tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137880612024-03-07T21:52:49.823+13:00Too Right - Moving at the Speed of LifeToo Right is a supporter of enterprise and small government living in Auckland City. This blog will communicate his observations on issues that take his fancy. He welcomes comments on his blog.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.comBlogger542125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-79095409514115461672009-02-12T14:20:00.002+13:002009-02-12T14:26:58.064+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Deja Vu All Over Again</span><br /><br />Jennifer Marohasy<a href="http://www.jennifermarohasy.com/"> blogged</a> before the catastrophic Victorian fires that we'd been here before.<br /><br />Then the fires came.<br /><br />What is interesting is her blog reported cyclones striking Townsville and 40C in Melbourne.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"IT has been very hot in southern Australia. I have been waiting to hear someone blame global warming and it came, but only today, and I’ve only heard it from Climate Change Minister Penny Wong: ”The scorching weather across southern Australia proved the accuracy of warnings by climate change scientists.”</span> <p style="font-style: italic;">Of course it’s been hot before in southern Australia. <br /></p> <p style="font-style: italic;">“THE oppressive heat was a major talking point of the vast and drought stricken country of Australia.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">“While cyclonic winds have been lashing the coast off Townsville, the temperature today soared to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 C) in Adelaide and Broken Hill, and 104 (40C) in Melbourne.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;"><span id="more-4148"></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;">“So dry is much of Australia that the riverboats on the Murray have come to a stand still. On a cattle station in central Queensland, it is reported that the kangaroos are too weak to hop and the kookaburras can no longer fly.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">“In Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, the New Year sees these State’s battling to recover after recent bushfires. But if its not fires it would be floods, and if not floods it would be drought.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">“In the north the odd cyclone adds a bit of interest by knocking down a few towns, or sinking the fishing fleet. Australians are used to having nature knock them off their feet every so often.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">“The country has battled through the long droughts, and seen the downturn in the bush rush right to the doors of the city banks. But the crashes of the nineties are behind as the New Year comes near.”</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">The date of the excerpt she quotes from - The text was published on January 1, 1900. </p>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-18995094642970594442009-02-02T13:24:00.004+13:002009-02-02T14:52:59.860+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Turnbull Turns the Hose on Rudd</span><br /><br />In a refreshing resonance with today's Brash Op-Ed piece mentioned earlier, Australia's <a href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24992898-7583,00.html">Opposition Leader Malcom Turnbull excoriates the Australian PM Kevin Rudd</a> for his latest attempt to respond to the global economic turmoil.<br /><br />Turnbull with typical and apposite bluntness says - doing something is not doing anything.<br /><br />Rudd has proposed setting up "Ruddbank" - a joint venture between the four Australian trading banks and the Australian Government where the Government takes up the facility extended by foreign lenders on commercial property if the lender wants to exit the loan. Yep - it's as simple as that a - preferred position for Australian commercial property and the Aussie banks. They get to maintain their "value" throuigh the sohistry of the arrangement - explain that to the thousands of equity holders in companies and the superannuation scheme operators who are writing down their investments to market prices. It seems like a mad scheme.<br /><br />The reality Turnbull points out is to transfer commercial property risk directly from the lenders and building owners to the taxpayer. Simple as that. Why?<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">The conflicts are enormous. Consider a syndicated loan secured on an Australian office building. Valuations have declined in line with the market and in the normal course of events the lenders are likely to choose to stay with the credit rather than risk forcing a sale and a possible loss on their loans.</span><br /><br /><p style="font-style: italic;">However, thanks to Ruddbank, the foreign lender knows that if he demands his money back and threatens to force a sale the Australian lenders will lean on their Government partner to secure a replacement loan from Ruddbank. </p> <p style="font-style: italic;">After all, the Australian banks don't want a forced sale because they might lose money. Better to get the Government to take out the foreign bank and ensure a lower value for the building is not realised with all of the implications that may have for their other property loans. </p> <p style="font-style: italic;">In the commercial world in circumstances like these, "new money" has a lot of leverage and can demand priority over existing loans. But in Ruddbank the "new money" of the Government is going to be guided by the conflicting vested interests of the "old money" of the big four banks. </p> <p style="font-style: italic;">It's a game in which the taxpayer is being set up to lose. </p> </blockquote><p>Rudd's Government appears to have learnt nothing from its initial foray into interfering in the market. </p> <p></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><p>After all, it is only a few months ago that Rudd gave an unlimited guarantee of all bank deposits. He did so without discussing the proposal with the Reserve Bank and within days governor Glenn Stevens was pointing out the growing dislocation in financial markets the rash decision had created and begging the Government to impose a cap "the lower the better". </p> <p>The dislocation was considerable and has not been reversed. Some 250,000 Australians saw their investments in mortgage funds and cash management trusts frozen. Finance companies were unable to raise short term finance with the consequence they could not continue to finance car dealers.