General Debate 6 January 2020

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Mobile Michael

Glenda Hughes piece on Stuff claims Martin Matthews was a political scapegoat over the Joanne Harrison fraud.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/118572713/martin-matthews-case-sets-wrong-example-in-challenging-fraudsters

Matthews oversaw a department with lax controls on reference checking candidates for senior roles, poor controls on false invoicing, not protecting whistleblowers and not following up on concerns raised about potential fraud. As principal officer of the MoT these were things he needed to assure.

Hughes claim that involving the SFO led to his dismissal as Auditor-General are, in my opinion, fanciful and ignore that the Auditor-General role includes providing advise to agencies about adequate controls to prevent fraud.

Matthews history suggests to me he was not the right person for the role.
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January 6, 2020 8:13am
- Chris2
  
  Glenda Hughes uncritical adulation of Martin Matthews raises doubts about her own suitability to be in a management or leadership role. She needs to read the SSC report on the whole affair, before bursting into print.
  
  Matthews was repeatedly warned by numerous staff at NZTA that Joanne Harrison was not following the rules regarding invoicing and he ignored an enquiry from the Australian Police who were trying to locate her. Instead he allowed Harrison to bully and make redundant those NZTA staff who had raised concerns about her.
  
  Shame on you Glenda Hughes.
  
  [Mod: Harrison and Matthews were at the Ministry of Transport. A different mess than the one at NZTA.]
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:07am
  - Chris2
    
    Thanks Mod – yes I am confusing the NZTA and MOT. Matthews and Harrison both worked at the MOT.
    
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    January 6, 2020 9:38am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Glenda Hughes has been employed by Matthews in his attempt to ‘clear’ his reputation. Her opinion piece is not exactly balanced journalism.
    
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    January 6, 2020 9:40am
    - suzieq
      
      It’s not intended to be journalism. It’s an opinion piece.
      
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      January 6, 2020 12:39pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        It’s more of an unpaid advertisement than an opinion piece. Unless Hughes’s personal opinion just happened to coincide with her employer’s.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:22pm
- Prince
  
  Yes I see Matthews was a client of Hughes. Hughes ignores the fact that Harrison’s behaviour (bullying staff over invoice payment, having them removed when they asked questions) was reported to Matthews by the MOT Legal Dept years before the fraud came to light, and he dismissed it.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:18am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  It’s unusual for a newspaper to treat a PR person’s advocacy for their client as an ‘opinion piece’, even with a disclaimer. You’d think this would be treated as an advertisement and the paper would charge for it.
  
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  January 6, 2020 11:13am
  - suzieq
    
    It’s not unusual at all.
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:39pm
  - Tall Man
    
    A good point sir.
    
    The lines of journalism are so obliterated now it is hard to judge between an opinion, fact or straight out bullshit.
    
    I usually judge by the heading. Put ardern’s name in it and it slots right into the bullshit file.
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:44pm
JibberJabber

This why they voted Green…
https://twitter.com/RealAngryAussie/status/1213657254165004288
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January 6, 2020 8:14am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Compulsory viewing.
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:41am
  - Stephieboy2
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    “Compulsory viewing” ?
    
    Why other than confirm your own fears and pet hates!
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:23am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  I couldn’t get a gig anywhere else with this paycheck, that’s why I voted gweens – Chlöe S, Wellington
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:52am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  Where are we? That’s why I voted green – Golriz G, Fijian holiday maker . . .
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:54am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  Chöle and Golriz have my balls in a little silk purse, that’s why I am a green – James S, Wellington, maybe, perhaps , . . .
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:57am
  - Tall Man
    
    Pffft… Balls… I don’t think so.
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:45pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  ‘I want Australian deserts to magically become New Zealand bush. That’s why I voted gweens’ – Stuffy, Kiwiblog Troll
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:15am
- Stephieboy2
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Angryaussie
  @RealAngryAussie
  
  What more could you expect !
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:20am
Maggie Pie

This may be of interest to any Stoners out there 😀
Here’s what the Weedwackers in Illinois pay for their combustible cabbage …. (incl. taxes)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ENQEcVLXsAM_jj5?format=jpg&name=small

[Ma was saying in her day, Maryjane was known as ‘The Assassin of Youth’ ]
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January 6, 2020 8:15am
- The King
  
  $67 a gram! thats about $1800 an ounce
  
  sheeeeiit.
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:57am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    It may be legal but the prices are exorbitant. ‘Medical’ cannabis is being set up for the same regime here. Taxes rule.
    THC free oils should be readily available. I can buy similar in 750ml bottles in NZ readily at only 7 cents/ml. CBD may be a useful anti-inflammatory and some plant phenols have been in use for thousands of years because of effectiveness and safety. I should like to investigate CBD for possible use in my RubItOn range but price does not make it an option. The effectiveness of any prescription may vary from user to user.
    
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    January 6, 2020 9:17am
    - Tall Man
      
      https://rubiton.co.nz/from-babycare-to-kevs-miracle
      
      Hey Kev, you look a little pickled there 😉
      
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      January 6, 2020 12:50pm
      - KevO'Brien
        
        I’m not a drinker. My Grandmother had hotels and the six o’clock swill put me off.
        
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        January 6, 2020 5:31pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Good luck with the business… Don’t be surprised if I give you a call. I was only taking the P a bit 🙂
        
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        January 6, 2020 6:36pm
  - info@cruzpro.com
    
    At those prices the gangs won’t be worrying about going out of business.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:21am
    - Sideoiler
      
      At those prices the gangs won’t be worrying about going out of business.
      
      You will be able to grow 4 plants with out fear of prosecution, there will be no need to buy from the gangs or the government.
      
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      January 6, 2020 10:44am
      - Engelbert Humperdink
        
        Well, since stoners can’t decide what gender they are, can’t make do with one of two bathrooms, can’t cycle on a road, can’t handle disagreement, can’t mow lawns / put up shelves / hold down jobs and contribute to society instead of leeching — I’d suggest they won’t manage to keep 4 plants alive till ready for harvesting.
        
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        January 6, 2020 12:48pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Yep, home brewing has certainly fucked the beer barons………..
        
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        January 6, 2020 12:51pm
  - freethinker
    
    Cheaper to buy Gold.
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:32am
    - Tall Man
      
      Harder to light though.
      
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      January 6, 2020 12:51pm
  - Swifty
    
    Wild Thai is a concentrated resin (sauce).
    
    Price is linked to product potency.
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:42pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  Ma has just sent thru this link in relation to her earlier comment re: ‘Assassin of Youth’. [ Looks like even back in the 30’s they were linking Marijuana use to murder and suicide! ]
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVSN1TumFfM
  
  CAUTION: contains nudity and scenes some potheads may find upsetting 😛
  
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  January 6, 2020 2:06pm
tedbear

Good morning Kiwibloggers
After learning that Climate Change ignited the bush in Australia and 3000 odd miles from there flooded parts of Indonesia, I’ve accepted that weather and science no longer exists.
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January 6, 2020 8:20am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Has Greta Thunderberg offered her opinion on the Australian bushfires?
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:42am
  - curry4me
    
    Yes, she has. The usual eco-babble.
    https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2020/01/05/greta-thunberg-hits-aussie-leaders-with-bushfire-advice-climate-demands/
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:47am
  - tedbear
    
    Not just that Captain. We have much to thank Greta the Puppet for. Like her imparting her knowledge that million dollar yachts aren’t made from oil and coal but million dollar aeroplanes are.
    Who needs science now we have Greta?
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:53am
    - Stephieboy2
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      “Who needs science” ? Not someting that Trumpeters are richly endowed with!
      
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      January 6, 2020 10:24am
      - herb1
        
        You can be endowed with science?
        Stephie your grasp of , and understanding of english is not good
        
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        January 6, 2020 12:11pm
  - Fletch
    
    She has.
    
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/01/australia-bushfires-greta-thunberg-blasts-australian-leaders-for-lack-of-political-action.html
    
    It’s all about climate change, of course…
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:56am
    - Stephieboy2
      
      Fletch , well it does help us understand why Scott Morrison is in political hot water!
      
      https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-starts-bushfire-repair-with-states-after-weekend-of-confusion-20200105-p53p0s.html
      
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      January 6, 2020 10:26am
    - Philview
      
      I read the Nick Cohen piece in the Otago Daily Times today “But no leader in the world is more abject than the Prime Minister of Australia. He cuts a pathetic figure.”
      
      A journalist can sit at a keyboard, not doing very much in life, and write with a ferocity about a democratically elected leader facing a very tough crisis.
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:26am
  - chaos
    
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/01/australia-bushfires-greta-thunberg-blasts-australian-leaders-for-lack-of-political-action.html
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:56am
  - Sydney Alvarado
    
    She sure has.
    
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/01/australia-bushfires-greta-thunberg-blasts-australian-leaders-for-lack-of-political-action.html
    
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    January 6, 2020 9:01am
    - Batman
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      No less than four eager Greta-linkers.
      
      You guys are either easily triggered or are closet fans! Haha
      
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      January 6, 2020 9:06am
      - Tall Man
        
        No Batman. Someone asked a question and due to “moderation” four helpful posters replied not seeing others also had.
        
        It is merely a perfect example of how moderation has impacted this blog. At least it was only a 30 minute wait rather than the 5 hours some had yesterday.
        
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        January 6, 2020 9:29am
      - Batman
        
        Stop complaining and email DPF to volunteer if you feel so strongly.
        
        Edit: and actually, I would add that thanks to the ceaseless bitching from some commenters about moderation, one of the Mods has left so we are now down a person. So, think on that.
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:26am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Or are reflecting the fact that our MSM is quick to fill up their papers/airwaves with the pronouncements of folks with an image and zilch knowledge.
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:06am
      - chaos
        
        Or perhaps people like to know what the media are reporting and read the news. You should give it a go instead of being a dick about it
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:12am
      - Batman
        
        Oh chill out, it was a joke!
        
        Given the amount of hate the media gets here (sometimes justifiably), it’s at least amusing.
        
        Also, I think newshub is the most trash of all our news outlets so I’m surprised that three people linked from there!
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:16am
      - Sydney Alvarado
        
        A morbid fascination is not the same as a fan.
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:15am
      - Batman
        
        Hah! I’ll give you that, Sydney!
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:29am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Oh chill out, it was a joke!
        
        Funny,
        I would have thought moderators would not be into having a swipe at commenters who were just providing requested information.
        
        (and no, Batman, I won’t be volunteering for moderation duties… as clearly, my interpretation of the rules on this blog have never coincided with that of our host)
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:49am
      - Tall Man
        
        Batman I’m sorry that you chose to see my comment as a personal attack, it wasn’t.
        
        I was merely replying to you and telling you exactly why there were four replies when pre moderation there would have only normally been one.
        
        I have no issue with you posting as Batman or commenting, when relevant, on another’s post just as you have no problem with me identifying when ardern is lying. I see that comment as an observation just as my noting the multiple replies are linked to moderation lag is an observation.
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:15am
      - Batman
        
        I don’t take it personally but commenters should be aware of the results of whining and complaining.
        
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        January 6, 2020 12:06pm
    - Stephieboy2
      
      [Mod – deleted for duplication. If people want to follow links, they will. There’s no need to post them over and over again.]
      
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      January 6, 2020 10:29am
- freemark
  
  According to Greta & other Catastrophists CO2 causes climate change..
  Climate change creates fires..
  However CO2 is one of the best fire suppressants known..
  I think I better lie-down for a while and work on my business case
  ?
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:18am
  - Stephieboy2
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    CO2 is a greenhouse gas that is linked to global warming and hence Austrlia’s highest average national temperatures
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:32am
    - tedbear
      
      highest, if you ignore the year 1896
      http://joannenova.com.au/2019/12/hottest-ever-day-in-australia-especially-if-you-ignore-history/
      
      Clever stuff that CO2. Part of it can start fires and put them out. So us mere earthlings can do the same and without matches.
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:30am
- tedbear
  
  The blame for the horror of the Australian bush fires can be placed fairly and squarely on Green policies.
  https://www.smh.com.au/national/fined-for-illegal-clearing-family-now-feel-vindicated-20090212-85bd.html
  
  “Mr Sheahan is still angry about his prosecution, which cost him $100,000 in fines and legal fees. The council’s planning laws allow trees to be cleared only when they are within six metres of a house. Mr Sheahan cleared trees up to 100 metres away from his house.”
  Six metres is a joke.
  
  Councils are revealing how brainless and clueless they are when they reckon a wall of flame from a hundred trees ablaze a mere seven metres from your house is sound council policy.
  Australian planning laws mean trees are more important than human lives and their houses.
  
  There’s something seriously amiss in the heads of bureaucracy when landowners can’t cut down trees and clear scrub to protect their own property.
  
