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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Stupid Stupid Stupid.
At $10 bucks a car, 300 cars , three RWC games, the BOT had budgeted for income of $9000.
They have fallen foul of the special "rules" governing exploitation of commercial activity within 500 meters of the stadium to be enforced by forty, yes forty inspectors from the Ministry of economic development who will visit provincial venues but they wont get anywhere near the game will they (Tui advt).
Whatever happened to existing use, natural justice, fairness, whatever.
What if it was an "emergency clinic" just across the road, would it be unable to operate.
How does making fans walk further to get to the stadium represent exploifuckingtation.
Ministry of Economic Development spokesperson has announced this activity will not come under the rules as "it is not considered Ambush Marketing"
Ash Clouds Were Kind
On Thursday morning with key participants coming from Hawkes Bay (solvable) and Canberra (very unsolvable), it was more than a little fraught.
We got away with it and they were able to get home Monday to Aussie and Tuesday to HB
Now the Ash has returned again, were we lucky or what?
Good old Air New Zealand, thankyou very much, you made a lady very very happy. What is it with Qantas and Jetstar, are Air NZ being reckless or are the others being over cautious. Sure it will cost more to fly under the ash but isn't that what "service" is all about. Many people dealing with really important stuff rather than my minor problem, were seriously inconvenienced as they tried to carry on with that really important stuff.
Too often following a disaster caused by atrocious weather, I, with my very rudimentary flying skills, wonder why would they continue to fly but this is safe, just more expensive.
Is that the whole story encapsulated?
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Little Things Which Amuse
Try this for size - from today's forecast, courtesy of the federal Bureau of Meteorology:-
Thursday Possible shower. Min 10 Max 19Now the burning question is, how many millimetres of rain do they expect on each day? These guys should have been economists.
Friday Mainly fine. Partly cloudy. Min 12 Max 19
Saturday Showers. Min 13 Max 18
Sunday Shower or two. Min 10 Max 16
Monday A few showers. Min 9 Max 17
Tuesday Shower or two. Min 11 Max 15
Over the weeks gone by it appears 'shower or two' is the most popular contender although the other day there were seven short sharp showers.
On the positive side at least here, unlike in NZ, the TV weather hacks can actually pronounce the word 'showers' with two syllables.
Wishart May Just Have Done Us A Favour
While I agree with Inventory 2's disgust at commercialising this appalling subject I would not seek to stop its publication. I would like to see it made compulsory for year 12s accompanied by supporting facts as to how welfare abuse ruins lives. I am not talking about genuine need for people facing unforeseen problems in their life but those who attempt to use welfare as a lifestyle choice. The sort of subject matter those who believe throwing money at a problem rather than seeking the cause and remedying it, would completely ignore as they seek further ways to take that money from the successful and selfreliant and hand it to the Macsyna Kings of this world to enable them to selfdestruct and in her case take two innocent lives with her. Unfortunately she is alive, well, of breeding age and her hedonistic lifestyle supported by welfare will enable her to repeat the disaster many more times before the biological clock batteries go flat.
Lindsay Mitchell, a must read for those who understand the totally destructive darkside of welfare, http://lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com, says it much better than I.
I have not read the book and it is unlikely I will, but Wishart, love him or hate him does actually do research before he writes, a pretty rare thing among the published these days.
People or Penguins
Experts meet to discuss future of 'Happy Feet' following colonoscopy and treatment for weakness when he/she turns up on beach in distressed state.
How many bloody "Experts" met to discuss the future of that unfortunate old lady from Gore?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A Great Land Price Rort
YES, ever rising "costs" of planning, resource consent costs, reserve contributions and all the other bureaucratic red tape involved in presenting a "new" section in much of urban NZ is inflated by ticket clipping add-on costs. He also suggested that some developers had raised prices following the "solution " announced last week, a direct consequence of the "managed" rezoning policy of council. His problem, the owner of a wrecked house on land valued at around $100 000 now is looking at a section priced at over $200 000 to relocate.
Local authorities have regarded these subdivision charges as an income stream and preserved that income by seriously "managing" the supply to artificially create demand.
During an ill-advised foray at Community Board level, the potential of this funding stream was presented to us by officials.
A very accurate portrayal of socialism at work in the form of an airhead wannabe politician suggested we raise the reserve contribution from 10% to 25%, it was just that simple to her fundy socialist mores.
How can land zoned rural at City's boundary, @ $25 000 per Ha suddenly be valued @ $5 million per Ha (20 sections of 450 sq m @ say $250 000 each), I know, very simplistic but near enough for an example.
Heres a little of that why.
1 Rezoning often over the objections of local bodies, nimbys and other assorted professional protesters often driven by no more than pure envy and or greed.
2 Can go to the Environment court with an army of lawyers maintaining their income stream.
3 Compliance with the rules that will have the developer meeting standards higher than existing infrastructure of the local bodies, yes plural, local and regional plus central government's always sticky fingers. Treaty issues consultation (solved with Koha), environmental issues real and imagined, social issues mostly imagined or made up to suit for and against positions.
4 Ignoring practical solutions for sewerage, water supply, and stormwater that don't fit with the rigid rules developed by experts with pieces of parchment from a University maybe half a world away, that completely ignore composting toilets, rainwater collection, allowing stormwater to run to waste along existing waterways and utilizing modern septic tank systems and only requiring the 'Council" to deal with the liquid effluent.
5 Another round of appeals as these rules require infrastructure that passes or crosses land not involved.
6 the ubiquitous "reserve contribution" that started life as a source of funding for parks, pools halls etc whether appropriate or not but has now morphed along with profits from consents, as Income for the Local Authorities.
I wont have covered them all and others will have a better grasp of what inflates exponentially the land cost from around $1000 for a 450m section to $250 000 that of course includes a reasonable profit and risk cost. BUT THAT MUCH.
I am for ever in support of the market, free enterprise and buyers and sellers arriving at an agreed price but once the elected, most of whom would not recognise commercial reality if it confronted them in their living room think of it all as a way to legally collect the means for them to assist their appeal to a gullible electorate and to reward the army of those who administer the monster, Mr Sutton's problem manifests as the natural consequence.
Dumber Still
This time them damned slanty-eyed Chingalings have snuck in under her guard and bought up forty three farms near Gunnedah on the NSW Tablelands. This is prime farming country but that ain't the rub. You see, our communist friends (the purchaser is a company wholly owned by the Chinee gummint) aren't going to farm the farms. They're going to dig them up and send them to China.
Who said they can't take the land away? In this case the company is a coal miner and, lo and behold, these farms lie over some of the largest and richest coal deposits in Australia.
So, just as Gillard is desperately trying to sell her suicidal carbon tax to poor unsuspecting Australian salary and wage earners, the Chinks have come along to dig the coal up and take it to China where they can burn it all day and night long with no carbon taxes.
How did this happen? You might well ask. It appears the monitoring of farm sales to dirty filthy evil furriners is a State responsibility and nobody in the Fedral Gummint thought to put the figures together from all seven states and territories. (Is it still seven?)
Of course the cockies are not grizzling. It would seem these farms sold for well over market value - in some cases ten times the purchase price. (Mind you, one is not told how long ago the farm was purchased so it's likely to be quite some time.)
Yes, them bumper stickers are getting closer.
Owen McShane Living Dangerously
"Much of the outrage over Thompson's comments seem to me to be driven by a lot of silly men indulging in an inverted feminist pissing contest."
You need to read David Farrar's original shock horror reaction to Thompson's reported statements to see the subtle humour.
The Price of a Carbon Tax
Newspoll has Abott up two points at 41% and Gillard down two points at 39%. She's even managed to break Paul Keating's record for being the most unpopular prick in history to occupy The Lodge. Her decline is closely aligned with her infamous reneging of "There'll be no carbon tax from any government I lead"
All it needs now is for Australia to break into technical recession upon the release of June quarter GDP figures and you'll see an outbreak of new bumper stickers across the country.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Life? In A Jar
A saint without sainthood and a person not seen as a Nobel prize winner although an Irish Afro-American, without actually doing anything was successful and Gormless, with his rather weak support for global warming scams, burning many tonnes of threatened carbon in the campaign and since, also qualified.
This catholic daughter of a doctor who died treating typhus victims ignored by most Drs, spent the early years of WW2 in Warsaw. She got a job in plumbing and sanitation and traveled in and out of the Ghetto as the Nazis feared typhus, although welcome to kill as many Jews as possible, might escape and threaten them and useful Poles.
Irena saved hundreds of babies, toddlers and small children by smuggling them out in her equipment and they traveled on through the underground. She also "saved" the identities of some 2500 doomed children, stored them in jars buried in her garden. These were retrieved after the war and some families discovered what happened to their children but many of those families were also victims of the holocaust.
This remarkable woman who had defied death for years finally ran out of luck. She was arrested in 1943, tried, convicted and sentenced to death by the Gestapo. However on the way to her execution she was spared by the guards who had been bribed by members of Zogata, the Council to Aid Jews, but was left in a forest with broken arms and legs. She survived the war in hiding and afterwards spent much effort trying to disseminate the records in the buried jars from her garden.
She has since been rightfully honored and feted by many, Israeli, Jewish and Catholic entities including a letter from the Polish Pope, efforts for recognition by the Nobel Committees have however failed as they have much more notable people to honor.
Students of Kansas University created a Play to honor her outstanding life called "Life In A Jar".
Ranginui Refugee Camp
The Police had a good read on who was where at least most of the time or likely places to look for the perps when the need arose but that is all changed.
With the dislocation of residential arrangements and relocation of significant numbers of people the Police suspect a rise in burglary and associated property crime in the Rangiora district may have its base cause in the relocation of some of those bottom dwellers.
Hence the district has been renamed "Ranganui".