</p></blockquote>To fix the dislocation and destruction of the retail car industry Rudd said they would set up a finance company to extend loans to car dealers...talk about law of unintended consequences ...however;<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">And so the Government moved to set up a finance company to provide finance to the vehicle retailers. Nearly two months later it is yet to start financing and car dealers around Australia are struggling to stay in business.<br /><br />Rudd is keen to be seen to be doing something about the global financial crisis, but that is no excuse for doing anything. </blockquote><p></p>Rudd says it will save 50, 000 jobs. It is difficult to see what jobs will be saved - except maybe Rudd's and that of his erstwhile Treasurer Wayne Swan.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-62346219728370242732009-02-02T13:00:00.002+13:002009-02-02T13:16:59.373+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Don Brash with a few home truths</span><br /><br />There is an excellent <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10554617">Op-Ed in today's NZ Herald by former Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash</a>, in response to the <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10553539&pnum=2">recent article by Dr Bryan Gould</a>, former British Labour Party member and ex VC of Waikato University.<br /><br />Gould's thesis is to blame the global economic turmoil on the market system and in particular its lack of regulation. ..."Gould implies that the crisis was caused by "free" and unregulated markets, especially in the financial sector.<br /><br />Brash is withering in his attack -<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"This [blaming the "unregulated financial sector" for the global woe] is quite simply nonsense. Banks may be relatively lightly regulated in New Zealand (where there is no banking crisis), but they have been highly regulated in the United States and Europe for many years."</blockquote>Government agencies specify minimum capital levels that banks must maintain, enforce a wide range of rules and restrictions, including limits on concentration of credit risk, limits on net foreign exchange positions and much more. They have monitored those rules by regular on-site inspections.<p style="font-style: italic;"></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"In many ways, this intensive supervision by official agencies made matters worse by leading bank customers to assume that banks were effectively "guaranteed" by Government, thereby enabling banks to operate with levels of capital well below those regarded as prudent in earlier decades. Perhaps even more serious, intensive supervision led some bank directors to suspend their own judgment, and believe that they were behaving prudently provided they were observing all the rules.</blockquote><p style="font-style: italic;"></p><p style="font-style: italic;"></p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Gould seems not to have noticed that the crisis emerged not in the essentially unregulated hedge fund industry, </blockquote><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">or even among private equity funds,<br /><br />but in the most highly regulated part of the financial sector, namely banking.</blockquote><p></p><span style="font-style: italic;">Gould argues that "Government involvement in the management of the economy is essential", implying that that has not been the case in recent decades. Again, that could hardly be further from the truth.<br /><br />Government taxation and spending make up some 40 per cent of total economic activity in most developed countries, and in all developed countries regulations of one kind or another tightly control what businesses can do.<br /><br /></span><span>This is well worth the read. </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><blockquote></blockquote></span>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-56316813835111259152009-01-30T13:06:00.002+13:002009-01-30T13:14:49.069+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Obama's Achievement of Change in Washington has so far come to zip</span><br /><br />The stimulis package has passed through the House and despite The One's oratory he blew his first chance at genuine consensus politics. <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/toby_harnden/blog/2009/01/29/hollow_victory_republicans_deliver_slap_in_the_face_to_barack_obama">Not one Republican voted for it. 11 Democrats voted against it. </a>That is big news. Not one squidgy Republican crossed the line.<br /><br />Obama met with Republicans prior to negotiate a consensus and to sell the package. Some salesman - He made no changes following those discussions. The result is that Obama and the DNC will completely own the result.