General Debate 14 October 2020

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Martin Williams

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Hoskings just now trying to claim the Greens are toast and National will form a government with ACT and NZF because…shy Tories.
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October 14, 2020 8:00am
- Random T Person
  
  Good ole Mike Hosking! Probably smarter than me or you Martin. Have a good day friend.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:53am
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Very astute Martin, good of you to finally recognise what is happening! 🙂
  
  Personally I disagree about NZF, I think they are toast too.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:57am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Nats 38%
    Lab 40%
    Act 10%
    Grn 4.5%
    NZF 3%
    The rest 4.5%
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:41am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      If true
      2023 election
      Nats 49%
      Lab 27%
      Act 15%
      Grn 4%
      NZF 2%
      The rest 3%
      If Labour/ Grn win 2020
      2023
      Lab 20%
      Nat 55%
      Act 15%
      The rest…..10%
      
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      October 14, 2020 9:46am
- theoldbloke
  
  Got to laugh at you Poms. We dont have tories 🙂
  This is NZ buddy.
  We just have variing shades of Socialists
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:59am
  - mark15
    
    Just like the poms.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:41am
- mandk
  
  Anyone who was actually listening knows he didn’t actually say that. He actually said it was a scenario he didn’t believe.
  
  You must have been listening to the Mike Hoskings show in a parallel universe.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:00am
  - RJ
    
    Typical leftie move. Take something that happened and then lie about what was actually said.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:58am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Who is “Hoskings”?
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:03am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Brother of “Stockings”.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:16am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      Cousin of “Fiskings”
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:04pm
    - Inandout
      
      Cousin of Arderns.
      
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      October 14, 2020 2:05pm
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    He’s a cousin of John Keys.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:17am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Who is John Keys?
      You seem to keep allowing the mystery ‘s’ into the conversation.
      
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      October 14, 2020 9:47am
      - Captain Mainwaring
        
        Mike Hoskings is a cousin of John Keys. Don’t you get it?
        
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        October 14, 2020 10:35am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Captain
        if you mean that John Key is Mike Hosking’s cousin.
        Then it can be written.
        Mike Hosking is a cousin of John Key.
        or
        Mike Hosking is a cousin of John Key’s
        But never
        Mike Hoskings is a cousin of John Keys
        Here end the English lesson.
        
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        October 14, 2020 10:51am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  He didn’t say that. Let’s keep movin.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:17am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  I don’t remember hearing that on ZB Martin, but I did hear RNZ going into overdrive protecting Ardern over wealth taxes earlier. Sure, Cindy can say wealth tax isn’t Labour policy until the cows come home, but the Greens seem to have gone very quiet lately.
  
  Although apparently Chloe’s said something recently about the Greens throwing their toys out of the cot if they don’t get their way in coalition negotiations…
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:35am
2ic

Am I hoping against hope?

Some interesting observations looking at the aftermath of the third Leaders Debate.

It was certainly Ardern’s strongest performance of the debates so far (looking past the lies, the audience being stacked in her favour, the scripted answers from notes and the appalling moderation), and I thought it reasonable for most commentators to give her the win on the night.

NZ Herald’s commentators gave Ardern a clean sweep:

Election 2020: The Verdict – Who won the third debate? Our experts have their say
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2020-the-verdict-who-won-the-third-debate-our-experts-have-their-say/3MDBPFP4J2WBBRTJZSLTX2UXRY/

It’s hidden behind a paywall, but Audrey Young, Simon Wilson, Claire Trevett and Fran O’Sullivan all gave the win to Ardern.

However, the NZ Herald’s own poll tells a different story, with their even their own readership actually giving Collin’s a narrow win:

Third leaders’ debate: Jacinda Ardern v Judith Collins as the pair go head to head
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/third-leaders-debate-jacinda-ardern-v-judith-collins-as-the-pair-go-head-to-head/BLUTI6GHRSKCEOSIB37SMYMNEU/

Jacinda Ardern: 45%
Judith Collins: 50%
Draw: 6%

Now I know these types of polls are completely unscientific, but knowing the NZ Herald’s Left leanings I would hardly expect their readership to be biased towards Collins. And it’s hardly like the Right to rally to influence an online poll – that sort of activity is typically the domain of the Left. With some 48,000 votes, it’s also a sizable number of respondents.

So this does give me pause to wonder if this is a sign of the ‘shy conservative’ phenomenon that we’ve seen making polling so unreliable overseas. Is there a groundswell of anti-Ardern sentiment about to make their voice heard this weekend?

Or am I hoping against hope?
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October 14, 2020 8:00am
- cmm
  
  Jacinda’s appeal does not come from being competent therefore losing debates has close to zero impact.
  
  A gumboot throwing contest would be more meaningful.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:55am
  - Jimmy White
    
    JOS or the Jacinda Obsession Syndrome
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:34am
    - Loddenthinks
      
      Closely related to TDS.
      
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      October 14, 2020 8:27pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    I’m pretty sure if I tried throwing a gumboot at the Princess of the Pestilence I’d be taken out by those people who carry the guns she forbids the rest of NZ to have.
    
    Oh, and for the record Fraser House / Five-Eyes / GCHQ: No, I’m not going to hurl any Red Band footwear at anybody. Can’t afford to buy replacements thanks to the lockdown.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:08pm
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  You are dreaming and at least dreams in this country are not taxed by the toxic Greens. But saying that, 78% of the people who voted in TV3’s question about Judith’s obesity statement agreed with her. It should be a great disappointment to the Labour poodles Duncan Garner and Toxic Tova.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:19am
- Philview
  
  It was commented on yesterday that the Monday night News on both channels showed Jacinda meeting adoring crowds but left out the protestors she encountered in Hamilton. For her safety she had to be escorted out the back door of a venue.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:39am
  - sooty
    
    How come the media, never told us that!
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:21pm
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Because they’re part of Team Cindy.
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:28pm
Happychappy

Given there are so called experts out there calling out Judith Collins for her stance on obesity, do es anyone on here believe obesity is a choice. Well in my world I’m backing Judith Collins because no mater how many experts out their that want to cry down her statement and say people cannot help it are in fairy land, as like the old saying goes “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink “, who causes people to eat ,drink and use bad habits that are a major force in the cause of obesity, who forces people to eat takeaways, drink coke or soft drink ,alcohol , and who doesn’t cook healthy meals for their children. So in the end it comes down to choice and those with obesity deciding to make all the wrong choices.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2020/10/question-of-the-day-do-you-believe-obesity-is-a-choice.html

The Media and Academic’s take every chance they have to help their darling Jacinda knowing they don’t get fact checked like Judith Collins.
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October 14, 2020 8:00am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Yes of course it is a choice. I would like to lose 10 kgs and if I decided to make it a priority it would happen. A friend of mine has been very over weight forever. At the start of the year she said ‘no more’. Lost 27 kg and another 20 kg to go. Respect.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:55am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Hope she has voted the Greens?
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:20am
  - Jimbob
    
    It is very simple, cut out sugar. Anything more than 10% sugar, avoid. I lost 10 kilos in 2-3 months, it just fell off. (cutting back on cheese does also help)
    Exercise, a walk before breakfast has the best effect.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:57am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    My trick to maintaining my good weight into late middle age: realise you need fewer calories as you get older. So smaller less calorific meals.
    
    Agree re lower sugar.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:32am
- Ruawai
  
  It is the individual that picks food up and puts it in their mouths, it may be an education problem and poor parenting but being poor doesn’t mean you have to eat bad food, frozen peas and frozen chicken are pretty cheap, protein and greens.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:59am
  - Centrist
    
    Even buying a cooked chicken ($12 or $13) is a lot cheaper and healthier than taking a family to KFC.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:39am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Chicken has both protein and fat, both essential, and peas also have fibre. My wife and I often buy an Inghams butterflied chook and I barbecue it. With a salad it’s delicious and we eat maybe a third of it that night, then it does us for lunch for the next couple of days. $16 for 2 at Pak n Save, I reckon the whole meal costs us about $3 a head.
    
    There’s absolutely no excuse to not eat healthily in this country, just eat what’s in season which is actually what your body needs anyway.
    
    Signed, A Reformed Fat Bastard.
    
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    October 14, 2020 8:37pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Speaking as a Fat Bastard ™ I would say it is entirely my choice.
  
  I like eating, I like cooking and baking, and its been years since i was inside a gym.
  
  Would love to be able to say its my genes, or that I am stressed, or that I live in a food desert… or whatever is the currently fashionable fat bastard excuse.
  
  Not even sure if diabetes is a good enough reason – because of causality – what came first. Most diabetics I know became diabetic because of unhealthy lifestyles, not the other way round. A couple had their diabetes clear up after they had the tummy staple procedure.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:00am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Why don’t you blame it on the last National Government?
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:20am
    - Frank the tank
      
      9 long years of neglect
      
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      October 14, 2020 11:43am
  - Ed Snack
    
    Oddly enough I only know (well) a couple of people with diabetes and both are type 1, and that has an almost entirely genetic cause. Both became diabetic as teenagers and have had to cope with it for a very long time.
    
    Type 1 is an autoimmune caused disease, for as yet not completely understood reasons the body attacks the insulin producing cells in the pancreas, so an affected person no longer produces any insulin.
    
    Type 2 is the largely environmentally caused form, where a person becomes (usually progressively) less responsive to insulin – they can make plenty of it but the body no longer efficiently uses it. Most common attributed causes of type 2 diabetes are obesity and bad diet – which are of course related along with a lack of physical activity.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:34am
- RoboRob
  
  Yes I believe it is a choice, but one that is influenced by the environment. The really sad thing is the media focus on it when there are major policy issues to discuss. Funny how Tova ‘lets focus on policy’ is absolutely uninterested in that.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:00am
- artemisia
  
  Newshub poll – Yes, obesity is a choice. (No – it’s someone else’s fault?)
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:08am
  - artemisia
    
    Newshub poll – 77% yes.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:22am
  - Close Hen Counters
    
    Let’s do a poll to see if Mark Mitchell is in the right party – seriously, he needs to stfu and let Judith win the election not undermine her
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:22am
    - Frank the tank
      
      Will have a jab at the leadership post election. Turned out to be a backstabbing womble of the highest order. That’s why my electorate vote will go to some nuffie this time.
      
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      October 14, 2020 11:45am
      - Bobba Fret
        
        That’s why I electorate voted for Simon O’Connor and party voted Act.
        Too many National MP’s seem to be messing up and not helping Judith. eg. Denise Lee.
        I haven’t heard Mithchell yet.
        
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        October 14, 2020 12:54pm
      - chukar
        
        If National stab Collins in the back, that will definitely be the end of of a party we once knew.
        
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        October 14, 2020 8:10pm
  - Twinkletoes
    
    Growing up in post war Europe I do not remember any fat people and certainly no fatty friends at school! Environmental ‘choice’, I guess.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:49am
  - DeepBlue
    
    They closed that poll quickly.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:26am
- MCos
  
  My wife comes from a very big family. She has/had seventeen brothers and two sisters.
  Her father had a wife and a ‘Mia noi’ (minor wife), which is common in Thailand. Some blokes have several Mia noi, depending on their means. The king has about twenty.
  All the offspring from one wife are as skinny as racks and the other ones completely different; ranging from obese to overweight, but none are skinny.
  BTW
  The body shape doesn’t seem to have had much bearing on their health.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:09am
- Gravelroad
  
  There is a programme on Sky TV called My 600lb Life.
  It has a perhaps ghoulish look at severely obese people in the US and the treatment they eventually seek to try to change their lives.
  Almost without exception the reasons for their weight gain (which are gone into quite thoroughly in each programme) are:
  Childhood trauma: eg sexual, physical, psychological abuse.
  Neglect by family caused by alcohol/drug addictions and no idea how to organise family life.
  No sense of personal of responsibility.
  Very poor educational outcomes.
  Addiction to food, smoking and pain killers.
  Round the clock access to cheap fast food from an early age – delivered to your door. Just txt your order.
  A keen interest in being the centre of attention as enablers feed them while they lie in bed – an easy life where everything is done for you and presumably paid for by the taxpayer.
  
  Yeah, yeah, this is an American reality tv program based on ratings, but same themes constantly in play.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:10am
  - theoldbloke
    
    Look back to the 60s and early 70s.
    All those factors were in play.
    But very few morbidly obese people.
    
    What has changed
    Fast food
    and you poor thing, its ok to be fat.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:20am
  - Im Right
    
    I stumbled into that program whilst channel surfing and the 600lb woman was in tears as she ‘fell off the wagon’ in her weight loss diet and ordered pizza…..now we know the size of the US pizzas they are massive and she ordered, and ate, 3 of them!
    I’m sorry but I have not one iota of sympathy for someone who eats to the stage they can no longer walk unaided…..they have had multiple opportunities when they were say, 250/300/350lbs in weight and do something about it!
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:21am
  - MCos
    
    There was another programme on TV originating in America called Biggest Loser whereby a bunch of obese people compete to lose weight. At the end they all lose heaps of fat and look pretty good.
    Apparently, according to a follow up programme I saw by a different channel most of them put it all back on again.
    I personally think it’s easy enough to say ‘lose weight you fat slob’, but there’s obviously more to it than that.
    A lot comes down to environment and lifestyle. When I lived in Bangkok I lost weight and put it on again back in NZ and lost it again in Bangkok, without even thinking about it.
    Working in parliament seems to be bad news, particularly if you’re in a safe seat.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:10am
    - tf78
      
      I think the trouble with obese people is that apart from obviously eating too much of the wrong food they keep eating in until their body finds a little bit of nourishment in something. It obviously takes a lot of searching for that something. They might be better to eat multi vitamins instead.
      
