Posts by rodgerd

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  • Hard News: The newest neocon catastrophe,

    <i>There’s something oddly disturbing about those shots of a crowd of Georgian nationalists waving their flag.</i>

    I find it disturbing when nationalists wave flags anywhere. Hell, I find it creepy when people have flags on their houses.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: The newest neocon catastrophe,

    The more one pokes around, the more it looks like "stupid and bad" vs "evil".

    The Washington response leaves one wondering if this is a case of smart (provoke Russia, gain new perpetual war, retire to lobbying for military contracts, profit!), or really dumb (We're #1! Russia won't dare oppose our proxy!).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: Just marketing to the base,

    And, of course, the biggest group of beneficiaries face no abatement. But taking money from rich old people isn't a vote winner in the way taking money from poor single parents is...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: A few days away,

    I'm hoping the latter.

    not the latter, dammit. If there's a National government, I would prefer it to be one where Franks, Lockwood, and Mad Dog McCully are the ones upset with its direction.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: A few days away,

    [On S Franks]

    To paraphrase a poster in an earlier conversation, someone is lying about what National will do after election day. Are they lying to Stephen Franks, or to the electorate?

    I'm hoping the latter.

    [On Quinn]

    I was surprised how good his blog has been from the little I read. His annoyingly wordy style on TV turns into rather good bloggin.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: A few days away,

    I'm a nervous flyer at the best of times

    Pray you're never on a flight with my daughter. On her second every plane flight - the one back from Dunedin to Wellington on a small prop - we hit turbulence, which caused her to announce to the rest of the plane "Tiny plane jump!" with every hit.

    This was merely the warm-up for the rather rough-by-Wellington standards landing. When I explained to her the plane was going down so we could land she spend the rest of the final approach announcing "Tiny plane going down! Tiny plane going down!"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Cracker: Mr Transparent,

    I'd suggest one improvement to MMP would be abolish dual voting, so one's party vote went to the party of the chosen electorate candidate.

    Terrible idea. Harry Duynhoven routinely got in with a huge wodge of National voters who vote for him because they think he's a great MP, but want to vote for a National government in the party vote.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Cracker: Mr Transparent,

    If voters vote National without paying attention to policy, simply because they want change, then they'll get a democracy they deserve, much like U.S. voters.

    That would be fine, but I'm concerned I'll get the government they deserve, too.

    t people occasionally got to vote in a government they wanted. Wasn't that what we did in '84?

    Oh, right. People voted for Roger Douglas in '84, did they? Really? Sure about that?

    And they never actually voted for Muldoon, although they ended up with nine years of the bastard. Those of us stuck with the under-35 tax have a few choice words for that idea, I suspect.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: Misconnection,

    Internet provision is one big thing I am not looking forward to when looking to return home. It all sounds far too much like going back to dialup (shudder!) to me.

    Make sure you move to Wellington or Christchurch in range of TelstraClear cable. The service is shit compared to the Saturn/Paradise days, but it's still the best option.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

  • Hard News: Just Some Things,

    Personally I'm a big fan of Nicko McBrain because not only is he a fantastic drummer (I offer you such show-off tracks as Run to the Hills(1) or 2 Minutes to Midnight), he's got a sense of humour.

    If I were a drummer, I'd be tempted by his drum clinics, and terrified that he'd try teaching some his wierd and wonderful time signatures (e.g. 7/4).

    [1] Yes, I know that track pre-dates him in the band.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report

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