General Debate 29 February 2012

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iMP

The reason Otago RU is broke and Air NZ (officially the greatest airline in the world) is laying off staff, is NZ’s economy is undercooked. Minerals, foreign investment, aquaculture, water, we are under-exploiting NZ’s natural incomes, and now we won’t let Chinese invest hundreds of millions in rundown Dairy farms, jobs, a dairy college and other benefits.

And no angst about a Russian/Australian consortium buying up and developing a new Canterbury ski field. Not ‘Chinese” I guess.
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February 29, 2012 8:04am
Keeping Stock

Granny Herald was once a proud newspaper; arguably the best in the country, with the highest standards of journalism. But how far further can it sink than today’s effort?

http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/how-low-has-granny-herald-sunk.html
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February 29, 2012 8:14am
Longknives

Has this ‘Eco- Warrior’ taken a break from her self-appointed role as our Green saviour and moral guardian??
For someone who likes to pontificate and dictate to us lowly commonfolk she certainly leads a ‘colourful’ life…

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10788722
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February 29, 2012 8:15am
UpandComer

Check out this latest comprehensive list of all the foods to avoid if you wish to maintain a ‘healthy, balanced diet’ compiled by Otago University researchers…
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February 29, 2012 8:27am
kowtow

longknives

I think one of the ( many) problems of modern society is that these “stars” are presented to us ,by the same or related industries that create and promote them, as people to look up to and emulate.

Their lives are empty and meaningless and very few of them have a strong value system or if they did the “Hollywood lifestyle” destroys and overcomes what values they may have had.Thus they become addicts of one description or another and their lives are slow motion train wrecks. Think Whitney Houston.

And to think they are presented as role models to our children.
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February 29, 2012 8:32am
Pete George

If Otago rugby was paid per column inch written about them in the ODT they’d be fine. Rugby rucked.

Also: Can we save the Otago team?

Sam Hill’s wider analysis of problems with rugby. New Zealand Rugby: The cold hard facts – part one
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February 29, 2012 8:39am
Keeping Stock

@Longknives; as I’ve noted in the post above yours, this is the Herald’s lead story online this morning. Real investigative journalism; yeah right.
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February 29, 2012 8:44am
peterwn

See:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10788663
“$1 million for new pool despite MFAT job cuts”

I am trying to get my head round this. New MFAT CEO and Murray McCully are no doubt not amused. Had a look at the 2008 briefing paper to incoming Minister (could not readily locate the 2011 one). Interestingly there seemes no part related to the Ministry’s management of assets. There must have been plans for the development of the NZ Embassy in Japan and related facilities such as housing. It must have been on Labour’s watch at the time. One would have expected MFAT officials to have critically reviewed such plans and sought Ministerial guidance at the time, but they seemed to have treated the Minister and new CEO like mushrooms.

I would agree that in the past, NZ embassies in various locations would need to have been confined in a secure compound, and that some recreational facilities provided if suitable facilities were not available locally. In Tokyo however, while a purpose built embassy is probably warranted, there would be no need for recreational facilities or housing. In London, goodness knows why New Zealand House was not sold years ago with a lease-back including naming rights. MFAT is supposed to run a Foreign Affairs operation, not be a property investment SOE.

In the early 1980’s various heads rolled at the Ministry of Works because of cost over-runs on irrigation projects. This was very much a systemic problem rather than the fault of individuals. An acquaintance of mine was one of those affected. His position and status in the Ministry was such that he had to go along with the prevailing culture and way things were done. IMO he was treated unfairly – The CEO’s head should have rolled.

