it was a person with mental health issues losing their self-control, not religious zealots wanting to become martyrs.

Being more concerned by religious zealots than the mentally ill seems pretty reasonable to me. When people are mentally ill society says it's OK to treat them and, if need be, stick…

And on the Muslim thing. NZ Army had a Muslim commanding a deployment to Afghanistan. That was a real winner for hearts & minds. And there are a few immigrant secular soldiers who come from muslims countries serving on overseas deployments today.

That's interesting. But the Muslim angle is completely bogus…

It's all about big jets with explosive fuel bing used as bombs on domestic targets. So no need to change security as the prop aircraft don't carry the fuel to do the damage which is the threat being managed not hijacking per…

The RNZ reporter did well to point out that Blenheim was a smaller centre but you could be excused if you thought all Australian airports are Fort Knox...

Ugh... I'd be more worried about security at train stattions — some of the stations in central Sydney are already disasters begging…

Instead, since these actions are 'imported cultural baggage', we need to think harder about allowing Muslims into the country.

But we keep letting the French in and there's not been a wave of assassinations and bomb attacks on thGreenpeace assets, beyond that one act of state-sponsored terrorism we've all got…

As I said, for legal reasons, don't take this seriously...

You'll know you have Wishart's attention when he makes an empty threat of legal action against you. It doesn't really hurt.

I doubt he would've gotten as excited if she'd…

It's now being reported that the hi-jacker wanted the plane to fly to Australia.

Cullen to blame, says Key.

The press coverage in Australia was pretty reasonable however there was some pretty OTT radio coverage including a rather patronising interview on Sydney ABC with an RNZ reporter (can't recall her…

What is it with certain men who find middle…

I have a sinking feeling they'll have no option but to do something.

Well, Paul "Full of Shit" Henry was certainly putting on a bravura performance to that effect last night. Honestly, the guy he had on for the 'interview' might as well not have been there. I thought Paul…

After something which has been as publicised as this, if the govt announces its not going to increase security, we'll see a procession of disturbed types pulling stunts like this on provincial flights.

Another example of why membership of any of the forces automatically disqualifies you from managing policy

I've little time for Mark, but what a silly comment. How exactly did you get from A to B, slarty?

Another example of why membership of any of the forces automatically disqualifies you from managing policy.

http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=1uIdVPvYxng

Dear Mr Duynhoven

As a frequent traveler I wished to support your calm response to todays incident, and urge that you not be panicked into unnecessary increases in the security theatre that is currently…

Cullen to blame, says Key.

I think I've heard of the (tiny) Somalian community in Blenheim as suffering some racism

Coming from a proud top o' the South-er, I can't say I'm surprised one bit.

That Don was a mean man wasn't he? At least we've got that cuddly John Key who I believe only eats endangered Bird life.

Isn't he single handedly responsible for decimating the Kiwi population?

Strangely enough, one former ACT MP actually had that very idea . Gerry Eckhoff…

On some of the small…

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4392665a10.html

I'm thinking crazy person rather than terrorist though.

So just who is 'this sort of person'? TV1 at mid day reported it was a Somali woman. Someone on PAS says it was a man who was arrested.

That was me. I was quoting from Radio NZ, which made a mistake when it uploaded the audio (the audio didn't…

I thought Don Brash did eat babies?

Nope. Strictly corned beef and boiled peas. Which in modern New Zealand, is almost as bad.

(Welcome to the food front of the culture war)

Mad Muslim involved in Mid-Air hijack?

Surely the last word should be Melee there?

Mad Muslim involved in Mid-Air hijack?

Been to Aussie 2 or 3 times now and never tripped anything... Strange because I have set them off with a forgotten…

As I now have a large piece of titanium screwed into me I'm not looking forward to the next xray...

Let us know how that goes – my mother has a surprisingly large metal screw holding as couple of bones together, she says that never trips the alarm.

All the security checks are meaningless. We have to take responsibility as passengers.

As I now have a large piece of titanium screwed into me I'm not looking forward to the next xray...

But there's always someone who spoils it, isn't there?

Cute puppies and kittens that belong to adorable (and now heavily medicated) small children

That Don was a mean man wasn't he? At least we've got that cuddly John Key who I believe only eats endangered Bird life.

Isn't he single handedly responsible for decimating the Kiwi population?

The Iranian Oil Bourse establishing Euro-based…

The Iranian Oil Bourse establishing Euro-based…

The Iranian Oil Bourse establishing Euro-based…

I thought Don Brash did eat babies?

Kittens and puppies, Cormack. Cute puppies and kittens that belong to adorable (and now heavily medicated) small children. If you're not going to bother reading the memos...

the diabolical (and diabolically expensive) baby-on-a-string campaign, but there's no doubt that National's advertising was a cut above.

Hey, I'm the last person who would argue with you on that point. :) But the caveat is always it doesn't matter how slick (or expensive) your advertising campaign is, if you're…

The NZ Herald says the arrested woman is Somalian.

And this bit comes Radio NZ:

A man has been arrested for hijacking a small Air New Zealand flight into Christchurch.

Maybe they should have listened to the piece before they uploaded it :-)

The Fundy Post wonders why John Key led the prayer at Waitangi when he doesn't really believe in that stuff...

And a week from Saturday, I'm going to be standing in the backyard of two close friends who are getting married in a non-denominational service conducted by a celebrant who…

I suppose being stuck at the airport would feel like a tedious waste of time and money.

In raving objectivist news, would Lindsay Perigo stand a chance of being taken more seriously if he didn't sign off his press releases with paragraphs like this?

Yup — and that's all I really want to say on the subject. Still, I've got to give John Key mad props for…

I got involved with the early Scientology vs. the Net debacle (on the 'net side of…

That creative team should make Labour political ads this year...

I really want a Big Mac.

Or some valium.

Japanese McDonalds ad. WTF?

That creative team should make Labour political ads this year...

I really want a Big Mac.