  The greenies should be charged and jailed for the blood they have on their hands with all the lives lost in Australian bushfires. Had these man made greenie decisions occurred a few hundred years back, the greenie nutters would have been rounded up and executed, possibly burnt at the stake to make a point.
  
  And yet another example of blood on their hands – the greenies here prevented the Pike River mine from being open cast.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:00am
  - JackRabbit
    
    The same happened with London Floods. In the 90’s Greenies campaigned to stop the dredging of the Thames river in London, citing it was unfair to the river mussels. Dredging is important for flood control. It is a process which removes silt from river channels so that water can flow through.
    
    So inevitably, without maintenance dredging, the Thames flooded London. Then the Greenies cried that the London flooding was caused by Climate Change.
    
    But then the council back tracked and unreservedly apologised for having not dredged.
    
    The same has happened in many cities world wide that have rivers running through them.
    
    Greenies, sabotaging the human health and the environment since 1971.
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:07pm
  - JackRabbit
    
    The same happened with London Floods. In the 90’s Greenies campaigned to stop the dredging of the Thames river in London, citing it was unfair to the river mussels. Dredging is important for flood control. It is a process which removes silt from river channels so that water can flow through.
    
    So inevitably, without maintenance dredging, the Thames flooded London. Then the Greenies cried that the London flooding was caused by Climate Change.
    
    But then the council back tracked and unreservedly apologised for having not dredged.
    
    The same has happened in many cities world wide that have rivers running through them.
    
    Greenies, impacting human health and sabotaging the environment since 1971.
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:09pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Deja vu.
      
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      January 6, 2020 1:26pm
    - sam green
      
      Inevitably the Thames flooded period – it is built on a flood plain.
      
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      January 6, 2020 2:52pm
NK

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
I see the air strike that killed Soleimani also killed some Iraqi officials and now the Iraqi government has voted to expel US troops from there. The assassination has also put our troops lives in Iraq at severe risk.

Trump never thought this through at all. The temporary Iraqi PM supports the expulsion of American troops. He’s the support that Trump needs in the area.

Trump’s showing his complete lack of foreign policy/relations knowledge and experience. He did this purely for electoral reasons. What an asshole.
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January 6, 2020 8:21am
- Simon
  
  NK lol – Snowflake
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:24am
  - curry4me
    
    Now he has the perfect cover to leave Iraq. The ME is a toxic sand box full of toxic nut bars. The sooner the troops leave the better. Let the nut bars kill each other.
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:49am
    - Sydney Alvarado
      
      Yes that is why my support of Israel is unconditional. Surrounded by despots.
      
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      January 6, 2020 9:03am
      - The King
        
        Too bad Israel doesn’t support you. Netanyahu once called our Foreign minister Murry McCully and threatened him with a declaration of war.
        
        If a war between Israel and NZ happened which side would you chose?
        
        Serious question.
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:15am
      - Stephieboy2
        
        Without that unconditional Trump US support Israel would not survive
        
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        January 6, 2020 10:34am
      - barnacle bill
        
        Stephieboy2
        Without that unconditional Trump US support Israel would not survive
        2 7 ReportJanuary 6, 2020 10:34am
        
        That is so true Stehp.
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:50am
      - Billy Collins
        
        The King, Netanyahu didn’t threaten a declaration of war, he said WE were threatening a declaration of war.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:39pm
      - Billy Collins
        
        Stephie,
        
        What does this have to do with Trump? THe US support for Israel has existed way before Trump showed up.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:45pm
      - curry4me
        
        So do I. Because of that. And the fact Jesus was a Jew. Christianity is grafted on to Judaism.
        
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        January 6, 2020 9:28pm
- chaos
  
  There is your reason and no it has nothing to do with the upcoming USA election.
  
  * In mid-October, Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani met with his Iraqi Shi’ite militia allies at a villa on the banks of the Tigris River, looking across at the U.S. embassy complex in Baghdad.
  
  The Revolutionary Guards commander instructed his top ally in Iraq, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and other powerful militia leaders to step up attacks on U.S. targets in the country using sophisticated new weapons provided by Iran, two militia commanders and two security sources briefed on the gathering told Reuters.
  
  The strategy session, which has not been previously reported, came as mass protests against Iran’s growing influence in Iraq were gaining momentum, putting the Islamic Republic in an unwelcome spotlight. Soleimani’s plans to attack U.S. forces aimed to provoke a military response that would redirect that rising anger toward the United States, according to the sources briefed on the gathering, Iraqi Shi’ite politicians and government officials close to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.*
  
  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-soleimani-insight/inside-the-plot-by-irans-soleimani-to-attack-us-forces-in-iraq-idUSKBN1Z301Z
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:28am
  - fernglas
    
    ” Soleimani’s plans to attack U.S. forces aimed to provoke a military response that would redirect that rising anger toward the United States, according to the sources briefed on the gathering, Iraqi Shi’ite politicians and government officials close to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.”
    
    It worked.
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:41am
  - The King
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Imagine believing this garbage.
    
    You believe in WMD’s too?
    
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    January 6, 2020 8:59am
    - Random Punter
      
      In your comment at 10.15 am above, you say that Netanyahu called Murray McCully and threatened him with a declaration of war. With respect, Your Majesty, that is precisely the opposite of what happened. Netanyahu said he regarded New Zealand’s position as a declaration of war on Israel.
      
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      January 6, 2020 10:46am
      - The King
        
        It was a threat.
        
        Discernment people, Discernment, learn the word apply the word.
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:25am
  - KH
    
    @ chaos. The Reuters article misses a few things out.
    The PMU who the USA bombed and thus started this, were prominent in the removal of ISIS. Often assisted by USA airpower.
    Then the USA bombs and kills 25 PMU. Go figure.
    No wonder everybody hates the USA. Very hard for them to work out who is attacking them – everybody wants to.
    I can recall Kiwi veterans of WW2 had much the same view on beingbombed by the USA.
    
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    January 6, 2020 9:03am
    - Inandout
      
      KH, the people of Dresden must have also had thoughts of why they should be treated in such a horrible manner near the end of the war. We humans are a queer lot.
      
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      January 6, 2020 9:23am
      - freethinker
        
        The people of Coventry probably felt the same.Dresden was Bombed in retaliation for Germany Bombing Coventry.
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:41am
      - Jack5
        
        KH says: “I can recall Kiwi veterans of WW2 had much the same view on beingbombed by the USA.”
        
        And we can recall many, many more Kiwi veterans and their families who were grateful for the United States Navy, its marines, and the GIs and airmen who stopped the Japanese expansion.
        
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        January 6, 2020 4:59pm
    - john1234
      
      “No wonder everybody hates the USA.”
      
      Classic lefty view from inside the bubble there. No wonder these people are often surprised by real world events.
      
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      January 6, 2020 10:12am
      - Inandout
        
        john, that statement would encompass billions of non Americans; wow, honest injun?
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:10pm
      - Jack5
        
        Everyone hates the USA? That will be why American dominates world pop culture, then.
        
        American haters in NZ have been very few, but very visible with their placards and shouts while the multitude of citizens were working as normal.
        
        The NZ haters were the stupidest in the communist world. Switched to Mao, after Stalin died, then when the Chinese Reds weren’t red enough, turned to Albania. They actually supported Albanian-style communism.
        
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        January 6, 2020 5:02pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Now we get the supporting story fresh from the pens of “jounalists.”
    
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    January 6, 2020 9:22am
  - Stephieboy2
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    “There is your reason and no it has nothing to do with the upcoming USA election.” ?
    
    More to do with Trump’s impending impeachment!
    
    Deflection time!
    
    2 32
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    January 6, 2020 10:36am
- Maggie Pie
  
  We just heard ex PM James Bolger on 1ZB, expressing pretty much the same views about Pres. Trump as you have NK.
  As my partner said, “Jim’s another old turn-coat lefty that likes to keep his snout well & truly in the trough. Certainly sounds well past his use by date”
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:34am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Best PM NZ has had, in my memory.
    
    1 36
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    January 6, 2020 9:45am
    - Colville
      
      Best PM NZ has had, in my memory
      
      was (Sir) John Key.
      
      There, just finished it for you.
      
      38 4
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      January 6, 2020 10:34am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Nope.
        
        1 25
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        January 6, 2020 11:48am
    - Tall Man
      
      You need to cease whatever you are taking that is robbing you of your memory.
      
      10 2
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      January 6, 2020 12:56pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m really not old enough to recall the Holyoake years.
        
        1 11
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        January 6, 2020 1:28pm
      - Tall Man
        
        And mikey, the Jacka Holyoake years won’t remember you, of that I’m certain.
        
        4 0
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        January 6, 2020 6:39pm
    - kloyd0306
      
      Clearly, you are too young then.
      Shut up, listen and pay attention to those who actually know what they are talking about.
      
      4 1
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      January 6, 2020 5:11pm
    - JamesP
      
      Thus putting a start date on mm’s slide into dementia.
      
      4 0
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      January 6, 2020 5:52pm
  - kloyd0306
    
    Bolger is a disgrace, sucking up to the left.
    He gave us MMP – another disgrace.
    Who knew he was friends with the Mullahs?
    
    36 4
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    January 6, 2020 10:41am
  - Inandout
    
    MP, I used to laugh to myself when Bolger assumed the accent of the person he was speaking with. Now I don’t normally assume the Irish have a weird sense of logic, but Jim certainly fits.
    
    7 1
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    January 6, 2020 2:13pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  TDS
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:42am
- 3-coil
  
  NK – don’t vote for Trump then!
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:48am
  - SGA
    
    NK’s a US citizen?
    
    1 6
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    January 6, 2020 9:03am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      No, 3-coil is a moron, however.
      
      4 18
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      January 6, 2020 9:45am
- softail 1450
  
  NK, the only KB poster to threaten MMA and septicboy2’s stranglehold on the “fuckwitt of the day” award…
  
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  January 6, 2020 8:58am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    I think kingsie just beat them in his comment below.
    
    23 2
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    January 6, 2020 9:12am
- The King
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  He did it for the jews.
  
  6 46
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  January 6, 2020 8:58am
  - Bell-47
    
    And there is it, the moniker of the left, antisemitism. Still sore that Killary lost along with commie Corbyn.
    
    28 3
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    January 6, 2020 10:17am
    - The King
      
      What’s [insert leftist buzzword] about saying someone ‘did something’ for the jews?
      
      He literally did it for the jews, even jews say this.
      
      In fact Israel was told he was going to kill him before even congress was told.
      
      https://www.timesofisrael.com/tv-israel-likely-warned-of-us-plans-to-kill-soleimani/
      
      Who’s the ‘leftist’?
      
      2 27
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      January 6, 2020 10:31am
      - freethinker
        
        I suspect that the operation to terminate soleimani was so critical absolute secrecy was required and Israel could be trusted unlike the DemocRATS who would have leaked it.
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:46am
      - Tall Man
        
        What does “likely” mean in your distorted world?
        
        3 1
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        January 6, 2020 12:58pm
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Mods. Why is this ‘The King’ account allowed to relentlessly put out anti Jewish posts?
    If we wants to have a crack at Israel for its actions – sweet = no worries. Being anti-Zionist is ok as long is its about Israeli State actions.
    But he/she/zher/zhe/IT just keeps targeting ‘Jews’
    
    Its crap and ‘The King’ shouldn’t have these posts published imo
    
    [Mod: We watch his posts carefully. plenty don’t get through]
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:28am
    - The King
      
      Go ahead and explain how my post is “anti-jewish” with out implying or presuming.
      
      I’m pro-jewish people, and i seek to have my own Ethnostate…just like the jews. I admire their stance on 0 refugees welcome, deportation of African migrants and extreme border control.
      
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      January 6, 2020 12:36pm
      - JimBobJoe
        
        I wont respond to another of your posts. You are a relentless race baiter…. your language and your ready evasions show it.
        I won’t engage in debate with you as it just gives you your jollies….
        Ciao
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:12pm
      - Billy Collins
        
        You mean deportation of *illegal* African migrants.
        
        Why would Israel take in refugees who don’t even recognise Israel’s right to exist? That should be at least a bare minimum.
        
        Israel is not an ethno-state. Jews from Ethiopia to Russia are welcome in Israel. It has more to do with values than ethnicity.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:50pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Billy, non Jews are welcome as well. They just have to obey the law like any other country in the world that takes immigrants in and gives them a safe haven.
        
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        January 6, 2020 6:42pm
    - Tall Man
      
      I have a similar view which is based on the treatment I receive with regards to my ardern posts.
      
      7 3
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      January 6, 2020 12:59pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Perhaps I should explain, I can call her a liar as part of a conversation not just out of the blue.
        
        Should king want a rant he should link it to an example.
        