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      October 14, 2020 11:34am
- cmm
  
  Sure it is just a matter of choice.
  
  But is your choice really your choice?
  
  Like everything else (intelligence, sporting talent, etc) not everyone has the same circumstances and the same capability for free choice.
  
  But free choice is a bit like a muscle – more exercise of the free choice muscle can help it grow over the long term and sitting on the couch (or being spoonfed on the dole) can make it get flabby.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:25am
- Raphael
  
  yes. according to my BMI, I am now technically obese. I know for a fact I can sort that out with diet (I can loose weight very quickly if I go onto, and stick with a keto diet) and exercise (doing some would be a good start.
  
  If I make better choices, I could a thinner, healthier, fitter person within a year.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:27am
  - fernglas
    
    I have the same BMI right now as Dan Carter had when he was at his peak. God, wasn’t Carter a barrel gutted wobble botty!!!
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:00am
    - Raphael
      
      That would be because having a high BMI because of healthy exercise and muscles vs having a high BMI because you’re fat and lazy (talking me, not you) is different.
      
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      October 14, 2020 10:58am
      - fernglas
        
        I think that was my point.
        
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        October 14, 2020 12:59pm
- AlphaWhiskey
  
  Of course it is a choice. If might be more difficult foe some people to make the right choice; but a choice it is.
  The best way to disprove the hypothesis is to present a fat fella (not one with a bulging abdomen) who has died of starvation.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:42am
  - tf78
    
    AW – fat people could possibly die of malnutrition.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:06pm
- DeepBlue
  
  Sugar Tax would have to be 3000% for me to notice its obesity controlling limits, once I remember there is a TimTam in the pantry at 8pm.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:46am
- RW Capitalist
  
  From the NHS (in England)
  “Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little. If you consume high amounts of energy, particularly fat and sugars, but do not burn off the energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surplus energy will be stored by the body as fat.”
  
  I went to a “motivational speech” many moons ago.
  The speaker was a petite man and short.
  He said
  I was fat once…not chubby or cute…..but fat
  I didn’t have a Thyroid problem, I had a knife, fork and spoon problem.
  I fast realized at 18yrs old, the girls didn’t like that, so I changed…… He then went on to talk about sales etc and how success, in any field was all about you changing yourself to achieve.
  My father was more succinct …when ever I would get preachy at 16yo.
  “Change the world then, start with yourself.”
  Michael Jackson sang a song about it.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqe5NP86OCc
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:07am
  - tf78
    
    Does anyone watch Coronation Street – well Craig the young copper in the program has lost heaps of weight by exercising and dieting. Mike Hosking had him on his show over lockdown I think.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:09pm
    - hilaryt
      
      Yep…noticed. But jeez…Coro aint what it were.
      
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      October 14, 2020 3:28pm
mikenmildagain

Happy World Standards Day!
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October 14, 2020 8:01am
- Jimmy White
  
  Its also National kick But day and specially for all you fatties National Desert day.
  p.s. Yesterday was No Bra Day. Spent a couple of hours in the main street and even though it was a bit nippy I only saw Bras
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:41am
- Tarquin North
  
  Is The Standard still going?
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:02am
- RW Capitalist
  
  You better rush out and get some them. This of all days was made for you.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:09am
artemisia

Victim blaming, personal responsibility, it’s the system’s fault, it’s a global issue, a sugar tax will help sort it, free school lunches, personal choices, “a food environment that’s full of junk food”, people are too busy and tired to cook, front door of supermarkets full of fruit and veges.

Obesity. Some of these things are not like the others.
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October 14, 2020 8:02am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Re supermarkets, I’ve read that to get a good diet ‘stick to the outer aisles’. There’s some sense in that.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:55am
Tricati

Having witnessed many elections over my 65 years, even participating when I lived overseas, I’m of the mind this election has to be the most undemocratic I have ever seen.
From the PM ignoring the Electoral Commissions advice on an appropriate revised date for the election to ensure everyone has an opportunity to be ready and participate, to a blatantly biased anti National media and the same MSM not taking the government to task over their multiple failures over their term; and the cherry on top, the PM using the covid daily announcements to promote the Labour Party over a number of months. How the hell could any other party compete with the above on an even footing.
National have not done themselves any favours and getting rid of Simon Bridges was a bloody disaster, but Just remember, he had National at over 40% in the polls, Labour had squandered the surplus they inherited and were about to borrow billions to stimulate a flagging economy and along came covid to save this bloody rabble. I haven’t seen anything that suggests their delivery (Sweet FA) over the next 3 years, if they get back in, will be any different.
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October 14, 2020 8:05am
- MCos
  
  Covid-19 didn’t save anyone in NZ, but it sure sunk National. I refer you back to the dying days of Simon Bridges’ leadership when he lost most of the country by his incessant complaining.
  Over in Australia Morrison made a mess of his handling of the bushfire crisis and his popularity was sinking like a stone, but his handling of Covid-19 has restored his fortunes.
  In the the UK & US continuing ineptitude has seen Boris and Trump look like fools to most people.
  All these people were the leaders in the spotlight and were expected to sort things out because everybody thinks their country is special and will beat this thing.
  Americans especially are told all their lives they are exceptional. They win all the Nobels. They have all the best people. It must be a shock that this virus is rampant and uncontrollable and so many people are sick & dying. No wonder Trump is trying to belittle the threat by calling it no worse than a sniffle.
  Ironically about the only leader who seems to have admitted some degree of failure is Kim Jung Un.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:38am
Natfan08

Latest UMR poll:

Labour: 50%
National: 29%
ACT: 7%
Greens: 6%
NZ First: 2.7%

I just want to hide under a rock and not come out until 2023….
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October 14, 2020 8:07am
- Random T Person
  
  Nah mate just go cast your vote and let’s get on with it.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:55am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Or run.
  
  I guess we will still have the beautiful New Zealand landscapes to enjoy. We already have a model to aspire to. Venezuela has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. 🙂
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:59am
  - JackRabbit
    
    Venezuela also has the second highest gold reserves in the world.
    
    South Africa also has a lot of precious metals in the land under the farms where white farmers are being forced off the land.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:42am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Venezuela also has the second highest gold reserves in the world.
      Did I hear somewhere, they also have 2nd highest oil reserves in Sth America, behind Brazil.
      
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      October 14, 2020 10:12am
      - Captain Mainwaring
        
        Yes they do, but the Socialists nationalised the oil industry and kicked out of the country everyone with the expertise of how to extract and process it. Now the oil business is munted.
        
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        October 14, 2020 10:43am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Captain
        Sounds strangely reminiscent of Taranaki.
        
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        October 14, 2020 10:56am
      - JackRabbit
        
        And we have high reserves of coal and gas. Probably why the socialists don’t want it used. Its not because its fossil fuel. It’s because its not their fossil fuel.
        
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        October 14, 2020 11:41am
      - cmm
        
        Venezuela has horrible oil that nobody really wants unless they are absolutely forced to use it.
        
        The best oil is “sweet light” and produces the nice stuff (diesel, jet fuel etc) with the least muck. Venezuela’s oil is not like that at all.
        
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        October 14, 2020 11:55am
  - Jimmy White
    
    By the time you a three years of Capital gains tax living in a tent in the landscape might be your only option
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:44am
- Crisplion
  
  UMR always heavily favours the left. I’m not saying the situation’s good, just that it’s probably not as bad as that poll would suggest. I’m pleased to see the Greens still hovering near the death zone anyhow.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:00am
- RoboRob
  
  Yup. As a right support our only hope is that the polls are way off or that the labour vote doesn’t turn out. Both seem unlikely, especially with huge early voting.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:01am
- Odakyu-sen
  
  The purpose of polls is to guide the sheep on how to “go with the flow.”
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:12am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  This will be exact result on election day. I have said this many times before.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:22am
- nathie
  
  Bwhaha UMR Labour’s pollsters … their previous so-called polls generally always had:
  
  *Labour always higher than the CB/RR polls.
  *National always lower than the CB/RR polls.
  *Greens consistently just under 10% (i.e. higher than the CB/RR polls).
  *NZF consistently above 5% (except this time – Labour obviously don’t want or need them now) i.e. always higher than the CB/RR polls.
  
  So yet another Labour propaganda “leak” designed to influence the media and anyone daft enough to buy into it (like HDPA yesterday)!
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:32am
JJ56

After CNN’s puff piece on our PM, could BBC this morning be breaking ranks? NZ election: The people left behind in Ardern’s ‘kind’ New Zealand https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54444643
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October 14, 2020 8:09am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Whatever. CNN is useful in that you know any ‘opinion’ is the total opposite of reality. A bit like Golriz Ghahraman 🙂
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:01am
  - Observer of Life
    
    Speaking of G Ghahraman, she’s been quiet these past few weeks. Why I wonder? Mind you, so has the American.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:46am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      Ghahraman has the same problem as Nash but in a different realm.
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:11pm
    - GT Build
      
      Both in Witless protection
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:26pm
- Albert_Ross
  
  This is a great example of how the BBC thinks it is properly unbiased – because it criticizes left wing as well as right wing politicians.
  
  What they consistently fail to recognize is that their attacks always come from the left – politicians, of all colours, are criticized for not being left wing enough. They are criticized for not spending enough taxpayers’ money, not regulating free speech enough, not controlling other people’s choices. Never for being spendthrift, wasteful, or for interfering too much in what private citizens and businesses choose to think or do.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:08am
  - Swifty
    
    “….politicians, of all colours, are criticized for not being left wing enough….”
    
    Yes, yes, yes.
    
    The media are like a footy referee doing their best to keep both sides playing in the same half and scoring under the same set of posts.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:49am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Very perceptive analysis.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:07am
- nathie
  
  Well that BBC article puts NZ’s MSM to shame.
  
  NZ MSM more interested in taking pot shots at Opposition Parties and talking up Ardern rather than holding her Government (and their failures and unkept promises) to account!
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:40am
Scott

Joe Biden is continuing his campaign rallies at about one event per week. He forgets that he is running for president and talks about running for Senate. He mumbles a few remarks to about 10 people. His last rally was almost drowned out by a much bigger crowd of Trump supporters.
It is probably not nice to heckle an old man. But he is running to be president of the United States. And frankly he is just not up for the job.

This election is so interesting because we have a president who is very unpopular with a lot of people versus a former VP who is well past his use by date. And the polls have Biden up by 10 points based solely on his voters don’t like the president.

This is going to be an interesting race. I need to say that it ain’t over. I’m still picking Trump to win. I think the polls are off by so much that they are meaningless right now.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/megan-fox/2020/10/13/watch-weaksauce-biden-drive-in-drowned-out-by-magas-chanting-four-more-years-n1045234
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October 14, 2020 8:13am
- RoboRob
  
  I commented yesterday (and got quite a few down votes from the pro Trump crew) that Joes unexcited supporters isn’t an issue for him. I suspect most (non hard Democrat) Joe votes are from the ‘I hate Trump’ crowd. This time its a choice between the candidate I dislike as a person and the one that bores me (and may be senile).
  
  For what its worth, i’m somewhat pro Trump. But reality is kicking in, bit like the NZ elections.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:06am
  - Ed Snack
    
    That may be correct, what is unknowable is whether the anti-trump voters will be motivated enough to get out and vote. Typically the amount of enthusiasm for a candidate is important as turning out your supporters is very important.
    
    But maybe you have an interesting insight in that Trump is generating all the enthusiasm both pro and anti, so the Democrat’s relatively low key public campaign is working with that. So not trying to generate positive “Vote for Joe” vibes but instead focussing on the “Vote against Trump” and letting Trumps very active campaigning do that for them. It certainly helps to have the MSM entirely on your side to do this, a lot of the dislike for Trump is fuelled by the incessantly negative coverage he gets in all the major outlets.
    
    Hard to tell so far, but a few snippets make me wonder at this tactic if that’s what it is. Florida is still an important bell weather state, and the early voting numbers while still skewed Democrat are well down on 2016. Plus as mentioned yesterday, why is Biden campaigning in states that should, if he really is ahead by the poll numbers, be slam dunks for him. Nevada and Pennsylvania for example.
    
    And I still think that as at least a backup plan, the Democrats will never concede and will attempt to use lawfare to invalidate any pro-Trump result. They are determined not to let Trump win by any means, fair or foul.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:48am
    - RoboRob
      
      Good post, I agree, especially with respect to your last paragraph.
      
      I don’t think the strategy you detail is intentional, more of a side effect of Biden simply being so low key. He is old, doesn’t campaign much and doesn’t really stand for anything more than a continuation of 40 years of Dem / Rep policy. It is ‘lucky’ for him that many find his opponent to be a significantly distasteful person. Trump is, as you say, his own worst enemy in many ways. Not helped my ridiculous Media reporting.
      
