so I heard both the prime minister and teh leader of the opposition key preempting a ban on fireworks in new zealand?
any one care?
anyone into saving the fireworks?
fear call though,
fireworks are pretty deadly.
no casualties but,
pretty horrific for mercedes harrison,
who was burned when the firework flew 15 metres into her pram (naturally the safest place for a baby when you're lighting firworks) and received 8% burns to her upper back and buttocks.
//The toddler's mother, Polly Anne Tonihi, said Parliament should enforce a ban – or prepare for more horrific incidents.
//"I'm of the view that what's going to happen is inevitably they will be (banned)," Mr Key said on TV
//"Fireworks are dangerous. We have limited sale, we've increased the age at which you can buy them," she said in The New Zealand Herald today.
//"But at some point, public tolerance for this will boil right over
maybe it'd be safer just to ban fire Helen.
http://stuff.co.nz/4264905a11.html
"The family said they would never celebrate Guy Fawkes night again."


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anyone here remember the RDU
anyone here remember the RDU DJ lighting a skyrocket from the eye of his penis at the Peter borough Street demolition party?
this is the sort of entertainment you could be missing out on.
we can't legislate against Fuckwittery but by gum this Government is giving it a go.
the RSPCA and the Fire Brigade would be happy with a total ban and I am a thinking there worth more to society than retailers, importers and firestarters. I know this is reactionary but burning down Plunkets is not not an acceptable outcome in the rush to protect our "freedoms".
possibly
Hey You Guys, Again with the
Hey You Guys,
Again with the wanting to ban all small but flamable hand held explosives !!! Why ?!? Why would you let them do that to you ? Do you not realise that right now on every major intersection, street corner, and community center in New Zealand they sell cheap, portable, explosives that are easy to use and is capable to ( unlike regular fireworks ) slide under walls, doors, roofs. It's called gasoline. Now I know gasoline isn't use explosive but it's potential to be explosive is the exact same as fireworks. That and the issue government control to me isn't about gas or gun control, it isn't about fireworks, it's all about basic trust. You suppose to be able to trust the dudes next door, that's how real democracy operates cos if you can't trust the dude next door with small municipal fireworks or frigging guns, gasoline bottles, buzzsaws, then how are you able to trust them vote ? You can't really trust the guys to vote, then cool, can you really trust your government ? See what I'm really getting at guys ? To exercise more control over our crappy little lives the government again is undermining itself. Dude it makes no sense ...
Hey You Guys, Again with the
Hey You Guys,
Again with the wanting to ban all small but flamable hand held explosives !!! Why ?!? Why would you let them do that to you ? Do you not realise that right now on every major intersection, street corner, and community center in New Zealand they sell cheap, portable, explosives that are easy to use and is capable to ( unlike regular fireworks ) slide under walls, doors, roofs. It's called gasoline. Now I know gasoline isn't use explosive but it's potential to be explosive is the exact same as fireworks. That and the issue government control to me isn't about gas or gun control, it isn't about fireworks, it's all about basic trust. You suppose to be able to trust the dudes next door, that's how real democracy operates cos if you can't trust the dude next door with small municipal fireworks or frigging guns, gasoline bottles, buzzsaws, then how are you able to trust them vote ? You can't really trust the guys to vote, then cool, can you really trust your government ? See what I'm really getting at guys ? To exercise more control over our crappy little lives the government again is undermining itself. Dude it makes no sense ...
Hey You Guys, Again with the
Hey You Guys,
Again with the wanting to ban all small but flamable hand held explosives !!! Why ?!? Why would you let them do that to you ? Do you not realise that right now on every major intersection, street corner, and community center in New Zealand they sell cheap, portable, explosives that are easy to use and is capable to ( unlike regular fireworks ) slide under walls, doors, roofs. It's called gasoline. Now I know gasoline isn't use explosive but it's potential to be explosive is the exact same as fireworks. That and the issue government control to me isn't about gas or gun control, it isn't about fireworks, it's all about basic trust. You suppose to be able to trust the dudes next door, that's how real democracy operates cos if you can't trust the dude next door with small municipal fireworks or frigging guns, gasoline bottles, buzzsaws, then how are you able to trust them vote ? You can't really trust the guys to vote, then cool, can you really trust your government ? See what I'm really getting at guys ? To exercise more control over our crappy little lives the government again is undermining itself. Dude it makes no sense ...
