In today's questions Winston Peters just attempted (in a degrees-of-seperation kind of way) to accuse Keith Locke of supporting China. Cullen responded by excusing people who might be over-enthusiastic about new regimes with specific reference to Zimbabwe.

or a well meaning middle eastern bloke with a who simply wanted the bank out of his temple.

cool. french for cool, i'll write that down. I'm gonna get that school c french one day.

or a well meaning middle eastern bloke with a who simply wanted the bank out of his temple.

cool. french for cool, i'll write that down. I'm gonna get that school c french one day.

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/03/expelled.php

Enjoy :-D

Jesus jackie,I took german and cigarette smoking at school. It took me ages to google that.
But thanks for the great link, I love the 1970's school projector room style commentary.

Swive (Hows it supposed to sound?)Like hive? I'll start using it.I need some…

It seems rather like the whole of society stopped talking about having sex, and…

Alternatively you could put a call in to the "Yellow Peril"

Exactly the kind of post I can no longer write, folks.

I was thinking more a long the lines of a briefing :-)

btw – good to know that you still visit PA now and then

What I saw was calculated targeted violence against an ethnic group, or I should say two ethnic groups, primarily ethnic Han Chinese living in Lhasa, but…

Bravo Russell for blogging on this report and demonstrating the diverse range of coverage rendered and also where to find the source documents so we can see for ourselves.

Blogging at its…

Russell and All:

Bloody great points raised, which I'll pay the respect of a decent response when I'm not such a blot head.

Another little piece to this puzzle regarding a response to the unrest in Tibet. Seems that Hu Jintao the present President of China was in charge of…

No I have a respect for him because of his track record. The "rich prick" comment was his poorest moment. Is George Soros a rich prick, Bill Gates,Warren Buffett...?

"But none of this is "censorship".

Well, technically your wrong.…

(i) People get put in prison because they're mentally ill?
I sincerely hope that isn't generally the case; if true, that…

The Dutch swearwords I learned while working in Amsterdam…

Care to guess who currently holds the UK record for saying 'fuck' the most times in a live broadcast?

My initial reaction was exactly the same as Rich's. Damn. I suppose I've gotta be serious now. One strong contender, if only because she shatters the gender stereotype (while fitting the…

Fucked if I know. :-)

(OK, maybe I am. Yeah, I know, I know, this is probably a sign of some deep-seated mental problem.)

you don't mind that your opinions may be less valued as a result

Care to guess who currently holds the UK record for saying 'fuck' the most times in a live broadcast?

A lump sum? Well, they're talking subscription plans too.
Free access for life? Maybe only for the life of the device or subscription. (DRMed to the hilt)
$20/$80? Some people say that's what Apple would pay the music…

an etymological note. "Fuck" seems to have been used in English for at least 500 years, and related words exist in other Germanic languages.

saw a doco that clearly linked it to dutch sailors.

a lot of our "diritiest" words are ex-dutch, apparently.

I'm sure it would be worn with pride at the golf clubs around the country.

This is how many people speak and have spoken for along time.

yes jeremy, and do note that a well placed profanity can comfortably crop up in almost any of the posts here and not look out of place; but you should try to avoid using it as punctuation, It…

Exactly the kind of post I can no longer write, folks.

Fuck you, Fuck them. (to hell with them and you)
Fuck this (that’s no good)
Fuck that ( I’m not going there brother)
Fucking great (Amazing, amazing,…

Do you want me to censor myself ; and actually one is a "quote" for a…

Who in the last 20 – 30 years has managed our finances better?

Keith asked him a loaded question…

Eww, yuck Russell – did Craig Ranapia ghost write this?

No, otherwise Russell would have been describing Mr. Loudon's work in significantly less generous terms. Pardon me, but I'm hardly shocked that the sectarian-left is full of people with bizarre views and who spend too much time attending meetings of…

Hmmm. I think I'll spend the long weekend reading up and developing a view.

Alternatively you could put a call in to the "Yellow Peril"

Unless, of course, he actually wants our political culture to descend into Trevor Loudon-style ideological panty-sniffing ...

Eww, yuck Russell – did Craig Ranapia ghost write this?

I/O You are trying to wind me up right ?

Not really, kind of. I was trying to make a serious point in a light hearted manner.
a] the 'awareness test' asked us to keep our eye on the white team and count the passes made. At the end we're given…

Bloody great points raised, which I'll pay the respect of a decent response when I'm not such a blot head.

But, once more, for thoughtful discussion of a contentious issue: PAS, 1; MSM, nil; Parliament, red carded and sent from the field seconds after kick off. Doctor…

But what would be the effect of a boycott? Would the leadership recognise the error of its ways, or just seek vengeance?