      Think what you will of Trump but he has significantly different policy to both parties. He is not pro free trade, is closed border and anti war. These are the exact opposite of almost every US politician in either party for the last 40 years. I bet Sanders and the other far left have the same open market views that Mitch McConnel and Ted Cruize do (they may just word them differently.
      
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      October 14, 2020 12:08pm
bennerg

Newsroom had an excellent article on the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility (MACR), and how Andrew Beecroft wants to raise it.

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/the-last-thing-young-people-need

Somehow I see a huge difference between a kid who performs some mindless prank – perhaps dressing up at a party in nazi gear, or even doing graffiti, to that of one who actually commits murder, even as a 10 year old.

Our 7 year old’s know the basics of right and wrong, and to ignore a fundamental issue that could allow such a young person, even at 10, to have no responsibility for a grave offence, and hence no effective correction, is crazy.
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October 14, 2020 8:16am
- cmm
  
  Your 7 yo does know basic right from wrong, but there’s ample evidence to show that people – especially younger people- are easily swayed.
  
  I’ve recently been reading a few interesting books on the French Resistance etc. Over 100k French people got brutally murdered (as opposed to just murdered) by German Gestapo and three or four major French groups (eg. the Milice française).
  
  Whole families being burned alive in their houses etc.
  
  20-30,000 French people joined Millice – so approx 11 per thousand French, then more again in other pro-Nazi groups. Indeed, all up there were more French people in pro-Nazi groups than in the resistance.
  
  So do these people think what they were doing was evil? I doubt it.
  
  Under pressure (including the pressure exerted on members in gangs), morality is a pretty fluid construct.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:37am
  - Catgurl13
    
    Even 1 and 2 year olds know right from wrong. They look at you before they touch or do that thing they have been previously told not to do. They will hide something in a chair or under a table if they don’t want to give it to you.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:52am
    - chukar
      
      Not necessarily so CG . Children n do have to be taught right from wrong and the big part of that is learning to respect others.
      In particular parents set the pattern for life.
      
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      October 14, 2020 6:29pm
Maggie Pie

There was a girl in Senior Dorm at boarding school who was really obese. She used to sneak food from the dining room back to her bed at night. Revolting!!
One day, a few of us bailed her up in the toilets and gave her a swirlie……with a warning that if she didn’t stop eating, worse was to come. She lost over 20kg by the end of term. So it can be done.

https://twitter.com/NZNationalMemes/status/1315905268652281857
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October 14, 2020 8:17am
- mikenmildagain
  
  What a shitty thing to do. And a shitty thing to boast about.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:23am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    Yeah, but on the other hand obese kids signal a clear failure of parenting/supervision. Many kids lack personal discipline, they need it imposed to set patterns for success in life – and letting them get obese is just setting them up for unhappy and unhealthy adult lives.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:08am
    - theoldbloke
      
      I have an obese step son.
      Always a solid lad.
      Loving parents
      Health food
      Active lifestyle
      Left home and started the fast food diet.
      Yep obese
      That was more than 20 years ago
      He is intelligent
      Has read all the literature
      Has been warned by doctors if he doesnt loose weight he will have serious herat problems(after he collapsed on a walk with his kids)
      Have tried to hook in to the Greed motivation.
      10 years ago offered him $10,000 to get to a goal weight.
      
      So fear, greed etc have not yet provided the trigger.
      
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      October 14, 2020 9:27am
      - UrbanNeocolonialist
        
        Adults are responsible for themselves, kids less so – and we should step in to some degree when they lack the personal discipline required to measure up to behavioral norms.
        
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        October 14, 2020 11:47am
  - nathie
    
    Umm … Maggie is just pulling your leg, so-to-speak, Mike!
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:44am
  - AlphaWhiskey
    
    true – but I thought that you socialists were all for ‘the end justifying the means’?
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:46am
  - Jimmy White
    
    Mike is called Hard Love. But with the number of weak and droopy comments you have made lately I’m sure you don’t know anything about Hard Love.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:50am
  - Ed Snack
    
    Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. I’ll bet MP is hugging their sides right now at having got you to bite on such an obvious piece of bait.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:53am
- Martin Williams
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Great idea. Let’s fat-shame people into weight loss.
  Judith has got the ball rolling.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:23am
  - RoboRob
    
    Make sure you give her your vote then Martin 🙂
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:07am
  - Swifty
    
    It’s funny you know – the left in NZ routinely and regularly attempt to shame people into thinking as they do and think it perfectly legitimate.
    
    We see it all around us; on social media, newspapers, columns, blogs etc etc with people shamed, mocked, cancelled, their resignations demanded – and that’s just for the views they hold.
    
    Look at all the times Martin Williams and many others has called KBers cruel and heartless or similar in an attempt to shame us into thinking his way.
    
    It’s only when shaming is used by someone for a reason that they don’t support that they come out all against it.
    
    There’s a word for that.
    
    As an aside, and while I’m sure Maggie Pie had her tongue at least partially in her cheek, I wonder if the young woman in question might not be very grateful to Maggie looking back…..
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:35am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Maggie Pie can come down here anytime and shame me into trying to lose a few kilos.
      
      Trouble is, I doubt that I’d give a damn.
      
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      October 14, 2020 10:12am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Me too
        Maggie Pie can come down here anytime and shame me into trying to lose a few kilos.
        So long as she brings the donuts.
        
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        October 14, 2020 11:01am
  - kowtow
    
    Great idea, let’s tax skinny ,responsible people to stop fatties buying soda pop……..
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:16am
  - double d
    
    Yeah telling people they are responsible for themselves is fat-shaming – whatever.
    This attitude will continue to perpetuate the problem and people
    Need to understand THEY, not the freekin government is who can make a difference
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:02pm
- Gravelroad
  
  I think the people with intelligence and integrity out here know that Ms Ardern and her friends will always be portrayed in a very positive light – no matter what the situation.
  They also know that there is absolutely nothing they can do about it.
  It’s cult-like, this desire to manipulate every word and occasion to achieve the desired result.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:31am
  - kowtow
    
    ‘It’s cult-like, this desire to manipulate every word and occasion to achieve the desired result.’
    
    Indeed . I can’t help draw a comparison between the Media Party’s virtual non treatment of an incredibly important story , one that touches the heart of our democracy ,constitution and rule of law which got scant notice from them ie the attack on Matt King with a threat of cannibalism over the police assisted road blocks and this total beatup over obesity ,designed to prevent a National led govt .
    
    Who needs Russian or Chinese intervention in our democracies when the Marxist media are already all over it?
    
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    October 14, 2020 8:53am
  - MCos
    
    How do you think Trump got where he did?
    He said so himself, to quote
    “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,” Trump said at a campaign rally
    Jan, 2016
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:48am
- Tauhei Notts
  
  Many years ago a lower order sharemilker’s partner in my office exclaimed;
  “My daughter’s got lice in her hair I want to know what the gummint is going to do about it!”
  Fast forward many years and expect to hear;
  “I’m morbidly obese and I want to know what the gummint is going to do about it.”
  One politician will say;
  “We must be very kind, especially to tubs of lard.”
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:43am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Let us tax the lean people and pay the fat people a living allowance – Maramarama Davidson.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:24am
info@cruzpro.com

The government is asking access to encrypted data on social media sites like Facebook to enable them to read customers private messages. Since the government already has the ability to read our private emails, see what websites we surf and listen in on our telephone conversations, I guess this is the next step to destroying what little privacy we still have.

I don’t use social media but wouldn’t want the government opening my postal mail or installing video cameras into my bedroom so am firmly against this next intrusion step.
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October 14, 2020 8:20am
- Pateke
  
  Hey Cuzpro! What do you think Kiwiblog is if it ain’t social media which you don’t use?
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:04am
  - info@cruzpro.com
    
    True, but this site is not encrypted and everyone can see what you post!
    
    I should have said “encrypted social media sites” – my bad.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:47am
KevO'Brien

Jacinda Ardern is brushing off Judith Collins’ claim that the Labour leader lied over Covid-19 testing, and has hit back, calling the National leader “morally wrong” and “desperate.” (ODT)

So it’s failure of morals to call out the PM for telling the nation we had controls in place when we had none. Whether it meets the logical test of a lie is irrelevant: deception was practised on the nation. That, at the PM’s level requires extraordinary justification. Military necessity could suffice but we have none, just a Do Nothing govt in thrall to twyfordism. Power has gone to their heads but not their brains.
The PTPM, unwed mother, has her own moral issues to deal with.
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October 14, 2020 8:20am
cas

Can’t think of anything more depressing on Saturday night than watching the biased TV1, Newshub, listening to the biased RNZ or reading the biased Stuff or Herald on the election.

So I recorded Cool Runnings a few nights ago and think that will be miles better company along with a few quiet ales or wines.
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October 14, 2020 8:22am
- Lance
  
  I recommend watching “The Death of Stalin” for a few giggles. What’s better, it’s all true.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:20am
  - Batman
    
    Well, I mean, it’s true at a surface level. Obviously there is a fair bit of creative licence taken with it!
    
    Still an excellent film though!
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:53am
    - Lance
      
      They couldn’t find any doctors because they had all been murdered in one of Stalin’s many purges.
      If that isn’t mockable…. I don’t know what is?
      
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      October 14, 2020 2:03pm
  - cas
    
    Thanks for the thought. We have got that DVD so after Cool Runnings, the Death of Stalin and some Peter Seller’s Pink Panthers together with the odd ale or two it could be a good evening after all.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:57am
  - Observer of Life
    
    Have seen it and agree.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:52am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  cas bro – I will publish the final results exactly at 7:00 PM on Saturday night. So you can switch off everything and rest easy.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:25am
- DeepBlue
  
  I’ll still watch, some good close fights – Hutt, Ohario, Auckland, New Plymouth, Kapiti. I might get quite a few blue cheers, and be well on the way to a warm drunken stupor.
  
  And there is Chloe and Winston’s concession speeches…. another two tipples.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:50am
lifesgood

The vitriol of the left knows no bounds. Any news item about National or Judith posted on either FB or Twitter is followed by endless hate filled and downright unpleasant comments. It is astounding. Do they have an army of recruits organised to post these comments? I can only assume that people on the right are too busy working to waste their time on this pathetic nonsense. I do sense desperation on the left. I think they thought they’d be a shoe in and are now not so sure.
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October 14, 2020 8:23am
- Don Beckett
  
  I cancelled my facebook account a year or so ago because I was getting the type of crap you talk about.
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:15pm
Paulus Gnome

Yep, weight loss is a mind over matter issue for sure. In my case I lost 85kg of obscene useless fat.

I got divorced. It was a struggle, a long hard journey but, it turns out, I didn’t mind in the end and, well, turns out, she didn’t really matter that much to me.
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October 14, 2020 8:23am
- Swifty
  
  Good man.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:11am
- calendar girl
  
  Well done, PG. That level of weight loss must have taken a great deal of determination and courage on your part. Enjoy your new life.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:23am
  - zulumonster
    
    I’m guessing the 85kg is how much his ex weighed …
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:57am
Unity

If Judith was wrong, the PTPM would have come out refuting it much more strongly. The latter certain has some moral issues of her own to sort out though when it comes down to it but perhaps I’m just old fashioned.

I love the ‘Do Nothing’ Government title though. Right on the knocker.
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October 14, 2020 8:24am
- KevO'Brien
  
  I only give the PTM’s govt a small “g”.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:29am
- SGA
  
  If Judith was wrong, the PTPM would have come out refuting it much more strongly.
  
  Perhaps, but not necessarily for two reasons (imho) – First, refuting it strongly can play into your oppositions’ hands, shifting the public debate to where they feel relatively stronger. It can be better just to play your own game. The second is more subtle – most NZers don’t like Trump (I realise he has a fan club here, but you lot are part of a minority) and ignoring Collins as though she is trying to use his game book to some extent (not saying she is, mind, that’s unnecessary for this to work) isn’t necessarily a bad overall tactic.
  
  btw – I’m not saying anything about the validity or otherwise of Collin’s statements, just looking at it tactically.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:03am
  - Flossie
    
    Somewhat interested in your assertion that most New Zealanders don’t like Trump. Can you advise how you came to this conclusion?
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:19am
    - Batman
      
      Trump is disliked by a majority of Americans.
      
      New Zealand is less to the right than America.
      
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      October 14, 2020 11:27am
      - Engelbert Humperdink
        
        “Trump is disliked by a majority of Americans.”
        
        You know this how?
        
        With that degree of certainty I assume you’ve bet yuuuugely against Trump with great odd of winning bigly…
        
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        October 14, 2020 1:15pm
    - SGA
      
      As I said in my comment, that’s imho, but I think it is fairly safe one. Kiwiblog attracts a pretty conservative crowd, and even here his popularity is mixed.
      If you have evidence to the contrary, then I’m happy to hear it.
      
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      October 14, 2020 11:30am
      - SGA
        
        ADD: I quickly found this – granted it is rather out of date (early 2019), but I would be surprised if his popularity had risen dramatically since then.
        
