Congratulations to David Farrar on his engagement. There's more to life than blog after all.
UPDATE: False alarm. Fucking cunts playing silly buggers.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Unorthodox traditions
Excellent long form journalism by Michael Lewis in Vanity Fair, looking at the teetering pile of crockery known as Greece. HT from the Greek Chorus of Felix Salmon, The Economist, Tyler Cowen, Andrew Sullivan, Dim Post, Quote Unquote and Bernard Hickey.
The ferry trip to the dark heart of Orthodoxy, where allegedly ascetic priests have used guilt to leverage land deals in order to renovate their holy sites, reminds me of 1990's Russia. Huge sums were spent there retrieving religious idols and doing up the orthodox spires while the masses starved. Quote Unquote shows how little has changed, linking to a story on how to buy lightbulbs in Russia.
Arts & Letters Daily links to two parts of Robert Fisk's inquiry into honour killings. The third part, looking at Egypt's murders dressed as suicides, shows it is not just a barbarism practised by Muslims. Even the Coptic Christians in Egypt are not above a bit of incest and slaughter.
And lest NZ gets too smug about our enlightened way of life, Hone Harawira points to our own skewed justice system, where jail sentences for Pineapple Lump theft are meted out, whilst multi-million dollar inbred transactions by South Canterbury Finance doesn't so much as get a slap on the wrist. HT Simon Pound.
The ferry trip to the dark heart of Orthodoxy, where allegedly ascetic priests have used guilt to leverage land deals in order to renovate their holy sites, reminds me of 1990's Russia. Huge sums were spent there retrieving religious idols and doing up the orthodox spires while the masses starved. Quote Unquote shows how little has changed, linking to a story on how to buy lightbulbs in Russia.
Arts & Letters Daily links to two parts of Robert Fisk's inquiry into honour killings. The third part, looking at Egypt's murders dressed as suicides, shows it is not just a barbarism practised by Muslims. Even the Coptic Christians in Egypt are not above a bit of incest and slaughter.
And lest NZ gets too smug about our enlightened way of life, Hone Harawira points to our own skewed justice system, where jail sentences for Pineapple Lump theft are meted out, whilst multi-million dollar inbred transactions by South Canterbury Finance doesn't so much as get a slap on the wrist. HT Simon Pound.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Subatomic telethons
Not a week after the Christchurch Quake, NZ is scrambling its Special Entertainment Services. The NZSO is holding a free concert in Christchurch to help salve the residents' raw souls. Fund-raisers are sprouting up everywhere. Tonight in Wellington alone, Young Labour are holding a fundraising quiz. Up the road and round the bend, Bodega is holding a charity DJ set.
A number of businesses have contributed to relief efforts as well. The cynic in me sez there's a fine line between charity and marketing, but perhaps the shell-shocked inhabitants of Canterbury don't care where aid comes from right now. Unless it is from the US or UN, apparently:
A number of businesses have contributed to relief efforts as well. The cynic in me sez there's a fine line between charity and marketing, but perhaps the shell-shocked inhabitants of Canterbury don't care where aid comes from right now. Unless it is from the US or UN, apparently:
New Zealand had turned down offers of support from the US military, based in Hawaii, and the UN he said. This was met with surprise, [Civil Defence head David Hamilton] said.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Satellite of love
If NZ has learned any lesson over the weekend, it is that the story of the Three Little Pigs is arse-backwards. Brick houses might keep the wolf from the door, but they are completely shagged in earthquakes. A House of Sticks would bend sufficiently to accommodate the vicious birth of new land, but a House of Straw would absorb even more shock.
In spite of early media reports of looting after the Christchurch Quake, there are no wolves in NZ. To date, reports of "looting" amount to two separate incidents of sole opportunists, and maybe a house burglary, which is par for the course in Christchurch anyway. Hell, it is probably the plot of this week's Outrageous Fortune episode. It's not beyond the skills of the kiwi Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Falani and Eric.
On the contrary, NZ pulled together to help where they could. Twitter was spewing out news like a telegraph wire. Photos, status reports, severity indications, flood notifications. NatRad had Kim Hill giving advice on how to poo in plastic bags.
The impact of it all was apparent on Q&A. It was landmark television, along the lines of the Walker-Muldoon interview or Campbell's Corngate interview with Helen Clark. It was utterly devoid of PR spin and media office platitudes alike. It was a show made in NZ.
