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New Clothing Standards set by National Party
The National Party has set a new standard how it expects the lower classes to dress. National ministers Anne Tolley and Party-leader-in-waiting, Judith Collins, began with this sexist attack on Green Party co-leader, Metiria Turei,
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Obviously, Tories cannot abide poor folk and their elected representatives becoming ‘uppity’ and above their ‘station’ in life. This public excoriation of Ms Turei is the Tory way of telling some stroppy “n—-r” to get back in line.
All dressed up as “political argy-bargy”, to make it seem like Parliamentary business-as-usual.
The Tories won’t be happy until Turei (and poor folk) dress accordingly,
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(Note; the above examples of Dress Standards for Poor People is a guide only. The National Party suggests sack-cloth, grass skirts, and rags are always fashionable amongst the down-and-out. Nudity is fine – especially for comely females in the presence of male National MPs. Any unemployed poor person wearing shoes – of any description – will be immediatly means-tested and their benefit halved. Obviously they are receiving far too much if they can afford shoes.)
Next chapter in National Party policy: How changing the flag will raise 250,000 children out of poverty (but not too far out of poverty)
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References
Radio NZ: PM says ministers not bullying Turei
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Above image acknowledgment: Francis Owen
This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 1 February 2014.
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Some pure wisdom from Facebook…
Amongst all the dross, BS, and outright hoaxes, occasionally one finds something on the ‘net that is a little nugget of wisdom…
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Hat tip
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How human is Michael Laws?
This is a Cyberman. It is devoid of emotions, compassion, and empathy for others.
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It is a fictional character.
This is a Borg. It also is also devoid of emotions, compassion; and empathy for others.
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It also is fictitious.
This is Michael Laws. Ex-Member of Parliament for NZ First. Ex-Mayor of Whanganui. Current member of
He is a real person (as far as we know).
Is he also devoid of emotions, compassion; and empathy for others?
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Read this exchange between Laws and a mother on Facebook, and be the judge yourself.
Hi
I am a mum of a child with Smith Magenis Syndrome and your comments about DS are so ignorant. My son, like many children with DS, are thriving. It is amazing what early intervention can achieve. There are kids with DS getting their driver licences and being accepted into US universities without any quotas. My son is loved by his classmates at 6 years old and their parents often say to me how he enriches the class. Genetic testing should be available but I’m not sure people in your position should promote it. Cost to the health system? Let’s test unborn children for the cancer gene then and abort them too. What is the point of spending so much money on a kid that will just die? How does that feel. Maybe think before you put a knife in other parents heart. Kirsten
Seriously YOU’RE ignorant.
No-one wants a Downs Syndrome kid – 9 out of 10 women understandably abort if there’s the risk, and good on them.
Zealots like you want decent people to share your experience. Sorry, we don’t want to. Thank God we have the test & that the vast majority of women make the choice.
Wow. I can’t believe you actually wrote that. Yeah I must be seriously ignorant.
PS what do you mean by decent people. Are you suggesting that I am not a decent person as I have a child with a disability
Please share it – PLEASE.
The rest of NZ does not want to have a Downs syndrome child: that’s why there’s a test. And when we discover there is a heightened risk, we abort. Perfectly correct.
You’re not decent because you want to impose your child’s affliction on others. That’s monstrous.
My child’s afflictions on others? If that is so “monstrous” why didn’t you arrange for his murder when he was diagnosed at 18 months. 1 in 8000 chance that I had an abnormal pregnancy. Not quite as simple as you may think
Shall I repeat what you said?
“Genetic testing should be available but I’m not sure people in your position should promote it. Cost to the health system?”
You’re a zealot; bye bye.
Most parents don’t want disabled kids. End of story & the Downs test is classic proof.
… and I’m a DHB board member, very proud that our DHB offers local women that test and that option and the opportunity to abort, if they so choose.
I’m a lawyer … so thank you
then if you really are a lawyer you shouldn’t be lecturing elected DHB members to deny their constituents the right to test their foetuses for Downs syndrome and having the option to abort if it tests positive.
Lecturing? Responding to a public post. Happy to send these messages to the DHB and see what their reaction is.
You’re a zealot and now bugger off: your threat is pathetic.
And abortions thank God are still available to Wanganui women with Downs positives – fantastic policy. Stops fascists like you imposing your weird moral choices.
Will do. You have done yourself a favour
Like most people I’d automatically abort a DS foetus. Commonsense.
Didn’t you tell me to Bugger off last night? Why contact me tonight. How are you going with aborting people with ms tosa
“Today ” . . but obviously freud msy have had a point
Replying to last msg from you. now off you go.
Oh you think you need to have the last word. Good on you.
Fuck off and don’t contact me again.
I didn’t contact you after you told me to “bugger off” and after your incredibly hurtful comments. You decided to contact me this evening and then tell me to “Fuck off”. I’m the insane one?
Yep you’re a nutter and you DID contact me – now FUCK OFF: can’t make it plainer.
I contacted you in relation to your public comment which you are happy to share with the world. You have chosen to contact me and once again insult me tonight. What is with you?