        “Mr Trump’s image in New Zealand is poor, but improving – he now has 19 percent approval, four points higher than a year ago. A whopping 69 percent disapprove. He’s a bit more popular across the ditch, with 23 percent support in Australia, also up 4 percent.”
        https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/02/kiwis-really-don-t-like-donald-trump-poll.html
        
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        October 14, 2020 11:39am
      - Flossie
        
        Thanks – that’s fine. I was only asking. And for the record I’m not a Trump fan.
        
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        October 14, 2020 12:25pm
Sir Cullen's Sidekick

TV3 is doing everything to get the dear leader elected and put down Judith Collins. Duncan Garner has now joined Toxic Tova’s camp. He was trying hard this morning to say that Judith has conceeded the election. He was trying his level best to twist what Judith was saying. Shame on TV3. I hope they go broke soon.
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October 14, 2020 8:26am
- MCos
  
  You’re such a snowflake.
  This sort of thing is par for the course in other countries, particularly where Rupert Murdoch owns media outlets.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:53am
Inandout

Maggie, I was really disappointed with Mark Mitchell on Hosking when he was asked about Judith’s statement on weighty people. He hedged and excused and gave reasons why some people get fat, sanity, body programming, blah, blah. This is the reason Act will get my Party vote, and am tired of fence sitters.
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October 14, 2020 8:27am
- Littletramp
  
  I agree Inandout.
  Don’t be surprised if Act get a larger %age than people are predicting. A party vote for Act could be seen as a vote for National led Govt thereby killing 2 birds with 1 stone.
  National is simply not organised for this election, and is being outplayed at every turn.
  Look at the huge number of voting booths opened at such an early date, in the areas that Labour is looking for ticks.
  Labour has an army of partisan social media supporters covering many bases like facebook, twitter etc.
  Labour are feeding the media plenty of this biased crap that we complain about, but National could be doing that if they were better organised. That is the way the game is played and National is not playing but hope to win.
  Despite all that, this will all hinge on the Greens achieving the 5% threshold, and Labour will no doubt have that covered in some way – the start was promoting the cannabis referendum targeting/motivating the Greens supporters to get out and vote.
  That’s politics, and while the decision to tip out Simon Bridges may have been wrong, surely the decision to select him to lead in the first instance was the bigger mistake by National?
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:45am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    I thought he was fine. Msm hated him, that’s all.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:59am
    - chukar
      
      The big problem for Simon Bridges ,and Todd Muller was the continuing National lurch to rhe left.
      This meant for many core National supporters there is nowhere to go.
      Ms Collins has a hard road to bring them back.
      
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      October 14, 2020 6:45pm
  - Mark
    
    As I posted yesterday you lot could not run a bath at the moment.How is it the rank and file Nazional mp’s are not privy to the polling information that curia is throwing up. Well one explanation could be that Judith garners so little loyalty some (many)? of her loyal heh heh troops would leak the info to the media.Suck it up princesses this is going to be brutal and bloody come Sat nite.Oh happy frabjous days.Read those poll results and weep my precious snowflakes
    
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    October 14, 2020 3:54pm
- Catgurl13
  
  Agreed. Mark is a moron. What is he thinking saying this crap trying to sabotage his own party?.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:57am
  - The Boss
    
    I heard he was also the leaker.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:59pm
- Tomtoddy
  
  There are times when I think that the Nats are happy throwing this election. Mark Mitchell knows exacty what he was doing making those comments – he is experienced enough to know they will be used as “National in disarray” agin just as happened when that Denise woman criticised JC over the Auckland council. Too much arrogance, not enough discipline.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:04am
  - Sacha
    
    I agree: the Nats are not committed to winning this election. Let’s face it it will be a tough job for any government – but by 2023 the evidence of a labour government’s inadequacy will be all too clear, and the Nats will have the job of sorting it all out.
    If there’s anything left –
    
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    October 14, 2020 2:20pm
Gjc

Interesting that the BBC has swung full circle on Jacinda this morning:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54444643
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October 14, 2020 8:28am
- Inandout
  
  Gjc, the BBC has been completely reorganised and the new head is intent on making this organisation more balanced. Expect to see some big changes, especially now the annual TV fee is going and the BBC will have to stand on its own feet.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:02am
- mark15
  
  Typical BBC,can’t even read a map
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:03pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Jacinda Ardern asserts that all the issues about testing border staff for Covid-19 were traversed in Parliamentary debates.

But how could they be when we only learnt last week that only 7% had been tested?

Looks like the Media is too afraid to challenge Ardern for her dissembling half-truth.

“Last week, we found out in an Official Information Act request, came out actually only 7 percent of the border facing staff were being tested … not 100, not a third, not two thirds, seven.

“And she stood up and she told us 23rd of June ‘everyone is being tested’. What a lie, what a lie and I’ll call it out for what it is.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/428246/judith-collins-says-jacinda-ardern-lied-about-covid-border-testing
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October 14, 2020 8:30am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Is Ardern so self deluded as to actually believe what she says?
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:30am
  - JackRabbit
    
    It all goes with the personality type.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:05am
burt

Yes …

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300131692/election-2020-facing-dim-prospects-at-home-young-kiwis-might-vote-with-their-feet-and-leave
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October 14, 2020 8:31am
- mandk
  
  The Aussies would gladly trade with us: our youngest and brightest, in return for the Kiwi-born crims they want to get rid of.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:36am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  With Covid in full swing young kiwis have to stay in NZ at least until middle of 2022.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:36am
  - JackRabbit
    
    No, if Jacinda gets back in, a week or two after the election they will announce WHOs latest advice that lockdowns don’t work, and that its no worse than the flu and in case it has been ‘Eliminaded’.
    
    However, you can only go overseas if you take the compulsory DNA altering/nanobot vaccine, that the experts have created for us. 50+ years after corona viruses were discovered, and medical experts still cannot get a decent flu vaccine to work. The USA and NZ medical files still show that in old age homes and hospitals a high rate of patients dying regardless of flu vaccines.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:51am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Using the CDC’s own data, the global survival rate for infected people aged 0-19 is 99.997%.
    
    The global all-age infection survival rate is 99.86%.
    
    The Covidian Cult with it’s fear-porn totalitarian narrative has us in it’s grasp.
    
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    October 14, 2020 2:59pm
  - DeepBlue
    
    Let’s make it mid 2023; should do nicely for the election campaign.
    
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    October 14, 2020 7:20pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  Of course they will leave. Australia will be back on its usual high growth path within 12-18 months.
  
  BTW despite the wishes of the present New Zealand Government, the demand for natural gas will DOUBLE between now and 2040. And Australia and Qatar are set to dominate that market. There is currently investment of $USD 100 billion in play in Australian LNG terminals and drilling operations.
  
  https://qz.com/1913772/qatar-leads-fierce-global-race-for-liquified-natural-gas/
  
  By 2035, those LNG tankers will be loading up in Western Australia and heading for New Zealand to unload their gas. While Taranaki will be a distant memory.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:47am
Rusty

Good to see Leighton Smith writing an article in the NZ herald again.

In some ways he is right, the US elections are more important than the NZ elections.

If Biden wins he will drag the US and western capitalism down the gurgler —lets face it, Biden and the democrats are communists using democracy simply as a vehicle to get elected and then do away with it.

Didn’t our beloved PM once say capitalism has failed the poor people of this world?
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October 14, 2020 8:33am
- SGA
  
  Biden and the democrats are communists using democracy simply as a vehicle to get elected and then do away with it.
  
  Nods politely, backs away, and tries to change the topic “Do you think the All Blacks will do better this weekend?”
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:09am
I remember when

The fat shame arguments , seem be a continuation of the personal responsibility reductions approach.
There is obviously a need for the obesity explosion to be addressed in a meaningful way. This is likely to mean that attempts to improve future outcomes need to be introduced at a young age.
How much influence and ability to change the result do parents have? Can change be made if there are financial restraints which reduce the food sources available.
The fact is that failure to remedy the problem early results in mobility, health and life expectancy areas.
Let’s try to do something rather than turn it into a “kindness” debate!
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October 14, 2020 8:34am
sooty

Greens wealth tax increases rent!
No a rent freeze only only delays a bigger raise!
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October 14, 2020 8:35am
Sir Cullen's Sidekick

Bros of the South Pacific – There is a leader’s debate on Thursday on TV1. Guess what! Jessica Not So Mu(t)ch McKay will be showing the final ONN-CB poll on Thursday which will show Labour riding high at 48% and Greens at 6% giving a clear majority. I am wondering when Toxic Tova will be presenting her final TV3 poll or they don’t have money to run another poll?? National’s internal polls are so pathetic, they wouldn’t even show it to the caucus.
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October 14, 2020 8:38am
- KevO'Brien
  
  The real surprise will be revealed on Saturday night. The $50M loans are about to be called in.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:34am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Even National pollster called it for Labour.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:20am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      There’s not a single statistical quality poll out there.
      
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      October 14, 2020 10:43am
  - Paulus
    
    The $50 million media has been amended to a donation not a loan remember, so only payback in kind.
    
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    October 14, 2020 2:10pm
    - KevO'Brien
      
      If may have to be from their backside then.
      
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      October 14, 2020 4:26pm
Zapper

Remember when DPF became a crazy long distance runner and lost a ton of weight?

Or maybe what really happened is the govt ran those marathons and shed those kilos for him…
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October 14, 2020 8:40am
- Kiwi Dave
  
  Don’t underestimate what the government can do for you. Vast numbers of Venezuelans have lost considerable weight, thanks to their government’s policies.
  
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  October 14, 2020 5:22pm
Bobba Fret

I just do not understand how Cindy is proven to be a liar but so much of the population do not care and just vote for her not knowing the policies and not caring about the lack of achievements and all the failures.
It’s like they say, you get the government you deserve.
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October 14, 2020 8:40am
- Catgurl13
  
  It’s because many of her supporters are dumb, self entitled or just plain old school Labour supporters for years who will never change their vote.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:37am
Maggie Pie

Wish we were able cast our vote for the POTUS here 😀

https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1315869787709493248

MAGA!!
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October 14, 2020 8:41am
I remember when

I remember David Clark being less than forthcoming to early covid Parliamentary questions.
Apparently half truths don’t matter – well not when I looked at the Victoria University analysis.
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October 14, 2020 8:41am
lastmanstanding

Note James Shaw’s response to questions on TV1 news last night. Said “it will be a stretch” when asked about the result.
This is not the first time Ive heard him make comments like that. I suggest their internal polling is telling them they wont make it.
Also suggest Labour internal polling is showing the gap is closing and closing fast.

Best wishes to Judith for tonights debate. She is up against Cindy and Jessica so will need to be on top of her game to beat both of them,
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October 14, 2020 8:44am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Yeah the Green vote will be one of the most interesting things to watch on Saturday. I think they will make it, but barely. I just get the sense that there are rusted on communists worth 5 percent. Of course I will be over joyed if I am mistaken 🙂 The days of them getting close to 10 percent are long gone because their insane policies will have finally scared off most of the Roseneath and Cashmere soccer mums who thought it was cool to vote Green to save the flowers.
  
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  October 14, 2020 8:52am
  - Swifty
    
    Benedict, don’t overlook that the Greens are weak when Labour are strong; and vice versa.
    
    When Ardern moves on, some other numpty takes over and Labour support falls we may well see Greens back up to 10% or more.
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:46am
  - Libertarians are right
    
    It’s why they are pushing the wealth tax so hard – they are trying to take Labour’s far left to shore up their support and get them over 5%.
    Unfortunately, the actual election day isn’t the day to watch for the Greens, they can be under 5% on the day and still get in due to overseas votes.
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:25am
- kowtow
  
  Once again this is why I’m appalled at the likes of Mark Richardson saying vote Labour to prevent the Greens getting in . The Green vote could well be just outside of the line , so why help the other team against your own. Idiot.
  And the bigger the mandate you give Labour the bigger the shafting they’ll give you if they get back in with an absolute majority . Sigh.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:00am
  - SGA
    
    Based on current polling (which we all know is wrong, stupid, and biased, but let’s pretend it bears some faint semblence to reality), National and Act combined are unlikely to get as many votes as Labour by itself.
    The question would then become (in this most unlikely of scenarios because the polls are wrong) whether Labour needed the Greens to get over line.
    In this hypothetical situation you would rather see a Labour/Green coalition than Labour alone. Why do yo think the latter would “shaft” people more than the former?
    
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    October 14, 2020 9:30am
    - The Boss
      
      Labour/Green will be better. It will ensure a landslide for NAT/ACT come 2023
      
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      October 14, 2020 2:06pm
      - kowtow
        
        I reckon 3 more years of non delivery by Cindy , combined with what will be a seriously f#cked economy will get us the landslide irrespective . Those thicko swing voters are easily swayed.
        
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        October 14, 2020 2:17pm
  - Jimmy White
    
    It’s like saying ‘Vote Act to help National win’
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:00am
    - SGA
      
      I don’t think so. It is more “Vote National to minimise ACT’s influence on policy”, isn’t it?
      
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      October 14, 2020 10:18am
  - Dougal10
    
    Richardson is a lefty playing a part on a tv show in the mornings
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:04am
    - The Boss
      
      He is not a leftie, but he had a brainfart when making his comment about voting Labour.
      