just seems to me like the
just seems to me like the fire department don't have confidence in their abiities,
seriously noone wants a fire
like noone needs a car accident
thinking about chinese living in new zealand
for whom fireworks are one of the key props for celebrating their spring festival
it's like banning christmas tree lights
or pine trees.
and you know, if you drink too much water, you can drown.
what staggers me, is one kid called Mercedes, whose parents left her in the pram while they lit fireworks 15 metres away
has somehow given the primeminister the idea that she is being given a mandate to ban something for 4,000,000 people.
so helen if you're looking for mandates
i'd like to point out at this juncture, that my cousin is allergic to dairy products.
and using them, can cause severe damage and even death
well if they don't like our
well if they don't like our Fire Cracker rules they welcome to return from whence they came.
this is an inclusive society Dude. Wacky outsiders with strange ceremonies probably upset the very fabric of a peaceful and cohesive and productive society.
as for Dairy, well yes, who needs the worlds finest drinking water when Milk Powder is so high?
the Fire Department may not be funded "completely".It is way better under Labour than the previous mob but it's still open to conjecture my sources say.
Clark has mentioned this for the last 4 years, Chris. It is not new her attitude.
as for mandate, well, Politicians do not necessarily pretend they have one. It's more anticipation of voting trends.
which is why Dairy and Mobile Phones are untouchable.
what do you think Ms Clark's
what do you think Ms Clark's thing is?
she doesn't like the bright lights?
or she thinks everyone around her is accident prone?
these are not chainsaws,
why not just subsidize fire proof suits, and sell more fireworks?
what does SHE do on guy fawks? sit home and watch video recordings of fireworks?
why not ban swimming?
//However, the run of bad luck has brought about an unexpected bonus.
//Harrison says he has realised the importance of family and decided to rekindle the relationship with the girls' mother.
//"We've been on and off for a couple of years, but when this stuff happened it just woke me up.
//"I thought, if this happen and I wasn't here, then what - they might not have known what to do.
//"I was just so glad I was there at the time, woke me up made me realise that my family has to come first."
it was fireworks that brought them together
a love built on fireworks
and they call for a ban?
http://stuff.co.nz/4265186a10.html
how about a license to use
how about a license to use fireworks?
i'd queue to take that
i'd queue to take that exam.
run your sparkler between the cones
This one makes me want to
This one makes me want to say, "What the hell is wrong with you people?". But I refrain, because it can't be that simple--surely it can't just be that NZers are dumb and don't know how to use fireworks?! I must be missing something.
You see, here (on the other side of the Pacific), fireworks are available all year round. There are no age restrictions and you can get them in most convenience stores. Fireworks are a summer thing, so there is less of a variety on sale in the winter months. But in the summer it seems like the entire population is letting off fireworks every night. If you live in a slightly elevated place, it's great--like a fireworks display from your window every night.
Anyway, you might get the odd group of louts firing rockets at each other, plus there are the accidents that are statistically bound to happen, but fires and injuries are rare. So how come New Zealand is so bad at fireworks--on ONE night a year, mind you--that the government seriously considers banning them?
Progressive Group have
Progressive Group have announced that they will not stock/sell Fire Works next year.
generally they will screw every last cent out of a tea towel so something is up.
Does a Government have the right to legislate? If it is a public safety issue why not? Seat belts, Liquor, Pornography, Firearms all have various prohibitive forms, is this wrong? Or are Fire Works by nature, different.
Are NZ'ers more stupid with firecrackers? well given the Local Body Election results it is fair to say Mob Idiocy is at a very high rate possibly an all time high. 13 year old burning down neighbors house with sparklers...it is not as simple as saying no sparklers no fire, but I do think access to means is relevant. as per Firearm deaths in the U.S.A.
well given the fact that the
well given the fact that the solicitor general just threw out out terrorizing legislation for being to complicated, reason would argue that although politicians have the right to legislate, they lack the ability to do a sterling job of it.
it's statistically not a public 'S'afety issue, at least not as much as say people having unprotected sex and passing on stds in NZ.
so yeah something is up.
and what is it?
faulty science, reasoning and reporting in new zealand.
for example in a recent pscientific schtudy:
"A Canterbury University student has found that dogs have the ability to second guess what humans are thinking."
under the headline "Research finds dogs can read people's minds"
sounds pretty phenomenal, almost as phenomenal as the level of danger attributed to fireworks.
but if you look at the method:
The dogs were placed in a room with two people with a screen placed between them and the dog. The food was hidden in one of four containers behind the screen by one of the people.
