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123 Responses to “General Debate 29 September 2010”
“The other day, someone told me the difference between a democracy and a people’s democracy. It’s the same difference between a jacket and a straitjacket.”
I think we have to look at both together mj. And the process should start sooner rather than later, it’s no good waiting until the end of the reign of Liz II and then realising we’d rather not have Charlie as our king.
I don’t think we need an upper house, we’re better looking at a “lower house” of the people, a means of everyone having the opportunity to keep the politicians in check if necessary. Not a straight jacket restriction, but the ability to step in when needed.
This country will never adopt a written constitution because how would greedy Rik Tau and the local tribe suck another $60 billion land claim for Christchurch Central. No balls Key will give them it. See you at the races Rik!!
An Iranian court has sentenced a pioneering Iranian blogger to more than 19 years in prison, according to a human-rights activist.
Iranian-Canadian Hossein Derakhshan, 35, nicknamed “the Blogfather” and credited with launching a blogging revolution in Iran, has been held in prison in the Islamic state since 2008 on what the media has said are suspicions of spying for Israel.
[…]
Mr Derakhshan was a journalist in Tehran before moving to Toronto in 2000. He made his name by publishing instructions on how to use blogging software to publish blogs in Farsi, sparking an explosion of blogging in the Iranian language.
…that does not make his choice any less wrong-headed.
Mr Goff and his senior colleagues are experienced enough to know that to open the door for exemptions is to also open a can of worms.
They will be asked why those who buy their peas fresh should be favoured over those who buy them frozen – there is little, if any, difference in the health benefits they deliver.
They will be asked why the exemption should apply only to fruit and vegetables, and not to other elements of a healthy diet, such as fish and lean meat.
They will be asked why they do not provide for other exemptions to promote other activities that benefit society – removing GST from bicycles or solar panels, for example.
Finally, they will be queried as to why they don’t tackle what many see as more pressing anomalies in the current system, such as the levying of GST on rates.
No, not finally, too easy on them – how about asking them how ridiculous it would be zero rating fresh produce at the retail end only.
@ Pete; maybe the journo’s are going easy on Goff because they want a job when Fran Mold picks up the next safe Labour seta that needs filling by a Goff insider …
Today’s Christchurch Press reports the High Court has rejected an appeal by the Freemasons’ Grand Lodge for return of its official charity status, which of course means tax exemption. The Charities Commission has been weeding out organisations it doesn’t think fully comply with its charity definition.
The Press reports Judge Simon France in rejectings the Masons’ appeal that freeemasonry in general does not “benefit the public other than indirectly”.
For the Crown, Tania Warburton argued membership of the Grand Lodge was too exclusive for a charity, being restricted to men over the age of 21 who reached the rank of master mason.
What to do about Ngai Tahu, then, which is registered as a charity? Exclusive? Not just a racial restriction, but a tribal one.
The career criminal who killed Kapiti man Raymond Piper has 175 prior convictions, including for serious violent offences.
Ainsley “Scrooge” Anderson, 51, a patched Mongrel Mob member, pleaded guilty in Porirua District Court yesterday to the murder of Mr Piper, 23, who went missing from Paraparaumu on May 15. His body was found in a shallow grave on Sunday after Anderson told police where to look.
[...]
Anderson has 175 previous convictions since 1977, many for serious assaults and for threatening to kill, assaulting police, dishonesty and drug convictions.
I sentence the accused to jail for rest of his natural life with work and/or hard labour to pay his keep.
“The other day, someone told me the difference between a democracy and a people’s democracy. It’s the same difference between a jacket and a straitjacket.”
Murray, my thoughts exactly. I’d like to see each charge, who presided over the case, and what the sentence was. I suspect there would be pattern of ‘Oh not you again.. here, have another wet bus ticket’
A shame about the situation with the lodge. Unlike other organisations, Free Masons do not need to tell the whole world about every good deed that is done. It is quite interesting to walk around a city or town (anywhere) in the world and you will notice a little plaque here, a little sign there – but nothing to really draw attention to the brethren itself. There is a lot of quite money that is donated to a variety of causes and individuals which is not publicised, but that is the beauty of it.
Pete @8.34, I agree we have to look at both together. The trick will be that people demand our leaders seriously confront it. Perhaps it will be a platform on which Labour can return to popularity, although obviously they need to raise their game from GST-free fresh food, beforehand!
I dissagree, you can have a constitution without being a republic and trying them together is an effort to slip into a republic by stealth. It’s also denying consitutional reform to the vast majority who have no interest in this fad republicanism.
Our nation is neither large enough nor able to devise legislation good enough to tamper with somethign as dangerous and a total reordering of our system of government. There is also no reasonable support for it. Celebrities only have the same number of votes and Bert Clegg from Tihape so get over it.
Nice to see that the Media, Entertainement and Arts Alliance has such a short-term vision; what’s the point of being an actor if there is nowhere to ply your craft?
I have read General Chat today and gathered the impression that;
(a) The racist organisation Ngai Tahu, are eligible for charitable status.
(b) The Freemason people are not eligible for charitable status.
Would somebody please post on here and tell me that I have got the wrong end of the stick. If I am right then this is just f****** preposterous.
Japan refused. China instantly escalated the minor incident into a major confrontation, threatening a cut off of Japan’s supply of “rare-earth” materials, essential to the production of missiles, batteries and computers.
Through predatory trading, China had killed its U.S. competitor in rare-earth materials, establishing almost a global monopoly.
Though the Chinese fishing boat captain detained by Japan after ramming two coast guard boats returned home over the weekend, tensions remain high between Beijing and Tokyo. The underlying dispute over the islands called Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan continues. Both countries claim ownership from ancient times, but Japan has made the stronger enforcement effort. China claims it will step up its patrols around the islands, so future clashes are likely. The islands are 240 nautical miles southwest of Okinawa. At stake is control of the surrounding East China Sea, its oil and mineral resources and trade routes.
I am sure Chinese friend John Key will have nothing to say, after all there is nothing to give Maori.
Murray, when the U.S. constitution was passed in 1787, the country had a population of 4 million (source: http://www.constitutionfacts.com/?section=constitution&page=fascinatingFacts.cfm). 4 million? Sounds a nice round number, doesn’t it? Moreover, NZ now has the wonders of the internet, giving our small population just a bit greater access to the world’s ideas.
What is being proposed isn’t, as I see it, a “total reordering” of our system of Government; it’s merely giving that system greater (legal) structure. Given what’s happened with this recently passed Act, I struggle to see that there isn’t reasonable support for doing that.
We need to recognise that in a world of competitive devaluations, growing trade tensions and nakedly selfish vested interests (governments, multinationals and global investment banks) that we have to defend ourselves and be just as nakedly nationalistic.
We have to assume, just as Marx pointed out, that free markets will eventually overheat and blow up if we allow them free rein.
Income needs to be redistributed to offset the concentration of wealth that naturally occurs in such a globalised, free flowing world of capital. Ownership of assets needs to be monitored and controlled. The growth of foreign debt needs to be restricted.
(a) The racist organisation Ngai Tahu, are eligible for charitable status.
I suspect that the tribe itself is not a charity, but they have created a separate organisation to do their charitable works through. The same course of action is presumably open to the Freemasons.
“How the hell do you have 175 convictions and get to be walking around free.”
I worked on a case once where the defendant ended up with 120 plus convictions in one go. Lots of small to middling frauds on several people who should have known better. The defendant got 4 years for it and is now free.
# Repton (665) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 11:09 am
(a) The racist organisation Ngai Tahu, are eligible for charitable status.
I suspect that the tribe itself is not a charity, but they have created a separate organisation to do their charitable works through. The same course of action is presumably open to the Freemasons.
Gordon Ramsay TV chef drowns in Hudson An American chef who was told by Gordon Ramsay on his Kitchen Nightmares television show that his restaurant would “swim down the #$%& Hudson” has died after throwing himself into the river.
Joseph Cerniglia, a 39-year-old father of three, died after he jumped into the Hudson River, which separates New York and New Jersey, from the George Washington Bridge.
Mr Cerniglia appears to be the second chef to have committed suicide after appearing on one of Ramsay’s programmes, in which the UK chef delivers robust and expletive-filled judgments on restaurants and cooks.
I hate Ramsey, and I hate the way his abusive behaviour is modeled as acceptable entertainment on primetime TV
The Earth Quake Commission is tendering for work to repair earthquake damaged houses in CHCH in NZ and Aussie…Why in Aussie? The Aussies are already making millions out of this country…Why should they benefit from our disaster?
The Ramsay/suicide thing was only a matter of time, TV uses and abuses participants in the quest for cheap “entertainment”. People get involved under their own free will but get drawn into doing ridiculous, embarrassing and humiliating situations. “Reality” TV needs to have a real look at what they are doing and the pressures they put people under. But they probably see it as a win-win, they get the “entertainment” shows with free actors, and they get the sensational news coverage of the suicide.
A plot to launch Mumbai style jihad massacres in Britain , France and Germany has been foiled. Militants in Pakistan had been planning simultaneous strikes on London and major cities in France and Germany.
ROP …yeah right.
mjwilknz (398) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 10:59 am
snip
What is being proposed isn’t, as I see it, a “total reordering” of our system of Government; it’s merely giving that system greater (legal) structure. Given what’s happened with this recently passed Act, I struggle to see that there isn’t reasonable support for doing that.
