None of that stops me appreciating that The Aucklander has been about the only publication consistently fisking the stream…

Fair enough

Soo, a few of you think the Aucklander is left wing and slightly left bias?
So what are the stats on the Auckland vote? How left is the vote?I know as, and in, Auckland, alot of us take a bit of time to complain loudly, but I did…

I'm still not clear how their use of poll numbers is any less kosher than many other media outlets.

The sample is just as ridiculous as that of online polls, but the questions are far more leading. Which is actually one hell of an achievement if you think about it.…

I'm probably also way out of line assuming that The Aucklander exhibits any editorial judgement in giving that sick fuck Nazi comparison the prominence it did.

Agreed. I mean come on, of all the letters to quote... and "in wrapping up" the whole thing? And without taking any distance from…

I can't see how this is lying either. It's a letter from a reader.

Russell: If The Aucklander can't honestly represent the nature of their "people's referendum" (or the limitations of self-selecting sample) I'll stand by the L-word. Though to be fair, APN doesn't seem to place statistical literacy high…

like NBR's weird and nasty Dick Hubbard hatchet job, which was supplied to John Banks campaign, resulting in the resignation of Banks campaign manager, and hilarious attempts at dissociating himself from the nastiness on the part of Aaron Bhatnagar.

Then of course you had Bhatnagar's inappropriate use of Wikipedia in…

But while the Aucklander has made a royal balls-up of its…

Do you approve of the way in which the Government is setting up the new Auckland Council (the 'Super City')?
No: 8118
Yes: 358
Total: 8476
Yes: 4%
NO: 96%

Most petitions get 100% approval from the signatories, you know.

If The Aucklander wants to compare Rodney Hide to a Nazi, perhaps it should try to look and sound a little less like the Völkischer Beobachter...

I can't see how this is lying either. It's a letter from a reader.

Do you approve of the way in which the Government is setting up the new Auckland Council (the 'Super City')?
No: 8118
Yes: 358
Total: 8476
Yes: 4%
NO: 96%

Seems like a thing we should be taking notice of but you seem to…

In wrapping up a process intended to give the people of Auckland a say, we'll start by quoting a letter mailed to The Aucklander during the referendum period:

"To who's interested:

"This is the first time…

Looking forward to receiving the Labour version (they tend to follow quickly around here)

That'll hit the bin as well.

On a probably unrelated note... I received a letter drop from the local MP (Maungakiekie) which is a 'survey'.

Yes it is, and the best course of action is to file it away in the bin.

The survey to be returned has my name and address on it – presumably from the electoral (t)roll. The questions are fairly leading, and include asking who I would vote for…

Clearly you need this.

That would be sooo cool. It would also be cool if FB and Twitter had an 'Online Reputation Enhancement' algorithm that grades posts on the basis of;
10= You're about to become Stephen Fry.
1= Your continued irrelevance is guaranteed. In fact, you just lost 10…

;)

I've got to wonder what the hell they were so scared you were going to ask.

The first question I had written down was "Who is Our Auckland?"

(Conveniently, this means that no one ever gets to ask the editor of the New Zealand Herald any pesky questions.)

Indeed, and whether or not you believe Macdonald got an order from upstairs not to front, I've got to wonder what the hell they were so scared you were going…

apparently that's not possible any more

Quite – was thinking salvage. As you were.

Well, no. The idea was to talk about what The Aucklander's doing, and apparently that's not possible any more.

And since Macdonald says he was told not to front by his CEO, have you ever had the editors of The Herald or Herald on Sunday on? And if not, is…

Can you get Rod Oram instead – as a journo who has shown he can get his head around this topic?

Well, no. The idea was to talk about what The Aucklander's doing, and apparently that's not possible any more.

Surely that should win some 'mansplain' award?

Oh, Russell is infinitely funkier that Lawrence Welk. Merely offering some suggestions...

Can you get Rod Oram instead – as a journo who has shown he can get his head around this topic?

I don't think there is anyone more qualified than Macdonald…

something like this...

Surely that should win some 'mansplain' award?

This just in: The Aucklander's editor Ewan Macdonald won't be joining us on Media7 after all, the kibosh having apparently been put on by his CEO.

Make of that what you will.

Do hope you'll be leaving out the empty chair of shame, then closing the show something like this...…

Make of that what you will.

falling asleep

see Russell, that's why he was a bit quiet :)

(That's assuming you actually didn't fall asleep at any point during the discussion.)

(streaming, 49 mins)

I'd also note that Banks and Brown are, formally or not, going to be headlining tickets — and I'd certainly like to know what they're about.

Here is a take from Matt McCarten

And this isn't an accident

I'll say. It's all part of a pattern of deliberate transfer of benefit from citizens to developers, corporates and wealthier ratepayers, and it has been going on since the Royal Commission reported back, including related appointments and legislation.