Therese Arseneau was visibly upset, raw with stress and fairly bruised. She had been at the Reconstituting the Constitution conference in Wellington the two days prior to Saturday morning's earthquake, and still managed to fly up to Auckland for Q&A while her family remained down south with the aftershocks. Paul Holmes and Bob Harvey rightly got an earful from her over the Bollard interview later on and fair go. Today of all days, she was not going to listen to their complete bullshit.
Tim Watkin best summed up Bob Parker's commentary over at Pundit. And yes, Parker (not Harvey) deserves all the credit for getting out there and daring the sky to fall on his head.
New Zealand, like Australia, is home to the black swan. What works in the northern sphere might seem ludicrous down under, and vice versa. It might take guns and Jesus to make USAers be nice to one another, but down this way, all we need is each other. She'll be right.
In spite of early media reports of looting after the Christchurch Quake, there are no wolves in NZ. To date, reports of "looting" amount to two separate incidents of sole opportunists, and maybe a house burglary, which is par for the course in Christchurch anyway. Hell, it is probably the plot of this week's Outrageous Fortune episode. It's not beyond the skills of the kiwi Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Falani and Eric.
On the contrary, NZ pulled together to help where they could. Twitter was spewing out news like a telegraph wire. Photos, status reports, severity indications, flood notifications. NatRad had Kim Hill giving advice on how to poo in plastic bags.
The impact of it all was apparent on Q&A. It was landmark television, along the lines of the Walker-Muldoon interview or Campbell's Corngate interview with Helen Clark. It was utterly devoid of PR spin and media office platitudes alike. It was a show made in NZ.
Therese Arseneau was visibly upset, raw with stress and fairly bruised. She had been at the Reconstituting the Constitution conference in Wellington the two days prior to Saturday morning's earthquake, and still managed to fly up to Auckland for Q&A while her family remained down south with the aftershocks. Paul Holmes and Bob Harvey rightly got an earful from her over the Bollard interview later on and fair go. Today of all days, she was not going to listen to their complete bullshit.
Tim Watkin best summed up Bob Parker's commentary over at Pundit. And yes, Parker (not Harvey) deserves all the credit for getting out there and daring the sky to fall on his head.
New Zealand, like Australia, is home to the black swan. What works in the northern sphere might seem ludicrous down under, and vice versa. It might take guns and Jesus to make USAers be nice to one another, but down this way, all we need is each other. She'll be right.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
A fraction too much friction
The first week of spring has not been kind to the Christians of Christchurch. The saintly Hubbard has Crafared, and today the tectonic plates served up Canterbury for a dog's breakfast. The gods will not save them, but John Key and Bill English might. Why not consider changing the name to the indigenous Ōtautahi? Less blasphemous, eh.
Good night and good luck.
Good night and good luck.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Not One of Us
I'm buggered. Shattered. My head hurts. It's taking me a stiff joint and a cheap cask of red wine to put my mind in the recovery position enough to speak of attending the Reconstituting the Constitution Conference at Parliament earlier today. Even for a political junkie such as me, the RCC was damn close to a terminal overdose of political enquiry. And there's still one more day to go, which I'm having serious doubts over.
I was accidentally invited to attend as a delegate, volunteering as a keen understudy when the intended invitee couldn't make it. I knew the territory well enough. I've been going to Parliament since I was 12. But it is a hostile and estranged place for outsiders these days, mainly due to the post-9/11 security death grip.
The young ones will never know it, but there was once a magical time when anyone could walk up the steps of Parliament and enter through the revolving doors. Like a genuine citizen. The watchmen were always there, but the only time there was a queue for watching the House in action was when the gallery was full.
These days, foreign dignitaries and plebs alike are all squeezed through the security sphincter. No matter that you might have just popped out for ten minutes for a smoke between sessions, a reboot of sorts, it's back through the door that goes ping.
It goes ping because I'm wearing my suit, an honour that is usually bestowed on weddings and funerals only. It's an old school hand tailored suit with braces. The honour I am bestowing on parliament is forcing me to be spread-eagled every goddamned time I return from a cigarette. If I go tomorrow, it'll be in my uniform, not theirs.
Mind you, if you're a beltway leprechaun with the correct badge of power, none of this applies. You can enter through any of the Members' Entrances. The Koru Club of power. These things are noted with belligerence. It is hard to swallow the fiction that the people are supreme in a democracy that treats its visiting citizens like terrorists.
