What is OUSA doing about this?

It used to be that student associations looked out for the interests of the students. If the fun of being at University was under threat, the student union would do what they could to remedy the problem. Sit ins, protests to the clocktower... Of course now, student unions are geared towards a more political focus - and trying to keep their numerous "assets" above water surrounded by apathy and stuggling to be credible to their peers.

So where was OUSA when ICONIC student pubs The Bowler and Gardies were bought by the University and shut down? The Bowler (Bowling Green Hotel) was a legendary drinking hole while the Gardies was almost untouchable as the quintessential Otago student bar. I frequented both establishments while I was at Otago and can't believe that students, and their student union, did nothing substantial to try and save these bars. By saying that, I did salute these students for at least having a try.

This is the sort of issue that would bring some relevance back to the role of a student union. However, instead, OUSA has been spending students money on a campaign to force them to be members of the union.

OUSA have (again) dropped the ball and have let the University take away yet another icon of the Otago experience without a fight. No wonder students are getting out of control down there - nobody is standing up for their rights and OUSA seem only concerned with their fragile organisation that nobody cares about.

Story here

Submission for Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill

I thought I would share my submission after reading some very good submissions by Jenna Raeburn, Nicholas Cross and Nicholas Kerr.

Mine is a lot more modest in comparison. Happy reading!

Dear Committee

I would like to make my submission in support of Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill.

I support this bill and hope that you do too. I have many reasons that I hope will help support making the committees decision easier.

Many submissions bring up the NZ Bill of Rights being incompatible with freedom of association. This is absolutely true. Opponents of the bill dismiss freedom of association simply because they got a legal opinion saying it didn’t breach the Bill of Rights in the 1990’s. These are hardly grounds to ignore a fundamental right that everybody else in New Zealand enjoys. Nobody is forced to join the Automobile Association – an organisation that offers representation, services and member benefits, nor will you find anybody promoting compulsory membership for them.

Freedom of association is also enjoyed by workers in New Zealand since 1991. Unions such as the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) and the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) have flourished under voluntary unionism and provide their membership with representation and benefits and have built themselves up without the need to force every worker to join them. Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove himself has defended the right for voluntary unionism back in 2008 when he defended plans to make the New Zealand Real Estate Institute voluntary, "We haven't had compulsory unionism for 20 years. Why should I as a politician tell you or anybody else what you should belong to? If you want to join the footy club, the workingmen's club, the institute - go for it. It's your choice and you should have that right." Further on this, The Labour Party also endorsed the New Zealand Law Society’s move to voluntary membership in 2007. Supporters of the status quo have used compulsory membership to the Law Society as a strong case to keep student unionism membership compulsory – just as the New Zealand Universities Student Association (NZUSA) used compulsory trade unionism as a case study in the 1980’s – and yet both are now voluntary. It’s time that Student Unions also follow this modern trend if they are to stay relevant to their members. Believe it or not but NZUSA themselves have voluntary membership.

Voluntary Student Membership (VSM) isn’t an anti student union bill. However it is a bill designed to give students a choice. Student Unions throughout New Zealand currently struggle to make themselves relevant to 10% of the student body at student election time. It is simplistic to say that apathy can be solved by more people getting involved, when student unions do not make the democratic process attractive to its members. My personal experience running for student executive at Otago University was littered with abuse, threats of violence and sabotage from the student union owned student paper (Critic), simply for running on a campaign that supported the National and ACT party’s education policies. While it did not put me off, the abuse was carried out on members of my immediate family who studied on the campus as well. This strengthened my resolve to make student unions more accountable to their members, no group of students can claim to represent every student’s political, religious or personal beliefs – nor should they speak on their behalf when most students don’t even share them. In 1999, NZUSA supported the Alliance Party and sent press releases supporting Alliance Party policy while claiming to represent all 250,000 students, and yet the Alliance got 25,888 votes in total for this election. In 2002, the Otago University Student Association (OUSA) spent student’s money campaigning for the Alliance Party, putting up billboards, distributing flyers and using student funded transport to assist the campaign.