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        January 6, 2020 6:43pm
- SGA
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Trump never thought this through at all. … He did this purely for electoral reasons.
  
  It looks increasingly that way. Perhaps he watched the movie “Wag the Dog” recently. Apparently he has targeted 52 sites for destruction – one for each of the 1977 hostages (for heavens sake, the USA was secretly selling arms to Iran only a few years after that!). I think he has thought it through though.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:00am
  - Inandout
    
    SGA, Orange Man is bad.
    
    15 2
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    January 6, 2020 9:25am
    - SGA
      
      Bad? It’s a good move for internal political consumption – serves as a good distraction from the impeachment circus, the unraveling of whatever progress was supposed to be happening in North Korea, and should appeal to those in his base. Iran is an historical bogey man.
      Similar claims were made about the timing of a US missile attack on a Sudanese factory shortly after the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke, btw.
      
      3 10
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      January 6, 2020 10:39am
- plc
  
  I may be doing you a disservice but I don’t believe for one moment you care for the lives of NZ troops in Iraq.
  
  In fact, I think you would welcome the opportunity for “hugz” by our waste of space PM.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:09am
  - The King
    
    What services are our troops doing in Iraq? there’s an Iraqi teenager in Christchurch whos been plotting terrorist attacks here on our soil.
    
    Why are they there when the terrorists are here because of YOUR vote?
    
    3 21
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    January 6, 2020 10:07am
    - Tall Man
      
      I think we have more than 43 service personnel.
      
      4 1
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      January 6, 2020 1:00pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  NZ should immediately withdraw our personnel from Iraq. There may be a risk to any coalition remaining there after the US attack, in Baghdad, n Iraq’s allies.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:43am
- Nermal
  
  Is it the Iraqi government, or just the Shiite faction, as opposed to the Sunnis & Kurds, who are celebrating?
  
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  January 6, 2020 12:07pm
oldpark

Wait there is more. The non binding directive by 180 members of the Iraq parliament for all foreign trooops to be out of that country is no more than a token demand.
In affect the real directive has to come from the Iraq Prime Minister who in the past invited foreign troops into Iraq to off set terrorists groups like ISIS,maybe even the blood soaked Iranian Terrorist like the one called Qassem Soleiman fresh from attacking and directing the assault on the USA Embassy.
NZs soldiers in Iraq of which there are circa 45 will be coming back to NZ as planned anytime soon .
That should at least satisfy the far left lunatic walnuts in the Green/ Liebour parties who are grandstanding against our troops being there in Iraq at the request of the Iraq Prime Minister.
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January 6, 2020 8:23am
- The King
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Do you have to be far left to not want troops in a foreign land thousands of miles away bombing brown people for no reason at all?
  
  Is this some White Supremacy thing i’m not told about?
  
  I don’t care about brown people being bombed what i care about is bombing them then inviting them here by the thousands because ‘refugees’
  
  What is the point of all this? whats the end game? a stable middle east? LOL.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:07am
  - mark15
    
    All those different sects within a certain religion in the same place?
    Never happen.
    
    9 1
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    January 6, 2020 9:27am
  - Inandout
    
    TK, you have said enough to nail your colours to the mast; perhaps you should crawl back to Green Party HQ.
    
    17 2
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    January 6, 2020 9:27am
    - The King
      
      Answer my questions and ill jump on your ship buddy.
      
      What is the point of all this? Whats the end game?
      
      We’ve been in Afghanistan for 20 years how much more? another 20 years? how long will we be in Iran for? 20 years also?
      
      Tell me, why do we have troops in the middle east? and why are we taking refugees from the villages our troops raid?
      
      Just answer the questions without the need to attack the questions or the person asking personally.
      
      5 23
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      January 6, 2020 10:51am
      - Tall Man
        
        Obviously you’re not as smart as you think.
        
        It is obvious that the US sees itself as the world’s policeman as do most other nations.
        
        They are not there to solve anything, just minimise the destruction.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:22pm
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    King, it is always a left thing to conflate race\gender or any other form of identity with issues that have no real link with that identity.
    “Bombing brown people”, “Is this some White Supremacy”. Straight from the leftist play book.
    You then go on to jump the shark by implying that we will invite them here by the thousands. Why would that happen, when they are Muslim, living in an Islamic country? Surely that is exactly what they want and no amount of coercion could tempt them into moving?
    And your last comment must be some sort of joke. The middle east has NEVER been stable. Mainly because of a stone age religion.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:21am
    - The King
      
      No. There is no ‘implying’ this is reality. This is what has been happening. We send our troops into [insert brown country] bomb them, then send the refugees from the bombs here.
      
      Stop living in fantasy land.
      
      Here’s a pro tip anyone coming from the middle east or any country “identifies” as whatever country they come from.
      
      Exhibit A: Golriz”i’m an Iranian-New Zealander”
      
      Clearly you have no identity yourself, be it because you’ve chosen or more likely been lobotomized into thinking this way.
      
      3 24
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      January 6, 2020 10:39am
      - Paulus
        
        Has it been confirmed that Ghaharam is to represent our Part time Prime Minister at the funeral of the recently departed despots ?
        
        8 1
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        January 6, 2020 1:39pm
      - Sacha
        
        Hey, King! Try reading Douglas Murray’s “The Madness of Crowds”
        Have fun & enjoy.
        
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        January 6, 2020 7:23pm
  - Billy Collins
    
    Hold on, King, you were just criticising Israel for NOT taking refugees, now you are complaining because we do?
    
    So taking refugees is bad for ourselves, but its okay if the Jews do it to themselves? Is that your reasoning?
    
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    January 6, 2020 2:58pm
- kloyd0306
  
  Assume that “all foreign troops” includes those from Iran………
  Yeh, right……..
  Smartest thing Trump has done is make US the world’s biggest producer of oil. Tell the ME countries to go stuff themselves (and their goats).
  Meanwhile, NZ is dependent on ME oil.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:47am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    How, pray, did Trump make the US the biggest prodcuer of oil?
    
    1 17
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    January 6, 2020 11:51am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      US got fracked 🙂
      
      11 1
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      January 6, 2020 12:51pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Not something Trump was responsible for, but thanks for playing.
        
        1 6
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        January 6, 2020 1:31pm
    - softail 1450
      
      MMA , do some research fool ,its a fact ,fracking and technology are making reserves thought uneconomic just 10 years ago completely viable now, and the US is sitting on massive oil fields.
      They are the biggest exporter of “energy” on the planet solely thanks to Trumps regulations.
      Jeeeez talk about TDS LEVEL 10.
      
      10 2
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      January 6, 2020 1:19pm
    - Ed Snack
      
      Doing something that Obama wouldn’t, and that Clinton had promised to restrict.
      
      Either that or perhaps his “magic wand” that Obama said didn’t exist to bring back jobs also works with oil production ?
      
      5 1
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      January 6, 2020 1:50pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Nothing to do with Trump, then. Happy to give him credit if he did anything specific to boost US oil production, but I don’t think he has.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:20pm
Lee C

Text-book electoral move.

Impeaching him seemed such a bloodless initiative.

They are all part of the same circle-jerk.
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January 6, 2020 8:34am
Tony Stuart

This piece from Miranda Devine might be almost seven years old, but it contains an underlying truth that has not changed in that time. If anything, the effect of Green policies has become even more hazardous:

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/lets-tell-the-burning-truth/news-story/ae30e22c69a0a9a7fe4141bc4e9442a8
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January 6, 2020 8:41am
- Komata
  
  TonyS @0841
  
  Thank you. Nothing has changed to the extent that in Q’land a farmer was fined AUD70,000 + for clearing his land in defiance of local authority (his farm survived as a result, his neighbours’ properties didn’t) and the mayor of G Coast was completely adamant that the fires were as a result of Climate Change and nothing was going to alter, except that the financial penalties for ‘disobedience’ were going to increase substantially!
  
  It’s going to be interesting to see what happens next in this, and noticeably the gweens are very conspicuous in their absence. None are helping in the RFS areas, no offers of assistance in any way and definitely no sympathy to the victims; all the while safe and secure in their inner-city homes in Sydney and Melbourne.
  
  It would be a very brave (suicidically-inclined?) green who walks down the main streets of these towns, while openly berating the locals for not caring for the environment.
  
  Such is the way of Australian politics, inevitably there will once again be a commission of some sort, which will only reiterate what has been known since at least the 1820’s, namely that the underbrush has to be removed (by fire incidentally) and that failure to do so will cause more deaths.
  
  In response (and again, predictably) Greta et al will do their usual faux raging and ultimately with that all done, nothing will change, except that the cockies will be even deeper in debt and have to start-over once more.
  
  Rinse and repeat; the cycle starts again.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:11am
- Stephieboy2
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Tony Stuart, written back in 2013 Black Saturday, Today things are vastly different .
  
  Unprecedented prolonged drought and tinder dry condition
  
  Unprecedented highest average temperatures!
  
  The Bush fire season has begun unusually early!
  
  Nothing that hazard reduction could possibly prevent!
  
  Why your post is highlighted is quite beyond me other than political!
  
  2 34
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  January 6, 2020 10:45am
  - JibberJabber
    
    “quite beyond me”
    
    Why are we not surprised?
    
    21 1
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    January 6, 2020 11:07am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Nothing has changed Stephie. The lunatic fringe won’t allow backburning, and the removal of natural debris. As a consequence, Australia has become a huge natural tinderbox, and this is an accident waiting to happen.
    
    31 3
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    January 6, 2020 11:15am
    - NK
      
      https://www.trfm.com.au/articles/planned-burns-halted/
      
      This from just a few months ago in an area that now has an, “evacuate now” warning.
      
      The likes of Greta whatsherface asssisted with the current tragedy.
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:30am
- sam green
  
  Dear Miranda – supporter of George Pell too I believe.
  
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  January 6, 2020 2:20pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hey, isn’t everyone allowed to have at least one creepy friend?
    
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    January 6, 2020 2:51pm
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9irlgzHmvU
The situation with Iran and America explained. No doubt the ever lovin, ever lyin left will back the mullahs.
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January 6, 2020 8:41am
curry4me

https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2020/01/03/indonesia-steps-up-south-china-sea-patrols-after-chinese-trespassing/

Indonesia stands up to the presitator.
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January 6, 2020 8:41am
- DigNap15
  
  All the Asean countries need to patrol that sea very aggressively.
  Combined China can do nothing against them.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:14am
  - Tall Man
    
    There is no way those countries can stand against China which is why once again, they will look to the US….. just so king can get triggered again.
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:25pm
Simon

Iranian mullahs – but but but John Kerry told us Trump was impeached.

Its been a bad month for the left. The UK Conservatives overwhelming victory, the US embassy in Iraq wasn’t sacked and now their new Mandela – Soleimani, criminal murder, killed before they knew he existed.
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January 6, 2020 8:46am
- Justitia
  
  Many Iraqis and others in the region applaud Soleimanis’ death. He was a leading figure in their oppression: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/01/qassem-soleimani-death-missed/604396/
  
  Soleimani was commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds brigade. Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. For forty years Iran has pursued the goal of destroying Israel and capturing Jerusalem for Islam to claim the mantle of leader of the Islamic world. The foyer of the Iranian foreign ministry used to be dominated by a large diorama of Jerusalem and banners proclaiming Israel’s imminent destruction – it may still be but I haven’t been back to check. Iran’s strategy is to attack Israel through Lebanon, Syria and Iraq where it has developed sizable proxy forces as well as deploying its own. Nuclear weapons and the development of ballistic missiles are also part of the game-plan. The West has turned a blind eye to this in the pursuit of commerce and in the belief it can negotiate the theocracy, which in turn openly despises Western values and foments terrorism within Europe and beyond. Trump and his administration appear to be alert to these realities; the rest are deluded and those on the Left actively sympathize with Iran which is why for example Jeremy Corbyn took money from Iran TV. Anti-Semitism runs deep alongside breathtaking stupidity including in the New Zealand media.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:18am
Classic Liberal

Item on goats used to reduce fuel loads in California. And by guardian, who swear it’s all about climate change but still (note this, Stuffy) seem to realise that fuel load reduction is essential:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/12/goats-are-the-best-tool-grazers-in-high-demand-to-reduce-us-wildfire-risk
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January 6, 2020 8:56am
Fletch

Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism, as now called Trump “a terrorist in a suit”. They must be joking. Soleimani is responsible for the deaths of at least 600 Americans and many others. He was also on the most-wanted terrorist list.

Is funny how the Left are so protective of terrorists and illegal aliens. Hollywood actress Rose McGowan pulled a Jane Fonda and publicly apologized to Iran. ?
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January 6, 2020 9:00am
- The King
  
  Seeing as no one answered my question yesterday ill ask again.
  