The dog was able to see who hid the food, but not where it was hidden.
When the screen was moved, both people would point at a container.
"In a majority of cases, the dogs would show a preference for the person who knew and go to the container they were pointing at," Maginnity said.
my conclusion from this reporting: dogs can see who hid the food, and find the food by looking where the person who hid it points.
i really hope this was a journalistic error.
which i've gotta asume is the case
which points to the conclusion that: fireworks can read people's minds, the media are threatened by this, so they're trying to blame the phenonmena on dogs as a smoke screen to get fireworks out of the picture.
http://stuff.co.nz/4268061a11.html
the government is supposed
the government is supposed to be a representation of us.
which given the present elected body is a pretty depressing state o' affairs for sure.
but
in a Democracy we must fix
or
Democracy is in actuality no better than the regimes/systems it claims to be superior too.
"we must judge any system by it's actual and real-life manifestations"
Bike Helmets
why should I wear one
only a tiny percentage of injuries and fatalities is Bike related
people in Cars no wearing helmets
hundreds die in cars every year
you have found a seemingly ludicrous scientific experiment. There is plenty of those around.
People who do not like firecrackers currently have more say than those who don't. The Economic interested parties lack the funds to "groundswell" Public Opinion. (Party Pills anyone). People are used to having things, be it drugs, smacking, etc prohibited. Fire Fighters are trustworthy, as opposed to Maori's and Car Salesmen. The Prime Minister says so.
Take your pick, all in some degree allow "Laws".
Yeah Hey, Just because
Yeah Hey,
Just because you're used to things doesn't mean man we should let them use alot those things against us. Take it like this, I know this is extreme me saying this, but this is exactly my main point politically. But yeah, I believe that one day like most major democracies, New Zealand will turn into police state. The way it will turn into police state is by making us all criminals. It is now illegal to not to register the birth of you child with Nz Authorities. It is now illegal not to immunise your child against advice of doctor. It is now illegal to self teach and help out your own kids, home schooling or not, whatever it is you're really teaching them, it has to come from the proper authorities first ( Nz sanctioned Department of School and Education). Dude it's illegal not to have job or not to be looking for real work when you're on the dole ( not that the guys are going to know ) and it is also illegal when you are working not to pay your taxes ( though like Australia and America there is no law saying you really really have to do this kinda shit, trust me, I know ). These are the things we're used to, so used to, you probably don't see a problem with them. That's my problem. Cos you are already so used to things, you would be cool with them making it totally mandatory for kids to be state analyse and immunised by doctors and nurses and therapists and pyschologists and shit social planners. That's one example. Cos people are already use to paying taxes, you would be cool them having your bank details and taking your money off you, first of every month. There another example. I don't want to go all Frank Zappa on you guys, on group people who most likely don't own one his cds ( Absolutely Free, Freak Out, We're Only In It For The Money, His Sgt Pepper Pisstake, I bet you, you will like them. Best Things Ever ) it's just I have to say it to you like it is. You don't need any examples when the proof is most people are so aware to this they stop caring about the crap I'm talking about ages ago. The dudes know there's more real democracy than free elections every few years. They know it's about having a choice still what choices have we got when we still gotta go to work, still gotta go to school, in the morning ?!? Sorry man, talk much as you want about whatever you want, the subtle truth is there is no hope...
but their is still no
but their is still no acknowledgment that the "State" provides us with most of what we want/need.
FireWorks should be banned because they scare me.
it could be be booze, Homosexuals or broccoli.
thus I'm not sure it is letting them use these things against us.
and them should be us
which is the main problem, whole rafts of society are now totally disenfranchised from the Political process. This is at least as bad as a Police State. 19% of NZ ers, if you sold everything they had would still be at less than $0 net worth. we have pretty much run up the white flag to sections of the population owning their own homes.
as for the looking for work, if a Party seriously endorsed a Work for the Dole scheme I guarantee many would support this as they are tired of bludgers and visible lay abouts. I'd actually state for the record that the Community has an obligation to provide meaningful employment to every able bodied male. How's that for a Police State?