**********************************************
I think we have to decide to what extent we go with respect to our constitution. I do not see the need for a full hog, cover as many details as possible, define every job and its powers, slab of forestry. What I think we need is a basic law that protects freedom of speech, freedom of association etc, and no more. If we become to prescriptive and complicated then we will simply end up with an expensive lawyers paradise, ripe for manipulation and abuse.
I do not see any need to link this to republicanism, however, but basic constitutional matters it is certainly something that needs to be sorted out.
Later Mr Cerniglia told the programme: “I’m financially in trouble. The debt of the restaurant alone is overwhelming. My personal debt – wife, kids, mortgage – that’s a lot of debt.”
Ramsay asked Mr Cerniglia: “Why did you become a chef-owner if you haven’t a clue how to run a business? … Your business is about to swim down the —-ing Hudson”.
His mother, Pat, told the programme: “I worry about Joe. I worry about his stress levels”. His tearful wife, Melissa, said the couple had “put everything on the line for a dream”, adding: “if this business fails, we will lose everything.”
The restaurant survived after Ramsay suggested changes to its menu and layout in the 2007 series. Local customers said it had recently been doing well and was usually busy.
Show the guy was on the show 3 years ago and Ramsey helped him turn is business around.
And now 3 years later the guy commits suicide, but they connect it to Ramsey.
@eszett – You support the idea that a kid smacked once at age 5 would be emotionally scarred throughout their life. IIRC I recall comments along these lines from you over s59 discussions. Now while I don’t agree with that, isn’t it a bit hypocritical of you to suggest that sustained verbal abuse from Ramsey wouldn’t similarly scar? Yes, I’m sure there were other factors.. but you’d be drawing a long bow to suggest they’re no relationship between the Ramsey’s abuse (‘his restaurant would “swim down the #$%& Hudson”’) and Cerniglia’s action (‘died after throwing himself into the hudson).
Stuart, thanks for the thinking; I agree. The principal of Occam’s Razor might be a good guide, as interpreted by Albert Einstein: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Einstein’s interpretation might indicate that we don’t need to go as far as enshrining freedom of speech and association, but I definitely think that needs to be debated.
While one might see Republicanism as separate from Constitutionalism, both deal with the structures that are fundamental to this country. It would be foolhardy not to sensibly tackle both at the same time. I understand that one major reason that Aussies voted to stay a monarchy in 1999 was that the Federal Government hadn’t proposed a sensible enough alternative.
You guys are nuts. The biggest collection of buffoons and ill educated ignorant of history Progressive goons and racists in the bureaucracy and parliament this nation has ever had, and you want them to write a Constitution??
This means that those on the right will have to wait until lefties have turned. It doesn’t cover U-turns though.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world:
Laws that ban texting while driving are ineffective at best and could be counter-productive because they encourage surreptitious behaviour behind the wheel, a study funded by US auto insurers said.
Redbaiter, are we nuts? Could well be. Still, if you think we need a group of sensible politicians to write a constitution, you be waiting an eternity and then some! And for that eternity, we’ll be ruled by some unelected official across the other side of the world!
I think we have little option, but to muck along as best we can! Warts and all, as they say.
First they force you to buy health insurance, then wind power, too
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Democrat, and Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican (and the party’s gubernatorial nominee) must be gluttons for punishment.
Mandates to buy things – pushed by Washington – have fouled the political air. The public, which is shown in polls to hate Obamacare, hate most the part that obligates them to buy health insurance. What else do they despise? The ban on the incandescent light bulb, which begins to take effect in 2012 and will force everyone to buy higher-priced mercury-filled compact fluorescents for the rest of their lives. More than a few people hope for a repeal of both measures after the November elections.
So Americans are tired of the dictating, but what do the aforementioned senators do? They dictate more, with a proposed law that will force you to procure part of your electricity from windmills, solar farms and other costly sources. It’s called a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), brought to you by politicians who think they know what’s good for you.
[…]
A study by the Washington-based Institute for Energy Research found that states with their own binding renewable electricity standards have 40 percent higher electricity prices than do states without such mandates.
[…]
And don’t forget: Politicians love, and alternative-energy companies need, the subsidies that keep the solar and wind businesses alive. Without that massive infusion from taxpayers, they – the lawmakers without ribbon-cuttings and the rent-seekers without corporate welfare – could not survive.
Redbaiter (11,611) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
You guys are nuts. The biggest collection of buffoons and ill educated ignorant of history Progressive goons and racists in the bureaucracy and parliament this nation has ever had, and you want them to write a Constitution??
Give it another hundred years at least.
*******************************************
Actually I don’t trust them to write a constitution, or allow us to become a republic. The Canterbury earthquake legislation shows that they are not to be trusted, or Labours gerrymandering of the electoral process for that matter. What I do support is preventing them from stripping us of our rights, and to that end I do not think they should in any way be involved in the republic debate they have started up.
mjwilknz (400) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
snip
While one might see Republicanism as separate from Constitutionalism, both deal with the structures that are fundamental to this country. It would be foolhardy not to sensibly tackle both at the same time. I understand that one major reason that Aussies voted to stay a monarchy in 1999 was that the Federal Government hadn’t proposed a sensible enough alternative.
**************************
Trouble is that if the two are linked, I do not trust out glorious leaders not to grab yet more power for themselves. As it stands with the system as it is, our first and last line of defense is proving to be the GG, mixing republicanism with basic constitutional matters can only lead to further erosion of rights.
Stuart, you’ll have to explain how on earth you’re going to get politicians to prevent themselves from stripping people’s rights WITHOUT having them write a constitution? Many episodes across the world have demonstrated that, by itself, democracy isn’t enough to prevent politicians abusing people’s rights! (The Swiss’ referendum on banning mosque minarets is a recent – although relatively minor – example that comes to mind!)
Do you have some magic wand in your toolkit or are you a hypnotist: “yes, you will respect property rights and the rule of law!”
Stuart @ 1:47, if you don’t trust our leaders, who do you trust? Come on, man, you gotta stump up with some realistic alternatives here! Otherwise we’re stuck with the status quo and, in my humble opinion, that’s just not sustainable.
I laugh at Pinko Holden and his republican blog. He has a list of Kiwis who support a republic and why. Harry Lusk and clare curran and jordan carter etc the list is 90% liabour/greens, Then has keith locke Go on about how kiwis want there own head of state because we believe in rewarding those based on merit. Not one leftie actually applies those principles to anything else though like MERIT?
Yes, I’m sure there were other factors.. but you’d be drawing a long bow to suggest they’re no relationship between the Ramsey’s abuse (‘his restaurant would “swim down the #$%& Hudson”’) and Cerniglia’s action (‘died after throwing himself into the hudson).
Did you actually read the article? It seems like he implemented Ramsey’s recommendations and apparently the restaurant was doing better.Maybe his suicide had absolutely nothing to do with Ramsey. It’s actually highly unlikely as it was three years later. To make the connection between Ramsey’s comments and him throwing himself of a bridge into the Hudson 3 years later (!) is inane. The long bow IS actually drawing that connection. Like jumping of the bridge into the Hudson would be such an unusual means of suicide in New York that it would only occur to someone by suggestion
Last night on Australia’s Next Top Model, they announced the wrong winner by mistake…
Australian television network Foxtel is to give the runner-up in Australia’s Next Top Model $25,000, after the host wrongly announced her as the winner in last night’s finale.
Sarah Murdoch, the daughter-in-law of Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch, made the gaffe in front of a live audience during the show’s 90-minute finale at Sydney’s Luna Park.
After much suspense, Kelsey Martinovich was announced the winner over finalist Amanda Ware.
As Ms Ware gave her runner-up speech, thanking the judges and public for their support, Ms Murdoch became ashen-faced when she was told through her earpiece of the error.
“Oh my god, I don’t know what to say right now. I’m feeling a bit sick about this,” Ms Murdoch said, as the contestants stood on stage, stunned.
“No … I’m so sorry about this. I don’t know what to say. This is a complete accident, it’s Amanda.
OctagonGrappler, it looks like a republic is coming whoever does or doesn’t want it! Please feel free to keep whining about it, though, for all the good it’ll do!
@eszett – Thanks you, yes, I did read the article. So what you’re saying is that abuse does not leave psychological scars?
And, yes, maybe his suicide had absolutely nothing to do with Ramsey and was instead totally due to aliens, fear of his mother-in-law, or other factors. Just maybe
The article talks of two suicides from past ‘guests’ on his show. Maybe that suicide rate is higher than from a non-guest control group. Just maybe.
If you want to believe the abuse and the suicide are unconnected then go right ahead.
Anyone interetsed in Anne Tolleys fight with the unions should have a look at the link below.
It is only a short article, covering NJ Governor Christes ACTIONS in regard to education reform.
Luc Hansen and friends can stick this in their pipes and smoke it: quality intelligence work (you know, the kind disrupted by the Ploughsharers) and CIA drone attacks in Pakistan have severely disrupted a plot by Luc’s resistance friends to carry out Mumbai-style attacks on cities in Britain, Germany and France (two of three greatly opposed the Iraq War, might I add).
I now expect to read a robust defence of terrorism by Kiwiblog’s premier Islamism apologist.
