General Debate 9 April 2017

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment249

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (249)

Login to comment or vote

William of Ockham

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2017/apr/07/new-study-links-carbon-pollution-to-extreme-weather
Human activities are altering the jet stream, which leads to extreme weather patterns getting stuck in place

[summary]
[background] increase of extreme precipitation events as the Earth warms. driven by local thermodynamic processes.

[new paper] extreme weather can also occur because of large-scale changes to the atmosphere and oceans. convincing case for a whole new type of influence of humans on extreme weather. confirms what was previously reported. With the march of science, the tools, methods, and evidence get better each year.

jet streams are high-speed rivers of air that flow in the upper atmosphere. blow west to east and they mark the separation of zones of different temperatures. undulate as they encircle the planet and these undulations move. sometimes same location in a position north and sometimes south of the stream

interface creates a lot of weather-pattern changes. if the undulations of the streams become fixed, weather patterns get stuck. stuck waves can become larger in their magnitude.

Using measurements, the authors documented what conditions led to extreme weather patterns that persisted for extended durations. They found that many occur when the jet stream becomes stationary with the undulations stuck in place. They also saw that under certain situations, the jet stream undulations do not dissipate in time; they become trapped in a wave guide.

As humans emit greenhouse gases, the planet warms. warming is not uniform. Arctic warming more rapidly. the temperature difference between the Arctic and the rest of the world is reducing. It is this temperature difference that maintains the jet stream patterns.

Using the simulations, demonstrated that rising greenhouse gases are responsible for the increase. convincing study connects the dots when it comes to human-caused global warming and an array of extreme recent weather events.

This is really where the science is. humans are causing climate change and we know that weather will change. extreme weather like droughts, floods, heat waves cause high social and economic costs.

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep45242
Influence of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Planetary Wave Resonance and Extreme Weather Events
Michael E. Mann, Stefan Rahmstorf, [et al]
Received 03 January 2017. Accepted 20 February 2017. Published online 27 March 2017
[Abstract] Persistent episodes of extreme weather in the Northern Hemisphere summer have been shown to be associated with the presence of high-amplitude quasi-stationary atmospheric Rossby waves within a particular wavelength range (zonal wavenumber 6–8). The underlying mechanistic relationship involves the phenomenon of quasi-resonant amplification (QRA) of synoptic-scale waves with that wavenumber range becoming trapped within an effective mid-latitude atmospheric waveguide. Recent work suggests an increase in recent decades in the occurrence of QRA-favorable conditions and associated extreme weather, possibly linked to amplified Arctic warming and thus a climate change influence. Here, we isolate a specific fingerprint in the zonal mean surface temperature profile that is associated with QRA-favorable conditions. State-of-the-art (“CMIP5”) historical climate model simulations subject to anthropogenic forcing display an increase in the projection of this fingerprint that is mirrored in multiple observational surface temperature datasets. Both the models and observations suggest this signal has only recently emerged from the background noise of natural variability.
4 57
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:01am
- JIV
  
  Models arent data.Only opinion to push an ideology.
  
  39 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:06am
  - SGA
    
    Too sweeping. If you are trying to predict future events then models based on existing data are all you’ve got – be it in economics, the effects of an earthquake on a particular city, weather forecasting, whatever. Doesn’t mean that the model is necessarily correct, of course – it depends on things like the quality of the data at hand, the skill of the modeler, and the effects of unforeseen other factors.
    Dismissing models out of hand is just as much opinion to push an ideology.
    
    16 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:03am
    - cmm
      
      Models might be all you’ve got, but if they’re crap you’ve got nothing.
      
      I’ll wager I am one of very few people here who looked at the CRU models when they were released under FOIA.
      
      What I saw was shocking. Let’s just say it was not the sort of modelling integrity you’d need to design a bridge.
      
      The code had some “fudge factors” built in which had no basis in physics. These were clearly just tweaked to make the model “work”. A model like that is not worth anything.
      
      Next, it did not even have any modelling for heat (particularly latent heat). It only modelled temperature. That is a very poor way to model because temperature is only a secondary result of heat.
      
      In other words, a valid model should model heat, then use the amount of heat and water phase to derive temperature. You cannot just model temperature in any meaningful way.
      
      Their conclusions might be wrong or they might be right, but they are not based on any solid science.
      
      11 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 9:41am
      - mikenmild
        
        Snort. Replay of ‘climategate’. Maybe another investigation is needed – the tenth one would be sure to reveal the fraud, eh?
        
        2 23
        Report
        April 9, 2017 9:46am
      - ross411
        
        News at 11. Mikenmild castigates cmm for actually looking at the models, and then speaking about it. Mikenmild declares this a scandal, and scoffs at the idea someone should have to know what they are talking about to pontificate on it, which would render him silent on so many issues if it were a real requirement.
        
        16 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 10:39am
      - Jack5
        
        I implied William of Ockham was Griff when Ockham was on his global warming kick yesterday. I was wrong. Sorry, Griff.
        
        Ockham is, as an astute poster here has pointed out, the mad flying dentist.
        
        10 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:05am
      - mikenmild
        
        Ross. No surprises that you don’t understand. I was only taking cmm up on his reference to the ‘Climategate’ faux scandal, that’s all.
        Criticism of reliance on models is fine, but needs to have some evidence, rather than a blanket assertion that a model is flawed.
        
        2 11
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:17am
      - cmm
        
        “Criticism of reliance on models is fine, but needs to have some evidence, rather than a blanket assertion that a model is flawed.”
        
        I gave two very specific (ie. non-blanket) bits of evidence on the CRU model: lack of modeling of heat, use of convenient “fudge factors”.
        
        These were based on me, a programmer of many years (with science degrees including physics, statistics and computer science) actually reading the code.
        
        I am picking you:
        1) Have not read the code so are in no way positioned to snort at my critique.
        2) Lack the actual skills and knowledge to understand the code or draw your own conclusions.
        3) Only have second hand unsubstantiated opinions gleaned from climate alarmist websites.
        
        It seems you just saw mention of CRU and were immediately triggered about Climategate and read nothing more.
        
        4 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:54pm
      - jonar
        
        https://grist.org/climate-energy/climate-models-are-unproven/
        
        Putting global surface temperatures aside, there are some other significant model predictions made and confirmed:
        
        models predict that surface warming should be accompanied by cooling of the stratosphere, and this has indeed been observed;
        models have long predicted warming of the lower, mid, and upper troposphere, even while satellite readings seemed to disagree — but it turns out the satellite analysis was full of errors and on correction, this warming has been observed;
        models predict warming of ocean surface waters, as is now observed;
        models predict an energy imbalance between incoming sunlight and outgoing infrared radiation, which has been detected;
        models predict sharp and short-lived cooling of a few tenths of a degree in the event of large volcanic eruptions, and Mount Pinatubo confirmed this;
        models predict an amplification of warming trends in the Arctic region, and this is indeed happening;
        and finally, to get back to where we started, models predict continuing and accelerating warming of the surface, and so far they are correct.
        
        It is only long-term predictions that need the passage of time to prove or disprove them, but we don’t have that time at our disposal. Action is required in the very near term. We must take the many successes of climate models as strong validation that their long-term predictions, which forecast dire consequences, are accurate.
        
        If we seek even more confidence, there is another way to test a model’s predictive power over long time periods: hindcasting. By starting the model at some point in the past — say, the turn of the 20th century — and running it forward, feeding it confirmed observational data on GHG, aerosol, solar, volcanic, and albedo forcing, we can directly compare modeled behavior with the actual, observed course of events.
        
        Of course, this has been done many times. Have a look at this page and judge for yourself how the models held up.
        
        0 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 4:43pm
  - William of Ockham
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    All science of complex phenomena is based on models.
    
    Models were used to analyse the data. Nothing to do with projections or predicting the future.
    
    Not opinion; science. Ignorance and incredulity won’t change science.
    
    5 38
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:07am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Rahmsdorf and Mann are shit at modelling. Both have been proved wrong lots of times. You need better sources.
      That’s the problem.
      
      16 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 9:10am
      - William of Ockham
        
        List your papers published in Nature.
        
        You can’t even spell Rahmstorf.
        
        5 31
        Report
        April 9, 2017 9:19am
    - SGA
      
      William of Ockham
      
      All science of complex phenomena is based on models.
      Models were used to analyse the data. Nothing to do with projections or predicting the future.
      
      Not exactly – the whole point of testing hypotheses or models in science is see whether their predictions hold true. If so, the hypothesis or model is supported, if not, it may require modification (often the case) or discarding.
      
      14 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 9:26am
      - William of Ockham
        
        You have misread the paper. The models were used to try to understand the phenomenon, not make projections.
        
        2 12
        Report
        April 9, 2017 10:38am
      - SGA
        
        In your follow up post, “All science …” it seemed like you were talking about modelling in general rather than a particular paper. Apologies for the error, but I think my confusion was understandable.
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 10:57am
    - cmm
      
      WOck: “All science of complex phenomena is based on models.”
      
      Yup, but those models need to stack up with reality to be taken seriously.
      
      For instance, our understanding of gravity is a model, but that model is damn accurate. We can predict the precise location of planets and stars years into the future.
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 9:51am
      - ross411
        
        Ah, models actually based on science that work, versus ones contrived to bludgeon people into silence via all the numpties who use them to virtue signally.
        
        9 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 10:42am
      - jonar
        
        https://grist.org/climate-energy/climate-models-are-unproven/
        
        If we seek even more confidence, there is another way to test a model’s predictive power over long time periods: hindcasting. By starting the model at some point in the past — say, the turn of the 20th century — and running it forward, feeding it confirmed observational data on GHG, aerosol, solar, volcanic, and albedo forcing, we can directly compare modeled behavior with the actual, observed course of events.
        
