Less sleep makes you a fat drunk smoker | NEWS.com.au

And on that note..... I should got to bed!

From the Telegraph:

Whatever your political inclinations, there is an inescapable human tragedy here: an intelligent, if wrong-headed, man who seems to have no idea what is so unattractive about his behaviour, or any inclination to make the concessions which would put it right.

And that is, I admit, quite fascinating. But other politicians have been emotionally tone deaf in this way - Edward Heath comes immediately to mind - without their inadequacy in this area becoming the stuff of public obsession.

It may have been Mr Brown's misfortune to have his particular idiosyncracies exposed in a period when voyeurism and the morbid exposure of personalities to unconscionable strain has become the currency of entertainment.

He has inadvertently facilitated the process by which politics becomes a species of reality television. In the Westminster village, we are all waiting for the next installment.

Will Mr Brown crack at the next PMQs and have to be led out of the chamber? Will we actually get to see him reduced to incoherent rage during his next television interview? Whose kick-and-tell memoirs will be next to reveal the details of his sulks and private outbursts?

On the flip side, this article suggests Gordon Brown would be a more successful PM 20 or 30 years ago.  If that's the case is it fair for the media to home in on his personality flaws...?  If only our media would home in on Helen Clark's arrogance, nasty put downs and miraculous ability to call others hypocrites and be guilty of doing the exact same thing but to a much greater degree. 

But then I think of how Don Brash was mascaraed for his seemingly bumbling and quaint style. 

So I can see the argument from both sides of the coin.  However, personality flaws are very much a matter of perspective, so to answer my question - no it isn't fair. Gordon Brown, Don Brash, UK politics

Quote

It was difficult to know why Cullen was so incensed. Was it Key's claim that Labour in general and him in particular had been deceitful? Or the claim that the Prime Minister's chief of staff Heather Simpson had successfully pushed for the buyback in the face of the Finance Minister's opposition that the price was too high?

Heather Simpson has been described as New Zealand's most powerful unelected official - ever.  So this doesn't surprise me at all.  No wonder Cullen is easily aggravated and often appears grumpy when he's over ruled by the likes of Heather Simpson.

...I believe the address they've given isn't that of their party's financial officer therefore the pamphlet is illegal under the terms of the Electoral Finance Act.  An Act they voted for. 

Okay, besides that hypocritical breach the pamphlet draws attention to topical environmental issues, which is good. 

What is not so good is their rationale.  On biofuels:

In particular, they must be substantially reduce carbon emissions compared with fossil fuels, they must not be made from food crops or by taking up food producing land, and they must not lead to destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Quote

The "we know best dogma" that characterises socialist governments everywhere, and which is at its epitome in our Labour-led Administration, has had its

Quote:

Rennie said the incentives meant people were being encouraged to save in one way when there were many ways people could save.

"People save in many different ways, not just by putting money in the bank.

"Yet it is now more rewarding for people to join KiwiSaver than it is to pay off debt or a mortgage, or to invest in business or an education.

I'm a fully signed up Kiwisaver because with the incentives you're foolish not too.  The goal of Kiwisaver is to increase 'new savings', but if the quote above is anything to go by it maybe just shuffling money from one form savings to another with a huge amount of government money involved.

Vip fleet - 88 vehicles, comprising of 45 chauffeur-driven and 43 self-drive (2006 figures) include 34 new BMW's to replace Fords in VIP fleet, to be phased in over three years.

The BMW 7-series was controversial when it was first launched in 2002.  The car heralded BMW's new styling direction under design boss Chris Bangle.  The styling is polarising, by I like it.  I've no problem going against the grain.

And it appears I'm going against the grain of public opinion on whether the government should've brought these cars.

In terms of engineering, prestige, functionality, and environmentally, the 7-series ticks all the boxes.  Sure they maybe on the pricey side, but at least it's something we can see for our money.