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      October 14, 2020 2:08pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Judith will shine. Just let the smart lefties go into attack mode. Judith is not called Crusher without reason. She’s avoided demolishing them up to now as they don’t fight clean and are merciless as harpies. The whole of the left it seems is in revolt against common sense and reality. Any disturbance to them unleashes a bitter herb cascade with embedded poisoned bits.
  The time has come however, no Government is possible by such people. Grrrns–> out. NZF–>out. Act–> OK. Labour–>no reason, no way. National–>a proven hope for the future.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:43am
  - RichardX
    
    Are you trying to rewrite history by implying the “Crusher” nickname had nothing to do with crushing cars?
    
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    October 14, 2020 10:52am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      Her personality and strength enshrined it though. What would James Shaw be called for crushing some cars?
      
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      October 14, 2020 12:20pm
      - Engelbert Humperdink
        
        Suppressor Shaw?
        
        James the (Bob the Builder’s) Hammer?
        
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        October 14, 2020 1:18pm
- trevorneverliesdown
  
  I don’t think the Greens do internal polling.
  too expensive
  
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  October 14, 2020 4:44pm
I remember when

Judith Collins’ final week attacks ‘bizarre’, ‘desperate’ – pundits.
Photo with RNZ item is interesting.
Are they subliminally suggesting it will be ‘Costley’?
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October 14, 2020 8:49am
BeeJay

“Dump on National” again today on TV3 AM Show! Garner – gives his own interpretation of everything Judith Collins said, Gower – showing his true colours and totally writing off any chance for National to win, and even poor old Chester Burrows not willing to stand up for his own Party, as well as the usual garbage from Richardson!
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October 14, 2020 8:49am
- Inandout
  
  BJ, why do people still watch Garner when the show is likely to be dumped at year’s end? Eating breakfast with the radio quietly playing in the background and looking at my laptop is great for digestion.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:10am
- Crisplion
  
  Hopefully it will backfire on them by making lazy Labour voters complacent and not bothering to vote if they’ve been convinced it’s already in the bag.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:10am
- RoboRob
  
  Interestingly it seems the Tova has bin spending so much time with Jacinda she now regularly says bin instead of been too!
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:16am
Stephen Russell

Re the US election:
For those who hope, or fear, that the polls are wrong again, Fivethirtyeight has surveyed pollsters asking what they have done to avoid a repeat.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-pollsters-have-changed-since-2016-and-what-still-worries-them-about-2020/
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October 14, 2020 8:50am
kevn

Yes, the bias is mutch obvious.
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October 14, 2020 8:54am
lastmanstanding

Just a point on the wealth tax post yesterday.
In 1979 my wife and I bought a house for $50K. We still live in it. Its valued at $1.2 million same house.
We also bought a bach 25 years ago. Its valued at $750K. We have some modest investments the taxed income we use to supplement our Super which is also taxed at our marginal tax rate.

So the Greens say we have to pay tax on our wealth. The house we live in is the same house as 42 years ago which was paid out of taxed income.

Same as the bach. The message I am getting is that young people should not try and accumulate assets because the State will punish you.

And dont ecpect the Greens to provide for you to the extent you can provide for yourself.

The Greens want the citizens beholden to them for everything so they can command and control your life. They are the ultimate Communists.
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October 14, 2020 9:12am
- cmm
  
  The message is that you give everything to the government and they give you a concrete flat and a UBI.
  
  Of course the members of the polit bureau will still have a beach-side dacha.
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:41am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Greens will say you have house 1.2m, Bach $750k and modest investments of say, $50k you have a total net wealth of $2.0 million (assuming no mortgages). You will NOT have to pay wealth tax as you are each allowed up to $1.0m.
  But wait…..if one of you passes away, suddenly the survivor has $2.0m of wealth and will have to pay tax at 1% each year on $1.0m =$10k!!! Say the survivor lives for an extra 10 years, that’s $100k in tax for the greedy Greens!
  
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  October 14, 2020 2:41pm
rockape

While we are all remembering the things our PM promised more of and failed to do, have we forgotten the things she promised less of and got a- plenty? STRIKES !
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October 14, 2020 9:20am
fightingtemeraire

If Biden wins the US Presidential Election be very afraid.

Look at the line of succession.

If Dopey Joe is removed under the 25th Amendment the next in line is the VP who was rated at 3% in the Democratic run for candidate. She becomes the next Pres.

Nancy Pelosi steps up to VP. Harris is removed and Pelosi becomes Pres without being voted in.
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October 14, 2020 9:27am
- Batman
  
  Why would Harris be removed?
  
  These theories are delusional.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:55am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Not just delusional, but nigh impossible under the laws governing presidential succession.
    I don’t know why Nancy Pelosi is the hate figure de jour. Surely the scenario would be more compelling if it imagined Biden sideline and a President Harris nominating Hilary Clinton as vice-president.
    
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    October 14, 2020 2:07pm
hullkiwi

Rural/urban divide 21st Century style.

In 2010, Auckland SuperCity was created. Over 50% of the new city is rural though, with Rodney (being over 46% of the land area of the new city). Although Auckland generates nearly 40% of the country’s GDP, the real GDP of the new city was only 8% in 2009. Nearly all of this is a result of the agriculture, horticulture and forestry in the new city. So, in short rural Auckland provides the economic foundation for the Auckland economic “washing machine”.

Given the above, why is rural Auckland (and for that matter rural/provincial NZ) treated so poorly by urban NZ?

I say this because:
1. Ultra fast broadband to much of rural NZ is, but a pipe dream. With Jacinda offering up just $40m, I’ll never see ultra fast broadband throughout NZ;
2. Despite rural schools being rate as high decile, many receive insufficient funding to meet needs that are considered basic to urban schools; rural schools struggle to get relief teachers or fill vacancies; rural school bus services are funded by the MoE, often using buses cast off by urban centres that should have been scrapped;
3. Many rural roads are unsealed boat tracks and are outright dangerous and would not be acceptable to those living in urban suburbs;
4. Resources – water, in Rodney we have recently had our Local Board Chair patronised rural residents, that we have to conserve water, because if there is a drought this summer, we can go f*** ourselves because urban residents are first in line and Watercare has no budget to help rural people not on town supply;
5. Politicians, regularly, tell rural people how we should live our lives, what we should and shouldn’t do, and what is deemed “sustainable” farming. They even go so far as to tell us we are out of date, but the only time they don a brand new pair of gum boots is to appear in front of the cameras for field days or do a photo opportunity during an election (hypocrites);
6. Electricity, the EEA regularly tries to tell northern NZ we will have to pay more for electricity, because of “cost” of transporting power north. Well, it would be nice to have electricity to your home/business without regular power failures. In Rodney, it is common to experience 10 to 20 power outages a year, yet we are residents of Auckland SuperCity! Currently, a large part of Rodney is experiencing its 3rd power (with a duration longer than 1 hour) cut in 5 days.
7. Many of the provincial centres are stagnating, because the beltway residents of Auckland and Wellington do not care until election time comes along. Hence the common refrain about issues of investment in jobs, infrastructure, social services, housing etc. Instead for the past 3 years we’ve seen Jones and his slush fund trying to buy votes.

This folks is the divide between rural and urban New Zealanders in the 21st Century, and with the potential outcome on Saturday, I don’t see matters improving any time soon.
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October 14, 2020 9:27am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Also, have to pay for rubbish collection unlike city slickers, even though pay rates just the same as them.
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:00pm
- oob
  
  1. Ultra fast broadband to much of rural NZ is, but a pipe dream. With Jacinda offering up just $40m, I’ll never see ultra fast broadband throughout NZ
  
  Yes you will. Check out what’s going on with Low Earth Orbit communication satellites, a number of companies are rapidly deploying constellations.
  
  Tesla’s Starlink is the current front-runner as their service already has trial users across North America.
  
  I always take Tesla announcements with a big grain of salt but they’re promising 1Gb up/down per connection by late 2021, worldwide, for ~$US80/month.
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:04pm
Stu2

Anyone else suspect NZ First lost votes every time Shane Jones was on the news?
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October 14, 2020 9:51am
- MCos
  
  Inasmuch as more they 90% of voters were always agin them maybe those that support NZF are so hard core they find Jones quite appealing.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:51am
Catgurl13

Just reading all the self entitled dumb tweets from the idiots bagging Judith, for talking about the wealth tax with Labour and the Greens on Twitter. They are just too dumb to realise their own Kiwisaver will be taxed again , and so will any inheritance left to them. It’s the younger ones doing it. Some going on that rich people living in Auckland central can afford it. How did some people get so dumb, lazy and self entitled?
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October 14, 2020 10:05am
- Libertarians are right
  
  People are stupid – like with the capital gains tax, the 6% affected changes. As a 20 year old you probably aren’t going to be in the 6% but when you get into your 60s and your partner just passed away there’s actually a pretty high chance that you’ll get hit.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:19am
- lifesgood
  
  They were taught in NZ schools. Teachers are nearly all lefties. They are moaners, envious of the well to do, happy to have upwards of 12 weeks paid leave a year but think they are hard done by and keep telling everyone including their students that the rich are greedy and selfish, never mind how hard they’ve worked.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:58am
- rockape
  
  I will be leaving all my wealth to my son. He is already based though not living in Malta for tax purposes. Tax that Jacinda!!
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:32pm
- hilaryt
  
  Show me the Lotto winner who has given it all away to the deserving poor…anyone? Last young winner had a lamborghini first on the list I seem to recall. It’s fashionable to ‘love’ tax but anyone anywhere can pay more any darn time they choose. Show me one of those too…
  
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  October 14, 2020 1:40pm
Fletch

Is Vitamin D one weapon in the fight against Covid?

“It was very obvious,” Dr. Marzon continues. “In order to verify this intuition, we collected data from more than 7,000 people who were tested for the coronavirus between February and April, and who also been tested for vitamin D in the past year. The results, after taking into account variables such as age, sex, socioeconomic level and underlying illnesses, were unequivocal: People with low levels of vitamin D were at heightened risk of being infected by the coronavirus, and the lower their vitamin D level, the higher the probability that they would be hospitalized – in other words, that they would develop more serious symptoms. It looked as though higher levels [of vitamin D] could protect people from becoming infected.”

Since then, similar articles have been published in a host of countries: the United States, Germany, France, Italy, China, Iran, South Korea, India, Britain, Switzerland and Israel. Time and again, a significant connection was found between the level of vitamin D in the blood and a susceptibility to infection by the coronavirus. Individuals with a vitamin D deficiency are more disposed to be infected by the virus, and in case of infection a low level of vitamin D increases the likelihood of developing complications. The opposite is also true: Patients with high levels of vitamin D tend to suffer less from serious symptoms and to be less likely to die. In general, it can be said that there is a linear connection: The seriousness of the disease correlates completely with one’s level of vitamin D.

They do warn that ‘Correlation is not causality’ but that –

Sometimes, a correlation is only a correlation, and in order to demonstrate causality between two variables – that is, to prove that one is indeed the cause of the other – a controlled experiment needs to be conducted, in which two similar groups are compared, in only one of which is there intervention involving the element being examined. That, of course, is far more difficult to carry out.

Recently, though, just such an experiment was conducted, which examined directly and under controlled conditions the connection between vitamin D and coronavirus symptoms. The results were dramatic. In Spain, 76 coronavirus patients, who were hospitalized with respiratory difficulties, were divided into two groups immediately upon admission. The patients in the first group received particularly high dosages of vitamin D; those in the second group were treated in the normal way. At the end of the experiment it turned out that only 2 percent of the patients who received vitamin D were subsequently transferred to intensive care – as compared with 50 percent of the patients who did not receive the vitamin (and two of whom died).

The conclusion seems to be clear: Vitamin D wields a dramatic influence on improving the condition of COVID-19 patients. It can reduce the severity of the symptoms, lower the likelihood of needing intensive care and, it follows, also reduce the risk of death.

https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-is-covid-cure-already-sold-at-a-pharmacies-israel-coronavirus-experts-believe-so-1.9220714
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October 14, 2020 10:06am
- MCos
  
  If Vitamin D was a proven wonder cure President Trump would be walking round in shorts and singlet, or at least selling them in the WH merchandise shop with the MAGA message.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:58am
  - Flossie
    
    EEWWW! What a horrible metal picture!
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:28am
  - rangitoto
    
    Trump has been taking vitamin D supplements as should any older person. Apart from the dangers of UV exposure, the skin is less efficient at producing vitamin D as you get older.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:25pm
BAM

The National Party is dead, their time as the voice of the centre-right has come to an end and deservedly so.

I’ve never seen a group of people with so many backstabbing self-centred arseholes.

When they lose and they will lose, watch them blame Judith Collins throw her under the bus further alienating what is left of their supporters.

ACT will be level pegging with National by the time 2023 rolls around
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October 14, 2020 10:17am
- RJ
  
  Yeah, cannabis isn’t legal yet, stop smoking it.
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:03am
- MCos
  
  In my opinion Judith Collins can’t possibly carry on as leader. She’s humiliated a huge number of Kiwis who are struggling with obesity for a few cheap votes.
  She’s undermined her deputy and even herself. I doubt that either of them will remain in parliament much longer.
  I wouldn’t be surprised if Bridges doesn’t rise again. He’s had some knocks, but someone’s got to do it.
  Peter Goodfellow will follow her out the door for sure.
  I don’t think ACT will last; their policies are too right wing for main stream New Zealand. Same as Greens are too left.
  The Nats will be back if they revitalize the front row.
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:21am
  - lifesgood
    
    What a lot of rot! Fat people need to take responsibility, end of. Why should the tax payer? She included herself btw. And fat man, Gerry Brownlee, stuck up for her comments.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:52am
    - MCos
      
      With regard to advising overweight people how to get thin.
      
