waitangi Tribunal position.

NZF - No-one (unclear re guardianship).

Maori Party - Support for Waitangi Tribunal position.

ACT - No-one (unclear re guardianship).

UF - Unclear.

Mana - Maori owns.

Wind

National - No-one.

Labour - Unclear, suspect as for National.

Greens - Unclear.

NZF - Unclear, suspect as for National.

Maori Party - Unclear.

ACT - Unclear, suspect as for National.

UF - Unclear, suspect as for National.

Mana - Maori owns.

It would help if political parties came off the fence and stated their public position.   Hope they do.

More Welfare Is Not The Answer

That Shearer guy is on fire but sadly just doing the same and expecting a different outcome is not a go.

Welfare has trapped too many families and their innocent vulnerable Children in an economic world that socialist shrills call poverty but I call insufficiency of resources already provided being directed to those vulnerable in the home.

We all know how The Clark Government wanted to expand the numbers of voters who depended for all their incomes or a substantial topup  so a call, "dont vote for those Nats or their allies"  as  they will attack your entitlements,  secured a locked in voter base at election time.

Welfare should be targetted, reduced in availability and replaced as a goal not expanded.

But what does Shearer propose, further delivery of welfare to children turning up at school hungry in the form of Breakfast.
That will be a big success, not.  However it will free up a few dollars for drugs, the pokies, booze, Sky TV,  Videos and the other absorbent things that sitting on your arse all day can access.

Any family who allow a child to arrive at school hungry needs intervention and soon, as it is about pride, budgeting, education and self-respect, all things that socialism and its love affair with expanding welfare ignores in its quest for a voter base.

More is not a solution

Perhaps There Was A Problem All Along!!

For as long as I have been blogging I have on many occasions made a case for the statistical 20% of students exiting the Primary education sector with inadequate literacy and numeracy skills to be addressed.

The Teacher unions claimed all was well and they were delivering one of the best outcomes in the world.

Many took my heresy to task and suggested I had no idea what the true picture was.

Now Saint David  has announced a program to put another 33% into REMEDIAL READING Support.

WHY what's the problem

Will the labour lackies among those paragons of virtue who have decried the chorus of thinking people that all is not well if you are deprived of books, parents who give a toss and a culture that does not value literacy even in the face of the digital age, now heap approbrium on the temporary leader of the socialists.

For the sheepish one to suggest there may be a need is just benny bashing surely, particularly, as he is going to target those schools in the lower decile ranking.

Quiz Results

Cripes Marc why dont I just get you to Mark it  lol

Clear winner and bragging rights.

I knew Eles eyes would light up with 5.

Bazza you keep up with the greens very good for you maybe not for the economy.

Cadwallader my sympathies, some massaging and spin of the results required as we are not allowed failing are we.

Yes Marc sometimes difficulty increases due to my diminishing access to material and to try and thwart one as formidable as yourself.
Would appreciate a contact off blog, email is in my profile, comfidentiality assured.

Answers:
1 Sir william Hudson who was the "man" at the helm of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme in western NSW.
   Born in Nelson, attended Nelson College, as did many other outstanding leaders in their fields, made a formidable reputation as an engineer on major initiatives world wide and was put forward as the man for the iconic project in the headwaters of the Murrimbigee river. When the Members of the Labor Cabinet met to consider the 3 top candidates,  Minister Lemnon handed PM Chiffley a paper with his assessment reading, Hudson, Hudson,  Hudson. A remarkable choice who brought the scheme in under budget and before time. He was brought to my College to speak by Brown Trotter an innovative and before his time farmer from Fairley in 1956.
Now that was think big and if you google Bill, surprise surprise he is now a bloody Aussie.

2 Gore Bay of days gone by, I worked on Cheviot Hills just up the road in the late 1960s.

3 Tokaanu Thermal Baths, havn't been to visit for over 20 years but no where near the sulphur of Rotorua, quite handy to the Ruapehu skifields.

4 East Cape Lighthouse very obscure as few clues,  granted.

5 Oamaru Precinct, well worth a visit anytime but more particularly during the upcoming Festival week with Period costumes, Whitestone sculpture, concerts and a great week to enjoy.  Swmbo and I last visited when the Oamaru Trotting Club celebrated an anniversary, the turnout and enthusiasism made for a memorable event, recommended for a weks r&r.