I think that Murray McCully should be demanding a few heads on a platter over the embassy in Japan, in the same way as Warren Cooper demanded of the Ministry of Works at that time (the Ministry was totally dismantled a few years later under Rogernomics).
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February 29, 2012 8:44am
David Garrett

The New Zealand Herald: New Zealand’s journal of record….God help us…
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February 29, 2012 8:55am
Ryan Sproull

Has this ‘Eco- Warrior’ taken a break from her self-appointed role as our Green saviour and moral guardian??
For someone who likes to pontificate and dictate to us lowly commonfolk she certainly leads a ‘colourful’ life…

I think that if we ignore the NZ Herald for long enough, it might go away.
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February 29, 2012 8:55am
trout

A minor correction Peterwn; the head that rolled at MOW in the 1980’s was that of Max Smith, Engineer in charge of the Waitaki hydro electric project. His crime was to divert funds to the creation of an international standard rowing course on Lake Ruataniwha (unauthorized). Incidentally he also saved the town of Twizel from being bulldozed. Nowadays he lives in happy retirement much admired by locals for what he achieved; the main access road to Ruataniwha is named after him.
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February 29, 2012 9:24am
graham

I still enjoy the NZ Herald, to be honest. I certainly don’t want to see it go away, I enjoy being able to read the paper over breakfast when I’m meant to be working 🙂

So there might be different opinions on what constitutes ‘news’. I personally think that this story does merit being included in the Herald, but certainly not front-page material – I would have thought a couple of paragraphs inside was sufficient.

If it was a sickly-sweet story about the Hosking-Hawkesby nuptials, then nah – that belongs in the Woman’s Day or whatever they have now.
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February 29, 2012 9:25am
Northland Wahine

If we ignore Castle-Hughes long after, she might go away.
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February 29, 2012 9:26am
Ryan Sproull

So there might be different opinions on what constitutes ‘news’. I personally think that this story does merit being included in the Herald, but certainly not front-page material – I would have thought a couple of paragraphs inside was sufficient.

I do not see what qualifies Castle-Hughes’ personal dramas as any more newsworthy than anyone else’s.
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February 29, 2012 9:38am
Griff

A large extinct penguin has been reconstructed from fossil remains discovered in New Zealand.

Researchers used bones from two separate examples of the ancient birds, using the skeleton of a modern king penguin as a guide.

They show the 25 million-year-old Kairuku penguin was tall at 1.2m (4ft 2in), with an elongated beak and large flippers., but short, thick legs and feet,”
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February 29, 2012 9:45am
graham

Ryan Sproull:

Personally, I tend to agree.

However, she does happen to be what is laughingly called “a celebrity” in this country, and the way the world works states that when “a celebrity” does anything, it counts as news. Witness the write-ups about Lucy Lawless – there have been photos with the description “Lucy Lawless and some other random Greenpeace protestor”. Why? Because like it or not, people are interested in “celebrities”. Would anybody care if I climbed up the mast of this ship? Not likely … But if Lucy Lawless was with me? Bet your life.

But yeah … Keisha Castle-Hughes has never interested me, personally.
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February 29, 2012 9:58am
dime

last day of summer – can anyone explain to me why its been so shit? el nino or something?
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February 29, 2012 9:58am
James Stephenson

short, thick legs and feet,

It’s a female then…
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February 29, 2012 10:01am
wreck1080

Transpower reports 50 million dollar loss — not surprised.

Many Transpower employees are on a great deal.

I’ve worked for a fully commercial entities that survive on their merits, and they’d never agree to the type of spending authorised by Transpower .

I think its long due for a fully independent review into transpower operations – preferably by a retired business person.
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February 29, 2012 10:07am
david

peterwn
The Tokyo Embassy has been in that building for quite a while. I had cause to go there on a passport issue in about 1998 and if I recall correctly, it is a compound housing most(if not all) of the expat Embassy staff. Given the rental costs in Tokyo, I think you would find it to have been argued as a valid economic proposition.

What I am surprised about is that it should cost so much to fix the pool – something would suggest that maintenance has been deferred in recent years and just can’t be put off any more. When you see squadrons of technicians touring the Embassies around the world ensuring that phone connections are secure and that meeting rooms aren’t bugged I’m not sure that providing recreation facilities for the staff of one of our largest embassies when they are obliged to live in what is essentially a hostel is such a bad thing.
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February 29, 2012 10:08am
peterwn

Trout – The Waitaki incident was another one at the same time. It was a blooming cheek that the Ministry of Works (via Mr Smith) was spending client’s (NZ Electricity Department’s) money in a way not authorised by the client. At that time there was a general ‘concensus’ policy that 1% of the cost of power projects would be made available for local community projects, this policy being established as part of the negotiations with the people of New Plymouth when the power station was built there. If Mr Smith considered that the expenditure on rowing facilities from that 1% allocation was appropriate at the time, he and the rowing people should have sought approval from the Electricity Department and possibly the responsible Minister. I am not sure how it came to light, but someone in the Electricity Department would have had to raise a retrospective ‘Monetary Authority Requisition’, and the person who would ‘recommend’ it probably smelt a rat and hit the alarm button. For his ‘misdeed’ Mr Smith was stripped of his role as ‘king of the Twizel castle” and sent to MOW’s bullshit castle in Wellington.