  Can you provide a source and direct evidence (not a daily mail article) Soleimani is responsible for 600 American deaths,(yesterday it was supposed thousands) give me the events and details of at least one of these deaths please. And why is it these numbers always involve the number 6? Are you sure it wasn’t 6 million?
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:17am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2015/07/14/iran-linked-to-deaths-of-500-u-s-troops-in-iraq-afghanistan/
    
    King, IED’s and EFP’s used against US (and other forces) in Iraq have been conclusively linked to Iran for years.
    
    It takes a special kind of stupid to not accept that Soleimani, as leader of the RG’s and Qud’s was not absolutely responsible.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:40am
    - The King
      
      Ah the “Pentagon”
      
      The Pentagon lied about Vietnam.
      
      The Pentagon lied about WMDs in Iraq.
      
      The Pentagon lied about Gaddafi massacring protesters in Libya.
      
      The Pentagon lied about Assad gassing his own people in Syria.
      
      And you want me to believe this clearly pro-Pentagon website on this?
      
      Come on man, show some discernment. Actually think about what you are saying here.
      
      4 20
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      January 6, 2020 10:57am
      - herb1
        
        If you had the ability and intellectual rigour King , you would find plenty of media talking about the 600 figure. However your sort only care for circle jerks with any anti western losers.
        incidentally does your life change over the holiday period when useful members of society have a break?
        
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        January 6, 2020 12:35pm
      - In Vino Veritas
        
        Read the article you clown. The article doesn’t quote the Pentagon, it quotes people who were there. There are hundreds of these articles to read from all sorts of sources. Just take a bit of time out of your busy day promulgating propaganda, and have a look. Or you are just another rabid nutter who has his head stuck in a box and won’t take it out.
        King, did I mention appeasement? Peace in our time? Works every time. Oh waaaaaait……
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:08pm
      - Inandout
        
        TK, you said ‘come on man’, that is Bidenesque language. You aren’t by any chance Joe?
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:45pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Patriotism produces all the numbers you require. Photo shoots can be arranged ex post facto. Sometimes they can also provide video or at least fuzzy stills.
    
    Some people have broader views which need consideration:
    https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2020/01/03/war-again-on-the-front-burner/
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:16pm
- curry4me
  
  Aren’t Harveywood, and the Iranian parliament both chanting Death to America now?
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:40pm
Classic Liberal

This article was posted recently by Maggy, I think:

https://www.geco.org.au/massive_year_for_east_gippsland_forests

It looks a bit like NZ bush: ferns, dark, damp etc – all the things environmentalists are wanting.

Which would be fine, IF those forests could be safe from fire and really were, as the article states ‘East Gippsland (60% of old growth wet and damp forest)’.

But how much of this forest has survived the recent fires?
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January 6, 2020 9:03am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  (no, not posted by me)
  
  8 1
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  January 6, 2020 9:15am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    OK, sorry. But would value your opinion: how safe (wet enough to be protected?) is this forest really?
    
    7 1
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    January 6, 2020 9:27am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      No forest is safe from fire.
      
      Forests are composed of organic matter.
      
      Wetland forests, swamps, peatlands are frequently burnt out..
      https://talltimbers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/78-Hungerfordetal1995_op.pdf
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:26am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        Thanks Maggy. I’ve saved that paper to digest it later.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:13pm
      - Inandout
        
        Maggy, very true in the case of the Southland early Maoris who used to light fires on the grasslands so the moas would be driven into the swamps, get stuck and then be slaughtered.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:48pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  Here is an article on this topic (is East Gippsland rainforest really safe from bushfires):
  
  https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/the-burning-question-what-will-be-left-of-victoria-s-rainforests-20191223-p53mel.html
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:49am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    LOL, someone automatically downticks me :).
    
    I actually care about the environment. If AGW is the cause of the fires and other climate problems *and* we can actually do anything about it without destroying our economies, great.
    
    Fossil fuels are finite anyway, so working on other sources is sensible.
    
    But there are no sudden solutions and perhaps climate change can’t be controlled by us anyway.
    
    So we need to find ways to control wildfires or at least reduce the harm, including fuel load reductions and deciding where people can safely live.
    
    And work out whether rainforests such as East Gippsland can really work long term or will just cause bigger fires.
    
    I’m actually really interested. Downticker troll not so much…
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:31am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Sorry for the quick reply above…
      I had to go out.
      The key point is that even wet, swampy rainforests can and do burn.
      
      Back when I was a student the prevailing view was that mature damp rainforests were most unlikely to have experienced fires… but then the evidence began to mount that if humans had ever been anywhere near rainforests then they would have burnt portions frequently for various reason , but slash & burn agriculture or to flush out prey.
      
      So here’s some references to the fire history of Indonesian, Amazon and Congo rain forests.
      
      https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2019.00048/full
      
      https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/ancient-humans-burned-amazon-fires-today-entirely-different/
      
      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241113/
      
      Now, specifically with regard to the Gippsland Rainforest (which I’ve never been through)…
      A moist dense forest ecosystem is harder to ignite and less likely to burn as intensely as an open dry forest….but in a prolonged drought it becomes vulnerable to fire.
      
      If it is not well-buffered on its perimeter (with scrublands) the interior can become dry out easily for up to 100m from the edge. Invasive grasses & scrubby undergrowth that burn readily carry fire into the interior of the forest.
      
      So management of these mature stands is required.
      
      One of my first jobs as a Government botanist with Lands & Survey was checking on the edges of our forest reserves…rank grass, dry bracken and gorse growing along the edges/fence-lines, parking areas, picnic tables, camping grounds… were all likely sites where fires could take hold and get away into the neighbouring tall forest reserves.
      
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      January 6, 2020 5:23pm
softail 1450

If anybody wants to see a pig ignorant Muslim leader just google Hezbollah leader gives a speech.
This fucking moron was actually thanking Trump for taking out the Iranian general because Soleimani was old and grey and was seeking martyrdom ,in fact his whole life was a seeking of martyrdom.
Trump is right, killing these dogs is the only answer.
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January 6, 2020 9:06am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Islamist terrorism is absolutely based on this belief: suicide via terrorism will get you to heaven.
  
  We mustn’t underestimate how seriously these lunatics actually believe this shit and will act on it. (Islamists, mod, not secular moderate muslims).
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:30am
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    Western and Far Eastern nations should ban the promotion of Islam’s teaching that matyrdom brings a guaranteed pass to Paradise.
    
    Just as the Bible contains many instructions (particularly in the Old Testament) that would get you thrown in jail for practising, we should make it an offense to teach and promote the “free ticket to Paradise” teachings of Islam.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:34am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      It really puzzles me that leftards advocating ‘hate speech’ laws always want to exempt religious texts.
      
      Religious texts that teach people to do things totally illegal in NZ, such as wife beating (sura4:34). Domestic violence is one of the National Radio themes on many a morning (fair enough, needs to be dealt with), but they have a complete brain collapse when they also promote diversity without ever asking the difficult questions about ideologies that believe in male superiority and justify wife beating!
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:00am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m not sure if you want to ban religions that advocate male superiority or wife beating (all religoins do, don’t they?), or are just confused about ‘hate speech’.
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:08am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        Downticker seems to be all for wife-beating!
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:32am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        Milky, you’ve got me mixed up with someone – I’m not advocating hate speech laws at all. Generally I’d say: let people (like you), spout their crap and give them a suitable answer.
        
        But don’t just hide from the fact that some religious texts are nasty, violent and misogynistic. The leftards are hiding from that fact.
        
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        January 6, 2020 12:57pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’d like to see evidence that ‘leftards’ are more in favour of domestic violence (or religion in general) than right wingers.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:36pm
      - Classic Liberal
        
        Milky: leftards are more in favour of ‘hate speech’ laws. They also want to exempt religious texts, because of ‘diversity’.
        
        So: the religion promoting wife beating is OK with them. The protester pointing out that the religion promotes wife beating would be fined or jailed for ‘hate speech’.
        
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        January 6, 2020 3:06pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Simply repeating yourself did not make for a more cogent argument.
        
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        January 6, 2020 4:31pm
    - SGA
      
      Just as the Bible contains many instructions (particularly in the Old Testament) that would get you thrown in jail for practising, we should make it an offense to teach and promote the “free ticket to Paradise” teachings of Islam.
      
      Well, you probably need to be consistent. In the former case, you talk about “practising”, and in the latter, “teach and promote”. It would make more sense for you to want to ban the teaching and promoting in both cases (it’s already the case that practising those instructions will get you in jail for both situations).
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:24am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Want to kill all Muslims? Or could you refine ‘these dogs’ a little more precisely?
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:48am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    He never said “All Muslims” mike. And most rational people wouldn’t believe that was what softail meant. I think you are just trying to flame the place.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:25am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      I’d prefer to let softail explain for himself. He’s a loon, so I shouldn’t be surprised if he thought genocide was okay. Other Kiwibloggers have previously expressed the hope that the entire middle east be nuked.
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:56am
      - Tall Man
        
        A loon? Pot kettle sunshine.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:29pm
      - softail 1450
        
        MMA, You are a total moron, my statement was about the nutter leader of Hezbollah and his ilk ,stop twisting it to include all muslims you cretinous
        Fuckwitt, are you and the king drinking buddies because Im thinking you are both liquored up today?
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:33pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m glad to hear your correction, softail. Now, how many more of these ‘dogs’ still require killing in your estimation?
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:17pm
      - In Vino Veritas
        
        Nicely done Mike, you’ve managed to include more than one logic fallacy in three lines. Fallacy of composition, inductive fallacy, questionable cause. My word, that is well done, though I have serious doubts you did it deliberately.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:20pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        No, I haven’t.
        But if you seek logical fallacies in every Kiwiblog post or comment, you will be very busy.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:54pm
      - Batman
        
        I approved that comments as I clearly read it as Softail referring to terrorists.
        
        No need for handbags, chaps.
        
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        January 6, 2020 8:26pm
- The King
  
  A pig ignorant boomer is more of a threat to the security of New Zealand than any terrorist leader 10 thousand miles away.
  
  You softail can house all the inevitable refugees in YOUR house ok.
  
  You want 50000 Golriz’s this is how you get 50000 Golriz’s.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:01am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Nobody, including Trump, wants full-out war. So no refugees, unless you think we’ll harbour the terrorists being targeted.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:27am
    - The King
      
      The stage is being set for the inevitable false flag on US civilians to be blamed on Iran. This is so obvious it hurts.
      
      Propaganda is already trying to blame Iran for 9/11 do you believe Iran did 9/11? honest question.
      
      Anybody who “doesn’t want war” doesn’t go killing Generals of other country’s armies.
      
      I’m in shock at how easy you people are to manipulate. But in saying that, this is exactly what I’d do because it’s so easy.
      
      I should work for the Pentagon.
      
      “If the only tool we have is a hammer everything needs to look like a nail” – General Wesley clark – war with 7 countries in 5 years….
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Swhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw
      
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      January 6, 2020 11:11am
      - The King
        
        I rest my case…
        
        https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213919480574812160
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:17am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    Pig ignorant King? Not so much, after all, we have most of the assets and money in NZ. I’d suggest that its people of your age (whatever that is, but clearly not a boomer) that are pig ignorant, as you don’t have much of anything at all, including common sense. But hey-ho, carry on.
    Hmmm, maybe you do have more of a few things, unearned moral high ground for example?
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:30am
  - softail 1450
    
    the king ,WTF are you on about you dopey prick?
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:35pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  My partners right with you on this softail. As he sez, there’s no doubt the world is a safer place thanks to President Trump.
  
  https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ENiI2uiVAAAAkJC?format=jpg&name=small
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:07am
- Nermal
  
  The virgins are going to have to do some re-assembling
  
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  January 6, 2020 12:12pm
- Inandout
  
  softy. I imagine Soleimani would be greeted by a higher class of virgin considering his rank. Whether he could keep that many females satisfied for eons without heavenly Viagra is doubtful.
  
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  January 6, 2020 2:54pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    But is there any sex in the Christian heaven?
    
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    January 6, 2020 3:10pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Normally it’s statues of politicians that get toppled, but not in Sweden:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50998844
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January 6, 2020 9:11am
chaos

Brrrr, another hot record breaking summer?

* Parts of the South Island received a dusting of snow overnight, reflecting cooler summer temperatures across much of the country.

Webcams from Cardrona and the Remarkables ski resorts showed snow falling overnight on Sunday and on Monday morning.

