Ouch!
This is footage from last night’s Lady Gaga concert at Auckland.
Watch and you will wince when the star of the show gets banged on the head with a steel pole! Nasty.
She doesn’t miss a beat. Respec’ Gaga. She’s tough. (Hope she’s OK.)
– P
via NZ Herald
Steve Schmidt (former McCain campaign manager) A Career Resurrected After McCain and Palin
– New York Times 8 June 2012
Woodward and Bernstein: 40 years after Watergate, Nixon was far worse than we thought
– The Washington Post 9 June 2012
Worth reading, and if you’re like me, worth archiving.
I’ll fold some of the Woodward and Bernstein piece into an article I’m writing about ‘gotcha’.
– P
Remember the last Siri spoof? The garage band guy who wanted his phone to call him a ‘rock god‘? And this, harder-edged one‘?
Here’s another take-off of an Apple iPhone ad …
(If you’re having trouble viewing the video, try watching at the Team Coco site)
via Huffington Post
Ha! Carly Rae Jepsen’s smash hit ‘Call Me Maybe’ … performed in a make-up room with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots.
A month or so ago, I saw her official music video (click image below) wherein she affects to lust after her buff, hunky neighbour who [SPOILER:] turns out to fancy other men … and thought. ‘Oh boy. That’s catchy.’
I had no idea.
– P
By coincidence, I saw this brief interview between Nicky Hager and Finlay Macdonald on TVNZ7’s The Good Word today.
Having just referred to the book (see Hollow Man Matthew Hooton recites his creed), I found it interesting, as well as the revelation that defensive PR tactics (‘leaked material’ vs ‘stolen material’) were quite effective, judging by the majority of the media questions Hager faced…
Watch it online at TVNZ on demand. **
– P
** UPDATE March 2015. The video seems to have gone AWOL at TVNZ:
… but here’s an archive copy of the audio:
Nicky Hager on ‘The Good Word’ MP3 file
Note the opening line:
“Investigative journalist and author Nicky Hager has been causing trouble for New Zealand’s political class for well over a decade. From our part in a global spy network to dirty tricks and spin by corporates and government, it’s been his mission to shine a light on the often secret workings of power.”
pic: monstersandcritics.com
From Lydia Jenkns’ review (NZ Herald) of tonight’slast night’s Lady Gaga concert in Auckland …
It was like an avante-garde opera for the modern age, which occasionally got confusing in it’s direction – Gaga began the show as an escaping prisoner, a warrior who will take over the earth for us, not alien yet not human, but also stepped out from behind her character at certain points, to make some very real human connections with her reverential fans.
But despite it’s odd changes of pace and message, it was a stunning display of creativity and talent.
For behind all the trappings, Gaga is a brilliant singer, songwriter and dancer – when she got the opportunity to open her lungs on songs like You and I, and The Edge of Glory, there was no doubt she’s the new Madonna.
‘The new Madonna.’ Hmpf. I think that was what was irritating Madge, wasn’t it?
Good for her.
– P
There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
The NZ Herald calls the government’s presentation of proposed teacher cuts dishonest, political humbug and a study in spin.
The fact is that the present moves will make it harder for teachers to deliver quality – and disproportionately harder for teachers in low-decile schools whose pupils are attracted to the subject areas under attack.
If the Government were to present the initiative honestly, as cost-cutting, that unfairness would be plain. Instead, it presents it as a commitment to a nebulous notion of quality, which is really so much political humbug.
Naturally, David Farrar flies to the defence, framing the educators’ bog-obvious statements that larger classes degrade educational quality as ‘assertions’. Oh dear.
I’m not criticising David Farrar for his (ahem) habit of always lookin’ on the bright side for his team, nor accusing him of being in lock-step with the National-led government’s spin machine. There’s nothing unseemly about his reliability at spinning for National.
Eventually, it just becomes so obvious. It is tribal.
Likewise, the chorus of condemnation from National partisans, some of whom implausibly attempt to blame a recent poor poll result (TVNZ) ‘directly‘ on Hekia Parata, who I personally think is one of the finest people in their caucus. She is a leader, with ‘X’ factor … not a Hollow Man. Reminds me of a comment I read about David Lange: “…a lovely man, far too good for politics.”
– P
The Social Media Bubble has popped
2 June 2012 by Allen Gannett | The Next Web
It happened. It’s over.
The bubble was popped by Facebook’s IPO belly flop. Some saw it coming, but before May 18, plenty of smart people saw only blue skies. Chris Sacca predicted we’d see a $56 price on opening day. But within 2 weeks, the price had dropped 29% to a low of $26.83.
According to Bloomberg, it was the worst IPO of the decade. …
Read on at The Next Web. (Some of the comments are cool, too.)
—
The ‘Will it burst? Won’t it?’, ‘It’s different this time!’ schtick reminds me of this fabulous Guy Body cartoon in the wake of our publishing The Day The Bubble Bursts — Olly Newland’s warning about a coming property slump:
Predictions!
– P
"You're either with us or agin us!" Um, any other options? (pic: theundergroundsite.com)
I’ve been thinking about the subject of deceit in politics and the sad idea that the voting public ‘expects’ a certain amount of spin and marketing (BS) in its political diet.
I posted this comment in discussion about my musings about tribalism ‘National’s desperados get perfervid about Peters‘ before last year’s election:
I usually enjoy politics as a sport — it’s one team’s turn to win, then another’s and that’s OK … but after a while I feel nauseated by the ghastly inauthenticity of the sectarian antics of Party loyalists like those I refer to above.
