Kiwiblog

This is just so bad as to be painful.

The Government has announced a No Rubba, No Hubba Hubba campaign. Not this is not a joke.

The centrepoint of the campaign is their www.hubba.co.nz website. At least they didn’t make it an officiall www.hubba.govt.nz site!

I know it is well intentioned, but this is just a sad attempt which patronises teenagers. Not a single teenager will not have unprotected sex due to this site. People will just cringe or laugh at it. Go have a go yourself if you want a laugh.

Dick Hubbard appears to have lost the vote of a young lady. Her e-mail is below:

“Dear David

I do not understand what all the fuss is about the V8 street race. All I can say is that if Dick Hubbard was out last night I would have smacked him in the mouth.

My date for the evening, a highly eligible male connected with the streetrace professionally, who I have been frantically shagging at every available opportunity for three years, was so disappointed that the streetrace was going to be canned that it ruined what was to be a great night of sex.

We went out and I even paid for the drinks as I thought he would get over it and before I knew it, there he was so angry at Dick Hubbard that he forgot all I wanted to do was grab his Italian designer trousers and throw them over my bedpost.

Who does Dick Hubbard think he is? Bastard.

Even the name “Dick” reminds me of what I missed last night.

Signed

Grumpy female”

For Hubbard’s safety he should avoid the CBD for a few days, in case he meets grumpy female, who felt the need to ring me at midnight last night to regale me with how Hubbard had stuffed up her sex life. I was happily asleep, so told her to e-mail me, which she did!

Jordan had a letter published in the NZ Herald attacking Don Brash for not participating in the upcoming stocktake of constitutional issues, stating “New Zealand’s constitution is too important to be subject to partisan games”.

My reply was published today:

“Jordan Carter laments National’s decision not to participate in the upcoming stocktake of constitutional issues, saying “New Zealand’s constitution is too important to be subject to partisan games”.

He is right, but should be directing his comments at Helen Clark who came up with the idea as a political response to the support Don Brash gained after his Orewa speech, and who chose to announce it in the most partisan way possible – at a party conference. It’s a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

David Farrar, Wellington”

It’s quite fun to argue in the mainstream media, as well as online

Popped up on Sunday to visit Megan and the ever growing new born. A brief but very nice catchup.

Megan very politely asked me if I minded if she breast fed in the living room, and of course I said not at all. I’ve been in that situation with friends before and it is not at all an issue.

But then friends of Megan’s popped in, with their baby also. And the mum was my former travel agent. I didn’t know she and Megan knew each other so it was a pleasant surprise to all to catch up.

What surprised me was that when the friend needed to breast feed her daughter, I actually got a bit weirded just because it was the person I think of as my travel agent, rather than a close friend.

I sort of laughed afterwards that I had such different reaction to the exact same situation in the exact same room. I suppose it was because one was expected, and the other more unexpected.

Just started day two of an Internet (Web) law conference in Auckland. I’m attending in my role as Chair of the Legal & Regulatory Committee of InternetNZ.

Yesterday we had sessions on general Internet law, the Electronic Transactions Act, website development issues, e-commerce and consumer issues, web site provider contracts and of course spam. The last one especially had a very lively discussion, with a recent nine year sentence in the US against a spammer.

I’m not actually a lawyer myself, so was quite pleased that I found I was as up to date, or more up to date, with the other participants on the major legal issues in the key areas. I once did want to be a lawyer but I guess I should have concentrated more on law than politics at university!

They do have wireless connectivity at the venue, but one can only use it if you have an Xtra account. So it was with great hilarity I observed 2day Internet owner Peter Mott having to become a customer of Xtra so he could have Internet access. The empire has finally won

Constar has the transcript of an unfortunately phrased Rainbow TV show. I’m not sure if the producers were subversive or just naive!

An extract:

Bungle: “Geoffrey, I can’t get it in”

Geoffrey: “You managed it last night”

Bungle: “I know, let’s try it round the other way around. Ooooooh, I’ve got it in”

As Lewis Holden noted it is rather ironic that King Charles III of New Zealand (his future title) proclaimed last week “People think they can all be pop stars, high court judges, brilliant TV personalities. . . without ever putting in the necessary work or having natural ability. ”

Coming from the person whose jobs, current and future, have nothing to do with work or ability, and purely on hereditary privilege, it is shall we say somewhat hypocritical.

It is possible the Sunday Star-Times allegations that the SIS has been doing illegal domestic surveillance are not credible, but the issues they raise are not ones that should be swept away with a “I trust them, and you should trust me” as Helen Clark has done.

When I read the stories yesterday, I concluded that an external inquiry was necessary, given the gravity of the allegations. I was pleased to see that Dr Brash has concluded much the same.