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-6941360455982072512009-01-29T17:53:00.008+13:002009-01-29T18:17:54.870+13:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xRzH4lZ2MdkNJQ9KRCbdDOh9opGTaciiyOaonFqii84fD7hl813GQclbWpHKAidWp_YbL_FB-2Lueqy7mCk7OMcUT6fUF5sQiembJsRWgPq9fKNRdrZMT9ZSCYdy4pDf5BsWFQ/s1600-h/snow+20+deaths.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 62px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xRzH4lZ2MdkNJQ9KRCbdDOh9opGTaciiyOaonFqii84fD7hl813GQclbWpHKAidWp_YbL_FB-2Lueqy7mCk7OMcUT6fUF5sQiembJsRWgPq9fKNRdrZMT9ZSCYdy4pDf5BsWFQ/s200/snow+20+deaths.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296578444909024658" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gore Still Lying His Way South</span><br /><br />Gore's opening statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today:<br /><br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/al-gore/were-arrived-at-a-moment_b_161627.html">We are here today to talk</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> about how we as Americans and how the United States of America as part of the global community should address the dangerous and growing threat of the climate crisis.</span><br /><br />The weather in Washington on arrival...20 dead and many frozen.<br /><br />Gore's fellow alarmist James Hansen of NASA has been <a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/01/27/james-hansens-former-nasa-supervisor-declares-himself-a-skeptic-says-hansen-embarrassed-nasa-was-never-muzzled/">punk'd by his former supervisor at NASA</a>, Dr John S. Theon: “As Chief of several of NASA Headquarters’ programs (1982-94), an SES position, I was responsible for all weather and climate research in the entire agency, including the research work by James Hansen, Roy Spencer, Joanne Simpson, and several hundred other scientists at NASA field centers, in academia, and in the private sector who worked on climate research,” Theon wrote of his career.<br /><br />Theon has publicly declared he is in the rapidly growing ranks of the Skeptics.<br /><br /><strong><em>Now remember...</em></strong><br />Arctic <a href="http://www.dailytech.com/Article.aspx?newsid=13834"><strong>sea ice growth</strong></a> finished the year in 2008 at the same level as 1979.<br />The <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/sep/HQ_06318_Ocean_Cooling.html"><strong>oceans have been cooling </strong></a>since 2003.<br />Sea ice is <a href="http://www.dailytech.com/Sea+Ice+Growing+at+Fastest+Pace+on+Record/article13385.htm"><strong>growing at the fastest pace</strong></a> on record.<br />A <a href="http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/dec/08/rare-50-year-arctic-blast-sets-sights-on/"><strong>rare 50 year arctic blast </strong></a>is cooling the west coast.<br />Greenland's <a href="http://astuteblogger.blogspot.com/2009/01/uk-glaciologists-greenlands-glaciers.html"><strong>glaciers are stabilizing</strong></a>.<br />There are <a href="http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20081112/twl-environment-us-climate-ice-1202b49.html"><strong>growing fears</strong></a> of a coming freeze worse than the ice age.<br /><a href="http://littlegreenfootballs.com/link/112772_Alaskan_Sea_Glaciers_Advancing_For_First_Time_In_250_Years."><strong>Alaskan Sea Glaciers are advancing</strong></a> for the first time in 250 years.<br /><em><strong>And,</strong></em> for the second straight year the Earth is, in fact, <a href="http://needsofthemany.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/the-dreaded-cooling-of-planet-earth/"><strong>cooling... not warming</strong></a>.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-15199396776759116172009-01-29T17:53:00.003+13:002009-01-29T18:04:02.441+13:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M0zvpyZU81KJyy4q9uf8anm_ZV8m3qPYjj11_o6PTTvmY2S9zhWLsuum_CZ1xtw1lyIP6kF3BrPlWDk2QDeOTDgerYi8m0OeJSiZWavk2FquXTz2GC4m9VNuZ5-VDaInreOxTA/s1600-h/alg_obama_door.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M0zvpyZU81KJyy4q9uf8anm_ZV8m3qPYjj11_o6PTTvmY2S9zhWLsuum_CZ1xtw1lyIP6kF3BrPlWDk2QDeOTDgerYi8m0OeJSiZWavk2FquXTz2GC4m9VNuZ5-VDaInreOxTA/s200/alg_obama_door.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296576253442007970" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brilliant O is is not infallible after all</span><br /><br />Having endured endless mocking on Letterman amongst others of Dubya trying the locked door in Beijing as "proof" of his inability to be Pres I have been rewarded with The One not able to remember the door to his own office. I'll bet this doesn't get the coverage Dubya got. Just proves the misogyny of the media.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/28/2009-01-28_hey_bam_thats_not_the_door.html">The door is on the left Bam!</a><br /><br />Hat tip: <a href="http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/01/super-genius-obama-tries-to-enter-oval.html">Gateway Pundit</a>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-44166591516052620422008-12-08T12:01:00.004+13:002008-12-08T12:14:24.717+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Williams Obfuscator-General</span><br /><br />Following Prime Minister Key's direct "invitation" to Mike Williams on Sunday's Agenda, Williams has said he has already resigned his GOVERNMENT directorships. Scrutiny reveals he has apparently indicated his "intent" to resign - there is a difference. However at Too Right we are sure he is on his way and not before time.<br /><br />Williams has since said his departure is complicated by his <a href="http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2008/12/07/12438537a5a2">signature/name appearing on a Genesis Bond</a> Issue <a href="http://genesisenergy.co.nz/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=D5E84D68-BB1D-3854-1909-938A45463514&siteName=genesis">See here </a>for the Prospectus.