Opting out is not an option. The current legislation does not help those who wish to leave the union nor do student unions adhere to the law requiring them to advertise to students the opt out provisions.
Alex Sorenson, 2009’s Massey Wellington Students’ Association (MAWSA) President, admitted that unions do not sufficiently advertise this, and in fact her union didn’t at all. No surprises that in 2009 OUSA had not one student opting out of membership. This is a result of two problems; one being that the process is long and rigorous – and the other being that if a student is successful, they do not get their money back. One cannot simply object because they disagree with a student unions “politics”. They must put together a compelling case that is decided upon by the University and Student Union. There have never been any clear statistics by NZUSA or indeed any pro VSM organisations that show many students successfully opting out.



If a student union was more relevant to students then there is simply no case for compulsory membership. For decades student unions have embarked on supporting political causes rather than serving the members who pay for their representation and services. Unions subsidise bars and food outlets as well as media – all of which are already viable concerns in the commercial world. A core service for student unions is representation on University councils. This does not cost the students anything and yet students are expected to pay between $100-$200 p/a to a student union that seems intent on providing non-essential services in order to legitimise themselves. Why should a student be forced to fund a radio station in order to get a degree? Why should students subsidise drinking for other students in order to get qualifications?

Many opponents of VSM say that paying union levies is akin to paying taxes or rates. This is misleading as student associations do not perform the same roles as local or national government nor do they have the legal status to do so. Student unions are incorporated societies and therefore forcing students to join them without legislating that we join other organisations that provide useful services is hypocritical. Student clubs, sporting events, cultural activities and entertainment/social activities would not be affected by VSM either. By giving students a choice whether or not to join a union – why would students stop attending social events or no longer join a club? Students should have the choice how they spend their university years, be it studying or socialising. However, compulsory student union membership has meant that students regardless of their social, religious and personal beliefs are subsidising others for their hobbies, interests and ill deeds at the student owned bars.

To summarise, I support the bill to make student unions voluntary just like every other incorporated society in New Zealand. Just as other unions and societies have modernised their membership provisions, our student unions also need to step and become relevant to its members.
Thousands of organisations around NZ provide services to members, and many radio stations exist without compelling students to fund them. As a student I chose to support a wide range of advocacy organisations, charities and service groups - but the only one which forced me to fund them was the one which then ran around promoting a range of things I fundamentally disagreed with.
Students have a diverse range of opinions, beliefs, needs and values. They can never be represented by a single organisation, and deserve the right to choose whether or not to join.

If voluntary membership is good enough for trade unions, it is good enough for students.

**UPDATE**

Here is the Act on Campus submission. It is also a very very good submission. I managed to read it all... it's very good.

Labour Lies about mining

It seems that while Labour have been gaining political milage over Nationals plans to mine, the Labour Party forgot to mention their enthusiastic involvement and support on the issue:

Gerry Brownlee also finds a few interesting photos...



Utter hypocrisy and I wonder if the media will balance this out? Will all the fools who have been joining Facebook groups and protesting now see that Labour are even worse? Probably not I guess!

Don't give David Bain one cent!

David Bain has a lot of cheek going for compensation.

David Bain has asked the Government for compensation for "wrongful conviction and imprisonment".

Justice Minister Simon Power said he had this afternoon received a letter from the lawyers for Mr Bain formally notifying of a claim for compensation.

There is no way from the mountain of evidence from the case, that David is innocent. The jurers ignored some crucial facts in order to look good to their peers.

I guess the good news in all this is that Bains will have to prove his innocence before he gets any money. Read this and you'll see that will mean a lot of work!

Add to it the suppressed evidence......and Bains love of his gun... and we are up for one hell of an entertaining case!

But not for the family of Robin Bain, who will justifyably be trying to clear Robins name. And not good for taxpayers who are funding this circus.