The Maniatoto irrigation incident blew up because Treasury considered that the farmers who were going to benefit should pay irrigation charges based on project costs whereas in the past the Government funded irrigation schemes from taxpayer money. The farmers questioned the cost escalations that had occurred and found a champion in Warren Cooper their local MP who was I think was then Foreign Affairs Minister. He wanted ‘heads to roll’, and it seemed MOW obliged offering up three relatively junior heads. From memory they were transferred from Otago to ‘bullshit castle’ or elsewhere. As I said, heads should have rolled at a higher level.
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February 29, 2012 10:08am
Griff

@dime
You asked you might not like the answer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Ni%C3%B1o-Southern_Oscillation
During the last several decades the number of El Niño events increased, and the number of La Niña events decreased.[51] The question is whether this is a random fluctuation or a normal instance of variation for that phenomenon or the result of global climate changes toward global warming.

The studies of historical data show that the recent El Niño variation is most likely linked to global warming. For example, one of the most recent results is that, even after subtracting the positive influence of decadal variation, shown to be possibly present in the ENSO trend,[52] the amplitude of the ENSO variability in the observed data still increases, by as much as 60% in the last 50 years.[53]

It is not certain what exact changes will happen to ENSO in the future: Different models make different predictions.[54] It may be that the observed phenomenon of more frequent and stronger El Niño events occurs only in the initial phase of the global warming, and then (e.g., after the lower layers of the ocean get warmer as well), El Niño will become weaker than it was.[55] It may also be that the stabilizing and destabilizing forces influencing the phenomenon will eventually compensate for each other.[56] More research is needed to provide a better answer to that question, but the current results do not completely exclude the possibility of dramatic changes. The ENSO is considered to be a potential tipping element in Earth’s climate.[57]
[edit]
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February 29, 2012 10:15am
Nookin

Peterwn
Despite the fact that he acted without authority, I think Smith’s deeds are remembered with gratitude by MacKenzie Country folk.
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February 29, 2012 10:22am
dime

griff – i do always question anything climate related when coming from wikipedia. love the site, but there is a bit of a bias in there.

in saying that – i have no doubt the climate is changing. i just doubt that we are the main reason behind. i also doubt that taxing people more and redistributing wealth will fix it.
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February 29, 2012 10:32am
peterwn

wreck1080 – re Transpower-
1. The $50M accounting loss would have been occasioned by various one-off items as well as by pressures to keep transmission charges as low as possible. Land dealings associated with the new Waikato – Auckland transmission line would have accounted for much of this – land values dropping during the current recession.

2. Transpower for some years would only spend money when it had a guaranteed revenue stream for it. Various grid expansion projects did not get off the ground because Transpower could not get revenue guarantees (fear of ‘stranded assets’ – those that cease earning revenue), and this was adversley impacting on the business of the power generators as well as increasing risks of power failures to the whole community. This was a classic ‘market failure’ situation. So the Government has had to effectively ‘underwrite’ such projects by allowing Transpower to recover the costs via transmission charges in general. Transpower’s proposals were given stringent ‘external’ reviews and would have followed consideration of a range of options with related cost-benefit studies. No one would have been ‘keen’ to spend this sort of money, but there was really no option.

3. Transpower has over the years endeavoured to address the ‘staff’ issue by replacing staff with outside contracts. There are however core functions that just cannot be contracted out. In the Rogernomics era there was some excess of engineers and technical staff (especially South Africans emigrating following the collapse of Apartheid) and this dampened down salaries. However nowadays these skills are in short supply and hence salary levels have to reflect this.