So. Reconstituting the Constitution. David Farrar was there, as always. He's blogged it up very nicely. I'll throw in my notes too.
Session 1: Lessons from abroad
Professor Robert Hazell from London mentioned the Blair years of constitutional reform. Devolving powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, giving them the hassle of regulation without the kitty of taxation. It reminds me of the Local Government Act here. The House of Lords defeated Labour votes every 1 in 3, good odds.
The UK's Human Rights Act is inferior to NZ's Bill of Rights Act. Their Freedom of Information Act is second to NZ's Official Information Act. Although the UK's FOIA is restrictive and complex compared to NZ's, it still beats Canada's, Ireland's and Australia's versions hands down.
Dagg bless NZ's Cabinet Manual.
Professor Heinz Klug from Wisconsin looked at South Africa's constitutional reboot after Apartheid. Interesting mistake regarding SA joining the WTO too early, a third world population facing first world intellectual property charges when it comes to AIDS treatment. Weird facts likes the White minority veto on state spending up until 1999. The use of cartoons to explain the working draft of the constitution to the illiterate masses. The lessons of Constructive Ambiguity, which sounds a hell of a lot like the Treaty of Waitangi.
Speaking of which, Tim Selwyn should eat his blog for saying the Treaty of Waitangi will not be centre stage at the conference. Annette Sykes was there, and she wasn't the only one going on about it. You cannot discuss constitutional reform without mentioning the ToW. But anyway...
Session 2: The Republican question
A rather one-sided debate featuring Michael Cullen and Dean Knight, chaired by Sir James Bolger. Cullen's speech notes got leaked all over Sunday, and he pretty much abandoned them to admit defeat to the inevitable once QEII carks it. Agreement was reached that NZ would probably prefer the staus quo ceremonial head of state and not one with any executive function. That's what's the PM is for.
If ceremonial is the choice, why a popular election for it? What's wrong with a super-majority of parliament? It's an improvement on the current system, whereby the PM of the day chooses the Governor-General. Alas, it'll never happen under the Back-to-Brit Nats.
Session 3: The Need for a written constitution; strengthening the Bill of Rights and the place of the Treaty of Waitangi
Justice John McGrath chaired this segment. Mai Chen spoke ten to the dozen, fast forwarding through her paper on the pros and cons of a supreme law. Money quote from a guy called Richard Shaw who noted that "the advent of the internet has not demonstrably rejuvenated people's engagement with politics, but that New Zealanders' relative disengagement with formal politics is being reproduced online."
Doctors Andrew and Petra Butler looked at expanding the Bill of Rights, including social, economic and property rights, but I think they're on a hiding to nothing on that one. Mai Chen mentioned the risks of Pandora's Box.
The highlight of the day was Judge Joe Williams, who came out with this gem (paraphrased); a New Zealand exceptionalism based on diversity and tolerance. He spoke from his notes hand-written in an exercise book. His subject was the Treaty of Waitangi, but it looked bigger than that from where I was sitting. I would happily vote this guy head of state.
Mai Chen tied it all together, noting the cleavages between minorities and majorities. I may not be Asian, gay or Maori, but I understood what she meant.
Session 4: Electoral Law, including Maori seats, MMP, fixed term and campaign finance
I had stopped taking notes at this stage. I was hoping for a stroke or aneurysm. Simon Power spoke sensibly, Charles Chauvel needs to use less Powerpoint. MMP isn't going anywhere. Neither are the Maori seats or four year terms. Logic and popular opinion seldom coincide.
I was accidentally invited to attend as a delegate, volunteering as a keen understudy when the intended invitee couldn't make it. I knew the territory well enough. I've been going to Parliament since I was 12. But it is a hostile and estranged place for outsiders these days, mainly due to the post-9/11 security death grip.
The young ones will never know it, but there was once a magical time when anyone could walk up the steps of Parliament and enter through the revolving doors. Like a genuine citizen. The watchmen were always there, but the only time there was a queue for watching the House in action was when the gallery was full.
These days, foreign dignitaries and plebs alike are all squeezed through the security sphincter. No matter that you might have just popped out for ten minutes for a smoke between sessions, a reboot of sorts, it's back through the door that goes ping.
It goes ping because I'm wearing my suit, an honour that is usually bestowed on weddings and funerals only. It's an old school hand tailored suit with braces. The honour I am bestowing on parliament is forcing me to be spread-eagled every goddamned time I return from a cigarette. If I go tomorrow, it'll be in my uniform, not theirs.
