Posts by Kimberley Verburg

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  • Hard News: Democracy Night,

    I faxed mine through on Thursday. It was a bit worrying because first it wouldn't connect and then it failed after the first page so they had to try again. Not my best voting experience, especially when Post Office dude casually turned over a page to have a nosey at it. Then he asked if I was from Spain. 

    Also spotted @CampbellDire grumbling about the single fax line for overseas votes. He said it took him an hour from Kathmandu. Were we just unlucky or is something up?

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Asking for a Contribution,

    Hm whisky. I wonder what a PA whisky would taste like?

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Random Play: The dawning of the Age of Precarious,

    International news clips come expensive but I don't understand why they don't feel it's worth investing in. Fortress Aotearoa, indeed.

    By the way, Liberation Square has had that name for decades.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Do you like what we've done…,

    While seeking in vain for Yellow Peril archives, I accidentally clicked "join mailing list" and got a 404.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Do you like what we've done…,

    PA has just become so much easier to read on my iPhone, thank you. And pretty too! Well, until the kitteh scrolldown. Aie.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Getting out of the archives,

    @Sam F, close, but there was no legal challenge regarding the word "probably" in the UK. The Committee of Advertising Practice advised them that "the inclusion of the word ‘probably’ makes it less likely to cause offence, and therefore be in breach of the Advertising Code."

    Further, the campaign's creator, Ariane Sherine, says that while it's impossible to prove God exists, it's also impossible to prove non-existence. (Source: Atheist Bus Campaign FAQ)

    I'm not sure about the campaign but would've thought it was more relevant in the UK than in NZ. Judging by the amount of donations in already, I might be wrong. Will be interested to see how it goes.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Speaker: Rethinking NZ’s Emergency Aid,

    @Stephen Judd, presumably he's thinking of implementing changes to improve the monitoring of money to these non-specialist groups. He said it shouldn't be difficult, so I'm quite curious as to how he would do it. Imagination fails me atm.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Discussion: Closer to Home?,

    @dc_red I came to NZ when I was 6 and trust me, I'm under no illusions about the "friendly" welcome immigrants can enjoy.

    Even so, NZ generally feels friendlier than a lot of places. Quite a few fresh off the boat Kiwis say hello to their new London neighbours, only to be looked at like they're insane, much to their bewilderment. Heck, just talking to shop staff is different.

    Can't speak for the current experience of non-white immigrants though, that's a different category and I'm not up to date.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Aggregated Eavesdrop,

    Not 100% sold on the way the trends are visualised on TrendsMap. It's hard to tell if "my city" of London is just gabby (probably!) or if the rest of the South East is talking too.

    Speaking of the G20, I didn't entirely get Twitter until last April Fool's Day when I found myself inside the police kettle at Bank. Twitter was a really useful way of sharing my displeasure with the world and for getting news on what the police were doing in the hours I was trapped.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Discussion: Closer to Home?,

    Oh yeah, those council estates. I look them and wonder which human beings decided to put other human beings in *there*. Jesus.

    I actually live on a part council/ex-council estate in Bethnal Green, one of the most deprived areas in the UK, yadda yadda, but at least it's not a grey tower block in a hopeless outer suburb.

    Also, while the area isn't super scary, it's hardly 100% safe either. So I really don't get the expats who paint NZ as this suddenly violent society, it's nothing like here! E.g., some time ago, a teenager was stabbed just outside the primary school I volunteer at. Shortly after, there was another (unrelated) victim. That's worth a few articles in the local rag here. I could give more examples, but point is, it's just on a different scale.


    The class system has probably been the single hardest thing for me to understand. Four years in and I still feel clueless.

    Leiden • Since Jun 2007 • 27 posts Report Reply

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