General Debate 24 November 2009 Add this story to Scoopit!.

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150 Responses to “General Debate 24 November 2009”

  1. scanner (186) Says:

    BREAKING NEWS – Five National MP’s cross the floor to vote against the ETS, the so far unnamed MP’s say that they will not support the ETS through parliament for the following reasons.

    1. The scheme in it’s current format offers too little for the country, and that the cost far outweighs any returns.

    2. The improper balance over the distribution of the use of crown assets to iwi.

    3.The recent disclosure of documents casting doubt on some of the basic research behind climate change, and the need to further understand the implications of these disclosures.

    4. The feedback from a large numbers of electorate voters, who overwhelmingly do not support this legislation, and the MP’s desire to represent the people who put them in government, rather than those that keep them in government.

    5. The speed with which it seems to be passing through the parliamentary system, and the lack of public discussion on the act and it’s repercussions

    The five MP’s state that they would be prepared to support the ETS, in a changed format and given a proper discussion process, but all five had discovered their new found consciences, were not that hard to live with, and also now having grown a spine had made it easier to stand up straight.

    Climate Change Minister Nick Smith is understood to be in meltdown over this new development, and was unavailable for comment.

  2. mickysavage (616) Says:

    Gee more mana enhancing activity from the National Party, at least for the Maori elite if not for those that actually need the help.

    First there is preferential growing rights for some tribes. And a taxpayer paid jaunt to Copenhagen for some Kaumatua.

    Rodney Hide eat your heart out!

    Shouldn’t you guys be like dismayed at what is happening?

  3. Say Goodbye to Hollywood (311) Says:

    Scanner

    I just checked the date and it’s not April 1st so how about a link to your post?

  4. pentwig (112) Says:

    Micky

    I would predict that must of us are!!

  5. getstaffed (4596) Says:

    mickey – Yes. as NZ’s leaders become more like the ethically bankrupt mob that you still worship, some of us are getting dismayed.

  6. Murray (4521) Says:

    I really don’t think any labour party hack should actually be saying anything about the Maori party and its relations with other parties, beyond acknowledging that labour created it by shitting on Maori in a manner that makes Gov. Grey look like a Tuhoe activist.

  7. LUCY (359) Says:

    Remember this?
    “To the annals of global warming lunacy, add this gem from New Zealand: According to [the Key Government, Nick Smith and] a parliamentary committee, Kiwis should accept lower standards of living to protect the national image abroad.”
    - ‘Kiwi Carbon Haze,’ Wall Street Journal, September 7, 2009

    The Key Government will be remembered for this. What a legacy.

  8. Murray (4521) Says:

    Scanner, you’re a prick teasing bastard. And how would we know Nick is meltdown as well, it seems to be his natural state.

  9. scanner (186) Says:

    Sadly Hollywood it, as we have now come to expect is fiction.
    The sad truth seems to be under the current regime this sad piece of legislation will pass, through some of Tricky Nicky’s handiwork and will become law, then we will all suffer.
    Murray – we will know when Nick goes into meltdown when the order comes down from his office for more phone books to throw.
    DonKey certainly learned well from Helen, the end will always justify the means.

  10. LUCY (359) Says:

    scanner (128) 8 0 Says:

    November 24th, 2009 at 8:01 am
    “BREAKING NEWS – Five National MP’s cross the floor to vote against the ETS, the so far unnamed MP’s say that they will not support the ETS through parliament for the following reasons.”

    If only they had the balls Scanner, if only.

  11. Dave Mann (323) Says:

    If only that were true, Scanner!

    A thought has ocurred to me. Once the maoris are gifted (our) land and treees and more benefits under this crazy piece of corrupt wheeler dealing, then it will be absolutely impossible for any future government to cancel or modify the deal. That’s how it goes with maoris…. they moan and complain and take everything to court for ever and this will be no exception. Once it done there will never ever be any going back. Even if the bloody climate is absolutely proven to be getting colder. Another 150 years…

    Apartheid. Did you vote for this? Anybody…..?

  12. Murray (4521) Says:

    The only question is really is this the single bigest kickback in our nations history?

    Makes Taito look more like bloody Santa really doesn’t it.

    What are they planning to take from us next?

  13. getstaffed (4596) Says:

    Murray – our resolve. Key is very calculated in doing this, beacuse he knows it drives thinking NZ’s towards the right/Act, and captures still more unthinking NZers from the left. Net gain for his coalition-based empire

  14. Murray (4521) Says:

    I’m pretty well attached to mine getsaffed. It might not be as easy as he thinks.

  15. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    I’m thinking of voting for Bill and Ben in the next election, thanks to the ineffectiveness of the government – if NZ had the Australian system I would be ticking the No Confidence box.
    Here’s hoping that Scanner isn’t pulling our legs.

  16. Owen McShane (943) Says:

    The curious thing is that noone can give me or anyone the equation that describes the long term carbon exchanges when one turns a pine forest into pasture.
    There is some evidence there is a gain in the long term sink.

  17. philu (7206) Says:

    wake up gazz..!

    he is winding you up..

    national m.p.’s with spines..?

    and willing to stand up against this stinking ‘deal’..?

    that’d be the day..!

    ..eh..?

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  18. philu (7206) Says:

    this is from the washington post..

    http://whoar.co.nz/2009/support-for-legalizing-marijuana-gaining-ground-rapidly/

    “..Approval for medical use expands alongside criticism of prohibition

    The same day they rejected a gay marriage ballot measure ..

    .. residents of Maine voted overwhelmingly to allow the sale of medical marijuana over the counter at state-licensed dispensaries.

    Later in the month, the American Medical Association reversed a longtime position ..

    .. and urged the federal government to remove marijuana from Schedule One of the Controlled Substances Act .. which equates it with heroin.

    A few days later, advocates for easing marijuana laws left their biannual strategy conference with plans to press ahead on all fronts —

    – state law, ballot measures, and court — in a movement that for the first time in decades appeared to be gaining ground.

    “This issue is breaking out in a remarkably rapid way now,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.

    “Public opinion is changing very, very rapidly.”

    The shift is widely described as generational.

    A Gallup poll in October found 44 percent of Americans favor full legalization of marijuana — a rise of 13 points since 2000.

    Gallup said that if public support continues growing at a rate of 1 to 2 percent per year ..

    .. “the majority of Americans could favor legalization of the drug in as little as four years.”

    A 53 percent majority already does so in the West, according to the survey.

    The finding heartens advocates collecting signatures to put the question of legalization before California voters in a 2010 initiative..”