RUGBY

 Well, those who thought the 'Argies' were there to make up the numbers were wrong, dead wrong.    Loved their forward play, especially the first half.

What a game.

 

Know your Country,Sunday Sept 9th

The Olympic Games are the Ultimate Achievement.

Yeah Right.

Many deluded souls think an Olympic Medal, particularly a Gold represents that a competitor has reached the pinnacle of their chosen sport.
Wrong.

There are all kinds of additional hurdles that prevent that happening and I am disregarding the Quadrenniel Chemists competition that runs concurrently with the IOC effort.

At the Bejing games New Zealand had arguably the top two single scullers in the world, Drysdale and Waddell but we could only start one of them in the Olympic event.

Football or as some still call it,  Soccer, is competed for by Under 23 National sides with a clause that allows a couple of older players to assist in a move to maintain an acceptable level of competition.

At this years London festival it was revealed to me for the first time, that the cross country standard of difficulty was reduced to around the 3 star standard of difficulty.
 Burghley and Badminton in England, Kentucky (US), Luhmuhlen (Germany), Stars of Pau (Fr) and the Australian International 3 day events are all  rated 4 stars.
That was ostensibly "TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR MORE COUNTRIES TO COMPETE".
That is the salient fact that the armchair critics completely missed when Andrew Nicholson's Dressage effort was sabotaged by "an official getting wet". Too bad that Nicholson already had to deal with the rain that was falling but he knew and understood that the dressage score was going to be pivotal. Not the 10% factor it is supposed to be.

The Olympics as the apex of sporting endeavour, I don't think so.

Then there are the chemists!!

That Is A Clear Difference.

Anybody who doubts that the soscialist left is where nasty resides, should compare what the moles who inhabit The Standard think is an acceptable "Caption Contest" and another placed this morning by Cam Slater at Gotcha. The poster of the degenerative offering didn't even have the balls to put a name to it.

The lefty offering that only a couple of the first 50 commenters thought was appalling and bereft of even a skerrik of humour sets an even lower level of acceptability disregarding the fact it is poorly "Shopped" and totally devoid of any potential for funny.
Whale's offering, albeit with only a few comments is already good political humour.

Dont agree, take a gander then justify your view that I am wrong here.

Train Wreak At Nuremburg Rally - Updated

Some Republican commentators are concerned the Romney campaign has not yet begun to blitz the airwaves with anti Democrat attack ads.  They need not worry.  The Democrats are doing it all for them with their chaotic shambles in Charlotte..

 

• the great open air acceptance speech has been cancelled due to lack of interest.  They can't even find enough unionists to bus in from interstate.  Of course, possible inclement weather is the excuse.  Look for live crosses to the 75,000 seat empty Bank of America Stadium during Obama's speech - under clear starlit skies.   

 Update:  Well I never.  You woulda never guessed.!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Not a single raindrop is falling from a nearly cloudless sky in Charlotte, N.C., as President Barack Obama begins delivering his nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Obama took the stage at Time Warner Cable Arena on Thursday night about an hour after his motorcade whizzed by the empty and dark Bank of America Stadium where he originally had planned to deliver the speech.

• somebody woke up too late that the omission of God and Jerusalem from the Democrat platform might damage the Jewish and Christian vote.  Funny thing is, Obama was happy with the script until he became unhappy with it, after the Republicans picked up the gaffe.

• national networks broadcast live the appalling booing and virulent anti-semitism which now permeates the Democratic party.  Perhaps America's Jewish community might wake up at last and realise they are being led like lambs to the slaughter by these modern day Nazis.

• another fake celebrity takes the stage.  This time a steel worker alleged to have been employed by a Bain Capital controlled company.  Turns out he was not employed by the company, he was a union organiser.

The best decision for Canterbury.

Minister of Local Government has postponed any elective component for regional government in  Canterbury until 2016.

Judging by the chorus of troughers licking their chops at the prospect of regaining access to the slop trough with absolute zero content remotely resembling policy or plans in response to the clearly evident failings now exposed,  of the dumped bunch of incompetents, makes it the best way forward.
Kane, Burke,  Sage  and the rest of the total failures were all slavering this morning.

