Apparently selling apples is bad. Yep. You've got it: Selling apples is bad. How come? Search me! It's only a problem in New Zealand so far but who knows? Perhaps it's "Today New Zealand, tomorrow the world!" A press excerpt:
"New Zealand apple growers say they are outraged over remarks made by Green co-leader Rod Donald on a recent visit to Australia. They say the remarks should eliminate the Greens as possible coalition partners in any government. According to the Apple Growers Action Group, on a visit to Australia before New Zealand's election Mr Donald stated that he was opposed to apple and potato exports to Australia from New Zealand "on the basis that they should be consumed locally." He also said he wanted to see an end to products crossing the Tasman which can be grown locally, such as dairy foods, the growers association said".
Source
By the way, poking fun at Kiwis (New Zealanders) is a well-known Australian sport and I am an Australian so forgive me for putting up two posts about Kiwis in one day. They do give us a lot of ammunition, though.
Update:
Hey! I've just realized: I'm in the wrong. I am being "insensitive" about New Zealanders! How dare I?
Illegal Immigrants should be "Protected"?
The problem with illegal immigrants in the UK is different to the U.S. situation. Many get in to Britain by claiming to be refugees seeking political ayslum. But for many that's just a ruse to get in. Once in Britain they vanish from sight. But Britain admits them pending investigation of their claims. If investigation reveals that they are not in Britain out of a reasonable fear of political persecution, they are judged to have made a false claim and are ordered to leave. But they generally don't leave. In fact they often don't even bother to attend the hearing of their case. Occasionally, however, the police do find them and grab them before they can disappear -- so that the process of deporting them can begin. Fair enough?
One would think so but that is not how the British Green/Left see it. They think that the illegals should be "protected" from the police. As the following news excerpt from Scotland about a presumably Muslim family shows:
"Ministers are to be urged to make sure the children of asylum seekers living in Scotland are better protected. The Green Party is raising the issue in Holyrood after Children's Commissioner Kathleen Marshall attacked the treatment of failed asylum seekers following a dawn raid on the Glasgow home of the Vucaj family. The removal of the Kosovans also sparked an outcry among students at Drumchapel High in Glasgow - where the Vucaj children had attended school. Pupils from the school will be in the Scottish Parliament for the debate, where the Greens' communities spokesman Patrick Harvie will tell ministers they have a duty to protect all youngsters.... The SNP's social justice spokeswoman Christine Grahame praised the role the Children's Commissioner had played in highlighting the way asylum seekers such as the Vucajs were treated but argued she should have more powers"
Source
So the familiar excuse "It's all for the children" is trotted out again. The fact that the children were illegally in Britain too is not mentioned.
Humorless Kiwis
Apparently some guy in New Zealand put up a hoax advertisement as a joke on a site similar to eBay. It offered a dolphin for sale! Presumably he was just baiting animal rights activists and knew they would go nuts over it. They did! Here's a small excerpt of the huffing and puffing:
"The Royal New Zealand SPCA has expressed outrage at a hoax posting on the `Trade Me' website, offering a dolphin for sale by auction. According to the posting, made from West Auckland, the dolphin was being kept in a swimming pool after being accidentally caught in a net during a weekend fishing trip. The SPCA describes the hoax as a "totally irresponsible attempt at self-promotion" at the expense of New Zealand's international reputation as a nation that cares for animals".
Source
But I don't suppose the same people get at all outraged when animal-lib types physically attack people and laboratories engaged in medical research that uses animals. "We can assault you but you can't even joke about us" would seem to be the idea.