4. Grid failures are rare because of great care taken by Transpower and its predecessors. During the Christchurch earthquakes, there were only minor ‘issues’ with Transpower stations and lines. This was because of design philosophies dating back to the late 1960’s (Inangahua Earthquake). If significant failures occurred, the impact on Christchurch would probably have been far greater possibly requiring mass evacuations.
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February 29, 2012 10:45am
peterwn

Nookin – But were the MacKenzie Country folk consulted about this expenditure? Would they have preferred the 1% to have been spent in some other direction? What business did Mr Smith have in presuming what the MacKenzie Country folk wanted the 1% used for? The expenditure would most probably have been authorised if it went through the right channels, the only concern of the Electricity Department being whether it represented the community’s desires.
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February 29, 2012 10:50am
noskire

Interesting real-time view (well, updated every 30 secs) of the demolition of the Crowne Plaza in Christchurch.
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February 29, 2012 10:54am
Griff

“Taxing people more and redistributing wealth will fix it.
The Gweens have made green a dirty word.
Personally I look forward to a time when clean Coal to fuel becomes economically viable
A nice big strip mine so long as U clean up the mess why not.
How much are the resource rentals as a percentage of resource value?
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February 29, 2012 10:54am
Megatron

Wreck1080 and peterwn – re Transpower
Wreck – Transpower has just paid its first dividend to the crown in 7 years – $110mil, despite the very large investment that are now making in refurbishing the Grid.
peterwn – In the early days of Transpower (post NZED) they had an internal staff of around 100 supported by Contractors and Consultants. They currently upwards of 800 in-house staff, don’t know what they are going to do when all the projects are completed.
Many of the SA Engineers have moved on to Australia having done their 3 years here to get residency. However, there is an increasing number of Indian sub-continent and Philippine technical staff being employed.
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February 29, 2012 11:41am
Pete George

Who’s been naughty?

Five comments posted by members of the public on social media on election day, which in the Electoral Commission’s view were advising or intended or likely to influence any elector as to the candidate or party or referendum option for whom the elector should or should not vote.

And I wonder how they found out.
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February 29, 2012 12:02pm
Oskar

Peterw
I visited the NZ Embassy in Tokyo in the late 1970’s and the pool was in then. In those days the Embassy grounds were quite spacious with a lawn between the Embassy and the Ambassador’s residence. In the mid 1980’s it was decided to build staff housing on the lawn – and over the pool – which is therefore now partly underground.
As I understand sometime after WW2 NZ acquired two blocks of land in what were then the outer suburbs – one for the Embassy and one for staff housing. The latter block – which included a tennis court – was sold in the eighties?? when MFAT was told to divest itself of property and to rent instead.
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February 29, 2012 12:11pm
Northland Wahine

Raurangi Marino, the 16 year old turangi rapist, receives 10 years… Longer than I thought he’d receive… Yet only half of what he deserves.
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February 29, 2012 12:11pm
wreck1080

This Raurangi Marino could be out in 3 years right?

You can see his facebook page (if it is him but the herald used this photo).

Check out the picture of his face, fully tattooed (permanent?), and with Fuck the police over his image.

This guy, is not someone you want on the streets. Especially at 26 he will still be young, angry, prison hardened, sexual deviant, and roaming the streets somewhere near you.

I’m dubious that such a person can be reformed.
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February 29, 2012 12:24pm
noskire

The new Google privacy policy comes into effect tomorrow.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/if-you-use-google-you-may-want-to-read-this-20120229-1u1i9.html
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February 29, 2012 12:31pm
Viking2

Do you think we could swap Zena for Dotcom. Dotcom with his abilities would be an asset. Zena appears to be lost cause looking for a home. America would be just the right place.

What a nasty bag that prosecutor is.

Now going after Mrs Dotcom.
Looks like they are going to lose with other countries in Europe side lining the yankee bill from their parliaments.
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February 29, 2012 12:52pm
virtualmark

Why lawyers shouldn’t do math …

Judge Cooper gave a starting point of imprisonment of 18 years because of the seriousness of the offending but gave a discount of four and a half years because of Marino’s youth, dysfunctional upbringing, remorse and early guilty plea.