Kids are already State Analyzed and certainly are by their peers and the wider community. As for Home-Schooling it is right and proper that the State pays attention here. The Home-Schooling situation in the United States is highly undesirable and certainly the seeds for it's similar far-right pseudo Christian thought is already well under way here. Maxim Institute anyone? Family's First? I have my own opinions on what constitutes inclusive Education but is that suitable or realistic for many others?
where do my individual beliefs impinge on Community Learning Standards? One hopes that a State Provided "Auditor" levels and checks and balances. Can this be hi-jacked or political privilege? Absolutely...in fact that would be the normal state of things but hopefully an educated, and aware community counters this.
Zappa? Ha, I'm doing some work for a tribute show for him, so I guess I'm kind of aware of him. "Make a Jazz noise here" and "Apostrophe" are probably more my go. I like some of Zappa's Libertarian thoughts, I guess.
NZ will turn into a Police State. well for many it always has been. The main function of the Police in any Capitalist State is to ensure the stability of Property and Ownership. The Rich People's bully boys if you like. Amongst the most Libertarian of writers is the continual demand for Police Powers.... it shows their true nature...Heather has touched on this before on these very boards and it's worth a thought...quite the pre-occupation of "justice" when there is no policy for it Socially or in fact any willingness to allow it to grow. Turning us all into criminals...well most people already are, I think. It's just that their criminal acts we ignore or don't care about.
a bit like Fire Crackers 20 years ago I'd say.
Hey Again, Wow. Awesome.
Hey Again,
Wow. Awesome. Personally speaking the thing I think with alot Frank Zappa's seventies stuff like Apostrophe, One Size Fits All and Overnite Sensation is it's music for the fans, more than music that's gonna make some guy Frank Zappa fan. That is why his stuff later in the seventies after he walked from Warner Bros. is his better stuff only because it has so much more of that universal appeal cos it is so unbelievably political in scope. Crap like Joe's Garage, You Are What You Is and Sheik Yerboutti. Anyway back to the show, the state provides us with what we need, and us, we're the state. We're not the state when it starts to provide us with what we're need. That's not the way it works in and here's that word again, in real democracy. In a totally real democracy they look to us to provide them what they need, we tell them what to do and where to go. We start to demand fully funded health system we get fully funded health system because if we don't get what we want guess who's not coming on back to complete his second term in his office ?!? That's right, Spiro Agnew or whoever. What has happen instead is we have totally lost our way with everything to such degree that in this democracy our leaders don't look to us for answers, we look to them, to provide us the people, with what we need. Not good thing when we the people have nothing new to add and all too few of our politicians have none of the answers other than what they have heard over and over and over again. With attitude like this, it really helps to explain people general apathy when all you've got going on in public arena is the same things again. With our politicians not looking to us to provide ourselves with what we need and we the people not looking at politics as way to get what we want, there starts the civil breakdown between us and the crap we still call our own government. That's how these guys get more and more friging control, is through us more and more losing faith in them. We don't see healthcare is working for you, wait for it, we're going keep digging into your privacy till everything you've ever were is on file, to make it more effective and efficient. Now everybody with medical degree can know you flunk the third form. I'm sorry dude ? What does that have to do with my kidneys ? Seriously this shit pisses me off, because I can so easily see how we'll slowly turn into police state only like I hinted at before but feel the need to now have to fully explain, we're almost already there and we all know that. That there is no hope ...
So are you for or against
So are you for or against banning fireworks foal? because I can't tell.
neither can I I just wanted
neither can I
I just wanted to engage Rope
rope has other shit on her
rope has other shit on her mind
such as:
Mr Mallard said that the government has allocated $4.6m over three years to establish around 600 public recycling bins throughout New Zealand.
you guys
must have the most kick ass recycling bins
they're over 7K a pop
that's more than a fucking bicycle!
ffs,
go new zealand recycling
and
go the labour party
http://stuff.co.nz/4271734a11.html
i found it difficult to approach the firworks topic with the same earnest stoicism after robsta mentioned 'spiro agnew'
and if anyone knows a member of the government of nz let 'em know, that my mate 7 could source those bins for about 100 bucks a piece, and free up a couple more millions for the health system.
o,
the advertising?
why not just use the remaining milllions as toilet paper?
print a sign on the bins?
too avant garde?
well that's what you get for being typically garde.
$7000 recycle bins
well i never.