Posts by Ana Simkiss

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  • Cracker: Summer in the City,

    I'm having a weekend like that this weekend! cricket on Saturday, Summer Series on Sunday...I've also promised to drop in on the Wet Hot B*tches who have a repeat performance Sunday 3pm. Now I need the Auckland weather gods to cooperate.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Island Life: So, what do you think of…,

    What George Darroch said. And I've definitely seen worse immigration points/border crossings than that.

    Also, didn't someone somewhere recently say that the bulk of cruise ship passengers are processed by NZ immigration on board the ship?

    The haste of all this is not justified, and the half arsed-ness of it is inevitably going to produce poor decisions. What's more, I simply don't see this as a decision in which the people of Auckland have been allowed to properly participate, what with the aborted competition, the surprise "winners" and "options" that emerged a couple of weeks ago, and the heavy leaning that's being done by the Government and the RWC Minister.

    I could go on.. .after fence sitting on this issue I now find myself firmly in the "taihoa!" camp.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Speaker: The Architecture of Elsewhere,

    Hi Simon Wilson,

    Thanks for the good work you are doing in Metro re the super city and other issues that we should all care about a little more. I do wonder sometimes whether the reason why Wellington has a wonderful and mostly public waterfront has something to do with the high level of citizen engagement. I've yet to see much of the same here in Auckland but we live in hope.

    Simon, I'm largely with you on the Queens Wharf - no need to rush into anything when we can deal with World Cup needs quickly and take a bit of time to consider more permanent structures. The other matters I'm not yet persuaded either way (in particular - why must there be a cruise ship terminal on Queens Wharf? what is Banks' obsession with a convention centre and where does that belong?). I will continue to inform myself and I am glad publications like yours are doing somethig to air the issues.

    What I'd really like to see is a coherent long term plan for the waterfront from Tank Farm to the Port. We need more public space in the city, and piecemeal private development has not done us many favours in Auckland. We can wait a few years to get it right.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Speaker: The Architecture of Elsewhere,

    Hello Patrick, are you Patrick Reynolds the photographer found @ http://www.patrickreynolds.co.nz ?

    As a recent returnee to Auckland I'm fairly disgusted with what's been built in my absence, with a (very) few honourable exceptions. I walk through the future slums of Hobson Street every morning and afternoon and I live with an architect so I am acutely aware of the (to generalise) lack of value placed on design by developers, builders and the public.

    GJ Gardner, anyone?

    On a related note Metro magazine had an excellent article this month about the Queen's Wharf debacle. I disagreed with the conclusions by the writer, whose name I have forgotten (Simon something?) but he gave an excellent account of Bank's rather meretricious behaviour.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • OnPoint: 2009: "Blithe" (Part 1),

    Mmmmm, stagnant pie, washed down with shitty coffee. Thanks boomers!

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • OnPoint: Taskforce 2025: A Space Odyssey,

    The GFD really has changed everything, it's very discouraging to see the same Chicago School Douglas/Richardson/BRT approach trotted out. Again.

    Slightly OT but if any of you have not yet read Paul Krugman's takedown of the true believers of the Chicago School, then may I recommend you take the time: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/magazine/06Economic-t.html

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Hard News: Let's lynch the liberals!,

    I previously had a minor dilemma about whether I was more Green than Labour and whether I should actually get involved and join one of the parties and you know DO SOMETHING. Phil has cleared that up anyway - if this is how Labour is trying to sell itself then count me out.

    Craig - I miss Bruce Jesson as well, he may also have had something sensible to say about the newest prescription from Dr Brash.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Hard News: Rodney's Folly,

    @ Jonathan,

    It was taken down because the publication was in breach of the suppression order made. Stephen Price notes this in his blog here: http://www.medialawjournal.co.nz/?p=257

    IANACL, but your repetition of it is probably a breach of the order as well.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Hard News: After the Charter,

    I was at the recording, big thanks Russell, we will come again. I too was struck by the resemblance of the minister to Jonkey (does anyone else hear the PM's name as one word?). That's seven dollars, almost a tax cut :)

    Poor old TVNZ could use a bit of stability, it seems to me. Charter/no charter, changes in management and general insecurity does not a happy organisation make. I too despair at the state of news and current affairs, but it does not please me that the people who are about to be laid off are concentrated in that area. In that respect the highly paid products of the celebrity news machine TVNZ created are presumably obvious targets for the boot. One lives in hope.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Hard News: Forward humans,

    Nice work Russell. Coincidentally there was an article in yesterday's Guardian about autism, and it chimes a bit with a lot of what you've said about the condition. Have a read here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2142946,00.html

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

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