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October 11, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 11 October 2024

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NeverMindTheBollocks

678 speeding violations – that’s heroic!

http://www.1news.co.nz/2024/10/11/how-678-speeding-violations-by-the-boss-went-unnoticed-at-ecan/
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October 11, 2024 8:00am
- Dougal10
  
  Not really a violation ,it is only on his eroad account. It records a speeding event for 54 in a 50 and 104 in a 100 .
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:14am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    And a top speed of 157kmph.
    
    Perhaps he had a turn down at the local track day.
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:31am
    - Jethrod
      
      Could have been bogged down and was spinning wheels to get out.
      Was doing burnouts late on a Friday night with his buddies.
      
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      October 11, 2024 3:28pm
- pdm
  
  I hope he paid his own fines.
  
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  October 11, 2024 12:05pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

I hope the local rat catcher is braced for an uptick in work.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/530419/auckland-fortnightly-rubbish-collection-to-go-on-trial
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October 11, 2024 8:01am
- Ghost
  
  You do realise other areas have been doing this for a long time? Our household bin is fortnightly, it alternates with the recycle and glass bins. Compost bin is weekly. We’ve never had rats or mice.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:44am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Not in Welly, Ghost. Rubbish is weekly; glass and paper are fortnightly week on, week off.
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:32am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    New York has had rats everywhere because they leave their rubbish in plastic pags piled up on the kerb. I think they’ve just worked out that wheely bins with lids might be a better idea 🤪
    
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    October 11, 2024 6:36pm
- sirknz
  
  Totally not predetermined because it went out for ‘consultation’…
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:09am
- Dougal10
  
  You get a lot more wrong bin dumping when you go to fortnightly , lots of recycling goes to waste and vice versa when the other bin is full.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:20am
  - sirknz
    
    Probably a lot more fly tipping too.
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:43am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Fly tipping = illegal dumping.
      
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      October 11, 2024 6:40pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Councils run by luxury beliefs people make disposing of various things a huge pain. THAT increases illegal dumping.
      
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      October 11, 2024 6:41pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  So collection fortnightly instead of weekly will cost $1.7M.
  For some strange I thought the collection cost would be reduced 50%.
  Were did I go wrong? Did I not understand what the Council said?
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:36am
  - rouppe
    
    That does seem counter intuitive
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:40am
- John Loveridge
  
  Fortnightly rubbish collections, alternating with the recycling bin, have been in place in Christchurch for as long as I can remember now. Plastic wheelie bins, no vermin problems that I’ve ever seen.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:55am
  - Paulus
    
    And in Tauranga for some years where appears to work well.
    
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    October 11, 2024 1:31pm
Matt Long

Convicted fraudster Trump, according to a post on X and the Guardian.
Which is disinformation and why are people like Engoran, Harris and Walsh so creepy?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/26/trump-appeals-court-civil-fraud-case
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1844426831564505456
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October 11, 2024 8:07am
- Cassandra
  
  John Bolton (National Security Adviser to Trump): “I’m not going to vote for (Trump or Harris). I don’t think either one should be president.”
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:09am
  - peterwn
    
    Which effectively means he gives a half vote to what he would think is the worse of the two evils. I thought a skilled political operative would recognise this.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:13am
    - Cassandra
      
      Indeed and when the time comes he’ll hold his nose and vote Trump (I’d do the same but vote Harris because of Trump’s Ukraine policy but Republicans for Congress). But it’s interesting that so many of Trump’s former senior staff eg the generals, can’t stand him.
      
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      October 11, 2024 8:20am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        You don’t know Trumps Ukraine policy, he wants too pressure both sides, if he can do that effectively then who knows
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:09am
      - leoj
        
        Presumably the woke generals who rose to the top under a Democratic administration.
        
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        October 11, 2024 11:36am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Yes, the same as a note for a party here that goes not reach 5%
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:07am
    - Jake Dee
      
      Explain how such a thing as “half a vote” exists.
      
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      October 11, 2024 1:48pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Pretty simple, a vote for something else that does not go to the 2 sides councils out the bet
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:11pm
  - Matt Long
    
    John Bolton debating Vevik Ramaswamy is an interesting watch. Bolton appears to be a proponent of forever wars.
    https://www.vmi.edu/news/headlines/2024-2025/bolton-and-ramaswamy-draw-huge-crowd-at-vmi.php
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:16am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Sack him. Trump has had enough of the try hard RINOs.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:35am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Deutsche Bank and other lending institutions would have done their own investigations into the viability of the loans.
  Another witch hunt, and Engoran really is a creep.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:33am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Yes, Trump used the very same method of accountancy as any other business uses. Do people not know what depreciation on assets for a business is? This is a total beat up
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:20am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      At my work the Company bought a ute is the 90s brand new. When I finished work last year I think the ute was $1 on the books.
      170,000K, not even run in!
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:42am
      - peterwn
        
        But the company cannot dispose of it for $1. If the company sells it at Turners for $1000 (after Turner’s commission), it has to declare $999 as income. If the company sells it to an employee for $1 it would still need to declare $999 as income although the company could argue that it is worth a bit less (eg what a used car dealer would pay). A guy was charged with stealing a piano. He argued it was fully depreciated and worth $0 so he should be acquitted, but the judge did not buy that argument.
        
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        October 11, 2024 12:17pm
      - Paulus
        
        Some years ago the maximum depreciation I understood to be 13%.
        
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        October 11, 2024 1:32pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        The Company could ‘give’ the ute to the employee, and the employee could ‘give’ a few days of work unpaid. See if the ute had a tiny little ding that was not worth repairing…..
        
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        October 11, 2024 2:34pm
      - Colville
        
        peterwn
        The company gets a trade in valuation from a friendly dealer for $1…and sells it for that.
        
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        October 11, 2024 6:11pm
NK

Nicola Willis looked fraught yesterday. I can put her in touch with Sir Roger Douglas if she wants.

Tinkering here, small adjustment there, won’t cut it I’m afraid.

I have said this before, and I expect down ticks for spelling out the truth again, but she has essentially the same qualification as Grant Robertson, and from the same university.

I know, I know, but she’s from National, and therefore is inherently better qualified (or something similar).

*Sigh*
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October 11, 2024 8:08am
- Cassandra
  
  They are making significant changes. She is a vast improvement on b………. Robertson!!
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:12am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    No she isn’t. She is a tiny improvement but is still horribly bad at her job and is far more interested in succeeding politically than moving NZ forward economically.
    
    I’m not so concerned about qualifications. The Minister of Finance does not need to be an economic genius like Roger Douglas. They need to have the right goals, seek advice from the right people on how to further those goals, and be able to effectively explain to the public what they are doing and why. I doubt Willis has done any of that so far.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:44am
    - peterwn
      
      The overarching objective of a political party is to get into power and if in power to stay in power. There is no point in a Minister of Finance being so tough as to hand the opposing party victory on a plate at the next election. Nicola and her boss recognise that austerity needs to be balanced with political reality. Chris Luxon recognises that a three year ‘window’ is pushing it when trying to sort the economy hence has floated the four year Parliamentary term idea.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:00am
      - Flossie
        
        I don’t believe Luxon is responsible for floating the four year parliamentary term idea. That predates his time in politics.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:05am
      - peterwn
        
        Flossie – agreed the idea of a four year term predates his time in politics, There was a referendum on this in 1967 where a four year Parliamentary term was rejected, but 10 o’clock pub closing had an overwhelming majority in support. Chris Luxon was not even conceived when that referendum was held.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:39am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        I think the finance decisions are guided by how man votes they might gain or lose.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:45am
      - leoj
        
        Four years is one more year to do nothing.
        
        Hypocrites: Politicians tells us every vote counts but now they want us to vote less often!
        
        Keep it at three. I’d prefer every two years – keep the bastards on their toes.
        
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        October 11, 2024 11:40am
  - NK
    
    Cassandra has proved my point.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:54am
- Benedict Yu
  
  I agree with half your comment. Tinkering won’t work.
  
  However, she is not Grant Robertson. Not by a long shot.
  
  Look to Australia. Paul Keating, the Treasurer (Finance Minister) in the 1980s, IMO laid the foundations for Australia’s prosperity today. He grew up in a working class suburb and left school at 15.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:14am
- peterwn
  
  She is quite capable of doing the Roger Douglas (or Ruth Richardson) stuff if need be. She will have broad enough shoulders to cope. Unlike Robbo she has had a real job (with Fonterra) where she would have been exposed to similar issues and trade-offs.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:21am
  - NK
    
    Aaaahhhh, the old “she worked at Fonterra” argument.
    
    She was a middle manager, kind of HR mixed in with lots of meetings. The NZ budget is $250BN. Sorry, but her middle manager job at Fonterra is a weak and lame justification of experience and qualifications.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:10am
    - peterwn
      
      At least she got out there and got a *REAL* job which is more than can be said for many left wing politicians and Jami Lee-Ross. In his case that should have been a real ‘red flag’, even Cam Slater recognised that (probably after being briefed by daddy) was a potential issue at the time. If Nicola chose to she could have made a successful corporate career for herself which she will probably do when her political time is up.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:09am
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Daddy?
        