Geert Wilders goes on trial on Monday. It looks as if Holland are close to forming a minority govt with Wilders in support> Should be interesting.
Holland has woken up to the dangers of immigration . One of the govt parties the VVD are already quietly tough on it. Of course Wilders crowd get all the blame .
Here’s an interesting piece on the socio-religious background to Wilders support base. Note the language ,”blame”. The MSM really don’t like it. Tough.
With more and more terror outrages Europeans are slowly waking up. http://www.dutchnews.nl/columns/2010/09/blame_it_on_the_catholics.php
Thank you to the deranged Nick Smith and his boss Neville Key we will be paying more for petrol from October 1.
Who said National is the party that supports the middle class? This bunch of cowards are no different from Clark & co, that is more taxes and more wealth redistribution.
@Manolo – Remember we’re also paying more GST on the recently introduced ETS component. I note that a few retailers are using the GST increase to generally raise prices. Petrol should move from $1.74 to $1.78 but the talk is of a 7 cents/litre increase. A cafe I frequent is increasing their prises on 1-Oct. So looks like the Reserve Bank’s inflationary predictions are coming to pass.
Don’t forget you will likely be getting a couple of bucks back from the reduction in income tax rates. probably not too bad a position for you (unless you own a gas guzzling V8 SUV like me – but then I made my choice, I’m happy to live with he consequences.)
krazykiwi – the reason petrol is going up by 7c is there is also an increase in the excise tax of 3c going on at the same time (3c excise + 4c GST = 7c)… Again, the reduction in income tax rates should help.
As for the ETS bit – well that is just theft to pay for ignorance. Indefensible
The Centre for Resource Management Studies has been de-registered for being “too political”.
I have since provided guidance to a group of Trustees who want to register their NZ Centre for Local Government Studies.”
This too has been declined.
Centre for Independent Studies 06/2010
The Commission considers that based on its statement of purpose this is an association of persons who have combined for the purpose of influencing government.
One wonders how the Commissioners can believe that the Environmental Defence Society and Forest and Bird Society have never shown any interest in influencing government.
All of these receent applications by Economic Development Trusts have been declined and the basic premise is that economic development does not confer benefits on the community because these benefits are defined by a preamble of the Government of Elizabeth the first in 1600.
Also something happened in late 2009. Could it have been that Turiana Turia became Minister? Here is the list:
• Auckland Tourism and Visitors Trust 02/2010
• Enterprise North Shore Trust 12/2009
• Nelson Regional Development Agency 12/2009
• North Canterbury Economic Development Trust 12/2009
• Canterbury Economic Development Fund 09/2009
• Canterbury Development Corporation 09/2009
• Ashburton Enterprise Agency
• Waitakere Enterprise Trust Board.
On the other hand the following Regional Economic Development Trusts are registered:
• Eastern Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Development Trust. 06/2008.
• Rodney Economic Development Trust 06/2008
• South Waikato Economic Development Trust. 06/2008.
The common position in the decline decisions is that economic growth and development does not benefit the community at large.
So now we know. If they think economic growth and development does not alleviate poverty then try an extended period of economic decline.
mjwilknz (403) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Stuart, you’ll have to explain how on earth you’re going to get politicians to prevent themselves from stripping people’s rights WITHOUT having them write a constitution? snip
*************************************************************
I felt that down here on the West Coast, going from the real time shaking maps on the Geonet site it looks like it was on the East Coast of the North Island and quite big!
If I felt it this far away, it must have been either very large or quite deep.
Perhaps our relative “quiet” regarding earth quakes is over.
Thanks for the link Kowtow..If Geert Wilders gets sent to prison , he will gain a lot more followers worldwide. Catholic priests in NZ are still telling people that “”Islam is one of the great religions” so great to know that at least Dutch Catholics are alive and well.
Does anyone have more on the thwarted terror attacks? No doubt it will be played down on our TV news somewhere between Mrs Smith’s avoidable accident and the most recent cute animal story.
Eszett, at 11.40am, tried to jump on the comparison of Ngai Tahu being a charity, while the over-all body covering Freemasons could not be.
Eszett said:
..it’s not the tribe, but a separate organisation ..
Then referring to Ngai Tahu’s own web site, Eszett said:
It took about 2 minutes to look it up. Would have been easy, really, if someone was really interested in the issue.
If Eszett was that interested, he/she would have taken another minute to go to the Charities Commission web site, link below. There he would that in fact the Ngai Tahu Charities Group covers more than 30 separate registered charities including companies such as Ngai Tahu Capital Ltd, Ngai Tahu Finance Ltd, Ngai Tahu Fisheries Ltd, Ngai Tahu Property Investments Ltd, Ngai Tahu Joint Ventures Ltd, Wigram Aerodrome Ltd, South Island Landbase Ltgd, Ngai Tahu Forest Estates Ltd, Helijet Ltd, Shotover Jet Ltd (which was once listed on the stock exchange), Huka Falls Jet Ltd, Rainbow Springs Ltd, Westland Tourism Ltd, and Dart River Safaris Ltd.
Even at the web site of the tribe that Eszett quotes it is easy to see that the Ngai Tahu Charitable Trust is the umbrella organisation for the tribe, with the council only above it. Surely this is just what the Freemasons aspire to.
@Jack5 – Perhaps the name “Ngai Tahu Charities Group” describes them as being the recipient of charity (billions and billions of dollars of it!) rather than a charity provider!
When I was a lad we were often fed the line about the 3 great Abrahamic religions too. Goes to show you have to do your own reading. This of course is all part of the big 60′s ideas of peace ,reconciliation,ecuminism etc. Of course there’s also that 60′s influence of Marxism and “liberation”. All a one way street to self destruction I’m afraid.
I think the Dominicans are a great example of this trend ,once great Inquisitors now huge appeasers!
Off shore wind farms cost twice as much to produce electricity as gas and coal powered stations and will need subsidies for at least 20 years, a major report warns.
Britain’s so-called “dash for wind” means that it is now the biggest off shore generator – producing as much as the rest of the world put together.
But costs of building the farms have doubled due to spiralling prices for steel and the drop in the value of the pound.
The running costs are also increasing. The report found that costs have risen for all kinds of generation but off shore wind farms remain by far the most expensive – 90 per cent more than fossil fuel generators and 50 per cent more than nuclear.
The news is bound to lead to question over the government’s policy of using wind power to meet its target to generate around a third of its electricity from renewables by 2020.
But the authors of the report at the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), a government think tank, said they remained “cautiously optimistic” that wind can play a significant contribution to the zero carbon energy production for Britain. “We think that there are grounds for cautious optimism,” said Dr Robert Gross, of Imperial College London, who headed the report.
“Yes it is more expensive than gas and coal and is unlikely to reach parity for at least 20 years but we still think it is a worthwhile energy producer. “All alternatives such as nuclear and carbon capture are bound to have teething problems too.”
Labor to bring back compulsory university amenities fees
* Joe Kelly
* From: The Australian
* September 29, 2010 11:28AM
THE Gillard government will introduce legislation today to restore compulsory student amenities fees at Australian universities.
Minister for Tertiary Education Minister, Senator Chris Evans, appealed today to the new parliament to support the bill, saying he wanted it to be passed by Christmas to ensure it will take effect next year.
Senator Evans said it was important to restore a range of depleted services at universities, particularly in regional Australia, and cited sporting, health and counselling services as key areas.
The legislation would allow students to be charged a fee of up to $250 a year for the provision of student services with Senator Evans claiming it was supported by both universities and students.
Good all those students who want compulsory fees can leave for Aussie this Xmas and enjoy their compulsory giving.
(CNSNews.com) – Just seven days after he sparked controversy by omitting the word “Creator” when he closely paraphrased the passage from the Declaration of Independence that says all men “are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights,” President Barack Obama again omitted the Creator when speaking about the “inalienable rights” that “everybody is endowed with.”
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=209125 We get warnings about the consequences of every other destructive behavior. Smoking cigarettes leads to cancer; alcoholism annihilates livers; driving drunk makes mothers MADD; texting while driving kills friends; drugs damage brain cells; failure to wear motorcycle helmets splatters brain cells; not paying taxes sends the IRS; sugar is bad; fat is bad; both lead to obesity, which Michelle is currently crusading as very bad.
President Barack Obama again omitted the Creator when speaking about the “inalienable rights”
Why is common sense such a big deal? “Inalienable” rights is one of the most core aspects of the declaration. “Their creator” can be different things to different people, take what you like from it.
Christine O’Donnell isn’t so knowledgeable about truth, she has said that evolution is a myth. But what do you need to know to be in the senate.
The First World War will officially end on Sunday, 92 years after the guns fell silent, when Germany pays off the last chunk of reparations imposed on it by the Allies.
The final payment of £59.5 million, writes off the crippling debt that was the price for one world war and laid the foundations for another.
Germany was forced to pay the reparations at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 as compensation to the war-ravaged nations of Belgium and France and to pay the Allies some of the costs of waging what was then the bloodiest conflict in history, leaving nearly ten million soldiers dead.
The initial sum agreed upon for war damages in 1919 was 226 billion Reichsmarks, a sum later reduced to 132 billion, £22 billion at the time.
The bill would have been settled much earlier had Adolf Hitler not reneged on reparations during his reign.