David Bain must not get one cent. Sign the petition and not let any of our taxes go to this murderer.

Another reason to hate the Greens.

I am no fan of supermarkets, none of them seem to ever have enough staff on the checkouts, what should take no more than two or three minutes invariably takes at least fifteen as you are forced to wait in a long line to exchange money for the goods you want.

Anyway, I popped in to get one item, I proceeded to what they laughingly call the express checkout and began waiting, as you do when forced to stand in line my mind began to wander, eventually it was my turn.

I placed my one item on the counter and the checkout lady asked me if I wanted a bag I said "Yes please", no sooner has I uttered these words than a female voice behind me (in an American or Canadian accent) said "you do not really need a plastic bag for that one item do you?"

I have to admit that for a moment I was stunned into silence, I guess a form of automatic response kicked in and I was about to say "I suppose you are right" out of politeness when the bare faced cheek of what she said hit me.

Instead I said to her "what possible business is it of yours if I decide I want a plastic bag or not? how about you keep your nose out of other peoples business"

I said it quietly, I did not want to draw attention to myself or to her, amazingly this stupid bloody Shelia was not about to give up, "do you have any idea what damage that one bag does to the environment?" was her next question, she followed this up with "I wish more people would think about the damage they are doing before they decide to use plastic bags, the damage you are doing to the environment is always my business".

This last statement she made in a tone that one would use if you were talking down to somebody, perhaps a classroom of school kids, however that was enough for me, I am stuffed if I am ever going to be lecutred to by anybody.

Again I asked her politely (although being polite was becoming increasingly difficult) "what possible business is it of yours if I decide to take a plastic bag or not? and what makes you think that you have the right to talk to me in that fashion?"

"Sir" she said, "I am a Green, I believe that it is my job to help save the planet and to help educate people as to the damage a simple plastic bag can do to our environment"...next came the real doozy...."we see it as our role to help people who are ignorant of the environmental damage their lifestyle causes"

This was enough for me, I calmly looked her directly in the eyes and said "Madam, I am not a Green and therefore I am not one who feels he has to stick his nose into other peoples business, nor do I offer unsolicited advice to complete strangers they happen to be standing behind in the supermarket, however, on this one occasion I will make an exception, the advice I am going to offer you is more of a direction, and that direction is this"

Just fuck off!

TOP of the league!

Lets hope the Scum lose out to that fat Spanish waiter later today....

Fisking Critic

Critic, the OUSA (Otago University Students Association) owned and operated mouthpiece, I mean student magazine, has a couple articles about Voluntary Student Membership (VSM) in their latest edition. On the Anti VSM Facebook group (of which they have banned myself and other pro VSM supporters) they paint the main article as a well thought out, reasonable and unbiased piece of journalism.

It isn’t, but in all fairness, it’s the most balanced piece I have seen in this magazine in years.

That doesn’t mean its right and unbalanced, and students deserve better from the media that they are funding from their compulsory fees. I don’t have huge amounts to be grumpy with, but when you’re pro VSM and you pay fees to an organisation and a newspaper who will work against you, you need to keep slamming the facts back at them!

I’ll spent a short moment on an article that precedes the main one, written by Julia Hollingsworth about Rodney Hides visit to Otago University. Julia states in the story that AUSA (Auckland University Student Association) and WSU (Waikato Student Union) voted to go back to compulsory membership after a short time. Didn’t Julia fact check? AUSA is still voluntary and WSU was voluntary for years before the student union forced a vote on it giving students a few days notice during exam times.

Julia states that students have “always” had the option to get 10% of students to force a vote on VSM, when this legislation was only bought in by National and NZ First in 1999. Anyway, it’s a shoddy piece of student journalism.

It’s a little hard to take serious the main article that the Compulsionists hold up as balanced when the first thing they state is that VSM is what right wingers want. Student Choice, the main organisation fighting for a change in the law attracts members from parts of the political spectrum and has done since inception at Waikato in the 90’s.

