Posts by BlairMacca

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  • OnPoint: Budget 2009: “Aww, shit.”…,

    I do agree that capital gains should be taxed, however, with the current government I could see them saying "well we can decrease our income tax now, lets increase GST too". The downside to that being, that if we had a capital gains tax now and income tax was lower, we would be even more in the crap when the housing market dried up. Also as consumer spending drops there is less revenue coming in from there. This is exactly what happened in Ireland. A good example of how increasing indirect taxes are not always the best method

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: Budget 2009: “Aww, shit.”…,

    After nine years of consistently refusing to implement any kind of capital gains tax. Which would have damped house prices, meaning more money spent in other areas, and encouraged money to flow into the productive sectors of the economy.

    He did try, but even the mention of it got shouted down by all in sundry.

    I hope everyone pauses and has a little grateful prayer of thanks to Michael Cullen, whose refusal to feed the bubble with tax cuts is the only thing between us and Iceland.

    Tom you are right, could you imagine how much of an uber hole we would be in if Don Brash et al had got in in 2005?

    I also agree with Gio and Russell, it isn't quite as bad as I thought, BUT I think the real paydirt will come next year if things continue to go south. We could be talking one term Government there....

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: A little liberal line in the sand,

    Agree with the sewer types hanging around a large amount of blog sites. Thankfully there are a small number of blogs around (ie public address) where you can have discussions with differences of opinion in a sane manner. Thats a credit not only to you and your contributers Russell but also to the various commenter's here.

    Cheers for giving some hope for humanity/sanity!

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There is History,

    The same virologist thought that it wouldn't hit pandemic proportions...
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/04/27/1245aac4c00c
    and that New Zealand was well placed to counter such an outbreak.

    Maybe being a world leader in this case isn't so bad. I do note that most of the people the USA and here have already recovered or are the road to recovery... Fingers crossed

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Veitch,

    The more I watch Susan Boyle the more I get the nagging feeling it was staged...

    Probably true, but I think she (and Paul Potts) deserve to milk it for all she can get rather than the usual assembly line of reality stars

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Veitch,

    and I still find it moving

    I think reading her story makes it even more amazing and poignant.

    Of course on Breakfast yesterday morning (why do I watch it) Paul Henry cued in with his now standard character assassination along the lines of" she's unemployed, well she must be if she looks like that." Honestly how is this vile man still on television?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: You'll Never Walk Alone,

    There was also the riot that killed 39 people in 1985 which led to every English club being banned from Uefa for 5-10 years. Unlike 1989 this was directly cause by hooliganism. These and others almost killed football in the 80's.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster

    Some say the turning point was Arsenal's amazing league victory on the last kick of the season that same year over Liverpool. That obviously coupled with the changes in the Taylor report brought the revival to what it is today (not that all of it has been good)

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: You'll Never Walk Alone,

    For those interested, there is a new documentary on Hillsborough to mark the 20 year anniversary being shown on History Channel tonight (not the excellent Jimmy McGovern docu-drama mind).

    Sorry missed that one, it was the same doco I saw

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: You'll Never Walk Alone,

    There was a good doco on the history channel last night on it. Had interviews with people who had lost family (one has lost both daughters, another a 14 yo son) and also Liverpool players from the game. From watching that and from what I have read the main reason it happened was police ineptness, ie letting 2000 extra people into the section that was already being crushed. Then not letting the ambulances into the ground because the police said that the fans were rioting. Really a disgrace, but if it had not happened then it probably would have at some other time with people being horded into pens.
    The police didn't want to help they just saw the fans as scum.
    It is really a truly sad symbol of waste that the Thatcher years brought about.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Mac Ouch,

    I should add that I have never taken Limbaugh seriously...

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 208 posts Report Reply

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