So 18 minus 4.5 equals 10???

Personally, I don’t give a f@(k about Marino’s youth, dysfunctional upbringing or remorse. If you’re old enough to do the crime, you’re old enough to do the time. Lots of other people have tough upbringings, but they don’t rape 5 year olds. And I’ll wager his only remorse is that he got caught.

I can see merit in recognising the early guilty plea.

But really, how about 20 minus 4 (for an early guilty plea) equals 16.

I vote the Crown appeal for a tougher sentence.
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February 29, 2012 1:05pm
Manolo

Excellent letter to the editor re: the hypocrite Lawless and the Luddites:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/letters-to-the-editor/6496941/Letter-I-take-it-that-she-lives-her-principles
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February 29, 2012 1:23pm
kowtow

Marino should be hanged……..and if you don’t like hanging 16 year olds then wait for 2 years.
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February 29, 2012 1:44pm
jonnobanks

“The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living”

This was written by a 21 yr old female who gets it. It’s her future she’s worried about and this is how she feels about the social welfare that she’s being forced to live in! These solutions are just common sense in her opinion.
Nov 18, 2011

Put me in charge . . .

Put me in charge of food stamps. I’d get rid of cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho’s, just money for 50kg bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.

Put me in charge of Medicare. The first thing I’d do is to get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we’ll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos and piercings. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get tats and piercings, then get a job.

Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks?
You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your “home” will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your own place.

In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a “government” job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the “common good..”

Before you write that I’ve violated someone’s rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules.. Before you say that this would be “demeaning” and ruin their “self esteem,” consider that it wasn’t that long ago that taking someone else’s money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.

If we are expected to pay for other people’s mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.

AND While you are on Gov’t subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov’t welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.
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February 29, 2012 2:22pm
cha

Nice.

http://whiteprideonline.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/problems-we-face-today-are-there.html
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February 29, 2012 2:33pm
Manolo

Words fail to describe this animal and his “family”. True savages beyond salvation.

Raurangi Mark Marino had drunk 20-30 bottles of beer, assorted RTDs, and smoked cannabis, throughout the eight-10 hours before he attacked the girl.

His father had been a member of the Mongrel Mob and Marino had aspirations to join, but because his mother was affiliated with Black Power he realised he would “always get hidings”..
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February 29, 2012 2:40pm
jonnobanks

cha, it is also doing the rounds on FB. Just bcos some whitepride nutbar copies it, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
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February 29, 2012 2:40pm
Northland Wahine

I first saw “put me in charge” on an American site called The Veterans Voice almost a year ago now. I hope this young lady didn’t palm it off as her own.
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February 29, 2012 2:47pm
F E Smith

Virtualmark,

Actually, the discount was low if it was only 4.5 years. Court of Appeal guidelines say one third should be applied for the early guilty plea. I can’t see the Crown appealing, as the sentence wouldn’t go up by much.

With regards the stupid ‘can’t do maths’ jibe, perhaps you should say ‘reporter hasn’t reported sentencing remarks fully’ before you get abusive and show yourself up as an idiot?
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February 29, 2012 2:59pm
rouppe

Apparently this Tui ad is sexist.

To me it is demonstrating that women can do anything. Lugging around heavy crates of beer, controlling the science behind the brewing process, holding senior management positions…

Maybe Auckland Feminist Action objects to them on the basis of their looks, which is much more sexist than including attractive women in the advertisement.

I haven’t heard Auckland Feminist Action complain that there are only attractive women players (certainly no butt-ugly ones) at the NZ Tennis held recently, or that only attractive women are shown on Revlon ads…

I wonder what the true objection is?
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February 29, 2012 3:13pm
DJP6-25

kowtow 8:32 am. Considering all the socialist crap these ‘celebrities’ spout, they deserve all they get when the Hollywood lifestyle finally catches up with them.

cheers

David Prosser
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February 29, 2012 4:34pm
DJP6-25

noskire 10:54. Oh, In didn’t know the Park Royal/Crowne Plaza was being demolished. I guess it must have been damaged too. It was one of the nicer modern buildings in Christchurch.

cheers

David Prosser
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February 29, 2012 4:43pm
Weihana

rouppe,

According to the Feminist group:

“…it’s saying that it is ok to value women on how they look…”

Yep, just as it’s okay to value men for how they look. Valuing physical appearance doesn’t imply that it’s the only possible thing of value in a person. These feminists need to get over their insecurities.
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February 29, 2012 4:50pm
Pete George

rouppe – it is more derogatory towards dipstick pisshead males sucked into drinking very average ale by a marketing campaign.