They gloss over the “opt out” provisions a little too quickly, but at least they mention that nobody opted out of OUSA in 2009. I believe that this is typical of most associations – as students don’t have time to go through the tricky procedures of opting out. I would love to see figures of other associations opt outs!

The OUSA president Harriet Geoghegan seems quite reasonable, apart from her buying into the hysteria that VSM will mean students won’t have a voice left. Try saying that to Grey Power and Automobile Association members! What would the CTU say about that? Harriet also states that if they have voluntary membership – an association can’t claim to represent all students. Nonsense. OUSA will be stronger as they could legitimately claim that they represent all their members – unlike now where OUSA struggles to legitimise itself to over 10% of its members shown by historically terrible voting figures at elections. Why does OUSA claim to represent students now? Students vote for numerous political parties, and nobody can claim to represent them all. This is scare mongering.

Harriet seems realistic when it comes to the excessively extremist behaviour of other associations, like VUWSA (Victoria University of Wellington Students Association) who are so out of touch with their members that they give the pro VSM movement constant ammunition. However she continuously falls into the trap of thinking that all students must be represented. The general public disagree with her, as when the NZ Government gave workers the choice to join trade unions, membership dipped dramatically. Over the years trade union membership has risen due to the work of union officials and organisers to legitimise their services and representation to workers.

OUSA historically has been a very political union, but the article is telling people that this is no longer the case. Fact or fiction?

Furthermore Harriet bemoans that gigs will no longer be able to be run. Why not? Will bands stop coming to areas where lots of students reside because they are not members of a student union? That does sound a little silly doesn’t it? Harriet has to be careful about misleading students about UNIPOL (gym) as well, which is covered by a completely separate levy than the union levy. She states that students may lose their free gym if OUSA have to sell it. Putting “assets” aside, the overall thing to remember is that students are funding the use of a free gym for a few, in order to get a degree. The VSM movement believe that one should not be forced to do so.

Aside from all the spin from Critic, accusing the VSM movement of not caring about OUSA and the usual hard line slant, I have to admit that things have changed a lot down there since I was a student. OUSA should be commended for trying to engage with the student population. If they didn’t fight VSM and spend resources fighting it, they would have been better equipped to survive VSM than they are now. It’s a pity that OUSA and NZUSA are (and have spent) tens of thousands of dollars fighting this, and calling it the actions of a few against the majority. It’s very irresponsible and if the shoes were on the other feet they would be screaming bloody murder.

Full article here

Lies...damn lies.. Campbell Live

You almost feel sorry for people like John Campbell. He needs sensationalism. He feeds on it. However at the end of the day he is still an overpaid auto cue reader in a cheap suit. A big fish in a small pond, but overall insignificant outside NZ. Calling my blog racist the other night not only smacks of desperate sensationalism, but shows he is ignorant. If I had to agree with anything that Helen Clark said - her comment that he is a little creep rings loud and true. Almost all of the emails (and Facebook messages) I have had, also agree that while Campbell relished the idea of exaggerating on TV... he was also wrong.

Other myths that came about from this weeks little storm in a tea cup - and journalists, take notes!

MYTH - My co-blogger was too cowardly to speak to the TV crews about this incident.
REALITY - He was on business in the US, doing his job. His wife spoke up on TV after awful comments from the minister casting opinions that they were bad parents. He was willing to blow his anonymous blogger profile over this, something I have been keeping secret since he joined this blog.

MYTH - This was a political attack.
REALITY - My co-blogger is a father first and a professional second. Politics may play a part in his life but he is a good father and acted out of anger at the behaviour on the plane.

MYTH - He exaggerated the event and his kids were loud on the plane.
REALITY - Who else has gone on TV to back up the minister? The kids have been on planes before and know plane etiquette.

