This Fool Had It Coming

We haven't had a fool inducted in my petty little Hall of Shame for a while.

But someone we all know has been working hard, and I think it's time he got his just desserts.

On Tuesday John Minto blogged that salaries over $250,000 should be subject to a 100% tax rate.

Such a move, if implemented, would destroy the New Zealand economy almost overnight. The flight of capital to Australia and other countries would be dizzying. Without this capital, the economy would stagnate, and New Zealand would become a basketcase.

His comments have attracted some attention, but mostly derision. And rightly so.

His latest target is the New Zealand cricket team:

Global Peace and Justice Auckland is angry the Blackcaps cricket team has bailed out on humanitarian support for the 280,000 Tamil people incarcerated in military camps following the recent civil war.

Before the cricketers left they met with representatives of the New Zealand Tamil community, along with GPJA, where the team was requested to use its high public profile to help keep the international spotlight on the humanitarian crisis facing the Tamil population.

NZ Cricket and player reps agreed they would do what they could without getting involved in the politics (which they were never requested to do). With this in mind no protests were organised against the team leaving for Sri Lanka.

Subsequently agreement was reached between Fonterra, World Vision and representatives of the New Zealand Tamil community whereby the Blackcaps would publicly and symbolically facilitate the transfer of milk powder products from Fonterra in Sri Lanka to World Vision for the victims of war in the military camps where there is an on-going humanitarian catastrophe.

The Blackcaps then got cold feet with Dave Currie (NZ Cricket manager with the Blackcaps) refusing to allow the cricketers to take part. Currie says he fears for the safety of the players. If helping feed starving people with milk powder is going to compromise player safety then what are the Blackcaps doing in Sri Lanka in the first place?

Dave Currie is to be commended for getting our players the hell away from this issue. The Black Caps have been caught up with violence in Sri Lanka before. Why on Earth did they agree (if in fact they even did) to get involved with the Tamil issue?

And as for "what are the Blackcaps doing in Sri Lanka in the first place?", I believe they're over there to play cricket.

The decision of the judges is unanimous: John Minto is the newest Imperator Fish Fool of the Moment.