Burke even made the outrageous claim that the sacked Council were on the verge of completing a Water Policy. No mention of the wasted 19 years and never calculated costs expended with no result in sight.

I have said before having a bunch of dreamers who dont even water a vegetable garden making decisions on rural business people willing to invest millions in making a profitable future for all is nothing short of a nightmare.

Yes some people require a survielance and compliance regime but that is the function the previous idiots neglected as they pursued policies that fitted a political manifesto or just tall poppy chopping and power wielding to feed an ego.

Dame Margaret and the commissioners have brought an ethos of delivery and service that was never in evidence prior.
An appointed component along the lines of Health Boards with people of ability chosen reasonably separated from political ambition is desirable.

Hypocrisy much

The almost total silemce from the socialists is understandable as they will do whatever it takes to get the Crown Limos again but the deafening silence from the HRC and its corupt arm, the  Race Relations Conciliator is no more than embarassing

The Member for Te Tai Tokerau, exposed again for the racist c##t he is, will slither away under his stone till next time!!!!

Teflon is apt.

THANK YOU MR RANKIN

 New Zealanders of all shapes, colours and sizes owe a  debt of gratitude to Ngapuhi Leader, David Rankin, for claiming that Maori have a right to earn a dividend for the use of the wind for commercial power generation.   

He said the Waitangi Tribunal can't turn a blind eye to the claim ...."They set a precedent by the claim over water that they have to go for the wind.   They're all resources, the wind is a resource.   What turns those turbines on those wind farms?"

You can read the whole article (here).      

Thank you David Rankin for managing in a few 'simple' words to expose the whole charade that the claims process has become.    Thank you too for giving the Government the ammunition it needs to put to bed, once and for all, these vexatious claims.   Maori do not have a commercial right over the sun, air, water or wind.   Some Iwi may be able to argue they have a certain 'guardianship' right over water.   That can be negotiated on a claim by claim basis.

But commercial rights, no way ...  as a few money grabbing 'Niggers' (Hone's words, not mine) will find out to their to their 'cost'.

Muppet of the Week.

Hosking interviewed a Bill Newson on his Breakfast show in relation to the job losses at Tiwai Pt, Spring Creek Mine, Huntly Mine and the BOP Mussel factory.

Apparently this Numpty is the National Secretary of the EPMU.

Clearly there is no understanding of basic economics in the job description for his job.

The international collapse of Coal prices, Aluminium prices and some conniptions among the corporate controllers of the Mussel processor have nothing to do with the current round of reality checks as the GFC continues to bite.

His solution, these current redundancies and stand downs could all be "Fixed" if the "gummint" reduced the value of the NZ$.

What a populist inane crock of excrement we've got 'ere.

Just think for a moment if the government did use some stupid interventionist mechanism to lower the NZ$, what will that do to inflation, imported goods prices and prices set by the internal values of exported goods.

To save the Ti Wai Smelter I would think at present international prices  require a NZ$ at about $2 00 the green back.
Petrol over $3 00 Lt,
Milk @ around $3.50 Lt,
Air Fares around double,
Costs to keep the socialists wet dream railway running - eye watering.
Toss in rates, trucking, appliances and all the other cost increases!!!

Just think about it for a moment "no brain Newson" what it will do to the costs for your members and then move on to all those ex-members who are already grappling with a fixed income and barely surviving.

Jesus wept, you have no recollection of what Muldoon did have you, You believe your illustrious employer could just go for a wage rise and threaten strike action, that'l do it, not.

Rio Tinto, Solid Energy and others are trying to survive the GFC and the fallout including threatened Hyperinflation from the socialist solutions being adopted as first aid and are just trying to stay in business until the cycle returns them to profit.

Try pushing water uphill on asphelt with a rake its easier.
Go and read a book and don't bother with Das Kapital that didn't work either.

BENEFICIARY BASHING ... NOT

One really has to admire the twisted logic (or is it 'Chutzpah') of those apologists who would argue that it is beneficiary bashing for the Government to announce that those beneficiaries with outstanding arrest warrants will have their benefits withdrawn.    Sue Bradford would be proud of you.

