Barack Obama

Just been thinking about the massive day it is today with the first black man to be elected the President of America, is it bigger than having a woman elected...well women have been oppressed for a lot longer than African Americans, like from the dawn of civilisation until the last 50 years or so, and people with African heritage have been oppressed for the last 500 years or so...I don't know which is/would have been bigger.

Needles to say that in February this year I made a pithy, judgemental and probably somewhat arrogant point on my show saying that "...this year, we would see if America has grown up enough to elect a black man President."

Well they have elected one, but have they 'grown up'.

I don't know the answer to that question, but it has caused me to ask another question...do we need to grown up here in New Zealand with our attitude between Maori and Pakeha, Pakeha and Maori?

As a western country, American is 225 years old, New Zealand is 168. Do we just need more time to get to a point of maturity as a nation? Are we possibly still a tempestuous teenager, while America has turned into a responsible 30-something?

Barack Obama's full acceptance speech
Part One


Part Two

I have voted

For a long time I have been saying I am a center swing voter. Well no longer am I a swing voter, about an hour ago I voted.

I don't think it appropriate that I tell you who I voted for, but let me say this. I didn't vote for either major party and I split my vote giving one vote to the left and one to the right.

I guess that means no matter what the result this weekend...I am a winner!!!

If you want to find out how one group identifies you and your political leanings, the do the test at The Political Compass

My result was...












Which interestingly is about where Nelson Mandela, The Dalai Lama and Gandi are...jeez, I must be awesome










And here is how Political Compass defines the current NZ political scene

I am a NZ First Supporter....apparently

Visit Pundit.co.nz and take the political quiz to see what party best aligns themselves with your beliefs.

Apparently NZ First is mine.

My results...
New Zealand First Party 76% similarity

New Zealand First Party shares a 76% similarity with your beliefs
Please click here to visit the website of New Zealand First.

Crime and Punishment 75%
Economy and Taxes 75%
Education 88%
Employment 63%
Family and Morals 75%
Foreign Policy and Trade 100%
Government and Leadership 50%
Health Care 88%
Race Relations and Immigration 50%
Welfare and Superannuation 88%

I imagine that many people would come up with a center party as their result, my second best match was United Future...so the question is, "Why are the center parties doing so poorly?"

The best "Best Man" speech ever

Sarah Palin Pranked By Montreal Radio CKOI’s Masked Avengers

Marc-Antoine Audette and Sebastian Trudel, also known as the "Masked Avengers", pranked Gov. Sarah Palin after convincing the VP nominee that she was speaking with French President Sarkozy.

"Gov. Palin received a phone call on Saturday from a French Canadian talk show host claiming to be French President Nicholas Sarkozy. Gov. Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters. C’est la vie."

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

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."