Posts by peterpeasant

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  • Hard News: The Public Address Word of…,

    I am (probably) cheating, but I would like to propose "earthquakeprone".

    Yeah OK, two words that really ought to be added to a third or fourth ("building (s)").

    I would like to know why one building is more likely to experience an earthquake than neighbouring buildings?

    I defy any speaking automaton on National Radio to identify any edifice in the country that is "earthquakeprone".

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Legal Beagle: Referendum Fact Check #6:…,

    Germany has a republican cultural history.

    This could be read as a tribal history of sorts.

    This thought raises the question that no one wants to ask about the elephant in the room.

    Do we need to have Maori Seats under MMP?

    We have The Maori Party.

    We have The Mana Party, including Bradford and Minto.

    We have Winston Peters.

    We have Maori representatives in the Greens (like their leader).

    I am led to believe that other political parties have Maoris within their ranks.
    Under FPP, and under the social history prior to MMP Maori seats made some sort of sense.

    Given an MMP universal franchise democracy society how can Maori seats be justified?

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Legal Beagle: Referendum Fact Check #6:…,

    Leaving aside the tower of Pisa discussion (which way it tilts depends on where one stands), the MMP system was dreamt up by victorious Allied forces after WW2 and foisted on Germany.to block any future German power blocs setting off another major war.

    Within the context of the 1940's it made sense from the Allies point of view, "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely" etc.

    Whether this idea holds up in a non militaristic sense is questionable. Germany is certainly calling the shots financially within the EC. An irony I find deeply amusing.

    Nevertheless MMP tends to preclude powerful lobby groups allying with certain parties to overwhelm the rest of us.

    The NAZIS came in via a preferential system.

    MMP has its minor irritations but it is the best system for a truly democratic pluralistic society..

    It would be salutary for all of us to go back to the original recommendations.

    What we have is not quite what was in the original report.

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Speaker: Why Auckland, and New Zealand,…,

    Wellington as a through station to the South Island is problematic.
    Wellington as a through station to its own hinterland is problematic

    A Christchurch type sequence and Wellington is a major disaster. (Parliament does not count!)

    Just hope those Auckland volcanoes do not respond to seismic activity as people cross the harbour, over or below the surface.

    Cheers

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: PREFU 2011: "What credit downgrade?", in reply to David Cormack,

    Economics is about as reliable as Tarot Cards.
    I am sure the National Party believe in their Tarot cards. Really, truly.

    They mean well for all New Zealanders.

    It is just possible that they are wrong.

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: If Wishes Were Horses...,

    When did Treasury ever get anything right?

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: If Wishes Were Horses...,

    Che Tibby

    You are right on the button.

    Saving is actively discouraged by ridiculous tax rates.

    No wonder political parties blather on about savings, it means revenue for governments.

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Dropping the Bomber,

    Odd!

    This post opened with Bradbury's banning.

    How the hell did we wind up here via Tauranga?

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Dropping the Bomber, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    That sounds suspiciously like masturbation.

    Oh well, I guess you get to meet a better class of person (people) that way. Grin.

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Dropping the Bomber, in reply to Sacha,

    I bow to your superior intellect and condescension, Ma"am.

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

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