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  19. Brian Smaller (2429) Says:

    Dave Mann – this deal is for seventy years. We will all be dead by then and a new, as yet unborn, generation of grevience mongers will be at the trough again. According to Split Enz ‘History never repeats’ – except when talking about the the ‘full and final settlement’ industry I think.

  20. dimmocrazy (239) Says:

    Phil, I am a compassionate and patient person, but can you please piss off with your nonsense?

  21. tom hunter (642) Says:

    dimmocrazy – see yesterday’s GD for advice on handling this

  22. Manolo (1200) Says:

    How interesting that DPF while overseas has the time to post on many things, but not on the ETS deal between the racist Maori Party and the spineless National Party?

    It’s a shame because Kiwiblog, the best political blog in our country, is not giving this stinking deal the exposure it demands.

  23. Say Goodbye to Hollywood (311) Says:

    Phil?…I don’t see Phil anymore. Although I guess Phil can take comfort that his negative karma will decrease. Hey Phil, you’re becoming more popular.

  24. philu (7206) Says:

    yes..dimm..you can arrange to see nothing i say/link to..

    just follow the instructions..

    and then shut the fuck up..!

    eh..?

    discuss the fucken issues..or pissoff and rip..!

    and that goes for all of ya..!

    i am sooo looking forward to the end of the constant stream of peurile/mindless insult..

    so..you know what to do/where to go..dimm..

    so..go..and do..

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  25. philu (7206) Says:

    the whole thing about this forum..

    isn’t you mindless knuckledraggers..

    without an idea between you..

    it’s about the high numbers who read..

    and they..and i..am really sick of your little chorus about me..f.f.s..!

    so go on..!

    all of you fuckwits go and rip..

    and the problems are solved for everyone..

    byee..!

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  26. Pete George (3679) Says:

    I’d cut him some slack Manolo, he has managed to keep some posts rolling in but mainly on topics that don’t requires a lot of in depth consideration. Understandable. This ETS we are being force fed is big.

    When I first heard yesterdays announcement I felt my stomach sink, I just though “oh shit! After reading more detail and reflecting I didn’t think it was so bad, there was a degree of necessary pragmatism and less racism in the Maori Party deal. But….

    I think they are doing things arse about face. Trying to rush it through and make it law before Copenhagen seems nuts. What if Copenhagen flies to bits and everyone has hissy fits and says they aren’t going to do anything? Or if everyone drinks their together juice and come to an agreement that our scheme doesn’t fit in with? Surely, it’s taken this long since Kyoto to do nothing about, it makes sense to wait and see what the result of Copenhagen is and then come up with an appropriate plan??

  27. Inventory2 (3976) Says:

    Play the ball Phil, not the man. You’re the one who continually refers to people here as “mindless knuckledraggers” and “fuckwits”, so you should be the last to complain when people respond in kind.

    Oh, and when you have a moment in your busy day, are you going to tell us what you think about the revelations that climate scientists have been lying and fudging data all these years, and are now frantically deleting incriminating e-mails. I thought that a chap like you who purports to have a strong sense of justice would have a firm opinion, but I’ve yet to see it.

  28. Ryan Sproull (3364) Says:

    Dimm,

    If you are using Firefox, you can now set up your own ignore function on KiwiBlog.

    Install the RIP addon. Download the Kiwiblog RIP. Import the Kiwiblog RIP into your installed RIP addon. Edit it to change “AnIdiot” to whatever name you want to ignore.

    I’m not sure how you do multiple ignores – someone else can probably help out there. They’re probably just more names in single quotes separated by commas, but I don’t know that for sure.

    Once you’re done, please don’t constantly talk about who you’re ignoring or the fact that you’re ignoring people. It defeats the purpose.

  29. Pete George (3679) Says:

    And something less comprehensible than the ETS haste are the addicted idiots who are using RIP to block Phil and then continue to post about him. The inane Phil baiting is worse than Phil’s punctuation.

  30. Jack5 (1506) Says:

    Bro-partheid another step forward?

    This is the flag of 21st century bro-partheid, not of 19th century conciliation and unification.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3090346/Maori-flag-to-fly-on-Waitangi-Day

  31. Yvette (458) Says:

    “dimmocrazy – see yesterday’s GD for advice on handling this”

    Briefly that advice was -
    Silence is the most perfect expression of scorn.
    
Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute.
    ‘Tis better to be silent and be thought a whool, than to speak and remove all doubt. 

    You never saw a fish on the wall with its mouth shut.

  32. Murray (4521) Says:

    Join the craze dimmocrazy, its an effective banning by public aclaim. Most of us have no idea what the parasitic little bit of crap is drippling on about any more.

  33. philu (7206) Says:

    “.I thought that a chap like you who purports to have a strong sense of justice would have a firm opinion, but I’ve yet to see it…”

    i actually know not enough about the specifics/detail to make any comment ..

    but my understanding is that whatever the outcome/’true story’ there..

    that this effects the overall science not a jot..

    (remember..that ipcc report was the result of assesing virtually all the scientific data to hand..

    by scientists from all over the world..

    it isn’t just the results of these few scientists)

    and the timing of the release/leak of this..just before copenhagen..

    ..does have a certain ‘odor’ about it..

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  34. RRM (1734) Says:

    Heard on the radio this morning that Bennett (Who Shall Not be Challenged) declared the 20,000 fewer unemployment beneficiaries [compared to Treasury's worst-case-scenario forecast] is a Gummint triumph because it is all props to the 5,000 new youth jobs arising from MSD’s Job Ops initiative. The difference between 5,000 and 20,000 being apparently of little consequence to Her Majesty (Who Shall Not be Challenged.)

    F**k off Bully Bennett, pick on someone your own size.

  35. philu (7206) Says:

    “..Once you’re done, please don’t constantly talk about who you’re ignoring or the fact that you’re ignoring people. It defeats the purpose..”

    (can i ’second’ that..?..)

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  36. Inventory2 (3976) Says:

    Pete George said “When I first heard yesterdays announcement I felt my stomach sink, I just though “oh shit! After reading more detail and reflecting I didn’t think it was so bad, there was a degree of necessary pragmatism and less racism in the Maori Party deal. But….”

    My sentiments also Pete. I am very uncomfortable about aspects of the ETS, but the indecent haste with which it is being rushed through concerns me more, especially with all the questionmarks now surrounding the whole science of Climate Change. I was critical of the previous government for using urgency to rush their ETS through prior to the election, and I will be equally critical of the government I voted for doing the same thing. This is NOT, imho, an area in which we need to be world leaders.