MYTH (and this is for Herald journo Dita De Boni) They were MY kids.
REALITY - I live in London. I have co-bloggers. They come from both sides of the political spectrum. It only takes a couple seconds to check this - and change your story... it's still wrong and online!

Myth - Charles Chauvels entire excuse
REALITY - This was more about personalities than politics. Immediately afetr this got media attention he turned it into an attack on ACT and remained noticably smug about it on TV. Nobody in Labour seemed to worry and shrugged it off - as they know his personality. You would not see Rodney Hide doing this. Even if you don't like Rodney, not in a million years would he ever say that to children or make judgements about how parents look after their kids.
You know it, I know it.

Myth - Charles is an innocent party in all this.
REALITY - Nonsense. Charles relishes the petty debates. He is already well known for snooping onto young males Facebook profiles and using it to make cheap political points, much to the embarrassment of his leader. See also - Chauvel vs Christopher Bishop (National Party) and Chauvel vs Andrew Falloon (ACT Party)

No taxpayers funding for Commonwealth Games

Well done to John Key for not pledging to throw $800 million of our dollars towards the Commonwealth Games. New Zealand is still not out of the economic crisis so it would be madness to throw what little of our recovery we have, into another sporting event.

Of course this is the opposite with Labour. After all they are used to spending our money like drunken sailors on shore leave. Not to mention the millions lost when Trevor Mallard lost us the co-hosting rights for the rugby world cup in 03.

How refreshing to have a Government that doesn't hate workers. Although we do have an opposition that seems to think we are very stupid. Why wuld they campaign to axe a tax when they have no intention of doing so themselves?

Maybe John Key has them so scared they will run the 2011 election on a platform of taxcuts?? YES PLEASE Labour!

Interesting

How kind of many people to come to the blog to view their opinions. This blog, since inception many years ago, has always stood firm for your right to express your opinions. I will defend your right to say whatever you like - no matter how offensive they may be.

This isn't like a Labour Party funded blog like Red Alert or the Standard. I will not censor or moderate you. We are (mostly) all grown ups.

By saying that, I must add a little gentle disclaimer to what has been said about me and this blog over the past 24 hours:

I was not on the plane. Eagle eyed readers of the press and television viewers might have noticed that my co-blogger BTP was the one making his very justified complaint. To all those childless commenters, wait until you have kids...

I keep the privacy of other authors on this site confidential. This gives everybody the freedom to say what they wish without fear of being attacked by illiterate anonymous commenters. If you want to join the team here, let me know in the comments below.

I personally am NOT homophobic. Many people who comment on this blog are, and come from all political parties. I'd rather not have to read these comments.

I do not speak on behalf of the ACT Party. Neither do ANY of my co-bloggers. Charles Chauvel made this into a political issue because he was not man enough to fess up and tell the cameras the truth. It's easier to make it into a conspiracy against you.
I have had authors from the Labour Party right through to Libertarians here, so to name this as an ACT blog is just smearing everybody else who works on the blog.

I'd prefer you comment with a name on this blog. As you can see 99.9% of those who are anonymous are time wasters, racists, bigots and largely illiterate. Please do me the favour of standing beside your comments just as I put myself in the firing line for having opinions.

Other than that, thanks for coming and stick around as we have been writing here for years and might actually say something you agree with.

Cheers

Clint

**Update**

Cactus Kate nails Charles for being a twat. A fine read!

Mr Chauvel tellls a little girl to "Shut Up" on flight 476 Auckland to Wellington, Mar 14 2010 1900

I had a great weekend in Auckland. The most wonderful Pixies on Friday with exceptional friends and then a couple of days with family et al.

Now I have a beautiful and very patient wife and three children, the children are 4, 3 and 2! Travelling is not easy, but I am of the firm belief that practice makes perfect. We travel often and prefer to fly as it is quick. With my work I also fly frequently, as does my wife. We therefore use Koru and Gold Elite to our advantage and when we fly we are seated up the front of the plane. That's the way it works. I have been loyal to Air NZ and as a result,a 1 or 2 row seat, on a domestic flight is a benefit. With my family my flights are paid with post tax income.