Another example of unforeseen outcomes from what many would see as a valid response to the unfolding disaster. The quiet rural service town 30kms northwest of Christchurch is becoming increasingly aggravated by a need to secure premises to a higher level of security but still endure the annoying aftermath of unlawful activity and the resulting feelings of violation.
The crims among the genuine refugees leaving the very unpleasant conditions of the badly damaged areas of the Eastern City and moving to the district of Rangiora that escaped lightly don't need to bring the trouble that has apparently moved there with them.
When I saw the headline "police busy in Kaikoura" I wondered if it was related.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Yes Prime Minister
A polarising politician who holds Maori Sovereignty as an ideal for the future of New Zealand won the by-election he triggered in a successful search for two hundred thousand dollars of tax payer funding for his political mates.
Following the "troughing rort" of a previous man of the left, the "Troughmaster General" aka James Patrick Anderton, Hone Harawira has scored after spending half a million dollars on a by-election seven months out from a General Election, $100k leaders funding for his party of one, an increase in salary to nearly $160k that more than recoups the loss following his cynical manipulation resignation, some $20 k in support and research funding plus additional party electorate funding.
So after nearly $1 000 000 spent we have the newly elected "chief minister" of the Te Tai Tokerau "Nation" ready to seek further power supported by his ragtag coterie of failed leftist figureheads as he promotes his devisive racist ideals. Will Hone and Titte improve the lot of "their people", will the discontent with the Maori King movement translate to a call for a shift to Nga Pui and "the young man from the north", will sovereignty for Nga Pui and the creation of a Te Tai Tokerau "Nation" be a next step.
Democracy has a high price and sadly we, the taxpayers of New Zealand have just purchased an "Edsel"
The far left are wetting themselves as they hook into the goldmine of partial state funded electioneering, I sadly survey the waste of ego funding that could have been better spent.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
It's bad for Maori in that all the positive things that are happening in Maoridom will be overshadowed by Hone who will continue to 'look back in anger' and encourage Maori to remain in grievance mode. It is especially bad for Maori in Te TaI Tokerau. They have lost their voice in the corridors of power (if they ever had it). They are now represented by a bit player in the body politik.
It's bad for Labour. Hone has made it clear that the Mana Party will give electoral support to Labour and only Labour. That in itself is sufficient to scare off 'soft' Labour voters. Vote Labour and you get Hone ... wanted or not.
It's a win win for National and a loss loss for Labour.
Gee That Hurt - Not
The point I made, was how an action and its consequences when viewed through my simplistic vision of right and wrong, that was established in my formative years by reading examples of what I would generically describe as fodder writing, rang a little tinkle on a bell in my psyche.
I used the story to reflect on how that view of natural justice has been eroded in our National view of right and wrong to a point where victims become the oppressed and the perpetrators of wrongs are elevated to victim-hood.
Consequences are no longer to be suffered by the stupid.
Now a commenter, a member of the ubiquitous Anonymous family, has not suggested, not merely inferred or hinted but has branded me, a LIAR. My response was and still is DILLIGAF, and my regard for the brave soul who cant even master the comment facility for creating an individual identity for reasons that may be incompetence or ignorance but I suspect may just be simple cowardice makes the leap from my repeating an urban legend to liar, is phht
We have an acceptance, widely held, that the history of the so called Tangata Whenua who had no ability to record their version of history in a written form can promulgate that history as orally recorded and entities such as the Waitangi Tribunal now accept that version of events as being as accurate as written record by an eye witness. Sadly that standard of authenticity is not available to me.
So to you, Anonymous #7531 (estimated), I am not a liar, the anecdote I used may have not had a shred of truth to it, I don't freekin care. My use of it was still valid in my eyes, you however are quite insignificant and if you are one of the brigade of crim cuddling nonentities who have a higher regard for the perpetrator than what I see as a real victim you can just return to your hole in the ground and involve yourself in sex and travel.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Cream With That Sir
Poor old Tyrone slipped and fell following the stabbing and suffered two broken arms, a broken ankle, suspected rib fractures, missing teeth, and contusions. He was just so lucky that the Marines were there to administer first aid to Tyrone as the fall resulted in quite severe injuries.
Would you like cream with your just desserts sir.
Of course in NZ the perp would have been treated and rehabed by ACC, the Marines would have all been charged with assault and the shop owner would have faced possible charges of inciting affray.
The perpetrator would become the victim.
Herald Wallows In Liquefaction
I'll conclude by changing the subject and complimenting the people at The Standard on an excellent post and comment thread which has remained unpoliticized in the main.
Very well done."
The same can not be said for the studied turpitude on display at The Herald.
Govt delivers a blow to some, relief to others
Nobody was delivered a blow because nobody expected answers for every damaged home in the city. It looks as though The Herald has outsourced its headline writing to the same people to whom the Christchurch City Council outsourced its ratable valuation contract.
The headline shows you the style one can expect from this tacky rag for the rest of the election campaign. Fortunately, fewer and fewer people each year appear to rely on The Herald to keep themselves informed.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A concrete start to solving a fluid situation
Dec 26th after many aftershocks accepted by many as normal following one of the major seismic events in New Zealand's recorded history, a significant event that reminded the many who had stayed home for Xmas that it ain't over yet.
Feb 22nd 6.3 @ 12 51. Major building damage including two totally collapsed, 181 dead, major structural damage, much of CBD compromised, widespread liquefaction mainly in eastern suburbs, significant structural damage to a majority of buildings, city gridlocked for much of the afternoon. In a word devastation.
June 21st 2234 a 5.4 near Godley Head after a slightly smaller but significant jolt at 13 12, further damage to already damaged buildings , more liquefaction, wetter this time, again as in Sept no loss of life, a fact widely attributed to the warning at 1312 again a significant event that resulted in mass evacs of buildings.
Throughout this developing disaster the government, and local authorities have struggled to keep abreast of developments and at the same time commence the strategies for the rebuild of the province.
That has not led to the slightest pause in the shrills of the socialists and the lamestream media, ignoring the enormity of the disaster and continuing to seek some pathetic advantage by sensationalising the obvious distress of the unfortunates in the areas of greatest destruction.
In the midst of the continuing degradation socialists desperate for a headline start a campaign denigrating the government for not giving certainty to the many people becoming increasingly fragile following 9 months and nearly 7500 yes SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED after shocks, many of which would have led the news bulletins as EARTHQUAKES.
This is one of the biggest insurance liability events in history. It is complex with the overlay of personal, state (EQC) and private insurance responsibilities. It will take Time, there will be winners and losers (am already aware of too many in the former category ( 30/40 yr old roofs past their use by date being completely replaced with nil regard for depreciation) but we will work through it.
IMHO a reasonable first step if flawed in the pressure being generated by the ignorant.
Intellectual minnows such as Cosgrove, Burns, Dalziel , Anderton et al should leave it to Roger Sutton and his team who actually understand the issues to get on with it.
Has Gerry Got A Deal For You!!! Updated
An examination of median house prices in Christchurch is revealing.
In November 2007 the median house price for sales in Christchurch was around $340,000, with just over 1,000 houses sold in that month. It is 2007 values which will be paid out to the 5,000.
The median price then tumbled to around $310,000 a year later with less than 500 sales for the month.
The price recovered and moved to around $325,000 just before the first quake but there were only 400 sales in the month before the quake and 250 sales the month after.
Adolf's advice to Christchurch house owners is simple.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You're getting a bonus from the tax payer of probably twenty grand each - and I don't begrudge you a penny of it.
Updated - just for Gantt, Manolo and Big Bruv
Did you see what a wonderful job John Key did today feeding the five thousand? Give a good man a few loaves and fishes and you never know what miracles he'll perform.
There's a difference between political activism and science
Attempts to shut down a scientific report critical of AgResearch's practices at its genetic engineering laboratories have been revealed through the company's internal documents.
On reading further, we find that the report is written by a long-time anti-GE campaigner at the behest of GE Free New Zealand, and that AgResearch can recognise political propaganda when they see it and have been having some discussions about how best to counter it. Not a whole lot in there for a story, you'd think, but the intrepid reporter quite successfully manages to vaguely infer some kind of wrongdoing by AgResearch without actually specifying any. On one level you have to admire the skill that goes into concocting propaganda like that - but on another level, I figure it's probably not a good line to be in if you value your self-respect.
Good Solid Common Sense - Update
That's my immediate reaction to the PM's announcement of the first major stage in the recovery programme for Christchurch residents.
I like the fact that there is to be no compulsion. People have plenty of time to consider their options but at the end of the day they have a guaranteed buyer for their houses at a price which probably is higher than the market price had there been no earthquakes.
People who failed to insure their homes can get stuffed and that is as it should be.
There are to be no suburbs razed by gummint decree. Minimal gummint interference with maximum decision making by residents.
Does anybody seriously think these decisions could have been made any earlier when there have been over fifty after shocks in excess of 5.0 on the Richter scale?
I can't see anyone rushing off to vote Labour because of this announcement.
Peace Talks Fail
He has referred to The Lodge in Canberra as Boganville since the pear shaped PM and her valet move in.
No Rain In 2012
So said the minister for weather forecasting today.
Thus was made The Herald's headline of the day.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Free aint Free, somebody else Paid
The alleged reason, to get an entirely predictable response to Gerry's and Roger's timeline on the earthquake recovery.
Now the dopey old prick thinks his relevance is restored and guess what. he makes a call for "FREE" F**KING" dental care for everyone, in a demented flight of fancy.
The little punk, masquerading as a journalist, has now made a story based on the mind numbing idiocy the old goat proposed.