The men in those adverts are so thick they don’t even use whatever deodorant it is that’s guaranteed to have the chicks flocking. I bet they didn’t even have a burger with upsized chips before they went so they wouldn’t be drinking on empty stomachs.

Complaining to try and stop stupid unrealistic advertising is like, pretty unrealistic and stupid.

(I’ve never upsized chips or drunk Tui, and I use marriage appropriate deodorant).
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February 29, 2012 5:03pm
chiz

I’m puzzled as to why Tui stopped putting those single-frame messages at the end of their ads.
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February 29, 2012 5:29pm
nasska

Weihana

The moaning dykes have plenty to be insecure about. Ref: http://www.awc.org.nz/2/staff.php?sid=25&mid=2

They look like a pack of comfort eaters who head butt the ugly stick every Friday afternoon.
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February 29, 2012 5:37pm
virtualmark

FE Smith,

My remark about lawyers and math was tongue in cheek. I spend a lot of time working with lawyers. Math isn’t their strength.

However the judge arrived at a 10 year sentence for Marino, I suspect the majority – not all, but the majority – of the population will think it insufficient punishment. The sentencing guidelines seem out of sync with the public mood for punishment of serious criminals.

And as for discounting sentences for factors such as early guilty pleas … yes, we need to ensure there are incentives that encourage that sort of behaviour. But I’d suggest those discounts should be capped (perhaps at a maximum sentence reduction of 2 or 3 years). Still a large enough discount to encourage behaviour, but without overly compromising society’s need for justice to be seen to be done.
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February 29, 2012 6:02pm
Leaping Jimmy

This whole Tui thing should be quite interesting as it plays out. Now the feminists are complaining they’ve cancelled the meeting. Perhaps because the feminists can’t screech at them, now.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10788840

It’s interesting because I really doubt Tui gives much of a stuff about the female market plus they have shown in the past a very astute advertising style – a bit like Hell Pizzas.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this pull out is a deliberate move to keep the issue going in the media and show their core market they’re unrepentant and don’t give a stuff about the [probably] fat hairy feminists. Excellent.

Personally, I don’t much like Tui, but their ads are great and I look forward to the lefty media getting all outraged at how a big nasty corpowation ignores the poor feminist victims and aren’t they nasty, while the big nasty corpowate goes right over the media heads and puts up humerous billboard after humerous billboard.

I can’t wait.

(This is reid, BTW. I changed my username since I got sick of holding back all the time under my real name, what with my politeness and all. I calculated if I didn’t start blogging under a pseudonym I may literally burst apart with all that repressed commenting which you’ve never ever seen. Yet.)
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February 29, 2012 6:30pm
Manolo

Crony capitalism: http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/28/lightsquared-ceo-resigns-amid-revelations-of-companys-proximity-to-obama-white-house/
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February 29, 2012 6:30pm
big bruv

Quick!…call the police, there is a slaughter going at Mclean park in Napier.
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February 29, 2012 6:54pm
Johnboy

The best thing about KB is that you can go away for a day, or a week, or a month, or a year and when you come back it’s as though you never left it.

Just like Coro St. really! 🙂 🙂
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February 29, 2012 7:01pm
Johnboy

Math IS their strongpoint virtual!

FESter can count to at least 451,000 odd! 🙂 🙂
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February 29, 2012 7:04pm
wreck1080

“A high-profile Auckland businessman is accused of supplying drugs to girls in exchange for sexual services.

The man, who is in his 50s, was denied name suppression at the Auckland District Court today but he cannot be named because his lawyer indicated the decision would be appealed to the High Court at Auckland next week.”