      When I first had kids and one of them was a bit difficult I found the people who were quickest off the mark with all the best advice were those who’d never had any children.
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:35pm
  - Observer of Life
    
    MCos: Bollocks
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:01pm
  - Libertarians are right
    
    Anyone with a brain knows it’s personal choice. Sure, it’s harder for some than others but it’s still a choice.
    Note that the suggested answer to obesity is forced correct eating (through bans and taxes). This suggests the issue is one of choices, not genetics and that these advocates simply want to remove people’s choice.
    They agree with Judith, they just don’t trust people to make their own choices.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:02pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Agreed. National is going to bleed MPs to ACT.
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:25am
  - MCos
    
    The only times anyone has bled MPs to another party they have threaded water for awhile before disappearing under the waves – except Winston.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:41pm
    - Tall Man
      
      shane jones.
      
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      October 14, 2020 2:41pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Now I’m not exactly a Chloe fangirl, but good on her for keeping the Wealth Tax in the news.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/10/nz-election-2020-chloe-swarbrick-says-labour-disingenuous-ruling-out-wealth-tax-ongoing-discussions-about-walking-away.html
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October 14, 2020 10:18am
- RJ
  
  The greens are honest, they want this, its a deal breaker. Cindy isn’t honest, she will accept this in a labour greens got,, and no Winston to stop it. But I think greens are gone as well.
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:02am
  - Libertarians are right
    
    I’m not entirely sure it’s a deal breaker as I think they may just be playing games to lure Labour’s far Left to them.
    Deal breaker or game playing, it’s entirely reasonable for National to call them on it and entirely reasonable for voters to be wary of a Labour/Greens coalition.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:58am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Unfortunately, there is normally around 5% of the population who are stupid enough to vote for them so I believe they will just scrape in as normal.
    
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    October 14, 2020 2:30pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The Grrrrrns Wealth Tax– one of the most sabotaging economic policies ever announced.
  
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  October 14, 2020 4:42pm
kglm

History is about to be repeated in the US Presidential election. Many will be surprised because they have not learnt from history. In 2016 the polls had Clinton ahead – she lost. In 2020 the polls have Biden ahead. Those who base their expectations on the US polls will be wrong. The polls in the US are wrong for many reasons – intentional biased weighting towards Democratic voters, biased methodology, misleading responses from those polled, increasing Black and Hispanic support for Trump. The US polling industry will take another blow to its credibility (although they will show a manipulated tightening nearer election day). The real evidence of the state of the race is apparent in other factors. Primaries – Trump outperformed Biden. Voter registrations – Republicans outperforming Democrats. And most obviously, voter enthusiasm. Trump is massively ahead of Biden in this area. It seems inconceivable that a candidate who can attract thousands of enthusiastic supports to rallies anywhere can be behind to a candidate that has a few unenthusiastic supporters turn up to events. Trump will win by more in the Electoral College than in 2016 by picking up a few more states (I think he will get 320-330 Electoral College votes – 306 in 2016). He may even win the popular vote, although that is irrelevant.
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October 14, 2020 10:23am
- mikenmildagain
  
  There’s wishful thinking, and then there is…this.
  
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  October 14, 2020 10:48am
- Batman
  
  So you don’t think that polling companies have learned anything?
  
  The national polling was correct. It had Clinton’s final lead as 3% and she won by 2%.
  
  The key was the state polling in key swing states which under-sampled non-college white voters so we’re out of 6-7% which swung those states and gave Trump the EC.
  
  Primary performance between an incumbent president in primaries where the ruling party shuts down some primary contests and there is a unique situation of a cult of personality behind the current party figurehead, cannot be reasonably made. By contrast, Biden was in a packed field against some strong long-time candidates and still pulled well-ahead in the second half of the campaign.
  
  Voter enthusiasm: it is a misreading by Trump supporters to view crowd size and dedication in the pandemic environment as a good indicator. The Biden events are socially distanced and kept small for public health PR purposes.
  
  Meanwhile, the Trump events go against almost every recommendation from medical professionals and are highly likely to be actively spreading the virus among attendees. The first rally killed a sitting representative, after all.
  
  There’s also the non-trivial matter of fanaticism. The Trump base is famously fanatical and will turn out to see Trump come hell or deadly pandemic. That is why he can get full size crowds and trick you into thinking he is more popular. The proportion of people who attend rallies (and in the case of MAGA, travel around going to every rally), is tiny compared to the number of voters who will actually determine the election.
  
  The election will be decided by the sheer weight of numbers of everyday people who are not attending rallies or posting online. At this stage in the game, Trump is losing badly on every metric, including suburban women and seniors.
  
  Trump will not win the popular vote, and he likely won’t win the college either.
  
  MAGAFeels don’t beat facts and logic.
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:09am
  - cmm
    
    Of course they learn, but have they learned the right thing?
    
    There’s a saying in military circles that the Generals are fighting the last war.
    
    In the Boer war the Brits learned that nice red coats were not a good idea in the age of the long range rifle. They adapted and fought WW1 in khaki like they should have fought the Boer War even though things had now changed with mechanised transport and rudimentary aircraft.
    
    Then WW1 same story all over again.
    
    Similar deal for pollsters. They screwed up badly in 2016 and now learned those mistakes. If we replayed the 2016 elections they’d do well.
    
    But things have moved on. 2020 is not 2016. The Shy Tory effect is larger. There are leftie rioters shooting people for supporting Trump. There’s social media doxing calling people to attack houses. None of that happened in 2016.
    
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    October 14, 2020 11:48am
    - Batman
      
      The shy Tory effect has not been proven to actually exist, let alone have any measurable impact on a national poll or election result.
      
      Nobody is getting shot for supporting Trump. Being a bigoted white supremacist militia member? Yes. Not that I condone it.
      
      There’s also the case of the death threat delivered to a couple for having Biden signs on their lawn. It also targeted elected reps so has now been referred to the USSS.
      
      Yes, the polarisation is worse and regular people want it to end. Who looks more likely to do that?
      
      The guy saying “we need to get rid of these people, they’re enemies of America.”
      
      Or the guy who looks composed, calm, and calling for unity?
      
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      October 14, 2020 12:53pm
      - Engelbert Humperdink
        
        That’s the same guy who says he’s running for the Senate? OK, boomer…
        
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        October 14, 2020 1:21pm
      - Tall Man
        
        “There’s also the case of the death threat delivered to a couple for having Biden signs on their lawn”
        
        In a country of 360 million people …. 360,000,000 people, one case of right aggression is listed to counter the thousands of anti white, anti right, anti police marches plus ensuing violence.
        
        Really? That’s your best shot?
        
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        October 14, 2020 2:39pm
      - RJ
        
        Try again
        
        Or the guy who looks composed, calm, and calling for unity?
        
        Do you mean the guy who often is confused and lost when talking to people? The guy who has a history in his career in politics of making racist comments? He guy who has a resting tremor?
        
        You should try talking to Americans instead of reading things in the news. I have friends in Washington state who keep their support for trump private because of the risk of having their property trashed, and the risk to their job. You’ve obviously not bothered to also read any of the stories over the past few years of trump supporters being beaten up because of their support. Busses burned to the ground the past few mo the by the left side, people attacked and killed by these idiots on the left.
        
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        October 14, 2020 4:13pm
Batman

I have some bad news for TC and the others who are salivating over the impending confirmation of the fantasy-novella that is the Obamagate fiction.

The DoJ has told the courts that no declassification order has been received from the president. Photos of the court docs are available at the source link.

BREAKING: DOJ says WH did not send a declassification order re: Trump’s tweets about “declassifying” all “Russia hoax” docs.

This is in response to 1 of 3 emergency motions @BuzzFeedNews & I filed.

https://t.co/3Gi4zFbbwL https://t.co/g8wO3cuCVG

THE PRESIDENT’S STATEMENTS ON TWITTER DID NOT DECLASSIFY ANY INFORMATION–DOJ https://t.co/p7Yp4gtlEk
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October 14, 2020 11:12am
- Critical Thinker
  
  Batman I’m legitimately surprised how badly you’re trying to defend the now blatantly obvious Deep State corruption in the US. It’s though you’re incredibly nervous about the full truth coming out for some bizarre reason… ?
  
  “DOJ’s claim that it doesn’t have a declassification order from Trump related to the “Russia Hoax” documents he tweeted last week he had declassified fails to note that the president has broad authority to declassify and doesn’t need to follow a formal process”
  https://twitter.com/JasonLeopold/status/1316151250556055553
  
  Declassified documents dump: John Solomon says he’s anticipating another release of critical documents within the next 24 hours related to the FBI’s interviews with Bruce Ohr:
  https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/1316139277579882496
  
  Nunes: Declassified FBI documents show prosecutions are needed:
  https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/1316149697174736902
  
  Judgement is coming.
  Enjoy the show ??
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:25pm
  - Critical Thinker
    
    BREAKING:
    “The FBI relied on news reports from Yahoo and Mother Jones in an attempt to corroborate allegations put forth in the salacious and unverified dossier authored by ex-British intelligence agent Christophere Steele, according to a newly-declassified document.
    
    Fox News obtained the document, which spans over 94 pages, and was declassified by the FBI on Oct. 8, as part of the latest directive from President Trump to declassify all documents related to the Trump-Russia investigation.
    
    Steele put forth an allegation that Trump had stayed in the “Presidential Suite” of the Moscow Ritz-Carlton, but the spreadsheet notes that “there is no confirmation that Trump stayed here,” and that “there is no ‘Presidential Suite’ currently listed on the Ritz Carlton website.’”
    
    Steele authored and compiled information for the dossier on behalf of Fusion GPS – the firm that was hired to conduct opposition research funded by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
    
    Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 election.”
    https://www.foxnews.com/media/fbi-yahoo-mother-jones
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:40pm
    - Batman
      
      Oh and CT, how is this video from Hannity ageing?
      
      June 25:
      Fox News host Sean Hannity: “My sources are now telling me tonight, the dam is about to burst wide open and that a truck load of all new evidence is on the way. The Durham probe is real. It has made real progress and thank God.”
      https://t.co/mlaDO8CEhs
      
      Tick, tock….. Oh that’s right, no Durham report before the election because it’s also turned up nothing at all!
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:06pm
  - Batman
    
    CT, if you insinuate that another commenter, or myself, may be involved in treason or the “deep state” with all that entails. I will make a case to DPF and the other moderators that you should be banned. Got it?
    
    Honestly, john solomon? The guy is neck deep in Trump’s inner circle with Rudy and the corrupt former Ukrainian MP.
    
    Even better news for you, the unmasking probe initiated by Bill Barr has been closed without any charges or public report. Aka it was a big fat flop because they found nothing that didn’t further demonstrate the corrupt nature of the Trump campaign and its ties to Russia.
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:58pm
    - RJ
      
      Probably would help if you didn’t flame in your original post at him. Wrong to call someone treasonous but perhaps you should reign in your flaming to people.
      
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      October 14, 2020 1:13pm
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      Wow, touchy much?
      
      7 2
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      October 14, 2020 1:22pm
    - Tall Man
      
      That’s a bit OTT Batman as a reaction to this….
      
      “Batman I’m legitimately surprised how badly you’re trying to defend the now blatantly obvious Deep State corruption in the US. It’s though you’re incredibly nervous about the full truth coming out for some bizarre reason… ?”
      
      Now I may be a bit obtuse at times but some of the comments I have received from moderators are way more insulting than the above? I saw nothing accusatory in his comment.
      
      Like others, I have also wondered why those of you on both sides of the Trump issue are so vitriolic considering it is beyond our borders and we have zero impact on the debate.
      
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      October 14, 2020 2:30pm
      - Engelbert Humperdink
        
        Those who cogitate while on vitriol fumes, invariably exhale them. It’s not the BatMan’s fault. He’s an orphan, remember…
        
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        October 14, 2020 3:52pm
oldfella

Just flicked over to check the front page of Stuffed. Scowling (unflattering) picture of Judith. Beside a smiling, happy snap of the fairy princess.
Wonder how that happened?
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October 14, 2020 11:20am
- mikenmildagain
  
  One has reason to smile at the moment, while the other hasn’t?
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:46am
  - Tall Man
    
    Judith may be saving her grins for Sunday.
    
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    October 14, 2020 2:32pm
- lifesgood
  
  NZers are fair minded people, in general. I think the lefty msm’s constant attacks on Judith might back fire, at least I hope so.
  
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  October 14, 2020 11:54am
  - kowtow
    
    MSM know they have 56% of voters backing the Nasty attack tactic.
    
    It won’t backfire till 2023 by which time the thicko swing voter will have swung ,again.
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:49pm
DeepBlue

I like Judith’s new Seniors’ policy just now. It should draw a few votes from the oldies waiting to see what Winston is going to announce before Friday night.