Hey Jim, you old trougher, it AINT FREE, it will be paid for by me and other people, many of whom live in struggle street. It wont be a burden for you with your generous gold plated Superannuation, plus National super and all the gold you swept up, or more likely had some poor minion sweep up for you, from all the public troughs you have accessed in your 50 odd years at the teat.
Pour yourself another three fingers of Glenlivet, settle back down in your Lazyboy and go back to the irrelevance you have so richly earned - not.
No Heights Too Great
"People are clambering all the time for definitive answers we are in the catch 22 situation where a definitive answer today cannot stand as an answer a day later," he said.
Utter Baloney
Clearly he doesn't know how to count. Here's his ill thought outburst from today's 'Breakfast Show.'
ONE News political editor Guyon Espiner believes National could lose the election if they get the decision on Christchurch land wrong.
He told TV ONE's Breakfast that it is vital the government gets it right.
"[There are] huge risks, you'd lose an election, despite the moral and ethical problems of getting it wrong and people not getting a fair deal, it's massive and they have got to get it right," he said.
A pity he didn't count up the number of voters in Christchurch's metropolitan electorates before he opened his trap.
Leftie commenter Milkenmild over at Farrar's Troll Farm counted the numbers and here's his conclusion.
- mikenmild (453) Says:
June 22nd, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Your question interested me. There were 250,000 party votes cast in the seven Christchurch electorates last time, out of 2.3 million nationwide. The proportions for Christchurch were roughly the same as nationally. Even a 20% swing to Labour across the Christchurch electorates would only shift the nationwide proportion by about one percentage point. Basically, Christchurch is too small to count for much nationally.
Sounds much more sensible than a breathless and over excited TV spruiker.
Triumph After Triumph
Fresh from his boost in the Roy Morgan Poll, Goff has received endorsement from an astonishing quarter - the New Zealand Stock Exchange.
Naaah, I'm joking of course. The NZX has told him to Filk Off after his appalling effort to interfere in the contract process adopted by gummints of the day with private entities.
Goff tried to undermine the broadband deal by saying that Labour would renege on any contract between the gummint and Telecom. It will not escape the eye of the acute observer that this chicanery is a bit rich even for Phil. He was the bloke who sold Telecom off in the first place. Now he's trying to strip it of its market value, just as Clark did to Air NZ and to Auckland Airports.
The stock market just told the possum headed fool and his crooked cronies what the rest of NZ already knows. Goff's going nowhere in November but out the door.
Goff would have been all over John Key like a rash if Key had reneged on any of the maliciously damaging contracts entered into by Labour in its dying days. Train sets, BMWs anybody? Locked in massive pay increases for public servants over a five year term, anybody?
Why am I not surprised at this latest piece of dishonorable mischief? Because Clark's Labour party, currently sitting in opposition, was the most disgracefully dishonest and dishonorable administration ever seen in New Zealand. Pretty much every convention of parliamentary decency was broken by a gangster government in which Goff, King, Mallard and Cunliffe were enthusiastic accomplices.
The Labour leopard still has its same old spots, it's just that some of them have moved to New York.
Another Day Another Quake.
As a PP it fell to me this year to do the honors and the 5.3 struck just as we started the ceremony. Update now measured as a 5.4.
A few went for the door but most stayed including our guest speaker one Nick Walls.
Nick had a remarkable story of survival, rehab and an indomitable spirit.
He was the last survivor extracted alive from the collapsed PGC building in Cambridge Tce at about 2300 hrs on Feb 22nd. He was on Level 2 as a member of the Leitch and Partners accountancy firm and after the collapse where the Ground floor remained largely intact with the floors above collapsed down to around 2.5 meters in combined height. His rescuers many of whom were just ordinary construction guys doing what had to be done, accessed Nick by progressively cutting access down through the concrete floors in the form of "manholes".
A remarkable story from a remarkable young man.
We are all just a little more fragile but still resolved to go forward and an inspirational survivor such as Nick with his spirit and strength empowers us to do just that.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Fortunately, Socialists Never Learn
Clark, Obama, Gillard - all from the same play book.
NZ Labour's brother's and sisters across the Tasman are enjoying the same sort of electoral popularity as did Helen Clark in 2008. Just like Clark's tatty remnant party of today, they are deemed unsellable, not just federally but in absolutely every state as well. Hell, if they were in New Zealand they'd lose the seats of Mana and Mangere.
Adolf heard the real deal, behind the scenes goss the other day which simply confirms that which is published.
A couple of retailers - non grocery, non booze - report that when the word went out that electricity prices would increase by between 30% and 50% as a result of Julia's carbon tax that she wasn't going to have but changed her mind about, sales abruptly halted. That's H A L T E D. That's NOT substantially reduced, or faltered or went into a downturn. That's totally disappeared, for some weeks.
Labour pulled the same trick in NZ in 2004. They pushed the productive sector into recession but hid the reality by boosting the number of gummint employees and calling it GDP growth.
Here in Australia, all the ordinary people have battened down the hatches. Wage earners have stopped discretionary spending. Small businesses are reporting invoices which a year ago were paid on date of issue now take two months. Clients who regularly utilised their services are saying 'Sorry we just have to give it a miss this quarter.'
Don't be surprised if Australia does in fact slip into recession when the June quarter GDP figures come out. The March quarter saw a staggering 1.2% decline which has been spun as a one off but if what I'm seeing and hearing continues, Gillard will need more than a few coals from Newcastle to stop her sliding bum first into the electoral bog.
And yes, NZ Labour is still unmistakably Clark's party. That's why it's still so unpopular.
The cost of land rises
Philip Field, that avuncular socialist who was guilty of only helping his constituents is back in the Supreme Court appealing his conviction by the honkies for corruption and bribery that had him put in the pokey for six years.
His brief, Helen Cull claimed the honkies had nothing on him as the law did not define the difference between a gift in gratitude from an advantage gained.
I wonder how many immigrants let into the country would be worth 20 square meters of tiling here or in Samoa?
And while on matters Immigration how did Bill Lui's citizenship success pan out or was that buried with Dover Samuels, and Pansey Wong out of Parliament, Chris Carter and Rick Barker in the dogtucker mob and only potential Labour prime Ministers Shane Jones and David Cunliffe, two fine honorable gentlemen left in the parliamentary frame.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Who'd Be A Journalist?
The nation's scribes will be hard put to bring straight faced commentary to bear upon this week's Roy Morgan poll which puts Labour squarely back where it belongs. The last Roy Morgan was a dud apparently but that didn't stop the media from reporting on 'new confidence for Labour' and 'prospects improving for Goff.'
Well! THAT didn't last long.
National has bounced back to 54% (up 4%) while Labour has plummeted to 30% (down 6%). A 23 point margin.
At last ACT has achieved a marginal bounce - up to 3.0%. It appears Dr brash may have attracted some of the momentarily deluded who moved to Labour for just one poll.
The NgaPuhi greaser who owes us $158k is where HE belongs - on the skids at 2.5%.
Clearly Labour has achieved great things by it's strategy of attacking National man by man or woman by woman. It's worked wonders.
For National.
More please, Mr Mallard.
You've got to start feeling sorry for the poor bastards. Not only do they have no visible leadership and no money, they have no strategy either.
Largely Missed ..........
A superb effort by both of them although you could see the pressure getting to Jason Day by the seventeenth on the last day.
Marriage Vows binding or blinding.
Women quickly saw advantage in the protection angle and the men saw it as a way of exclusive possession.
The old 'give half your tucker away to get your half cooked' theory.
The churches quickly adopted it as a control of the flock mechanism with the associated guilt and damnation overtones. The commitment bit became a serious problem when the participants became enemies and the church forbade dissolution. That outcome was not all bad as the sanctuary for the spawn was maintained, even if it left two miserable unfulfilled people sleping in the "bed" they had made.
In modern times the sanctity of the contractural bit about Marriage has been eroded and diminished to the point where the vows made at commitment to the union are almost meaningless leaving me with the urge to stand up and say something such as "yeah right" as vows to love honour and cherish are stated with all the gravitas imaginable, you knowing he probably had it off with the bridesmaid last night and in all probability will do it again before the ink is dry on the contract.
As in all contracts commitment is soon sacrificed for convenience, a male does not hang about for the birth of his spawn and the bloody law is toothless in enforcing the cost of raising the child on him. Welfare makes it no care and no responsibility and further erodes the institution.
The recent Labour leader admitted marriage for her was a political ploy to placate some of the conservative support base forced on her by some of her then party leadership.
I see no solution to the diminishing of commitment in Marriage and this cynical old bugger who has been utterly loyal and indeed in love with the same woman for nearly 50 years sees the current welfare system as regards union and the issue therefrom as nothing more than a trainwreck and we are standing on the platform.
Is a first step to addressing the problems that come from the casualisation of the institute of marriage a rejig of welfare to stiffen the resolve to make it work instead of making it increasingly easy to walk out. Of course that will further erode the number of people who will voluntarily enter that formidable institution.
Another 15 yo, B, the driver, is processed at 4 times the youth drink drive rate.
Two youths, passengers in the car, including A are taken to Timaru Police station while B is given a subsequent evidential test.
Police ring A's mother to come in and collect him in spite of a warning that she will be 'trollied' by now !
A's mum rocks up she gets done for drink driving, "I've only had 4 RTDs and a few SHOTS".
A and his Mum go out to leave in Mum's partner's car, partner had followed the travelling circus to the station, wouldn't you know it, plod gets him for DIC as well.
Just what happened subsequently is not known yet but the Pareora Family are accusing the police of entrapment !!
I have had fishing days like that, the only way to stop the fish plunging onto the hook is to pack up the tackle.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Hanging Would Be Too Kind
Bill Keller (born January 18, 1949) is the Executive Editor of The New York Times. On June 2, 2011, Keller announced that he would step down from the position to become a full time writer.
