General Debate 16 September 2008

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OECD rank 22 kiwi

Good to see Sarah Palin working her magic in the US.

McCain has got the presidential race all sewn up!
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September 16, 2008 8:11am
labrator

Great to see Lehmans allowed to fall on its sword. Should’ve happened to Northern Rock, Bear Stearns and the Fannie/Freddie combination. Governments should never bail out stupidity.
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September 16, 2008 8:27am
Dr Robotnik

DPF, can you please get rid of that banner ad? It’s making me nauseous.
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September 16, 2008 8:40am
Falafulu Fisi

Hey DPF, is there a National Policy for ditching funding for useless programs such as TV2 Sensing Murder? They received one million funding earlier this year. If National will cut this bullshit & useless spending, then I will tick my electorate vote for Nikki Kaye in Auckland Central (since there is no ACT candidate there).

Our Universities & Schools are crying out for more funding which is very hard to get, but TVNZ can easily find 1 million to fund this bullshit/useless/fraudent/misleading program such as Sensing Murder, which is a waste of taxpayers money.

This program is a collusion between TVNZ and the production company.

There are honest entrepreneurial people in the society who worked very hard to achieve their status as celebrity/fame/wealth/good-role-model Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, such Annette Presley, Peter Maire, Graham Hart, Owen Glen, Rod Drury and many more, which they deserve it and should be applauded.

There are also scums in the society who got there, not by achieving anything, but by the stupidity of the populations. That’s right, you need a stupid/illiterate population to make you a millionaire/celebrity/popular-sort-after-speaker/TV-appearances by believing bullshit such as psychics. Some of those who had reached that status via the gullibility of the population include Sylvia Browne , John Edwards, Deb Webber, Kelvin Cruickshank and Sue Nicholson and many more.

Good on Russel Brown (at least I agree with him on this) for questioning the ethics behind this fucking rorting of the public purse to fund this Sensing Bullshit.

Even this idiot Paul Henry from TVNZ breakfast show, was at awe with Debb Webber’s psychic power when he interviewed her last year around the time of the disappearance of 3 year old Madeleine McCann. Paul Henry is one of those stupid in the population that helps propelled scums like Deb Webber into becoming a celebrity.
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September 16, 2008 8:44am
Fisiani

If You go to https://secure.elections.org.nz/app/enrol/ you can see the equivalent of the clock of a ticking bomb. It is the second by second countdown to electoral oblivion of Labour
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September 16, 2008 8:52am
gazzaj

DPF, can you please get rid of that banner ad? It’s making me nauseous.

Download Firefox and install the “AdBlockPlus” extension – you’ll never see a banner ad again 😉
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September 16, 2008 8:59am
Gooner

Falafulu Fisi – ACT does have a candidate in Auckland Central. His name is Scott Uren and he is a successful restauranteur. But you’re right, don’t vote for him. Give ACT your party vote!
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September 16, 2008 9:00am
PhilBest

OECD Rank 22 Kiwi;

Yep, it’s been too long on Kiwiblog without a good Sarah Palin debate.

Here’s Mark Steyn in full flight:

Mad How disease [Mark Steyn]

“The Washington Post’s media man, Howard Kurtz, is mad as hell and he’s not gonna take it for more than another couple decades or until the management buy-out offer improves:

“The media are getting mad…..”

Whether it’s the latest back-and-forth over attack ads, the silly lipstick flap or the continuing debate over Sarah and sexism, you can just feel the tension level rising several notches.

“Maybe it’s a sense that this is crunch time, that the election is on the line, that the press is being manipulated…”

Yes, indeed. Howie feels the press is being “manipulated” by the McCain campaign.

Maybe it is. A conventional launch strategy for a little-known vice-presidential nominee might have involved “manipulating” the media into running umpteen front-pagers on Sarah Palin’s amazing primary challenge of a sitting governor and getting the sob-sisters to slough off a ton of heartwarming stories about her son shipping out to Iraq.