Temperatures on the Remarkables were forecast to hover between -1C and -4C on Monday, with Cardrona only slightly warmer. *

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/01/weather-cold-southerly-intrusion-brings-summer-snow.html
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January 6, 2020 9:14am
- TWEEDSE
  
  I guess this why our global warming climate change PTPM has to vacation in Aus, NZ is just to cold for her these days.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:39am
  - chaos
    
    Our summers have been cold down here for a few years now. Keeps, going this way our farmers are going to be in all sorts of problems, already huge crop losses from hail, but that hit at the right time so they replanted
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:26am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Weather≠climate
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:49am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    Except if it can be conflated with bushfires, hurricanes, cyclones (or any other weather phenomena) by any Climate expert or 16 year old Alarmist when it suits them.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:33am
- Inandout
  
  chaos, unusually cold in NI too.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:53am
- DigNap15
  
  yes it was a bit cool here in Tauranga last evening.
  
  12 3
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  January 6, 2020 10:04am
- yossarian
  
  Get with the program chaos. Global warming is yesterday’s email and Climate Change is where it’s at now, please keep up.
  
  You see yesterday’s weather was different to today’s, hence empirical evidence of CC (as us hipsters call it). Now you’ve seen the proof, give me all your money and join us as we go back to the middles ages.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:47am
Prince

What are the chances of National going to the election later this year promising to work through a Capital Gains Tax proposal to take to the 2023 election. The basis of the CGT would be revenue neutral – any tax gathered would be offset by Income Tax reductions .
A little risky perhaps, but I’d like to hear Labour and Greens argue that CGT is not needed to ensure a fairer society.

stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/118534770/why-an-increasingly-unequal-new-zealand-needs-a-wealth-tax
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January 6, 2020 9:26am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Hope not. Key did all necessary by bringing in the brightline.
  
  People with long term rental properties have no ‘capital gain’ – it’s called housing inflation and in the real market the house is worth no more than it was.
  
  National would upset Mum and Dad investors with one or two places as a retirement fund.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:30am
- fernglas
  
  If there is to be a CGT, and I accept that there are powerful arguments on both sides, I would like it to be like GST; gathered on everything, no exceptions. New Zealand’s investment seems overly skewed to real estate, and housing here as a consequence is not just unaffordable but an actual rip-off. There is no principled reason why the family home should be excluded.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:36am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    No way! They would lose the votes of all homeowners.
    
    There is no ‘capital gain’. Any real estate is worth relatively the same as it was 10 years ago – a bit less, due to wear and tear. People just like the sense of a reasonably secure investment, though Liebore is quickly bringing that to an end anyway with laws biased against landlords.
    
    And how on earth would CGT on homes make housing more affordable? This is completely illogical. We would become like the US, where property tax is driving people OUT of their homes.
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:06am
  - Ed Snack
    
    So would you claim that places that already have a CGT would have more affordable housing ? I think there are quite a few places with CGT’s that would like a word with you about that…
    
    I still reckon that the primary driver of the increase in housing prices has been the cheap money policies followed world wide since the 2007-8 financial crisis. This reduced the returns from almost all forms of investment without reducing risks, so money piled into the safest haven driving a circular logic whereby the prices and the returns via capital gains increased to further emphasize the wisdom of that policy at a personal investment level.
    
    As cheap money is a world wide policy, NZ cannot do otherwise without seriously overvaluing its currency. So we have cheap money too. And when there’s “cheap money”, there will be asset bubbles.
    
    The “cheap money” option did help resolve the financial crisis (and it may not have been necessary), but it does have consequences, one of which we are still dealing with.
    
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    January 6, 2020 2:00pm
  - info@cruzpro.com
    
    Actually after re-evaluating my initial response, I have to agree with you. All pennies earned should be taxed the same. But additional tax income should be offset by tax deductions elsewhere. This is where I think it will fail!
    
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    January 6, 2020 7:55pm
- Nigel Kearney
  
  A land tax would be good but not a broad-based CGT. We want to discourage property investment but not investment in businesses that employ people and produce goods and services.
  
  Share prices are based on profits (past and expected future ones) which are already taxed so any tax on the increase in share values is double taxation.
  
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  January 6, 2020 12:03pm
  - Toko
    
    Any land tax would have an inflationary effect and be a burden particularly to smaller businesses. They would be disproportionately affected by paying the tax in their outgoings. Commercial leases already allow for the recharge of any land taxes to tenants.
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:59pm
    - Nigel Kearney
      
      A land tax would reduce the value of land relative to other assets, which is what we want. Maybe it’s not what property investors want, but the ratio of house prices to incomes is just too high and has to come down.
      
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      January 6, 2020 2:06pm
  - Paulus
    
    We already have a Land Tax – it is called Rates !
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:46pm
    - Classic Liberal
      
      That’s right. Not equal per household and not based on income but based on the house value, so it’s a wealth tax too.
      
      Every rates bill states your land and house value, and that’s how it’s calculated.
      
      If rates were a flat fee for services, every citizen would pay equally.
      
      3 1
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      January 6, 2020 3:18pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poll_tax
        
        Introduced by Maggie T in 1989 and canned a few years later. Didn’t go down at all well. Huge social unrest. Maybe it would work here …..
        
        The problems with using rates to fund local government are well understood. No generally acceptable alternative has been proposed … so we are stuck with it.
        
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        January 6, 2020 4:16pm
      - Odakyu-sen
        
        If weath is taxed too much, then who would bother trying to become wealthy?
        
        3 1
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        January 6, 2020 4:20pm
- Tall Man
  
  Zero but thanks for asking.
  
  4 1
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  January 6, 2020 1:32pm
- Jules99
  
  It’s a vote loser – even Labour had to drop it when they realised how unpopular it was. Maybe the Millennials woke up and realised they stand to inherit the boomer wealth and the tax would hit them hardest.
  
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  January 6, 2020 2:46pm
Clyde

I swear that National Radio has a compulsory maori content level. Has anyone else noticed the almost constant stream of maori content mostly around increased grievance on all manner of fronts? Useless of course to complain to Radio NZ, but I would love to know just who in particular is driving this from either within RNZ or from outside.
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January 6, 2020 9:27am
- The only red for me is that of Manchester United
  
  I used to like listening to music 101 on Saturday afternoons. It’s a way for me to find out what’s happening in the local music scene. The interviews with local artists could at times be really interesting.
  
  From around the middle of 2019 I noticed a huge increase in the profiles of Maori and Pacific artists and their music being aired. Initially I didn’t mind but this content is every Saturday at the expense of other local artists. If you are an up and coming young country singer from Gore you most likely won’t be profiled.
  
  It’s safe to say that there is a policy in place at least 50% of programming on RNZ must have Maori content.
  
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  January 6, 2020 11:26am
- KevO'Brien
  
  It will be “a Treaty right”.
  85% of NZ does not have Maori ears.
  
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  January 6, 2020 1:05pm
- curry4me
  
  I haven’t listened to a radio since 2014. I download classical music videos from YouTube. Then, I put them on my cell phone. No ads, and no garbage from red radio.
  
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  January 6, 2020 9:50pm
KevO'Brien

How independent are we really:
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/usa-doubles-down-its-saudi-allegiance

Who exactly are we fighting?

When will our allies stop bombing Yemen out of existence?
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January 6, 2020 9:29am
secondcumming

Now THIS is what I call a fucking tweet! 😎

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213919480574812160
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January 6, 2020 9:43am
- Batman
  
  It’s also completely insane.
  
  Imagine if Ardern tweeted or put out a FB video and said that served as going notifying or going to Parliament on an issue. I suspect multiple people here, including me, would lose their minds!
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:20am
  - JibberJabber
    
    Ardern has already done so, but it is only New Zealanders and their jobs and welfare that she attacks.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:44am
  - fernglas
    
    It’s a shame he doesn’t listen to advice. Any third-rate lawyer could tell him that you can’t justify the use of force in self-defence if it’s disproportionate. With that aspect of the tweet, he just helped undercut the somewhat tenuous legal justification for the strike. And notifying people on twitter that you may well break the law doesn’t make it any more lawful. Still, Trump has consistently shown scant regard for the rule of law, and that is seen by many as one of his virtues. It will make it much harder to pull his allies into line, especially the UK which is still smarting over Blair’s sycophantic approach to the Iraq invasion , and Macron, whois already apologising to Iraq for the breach of sovereignty.
    
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    January 6, 2020 10:46am
    - Batman
      
      And now the war on Daesh is on hold while everyone waits to see what happens.
      
      Talk about shitting the bed.
      
      3 22
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      January 6, 2020 10:50am
      - Tall Man
        
        I bet you a penny to a pound daesh terrorists or any others will raise their heads a little more circumspectly for quite a while.
        
        Is that a bad thing, having terrorists too scared to act?
        
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        January 6, 2020 11:20am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Taranaki did not even get a tweet bro . . .
    
    8 1
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    January 6, 2020 1:13pm
  - Ed Snack
    
    Notification is not required (as the tweet says) but is a “courtesy”. And this is not a court of law with “proportionate” retaliation or defense mandated, this is international relations where the rules are considerably looser.
    
    It’s a warning also, and a very public one. Iran will want to retaliate to lift the humiliation imposed upon them. Trump is warning them that a symbolic response will probably not raise the stakes, but a major attack like a massed missile attack on the US Doha base would lead to significant retaliation such as (purely for example) the destruction of some key Iranian infrastructure such as power stations, or immobilization of their major port used for oil exports.
    
    There is a calculated risk in this, but in general it is probably positive. The Iranian leadership may be irrational and attack anyway, but they are far from secure at home and further humiliation will undermine their power and hold on power. They may well decide that in the face of a fairly certain damaging response, that they can’t afford to escalate.
    
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    January 6, 2020 2:10pm
    - Batman
      
      Uhhh, bro, it’s part of the war powers delegation.
      
      The President shall write to the speaker within x timeframe (I’m paraphrasing slightly but that’s what it says).
      
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      January 6, 2020 2:47pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  Hm, a bit over the top, but: there is no war. Trump has not declared war. He has announced that the US would hit back against terrorist attacks.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:36am
  - The King
    
    So some Saudis dressed as Iranians and kill Americans Iran should suffer right?
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:16am
    - Tall Man
      
      With an imagination like that you should write a novel.
      
      It’d be a load of rubbish but at least you’d get it out of your system.
      
      4 0
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      January 6, 2020 5:34pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Iran might consider the killing of one of its senior military commanders to be a terrorist attack though, and retaliate militarily. Is that okay with you?
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:09pm
    - Classic Liberal
      
      This seems to be hard for you to understand: War: ideally not. Terrorism: not OK. Killing a terrorist: unfortunately necessary.
      
      10 2
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      January 6, 2020 1:06pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        You might like to define the terms ‘war’ and ‘terrorism’ before continuing that argument.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:40pm
      - Tall Man
        
        mikey, I think we need to work with you on the dumb and dumber aspect of your posts.
        
        Obviously one man’s war is another man’s terror but I think the bulk of the posters here are well aware that there is a difference and that your agenda is to neither debate to add to the thread, just to do a steffy and throw a bit of shit into the mix.
        
        I think that undervalues your abilities but then again, I may be wrong.
        
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        January 6, 2020 5:43pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  In that exchange, the tweet by Dan Crenshaw is quite good. He should know – been there, done that.
  
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  January 6, 2020 12:12pm
- Jules99
  
  No doubt in decades to come we will unpick the genius of that tweet in communicating messages to numerous different groups at the same time. Brilliant tactical move.
  
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  January 6, 2020 2:52pm
Gravelroad

Yet another socialist wealth redistribution proposal aired on Stuff by someone called Gareth Tiernen,
Who he? Does he work for the CoL?
Why can’t Stuff give some indication of the background of these never -ending “opinion” writers?
No problem with people having an opinion, and good on them for working the system to have their views publicly promoted via the Stuff propaganda machine – but to provide context it would be helpful to have an indication of motivation for going public.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/118534770/why-an-increasingly-unequal-new-zealand-needs-a-wealth-tax
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January 6, 2020 9:56am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Let’s get this straight, lil Gareth: people are supposed to save up for a better retirement (kiwisaver etc), but then a chunk of that is to be stolen.
  
  So why bother working so hard to save up?
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:38am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  His surname is Kiernan…
  Chief Forecaster at Infometrics
  
  https://www.infometrics.co.nz/team_member/gareth-kiernan/
  
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  January 6, 2020 11:14am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Economists have frequently been political prostitutes. The science, if any, they deal in is sketchy so any opinion can be written for a price.
    Does he do climate modelling too?
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:59pm
  - Gravelroad
    
    Thanks.
    So he does work for the CoL. Along with quite a few other “economists”……
    
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    January 6, 2020 6:42pm
- alloytoo
  
  I completely refute the basis of his assertions.
  
  9 1
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  January 6, 2020 12:12pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    A refutation involves more than just a simple statement that you refute something.
    
    1 13
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    January 6, 2020 12:41pm
    - Rich Prick
      
      It works fine for Cindy.
      