There are reasons why one should be wary, and they are:

* While it says three spies have spoken out, really only one is quoted at length, and we do not know how much the other two are agreeing with him
* Nicky Hagar is involved, and while he obviously has good research and sources in these areas, he basically is an enemy of the SIS and is highly partisan
* Most organisations have some unhappy staff, and the SIS having some is not necessarily an indication of illegal activity
* There are legitimate surveillance targets within the radical Maori community. Those who get up and threaten civil war should be taken at face value and watched

But despite that we need to err on the side of caution and have an independent inquiry. We need the highest level of trust in the SIS, in order for them to have the powers we do, and I do not have that trust. In my dealings with the SIS when I had to get a top secret security clearance, I did not find them particularly impressive or perceptive. They were worried (amongst other things) about a umm friendship I had with a German girl, as she was born in former East Germany. I pointed out that as she was around 11 when the Berlin Wall came down, I doubted she was a communist plant.

The fact that the allegations come from three current or former agents (unless the SST is outright lying which I believe highly unlikely) means one has to take them seriously. The fact that Tariana Turia has been bugged in the past makes it not even a borderline call.

I do not believe it can be done by the Inspector-General of Security. With no disrespect to the current one, the former office holder was shown on a number of occasions by the court to be too accepting of the SIS position, and was seen as part of the SIS, not their watchdog.

This is an issue above party politics. No party benefits if the suspicion is allowed to linger that the SIS spies on MPs. I am actually a bit of a right wing hawk (supported both Gulf Wars etc), and about as pro security services as you can get – they have a key role in combating the terrorism threats we all face. I certainly hope the allegations are totally incorrect but I won’t believe it unless I hear it from a respected independent inquiry.

With amusement I read yesterday that multi-millionaire Dick Hubbard got $100,000 “assistance” from the taxpayer for his company.

I don’t have a problem with the concept that the Government can do some good by assisting small start-up businesses, but to be honest I object to my hard earned income going towards someone worth tens of millions of dollars. And often with these schemes the small struggling start-up business is far too busy to learn about how to juice money out of taxpayers, while wealthy more established companies can have staff whose only jobs is to get as much money as possible out of these well intentioned schemes.

Worth reading commentary by Mother Bhatnagar and Mother Hide.

Discovered today one of the hidden treasures of Wellington – the 40 seat Time Cinema in Lyall Bay.

The cinema is part museum with displays filling up every spare inch, and a small very cosy viewing room. It really is a treasure worth visiting – also ideal for small fundraisers (which was what I was attending).

The movie was the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s starring Audrey Hepburn. And the movie was from the original reel so we had half a dozen cheesy 1960s ads (the toothpaste sex appeal one was hilarious), a brief playing of God save the Queen and then the movie itself.

I had not seen the movie before and was enchanted by the young Miss Hepburn. Her character of Holly Golightly in fact reminds me of a friend of mine. I can see why the movie is regarded as a classic.

After the movie, as it was such a nice day, stats girl and I had a nice drive around all the bays from Lyall Bay to Oriental Bay. Wellington Harbour comes into its own when the sun is out so bright.

Just had pointed out to me that there is a blog dedicated to discussing TVNZ.

I wonder if any TVNZ staff are involved with it? One of the nice things about blogging is it has allowed people within institutions to speak openly about the need for change.

A group of diplomats working for US State Department have done the same with The Diplomad blog.

I have always wondered what would have happened if the Alliance had won power and Jim Anderton had become Prime Minister with his no dissent allowed management style.

Well I think I have found the answer in Saparmurat Niyazov.

I’m not sure which of his exploits is most funny:

a) naming a meteorite after himself
b) ordering a giant ice palace to be built in the middle of the desert
c) banning television presenters from wearing makeup as he can’t tell the male and female ones apart (wait until he meets our all blacks!)
d) making his autobiography required reading in all schools

The only sad thing is that this guy is not a work of fiction, but does actually rule over 4.5 million people.

Donna is now dead and buried. The Speaker has written to Rodney Hide saying

NBR has highlighted that NZ First MP Jim Peters has been using taxpayer-funded flights to attend paid meetings as a Northland regional councillor.

This is outraegous. We also learn he skipped debate on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill to attend a council meeting in Whangarei.

An MP’s salary package is valued at over $140,000. To also be grabbing another $25,000 from the public purse is unacceptable.

I am surprised that the mainstream media did not highlight during the local body elections that an MP was standing for election, to double-dip.

UPDATE: Aaron Bhatnagar has noticed that the NZ First Jim Peters looks Maori while the Northland Regional Council one looks Scottish!

I note that the Australian Federal Police have arrested an Australian for links to al-Qaeda.

As the former taxi driver was known as Jack ‘Jihad” Thomas, I suspect one did not have to be Sherlock Holmes to have deduced this is someone worth keeping an eye on.

Phil Goff seems to have enrolled at the Helen Clark school of diplomacy, and thinks that it is a good idea as New Zealand Foreign Minister to list the pros and cons of Condoleezza Rice’s appointment as United States Secretary of State.

Goff didn’t say anything offensive (we have Mallard for that), but nevertheless talking about how Rice is someone “less prepared to be accommodating” is not what I want the US Embassy to be reporting to the most powerful woman in the world as the views of the New Zealand Government.