Hatred of the settlement agreed at Versailles, which crippled Germany as it tried to shape itself into a democracy following armistice, was of significant importance in propelling the Nazis to power.
“On Sunday the last bill is due and the First World War finally, financially at least, terminates for Germany,” said Bild, the country’s biggest selling newspaper.
I had no idea that reparations were still being paid!
The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl W. Eikenberry, is quoted as saying, “Basically we’re screwed.”
National security adviser James L. Jones’s view is “you can’t win.”
Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, who is the senior coordinator for Afghanistan on the National Security Council, says, “This is a house of cards.”
By the middle of this year Vice President Biden was “more convinced than ever that Afghanistan was a version of Vietnam.”
All from Bob Woodward’s new book, “Obama’s Wars.”
Perhaps the most damning assessment of the president comes from Gen. Lute, who Mr. Woodward says concluded that “Obama had to do this 18-month surge just to demonstrate, in effect, that it couldn’t be done . . . the president had treated the military as another political constituency that had to be accommodated.”
thanks for the link Kowtow..I was just reading an interesting book today ..about Iran being the big baddie in the middle east..wanting to take over Iraq , their oil etc..The Americans did not /have not taken them on because they have powerful friends , Russia and China.
Also reading about the early islamic conquests..After Mo’s death they conquered huge area in a decade then it took them 300 years to convert the local populations to islam..In 1,000 they entered India..and who knows how many they slaughtered there…..
Many in NZ do not understand economic jihad..it is so difficult for non muslims to live in so called muslim countries..the lack of business. the absence of any govt contracts , the lack of promotion , the lack of opportunity..In the end despair forces many people to convert to islam..This happens now in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.
That is a surprise about the reparations Krazy, I was interested to know who they have been paying.
Most of the money goes to private individuals, pension funds and corporations holding debenture bonds as agreed under the Treaty of Versailles
Still don’t know.
The Versailles settlement is widely regarded as a major factor aiding Hitler’s climb to power and the march to WW II. Chamberlain was but a futile bit player. There has been a series on the History channel describing a 20th Century war, rather than there being separate conflicts including the two world wars.
Joana, that highlights something – we in the western world are living in one of the most fortuitous eras ever, for us, and all many people seem to do is grizzle about things. We don’t seem to know how lucky we are. And it’s no wonder many less fortunate are envious, jealous, or aspire to join us.
evolution is observed fact that led Darwin to develop the Theory of Natural Selection, which has stood the test of time. The theory may, however, be supplanted by a more compelling competitor, but evolution per se cannot be disproved, anymore than it could be disproved that our planet revolves around the sun. But no doubt, you will give that a shot, too!
Hurf Durf (2,071) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
blah, blah, blah…
Gee, thanks Hurf for thinking of me even when I’m not here. I can assure you the compliment is not returned.
But you need to be in Washington DC on 30 Oct to support Stephen Colbert in his rally “To Keep the Fear Alive!”
Anyone who thinks drone attacks are the answer just replied to a very stupid question. Furthermore, “quality intelligence” is but an oxymoron, as the Iraq war proved.
I’ll tell you this for free: each and every drone attack in Pakistan (which overwhelmingly kills complete innocents) fuels recruitment for the very groups we all want to see disappear. And it makes a mockery of the US constitution, you know, the “inalienable right to life” bullshit.
Luc, Observation and fact are not the same thing. For example, I observe the sun rising when the fact is the earth is orbiting the sun. I think that comment also addresses your final assertion.
Edit: I’m calling Krazy’s Law on this thread (Luc Hansen, 9:53)
The U.S. military has been working hard to provide flood assistance, but most of that is invisible to Pakistanis. They read about American drone attacks but not about helicopters bringing food supplies. That lack of recognition upsets U.S. officials, but they haven’t been able to change it.
I guess they don’t want to announce themselves as targets.
Pakistan is one of the worst danger zones – weak government, Taliban presence, ranging from gratitude to anger at US involvement, nukes, bad relations with neighbours.
But the immediate problem is 20 million people affected by the floods. The water may have subsided, but so has the food, and with damage to flocks and crops (many wiped out) it will be desperate there for at least a season.
But you need to be in Washington DC on 30 Oct to support Stephen Colbert in his rally “To Keep the Fear Alive!”
I’d love the chance to laugh at the few hundred leftard idiots guffawing at some moronic one-trick funnyman who only got where he is thanks to media fellation, but only if you pay for the plane tickets.
Pete, there are quite a few substories to the US aid effort. Don’t get me wrong, the US does usually come to the party for this kind of stuff, but $150 mil for flood relief while spending billions in killing exercises does entail a small contradiction, which perhaps does not pass those Pakistani’s by.
In another move that will raise further questions about Christine O’Donnell’s embellishment of her education record, she claims she studied at the University of Oxford.
O’Donnell’s LinkedIn bio page lists “University of Oxford” as one of the schools she attended, claiming she studied “Post Modernism in the New Millennium.” But it turns out that was just a course conducted by an institution known as the Phoenix Institute, which merely rented space at Oxford.
By itself, O’Donnell’s Oxford claim might not matter too much. But the larger context is that O’Donnell has already been nabbed fudging her education record not once, but twice. She claimed for several years to have graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson Unversity, but she actually obtained her bachelor’s degree last summer. And in a lawsuit she suggested she was trying for a Master’s degree courses at Princeton — but subsequently acknowledged she hadn’t taken a single Princeton graduate course.
She makes Palin look smart by comparison (apart from the fact that it was her that promoted O’Donnell)
Red, I appreciate the effort you put into your insults. I accept them as a great compliment.
But like Hurf, you are largely a fact-free zone and that does become repetitive over time, so do forgive me for just skimming past everything you write. Feel free to do the same for my posts – I really don’t mind, as you are not my target audience.
Luc, let me try again: If I observe you to be a nasty piece of shit.. would that be a fact, or a theory? Of course it’s not a fact, unless some empirical measurement is applied, blind experiments undertaken etc.
Evolution remains a theory, complete with supporting evidence and scientific gaps. Promoters of evolution need to get comfortable with this status because the shrill claim that it is a conclusively proven fact comes across as a bit desperate. My suspicion is that ‘proven evolution’ is really thinly disguised proxy for a proven non-existence of God.
At least the WaPo might be able to erk out a 1-1 draw after they failed to smear Bob McDonnell from office last year. It’s funny, if the Repubs managed to retake the whole legislature but lose Delaware, what do you think Newsweak, the New York Slimes etc will wax lyrical about? Fucking jokers.
I hope one day, something daft I said 14 years prior becomes hysterically regurgitated by the left-wing MFM as something super serious and important.
Luc Hansen (1,983) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
So sad: old and fading from relevancy, John Howard just can’t give up his racism.
*******************************
Speaking of fact free zones, you fail to actually show anything in this article that is actually racist, Luc.
What is truly amusing is that Howard disproves your accusation in the article in question
“I am a passionate believer in mulitiracialism. I believe that societies are enriched if they draw, as my country has done, from all parts of the world on a non-discriminiatory basis ”
Thats right Luc , John Howard, in his own words is a “passionate believer in mulitiracialism” he also believer in immigration from “all parts of the world on a non-discriminiatory basis ”
Hardly the words of an avowed racist.
Next time Luc, read the bloody article and try and comprehend it.
“Evolution remains a theory, complete with supporting evidence and scientific gaps.”
That would be a generally accepted summary (albeit denied by many like O’Donnell who called it a myth which is patently incorrect, religion is far more myth than evolution).
“Promoters of evolution need to get comfortable with this status because the shrill claim that it is a conclusively proven fact comes across as a bit desperate.”
That’s not what was said, I’d doubt anyone with any scientific nous would claim conclusive proof.
“My suspicion is that ‘proven evolution’ is really thinly disguised proxy for a proven non-existence of God.”
That’s quite a step. Evolution is only one of many parts of science that have troubled beliefs on the existence of God for a long time. But God is not a theory, it is a belief that cannot be proven or dis-proven, there is no science involved so it is quite different to evolution.
It’s easier to look at the two separately, to see evolution as credible science and to see God as part of belief systems. They don’t compete directly, although over time increasing scientific knowledge will adjust many people’s beliefs. Beliefs don’t change science, only further scientific discovery will do that.
Thanks petey gal anybody reading your thoughtful post of rubbish will be convinced a God exists. No doubt he kept you awake all night. I see another huge day spurting hyperbole is the order of the day. Really get AWAY from the keyboard fool.
Seems there’s no getting away from the keyboard fool, dad4justdiss, you keep coming back. You’re usually just a grumpy old troll – try posting something thoughtful yourself some time. You can think can’t you?
PIA: that’s interesting – and odd. Or maybe not, perhaps those who know more tend to believe less.
Iran is also are very dangerous country PG..they are doing all they can to destabilize Iraq..if they take over Iraq they have a huge amount of oil and land and even more power..they have Russia and China as friends.
The US is a once great country in decline..but over the years who has been more generous? The Pakis fellow muslim countries offered a small by comparison amount of aid but it was very slow in coming…The Pakis can bag the US forever but then when they found themselves in a tight spot..who did they demand aid from??..America of course.
Who really knows how much money the US has given to countries like Egypt and Pakistan? and how have they been repaid? It is as if America has tried to ”buy the love” all over the world but it hasn’t worked. I suppose more fools them for ever thinking that money could buy love.