It is amusing, this guys name was all over the newspapers when first busted. Not surprising who it is though, but I wouldn’t call him a business man these days.

He was granted name suppression after his name was published but whats the point ?

What are the rules behind name suppression? It appears the name is allowed to be published in the period between arrest and granting of the name suppression.
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February 29, 2012 7:11pm
Johnboy

The Captain and First Mate of the Rena were also named before they got suppression wreck.

Not that we either care nor can pronounce wog names.

Perhaps Lord Birkenhead can explain the nuances of the stupidity of the legal profession as he is obviously one of it’s most vociferous champions. Particularly where his huge income is at stake! 🙂
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February 29, 2012 7:22pm
grumpy

….and, just now, on TV1 Closeup, Helen Kelly of the CTU accuses the Tauranga port contractor of being responsible for the 3 deaths at that port. Even Sainsbury was shocked.

Wait for the defamation case…………………
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February 29, 2012 7:34pm
Johnboy

Don’t forget grumpy, that the right wing bastards killed her Dad in the prime of his life at 75 from all those years of wearing him down by not giving in to his demands on behalf of the drivers.

Fascist bastards!!! 🙂
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February 29, 2012 7:39pm
Scott Chris

Johnboy

This might make you laugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoYiAERXv3s&feature=fvwp
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February 29, 2012 7:47pm
Johnboy

Nothing funny about that Scotty. Standard practice to avoid STD’s on my farm.

Now THIS is funny. 🙂

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6499556/250-sheep-run-amok-in-town
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February 29, 2012 7:51pm
big bruv

There is a farm in Wainui?

Don’t the locals steal the stock?
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February 29, 2012 7:53pm
Monique Watson

Is that Sheep Brazilian humor?
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February 29, 2012 7:59pm
nasska

Some people have sex with inflatable animals, something I really don’t understand. Presumably, a blow-up doll is for men who can’t get a real woman.

How fucked are you if you can’t get a real sheep?
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February 29, 2012 8:00pm
Johnboy

Yvette may know the answer Monique. 🙂
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February 29, 2012 8:01pm
Johnboy

250 of them were available in a town near you today nasska.

Did you score? 🙂
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February 29, 2012 8:02pm
nasska

Johnboy

Pass.
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February 29, 2012 8:04pm
Johnboy

Ah. A golden opportunity left to pass bahhhhby nasska! 🙂
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February 29, 2012 8:19pm
big bruv

nasska

In Canterbury they don’t bother with blow up animals, they shag the real thing.
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February 29, 2012 8:19pm
Johnboy

In Otago of course they go the whole hog and shag the whole team.

Ah southern men! 🙂
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February 29, 2012 8:21pm
nasska

big bruv

I think that people who live around Christchurch take the old Pommie view that if you’re going to get hung for stealing a sheep, you might as well shag it.
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February 29, 2012 8:24pm
Johnboy

Meanwhile, back at McLean Park the Blackcaps throats have almost all been cut and the fiendish South Africans are sharpening their eviscerating knives.

Oh the humanity! 🙂
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February 29, 2012 8:32pm
adam2314

Question …

Todays poll was about Soft drinks.. I do not drink them.. But I do not HATE them..

Do you think that more thought should be given to the wording of these polls on this site ??
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February 29, 2012 8:46pm
adam2314

Having said that..

I do believe that all of the shareholders and Directors of Coca Cola should be put against the ” Wall ” for Crimes against Humanity.
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February 29, 2012 8:50pm
RRM

I see that the Thing that raped and tried to kill a tiny 5-year-old girl in Turangi received a We Will Get Tough on Crime! sentence of a whole ten years today…

I wonder if we will see a thread?
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February 29, 2012 8:50pm
Johnboy

Hope you are not turning your back on the indigenous race RRM?

Thought you were a supporter of their creed.
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February 29, 2012 8:55pm
adam2314

Yes .. he is being hung by a thread !!..

If it was not so serious I would say .. Bwhahhaa..
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February 29, 2012 8:55pm
nasska

RRM

Whale put one up & so far it has attracted 80+ comments. I read about half of them & the general gist was that a life sentence would have been too short & he should get a bullet in the head. Ironically those calling for mob justice would probably break into tears if asked to shoot a bunny or kill a sheep for dog tucker.