  37. tom hunter (642) Says:

    Ryan

    You have to add a separate line. Putting another name in, parsed by commas, does not seem to work. Just a cut and paste.

    And yes – since you all now have the technical ability to ignore the nasty old bugger – can you just stop referring to him? Please?

    So – anybody want to talk about energy production?

  38. senzafine (225) Says:

    Hang on. She’s a bully because she has a successful initiative?

    Love your thinking, RRM.

  39. pentwig (112) Says:

    Manolo

    I agree with you. This is the biggest political event for years. It is obvious that the majority of NZ’ers deplore what Key, Smith et al are doing, yet NZs’ biggest and most respected blogger ignores it.

    Perhaps DPF found there is no way to spin it.

  40. getstaffed (4596) Says:

    DPF has just create a post on the ETS :)

  41. Yvette (458) Says:

    I do admit to a certain sudden severe spiritual malaise as I realise Scanner’s opening comment is not true. Oh that it was, since each of the five reasons given, as to why five National MP’s could cross the floor on the ETS, are eminently sensible and valid. Whatabugga

  42. RRM (1734) Says:

    No Senzafine she’s a bully based on her past actions against peasants who dared criticise. You know.

  43. Ryan Sproull (3364) Says:

    Thanks, Tom.

  44. Inventory2 (3976) Says:

    Phillip Ure said “i actually know not enough about the specifics/detail to make any comment ..”

    Aw, come on Phil – you can do better than that ;-) You spend the day trawling the internet for stories for your news aggregation service, and you haven’t seen the details of what is a pretty major issue? Sorry, I don’t buy that.

    But anyway, I’m in a helpful mood today, and you can find all manner of links to this story at the site below. Go on, check it out; you know you want to!!!

    http://www.climatedepot.com/

  45. menace (125) Says:

    Yes cannabis has to be and with out any doubt will be legalized.

    But just how long is it going to be is th eonly question.

  46. philu (7206) Says:

    http://whoar.co.nz/2009/the-war-on-weed-marijuana-is-basically-harmless-the-monumentally-stupid-drug-war-is-not/

    “..The war on marijuana is insane; our officials keep sacrificing tax dollars, lives, civil liberties, and their own credibility ..

    .. in this misguided and losing effort.

    You might remember Robert McNamara’s stunning mea culpa ..

    .. delivered a quarter century after his Vietnam War policies sent some 50,000 Americans .. (and even more horrendous numbers of Vietnamese) ..

    .. to their deaths in that disastrous war.

    In his 1995 memoir, the man who had been a cold, calculating secretary of defense for both Kennedy and Johnson belatedly confessed that he and other top officials had long known that the war was an unwinnable, ideologically driven mistake.

    “We were wrong,” he wrote, almost tearfully begging in print for public forgiveness.

    “We were terribly wrong.”

    Yes, they were, and so are today’s leaders (from the White House to nearly all local governments), who are keeping us mired in the longest, most costly, and most futile war in U.S. history: the drug war.

    As one adamant opponent of this ongoing madness put it, “I cannot help but wonder how many more lives, and how much more money, will be wasted before another Robert McNamara admits what is plain for all to see: the War on Drugs is a failure.

    Americans are paying too high a price in lives and liberty for a failing War on Drugs, about which our leaders have lost all sense of proportion.”

    That was no ex-hippie stoner expressing himself through a haze of herbal smoke.

    It was America’s “Uncle Walter,” the journalistic icon Walter Cronkite, calling earlier this year for a new truthfulness and sanity in American drug policy.

    The drug war is rife with major failures and absurdities, including the rise of a vast, murderous narco-state within Mexico, caused by U.S. consumer demand for drugs outlawed by our government; ..

    .. Plan Colombia, a secretive, multibillion-dollar U.S. military operation started by Bill Clinton in 2000 to eradicate coca production in that country ..

    .. which now produces 15% more coca than it did before the plan was launched; ..

    .. the racist and grossly unjust sentencing disparity, established by lawmakers in the 1980s, between crack-cocaine users (mostly black) and powder snorters (mostly white); ..

    .. and the ridiculous refusal by pious federal authorities to allow our farmers to grow hemp–

    – a useful, profitable, sustainable, and historic crop..”

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  47. Murray (4521) Says:

    Inventory2 I didn’t block that buffoon so that other people could put his drek in front of me anyway. Don’t make me click another button.

    And if you want to do a google search try fox and franz joseph glaciers growing. That’ll make your head spin.

  48. philu (7206) Says:

    inv..the point of my reply was that this isolated incident..(whatever the detail)..

    does not the ipcc report make..

    ..eh..?

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  49. philu (7206) Says:

    “..Don’t make me click another button…”"

    this could spread like a virus..

    heh..!

    (‘did you insult my mother..?..’..)

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  50. menace (125) Says:

    Heres a link toe agreat video hosted on google video that demonstrates well the absurdity of current laws.

    Its also quite anew video(last year), quite well done and brings attention to aspect not so realized by the common sheep.

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007#

  51. Inventory2 (3976) Says:

    Cheers for that Murray. I just struggle to believe that the person who you’ve blocked could not have seen all the controversy over climate science in the last few days. Perhaps it’s all too scary for him – seeing another one of his pet topics dismantled.

  52. senzafine (225) Says:

    RRM; Oh. Thats right. She dared to challenge the right of entitlement of those with their noses squarely in the trough.

    Indeed, such a bully!

    Meanwhile, her initiative has created 5000 jobs for youth, and is going to be extended for another 2000 people. Such a mean, nasty woman!

  53. senzafine (225) Says:

    Phil, Isolated incident?

    Proof right there that you don’t actually read, nor research the ‘news’ you aggregate.

    Such a muppet.

  54. philu (7206) Says:

    “..he person who you’ve blocked..”

    can i suggest ‘hwutbcp’ (he who used to be called phil) ..

    .. as a non-name name..?

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  55. philu (7206) Says:

    an ‘isolated incidence’ in relation to the overall body of work..

    you lot seem to be viewing this as some silver-bullet/major game changer..

    sorry to disappoint you..

    but it ain’t..

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  56. Yvette (458) Says:

    in reply to philu

    .
    .
    .
    .

  57. Inventory2 (3976) Says:

    Yvette – you left one bit out:

    ..eh..?

  58. menace (125) Says:

    legalize cannabis now.

  59. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    So, who else tweets on KB? I know DPF does. And I can confess to tweeting also.