I don't know if I'd argue for a boycott of the Olympics. But Mandela has spoken positively about the impact of sports boycotts on his country's struggle. Whether…

But what would be the effect of a boycott? Would the leadership recognise the error of its ways, or just seek vengeance?

Yes – probably have no positive effect at all. But that's the beauty of the sports boycotts. They make people feel good without it affecting them directly. Trade…

I'm often suspicious of zeal driven by today's headlines. There was huge outrage about the extensively televised events of Beslan that wasn't there when the Russian government was massacring Chechnyans in their homes. And we never…

As I noted yesterday, I have some qualms about Locke's unwaveringly negative views about interacting with China. Sometimes it seems like the acceptable face of xenophobia.

This on The Guardian site shows China not doing PR very well and providing plenty of ammunition for their critics.

They are probably…

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4447173a10.html

Key says Sir Roger will never be in a National government cabinet post & ACT won't be coalition partners if Sir Rog is in their ranks.

Mentions the Radical Right Wing Agenda. Confesses there is one I guess.

Somebody tell Jake the Peg!

HAH, pairs, three pairs.

there were even a couple of reasonably well fitted out stores in newmarket doing it.

bought a dodgy second-hand one from a drug addict, just like everyone else.

my theory is, if you ever buy dodgy knowingly; you lose all right…

If that were the case, then surely we wouldn't still be trading with the USA.

Well I don't support what the USA is doing/not doing in various parts of the world.

But America diving into the Middle East and getting involved in/helping cause a civil war and thousands of deaths…

(im liking my ecco's at the moment)

I'll echo that – checking my blog, I note that it was July 10 last year I gave up on the eccos I'd been wearing for... must have been 3 years or more (must have been an exciting day to report that). I'm…

A workmate tells me that after a year in Amsterdam and his third bicycle theft, he broke down and bought a dodgy second-hand one from a drug addict, just like everyone else.

Yes, they're big on their re-cycling there :-)

by selling 'itallian quality' shoes for what seems to be a good price (three for $200 etc)

Somebody tell Jake the Peg!

I would be surprised if her retails have dropped,

20-25% apparently. The NZ made at the usual priice.

Interestingly I know of one high-profile NZ clothing brand who have recently migrated most of their manufacturing to China, and are happy to claim (in private) that the sewing of the Chinese-made garments is superior to the locally-made versions.

Im sure thats the case, if they have the systems in…

Officer.

I believe Trelise Cooper is having her kit made in China now. I'm told the price hass dropped markedly.

I would be surprised if her retails have dropped, costs would have though. Its all part of the 'implication of luxury' market. If it costs more it must be worth more.…

But the moonwalking bear did make a good metaphor for cyclists. I notice the bear was not wearing any reflective clothing, just black fur, whilst intermingling with a swirling mass of black. Still, I suppose it's okay to be camouflaged if you're a bear. Not so good for cyclists.

I/O…

I was commenting solely on the way Locke worded his question – to imply that at a certain number of people tortured, Cullen would say "oh right, that 100th one really put the nail in that trade agreement. was happy with 99 though".

Actually, I'd hope that there is a…

I'd rather have one $300 shirt that feels good, looks sharp and lasts for years than three $100 shirts

lots of people can afford neither, because $300 is their total weekly wage. and their jobs making shirts here will disappear.

But the whole pseudo-argument *is* that it is all a question of degree and that although there are…

For those currently ranting online against China, in most cases itd mean giving up their computers and sitting at home in the nuddy.

True, it'd be hard to find electronics not made there, but there isn't quite the same problem with clothes. Clothes made in NZ, Europe etc are much…

I was commenting solely on the way Locke worded his question – to imply that at a certain number of people tortured, Cullen would say "oh right, that 100th one really put the nail in that trade agreement. was happy with 99…

Locke welcomed the arrival of the new government in Cambodia in 1975, but so did many other people, and other governments

and they were right to do so. the tragedy was that the "new stable government" rapidly went downhill under a huge weight of paranoia and dogma.

for those who…

Do the Chinese jail, enslave, and torture people?

Do we sell them lots of milk products and similar?

Do they in turn sell us coveted consumer items at a much cheaper price than a…

subsequent to a release from Victim Support

If it was – and it certainly looks like it was – said release doesn't seem to have been widely distributed. It's not on their website.

I'm starting to feel like Ministers are more and more avoiding Questions they could easily answer, and often…

I just think they both came across as insulting a$$holes (yes yes all politicians etc etc) and surprised at how 100% of the focus has been on Cullen's retort.