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        October 11, 2024 6:44pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      She was not middle management at all
      
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      October 11, 2024 8:15pm
  - Tom Hunter
    
    I wouldn’t boast about Fonterra if I was her. Same story sold about Muller.
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:53am
    - peterwn
      
      The only problem with Todd Muller was he was a failed Superman. He had a successful career before having a tilt at party leadership. He also had a problem soaring like an eagle when he was surrounded by some turkeys (this is why National has given its candidate recruitment and selection a major tune-up prior to the 2023 election and it showed up in the result). He and others had unreasonably big expectations. When Judith Collins took over, there were very low expectations – her aim was to salvage as much as possible.
      Also, Todd instead of bailing out of Parliament after the 2020 election stuck around to give his fellow MP’s a strong helping hand as their numbers were badly depleted. Todd will no doubt be successful in his new endeavours.
      
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      October 11, 2024 12:30pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Wasn’t Muller a last minute stand in for Mark Mitchell who “changed his mind”?
        
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        October 11, 2024 12:45pm
- Taieri
  
  she has essentially the same qualification as Grant Robertson, and from the same university
  ————-
  
  Robertson graduated in political studies from Otago, Willis in English literature and journalism, respectively from Victoria and Canterbury.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:36am
  - NK
    
    Oh, I thought they were both Vic grads. But thanks for confirming her essays on Shakespeare give her the necessary qualifications to run a $250BN budget.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:49am
    - MCōs
      
      The current Minister of Education worked in TV before politics, but seems to have a good grasp of the job whereas the last two National Ministers of Health are pretty ordinary despite being doctors, in my opinion.
      It’s more a matter of having the ability to listen to and process advice without letting your own prejudices cloud decisions, I would have thought
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:11am
      - NK
        
        It’s mostly not possible for politicians to process advice without their own prejudices clouding decisions, whether they’re from the Left or Right. Almost everybody, particularly politicians, have prejudices.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:27am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        I presume you mean Ryell as one of them, I thought he was classed as one of the better mins of health
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:19pm
      - Jack5
        
        Shane Reti, the current Minister of Health, has the ability to listen.
        
        One of his first actions as Minister was to spend nights alongside hospital emergency department staff.
        
        He has one of the toughest NZ political jobs, and is slogging hard and performing well.
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:28pm
    - peterwn
      
      Yes. Studying the ‘Merchant of Venice’ would have given her a good insight into commerce, merchant banking and how to extract a pound of flesh as well as a role model in Shylock. Similarly Romeo and Juliet would have given her a good insight into human relations, politics, diplomacy, etc.
      Incidentally the top tier of the British Civil Service has traditionally recruited those with a broad classical rather than vocational education.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:15am
      - Paulus
        
        UK historically, like Boris, has been described as a degree in what is known as Greats, being Politics, Classics, and Economics.
        My Grandaughtr when at Auckland Uni sort of copied it as Politics, Sociology and Economics for which she has Degrees, and is a Public Servant in Wellington, doing nicely after 8 years there.
        
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        October 11, 2024 1:39pm
    - artemisia
      
      Back in the day, The Treasury made a point of hiring smart people with little or no background in economics for policy and advisory roles. Idea was that they were smart but not economists, oddly enough, and brought a different and valuable perspective.
      
      Maybe it still happens bit more likely they will be in different roles these days.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:27am
      - Taieri
        
        Many years ago I met a bloke at an oil wharf. He was handling hoses and overseeing fuel pumping on the shore side. We got talking a he told me that he had a degree in psychology and was a management trainee. Apparently, it didn’t matter to the oil company what discipline the degree was in. What mattered was that the degree was a proof that a person is capable of learning. In those days all management trainees had to go through all steps of operations, starting from the very basic to learn how the company operates. I wonder if this is still practiced?
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:38am
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Bill English, for one
        
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        October 11, 2024 11:38am
      - NZer In Exile
        
        “In those days all management trainees had to go through all steps of operations, starting from the very basic to learn how the company operates. I wonder if this is still practiced?”
        
        I doubt it. That was the old world where things were done properly. Ah I miss those days!
        
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        October 11, 2024 6:47pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    He is talking about the degree being in the arts, that does not tell you what their major was in
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:17pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  She has a hell of a lot more experience in the real world than the asshole Robertson, Nats are just finding out ( virtually weekly) how fraudulent Robertson was, an absolute joke to hear Rennes filthy pommy union asshole saying oh. Well I did warn you to not cut ferries and hospitals, this man worked in Robertsons office, and he is now an expert of sound economics. Perhaps he could do some homework and realise ferries and hospitals have not been canned, just Labours shambolic ones,
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:24am
- AitchW
  
  NK, the economy is totally stuffed thanks to the last 6 years of vandalism, incompetence, and indolence by Arden, Hipkins, and Robertson.
  When every cupboard you open is infested with rats you have to either tackle them methodically or burn down the house.
  Willis is, I believe, working bloody hard to get the economy on track, but it’s going to take years to do.
  Don’t fall into Labour’s trap of blaming her for the mess. Unless you believe that the last government was doing a bang up job of course.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:36am
- mogg
  
  Please tell us about your own finance qualifications which allow you to be so judgmental, because to me you sound like a bag of wind.
  She has reduced inflation which is said to now be approaching 2%. Bond rates and the $NZ dollar have been falling for some time. Food prices stabilised, mortgage rates falling and rising business confidence. If you remember the very first thing that Willis and Luxon did was have an urgent meeting with Orr, soon after the RBNZ woke crap stopped.
  After Robbo’s 60 billion Covid bond spree we were paying $NZ 10B annual interest, add another 10B for the capital loss on same bonds. You say ‘tinkering whilst the overall progress is very satisfactory. I suspect that you are getting your information from the MSM bunnies who are there to promote their own political agenda.
  
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  October 11, 2024 3:14pm
  - Quail
    
    Take a look at NZ debt figures, ( convert them to NZD ) and the increased Government spending.
    There has been a recent blowout, much related to the last government.but still real.
    Exports and balance of payments tell the real story.
    Productivity, not enough electricity to run a timber mill and the closing of freezing works tell the real story. Oh and add in the migration figures.
    Until poor productivity is recognised as the major economic issue NZ will continue to decline.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:39pm
- Warren Murray
  
  I’m not debating with you on yesterday’s news, not because you’re wrong or right but because for the year ended June 24, Labour was in power for about half of the year and Labour’s last budget was in effect for the whole time.
  
  It is worrying, however, that the tax take was up massively, yet the deficit still outstripped the higher income from tax receipts.
  
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  October 11, 2024 6:53pm
Chuck Bird

Not premium. There was almost a two state solution on 6 Oct 2023. No chance of one now. It is idiotic to talk about one while the terrorist still have hostages.

Christopher Luxon receives invitation to visit India during meeting with Narendra Modi

Albanese: “We together have issued statements reflecting those common values which are there, calling for de-escalation, calling for the return of hostage, expressing our abhorrence at the terrorist acts of October 7, and also talking about the need to move towards a two-state solution and to have a region which represents the opportunity for peace and security and prosperity for the citizens in the Middle East, whether they be Israeli, Palestinian, Lebanese.”

Luxon earlier told reporters the New Zealand Government was “deeply concerned” about the risk of “catastrophic impact on innocent citizens” should conflict in the region continue to escalate.

“That is why we are asking for restraint, de-escalation and it’s not going to be solved by more military action,” he said.

“When we’re seeing innocent civilians being impacted in the way that they are, we need parties to get back around the table and actually negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza and to actually make sure we don’t see contagion out to Iran and out to Lebanon.”

Calls for de-escalation in the region have come from across the globe, including France, the United Nations, and the United Kingdom.

Asked by the Herald whether he thought Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu was listening to other global leaders, Luxon responded: “Well, it doesn’t seem like it”.

“We’re trying to make the call to say, ‘Look, you’ve got to exercise restraint, and that the loss of innocent civilian life is unacceptable’.”

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxon-receives-invitation-to-visit-india-during-meeting-with-narendra-modi/NAJY6PETQJD45PYHASEC3ZEHHE/
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October 11, 2024 8:08am
- Cassandra
  
  The people of Gaza voted Hamas in. This war is between Gaza and Israel, not Hamas and Israel. Hamas is the Gazan Army. Germany bombed Coventry and the RAF bombed Dresden and Hamburg. It’s called war. Sad that kids are killed but it’s Hamas that’s at fault.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:15am
  - Swifty
    
    I rather think this is a war between Israel and Iran and always will be as long as the mullahs remain in charge of the latter.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:33am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Yes, I notice Iran received a warning just like Hamas, just like Hezbolah, I would not be surprised if a rocket launch on Iranian strongholds starts this weekend
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:27am
      - leoj
        
        An extra large one for Tehran……
        
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        October 11, 2024 11:44am
      - Matt Long
        
        Yom Kippur ends Saturday night, any time after that I would hunt a deep hole if I were an ayatollah or a minion.
        
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        October 11, 2024 3:04pm
  - MCōs
    
    “Sad that kids are killed”
    Kind of slips off the tongue
    
    Seeing as you brought up elections in Gaza. They were last held almost nineteen years ago when Helen Clark was PM here and GWB president of the US.
    A lot of water has passed under the bridge since those days
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:50am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Yes, “sad” is an understatement if there ever was one.
      Murdering children in the name of religion or politics must be the greatest stain on humanity.
      
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      October 11, 2024 8:59am
    - In Vino Veritas
      
      Yes MCos, a lot of water. For instance, Gazans cheering when news of the Hamas attack on Oct 7. And laughing and more cheering when the footage of Hamas atrocities became public and the public display of hostages. Yep, a lot of water has passed. Most of it supporting the Hamas regime. Polls in Gaza show there is between 35 and 50% support for Hamas over the last year. On 10 October 23, 57% of Gazan’s had a positive opinion of Hamas and on June 23, 79% supported armed opposition to Israel. Well, they got armed opposition. And it’s gone pear shaped for them. Unlucky.
      