PISS OFF
It is said that the civilised nature of a society can be judged by how well it values and protects it’s most vulnerable people. I’m not about to start passing comment or judgement on what prospective mothers should do if they are carrying a DS foetus. That is a matter deeply personal to them.
On an issue as sensitive as this, would it be too much to ask for a human being to show a measure of compassion for others?
I am not demanding that Laws agree with others on this matter. He obviously has his own viewpoint.
But where is his empathy for others who are determined to share their lives and love with their Downs Syndrome children? Where is the compassion? His understanding?
It is troubling that with such trenchant views and a strident manner in expressing said views, that Laws is a member of the Whanganui DHB. His apparent lack of empathy on this issue would seem to be counter-intuitive to his role within the health system that has as it’s first priority to help people in the most compassionate way possible.
The medical system is not here to make determinations in a manner so callous as Laws’ expresses.
It is a cruel, cold, world of steel and relentless ‘logic’ that Michael Laws inhabits. One that would suit Cybermen and Borg very nicely.
I doubt most of us would fancy living in it.
Laws’ comments come at a time when attention is also focused on intemperate comments made by National Minister, Judith Collins, on Twitter (see: ‘The Standard‘, Judith Collins: The obnoxious right; ‘The Daily Blog‘, How much more of an arsehole can Judith Collins be while Nelson Mandela is mourned? UPDATE).
What is it about New Zealand politics that seems to bring out the worst in some people?
This blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 12 December 2013.
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Other blogs
The Daily Blog: Will a staff member at the Whanganui District Health Board please make a formal complaint about Michael Laws?
International Socialists Organisation of Aotearoa/New Zealand: Michael Laws: a sexist, eugenicist toad
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Kamikaze Kiwis and a deathwish on wheels *Update*
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This is a laudable plan from our Boys and Girls in Blue, and I’ve no problem with it. Holiday periods are generally a bad time on the roads where every manner of bad driving habits are manifested by drivers.
With increased numbers on our roads during the December/January period, such bad driving habits are multiplied, until a “critical mass” of stupidity is reached, or peoples’ luck just runs out.
It’s often not speed per se that is the dangerous driving habit of many drivers. Case in point…
On 23 November, after a three and a half month absence down south, I was returning home. On SH1, somewhere on the open road north of Christchurch and south of Marlborough, I encountered some driving practices that simply took my breath away.
All involved tail-gating on such a dangerous level that, at any moment, I expected a crash.
The first was a light-coloured Pajero, driven by a male and a female passenger, who first tail-gated me. At several points he was so close to me that I could barely see his headlights – they were below the line-of-sight of my vision, hidden by the spoilers of my own vehicle.
It wasn’t as if I was travelling at some silly slow speed on the open road; I was driving at, or just about 100kph.
After several minutes of the driver’s menacing behaviour, I pulled out my cellphone to call *555 and warn police that a madman was loose on our highways.
As I gave Police details of what I was witnessing, the Pajero overtook me; the driver gestured (no, not a friendly wave); and then proceeded to tailgate the next car – a reddish-orange, early model American sedan. After several minutes, the Pajero overtook the American car and sped off into the distance.
A little later in the day, I witnessed not just another instance of tail-gating – but an attempted over-taking manouver that very nearly ended in disaster.
Check out the photo below. Note how close he is to the red car in front of him. Note his position on the road – he is about to attempt an over-taking manouver.
Note the blind bend we are approaching.
And note the on-coming traffic!!
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Luckily, the driver of the Bluebird saw the on-coming vehicle as well and quickly swerved back into our own lane. Had he completed pulling out and attempted to over-take, it would have ended up with lethal consequences.
By the way, the same Bluebird had over-taken me a little earlier. As he passed me, I noticed a young child in the back seat.
As someone who often drives on the open road, I sometimes witness mind-boggling instances of tail-gating and dangerous over-taking.
I’ve never witnessed so many hair-raising incidences in one day and on one road.
Today (6 December), I finally emailed Assistant Commissioner on Road Policing, Dave Cliff, on this problem. I asked him if tail-gating was to be treated with the same attention and severity as speeding,
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from: Frank Macskasy
to: Dave Cliff <dave.cliff@police.govt.nz>
date: Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 1:40 PM
subject: Road safety enforcementKia ora Mr Cliff,I am aware that Police are reducing speed tolerances over the December and January period, ostensibly to reduce the road toll during the Christmas/New Year holiday months.
Whilst I have no problem with this policy, I am enquiring what steps the Police will take regarding other dangerous driving practices.
Specifically, I am referring to the increasing prevalence of tail-gating.
On 23 November this year, whilst driving north on SH1 between Christchurch and Picton, I encountered several instances of dangerous tail-gating. One driver – rego [redacted], a Pajero – drove so close behind me that his headlights were almost below line-of-sight of the rear of my car.
The driver persisted in his menacing behaviour, forcing me to phone *555 to lodge a complaint.
After the Pajero driver over-took me, the male driver proceeded to tail-gate an orange, early-model, American car (a Charger, I believe).Travelling at 100kph on the open road, had I or the driver of the Charger been forced to brake suddenly, the results would have been predictably disastrous.
