sagenz

Motorcade constable comments

"We are there, paid to take a bullet for the PM, and obviously we basically did, one way or another.

Helen Clark would have received "more kudos if she had stood up and taken the rap", he said.

Says all that needs to be said.

Global Warming

How often do we hear the enviro-religionists abusing us about global warming.  Genuine long term physical evidence indidcating that we are in the middle of a natural cycle.  Humans flourished when Europe was warmer.  How much of the current upswing is statistics abuse.

A collection of stone tools more than 700,000 years old has revealed that ancient humans lived in Britain many thousands of years earlier than previously believed.

Britain at this time was still connected by a landbridge to the rest of the European mainland and its climate was similar to that of the Mediterranean today.

Guess that gets British industrialisation off the hook then

Ozzie rugby

If you take the scrum out of the equation, we played well.
Former Australia coach Eddie Jones, defending the Wallabies' defeat by England.

If you take the assassination out of the equation, the President and Mrs Kennedy quite enjoyed the drive from Dallas to the airport.
Mike Carlton (Australian broadcaster) disagrees.

Anger management for terrorist suspects - 13 Dec 2005 - World News

This is a joke! Right? The Australian Government will send terrorist suspects to anger management school.

Helengrad - Disincentives to improvement

Everybody should read the latest Gareth Morgan - A Nation of Bludgers. He describes how to average people who work well are penalised by Cullens tax system.

Anna and Paula’s cases are just another chapter in the ongoing corrosion of the tax and benefit system that is set to scale new heights under Labour’s extended family assistance package to working families. Last week I looked at the damage to the economy from the 39 cent personal tax rate – the costs of an ‘ideological burp’. This week let’s look at the economic damage imparted through spreading welfare benefits far and wide in pursuit of victory at the ballot box. Returning to Anna and Paula - here are their numbers.  

	Gross Salary	Tax	Family Assistance	Accommodation Supplement	Total
Anna
Current	$32,000	-$6,240	$1,118	$1,456	$28,334
Proposed	$35,128	-$6,850	-	-	$28,278
Change	$3,128	-$610	-$1,118	-$1,456	-$56
Paula
Current	$30,000	-$5,850	$2,470	$936	$27,556
Proposed	$31,200	-$6,084	$2,028	-	$27,144
Change	$1,200	-$234	-$442	-$936	-$412

To have to turn down wage increases of $3,100 and $1,200 respectively because they make them worse off is what happens when effective marginal tax rates exceed 100%.!!

Benson-Pope sings new song on assault claims - 07 Dec 2005 - National News

There are 4 million other people who also dont recall that you assaulted students 20 years ago. Benson-Pope sings new song on assault claims - 07 Dec 2005 - National News.

Cabinet minister David Benson-Pope has changed tactics and is no longer categorically denying he assaulted students...

There are however 3 million voters who know that you are a liar and a failed spin merchant.  Just like many other Labour politicians.  Benson Dope, Resign!

This blogging after a few drinks is great.

The focus is new immigrants

The herald has a piece on the Wananga with some interesting numbers.  Lets take them at face value and do some wild extrapolation before we see the review.  The focus is Kiwi Ora.

Wananga enrolments jumped from 800 in 1999 to 12,000 in 2001. In 2002, 25,000 students were enrolled in Mahi Ora. The programme is a free, home-based, 12-month distance learning programme, covering educational choices, health, finance, housing and business development within a Maori context. Life Works was a variation of Mahi Ora developed and sub-contracted to the Open Polytech. Kiwi Ora offers a similar programme geared for new immigrants. Kiwi Ora is run by Ora, a company owned by Mrs Cullen, with Government funding paid directly to Ora by the wananga less an 18 per cent fee.

In 2000-2001 say 20,000 students generated $8.9m for Mahi Ora.  Say $340 per student.  Fair enough.  The Herald says $56m was paid over 5 years for Kiwi Ora.  Using the $340 for Mahi Ora as a base they "educated" 164,000 "students" over the 5 years.  Around 33,000 each year. 

Immigration Statistics show just over 411,000 permanent arrivals in that period including returning New Zealanders.

So 40% of all arrivals undertook Susan Cullens course for new immigrants.  Yeah Right!

I think wee will be looking at the review release in a little more detail.  If the numbers above are anywhere close to being accurate Kiwi Ora would be part of a major government initiative for new arrivals.  Which would bring the responsibility for this much closer to home for Labour

Peter's fairytake is spot on

Not PC: A fairy tale of a leaky house or two has a fairy take about NZ Building standards.  I warmly suggest a read.  The idea that the bureaucracy is not responsible is ridiculous.  Having engaged builders to undertake just such work I know full well that there were (and are) many cowboys out there.  Design was at fault and industry standards were at fault. 

I was fortunate that the guy I engaged told me that he would refuse to take the job unless I changed the roof design.  It cost me more but I have absolutely no regrets and a clear conscience to this day

If you see Sheep

IF You See Sheep . . .

You Need Glasses.

will clarkson keep his seat

On the grounds that we bloggers should speculate irresponsibly about the outcome of court cases www.bhatnagar.co.nz and now me can form a conclusion.  Says aaron

I think the judges will take a conservative view and back the National Party argument, because of the likelihood of floodgates, or a danger that many more cases will then be brought as a result of a reinterpretation against the current understanding of what consists of materials.

However according to stuff the court heard "National MP Bob Clarkson paid a secretary at least $300 a week to work on his election campaign. "  In addition

about $13,000 paid to Mr Walford in the three months before the election. Mr Walford said yesterday his fee should not count as he worked in a purely administrative role, rather than actively campaigning.

I think Clarkson will have no problem with the "materials" definition as aaron believes.  However the paid staff on campaigns will be a real question for the judges.  If they can be shown to have spent time assisting the campaign there could be a real problem.

The Electorate Act 1993 implies that paid staff assistance should be included in electorate activity and thus part of the limit.

does not include the cost of any of the following: (i)travel: (ii)the conduct of any survey or public opinion poll: (iii)the labour of any person which is provided to the candidate free of charge by that person:

Which is a real shame.  But I am still hoping that a man with a sense of humour like his will keep the seat.