Posts by giovanni tiso

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  • Hard News: What about that Welfare…,

    Reminds me of a reader's response to a touching post of K-Punk's on the experience of being jobless.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    PM to propose a Royal Commission.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    In some cultures, including mine, grief has a very definite theatrical component. So for instance in southern funerals still to this day you'll fine the odd prefica, an old woman not related to the deceased but good at the requisite outward display of mourning. That however as you note in Korea comes at funeral time - there is no place for the spectacle when a loved one learns the news.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    Another fund for the miners' families, administered by the EPMU:

    Donations can be made at any Kiwibank branch or direct to bank account: Kiwibank 38-9011-0165987-00.
    Cheques made out to "EPMU Pike River Miners Family Support Trust" can also be sent by post, care of EPMU, PO Box 14-277, Kilbirnie, Wellington 6241.

    Full statement from the CTU National Affiliates Council below:

    Pike River Mine Tragedy

    We join with the whole of the country in expressing our sorrow for all those affected by this tragedy.

    We send our deepest sympathy to the families, friends, community and fellow workers of the 29 men killed in the accident at Pike River Mine. We also thank and acknowledge the strenuous efforts of the emergency rescue teams, coordinators and those supporting the miners and their families.

    We also send our solidarity and support to the members, officials and staff of the union representing miners (EPMU).

    We have joined with other unions and the Council of Trade Unions to demand that the Commission of Inquiry into this workplace accident is a complete and comprehensive analysis of all the issues and will make strong recommendations to ensure it never happens again.

    This accident also is a tragic reminder of the continued high level of workplace injury and death in this country, and unions at this time vow to continue fighting for improved health and safety practice in New Zealand workplaces.
    We are supporting the fund for miners and their families established by the EPMU.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    I find it curious that they would feel comfortable with giving that opinion from Australia and the UK. It could be that they felt they knew enough to be able to give it.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    Except if you read their opinion the focus is mostly on the fact that for methane levels to rise ot that level there must have been a systemic failure in the safety systems. 'Either inadequate or inadequately monitored.' This will need to be addressed.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    Will you accept a response time by the emergency services of 16:53?

    I'm happy to accept that - it's still over an hour though. I wonder exactly which timeline the British mining rescue experts who basically damned the operation today were given by the Herald.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    I agree that they're not compatible scenarios but I wouldn't necessarily credit one of them as being the definitive truth at this point. It will be one of the first thing that the inquiry will try to determine I'd imagine.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: What about that Welfare…,

    What I was interested in is whether anyone had ideas on how to get rid of the (few) bad apples in a way which didn't screw over the vast majority.

    That's a bit like saying: okay, you've convinced me that not all Jews are profiteering loan sharks, but I was interested whether anyone had ideas on how to get rid of the few that are.

    There is an entire group of people that is being unfairly and dishonestly demonised here for political gain. It is not a new thing in history. It is appalling. It needs to be roundly condemned and vehemently resisted. By saying 'okay, but how do we go after the buldgers' you're doing the exact opposite, and buying into the narrative. For isn't it like saying "this group of people, these victims of how society works - shouldn't they really be perfect?" No group of people is. Catching benefit bludgers is no different from catching tax cheaters or dishonest accountants or scamming bankers, all of whom cost society. But no policy is made regarding those other groups starting from the assumption that they are in fact all fraudsters, which is what the WWG is proposing we do with welfare recipients.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Where nature may win,

    So it is pretty clear that :
    A) the shift controller knew about the explosion fairly soon after it happened;

    Yesterday's Herald article, which I've now located, makes the following claim:

    After the blast at 3.50pm, the alarm was not raised for roughly two hours - the time it took for Daniel Rockhouse and Russell Smith to walk 2km out of the carbon monoxide-filled tunnel and alert emergency services.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

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