Police are planning...

[vifferman]

Start thinking about who and how you will vote at the next election. Start canvasing your current MP to see how receptive they are to some of the views people express here. Try and figure out what you are willing to compromise on..... etc etc...

That's all very well, but we have a parliamentary system that has effectively engineered itself over the years to be distanced from the very people it is supposed to be serving. The MPs act like they got into parliament because they are so wonderful, not because people elected them there to be civil servants serving the people.
To achieve any change is very difficult, to the point of being impossible. Isn't it true that a petition needs > 200k signatures to be brought up in the house, and even then, there's absolutely no guarantee that it will result in anything further happening? And that if you make submissions to a bill before a select committee, they have to be considered, but may then merely be vetoed and ignored?
Furthermore, it is very obvious that regardless of what is happening in the Beehive, the country is really run by a bunch of anonymous, grey-faced, grey-suited career bureaucrats 'behind the scenes'.

[James Deuce]

That's all very well, but we have a parliamentary system that has effectively engineered itself over the years to be distanced from the very people it is supposed to be serving. The MPs act like they got into parliament because they are so wonderful, not because people elected them there to be civil servants serving the people.
To achieve any change is very difficult, to the point of being impossible. Isn't it true that a petition needs > 200k signatures to be brought up in the house, and even then, there's absolutely no guarantee that it will result in anything further happening? And that if you make submissions to a bill before a select committee, they have to be considered, but may then merely be vetoed and ignored?
Furthermore, it is very obvious that regardless of what is happening in the Beehive, the country is really run by a bunch of anonymous, grey-faced, grey-suited career bureaucrats 'behind the scenes'.

Put nothing in and you'll get nothing out. That's a typical Kiwi attitude to politics. They've already beaten me so why bother?

Get stuck in mate - if you want things changed it has to start at the grass roots of a political party organisation. Don't like the type of person that typically ends up in Parliament? Make sure your local chapter of the political party that best represents your views selects a candidate that isn't a muppet. I live in Ohiro/Belmont electorate and end up with the detestable toadlike Peter Dunne as my MP election after election. The reason he gets voted in is because he actually works hard in the electorate to help voters out. A mate of mine owned the Gas Station at the bottom of Stokes Valley. Mobil demanded that he change tanks, he couldn't afford it so he closed shop. Mobil did him for breach of contract and Peter Dunne intervened and mediated for both parties. My mate got to keep his house and Mobil got a solution. Despite the fact that his politics are disgustingly elastic, Peter Dunne gives a crap and so gets back into Parliament all the time.

[spudchucka]

I know you've said that before too, but really I didn't like that ad at all because to me the message was no need to look where you are going, no need to worry about crashing, don't worry be happy, boompha, what the hell.

It seems liked positive affirmation for a negative behaviour with no message about taking care unlike the "Take another look at intersections" ads - which really did say take your time, double check before you proceed.

I take your point but this also highlights to me how tv ads can be interpreted in so many different ways. I saw it having a completely different message to the way you have described it.

[spudchucka]

QUOTE]

Oh, my mistake. I thought blind adherence to arbitrary beliefs was something we left behind in the renaissance some centuries ago.

Get stuffed. My beliefs are personal to me and are the net result of my own life experience.

Apparently not - at least we cannot expect reason from our leaders or 'protectors'. We must rely on their subjective experience. Silly me.

Hey man, if thats YOUR belief then you go right on believing it!

How about a real comment? I should have expected just another arrogant throw away line - pathetic really.

Want a real comment - what exactly would you like me to comment on?

[spudchucka]

That ad made my 3 year cry the first time saw it. He freaked when the bike got hit.

Playing it at a time a 3 year old is still up is irresponsible on the part of the broadcaster.

[spudchucka]

He possibly has some "hate" issues but at least he didn't have one saying "H8 COPS".

Bet he has got it now though!

[Deano]

Bet he has got it now though!

