Posts by Chockasunday
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When it comes to owning a gun for protection, it's a bit like utilitarianism.
If somebody owns a gun, they feel safer.
But if everybody has a gun, then overall we are less safe.So everybody acting in their own self-interest does not make us all better off.
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Regarding WWII, the Americans only joined in when they were attacked. So it's not like they had a long-standing commitment to 'protecting freedom'.
They were keen to remain neutral, even as traditional allies of theirs like Britain were attacked.
I would also disagree about Torch being an important battle.
That said, the Americans did very well once they got involved, and agreeing to focus on the greater danger to the world, Nazi Germany, when it wasn't as much of a threat to America as Japan, was generous.
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Fair enough, Ben, I was being a bit extreme there. Of course religious groups have the right to state their opinions.
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Isn't it a little hypocritical of you all to be defending the Falun Gong?
I thought we were all disciples (pardon the pun!) of Russell Brown and Richard Dawkins, and therefore believe all religion is wrong and should be stopped.Not that I want to be defending the Chinese government, far from it!
There was a good commentary from Richard Long in today's Dominion criticising the Chinese government for its continued demands on NZ over the years (e.g. Dalai Lama visit of '94)
Particularly hilarious was how they asked the government to buy the Sharella Motor Inn in the early 70s for use as an embassy. NZ's foreign minister at the time had to patiently explain to them that's not how things work here, and they should find another location for the embassy ...
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Radio Live frequencies for your town can be found at
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Frequencies/tabid/91/Default.aspx... and it looks like they have podcasts too, so hopefully Saturday's show will be archived for us.
Cheers Russell.
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Chill out everyone, Robin is sure taking you all for a ride!
Keep up the good work - I particularly enjoyed Doris 3:17pm -
Riddeley, it would be nice if you calmed down on the flaming and vitriol you target towards certain people.
Apologies to everyone else for posting this, there's no private message option on the boards.
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It seems like a lot of gigs in New Zealand start very late; I find it frustrating to be out on a school night where the band doesn't start til around 11, and finishes after 12.
Yeah, so musicians don't have to get up at 7.30am to go to work, but the rest of us do!
Support bands should be on at 8, and the headliners before 9.30, finished by 11. Not too late to bed, and still time to go to a club if that's what you want to do.
Late starts are dissuading me from seeing bands; I wonder how many other people too?
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Nice work Russell, don't listen to killjoys like Robin.
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I think NZ is the only western English-speaking country that could consider having no immigration policy.
The main reason why it might work here is that we are so far from everywhere else. Therefore we don't get the kind of destitute poor who sneak across borders into Europe. And if anyone managed to navigate a small boat all the way here from say, Asia, then they're certainly resourceful enough to keep!
Migrants have to be able to afford a flight, which implies they have some money, and hence some useful skills.There are the same negative points here as in other western countries. It depends whether, as a society, your goal is integration or something else.
Allowing unrestricted migration will most likely lead to migrants from the same country forming ghettos where they only socialise with those they know, rather than the present situation where migrants are able to happily live almost everywhere. This would lead to a more divided society.
Removing the English language requirements would further encourage this.
It would also be a drain on our social services if migrants without skills in demand were eligible for social welfare, or an increase in crime if they were not.
At the moment (partly due to NZ's comparitive disinclination towards racism) migrants have just as much chance as a native Kiwi of being successful here (at least, once those with qualifications have managed to get the NZ equivalent). If numbers sharply increased, which is surely what we are expecting from a relaxed policy, then this situation might change to their disadvantage.Perhaps it is something we could trial for 3 months and see how it goes. I'd rather we still barred criminals though, and it would be nice if not everyone went to Auckland!