The biggest strategic and tactical mistake made by President George W Bush was his failure to prosecute and convict this traitor and his accomplices Rizen and Lichtbau.
Work for the dole yeah right.
That will include Patrolling disputed lands,
Horticultural activities,
Pest control around Crops,
Fleet management of the vehicles required to access the remote crop locations.
Managing Marae gatherings and providing security,
Taking part in Hikoi, Carkoi, Buskoi,
Rent-a-mob activity
Oh and if they have more dole money chances are that Hatfields war-chest will benefit.
- The Chinese
- Any financial institution including the Reserve Bank
- Koreans
- Sickly white liberals
- Indians
- Anyone to his political 'right'
- All immigrants (except WASPs)
- Taxi Drivers
- Intellectuals (defined as anyone who took less than six years to complete their first degree)
- you insert
But apart from the blame game Hone and Winston are indistinguishable to the extent that National doesn't want them and won't have them while for Labour it's 'come to mother, all is forgiven'. That mob would sup with the devil in order to regain power. Mind you, for Winston home is where the whanau is with his sister standing for Labour in Northland.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Embarrasing or what
Tamaki was in his element but Henare, Hatfield, Sharples and I don't recall who was there for the Goofy party, I was reaching for the sickbowl, all appeared to me to be looking for Hasmac suits.
Next it will be Black Power then the Mongrels and all the other accoutrements of race based groups as the desperate dance with the devil.
Did Henare ask anyone if he should go there, obviously insufficiently aware to make a rational decision himself.
Chance to deal to an eyesore.
The A&P oval with its grandstands continued as the Rugby League HQ with residential development surrounding.
The old saleyards site across Deans Av fron Hagley park has deteriorated into a wasteland as plans for development have foundered on argument and planning failures.
15 years on the remaining structures are an art gallery of graffiti while the yard areas grow weeds and look bloody awful. Thankfully Blenheim Rd has been diverted to go onto Moorehouse Avenue leaving the mess somewhat out of sight.
In the aftermath of the quakes it is being suggested as a solution for the beginning of the rebuild of the CBD and with the massive re-development of adjacent Railway land into retail, the idea has merit.
The Comedy From Canberra
Much has changed since.
Today's Neilson poll puts the two party gap at 18% with a huge 60% of Labours pinko supporters wanting the little short arsed wax eating nose picking blond headed bullshitter back as their party's leader. But they're all saying Gillard and Rudd are luvvy duvvy.
Oh yeah?
Not for nothing in 1970 did I dub this show 'The Comedy from Canberra.'
But is it really Progress
His world was the Horse and cart, a herd of seven or eight cows milked by hand by his sisters and Dad, when he was old enough, the milk went to the factory down by the beach on the trip to school, the cheese went out by sea, communication was by the written word with letters and telegraph from main centers, the sole charge teacher was a person following a "calling" with an education that was anywhere from a school just like that one to maybe a university degree and remuneration a small stipend, the education for most began and ended at that local school with the ultimate achievement a Matriculation Certificate that was the equivalent of my University Entrance, night light was by candle with maybe a kerosene lamp, social life was the home with occasional district events and maybe once a year the big city by train from Little River 20 miles over the crater rim past "The Hilltop".
When he died 92 years later his world was very different.
Cars, jet planes, welfare, comprehensive medical care, aged care facilities, hospices, Tarseal roads, telephone, radio, television, supermarkets, man had been to the moon and the Global Village via the internet was a reality.
But much of that so called progress can be brought to a shuddering halt so easily, a weather event destroys all communications and power, earthquakes bring our city almost to a standstill and now Jet airliners are grounded by a volcano an ocean away.
The Crusaders revert to an internal combustion engine propulsion system that was in its infancy when Dad was born in a vessel that was designed when he was a young man to get to their game in the Capital tonight.
Progress is not a steady ascent to utopia on a slope of creation but rather a roller-coaster when events and/or unforeseen outcomes bring things up against a serious disruption or in rare cases a complete halt.
His lifetime revealed a mind boggling train of progress and the train is still accelerating.
Yes it is progress
Friday, June 17, 2011
Gravedodger AWOL
Without telling my immediate boss in the Christchurch Office, and god forbid, my divisional manager in Wellington or the New Zealand CEO ever find out, I just tumbled out of bed at my usual time of 0815 hrs and said bugger it I am not one of their PAWNS. I am going to the city to help the daughter of a mate and her business partner to salvage a little of their stock and relocate it to new premises.
The mind numbing thought of another freekin day of boring retirement, we don't get statutory days off, no days in lieu, double time, holidays, sick days, grief days or any other of the hard won RIGHTS that everyone else in paid employment get. Just the endless days of same old until death releases us from our contract, even the poor unfortunates in the rest home are still facing the bird every day. They suffer the additional degradation of having their earnings purloined by the authorities before they get their grasping hands on it to pay for services they in all probability have absolutely no yearning for.
Anyway it was a great day out but the disaster of the actual situation that had forced the evacuation from the tilt slab in Ferrymead, liquefaction had deposited silt and water mixed with things I would rather not think about amongst anything stored on the floor. The floor had buckled under the pressure of the subterranean force and "tented" as much as 400mm, cantilevered glass covered offices still attached but looking like they had imbibed to much alcohol last night, office contents strewn on the floor and it was similar for all the others in the culdesac. No water no sanitation, the constant noise of machinery moving as much of the silt before it created further problems, and other trucks and diggers bringing in hard fill to restore a navigable roadway.
Humphreys Drive the main access from the SE (Ferry road was closed) resembled a road in a war zone with partially repaired craters on the road and along the verges. Nearly every vehicle exhibits clear signs of restoration activity, salvage, and recovery from what is the third forth or more disruption to their lives. Every second person wears a Hi Viz jacket.
This post does not diminish the disaster that the residents of the devastated suburbs are enduring we just drove past some of them in our attempt to restore Sarah and Scotty's livelihood.
The day was emotionally challenging to an old bugger who has seen some tragedies in his time but the obvious fortitude of those trying to get back on their horses and the spontaneous giving of time and energy of those who gave a few hours of unpaid help was just so uplifting.
This town aint dead yet it aint even dieing but some of it is very sick. So to the faceless person to whom I would report, to Paula and to John Key I am sorry I went missing yesterday but I do not feel guilty.
I feel empowered.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
He Just Can't Help Himself
Goff just smoked off the few Labour votes left in the rural sector.
"Federated Farmers is the National Party in Gumboots"
Even if it is, you DON'T SAY THAT AT THE NATIONAL FIELD DAYS!
Silly Stuff
Why on earth couldn't these bloody reporters simply described the fellow as 'a man'?
As it is, the half wits who support Labour will be running around trying to figure who it is from within the ranks of former National party officials or MPs it might be.
If we must have name suppression can the courts please come down hard on idiots who indulge in this sort of corny 'now you see it, now you don't' junk reporting?
Do They Want It For Free For Ever?
Ngati Whatua should send in the Taniwha to bite the honkies on the arse and scare away all the customers. Then, when the business proprietors come to their senses, the Taniwha can be sent home to his cave to await the next time he is needed.
It is incomprehensible that any sane businessman would have calculated all his decisions on the premise that the dopey local brown buggers would have allowed their land to be used for free for ever. If they did, they should be allowed to to go broke and make way for other people who are smart enough to generate enough profit to cover the real value of the assets they use.
Ngati Whatua chief executive Tiwana Tibble wrote to the body corporate of the 20 shops saying the land was now valued at $25.5million.
"The lease provides for the annual rent to be fixed at 6 per cent of the freehold value," he wrote to owners of shops, apartments, Mobil service station and KFC outlet.
Last year, Mr Tibble encouraged anyone worried about the new charges to approach the board to negotiate. Some settlements had been reached, he said.
The land owners appear to have acted impeccably. It is obvious landlords, tenants and developers knew fifteen years ago that ground rent would come into force this year. It sounds to Adolf as though the dumb bastards who are moaning didn't bother to check it out when they entered into their respective leases.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Nigel Latta the real deal
Jeez that guy resonates as someone who lives in my world and talks sense that anyone can understand.
His common sense shines through and I loved his comments "all children will not need counseling", "best to attempt regaining and holding a sense of normality for kids", "try and avoid stress display by adults around children", all very rational advice.
The way he got alongside the troubled kids was quite inspiring. He seems to get to their level and draw them out with down to earth techniques so naturally. As one who employed the good Dr Spock as our guide to raising kids, Nigel seems so much more relevant.
A large proportion of the people I contact these days are getting close to the edge and his presentation, although clearly put together before the current upsurge of seismic activity (three little tremors while putting this post together) was very timely as the media whip up talk of abandoning ship and encourage the very natural frustration at the time delay on the plans for what areas will be abandoned for remediation. Yes it is tough particularly on those with equity at risk, there will be losses that wont be covered by EQC and the Insurance industry but talk of anything other than clearance while we have 5 and 6 richter events occurring are mindless and of no help at all. SWMBO was surfing around and caught Campbell with Gerry Brownlie, his white knuckles on the mike shaft and the mike threatening the Ministers face was not a good look.
We woke with a very sharp 5 this morning at 06 27 hrs. The total events on Geonet since Sept is closing in on 7500 and coping mechanisms are weaker now than at any time in the nearly 10 months since Sept 4th and that seems so long ago now.
Asset Sales
No, not minority equity share arrangements in SOEs.
REAL asset sales where you flog the whole damned thing off to some foreigner and pocket the dosh so you can spend it on other things like groceries and luxury holidays - so to speak.
The assets which will shortly go under the hammer are those pieces or real estate currently owned by the Labour Party and the Unions.