Mind you, if you're a beltway leprechaun with the correct badge of power, none of this applies. You can enter through any of the Members' Entrances. The Koru Club of power. These things are noted with belligerence. It is hard to swallow the fiction that the people are supreme in a democracy that treats its visiting citizens like terrorists.
So. Reconstituting the Constitution. David Farrar was there, as always. He's blogged it up very nicely. I'll throw in my notes too.
Session 1: Lessons from abroad
Professor Robert Hazell from London mentioned the Blair years of constitutional reform. Devolving powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, giving them the hassle of regulation without the kitty of taxation. It reminds me of the Local Government Act here. The House of Lords defeated Labour votes every 1 in 3, good odds.
The UK's Human Rights Act is inferior to NZ's Bill of Rights Act. Their Freedom of Information Act is second to NZ's Official Information Act. Although the UK's FOIA is restrictive and complex compared to NZ's, it still beats Canada's, Ireland's and Australia's versions hands down.
Dagg bless NZ's Cabinet Manual.
Professor Heinz Klug from Wisconsin looked at South Africa's constitutional reboot after Apartheid. Interesting mistake regarding SA joining the WTO too early, a third world population facing first world intellectual property charges when it comes to AIDS treatment. Weird facts likes the White minority veto on state spending up until 1999. The use of cartoons to explain the working draft of the constitution to the illiterate masses. The lessons of Constructive Ambiguity, which sounds a hell of a lot like the Treaty of Waitangi.
Speaking of which, Tim Selwyn should eat his blog for saying the Treaty of Waitangi will not be centre stage at the conference. Annette Sykes was there, and she wasn't the only one going on about it. You cannot discuss constitutional reform without mentioning the ToW. But anyway...
Session 2: The Republican question
A rather one-sided debate featuring Michael Cullen and Dean Knight, chaired by Sir James Bolger. Cullen's speech notes got leaked all over Sunday, and he pretty much abandoned them to admit defeat to the inevitable once QEII carks it. Agreement was reached that NZ would probably prefer the staus quo ceremonial head of state and not one with any executive function. That's what's the PM is for.
If ceremonial is the choice, why a popular election for it? What's wrong with a super-majority of parliament? It's an improvement on the current system, whereby the PM of the day chooses the Governor-General. Alas, it'll never happen under the Back-to-Brit Nats.
Session 3: The Need for a written constitution; strengthening the Bill of Rights and the place of the Treaty of Waitangi
Justice John McGrath chaired this segment. Mai Chen spoke ten to the dozen, fast forwarding through her paper on the pros and cons of a supreme law. Money quote from a guy called Richard Shaw who noted that "the advent of the internet has not demonstrably rejuvenated people's engagement with politics, but that New Zealanders' relative disengagement with formal politics is being reproduced online."
Doctors Andrew and Petra Butler looked at expanding the Bill of Rights, including social, economic and property rights, but I think they're on a hiding to nothing on that one. Mai Chen mentioned the risks of Pandora's Box.
The highlight of the day was Judge Joe Williams, who came out with this gem (paraphrased); a New Zealand exceptionalism based on diversity and tolerance. He spoke from his notes hand-written in an exercise book. His subject was the Treaty of Waitangi, but it looked bigger than that from where I was sitting. I would happily vote this guy head of state.
Mai Chen tied it all together, noting the cleavages between minorities and majorities. I may not be Asian, gay or Maori, but I understood what she meant.
Session 4: Electoral Law, including Maori seats, MMP, fixed term and campaign finance
I had stopped taking notes at this stage. I was hoping for a stroke or aneurysm. Simon Power spoke sensibly, Charles Chauvel needs to use less Powerpoint. MMP isn't going anywhere. Neither are the Maori seats or four year terms. Logic and popular opinion seldom coincide.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
#1 Crush
Whenever I look despondently at NZ's political scene, I look abroad for comic relief. Take those poor bastards in Australia, for example. It couldn't get more overblown and operatic if they got Baz Luhrman to direct it.
The hung jokes wore off the day after the election. The pedants have given up trying to correct the contextual nuances; parliament's not well hung, in the same way that Hobart's not very unique. It's a binary thing, akin to turning the microwave very on.