When I see someone engaging in shabby, venal grasping for ‘power’ and influence, or engaging in ‘the politics of personal destruction’, I think it should almost disqualify them
… but of course, that’s not how democracy works.
Now when I wrote that, I wasn’t aware of this, from Douglas Adams of The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame …
It is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
OK, so that’s droll. But thinking about it some more …
When the ACT Party’s David Garrett almost pulled down the temple (well, he certainly loosened a few pillars) with the gradual revelation of misdeeds in his past, I remember quoting NZ Herald political columnist John Armstrong at his most black-and-white:
“An MP’s words must be able to be trusted. Garrett’s have been rendered worthless.”
And really, I think THAT is the measure — that’s the ‘disqualification’ — whichever Party or politician is at issue. Rather than law-breaking (technical or blatant) or loyalty, or ambition.
As noted before, a theme of this blog is the nonsensical tendency for human beings to suppose Continue reading →
Earlier, I quoted from Margaret Pope’s elegant book At The Turning Point: My political life with David Lange. I heard the author interviewed by Radio NZ National’s erudite Kathyrn Ryan when the book was published 1 where Ms Pope answered (beautifully) a query about the enmity she’d attracted from Michael Bassett:
…There are some things in life you have mixed feelings about. I don’t like to be called ‘the Yoko Ono of the fourth Labour government’ because it’s not used in a flattering context. Still less do I like to be called ‘the Lady McBeth of the ninth floor’ which is another label I’ve found attached to myself. But having said that, you know, if you have enemies like Michael Bassett, you’ve done something right in your life.
{Chuckle.}
Which puts me in mind of this, from someone else who had battle scars:
You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. — Winston Churchill
Kia kaha.
– P
1 Listen to the full audio of that interview at www.radionz.co.nz
(The section quoted is around the 19 minute mark.)
Originally published November 2006, this book still resonates. Essential reading.
Featuring extensive quotes from National Party sources, Nicky Hager’s The Hollow Men: A study in the politics of deception exposed and excoriated a cynical, deceptive team of politicians, spin doctors, professional deceivers and behind-the-scenes, shadowy political donors seeking political influence and ‘policy for sale’ — some of whom, judging by results, are still very much connected.
It is interesting (read: disgusting) to read some of Matthew Hooton‘s never-intended-for-publication manipulations verbatim. Although he has his moments, e.g. voicing opposition to the racist overtones of National’s vacuous ‘race-based privilege’ theme, overall he comes across very badly in the book, in my view. Others may disagree.
After reading an exchange between Matthew and Don Brash’s strategist/advisor Bryan Sinclair: a self-congratulatory mutual gloating about how they duped church-going Christians in the service of Brash, Blumsky and Banks,1 and other toxic tactics, I will never take Hooton’s feigned outrage about ‘corruption’ in politics and his breathless, hysterical Helen Clark-bashing remotely seriously again.
Matthew Hooton is still parroting the same spin and rhetoric today … reciting polemic as a confession of faith. viz:
Matthew Hooton (& friend? Hmm)
From Hooton’s NBR column last weekend (paid): “In terms of the gap between potential and performance, John Key’s government may be the most disappointing in New Zealand’s history but the last years of Ms Clark’s regime was undoubtedly the most vile and corrupt.” (Oh please.)
The irony that now, SEVEN YEARS after the dodgy election spending machinations that Matthew Hooton and the gang engaged in for the National Party/Don Brash campaign (which the Hager book documents) — like the ‘third party’ spending by the Exclusive Brethren, the Racing lobby, the Maxim Institute etc — all FAILED, one of the machinists has the gall (or total lack of self-awareness?) this week to foam: “In 2005, despite clear warnings from the authorities, Labour deliberately broke campaign spending laws, believing anything was justified to hold on to power”.
If I infer correctly, it’s just hard to believe the guy is so wonky, shonky and shameless.
Likewise, former Dominion political columnist and editor Richard Long’s, let’s call it, ‘shift in focus’ gives substance to the classic journos’ rueful joke about how former colleagues ‘Go over to the dark side’ when they cross the bridge. Continue reading →
Does he 'face charges'? Or just an investigation? (click)
You know who. (Pic: AP)
There’s apparently a little controversy about Madonna (the singer-songwriter) feeling that Lady Gaga (the singer-songwriter) has strayed a little too close imitation with respect to Madonna’s ‘Express Yourself’ worldwide hit and Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’.
The last one of these I paid attention to was a fairly plausible Joe Satriani allegation that Cold Play had ripped him off blind been inspired by one of his songs. A side-by-side comparison (youtube) seemed pretty convincing to me, amateur as I am.
Madonna has gone one further and, apparently, to show how … similar her and Gaga’s songs are, is rehearsing a concert item combining them. Captured on shaky video, recently, and posted to youtube (below, if you care).
So. That’s background for this comment, quoted in today’s NZ Herald wherein Madonna scratches a TV ‘poisonality’ for asking a shallow question:
Madge told Newsweek that when she first heard the song, she felt it was a “redo” of Express Yourself”, and “thought it was … interesting”.
She also told ABC’s Cynthia McFadden: “When I heard it [Born This Way] on the radio … I said that sounds very familiar,” Madonna said, adding, “It felt reductive“.
When asked if “reductive” was good or bad, Madonna replied, “Look it up”.
Nice …
I don’t know about you, but I see that happening all the time.
– P