  60. philu (7206) Says:

    http://whoar.co.nz/2009/why-do-conservatives-love-sarah-palin-because-she-never-stops-whining/

    “..Sarah Palin constantly complains about the imaginary injustices done to her person.

    And our country loves whiners.

    The really beautiful thing about the culture war, from an entertainment standpoint, is that it is fundamentally irresolvable.

    There isn’t a concrete set of issues involved, where in theory both sides could give in a little and find middle ground, reach some sort of compromise.

    That’s because there are no issues at all.

    At the end of this decade what we call “politics” has devolved into a kind of ongoing, brainless soap opera about dueling cultural resentments and the really cool thing about it..

    .. if you’re a TV news producer or a talk radio host, is that you can build the next day’s news cycle meme around pretty much anything at all ..

    .. no matter how irrelevant — like who’s wearing a flag lapel pin and who isn’t, who spent $150K worth of campaign funds on clothes and who didn’t ..

    .. who wore a t-shirt calling someone a cunt and who didn’t ..

    .. and who put a picture of a former Vice Presidential candidate in jogging shorts on his magazine cover (and who didn’t).

    It doesn’t matter what the argument is about.

    What’s important is that once the argument starts, the two sides will automatically coalesce around the various instant-cocoa talking points ..

    .. and scream at each other until they’re blue in the face ..or until the next argument starts.

    And while some of us are old enough to remember that once upon a time, these arguments always had at least some sort of ideological flavor to them, i.e. the throwdowns were at least rooted in some sort of real political issue (war, taxes, immigration, etc.)..

    .. we’ve now got a whole generation that is accustomed to screaming at cultural enemies as an end in itself ..

    .. for the sheer dismal fun of it.

    Start fighting first, figure out the reasons later.

    Sarah Palin is the Empress-Queen of the screaming-for-screaming’s sake generation.

    The people who dismiss her book Going Rogue as the petty, vindictive meanderings of a preening paranoiac with the IQ of a celery stalk completely miss the book’s significance ..

    .. because in some ways it’s really a revolutionary and innovative piece of literature.

    Palin — and there’s just no way to deny this — is a supremely gifted politician.

    She has staked out, as her own personal political turf, the entire landscape of incoherent white American resentment.

    In this area she leaves even Rush Limbaugh in the dust..”

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  61. Pete George (3679) Says:

    Climatic Research Unit e-mail hacking incident
    Climate change sceptics asserted that the e-mails showed scientists had colluded to overstate the case for man-made global warming, and manipulated the evidence.

    Computerworld magazine reported RealClimate saying that what was not contained in the e-mails was the most interesting element: “There is no evidence of any worldwide conspiracy, no mention of George Soros nefariously funding climate research, no grand plan to ‘get rid of the MWP’ [Medieval Warm Period], no admission that global warming is a hoax, no evidence of the falsifying of data, and no ‘marching orders’ from our socialist/communist/vegetarian overlords.”

    The science historian Spencer R. Weart commented that the theft of the e-mails and the reaction to them was “a symptom of something entirely new in the history of science: Aside from crackpots who complain that a conspiracy is suppressing their personal discoveries, we’ve never before seen a set of people accuse an entire community of scientists of deliberate deception and other professional malfeasance. Even the tobacco companies never tried to slander legitimate cancer researchers.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climatic_Research_Unit_e-mail_controversy

  62. starboard (799) Says:

    but not on the ETS deal between the racist Maori Party and the spineless National Party?

    ..john key/national…lay down with dogs..get up with fleas… 2011 you guys are history.

  63. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    The heck with the global warming phenomenon, I want to know how to end the “New Moon” phenomenon.

  64. Pete George (3679) Says:

    Chthoniid at 11:12
    So, who else tweets

    Shouldn't be surprised that you tweet.

    I tweeted a few days ago – when I got home a bell bird was tweeting so I tweeted replies, I thought it was responding to me for a minute, but when I stopped it carried on just the same. I was just a twit.

    Bell birds tweeting an be fascinating – once I noticed four of them complementary tweeting, taking turns with a bar each of quite different tweets.

  65. Pete George (3679) Says:

    Funny thing, I can’t edit my last post because Edit has closed it because it thinks it could be spam.

  66. Ryan Sproull (3364) Says:

    The heck with the global warming phenomenon, I want to know how to end the “New Moon” phenomenon.

    I say we take off and nuke Utah from orbit – it’s the only way to be sure.

  67. Pete George (3679) Says:

    Chthoniid at 11:12
    So, who else tweets

    Shouldn’t be surprised that you tweet.

    I tweeted a few days ago – when I got home a bell bird was tweeting so I tweeted replies, I thought it was responding to me for a minute, but when I stopped it carried on just the same. I was just a twit.

    Bell birds tweeting an be fascinating – once I noticed four of them complementary tweeting, taking turns with a bar each of quite different tweets.

  68. philu (7206) Says:

    i am now going to share a meal with 12 vegan women..

    8 of whom i have never met before..

    i’m looking forward to it..

    eh..?

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  69. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    The heck with the global warming phenomenon, I want to know how to end the “New Moon” phenomenon.

    I say we take off and nuke Utah from orbit – it’s the only way to be sure.

    Aah, of course, the just war doctrine.

  70. stephen (3407) Says:

    And what is it called when the first ball of a cricket series is a wicket, anyone? I’m thinking some sort of jewel encrusted golden bird.

  71. big bruv (5415) Says:

    Phool

    “i am now going to share a meal with 12 vegan women..

    8 of whom i have never met before..

    i’m looking forward to it..”

    Are you all meeting to compare moustaches for ‘movember’?

    I bet the one called Stephanie wins.

  72. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    Why do so many NZ environmentalists want Key to go to Copenhagen? I thought air-travel contributed to GHG emissions. Maybe those new planes are so efficient that they suck CO2 from the atmosphere?

  73. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    I think Key has decided to stay behind in NZ to stave off the New Moon menace. Only after this passes, will it be safe to leave.

  74. stephen (3407) Says:

    New Moon will engulf us all unless the government does something or other.

  75. RRM (1734) Says:

    Internet commentor business meeting

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzgEi_u9-88

  76. Brian Smaller (2429) Says:

    i am now going to share a meal with 12 vegan women..

    8 of whom i have never met before..

    i’m looking forward to it..

    Now there is something I have never thought on before. Do vegan women swallow?

  77. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    How many vegans does it take to change a lightbulb?

    None, vegans can’t change anything.

    Why does vegan cheese taste bad?