But, if you were really savvy, you’d “manipulate” the media into a stampede of lurid drivel deriding her as a Stepford wife and a dominatrix, comparing her to Islamic fundamentalists, Pontius Pilate and porn stars, and dismissing her as a dysfunctional brood mare who can’t possibly be the biological mother of the kid she was too dumb to abort. Who knows? It’s a long shot, but if you could pull it off, a really cunning media manipulator might succeed in manipulating Howie’s buddies into spending the month after Labor Day outbidding each other in some insane Who Wants To Be An Effete Condescending Media Snob? death-match. You’d not only make the press look like bozos, but that in turn might tarnish just a little the fellow these geniuses have chosen to anoint.

John Hinderaker has more on Kurtz’ descent into madness, while Roger Kimball calls the last two weeks an “act of auto-immolation” by the media. Alas, while setting their own pants on fire, Howie & co also managed to spill the lighter fluid all over Barack’s coronation robes. The other day Boston’s “alternative” paper ran a piece lamenting that MSNBC being so obviously in the tank for Obama is, in fact, damaging the Obama campaign. As Orrin Judd says:

“Even if it isn’t particularly true, the notion that Keith Olbermann defeated Barack Obama needs to become conventional wisdom, just to drive the Left bonkers.”

Indeed. When Howie claims he’s getting really really mad, I wonder if he realizes he sounds like Elmer Fudd warning Bugs Bunny “You’re making me vewy vewy angwy”* right after he’s shot his own butt off…….”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA………
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September 16, 2008 9:06am
philu

this is palin-funny..

http://whoar.co.nz/2008/tina-fey-as-sarah-palin-on-saturday-night-livevery-funnytodays-must-watch/

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 9:18am
philu

fisi..you never answered that question..

..are you a virgo..?

..phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 9:19am
democracymum

Interesting comments today from research on political honesty

* Labour bucked the trend in its 2002-2005 term, delivering on 82 per cent of its key pre-election policies.
But how many policies did they introduce during this time that were not part of their manifesto?

*It fell again to an average of 62 per cent following the introduction of the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system.
If Labour have been in power for the previous 9 years all of which have been under MMP – what does this say for their trustworthiness during this time?
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September 16, 2008 9:25am
Redbaiter

Good graphs on left wing media bias. Take out the “remove this-”

removethis-http://www.gallup.com/poll/110359/Republicans-Cry-Foul-Media-Coverage-Palin.aspx

Interesting part of it is this-

Percentage who have no trust at all in mainstream media-

Independents 23%

Republicans- 31%

Democrats- 10%

Clearly shows what I have always said, that the left’s claims that the media has a right wing bias are deliberate lies. The left have by far the lowest level of mistrust in the media. The reality is THEY KNOW THE MEDIA IS IN THE TANK FOR THEM.

This though does not stop the left from organised camapigns of faux protest (letter writing camapigns etc) that seek to drive the media even further left.

If there is one issue that characterises almost everything the left do or say, it is deceit.
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September 16, 2008 9:40am
FletcherB

Hi there everyone…

This morning I drove past Craig-Avon Park in Blockhouse Bay, Auck, to see a Greens and Labour Bill-board smashed to the ground and a National one still standing.

I can understand, that on a certain level, this may provoke a “ha ha, good job” response….

But if you are inclined to do this yourself… think about the message it’s sending.

I’m an undecided voter….. now I realize, to some of you, I’ve just already admitted I’m an idiot…. but I’m not such an idiot that I will vote blue simply because its the only sign I can see….. and it also sends a message about the way (at least one) blue supporter thinks and acts….. and its not something I really want to associate myself with. I’d suggest its actually more negative than positive for the blue campaign over-all.

I also realize there are idiots on all sides…. I just hope its not representative.
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September 16, 2008 9:43am
Redbaiter

Reasons to stay away from policy.net. Trotter’s blog, monitored by Bryan [Blog Producer] Spondre. The unprincipled scumbags there will publish your IP address if you upset them. (easily done)
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September 16, 2008 9:43am
Patrick Starr

FletcherB how do you know its not done by Labour party people to give undecided voters like you the very thoughts you are having?
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September 16, 2008 9:50am
lloydois

Still Obama’s to lose.
http://www.pollster.com/blogs/915_lunchtime_status_update.php
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September 16, 2008 9:51am
FletcherB

“FletcherB how do you know its not done by Labour party people to give undecided voters like you the very thoughts you are having?”