Wait, Locke uses question time to draw attention to human rights issues in China, which is a bit of an issue…

Didn't catch the Close-up contrivance — I generally only watch news and current affairs on the box — but I can clearly recall…

Was impressed to see bFM make leaders questions though!

Listen to question time much?

Ha, no I don't. But that doesn't change the nature of either statement. I just think they both came across as insulting a$$holes (yes yes all politicians etc etc) and surprised at how 100% of the focus has been on Cullen's retort.
But I suppose…

is one of the more facile and insulting questions I've come across.

Listen to question time much? It's the exact format National constantly uses on crime or health or pretty much anything; and to my mind a bit more justifiable.

FWIW you can, as usual, [[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0803/S00349.htm|read the question time transcript on…

is one of the more facile and insulting questions I've come across. Cullen's response was equally insulting and deplorable but I don't blame the guy for getting his back up at insults like that.

You clearly haven't watched question time very often. That's relatively tame.

... very affluent countries such as Switzerland, Ireland and Iceland ...

I wouldn't classify Ireland as "very affluent", in fact, I don't think it even warrants an "affluent" (unless you're comparing it to the world average, rather than relative to New Zealand). It is definitely not in the…

NZers are feeling safer in the streets at night.

Those scared of the Dark:
1992 36%
2004/5 30%

6% of total are not scared of the dark any more but even better 20% of those who were scared of the dark have done away with…

, Keith Locke has been consistent and dedicated on human rights issues wherever they take place.

Gah! Waving cat statues so terrifying!

Something a little stranger, courtesy of the Aucklandista...

What I want to know is, are Asians more or less likely than the general population to commit bicycle-related crime? Eh? Eh?

Psssh. What would an Asian do with a bicycle, anyway? That shit's for peasants.

And damn you and your work habits, Russell. I read that NZPA report at…

In that case, I vote that the trophy be one of those waving lucky cats.

FTW!

more acceptable name such as the 'Deborah Coddington' award)

Might I throw the "Coddingtonswallop Cup" into the ring?

Maybe Public Address should be handing out a "Complete Fucking Bullshit" award to the worst case of bad journalism each week (of course, we might have to give it a more acceptable name such as the 'Deborah Coddington' award).

The Deborah Coddington Memorial Award. Now that has a nice ring…

I didn't mean to imply he wasn't a god guy

Phew – that's a relief. We wouldn't want any atheists in parliament ;)

To all intents and purposes the definition of news journalist has now simply become: "One whose job is to retype press releases".

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got about getting your story in the media (from Grant Robertson) was to use double-line spacing.

For two reasons…

As I noted yesterday, I have some qualms about Locke's unwaveringly negative views about interacting with China. Sometimes it seems like the acceptable face of xenophobia.

For what it's worth I was in a panel discussion/debate with Keith Locke last year on the subject of sweatshops in developing countries. While…

A couple of very minor additional points:

1. An equally good title for Simon Power's press release would've been "Overall Crime Drops Under…

You don't think trying to compare apartheid South Africa with modern China is just a wee bit of a contrivance?t

Probably – but if you wanted to put your money where your mouth was back in '81, all you had to do was swear off drinking Nederburg. No great hardship.…

Also: let me see. The *cough* "MSM" reports on a press release from a politician, while the blog goes to the source and looks at it critically.

Yep. And as i pointed out, the first round of reporting on the survey was also based solely on a press release, from…

In fact, this statistic is meaningless unless related to a breakdown of bicycles per person, or perhaps per household. Get Keith on the case immediately :-)

What I want to know is, are Asians more or less likely than the general population to commit bicycle-related crime? Eh? Eh?

Remind me which one is meant to be journalism?

we have the lowest rate of bicycle theft in the survey

Quelle surprise. We probably have the lowest rate of bicycle ownership as well.

In fact, this statistic is meaningless unless related to a breakdown of bicycles per person, or perhaps per household. Get Keith on the case immediately :-)

Well, I'm not so sure. I think its fair comment to compare and contrast when they — and much of the Labour Party — took a much harder line on economic, sporting and cultural contacts with South Africa.

You don't think trying to compare apartheid South Africa with modern China…

just as Close Up's elaborate contrivance to compare Clark and Goff as student protesters with the pair of them as government ministers 30 years later was irrelevant.

Well, I'm not so sure. I think its fair comment to compare and contrast when they — and much of the Labour Party…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4

http://dothetest.co.uk/

It's awesome (if someone wants to edit this to embed it, please do).