    It hasn’t been tested on mice.

  78. wreck1080 (881) Says:

    Jeez, I hope Mark Hotchin takes Hell Pizza to court over the greed billboard.

    It would be hilarious, having Hotchin on the stand trying to explain why he is not greedy.

  79. Grendel (99) Says:

    big thumbs up for the phil blocker. kiwiblog is a lot easier to read and it needs a hell of a lot less scrolling to zoom past his blathering.

    cheers,

    AL

  80. Manolo (1200) Says:

    What can we do to put pressure on national to delay the passing of the ETS? Are there any available options left?
    I’ve written to my MP, but I doubt the coward will have even the decency to answer me.

    It’s beyond belief how Nick Smith managed to sell the ETS and the deal with the racists to Cabinet?
    You have to wonder about the Prime Minister. Key’s performance has been abismal.

  81. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    They’re basically amending the current ETS scheme Manolo, there’s an ETS scheme already on the books.

    I don’t think you will be able to force a rethink until after Copenhagen. The game in play now is being a responsible global citizen . That’s going to stay in play until the results from Copenhagen come in. Odds are that will turn to custard, and gives a starting point to try something new.

    (Now, can we get back to the real menace that is Stephenie Meyer…)

  82. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    They could always repeal the ETS.

  83. big bruv (5415) Says:

    What is a phil blocker?

  84. Colonel Masters (321) Says:

    Had to google Stephanie Meyer to find out who she was. Mind you, Noelle McCarthy’s recent column http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10610358 was meaningless to me too. So I guess there is hope yet.

    Is there any escape from this New Moon assault? I can’t remember anything being so hyped from all sides. Apart from maybe Titanic??

  85. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    Funnily enough, I think Titanic appealed to the same demographic.

  86. tom hunter (642) Says:

    Big Bruv – see Ryan’s link from this very thread here, which is all based on yesterday’s GD.

    I’ve also got a bit of advice a couple of comments further down. Only good for Firefox users it seems.

  87. Chicken Little (608) Says:

    Pete George – is this the same realclimate site that says there is no conspiracy?

    “From Michael E. Mann:

    Anyway, I wanted you guys to know that you’re free to use RC [RealClimate.org - A supposed neutral climate change website] in any way you think would be helpful. Gavin and I are going to be careful about what comments we screen through, and we’ll be very careful to answer any questions that come up to any extent we can. On the other hand, you might want to visit the thread and post replies yourself. We can hold comments up in the queue and contact you about whether or not you think they should be screened through or not, and if so, any comments you’d like us to include.”

    Hmmm? Compromised beyond all belief.

    Maybe you should read the emails before commenting further.

  88. wreck1080 (881) Says:

    I read Stephanie Meyers book about aliens who take over earth – basically a bodysnatching story where one of the bodysnatchers develops a moral dilemma about their actions. Very enjoyable.

  89. getstaffed (4596) Says:

    Chicken – their influence extended into the MSM too:

    “Media reaction to the Yamal story (GS: faked/switched data, exposed by ClimateAudit) has been rather limited so far. I’m not sure whether this is because people are trying to digest what it means or whether it’s “too hot to handle”. None of the global warming supporters in the mainstream media have gone near it. The reaction of the Guardian – to delete any mention of the affair from their comment threads – has been extraordinary.”

  90. big bruv (5415) Says:

    Cheers Tom…all looks a bit complicated for me, alas, it seems I am doomed to spend half a life time scrolling past Phools crap.

  91. big bruv (5415) Says:

    Yahoo!!!!

    It bloody works….

    No more Phool…

    Now, how do I get it to filter out all of D4J’s crap?

  92. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    I read Stephanie Meyers book about aliens who take over earth

    Alas, I believe she has also written more books in the Twilight series, the movies are apparently making a ton of cash, which says there will be sequels. Fortunately my teenage daughter has a rare immunity.

  93. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    What is new moon?

  94. Manolo (1200) Says:

    Big bruv, if you’re a Firefox user (instead of Internet Explorer) I urge you to give RIP a go.

    The instructions are simple to follow and you’ll never see again the bludger’s postings. That alone is worth its weight in gold.

  95. big bruv (5415) Says:

    Manolo

    The instructions may well be simple, however when it comes to things to do with a computer I am a Luddite.

    Having said that, somehow I have managed to fluke it, I no longer have to suffer through the endless tripe from the bludger.

  96. tom hunter (642) Says:

    Big Bruv

    For each additional person you simply go into the RIP edit feature – in Firefox it’s:
    - Tools
    - RIP Options

    That brings up the main edit window, and then you select the line that sits in the box titled
    “XPath queries to find content to remove”

    Then select the button saying “Edit XPath”. When a small edit window comes up you’ll see a box titled “XPath”, with the line of script already highlighted (right now that should have ‘philu’ in it). Just copy that (Command C) and hit Cancel to get of the small edit window.

    Now your back to the mainedit window. Now hit the “Add XPath…” button. This brings up the small edit window again, only this time the box titled “XPath” is empty. Just paste the line of script into that (Command V), and replace ‘philu’ with ‘anidiot’ and hit the OK button.

    You’ll be returned to the main edit window again, and you should see two lines there in the box titled “XPath queries to find content to remove” – each line with a different name in ‘ ‘ marks.

    Hit OKAY, reload the web page.

  97. big bruv (5415) Says:

    Cheers Tom.

    Come to think of it I don’t really want to edit out D4J, I think I would miss his threats of violence.

    D4J also serves to remind us that while we piss and moan about the John Harawira’s of this world we should never forget that non Mowree can also be racist pigs.

  98. philu (7206) Says:

    no more big bruv..?

    (oh..!..still my beating heart..!..)

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  99. Jack5 (1506) Says:

    The “National” Government has just announced a half-million handout for Auckland’s trains. Previously, Auckland was to have paid for this itself out of a petrol tax. The half-million takes Government handouts for the Auckland rail scheme to $1.5 million.

    Joyce says this is because Auckland is so important to the rest of the country economically. Bullshit, it’s the votes! Auckland exports virtually nothing and consumes most of the country’s imports. If the rest of the country from Hamilton south split off and became a state of Australia the two-thirds of NZers outside Auckland would be far richer.

    What flow-on effects for the rest of NZ? Auckland’s just a big dormitory.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/transport/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=97

  100. Manolo (1200) Says:

    Wait until tomorrow when Neville Key announces the Maori flag is to be flown on Auckland’s Harbour bridge and Wellington’s Premier House.