<br /><br />The Prospectus is dated 25 November 2008 - 17 days after Willam's mob were thrown from the Treasury seats. His complication holds no water. He could easily have resigned prior to the registration and publishing of the Prospectus.<br /><br />He should also step aside at <a href="http://www.arta.co.nz/about-arta/company-and-board-structure/board-of-directors.html">ARTA (the ARC controlled transport agency</a>) where his particular skills will no longer be needed following the axing of his direct line to the Prime Minister.<br /><br />Wasn't it delightful to hear Key say "Mike Williams was a political appointment to these boards because he a friend of Helen Clark. He brings no commercial nous to those positions" ....brilliant understatement.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-90535436639254204242008-11-09T11:18:00.001+13:002008-11-09T11:18:42.193+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">It Was All About Trust</span>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com160tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-76146044839322020282008-11-06T16:02:00.002+13:002008-11-06T16:26:15.499+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Work Starts Today Mr President (elect)</span><br /><br />Deep strategic thinker and nemesis of America's enemies and erstwhile friends, John Bolton, has penned a very useful note to Barack Obama. Despite Obama being extremely inexperienced in Foreign Affairs Bolton points out the Obama Administration will be full on with Foreign Relations for all its four years.<br /><br />Presciently Bolton informs Obama America's enemies will not give him a honeymoon and it is likely the testing of weak points has already started.<br /><br />The full letter is here:<br /><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Congratulations, Mr President-elect, on your victory. After the longest presidential campaign in our history, you now have 77 days to prepare to govern. While foreigners might see eleven weeks as an eternity, you know only too well that it is precious little time to select your top advisers and then subject them to our cumbersome FBI and ethics screening of their backgrounds, their finances, their potential conflicts of interest, and whatever skeletons are hanging in their closets.<br /><br />Then, of course, they need to learn the intricacies of their respective responsibilities, and, for many, begin the Senate confirmation process, which may take months. Time is already growing short.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">The current economic turmoil will consume a significant amount of your Transition Team’s time and effort, and properly so. But in the wider world, our adversaries and even our friends are actively considering how to advance their interests as your January 20 Inauguration approaches.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">You will have four full years of foreign-policy issues and problems, such as the rise of China and India, the decline of the European Union, and the role of Russia, but I suggest the following as priorities in your first Hundred Days:<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">You are the decider.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Although President Bush tried to make this his mantra, his Administration was plagued in its first term by incoherence in national security decision making. Crisp decisions were not made, strong differences of opinion among Cabinet Secretaries were not resolved, and policy too often oscillated between conflicting options with no consistency or direction.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Ironically, the Bush Administration’s second term erred in the opposite direction, almost eliminating differences in advice to the President until there was really only one voice in his ear at critical points. You must avoid both pitfalls, and you must make that clear immediately. You must resolve disagreements among your advisers, and not allow drift, and you must insist on discipline once you make a decision.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">If anyone disagrees with this approach, you may invite them to do the honourable thing and resign, or not sign on in the first place. Iran Tehran’s ruling mullahs have no intention of affording you a “honeymoon”. They will move quickly to test your resolve both on their rapidly progressing nuclear weapons program and on their massive support for international terrorism.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Nearly six years of European diplomacy has failed to slow Iran’s nuclear program. Five UN Security Council Resolutions demanding that Iran halt uranium enrichment (and imposing risibly weak sanctions) have had essentially no effect.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Russia in particular is using Iran as the sharp tip of the spear to disrupt our policy throughout the Middle East. Moscow will watch what you do just as intently as Tehran. Any new President will be advised to engage in at least some renewed diplomatic effort. But do not be fooled. Insist on three months of intense, good-faith negotiations, and we will soon find out if Iran is serious.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">If not, which I believe to be demonstrably the case, suspend negotiations quickly. Then, ratchet up efforts on the only options, unattractive though they are, that have a chance of stopping Iran from acquiring deliverable nuclear weapons: regime change or the targeted use of military force against Iran’s nuclear program.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">If you wait longer, you will surely have the worst of all worlds: Iran with nuclear weapons, and an even greater threat of nuclear proliferation as other Middle Eastern states draw the appropriate conclusions from its success at thwarting our non-proliferation efforts.