Predictions for a 'credit card thin' election

Right, time to put down some predictions for the next government and the make up of it. I'd be interested in yours.

Looking at the number of seats of 123 (it's said we'll have another overhang)
Labour 47 seats
Greens 10 seats
Progressives 1 seat

National 55 seats
Act 3 seats
United Future 1 seat

Maori Party 6 seats

My head tells me that the Maori Party can't go with National, but something dwelling deep within me feels like the next government will be National led.

In January of this year I called this years election 'credit card thin' meaning the results will be so close you won't be able to slide a credit card between them...I stand by that prediction

Is there an irony here?

John Key yesterday spoke of how he had faith in his Manukau East MP Kanwaljit Bakshi and he "accepted his candidate’s word". Mr Bakshi is accussed of having made a fake job offer to an Indian woman who was trying to get residency in New Zealand.

John Key was very critical of Helen Clark when she took Winston Peters word with the whole Owen Glen donation fiasco.

On the 29th August on TVNZ's Breakfast, here is some of the things John Key said of Helen Clark around the Winston Peters situation

On being asked what he would have done..."I'd have stood him down, when she couldn't reconcile the two positions she had no option." At the time Mr. Key took Mr. Bakshi's word, he hadn't even spoken to him...one could ask the question how has John Key reconciled the two positions of these accusations.

When asked what Helen Clark should have done, Mr. Key said, "She had a duty of responsibility to get to the bottom of it." However John Key has done nothing to get to the bottom of these accusations

John Key said that the Prime Minister, taking Winston Peter's word over Owen Glen was "…a compromise of standards to keep her government alive". Couldn't someone argue that this may been seen as a compromise to keep his candidates chances, and in doing so, his election alive?

Just wondering if there is an irony here?

See the Breakfast interview by clicking here

Government help for home owners

This is still all a little unclear what this is all about, but it would seem that the government has guaranteed money to the banks, in case their pool of international funds dry up.

The unclear part is how this actually helps us other than a loosely explained "Bank Managers will be a bit easier on you if times get tough and provide a bit of slack." How this outworks itself no one seems to know. There are specific examples of what can be done...but not much about who is able to get the help, when and how.

See the stuff.co.nz article by clicking here

What we do know is the seven banks have come on board with the idea, they are BNZ, ANZ-National, WESTPAC, ASB, KiwiBank, TSB and SBS.

On a personal not, my mortgage is due for renewal in November...can I use this to get a deal, or will the banks think that this is already a sweetener?

I'll keep you informed.

My wake up call

I just watched a news item on OneNews and I wish I was the kind of person that uses swear words cause all I was thinking was “that makes me f$%ken mad!”

It was a story from the BBC about the issues in Congo where people where so hungry that they were trampling one another, including children, to get to food.

Even the reporter was involved trying to pull people away from the crush in doing so saving one child who she later reunited with her father.

The thing that made me react to this story is how we, as New Zealanders, live such a safe closed minded little world. We bitch and moan about trifling things like smacking bills and boy racers as we sit in front of our televisions, inside our houses, eating our dinner…while some in the world crush their own children in desperation to get a ‘high energy food bar’.

This post is for me, not you, it’s a wake up call for me and maybe a way I can look at my priorities.

Updated at 8.50pm
See the news item by clicking here

Obama gets testy with media

AP: Democrat Barack Obama got annoyed with the media Friday as he tried to walk down a Chicago street with his 7-year-old daughter, Sasha, who was dressed up in a shiny costume for Halloween. A pool of national photographers, reporters and a video crew traveling with Obama quickly covered the spontaneous moment. "All right guys, that's enough," said Obama, wearing a casual outfit and sunglasses in the early evening. He and his daughter were walking right toward the media on a public street. "You got a shot," he told the photographers. "Leave us alone. Come on, guys."

YouTube Clip of the Week

NEW York Nets superstar Devin Harris probably thought he was pretty safe when challenged to a game of one-on-one by a pasty Pom wearing jeans.

What happened next has made 28-year-old Stuart Tanner, a part time basketball coach, a YouTube legend, with over three million hits and counting.



Tanner bumped into Nets guard Harris at a coaching session in London. Their game, highlighted by Tanner “nutmegging” Harris, is now legend.

'He is a point guard, my position, so I offered to take him on in a one-on-one. Devin looked at me in my jeans and jumper and thought I was no threat,’ said Harris, who quit playing seriously five years ago when he was cut from the Milton Keynes Lions.

'It was a bit embarrassing for him as you shouldn't ever really get beaten with a nutmeg, but he took it really well.’

The new raised garden

Now all we need is the earth and plants...

Club Physical

Week one is up, managed to make it to Club Physical 5 times this week, did two training sessions with my trainer. I have to admit spent Friday and Saturday finding it difficult to sit down as the quads burned baby burned.

Scale moved in the right direction, down a kilo or so...will need to pick it up though if I am going to hit the 15kg mark.

Club Physical Challenge Starts

Well I have taken in the challenge, my goal is to lose between 15 and 20 kilos before Christmas. The guys from Club Physical are helping me out with a mean as trainer who is going to hammer me at every chance.

Check back here in amongst my personal blogs to see what's happening.

Rodney Hide Interview - ACT

Part One

Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five