        Of course, this has been done many times. Have a look at this page and judge for yourself how the models held up.
        
        0 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 4:45pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      And what happens when policy is based on models that have no relation to reality?
      
      Look at the disasters created by these “Green” initiatives that attempt to limit mankind’s CO2 output.
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4392220/Green-initiatives-disasters-says-Christopher-Booker.html
      
      8 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:25am
      - William of Ockham
        
        Booker. Delingpole. Monckton. A tricky accountant and his “notrickszone”.
        VERSUS
        The Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Physical Society, American Chemical Society …
        
        And you speak of reality?
        
        1 13
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:37pm
      - cmm
        
        Maggy, the bit that always fascinates me is this:
        
        The pro-GW crowd are generally:
        * Rich people who virtue signal, but don’t give a damn financially because they have so much money that trebling fuel costs has no impact on them. Typified by Leonardo Di Caprio taking private jet flights to participate in an eco-warrior march and receive environmental awards.
        * People who have a lot to gain from keeping the narrative alive: researchers, NGOs, Al Gore, and Pacific Islanders who look for handouts because SUV drivers are going to drown their islands.
        
        None of them really consider that expensive energy causes deforestation, hunger and people dying of cold. This has more impact on low income people than most.
        
        I personally earn enough that I don’t have to care if petrol goes to $5 a litre or my electricity bill is doubled, but there are a lot of people who would be severely hurt by that.
        
        But bugger them! Greenie virtue signaling comes first!
        
        9 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:07pm
- dime
  
  Just fuck off
  
  For the love of God.. Fuck off
  
  48 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:19am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  What an idiot.
  
  32 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:23am
- stigie
  
  30 downticks is the number thank christ.
  
  31 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:29am
  - holysheet
    
    just gave him the death knoll of the 30th.
    
    20 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 8:55am
  - stephieboy
    
    30 Downticks does not make a thing right .More 30 ignoramuses and fabulists trending towards creation theology and Trumpet la la land.
    
    1 25
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:15am
- Peter
  
  Oh, keep posting.
  
  With each post you reveal the pure desperation of the AGW zealots to be heard.
  
  The science is in
  They overstated the case and blew their credibility
  Now no one listens to them
  
  Bless.
  
  39 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:32am
- G152
  
  We can influence the jet streams????????
  Really ?????????????
  Put down what ever it is that you’re drinking.
  
  24 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:40am
- stephieboy
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  The climate deniers will resort to their favoured WMD namely” hidden due to ..”
  
  In other words what is more correctly known as censorship !
  
  5 47
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:42am
  - Peter
    
    The constant AGW propaganda is spam, Stephielad.
    
    Climate always changes. Very little to do with us. That is what the science really says once you strip out the political agenda and ulterior motives.
    
    Move on.
    
    36 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 8:45am
    - mikenmild
      
      “Nyah, nyah nyah, I can’t hear you”
      
      9 31
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 8:56am
      - dad4justice
        
        Get a hearing aid you silly old tool.
        
        27 6
        Report
        April 9, 2017 8:59am
      - mikenmild
        
        Good morning, D4J – good night in Hagley Park was it?
        Nearly full moon too, is your blood starting to stir?
        
        11 26
        Report
        April 9, 2017 9:04am
      - stigie
        
        Dad wants to hear a little more about Norma Milky..?
        
        15 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 9:11am
      - Peter
        
        “Nyah, nyah nyah, I can’t hear you”
        
        Keep buyin’ those long lasting lightbulbs, using reusable shopping bags and votin’ Material, Milkenmild.
        
        I’m sure that will make some difference to climate in 100 years time. Maybe.
        
        13 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 10:35am
      - starboard
        
        MM handed his arse on a plate by D4J…heh I like it.
        
        9 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:01pm
  - stigie
    
    “In other words what is more correctly known as censorship !”
    
    Oh what bullshit Stiffy, you can still see the content !~
    
    16 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:09am
  - calendar girl
    
    So, stephie, you label DPF’s “Hidden due to low comment rating” device as “censorship“. On his own blog.
    
    Nobody obliges you to come to Kiwiblog. But if you choose to do so, why act like a complete prat towards your host?
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 2:14pm
    - stephieboy
      
      In my view it is a form of censoring ideas and opinions notably from alt righters like you.
      
      1 15
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 2:16pm
      - starboard
        
        But stiffy…your ideas and opinions suck.
        
        12 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:20pm
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        BTW Stephieboy I was meaning to ask if you had any theories about where you contracted typhoid?
        Maybe off the chairs at St Lukes?.
        
        8 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:25pm
      - calendar girl
        
        How is the device “censoring ideas and opinions” such as yours?
        
        I can – and have – read your “hidden” comment of 8:42am. I can – and have – read William of Ockham’s “hidden” comment of 9:07am. Where is the justification for your insulting censorship claim that you use to criticise our exceedingly tolerant host?
        
        5 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 3:54pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        @stephieboy
        No one in NZ is preventing you from starting up your own blog.
        
        If you don’t like the way DPF runs this blog, then head off to one of the other political blogs…
        
        6 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 7:16pm
- Keeping Stock
  
  TL/DR
  
  9 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:07am
- Biscuit
  
  Sheesh, Wiliam, a tip…
  
  Kiwibloggers like to awaken on a Sunday morning to short, succinct, joyous messages like, oh, let me see:
  
  Labour/Greens/NZFirst/Whoever Still Not The Government
  Hurricanes win!
  So do Liverpool!
  
  Not to 514-word diatribes like the one you posted!
  
  My eyes glazed over before the end of the first para.
  
  A wise man once said (and I paraphrase) that there is nothing that cannot be made dull or uninteresting by someone espousing too long and too ardently about it.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:03am
  - pdm
    
    Biscuit – 2 out of 3 is not bad.
    
    As you well know not all Kiwibloggers are Hurricanes supporters – lol.
    
    Did you count those 514 words? You never cease to astound me!!
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:49am
    - Biscuit
      
      Nah, pdm, there’s a nifty app that counts the words on any tract for you!
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 1:48pm
duggledog

Sir Geoffrey Palmer on National Radio this morning recounting his experiences in Politics.

Very interesting. But also very revealing about the (sometimes) basic foolishness inherent in brilliant academics.

He bemoans the fact NZers don’t vote, yet in virtually the same sentence, he bemoans the fact that so, so many people wrote to him opposing bitterly taking the ToW settlements back to 1840, ‘spirit of the treaty’ etc.

Geoffrey, sometimes people don’t vote when they see no point in it, because they are routinely railroaded and ignored by professional politicians who Know Best.

That’s you.

The ‘anti-smacking bill’. Pathetic penalties for the worst criminals. Massive immigration from China and India. The Treaty gravy train. These are enormous issues to the ordinary man on street, and are overwhelmingly unpopular, yet there they are.
58 3
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:01am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Palmer?
  Does anyone still listen to this pompous old git?
  
  43 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:27am
  - MCos
    
    Dugggledog does
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:10am
  - sooty
    
    So Palmer must be about 93 yrs old and is still wet behind the ears!
    
    15 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:13am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Does anyone still listen to this pompous old git
    I attempted to… but very quickly went back to sleep…next thing I heard was Guyon reading out some email about Geoffrey Palmer only sticking around in the corridors of power until he got his K.
    
    …”whatever that means”, said Guyon.
    
    17 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:11am
    - ztev
      
      Rubbish. After parliament he had a job as a law professor ( which was his job before parliament)
      He founded a new law firm Chen Palmer
      He got a knighthood in 1991- from national
      
      Not much different from Sir John Key, who will be knighted in a couple months at Queens Birthday
      
      1 29
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 10:19am
      - Jack5
        
        Palmer founded a law firm. Well bugger me days. Do you think Palmer deserved a Nobel Prize for that?
        
        Stop grovelling, and stand up like a free man (or woman), Ztev.
        
        21 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:54am
      - Happychappy
        
        I hope that nothing to do with Cunliffe’s Chinese takeaways.
        
        10 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:21pm
- MCos
  
  So a party that promises to rip up the treaty, build more prisons, promote smacking kids and ban Asian immigrants would piss in at the General Election in an overall turnout of 90%+?
  
  9 19
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:30am
  - starboard
    
    With the exception of banning Asian immigrants…pretty much , yes. Burn the fucking TOW..get rid of maori seats and that useless mong Nick Smith. Where’s our Trump ?
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 2:06pm
- wiseowl
  
  Duggledog.
  Unbelievable.
  That was exactly what I thought.
  Along with the comment on the Auckland super flop.
  Voters did not want the super city but had it foist upon them.
  Throw your hands in the air and say why bother voting.
  The latest politician turnoff is the race based legislation by National that people did not vote for and Smith thinks we are wrong.
  Give me strength.
  
  37 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:40am
  - ztev
    
    Rubbish. What vote was taken over Auckland Super city ?
    
    2 20
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:21am
    - pdm
      
      ztev – as I recall it was Helen Clark’s idea so she would not have allowed a vote.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 1:59pm
  - Happychappy
    
    But you are another that runs with the hares and hunts with the hounds, but wish what you want and we will have to read your moans and groans when it don’t workout.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 1:53pm
- stephieboy
  
  “Massive immigration from China and India”
  
  ????
  