September 29th, 2010 at 8:01 am Vote:
September 29th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Maybe that’s how it often works in practice Krazy, but it needn’t if we were to put in place decent democratic structures.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Actually democracy is every adult male property owner taking part in politics because your society has so many slaves that you’re bored.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:11 am
I like it, KK! At least with democracy, though, our “dictators” know we get to choose them – makes them somewhat more responsive to the public!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:12 am
Pete George, all is not lost! Do you think this country will confront the question of its constitution when we debate republicanism?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:33 am
“The other day, someone told me the difference between a democracy and a people’s democracy. It’s the same difference between a jacket and a straitjacket.”
Ronald Reagan
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:34 am
I think we have to look at both together mj. And the process should start sooner rather than later, it’s no good waiting until the end of the reign of Liz II and then realising we’d rather not have Charlie as our king.
I don’t think we need an upper house, we’re better looking at a “lower house” of the people, a means of everyone having the opportunity to keep the politicians in check if necessary. Not a straight jacket restriction, but the ability to step in when needed.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:38 am
This country will never adopt a written constitution because how would greedy Rik Tau and the local tribe suck another $60 billion land claim for Christchurch Central. No balls Key will give them it. See you at the races Rik!!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Speaking of democracy, or rather the absence of it… this one of the reasons DPF visits Australia regularly, rather than Iran:
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:10 am
The MSM going easy on Labour again:
No, not finally, too easy on them – how about asking them how ridiculous it would be zero rating fresh produce at the retail end only.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:13 am
@ Pete; maybe the journo’s are going easy on Goff because they want a job when Fran Mold picks up the next safe Labour seta that needs filling by a Goff insider …
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Yeah interesting tender process in Goofys office Inv.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:26 am
I see our ubber business superstar Terry is on the front page of the Dom this moring owing the council 1.4 million.
Boys a bit of lemon I think.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Today’s Christchurch Press reports the High Court has rejected an appeal by the Freemasons’ Grand Lodge for return of its official charity status, which of course means tax exemption. The Charities Commission has been weeding out organisations it doesn’t think fully comply with its charity definition.
The Press reports Judge Simon France in rejectings the Masons’ appeal that freeemasonry in general does not “benefit the public other than indirectly”.
For the Crown, Tania Warburton argued membership of the Grand Lodge was too exclusive for a charity, being restricted to men over the age of 21 who reached the rank of master mason.
What to do about Ngai Tahu, then, which is registered as a charity? Exclusive? Not just a racial restriction, but a tribal one.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:33 am
From Stuff:
I sentence the accused to jail for rest of his natural life with work and/or hard labour to pay his keep.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:36 am
“What to do about Ngai Tahu, then, which is registered as a charity? Exclusive? Not just a racial restriction, but a tribal one.”
Good question – care too answer Mark or Rik – eh bro?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:38 am
How the hell do you have 175 convictions and get to be walking around free. The simple number make him a poster boy for preventive detention.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Speaking of a charity I didn’t know that Ngai Tahu could undertake charitable deeds spending so much time at the races. Ouch that hurt bros eh?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Coincidentally, last night I watched Reagan’s 1964 speech, A Time for Choosing, in support of Barry Goldwater. The great communicator, indeed.
transcript of the speech here
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Murray, my thoughts exactly. I’d like to see each charge, who presided over the case, and what the sentence was. I suspect there would be pattern of ‘Oh not you again.. here, have another wet bus ticket’
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Who is this dad4justice character? Does he always walk around talking to himself, or is it the voices in his head?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:01 am
A shame about the situation with the lodge. Unlike other organisations, Free Masons do not need to tell the whole world about every good deed that is done. It is quite interesting to walk around a city or town (anywhere) in the world and you will notice a little plaque here, a little sign there – but nothing to really draw attention to the brethren itself. There is a lot of quite money that is donated to a variety of causes and individuals which is not publicised, but that is the beauty of it.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Pete @8.34, I agree we have to look at both together. The trick will be that people demand our leaders seriously confront it. Perhaps it will be a platform on which Labour can return to popularity, although obviously they need to raise their game from GST-free fresh food, beforehand!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I dissagree, you can have a constitution without being a republic and trying them together is an effort to slip into a republic by stealth. It’s also denying consitutional reform to the vast majority who have no interest in this fad republicanism.
Our nation is neither large enough nor able to devise legislation good enough to tamper with somethign as dangerous and a total reordering of our system of government. There is also no reasonable support for it. Celebrities only have the same number of votes and Bert Clegg from Tihape so get over it.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Nice to see that the Media, Entertainement and Arts Alliance has such a short-term vision; what’s the point of being an actor if there is nowhere to ply your craft?
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2010/09/cutting-off-their-noses.html
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:43 am
I have read General Chat today and gathered the impression that;
Vote:(a) The racist organisation Ngai Tahu, are eligible for charitable status.
(b) The Freemason people are not eligible for charitable status.
Would somebody please post on here and tell me that I have got the wrong end of the stick. If I am right then this is just f****** preposterous.
September 29th, 2010 at 10:46 am
and some say the Chinese were just misunderstood.
Duh!
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=208589
Japan refused. China instantly escalated the minor incident into a major confrontation, threatening a cut off of Japan’s supply of “rare-earth” materials, essential to the production of missiles, batteries and computers.
Through predatory trading, China had killed its U.S. competitor in rare-earth materials, establishing almost a global monopoly.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/09/china_blames_us_for_dispute_wi.html
Though the Chinese fishing boat captain detained by Japan after ramming two coast guard boats returned home over the weekend, tensions remain high between Beijing and Tokyo. The underlying dispute over the islands called Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan continues. Both countries claim ownership from ancient times, but Japan has made the stronger enforcement effort. China claims it will step up its patrols around the islands, so future clashes are likely. The islands are 240 nautical miles southwest of Okinawa. At stake is control of the surrounding East China Sea, its oil and mineral resources and trade routes.
I am sure Chinese friend John Key will have nothing to say, after all there is nothing to give Maori.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Murray, when the U.S. constitution was passed in 1787, the country had a population of 4 million (source: http://www.constitutionfacts.com/?section=constitution&page=fascinatingFacts.cfm). 4 million? Sounds a nice round number, doesn’t it? Moreover, NZ now has the wonders of the internet, giving our small population just a bit greater access to the world’s ideas.
What is being proposed isn’t, as I see it, a “total reordering” of our system of Government; it’s merely giving that system greater (legal) structure. Given what’s happened with this recently passed Act, I struggle to see that there isn’t reasonable support for doing that.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Great, Bernard Hickey is having a mid-life crisis (never had much regard for him anyway)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10676862
wow.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I suspect that the tribe itself is not a charity, but they have created a separate organisation to do their charitable works through. The same course of action is presumably open to the Freemasons.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:11 am
“How the hell do you have 175 convictions and get to be walking around free.”
I worked on a case once where the defendant ended up with 120 plus convictions in one go. Lots of small to middling frauds on several people who should have known better. The defendant got 4 years for it and is now free.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Pinch a cheque book. Write 50 cheques in 1 hour. 50 convictions.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Look, a voice of calm reasonableness!
And I believe, you are right.
http://www.freemasons.co.nz/cms/latest/charities-commission-ruling/
“Everyone accepts that the assets and expenditure of (The Freemasons Charity) fall within charitable purposes
The Judge also correctly anticipated that “an amended application might be made that is limited to (The Freemasons Charity)“.
And it’s not the tribe, but a separate organisation
http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/Te-Runanga/
It took about 2 minutes to look it up. Would have been easy, really, if someone was really interested in the issue.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:45 am
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/4176796/Drivers-face-7c-petrol-shock
$1.81!!!! You’ve got to be kidding me!
Last night I paid $1.24 in North Brisbane. And its tipped to drop to $1.15 this weekend.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Eszett
Vote:Facts often fall in the way of a good rant and can sometimes be ignored both by MSM and the blogosphere.
September 29th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
I hate Ramsey, and I hate the way his abusive behaviour is modeled as acceptable entertainment on primetime TV
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
The Earth Quake Commission is tendering for work to repair earthquake damaged houses in CHCH in NZ and Aussie…Why in Aussie? The Aussies are already making millions out of this country…Why should they benefit from our disaster?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
“Why in Aussie?”
Maybe because there are more NZ builders there than in NZ.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
The Ramsay/suicide thing was only a matter of time, TV uses and abuses participants in the quest for cheap “entertainment”. People get involved under their own free will but get drawn into doing ridiculous, embarrassing and humiliating situations. “Reality” TV needs to have a real look at what they are doing and the pressures they put people under. But they probably see it as a win-win, they get the “entertainment” shows with free actors, and they get the sensational news coverage of the suicide.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
A plot to launch Mumbai style jihad massacres in Britain , France and Germany has been foiled. Militants in Pakistan had been planning simultaneous strikes on London and major cities in France and Germany.
Vote:ROP …yeah right.
September 29th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
mjwilknz (398) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 10:59 am
snip
What is being proposed isn’t, as I see it, a “total reordering” of our system of Government; it’s merely giving that system greater (legal) structure. Given what’s happened with this recently passed Act, I struggle to see that there isn’t reasonable support for doing that.