    Only then the surrender to the racist Maori Party will be complete. Ah, I envy the courage of our PM.

  101. Jack5 (1506) Says:

    Whoops! in my 4.28 on the National handout to Auckland, I think I provided the wrong link. Sorry.

    But will Aucklanders choose the train over cars just because the train is electric? C’mon Joyce, cars are convenient. Only Greens and bloody bureaucrats want to force us out of them.

    I think this is the correct link to the train handout:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10611362

  102. Puzzled in Ekatahuna (44) Says:

    philu:

    . . . from your own website RECENT COMMENTS column -

    ‘bjchip’ made 1 comment on August 28, . . . and another on October 16 !!!

    ‘Jase’ made 1 on November 2 . . . !!

    ‘Ozy Mandias’, 1 . . . on October 4

    ‘El’, 1 on September 4 . . . (yeah!) and

    ‘Sofia’ . . . 1 yesterday, November 23

    And you boast you make 14-20 posts a day . . . eh??

    That’s August 28 – November 23: . . . 89 days

    . . . THAT’S 1246 TO 1780 POSTS

    bloody hell, phil !!! . . .

    . . . AND 6 COMMENTS . . hey, sorry . . . like, man . . . NO ONE IS TOO INTERESTED . . .

    so why drop your posts on this blog . . . huh??!!

    [although you are showing more restraint in the number of phoolstops and commas and brackets, we can still spot THEM !!! ((Pho'ne Whoarawira of the Blogosphere!!)) . . . ]

    Oh . . . you get more comments on them here than you do on your own website???

    Shit!! . . . silly me . . . NOW I understand.

  103. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    If anyone has an interest in science type thingies, I did do a blog post on the Origin of the Species over at sciblogs today. I’m not sure how many people know this, but today is the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s “Origin of the Species”.

    Link is http://sciblogs.co.nz/chthonic-wildlife-ramblings/2009/11/24/origin-of-the-species-150-years-on/

    You’re welcome to pop over and have a read.

  104. Jack5 (1506) Says:

    Interesting piece on Darwin, Chthoniid. Thank you. Darwin’s caused a huge shift in Western thought in a fairly short time. Evolution now seems obvious to most of us lay folk.

    Islam is having a hard time accepting evolution, though, and some of the more fundamentalist Christians are performing logical circus acts to prove Genesis is true.

  105. dad4justice (5744) Says:

    I do wonder when David makes us post under our real names so I can find out who big bruv is?
    The gutless worm is a coward and a backstabbing lowlife who thinks he is smart with his torrid venom.
    Got a name big blouse you yellowback coward.
    Go get fucked you snake. You spineless jellyfish always attacking my crefdibility. Do it face to face. Yeah right keyboard coward.
    Peter Burns.

  106. Steve (845) Says:

    Dear Grim Reaper,

    This year you have taken my favourite male actor, Patrick Swayze. You also took my favourite female actor, Farrah Fawcett Major and my favourite entertainer and dancer, Michael Jackson.

    I want to be sure you know that Hone Harawera is my favorite politician.

    Thanks.

  107. dad4justice (5744) Says:

    “no more big bruv..?”

    Don’t worry phool when we are requested to post under our real names watch the germ go away.

  108. getstaffed (4596) Says:

    hey Jack5, I’ll hold off proving Genesis until right after someone proves evolution ;)

    From a scientific perspective both are theories – there is evidence for and against. From a belief perspective, selecting either as your explanation of the origin of the earth requires some faith.

    My own view is that the most ardent supporters of evolutionary theory adopt their stance primarily as a means of publicly demonstrating their atheism. That’s fair enough.

    I believe that the earth was created by God, not in literally over 7 days, and probably many millions of years ago. Plants and animals have shown extraordinary adaptation as the earth has matured/changed (think plates shifting, ice ages etc). Reasonable people accept this belief system. Unreasonable ones (as evidenced by the abuse I’m anticipating…) feel that allowing me to believe this somehow dents their atheism.

    Back to the first point, you’ll not find me trying to prove Genesis as true. There’s simply too much that can’t be explained by science. Similarly you’ll not find me trying to disprove evolutionary theory, although there are a few scientific holes that get glossed over a little too quickly IMO.

  109. Steve (845) Says:

    Those Scientific holes are about climate change?

  110. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    What’s this about ETS’? Accepting a lower standard of living for Mother Gaia? FUCK OFF John, and FUCK OFF enviromarxists.

  111. Steve (845) Says:

    Gloss over? so the general public are not aware of the bullshit disguised as another tax?

  112. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    d4j, would you be talking like that to his face? What if he was 6′6″ and highly pumped? BTW you are making yourself look bad, you don’t need help from big bruv

  113. dad4justice (5744) Says:

    gazz I couldn’t give a flying f is big blouse was Mike Tyson I want to catch up with the cowardly creep!!

  114. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    getstaffed – the theory of evolution goes a long way to explaining what is going on around us. There is a fossil record (still incomplete and will probably always be so) that shows various intermediate stages between not only primates and people, but also species of fish, trees, other mammals, reptiles and the list goes on. There is also proof of the process of natural selection, the most famous example is the moths in London, where it was shown that prior to the industrial revolution they were predominantly brown and mottled, during the industrial era they were black and after London started to be cleaned up in the 1950s the brown ones started to reappear. The colour and pattern on their wings gave certain individuals and advantage over others, so they lived to reproduce while the others were presumably dinner.
    There is not one shred of evidence outside the bible to show that intelligent design is fact – and there is documented evidence that the Romans made up the new testament by committee. The reason so many people still believe in intelligent design is because they are not prepared to give up the idea of an afterlife, so they need alternative theories to explain how everything is here.
    One final point is that Intelligent Design is not science, because in the eyes of the believers it cannot be challenged. If somebody comes up with an alternative to the theory of evolution that is credible, I and most scientific people will be happy to consider it on its merit. It is a damn shame that climate scientists have given the scientific community such a bad name.

  115. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    good luck with calling Mike Tyson a coward. Just don’t claim the result on ACC please.

  116. philu (7206) Says:

    any seinfeld fans out there..?

    a new/modern episode has been made..

    and here it is..

    http://whoar.co.nz/2009/a-new-seinfeld-episodeanyone/

    (the story..?

    george is not happy..

    has has made millions from a phone app. ..to do with public toilets..

    and his ex-trophy-wife has half his millions..

    and bernie madoff got the rest..

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  117. dad4justice (5744) Says:

    haha big blouse hits with a thumbs down while Tyson likes a ear to chew. Toad should be along shortly is sort out anger issues. Is billy borker and big blouse the same strain of flu?