What part of 'action (or non action) produces consequences' don't these people understand?     

8.000 beneficiaries with outstanding arrest warrants (out of 16,000 nation wide) is an alarming statistic.    On one hand they are thumbing their nose at the justice system while holding out their other for taxpayer support.   

Sorry folks ... you can't have it both ways.   Congratulations to Paula Bennett for having the 'balls' to do what is right.    Dollars to donuts that Labour, driven by the Greens, will reverse this if they ever get their grubby paws on the treasury benches.

Slow Joe

When Slow Joe Biden made his now infamous gaffe about 'y'all back in chains' he might have forgotten a little history.

I wonder how many black Americans with no jobs, no incomes, no homes, no food and no hope might reflect that their forbears were immensely better off.  They had jobs, for a start.  They had homes, they had food.  While they didn't have 'freedom' as we know it, it's fair to say most American slave owners treated their people reasonably.

Bein' back on de plantation in good old Virginny might be a damned sight better than some drug ridden hell hole in back street Chicago.

By Any Other Name

hattipTim Blair

Iconic Australian magazines to be renamed after sale to German publisher.

German firm Bauer now owns ACP Magazines, publishers of Vimmin's Veekly,  TV Veek, Haus Unt Garten, Veels, Rollink Schtone unt Kleo.

Random Question?

Did the Green Party of Aotearoa mount a protest in Greymouth supporting the closure of Spring Creek Mine.

If not why not.

Have they called for an inquiry?

Our Upper House is Full of Shit

It is also brown and it stinks.

In 1950 the Holland government finally closed the old folks home for reached used by date M P s.

It included a bribe in the form of placing the saved costs into a welfare fund and required the appointment of 20 new members dubbed the suicide squad.

The Legislative Council as it was called, was created as a check and delay second consideration of bills passed by the lower house but could not proscribe any finance bills,
Originally to consist of 10 min to 15 max appointed troughers, it grew as any beneficial government structure does, to around 35 drones.

Finally in 1951 the government of the day managed to consign it to the rubbish tip of history.

Now 60 years on we find we have another equally useless but very expensive replacement.

A totally undemocratic 'Maori Council', in tandem with the amazing trough that is the quasi judicial Waitangi Tribunal are, by acting in concert, able to prevent a legitimate democratically elected government from carrying out a clearly signaled program of reorganisation of some of the commercial entities that the government owns.

Sadly too many who should care are ignoring this re-creation of a second chamber and the costs are mounting with each day that passes.

It is race based, undemocratic, undesirable , unwanted by a majority but appears to be enabled by lawyers inside the house of representatives, the judiciary and a bunch of beneficiaries of the rort.

It is brown, it is steaming and it stinks.

The Indignity Of It All

Auckland is..............AKL

Los Angeles is..........LAX

Sioux City is.............SUX

Guess where the President landed yesterday?

Colin the Con - CONfusing ability with ambition

It seems CONservative leader, Colin Craig, is at it again:

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig thinks John Key is "too gay" for his Helensville seat and has said so in 20,000 letters to residents.

Pamphlets arrived in locals' mailboxes this week, urging them not to back Labour MP Louisa Wall's same-sex marriage bill. They were accompanied by a signed letter from Craig. It gave prominence to a comment from a disgruntled local: "Colin, you should stand here because John Key is too gay for Helensville.

There is a saying my (some time) triathlon coach says to his proteges in the pool sessions when we are doing time trials over 100, 200 or 400 metres and are supposed to be in the correct lane so as not to get in the way of others.  He says "don't confuse ability with ambition".

It's easy to understand.  You need to get through your 100s in 1:30 or so; but your ability (and fitness) allows you to only get them done in 1:40 or so.  You want to go 1:30 (the ambition), but your ability says otherwise.  You are confusing ability with ambition.  Get out of the lane!

There was a time a couple of years ago - during ACT's meltdown - when Colin Craig was madly polling Epsom via his dodgy polling mate who was an officeholder in the CONservative Party.  They then went and whored themselves around the media saying they would win Epsom.  Never mind that most of Epsom had never heard of Colin Craig.