If so, it probably has, or will likely be rammed up his arse the next time he is pulled over.

[Ghost Lemur]

Playing it at a time a 3 year old is still up is irresponsible on the part of the broadcaster.

I hear ya, and a very good example of why I don't own a tv. My son's watch their movies on my computer, with occasional tv eps. All without advertising.

They don't need that sort of crap (of the mcD's ads etc) in their impressionable young minds.

[James Deuce]

Playing it at a time a 3 year old is still up is irresponsible on the part of the broadcaster.

The ad shows progressively more violent outcomes as the evening goes on. I think it was about 6:30. My 3 year old's main concern was that that could happen to me.

[riffer]

Tim sounds like a dude and a future KBer in the making

BTW - how's the fork seals holding up ? Good enough to show Tim a few stoppies of your own ?

Pretty damn good fork seals, I must say - cheers WT.

However, with a 220kg bike, 95kg rider, and an IRC SP11 on the front, I must say in the recent road conditions stoppies are a bit dodgy.

I had to change the pads as the fork oil had gotten in to the calipers on the right side, so the brakes are really good at the moment.

The front tyre seems to skid before the back gets too high.

As for Tim, he has his eyes set on a PW50 for his 5th birthday in November. Gini's not too impressed but as his dad, uncle and both grandfathers are motorcyclists, she's pretty resigned to it.

I usually pull off a few mean stoppies for him on my Avanti mountainbike when we go riding. He likes to get his knee down "just like Rossi dad, aye!" whenever we go for bike rides together. No mean feat, seeing as the little bugger is still on training wheels - not for long though!

[spudchucka]

The ad shows progressively more violent outcomes as the evening goes on. I think it was about 6:30. My 3 year old's main concern was that that could happen to me.

That is a bit too much for a 3 year old to be thinking about but to be fair the ads are meant to make people think about the possible consequences.

[Ghost Lemur]

Pretty damn good fork seals, I must say - cheers WT.

However, with a 220kg bike, 95kg rider, and an IRC SP11 on the front, I must say in the recent road conditions stoppies are a bit dodgy.

I had to change the pads as the fork oil had gotten in to the calipers on the right side, so the brakes are really good at the moment.

The front tyre seems to skid before the back gets too high.

As for Tim, he has his eyes set on a PW50 for his 5th birthday in November. Gini's not too impressed but as his dad, uncle and both grandfathers are motorcyclists, she's pretty resigned to it.

I usually pull off a few mean stoppies for him on my Avanti mountainbike when we go riding. He likes to get his knee down "just like Rossi dad, aye!" whenever we go for bike rides together. No mean feat, seeing as the little bugger is still on training wheels - not for long though!

At this stage my "better half" isn't even keen on the our boys sitting on my bike stationary. The way she see's it is it'll go like this

Sit on bike --> Go for ride with dad ---> Dad buys minimoto each for boys ---> broken bones/hospital vists/excess motherly stress

She's probably right but I still don't see the problem. And no, the thought of me being able to play with their minimotos never crossed my mind. Honest.

On a serious (albeit offtopic) note, I would be more comfortable with them racing around on minimoto's on a track than riding their bicycles on the road. Less psychopathic cagers to contend with. Anyone else feel the same way?

[spudchucka]

On a serious (albeit offtopic) note, I would be more comfortable with them racing around on minimoto's on a track than riding their bicycles on the road. Less psychopathic cagers to contend with. Anyone else feel the same way?

Absolutley agree with you.

[igor]

anyone no where i can buy a P

[modalx]

QUOTE]

Get stuffed. My beliefs are personal to me and are the net result of my own life experience.?

Good for you - you can believe in the tooth fairy if you like - that does not make it true. When you ignore rational analysis in favour of a belief that is called delusion. You seem to be all about what you think, not about actually thinking. Oh well, its a good think no-one takes this seriously.

I'll be disappointed if you don't call me names some more. I love it when you talk dirty.