  118. reid (3736) Says:

    Thanks phil, that’s great. Used to love Seinfeld, and Curb is another brilliant show.

  119. starboard (799) Says:

    a knighthood to the einstein who thought of RIP…no phil ure is pure bliss…a thousand thank you’s…

  120. dad4justice (5744) Says:

    So people don’t like the idea of posting under our real names? Guess why New Zealanders lack mettle.

  121. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    It is fairly common knowledge who I am anyway.

  122. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    Interesting piece on Darwin, Chthoniid. Thank you. Darwin’s caused a huge shift in Western thought in a fairly short time. Evolution now seems obvious to most of us lay folk.

    Islam is having a hard time accepting evolution, though, and some of the more fundamentalist Christians are performing logical circus acts to prove Genesis is true.

    Yes, our modern understanding of things like genetics and better knowledge of the fossil record, make accepting evolution very straightforward. It’s hard to imagine the creative leaps Darwin had to make, to get natural selection to work. That’s what makes the work so brilliant. It’s hard to think of other publications that have had near the same effect (possibly Newton’s physics or Einstein’s theory of relativity).

    I didn’t really intend to blog about creationism I’m afraid. I note that most mainstream theological thought, treats the Bible more as a record of God’s interaction with humanity as opposed to a scientific document. This makes it easy to accept natural selection as being “God’s mechanism” and thus accepts evolution as a scientific phenomenon.

    Most Muslim biologists I run into tend to divide things into spiritual and scientific spheres. This is possibly not entirely consistent with some Muslim sects, but it appears to work for them as a way of reconciling evolution with their beliefs.

  123. Luc Hansen (958) Says:

    RNZ tonight has ” an historic 1970 performance by Leonard Cohen” on “The Sampler” staring 7.30pm.

  124. Luc Hansen (958) Says:

    Brian said: Now there is something I have never thought on before. Do vegan women swallow?

    Just reminded me of a T-shirt I saw on a very attractive lass at a festival long ago. Across her perfect, ahem, chest, were the words: “I swallow”.

    I never got to find out if she was telling the truth :-(

  125. reid (3736) Says:

    So did anyone hear the Ann Tolley piece on Radio Left Wing round 5:30?

    Apparently, Ann thought it would be a good idea to read a children’s story to a PPTA meeting about a rat who was happy to make do with less. Apparently, the PPTA read into that a message about their upcoming wage round.

    Who woulda thunk?

    Tolley is a weak link in an important portfolio. It’s undergoing critical change right now with the new reporting regime and she needs someone astute to guide her through the obstructive maze that the lefties who inhabit that sphere are throwing up. They will not stop and she either needs to lift her game or exit forthwith because Key cannot afford the see the wheels fall off in that arena, as it could, if exploited, be seen by the reef-fish to be a significant break in his popularity which currently Liarbore can’t penetrate.

  126. philu (7206) Says:

    this has been the least abuse day in yrs..

    i love this rip system..

    and urge all those who have no interest in the links i post..

    and can’t just shut up..

    to go and sign up..

    and..

    i stand victorious..!

    i have driven the trolls away..!

    they are vanquished..

    in their self-exile..

    and more importantly..

    i have shut them up..

    mmmm..!..feel/smell the victory..!…

    phil(whoar.co.nz)

  127. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    @gazzmaniac

    What is new moon?

    Second movie in the Twilight Series, setting all kinds of book-office records. Some NZ theatres had presold all seats on opening night. Bigger than LOTR in NZ.

    Features girly-boy Vampire who spends long periods of time wondering whether to kiss female lead. (Very virtuous and non-threatening to teenage girls who make up most of the audience). Sometimes takes shirt off. Also features sulky, female lead overpowered by teen angst, but with big crush on vampire. She shows that being a humourless, teenage girl without charm, is no barrier to hunky, good looking vampires falling in love with you. Reason for this is opaque.

    In this movie there is a love triangle with a werewolf. He sometimes takes his shirt off too.

    I believe that there is a lot of long meaningful looks exchanged as well.

    It’s become a global phenomenon. Btw, US figures show that 80% of the audience are female.

  128. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    You know what would be great? If the Twilight series ended in a donkey punch that went horribly wrong. The reactions from the audience would be hilarious.

  129. gazzmaniac (338) Says:

    Righto, so I don’t need to worry about going to see it.

  130. Pete George (3679) Says:

    Doesn’t sound like my sort of movie.

    Doesn’t sound like a few other people’s sort of movie either. IMDB is currently 4.5/10 which is very low.

    Rotten Tomatoes is showing 29% (Reviews Counted:163 Fresh:48 Rotten:115), also very low.

    Doesn’t sound like my sort of movie.

  131. getstaffed (4596) Says:

    Chthoniid, just how many times have you watched it?!? ;)

  132. Brian Smaller (2429) Says:

    Brian said: Now there is something I have never thought on before. Do vegan women swallow?

    Just reminded me of a T-shirt I saw on a very attractive lass at a festival long ago. Across her perfect, ahem, chest, were the words: “I swallow”.

    I never got to find out if she was telling the truth

    I was serious though about my question Luc. Interesting moral dilemma for a vegan.

  133. Steve (845) Says:

    I know we are avoiding Phool and blocking the comments via RIP, but ..
    Phool, have you got your turkey for christmas and your ham.
    Run out of money (for drugs) and go to the food bank? I mean use the system, us taxpayers will provide for you.

    I did tell you that your time was coming. Kiwiblogers will use the RIP add on.
    Your offspring must be disapointed, deciding to work or bludge as a student then learn to get his own blog.
    Lots of comments on whore.co.nz, like 3 this week.
    ‘The boy” may start to think on his own soon, but I doubt it, he is on the same drugs as you.

    RIP Phool

  134. Steve (845) Says:

    Phool,
    Once we laughed at your drug induced comments and stupidity.
    Nobody cares about you now.
    They did not care today, they did not care yesterday and they will not care tomorrow.
    They did not care last week and they will not care next week.
    They did not care last year, they do not care this year and they will not care next year.
    You are a stupid prick.

  135. Pete George (3679) Says:

    # Steve: You are a stupid prick.

  136. Luc Hansen (958) Says:

    36 arguments for the existence of God

    Very comprehensive discussion and extensive exposition of the flaws in each of the 36 arguments.