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      October 11, 2024 9:14am
    - JimBobJoe
      
      As always…. Hamas were voted in, and like Communists, you can’t vote them out once established.
      
      Gazans are getting what they voted for, what they have supported for 19 odd years which includes never ending attacks on Israel (missiles, rockets, cross border raids) and therefore the backlash they are now receiving is what Gazans knew could happen.
      
      The street terms is FAFO. Gazans are now in FO phase after the FA on Oct 7 in long planned terror attack.
      
      People including children die in war, and it always tugs on the ehart strings when children die. But the bottom line on Oct 10 2023 (and every day since up to now) Hamas could have returned the Hostages and sued for peace. But they haven’t and wont, so what is happening now is a direct consequence of Hamas, with Gazans support, actions.
      
      [“Sad that kids are killed”
      Kind of slips off the tongue]
      
      The quote from you post is just the normal Leftie ‘think of the kids’ diversion line….
      
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      October 11, 2024 9:27am
      - MCōs
        
        “Gazans are getting what they voted for”
        Half of them weren’t even born when that election was held, let alone of voting age.
        Apart from that I’m not going to to second guess what the state of mind is of people who live in that wretched mess
        https://www.npr.org/2023/10/18/1206897328/half-of-gazas-population-is-under-18-heres-what-that-means-for-the-conflict
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:24am
      - Quail
        
        JBJ.
        Wars are caused by the very same politicians who demand security for themselves.
        The pain is felt by the people who work for a living for themselves and their children !
        The same politicians claim to be representative of their people.
        But they don’t feel the pain!
        
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        October 11, 2024 7:56pm
    - john1234
      
      At the end of the day, Hamas is popularly supported by Gazans, and has a stated desire to wipe Israel from the map.
      Compare to Israel. That country has free elections, a free press, equal rights for women and gays. They don’t care to wipe Gaza from the map but just want to exist in peace and for Iran via Hamas and Hezbollah to stop attacking them.
      
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      October 11, 2024 9:50am
      - MCōs
        
        At the end of the day I don’t think you’re right
        https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0vewvp14zdo
        
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        October 11, 2024 11:49am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      It was sad kids were slaughtered in front of their parents 7 October, we do have short memories
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:28am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Yes, every dead child is a tragedy.
        
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        October 11, 2024 12:26pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        Yes, including the millions aborted each year. 🙁
        
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        October 11, 2024 2:34pm
    - sirknz
      
      If you want to see what the state of mind is of Gazans, do a search for ‘Farfour the Mouse’, a Palestinian kids tv character and watch one or two of the clips that come up.
      
      TLDW version, he was martyred while ‘trying to get his grandfather’s house back from a jew, this is a great honour’, in a kids show…
      
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      October 11, 2024 11:55am
  - kowtow
    
    Hamburg , an important port and Dresden an important communications( road and rail) hub , which the Soviets wanted neutralised prior to an advance in that direction.
    
    Both eminently military and therefore legitimate targets .
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:33am
    - Taieri
      
      So was Königsberg, bombed by the RAF, Danzig destroyed by the Soviets and Warsaw virtually knocked out of existence by the Germans.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:01am
      - peterwn
        
        Hitler and co would have mercilessly bombed the hell out of London, Brum, etc if were not for the brave RAF pilots in Spitfires etc.
        
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        October 11, 2024 12:35pm
      - MCōs
        
        Prior to the change of leadership of the UK the thinking was Britain would come to terms with Germany to avoid another European war.
        Pre war a large minority of Brits thought Hitler was the bees knees, particularly amongst the ruling classes.
        Hitler saw Bolshevism and World Jewry as his mortal enemies, not Britain.
        
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        October 11, 2024 5:10pm
  - GJM
    
    80 years ago, the israeli equivalent woudl happily have sent 1000 heavy bombers overnight and flattened the place, then done it again the next night without regret
    The restraint against what could be done is commendable. Ever seen the films of th eSoviets in berlin, 1945. Destry everything with artillery and then advance, if anything looks suspicious or any return fire, bring up 152mm howitzer in direct fire mode and flatten it. Repeat.
    This happens when you start wars, especially when you hide behind
    
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    October 11, 2024 6:39pm
- Paulus
  
  Peace might be easier without the UN hypocrites.
  Disband the so called UN – the original League of Nations had a purpose, but the evolved UN does not, when you have some people using the Veto when it suits them.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:29am
- cmm
  
  ” There was almost a two state solution on 6 Oct 2023″
  
  Not at all. Hamas were not ever going to sign up to it.
  
  There might have been an appearance of the emergence of a two state solution, but that was just the lull before the storm while Hamas developed their tunnels further.
  
  I can’t find it now, but there was a poll done in Gaza in about July 2023. The majority of Gazans expected something big to happen before the end of the year.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:21am
  - leoj
    
    There was also peace on Oct 6th.
    
    Who broke it?
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:47am
- rouppe
  
  When they call for de-escalation, it seems invariably to mean Israel to pull back.
  
  Where are the calls for Lebanon or Iran to stop firing middles into Israel? If they stopped doing that, it would be much easier to expect Israel to cease operations.
  
  If Hamas said “we will return the remaining hostages tomorrow” you’d at least get a cessation of military operations, and if they said yes to a two state solution with no aggression it would all be over.
  
  It is the Arab world that has rejected two states, with each declaring the right of the other to exist
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:53am
Matt Long

Irish UN Peacekeepers refuse to leave Southern Lebanon because they prefer sex slaves provided by Hezbollah to potatoes back home. //
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/un-opens-investigation-into-allegations-of-sexual-abuse-by-irish-peacekeepers-1.4816701
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October 11, 2024 8:09am
- Matt Long
  
  They might also be looking for this in the afterlife.
  “You’ll receive several virgins in paradise. No menstruation, no mucus, no saliva and no childbirth. You’ll have the sexual strength of 100 men”
  https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1844455390152622185
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:18am
  - Swifty
    
    Further proof, as if we needed it, that Islam is an invention of men.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:32am
    - Chuck Bird
      
      Does anyone know what the women are promised?
      
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      October 11, 2024 9:56am
      - Flossie
        
        Obviously nothing. Women are just chattels to those men.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:09am
      - artemisia
        
        Women won’t be keen on martyrdom if it’s virgin men.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:33am
      - Don Beckett
        
        There aren’t any.
        
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        October 11, 2024 2:36pm
    - Grumpy Silver Top
      
      ..Swifty, as are all religions (except the Amazons, of course) and much of how many societies operate. It is easy to forget how the whole world has been dominated by men for millennia. I’m not convinced that domination by the other gender is the answer however. Western society is still trying to level out the way the two genders cooperate effectively.
      
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      October 11, 2024 9:59am
  - Jethrod
    
    I thought someone entering Paradise got 72 virgins? What has changed? Is he not noble enough or they just running out of virgins?
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:05am
    - Matt Long
      
      Only noble martyrs get the full 72.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:43am
      - John Loveridge
        
        What does the noble martyr do when he’s been through all 72 virgins and they’re no longer virgin? I’ve never figured that bit out.
        
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        October 11, 2024 11:24am
      - Matt Long
        
        It doesn’t really mean virgins according to one Islamic scholar I saw, it means, avoiding vulgarity, perfect sexual organs.
        
        3 0
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        October 11, 2024 2:30pm
      - Geri Sjovik
        
        Apparently the girls heal overnight.
        
        0 0
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        October 11, 2024 6:05pm
    - Paulus
      
      Not enough Virgins !
      
      4 0
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      October 11, 2024 1:44pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      It’s now only 48 virgins. They are rapidly running out of them. 🙂
      
      3 1
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      October 11, 2024 2:38pm
  - crikey
    
    May they be blessed with perpetual erectile dysfunction.
    
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    October 11, 2024 1:41pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Seems that women as on-demand sex objects is a common theme.
    
    It does make one wonder.
    
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    October 11, 2024 6:56pm
- rouppe
  
  Seems to be a repetitive problem
  
  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67115883
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:59am
Cassandra

A “nihilist” attacked three people and then punched a cop and yesterday was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Obviously not his first offence. Real attackers – blood and damage – but only three years and he’ll do it again. Why do we mistreat the community like this? This bloke should be locked u til he demonstrates that he won’t do this again. That might mean forever.
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October 11, 2024 8:10am
- pdm
  
  Cass – meanwhile in Napier a woman with 34 previous convictions did this:
  1. Drove erratically probably while drunk.
  2. Cannibus wafted from the car window.
  3. Drove off after being stopped by Police.
  4. Refused to supply a blood sample.
  5. Refused to get out of her vehicle.
  
  She got 9 months supervision and licence suspended for 6 months.
  
  Mind you she did claim to have Royal Blood.
  
