Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: History is now

1061 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 43 Newer→ Last

  • giovanni tiso,

    Giovanni, you've obviously had your satire bone removed. That Cindy piece is innocuous (but the video is hilarious) and the Onion has skewered John and even Obama worse.

    I was commenting on the nature of the satire, not on how biting or funny it was. And I'd respectfully stick to my guns, and reiterate that you're not going to see an Obama version of the Palin poster, except I'm going to switch cultural critic mode off now and, you know, chill the fuck out for a change. It's one of those days.

    Craig's G&T plan for instance sounds great.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    __What happens if he wins both the VP job AND the Senate seat? Does he do both?__

    No. The Governor of Delaware -- currently Democrat Ruth Ann Minner, who leaves office in January because she's not allowed to stand for a third term under the state's term-limit law -- would appoint his successor.

    ... until the next election in two years' time. The replacement won't get to serve the full six-year term.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    anyone have any idea when we will get a sense on how California's Proposition 8 is breaking?

    i have the feeling that the adam west 2012 campaign would be aghin proposition 8.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    They just showed Barack playing basketball and that reminded me of something: Basketball is the most popular sport in the US.

    Football has more TV viewers but basketball is the sport that everybody plays (in their driveways and at the parks) with their friends. Bush was a baseball guy. I doubt McCain could play any sport any more. But I bet many people are voting for Barack because he plays B-Ball just like them.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    Voting machines elect one of their own as President.

    Loved the bit about the electorate being ready for change and the voting machine just being the superior candidate.

    How exciting is this? There are four things that I find especially interesting: The Democrats getting close to 60 Senate seats, the economic, technological and foreign policy implications of Obama's energy plan, the chance to contrast progressive and moderate success with conservative failure, and having Obama as a role model for a new generation (of people and politicians).

    I figure its okay to be optimistic today. I wish George every happiness in his retirement.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Jake Pollock,

    If you want something to do at work, you could always listen to WAMJ for an African-American perspective on polling day (if it will play on NZ IP addresses).

    A young woman just said that her friend in Louisiana got told that his vote was only worth 5 points, and he should come back to vote at 8PM (when the polls close).

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I was commenting on the nature of the satire, not on how biting or funny it was. And I'd respectfully stick to my guns, and reiterate that you're not going to see an Obama version of the Palin poster ...

    Yeeeess ... but that's as much because Obama, as the comics have been complaining, offers so little satiric potential as compared to Palin. Once you get past messiah jokes, he doesn't given you much. Palin, on the other hand, has so much satiric potential she satirises herself ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    Paul:Gordon Campbell on Scoop is promising to put up blow by blow updates at:
    http://election08.scoop.co.nz/gordon-campbell-how-to-watch-a-us-election/

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Does anybody have a perspective on why the American voting process is such an amazing shambles?

    Well, no, but I has this theory...

    The US system seems to be deliberately engineered to make it as difficult as possible for people to vote. The whole thing makes sense if you work from the basic assumption that they just don't want people to vote.

    nyone have any idea when we will get a sense on how California's Proposition 8 is breaking? I think this is going to be one case where the support act is going to be more interesting than the headliners

    Yeah, this I'm going to be watching. Because money from Utah Mormons convinces people from California to take their advice on what constitutes a marriage? That'd be... mm, pretty much business as usual.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Okay everyone - time to put your name to some predictions:

    *electoral college vote
    *Senate (will the the Dems get a filibuster-proof 60?)
    *House
    *California proposition 8
    *Some state race I'm not particularly interested in

    etc.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    play Sam Cooke's 'A Change is Gonna Come' to me and watch the waterworks appear!

    I've got Osvaldo Golijov's banging song cycle Ayre (performed by Yankee diva Dawn Upshaw) blasting out of the speakers, which include 'Tancas serradas a muru' on repeat:

    Tancas serradas a muru
    fattas a s'afferra afferra;
    chi su chelu fid in terra
    l'haiant serradu puru.

    [Walls are encircling the land,
    the land seized with greed and in haste,
    if Heaven was on Earth,
    they would grab it too.]

    What kind of wonderful alchemy has a has poem written by a blind Sardinian poet almost two hundred years ago, an American soprano and a composer who grew up in an Eastern European Jewish household in La Plata, Argentina and spends his time throwing everything into a blender, creating music that can have me dancing around the room in my pyjamas?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Okay everyone - time to put your name to some predictions:

    Done.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The Al-Jaz coverage on Stratos/Triangle will be worth a look today:

    STRATOS TELEVISION: – Freeview, Sky and TelstraClear
    11am to 6pm; from 7 to 7.30pm and from 10 to 11pm: Aljazeera

    TTV - AUCKLAND:
    11am-1pm: Aljazeera
    1-3.30pm: euronews
    4-4.30pm: euronews
    5-5.45pm: Aljazeera
    7-7.30pm: euronews
    10-11pm: Aljazeera

    TTV & TELSTRACLEAR - WELLINGTON:
    11am-1pm: Aljazeera
    1-3.30pm: euronews
    4-4.30pm: euronews
    5-5.30pm: Aljazeera
    7-7.30pm: euronews
    7.30-11pm Aljazeera

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    play Sam Cooke's 'A Change is Gonna Come' to me and watch the waterworks appear!