But the ATA has no accurate forecast of the operating costs. Given the trends in plant and staff costs, productivity and RMA penalties it is highly likely costs will rise, not fall, for the foreseeable future.

Thus Hide's directive on lower fees will merely transfer more of the financial burden…

These councils work on the principle of cost recovery. For example, an applicant should pay for all the council work that goes into a building consent rather than be subsidised by ratepayers.

But…

Now, on to the Western Leader. Those fuckers got it coming. Still.

Don't even get me going on the Auckland City Harbour News. They're rotten to…

I agree with Craig. The election is being turned into a beauty contest when – despite the corporatisation – there is still a lot at stake and the party bloc level is most relevant regardless of whoever the Mayor happens to be.

I'd also note that Banks and Brown are,…

I'm going to be part of a panel discussion after the 11 am news on Chris Laidlaw's National Radio show tomorrow on "the future of Auckland" with Simon Wilson (senior writer at Metro, former editor of Cuisine and Consumer Magazines) and Roseanne Liang (multi-award-winning filmmaker). Should be interesting...

Indeed!…

The level of media analysis has been woeful…

What's the point?

Not least because I'm bored to sobs with every damn election being reduced to whether or not you believe John Banks is the baby-raping whore of Satan. I'd also note that it is NOT unelected cardy-wearers in Wellington who are going to be setting your rates and…

Who was the first person or persons to suggest Auckland become a 'Super City' in terms of councils?

I'm going to have to go do some research, but I vaguely recall the idea was bouncing around during the last round of local body amalgamations in 1989.

At least Banksy is…

Who was the first person or persons to suggest Auckland become a 'Super City' in terms of councils?

I realise that there have been complaints about Aucklands inability to sort out transport issues and get consensus between councils on that issue and others but…

http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/exposed-how-new-city-bodies-will-control-your-life/3911869/

Paul, I don't think that warning is sufficiently strident, but I also don't know how to make it more so. Maybe some mistakes just have to be made.
And, really, you haven't lived on the 'net (I was going to say tubes, but thought that might be a bit too…

I can see a valid argument for "producing this in NZ will have other benefits which should be taken into consideration as part of the tender"

Sure, but there's no valid argument for KiwiRail putting in a tender for work it can't delivered on time and to spec. Jim Quinn…

I wish they would, because it's getting a bit daft.

Especially when you're running posts like this. Mr Pot, let me introduce you to my good friend Ms. Kettle — you have so much in common.

Does that mean The Aucklander also has some people in common or other links…

But of course, in the interests of transparency and accountability, they haven't disclosed that.

I wish they would, because it's getting a bit daft.

But of course, in the interests of transparency and accountability, they haven't disclosed that.

unix in-joke II

The BSD has a Trident! Oh, no. Is it a sign?

no, I'm not explaining that further and please (for those that don't know) don't google for it. For the love of god, don't do it.

Bazinga!

Lollipops will never be the same

Oh look, a unix in-joke cunningly inserted in the NY Times

Bazinga!

unix in-joke

Priceless.

Actually, they don't ask for your email address, and you'd be free to enter a bogus physical address. But yeah.

I stand corrected on the point of fact, but since your "vote" isn't going to be counted unless you supply a valid physical address (presumably the one on the electoral…

"online reputation management masterclass"

Yeah, I mean what would be more worthwhile is "you destroyed what scant reputation you had, so lets help scrap your rotting corpse off the virtual pavement".

Yeh, someone…

If you priced an "online reputation management masterclass" too low, nobody would come. I am quite certain of it.

Yes. The prices have to be high – they're the equivalent of clothes on the emperor. Or something.

(Jesus Christ, the best part of $700 for the cheap seats? With apologies…

The Auckland issues page on the National Party's website might be seen as a sort of cosmic joke – it being wholly devoid of content.

Ah see, it's a ".Auckland Issues" page. Apparently issues to do with a new Auckland top level web domain.

Has the Government officially asked you what kind of Auckland you want?

It's like they forgot there was a Royal Commission. I voted Yes, although if they'd…

It's good to see somebody *is* doing well out of the whole social media thing.

Judging by the ticket prices, the organisers can't be doing badly out of it either. Nice lineup.

Been there, done that, still getting spammed.

Actually, they don't ask for your email address, and you'd be free to enter a bogus physical address. But yeah.

Given that a good part of their beef has to do with transparency, this seems a rather thin declaration – especially when the website asks you "Enter your details as they currently appear on the electoral roll" before it even lets you see the questions.

Oh, Russell... transparency and consistency…

online reputation specialists

Dear God. It's good to see somebody *is* doing well out of the whole social media thing.