"Mr Key is not going to risk electoral wrath by promising to privatise an SOE when he made a commitment otherwise. Instead a National Government will have to try to make the railways profitable - a feat that has defied previous Governments - and get by with less cash to spray around on Mr Key's own pet infrastructure projects."

Who's to say whether nationalising Tranz Rail is good or bad for the country.  Surely if it were a good thing Labour would've done this years ago instead of in the eleventh hour of their third term. 

The issue with the NZ railway system is managing it in such a way that it doesn't soak up huge amounts of cash yet still manages to give a good service.  If Labour can achieve this then power to them.  But because they've nationalised it so late in the piece I guess we'll never know.  Instead it'll fall to National. 

A suspicious mind would wonder whether Labour has done this just so they have something to taut National with while they're in opposition. 

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Johnson wins London mayoral race

It's just gone midnight in the UK and the paper shrewders are working over time in London city hall destroying evidence linking Ken Livingston to all the shady people he's funded using public money.
Not a moment too soon Boris!

Some great Boris quotes:

It is just flipping unbelievable. He is a mixture of Harry Houdini and a greased piglet. He is barely human in his elusiveness. Nailing Blair is like trying to pin jelly to a wall.

I'm backing David Cameron's campaign out of pure, cynical self-interest.

I think I was once given cocaine but I sneezed so it didn't go up my nose. In fact, it may have been icing sugar.

I have as much chance of becoming Prime Minister as of being decapitated by a frisbee or of finding Elvis.

The dreadful truth is that when people come to see their MP, they have run out of better ideas.

My friends, as I have discovered myself, there are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters.

I can't remember what my line on drugs is. What's my line on drugs?

 

Technorati Tags: Boris Johnson,London,Mayor

Rudd enjoying a long honeymoon | NEWS.com.au

Kevin seems more concerned with self promotion than policy.

From Bill English's conference speech:

"What is Labour’s plan for the economy? Here is Labour’s economic strategy, as described by Helen Clark last week.

She was asked if there was anything the Government wanted to do that it hasn’t done yet. She said: “It has taken time to work up the kitty for Working for Families. It has taken time to work up the kitty for interest-free loans and early childhood programme. So undoubtedly there will be areas we will build on for next time which will be new.”

So there it is – the economy is for Labour the way they build up the kitty for sweeteners, for giveaways in election years, using your money to buy your votes. Your money – they’ll be spending it."

"Labour's top echelon are committed internationalists. I've always found their practice of running a sophisticated agenda offshore, while stirring up domestic unease for political purposes, cynical in the extreme".  Link.

 

The new leader of the Nats is pushing all the right buttons so far. He’s a smooth operator which is in contrast to Dr Brash.

Although I’ve liked what John has said his speeches are full of feel good phrases and words used to appease the media and people with huge chips on their shoulders but doesn't really mean much. For example talking about ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘tangata whenua’ really means bugger all in the lives of everyday New Zealanders. It’s interesting to see Brash detractors warm to Key when all that’s change is the language rather than the policies – stupid if you ask me.

Anyway here's my favourite quote from John’s State of the Nation speech;

"For me, politics is not about the pursuit of power for the sake of it. Unlike some, I won't measure the success or failure of my political career by the number of years I hold office."

“You'll see this later today in Labour's response to this speech. A press release will come out listing a whole lot of programmes Labour has piloted and reviews it has introduced. It will tell you the cost of each of them.Well, I'm not interested in spending money simply to allow me to ease my conscience, look busy, or fend off attacks from the opposition or the media. I'm interested in results.”

Although not universally liked I had a lot of respect for Don Brash.  In many ways he's the polar opposite of Helen Clark; polite and principled with a good sense of humour.  But in the end Dr Brash became victim to Clark's shrewd political spin machine.  This is a victory of spin over substance. 

John Key is the likely successor.  He has the makings to be popular, but I'm not sure of him yet.  He trumped Cullen in the finance debates last election.  So either way Clark's toast! Don Brash

Yesterday North Korea tested a nuclear weapon under ground to the out cry of many countries around the world. Many people are contrasting Iraq's lack of WMDs with North Koreas apparent nuclear test. However the big difference is korea's next door neighbour China. North Korea is pretty much under the Chinese thumb with China providing a life line to the country. And in return China uses North Korea as a lighting rod to defect attention from it's own problems. But the erratic Kim Jong-il must be worrying for even China.