I dont. And I had thought of that too…. Although it seems unlikely, as presumably the Labour supporters will be setting it back up right now. Also… although the green sign was flat against the ground…. it just needed re-setting…. The labour one was totally destroyed…. broken sticks, cut up panel.. So it’s going to cost Labour some money as well as time to fix it.
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September 16, 2008 9:57am
s.russell

democracymum – the points are in reverse order.
Scoop reports:

[McClusky] says his research found both the Labour and National parties were better at keeping their word prior to 1984, averaging about 80 percent delivery on pre-election promises. Between 1984 and 1996 the level dropped to an average of 69 percent. A further decrease to an average of 62 percent followed the introduction of the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system.

Mr McCluskey says despite the trend, Labour delivered 82 percent of its key pre-election policies during its 2002-2005 term.

“This suggests that higher average levels of promise-keeping may be restored as New Zealand’s MMP structure matures,” he says.

Labour has in fact been pretty good at keeping their promises. The problems are that they promised bad things and they have done many bad things that they never hinted at before being elected.
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September 16, 2008 9:58am
s.russell

FletcherB’s point about the billborads is excellent. The smashing of Labour billboards makes National look bad even if National is not responsible. In just the same way, the vitriolic and petty attacks on Sarah Palin make the Democrats look bad, even if they are not responsible for them.
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September 16, 2008 10:04am
nh

FletcherB,
As someone who spent 9 hours this weekend putting hoardings up for National, I can assure you that elsewhere in the city that your Blockhouse Bay situation is being reversed with National ones being the ones selected for the treatment – although that does sound bad with that Labour one being cut up. It is rather demoralising that idiots do this – and I’m sure that no political party would condone it no matter how strongly they felt. No matter your political leanings there is still respect that volunteers give up their time to get out and do what is tiring work only for them to be knocked down overnight.
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September 16, 2008 10:49am
dime

Anyone seen this from Dick Morris?? his columns are worth a read.

Obama has never gone out of his way to relate to women. Only seven of his top twenty Senate staff positions are filled by women (McCain has thirteen of twenty) and women on Obama’s staff earn 83 cents for each dollar his male staffers are paid. (McCain pays his female staffers $1.04 for each dollar he pays to his men).

From the very first moment Obama entered the presidential race, feminists resented him for trying to stop Hillary from becoming the first woman to be elected president. In the minds of feminists, the fifteenth Amendment (giving blacks the vote) competed with the nineteenth (women’s suffrage) for national attention. Even though women had to wait more than fifty years longer than African-Americans to get the vote, feminists were in no mood to let a black man get elected in place of a white woman, especially if her name was Hillary Clinton.

it then goes on to talk about the polls, how well mccain is doing with women etc.

Put a fork in it! McCain’s got it won.
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September 16, 2008 10:50am
slightlyrighty

Where do the posters see the big battles being fought on an Electorate by Electorate basis? There are certain electorates that certain parties seem to be hanging their hat’s on so to speak, such as Act in Epsom, United Future of course will keep going in Ohariu Belmont, but where are the other battles going to be?

Wellington Central should be interesting. It is not that long ago that the seat was held by ACT in the form of Richard Prebble, and the right has 2 strong candidates in Heather Roy and Stephen Franks. Sadly I can see Labour retaining the seat due to the splitting of the right vote, but Labour’s candidate does lack a certain appeal to the center vote, so the result could be closer than last time when Hobbs won with a large margin.

Rimutaka became more of a fight when it became a potential NZ First lifeboat by Ron Mark announcing his candidacy in this electorate. Paul Swain has been a great servant for his electorate and is well regarded, but his retirement, and the redrawing of the boundaries, along with changing demographics in the electorate will make for an interesting fight. Now that NZ First is perceived as a left leaning party, will a split in the center left vote allow National to take the seat?
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September 16, 2008 10:52am
slightlyrighty

Oh yes, as an aside, a work colleague of mine received a phone call the other night at his home. It consisted of a few beeps and then a recorded message to the electorate by Trevor Mallard.

That’s right folks, save the shoe leather, forget talking to the electorate, Trev is campaigning by remote control!!!!!!!!!