I also think a Seniors’ Commissioner is very important to monitor the new End of Life Act, so someone is on the look out for Dodgy Doctors implementing the wishes of family and not the patient.
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October 14, 2020 11:31am
- kowtow
  
  Just what we need from a party of small government , more government.
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:44pm
- mark15
  
  But that would never happen according to everybody.
  
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  October 14, 2020 1:50pm
Suze Wainwright

It’s such a crazy, out of control, misinformed world we live in.

What’s all this with Prof Michael Baker being furious with WHO for not respecting lockdowns? Has he let them know how adored and respected Cindy is for her ability to control?

Myself, I’m just happy that I can blame the state of aotearoa for being a fatso..
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October 14, 2020 11:31am
- Harriet
  
  Everyone in NZ is now a cow and pig farmer. 😎
  
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  October 14, 2020 2:39pm
fightingtemeraire

People are worried about the US Pres Election.

Ponder this::

Next year the GG’s term is up and she has to be replaced.

Who is Jacinda’s Hero?? Helen Clarke.

Jacinda as PM and an interfering old has been as GG. What could possible go wrong
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October 14, 2020 12:01pm
- Batman
  
  Appointing a former PM would quite possibly get the kybosh from the Palace.
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:09pm
  - marcw
    
    Also the fact that she is Republican will not get acceptance by the establishment.
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:41pm
  - SGA
    
    Appointing a former PM would quite possibly get the kybosh from the Palace.
    
    Sir Keith Holyoake was PM then GG.
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:56pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    “Treason doth never prosper, what’s the reason? Why, for if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
    
    4 0
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    October 14, 2020 1:24pm
    - mark15
      
      I love a good William Shatner quote.
      
      6 0
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      October 14, 2020 1:52pm
      - Engelbert Humperdink
        
        Wait until Captain Lear: the Revenge of MacBeth comes out… streaming this November 5th…
        
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        October 14, 2020 3:55pm
- Flossie
  
  H Clark is not a monarchist, and tried to get rid of knighthoods etc. It’d be totally hypocritical of her to accept a role of Queen’s representative in NZ.
  
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  October 14, 2020 12:32pm
  - lifesgood
    
    When did hypocrisy ever stop a lefty? Michael Cullen (Sir) is a prime example. His hypocrisy in accepting a knighthood was breath taking.
    
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    October 14, 2020 12:40pm
RJ

Partway into this, poor guy. But interesting to watch.

Heartbreaking story of Charles Woods (father of Tyrone Woods killed in Benghazi) and how he was lied to by the Obama administration after Benghazi at AMP Fest in Florida on October 11th, 2020. Charles received intel about what truly happened that terrible day. He explains with Nick Noe, Benghazi whistleblower, explosive NEW information about Benghazi, Osama Bin Laden, Seal Team 6, and its connection to the 152 Billion Dollar Iran “nuclear deal”. ALL of the documents and audio proof is coming out shortly!

YouTube
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October 14, 2020 12:40pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Is Ben Ghazi still a thing? And what about the Buttery Males?
  
  2 8
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  October 14, 2020 1:57pm
  - RJ
    
    Perhaps you should email Charles and ask him if the death of his son is still a thing
    
    8 2
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    October 14, 2020 2:36pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      As if you care…
      
      1 7
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      October 14, 2020 4:31pm
      - RJ
        
        Pretty childish comment there, but to be expected from you.
        
        Oh and yes I do care because I can see in this video the grief of this father still after all these years, and I know exactly what it is like to carry that grief and have questions over a passing that you know you will never get the answer to.
        
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        October 14, 2020 5:18pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        You will have to do better than that to convince me you care deeply for the loss of this soldier, as opposed to the many thousands of other deaths in the USA’s endless wars.
        This is just another family’s grief being exploited to pursue a political vendetta.
        
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        October 14, 2020 6:30pm
      - RJ
        
        I don’t have to convince you of anything, I’m not a heartless person like you that lacks compassion.
        
        Another persons grief being exploited, no, and if you followed Charles you’d know that. But hey if you want to see people’s grief being manipulated for political gain just look at your Cindy with pike mine.
        
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        October 14, 2020 8:13pm
  - Engelbert Humperdink
    
    …and what about the suspicious deaths of the SEAL team that killed Osama the en-masse killer of NY civilian workers…?
    
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    October 14, 2020 3:59pm
Tom Barker

The US president has astonishing recuperative powers. He got rid of COVID almost as fast as his bone-spurs cleared up once he was no longer at risk of the draft.
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October 14, 2020 12:49pm
- fernglas
  
  He has suffered more than the asymptomatic 80% of those who test positive, and by the sounds of it, about the same as I did. I have no reason to doubt that he had it. It is just simple minded covid bed-wetting types who think it’s a hoax, because they think if they get they will surely die.
  
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  October 14, 2020 1:02pm
I remember when

Will Diversity become the Achilles Heel of the Labour Party?
Is there a danger that Parliamentarians have been selected for reasons other than ability?
Perhaps the Deputy Leader problem is as much a question of quelling Maori dissatisfaction as anything else.
So many Maori, so few major appointments!
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October 14, 2020 1:05pm
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  Well, maybe the upper Labour management are channeling the Bard:
  
  “Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look, He thinks too much; such men are dangerous…” – Julius Caesar Act 1, Scene 2, 190-195
  
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  October 14, 2020 1:26pm
  - Libertarians are right
    
    The problem they have is that Helen Clark took this approach years ago and they still haven’t recovered.
    
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    October 14, 2020 1:48pm
Suze Wainwright

Was Jami-Lee Ross seriously interviewed by Steve Bannon, or is it a hoax?
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October 14, 2020 1:06pm
- RJ
  
  Google is your friend
  
  https://www.youtube.com/embed/zXn3p0pjFCs
  
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  October 14, 2020 1:24pm
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  Jami-Lee was the featured stripper at the Dirty Dogg Saloon in AZ one Thursday in February. Just sayin’.
  
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  October 14, 2020 1:28pm
I remember when

Is Jacinda Ardern the Joe Biden of New Zealand politics?
Has cognitive lapses!
12 1
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October 14, 2020 1:21pm
- RW Capitalist
  
  Has cognitive lapses!
  more like
  Has complete cognitive disfunction!
  
  8 1
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  October 14, 2020 1:52pm
- Harriet
  
  More like Jacinda Carter.
  
  1 1
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  October 14, 2020 2:36pm
I remember when

Media scoring for the next Leaders debate.
Simon Wilson – Jacinda
Overall result –
Jacinda – 80%
Draw – 50%
Judith – -30%
3 0
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October 14, 2020 1:32pm
RW Capitalist

My recipe for economic recovery
Put all taxes to a 0% rate until 1/4/21 (including GST)
Forgive all past and current taxes
Keep all levies and fees to the govt. at the same rate. till 1/4/2021
Take away ACC’s “no fault system” and allow private insurance to replace ACC.
ACC payable on ALL sports and entertainment levies.
Remove the RMA
Make building consents on a pattern approval type arrangement.
Force all govt. depts. to contract out all work apart from
Parliamentary services
and other core business of depts
eg contract out wilding pine removal etc
Relocate govt. departments to reduce lease costs etc
Only constituent MP’s have travel privileges, unless they are a cabinet minister and only to and from their constituencies or for actual work (parliamentary work)
NO travel to and from party meeting or business.
Only PM’s and deputy PM’s get limited travel privileges after leaving parliament.
other things I’d like to see
Term limits
Limit to numbers of personal staff
automatic dismissal for “Proved” misconduct
2 3
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October 14, 2020 1:50pm
- Inandout
  
  RW, your ACC comment. Last time the private insurers dipped their toes into the ACC area the few companies involved lost millions. ACC were happy to shed their ‘tails’, clients who had been on a payout for years. ACC at that time was kept fluid by taxpayer cash injections, whereas now they have reserves mainly because they have tightened their criteria for claimants. I agree the ‘no fault system’ should be looked at, especially involving criminal acts or wanton disregard for safety.
  
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  October 14, 2020 2:36pm
  - Tall Man
    
    I’m not sure where you got your fact from but that is certainly not the case with our clients, in fact in many sectors premiums were on the way down before labour shit canned it.
    
    Private insurers were able to exclude those bludgers already on claim and provided healthy incentives to reduce work site accidents rather than line them up for prosecution.
    
    3 1
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    October 14, 2020 4:30pm
Maggie Pie

CORRECTION & APOLOGY:
Yesterday, you will recall I shared a titbit with the group, that Nestle were changing the name of their Eskimo Pies to ‘Edy’s Pies’.
In the post, i inadvertently referred to my friend and informant from the Tennis Club, as being a girl who drives… “a Bentley Convertible” (something I’d obviously misheard.)
I have just received a TXT from Fran advising that the car is in fact a ‘Bentley Continental’.

Apologies Fran!
9 3
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October 14, 2020 2:07pm
- sooty
  
  Is there a price difference?
  Is it Fran, from the herald?
  
  4 0
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  October 14, 2020 4:28pm
Paulus

Have heard that Jessica Double-Hyphen has won the debate tonight !
She will not be able to contain herself, again.
8 0
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October 14, 2020 2:18pm
- RJ
  
  Hmmm, watch the debate where some head girl constantly lies, throws her arms around, tilts her head, or watch the block. Easy decision.
  
  8 1
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  October 14, 2020 2:34pm
Jimmy White

A Quote from a Report on the Supreme Court conformation Process (Priceless)
‘ Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s is incredibly calm in the face of some Norman Bates-level insanity hurled at her by the Democrats. It must be a skill learned from dealing with seven small children. And in a photo that will be one of the historic images of 2020, after giving one solid answer after another, even citing and quoting from legal cases, she was asked to hold up what she in front of her, and she held up a blank notepad. All the Senators questioning her had tons of notes, but she needed no notes to answer them all.

A reminder: she’s being called unqualified for her job by the same Party that wants us to elect a President who can’t even tell us what office he’s running for with a Teleprompter right in front of him.’
14 2
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October 14, 2020 2:24pm
- Harriet
  
  Grin and Barrett lefties! 😎
  
  Anyway —the one thing I’ve noticed is that in a family photo taken 10yrs ago – they clearly adopted 2 black girls, both with pigtails and dresses.
  
  But in a recent family photo – one is now a teenage girl and the other – a teenage boy! And the photos are legit.
  
  Does anyone know anything about that?
  
  0 8
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  October 14, 2020 3:01pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    All I really know is that you are a bit of a loonie.
    
    6 3
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    October 14, 2020 4:28pm
  - RJ
    
    I am guessing you are talking of the photo of her holding a young girl in a blue dress and a older girl standing beside her in a blue dress? That is her sister and brother in law, it is not her, and it is not her children.
    
    3 0
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    October 14, 2020 6:39pm
- Jimmy White
  
  Update:
  An example of a question from the Democrats as to ACB’s qualifications to become a Supreme court Judge “ Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?”
  
  4 2
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  October 14, 2020 3:58pm
  - Tall Man
    
    To be fait Jimmy, they’re just checking to see if she has any NZ labour party affiliations 🙂
    
    3 2
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    October 14, 2020 4:27pm
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Aren’t you getting confused with the Kamala Harris ~~Presidential~~ vice-Presidential nomination?
    
    1 1
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    October 14, 2020 8:47pm
surfing

Judith Collins went after the fat people?

Does she think there are more skinny people around? Doesn’t she alienate a lot of people , and completely unnecessarily.

Diverts the attention from more important matters, now we’re going to be debating fat people the rest of the week!

I just don’t see a good campaign going on here…. hasn’t really slammed labours failures to the level it deserves.
7 15
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October 14, 2020 2:32pm
- surfing
  
  Ha, to the downtickers, lets see who is right after the election.
  
  Then, I can say I told you so! Collins has run a poor campaign!
  
  4 15
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  October 14, 2020 2:51pm
  - kowtow
    
    Sorry , but covid porn and fear ran the campaign for Labour.
    
    7 4
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    October 14, 2020 4:26pm
  - RJ
    
    If national lose this campaign you can thank the people that kicked bridges out then put someone into leadership that was not capable of it and had no national recognition, leading to Judith having to take over the leadership on the edge of an election. You can also blame a corrupt media that have done everything possible to put into government the party and the leader they have selected.
    
    6 3
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    October 14, 2020 6:12pm
- RJ
  
  Obesity is a serious matter that requires huge attention by the government because of the costs it is having and will have on society. And the solution has to start way back in primary school. And it is a problem where people need to take personal responsibility and those that work to lose the weight do take responsibility
  
  11 0
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  October 14, 2020 2:55pm
  - kowtow
    
    No , it starts at home ,with parents , long before primary school.Schools and taxpayers must not be held responsible for shit parenting.
    
    10 1
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    October 14, 2020 3:39pm
    - RJ
      
      Not going to happen, too many adults can’t even look after themselves. So you have to bypass those parents and start with the next generations and hope you can get healthy living and eating into their heads.
      
      6 0
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      October 14, 2020 3:52pm
      - kowtow
        
        If an adult parent can’t look after them self ,then by Jove they have no business having children.
        
        4 2
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        October 14, 2020 4:25pm
      - fernglas
        
        If every morbidly obese adult in NZ had lost a kilo a week since lockdown started, they would be able to laugh in the face of Covid.
        