  0 9
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 2:05pm
  - starboard
    
    Immigration from anywhere so long as it doesnt end in “stan”. Compulsory bacon sandwich on arrival. Dont eat it…dont come in…
    
    ” NEXT “……..
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 2:10pm
Longknives

Sonny Bill Williams won’t wear his Sponsor’s jersey for ‘Islamic’ reasons then?
Guess he won’t want the Kafir’s cash then either and will be playing for free??
51 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:09am
- mikenmild
  
  So it was to protest his belief that banking (usury) is un-Islamic. That’s okay, but I wonder where he stashes his millions – in a sock under his mattress or in an interest-bearing bank account?
  
  37 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:39am
  - MCos
    
    There are Islamic banks that don’t charge or pay interest. I don’t know what sort of system they use to make a buck.
    When I worked in Bangkok there was one just down the road from the office.
    
    12 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 8:50am
    - SGA
      
      I looked this up once – it terms of borrowing money, it works something like the bank buys the item and then you enter into agreement to buy it from them over time (at a higher price) while still having the use of it.
      
      21 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 9:06am
      - Kimbo
        
        Gotta love the casuistry. Not having a go a Muslims in particular. Orthodox Jews with labour saving devices to avoid working on the sabbath (or the Zionist moving legalistic goal posts justifying why Israeli settlement of the West Bank is “legal” for that matter), or conservative Christians and “Jesus turned water into non-alcoholic grape juice” come to mind…
        
        4 6
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:30am
      - SGA
        
        It’s got a proud history. I remember reading somewhere (Bryson’s “Shakespeare”, I think) that chicken and veal could be counted as “fish” during Lent in Eliz 1’s reign (I might have details wrong, but that’s fairly close)
        
        5 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:46am
      - Kimbo
        
        Yes – it is hard-wired into human nature to avoid troublesome requirements, and then negotiate, rationalise and justify their circumvention. With religious people the psychology is especially interesting, intriguing and contradictory – the sovereign omnipotent God of the Universe has revealed to us his will in the form commandments…so now we are in a position to”make a deal” by working out the exceptions, and then we circumcise and/or baptise that as legitimate and “good faith”…because it’s not forbidden in the Scriptures.
        
        I probably do it myself. Christ said love your enemies, curse those who curse you, if your enemy strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other”
        
        …but I reckon that is hyperbole, and I’m not a pacifist when it comes to self defense or the necessity of the military.
        
        7 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:54am
      - SGA
        
        Michael: I don’t know anyone who could get through the day without two or three juicy rationalizations. They’re more important than sex.
        Sam Weber: Ah, come on. Nothing’s more important than sex.
        Michael: Oh yeah? Ever gone a week without a rationalization?
        (The Big Chill)
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:59am
      - Jack5
        
        SGA, here’s a link to a source that explains how Islamic finance works. I find this extract it from interesting:
        
        Islamic banking exists to further the socio-economic goals of Islam.
        
        Islamic theological problems with the concept of interest, also create problems for accounting standards.
        
        The link:
        http://www.investopedia.com/articles/07/islamic_investing.asp?ad=dirN&qo=serpSearchTopBox&qsrc=1&o=40186
        
        AND an interesting article about Islamic banks:
        
        https://www.lariba.com/sitephp/articles/islamic-banks-after911.php
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:00pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Murabaha transactions
        http://www.islamic-banking.com/murabaha_sruling.aspx
        
        @Jack5 – snap
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:03pm
      - SGA
        
        @Jack5
        Yeah, that looks like the place I looked at a few years ago.
        Why do you find that extract particularly interesting?
        
        0 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:04pm
      - SGA
        
        @Kimbo
        And, if “The Merchant of Venice” is anything to go by, Christianity itself has done a 180 degree turn on the issue of usury.
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:08pm
      - Jack5
        
        SGA, you are surprised that someone should find a banking system’s goal is to promote a religion?
        
        It’s one thing to observe a religion’s precepts. For example, I presume the (puritan) Protestant bankers who were so notable in France, did not work on Sundays.
        
        However, if I found there was bank dedicated to promoting Christianity, or Mormonism, or the Hindu religion, I would find that interesting.
        
        SGA, you are correct, too, about Christians having changed their mind about interest since Elizabethan times. Quoting from my flaky memory, didn’t Shakespeare allude to that in the Merchant of Venice. The persecuted Jews were allowed to charge and pay interest, and Christians used them for this essentially banking purpose. I’m sure much Middle East oil money can be found today similarly earning interest in despised Western banks.
        
        That’s more proof that Islam is many centuries behind the West.
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:11pm
      - SGA
        
        Given the potential conflict between Western banking systems and Islamic beliefs, I would have thought that such a system was a pragmatic necessity for Islamic socio-economic development?
        
        7 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:16pm
      - SGA
        
        Jack5
        
        That’s more proof that Islam is many centuries behind the West.
        
        Nah, it shows how much the bloody progressives have destroyed Christianity. Bring back indulgences, I say.
        
        4 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:19pm
      - Kimbo
        
        @ SGA
        
        And, if “The Merchant of Venice” is anything to go by, Christianity itself has done a 180 degree turn on the issue of usury
        
        Correct -was banned by the Medieval Church, but the growth of Italian merchant trading and the Reformation kicked that to touch.
        
        But a good example of why the Jews were (sometimes) tolerated and useful in Christendom. Jews could not charge usury to Jews, nor Christians to Christians, but Jews to Gentiles? You betcha! And some 800 years later we have EAD blaming the House of Rothschild! 😉
        
        7 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:24pm
- G152
  
  Maybe he’s unhappy living in this den of iniquity and to save his soul we should send him off to Iraq
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:42am
  - holysheet
    
    How many wives has he got?
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:58am
    - Viking2
      
      Well I saw him tell a youngster at a high school that his days of playing around were over as he was married now. It occurred to me that sooner rather than later he would be wanting another couple of wives.
      This bandaid thing is no doubt due to pressure from the mosque.
      
      7 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:45am
- oldpark
  
  Wonder does the rugby player Williams support Sharia Law and muslim female clitoris mutilation,seems he does. Talk about selective morality. Almost forgot,does he support the throwning off of buildings of gay people,as seen in the middle east ,by followers of a guy called Mohammed.
  
  18 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:58am
  - stephieboy
    
    oldpark, what female clitoris mutilation is supported in Christian Uganda , Kenya etc ?
    
    Islam does not support throwing gays off towers . ISS certainly does .
    
    I’m confident that Sonny Boy Williams does not support an extreme application of Sharia and would obviously ignore your and others puerile and nasty smears .
    
    2 23
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:24am
    - Viking2
      
      You don’t know what you don’t know.
      
      How long before he gets radicalized?
      
      7 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:47am
      - stephieboy
        
        Viking2 , what makes you think Sonnyboy is a suitable candidate for radicalisation ?
        
        1 12
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:56am
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        Half a brain, the unconscious half.
        
        6 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:02pm
    - oldpark
      
      Shariaboy/girl, female clitoris mutilation,which is a right of passage to control muslim female children, is a must for people like you and your boss who condone it, a guy called Mohammed ,who took a six year old child for his bride. The truth that you forever deny.
      
      12 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:51am
      - stephieboy
        
        oldpark, female genital mutilation is an ancient African tribal practice that exists in both African Christian and Muslim countries .
        
        3 13
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:03pm
      - Jack5
        
        Stephieboys: This international group seems to think female genital mutilation is practised by some migrants to NZ:
        
        The practice continues to persist amongst immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
        
        https://plan-international.org/because-i-am-a-girl/female-genital-mutilation-fgm?gclid=CI-ujNPbltMCFYWUvAodFAQNIw
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 6:14pm
      - stephieboy
        
        jack5 , your seem to have an inordinate obsession about Sonnyboy.
        
        Do you thing he actually cares about your paranoid driven fixation?
        
        0 3
        Report
        April 9, 2017 8:02pm
      - Jack5
        
        Sonnyboy????
        
        Stephies, who is Sonnyboy?
        
        If it’s all too confusing, DPF might let you change the Stephiestani team pseudonym from Stephieboy to Stephiebill.
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 9:52pm
    - GazzaW
      
      Who is Sonny Boy stephie? You’re obviously an ardent follower of the great game.
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:58am
      - stephieboy
        
        SonnyBoy is a notable All Black and NRL ( Roosters ) player who currently plays of the Blues and played last night for about the last 20 minutes in the second half against the Highlanders .
        
        Next Question?
        
        1 16
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:08pm
      - GazzaW
        
        Next question:
        
        Do you think that Sonny Bill might be a more appropriate name?
        
        10 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 12:30pm
      - calendar girl
        
        stephieboy skewered at 12:30pm by GazzaW.
        
        6 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:39pm
      - Jack5
        
        Stuff is reporting Tony Veitch on NewstalkZB saying that Sonny Boy Williams had written into his rugby contract a conscientious objection to “finance companies, banks, alcohol companies, tobacco companies and gambling companies.”
        
        His money will be going into some sort of Islamic set-up.
        
        Every time the ageing rugby player seems to be slipping into obscurity he comes up with some PR stunt. Stealing the limelight from captain Ritchie McCaw at the rugby World Cup final, the faux professional boxing … and more.
        
        5 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 3:31pm
      - mikenmild
        
        Good for him – sticking to what he believes.
        
        1 7
        Report
        April 9, 2017 3:39pm
      - Jack5
        
        Sonny Bill has been out making prison visits, Chris Rattue reports in the Hooerald.
        
        Surely Sonny Bill wouldn’t be visiting prisons to proselytise for Islam, would he? I doubt his faith would extend that far.
        
        Rattue also points out: “Super Rugby is sponsored by Investec, an international banking and asset management group, whose name appears on SBW’s sleeve logo.”
        