Over 10,000 more civil servants have been employed by the govt over the last seven years.  This means:

• More desk space occupying over 40% of Wellington's CBD.

• Office area increases from 226,124m2 to 371,547m2

• Translates to 37 rugby fields - with 15 added on in the last 7 years.

• 34,000 more people employed in the state sector.

• Total of 280,000 people employed by the state.

Yet no increase in serves!

"Little to indicate New Zealanders are getting more services and better results for the large increase in resources....What little information exists is not encouraging"  Treasury Report, 2006.

So there we have it. There are more civil servants to moderate our lives and to collect taxes for the govt coffers. And more state sector employees to pay union fees which ultimately fund Labour's election campaign. Tidy little arrangement.

Just because the economy is doing well doesn’t necessarily mean the country is doing well. This was highlighted by outgoing Fletcher Building chief executive Ralph Waters.

Politicians tend to spin economic data to their own means, so it’s hard to get the full picture. But when a high power executive uses his farewell lunch to warn about the economy with no apparently gain to him, I took note:

The record $14.54 billion current account deficit should have shocked people out of their complacency, but that had not happened. "Strong economic activity that is consumption-driven is also a bit misleading as to how we are really traveling. The current account deficit is a reminder but, in the main, the country seems oblivious to the large structural imbalances," he said.

"Yet as a country we do all we can to discourage major manufacturing investment here, with the lack of certainty of power, its uncompetitive pricing relative to external options and the success vested interests have in making meaningful new investments very difficult, if not near impossible.

"These are false luxuries that the country cannot afford."

Makes ominous reading. I think the lack of certainty of power is a critical issue. How many more rivers are going to be damned and how much more coal is going to be burnt – both environmentally unfriendly, before NZ bites the bullet and goes nuclear? I’m not necessarily pro nuclear, but what I object to is putting the NZ future at risk for the sake of anti-nuclear political rhetoric.Electricity, economy

This article in the Telegraph reaffirms to me why capitalism is good.

"What has caused this massive benefit to the poor? A series of government regulations? A good-looking politician with an easy smile and a "vision"? No. Capitalism.

No single individual did it. Thousands, or millions, did it. They were not directed by any central agency. They just operated in a capitalist system."

"Who invented cars? Who refined their design and manufacture to the point where they are affordable by millions of people? Not governments. The diverse, resourceful, determined power of capitalism.

Why does the system work? Because it provides incentives and motivation. If you invent something, you may get fame and fortune. If you supply food or cars cheaper, you get more customers. Simple enough."

Thanks to Capitalism I drive a refined European car instead of a crap Lada.   Sure capitalism has its faults, but I'm not going to jump on the anti-capitalism bandwagon just because it's fashionable.  capitalism

• Having just one bottle of beer after each working day costs the planet 120kg in greenhouse emissions each year.
• mowing the lawn and odd jobs around the home produce almost 3.75 tonnes of emissions each year
• Australian mothers juggling child-rearing responsibilities and housework pumped out more than four tonnes of emissions a year.
• Using a leaf blower once a fortnight for 15 minutes to clear up the garden and driveway produces almost 8kg annually.
• Mowing with a two-stroke fortnightly for 20 minutes burns 29kg each year and buying a sandwich every day accounts for 120kg, including the production and transportation of ingredients.
• Daily computer use produces 240kg of greenhouse emissions each year and watching TV for four hours a week pumps out 46.8kg.
• A sedan driven 40km five days a week spews out more than 2.7 tonnes of emissions. Taking the bus would slash that to 888kg.

Basically whatever we do produces carbon.  So instead of continually scrutinising auto and air travel perhaps the spot light should be shone on those hippies who buy sushi for lunch . carbon