The party is Flatt Broke (Now there's a slogan for you) and has only managed to raise a paltry $11k so far this year. It has an election campaign to pay for $2m and shortly a whole raft of fines imposed by the Privacy Commission $??00k and damages claims from credit card holders $1m+? who have been scammed by operators who gained their credit card passwords from Labour Party websites.
Labour's bankers will regard them as wankers so their only two options are theft or asset sales. Whaleoil has effectively closed the door on their ongoing theft from tax payers so it's off to the auctioneer for Goff and Co.
One thing Adolf has learned about the lying socialists is that they themselves do privately everything they campaign against publicly.
A more duplicitous gang of crooks in this country has never been seen. At least the Mongrel Mob are 'honest' about being bad bastards.
They are a bloody laugh a minute, n'est ce pas?
Labour SNAFU is getting worse
The assurance from the Labour Party Leadership that donor lists were compromised and it was all National Party dirty tricks, for evidence of these charges, visit The Standard, LOL HaHaHa, sadly for some it was actually pure minimising bullshit.
The unpalatable truth is that full Credit Card details including names, numbers and PASSWORDS, were able to be accessed by anyone, as in "SCAMMERS UNLIMITED Inc of Nigeria Anyone".
All who think their Card could be involved should cancel it immediately and get a re-issue.
I understand that Google has done some very necessary housework but that may well prove to be too late. The Genie is well and truly out of the bottle and Labour are indulging in very dangerous activity as the flounder about trying to deflect their clear responsibility for this cluster fuck.
I think embarrassment is the least of their problems and they owe Whale Oil a big vote of thanks.
They consider themselves "The Government In Waiting", Jesus wept
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
A Few More Questions.......
- Do Goff and Mallard take elocution lessons from Julia Gillard?
- Does the Labour Party have anywhere on any of its computers a file labelled 'policies'?
- Does anyone who even slightly knows Cameron Slater believe for a moment the National party hierarchy or loerarchy would touch him with a forty foot pole?
- How do you spell 'Drupal'?
- Did Labour hire Blue State Digital only to get BlueChip by mistake?
- Who's going to pay Hone's salary after June 26th?
- Is Weiner's schnitzel bigger than his schnoz?
- Could Weiner get a job at Channel 9 calling the cricket with Bill Lawry?
- They're both bird fanciers, aren't they?
- Does Professor Glugman know the differences between data, theory and superstition?
- Can he find just one example from the last ten years where his mates have 'adjusted' climate data down instead of up?
Lucky or what?
The second at 1420 at an even 6 Richter brought the ruins crashing to the ground with no injuries.
I wonder how many lives were spared with the timing and magnitude of the two events. The lesser getting successful evacuations completed before the greater one struck.
As we considered that the 6 yesterday was more violent in its manifestation here, more stuff off shelves etc, than the one on Feb 22nd, were lives spared due to the already vulnerable buildings being destroyed or at least abandoned. Thankfully the authorities were not thwarted by the increasingly shrill calls to allow more access to the red zone.
If the cumulative effects on people are replicated in our remaining buildings then I hope the re-inspection and evaluation systems are extremely thorough and rigorous because we are all becoming increasingly fragile.
But There's No Moustache
Just to see the photograph of Labour's new president, Moira Coatsworth, will make you vote for some other political party.
Arrrghhh, why are these socialist women so ugly and mannish-looking?
So, I went and looked the dear lady up.
I'd have to say the comments appear a little unjustified although by the look of her, she could shovel a tonne of coal in double quick time.
Another misunderstood hardworking citizen
Now that is a bit of a red flag callout as it can be nothing or sometimes it is the early warning for a heart attack. Therefore we don't delay and Glen Blackford responded from Taumaranui. On arrival at Otimi's place the Piece Of Shit entered the truck and forced Blackford to drive him to Rotorua. Some 35 kms out of Turangi Blackford managed to escape his truck and call Police resulting in Otimi's arrest.
A few things here really have me exercised:
I will assume that this has happened to an Ambulance being single crewed, I don't know this but if it was, it is as a direct result of the precarious funding situation St John Ambulance service is in.
The most serious problem here apart from the danger to Blackford is the fact that while that truck is on a false alarm call and my geographical knowledge tells me it would have been off station for possibly 3,4 or even 5 hours leaving the community that in all probability largely funds their service seriously exposed. The truck would have also traveled to Turangi under Lights and Siren which naturally heightens the potential of danger for other road users on a popular tourist road that was not the greatest last time I drove it.
The trend to single crewing albeit better than no truck at all is a very dangerous practice and will inevitably end up costing the still largely volunteer service hugely.
The POS perpetrator who has been remanded in custody, thankyou judge, for a mental health report will in all probability be dealt with under simple law covering threatening behavior, conversion of the truck or some other BS charge when in fact he placed god knows how many people in serious jeopardy, something that constantly lies in the back of the mind of all of us in stations with little backup and due to population constraints under serviced, not to mention the danger to other road users.
As for me I would let the vetinarian deal next time Mr Otimi calls us and suggest he/she takes the humane bolt.
His ultimate punishment will inevitably be seen by most as entirely innappropriate.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Bin Laden, who finked.
Would the US trade silence on the escape for confirmation of the location of the number one most wanted in the world for the Seals to take him out.
Why not, many of the escapees were back inside in short order and Ossie was dead, seems like a good deal to me.
It's Not Snow
Here is a picture of the resort taken from its private eighteen hole golf course on which Adolf acquitted himself well.
That's volcanic ash. Puyehue is only a few kilometres away on the Chilean side of the border.
The rest of a remarkable set of photos is available here.
Hope N Change
Why, it's Baja California, of course.
Sincere condolences to the Gaynor Family.
A 17 yo student of Kings College dies after a School Ball related social gathering.
Kawerau, pop 6950, loses 13 youths and young men to suicide in 18 months.
Kings have had, I think, 4 student deaths in just over a year.
Something is seriously wrong.
I endured 4 years of boarding school in the middle of last century and have absolutely no knowledge of a youth taking such drastic action in that time.
We had bullying, corporal punishment, failure at sport where rugby and cricket were compulsory for all, academic failure, 50% of school certificate candidates FAILED due to scaling of the national results, the whatever % of students with issues around their sexual orientation had to deal with it alone, We had zero counseling available (the alcoholic careers advisor only did it as a supplement to his funds for booze), many of the staff were emotionally crippled, and for a boarder getting out of the place was nigh on impossible, 3 "tea leaves" 1700 till 1900, and one "theater" leave 1900 till 2300 per term with a parent or an approved substitute. Sunday leave 1300 till 1900 to an approved person with a signature required to verify on the leave pass and there were very few prepared to falsely sign.
All this failure and control was transparent to every other student, there was nowhere to hide.
But we had it easy didn't we Yeah Right.
With all the accumulated Knowledge and progress (advisedly), we all face an epidemic of self harm, self abuse and suicide that seems exponential in its manifestation and there have to be solutions, perhaps the wrong people are being used to find the answers as they are surely not succeeding.
I apologise to those who see my timing of this as inappropriate but this tragic waste of human life is just too serious to not address it now.
RIP David Gaynor, my sincere condolences to all who mourn you.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Had the pleasure of meeting Tony Kokshoorn (Mayor of the Grey District) and a face well known to many of you through his leadership following the Pike River disaster. The simple message from 'real' coasters is that the West Coast is coal and coal is the West Coast and can we please get out and mine our heritage for the good of New Zealand. Sage words.
We were promised 100k of whitebait for the 100+ at the reunion and the organisers delivered. Don't want to see another whitebait or venison until the next time but can attest that both go down a treat with a good single malt. Mrs Veteran declined to eat her share of the whitebait because it hadn't been gutted and filleted.
At the reunion I was able to announce the establishment of the Michael Wickman Memorial Bursary part of the EVSA (Neville Wallace Memorial) Children's & Grandchildren's Trust which I am privileged to Chair. You can view the work of the Trust at http://www.evsayouthtrust.org.nz/ Michael was one of my Company killed in action in Vietnam and the contact in which he lost his life featured in the documentary 'Baptism by Fire' which screened on MTV on ANZAC Day. Prime Minister John Key generously donated and signed a bottle of parliamentary whisky to be auctioned off at the reunion with the proceeds going to the Bursary. It went for $850.
The coast drive from Greymouth to Westport is touted (in the Lonely Planet) as one of the best 10 coastal drives in the world. I can see why and could have probably seen more if it wasn't for the bloody sandflys. The West Coast is unique and we intend returning there again .... that old saying about not leaving town until you have seen the country has a lot going for it.
This morning I sat down in front of the TV to watch Q & A and the debate between Hone H and Kelvin Davis. The disconnect exhibited by so called political commentators never fails to disappoint. There was Willie Jackson and Professor Johansen both spruking the line that Hone deserved to win and that Maoridom was wise enough to figure out that with Hone and Kelvin both in the House they had two passionate advocates for progress.
Horseshit. Kelvin maybe but Hone no way, never. To borrow Helen Clark's words said about another, he is a hater and a wrecker. He articulates a future where Maori is perpetually stuck in grievance mode and where the way forward is to tear people down to his level. Hone represents all that is bad and wrong with Maoridom. He insults Maoridom with the name of his Party (assuming he gets it registered). There is no Mana in his Party. There is no Mana in Hone. If he were to be run over by a truck tomorrow New Zealand would be a better place.
Under The Radar
What has not been reported widely in the same antique media is the manner of Sarah Palin's revenge which is unfolding before our very eyes. Of course you will struggle to find this story anywhere else but on blogs or Fox News.
She has signaled loudly and clearly to the NYT, WAPO, CNN, ABC, CBS and assorted other Democratic Party water carriers the words most feared by the news media.
How and when did this happen?
