Posts by Craig Ranapia
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Russell Brown,
Yours sincerely
Inspector Scott Spackman
Police Private SecretaryOh, that inspires confidence. Not.
-
Hard News: Meanwhile in Epsom ..., in reply to Sacha,
(too soon?)
Slightly. :)
-
Hard News: Meanwhile in Epsom ..., in reply to Jeremy Eade,
If they win Epsom it will mean they will lose a coalition partner and possibly power. Oh Epsom, what a clusterfuck you are.
I'd question whether any power dependent on the slow-motion mass-suicide that is the ACT Party is worth having.
-
Hard News: Meanwhile in Epsom ..., in reply to Rich of Observationz,
So Craig, you mean they are actually selecting these jokers on their *merits*. That’s even more frightening.
I suspect we could run up a thoroughly non-partisan “dudes and dudettes, WTF were you thinking?” list of candidates and MPs who were hardly glittering jewels in the crown of parliamentary democracy. (I think it’s also a pretty safe bet that the National candidate would never win an Epsom straw poll of Public Address readers.) 20/20 hindsight is also a wonderful thing. In 1990, Taito Philip Field looked pretty damn meritorious on paper when he won the selection for Otara. How did that work out in the end?
Democrazy’s a bitch, but she’s our bitch. The idea that all you need to get a National nomination is a well-connected daddy and a fat chequebook is as silly as the meme that you can’t get arrested in the Labour Party unless you’re a Maori lesbian union official who gaggles with the gays.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Hilary Stace,
I could be really nasty and suggest that the only person in this tawdry affair who needs a chemical straightjacket is Derek Erasmus, but it’s unreasonable to presume any neurological deficit, biochemical imbalance or psychiatric disorder on his part. Applying Occam’s razor, sheer bloody-mindedness does the job.
If this is true, then there’s a much bigger fight to be had.
And not really looking forward to the trial, because if that’s the mindset in play with the prosecution/Police, I suspect Arie Smith-Voorkamp can expect a full-on character assassination. Hey, he’s a dangerous nutter - and probably assaulted himself too. :(
-
Hard News: Meanwhile in Epsom ..., in reply to Rich of Observationz,
I suspect selection might come down to which candidate (or candidates father) makes the biggest contribution to National coffers.
Having been involved in more National Party candidate selections than you, Rich, I suspect you should leave the fantasy fiction to people who are good at it.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Russell Brown,
One final observation: I've seen no evidence that Christchurch District Court Judge John Strettell's eleven years on the bench has been an orgy of wet-liberal criminal-coddling judicial activism. Could it be possible that he might just know what the frig he was talking about when he repeatedly suggested the Police offer diversion?
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Russell Brown,
The Christchurch cops are now referring journalists to their statement about the case last week, which offers this justification from Erasmus for the continued refusal of diversion:
It also contains this rather creepy gem:
Inspector Erasmus says he has personally spoken today to the owners of the property which was allegedly burgled, and says they are happy with the Police handling of the case to date. "They have advised they are more than happy for the case to proceed to court which is where they believe the matter should be resolved."
Sorry, but did you get the impression from Sunday that they were at all "happy with the Police handling of the case to date"? And I don't mean to be at all condescending to Andrew and Irene Matsis, but I'd find a personal visit from a District Police Commander ever so slightly intimidating. Especially when I was being pressured to try and get a story I'd participated in -- and which is now under "criminal investigation" -- pulled off air.
Is Derek Erasmus trying to become the New Zealand Police's answer to Alisdair Thompson?
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Lucy Stewart,
More likely just casually ableist – an assumption that Arie is incapable of making an “informed admission of guilt”, that he’s just saying what he’s told to say. I’d prefer insanity, on the whole.
Seems to me that you're giving more credit than is actually due. "Casual ableism" at least implies some degree of thought, however witless it may be. Every time Derek Erasmus opens his mouth, I picture a red-faced, truculent toddler who doesn't give a number two what the adults trying to reason with him are saying.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Mark Rickerby,
A big part of the problem may be the police fear that the public can’t handle the police making mistakes.
I won't presume to speak for "the public", but I'm a damn sight more afraid of law enforcement who seem to regard any criticism, any question of their actions as intolerable. That's not only a terrible weakness of character, but in people who are given enormous power by the State it's dangerous.
Last ←Newer Page 1 … 275 276 277 278 279 … 1235 Older→ First