        Another major sponsor is AIG, an insurance company. This giant, like other insurance companies, will invest some of its premium income in interest-bearing investments.
        
        AIG was bailed out after being at the centre of the last big financial collapse. It had got in over its head guaranteeing dodgy financial instruments.
        
        Rattue’s article:
        
        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11835068
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 5:41pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Keep it to yourself – Sonny Boy
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtRxJDb3vlw
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 8:13pm
    - Rodney Randall
      
      ISS Steph?
      
      Does the International Space Station now support throwing Gays out into the vacuum?
      
      5 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 2:45pm
- Southern Raider
  
  Maybe he can’t spell and he thought it was BMW not BNZ and wanted to make a protest after they stripped him of their ambassador role
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 11:51am
  - Colville
    
    How will he get on with the AIG logo on the black shirt?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 7:42pm
Pongo

Jack Tame keeps peddling the only reason people voted for Trump and Brexit was because they were racist. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11834793
Nothing to do with the failure of the EU on pretty much everything or that Hilary was an appalling candidate after 8 woeful years of Obama. Nope you dont agree with me and my circle of twitter friends so you are a racist.
52 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:34am
- mikenmild
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  No, not the only reason, but the racist vote was solidly behind Trump and Brexit.
  
  3 49
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:40am
  - gravedodger
    
    And the Black lives Matter movement was Ummm,
    don’t think those racists voted for Trump,
    
    22 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:33am
  - Rich Prick
    
    Ever been to the Mid-West? I’d suggest you actually experience where 70% of Americans live, rather than making guesses based on your prejudices.
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:31am
    - stephieboy
      
      Rich Prick , 70% where Americans live ??
      
      Talk about guess work !
      
      1 14
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:26am
      - Rich Prick
        
        OK, it may be 65%, do Google us+population+density+map.
        
        The result may surprise you, although I’m assuming you can identify the Mid-West.
        
        7 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:47pm
      - Rich Prick
        
        How’d that Google search go stephie? Or are you that wanker we all went to school with who never knew the answers but was always the first to say we’re all wrong? Yeah, thought so.
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 8:36pm
  - Viking2
    
    You have the facts to prove that then.
    
    I note that both Google and Facebook are setting up fact checking algorithms and will display a code alongside news items.
    
    So that’s you repeaters of fake news about to get nobbled.
    Great.
    
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/91354921/pants-on-fire-google-wades-into-the-world-of-factchecking-content
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:52am
  - Tirebiter
    
    The US Midwest is no more racist than the rest of the country. But in the rural areas outside of the bigger cities, which are more liberal, they are very Christian and conservative and have been over the last few decades the most damaged by US domestic policy that favors the rich and powerful on the coasts.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 10, 2017 1:51am
- RF
  
  The more I hear Tame burbling on, I am convinced that he and the boy child from the Greens are twins.
  
  Pure drivel.
  
  You will remember that boy child only had one vote for the Greens co-leader position and that was his. The wide mouth frog won.
  
  33 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:25am
  - MCos
    
    I don’t like TV1 with my muesli so I don’t turn it on. Maybe you should do the same & you’ll start the day in a better frame of mind.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:30am
- Peter
  
  “For me, it’s still the race thing. For all the economic marginalisation and arguments over healthcare, so many who supported Brexit and Trump did so by condoning racial hate.”
  
  Oh, Jack. Really? Reeeally?
  
  Seeking to get back political control of your own country from Brussels and moving to protect the borders from dangerous European immigration policy is “condoning racial hate”?
  
  Is there a German term for “the danger of using selective samples”?
  
  13 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 11:01am
duggledog

MCos

‘So a party that promises to rip up the treaty…’

No, that’s just being silly.

As I posted on the Trump thread, failure to address serious issues such as those I listed, lead inexorably to political figures such as Trump and here, Winston Peters.

Who I presume neither of us want implementing radical policy – but there it is.

We take leaps of faith into the political abyss (Brexit, Trump) when the professional political class refuse to address our concerns.

I can’t make it any simpler than that.
21 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:41am
Chuck Bird

MM, in the case of Brexit you are confusing religion with race.
13 4
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:46am
- Happychappy
  
  Winston wants to be the NZ Brexit and all of his Policy is based around religion and race.
  
  10 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:18am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Is Winston politic’s Billy T James? It must be nice being able to say what you like without being labelled racist.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:44am
Huevon

The Daily Mail has scenes of the Swedish prime minister crying like a baby at a ceremony for Islam’s latest victims. Trump was right – Sweden is lost. If a Muslim lunatic murdering innocent people can’t move a country’s leader to righteous anger, nothing can be done. God help us if we let a single one more in here.
33 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 9:15am
- Inandout
  
  That is what happens when you breed generations of Swedes with the message that another world war must never happen, and the best way to stop this is by being sweet to one another. The citizens get softer and softer by each generation, more tolerant, more forgiving, and thereby more susceptible to violent behaviour. They have no inbuilt anger to respond to terrorists, and soon fall back on lighting candles and mouthing inanities about ‘inner strength’ and such meaningless New Age tripe.
  
  And left wing Swedish views such as this (referring to the new wave of nationalism) are what has led to this terrorist situation:
  “They work exactly like Trump, scaring people, and these days it is really easy to do that,” Berggren said. “Is immigration to blame for terrorism? Absolutely not. We are all in this together.”
  
  Stupid is as stupid be.
  
  24 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:53am
  - Huevon
    
    He would rather die than have someone on Facebook compare him to Trump. Well, that will soon be arranged.
    
    16 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:08am
Stars And Stripes

Labour Party promises to cut immigration
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11834706.
“Labour is promising to cut immigration in a bid to curb Auckland’s rampant growth and creaking infrastructure”.

Yeah good policy but let me guess cuts will only be made to richer immigrants while poor Islanders and various other third world wasters still arrive in unchanged numbers.
Of course our poster boy darlings, the refugees will also probably be increased in number just to make all the dribblers feel warm and fuzzy inside.
21 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 9:45am
- holysheet
  
  It’s all in Liarbores plan to find the missing million voters. They were never here, but suddenly they have been found in the islands and refugee camps around the world. Lets bring them here and we will increase our voter base.
  
  18 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:54am
VicParking

Alison Mau
Reporters earn far more than sewerage treatment workers – and they just throw it around while Sewerage workers have to pick it up.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/91309643/alison-mau-teacher-aides-should-be-paid-as-much-as-prison-guards–they-dont-have-tasers-to-defend-themselves
15 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 9:46am
- Happychappy
  
  Your not a old grump after all I got a laugh from your reply to Alison Maui. ?
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:42am
Hugh Pavletich

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY: BLAME SUPPLY SAYS SIR RALPH NORRIS … AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (ABC)

Housing affordability: Blame supply for high prices, not tax breaks, says former banker – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-08/blame-high-house-prices-on-supply-not-tax-breaks/8427226

As crowds flock to property auctions in Sydney and Melbourne this weekend, former banker Sir Ralph Norris says blame a lack of supply for the sky-high prices likely to be achieved.

Sir Ralph said surging demand is driving home prices up in Australia’s two biggest capital cities, not generous tax policies or lax bank lending practices.

Sir Ralph finished in the role of CEO at the Commonwealth Bank in 2011 and is now the chairman of building company Fletcher Group.

He said a shortfall of supply will continue to be a problem because of significant population growth.

“The issue is going to be around appropriate infrastructure, and also land release policies,” he told Business PM. … read more via hyperlink above …

Ralph Norris – Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Norris

Smith v Twyford (quoting Pavletich) … Q Time NZ Parliament 22 March 2017 – Youtube
… via GONE GONE GOING section …

http://www.performanceurbanplanning.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YznZ6HjUmFU
2 21
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 9:53am
- Hugh Pavletich
  
  Auckland’s Urban Woes: The Never Ending Earache Agony ! …
  
  Auckland under pressure: How to solve Auckland’s transport, housing and water problems – Bernard Orsman – National – NZ Herald News
  
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11831599
  
  … extract … Mayor Phil Goffs comments …
  
  … Q Can you confirm that you envisage using infrastructure bonds funded by targeted rates on new developments to fund some/most/all of the cost of infrastructure for greenfields developments? Do you envisage these being held as debts on the Government’s books rather than the Council’s, so as not to breach the Council’s borrowing limits?
  
  A The Council is constrained by a debt-to-revenue ratio. We are close to that limit and do not intend to breach it as that would have major implications for the cost of debt to ratepayers and availability of credit.
  
  We are exploring other mechanisms to fund infrastructure including Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund and targeted rates on large developments. … read more via hyperlink above …
  
  … LET THE NUMBERS DO THE TALKING …
  
  … What Catherine Harris of Fairfax New Zealand wrote March last year …
  
  The missing piece of the Auckland housing puzzle (Houston) | Catherine Harris | Fairfax NZ
  
  http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/77529177/The-missing-piece-of-the-Auckland-housing-puzzle
  
  In Houston, Texas, there’s no such thing as a housing shortage.
  
  The state’s biggest, blue-collar dominated city rolls out as much as is needed, and land is cheap. Real cheap.
  
  A decent house that might cost more than a million in Auckland will set you back US$200,000 to $300,000 in Houston. … read more via hyperlink above …
  
  Meantime folks … an update from the Lago Mar development, Texas City, Houston – Galveston … for some REAL market pricing ! …
  
  Residential Boom Bolsters Texas City – Houston Chronicle / Construction Equipment Guide
  
  http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/residential-boom-bolsters-texas-city/33599
  
  Texas City, better known for petrochemical landscapes than landscaped subdivisions, is poised for an unprecedented growth spurt as the region’s residential boom continues its southward advance.
  