A couple of weeks ago she set off on a nationwide bus tour which many took as a precursor to announcing a bid for the GOP presidential nomination. The press went wild and set out to pursue her. Trouble is, she didn't invite them onto the bus as they expected and then demanded. Not only were they not invited but she didn't tell them where she was going to be each day. The howls of anguish and outright indignation were palpable. One damn fool editor even claimed she was creating a traffic hazard by forcing all those reporters to chase after the bus in their own cars. You really couldn't dream this up, even in Hollywood.
The bozos of the media are only now waking up to the fact she is going to campaign without them. She's doing it all though new media, town hall gatherings and street walks. She is a very effective campaigner. No press conferences and no interviews with the thinly disguised liberal enemies from the media.
Only a few days ago these enemies went berserk over a remark she made about the famous ride of Paul Revere. She said he had warned the British about an approaching American force. Journalists across the nation went into top gear labelling her as stupid, dimwitted, uneducated, thick and anything else derogatory they could find in their computerised thesauri. "She didn't warn the British, she warned the Americans" they screamed in unison.
Trouble is, she was right and they were wrong.
The media never got past the preschool nursery rhyme version of the Paul Revere story whereas Sarah Palin had read the real history, not just a popular poem. It took a couple of university professors to point this out. So you see folks, Sarah Palin actually is better read than Catie Couric! Suck on that, all you woofter self appointed intellectuals.
The next part of the revenge happened two days ago. During the 2008 campaign the left leaning media (bless their hearts) OIAd every email sent and received by Ms Palin when she was Governor of Alaska. (Funny thing is, if only the dumb bastards had asked for Obama's emails when he was a community organiser, the United States might have been spared the indignity of it's most destructive and incompetent president ever.)
The e-mails arrived the other day and suddenly the media were caught short. Ms Palin has skewered them by having the emails released only in the state capital Juneau and only as hard copy - 24,000 pages no less. So, the dim bulbs in the media had to go all the way to Alaska and cart a couple of dozen heavy cartons of paper back to their journalistic shit holes in New York and Washington before they could begin to look for dirt. But then it dawned on them that they didn't have enough staff to do a search. They thought they were going to get the lot handed to them on a plate electronically.
Oh shit, they cried as Sarah laughed her head off.
Both the New York Times and the Washington post have asked for unpaid volunteers to come in and do their dirty work. They are so close to death they can't afford to do their core business and now resort to begging on the streets for volunteers.
What ever else you do over coming months, do NOT write this lady off. Sarah Palin is smarter, brighter and more astute than the whole Washington press core put together. Whether she runs for president or not, by hell she sure is galvanising the centre right and right in American politics and Obama's coming defeat will be attributable largely to her political skills.
The story does not end there. Without any hullabaloo John Key and the NACTional gummint have adopted similar tactics with our own dead beat almost openly Labour supporting media.
John Armstrong let the cat out of the bag the other day when he observed that Cabinet Ministers no longer give interviews to Radio Left Wing's aggressively pro Labour Morning Report. You see, the purpose of a public interview is to get your message across and the last thing you need is some strident, rude, sinew popping jerk reporter doing his or her best to trip you up. So it's a no brainer. There's plenty of audience on commercial radio and in fact they are more likely to be the people you need to reach. Radio left wing with it's pathetic daily line up of socialists in disguise has a minuscule listenership comprised almost entirely of died in the wool Greens or Labour supporters.
Why bash your head against the wall?
Then there was the town hall meeting in New Plymouth last week. Three hundred people turned up and got to hear and question their PM without any editorial interference from biased media. There will be many more such meetings as the Gummint seeks to counter Labour's lies so ably promoted by our very own necrotic antique media.


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Jonathan Trott breached the "Spirit of Cricket": Sunil Gavaskar to NDTV
Fielding at first slip on the first day, Virat Kohli edged one which Trott claimed to have taken cleanly but then the TV replays showed something which all and sundry criticised later on.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Friday lashed out at England's Jonathan Trott, saying the player "breached the spirit of cricket" by refusing to acknowledge that he had not cleanly taken a catch on the opening day of the first cricket Test. (File Photo)
Fielding at first slip on the first day, Virat Kohli offered a catch which Trott claimed to have taken cleanly but then the TV replays showed otherwise.
"It was quite clear that the spirit of cricket was breached. I think there should have been a sanction against Trott," Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar recalled a similar incident that had taken place in the past, during a match between England and Pakistan.
"The way he claimed it, I believe that we have seen in the past when there was a Pakistani wicketkeeper who appealed against Ian Botham. That was a similar situation and the English media tore him (Pakistan player) apart.
"I don't know what the English media has written now. I do believe if that particular thing needed a sanction (this should also)," he told NDTV.
Gavaskar further said: "If he (Trott) had said he didn't know what had happened, it would have been a different situation. But he was actually accepting high-fives from the bowler, the fielders and that means he was quite sure that it was a catch."
Post-tea, when India were at 259 for three, Kohli, who was on four, went for a cut shot off Graeme Swann's bowling but edged the ball to Trott at slip.
The ball struck Trott's forearm and he dived backward to complete the catch. He, however, dropped it on the turf but still appealed and forced the on-field umpires to refer the matter to third umpire Sudhir Asnani.
But TV replays clearly showed that the ball spilled out of his hand as he dived backward and his body covered the ball before he scooped it up and appealed.
Gavaskar was full of praise for Cheteshwar Pujara, who has slammed his maiden double century to put India in the driver's seat at close on the second day.
"As long as he is performing, he is going to be an asset to the Indian team. He brings calmness to the middle-order. His temperament will tested when he goes out to bat at the fall of an early wicket when the bowler is fresh. But he has got all the ingredients to have a long career."

subset: commoncrawl


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'I Pledge' campaign urges green building professionals to speak out against weak, inconsistent, and confusing IAQ credit requirements in proposed LEED revisions
(Atlanta, GA)—In response to recently proposed changes to the LEED Rating System, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute has launched a public campaign urging the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to strengthen its credit requirements for low-emitting interiors.
Despite the widely-publicized findings of the April 2010 report by Environment and Human Health, Inc.—which criticized the LEED rating system for ignoring the health impacts of product emissions—the proposed changes to IEQ Credit 4 (known as "EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Interiors") fail to make product emissions requirements more stringent. In fact, as currently written, the credit allows for infinite emissions of hundreds of potentially harmful chemicals.
Problems with the proposed credit
"One of the biggest problems with the proposed credit is that it calls for limits on only a fraction of all potentially hazardous compounds—those identified by California as having 'Chronic Reference Exposure Levels,' or CRELs," says Mark Rossolo, director of public affairs at the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. "Unfortunately, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other potentially toxic compounds and complex mixtures that don't have CRELs but that still get released into the air from products. These and other oversights in the proposed credit language can put human health and well-being in serious jeopardy."
Another major problem, Rossolo adds, is the credit's failure to account for the total level of all volatile organic compounds combined, known as TVOC. Since the potential health implications of exposure to chemicals that have combined, or synergized, are not fully understood, a limit on TVOC would serve as a precautionary measure. Moreover, a limit on TVOC would help minimize exposure to the myriad other chemicals that don't have CRELs.
"As the global leader in sustainable building practices, the USGBC has a moral and professional responsibility to ensure that LEED raises the bar as high as possible—and that means removing all stops to protecting the health of green building occupants."
Other drawbacks of the proposed credit include the introduction of complex calculations (which project teams will be responsible for completing), inconsistent chemical emissions criteria (which will lead to confusion and varying degrees of indoor air pollution), and inadequate test methods.
What is the 'I Pledge' Campaign?
The 'I Pledge' Campaign, launched by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, encourages green building and design professionals to take action by submitting a public comment to the USGBC in favor of more stringent product emissions requirements.
Supporters of the campaign can visit www.greenguard.org/pledge and commit to publicly voicing their concerns over the proposed LEED rating system changes. All they have to do is copy GREENGUARD's template letter and follow the simple submission instructions online. Or, if they prefer, they can write their own comments echoing GREENGUARD's concerns.
"Speaking out is free and easy to do, and it's for a very important cause," Rossolo says. "We've got to ensure that LEED upholds one of the most critical tenets of sustainability: protecting human health."
For more information about the 'I Pledge' Campaign, or to make a pledge, visit www.greenguard.org/pledge.
About GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI)
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute aims to protect human health and improve quality of life by enhancing indoor air quality and reducing people's exposure to chemicals and other pollutants. As an ISO-IEC Guide 65:1996 accredited, third-party organization, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute certifies products and materials for low chemical emissions and provides a resource for choosing healthier products and materials for indoor environments. All certified products must meet stringent chemical emissions standards based on established criteria from key public health agencies. GREENGUARD Certification is broadly recognized and accepted by sustainable building programs and building codes worldwide. For more information and a complete listing of certified products, visit www.greenguard.org.


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Attention Local Organizing Team Members and anyone else looking forward to Fresh Grounded Faith St. Augustine, FL!
Take a moment to let others know how God is working in the lives of you and your friends in preparation for FGF Augustine, FL.
Leave a comment below about:
- What you are looking forward to most about FGF Augustine, FL.
- How God is using you or your church to help get the word out about FGF Augustine, FL.
- How God is creatively bringing people into your path to tell about FGF Augustine, FL.
- How God is teaching you to "Walk by Faith, and Not By Sight".
- What tools and ideas you are using to publicize FGF.
What you share will be an encouragement to others. Don't forget about the promotional tools we have available for you here.


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As promised, here is the continuation of the Statistics of Mobile Marketing Campaigns obtained from the book, "Go Mobile" by Jamie Turner. Stay tuned in the next blog entry for more stats and tips about launching a mobile marketing campaign.