  What would she have to do to get put in clink?
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350446135/woman-refused-give-blood-specimen-because-she-had-royal-blood
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:22am
  - CJames
    
    And how much of her lenient sentence was because she was of the protected ethnicity?
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:33am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    “Royal blood”. I suspect this kind of thing will become more common if we continue to allow maatauranga and tikanga to undermine science and the rule of law.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:35am
  - peterwn
    
    You are entitled to refuse to allow a blood sample to be taken, although there is an exception if you are in hospital. However it is then presumed that you consumed an excessive amount of alcohol and you will suffer the consequences accordingly.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:17am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      The only exception in hospital is if you are there for a head injury or are in intensive care, if you are taken there drunk and break your arm you can and will be blood tested, I know people that have had this done, some say you can’t take blood, but were pointed to the actual law
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:42am
    - rouppe
      
      Not true
      
      If you refuse to have the blood test it’s a criminal offence. For a first or second conviction, you can be imprisoned for up to three months or fined up to $4,500, and you must be disqualified for at least six months.
      
      You can refuse a screening test but then have to accompany police officer for evidential breath test.
      You can refuse evidential breath test, but then have to have the blood sample.
      You can’t refuse the blood sample.
      
      Of course all that buggering about takes time, which might work in your favour
      
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      October 11, 2024 11:06am
      - Local Miller
        
        Actually all that buggering about probably works against you. The average heavy drinker had their last drink just before leaving the pub. The longer the mess around, the more of that alcohol gets absorbed into their bloodstream, pushing up their blood alcohol levels. Better to do the breath test immediately.
        
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        October 11, 2024 4:28pm
      - peterwn
        
        Pedantically you are right. However the practical consequences of not agreeing to a blood test are very similar to having a blood test and being over the limit.
        Years ago, when there was minimal security surrounding workplaces a guy wandered into a DSIR lab and nicked his own blood sample. He was convicted of perverting the course of justice, but driving disqualification was not a sentencing option at the time. The wily judge got round that by putting him on probation with a condition that he was not to drive.
        
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        October 11, 2024 5:14pm
      - fernglas
        
        “Pedantically you are right”.
        How about rephrasing that? “Legally you are right, and I was wrong (again)” sounds so much more accurate.
        
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        October 11, 2024 5:44pm
      - rouppe
        
        Well… Pedantically, that’s true of the first or second such offence, it ramps up a bit on third and subsequent.
        
        But what’s a subsection between strangers…
        
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        October 11, 2024 6:05pm
    - fernglas
      
      If you are entitled to refuse to allow a blood specimen to be taken, can you explain why
      “She pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to permit a blood specimen to be taken, but was found guilty at a judge alone trial in July this year.”?
      
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      October 11, 2024 1:01pm
      - Geri Sjovik
        
        The taking of blood is an invasive process and falls under the umbrella of the right of refusal to undergo medical treatment.
        
        However, the penalty for refusing to supply blood as as severe as the maximum for having excess blood.
        
        And the courts, as a matter of practice, take a refusal to supply blood as being guilty of having the maximum allowable blood alcohol level.
        
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        October 11, 2024 6:10pm
      - peterwn
        
        I mean precisely what I said. If you refuse to allow a blood sample to be taken, the police are not allowed to hold you down so a doctor or nurse can extract a blood sample. Indeed that would most probably be a breach of the Bill of Rights Act. However the police will not mind because they can charge you with refusing to allow a blood sample to be taken with very similar consequences to being over the limit.
        
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        October 11, 2024 7:23pm
      - fernglas
        
        Call me old fashioned, but if a refusal to supply a blood specimen is a criminal offence, then you are not entitled to refuse, any more than you are entitled to steal or assault someone. Entitlement is a legal right to do something. If you meant precisely what you said, you got it wrong (again)
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:30pm
  - john1234
    
    Sorry to tell you pdm, but if you read further down that pathetic sentence was considered too harsh and on appeal that criminal piece of shit was discharged without conviction.
    “The appeal was allowed and the sentence was quashed. Aotearoa was instead convicted and discharged on the charge of failing to permit a blood specimen to be taken.”
    Special rules for the special people.
    That judge needs to be removed. How on earth did she get appointed? Refer to above: Special rules for special people.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:54am
    - Pineapple Lumps
      
      Justice Helen McQueen said a sentence of supervision was unlikely to reduce the risk of Aotearoa’s risk of re-offending, and “ I consider that the reality in this case is that a nine-month sentence of supervision will likely set up Ms Aotearoa to offend further”.
      
      So a reason for quashing the sentence was that she most probably wouldn’t comply with it resulting in additional offences.
      
      Next they won’t incarcerate offenders because they could reoffend by breaking out of jail.
      
      The height of absurdity!!!
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:25am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Well said pineapple .
        The cops are lucky the judge didn’t do them for harassment of this poor princess.
        
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        October 11, 2024 12:54pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Any chance we can have some accountability for judges and their decisions? Would that be too much to ask?
      
      2 0
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      October 11, 2024 7:02pm
  - Jethrod
    
    Sounds remarkably like a former MP and minister.
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:07am
    - John Loveridge
      
      Would that be the one with the most attractively tattooed saggy arse cheeks?
      
      10 0
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      October 11, 2024 11:25am
      - Flossie
        
        OMG ! Seriously why did anybody have to be subjected to that view. There should have been one of those “some people may find the following picture distressing ” warnings.
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:39pm
Scott

This from The Daily Alert email on Israeli affairs which I receive 2 to 3 times a week –

“2 Killed, 8 Wounded by Hizbullah Rockets in Northern Israel
Hizbullah rockets killed two Israeli civilians in Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel on Wednesday. In the Haifa area, eight people were treated at Rambam Hospital, mostly for shrapnel wounds. (Jerusalem Post)

Six Wounded, 2 Critically, in Stabbing Rampage in Central Israeli City of Hadera
Six people were wounded in a terror stabbing attack in Hadera on Wednesday. The terrorist, Ahmad Jabarin, 36, from the Israeli Arab town of Umm al-Fahm, attacked in four different locations before being eliminated by an armed citizen. (Jerusalem Post)”

Just another normal day in Israel. Six people stabbed by a terrorist here, two killed and eight wounded by enemy rockets there.

What country would put up with this situation day after day after day? I know we wouldn’t.
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October 11, 2024 8:10am
- john1234
  
  USA has 33 times the population of Israel. Imagine then, if a Mexican militia came across the border, raped and murdered 40,000 American men, women and children, then ran back across the border with 7,000 hostages? That’s the relative scale.
  Would the USA tolerate this and leave the militia sitting across the border with the hostages?
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:01am
  - MCōs
    
    Don’t forget Tarrant
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:55am
    - Paulus
      
      Who ?
      
      3 0
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      October 11, 2024 1:46pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      One guy. How is there an equivalence?
      
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      October 11, 2024 7:17pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

10 differences between Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.

https://babylonbee.com/news/10-differences-between-kamala-harris-and-joe-biden?
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October 11, 2024 8:15am
- redeye
  
  Kamala Harris: Could possibly be next president, but it’s not a sure thing.
  
  Joe Biden: Could possibly be our current president, but it’s not a sure thing.
  
  Very funny.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:28am
- Debsta
  
  Thanks for the morning laugh Steve 🤣
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:29am
- Matt Long
  
  Kamala Harris: Could possibly be next president, but it’s not a sure thing.
  
  Joe Biden: Could possibly be our current president, but it’s not a sure thing.
  
  😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:37am
  - imalwaysright
    
    More Resident than President.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:01am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    But De Santas told Harris that I have been in constant dialogue with the President.
    
    Harris is acting as if she is president, who gave her that authority?
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:51am
    - GJM
      
      The authority comes from whoever runs the US now, presumably the same people as 4 years ago.
      You thought that was Biden as he was “elected”? Pity the fool…
      
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      October 11, 2024 6:43pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Bakery in Colorado no longer forced to bake gay wedding cakes.

https://babylonbee.com/news/millions-of-gay-people-die-of-hunger-as-one-bakery-in-colorado-no-longer-forced-to-bake-them-wedding-cakes?
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October 11, 2024 8:20am
- peterwn
  
  If he had refused to make cakes after Marie-Antoinette’s suggestion, he might have briefly noticed Madame Defarge doing knitting before losing his head.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:29am
- Pope Punctilious II
  
  I wonder if gay activists have ever tried compelling a Muslim baker to make them a gay wedding cake.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:37am
  - John Loveridge
    
    What about walking into a halal butchery and demanding bacon?
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:26am
  - imalwaysright
    
    That would be hard to swallow.
    
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    October 11, 2024 12:57pm
Damocles11

Apparently it is misogyny to question how someone can leave the navy, embark on a 3 year campervan trip around Australia, and immediately be given command of a ship (their first ship command) on their return to the navy. I’d be saying the same thing if it was a CIS white male, or a gay one. Because it’s a real head scratcher. But 29% of navy personnel are female, and 60% of navy ship commanders are female. Probably just a statistical anomaly, and totally unrelated to the former head of the NZ navy saying the organisation had to ‘walk the walk’ on getting women into top roles. Yup, not connected at all.
When you have a corporate world, that the present PM hails from, which is so obstinately wedded to DEI over competency and merit – is it any wonder that there are loud shrieks of “misogyny!!!” when pertinent questions are asked. The PTB can’t back down, they went ‘all in’ and we are stuck. We are definitely mired in a competency crisis in NZ, with DEI being only one reason among many.
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October 11, 2024 8:21am
- Ghost
  
  Lot of rubbish in your post huh. Joined the NZ Navy in 2012, was given command of the ship in 2022.
  
  In 1993, she signed up for the Royal Navy for 8 years, aiming to earn enough to open a restaurant but decided navy life was for her.
  
  She spent most of her junior career at sea, including on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible and the minehunters Walney, Bridport and Cromer, after specialising as a Mine Warfare Officer.
  