Okay as violent crime goes it doesn’t get much worse but with the sentencing laws we have, if he’d killed the kid he would only have got probably 12 – 14 years. If we, the voters, want stiffer penalties there’s little point in bleating about soft judges.

The bullshit merchants who grovel for our vote every three years need to hear it from their constituents.
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February 29, 2012 9:05pm
Monique Watson

Ha ha. Bet the rash from wax is worse than from clippers. I’m told.

Little fucker, who knows whats going on in the judges mind. Bob Marley logic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE_OhddiE_A

SNAFU
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February 29, 2012 9:09pm
Johnboy

Maybe we should get to vote for the Judges nasska?

I’m happy to sell one 9mm for say $5000 a shot.

A man has to charge a fair and reasonable price for dry cleaning, ammo, wear and tear, cleaning solvent, gun oil, not to mention the enormous stress of ridding society of scum and saving a couple of billion a year for running the prison system.

I expect serious opposition from chaps like Birkenhead, however if my remuneration was high enough I would ignore it. 🙂
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February 29, 2012 9:21pm
big bruv

I know I said not to watch Backbenchers but you just have to check out Moonbat Delahunty’s new Zapata Mustache.
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February 29, 2012 9:25pm
nasska

Johnboy

Could be a nice little earner. You’d have to keep an eye on those costs though as they could easily spiral out of control.

Elected judges…..No thanks. It sounds good until you realise that to get elected they must campaign, to campaign they need money. The money will come but from people who look upon their donation as an investment rather than altruism.
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February 29, 2012 9:31pm
Johnboy

Not if they campaigned on the number of one shot kills they achieved on perps at very close range nasska! 🙂
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February 29, 2012 9:35pm
Johnboy

It’s called vertical integration of the Justice system nasska. 🙂
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February 29, 2012 9:36pm
Johnboy

You can get medals for your good work if you are a leftie. 🙂

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_Blokhin
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February 29, 2012 9:39pm
mikenmild

This one made me laugh out loud:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6502129/MFAT-workers-disgruntled-at-cuts-survey
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February 29, 2012 9:41pm
RRM

Johnboy – yes I noticed that It was Maori too.

But really – any 15 year old Thing whose reaction upon meeting a tiny sleeping 5 year old girl is to rape and bash her, is an abomination, it really is of no consequence what colour the Thing’s skin is.

I am opposed to capital punishment for a range of reasons. But a sense that scum like this don’t deserve death ISN’T one of those reasons. I think death is the best thign that could happen to vermin like this, but it diminishes us all when we carry that out.

But every time there is a case like this that makes my blood boil, I watch this clip from an excellent Eastwood movie, and I find it very RIGHT somehow…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmpmcWVI6p0
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February 29, 2012 9:42pm
Johnboy

You’re right RRM. But a shot in the back of the head is far more cost effective than all that palaver.

Hell we are the modern society where cost efficiency and maximum outcomes for minimum input are the norm.

The old Soviets could teach us a thing or two about that eh. 🙂
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February 29, 2012 9:50pm
krazykiwi

The money will come but from people who look upon their donation as an investment rather than altruism.

You’re describing the union’s relationship with Labour quite well there.
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February 29, 2012 9:57pm
MikeS

@Keeping Stock (7,273) Says:
February 29th, 2012 at 8:14 am

“Granny Herald was once a proud newspaper; arguably the best in the country, with the highest standards of journalism. But how far further can it sink than today’s effort?

http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/how-low-has-granny-herald-sunk.html”

Didn’t know there were any other national daily newspapers? As with all of the modern mainstream media, it will sink as low as it’s dumbed down, brainwashed, living in a dreamworld readers / viewers wish it to go and boy do those readers / viewers love their celebrity BS. Profit is the culprit here, it dictates priorities. It truly is astonishing how the public have become more concerned with the personal lives of ‘celebrities’ than with issues that affect their own well-being.
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March 1, 2012 6:19am
Manolo

One of the animals has been caught: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/crime/news/article.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=10788798
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March 1, 2012 7:19am

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