  The Houston Chronicle reports the transformation of a vast expanse of interstate-fronting prairie into a mixed-use commercial hub began with a fancy outlet mall and a sprawling Buc-ee’s. It continues with the 3,300-acre Lago Mar subdivision, now in the early stages, that eventually will add up to 7,000 homes on the edge of the Galveston Bayside town. To top it off, construction of an adjacent amusement park is now under way.
  
  Texas City officials predict that by the time Lago Mar is filled up, an estimated 15 years from now, the development will have added as many as 12,000 residents to the city’s current population of about 48,000. By comparison, the city added about 7,000 people between 1990 and 2017. … read more via hyperlink above …
  
  Lago Mar | Homes for Sale near League City, TX
  
  http://lagomarintexascity.com/?gclid=CNrnq6StidMCFYSYvAodqIgMDw
  
  Lago Mar in Texas City, TX, New Homes & Floor Plans by CastleRock Communities
  
  https://www.newhomesource.com/communitydetail/builder-9404/community-96386#refer=GPPC600&gclid=CLzL-M6tidMCFdgGKgodD6cLlg
  
  2 23
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:57am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….snort!!
    
    Oh shit, I woke up and Hugh was still here with his endless drivel.
    
    20 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:46am
    - stephieboy
      
      You seem to have a very low tolerance threshold as per usual.
      
      0 13
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 12:17pm
- Keeping Stock
  
  Why do you keep having to use Australia to make your point Hugh? Surely the New Zealand housing market, and the Auckland market in particular, hasn’t gone off the boil.
  
  23 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:58am
  - Jack5
    
    Keeping Stock, I don’t follow the Auckland housing market, but the NZ Herald has reported that the Auckland was down in the last three-months reporting period, and more properties were on the market compared with a year ago.
    
    However, there was a similar dip a year earlier, and Waiheke Island values are still growing.
    
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11809133
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:17am
    - Jack5
      
      I did find Hugh’s quoting of Ralph Norris interesting. Few if any New Zealanders have reached the height in Australasian banking that Norris did.
      
      Significant remarks are attributed to Norris: ” … shortfall of supply will continue to be a problem because of significant population growth.”
      
      Housing is only one of the sectors coming under pressure from population growth. In NZ, the health sector is creaking as demand overwhelms ability to supply, our jails are now too small, our schools are pretty much broke, and transport infrastructure is inadequate.
      
      This is the result of the smoke and mirrors economic policy of “bring in the population and growth necessarily follows”. It’s the bullshit that by merely lifting the country’s population to 5 million, or 10 million, or X million, we will suddenly become an economic champion.
      
      GDP may grow. However, the true measure of wealth, GDP per capita, does not respond (in NZ it fell in the last quarter reported) to this political chicanery.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:40am
  - Hugh Pavletich
    
    Keeping Stock … Thank you for the excellent points you make.
    
    First … There is a massive political problem in Australia, with certain vested interest deliberately attempting to derail the issue, by not focusing on the structural issues of land supply and infrastructure financing.
    
    I am particularly pleased to read the ABC article and Sir Ralph Norris focusing on these two issues. He is a very grounded guy with an outstanding track record and integrity.
    
    Second … The supply situation nationally here in New Zealand and in Auckland is woeful … roughly just 6.5 units per 1000 population per annum. Note the superb Donad Ellis Graph at the top of this article of mine from late last year … RESTORING AFFORDABLE HOUSING: AN ADVOCATES TALE (pdf) …
    
    http://www.performanceurbanplanning.org/RESTORING-AFFORDABLE-HOUSING.pdf
    
    Speculators will be acutely aware the days of artificially inflated land / house prices are coming to a close … very rapidly.
    
    Just reading the GONE GONE GOING section of my archival website http://www.PerformanceUrbanPlanning.org makes that abundantly clear.
    
    4 9
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:29am
    - Hugh Pavletich
      
      Jack5 … New Zealand has a very degenerate public service … that makes a habit of screwing up just about everything it touches.
      
      Immediately following the first Christchurch earthquake events 4 September 2010, within a few days I had penned this article … CHRISTCHURCH: A BUREAUCRATICALLY BUGGERED CITY …
      
      http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1009/S00237/christchurch-a-bureaucratically-buggered-city.htm
      
      These jerks mean that what should have cost about $20 billion will likely cost around $50 billion.
      
      To say nothing of the bureaucratic brutalization and heartache involved.
      
      In short … we had earthquake events and political / bureaucratic disasters.
      
      And we are still having them … e.g. … the central city traffic fiasco.
      
      Following the 4,500 strong Peoples Protest 1 February 2012, mid that year I outlined the solutions … CHRISTCHURCH: THE WAY FORWARD …
      
      http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1206/S00251/christchurch-the-way-forward.htm
      
      Note how … in contrast … the smaller adjoining local government units of Waimakariri and Selwyn are performing to at least a reasonable standard. Why ?
      
      You may find this article from Spiked by Frank Furie (h/t PH) of interest … ON TRUTH: A REVOLT AGAINST DEFERENCE …
      
      http://www.spiked-online.com/spiked-review/article/a-revolt-against-deference/19611#.WOl7uvl97X5
      
      ‘ … When political commentators talk of the emergence of a post-truth world, they are really lamenting the end of an era when the truths promoted by the institutions of the state and media were rarely challenged. It’s a lament that’s been coming for a few years now. Each revolt of sections of the public against the values of the elites has been met with the riposte that people are no longer interested in the truth. What the elites really mean is that people don’t care about their version of the truth. So when the French celebrity philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy asserted that people have ‘lost interest in whether politicians tell the truth’, he was venting his frustration at an electorate that no longer shares his values. … read more via hyperlink above…
      
      And too … you may find this Youtube speech by Victor Davis Hanson of the Hoover Institution following the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election instructive as well …
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7pQdqPzozc
      
      Jack5 … There are very big changes in the wind … both here in New Zealand and internationally.
      
      2 13
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 12:28pm
      - Hugh Pavletich
        
        Economist Josh Ryan-Collins: How Land Disappeared from Economic Theory … h/t NL
        
        For classical economists, it was a factor of production, and the source of “rent.”
        
        http://evonomics.com/josh-ryan-collins-land-economic-theory/
        
        By Josh Ryan-Collins
        
        Anyone who has studied economics will be familiar with the ‘factors of production’. The best known ‘are ‘capital’ (machinery, tools, computers) and ‘labour’ (physical effort, knowledge, skills). The standard neo-classical production function is a combination of these two, with capital typically substituting for labour as firms maximize their productivity via technological innovation. The theory of marginal productivity argues that under certain assumptions, including perfect competition, market equilibrium will be attained when the marginal cost of an additional unit of capital or labour is equal to its marginal revenue. The theory has been the subject of considerable controversy, with long debates on what is really meant by capital, the role of interest rates and whether it is neatly substitutable with labour. … read more via hyperlink above …
        
        0 4
        Report
        April 9, 2017 5:32pm
Keeping Stock

A jury will return to the High Court is Wellington tomorrow morning to continue its deliberations over whether Andrew Little defamed Earl and Lani Hagaman last year.

Despite it having been made public on Thursday night that the statement in question was still visible on the Labour Party website, it has not been removed. The link below is still live this morning, repeating allegations which may well be found by a jury to be defamatory

http://www.labour.org.nz/auditor_general_must_investigate_niue_deal_for_donor

Is the Labour Party organisation so stupid that it continues to expose itself to the risk of legal action for publishing a possibly defamatory statement? Or is the party determined to punish Mr and Mrs Hagaman for as long as the party can, simply because they gave their own money to National?
37 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 9:56am
- ztev
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Shining the Hagamans shoes now are you ?
  
  4 46
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:25am
  - Nukuleka
    
    ztev: pure and unadulterated bitchy nastiness as always. Bringing and joy and happiness to the world around you. Saddo.
    
    35 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:32am
    - Keeping Stock
      
      He really wants to make floating voters choose Labour Nukuleka. Yeah right.
      
      19 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 10:52am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    Not at all ztev, whoever you are today. I would have thought that the Labour Party and its top brass, being stone-dead broke, would have done everything in its power to avoid even the possibility of being involved in a lengthy and expensive defamation case.
    
    That they haven’t suggests that Labour is motivated by malice, just because someone donated money to the other team.
    
    29 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:34am
    - Paulus
      
      I am still not convinced that Angry Andy will not be smiling on Monday.
      I can not comment further as it is still before the Court
      
      8 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 10:59am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    Oh, by the way it should be Hagamans’ ztev. Literacy fail there.
    
    20 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:51am
    - mikenmild
      
      ‘Literacy fail there’ is not a sentence.
      Please refer to Muphry’s Law.
      
      2 25
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:05am
      - Keeping Stock
        
        Please refer to Muphry’s Law.
        
        Can I be so bold as to presume you meant to say “Murphy’s Law” there mikenmild?
        
        24 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:10am
      - Jack5
        
        Nope, I think Milky means Muphry’s Law.
        
        I’ve flalen fuol of it otfen.
        
        Here is a definition:
        
        (a) if you write anything criticizing editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written;
        
        (b) if an author thanks you in a book for your editing or proofreading, there will be mistakes in the book;
        
        (c) the stronger the sentiment expressed in (a) and
        
        (b), the greater the fault;
        
        (d) any book devoted to editing or style will be internally inconsistent.
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_law
        
        16 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:20am
      - PaulP
        
        KS, he does mean Muphry’s Law. Here’s a link.
        https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphry%27s_law
        
        5 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 11:30am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    What have they done to you?
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:15am
  - stephieboy
    
    ztev, very amsuing . Keep it up.
    
