Simon Bridges spazzes out on Campbell Live

Minister for Energy and Resources, and Associate Minister for Climate change issues, (seems like a conflict of interest to me) appeared on Campbell Live and proceeded to have a tantrum worthy of  guano psychotic Michelle Bachman. the only thing he didn't say was  "'Maranatha Come Lord Jesus, His day is at hand, '"

See the interview here

Simon Bridges seemed out of his depth, like many in the Tea Party, spouting talking points that barely if at all address any questions or issues raised. He also seem to be trying to win the conversation by simply talking louder and oer John Campbell. John did call Bridges out, clearly a little exasperated, in the most professional way for this nonsense, but Bridges continued. Continuing to demonstrate a disregard for facts not seen in New Zealand politics outside of case resulting in fraud trials. Bridges tactics were a brilliant demonstration of handwaving, that should be study by boy scouts aiming for the semaphore badges. Brilliant also how John pressed to admit that drilling would be in waters twice as deep any other drilled in NZ waters to date. They effort Bridges put into avoiding making this strongly evident.

Strangely it seemed, it was like he was working from a Tea Party media handbook. But then with all these US based Oil companies, If we export crude to the US, Koch Industries will more than likely refine some of that oil. With the Koch Brothers funding Tea Party's start up and spending $200m to defeat the Affordable Care Act and shutting down the US government to make it happen, it does not seem so strange. It seems quite reasonable in fact. All it needs is proof.

It has been noted that once the TPPA is signed there will be no backing out at least not without getting sued by multinational companies with reserves big enough to buy the entire country.

Simon Bridges also made illegal to protest within 500 metres (546 yards) of an oil industry vessel. The law contravenes international law and the principle of the right to non violent protest, of the sort the Arctic 30 have been charged with piracy by the Russian authorities. Note 1,300,000 people have written to Russian ambassadors in a effort to #freethearctic30.

See also
    Full article John Campbell holds Bridges to the fire
    Koch planned shutdown
    itsourfuture.org.nz

Like an ant under a magnifying glass.

Last week 3rd Degree revealed that in the early 90s police were investigating a string of rape-assaults on Women in Auckland at the same time as Teina Pora, a car thief, was being prosecuted for the murder of Susan Burdett in 1992. The M.O. of the crime for which Pora was convicted fit a pattern in the string that continued long after his sentencing until the arrest 4 years later of Malcolm Rewa 1996.

This case has previously been shown to have deep flaws including payments to witnesses.  but also the defence were not notified that police were having DNA samples analyzed during the trial on a theory that would exonerate their client. Such a revelation would have led to an adjournment.

Yesterday Judith Collins vetoed an enquiry into Pora's conviction, even though six senior police officers with detailed knowledge of the case believe he is innocent of the crime for which he has been convicted. Judith likes her criminals guilty even if they are not she wants them to be guilty. Facts be damned.

Indeed, in another case, The David Bain case, Collin's rejected the independant review of the case and has decided to subject the report to judicial review. This is unheard of in our legal system. The report by retired Canadian Justice Binnie came back saying David Bain was on the balance of probabilities innocent and deserving of compensation, Inquisitor Judith had the report reviewed by a New Zealand judge who agrees with her that the report is "flawed". It seriously smells of judge shopping.

Pora's term of incarceration is now longer than the previous longest false conviction case at 20 years, making it 7 years longer than David Bain's incarceration.

Judith Collins seems to be every bit the rightwing zealot who is convinced of the accused's guilt the moment the charge sheet pops out of the deskjet. If she has any regrets it may be not being allowed to toy with prisoners like she has a giant magnifying glass on a bright sunny day.

This make her eminently unsuitable for the portfolio, but same is true for many of her National Party colleagues.

See also
 3News - Teina Pora
 Stuff - David Bain

Zimmerman Acquited

Well the news of the jury verdict is out, George Zimmerman has been acquitted of being Hispanic. Defence counsel were celebrating the victory saying just examine is name he's clearly a European Jew. Media commentators observers and the prosecution claimed the 29 year old Florida man has DNA, complexion, and skeletal features that are clearly the stamp of his Hispanic ethnic origin.

Observers of the case say the prosecution started strong saying "Just look at him, if you knew nothing else about him, you'd swear he came to Florida on a speed boat with half a tonne of cocaine." But later Jury experts say the jury got confused after a prosecution expert witness testified to being a scientist and appeared to be considering convicting the witness but did know what for as the witness was of Caucasian descent, and as one juror put it "those people never do anything wrong, except that one time in Boston."

Many protests have happened through out America, and despite predictions by rightwing commentators like Rush Limbaugh, most protests have been peaceful. The President has called for calm which seems at odd with Limbaugh's assertions that an acquittal would see the announcement of a final solution to rid America of the scourge of white people running Wall Street and stealing homes from working Americans like Homer Simpson who once became so obese he had to work from home and collect disability but eventually had to leave the grunt work to a bobbing bird toy.

See Also
   The Guardian

Inquiry into sarcastic gamer imprisonment

An enquiry into the custody of  17 year old Justin Carter, a gamer who posted in League of legends game chat a sarcastic comment "Yeah I'm fucked in the head, I'm gonna shot up a kindergarten" after a fellow gamer hyperbolically asserted "You're insane".

Officials said they went undercover to see for themselves what conditions were like at the facility where the teenager is being held. Their report states:

Sure the shivs sting a bit, and the ass-rape is kind uncomfortable for the first couple of times. 

Medical reports included in the investigative dosier say the investigators will take years to learn to sit normally again.

A section of the report on food in lock up went on to say,

But the real crime against inmates is food, some days you're lucky if you find a fly in it. After a week I found half a dead rat, I got it, but only after stepping on another in mates throat because he tried to grab it before me.

In regard to staff behaviour from facility staff.

We found the staff to be very fair, they were always willing to jam their night sticks into our ribs if we as they put it "look at us funny."

An investigators comments praised fascility staff professionalism "I cracked smile on the third afternoon of my on-site investigation and dutifully the staff Tazered me for twenty minutes. After my on-site investigation. I checked up on the incident, found the staff got a $250 bonus. It is pleasing to see the good work of the staff at this facilities is well werarded[sic]. "