Strap yourself in Baby

I cant help myself, I'm starting to get more than a little concerned with what is going on in New York at the moment.

Without a doubt, things are going to get nasty overnight(NZ Time) on the DOW and European markets.

Over this weekend, Lehman Brothers, which is, significantly, 136 years old, and survived the Great Depression, has failed to be rescued by a consortium of banks or the US Fed.

Merrill Lynch, John Keys old stomping ground, has been acquired by Bank of America for a cut down price and the largest insurance company in the world , AIG, is in serious trouble, with a need for an injection of funds to keep it operating.

In my 12 odd years of investing in the stockmarket, which clearly isn't very long- I have never experienced anything like it-a sense of impending panic just seems to be around the next corner.

In my entire almost 43 years, there has been nothing as serious as this that has happened to financial markets, not since the Depression, where faith and trust in destroyed financial markets and more than a few bodies flew out windows, have things looked this dismal.

There are still more skeletons in the financial closet though.

However, the cards have been played and the market must keep plugging until the joker cards, both of them, turn up.

Hold on and lets hope there is an ace in the pack somewhere.

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Strap yourself in baby
Will the Stalactites hold?

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c Share Investor 2008

Sikhing a good cop, not a Turbanator

Oh dear lord, this definitely puts the PC into police constable.

A  Sikh constable in Nelson is going to be allowed to wear a large towel on his head instead of the regulation cap.

Stuff.co.nz

Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said adding a turban to the police uniform reflected that the organisation was becoming more diverse and more representative of the communities it worked alongside.

McGurk said he was delighted that the police had been able to help Mr Malhi nurture his religious and cultural beliefs.

There had been extensive consultation between the police ethnic responsiveness coordinator, its uniform standards co-ordinator and the Sikh community before the turban was approved, he said.

Now there are a couple of observations one can make about towels being applied to the head of a policeman other than when one comes out of the shower but I am too nice to mention them.

All I can do is wonder what will be next, Rasta cops with tea cosy helmets, Skater cops with backwards baseball cap helmets, how about a full Burkha for the Muslim woman who likes to do undercover police work even when wearing body hugging police issue blues?

Burkha Cops in Iran

On a less serious note, will our police dogs be wearing little booties(thanks Leighton Smith for the tip) as they do in parts of the UK, when they are required to search a Muslim household?

Probably, it is just a question of when.

His mates have shunned him

Is it any wonder why a certain cop was shot dead last week in the hell-hole that is South Auckland, by some scumbag when Labour Party sanctioned police priorities are to.

nurture his religious and cultural beliefs.

And.

There had been extensive consultation between the police ethnic responsiveness coordinator.

How about nurturing the ability of officers to be able to defend themselves from bullets, knives, rocks, cars and other things that are used to attack them.

No word yet on whether Mr Malhi has consulted the police ethnic thingamy whatsit to see whether he can stop and pray before he asks a mongrel Mob member to please don't shoot me and please put down your gun sir.

Bring back the tough cops and the tough attitude-where are you Clint Rickards and Anthony Solomona, both drummed out of the police by Labour for PC reasons. 

Related Political Animal reading

Go ahead make my day

c Political Animal 2008

Fast Food gang policy

Ahh, after the Goff Gaff on Agenda yesterday and the announcement of the election on Thursday, one of the first policies Labour canvasses is that good old election bogey, law and order:

From the NZ Herald:

Mr Goff's position differs from previous comments by Police Minister Annette King, who told Parliament in March 2006 and November last year that she did not not believe it was "feasible or possible" and to think it would actually work was "dreaming". Ms King is also following developments in South Australia.

Mr Goff said the ban had to be assessed, because while it might be popular with the public, "it is not what looks good, it is what actually has a significant impact on gangs".

After nine long years of a  Labour Government and Kiwis telling them they wanted a ban on gangs, Labour decide to listen just 3 days after an election fight kicks off.

A coincidence?

I think not.

c Political Animal 2008

Rodney Hide shapes up

I was watching a debate, Decision 08, on Prime at midnight-oh where are our prime time political shows- after the bloody good Warriors win last night.

Rodney Hide was under the grille and he managed to answer questions from Audrey Young, Barry Sopher and one of the Espiner brothers and he did well.

He actually answered questions, which is rare in ANY politician, was very statesman like and acquitted himself with dignity and grace.

His policies were ones of a smaller government, more private ownership of our personal lives, responsibility and long-term tax breaks.

Rodney seems to have filled out his political personality as his weight has dropped over the last 3 years and he is looking like a good partner in a National/ACT coalition, which looks the most likely combo given the continuation of a trend in political polls-after a month long blip-that shows National is well ahead of Labour.

His stance on the Emissions tax scam bill passed last week was well worth hearing. Rodney is one of the most qualified in the house to comment on the Global warming swindle-he has several degrees- and he is the sole finger in the wind in Parliament against GW zealots like Helen Clark, David Parker.

He might just get my vote. 

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ACT Party

c Political Animal 2008