- Mobile Ads were opened by 61% of participants vs. standard web ads 7% opened
- Shocking: Approx. 30 secs to make a presentation which typically outline a problem/solution benefit of the product/service. In Mobile, you have 2 seconds! (average time of a double click)
- Google reports 81% of smartphone users access the Internet on their mobile devices. 50% use the internet on the phone while waiting. 70% would rather give up beer than their smartphones if faced with that choice!
- Google: 79% of large online advertisers do not have a mobile optimized website.
- Text are read within 4 mins of receipt as opposed to 48 hours for email.
- Retaining simply 5% of your customers can translate to increased profitability of 75%.
Stay tuned for the next section of my notes from this book, which includes tips on launching a mobile marketing campaign. Visit previous posts on this topic on Mobile Marketing Stats.


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Artichoke Tuna Melt
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 25 min.
Makes6 servings
- 1 loaf (1 pound) French bread
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cans (5 ounces each) albacore white tuna in water
- 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- 2 plum tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- Cut bread in half lengthwise (save one half for another use). Brush bread with oil. Place cut side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Rub cut sides of garlic clove over bread; discard garlic.
- In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder and pepper. Stir in tuna and artichokes.
- Arrange spinach over bread; top with tuna mixture, tomatoes and cheese. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into six slices.
Nutrition Facts1 slice: 533 calories, 31g fat (6g saturated fat), 61mg cholesterol, 1070mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 33g protein.
Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Apr 11, 2017
Love, love, loved this. This elevates the tuna melt to another level! Also, it's super easy! Try it!
Aug 30, 2011
This is soooooooo good! Has anyone tried using basil instead of spinach? Has anyone tried this with ready made garlic bread?
Jul 22, 2011
This is super delicious! I love the garlic taste mixed in with the tuna. Sometimes I don't have time to fix the toast and stack the spinach, tomato, and cheese especially if I want to take it in a bagged lunch. So I just eat the tuna mixture with crackers and it is still really yummy. Then I might eat a spinach side salad so I still get my veggies.
Apr 19, 2011
My husband and I LOVED this recipe. It was pretty messy, I think we could have made twice as much by just spreading the tuna mixture a little thinner, but it tasted very good. What a great way to use canned tuna and make a great meal!
Mar 11, 2011
After it toppled over for me the first two times, I'd recommend cutting the bread in half before sticking it in the oven for the second time. Place the two sides side-by-side to hold each other up. Today I'm lucky enough to clean tuna and tomato out of my oven. :- Aside from that little problem, I'd definitely make it again. :)
Feb 6, 2011
This is a keeper. Even my husband liked it!!


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The South Beach Smoke Deluxe Starter Kit Offers The Perfect Solution To Quit Smoking
Description: South Beach Smoke electronic cigarettes are one of the top electronic cigarette companies in the world that has been improving the science and technology behind electronic cigarettes since its early days. South Beach Smoke e-cigarettes are easy to transport, lightweight and do not create ash or smoke with will bother any non-smokers around you. They also offer a variety of products including deluxe starter kits, reusable express kits in classic tobacco and menthol, deluxe flavored cartridges (menthol, chocolate, vanilla, cherry, peppermint, pina colada, peach) and also disposable battery operated electronic cigarettes that can offer 200 puffs in one use. Deluxe Starter Kit: Our Deluxe Electronic Cigarette Starter Kits are our best options for those ready to make the switch to Electronic Cigarettes. The Deluxe is a 2-component kit that combines your atomizer and electronic cigarette cartridges into one solid piece... giving you a better, cleaner draw. Your kit includes: • 1 Standard Battery - NEW SuperMAX TM Battery • 1 Extra-Capacity Battery - NEW SuperMAX TM Battery • 1 Deluxe USB Charger • 1 Portable Wall Charger • 10 Large Nicotine Cartridges/Atomizers - Equals 14-16 Packs of Cigarettes (Choice of Flavor & Strength) Deluxe Starter Kit Manual Future cartridge purchases will be equivalent to paying approximately $1.41/pack for traditional cigarettes. Retail Value: $59.99
Price: $59.99
Published on Dec 17, 2013


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Beyonce led the list of nominees announced Wednesday for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, collecting a total of 10 nods, followed by Taylor Swift with eight and Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and Kanye West with six each.
Beyonce, Swift, Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas were all nominated in the top Grammy categories of album, record and song of the year.
Swift, who at 19 years old was already a big winner this year at the American Music Awards and County Music Association Awards, was nominated for album of the year for ``Fearless,'' along with Beyonce for ``I Am ... Sasha Fierce,'' Black Eyed Peas for ``The E.N.D.,'' Lady Gaga for ``The Fame'' and Dave Matthews Band for ``Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.''
Nominated for record of the year were Beyonce for ``Halo,'' Black Eyed Peas for ``I Gotta Feeling,'' Kings of Leon for ``Use Somebody,'' Lady Gaga for ``Poker Face'' and Swift for ``You Belong with Me.''
The nominees for song of the year -- a Grammy that is awarded to the songwriters -- are Lady Gaga's ``Poker Face,'' Maxwell's ``Pretty Wings,'' Beyonce's ``Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),'' Kings of Leon's ``Use Somebody'' and Swift's ``You Belong with Me.''
Nominated for best new artist were Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups and The Ting Tings.
The nominees in the top categories were announced during a one-hour concert at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles hosted by LL Cool J and featuring performances by the Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, Nick Jonas & the Administration and Sugarland.
The Grammy Awards will be presented Jan. 31 at Staples Center.


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Checking in on… the Sun BeltPosted by Brian Goodman on February 18th, 2011
Daniel Spewak is the RTC correspondent for the Sun Belt Conference.
A Look Back
- At least it's not a guard this time, we suppose. Senior center Cliff Dixon is the latest victim in the Western Kentucky saga, as coach Ken McDonald dismissed him from the team last weekend for violating team rules. Brown already dismissed point guard Ken Brown for academic violations, while freshman guard Snap Peters is academically ineligible. That's left WKU with a thin backcourt and only two players capable of running the point, and now the team will have to deal with the departure of a frustrating but still potentially useful big man.
- Breast cancer is a disease we can all get behind—and that includes Louisiana-Monroe coach Keith Richard. The school held "Pack The Place Pink Night" during a men's and women's double-header against Arkansas State February 10. For every student that attended, Richard and his wife, a cancer survivor, donated one dollar to research. ULM's men's team lost by 19 points, but more than 2,500 fans showed up, meaning breast cancer research just received a nice boost. No matter a person's income, it's impressive for Richard's family to take on a task like this.
- It's just one day, but the league moved North Texas and Arkansas-Little Rock's make-up contest to March 1 from February 28, according to ArkansasSports360.com. The two teams had a game postponed two weeks ago due to a snowstorm, and the rescheduled game falls just four days before the start of the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
Shout-Out Section
- Solomon Bozeman has always been a scorer, but he's never been a shooter. Until this season. The UALR two-guard is the most efficient three-point shooter in the conference with a 47.8 percent mark from behind the arc. That's amazing considering he'd never shot better than 33.3 percent during his first three seasons. The improved point guard play of D'Andre Williams and Chuck Guy has helped ease the pressure off Bozeman, and that's reflected in the statistics.
- We'll reveal our award-winners from the SBC later this season, but here's an early hint: Jason Jones is an obvious candidate for Newcomer of the Year. The UTEP transfer has added a new element to Middle Tennessee State in the frontcourt, and he's played a factor in MTSU's surge toward the top of the East standings. Even better for the Blue Raiders is that he's got two more years of eligibility.
Quote of the Week
"Fifty-seven percent, case closed… We just don't guard and it is disappointing. Our guys just don't accept the challenge to guard for 40 minutes."
—South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow, expressing his frustrations with his team's shooting defense (via Yahoo! Sports)
Power Rankings
1. Florida Atlantic (18-9, 10-3): Two weeks ago, we said the East was "all but over." With a month left in the season and teams crumbling around the conference, Florida Atlantic looked immune to struggle. The Owls were perfect: efficient offensively, dominant defensively and playing as one cohesive unit. So much for all that stuff. FAU has lost two straight games and three of five, which included an ugly 69-42 loss at Denver February 10. Gregg Gantt scored two, yes, two points against DU in that defeat. And that's your leading scorer for the league's top team, ladies and gentleman. Florida Atlantic still leads Middle Tennessee State by two games with three remaining and already swept that series, so it'd take a collapse of epic proportions for FAU to lose its division title. Still, the Owls aren't invincible anymore, which means we're heading toward a wide-open conference tournament next month in Hot Springs.
Up Next: Feb. 19 at FIU, Feb. 24 vs. Troy, Feb. 27 at USA
2. Middle Tennessee State (14-13, 9-5): This conference is officially insane. Middle Tennessee State, which appeared dead two weeks ago, suddenly had life with FAU's stumble… before promptly losing at Troy last night in overtime, meaning it will need a miracle to take the East crown. Losing at Troy isn't the worst offense a team can commit. After all, Troy beat Denver at home last weekend and has lost just two conference home games this season. It's simply maddening, though, for coach Kermit Davis's team to win five straight games, get back into contention and then shoot 0-9 in the overtime period against a beatable team with just eight overall wins this year.
Feb. 19 at UALR, Feb. 22 at Houston Baptist, Feb. 26 at WKU
3. Western Kentucky (13-13, 7-6): Would you look at that! A .500 record for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers! It took until February for WKU to reach even again after a 2-5 start in November, but Ken McDonald's squad has finally figured out how to play basketball—together, you know, as a team. Point guard Jamal Crook, one of the catalysts of this modest turn-around, made the game-winning shot last night to lift WKU to an important win at Arkansas-Little Rock. Star forward Sergio Kerusch only scored three points, but frontcourt mate Steffphon Pettigrew helped him out with 18 points and 10 boards. They've both been inconsistent this season, along with newcomer Juan Patillo, but lately at least one of these forwards seems to emerge in each game.