    Wonder what $ 2.00 shop Mr Hagaman bought that hair mop from .?
    
    0 25
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 12:18pm
    - Keeping Stock
      
      “amsuing” – that’s a Freudian slip, right Stephieboy? As in “Earl Hagaman put down that papers and said “That’s it, I amsuing Andrew Little.””.
      
      15 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 12:22pm
- Paulus
  
  Didn’t they in earlier times give both to Labour and ??ACT ?
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:57am
  - Keeping Stock
    
    So it is rumoured Paulus. I’m sure the Labour Party didn’t regard Earl and Lani as Rich Pricks when the coin was rolling into Fraser House.
    
    21 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:05am
    - pdm
      
      Or give it back!!!
      
      15 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 11:59am
VicParking

Our race relations squasher has had a go at Golliwog dolls. This subject comes up two or three times a year and depending on your view they are horrible racist or a harmless toy. Its all in the mind of the beholder and not what Susan thinks.
What about Japanese dolls, Russan dolls or Maori dolls. I personally think that European dolls are an affront to “little people” and should be band. Action fiqure dolls are an affront to War and just encourage violence. As for Sex dolls they and the activity they encourage should be againt the law.
Susan do your Job and rid us of this evil forever.
24 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 10:04am
- holysheet
  
  I have a set of those matryska russian dolls that reduce in size. These can be considered an affront to little people, always being over shadowed by the larger ones. Quick get rid of them before Dame devoid or the uman wrongs commisserate get my address and drags me off to the gulag.
  
  22 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:16am
  - wiseowl
    
    Hope you provide a ‘safe space’ for them Holy.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 10:54am
  - Sidey
    
    I hate those Russian dolls. They’re so full of themselves.
    
    28 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:35am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Barbie too, unrealistic expectations lol
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:21am
  - Rich Prick
    
    I’m surprised our squash-player hasn’t declared Barbie’s neither region an example of the capitalist running-dog subjugation of wimmin. Mind you, Ken is pretty pathetic too.
    
    0 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 8:20pm
Nookin

So much for the heartfelt apology. Too late to get that before the jury, though.
19 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 10:04am
- Keeping Stock
  
  Hagaman vs Kirton (First Defendant) and New Zealand Labour Party (Second Defendant) has a nice ring to it…
  
  22 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 10:36am
Stars And Stripes

Why loving dogs is good for your health, study shows
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11834926
“Several studies have shown spending just a few minutes with a furry friend can lower anxiety and blood pressure and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, two neurochemicals that play roles in producing feelings of calm and well-being”.

“Loving your dog” or spending a few minutes with your “furry friend” is recommended by the Herald as therapeutic.
The readers in Mt Roskill will be sympathetic.
9 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 10:06am
- Paulus
  
  A dog is the only “person” who at every opportunity gives unconditional love without question.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 11:00am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    My last two dogs took every opportunity to escape from enclosures, more stress that stress relief lol. Give me a cat or two or three. 😉 Not Holysheets sort though lol.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 11:04am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Indonesians starting to love dogs (for dinner)
  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11835124
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:34pm
  - Jack5
    
    Dog eating is big in Asia, and surprisingly in parts of rural Switzerland.
    
    The nasty bit is the cruelty, with reports of dogs being roasted alive in Indonesia. I guess their other meat slaughtering techniques and facilities are pretty rough, too.
    
    I reckon cruelty to animals is an indication of likely cruelty to human beings.
    
    Here’s a link to a critique of how imported Australian cattle are treated:
    
    https://www.rspca.org.au/sites/default/files/website/Campaigns/Live-export/Cattle-to-Indonesia/Live_exports-scientific_report.pdf
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:26pm
holysheet

“Several studies have shown spending just a few minutes with a furry friend can lower anxiety and blood pressure and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, two neurochemicals that play roles in producing feelings of calm and well-being”.

Why worry about a dog, I find Mrs holys furry thing has a similar affect on me
13 6
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 10:20am
- Viking2
  
  😆
  
  Me too.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:04pm
  - nasska
    
    Mrs holy’s furry thing V2?
    
    Poor woman must have trouble scheduling time to do the cooking & cleaning. 🙂
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 12:12pm
    - stigie
      
      Keep it well oiled holysheet that’s a good chap !~
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 1:05pm
- itstricky
  
  Unfortunately, her anxiety and blood pressure triples when she finds out you post such comments here…
  
  4 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:32pm
- Paulus Gnome
  
  Mines a sphynx
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 2:16pm
- ztev
  
  So she has a merkin ?
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 4:15pm
Rachael Membery

I wonder when the insurance pays out for the Lindauer’s?
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 11:02am
Jack5

I read Douglas Myers has died. He was one of the business leaders who led the push for changes allowed by Roger Douglas’s reforms.

In his own beer business he was bold in reforms, but it was disappointing that his early foray into a newly opened-for-trade China failed, and I guess in the long run led to NZ’s biggest brewery being foreign owned.

Still he was a reforming NZ business leader at the right time.
16 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 11:02am
- Paul Marsden
  
  Wonderful man, wonderful life, who has made a wonderful and lasting contribution to NZ. RIP Sir Doug
  
  15 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 11:47am
- Stars And Stripes
  
  Rich capitalist prick who got the natives hooked on grog and caused rape culture to become endemic in NZ.
  The spirulina’s and organic tofu will be downed all night long at the university’s women’s affairs department.?
  
  14 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:16pm
  - itstricky
    
    Do you ever find it ironic that your desperate attempts to parody bitter and twisted leftists actually requires you to take any topic (e.g. someone’s passing) and apply your own bitter and twisted to it?
    
    3 22
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 12:24pm
    - Stars And Stripes
      
      Never really been a fan of mine have you itstricky.
      Yeah well there are a couple of others on here who voice their displeasure every now and again as well so maybe you could all get together sometime and have a good old moan over a latté or even a spirulina.
      
      16 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 1:01pm
      - Kimbo
        
        Not me. Your one of my favourites S&S. Indeed, I’m a fanboi. Anyone who can post:
        
        For someone who so cherishes other cultures and the diversity dividend it is amazing how sometimes your knowledge of basic details is woefully lacking.
        It is spelt Filipinos Stephieboy, not Philippinos.
        Even a bigot like me knows that
        
        …has got my vote. Hope you figure highly among the Mt Roskill Grammar Alumni! 😉
        
        11 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:10pm
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        Well given Mt Roskill Grammar’s Alumni features such illustrious individuals such as Graeme Hart I don’t think S&S stands much of a chance of featuring prominently.
        I will instead take pride in small achievements such as possibly being the biggest bigot the school has produced.
        
        8 0
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:27pm
      - MCos
        
        If, as you say, you are a first rate bigot and still live in Mt Roskill, you won’t need much imagination to keep yourself in your preferred state of constant outrage.
        Too bad if you get hit by a bus in Stoddard Rd. One of those Muslims down there might have to resuscitate you with – Shock Horror – mouth to mouth!
        
        2 5
        Report
        April 9, 2017 3:14pm
      - Stars And Stripes
        
        Hey right on cue one of my other perennial “fans” makes a cameo appearance.
        Just need one more to make a trifecta.
        As for your comment about still living in Mt Roskill, well you really are showing your newbie status there MCos as I left that shithole and all it’s savages ages ago and much prefer to denigrate it from a distance now.
        
        5 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 3:35pm
      - MCos
        
        My apologies.
        I haven’t been pay you as much attention as you feel you deserve.
        
        2 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 4:28pm
      - sam green
        
        He’s in Huntly now.
        
        2 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 5:53pm
      - mikenmild
        
        Sorry, someone from Huntly describes Mt Roskill as a shit hole?
        
        3 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 6:00pm
      - stephieboy
        
        Huntly ?
        
        Thats what S & S likes to describe as South Auckland.Not to be confused with Otara or Flatbush ( I think ? )
        
        1 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 8:08pm
- MrTips
  
  He was a really interesting guy. I recall Bruce Logan from Maxim telling me that Sir Doug called to meet him in the mid 2000s with a view to perhaps funding Maxim in some way. Bruce was expecting a full on business Q&A and plan assessment etc.
  
  Instead, Sir Doug simply asked “what is the theological thing called grace. Tell me Bruce, what is grace?”
  
  There was much more to him than beer and bucks. Requiescat in pace.
  
  8 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:45pm
Kimbo

Heather du Plessis-Allan on why free speech is under attack:

There are complex reasons why these shout-downs are happening, but some of it at least has to do with social media. There was a time when the thin-skinned among us would have had their hurts moderated by the crowd, but now they have found like-minded people on Facebook and Twitter. They validate each other and draw the courage to protest.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11833854

Uh, huh. And the shit storms that the MSM fan over those social media false-ups nothing to do with it? So to summarise, HdP-A wants to blame us for a problem the sector she belongs…has primarily caused.
16 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 11:19am
- itstricky
  
  I don’t read it as “her blaming you”. How did you come to that conclusion?
  
  4 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:30pm
  - Kimbo
    
    Then you weren’t reading carefully (justified adverb!). My emphasis of du Plessis-Allen’s one specified reason for the alleged increased attack on free speech:
    
    …some of it at least has to do with social media.
    
    Now, before you give in to the Pavlovian response to reject that answer, I suggest you take a breath, then do some research into what the word “social” means, and, when linked with “media” what…and who that entails. Written in the unlikely (justified adverb!) hope I have facilitated you doing some thinking for yourself rather than your usual trolling.
    