On the same day, and stretch of road, a grey Bluebird, rego [redacted], was seen to be tailgating another car in front of me, and made a hair-raising attempt to over-take as we approached a blind-bend. (See pic attached).
Even on urban motorways such as SH2 and SH1 in the Greater Wellington region, I witness dangerous and increasingly stupid instances of tail-gating.
One of the first things I learnt as a learner-drive in my teens was to keep one car distance per each 10kph driven speed.Many of these instances I have described would be lucky to have had two (or maybe maximum three) car distances between them.Will police be focusing on this dangerous practice? And will you be highlighting this in any upcoming media conference?
I believe this matter deserves as much attention and action as your crack-down on speeding drivers.
Regards,
-Frank Macskasy
[image above attached]
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It will be interesting to see what reply, if any, Assistant Commissioner Dave Cliff makes on this.
In my humble opinion, tail-gating and dangerous over-taking as dangerous – if not more so – than speeding. The potential for disaster increases as such stupid behaviour becomes more and more reckless.
If you encounter such unbridled stupidity on the roads, ring *555, and inform the Police immediatly. You could be saving a life.
*Update*
I received this response four days later,
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from: HEALEY, Bryan <Bryan.Healey@police.govt.nz>
to: Frank Macskasy
date: Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 9:15 AM
subject: Road safety Enforcement
mailed-by: police.govt.nz.
Frank…..I am in receipt of your email to Ass. Commissioner Dave Cliff.
My question to you is, do you want to make a formal complaint against the other drivers or work through the Community Road Watch Programme?
The formal venture is by way of court action, the CRW programme is none formal and brings the matter to the attention of the drivers manner of driving.
Please advise.
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I responded, thusly,
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from: Frank Macskasy
to: “HEALEY, Bryan” <Bryan.Healey@police.govt.nz>
date: Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 5:14 PM
subject: Re: Road safety Enforcement
mailed-by: gmail.com
.Kia ora Bryan,
I would be more inclined to pursue the option of the Community Road Watch Programme. It is less punitive and hopefully should serve to remind the drivers that tail-gating (especially as I encountered it) is unacceptable behaviour (and potentially dangerous).
As I wrote originally to Ass. Commissioner Dave Cliff, the practice of tail-gating seems to be becoming a more regular occurrence and I was interested whether or not Police intend to focus on this offense, as they will be on speeding over the December/January period?
In the meantime, pursuing this matter with the two drivers through the CRW Programme appears to be the best option.
Regards,
-Frank Macskasy
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I realise I could have insisted on a prosecution – but in instances like these, education might be more effective than putting someone through an expensive Court system?
It was interesting to note that Snr Sgt Healey did not reply to my question;
“…the practice of tail-gating seems to be becoming a more regular occurrence and I was interested whether or not Police intend to focus on this offense, as they will be on speeding over the December/January period?“
Let’s hope the wheels are slowly turning on this problem at Police HQ.
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Disclaimer: I’m no saint, and have had my share of parking infringement notices and speeding tickets. Especially in my wilder, youthful days.
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Farewell, Nelson Mandela…
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Nelson Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013)
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Truly, one of the giants of the 20th century has passed away. If the human race is to survive and progress, with social justice all all, and an end to prejudice and intolerance – then we will need leaders like Nelson Mandela to show the way.
Perhaps there is hope for us yet, as we cling to this insignificant little blue-green planet, at the edge of the galaxy…
Thank you, Mr Mandela, for showing us that there are better ways to live.
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Geoff Robinson – an era ends.
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Morning Report co-host, Geoff Robinson
Photo Acknowledgement: Sunday Star Times
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It was a feeling of sadness and a losing a familiar part of my world , when I heard today (28 November) that Geoff Robinson would be resigning next year, on 1 April, from his role as Radio NZ’s Morning Report co-host. (see: Geoff Robinson to leave Morning Report)
Geoff Robinson had been a part of my mornings since I “discovered” Radio NZ in the early 199os. He had been part of my mornings since then, outlasting several partners/lovers, and being there as I had my brekky and first of umpteen coffees.
His style was professional and reassuring. He asked the questions and voiced pertinent points from his guests that screamed from my own thoughts. He always sounded chatty and “laid back” – but his subtle questioning could be deceptively edgy and insightful.
It’s a cliche, I know, but he will be a tough act to follow.
I will miss him terribly. Like a family member who hangs around, never really imposing himself, but always with something interesting to say.
I thank Geoff for making my mornings something to look forward to. How else could one face a Monday morning after a relaxing weekend?
And I thank Geoff for giving us notice up till 1 April. I shall be making the most of the time left and relishing every moment of the time he has given us.
Enjoy your retirement, Geoff. And your lie-ins. You’ve more than earned it.
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“Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?” - Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2
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Random Thoughts on Random Things #1…
Why is it…?
That a fictional woman, in fictional stories, wearing a mask, is seen as a crime-fighting hero, fighting evil-doers and worth a billion-dollar Hollywood/entertainment industry…
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But a real woman in a niqab seems to freak out so many people?
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Just something to ponder…
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