      15 1
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      January 6, 2020 1:21pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Great riposte. For you.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:41pm
      - Ed Snack
        
        Ditto…
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:11pm
thetiedarch

Day 1 back at work. Been here 2 hours and I’m already ready for the year to end.

Nothing bad has happened, I’m just cooked.

Took 4 alarms to get me out of bed today.
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January 6, 2020 9:56am
barnacle bill

China going rogue.

Even if half of this is true, it should be of great concern.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/leapfrogging-ahead-terrifying-proof-china-has-gone-rogue/news-story/67fd4570c4957388143e9b44665da8bf
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January 6, 2020 9:59am
- The King
  
  The Chinese have concentration camps and rape eugenics programs going on but you know who the bad guys are right?
  
  Iran.
  
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  January 6, 2020 11:34am
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Try “and”.
    
    7 0
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    January 6, 2020 12:55pm
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Yes kingsie, you do know that rape victims in islamist countries have to shut up or be accused of ‘adultery’ and punished.
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:11pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  Great link barneyb – and very very scary!
  Having just read the entire story, you would have to ask that other than for say the fab Peking Duck they serve at Huami, why would ANY western governmint want to be beholding to Xi’s rogue China?
  
  We can only hope its not too late 🙁
  
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  January 6, 2020 1:36pm
  - barnacle bill
    
    Yes Maggie, but the really scary part is that Trump thinks Chairman Xi Jinping is his mate.
    
    When ever I see a photo of the two together, I look at Xi and ask myself, what’s he thinking behind those eyes.
    I doubt very much that Xi gives two hoots about Trump.
    
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    January 6, 2020 2:47pm
Jack5

Why there was such strong resistance to introducing a robust capital gains tax.

Only 30 per cent of NZ homes are owned by people who only one home, an analysis by the NZ Herald shows.

A nation of small landlords, and with a tax system that apparently favours investment in housing. Yet we can’t house the country’s citizens. Is this a factor?

The IRD watches for people who trade in houses, but if you hold the property for two years and can convince the department your intention was not to trade …

With such a low proportion of houses owned by occupiers, capital gains tax must be rarely applied to the host of small landlords.

Capital gains tax, as long as it doesn’t increase total tax take, would be a useful economic tool, but NZ, sliding down international indicators of comparative wealth (as measured by GDP per capita) won’t consider it.

A look at the list (link below) on which countries don’t have capital gains tax, apart from NZ, includes Argentina, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Thailand.

NZ home ownership:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12295921

Other countries without capital gains tax:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_gains_tax
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January 6, 2020 10:08am
- Classic Liberal
  
  No thanks. Mum and Dad investors have just one or two, usually small, investments properties, and this is going to help people in their retirement and then be sold to starters or other landlords.
  
  There is no such thing as ‘capital gain’ – just housing inflation. The rental house is worth relatively just what is was worth – less in fact, due to wear and tear.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:50am
  - Jack5
    
    Where savings capital goes concerns everyone.
    
    Mum and dad investors with one or two houses are welcome to their retirement security.
    
    However, a single home is also a retirement security for its owner or owning couple, and funds many people into, say retirement villages. Reverse mortgages help provide other sustenance for old house owners.
    
    When you have at least 70 per cent of the population, a proportion that will likely rise, without a house to help finance retirement, there are going to be a lot of poor old folk.
    
    That will affect support for political parties, as well as increasing costs of social support.
    
    But probably the main factor is where individuals’ savings capital goes, and whether housing is the most productive use of this in a country that is sliding economically compared with other developed countries.
    
    We’ve been fed bull by series of politicians quoting GDP and cheered on by the media and some bank economists. But the true comparison figure, GDP per capita tells a different story.
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:12am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      Why does housing always get labelled ‘unproductive’? Employs tradies, houses families, promotes community spirit. Not unproductive at all.
      
      9 2
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      January 6, 2020 1:13pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Real estate bubbles, however, might possbly be unproductive.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:02pm
    - Ed Snack
      
      It may not be productive, but it does produce a more secure investment and a better return than almost all other currently available investment opportunities.
      
      End cheap money and the housing boom stops.
      
      4 1
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      January 6, 2020 2:16pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Exactly. Using a CGT to tax inflation, especially at the levels they were hinting at, is tantamount to theft or should be regarded as “envy tax”.
    
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    January 6, 2020 11:18am
  - Ian Boag
    
    Except that it is (almost) always geared up. A loan where the interest is tax-deductible. So you buy a 100k property with 20k of your money and 80k from the bank. Over 10 years with 7% inflation the values doubles to $200k. You investment has gone from 20k to 180k. 100% inflation, 900% capital growth.
    
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    January 6, 2020 4:46pm
TripeWryter

I have a few thoughts about the assassination of Guardian Major-General (that’s his rank, by the way) Solemani. They’re not in any particular order …

1) You live by the sword you are likely to die by missile attack launched from a drone. He was precisely plotted and slotted.

2) The anti-Trump noise is predictable. Anything this president of the United States does draws a crescendo of criticism from the political Establishment, which he displaced when he was elected in 2016. They’re never going to forgive nor forget the humiliation.

3) It is notable, though, that two of the most vociferous mouth-pieces and megaphones of that Establishment – The Washington Post and The New York Times – have run pieces that suggest Guardian Major-General Solemani got what was coming to him.

4) My father had a friend who had served in the New Zealand, British, and Jordanian armies, retiring in the rank of colonel before returning to this country to take over the family farm. Dad’s friend used to say that in the Middle East nothing was ever what they seemed. He used to say how bewildering it was that friends could be enemies and vice versa. Betrayal had its own peculiar or particular logic.

5) With 4) in mind, then, it could well be that despite the noise, the bombast, and the bluster and the threats of retaliatory death and destruction … it might well be that somebodies in Iran might not be too upset about the Guardian Major-General’s sudden, blinding end.

6) It has been interesting to hear voices from Iran – one of them an Iranian woman living in New Zealand to a radio station this morning – rejoicing in Solemani’s death. He was a man drenched in the blood of thousands.

7) ‘History’ might show that Donald Trump got it right. With one Hellfire missile he has told the Iranian leadership: ‘I always know where you are. Keep going down the path you’re on and I will kill you.’ So it will be interesting to see how brave and manly they are. Because they will always be looking over their shoulder, glancing into the sky, cocking an ear for the faint buzz of a drone.

8) Guardian Major-General Solemani’s killing was as public an execution as you could get.
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January 6, 2020 10:10am
- Odakyu-sen
  
  “I always know where you are. Keep going down the path you’re on and I will kill you.”
  Guardian Major-General Solemani’s killing was as public an execution…
  
  Trump is fluently speaking the language of the Middle East.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:21am
  - fightingtemeraire
    
    Very true.
    
    Best thing is to pull out of the ME and let the bastards go hammer and tongs.
    
    From Afghanistan in the East to Morocco in the West there will be brain washed young me jumping up and down in ecstacy wanting to be Martyred.
    
    Go for it!!!
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:24pm
    - Classic Liberal
      
      They have nuclear weapons.
      They truly believe dying in war will get them into heaven.
      
      That’s the problem with the ‘hammer and tongs’ idea.
      
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      January 6, 2020 1:15pm
    - DigNap15
      
      yes I am pro Trump and a patriot.
      But I agree it would be good for the west to pull out of the middle east and let them rot.
      Its not only the midile east but mulsims are causing huge problems in west Africa, not a week goes past with some sort of attack of buses or schools in west africa.
      They are killing all the Crhistians there and no one mentions it, least of all the Pope.
      The USA no longer needs arab oil.
      But China, India and Japan do.
      Let them fight for it.
      
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      January 6, 2020 1:49pm
- Rich Prick
  
  It’s always hard to lament the death of a terrorist, but the left will if it affirms their TDS.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:32am
  - Stephieboy2
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Rich Prick , merely a defection by Trump.
    
    Go and figure!
    
    2 42
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    January 6, 2020 10:47am
    - mandk
      
      Sorry but my computer doesn’t have a Gibberish-English translator installed.
      
      19 1
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      January 6, 2020 11:09am
      - chaos
        
        Google translated it as “mummy mummy my diaper is full”
        
        17 1
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        January 6, 2020 12:22pm
    - Rich Prick
      
      The fuck … ?
      
      10 2
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      January 6, 2020 12:34pm
  - NK
    
    It’s not only the Left who despise Trump.
    
    2 22
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    January 6, 2020 11:39am
- JibberJabber
  
  It seems only Trump can get Gays, Feminists and other assorted Human Rights activists tweeting condolences for the greatest killer of Homosexuals, Women and Iranian Human rights activists the World has ever seen in this modern era.
  
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  January 6, 2020 10:52am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Right? The unbelievable brainfart of the leftards: love diversity, including people who actually want to kill you for loving diversity!
    
    Islamists are not tolerant and do not love you back, leftards!
    
    18 1
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    January 6, 2020 11:15am
  - Rich Prick
    
    An example of the enemy of my enemy is my friend paradox. It’s funny how the left can be so binary, except when it comes to gender. They’re a weird bunch.
    
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    January 6, 2020 12:42pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      I’d appreciate your summary of which middle east countries are ‘enemies’ and which ones are ‘friends’.
      
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      January 6, 2020 12:46pm
      - Classic Liberal
        
        I think that’s his point: it’s not that binary.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:17pm
      - Rich Prick
        
        Did I mention countries? But when it comes to ideaologies …
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:24pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Maybe you are in the ‘middle east’ bad, ‘America good’ camp. If so, the US alliance with Saudi Arabia and Israel might have you a bit confused.
        
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        January 6, 2020 1:45pm
      - Rich Prick
        
        No, I’m in the Islamic terrorist bad, Western capitalist world good camp. No need to analyse me any further than that.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:57pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Not really enough though, is it? For example, if Saudi Arabia nurtured the 9/11 bombers, the Taliban, and ISIS, but is allied to Israel, who should America bomb if Iran helps the Kurds or Yemenis?
        Hint: the answer is not Agrabah.
        
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        January 6, 2020 3:07pm
      - Rich Prick
        
        Jesus, one simple observation leads to this shit. Play counter-factuals all you want, I have better things to do.
        
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        January 6, 2020 4:41pm
- alex Masterley
  
  A great summary.
  Trumps approach reminds me of a client who had printed on a coffee mug on her desk “Dont f*&k with me as I f*&k back”.
  That phrase sums up Trump to a tee.
  
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  January 6, 2020 1:04pm
Maggie Pie

STAND DOWN – looks like WW111 is off.

Aljaz repoerts:
“Iran will launch legal measures at the international level to hold the United States to account for the assassination of Qassem Soleimani”

[….my partner was wondering if there’s anyone else who’s just a tad disappointed?]
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January 6, 2020 11:11am
- chaos
  
  Oh bugger, all the preppers will now have to put their ww3 supplies back into their pole flip supply boxes.
  
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  January 6, 2020 12:21pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    It sounds like things have turned really serious.
    Aljaz is reporting that a Swiss Envoy is on his way to Iran
    LOL!!!
    
    9 2
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    January 6, 2020 12:42pm
    - chaos
      
      Oooooh, I bet they are taking chocolate over, chocolate fixes everything.
      
      9 1
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      January 6, 2020 1:11pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Oi, don’t you dare undervalue hugz…. “how dare you”…….
        
        8 2
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        January 6, 2020 1:38pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        And a cuckoo clock? Or hoarded Nazi gold?
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:01pm
      - Ed Snack
        
        Rumour has it a cuckoo clock made out of chocolate in a box made of stolen nazi gold (stolen from dem nasty jooos), so should tick all the boxes for the Iranian leadership. I do hope though that they didn’t make it liqueur chocolate…
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:20pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Iran want to open a few more secret bank accounts to launder pallets of cash?
      
      5 1
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      January 6, 2020 3:24pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        No need to ‘launder’ their own money, is there?
        
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        January 6, 2020 3:37pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Seriously – what actually is a pole flip supply box?
    
    7 0
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    January 6, 2020 12:56pm
    - chaos
      
      It’s people stockpiling supplies for when the north and South Pole flip…….
      
      6 2
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      January 6, 2020 1:10pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Magnetic poles, that is. [clarification for the scientifically challenged]
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:01pm
      - chaos
        
        No Mikey, the preppers on YouTube are preparing for a physical pole shift, they are almost as entertaining as the flat earth people, about as stupid
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:18pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Really? How terribly amusing. The world turned upside down.
        
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        January 6, 2020 2:57pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Heh, Mullahs all mouth and no trousers.
  
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  January 6, 2020 2:22pm
chaos

Hmmm, while I could do with $80 million I’m just not really sure what to do with the hair

* An $80 million bounty has reportedly been placed on Donald Trump’s head following the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani.