**********************************************
I think we have to decide to what extent we go with respect to our constitution. I do not see the need for a full hog, cover as many details as possible, define every job and its powers, slab of forestry. What I think we need is a basic law that protects freedom of speech, freedom of association etc, and no more. If we become to prescriptive and complicated then we will simply end up with an expensive lawyers paradise, ripe for manipulation and abuse.
I do not see any need to link this to republicanism, however, but basic constitutional matters it is certainly something that needs to be sorted out.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Show the guy was on the show 3 years ago and Ramsey helped him turn is business around.
And now 3 years later the guy commits suicide, but they connect it to Ramsey.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
@eszett – You support the idea that a kid smacked once at age 5 would be emotionally scarred throughout their life. IIRC I recall comments along these lines from you over s59 discussions. Now while I don’t agree with that, isn’t it a bit hypocritical of you to suggest that sustained verbal abuse from Ramsey wouldn’t similarly scar? Yes, I’m sure there were other factors.. but you’d be drawing a long bow to suggest they’re no relationship between the Ramsey’s abuse (‘his restaurant would “swim down the #$%& Hudson”’) and Cerniglia’s action (‘died after throwing himself into the hudson).
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Stuart, thanks for the thinking; I agree. The principal of Occam’s Razor might be a good guide, as interpreted by Albert Einstein: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Einstein’s interpretation might indicate that we don’t need to go as far as enshrining freedom of speech and association, but I definitely think that needs to be debated.
While one might see Republicanism as separate from Constitutionalism, both deal with the structures that are fundamental to this country. It would be foolhardy not to sensibly tackle both at the same time. I understand that one major reason that Aussies voted to stay a monarchy in 1999 was that the Federal Government hadn’t proposed a sensible enough alternative.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
You guys are nuts. The biggest collection of buffoons and ill educated ignorant of history Progressive goons and racists in the bureaucracy and parliament this nation has ever had, and you want them to write a Constitution??
????????????????????????????????????????????????????
FFS..!!
Give it another hundred years at least.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
About time, lefties will no longer have to give way to the right.
Intersection give way rules to change
This means that those on the right will have to wait until lefties have turned. It doesn’t cover U-turns though.
Vote:Meanwhile, in another part of the world:
September 29th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Redbaiter, are we nuts? Could well be. Still, if you think we need a group of sensible politicians to write a constitution, you be waiting an eternity and then some! And for that eternity, we’ll be ruled by some unelected official across the other side of the world!
I think we have little option, but to muck along as best we can! Warts and all, as they say.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Follow on from the Wind Power conversation yesterday:
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
krazykiwi,
I agree with you. The Ramsey TV programme is revolting. I don’t watch it, I don’t buy his books.
TV is the new arena. I predict reality TV will become more brutal as the audience’s bloodlust grows over time.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Redbaiter (11,611) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
You guys are nuts. The biggest collection of buffoons and ill educated ignorant of history Progressive goons and racists in the bureaucracy and parliament this nation has ever had, and you want them to write a Constitution??
????????????????????????????????????????????????????
FFS..!!
Give it another hundred years at least.
*******************************************
Actually I don’t trust them to write a constitution, or allow us to become a republic. The Canterbury earthquake legislation shows that they are not to be trusted, or Labours gerrymandering of the electoral process for that matter. What I do support is preventing them from stripping us of our rights, and to that end I do not think they should in any way be involved in the republic debate they have started up.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
mjwilknz (400) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
snip
While one might see Republicanism as separate from Constitutionalism, both deal with the structures that are fundamental to this country. It would be foolhardy not to sensibly tackle both at the same time. I understand that one major reason that Aussies voted to stay a monarchy in 1999 was that the Federal Government hadn’t proposed a sensible enough alternative.
**************************
Trouble is that if the two are linked, I do not trust out glorious leaders not to grab yet more power for themselves. As it stands with the system as it is, our first and last line of defense is proving to be the GG, mixing republicanism with basic constitutional matters can only lead to further erosion of rights.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Stuart, you’ll have to explain how on earth you’re going to get politicians to prevent themselves from stripping people’s rights WITHOUT having them write a constitution? Many episodes across the world have demonstrated that, by itself, democracy isn’t enough to prevent politicians abusing people’s rights! (The Swiss’ referendum on banning mosque minarets is a recent – although relatively minor – example that comes to mind!)
Do you have some magic wand in your toolkit or are you a hypnotist: “yes, you will respect property rights and the rule of law!”
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Stuart @ 1:47, if you don’t trust our leaders, who do you trust? Come on, man, you gotta stump up with some realistic alternatives here! Otherwise we’re stuck with the status quo and, in my humble opinion, that’s just not sustainable.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
I laugh at Pinko Holden and his republican blog. He has a list of Kiwis who support a republic and why. Harry Lusk and clare curran and jordan carter etc the list is 90% liabour/greens, Then has keith locke Go on about how kiwis want there own head of state because we believe in rewarding those based on merit. Not one leftie actually applies those principles to anything else though like MERIT?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Yes, I’m sure there were other factors.. but you’d be drawing a long bow to suggest they’re no relationship between the Ramsey’s abuse (‘his restaurant would “swim down the #$%& Hudson”’) and Cerniglia’s action (‘died after throwing himself into the hudson).
Did you actually read the article? It seems like he implemented Ramsey’s recommendations and apparently the restaurant was doing better.Maybe his suicide had absolutely nothing to do with Ramsey. It’s actually highly unlikely as it was three years later. To make the connection between Ramsey’s comments and him throwing himself of a bridge into the Hudson 3 years later (!) is inane. The long bow IS actually drawing that connection. Like jumping of the bridge into the Hudson would be such an unusual means of suicide in New York that it would only occur to someone by suggestion
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Oh no….LOL
Last night on Australia’s Next Top Model, they announced the wrong winner by mistake…
How embarrassing!
You can see video at the LINK
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
OctagonGrappler, it looks like a republic is coming whoever does or doesn’t want it! Please feel free to keep whining about it, though, for all the good it’ll do!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
@eszett – Thanks you, yes, I did read the article. So what you’re saying is that abuse does not leave psychological scars?
And, yes, maybe his suicide had absolutely nothing to do with Ramsey and was instead totally due to aliens, fear of his mother-in-law, or other factors. Just maybe
The article talks of two suicides from past ‘guests’ on his show. Maybe that suicide rate is higher than from a non-guest control group. Just maybe.
If you want to believe the abuse and the suicide are unconnected then go right ahead.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Anyone interetsed in Anne Tolleys fight with the unions should have a look at the link below.
It is only a short article, covering NJ Governor Christes ACTIONS in regard to education reform.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/09/28/christie-announces-sweeping-n-j-education-reform/
He is cancelling seniority based Tenure & pay increases and introducing performance based rewards.
This guy is doing what he believes to be right and taking the power in education off the unions, for the betterment of the children. All power to him.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Over in their graves?
I’m not referring to archaic, stupid give way rules by the way.
$2 million to tell stupid people the car making the little turn now has precedence over the car making the big turn. Frigging ridiculous.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Luc Hansen and friends can stick this in their pipes and smoke it: quality intelligence work (you know, the kind disrupted by the Ploughsharers) and CIA drone attacks in Pakistan have severely disrupted a plot by Luc’s resistance friends to carry out Mumbai-style attacks on cities in Britain, Germany and France (two of three greatly opposed the Iraq War, might I add).
I now expect to read a robust defence of terrorism by Kiwiblog’s premier Islamism apologist.
On a side note: I wonder if it was the knowledge of this or other impending attacks that led Berserk Ebola to tell a journalist back in July that “We can absorb a terrorist attack. We’ll do everything we can to prevent it, but even a 9/11, even the biggest attack ever . . . we absorbed it and we are stronger.” Food for thought.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Geert Wilders goes on trial on Monday. It looks as if Holland are close to forming a minority govt with Wilders in support> Should be interesting.
Holland has woken up to the dangers of immigration . One of the govt parties the VVD are already quietly tough on it. Of course Wilders crowd get all the blame .
Here’s an interesting piece on the socio-religious background to Wilders support base. Note the language ,”blame”. The MSM really don’t like it. Tough.
Vote:With more and more terror outrages Europeans are slowly waking up.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/columns/2010/09/blame_it_on_the_catholics.php
September 29th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
KowTow I am reporting you to Prof Paul Spoonley?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Thank you to the deranged Nick Smith and his boss Neville Key we will be paying more for petrol from October 1.
Who said National is the party that supports the middle class? This bunch of cowards are no different from Clark & co, that is more taxes and more wealth redistribution.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
@Manolo – Remember we’re also paying more GST on the recently introduced ETS component. I note that a few retailers are using the GST increase to generally raise prices. Petrol should move from $1.74 to $1.78 but the talk is of a 7 cents/litre increase. A cafe I frequent is increasing their prises on 1-Oct. So looks like the Reserve Bank’s inflationary predictions are coming to pass.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
If you need convincing that NZ is fucked, go and read the comments at Hickey’s latest Herald article. Truly scary.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Manolo,
Don’t forget you will likely be getting a couple of bucks back from the reduction in income tax rates. probably not too bad a position for you (unless you own a gas guzzling V8 SUV like me – but then I made my choice, I’m happy to live with he consequences.)
krazykiwi – the reason petrol is going up by 7c is there is also an increase in the excise tax of 3c going on at the same time (3c excise + 4c GST = 7c)… Again, the reduction in income tax rates should help.
