Saturday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation. You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, amuse, bemuse or simply muse, but not abuse.
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Homepaddock 
To answer to Jabba’s misguided question on yesterday’s WOT post I offer the following video
These scenes have been and are been repeated across the world and it always someone elses fault – just like any rapist who blames his victim so does the Empire of Destruction blame the leaders of the nations they have raped and destroyed.
Today it is Syria and Ukraine who are getting the treatment
It St Valentine’s day – feel the love
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Key’s sending our soldiers off to fight in a war we don’t need to fight in, shouldn’t fight in, will suffer if we fight in.
Good one, Key!
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“Key is dreaming”
Gordon Campbell’s not fooled:
“One rationale for our involvement that Prime Minister John Key has repeatedly given is that the new government in Baghdad is now more inclusive, and won’t be repeating the sectarian mistakes of the past that have driven the Sunni population into the arms of Islamic State.
Key is dreaming.”
http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2015/02/12/gordon-campbell-on-iraqs-foreign-minister/
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Convention centres, Sky City anyone?
“Firstly, it is widely acknowledged by pretty much every independent economic analysis of convention centers you can find that they’re a massive scam that construction companies and politicians perpetuate on taxpayers. The promised benefits never match the tax write-offs and other public costs these companies impose, and in the case of casinos they’re completely wiped out by the negative impacts of the business.”
https://dimpost.wordpress.com
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in answer to RG here’s JC’s link from the other day reposted. A deeper more insightful look at the issue than whet the loopy left are providing: http://www.kiwipolitico.com/2015/02/media-link-to-the-point-on-nz-and-is/
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It is not a left/right issue Paranormal
It is a matter of whether you are docily be willing to participating in enterprise to regain the oil facilities of Mosul by use of force after a local warlord using arms taken from Libya and moved to Syria to render that nation ungovernable.
And as we know if we do get involved in “training” Iraqis to fight that after they are trained and issued with American supplied arms most of them will either join ISIS or some other mercenary army in the service of some local warlord but what the heck and will not solve the problems for the unfortunate inhabitants of those lands but exacerbate them
Anyway the defeat of ISIS will not occur in Iraq but in Syria and that situation is a gordian knot the unraveling of which is all but impossible.
A chaotic quagmire created by the same cretins who are also hell bent on starting a European War
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Absolutely Andrei. if the west is to go in all gung ho (like the last time) it will only create more martyrs for the cause. We do however need to address IS and their fellow travelers.
As for the oil reserves there is an interesting geopolitical battle playing out over fracking. The Saudis (and OPEC) are battling on the commercial front both the cheap IS oil and the west’s increased reserves and production. With the US now being a net energy exporter, and the technology is universally available that other countries may become self sufficient in the least, it’s interesting to watch the different political factions doing their thing.
In my comment on the loopy left I was more referring to RG’s previous comments that we should rely on diplomacy. I’m pretty sure IS, Al Quaida and the Taliban are not currently interested in discussing matters of mutual interest.
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Has anybody heard how much the taxpayer has to stump to Skycity yet?
I know our bOb is worried about it.
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Stop the bus. I just found out. Watching cricket you see:
“SkyCity has agreed not to pursue a financial contribution from the Government and instead will amend its design to ensure the facility can be completed without financial input from the Crow.
“I welcome SkyCity’s agreement with the government’s approach. This clears the path for the project to continue.
“I have repeatedly stated since December that our least preferred option is for the Government to contribute funding for the project. I am pleased to confirm that will be the case.
“SkyCity will now work on a revised preliminary design in the coming weeks and will submit it on a date that will be agreed by both parties,” Mr Joyce said.
Not a bad result and the opposition will be pleased.
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“from the Crow” – wonderful!
Key took a mighty whipping over this one and has been forced to eat…Crow!
Delicious.
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In any case, jabba, Matthew Hooten seems to be unconvinced by your, Joyces and Farrar’s argument:
“That remains to be seen.
A few questions:
* Does the lesser design mean it will be smaller (take fewer people) or just that it won’t be as nice a place to have a convention?
* With the new lesser design, can the convention centre compete for business with Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Singapore?
* With a lesser design, is there any chance it can it make a profit?
* If it can’t make a profit, will there be an OPEX subsidy from taxpayers or ratepayers?
* Who carries the risk if CAPEX still goes over $402m, despite the lesser design?”
Kiwiblog
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Hooten also says:
“They are not being made to stick to the terms of the contract at all. They are being told they can build a smaller convention centre than the one we have been told is necessary to compete for international business.”
Oh dear!
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Whipping!
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Who said this?
“I fear ministers are confusing public interest with their own interest. It’s easy to see why.
To tell us who was briefed, and on what date, would be to tell us who was responsible for such an appalling and unacceptable undermining of Parliament.
But that’s how accountability works. Sure, it’s in ministers’ interest to duck and weave. But that is not the public interest.
And, yes, Sabin is gone. But a problem lingers: on what date were relevant ministers briefed about the police investigation – and why did they take no action?
It’s very uncomfortable. That’s all the more reason why we need answers.”
Rodney Hide. On Mike Sabin and the desperate dodging that’s going on throughout the John Key camp.
Countdown…
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Thanks Mr G, I mean bOb. You just confirmed what I suspected the reaction to be. It didn’t matter what the decision was, you muppets would have a negative response.
It is possible that one day in the distant future, your former party will get into Govt and then reality will hit. Will not be a good look so good to see you abandon ship early.
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And regarding the Sabin issue. I read on the Radio Live FB page what he is ACCUSED of.
I don’t know why John Key hasn’t broken the law and told us all what it’s all about, but, Labour and your former party must also know but for some reason won’t say. Interesting.
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I’m with you on both counts, Jabba. Key and Joyce proved themselves muppets with the Sky City
BadDeal and the truth should be known about ex-National Party (John-Key led) MP, Mike Sabin.LikeLike
So, Sky City went to the Govt requesting a top up of about 130 mil. The Govt, as they should, went away to consider the request.
The media/opposition parties/public became aware of the situation.
Meetings/negotiations took place and the Govt said NO.
The opposition parties and protest groups claim credit for the Govt telling Sky City that the answer is no.
Go figure.
It’s like The Gweeeeeens claiming credit for the home insulation programme.
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Your delusion is a pretty one, Jabba. Nurture it, fawn over it. Make it grow.
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Jabba – that convention centre, eh! Sky City got heaps of concessions from that deal, but now they are going to build a little convention centre that Key describes as “an eyesore”, instead of the one the deal called for, and you trumpet that as a win for John Key???
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Spin, Jabba, spin, for all you are worth!
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And ease up on Gwen, man. You’ve rubbed her good name in the mud quite enough, thank you. What sort of a misogynist are you?
Poor Gwen.
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