<br /><br />North Korea<br /><br />We are kidding ourselves if we think North Korea will ever voluntarily give up its nuclear weapons program. Even during the campaign, as the Bush Administration was squandering our negotiating leverage, North Korea continued to try to proliferate ballistic missile technology.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">As with Iran, there is essentially no chance that Pyongyang will be talked out of its nuclear weapons. Moreover, with the world in near-complete ignorance about the state of Kim Jong-il’s health or plans for regime succession, even more uncertainty surrounds the intentions of this prison camp of a country. Expecting that the long-running Six-Party Talks will “solve” the North Korean problem is a delusion.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Instead, you must deal directly with China as the highest priority in our bilateral relationship, and insist that we act together to eliminate the current regime in Pyongyang and is nuclear program, and ultimately reunite the Korean Peninsula.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">China needs to understand that leaving the North with nuclear weapons is not an option, and that their inaction will have an increasingly negative impact on our bilateral relationship. Beijing alone can change North Korea, and it needs to get started.<br /><br />America’s Image<br /><br />Do not let global “public opinion” about the United States, from Albania to Zimbabwe, dissuade you from doing what you think is right for America. Your job is to defend and advance our interests and values, a task which invariably will displease our adversaries, and even many of our friends, especially those who wish we were, well, more European in our behaviour and attitudes.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">What we must do, however, is more effectively advocate the policies you will be pursuing. Failure at both the political level in Washington and abroad, and at the level of the career Foreign Service, made the Bush Administration one of the most tongue-tied Presidencies in our history. We should try to shift international public opinion to support our policies, not modify our policies to try to satisfy international public opinion. The State Department will not understand this distinction. You must.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">A final word<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">Many U.S. and foreign commentators have been quick to tell us that America is in decline, and that our role in the future will not be what it once was. They will be correct only if you fall prey to their pessimism.<br /></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="story2">And if you do, rest assured that they will shortly turn critical of “American isolationism,” just as they have been critical in recent years of “American unilateralism.” You will never satisfy them. Defend America and its friends, and the rest will take care of itself. </p>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-71802950080305016532008-10-23T23:33:00.002+13:002008-10-23T23:43:22.566+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour donor is Asian organised crime boss - Latest TGIF about to break<br /><br /></span>Ian Wishart is trailing Instalment Two of the immigration corruption saga that is pointing straight at the heart of the Labour Government.<br /><br />Wishart is doing a marvelous job of putting a little bit out there each week and following up with a new devastating revelation. I'll bet this week is not the complete story - we have two more weeks to run. Next week will be huge if he is following this strategy.<br /><br />I wonder what spin the ninth floor will run tomorrow afternoon - given they'll know more of the story than you and I - but probably not as much as Wishart - the paranoia must be palpable. The fear will be picking up those neck hairs, real nice.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Here's what Ian is saying:<br /> </span><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; text-decoration:underline;} span.EmailStyle17 {mso-style-type:personal; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:windowtext;} span.EmailStyle18 {mso-style-type:personal; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#1F497D;} span.EmailStyle19 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; color:#1F497D;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal">Last week we gave you a heads up about part one of a major political scandal involving two cabinet ministers, a former minister and a mysterious Chinese migrant awarded NZ citizenship on ministerial intervention…<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This weekend, Part Two of the story breaks: <i>TGIF Edition</i> reveals the migrant’s REAL name, his past,<span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span>and the fact that he’s an Asian organised crime boss who not only donated to more Labour MPs than Helen Clark admitted last weekend, but who also employed a honey-trap in his bid to gain political influence within Labour.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Forget tinpot controversies about impoverished Thai tilers. Forget about whether Owen Glenn gave Winston $100K. You’ll learn tomorrow how New Zealand’s immigration system has been compromised by Asian organised crime buying residency, citizenship and political favours, and turning New Zealand into a money-laundering financial hub.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Like we said last week, this is the biggest political scandal of recent times, and it’s unfolding only in the pages of <i>TGIF Edition</i>.