As for the ETS bit – well that is just theft to pay for ignorance. Indefensible
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
The Centre for Resource Management Studies has been de-registered for being “too political”.
I have since provided guidance to a group of Trustees who want to register their NZ Centre for Local Government Studies.”
This too has been declined.
Go to the list of decisions to decline at:
http://www.charities.govt.nz/TheRegister/RegistrationDecisions/tabid/250/Default.aspx
Read a sample relating to Economic Development and freedom etc and a few ideological positions emerge. For example, the decision to decline the Centre for Independent Studies:
Centre for Independent Studies 06/2010
The Commission considers that based on its statement of purpose this is an association of persons who have combined for the purpose of influencing government.
One wonders how the Commissioners can believe that the Environmental Defence Society and Forest and Bird Society have never shown any interest in influencing government.
All of these receent applications by Economic Development Trusts have been declined and the basic premise is that economic development does not confer benefits on the community because these benefits are defined by a preamble of the Government of Elizabeth the first in 1600.
Also something happened in late 2009. Could it have been that Turiana Turia became Minister? Here is the list:
• Auckland Tourism and Visitors Trust 02/2010
• Enterprise North Shore Trust 12/2009
• Nelson Regional Development Agency 12/2009
• North Canterbury Economic Development Trust 12/2009
• Canterbury Economic Development Fund 09/2009
• Canterbury Development Corporation 09/2009
• Ashburton Enterprise Agency
• Waitakere Enterprise Trust Board.
On the other hand the following Regional Economic Development Trusts are registered:
• Eastern Bay of Plenty Regional Economic Development Trust. 06/2008.
• Rodney Economic Development Trust 06/2008
• South Waikato Economic Development Trust. 06/2008.
The common position in the decline decisions is that economic growth and development does not benefit the community at large.
Vote:So now we know. If they think economic growth and development does not alleviate poverty then try an extended period of economic decline.
September 29th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
“too political”.
Who is entrusted with coming to this subjective conclusion. Surely not the crook and racist Turiana Turia. Her underlings? They’ll be no better.
Our parliament is full of crooked leeches and our bureaucracy is infested with communist subversives.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
mjwilknz (403) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Stuart, you’ll have to explain how on earth you’re going to get politicians to prevent themselves from stripping people’s rights WITHOUT having them write a constitution? snip
*************************************************************
You get someone else to do it.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Anyone else around Wellington quaking?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
@RightNow – nothing on Geonet.. but Chateau krazykiwi is on poles so it has to be a shocker for us to feel a quake
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
I felt that down here on the West Coast, going from the real time shaking maps on the Geonet site it looks like it was on the East Coast of the North Island and quite big!
If I felt it this far away, it must have been either very large or quite deep.
Vote:Perhaps our relative “quiet” regarding earth quakes is over.
September 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Thanks for the link Kowtow..If Geert Wilders gets sent to prison , he will gain a lot more followers worldwide. Catholic priests in NZ are still telling people that “”Islam is one of the great religions” so great to know that at least Dutch Catholics are alive and well.
Vote:Does anyone have more on the thwarted terror attacks? No doubt it will be played down on our TV news somewhere between Mrs Smith’s avoidable accident and the most recent cute animal story.
September 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
6.4
Vote:280km deep
90km north of White island
September 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Shunda: Yes – that was it.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
6.4 magnitude at depth of 280k. That one wobbled a lot
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Eszett, at 11.40am, tried to jump on the comparison of Ngai Tahu being a charity, while the over-all body covering Freemasons could not be.
Eszett said:
Then referring to Ngai Tahu’s own web site, Eszett said:
If Eszett was that interested, he/she would have taken another minute to go to the Charities Commission web site, link below. There he would that in fact the Ngai Tahu Charities Group covers more than 30 separate registered charities including companies such as Ngai Tahu Capital Ltd, Ngai Tahu Finance Ltd, Ngai Tahu Fisheries Ltd, Ngai Tahu Property Investments Ltd, Ngai Tahu Joint Ventures Ltd, Wigram Aerodrome Ltd, South Island Landbase Ltgd, Ngai Tahu Forest Estates Ltd, Helijet Ltd, Shotover Jet Ltd (which was once listed on the stock exchange), Huka Falls Jet Ltd, Rainbow Springs Ltd, Westland Tourism Ltd, and Dart River Safaris Ltd.
Even at the web site of the tribe that Eszett quotes it is easy to see that the Ngai Tahu Charitable Trust is the umbrella organisation for the tribe, with the council only above it. Surely this is just what the Freemasons aspire to.
Charities Comission on Ngai Tahu:
http://www.register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/GroupSummary.aspx?id=a784e65d-afa0-dd11-8605-0015c5f3da29&fromcharity=true&cid=ccbeb577-36f6-dc11-99cd-0015c5f3da29
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Sitting here working on my laptop in Palmerston North at the sister-in-laws place.
Felt a bit of a shake a few minutes ago, enough to cause the fish tank water to wobble a little.
Thought, was that the kids jumping up and down that did that?
Now I see, theres an 6.4 earthquake in the Bay of Plenty about that time. Freaky huh!! Big one too, 6.4.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
@Jack5 – Perhaps the name “Ngai Tahu Charities Group” describes them as being the recipient of charity (billions and billions of dollars of it!) rather than a charity provider!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
Someone pointed this out to me today: Aug-11. 61 Trucks carrying 300 Tons of Explosives go missing in India.. I’m sure it’s nothing …
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
@ krazykiwi 6:17 –
JC!
Also, vote National if you think tax is an important issue. Not enough tax, that is:
Vote:http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/4176796/Drivers-face-7c-petrol-shock
September 29th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
joanna ,here’s a link for that latest terrorist threat
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/09/latest-jihadist-threat-tied-to-german-misunderstanders-of-islam-training-in-pakistan.html
When I was a lad we were often fed the line about the 3 great Abrahamic religions too. Goes to show you have to do your own reading. This of course is all part of the big 60′s ideas of peace ,reconciliation,ecuminism etc. Of course there’s also that 60′s influence of Marxism and “liberation”. All a one way street to self destruction I’m afraid.
Vote:I think the Dominicans are a great example of this trend ,once great Inquisitors now huge appeasers!
September 29th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Just having a wonderful footbath in saturated salt water (ingrown toenail)
Vote:Why is it the the left is infected? Coincidence, or fact of life?
September 29th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Barry’s polsters must have told him it’s right time’s to reach out to Christian voters: Barack Obama says he is ‘a Christian by choice’.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
More on the Wind Power topic:
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Labor to bring back compulsory university amenities fees
* Joe Kelly
* From: The Australian
* September 29, 2010 11:28AM
THE Gillard government will introduce legislation today to restore compulsory student amenities fees at Australian universities.
Minister for Tertiary Education Minister, Senator Chris Evans, appealed today to the new parliament to support the bill, saying he wanted it to be passed by Christmas to ensure it will take effect next year.
Senator Evans said it was important to restore a range of depleted services at universities, particularly in regional Australia, and cited sporting, health and counselling services as key areas.
The legislation would allow students to be charged a fee of up to $250 a year for the provision of student services with Senator Evans claiming it was supported by both universities and students.
Good all those students who want compulsory fees can leave for Aussie this Xmas and enjoy their compulsory giving.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Even better.
Government loses first vote on floor of the house since 1941
* James Massola
* From: The Australian
* September 29, 2010 1:32PM
Lost vote
Labor loses its first vote in the House of Representatives. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Australian
House of Representatives Live
THE Gillard government has lost its first vote on the floor of Australia’s hung parliament.
Labor lost a vote on parliamentary reform legislation 73-72 after key independents threw their support behind the Coalition in the House of Representatives.
Vote:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/government-loses-first-vote-on-floor-of-the-house-since-1941-according-to-sources/story-fn59niix-1225931763187
September 29th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
KK
Vote:I’m not sure he tells the truth.
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/75843
September 29th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=209125
We get warnings about the consequences of every other destructive behavior. Smoking cigarettes leads to cancer; alcoholism annihilates livers; driving drunk makes mothers MADD; texting while driving kills friends; drugs damage brain cells; failure to wear motorcycle helmets splatters brain cells; not paying taxes sends the IRS; sugar is bad; fat is bad; both lead to obesity, which Michelle is currently crusading as very bad.
But having willy-nilly sex? Shut up.
sad news unfortunately.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Why is common sense such a big deal? “Inalienable” rights is one of the most core aspects of the declaration. “Their creator” can be different things to different people, take what you like from it.
Christine O’Donnell isn’t so knowledgeable about truth, she has said that evolution is a myth. But what do you need to know to be in the senate.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Hey… great news:
I had no idea that reparations were still being paid!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Back to possible truths:
The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl W. Eikenberry, is quoted as saying, “Basically we’re screwed.”
National security adviser James L. Jones’s view is “you can’t win.”
Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, who is the senior coordinator for Afghanistan on the National Security Council, says, “This is a house of cards.”
By the middle of this year Vice President Biden was “more convinced than ever that Afghanistan was a version of Vietnam.”
All from Bob Woodward’s new book, “Obama’s Wars.”