My colleague felt it just reinforced the fact that labour does not listen!
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September 16, 2008 10:56am
philu

as one who has done time..more than once..putting up green party billboards..

..i reckon billboard smashers are fuckwits..

..i mean why deface/destroy something as funny/ineffective/self-defeating..as nationals’..’make them suffer..(?)..or something..billboard images..

(or is it ‘national..let us clean your clothes..!’..nobody seems to know..)

..are you sure you aren’t using the ad agency the greens used last time..?

..phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 10:57am
philu

and have you seen aucklands’ new logo..?

..it’s fucken hilarious..!..

..it’s a big capital a..(i can’t bring myself to touch that caps lock key..)

..that looks like a symbol of urban degradation/decay/

..crumbling cliffs/ failing infrastructure/

..and/or ‘an a having a bad hair day’..

..and so..in one sense..

..it’s sorta cinema verite in local body logos..

..and perhaps should be admired for its’ brutal honesty..

..but/if for little else..

..phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 11:03am
Ross Miller

If philu went to Australia would it raise the IQ of both countries?
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September 16, 2008 11:12am
Inventory2

Peters and Henry have changed their story – AGAIN

http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2008/09/more-bizarre-by-day.html
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September 16, 2008 11:20am
wreck1080

On the NBR website:

Documents posted on the Treasury website reveal that in late 2006 officials valued the New Zealand’s rail system at $120 million, some $570 million less than the price the government paid for the business in July this year.

So, NZ taxpayers lost 570million because because Cullen had a wet dream.
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September 16, 2008 11:25am
philu

“..If philu went to Australia would it raise the IQ of both countries?..”

dunno ross..the last coupla times it was measured it was around 150..

..i’ll allow for some seepage..

..but..

..whaddayareckon..?

..phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 11:38am
Patrick Starr

“..i reckon billboard smashers are fuckwits..”

Yeah, I guess same mentality as fuckwits who vandalise Wikipedia….whaddayareckon..?
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September 16, 2008 12:44pm
Buggerlugs

Prime Minister Helen Clark officially opened Fashion Week, lauding its contribution to the growing profile of New Zealand fashion exports and our creative industries
Oh fuck off about the creative industry, you old hag. Most Kiwis couldn’t give a fuck, and the ones who can afford to buy this shite aren’t going to vote for you anyway.
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September 16, 2008 1:11pm
philu

starr..dpf has already posted on the fact that someone impersonated me..

..on that malicious edit of keys’ profile on wikipedia..

..was it you..?

..you fancy yourself as a bit of a smart-arse..don’t you..?

..and..

..thanks for giving me the opportunity to clear that up..

..eh..?

..can’t have you spreading lies..and getting away with it..

..eh..?

..starr..?

(a tad oxymoronic with the choice of web-name there..eh..?)

..and on the evidence to date..

..you aren’t so much a star..

..as a dull glow..

..can we call you pat dull..?

..phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 1:34pm
Chuck Bird

I guess it could be argued you are smarter than many of us on this blog. After all you are not working and living off out taxes.
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September 16, 2008 1:49pm
philu

yeah..i am raising my son..on the dpb..

..and you are a retired(?) slum landlord..

..eh..?

(psstt..!!..somewhat shaky (high moral) ground there..eh..?..)

..chucky..?

..phil(whoar.co.nz
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September 16, 2008 1:59pm
Patrick Starr

“someone impersonated me..”

must be a hard road being such a popular blogger….eh?

….but I can see why everyone wants to be you..
.given all the friendly discussions you attract on blog sites…

What do you call it – magnetic personality disorder?
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September 16, 2008 2:14pm
Dr Robotnik

Sitting at home, stoned. .eh? )(off your tits, posting utter shite ..heh? and regurgitated news clips ..)ugh?on the interweb all day passes for “raising” ..!!(..)!?.!? children these days does it?..whoar..??!!
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September 16, 2008 2:23pm
Nomestradamus

Phil(u)seless:

“..If philu went to Australia would it raise the IQ of both countries?..”
dunno ross..the last coupla times it was measured it was around 150..
..i’ll allow for some seepage..
..but..
..whaddayareckon..?