  She completed the Principal Warfare Officer course in 2004 and joined HMS Westminster as the PWO (Underwater) and Operations Officer, with operational experience in West Africa, Northern Europe and the Gulf.
  
  After a posting to the Maritime Warfare Centre in Portsmouth, in 2009 she took the opportunity to work with the Royal Australian Navy at HMAS Watson, Sydney.
  
  After 19 years with the Royal Navy, Cdr Gray then moved to New Zealand in 2012 after a campervan holiday where she and her wife fell in love with the country.
  
  As the Commanding Officer of the RNZN’s Mine Counter Measures Team she participated in activities all over the world, and her role in maritime evaluation has seen her help ‘work up’ ships and crews to peak efficiency.
  
  She took the helm of HMNZS Manawanui in December 2022. It was her first ship command.
  
  Article
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:39am
  - Taieri
    
    Mine warfare, working in the shore base and all that is hardly a suitable experience for the ship’s master. Learning how to drive a ship takes a little bit more than that.
    And I do not subscribe to the notion that her sex etc. was a factor in what has happened. From the information publicly available it appears that she has simply very limited experience in a real seamanship.
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:07am
    - Ghost
      
      Im sure you know that as a warfare officer being a commander of the ship is part of the progression in her career.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:23am
      - Damocles11
        
        So you can duck out of your job for 3 years while others continue to do the hard yards, then get a huge promotion on your return. Good to know. What a kick in the guts for the officers who remained in the service and then got passed over in favour of the tiki tourist. “Load of rubbish” he says. Yes, it’s a load of rubbish that this kind of thing of thing goes on.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:30am
      - Ghost
        
        She didn’t duck out and despite your false claim she didn’t immediately be given a command of a ship, it took ten years. You really do need to wait for facts to be released instead of pushing out false information as usual
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:33am
      - Taieri
        
        I’ve sailed with many people promoted far beyond their capability. Usually, this is only discovered when the proverbial hits the fan. It wouldn’t surprise me if this was such a case.
        And once again, I don’t wish to imply that she was at fault as we don’t know enough about what has really happened there to start apportioning any blame. My comments relate only to what is publicly known and I stand by them.
        
        For example, it would be very unusual to promote someone to his/her very first master’s job on a merchant ship, directly after 3 years break from sea, especially if that someone has spent a big part of his/her career engaged in activities only very remotely related to the master’s job. Usually, such a person would sign on for a while as a third or second mate before being considered for promotion. But then, what do I know about these things…?
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:56am
      - Ghost
        
        Perhaps you can provide evidence she didn’t earn her promotion. She’d been with the nz navy since 2012, 10 years before her promotion, 19 years with the royal navy
        
        The truth is you don’t know. You like the rest are making it up
        
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        October 11, 2024 2:12pm
      - Sparrow
        
        Can I make a suggestion to calm the waters. That we all wait until the initial findings are released in November. Unfortunately this incident reminds me of the ill informed crap which was directed at the time to the Master of the Wahine Hector Gordon Robertson which contributed to his death. I had the privilege of sailing with Hector after the Wahine disaster. He was a gentleman and a superb seaman. Lets calm it.
        
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        October 11, 2024 12:32pm
      - Burtland
        
        yes damo, you need to wait for the coverup 😂
        
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        October 11, 2024 1:10pm
      - Burtland
        
        a bit of light reading for all you misogynists out there while you wait for the “review”
        – NZ Defence Force LGBTTIQ+-Inclusion Plan
        
        https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/assets/Uploads/DocumentLibrary/NZDF-LGBTTIQ+-Inclusion-Plan.pdf
        
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        October 11, 2024 1:19pm
      - Burtland
        
        first paragraph of the report is already written …
        
        ” it took men centuries and thousands of shipwrecks to master commanding ships without major incidents, and we should expect some losses as women, who think differently, learn the ropes and gain that experience too doing it their way.
        
        Losses are to be expected and they are ok especially if there’s no loss of life.
        
        We shouldn’t try to investigate this from a male perspective but learn lessons from a female perspective.”
        
        what a clusterfxxk – ship replacement $150M, cleanup and salvage – another $100M?
        
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        October 11, 2024 1:53pm
      - Ghost
        
        Damn the facts when you can just blame a woman, huh, oathetic
        
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        October 11, 2024 2:20pm
      - Taieri
        
        She’d been with the nz navy since 2012, 10 years before her promotion, 19 years with the royal navy
        ————
        My suitcase has been going to sea with me for at least 20 years. It’s still just a suitcase. And now that I’m no longer at sea will remain so.
        
        10 years before promotion, 19 years with the RN. So what?
        If she looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger and her name was Horatio Nelson it wouldn’t make any difference. I couldn’t give a flying fuck whether she’s a woman, a lesbian or comes from the Jupiter.
        Why wasn’t she on the bridge when the ship she was in charge of was operating in uncharted waters 1 Nm off the coast?
        
        No point in trying to discuss this business with people that have absolutely no idea what they are talking about.
        
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        October 11, 2024 2:48pm
      - Ghost
        
        you have no idea. No one does. You don’t know what happened, no one does. All we know is that the ship lost power. So don’t come on pretending you know anything more than anyone else just because you’ve been on a ship. You don’t. You don’t know what has happened, you don’t know what her qualifications are for being given that position. So don’t pretend that because you were on a ship you can judge her right to hold that position. You are probably worse than the rest because you think your experience means you know something that you don’t, you know jack shit about what happened or her qualifications for that position. Wait for the facts to come out instead of thinking you are in a position to judge her right to be commander or what happened.
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:17pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Burtland what is the source of your “it took men centuries and thousands of shipwreck etc etc” quote?
        
        From what I can see it’s a quote from “a female veteran who served as an officer on [U.S.] ships” commenting on the NZ Navy ship disaster in Samoa. So it would seem fairly obscure wokery from one obscure source.
        
        Here’s a Zero Hedge article on the sinking with some pretty interesting photos.
        https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2024-10-07/too-many-women-wrong-places-again
        
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        October 11, 2024 7:32pm
      - Ghost
        
        And yet, it wasn’t a woman who was found at fault, charged and found guilty with the HNoMS Helge Ingstad. It was The duty commander, a male, whoops. Also the captain of that ship at the time was another, ummm, male. Captain Preben Ottesen . When an article tries to blame females and doesn’t actually research their bullshit. Maybe they are a kiwiblog get
        
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        October 11, 2024 8:06pm
    - Damocles11
      
      Ghost falsely claimed that it took 10 years for Gray to get command of a vessel after she returned to the service in 2019 following her 3 year campervan tour of Australia. How absurd.
      
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      October 11, 2024 6:33pm
  - Dougal10
    
    You have left quite a bit out in the last 6 years.
    
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    October 11, 2024 10:30am
  - Paulus
    
    She was still in charge when it hit a known reef in Samoa !
    
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    October 11, 2024 1:48pm
    - Ghost
      
      How about waiting for facts, like when and why it lost power, no? Just pretend you know the cause. Reminds of Otto claiming a few months ago the plane hit turbulence, everyone else claiming what they knew happened. All, as usual for this blog looked like idiots when the facts came out. Bit like the stabbing in the mall in aussie, so many claiming it was a Muslim, terrorist, again all on here looked like idiots.
      
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      October 11, 2024 2:25pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

CBS interviewed Kamala for 721 hours to get 60 minutes of usable footage.

https://babylonbee.com/news/cbs-reveals-they-interviewed-kamala-for-721-hours-in-order-to-compile-60-minutes-of-usable-footage?
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October 11, 2024 8:22am
Tomtoddy

For those who don’t follow the very thoughtful musings of Roger Pielke his most recent Substack covers an extensive survey he carried out across all demographics in the USA. Unsurprisingly significant numbers are unmoved by all the climate change hysteria, unwilling to pay for mitigation, uninterested in those ugly wind machines, are undeterred by the exaggeration surrounding any recent major weather event, are worried about the likelihood of major problems arising from government-driven initiatives to combat climate change, are unmoved by ‘net zero’ aims, and EV’s and similar electric stuff have a very low priority.

Voters were asked to evaluate a list of 18 issue areas and rate their priority for the president and Congress to address in the coming year. As a “top priority,” dealing with global climate change ranked 15th out of these 18 areas.

The media and the yelling and screaming, leftie pressure groups must be disappointed. All that coverage and effort failed to make an impact.
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October 11, 2024 8:37am
- CJames
  
  The more important part of his post is here:
  “American voters are reluctant to pay even a small amount to support climate action and this willingness drops quickly as the proposed small costs increase.
  When asked if they would support just a $1 monthly fee on their electricity bill to fight climate change, only 47 percent say they would while almost as many (43 percent) are opposed. Even at this level, opposition is greater than support among working-class voters. When the proposed fee is increased to $20, overall voter support plummets to 26 percent with 60 percent opposed. At $40, it is 19 percent support to 69 percent opposition; at $75 it is 15 percent vs. 72 percent; and at $100 it is 7:1 against (77 percent to 11 percent) paying such a fee to combat climate change.”
  I suspect a similar question in NZ would find the same answers here. People will only support the climate initiatives if it doesn’t personally cost them. In other words, they are virtue signallers.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:51am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Yes except in New Zealand people are already being forced to pay.
    