There's not going to be a re-election. That's the hand that's dealt. Canberra will have to sort it out. Oz is well overdue for its medicine anyway. We had six weeks of Winston Peters in 1996. Mind you, the Member for Tauranga back then is nothing compared to the suspected sound and fury over the Tasman right now. I'd rather have to deal with Winston rather than a Queenslander MP. Nice climate, shame about the lifestyle, eh. i.e. No hookers? Seriously??
Given the feral passions that rule that continent's kangaroo regime, I'm quite surprised that the ALP and the Coalition houses haven't tried to get disaffected constituency MPs from each other to cross the floor. Not a Quigley or Marilyn Waring in sight. Yet.
The hung jokes wore off the day after the election. The pedants have given up trying to correct the contextual nuances; parliament's not well hung, in the same way that Hobart's not very unique. It's a binary thing, akin to turning the microwave very on.
There's not going to be a re-election. That's the hand that's dealt. Canberra will have to sort it out. Oz is well overdue for its medicine anyway. We had six weeks of Winston Peters in 1996. Mind you, the Member for Tauranga back then is nothing compared to the suspected sound and fury over the Tasman right now. I'd rather have to deal with Winston rather than a Queenslander MP. Nice climate, shame about the lifestyle, eh. i.e. No hookers? Seriously??
Given the feral passions that rule that continent's kangaroo regime, I'm quite surprised that the ALP and the Coalition houses haven't tried to get disaffected constituency MPs from each other to cross the floor. Not a Quigley or Marilyn Waring in sight. Yet.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Beware of safety
The ACC has churned out another safety alert, this time on the dangers of accidents in the home. 12 NZers a week die from accidents at home!, screams the NZ Harold. NatRad's Checkpoint covered the story with extra vim, including the sounds of Homers in Peril (falling in the shower, down stairs, off ladders, and plunging through glass chattels).
I would normally turn a deaf ear to such melodrama, maybe noting that the corporation should not be pronounced Eh-See-See, but Ack. A choking sound would be more on message, eh.
But the near the end of the NatRad story is some safety fairy warning against the dangers of child scalding, saying that tap water should be no hotter than 55 degrees Celsius. They neglect to mention that tap water should also not be cooler than 55 degrees either. This is why:
Ideally, I'd recommend a hot water cylinder thermostat be set at 60 degrees and boil any Legionnaire's Disease out. Knowing NZ's water pipes as I do, that would allow a 5 degree loss of heat on the way to the tap, which is fair go considering this wintry climate at the moment.
There is the worry that people might tune their cylinders too low, causing more hassles than the marginal risk of scalding. A one percent chance of scalding is not equal to a 100 percent chance of poisoning. Sometimes, the cost benefit analysis can get lost in the Safetykrieg.
I would normally turn a deaf ear to such melodrama, maybe noting that the corporation should not be pronounced Eh-See-See, but Ack. A choking sound would be more on message, eh.
But the near the end of the NatRad story is some safety fairy warning against the dangers of child scalding, saying that tap water should be no hotter than 55 degrees Celsius. They neglect to mention that tap water should also not be cooler than 55 degrees either. This is why:
The optimal temperature for Legionella proliferation in water varies between 32°C and 35°C, but it can easily proliferate at temperatures of up to 45°C. Usually, there is no growth above 55°C, and a temperature of over 60°C has a bactericidal effect.
Ideally, I'd recommend a hot water cylinder thermostat be set at 60 degrees and boil any Legionnaire's Disease out. Knowing NZ's water pipes as I do, that would allow a 5 degree loss of heat on the way to the tap, which is fair go considering this wintry climate at the moment.
There is the worry that people might tune their cylinders too low, causing more hassles than the marginal risk of scalding. A one percent chance of scalding is not equal to a 100 percent chance of poisoning. Sometimes, the cost benefit analysis can get lost in the Safetykrieg.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Freaks, Geeks and Queers
You won't see it it on TVNZ's Sports, Weather and News show, or 3 "News", or even Campbell Live, but something new happened in NZ today. Labour, at the urging of newbie MP Clare Curran, convened NZ's first Open Source party policy meeting.
The sole recognisable form of MSM observers present was Colin James, tucked away discreetly at the back. There were also a few bloggers present from outside the Labour tribe, including the pan-galactic David Farrar, who stayed all day and was on a panel exploring the themes. The VRWC can diss him all they like, but good on him for his taking part. Likewise the other non-aligned blogger, who shall remain nameless until they reveal themselves.