Clark and Goff sometimes forget they are no longer university lecturers.

The Law Society has joined in the chorus of condemnation of Trevor Mallard for his attack on the Supreme Court, describing his comments as “not only outrageous but wrong”.

Scoop has a copy in html of the full decision of the Supreme Court in Prebble vs Huata. For my 2c worth it is a very good well reasoned decision where they demolish the Court of Appeal’s decision that proportionality relates only to voting in the House.

Chief Justice Elias points out “As the heading to s55A and the terms of s55A(2) make clear, the occasion for vacancy in a seat arises when a member who is not an independent member of Parliament ‘ceases to be a parliamentary member of the political party for which the member of Parliament was elected’.”

Nice to see a sensible start from our highest court.

Yes yes yes – I take back all the bad things I have ever thought about the Supreme Court!

The Supreme Court has over-ruled the Court of Appeal, and is allowing ACT to expel Donna Awatere-Huata from Parliament using the Electoral Integrity Act.

I am confident that Rodney Hide has set a new land speed record in running over to the Speaker’s Office with the no longer injuncted letter. Hunt will presumably gazette her seat falling vacant in the next few days.

I actually think the Electoral Integrity Act is an awful piece of legislation, and it is a travesty it was ever passed. Luckily it will expire at the next general election. However not using everything at one’s disposal to oust Donna would have been a biigger travesty so congratulations to Richard and Rodney.

Rodney is understandably happy. He now has one less distraction.

NZ’s most well known diplomat, Trevor Mallard, has managed to offend the entire Supreme Court by lamenting the fact they were not appointed on merit.

This is just such an incredibly stupid thing for a Minister to do. It is highly insulting to the Court – both as an institution, and individual Judges. It also confirms that his Government does not appoint on merit, by his own words.

Just when we thought things could not get worse, Trevor makes sure they do.

NZPA has reported on how a Hawke’s Bay woman (explains a lot being from Hawke’s Bay says she is breastfeeding her staffordshire bull terrier pup because she wants the dog to protect her baby girl as they grow up.

Gross is my initial reaction. And my next one. And the one after that. Yuck.

Now animal behaviour experts say the puppy could end up an aggressive dog with behavioural problems.

No kidding.

It reminds me of the David Bain mass murder case, where he slaughtered his whole family. It turned out his mother kept breast feeding the children, well past the recommended age. You wonder how long for? 2 years? 3 years? God forbid even 5 years?

Nope Mrs Bain breast fed them until they were 13 years old!!

And then David Bain shot his entire family – there has to be a moral there somewhere. Such as breastfeeding is only for infants!

The idiots who put an axe through Helen Clark’s electorate office should get a jail term if caught.

It is a violent and threatening act, and not the way to protest. The office is a place of work for her electorate staff, and they are the ones who have to worry about whether next time an axe may be used in a more direct manner.

Having published my privacy policy, I have finally got around to publishing my linking policy. Only one left after this will be my censorship policy.

1. What sites will you link to?

Generally those I want to read myself. I use my own links more than anyone else.

2. Will you link to my site if I ask you to?

Almost always, subject to (1) and bearing in mind, I can not link to every blog in NZ, without the links losing their usefulness.

3. Does it help if I link to your blog?

Yes, it is nice if links are mutual, but not obligatory. Bribes also help.

4. Hey you have classified me as a left wing blog and I actually hate the socialists so can you change my classification?

Yes. I initially classify people based on my obervations. If you object to being “left” or “geek” or whatever, just let me know and I will change it.

5. Do you remove links?

Yes. If a blog has not been updated for one to two months I will assume it is dead and remove the link. If you come back to life, let me know.

6. Why do you list the right blogs first?

Because they are right.

7. Are the links listed in any particular order within each category?

Yes, by each blogger’s birthday and zodiac sign.

The Advertising Standards Complaints Board has ruled that a Tui billboard proclaiming “There’s nothing wrong with Miriam – Yeah Right” is seriously offensive, ridicules transgendered people and contradicts basic human rights.

I think the Board (which had a dissenting minority) are being somewhat politically correct. For the record I do not think there is anything “wrong” with transsexuals myself, and have got on well with Georgine Beyer the few times I have met her.

It is all about context. The Miriam reference is to the TV show (which was so boring not even I could watch it) where six guys compete to go out with Miriam, not realising she is a transsexual. So it is not referring to transsexuals being wrong, just that Miriam was not going to be what they expected.

I mean even debating the finer points of interpretation is a bit silly to be frank. The Tui billboards are about taking the piss – this just seems far too precious.

The full decision is here.

Had a squiz at Jeremy Greendrook’s blog, and had to laugh when I read the new Women’s Rights Officer offered to make breakfast. Kerry will be having her predeccesors rolling in their graves for perpetuating such traditionalist stereotypes

Back by popular reuest – photos of Risawn as a brunette and as a redhead, and of course with more guns.

Ackbar from NZ Pundit, the Whig and I are all founder members of the NZ section of the Risawn fan club.