        4 0
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        October 14, 2020 5:31pm
      - RJ
        
        kowtow, welcome to New Zealand where you get paid to have kids. Strange really you have to get a license to drive a car, own a gun, etc etc. but to have a child you don’t have to take any parenting or life skills class, you don’t have to show you are capable of raising and looking after a child. You don’t even have to be financially capable of caring for the child.
        
        3 0
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        October 14, 2020 6:09pm
  - Libertarians are right
    
    The only people who will be offended by what Judith said are life’s losers who are always looking for something to allow them to claim victimhood status. For the record: those people don’t vote National anyway.
    The fact that such an obvious thing has been used to attack Judith may backfire as rational people stop to wonder why a basic truth is being used as a weapon by the media and what other biased attacks have they run.
    
    12 1
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    October 14, 2020 3:51pm
- mandk
  
  The last bit is certainly correct.
  
  It wasn’t necessary to single out individual failings. The message could have been along the lines:
  
  2018: Most open and transparent government ever? No, it has been the most closed and opaque.
  
  2019: Year of delivery? Failures too numerous to mention.
  
  2020: Hard and early? No, soft and late.
  
  8 0
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  October 14, 2020 3:18pm
- kowtow
  
  Serious question.
  
  Where did this come from , there must be a context .
  She didn’t just get up the other day and said to herself “I’m going to pot fat f#ckers today”
  
  She must have been asked by a journo , where’s the context ? The original remark or answer , and if so who asked and why?
  
  9 1
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  October 14, 2020 3:38pm
  - RJ
    
    She was asked a question on radio and she replied.
    
    6 0
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    October 14, 2020 4:01pm
    - kowtow
      
      Who asked her and what ?
      
      I really want to know .
      
      Cos this is looking more and more like an ambush and beat up .
      
      And this morning Burrows and now Mitchell , wtf do they want , Labour in power ? FFS they need to smarten up, being played like fiddles by the Lying Media.
      
      5 1
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      October 14, 2020 4:23pm
      - RJ
        
        Really not sure, radio nz said it was on the radio, news hub said it was a reporter asking a question on the trail.
        
        https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/judith-collins-says-obesity-generally-weakness-urges-personal-responsibility-over-blaming-system
        
        https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/428264/judith-collins-obese-people-must-take-responsibility-for-personal-choices
        
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        October 14, 2020 5:02pm
- bruceavon
  
  The campaign is starting to look increasingly desperate. She seems to be attacking everyone, but not in a focused way. This comment plays well in talkback and probably with her base but it’s not likely to get swing voters across. Mark Mitchell coming out and contradicting her doesn’t help. It seems to me like Judith is just going it alone. Lots of people I know seem to be going for ACT. And some for Labour. Virtually all the young people I know are voting for Ardern.
  
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  October 14, 2020 4:35pm
- Gravelroad
  
  I don’t disagree with you surfing, but it is difficult to think of any campaign material that Ms Collins could put up that wouldn’t be rubbished and turned against her.
  And it is clear now that there are a lot of unprofessional, back-stabbing morons in the National Party caucus who are not fit to govern.
  
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  October 14, 2020 5:26pm
Catgurl13

What the heck is Mark Mitchell’s game disagreeing with Judith a couple of days out from the election?……he’s had a lot of time to.leave the party if he doesn’t like her as leader……what’s he trying to achieve??
16 3
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October 14, 2020 2:59pm
- greybeard
  
  So maybe the CoL has some dirt on Mr Mitchell, and are calling in the favours ?
  
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  October 14, 2020 6:41pm
freemark

Why is it that the Covi-cowards & the Clima-cowards seem to be the same people, and are predominantly Lefties?
Is it that Lefties are naturally cowards, or that they need some big organisation (Govt, UN, etc) to run their lives?
Do ya reckon I’ll get some Jacindafunding to do some research?
7 4
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October 14, 2020 3:27pm
- Tall Man
  
  Sorry, you need a labour member card to get rewarded for navel gazing.
  
  2 3
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  October 14, 2020 4:26pm
Maggie Pie

Getting fed up with people calling you fat?

😀 😀 😀
6 3
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October 14, 2020 3:47pm
- Tall Man
  
  Get away from that mirror Maggie 😉
  
  6 3
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  October 14, 2020 4:25pm
Catgurl13

It had to happen didn’t it……and just before the election……Jacinda has asked immigration to relook into the family who were asking to come to NZ to sell their yacht from Tahiti. Of course they will now be allowed on humanitarian grounds because Jabbacindy is the saviour…….
9 1
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October 14, 2020 4:24pm
- Loddenthinks
  
  She should resign immediately, as it is foridden for a Minister (especially a Prime one, even if only part-time) to personally intervene in a matter for ministry officials.
  
  5 2
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  October 14, 2020 8:53pm
70andstilllearning

Haven’t looked up further- but ScoMo smart cf Princess. NSW/NT open for non quarantine travel from NZ – provided u an Au national. If you Kiwi still gotta get a border exemption.
Can we relocate NZ to tropics? We’re f’ed otherwise.
4 3
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October 14, 2020 4:47pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Oops! Set off the FH trolls! Lol
  
  2 1
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  October 14, 2020 7:39pm
Jack5

Chris Finlayson, questioned by Radio NZ’s panel this afternoon, spoke well on behalf of folk opposed to drastic weeding of the National Library book collection.

One thing though. Finlayson said, quoting a hypothetical example, that there would be no need for the National Library to hold five copies of Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov. You could almost hear supporting smirks of the panel host and one of the panellists.

In fact, an intelligent national library in an English-language country would hold several copies of this classic: one for each of the most prominent translations into English (they can vary markedly).

We should start with Constance Garnett’s classic translation, and range through to that of Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. We should also hold a Russian-language version.

Brothers Karamazov isn’t just some light-weight suspense or romatic novel. Many regard it as a masterpiece. Its Grand Inquisitor interlude should interest Finlayson.

One panelist alluded to traditional, print-on-paper books being replaced by online resources. Obviously not a follower of Kiwiblog, where we’ve discussed natural degradation of electronic records.
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October 14, 2020 5:15pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  I completely disagree. The National Library does not need to be a repository for all the classics of world literature. It is the National Library of Aotearoa/New Zealand, so its concentration on items from NZ and the Pacific is quite natural.
  All libraries ‘weed’ their collections. Storing tens of thousands of items that are never borrowed and have little direct relevance to the country is a waste of resources.
  
  2 12
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  October 14, 2020 6:26pm
  - Loddenthinks
    
    There’s no such place as Aotearoa/New Zealand. There is only New Zealand, I’ve told you this before.
    
    5 1
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    October 14, 2020 8:55pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

In an interview with Bernie Marcus, the founder of Home Depot was asked. ” Why are you voting for Trump? It’s tough, rude, aggressive, completely unpresidential. I do not understand.”
Bernie smiled and quietly responded. ‘ Well, you know, I thought of General Patton. He used thick language, his manners were not pleasing to the ladies, and his language certainly offended many Christians. But we needed it to win a war. Trump is our General Patton, and we’re in a war we have to win.”
I believed then and I believe even more strongly now that our battle is against powers and principalities. And in a war between good and evil, we’ve seen demons loose and masks come out. Evil forces no longer pretend to be civilized. I’m on my knees for my children and grandchildren; daily I intercede in prayer for my beloved country, my beloved Christian heritage, and much more. With all respect and appreciation for the kind well spoken speakers, it’s time to wake up and welcome our General Patton.
9 5
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October 14, 2020 6:28pm
- info@cruzpro.com
  
  Hi Steve,
  
  I don’t know you except through your posts on KB but I have to agree with what you just said.
  
  I’m a US citizen and visited NZ 27 years. My wife, kid and I loved the country and people so much that we moved here 26 years ago.
  
  Everyone of our relatives in the USA think negatively about Trump. They have to live with him every day so I have to give them credit for superior knowledge.
  
  I believe that Trump has done some wonderful things. Too bad that he is such a “difficult person” morally and legally.
  
  Trump has done many good things but could be considered “great” if he had any social and moral training.
  
  7 4
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  October 14, 2020 6:55pm
- Mark
  
  Hey Otto you klutz .Yeah I grabbed em by the pussy.Pffffft.I trust none of them were your daughters.What would you have done gutless ,stood to one side and cheered.You are beneath contempt .
  
  4 10
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  October 14, 2020 7:43pm
  - Mark
    
    I trust the down ticker dropkicks would be happy for Chump to grope their womenfolk.Put your names to it you gutless pieces of shit.This kind of witless behaviour confirms the despicable morals of the average RWNJ.I am astonished that Chump is still atached to his front teeth.In the Hokianga he would be swimming with the fishes pronto.
    
    4 4
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    October 14, 2020 8:37pm
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Show me where he said “Yeah I grabbed em by the pussy” and I’ll donate $10,000 to Womens Refuge tomorrow.
    
    Fail to do so, and I challenge you to donate $100 to Womens Refuge. 100 to 1 is pretty good odds, and you sound quite sure of yourself. Only you’re wrong – he never said that. More fake news. Sad!
    
    6 3
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    October 14, 2020 8:59pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Let me guess – this verbatim exchange does not qualify?
      
      Trump: Yeah, that’s her. With the gold. I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
      Bush: Whatever you want.
      Trump: Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.
      
      1 0
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      October 15, 2020 6:57am
    - Mark
      
      I saw it thre times om the tv with the tape recorder running,and
      Priebus immediatly tried to talk him into standing down.Became known as the Billy Bush tape .I do not know what you are smoking schmuck but stay away from that shit,it is rooting youse brain.
      
      0 0
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      October 15, 2020 9:15am
- Martin Williams
  
  The USA is not at war, you spanner.
  
  3 7
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  October 14, 2020 9:01pm
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    The DNC is supporting the rioting, intimidation and other seditious activities of BLM and Antifa as they loot riot and rampage through urban areas throughout the USA, with state Democratic politicians refusing to keep their citizens safe from these Brownshirts – to the point where Federal law enforcement has had to be sent in due to the abrogation of duty by these left wing ideologues. All as an extension of left wing of DNC’s campaign to overthrow the current Republican administration using all means fair or foul. That is not democracy, that is using political violence to achieve political ends, dangerous tactics that destroy civil society and can spiral into civil war. The left is out of control in the USA, and center needs steel to resist it. Trump is a blowhard, but better him than a Democratic President who would bend to the extremists of the left.
    
    2 1
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    October 14, 2020 10:42pm
greybeard

What a surprise.
Organised Chinese crime in Auckland.
Who would have guessed.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300132434/auckland-gang-members-arrested-for-alleged-money-laundering-linked-to-china
7 2
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October 14, 2020 6:48pm
RJ

Bye Winnie

Newshub can reveal that Winston Peters’ own staff are predicting his political demise on Saturday, with multiple sources saying most of his Beehive team have given up hope of his return.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/10/nz-election-2020-winston-peters-own-staff-are-predicting-his-political-demise.html
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October 14, 2020 6:58pm
Prince

It’s a strange election of two different styles of reporting.
National is rubbished for providing Party members and supporters to cheer for Collins on an Auckland walkabout. Both channels, Stuff and the Newspapers go to town on the ‘deperate’ Nats.
Meanwhile, buried deep in a Stuff article today, we find…
“…high school students chanted Ardern’s name as her van rolled up. They waved banners, helpfully provided by local MPs, including campaign manager Megan Woods.” Not a murmur of criticism.
Biased. Corrupt. Bent. Deceitful. Partisan.
Take your pick.
9 2
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October 14, 2020 8:39pm
- Loddenthinks
  
  I pick (f) All of the above.
  
  7 3
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  October 14, 2020 9:01pm
- nathie
  
  If the shoe was on the other foot so it was National “providing school kids as supporters to cheer for Collins” … what’s the bet the Labour Party and their MSM Cheerleaders would be calling it an “immoral and cynical exploitation of youth”?
  
  0 1
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  October 14, 2020 9:28pm
Suze Wainwright

Good on the Green Party of Aotearoa/New Zealand leadership team for proving that Ardern is – by default – definitely a liar (and that Judith is not).
4 3
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October 14, 2020 9:04pm
- Suze Wainwright
  
  At least the good citizens of aotearoa will have an early opportunity to witness version 2.0 of Cindy’s stellar leadership skills.
  
  I believe you need more than the ability to harness unicorn farts to genuinely please everyone…
  
  1 1
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  October 14, 2020 9:31pm
- nathie
  
  Perhaps “liar” is a bit strong for the context, however perhaps calling her a “bullsh!t artist” might be more appropriate?
  
  In context of course, as Ardern knows perfectly well, as Marama Davidson articulates, that post election negotiations take on a life of their own!
  
  “They can say what they need to in an [election] campaign,” Davidson said when asked about Ardern’s repeated flat-out rejection of the plan.”
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2020-labour-cannot-govern-alone-greens-co-leader-marama-davidson/RA2QPUD4QGAMICWIKM2DAFQJOU/
  
  After all Labour were desperate enough to give NZF $3billion dollars (for PGF funds) in the 2017 post election negotiations, what’s to stop the Greens demanding some form of wealth tax from another desperate Labour Party, because they (learnt from Uncle Winnie) now have all the power! 🙁
  
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  October 14, 2020 9:36pm

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