Author Archive
The right wing is ‘demanding its pound of Crazy’
Sometimes I really like Josh Marshall’s use of language. This is a good example. – P The link he’s referring to is here.
Spin within spin. Laughable. (What? Simon Lusk AGAIN?)
Intriguing to see the subterranean right wing operative Simon Lusk dragged into watery sunlight AGAIN so soon after recent publicity. See David Fisher’s reports in the NZ Herald: National turns on hard right advisor and Ports and bloggers colluded: strategist. But it was swallow-your-coffee-quickly funny to see Simon Lusk’s business associate, the irrelevant Cameron Slater, […]
What is this @3NewsEditor? Pravda?
I was surprised to see 3News ‘back-announce’ a report from the first day of The Greens annual conference last night with a pure propaganda statement from the Prime Minister. Whoever was running the newsroom at the weekend made a really odd decision. Reading Mr Key’s statement — which had nothing whatsoever to do with Russel […]
The sad disintegration of my confidence in Judith Collins
Papakura MP Judith Collins sacrificed much of her credibility earlier this month with what I saw as a cynical, self-interested and mealy-mouthed non-explanation for her government’s blocking of MMP reform. Ms Collins’ smokescreen — her “I’m not their nanny” punchline when justifying her lack of more than token effort or (cough) leadership to formulate legislation […]
Goodbye Zander. RIP.
A sweet young kid in our wider family passed away last night. I write these words with tears spilling onto my shirt, choking on my grief for his mother and all who loved him. Hard times. – P
Simon Lusk EXPOSED
I love the irony of this. Here’s what caliginous National Party ‘campaign strategist’ Simon Lusk says on his (oh look, suddenly not password protected for now*) website about keeping a low media profile — trying to channel Bob Jones in the last sentence, methinks: Simon does not comment to the media because he believes the […]
Jon Stewart: ‘There is nothing Apple can do to get us mad at them.’
Hardy-har-har And here, with less mirth, making the same point is Joe Nocera writing in the The New York Times … Here Comes the Sun Indeed, Apple’s fabulous success over the past decade or so — its creation of the iPads and iPhones that the world lusts over — is a large part of the […]
Backfire
Donald Trump (whom I don’t follow on Twitter), clearly displeased by something Jonathan Chait wrote, has a crack at him and the excellent New York magazine. Which Chait (whom I do follow) immediately re-tweeted. Visit the tweet online to see how it backfired on The Donald. (He may not see it that way.) When public […]
Space Oddity (Chris Hadfield cover)
Commander Chris Hadfield has been a brilliant ambassador for Space exploration on board the International Space Station. His personality and engagement has shone through. This ‘cover’ of David Bowie’s song Space Oddity is wonderful. Millions have seen it and enjoyed it. I put it here as a tribute to Hadfield and Bowie. – P
Who is better at snooping? GCSB or Google?
Microsoft ‘internal’ video. Read the background at The Verge: Leaked Scroogled video sees Microsoft parody Google’s Chrome ad – P
Google deceives the taxman with smoke and mirrors
British tax department ‘bamboozled’ by Google: MPs confront search giant over ‘devious’ attempt to avoid paying UK tax The internet giant Google was today branded “devious, calculating and unethical” by MPs who accused the company deliberately subverting its motto ‘do no evil’ in order to pay less tax. Infuriated members of the House of Commons […]
Busted
During his final speech/personal explanation on resigning from Parliament yesterday disgraced National MP Aaron Gilmore paid tribute to his leader in these terms: I wish to thank the prime minister and the National Party as a whole for providing such strong leadership in challenging times. I was first elected to parliament almost five years ago, […]
In the service of the 9th floor
I’m clearly not the first nor only observer to be struck by the extraordinary alacrity with which the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) fulfilled recent Official Information Act (OIA) requests for dirt on Aaron Gilmore. Is anyone asking how political reporters came to ask for details of the disgraced National MP Aaron Gilmore’s […]
‘What the hell is water?’
Wonderful video based on part of David Foster Wallace’s 2005 commencement speech at Kenyon College. [UPDATE: Oh, the video has been removed, due to “a third-party notification by The David Foster Wallace Literary Trust claiming that this material is infringing: THIS IS WATER – By David Foster Wallace.” No lack of acknowledgement, but should have got […]
Chris Trotter on National’s privatisation agenda
I don’t agree with every word, but Chris Trotter’s analysis of today’s Mighty River Power sharemarket float and the implications of the National Government’s ‘partial privatisation’ agenda and hoped-for flow-on effects is well worth a read at The Daily Blog. The last line about Christchurch is a real kicker, too.