    I've got Osvaldo Golijov's banging song cycle Ayre (performed by Yankee diva Dawn Upshaw) blasting out of the speakers, which include 'Tancas serradas a muru' on repeat:

    Tancas serradas a muru
    fattas a s'afferra afferra;
    chi su chelu fid in terra
    l'haiant serradu puru.

    [Walls are encircling the land,
    the land seized with greed and in haste,
    if Heaven was on Earth,
    they would grab it too.]

    What kind of wonderful alchemy has a has poem written by a blind Sardinian poet almost two hundred years ago, an American soprano and a composer who grew up in an Eastern European Jewish household in La Plata, Argentina and spends his time throwing everything into a blender, from dance beats to Seraphidic love songs, and leave me feeling the human race isn't quite fucked beyond redemption?

    A bit of ABBA next, I think...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I want CNN's touch screen!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    WH: wishing W well on his retirement?

    Hell no.

    ... by any kind of absolute standard the man is an appalling moral leper. He’s not a good man outmatched by circumstances. And he’s not a bad man getting through by cunning and pragmatism.

    He’s inept, a buffoon. But also perverse — reveling in the idea of inflicting death and destruction on others, avoiding military service in a war he supported when he was of the appropriate age, while claiming to envy the experience of the soldiers he’s sent to be maimed or killed in a war there was no need to fight. He’s presided over an incredibly rapid decline in the government’s fiscal position in order to funnel more money to the wealthiest Americans at a time of growing inequality. On his watch, the country suffered the most catastrophic terrorist attack in its history, and he’s been relentless ever since that day in trying to turn his own inability to keep the country safe into a political bludgeon to wield against his opponents.

    There is much to celebrate about an Obama presidency, but I will also be heaving a sigh of relief that the Bush era is over, no matter what.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Palin, on the other hand, has so much satiric potential she satirises herself ...

    Nope - Sarah Palin exists on some transcendental level where taking the piss isn't only redundant, it's kind of impossible. To preserve your own sanity, you've just got to check out from her majestic disconnect from this dimension.

    Because money from Utah Mormons convinces people from California to take their advice on what constitutes a marriage? That'd be... mm, pretty much business as usual.

    The funny thing is that there are more Mormons on the godless left coast than I would have thought, and I'm encouraged that there's increasingly vocal disquiet about about the church insterting itself into politics quite this blatantly. Know Hope? What else have I got to do today?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I want CNN's touch screen!

    Yes, switched to the Wolf-man- yay! Here's hoping they don't go back to telling us blow by blow what the rest of the world (and the always important Roman Centurion demographic) think of the election.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Oh crap i just realized there will be a run on fireworks if Obama wins and I haven't got mine yet. Cyaz.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    BTW, anyone have any idea when we will get a sense on how California's Proposition 8 is breaking?

    I'm really interested in Prop 8 too. One of my LiveJournal friends is a gay man living in LA who recently married his long-time boyfriend. He and his friends have been out in effect holding "NO ON 8" signs, and there's been talk of the Mormon church bussing in voters to support the proposition.

    In a way, this makes me glad that referendums in New Zealand can't actually change any laws.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Slashdot is on a really good side-story: what's going to happen with internet traffic today.

    Yahoo has geared up.

    Akamai's Net Usage Index will be worth watching -- it's currently showing global internet traffic 19% "above normal" and Australia 149% up.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    The Cabinet will be interesting too - it will be interesting to see how Obama goes about delivering on his promise of a new politics.

    Unfortunately it looks like the Democrats will fall just short of 60 Senate seats, but I've read that the next cycle is conducive to Democratic pickups. Maybe the financial weakness of the US auto industry will prompt the holdouts to reform US healthcare at some point.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Vote: Obama 314-224
    Senate: Dems fall short of 60
    Proposition 8: passes.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    There is much to celebrate about an Obama presidency, but I will also be heaving a sigh of relief that the Bush era is over, no matter what.

    I agree. I'm about to head for election night drinks (small hours, London time). I have been waiting for this night for years... Hope ya'all enjoy it.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    There is much to celebrate about an Obama presidency, but I will also be heaving a sigh of relief that the Bush era is over, no matter what.

    damn straight. that pencil-necked, coke-snorting drunky can rot in hell for the soldiers he's crippled, the 100k innocent civilans he's killed, and... stuff.

    an hour and a half till results according to the google-map thingo.

    EXCITED.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 43 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.