But apart from that, the event flew under the MSM radar. Which is somewhat of a shame, because it was the first time a NZ political party has ever convened an un-conference. OK, it wasn't quite as unstructured as a barcamp, but it's a start. The six themes to explore were formed in discussions prior to the event, openly and saliently.
Bear with me while I dig out my notes. Ah, damnit. I left the speakers list at the venue. Umm, there was this American guy on Skype from NYC who told where Obama's campaign screwed up. Essentially, they forgot all about the social networking and other networked bases they had used during the campaign for the first six months of being in office. Blame can be apportioned in part to the Clinton pre-internet people getting a lot of the top jobs with Obama too. They did not grok.
There was Oz Senator Kate Lundy pre-recorded, as well as her geek assistant who flew across the Tasman to front up in person. They spoke of two weighty reports in Oz; Engage, focusing on Gov 2.0 and Ahead of the Game, a blueprint for bureaucratic reform. It reminded me of Rod Deane taking an axe to the Public Service Manual back in the 1980's. We're talking serious cultural and attitudinal adjustment here.
Phil Goff kicked it all off. He's much better in person, eh. Charles Chauvel, Grant Robertson, Chris Hipkins and Maryan Street spoke also. Street sounded very much like a deputy leader.
The big news I learned today was that the Law Commission is conducting a review of the Official Information Act, which is due to report later this year. That'll be interesting. The consensus reached at OpenLabour was that public sector funded institutions, from the public service through to education to cabinet, should release documents by timely default, with limited exceptions involving national security and individual privacy.
There were differing opinions on how far this should apply. For example, PPPs. I say whomever pays the piper calls the tune. You get any local or central government funds, you show us your working.
I'm going to leave you with a few readily-transferable buzzwords I scribbled down throughout the day, as I'm hungry for dinner and a pipe. Make of them what you will:
Hubs
Handshakes
Mass customisation
Authentication
Time-shifting
Crowd-sourcing
Software in dataset
Formatting etiquette
Information bottlenecks
The sole recognisable form of MSM observers present was Colin James, tucked away discreetly at the back. There were also a few bloggers present from outside the Labour tribe, including the pan-galactic David Farrar, who stayed all day and was on a panel exploring the themes. The VRWC can diss him all they like, but good on him for his taking part. Likewise the other non-aligned blogger, who shall remain nameless until they reveal themselves.
But apart from that, the event flew under the MSM radar. Which is somewhat of a shame, because it was the first time a NZ political party has ever convened an un-conference. OK, it wasn't quite as unstructured as a barcamp, but it's a start. The six themes to explore were formed in discussions prior to the event, openly and saliently.
Bear with me while I dig out my notes. Ah, damnit. I left the speakers list at the venue. Umm, there was this American guy on Skype from NYC who told where Obama's campaign screwed up. Essentially, they forgot all about the social networking and other networked bases they had used during the campaign for the first six months of being in office. Blame can be apportioned in part to the Clinton pre-internet people getting a lot of the top jobs with Obama too. They did not grok.
There was Oz Senator Kate Lundy pre-recorded, as well as her geek assistant who flew across the Tasman to front up in person. They spoke of two weighty reports in Oz; Engage, focusing on Gov 2.0 and Ahead of the Game, a blueprint for bureaucratic reform. It reminded me of Rod Deane taking an axe to the Public Service Manual back in the 1980's. We're talking serious cultural and attitudinal adjustment here.
Phil Goff kicked it all off. He's much better in person, eh. Charles Chauvel, Grant Robertson, Chris Hipkins and Maryan Street spoke also. Street sounded very much like a deputy leader.
The big news I learned today was that the Law Commission is conducting a review of the Official Information Act, which is due to report later this year. That'll be interesting. The consensus reached at OpenLabour was that public sector funded institutions, from the public service through to education to cabinet, should release documents by timely default, with limited exceptions involving national security and individual privacy.
There were differing opinions on how far this should apply. For example, PPPs. I say whomever pays the piper calls the tune. You get any local or central government funds, you show us your working.