    Where is Ian Wishart when you need him? :-) :-) :-)

    Source: Arts and Letters Daily where you can also find articles like this: Religion reduces corruption and acts to increase respect for law in ways that boost economic growth in societies where it is present and Religion is blamed when it promotes such evils as persecution or warfare, but gets less attention when it patches up the moral fabric of society.

    Look down the LH column.

  137. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    Hone Hairywire the racist won’t be forced to stand down because he has massive support from his electorate. A racist electoral system backs a racist MP. Who would have thought?

  138. Whafe (366) Says:

    It seems this land of the long white cloud is becoming a racist shit hole, man alive I hate saying that, but so feel it today…

    Then on top of that, this whole Global Warming BS….. Being a farmer and all, this BS on climate makes me sick…. Try growing thousands of acres of spuds & onions, my ass its getting warmer, and on the years it is actually getting warmer it isnt human beings, it is the cyclic nature of this here planet!

  139. Steve (845) Says:

    Come on George Pete. This week is like the last supper for Phool

  140. Steve (845) Says:

    George, stick it where the global warming sun don’t shine

  141. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    GLOBAL WARMING GLOBAL WARMING
    CLIMATE CHANGE CLIMATE CHANGE
    DO NOT QUESTION
    DO NOT QUESTION
    CLIMATE CHANGE
    CLIMATE CHANGE
    YOU GOT CAUGHT OUT? YOU GOT CAUGHT OUT?
    SPIN IT HARD
    SPIN IT HARD
    MSM HAS GOT YOUR BACK
    GOT YOUR BACK
    SPIN IT HARD

  142. Pete George (3679) Says:

    Steve, you must be blind if you don’t see it, there are a lot of Kiwibloggers who are getting fucking sick of people going on and on about Phil, encouraging the noise and substantially increasing the noise. If you like continual taunting and want to keep poking your stick try it on Phil’s blog where you won’t piss off so many.

  143. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    I can see the distance wail of the “moderate centre-left” but for some reason I cannot hear it. I wonder why?

  144. Chthoniid (981) Says:

    @Brian Smaller

    Now there is something I have never thought on before. Do vegan women swallow?

    Would ingestion really be considered different to umm, delivery into other anatomical regions? Either way, it’s inside.

  145. stephen (3407) Says:

    I believe that there is a lot of long meaningful looks exchanged as well.

    I believe the first movie could’ve been ~30 minutes shorter with just half the number of meaningful looks.

  146. Luc Hansen (958) Says:

    A Cohen line for poor Hurf @9.16pm…

    “dance me through the panic till I’m gathered safely in…”

  147. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    An FPI factsheet blows the myths purported by Puke out of the water:

    Charge: We can defeat our enemy in Afghanistan with a more limited counterterrorism strategy, using drones and increased intelligence gathering.

    Response: “If the United States should adopt a small-footprint counterterrorism strategy, Afghanistan would descend again into civil war,” Frederick Kagan testified before the House Armed Services Committee. “The Taliban group headed by Mullah Omar and operating in southern Afghanistan (including especially Helmand, Kandahar, and Oruzgan Provinces) is well positioned to take control of that area upon the withdrawal of American and allied combat forces. The remaining Afghan security forces would be unable to resist a Taliban offensive. They would be defeated and would disintegrate. The fear of renewed Taliban assaults would mobilize the Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazaras in northern and central Afghanistan. The Taliban itself would certainly drive on Herat and Kabul, leading to war with northern militias. This conflict would collapse the Afghan state, mobilize the Afghan population, and cause many Afghans to flee into Pakistan and Iran. Within Pakistan, the U.S. reversion to a counterterrorism strategy (from the counterinsurgency strategy for which Obama reaffirmed his support as recently as August) would disrupt the delicate balance that has made possible recent Pakistani progress against internal foes and al Qaeda.” — House Armed Services Committee

    In Commentary, Max Boot notes, “it is hard to point to any place where pure [counterterrorism] has defeated a determined terrorist or guerrilla group. This is the strategy that Israel has used against Hamas and Hezbollah. The result is that Hamas controls Gaza, and Hezbollah controls southern Lebanon. It is the strategy that the U.S. has employed in Somalia since our forces pulled out in 1994. The result is that the country is utterly chaotic and lawless, and an Islamic fundamentalist group called the Shabab, which has close links to al-Qaeda, is gaining strength. Most pertinently, it is also the strategy the U.S. has used for years in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The result is that the Taliban control the tribal areas of Pakistan and are extending their influence across large swathes of Afghanistan.” — Commentary

  148. Hurf Durf (1203) Says:

    That shit Editing the Herald blawg makes me lol hard. The fact that it and most of its columnists already leans left doesn’t matter to these clowns; they’re butthurt that it isn’t more like Alternet.

    Also: evidence of left wing infiltration at the March for Democracy.

  149. Brian Smaller (2429) Says:

    Chthoniid (764) Vote: 1 0 Says:

    November 24th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
    @Brian Smaller

    Now there is something I have never thought on before. Do vegan women swallow?

    Would ingestion really be considered different to umm, delivery into other anatomical regions? Either way, it’s inside.

    I don’t know but would be willing to help any vegan woman if she wanted to explore this dilemma.

    As an aside – Google “Do vegan women swallow” and be amused. Perhpas it wasn’t a joke after all :)

  150. Luc Hansen (958) Says:

    hurf 11.52pm

    That’s a good study of the arguments presented in favour of continuing the carnage in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with many valid points.

    But I think any comparison with Hamas and Hezbollah is wrong, simply because in those cases both organisations sprung up to resist belligerent occupation by Israel. But the US, I believe, never intended to occupy Afghanistan – remember the repeated babarianism of “bombing the country back to the stone age?” – but found itself trapped there. One of the reasons it is still there is actually a good aspect of the US; an unwillingness to allow the internal civil war that would play out against the back drop of the damage to its international reputation.

    But sometimes you have to bite the bullet, as the British and the Russians did before it in Afghanistan, the French did in Algeria and the US did in Vietnam. And of course, these examples only strengthen the resolve of the resistance groups, and that is their true relevance to today’s situation.

    Briefly, the ability of the Pakistan army to deal with internal threats is grossly underestimated. The US allowed Pakistan to develop the cold war enemy mentality which actually gave rise to the Taleban (it started in Pakistan, sponsored by the ISI and the army), and more diplomatic effort to deal with Kashmir would see Pakistan’s army redirected from conflict with India to concentrate on internal threats.

    The article touches on the real problem for the US, the unwillingness of voters to countenance continued involvement with increasing costs in blood and treasure. It’s a problem of democracy. This is the real battleground.

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