Posts by InternationalObserver

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  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    I noticed her eyes had gone watery and she was looking down and trembling slightly

    Well yes -- I'd imagine it was quite traumatic for her, realising her beloved grandson was in fact Beelzebub.
    Begone with your black sorcery!

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Universal Intercept,

    I don't regard Mr O'Connor as a great servant of liberty, and I wouldn't expect him to grasp the potential for abuse of such an archive.

    Greg was on the TV news trumpeting about how crims are being prosecuted because of the information retrieved from their cell phones; implying (IMO) they would get away with it if the Telcos were allowed to 'wipe' txt msgs.

    Which made me think: could this be a new variation on the old standby 'yes m'lud, I wuz in remand wiv 'im and he sed he dunnit' ??

    I can picture a 'suspect' being interviewed in one room while out back someone is using his phone to text 'pigs jst puld up - i think dey no i dunit'

    (Memo to jurors: be a little skeptical if the text message reads: 'Crikey, the Police have just pulled up outside. I knew I wouldn't get away with it. Can you call my lawyer? Shit I'll probably get 2 years for this. Oh well fair cop")

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Hard News: Call it what you like,

    That line in the Stuff article:

    I'm still at the 'angry' stage. The Stuff article RB linked to leaves me infuriated, and to think it's not the first time it's happened is even more appalling.


    And FFS, someone please tell me that ING ad is not running on that page because of a computer programme trawling content!

    And meanwhile, news of another bureaucratic failure

    A prisoner is seriously ill in hospital after he was stomped on and assaulted during a barbecue held to reward inmates' good behaviour.

    Ya have to laff, dontcha?

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Island Life: Get over it,

    Why, it must be Satan's transport choice.

    who else could have designed those freakin' seats!!

    an aerial park

    actually I've long been thinking they could already do one right here (the old Nelson Street off ramp - to the right of the new Nelson Street off ramp). It would make a nice promenade with amazing views on a summer afternoon, and you could run a stairwell up to K'rd. But of course you'd have to put up a high fence on either side, and there'd be lots of motorway noise, and it's near K'rd (y'knowwhatImean), and Transit have other priorities, and whatever we think it will cost will be half of what it actually costs when finished ...

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • OnPoint: AIA and Maori Seats,

    wot Gareth said, above

    </sheepish> Gulp, thanks for clearing that up. Yes, I did jump to a conclusion. But I did pickup on some of the smaller 0.35% shareholdings being for effectively the same companies, which (I hope) validates the second part of my comment:

    I'm leaning towards Key's idea that you can sell up to 40%. But that presumes he means 40% in total - I don't want Megacorp International Llc setting up Megacorp NZ Ltd and each owning 40%.

    Having said that, I would still prefer KIWISAVER bought 40% of AIA than the Canadian Pension Fund (or Dubai or whomever). And having said that, I'm still foggy on what 'Overseas Investment' brings to the table. Presumably they're just buying existing shares off existing shareholders, it's not like they're issuing new shares to increas capital. It's the existing shareholders who profit, not the actual airport? Or NZ?

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Hard News: All this and more,

    And with all due disrespect to Colin, he gets rather spiky when accused of being the tame bitch of either National or Labour

    Tame Bitch? Isn't that Tame Iti's drag name?
    :)

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Island Life: Get over it,

    I take it you're a structural engineer, right? Because I've actually (briefly) worked as a structural engineer, and I certainly wouldn't feel qualified to either condemn or defend this proposal without seeing the details of what's actually proposed (although, I admit, the costing also sounds surprisingly low to me, at first glance).

    Damn this nomdeplume! Now I see why RB wants us to post under our real names! Yes, I am indeed Sir Francis B Baden-Hawthorne, the world's foremost structural engineer and ...

    heh heh ... no of course I'm not, but you knew that. :)
    Yes, it was a sweeping statement on my part, but one I feel wholly justified in making based on the current example of how bureaucracy works. The cost of the Queen Street (Akl) upgrade was double what was first budgeted. The estimate for the new Queen Street Arts Theatre (Q?) is now double what was previously proposed. Lawd knows what the new Auckland Art Gallery extensions will finally cost.

    I've learnt that whatever the proposed cost of a propsed scheme is, the actual cost is double.

    BTW - I actually bought a bike for myself for Xmas. Thank gawd for 21 gears and an alloy frame - I couldn't manage those Akl 'bumps' without them! But I doubt I'd ever be game enough to cross the bridge.

    BTW2 - My hostility to the cycle clip on is the cost vs benefit, given that there will be a second crossing soon(ish???) and a purpose built cycleway included in that seems eminently more sensible.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Hard News: Phoning a Friend,

    This really could get quite nasty before it is all over, which reduces the chance of a joint ticket.

    Too right. Which shows how brazen Hillary is. She's clearly implying 'Vote for me and I might just make Obama VP' to win the hearts of those who want everyone to just hold hands and sing Kumbaya. She won't say it outright because then she'll have to explain why she didn't (if she wins the nomination).

    As I've said before - there's no way Obama is willing to take a seat 'at the back of the bus'.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Random Play: Sing like you’re winning,

    Heh heh ... my bad ... I fell into the trap of only thinking as far back as the recent TV schedule. A bit like how those 'Best Song of All Time' Polls invariably place a few of the current Top o' the Pops into the Top 10 All Time Best Songs ...

    Justin Timberlake, Rhianna, Mi-Rs ...

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Island Life: Get over it,

    The main difference between cycling in AKLD and CHCH is that when you arrive at your destination, people in AKLD think you are suicidal to have travelled by bike, and -- when you deny this -- compliment you on your bravery in awed tones.

    **
    The main difference between cycling in AKLD and CHCH is ...** CHCH is FLAT!! Auckland has hills.

    And I see no-one has argued with me re the true cost of a Harbour Bridge cycle clip on ...

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

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