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Don’t miss out, subscribe now at <a href="http://www.tgifedition.com/">http://www.tgifedition.com</a></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.tgifedition.com/"></a> <o:p></o:p></p></div>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-72399499889149171142008-10-21T23:25:00.002+13:002008-10-21T23:34:14.810+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Clark and Cullen in charge the last time inflation hit 5%</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10538631">Eighteen years ago</a> New Zealand's inflation rate hit 5% - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Clark">Helen Clark</a> was Deputy PM. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Cullen">Michael Cullen</a> was Associate Minister of Finance. These clowns have learned nothing.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-24374073688889875542008-10-12T19:09:00.002+13:002008-10-12T19:14:48.644+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">BNZ For Sale?</span><br /><br />I have been hearing strengthening rumours that the National Australia Bank, BNZ's owners, have it up for sale. Part of a plan to sell down and strengthen the mother ship.<br /><br />Let's hope Toll's Paul Little has not been advising the nab Board on how to negotiate with the New Zealand government - particularly Michael Cullen - I can just see Cullen and Clark adding this to their pile of nationalised businesses.<br /><br />Any others heard this?Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-24736096706478650622008-10-12T12:11:00.003+13:002008-10-12T12:15:40.025+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Labour's Prostate Shower Policy</span><br /><br />In a very amusing way a fellow guest at a dinner party last night said Labour's Prostate Shower Policy was the pits. Prostate referred to the <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10536946&pnum=0">dribbly showers Labour is promoting.<br /></a><br />Could catch on as a slogan.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-82516871694183038702008-10-06T14:03:00.002+13:002008-10-06T14:11:29.724+13:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">iPredict not looking Good for Clark</span><br /><br />I have been mining a rich vein of late at <a href="http://www.ipredict.co.nz">iPredict</a> where I have been able to make good money (+11% real) or probably about +250% on an annualised basis.<br /><br />Basically I have been continually shorting Labour as the next Prime Minister. Happily for me my predictions are proving apposite and her stock continues to drop. I think she is in a slow glide to the bottom. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.ipredict.co.nz/Main.php?do=stock_detail&stock=PM.LABOUR" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ipredict.co.nz/graph.php?sym=PM.LABOUR&size=sml" alt="iPredict.co.nz" /></a>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-73330933557930322442008-09-20T13:09:00.005+12:002008-09-20T13:33:18.729+12:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Starry, Starry night - Don McLean - Vincent - Devonport Wharf</span><br /><br />In a good poser for Saturday <a href="http://www.whaleoilblog.com/?q=content/starry-starry-night-and-devonport-wharf">Whaleoil has passed on his latest scraps </a>from his deepthroats at MFAT and the Beehive.<br /><br />For my perspective I suggested <a href="http://www.whaleoilblog.com/?q=content/starry-starry-night">the links</a> might be a dodgy developer called Don McLean is tied up with Winston? Perhaps he was the developer of the now defunct Devonport Wharf emporium and now banned fishing spot.<br /><br />Another thought is Phil Goff (or Filk Off) rhymes with Gough (but it is Vincent van Gogh as in Go). Perhaps it is another emerging scandal with the Navy - which parks near by the Devonport Wharf. In fact whatever assets they have are parked up due to Phil's party's poor procurement and purchasing.<br /><br />Lastly - perhaps this is a BBQ at Phil's with his old 1970's varsity mates from Princes Street Labour Branch - plotting the demise of helengrad and organising a putsch.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/4692319a12.html">In Western Australia the Liberals in coalition with the Nationals have narrowly taken the parliament</a> after only installing a new Liberal leader 5 weeks out from the election, removing decades of corrupt Labor rule.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-77271964383429101312008-09-19T13:07:00.009+12:002008-09-20T13:01:46.499+12:00<h1>Italian model plans to sell virginity for 1m euros</h1><br /><br />A stunning italian model born in Sophia Loren's hometown, Naples has offered her virginity for one Million euros. The proceeds are to buy a house in Rome and pay for acting classes. She may need the classes before the debut!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iX-JGOvdBQhQt3svCqVGRcBsTEcTu2UFVzmueJXVuU7BBDrbangaQQai2OgZhujvnmeanuZpnPwk1FJBUsvumXOhGDzOjGOTWFlVRFOzIMdkayihbrTf1cFED22sidJ_A3MfFw/s1600-h/raffella-fico-460_979555c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0iX-JGOvdBQhQt3svCqVGRcBsTEcTu2UFVzmueJXVuU7BBDrbangaQQai2OgZhujvnmeanuZpnPwk1FJBUsvumXOhGDzOjGOTWFlVRFOzIMdkayihbrTf1cFED22sidJ_A3MfFw/s200/raffella-fico-460_979555c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247600570062519842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Showgirl and men's magazine model Miss Raffella Fico, 20, told an Italian magazine: "I can't wait to see who's going to pull out the money to have me." Senorina Fico has appeared in the Italian version of Big Brother earlier this year.<br /><p>"I don't know what it's like to have sex," she told the magazine, Chi, adding that if the man who bought her virginity was ugly then she would quickly get over it.