..A..general..thread..about..Philu..
..For..once..you..forgot..to..put..a..full-stop..between..the..numbers..
..Unbelievable..!
..So..150..should..actually..be..15.0..
..And..yes..if..we..allow..for..some..seepage..that’s..going..down..down..down..
..Whoar..
..Eh..?
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September 16, 2008 5:24pm
dad4justice

phool is the reason you write millions of dots everytime you post , because you are a growing plant that sprouts tiny caraway sized seeds?
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September 16, 2008 5:30pm
philu

yawn..!

phil(whoar.co.nz)
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September 16, 2008 5:48pm
PhilBest

Can’t resist pasting THIS:

From “Growing Divide in US Society Reflected in Media Follies”, By (retired) Colonel Geoffrey Allard:

“…….Now I might be a moderate conservative rapidly being disabused of his last remaining illusions, but the mainstream media cannot any longer be considered a neutral referee thoughtfully moderating our national dialogue. In reality they are an ideological Fifth Column doing their level best to elect Barack Obama, while maintaining Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in their positions of incompetence.

That realization had barely solidified last Wednesday evening when I joined every other red-blooded American male in falling head-over-heels for Sarah Palin. I had first seen her picture late last year, wearing a camouflage t-shirt and taking target practice with the Alaska National Guard. Call me sexist if you want to but my first reactions – “Whoa! Babe! No wait, Governor Babe!” – were pretty close to what most guys will tell you unless forcibly compelled to lie through their teeth. (Usually out of obligatory political correctness or to preserve marital harmony).

But one of my hot-button issues in books and commentary has been the growing divide between American society – particularly its political and economic elites – and our military. In both the Falklands and Iraq, members of the British royal family have sought out front-line combat service. But there has been a notable absence throughout the war on terror by those latter-day scions of the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Bidens and, yes, even the Bushes. (And Obama? Oh, please!) But suddenly here was Sarah Palin, joining the only national ticket since God-knows-when where BOTH leaders sent their sons off to war. And she did it, looking for all the world like one of those Spartan mothers bravely telling her warrior-son to come back with his shield or on it.

And her speech: oh good Lord, that magnificently fiery, funny speech! I shouted, laughed, cried and shook my fist in triumph at the TV screen. She has already been likened to both Erin Brockovich and an American version of Margaret Thatcher, apt if premature comparisons after only one speech in the national limelight. But that roar you heard was an awakening from a part of America touched neither by Country Club Republicans nor persuaded by the Change Brigade of the Democrat Left. And in Sarah Palin they heard something they liked from a national leader, maybe for the first time in a long while.

So don’t be surprised when NBC anchors look downcast, when agenda-driven press munchkins descend on Alaska digging for dirt or when Democrat operatives like South Carolina’s Carol Fowler charge that McCain picked a running mate “whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion.” These are all unmistakable, irresistible and deeply encouraging signs that “Seabiscuit” may have just entered this race……”
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September 16, 2008 6:00pm
PhilBest

From Cliff Kincaid:

“……McCain campaign manager Rick Davis has told blogger Hugh Hewitt that they will not be making Obama’s relationship with communist terrorist Bill Ayers “a big case in the campaign.” This is an issue that requires no exaggeration, only facts. But it is off the table.

Obama’s running mate was found guilty of plagiarism, which is a form of lying, when he was caught using the life story of a British politician as his own. Biden also cheated in law school. This is far more serious than not knowing the details of the Bush Doctrine, because it goes to the heart of one’s character. But the McCain campaign seems to be giving the Obama-Biden ticket a pass on that, too. They better get their act together before the Biden-Palin debate.

John M. Broder has a fascinating article in the International Herald Tribune about Biden’s recent series of gaffes on the campaign trail. Biden aides are quoted as saying this proves that he is authentic and human.

This is an interesting defense for making a fool of oneself. But if Palin were defended in this way, she would become a national laughingstock. She is expected to be perfect.

Obama has said “Enough is enough” about the misleading McCain ads. Palin should say “Enough is enough” as well. There is no reason to play a game of hangman with the media……”
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September 16, 2008 6:04pm

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