The sentence: six months home detention
The crime: coming to New Zealand on a false passport, and using a false name (and, one would presume, false documentation) to apply for citizenship and a New Zealand passport.
Now, I’m no Sensible Sentencing Trust fanatic, but to me this story just doesn’t add up.

A Ukranian guy who came to New Zealand in 2004 with a false passport was sentenced to 3 years in jail (on appeal reduced to 18months). In 1997 a woman arrived with a false Dutch passport and claimed refugee status – even she was given three months jail.

The Department of Internal Affairs tells us that passport forgery “ is not worth the risk – don’t try it you will be caught“. But it seems that if you have the right connections, then getting caught doesn’t even land you in much trouble.

What is this guy still doing in New Zealand?
What are we not being told in this story??

What do Elliot Spitzer and Ben Bernanke have in common?
Greg Palast reckons that Spitzer aggravated important people with his meddling in the affairs of banks which were throwing around cash at sub-prime mortgages.
Have a look at this story and ask yourself how the media got wind that Spitzer was throwing around cash at expensive hookers.

I’m all for the wee guy sticking it to the big bully… but I think we need to remember that the wee kid isn’t always spotless (or even particularly good) himself.
I am of course referring to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his aggravation of the United States. The super power has rampantly mixed itself up with Latin American affairs over centuries. But that doesn’t mean that any opposition is good opposition.
So I was disappointed with John Pilger’s documentary “The War on Democracy”, which provides a remarkably un-nuanced view of intra-American affairs.
Chavez good, USA bad: the world just doesn’t work in black and white.
Anyway, have a look at the review I did for the Pacific Media Centre online and let me know what you think. So far I’ve been told that it’s “fair and balanced”, and I must say it worries me that Fox News comes to mind when someone reads my writing…