Tonight the 1900 flight to Wellington (Home) was busy. I sat down in row 2 EF with my daughter and my wife, daughter (1D), and son (1F) sat in front of us. Behind me in 3F (Chauvel) and friend in 3 E. Pause to get the picture. So most of my family are in front and Mr Chauvel is to my right and behind in Row 3. I can hear most of what he says though the middle seat gap as can my 3 year old in 2 F

The flight takes off, my kids make a bit of noise. The usual kid stuff, no one blinks( except a muffled rumbling behind .....seat 3F) My kids can perform, you may have heard them! But tonight they were fine. The odd squawk a few yells and disagreements but nothing that your average person on a short domestic flight could dismiss undercover of an insipid tea, a packet of crisps and a magazine.

Not 3F (MR CHARLES CHAUVEL LABOUR LIST MP). 20 minutes into the flight I hear the first, hissed,,,,,"Will you just shut up!" This I think was directed at my 2 year old in row 1. I hear it well given my position. I think he doesn't realise that that object of his ire has a father directly in front.

I let it go. I had been thinking that had 3F been sitting beside me it would have been fascinating to talk with respect to some issues (ETS EFA and Ohariu), I changed my mind.

40 minutes a more vocal....."Will you just shut up!"

At this point I got angry and sarcastically told my kids to be quiet as there were very important men behind us who needed their peace.


We start to land when my 2 year old gets some ear pain and cries. A bit like a baby, not to intense. At this point 3F lets out his true feelings and prejudices as he turns to his friend in 3E and says........" I DONT KNOW WHY THEY LET THEM UP THERE"

At this juncture I lean to my wife for advice as the rage rises, as I feel that things could turn ugly. She tells me to let it go and blog about it rather than confront the slime.

I do.

Some Points to Mr Chauvel in 3 F.

The "them" you refer to, is me, the voter.

I vote in Ohariu.

I paid for my seat....did you?


Those children you despise, will probably pay for your superannuation.


And Lastly Mr Chauvel in 3 F, I pay your salary, I would prefer it if you and your friend did not verbally abuse my 2 year old in front of my 3 year old.

I have no reason to construct this. This is what happened. This is how a Labour front bencher acted in public, when his party is on 30% in the polls, when the accusations of "out of touch" are still ripe and the electorate is still trying to digest the "many but the few" mantra.

The only impression we get from this is that the elite few in Labour are the ones that get ...and the rest can get to the back of the plane.

*****
UPDATE FROM THE BLOG OWNER

It seems a lot of childless, bigoted people have a few opinions. Fair enough. But keep the abuse to a minimal and *try* and grow up. Cheers.
*****

PPP iss off PPTA

Why should the Government tell the teachers unions WHO builds the schools and who owns them?

It’s none of their bloody business.

Not content on tell parents and students that they know best, teacher unions want to be let in on any arrangements for any Public-Private Partnership (PPP) involving schools.

I don’t think the minister has to do any such thing. Teachers are already killing the system, why should they have a say in who builds and owns them?

Story here

Shawn Tan beats the EPMU...

I see Shawn Tan, the terrible person who had the awful judgement to have a political opinion different from the EPMU - got a somewhat smarmy apology from the EPMU (Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union) today.

See their statement here.

So what led to this apology and does this mean that we should trust Andrew Little if we are to believe that he is ambitiously wanting to be the next Labour Prime Minister?

Short answer no. I wouldn't trust Andrew Little to run a bath let alone run the country. His EPMU fired Shawn Tan for wanting to become a candidate for the ACT Party. In reponse to his decision, the EPMU set out to ruin Shawn. They published private details about him on their website, fired him and discriminated against him and his political affiliation. This is from a union who is supposedly there to prevent these sorts of actions from employers!