When that failed miserably, as it inevitably was going to, he turned his mind to Rodney (not Hide, the seat).  More dodgy polls ensued.  If you listened to Colin the Con, he would win Rodney in a landslide.  Rather than taking a leaf out of Hide and Act's book, and actually campaign in the seat for years and build up a reputation and a following, Craig just assumed his ambition would win through. He overlooked the ability part of the equation.

But that wasn't the beginning for Colin the Con.  He spent millions on himself during the 2010 Auckland mayoral race claiming he had the ambition to be the Mayor.  Yes.  Not the ability to be Mayor, but the ambition.  His problem then was the same as it is now.  He confused ability with ambition.

And now Colin the Con turns up in Helensville distributing 20,000 letters claiming to have a moral mandate to defeat John Key, who holds the largest majority of any electorate seat in the country.  To say Colin the Con is dreaming is doing a disservice to dreamers.  He is stark raving nuts if he think he can beat John Key in Helensville.  Well, actually we know he is pretty much stark raving nuts, and politically stupid.  But nothing says it more than this.  And attacking John Key is nothing new for (now) CONservative Party officeholders and candidates.

To put this into perspective, Rodney Hide had a 13,300 majority in Epsom in 2008.  Between 2008 and 2011 he and Act went through......well there is no need to re-live that. The problems were evident.  But 13,300 votes is a lot to lose.  John Banks then had to endure "Don's musings" and other campaign isses and still won the seat with about a 1,500 2,260 majority.

I cannot see Colin the Con, or anyone in his party, being in parliament in 2014.  He just isn't going to win a seat, and even if he does, the piggybacking scenario is likely to be removed from MMP in 2017 so one seat will mean one MP.

Here is some advice for Colin the Con if he wants to listen: campaign on the MMP threshold being reduced to 4% and go all out for the party vote in 2017.

Because confusing ability with ambition in Helensville will result in exactly the same scenario as we saw in Auckland 2010 and Rodney 2011 - you'll get on TV a bit, but if you're not producing the 1:30 100s, you're gonna get left behind and yelled at by the coach for being in the wrong lane.   

Republican Convention - Updated

I didn't watch any of the speeches - all too boring.  However, the commentary on those speeches from people other than Obama flaks and sycophants was interesting.  For the most part they were mildly to vigorously enthusiastic.  Until it came to Clint Eastward.  Then it was either wildly for or wildly against.

I read extracts from Mitt Romney's acceptance speech and the word which bounded into my mind was 'lame.'  Maybe the electorate has had enough of lofty rhetoric with no performance and would much prefer a less eloquent leader who can actually get the people back to work.  (Funny thing is, Obama no longer is touted as eloquent. Even by the Left.)



Back to Clint Eastwood.  After all the kerfuffle I went back and watched his speech.  It was nothng short of brilliant. The empty chair with a telprompter was the classic metaphor.

He nailed it for his selected audience.  Not the Tea Partiers, not the RINOs, not the convention delegates, not the GOP party activists at home, not the committed Republican voters.  His message was aimed squarely at those people who voted for Obama last time and regret it but are having trouble bringing themselves to vote for the other fella.

He said to them 'You don't need to feel guilty.  Just do as I'm doing.  It's OK.'

And the immortal line which will never be forgotten:-

'When someone isn't doing the job, we have to let him go.'

Update: 2.9.03

And a little something for the Trolls.

"A Survey USA poll shows 49% of respondents with a positive impression of Clint Eastwood's speech versus 24% with a negative impression. The figures for independents are 51% and 25%, respectively."

Landcorpse

With the latest results from Landcorpse, I see that communism is well and truly alive in NZ.

122 farms.
77 people in a shiny head office looking after 1.6 farms each on average.
As the wage bill is $42,000,000 for the total 599 employees at an average of $70k each, it is of little wonder that the return to the taxpayer is woeful. When the shed hands will be getting $40k there is obviously a lot of fat in the system and I don't mean milk solids.

Each farm has a $100,000 + millstone around its neck.
Any genuine farmer would soon point out the (un)sustainability of that madness.

Sell the lot on an individual basis and let real farmers run them.