Perhaps the most damning assessment of the president comes from Gen. Lute, who Mr. Woodward says concluded that “Obama had to do this 18-month surge just to demonstrate, in effect, that it couldn’t be done . . . the president had treated the military as another political constituency that had to be accommodated.”
A great divide over Afghanistan
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
@Pete – Evolution is a theory. The myth that is has been conclusively proven.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
thanks for the link Kowtow..I was just reading an interesting book today ..about Iran being the big baddie in the middle east..wanting to take over Iraq , their oil etc..The Americans did not /have not taken them on because they have powerful friends , Russia and China.
Vote:Also reading about the early islamic conquests..After Mo’s death they conquered huge area in a decade then it took them 300 years to convert the local populations to islam..In 1,000 they entered India..and who knows how many they slaughtered there…..
Many in NZ do not understand economic jihad..it is so difficult for non muslims to live in so called muslim countries..the lack of business. the absence of any govt contracts , the lack of promotion , the lack of opportunity..In the end despair forces many people to convert to islam..This happens now in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.
September 29th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
That is a surprise about the reparations Krazy, I was interested to know who they have been paying.
Still don’t know.
The Versailles settlement is widely regarded as a major factor aiding Hitler’s climb to power and the march to WW II. Chamberlain was but a futile bit player. There has been a series on the History channel describing a 20th Century war, rather than there being separate conflicts including the two world wars.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Kowtow
Vote:You would enjoy the Aussie site ” Winds of Jihad.”
September 29th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Joana, that highlights something – we in the western world are living in one of the most fortuitous eras ever, for us, and all many people seem to do is grizzle about things. We don’t seem to know how lucky we are. And it’s no wonder many less fortunate are envious, jealous, or aspire to join us.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
@krazykiwi
evolution is observed fact that led Darwin to develop the Theory of Natural Selection, which has stood the test of time. The theory may, however, be supplanted by a more compelling competitor, but evolution per se cannot be disproved, anymore than it could be disproved that our planet revolves around the sun. But no doubt, you will give that a shot, too!
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
I couldn’t decipher Krazy’s point: “The myth that is has been conclusively proven.”??
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Gee, thanks Hurf for thinking of me even when I’m not here. I can assure you the compliment is not returned.
But you need to be in Washington DC on 30 Oct to support Stephen Colbert in his rally “To Keep the Fear Alive!”
Anyone who thinks drone attacks are the answer just replied to a very stupid question. Furthermore, “quality intelligence” is but an oxymoron, as the Iraq war proved.
I’ll tell you this for free: each and every drone attack in Pakistan (which overwhelmingly kills complete innocents) fuels recruitment for the very groups we all want to see disappear. And it makes a mockery of the US constitution, you know, the “inalienable right to life” bullshit.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
So sad: old and fading from relevancy, John Howard just can’t give up his racism.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/dont-get-confused-about-multiculturalism-john-howard-warns/story-fn59niix-1225931763267
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Give the yanks a break..
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Luc, Observation and fact are not the same thing. For example, I observe the sun rising when the fact is the earth is orbiting the sun. I think that comment also addresses your final assertion.
Edit: I’m calling Krazy’s Law on this thread (Luc Hansen, 9:53)
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
“Give the yanks a break..”
Like this:
I guess they don’t want to announce themselves as targets.
Pakistan is one of the worst danger zones – weak government, Taliban presence, ranging from gratitude to anger at US involvement, nukes, bad relations with neighbours.
But the immediate problem is 20 million people affected by the floods. The water may have subsided, but so has the food, and with damage to flocks and crops (many wiped out) it will be desperate there for at least a season.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
KK
Study the meaning of the term “observed fact.”
Surely even you can;t be that stupid.
On the other hand…
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Oh gawd- Here’s Hansen calling everyone racist again.
Same old same old. Despicable commie cowards can’t learn any new tricks.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2010/09/the_commies_are_right.html#comment-745080
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
I’d love the chance to laugh at the few hundred leftard idiots guffawing at some moronic one-trick funnyman who only got where he is thanks to media fellation, but only if you pay for the plane tickets.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Pete, there are quite a few substories to the US aid effort. Don’t get me wrong, the US does usually come to the party for this kind of stuff, but $150 mil for flood relief while spending billions in killing exercises does entail a small contradiction, which perhaps does not pass those Pakistani’s by.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
She makes Palin look smart by comparison (apart from the fact that it was her that promoted O’Donnell)
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Red, I appreciate the effort you put into your insults. I accept them as a great compliment.
But like Hurf, you are largely a fact-free zone and that does become repetitive over time, so do forgive me for just skimming past everything you write. Feel free to do the same for my posts – I really don’t mind, as you are not my target audience.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
A supreme compliment coming from someone who specialises in the art of conjecture, emotion and bullshit.
Considering no one here cares about your Fifth Colum behaviour, have you considered that your target audience may be slightly…small?
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
“you are largely a fact-free zone and that does become repetitive over time”
Kind of like racist racist racist??? That’s when you’re not “hunting dissenters down”. Scum.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Luc, let me try again: If I observe you to be a nasty piece of shit.. would that be a fact, or a theory? Of course it’s not a fact, unless some empirical measurement is applied, blind experiments undertaken etc.
Evolution remains a theory, complete with supporting evidence and scientific gaps. Promoters of evolution need to get comfortable with this status because the shrill claim that it is a conclusively proven fact comes across as a bit desperate. My suspicion is that ‘proven evolution’ is really thinly disguised proxy for a proven non-existence of God.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Oh look, there’s Commie Pete’s favourite propaganda sheet doing stuff on Christine O’Donnell they won’t do on Barack Obama.
What gutless hypocrites.
Got anything on Obama’s academic record PG?
Thought not.
(BTW, thanks for comments on above mentioned post Krazy 10:07)
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
At least the WaPo might be able to erk out a 1-1 draw after they failed to smear Bob McDonnell from office last year. It’s funny, if the Repubs managed to retake the whole legislature but lose Delaware, what do you think Newsweak, the New York Slimes etc will wax lyrical about? Fucking jokers.
I hope one day, something daft I said 14 years prior becomes hysterically regurgitated by the left-wing MFM as something super serious and important.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Luc Hansen (1,983) Says:
September 29th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
So sad: old and fading from relevancy, John Howard just can’t give up his racism.
*******************************
Speaking of fact free zones, you fail to actually show anything in this article that is actually racist, Luc.
What is truly amusing is that Howard disproves your accusation in the article in question
“I am a passionate believer in mulitiracialism. I believe that societies are enriched if they draw, as my country has done, from all parts of the world on a non-discriminiatory basis ”
Thats right Luc , John Howard, in his own words is a “passionate believer in mulitiracialism” he also believer in immigration from “all parts of the world on a non-discriminiatory basis ”
Hardly the words of an avowed racist.
Next time Luc, read the bloody article and try and comprehend it.
Vote:September 29th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Bernard Hickey has ad an epiphany!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-changing-world/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502962&objectid=10674188&ref=masthead
Good lad.
Vote:September 30th, 2010 at 7:08 am
“Evolution remains a theory, complete with supporting evidence and scientific gaps.”
That would be a generally accepted summary (albeit denied by many like O’Donnell who called it a myth which is patently incorrect, religion is far more myth than evolution).
“Promoters of evolution need to get comfortable with this status because the shrill claim that it is a conclusively proven fact comes across as a bit desperate.”
That’s not what was said, I’d doubt anyone with any scientific nous would claim conclusive proof.
“My suspicion is that ‘proven evolution’ is really thinly disguised proxy for a proven non-existence of God.”
That’s quite a step. Evolution is only one of many parts of science that have troubled beliefs on the existence of God for a long time. But God is not a theory, it is a belief that cannot be proven or dis-proven, there is no science involved so it is quite different to evolution.
It’s easier to look at the two separately, to see evolution as credible science and to see God as part of belief systems. They don’t compete directly, although over time increasing scientific knowledge will adjust many people’s beliefs. Beliefs don’t change science, only further scientific discovery will do that.
Vote:September 30th, 2010 at 7:15 am
Thanks petey gal anybody reading your thoughtful post of rubbish will be convinced a God exists. No doubt he kept you awake all night. I see another huge day spurting hyperbole is the order of the day. Really get AWAY from the keyboard fool.
Vote:September 30th, 2010 at 7:24 am
Atheists know more about religion than xtians
http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/4177887/Atheists-top-religious-knowledge-survey
Vote:September 30th, 2010 at 7:27 am
Seems there’s no getting away from the keyboard fool, dad4justdiss, you keep coming back. You’re usually just a grumpy old troll – try posting something thoughtful yourself some time. You can think can’t you?
PIA: that’s interesting – and odd. Or maybe not, perhaps those who know more tend to believe less.
Vote:September 30th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Iran is also are very dangerous country PG..they are doing all they can to destabilize Iraq..if they take over Iraq they have a huge amount of oil and land and even more power..they have Russia and China as friends.
Vote:The US is a once great country in decline..but over the years who has been more generous? The Pakis fellow muslim countries offered a small by comparison amount of aid but it was very slow in coming…The Pakis can bag the US forever but then when they found themselves in a tight spot..who did they demand aid from??..America of course.
Who really knows how much money the US has given to countries like Egypt and Pakistan? and how have they been repaid? It is as if America has tried to ”buy the love” all over the world but it hasn’t worked. I suppose more fools them for ever thinking that money could buy love.