    As I have commented previously folk have no idea what is coming for them.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:02am
    - rockape
      
      I don’t know why the likes of power companies and fuel companies don’t out this more. If they declared the price for their wares now and what it would be without the green tax there might be fewer green voters.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:01am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        My prediction is that climate change policies will become a political hot issue around 2027. The cost of the Paris Accord commitments will be impossible to hide. The government will be faced with paying billions to Belarus and Indonesia for carbon credits while telling us there is no more money for health and education.
        
        Of course we should be debating these issues now. Sadly the government will postpone that for as long as possible, hoping that the house of cards collapses.
        
        The problem is that most folk can understand the issues around 3 billion for ferries or Dunedin hospital. Try telling them we will be giving 3 billion to Indonesia in exchange for a voucher. You will, understandably, get blank stares.
        
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        October 11, 2024 10:16am
      - NZer In Exile
        
        B Yu, I’m glad you can see the current (futile) energy related “solutions” to the alleged “climate emergency” are insanely unaffordable.
        
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        October 11, 2024 7:43pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘A good newspaper , I suppose , is a nation talking to itself.’
  
  As opposed to being constantly harangued, misinformed and lied to .
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:22am
Matt Long

I would have to say supposed libertarian Seymour’s policy of prosecuting parents whose children miss school make me uneasy, did he get it off Kamala?
Harris imprisoned woman whose daughter had sickle cell anemia.
https://x.com/DC_Draino/status/1844195742178586683
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October 11, 2024 8:54am
- Grumpy Silver Top
  
  Matt, Get real. One dire situation does not an argument make. The law requires all children to attend school As parents we are responsible for making this happen as part of being citizens. A few effective prosecutions, which the media will cover ad nauseum as being ‘unkind’ may sharpen a few minds.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:04am
Benedict Yu

A question for readers.

I have recently met a few people, young and old, who, quite literally, do not follow and kind of news or current events, of any form or from any source. A couple young, a couple older. They don’t know anything about anything except for their next botox appointment or the score on the video game.

How common are such folk?
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October 11, 2024 9:00am
- pdm
  
  They live among us everywhere BY.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:05am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Yes and they get to vote which is a danger as they have no idea what they are voting for.
    
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    October 11, 2024 12:00pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Stay away from government departments.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:11am
- artemisia
  
  Interesting question, BY, made me consider my immediate family of 7 adults young to middle aged. Only one regularly follows general news (age 40s), one (20s) sometimes. Both chaps. That’s it.
  
  All 7 above average intelligence.
  
  Some are socialist leaning, though expect a capitalist lifestyle. Maybe a few dots to be joined?
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:16am
  - Taieri
    
    Perhaps they are so fed up with bullshit that they simply switched off?
    I’ll admit that I’m tempted to do it myself.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:27am
    - artemisia
      
      Nope, mainly interested in personal stuff. Very common I think.
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:29am
- Gravelroad
  
  @BY- I live rural and provincial town.
  Most of the people I know and mix with (young and old) do take an interest in current events – especially in their own areas.
  But with some of them, they feel powerless to make any difference to, or input into, life beyond their personal situations, experiences and capabilities.
  We live from day to day, hoping for the best.
  That’s what reality is when governments and councils and boards and committees and tribunals and consultants are the top down “ruling class”.
  Just ask the shop keepers in Wellington.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:24am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    “But with some of them, they feel powerless to make any difference to, or input into, life beyond their personal situations,….”
    
    Thanks. I appreciate the folk you refer to.
    
    The people I have encountered are not like that… They are prosperous in a material sense. They simply have no curiosity beyond their next botox appointment or what is for dinner. Their lives are a tiny bubble.
    
    On two of them I ran an experiment. “Now one year since the October 7 attack on Israel.” Totally blank stares.
    
    Seriously, if a nuclear exchange broke out, they would not be aware until the sky went dark.
    
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    October 11, 2024 9:54am
    - Flossie
      
      I live in a “Lifestyle Village” of over 55s. The vast majority of the residents are very aware of politics, and world affairs. (Our younger generations – our kids – are equally concerned.) It always generates lively discussion at our social gatherings when topics on current events are brought up. And I don’t know anyone who gets botox!
      
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      October 11, 2024 10:20am
    - MCōs
      
      My wife is Thai. She takes a very keen interest in events back home and there’s far more going on than our relatively low key affairs.
      She takes only a passing interest in America, Europe, Middle East. Similarly the average Kiwi wouldn’t have must understanding of SE Asia, I suspect
      
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      October 11, 2024 12:25pm
- Ghost
  
  I know a few like that.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:29am
- Grumpy Silver Top
  
  Benedict, I recognise the need, which becomes a habit, to cease engaging with main stream media which is a steady diet of disaster, horror and biased reportage. Who needs it?
  The converse, of course, is that as a race, we seek the news that we ‘agree with’, so subscribe to blogs and feeds that support our own beliefs.
  I was in London in my early 20s during the miners strikes. I was completely unaware of the political situation in the UK. I believe that our political and social awareness outside ourselves builds as we mature. (However long that takes!)
  I was living in Bangkok during one of the coups in the late 80s. All of the action was across town and had little impact on our lives.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:11am
- JimBobJoe
  
  80% of the population consume no news or worse 1 and 3 news offerings.
  
  They pay attention to politics in the months leading into the election and look for bribes.
  
  Its how NZ has operated for decades…
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:48am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Ben, my daughters (early 20’s) are not interested unless it directly affects them. To be fair, I take limited interest in NZ news (I used to read the Herald, Dom Post and ODT daily, but got rid of them all part way through John Key’s tenure, as the bias was astounding), including TV news and current affairs as they have become sickening mouth pieces. Occasionally I look at Stuff, particularly if I am overseas. I do however, read overseas news a lot.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:54am
- rouppe
  
  I wouldn’t say none from any source, but I used to be an avid 6 o’clock news watcher, now I rarely watch it, not even for the weather report.
  
  Stuff and Herald, yes, but I refuse to pay for their premium content, 80% of which looks like trash. BBC and cnn a bit.
  
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  October 11, 2024 11:14am
  - Jethrod
    
    Does that mean you don’t know what is happening at the moment in Wairoa or Dargaville? Both have important problems to be dealt with at the moment.
    Both these things were in the Herald on line, and probably not reported on BBC and CNN.
    
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    October 11, 2024 3:44pm
- GJM
  
  Fairly common. My son’s friends all seem pretty clever although I haven’t talked politics etc with them. My son does understand the relationship between tax and parental support, although there has been an occasional reminder about the cost of “nice to haves” and virtue signalling.
  Another woman and daughter are as you describe. not readers and no interest in what is happening or looking in depth. The MSM tell the truth etc. Clueless on history and other stuff. Mother never worked much but managed to sponge off several men. Daughter not working.
  Another is a Champagne Socialist, despite having a successful business. When I suggest if the inequality worries her that much, then feel free to pay more tax. The IRD will take everything you give them. Didn’t go well.
  
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  October 11, 2024 6:53pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  About 70% of the population are seemingly low res thinkers (at best) re politics.
  
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  October 11, 2024 7:44pm
Scooter

3 people dead, let very little information and after the initial attack on 23 Sep. Husband and wife die weeks apart and another woman initially. Why the cover up or at least lack of details of who the victims are etc. Not even the favourite line “it’s an isolated incident”

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/crime/rotorua-assault-third-victim-dies-52yo-man-faces-three-murder-charges/
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October 11, 2024 9:00am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  That’s had almost no coverage – none that I’ve seen, anyway. A triple murderer is very rare in NZ.
  
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  October 11, 2024 9:42pm
All_on_Red

I’m sure this news will see a few tiny heads explode.
For the first time since 1992 more Americans identify as Republican than Democrats.
‘In combined NBC polls this year, Republicans lead by 2 percentage points over Democrats, 42% to 40%, when voters were asked which party they identified with. That compares with Democratic leads of 6 points in 2020, 7 points in 2016 and 9 points in 2012.’
‘Gallup also found more voters identifying as Republican than Democratic, by 3 points in its July-to-September surveys. ‘
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/10/republicans-rising.php

I see Polymarket now has Trump winning 55.8% chance to Harris 43.5
https://polymarket.com/event/presidential-election-winner-2024
Check out the data on Pennsylvania- a must win for either.
https://polymarket.com/event/pennsylvania-presidential-election-winner?
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October 11, 2024 9:13am
- Dougal10
  
  If both the congress and senate go heavily republican whoever is president won’t matter anyway .
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:37am
- NothingLeft
  
  There’s been a solid shift in Battleground states to trump over last month – around 0.6pts, that comes as left leaning pollsters shift towards right, while right leaning pollsters have remained fairly constant. Realclearpolitics now has 4 of 6 battlegrounds in Trumps favor, and Wisconsin too is likely to flip to Trump in next few days.
  https://www.realclearpolling.com/elections/president/2024/battleground-states
  
  Even if you are a pollster trying to pump up a particular candidate you don’t want to be caught out as being far off the election night result – lest you destroy your reputation and future business, so will want to move to being as accurate as you can in your last poll/s before election day.
  
  A good time to bet on Trump victory, as odds are likely to shorten in coming weeks.
  