</p><p>"If I don't like him I'll just have a glass of wine and forget about it," said the aspiring actress.</p><p>Her brother vouches she is <span style="font-style: italic;">virga intacta</span> -<br /></p><blockquote>"She's never had a boyfriend. I swear on my mother's grave. She's a devout Catholic and prays to Padre Pio every night," her brother told the magazine.</blockquote>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-70118810406368533672008-09-19T13:07:00.008+12:002008-09-19T17:54:58.681+12:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Short and convenient memories</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.policy.net.nz/blog/?p=824">Matthew Hooton's excellent post last night identifying</a> the NZ First policy approach as Nazism - resonated well with my own concerns.<br /><br />Seeing Clark welcomed by those old biddies at Grey Power and hearing their positive claims about Winston Peters appalled me. The reason? Those older women would have had brothers, boyfriends and (later) husbands who fought and many were killed, in WW11 against the Hilter and his Nazi regime. The point of that war was to remove that scourge. Their families made the ultimate sacrifice.<br /><br />The very tactics Hilter used, as well paraphrased by Mathew, are exactly the tactics these people support applaud in Winston.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:small;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:";font-size:85%;" >First, yes, I do believe that Winston Peters is an evil influence on New Zealand politics and the use of the word “axis” was entirely deliberate, chosen as being more appropriate than “allies” or even “bloc” for the regime he sustains.</span></blockquote><br />They are the ones who should be appalled. Their brothers, boyfriends and husbands if dead will be spinning in their graves. If alive they have stopped thinking.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:";font-size:85%;" >I am told that, soon after Peters’ appointment as Treasurer, then Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash met with his new boss and said he had read New Zealand First’s manifesto and speeches and, assuming Peters was serious, wanted to set up a process to review the RBA and the operation of monetary policy in New Zealand. My source (and you can guess who it may be) said that Peters replied: “Don’t worry about all that. The next election is three years away.”</span></blockquote>It is sick alright.<br /><br /><blockquote><p style="line-height: 14.25pt;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:small;">All Peters’ themes continue to be Hitleresque. Just read “</span><a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0808/S00324.htm" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0808/S00324.htm');" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);font-size:small;" >Conspiracy of Conspiracies</span></a><span style="font-size:small;">“. The imagery is right out of Germany in the 1930s. There is an evil other - “they” - who are trying to harm you. They are foreign. Secretive. And involved in finance. In 1930s Germany terms, he means “the Jews”. Chris is an historian. He knows this better than most. Yet he defends the Nazi.</span></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.25pt;"><br /></p></blockquote><br />Chris of course is Chris Trotter.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-17714275498611750212008-09-18T00:39:00.002+12:002008-09-18T00:54:08.965+12:00<strong>Watch yourself Clark so far 2 policemen have died on your watch</strong><br /><br />In an extraordinary departure from facts, decency and good taste <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10532691">Helen Clark has told a Grey Power</a> meeting that if National was the Government 60 soldiers would have died in Iraq. What utter fanciful and indecent thinking. She later said it was a "back of the envelope" estimate. Good thing she wasn't in charge at any of the battles of the Somme such is her dispassionate view of the armed forces. Her concern was not for the soldiers but to score extremely nasty and cheap political points. Low politics. Clark also forgets she committed soldiers to Iraq - post invasion.<br /><br />Australia who did commit forces to Iraq had a KIA count of ZERO. <br /><br />What we do know is two brave policemen have lost their lives on Clark's watch - blood on hands Helen using your twisted thinking? I think her body count beats the previous administration.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-55402070300907102892008-09-15T20:31:00.002+12:002008-09-15T20:52:35.400+12:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">PM's Department knew months ago or rather last year about Peters's Vegas visit. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/?q=content/vegas-update-clark-tells-more-lies">Whaleoil's deepthroat</a> is close to the mark and identifies who knew what and when. MFAT at the highest levels was well aware Peters was AWOL. So was Clark.<br /><br />Just another lie. This is the usual Clark M.O. - as we are witnessing again.<br /><br />1. Deny any knowledge.<br />2. As the dogs get close admit some recent knowledge<br />3. Use a fall guy to make the admissions - usually along the lines of no one asked the question before. Perfect example seen today following the <a href="http://briefingroom.typepad.com/the_briefing_room/2008/09/clark-cutting-w.html">questioning of Kathryn Street by Ian Wishart</a><br />4. Float rumours Peters may be toast.<br />5 Do nothing - hunker down.