The chilling announcement was broadcast live as millions of Iranians took to the streets for Soleimani’s televised funeral.

“Iran has 80 million inhabitants. Based on the Iranian population, we want to raise $80 million, which is a reward for those who get close to the head of President Trump,” the eulogist at the funeral procession said, according to Saudi free-to-air network Al Arabiya.

The funeral procession was being broadcast live on Iran’s Channel One as the eulogist made this statement.*

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12298268
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January 6, 2020 11:19am
- mikenmildagain
  
  The hair would likely survive any assasination.
  
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  January 6, 2020 12:12pm
  - chaos
    
    that’s my concern, it is likely not actually hair but a super disguised alien ready to attack
    
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    January 6, 2020 2:36pm
KH

How stupid is the US to fight endless wars on the other side of the world. If they had stayed out of the middle east Iran would have no interest in the US other than how to send their kids to University.
Instead the US tromps around uselessly creating enemies.
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January 6, 2020 11:26am
- Jules99
  
  No doubt Trump agrees with you. He said as much in his campaign speeches. However, he had to protect US citizens on the ground (unlike Hillary). What Trump really wants is mutually beneficial trade deals and I’m confident by the end of 2024 the US will be doing profitable trade in the region without killing people. The ordinary people under the yoke of the Iranian regime are pro-American. They are celebrating.
  
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  January 6, 2020 3:07pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    The idea that anyone in Iran is ‘pro-American’ is a neoconservative fantasy.
    
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    January 6, 2020 4:28pm
The King

Millions of Iranians turn out for Soleimanis funeral.

https://twitter.com/amalsaad_lb/status/1213741775430529024

Things the MSM won’t show the boomers, who unironically think Iranians are cool with the murder of one of their Generals because some war mongering journalist told them.

Show me the millions who support the killing of their General. Pro tip…you can’t.
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January 6, 2020 11:45am
Lee C

https://www.facebook.com/deno.budimir/videos/442271213364404/

Climate change or corporate speculation?
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January 6, 2020 11:47am
Sydney Alvarado

It has occurred to me today that some commentators conclude that Australia’s exposure to temperature rises is directly a result of Australia’s greenhouse emissions. i.e if Australia has a disproportionate share of greenhouse emissions, it will suffer disproportionate temperature rises. Of course that is rubbish thinking. Australia accounts for about 1.5 percent of global greenhouse emissions. If the country spent trillions reducing greenhouse emissions to reduce that number to 1.0 percent , the impact on global temperatures would be immeasurably tiny.

So these folk that call on ScoMo to “do something” must conclude that “something” will reduce global temperatures and there will be fewer bush fires. They are mistaken.

As for all the coal (and gas). 95 percent of it is burnt in China, Japan, Vietnam, India, etc. If they stop burning coal, Australia will stop exporting coal. If Australia unilaterally stops exporting coal, those countries will buy it from Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa. Simple as that.

Finally, a large proportion of Australia’s coal is high quality metallurgical coal – the stuff that is used in blast furnaces to make steel. Indeed Australia is the world’s leading exporter. No coal, no steel, no wind turbines, no EVs.

It is depressing that there is so little critical thought behind the calls for ScoMo to “do something”. This is partly why I am so opposed to the compulsory teaching of Maori language and New Zealand history. It would inevitably reduce even further any focus in the curriculum on science and critical thinking.
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January 6, 2020 12:29pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  This is worth reading:
  
  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/01/05/bush-bull/
  
  This is also interesting. Most CO2 is NOT coming from where alarmists expect it. Especially not Australia.
  
  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/10/04/finally-visualized-oco2-satellite-data-showing-global-carbon-dioxide-concentrations/
  
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  January 6, 2020 3:32pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Facts.. Pfffttt, who needs those?
    
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    January 6, 2020 6:25pm
KevO'Brien

I’m beginning to wonder if some meddlesome evangelical Christians haven’t excessively promoted Israel? ( I respect those evangelicals that act under proper authority.)
The Bible plainly tells us we won’t know the time of Jesus Second Coming. Some people have been active for a long time in attempting to assist that as though they had special rights and powers..
That was part of the reason for the re-creation of the State of Israel.

Now, we have the USA championing Israel and in alliance with a Muslim Saudi state which has been at war with neighbouring Muslim states over Muhammed’s successor. A war over 1200 years duration. That surely is a no-go zone for outsiders. An ally of one becomes the enemy of another and we have seen the beheadings of those considered to be offensive under Muslim teaching.

Is Trump to nuke the whole of the region to be even handed with a special protective shield for Israel? The Saudi’s could turn too against the USA if their oil returns become an issue.
Sometimes patriotism can cloud reason.
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January 6, 2020 12:48pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  All the surrounding ME countries need to do is leave Israel the heck alone. Don’t send any terrorists or bombs.
  
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  January 6, 2020 1:23pm
Justitia

Why did Bridges meet with the Head of China’s Secret Police? Why is National so craven?
It’s not possible to vote for them. dhttps://t.co/3EUYU2mkTM?amp=1
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January 6, 2020 12:51pm
- chaos
  
  Why do you want to see people lose their jobs and businesses fail by not having a good relationship with China?
  
  10 3
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  January 6, 2020 1:08pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    We don’t need to fellate the CCP dictatorship to sell milk and timber to China.
    
    5 10
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    January 6, 2020 1:19pm
  - Justitia
    
    There’s a world of difference between maintaining cordial relations and crawling right up the rectum. While the rest of the world protested the incarceration of the Uighurs in which the Secret Police Chief no doubt had a hand, what was Bridges thinking? He is unfit for Prime Minister.
    
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    January 6, 2020 1:40pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Re the Uighurs, National’s foreign affairs spokescreature was happy to call the concentration camps ‘vocational training centres’. Musn’t upset the paymasters.
      
      6 6
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      January 6, 2020 2:12pm
      - Justitia
        
        Clearly they were reading from their handily provided CCP talking points. In the early days the Nazis also called their concentration camps VTCs. Penny dropped yet Simon?
        
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        January 6, 2020 3:28pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        The Chinese are not dropping pennies on our political leaders.
        
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        January 6, 2020 4:25pm
- Tall Man
  
  Why did “what’s in it for wynston” anoint an avowed communist as his pr girl?
  
  Why don’t the media highlight that fact?
  
  Why did ardern meet with a man who started having sex with his school teacher?
  
  Why does “what’s in it for wynston” solicit funds from “interested parties” so that he can work out his stance on everything?
  
  Why are you so worried about a public meeting that wasn’t hidden from the press of the voter yet happily accept a “secret agreement” that allows our coalition to make policy without reason?
  
  13 4
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  January 6, 2020 1:43pm
Engelbert Humperdink

If there’s a downtick but no-one knows who ticked the red box, did the downtick really happen…?
9 5
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January 6, 2020 1:08pm
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  I see a Schrodinger tick has manifested… and then de-manifested 🙂
  
  7 5
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  January 6, 2020 1:25pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    …as of 19:54 I need 3 more downticks to achieve comment balance here…
    
    0 1
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    January 6, 2020 7:54pm
- DigNap15
  
  I don’t know.
  But sometimes I have ticket the report button in error. there seems to be no easy way to undo that, or report a report in error.
  
  6 2
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  January 6, 2020 1:56pm
  - Biscuit
    
    I’m no computer buff but if I were DPF there’d be a line under the Uptick and Downtick symbols with the blog names of all those who had hit either option.
    
    11 2
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    January 6, 2020 2:43pm
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      I hereby announce (or denounce) myself as having upticked Señor Biscuit!
      
      4 2
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      January 6, 2020 2:57pm
  - chaos
    
    I do that, and hit downtick instead of up, all so close on a tablet.
    
    3 1
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    January 6, 2020 3:02pm
    - Tall Man
      
      Same issue on a phone but I have learned to supersize the screen for ticks… and not the scratchy kind 😉
      
      1 1
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      January 6, 2020 6:04pm
Swifty

I am now half way through a three day exercise to restock my demi-glace in the freezer.

Just finished this morning and now frozen in cubes is a batch of chicken demi and in the oven roasting now is the makings of a batch of beef/chicken and which will be ready Wed morning.

Just had a nice piece of rump for lunch with a demi sauce.

My god, vegans don’t know what they’re missing.

For those interested and who may be on holiday and have some time up their sleeves please look here. A good brief video of a perfectly fine demi glace technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFaqxBXIM3E

You will not regret it. A word of warning though, once you’ve tried it you’ll never know how you existed without it.
8 1
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January 6, 2020 1:09pm
- Biscuit
  
  Swfity, lest you fear some time in the near future that your food stocks might be approaching their ‘Best By’ dates, feel feee to contact me and I will make a special trip to Chez Swifty to deplete same for you.
  
  Very nobly, I will make NO charge for my time, travel and effort!
  
  A Saint? Moi?
  
  8 0
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  January 6, 2020 3:03pm
  - Swifty
    
    My god sir, that’s terribly decent of you.
    
    You can be assured that should that situation arise you’ll be the first I call.
    
    🙂
    
    6 0
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    January 6, 2020 3:42pm
- Tall Man
  
  I do something similar with the chicken carcasses at the supermarket. Then I freeze into small takeaway containers. I use them for sauces, gravies and soup bases.
  
  However, since I started years ago the pricing has risen 10 fold.
  
  3 0
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  January 6, 2020 6:03pm
  - Tall Man
    
    From the supermarket I meant.
    
    I can only blame Jamesons Round for my typos…… If anyone is a fan of the Irish Whiskeys… this is a good one. They’ve sold out but this one is a goodun as well.
    
    https://www.whiskyandmore.co.nz/products/jameson-bold-irish-whisky-1000ml
    
    Apologies for the promotion but I’m a customer not an owner.
    
    2 0
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    January 6, 2020 6:23pm
  - Swifty
    
    Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.
    
    It wasn’t too long ago (I’m thinking 15, 20 years or so) that chicken carcasses were practically giveaways, pigs heads were maybe 2 or 3 bucks max, beef bones my butcher would give to me for free, and lamb shanks were maybe a buck each.
    
    I was at the supermarket today and pork bones were $10 a kg. BONES.
    
    I kid you not that not long after I came to Auckland in ’93 I was buying whole prime hoggets from Ross’ Super Meats in Mt Eden for around $50 – 18kgs on the hook, and all he did was halve them and run each side through his saw once behind the shoulder and once in front of the hip.
    
    That’d be $200 today if not more.
    
    What stuns me at times is how cheap chicken has become. Growing up a roast chook for us was a treat – just this week I bought a couple of small frozen Inghams on special for $5 each from the local PnS. One is perfectly fine for my daughter and me for a meal.
    
    Lamb has gone from a regular to a treat for us in the space of a generation.
    
    And don’t get me started on the price of ox-tail! 🙂
    
    3 0
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    January 6, 2020 7:03pm
Pongo

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7854449/Finlands-new-Prime-Minister-Sanna-Marin-34-plans-introduce-four-day-working-week.html
A government run by 4 millennial women, be interesting to watch how this turns out.
11 0
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January 6, 2020 1:30pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Not rocket science – people voting, rather than working, themselves rich always ends with the economy in the toilet. Argentina, Greece, Venezuela…
  
  6 1
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  January 6, 2020 4:20pm
- Tall Man
  
  Not well. Remember the Greek experiment with a fully subsidised retirement at age 55.
  
  France also has an early retirement for many and in the future that will return to hurt them.
  
  A mate of mine retired at age 55 from the army on a very good pension and he had served his country well in many theaters but seriously, how long can it continue.
  
  4 2
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  January 6, 2020 5:58pm
DigNap15

People in Iraq wre trying to get a new government.
Many people in Iran were also doing that (600 killed)
that’s all gone by the bye now as they focus on “revenge” and getting all foreign troops to leave.
I think they should and then that will mean an Iranian take over of Iraq.
5 1
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January 6, 2020 1:54pm
Stephieboy2

Lets Blame the Greens comes the catch cry of conservative and right wing media. This is despite the fact that Greens do not have any political power or leaveeage ridge in Australia . And certainly do not direct of influence the fire services in their control of fire hazard reduction and management ,

Fire Brigade Dispels The Rumour That The Greens Are To Blame For Bushfires

The Fire and Rescue NSW Station 428 Queanbeyan Facebook page posted onto a message board, saying that hazard reduction burns are essential in getting rid of big fuel loads before the bushfire season begins.

But it also added: “Political parties of any denomination do NOT influence the decisions of organisations like FRNSW, ACT Fire and Rescue, ACT and NSW Rural Fire Services and Parks and Wildlife Services when choosing when and how to do Hazard Reduction burns.

“It just doesn’t work like that.