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  October 11, 2024 12:00pm
Matt Long

I wonder if the greens with their rape scarves care that they’re supporting this?
Eight year old Yemeni bride dies of internal bleeding on her wedding night.
https://x.com/realMaalouf/status/1844123449264046581
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October 11, 2024 9:24am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Ironically, the Greens are silent on the massive atrocities in Syria and Yemen. Overwhelmingly over last decade, Muslims killed in war have been killed by other Muslims.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:24am
  - MCōs
    
    In WWII Jews were killed by Christians, Christians and were killed by Christians, Buddhists and proponents of Shinto and Russian Orthodox religions, Buddhists were killed by Buddhists . . . .
    Muslims are killed by Buddhists in China and Myanmar today because they are Muslim
    
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    October 11, 2024 2:27pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      You remind me of a lefty friend MCōs. He also pulls this kind of cheap moral relativism to deflect from the obvious vast differences between religions and cultures.
      
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      October 11, 2024 7:50pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘It is a tragedy, a horror, a crime against humanity. The details of the murders – of the women beheaded, burned to death, stoned to death, stabbed, electrocuted, strangled and buried alive for the “honour” of their families – are as barbaric as they are shameful. Many women’s groups in the Middle East and South-west Asia suspect the victims are at least four times the United Nations’ latest world figure of around 5,000 deaths a year. Most of the victims are young, many are teenagers, slaughtered under a vile tradition that goes back hundreds of years but which now spans half the globe.
  
  A 10-month investigation by The Independent in Jordan, Pakistan, Egypt, Gaza and the West Bank has unearthed terrifying details of murder most foul. ‘
  
  https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-the-crimewave-that-shames-the-world-2072201.html
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:27am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Little girl did not ask to be born in Yemen.
  Quite sick really.
  
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  October 11, 2024 11:29am
- mandk
  
  Mohammed had the decency to wait until his bride was 9 years old before he raped her //
  
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  October 11, 2024 11:29am
- AitchW
  
  The Greens are hypocrites. You know, I know it, and, I suspect, they know it.
  They are prepared to accept horrendous collateral damage in their quest to return the world to some fantasy idyllic pastoral paradise.
  
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  October 11, 2024 12:39pm
I remember when

Based on the Atlantic hurricane database, 144 hurricanes have attained Category 4 hurricane status since 1851, the start of modern records.
An estimated (there may be some that escaped notice) 42 tropical hurricanes have reached Category 5 since 1924.
The November 1932 Cuba hurricane spent 78 hours at Category 5 strength while Hurricane Irma in 2007 was at Category 5 for 77 hours, according to the NOAA database.
The Great 1935 Labor Day Hurricane slammed thru Florida in early September 1935, becoming what the hurricane centre says is the most intense storm ever to make landfall in the US.
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October 11, 2024 9:29am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  This Hurricane had dropped to cat 3 well before land fall
  
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  October 11, 2024 11:40am
- mandk
  
  I saw a graph the other day showing that the number of hurricanes to reach landfall in the USA since the year 1900 is on a downward trend.
  
  I also recall seeing a graph showing that the number of tornados in the USA was also on a long-term downward trend.
  
  Facts can be really pesky, eh? They get in the way of the narrative.
  
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  October 11, 2024 12:00pm
- Flossie
  
  They seem to be in “cry wolf” territory over there these days. Each and every hurricane is the Worst in One Hundred Years….Evacuate or die!!! Not to minimise the impact on those affected but it could easily get to the point when it becomes like a Tui billboard.
  
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  October 11, 2024 5:45pm
Bridgenag

getting to know mamala
is kammy getting shown the underside of the bus?

“powerful people have now met her. she’s a bad person, disingenuous, stupid, and incompetent. she’s also nasty as a snake and horrible to work for or with. this “mamala empathy” is a cynical sham.

get your popcorn, the movie is about to get fun.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/getting-to-know-mamala?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
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October 11, 2024 9:32am
I remember when

In 1932 there were 308.3 ppm of CO2, in 1935 it was 309.7 ppm.
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October 11, 2024 9:38am
Inandout

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdP3jmBYe9lAZQbY6OSYjw/community?lb=UgkxGQPUDsOSax6Drzpa612t4n4-MDBxSjdE

No talk, just action.

[Mod – please include descriptions with links]
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October 11, 2024 9:49am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  How dare Trump house legal Americans?
  
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  October 11, 2024 11:35am
imalwaysright

Are maori exempt from public service te reo and treaty knowledge requirements ?

If not, do they undergo the same testing?
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October 11, 2024 10:04am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Not sure, but did you notice a certain green leader and a certain Labour criminal minister of justice did not need a separatist health system to get rapid cancer treatment
  
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  October 11, 2024 12:09pm
  - AitchW
    
    To be fair, there’s a better than even chance that she went private.
    
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    October 11, 2024 4:37pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      She’s a greenie, she will think it is her right to be damn well fixed 😊
      
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      October 11, 2024 8:33pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

The RNC Has an Army of Lawyers and Volunteers Ready for Election Day in November. 220,000 poll watchers. 2020 Republican watchers were removed from counting centers. Windows were covered so they could not even see from outside.
The Democrats will cheat, they always do.
eg: ”
They quickly determined that 15 of Nevada’s 17 counties had more ballots cast than the number of registered voters. When they sued, the judge claimed that the plaintiffs “lacked standing” because the attorneys and investigators were all from California. This became the rinse-and-repeat tactic that the scaredy-cat courts relied on over and over again because the RNC didn’t have attorneys ready to go in all the states.”
Get that? More votes than registered voters!!

https://thepatriotexpress.com/therightwingclub/the-rnc-has-an-army-of-lawyers-and-volunteers-ready-for-election-day-in-november/?
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October 11, 2024 10:04am
- Inandout
  
  SO, Newsom has decreed that all California voters will not need IDs to prove their existence. So in effect I could fly to California and vote, no questions asked.
  
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  October 11, 2024 10:20am
  - David Garrett
    
    Inand: I know virtually nothing of American (or more accurately Californian) electoral law but surely a voter has to be enrolled to vote? It’s several years since I last voted in New Zealand, but I don’t recall being asked for ID. I was when I voted here in Tonga in our last election.
    
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    October 11, 2024 11:50am
    - peterwn
      
      The need for ID is a big issue in US elections especially when the state if fussy about acceptable ID, eg they may declare a student ID card unacceptable. This makes it impossible to vote if you do not have an ‘acceptable’ form of ID and would disadvantage the Democrats. Indeed it is argued that ID requirements have been ‘weaponised’.
      
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      October 11, 2024 12:43pm
      - kowtow
        
        I don’t see how id to vote /register to has been turned into such an issue .
        
        Noone seems to have a problem or “disadvantaged” when requiring id to open a bank account for example ………
        
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        October 11, 2024 1:53pm
    - Inandout
      
      DG, I am with you on understanding the US voting system but this article explains somewhat. I understand the new law comes into effect Jan 2025 so would miss the big one in November. Comments point out ID is required for just about everything else including alcohol and cigarettes.
      https://www.newsweek.com/gavin-newsom-bans-california-requiring-id-vote-1961685
      
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      October 11, 2024 12:48pm
    - Gravelroad
      
      @D. G:
      Last time I voted here there were two lines at the polling booths.
      
      We were asked if we were on the electoral roll.
      If yes, we were sent in one direction. When we got to the desk they asked for our full name, looked up the book and ticked us on the roll.
      If no, people were sent to another line and were enrolled , which took some time.
      There were various supervisors and monitors at the voting place and I understand there was a process in place to check if people went round other voting booths to vote more than once using the same name.
      
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      October 11, 2024 4:16pm
    - AitchW
      
      DG I suspect that the orange voter card (I forget its name) that they mail out to ever registered voter is sufficient ID here. A high trust system.
      
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      October 11, 2024 4:39pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    In California you have to sign register when you vote. But if you know someone generally doesn’t vote (and there are records that track it) that makes it trivial to vote in their stead.
    
    2 1
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    October 11, 2024 12:19pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The bit that gets me is that as a visitor to Hawaii and Alaska I had to show my passport as ID to buy some beer and Jacks. I was 65 ffs!
  
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  October 11, 2024 2:58pm
rouppe

HMNZS Manawanui damaged 5000 square meters of reef?

That seems an awful lot
7 0
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October 11, 2024 11:27am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  “Assessments show that physical destruction to the reef is approximately” ….. 1/2 the Apia Park playing field.
  …. but “5,000 square metres” sounds so much better in the media!
  
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  October 11, 2024 2:01pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Less than the size of a rugby field.
  Now they should have used square feet. 53819.55 sq ft is huge!!
  
  5 1
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  October 11, 2024 3:04pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    What is it with the downticking children?
    Are my facts wrong?
    
    4 1
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    October 11, 2024 3:06pm
    - Jethrod
      
      Uptick means facts are wrong, downtick means you are a child; tough decision
      No ticks at 1552
      
      0 2
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      October 11, 2024 3:52pm
    - AitchW
      
      No. Just habitual downtickers. Kind of sad really.
      
      2 1
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      October 11, 2024 4:40pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    5 billion square mm !
    That’s most of the Pacific!!!!
    
    1 1
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    October 11, 2024 4:34pm
SPC

The right wing on the Wellington City Council and the Labour ones formed an alliance to make a poor decision on the airport share sale.

The correct position was to sell, if (when) the price is right (selling at any price is unwise).

One did so, as an opposition to sale of an asset, when there were better asset ownership options – such as a diversified growth fund (reduced future risk).

The other to re-litigate the 10 year plan while they remain a minority on the council.

https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2024/10/the_wellington_airport_sale.html
4 1
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October 11, 2024 11:56am
- greybeard
  
  Not everyone would agree with you.
  The returns appear to be quite good.
  https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=160580
  
  5 1
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  October 11, 2024 2:07pm
  - SPC
    
    $20M is 4% dividend return on “$500M” value.
    