I'm going to leave you with a few readily-transferable buzzwords I scribbled down throughout the day, as I'm hungry for dinner and a pipe. Make of them what you will:
Hubs
Handshakes
Mass customisation
Authentication
Time-shifting
Crowd-sourcing
Software in dataset
Formatting etiquette
Information bottlenecks
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Let X = X
In the aftermath of the NBR Veuve storm in a bubble bath, Homepaddock makes a fascinating observation:
In general PR dogma terms, this point might be well true. However, as champagne drinkers by their nature are not shy reticent people, and adults to boot, swearing is entirely permissible. Indeed, one way to limit alcohol advertising from exposure to minors is to encourage profanity in its advertising. The wittier, the better.
And now, here's a bit of Fry (HT Spare Room):
And here's a bit of Laurie:
If I was wanting to promote my product to discerning readers and drinkers I wouldn’t want the word wanker in the winning entry.
In general PR dogma terms, this point might be well true. However, as champagne drinkers by their nature are not shy reticent people, and adults to boot, swearing is entirely permissible. Indeed, one way to limit alcohol advertising from exposure to minors is to encourage profanity in its advertising. The wittier, the better.
And now, here's a bit of Fry (HT Spare Room):
And here's a bit of Laurie:
Mana restored
The NBR has published an apology to its readers for misleading them with its birthday competition. But wait, there's more:
In addition, the publisher will personally provide Busted Blonde’s weight in Veuve Clicquot to her to demonstrate that NBR will not allow its integrity, transparency or honesty in its dealings with its readers to be compromised in any way. She received the most online votes in the competition and NBR happily salutes that success.It's the putting right that counts, eh. Congratulations to Busted Blonde, and good on the NBR for error correction.
As a responsible host, the publisher would, however, appeal to Busted Blonde to urge her guests to wear life jackets if celebrating their win on Wellington Harbour. Let the festivities begin.
RSA cures RSI
Argh. Too much Rational Sentencing Institute roughage this morning. Must clean my brain bowel with some RSA:
The full lecture is available for viewing or download here.
Your choice, NZ. Dark Ages, witch hunts and inquisitions or a more enlightened society.
The full lecture is available for viewing or download here.
Your choice, NZ. Dark Ages, witch hunts and inquisitions or a more enlightened society.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
On the trot
Well, well, well. The umpteenth amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 is wending its way through parliament. I wrote up the awful details way back here, but Facebook Friend Peter Dunne MP and Associate Minister for Health has freshly enraged me by posting his speech on the band aid here:
Good luck with stopping imports from China. While you're trying to ban lucrative arbitrage, why don't you ban lightning and earthquakes while you're at it?
Thank you for making the obvious self-diagnosis of cold or flu symptoms a GP-fee offence. And frankly, Peter Dunne is seriously under-estimating the braininess of kiwis if he thinks a ban on health mimimisation device parts is going to make an iota of difference.
Socialist-At-Large Chris Trotter has a good piece up on what last realistic chance Act has of salvaging their ship and getting above 5 percent and away from Fortress Epsom. One thing's for certain, the Act caucus could seriously do with a dose of the peace pipe.
New Zealand must embrace its epicurean destiny.
Good luck with stopping imports from China. While you're trying to ban lucrative arbitrage, why don't you ban lightning and earthquakes while you're at it?
Thank you for making the obvious self-diagnosis of cold or flu symptoms a GP-fee offence. And frankly, Peter Dunne is seriously under-estimating the braininess of kiwis if he thinks a ban on health mimimisation device parts is going to make an iota of difference.
Socialist-At-Large Chris Trotter has a good piece up on what last realistic chance Act has of salvaging their ship and getting above 5 percent and away from Fortress Epsom. One thing's for certain, the Act caucus could seriously do with a dose of the peace pipe.
New Zealand must embrace its epicurean destiny.
Fox out-stupids the competition
The Daily Show has surpassed itself in showing why the USA has the highest Stupid Per Capita in the world:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Parent Company Trap | ||||
| ||||
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Bad Mana
If you deregulate Chess, you do not get Draughts. Hell, it's not even Othello. Similarly, if you are a high falutin' bubbly company and a business paper celebrating its 40th birthday, one does not hold a popularity competition and choose the runner-up as winner. This is not Australia.
I will never touch a drop of Veuve Clicquot as long as I live. Bollinger, yeah. Perrier Jouet, yeah. Pol Roger, OK. Moet, if you insist. But Veuve has lost its nerve. That's a flat fail right there.
I will never touch a drop of Veuve Clicquot as long as I live. Bollinger, yeah. Perrier Jouet, yeah. Pol Roger, OK. Moet, if you insist. But Veuve has lost its nerve. That's a flat fail right there.
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