    6 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 1:02pm
    - itstricky
      
      I asked a genuine question. I’ve no idea why you’ve jumped off the deep end into personal insults of my intelligence. I’d always considered you measured but you seem to see the worst in people some times.
      
      To quote the entire paragraph:
      
      There are complex reasons why these shout-downs are happening, but some of it at least has to do with social media. There was a time when the thin-skinned among us would have had their hurts moderated by the crowd, but now they have found like-minded people on Facebook and Twitter. They validate each other and draw the courage to protest.
      
      She implies that social media is a contributor to the problem which has enabled thin skinned people to have a bigger voice than they should otherwise have.
      
      Unless you’re a thin-skinned person who constantly pushes your offence out on to others, I don’t really see that she’s blaming you, specifically.
      
      4 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 2:08pm
  - Kimbo
    
    …and as further indication of your poor reading comprehension-skills, I didn’t say
    
    “her blaming you”
    
    I said (and I even had italics for emphasis!)
    
    “So to summarise, HdP-A wants to blame us…”
    
    Now write it down a hundred times…and if it’s not done by sunrise, I’ll cut your balls off.
    
    8 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 1:15pm
    - itstricky
      
      I find your English grammar reflections and corrections entertaining and funny. “Cutting your balls off” lecturing, however, has just strayed into the just-plain-weird department.
      
      Sure, if you refer to everyone who isn’t in the media industry as being ‘us’ – great, understand. But she quite clearly singles out “thin skinned people”
      
      6 8
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 2:12pm
      - Kimbo
        
        I asked a genuine question. I’ve no idea why you’ve jumped off the deep end into personal insults of my intelligence. I’d always considered you measured but you seem to see the worst in people some times.
        
        You have past form, so you do not merit the privilege of the usual courtesies. And I’ve referenced you in my posts in the past for that reason. Not my fault you don’t pay attention. Hence I mentioned your trolling in this thread. Another strike against your reading comprehension skills.
        
        She implies that social media is a contributor to the problem which has enabled thin skinned people to have a bigger voice than they should otherwise have.
        
        Unless you’re a thin-skinned person who constantly pushes your offence out on to others, I don’t really see that she’s blaming you, specifically….Sure, if you refer to everyone who isn’t in the media industry as being ‘us’ – great, understand. But she quite clearly singles out “thin skinned people”
        
        So you’re not taking my hint on the “social media” clue? You can lead a horse to water…
        
        I find your English grammar reflections and corrections entertaining and funny.
        
        Hmm. I may have spoken too quickly (justified adverb!). There is maybe a possibility for our relationship to recover. Name drop “Kimbo’s law” and all will be forgiven, and, it could be, to quote the famous movie line, “the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
        
        “Cutting your balls off” lecturing, however, has just strayed into the just-plain-weird department.
        
        Then as a gift to seal our potentially blossoming friendship, I present the following to widen your literary and cultural frame of reference by introducing you to Monty Python from whence I took it:
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIAdHEwiAy8
        
        6 3
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:48pm
      - itstricky
        
        You have past form
        
        Trolling? One man’s sarcasm is another’s trolling. I’ve never set out to deliberately get a rise out of people, or fish for one. Quite often, here, you find that “trolling” is used as a synonym for “person I don’t agree with”.
        
        Further, sarcasm is not conveyed in the medium so it’s quite easy to get the two confused.
        
        As an example:
        
        to widen your literary and cultural frame of reference by introducing you to Monty Python
        
        I’m well aware of Monty Python. I’ve watched a bunch of the sketch shows, and The Holy Grail a couple of times. I love Cleese and Palin as comedians. I’ve seen Time Bandits, and read Gilliam’s co-written ‘Good Omens’. I’ve been know to use ‘and now for something completely different’ in my vernacular.
        
        But… if you attack my integrity and intelligence, then jump in with a “cut your balls off” line, my interpretation changes. I can’t see your wink, you can’t see my quizzical look, I can’t say “what?”, you can’t say “didn’t you get the reference?” and it ends with me thinking you’re a weirdo or even worse – (gasp) a “troll”.
        
        So you’re not taking my hint on the “social media” clue?
        
        We just disagree on what the identified cause was.
        
        3 4
        Report
        April 9, 2017 4:56pm
      - Kimbo
        
        In light of my failure to reference adequately, that is a fair critique. My apologies for the confusion. And thank you for your clarification, “I’ve never set out to deliberately get a rise out of people, or fish for one”. I will cease in future to treat you like a troll, and in light of your knowledge of the Python canon, henceforth consider you a valued source of knowledge and discourse.
        
        Now, as I am shameless whore when it comes to creating a meme in my name, about that endorsement from you for Kimbo’s law…
        
        6 2
        Report
        April 9, 2017 5:18pm
Manolo

CNN fails again:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4393938/Syrian-chemical-attack-victim-hits-CNN-journalist.html
10 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 11:37am
- holysheet
  
  from the report
  “Eid then went on to fully thank President Donald Trump, and say that he supports the efforts that he is making in the Middle East. He also thanked all of Trump’s supporters and anyone who voted for him”
  
  How can this be true. Surely it’s fake news. A Syrian actually saying something nice about Trump.
  Quick stooopidboy, get on here and say something to bring us to our knees with your wisdom. Say this person is wrong./////////////
  
  13 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 11:57am
  - Fletch
    
    There was a similar report on Prime News on the day where the U.S launched the missiles. Prime asked a Syrian living here what he thought about it and he was all in favour of Trump’s action. Didn’t see anything like this on 1 News.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 5:30pm
    - mikenmild
      
      I guess we need to wait for opinion polling of Syrians to find out how many are in favour of more bombing of Syria.
      
      1 6
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 5:35pm
    - stephieboy
      
      Fletch , you will find it unnnerving that Ann Coulter and Paul Joesph Watson oppose the action .
      
      Also the President’s 180 degree turn in 24 hours .
      
      1 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 5:39pm
    - cha
      
      he was all in favour of Trump’s action.
      
      China’s thrilled too, with the act of a weakened politician who needed to flex his muscles.
      
      Chen added that many Chinese were “thrilled” by the attack because it would probably result in the United States becoming further mired in the Middle East.
      
      “If the United States gets trapped in Syria, how can Trump make America great again? As a result, China will be able to achieve its peaceful rise,” Chen said, using a term Beijing employs to characterize its growing power. “Even though we say we oppose the bombing, deep in our hearts we are happy.”
      
      https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2017/04/08/after-xi-leaves-u-s-chinese-media-assail-airstrike-on-syria/
      
      btw Fletch, I know how much you hate it when the POTUS goes golfing yet not a sausage from you about the fifteenth trip to a golf course in eleven weeks …..?
      
      http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/327941-trump-heads-to-florida-golf-club
      
      3 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 7:17pm
cmm

“I don’t know what’s going on in Woolston. It’s happening more and more often.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/91369569/christchurch-dairy-worker-robbed-at-knifepoint

I know exactly what’s happening in Woolston: scummy, over-entitled low life.

From a young age they’ve been told how they have been ripped off and are entitled to more. So they feel nothing robbing people.
19 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 11:51am
Viking2

http://www.usasupreme.com/watch-always-need-check-drones-filming-isis-propaganda-video-booom/
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 12:10pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Time to get the Grecian Bottle out again, chaps
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11834786
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 12:16pm
- holysheet
  
  God forgive these scientists for they don’t know fuck all.
  Scientists have discovered hair whitening can indicate an increased risk of damage to arteries supplying the heart with blood.
  
  They believe some of the biological mechanisms driving coronary artery disease are also responsible for greying hair.
  
  It’s called old age. My dad lived to be 89. had white hair in his 50’s. Never had anything wrong with his heart. I am the same, started greying at 55.
  When can I expect my heart attack, as according to these fuckwits I am long overdue?
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:53pm
  - itstricky
    
    God forgive these scientists for they don’t know fuck all.
    
    If you look very very closely you will see that the article states:
    
    Scientists have discovered hair whitening *CAN* indicate
    
    As with lots of things of a complicated nature, in biology in particular, there’s rarely a 1-to-1 cause and effect. It will be one of a number of indicators, the presence of which, suggests a higher risk of heart disease.
    
    And having one example of one person who didn’t display this individual trait doesn’t counter than many 100’s or 1000’s that would have had to have displayed it in order for it to be labelled ‘statistically significant’.
    
    No wonder climate change is such a hot topic around here.
    
    3 13
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 1:09pm
    - holysheet
      
      Using your logic, white hair *CAN* indicate global warming?
      
      9 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 1:43pm
      - thedavincimode
        
        Now, I’ve heard that somewhere …
        
        8 1
        Report
        April 9, 2017 1:45pm
      - itstricky
        
        Using your logic, white hair *CAN* indicate global warming?
        
        And you prove my sentence correct. Well done. Uptick for you.
        
        5 5
        Report
        April 9, 2017 2:02pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    I got my first grey hairs in my 20’s, of course I blame my eldest son lol.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 7:16pm
- thedavincimode
  
  Earl Hagaman was already onto that Maggy.
  