    The past average dividend was under 15M (thus Infratil only values the 1/3rd council share at $321M).
    
    Genesis shares are paying dividends at 9%, though this would decline as the share price goes back up (as it will when bank interest rates decline). Easy CG to come.
    
    Growth Funds offer CG. And diversify risk – the shares would be worth squat after an earthquake.
    
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    October 11, 2024 2:14pm
Pope Punctilious II

Nearly 50% of researchers quit science within a decade, huge study reveals
proclaims Nature magazine about a new study.

Well yes, science is hard. A fiercely competitive environment, and you have to work hard to stay in the game. But isn’t that true of most prestigious fields? The article doesn’t compare with what happens in other fields outside STEM, so it’s difficult to know what to make of the 50 % figure.

And the article soon drifts into the usual bitching about how hard it is for women and minorities in STEM.
6 1
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October 11, 2024 12:42pm
Swifty

Wonderful! Marvellous! Bring on the revolution!

I hope what Michael Wood foresees does actually come to pass. A transformation of TVNZ and the wider news media sector is long, long overdue.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/tvnz-cost-cutting-proposals-risk-transforming-it-and-other-media-e-tu-unions-michael-wood-says/S4RPCOYK5ZHZJCTIRB5PK7ZHFM/

For far too long they’ve failed to respond effectively to the revolution in consumer choices since we’ve all moved on-line.

For far too long legacy media have continued to pump out product that NZers just don’t value anymore and now that we’ve got such ready access to more and better alternatives.

As a result were in a situation where TVNZ is losing money and viewers hand over fist, RNZ is shedding listeners by the tens of thousands, Maori media is an artificial construct, with minuscule viewership or listenership, totally and completely unable to exist without massive injections of taxpayer cash.

Bring on the revolution I say.

The likes of Michael Wood will do anything to avoid one of course. He doesn’t want to see his pet media wither. And while he and his Leftist comrades preach sustainability for others when it suits them, they will say that media is a special case and sustainability requirements shouldn’t apply to these pets of theirs – if they need taxpayer subsidisation then that’s what they should get.

Michael Wood has another interest to protect as well. In his current role as union bully-boy he will be desperate to see TVNZ etc bailed out by NZ families so that he can parade it as a union victory over the evil capitalists and public broadcasting wreckers and haters in the Coalition government.

This isn’t about saving public news media as he maintains. This is about securing the continuation of the Left’s propaganda outlets and to twist the nose of the Coalition.

It’s all political.

The only question in my mind is whether the Coalition has the courage to bring to a close the era of massively lefty-dominated state broadcasting in New Zealand. Or whether they will look for some sort of compromise which will inevitably work in their opposition’s interests.

I fear the latter.

As much as historically I grew up in the 70s and 80s with pride in our public broadcasting in New Zealand, now all I see is organisations totally consumed by the Left and the organisations having become political actors in their own right – as with significant other public institutions in New Zealand.

Get rid of them! Our democracy depends on either absolutely neutral public broadcasting only providing services the private sector can’t or won’t – or no state broadcasting altogether and a totally level playing field for the private players.

Get to it National. You know what has to be done.
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October 11, 2024 12:52pm
- mogg
  
  Yes most of this activism is coming from the top down, Parliament, Public Service and of course MSM bunnies. We only have to watch One ‘News’ using Orla Guerin reporting Hammas and Hezbollah casualty figures and propaganda without any qualification.
  
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  October 11, 2024 3:34pm
Gravelroad

https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/350448224/christopher-luxon-puts-another-rental-property-market
Headline news, in red on $tuff.
This is getting ridiculous.
Who cares if Mr Luxon is selling property? Or buying it, for that matter.
It is a smear campaign against a successful business person who also happens to be a politician.
It definitely is not news.
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October 11, 2024 1:01pm
- greybeard
  
  I agree.
  Note that there is no mention of the hundreds, if not thousands, of other people who have also sold their properties ( many no doubt mortgage -free ) for a good profit over that same period.
  This is just left-wing rubbish. Envy. Malice.
  
  16 0
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  October 11, 2024 1:05pm
  - Blog-aholic
    
    Why do left wingers drink fake tea?
    
    Because proper tea is theft!
    
    9 1
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    October 11, 2024 1:51pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Let’s see what properties Helen Clark has bought and sold at a profit/loss.
  What’s that? We’re not going there today, sorry.
  Stuff can just fuck right off – and I am NOT a Luxon fan.
  
  12 1
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  October 11, 2024 3:51pm
- AitchW
  
  The insinuation that he changed the bright line test back to 2 years in order to avoid paying tax on the sale was particularly odious.
  
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  October 11, 2024 4:43pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    The only asset that was less than 5 years was his Wellington apartment bought when he got into parliament 4 years ago , e we by in that case would he simply just not have hung onto it for another year
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:39pm
Jack5

Long John ~~silver~~ gold …

A Nigerian pirate who lost his leg in a gunfight with a Danish frigate off the coast of Africa in 2021 was brought to Denmark for treatment of his wounds.

He also was granted asylum in Denmark, and now is getting a new prosthetic leg paid for by Danish taxpayers.

The Telegraph says care of the pirate has so far cost Danish taxpayers about $NZ1 million.

Three of the pirate’s comrades were also captured but were later put in a rubber dinghy and set free because the Danes couldn’t find a nearby country that would take them. It was considered to risky for the pirate with the leg wound to be released in the dinghy.

Four of the pirates were killed in the incident.

A century or two earlier, the lot would have been hanged.
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October 11, 2024 1:49pm
- kowtow
  
  How times change .
  
  In 1945 the US and UK literally beat Cossack pows senseless , threw them on trucks and handed them over for certain death to the Reds , by the thousands .Yet we allowed Ukrainians to remain.
  
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  October 11, 2024 2:45pm
  - Sparrow
    
    My father was not involved but he had heard that British troops were very upset. Apparently this sending back Russians who had fought for the Germans to Russia was a deal struck by Stalin with the Allies. Many Cossack families committed suicide. Terrible situation. I am sure I read a book about this years ago.
    
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    October 11, 2024 8:50pm
- imalwaysright
  
  I hope when they get him a parrot it speaks only Danish.
  
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  October 11, 2024 4:45pm
KT54

Sure as night follows day, Stuff headlines another of PM Luxon’s rental property sales. This is neither illegal nor news!! Amazingly Stuff can’t seem to see the correlation with their plummeting subscriptions and these pathetic grubby little smear attempts in their childish articles.
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October 11, 2024 2:25pm
- Flossie
  
  Quite agree.
  Wondering though when Stuff became subscription-to-view. I haven’t read it for quite some time.
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:54pm
Sparrow

Latest opinion poll results completely at odds with the Roy Morgan poll. They are all rubbish. Don’t waste our time discussing same. Only one poll counts every three years.
1 0
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October 11, 2024 4:00pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  TPU in well out of whack with every other poll the last two months, something does not stack up here
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:41pm
Ghost

No one fights against hate like the left

An “art exhibit” in Los Angeles designed to protest against Donald Trump “spreading hate” featured participants kicking around a soccer ball shaped like the former president’s head.

Article
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October 11, 2024 4:24pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Imagine someone else’s head and it cackled loud when you kicked it.
  But yes, the Dems are just nasty, that is all they have left.
  
  6 3
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  October 11, 2024 4:33pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Anyway from Facebook, which is where old people go I am told:
The coffee shop has a sign that says “No Wi-fi, pretend it’s 1973”
So I paid 10 cents for my coffee and lit up a cigarette.
11 3
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October 11, 2024 4:36pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Very good
  
  1 0
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  October 11, 2024 4:47pm
- Inandout
  
  SO, I seem to remember Cona coffee back then and Pall Mall toasted ciggies from the US via sailors $8.
  
  2 0
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  October 11, 2024 5:01pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Kona, big Island Hawaii. On a short tour we tried Kona coffee. I don’t like coffee, and that shit was vile.
    Partner liked it.
    
    0 0
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    October 12, 2024 9:59am
- greybeard
  
  And smacked your unruly kid.
  
  2 0
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  October 11, 2024 7:43pm
Swifty

‘Outlaws’ but they’ll happily help themselves to state housing, benefits, our medical system, our road network etc etc

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350448835/gang-members-arrested-after-driving-double-speed-limit-bikes-impounded

Parasites.
2 0
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October 11, 2024 5:39pm
Inandout

From the Taxpayer’s Union:
‘Despite all the crowing about “brutal” and “unfair” public service cuts in Wellington, we now know that there were still more bureaucrats in July 2024 than there were 12 months earlier!’
If you wonder why National is slipping in the polls start here.
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October 11, 2024 5:53pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  The TPU have turned to utter shit, how can this be true when they have today stated that there are now 2700 less bureaucrats than a year ago, how can they be correct
  
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  October 11, 2024 8:44pm
greybeard

No mention anywhere on the latest Curia poll ?
What has Labour done to deserve a 3% lift ?
3 0
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October 11, 2024 7:42pm
- Ghost
  
  Labour are profiting from the mess they left this government with the Dunedin hospital.
  
  2 0
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  October 11, 2024 8:30pm
Ghost

Ummm. Mr Joe Biden, I wouldn’t say president because let’s be honest, you aren’t in control of your own presidency, whose job is it to help the people of Florida?

Confused Joe Biden makes bizarre statement following Hurricane Milton
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October 11, 2024 8:29pm

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