At the same time as Shawn was being victimised for supporting ACT, another EPMU employee (Ross Teppett)was allowed to run all hoardings for Labour Wellington Central candidate Grant Robertson, Jills Angus-Burney - the EPMU’s Wellington Solicitor was also the electorate candidate for Rangitikei while Andrew Little - the top weasel - is NOW President of the Labour Party. The hypocrisy is not only breathtaking but utterly ridiculous. Makes you wonder if these people are running the country, there is one law for the hard left and another for everybody else. I'd hate to know what justice is in the eyes of Andrew Little.

So what now?

The EPMU have published a full apology and the matter is now resolved - whatever that is supposed to mean.

It may have been resolved between Shawn and the EPMU, but I wonder if the EPMU has learned anything? Should we be even more wary of the Labour Party considering they share the same president as the EPMU, and if so - what does this mean for employers and workers if Labour get back in again?

***UPDATE***
It seems I was a little ahead of myself. There is no actual apology in the statement from the EPMU for dismissing Shawn. This of course makes it even less sincere. It shows that the EPMU still think they were right to dismiss Shawn. If you want an excellent example of how Andrew Little views people with opposite opinions than him, then this is it.

5-0 bitches!

Yes yes, I am a day behind - but it has been great sitting back and reflecting on a mighty fine performance from the Arsenal last night.


5-0 against a team people were saying was going to hurt us. 5-0 against Porto, who are by no means an easy to beat team. A team of 22 year olds (and Sol Campbell) with unlimited potential... While I am still very unsure about Nicklas Bendtner, he really did have a point to make after his shocking performance over the weekend against Burnley. By saying that, if you saw Steven Gerrards performance against Wigan (and his petulant behaviour on the pitch) then you'd have to say that everybody has their off days... despite Nicklas having more than others :)

A great win and surely positivity is running very high at the Emirates at the moment. CSKA Chelski are the odds on winners of the league and the Scum are also front runners, but this season I am very confident we will do very well.

Bring on the quarter final draw!

Engineering Society - Labour Style

It's international womens day around the world and to show us that Labour simply DON'T get it - the British Labour Party "equality" minister is threatening companies to force them to put more women in the boardrooms.

Her move, which is backed by (Prime Minister) Gordon Brown, comes on top of provisions in the controversial Equality Bill that allow employers to give jobs to women in favour of men with the same qualifications.

Discrimination is STILL discrimination no matter how you dress it up. Harriet Harperson (as she is called here) is a extremist who has waged war on society and private businesses to force her brand of equality on them.

What she is really doing is devaluing each and every women who has worked hard to get into boardrooms around the country.

On a day when Women are celebrating their strengths the last thing they need is to be treated as victims and 2nd class citizens. Socialism and discrimination is the enemy of feminism and the womens rights movement.

Happy International Womens Day!

How not to negotiate with the Germans

Greek politicians really do have a death wish don't they? Not content to let their economy melt down, taking the European Union with them - their only excape route, by going hand in cap to the Germans, has been shot down after a very stupid comment.

Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos said Germany had no right to reproach Greece for anything after it devastated the country under the Nazi occupation, which left 300,000 dead.

"They took away the gold that was in the Bank of Greece, and they never gave it back,'' he said in late February.

"They shouldn't complain so much about stealing and not being very specific about economic dealings.''

Greece's deficit was 12.7 per cent of GDP in 2009, well ahead of the EU's 3 per cent of GDP limit.

Yep, blame the Germans of today for the war and you'll never endear yourself to them and they won't open their wallets to save your godforsaken country.

What makes it worse is that any attempt to reform its bad ways are being resisted by the socialists and communists who don't want large scale economic changes.... I don't know about you but I suggest to the Greeks to get out of the EU before you ruin it for the rest of us.

The Germans have a better idea... the Greeks should sell their uninhabited islands and the Acropolis

Sounds good to me :)

Update... The Germans tell the Greeks to work for a living ;)