“The main reason Hazard Reduction burns are cancelled or delayed is due to the predicted intensity of the burn exceeding the limits that would make it safe for firefighters, native flora and fauna and obviously you wonderful people.”

This hoary conspiracy theory is try and deflect the debate away from climate change , Namely much drier than normal weather conditions and much higher average temperatures that makes hazard reduction prevention meaningless ,

https://www.ladbible.com/news/news-fire-brigade-dispels-the-rumour-that-greens-are-to-blame-for-bushfires-20200105
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January 6, 2020 2:39pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  Dealt with yesterday. Interview with David Packham, after 8 minutes he addresses this: there has been a lack of fuel reduction for decades. There needed to be much more reduction, much more often. Then a drought would have a lower effect. As for native flora and fauna – he describes how frequent cool burns don’t harm them, while gigantic high-fuel load burns totally destroy. Just listen to him.
  
  https://volunteerfirefighters.org.au/scientist-david-packham-on-whats-really-causing-the-bushfires
  
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  January 6, 2020 3:34pm
  - Stephieboy2
    
    I prefer run with a scientist of the calibre of Dr Richard Thornton who predicted the present Bush fire calamity back in September 2019
    
    Grim fire season looms but many Australians remain unprepared
    
    “Bushfires are predicted to be worse than normal across much of Australia this summer but research shows many people, especially those in high-risk areas, remain unprepared….
    
    The ingredients for a bad fire season
    
    Above-normal bushfire potential refers to the ability of a large fire to take hold. It takes into account recent and predicted weather for a particular area, the dryness of the land and forests, and recent fire history.
    
    The year to date has been unusually warm and dry for large parts of Australia. In fact it has been the fifth-driest start to the year on record, and the driest since 1970. Some areas, such as New South Wales into southeastern Queensland, are into their third year of dry conditions.
    
    The warming trend means that above average temperatures now tend to occur in most years, and 2019 has followed this pattern. These high temperatures further dry the landscape and vegetation…’
    
    https://www.bnhcrc.com.au/news/blogpost/richard-thornton/2019/grim-fire-season-looms-many-australians-remain-unprepared
    
    His predictions are absolutely spot on!
    
    3 10
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    January 6, 2020 5:42pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      What’s your point of disagreeing with chaos’ post stephieboy?
      
      Are you trying to tell us that Richard Thornton doesn’t support fuel reduction burn offs?
      
      Because you’re confused… he does. He supports targeted burnoffs.
      
      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-07/black-saturday-fire-fuel-threat-planned-burns-needed/10787050
      
      7 2
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      January 6, 2020 6:25pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Can’t delete…
        Sorry I mean classic liberal’s post above… not the one below.
        
        5 0
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        January 6, 2020 6:27pm
      - Stephieboy2
        
        Merely checking out the reepective credentials of Dr Richard Thornton and David Packham, Burnoffs or not the former wins hands down!
        
        1 7
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        January 6, 2020 6:35pm
      - chaos
        
        Ah that moment when you start to wonder, wtf, I wrote a post, damn my brain fog must be playing with me I can’t see it.
        
        4 1
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        January 6, 2020 7:06pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        @chaos
        
        I had just seen your 5:32 post on the arsonists… and just had a feeling that stephieboy would have to post a rejoinder to that one as well as Classic Liberals.
        
        4 1
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        January 6, 2020 8:41pm
      - chaos
        
        Yeah the dick has, but he isn’t even worth replying to, selective cuts and pasts one comment someone made on the tweet and misses all the comments that point out the answer to him.
        
        3 0
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        January 6, 2020 8:44pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        @stephieboy2
        
        I would never disregard the views of a Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO, Bushfires. or a
        Supervisor of the Rural Fire Weather Services at the Bureau of Meteorology, especially if they were the same person.
        
        https://trove.nla.gov.au/people/478156?c=people
        
        3 0
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        January 6, 2020 9:23pm
chaos

And the award for best comment at an award show goes to

* Warning off any winner who might be contemplating using their speech to push a social or political agenda, Gervais told the crowd: “You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything”.

“You say you’re woke, but the companies you work for – unbelievable,” he said.

“I mean, Amazon, Apple, Disney – if ISIS started a streaming service, you’d call your agent, wouldn’t ya?”

The Office star, who announced it would be the last time he hosted the awards and that he “didn’t care anymore”, then set out a strict set of instructions for winners.

“So, if you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech. You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world.

“Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg. So, if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God, and f**k off, okay?” *

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2020/01/golden-globes-2020-ricky-gervais-savagely-attacks-celebs-sets-rules-for-winners.html
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January 6, 2020 2:47pm
- Inandout
  
  Good old Ricky, he is not stupid, he can smell the days of actor/causes/lectures are over. God there are some wankers in Hollywood posing as ‘good actors’.
  
  19 0
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  January 6, 2020 3:09pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Good or bad I don’t care what they have to say outside of their lines…. Although I well sick and tired of having greta’s “line” continually printed as ‘pearls of wisdom from above”.
    
    9 2
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    January 6, 2020 5:53pm
- Jules99
  
  ‘spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg’
  
  That’s good – I’m going to steal that.
  
  16 0
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  January 6, 2020 3:10pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  God forbid an actor or ‘reality TV’ host ever wins major political office.
  
  3 11
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  January 6, 2020 3:48pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    Reagan.
    
    Trump.
    
    4 0
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    January 6, 2020 4:00pm
  - nasska
    
    Ronald Reagan was good but generally their egos eclipse their abilities.
    
    4 0
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    January 6, 2020 4:19pm
  - mandk
    
    It couldn’t be worse than having a PM whose only private sector experience is scooping chips.
    
    13 0
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    January 6, 2020 4:35pm
    - Inandout
      
      mandk, didn’t our princess once hang around Tony Blair’s office?
      
      7 0
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      January 6, 2020 5:18pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      And catches the bus home
      
      7 1
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      January 6, 2020 5:19pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Only if she managed to figure out the timetable……….
        
        8 1
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        January 6, 2020 5:44pm
    - Stephieboy2
      
      mandk, and yours?
      
      1 10
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      January 6, 2020 5:45pm
  - Tall Man
    
    mikey is being a smartarse but does introduce an interesting point.
    
    Trump promised to drain the swamp which I took to mean clearing out the professional politicos, much like “what’s in it for wynston” who basically sell themselves for the biggest buck. To do this you would need to “not” be a “professional arsehole” like ardern thought.
    
    Reagan was also not a professional politician and probably was as undervalued as Trump is by many now.
    
    Thanks mikey for bringing a good point to the discussion 😉
    
    4 2
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    January 6, 2020 5:51pm
    - Batman
      
      Have a read of this lot… Is it really so good to clear out people who know what they’re doing? (And I don’t mean Winston because obviously he’s a dick).
      
      https://twitter.com/rezamarashi/status/1214031169173348352?s=19
      
      From US govt officials:
      
      “We’re still trying to dig out from underneath the last war of choice, and now they’re trying to start a new one. I finally cracked open the bottle of scotch you gave me that I’ve been keeping stashed away in my desk drawer.”
      
      “When did most of us find out about killing Soleimani? After it already happened. Since then, we’ve been trying to cobble together contingency planning on the fly, but these charlatans ignore most of it, and then Trump does more stupid shit that puts us back at square one.”
      
      “The scariest part is that they’re just making shit up to justify their preferred course of action. When we point out inaccuracies or question logic, we’re at best yelled at or at worst cut out of the process. Most of the political appointees are paranoid, unqualified, or both.”
      
      “One of Trump’s top Iran advisors got suckered into a honey trap, had their laptop/iPhone stolen and hacked before they woke up, and the White House refused to take precautionary measures regarding their security clearance. Ladies and gents, I give you the Trump administration.”
      
      “They know the Iraqis are gonna kick them out now, so they’re gonna try to kill as many as possible on their way out. Iranians, Iraqis, whoever. Some of them are advising Trump to tell the Iraqi government to fuck off and dare them to make us leave. I shit you not. Insanity.”
      
      1 7
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      January 6, 2020 8:45pm
chaos

*Police are now working on the premise arson is to blame for much of the devastation caused this bushfire season. A strike force will investigate whether blazes were deliberately lit, and bring those responsible to justice. *

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1213002373766901760
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January 6, 2020 5:42pm
- Tall Man
  
  Expect that to get roundly abused from the left.
  
  5 1
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  January 6, 2020 6:15pm
- Stephieboy2
  
  The clue is here,
  
  Heath George
  @WDP_HeathGeorge
  ·
  Jan 3
  Replying to
  @7NewsSydney
  and
  @ebatten7
  Climate denial 101, straight out of the US playbook. How they started is the wrong question.
  
  Why they started so early, are so intense, & the season so long is the question. And the answer is climate change. #ClimateCrisis
  
  2 11
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  January 6, 2020 6:41pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Have you been studying the information on the Indian Ocean dipole yet, stephieboy?
    
    6 1
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    January 6, 2020 8:44pm
    - Stephieboy2
      
      The Indian Ocean dipole. ?
      
      Yes, I have:
      
      Positive Indian Ocean Dipole fuels bushfires devastating Australia and deadly flooding in Africa
      
      Key points:
      
      A positive Indian Ocean Dipole is triggered by a change in ocean temperatures
      It ends with the start of the monsoon season, but this has been delayed
      Like an El Nino/La Nina in the Pacific, it can drastically impact weather patterns
      
      A climatic phenomenon of near-record intensity has contributed to two extremes on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean — torrential rain in East Africa and exceptionally dry conditions fuelling bushfires in Australia.
      
      The bushfire season began much earlier than usual in eastern Australia and has been one of the most devastating on record, based on the area burnt.
      Australia’s most populous city of Sydney has been choking under a blanket of thick smoke funnelling in from the fire zones, its air quality exceeding hazardous levels on several occasions….”
      
      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-11/indian-ocean-dipole-fuels-dry-australia-bushfires-africa-rain/11787874
      
      0 8
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      January 6, 2020 9:17pm
  - chaos
    
    Why they started so early. Really are you too stupid to realize they started early because some bastards went and started them.
    
    3 0
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    January 6, 2020 10:32pm
- fightingtemeraire
  
  Friend of mine in Sydney tells me they are prosecuting 80 people for arson. Don’t know if this is just NSW or Aus wide
  
  5 2
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  January 6, 2020 8:16pm
  - JibberJabber
    
    Last figures I saw were 70+ in Queensland, 200+ in NSW and no figures for Victoria or Sth Aus.
    
    But yeah, I guess they were all from the same family, the Climate-Changes, sound like a right pack of ferals.
    
    6 0
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    January 6, 2020 8:39pm
  - Stephieboy2
    
    Just provide a link to confirm! Say SMH or ABC. Preferably not a shock jock like Alan Jones!
    
    0 9
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    January 6, 2020 9:19pm
    - Rich Prick
      
      You’ve gone from a moron to a bore. Find new people to get to thinking you wouldn’t want to touch the savoys, now matter how much Watties you have handy. We’re all convinced.
      
      4 0
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      January 6, 2020 11:12pm
Fletch

Video of Ricky Gervais –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCNdTLHZAeo

Ouch.
3 1
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January 6, 2020 5:49pm
- Tall Man
  
  Gone already. Must have been good……
  
  5 1
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  January 6, 2020 6:14pm
- JibberJabber
  
  https://twitter.com/nbc/status/1214008610667155456
  
  4 0
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  January 6, 2020 8:35pm
- Sacha
  
  video ‘Not Available’.
  No freedom to speak on youtube, it seems.
  
  2 0
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  January 6, 2020 9:17pm
Tall Man

Please somebody, post something positive about the cricket……. and no, not you Aussie buggers 🙂
3 1
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January 6, 2020 6:33pm
- Batman
  
  It didn’t get smoked out.
  
  That’s the best I can muster….
  
  4 2
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  January 6, 2020 8:16pm
- chaos
  
  Someone in the nz team managed to hit the ball at least once?
  
  2 1
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  January 6, 2020 8:24pm
- Prince
  
  Firebirds are running hot.
  
  2 1
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  January 6, 2020 8:39pm
mikenmildagain

Aussies wrapped that one up pretty easily…
4 2
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January 6, 2020 7:50pm
info@cruzpro.com

Irregardless of whether the USA was right or wrong to assassinate Soleimani, there will be a number of radicals who will reconsider their next move!
3 1
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January 6, 2020 8:30pm
Swifty

A word to the wise – Bangkok is not for everybody.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=55&v=5z35TO4jx08&feature=emb_logo
1 1
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January 6, 2020 8:45pm
Scooter

Excellent debates today, I particularly liked the Ricky Gervais link and how to make demi glacé, grazie!!
2 0
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January 7, 2020 1:42am
Scooter

Maybe will repost tomorrow in time when moderators are awake
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January 7, 2020 2:03am

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