  2 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 1:45pm
Manolo

Another lone wolf? It happens even in peaceful Norway:
http://news.sky.com/story/norway-suspect-held-as-bomb-like-device-found-in-oslo-10831164
13 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 12:22pm
- stephieboy
  
  Manolo , careful you might give certain persons ideas . Consider the carnage if every adult Muslim in Sweden got into trucks and rammed shopping malls running over pedestrians etc
  
  0 19
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 12:29pm
  - Manolo
    
    But, but, but…you would immediately claim they are NOT true Muslims, wouldn’t you?
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 12:46pm
  - holysheet
    
    As long as you were one of them stoooooopidboy then we would forgive them
    
    10 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 12:54pm
stephieboy

It now seems obvious that President Trump was prompted by Hillary Clinton rergarding the attacks on the Syrian airfied,
0 17
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 2:22pm
stephieboy

Link as per above,

https://qz.com/952656/hours-before-trump-ordered-missile-strikes-on-syria-hillary-clinton-said-the-us-should-attack-assads-airfields/
0 13
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 2:23pm
Jack5

Is this more evidence that Trump was right about Muslim chaos in Sweden?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4393590/Police-officers-Stockholm-attacked-STONES.html
8 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 3:22pm
- Longknives
  
  Sweden has gone to absolute Shite..
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 7:20pm
  - sam green
    
    Never been there myself. When were you last there Longknives?
    
    3 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 8:13pm
    - Jack5
      
      Are you saying, Sam Green, that people can have opinions only on countries they have visited? If so, would you like our passports cleared with our host, DPF?
      
      5 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 9:17pm
Stars And Stripes

Almost 45 and still robing up as a church altar boy
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/91370311/almost-45-and-still-robing-up-as-a-church-altar-boy

Eat you heart out Nasska?.
Mind you I suspect you can sit down easier than this guy though.
7 3
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 3:24pm
- nasska
  
  After forty odd years he’ll likely be the next Goatse Man. 🙂
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 4:03pm
  - Nostradamus
    
    I must admit I initially misread it as “rubbing up” as a church altar boy!
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 4:12pm
    - mikenmild
      
      Lubing up?
      
      5 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 9, 2017 5:08pm
      - Longknives
        
        He is Intellectually Handicapped.
        Stay Classy Mikenmild and Co…
        
        2 5
        Report
        April 9, 2017 7:19pm
Jack5

NZ privacy laws can hurt citizens.

Police say that because of privacy laws they were unable to tell the father of a family with whom a deported Australian killer was living. Police, who were arresting the felon on meths charges, found at the house a loaded pistol.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/91344416/convicted-killer-deported-to-nz-and-unsupervised-pleads-guilty-to-meth-charges
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 3:49pm
cha

Hold on to your stomach.

A pool with a glass bottom. I don't think I'm that brave. ? pic.twitter.com/ij5pJ97Yfa— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 8, 2017

http://www.marketsquaretower.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Sky-Overhang.jpg
2 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 4:00pm
Jack5

In a post in the last few days about the new firearms law I mentioned how 3D printers facilitate home production of firearms, and mentioned Cody Wilson, the American selling a milling machine that facilitates home manufacture of an assault rifle.

I hadn’t realised Wilson has a very strong individualism philosophy. He is an anarchist. In the Youtube film linked to below you can meet Wilson, and his Ghost Gunner. This is a CNC (computer controlled) milling machine that comes with a software that makes a key component for your Joe or Jill Public who have ditched knitting and piano lessons for time for the slightly less boring hobby of making an assault rifle.

Home computer-controlled milling machines will become cheap and small enough for home users, the way wood-working power tools have. The power of thousands of brains becomes available to each user through internet swapping of programs for the machines.

Their inevitable use for making firearms is going to challenge democracies.

Meet Cody Wilson and the Ghost Gunner:

https://youtu.be/dqioRuzFl5I
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 4:57pm
- cha
  
  Their inevitable use for making firearms is going to challenge democracies.
  
  Because metallurgy is a thing I reckon hand/maxillofacial surgeons will be challenged long before democracies are.
  
  2 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 5:19pm
  - Jack5
    
    Keep your head in the sand, Cha. Then only your arse will get blown off.
    
    4 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 5:28pm
- Tirebiter
  
  What’s the big deal? You can already legally buy after market kits to alter your legal M-16 or AK-47 semi-auto into an illegal full-auto. No need to invest in a milling machine, you can already ‘legally’ circumvent the law. Isn’t unregulated capitalism wonderful?
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 10, 2017 2:07am
krazykiwi

Interesting. ETA have been around since 1959, and have a (non recent) history of attacking nuclear power stations, assassinating politicians & judges, and kidnapping. There have been ceasefire agreements – 1999 and 2006. And now this:

Basque separatists ETA deliver weapons inventory to French police on ‘Disarmament Day’

The Basque separatist group ETA has given the French police a list of arms caches in southwestern France under its unilateral initiative to disarm, informed sources told AFP on Saturday.

The caches are located in the departments, or counties, of the Gers, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées, they said. The French interior ministry said that the so-called “Disarmament Day” was “incontestably important” and a “major step”.

French Interior Minister Matthias Fekl said ETA had handed authorities a list containing eight arms caches sites.
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 5:22pm
krazykiwi

Love the expression .. ‘sanitise’
Indian, Chinese, Pakistani warships rescue bulk carrier from pirates in Gulf of Aden

Warships from India, China and Pakistan operated jointly in the Gulf of Aden to rescue a bulk carrier attacked by Somali pirates on Saturday night.
:::
Immediately after receiving an SOS from the vessel, the Indian Navy diverted two one of its warships, INS Mumbai and INS Tarkash, in the direction of the bulk carrier.
:::
Chinese, Pakistani and Italian warships in the vicinity also reached the spot. The Chinese navy sent a team of 18 men to sanitise the 178-metre merchant vessel, with the Indian Navy providing the communication link and air cover for the operation with its helicopters.

I wonder how many burials-at-sea resulted from their sanitation efforts?
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 6:45pm
Viking2

So SBW can erase his sponsors tags.
When will he be taking his second wife?
What else will he demand?
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 7:15pm
- stephieboy
  
  Who cares ?
  
  1 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 8:14pm
nasska

A little known fact……the desert locust can eat its own weight in food in a single day.

The only other creature on the planet to accomplish this feat is the American.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:11pm
publicwatchdog

BREAKING REPORT ….

Petraeus Working Behind the Scenes With McMaster to Put Troops on the Ground in Syria

“The McMaster-Petraeus plan calls for 150,000 American ground troops in Syria.”

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/04/breaking-report-petraeus-working-behind-scenes-mcmaster-put-troops-ground-syria/

Cristina Laila Apr 8th, 2017 11:41 pm 247 Comments

According to a report by independent journalist, Mike Cernovich, current National Security Advisor, H.R. McMaster is manipulating intelligence reports given to President Trump regarding Syria.

Via Mike Cernovich:

McMaster is plotting how to sell a massive ground war in Syria to President Trump with the help of disgraced former CIA director and convicted criminal David Petraeus, who mishandled classified information by sharing documents with his mistress.

As NSA, McMaster’s job is to synthesize intellience reports from all other agencies. President Trump is being given an inncurate picture of the situation in Syria, as McMaster is seeking to involve the U.S. in a full scale war in Syria.

The McMaster-Petraeus plan calls for 150,000 American ground troops in Syria.

….”

Penny Bright
2 14
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 8:44pm
- Jack5
  
  You support Bashar al-Assad using nerve gas against adults and children, Penny?
  
  Lot of contradictions in your protests.
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:30pm
  - mikenmild
    
    Not a binary choice, you know.
    
    2 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:35pm
  - Jack5
    
    Do you want Milky to answer for you, Penny?
    
    He’s reading your mind – that is the bits a gentleman like Milky can repeat: ‘I dunno about Assad, Jack, but I always oppose America.’
    
    4 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 9, 2017 9:43pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  I’m sure the UN has a job for someone with your peacekeeping talents Penny.
  Why don’t you get Aunty Helen to fit you in somewhere?
  Oh forgot, she got the arse card…..
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 9, 2017 9:48pm
- Keeping Stock
  
  You’ll be delighted to hear Rachel Smalley praising Trump this morning Penny, and agreeing that troops on the ground is the only way that the atrocities in Syria will cease. I nearly spilt my cup of tea when I heard her.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 10, 2017 5:58am
BeeSting

next time you are taking a Safe Holiday in Aus

Spare a Thank you to Assad and Putin

for sending so many of their Home Grown
Jihadhis to Hell
0 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 9, 2017 10:41pm
Manolo

More Islamic terror:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4394838/Thirteen-killed-42-wounded-Cairo-church-bombing.html
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 10, 2017 6:44am
Manolo

Sweden pays a high price:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/04/09/stockholm-suspect-was-failed-asylum-seeker-2nd-man-arrested.html
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 10, 2017 6:58am

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Bipartisan support for Trump on Syria

Maybe have fewer kids? »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Highlights

The Kiwis are fleeing
Inflation by term
Houston we have a problem
Our immunisation disaster

Never miss a post

Email Address

Links

Geoff Parker: Corey Hebberd’s humbug taken to task
Breaking Views
A crisis of ambition
Point of Order
What happened to academic freedom?
Hompaddock
Who is a bigger coward? Te Papa Board or TVNZ Board?
The Daily Blog
Silence is Golden
No Minister
Response from Devin Pope, on religious attendance
Utopia
Open mike 20/04/2024
The Standard
A who's who of New Zealand's dodgiest companies
No Right Turn
"Under a better Resource Management system [sic], there would be no need for fast-track approval processes."
Not PC
Despair - construction consenting edition
Offsetting Behaviour
RACIST ADVERTISING
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Is the state coming for churches?
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
Super Rugby Predictions for Week 9
Stats Chat
Coalition Promises
NZCPR
Tougher than that
Croaking Cassandra
ABs stripped of 2011 title after try disallowed
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker
Angie Warren-Clark: Meet the Newbies
Dan Moskovitz

editor@kiwiblog.co.nz

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d