Up Next: Feb. 19 at ULL, Feb. 24 vs. FIU, Feb. 26 at MTSU
4. Troy (8-17, 6-7): Don Maestri's guys have been quite the pests this season. Although Troy played like one of the Sun Belt's worst teams in November and December, the Trojans are just one game under .500 in conference play and, like we stated earlier, has lost just two league games at home. Will Weathers may turn the ball over too much, but he makes plays for star Vernon Taylor and controls his team's up-tempo pace. Troy can score—we know that—and when it defends, it can win. Heading into the SBC tourney, this is a typical "sleeper." Troy has no expectations after losing five starters and nothing to lose, so there's no reason it can't make a run in March.
Up Next: Feb. 19 vs. ASU, Feb. 24at FAU, Feb. 26 at FIU
5. Florida International (9-16, 4-9): The swagger the Golden Panthers had early in January has vanished. The team started 3-0 but has won just one game since—a one-point victory at Troy in early February. There is obvious talent on this team, but it hasn't quite come together. Poor free throw shooting has doomed FIU in particular. One positive from this recent slide: freshman point guard Phil Taylor, who missed most of the season due to eligibility issues, is logging a ton of minutes in the backcourt. Better yet, he's producing—he scored 21 points in a loss at Middle Tennessee State last weekend.
Up Next: Feb. 19 vs. FAU, Feb. 24 at WKU, Feb. 26 vs. Troy
6. South Alabama (10-14, 4-9): You heard it from coach Ronnie Arrow above. USA's not defending well enough to win right now, and it's not getting enough from Tim Williams, last year's leading scorer. He's shooting less than 40 percent from the field and has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio. After a mid-season revitalization, South Alabama has lost three straight and doesn't look like a team able to compete in the league tourney.
Up Next: Feb. 19 at Denver, Feb. 24 vs. UALR, Feb. 27 vs. FAU
1. Louisiana-Lafayette (11-14, 8-5): It's the most improbable climb imaginable. Louisiana-Lafayette is atop the West Rankings after sitting one spot from the cellar two weeks ago. The team that started 3-14 has now won eight straight games, and it's one of only two SBC teams to win at Florida Atlantic in league play. Just a game out of first place, the Rajun' Cajuns are our pick to stun the conference and earn the number one seed in the West Division. It's difficult to explain just how surprising this winning streak is. Until the past few weeks, we've treated this as a "throw-away" season of sorts for coach Bob Marlin in his first year. His track record at Sam Houston State speaks for itself, but he dealt with too many injuries and lack of personnel to win this year, right? Apparently, that's not the case. ULL's playing physical basketball and has a tall, tough starting lineup, and Marlin has his players defending—they held FAU without a basket for the final 11 minutes of the game. There aren't many offensive stars on this team, but that's the beauty of Louisiana-Lafayette. With Travis Bureau and J.J. Thomas playing hard-nosed basketball on the boards, this is an efficient squad on both sides of the floor. For what it's worth, we did say in November that Marlin would at least keep this team competitive in the West. But there's no way anyone could have predicted this.
Up Next: Feb. 19 vs. WKU, Feb. 24 vs. Denver, Feb. 26 at ULM
2. Denver (13-13, 9-4): It's hard to slide the team with the best record in its division to the second spot in the power rankings, especially since Denver did beat ULL on its home court. That game happened back in December, though, and it's obvious that the Rajun' Cajuns have changed, both in terms of momentum and just sheer roster moves. The two teams play each other Feb. 24 to possibly decide the West title, so we'll see then which team deserves the championship. Denver has been difficult to figure out lately. The Pioneers embarrassed Arkansas State 74-36 at home in January, leaving fans shaking their heads at the putrid offensive output of ASU. Less than a month later, the two teams met again in Jonesboro, and Denver was the team that finished with 35 points in a 25-point blowout. Yet DU found a way to limit the league's best team in a 69-42 win over FAU Feb. 10. The real problem with this conference is that nobody can win on the road.
Up Next: Feb. 20 vs. USA, Feb. 24 at ULL, Feb. 26 at UNT
3. Arkansas State (14-14, 8-5): Speaking of road woes, Arkansas State's got them too. It has won only one league road game this season and even lost at Savannah State Feb. 1. It's a good thing, then, that Arkansas State is perhaps the Sun Belt's most dominant home team. With an undefeated record at home, ASU could realistically win this division if it can win at Troy tomorrow, considering its final two games are at the Convocation Center. Maybe senior D-Ray Boone can lead his team to a title in his last hurrah. We've been waiting for Boone, who led the team in scoring two years ago but missed the 2009-10 season, all year. He may have finally emerged, as he's scored in double figures in five straight games.
Up Next: Feb. 19 at Troy, Feb. 24 vs. North Texas, Feb. 26 vs. UALR
4. North Texas (17-8, 6-6): UNT's season isn't over yet by any means. Mathematically, the Mean Green are still in the West race with four games remaining. More importantly, this season can still be a success with a conference tournament title, and this senior-laden squad is more than capable of pulling that off, especially considering how wide open the field appears. If the Mean Green don't act fast, though, there's no chance they'll improve enough to get on a roll. Frankly, they'd been putrid the past few weeks before knocking off South Alabama yesterday. Point guard Josh White is the key to a potential turn-around. He's the Sun Belt's leading active scorer, but he's not making plays with the same frequency as a senior. North Texas doesn't have a whole lot of offensive punch on the bench, and it needs White to find another gear before time runs out.
Up Next: Feb. 19 vs. ULM, Feb. 24 at ASU, Feb. 26 vs. Denver, March 1 at UALR
5. Arkansas-Little Rock (14-13, 6-6): The team that didn't win a road game last year finally got it done away from home, winning at ULM February 12 for its third road win of the season. And then, UALR suffered the most heartbreaking loss of the season when WKU's Jamal Crook secured the ball in a scramble situation and made a game-winner with less than a second to play at the Jack Stephens Center last night. The Trojans had played so well at home throughout the 2010-11 campaign, and after securing a rare road victory, the loss makes a West title nearly impossible.
Up Next: Feb. 19 vs. MTSU, Feb. 24 at USA, Feb. 26 at ASU, March 1 vs. UNT
6. Louisiana-Monroe (6-22, 1-13): This season was lost from the day it started for the Warhawks, so disregard the record and all the bad losses and remember this: ULM still hosts Louisiana-Lafayette one more time in the season finale Feb. 26. This season is still meaningful for coach Keith Richard. He'll be a god if he can find a way to knock his archrival out of first place in the West division on the final day of the season, no matter how many losses his team has already suffered.
Up Next: Feb. 19 at UNT, Feb. 26 vs. ULL


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The California Supreme Court's ruling yesterday permitting undocumented immigrants who graduated from California high schools to continue to pay lower, in-state tuition at state universities has sparked a predictable outcry in some quarters. Critics, including the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that challenge state law permitting the discounts, suggest that undocumented students might be creating overcrowding on campuses or bankrupting the state.
That's bunk. Whatever you think of the issue of immigration, the numbers and facts suggest that no one should much worry about the particular issue of undocumented immigrants attending California colleges. Why? Because there are so few of them, far too few to create any fiscal problem for California's university systems.
Even if you accept the estimate by the Immigration Reform Law Institute, which brought the suit, that 25,00 undocumented students attend the state's public colleges, you're talking about a tiny number. That's well less than one percent of total enrollment.
The real number may be even smaller. As the LA Times explains:
"Under California's nonresident tuition exemption, approved in 2001, public colleges can offer in-state tuition to those who attended California high schools for at least three years. Some of those students are illegal immigrants. Others are U.S. citizens who attended high school in California but whose families may now live elsewhere, or those who moved out of the state to study or attended boarding schools in California....
"At the 10-campus University of California, about 2,019 students paid the in-state tuition provided by the law, according to statistics for the 2008-09 school year. About 600 are believed to be undocumented, UC officials said.
"About 3,600 Cal State students qualified for in-state tuition under the law, which saves them about $11,000 a year. California's community colleges enroll about 36,000 students who pay the lower fees as a result of the law, which saves them an average of about $4,400 a year. Cal State and community college officials said they did not know how many of those are illegal immigrants but that those students too deserve an education."
And yes, that last note. It's not merely that students who grew up going to California schools deserve an education. It's that California has a huge interest -- educationally, culturally, and economically -- in producing more college graduates. By some estimates, the state is projected to have 1 million fewer college graduates than it needs by 2025. Figures suggest that in immigrant communities, the high school dropout rate is high.
So the problem in this case isn't that undocumented immigrants are attending public universities here. The problem is that they are so few.


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If Google Is the Inverse of Apple, Then is Eric Schmidt the Inverse of Steve Jobs?
For those among us who don't yet understand Google's mobile strategy, CEO Eric Schmidt has a helpful postulate: Google is the inverse of Apple.
And since, as Schmidt argued at TechCrunch Disrupt yesterday, "Apple's core strategy is closedness," it follows that Google's is open.
"With Apple's model–which works extremely well, as I know as a former Apple board member–you have to use their development tools, their platform, their software, their hardware," Schmidt explained. "When you submit an application, they have to approve it. You have to use their distribution. That's not open….The inverse would be open."
And that would be the model touted by Google. Of course, Google (GOOG) is really only open when it comes to products it doesn't make much money on. So in that sense its strategy is also the inverse of Apple's (AAPL), which generates quite a bit of revenue.
See? As Schmidt said, this open thing is "much easier to understand by opposition."
Think Different. Think Closedness.