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-30991339513318001142008-09-15T16:12:00.003+12:002008-09-15T16:18:58.473+12:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">PM Clark Knew Two Friday's ago Peters Took Unauthorised International Travel</span><br /><br /><a href="http://briefingroom.typepad.com/the_briefing_room/2008/09/clark-cutting-w.html">Ian Wishart's blog</a> has quoted the PM's press secretary that the PM only found out "two Friday's" ago that her Foreign Minister took a personal side trip to Las Vegas to watch a fight while on his way to Singapore from Berlin....yeah right - he disappeared for say four days - into the depths of the US - and she had no idea he was not on the aircraft to Singapore?<br /><br />Either way he and she are toast - he because the side trip did not have authority - she because she knew at least ten days ago and as is becoming habit forming said nothing.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-52661394211136795682008-09-14T22:37:00.003+12:002008-09-14T22:46:15.644+12:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">About to get kicked out of The House - shortly to be booted out of home. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/2008/09/exit-strategy.html">Cactus Kate has an interesting post.</a> She has found a lifeboat being launched on the foundering NZ1. The highly polished floors are a clue. No dust in this joint.<br /><br />Perhaps they are cashing up in case the calls to visit Level 2, Duthie Whyte Building, Corner Mayoral Drive and Wakefield Street, Auckland, becomes too hard to refuse.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-1835095941059212852008-09-14T18:39:00.003+12:002008-09-14T18:51:46.380+12:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Clark Might Sack Peters Now</span><br /><br />As we know Clark has no loyalty to anyone - everything she does is a carefully calculated step. Even her marriage was a convenience to suit her electoral ambitions - by her own words. <br /><br />With NZ First now plumbing depths below the margin of error and likely not in the next parliament she has to do something - Peters must now have absolutely no appeal, offer no options to Labour and has no leverage himself. If she really believes her current polling is because of the Peters/Glenn drama she will cauterise the suppurating sore that is Winston on Tuesday after Henry's (non) evidence to the Privileges Committee. If she doesn't may be Owen Glenn and his fragrant EA Laura Ede will come back to deal with Labour's latest smears.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-22331778532040132562008-09-14T18:28:00.003+12:002008-09-14T18:38:58.414+12:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Nats Surge Ahead National 53 % Labour 35%</span><br /><br />Confirming feedback off the street, and unscientific polls like the Herald and Stuff, Colmar-Brunton poll has Clark's torpid, lying regime in deep trouble.<br /><br />Clark has lost out to Key in the presidential stakes. Game is half over - after two days.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-36776751175120099602008-09-14T13:08:00.002+12:002008-09-14T13:13:57.709+12:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGR-WkZO8ciLq1fE_e6LMo7YHAv7zZ4vYQz7y4-bJyt3MGVox_0-oSbar_Z3alttNP1ZZBks_4r1jO6Kp7jbDDdDkG1cgLWMDq7qONG-BZ0aMNGP9PVCpM_U227k3iyvcTHl2KiA/s1600-h/clark8.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGR-WkZO8ciLq1fE_e6LMo7YHAv7zZ4vYQz7y4-bJyt3MGVox_0-oSbar_Z3alttNP1ZZBks_4r1jO6Kp7jbDDdDkG1cgLWMDq7qONG-BZ0aMNGP9PVCpM_U227k3iyvcTHl2KiA/s200/clark8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245678865868313890" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKAl4XT1vOZF0dLWiTf02seT-_CArWTXj6xHYcTSk_5mCeDbOVM4PhTaCT32PMsFtt_8b95axc2ZGXcVj6o7fMqSjpflGULpr-polrJe3HfwFvuT9D0ITpYjx0kn_494K5-6Maw/s1600-h/clark30.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKAl4XT1vOZF0dLWiTf02seT-_CArWTXj6xHYcTSk_5mCeDbOVM4PhTaCT32PMsFtt_8b95axc2ZGXcVj6o7fMqSjpflGULpr-polrJe3HfwFvuT9D0ITpYjx0kn_494K5-6Maw/s200/clark30.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245678865017035762" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The campaign photo has not been retouched - Yeah Right</span>Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13788061.post-2561032439155950812008-09-13T16:41:00.003+12:002008-09-13T16:53:42.446+12:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3E8VbMPfWY0GsW3KIKr3jdI4vV1Uhf_TImdniV5a_MugXkiyOvNFYVYB3L9us6rm2cKWf_7y3rF0jAQhs9-4IU80G1WkVgsVbR1Bx0QeO5nmkn6NfxUsTVM24XNTxL6OVXSldQ/s1600-h/glenn-assistant-prepared-to-sign-affidavit-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3E8VbMPfWY0GsW3KIKr3jdI4vV1Uhf_TImdniV5a_MugXkiyOvNFYVYB3L9us6rm2cKWf_7y3rF0jAQhs9-4IU80G1WkVgsVbR1Bx0QeO5nmkn6NfxUsTVM24XNTxL6OVXSldQ/s320/glenn-assistant-prepared-to-sign-affidavit-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245363894138158690" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Laura Ede</span><br /><br />Today's <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10531982">NZ Herald carrys a backgrounder</a> on Laura Ede. Miss Ede is Owen Glenn's Executive Assistant and has been a major attraction I suspect with many following the story. Seems she had the media agog at the Auckland Press Conference. As a former physiotherapist may be she could put a few necks back in joint afterwards. She apparently declined to answer whether she had been crowned Miss North Harbour in 1999. <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10531382">With Laura and his crucifix</a> Owen Glenn is ready for battle.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/21734/glenn-assistant-prepared-sign-affidavit">Recalling phoning Winston Peters</a> on the fateful day and prepared to sign an affidavit affirming the same made Winston's denials that much more tawdry.Too Right and Having A Blasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03806669111393946508noreply@blogger.com0