maybe the GOP stands for Group of Pirates...
or better yet Privateers – lend them your ears and they'll sell em for a Buck...

Meanwhile if you happen to be an ex-Congress woman from Georgia taken from a ship in International waters…

"Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck.

And here I thought it was better for her to keep her mouth shut than open it and remove all doubt. It is now being reported that her speech was confusing. What does that…

She said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska's governor, and believed it was best to leave office even though she had two years left to her term.

"Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a…

'So. Farewell
Then
Sarah Palin'.

Hah! That's funny because I get it.

(Btw, she's not standing for re-election in Alaska, clearing the way for the nomination of 2012. I'm an inch closer to owing Craig a meal.)

But your friend doesn't have 'digital cable', he has the regular Sky digital contraption that Sky subscribers get, it just happens to be sold by Telstra.

Might be a similar decoder, but the signal enters his house via a cable from the road (the same cable that carries his internet…

Am I being made the butt of some insider joke? What do you know that you're not telling me? I feel…

Duncan, can I ask if Telecom have a business case to build their cabinets then why don't you? As in, why don't you build out from the exchanges yourself on your own fibre and own cabinets?

You certainly may.

First allow me to provide some of the economics around why…

Not criminal per se (without fear for safety) but potentially enough to get a restraining order and make further repetition illegal.

Section 21(1)(d) of the Summary Offences Act might apply as well although they would need evidence of intention. The police might still be able to arrest them…

Well firstly there will be lots fewer of those to come as the pound continues to head south vs the Euro (We should have joined a decade ago Gordon).

Secondly when we were in Northern Italy we played a game…

Nice :) Thanks to who ever did that.…

You're probably right. But, of course, the Harassment Act will need its own NZBORA-consistent interpretation. Furthermore, as there are 150-odd apparently in this group, it may be a bit difficult to get such restraining orders as a practical matter. Then there's the "optics" problem of judges stopping people from…

"A group led by Ngapuhi's Tass Davis plans a campaign of protest ... targeting the homes of judges (really not okay, at all), on the basis that they are part of the system."

Isn't there a certain irony in that the targeting of judges in their homes is lawful because…

Russ,
I was trolling and dived in at the deepish end;
Regards.

No worries. You did have a point.

But if you ever do spy 'The World's Biggest Chinese Restaurant', you should try and see it.

Isn't there a certain irony in that the targeting of judges in their homes is lawful because…

Thank you! That's a piece of information that eluded the customer service a few weeks ago... Much appreciated.

You're very welcome!
...and you didn't have to wait in a phone queue listening to the worst music evah either. :-)

your slamming of 'Big News', and your inveigh against the BBC generally is somewhat demeaning; to you I mean.

Steady on. I love the BBC. But it's a fact that the BBC makes and commissions a great deal of excellent factual programming that other public broadcasters can't even buy because…

i have ordinary digital SKY without MYSKY and we can book programmes using our remote. When a programme has been booked it automatically changes channel at the right time. You can 'unbook' also if you change your mind.

Thank you! That's a piece of information that eluded the customer service…

...it just seems a bit back asswards looking, digging channels to lay thousands of kilometres of fibre optic cable

of course if…

I'm actually resisting the upgrade because I haven't quite worked out if I can set the decoder to change channels at preset times, which is a must for me (I don't want nothing to do with MySky.) You can do it with the ancient cable box that Telstra provides,…

I live in China and can tell you that the internet is a saviour; but, the BBC ranks equal if not higher, to my students and me; I listen to…

I do worry that people who are in your already unbundled areas (ahem Russell ahem) don't appreciate that cabinets are effectively shutting many of the rest of us from possibly ever getting access to VDSL/etc goodness – without jumping ship that is

I'm getting cabinet-y goodness from Vodafone, as it…

What maybe wasn't clear enough in my post is that you wont have to jump ship to take advantage of the new found goodness. We will still be able to wholesale this from Telecom Wholesale, just as we do now.

We would love to spread the love around…

How many news channels screening wall to wall Michael Jackson necrophilly do you really need?

Good question. Access to the big-brand news channels is occasionally handy, but I'm getting most of my US cable news online anyway, most of the time.

Interesting question. The top-rating news programme (behind only Fox's…

Speaking of broadband I've been trying to figure out where to jump next – the problem here in Dunedin is that we've been cabinetised ... all the dslams are in the neighbourhoods now (or at least are in mine) – that means that my ISP Orcon wont ever get around…

We know. You mentioned it in another thread.
I knew we'd be able to out you as an SF fan sooner or later.

"We know" – you make it sound as if you want to assimilate me.

Never did I say I didn't enjoy SF; but not the kind which takes…

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

how did I even survive before MySky??

There is nothing in my entire life that has saved me more time or aggravation than the MySky. I love it SO. MUCH.

the Living Channel (yes! I confess! I prolly watch more stuff on the LC than on any other)

(I think we have had this conversation before) ...full of gormless Brits buying up villas in impoverished East European countries. We had a game (until it got too irritating) of counting how…

I was at my parents (who have Sky), and saw an absolutely fascinating documentary on the Arts channel about the New York Philharmonic's recent(ish) trip to Pyongyang. Best TV docco I've seen in a while.

So, that, at least.

Some of the docu's on TVNZ6 and 7 are of a…

I love Dr Who.

We know. You mentioned it in another thread.

I knew we'd be able to out you as an SF fan sooner or later.

When shall I send my BSG box set round?

Ah right. Analogue cable. Next you'll be telling me you still have a CRT television, a transistor radio and a watch with hands.

Heh... I do have a watch with hands, actually. But your friend doesn't have 'digital cable', he has the regular Sky digital contraption that Sky subscribers get,…

They don't even offer cable to new customers anymore.

Ah right. Analogue cable. Next you'll be telling me you still have a CRT television, a transistor radio and a watch with hands.

For me it's MySky (how did I even survive before MySky??), the Living Channel (yes! I confess! I prolly watch more stuff on the LC than on any other), UKTV (some great British shows on there), the Documentary/History/NatGeo channels, The…

But, somehow, NZIFF programmer Sandra Reid brings home the reality-based bacon year after year. What the hell is up with that — is it really that they can't do it, or they're not even trying?

As regards programming thathas appeared in BBC, it seems to me that the whole damn…

Would I also be totally out of order in surmising that anyone deciding to "target" Maori Party MPs in a similar manner would have to get past a DPS detail first?

Ahh, you just walk right past them and grab your chosen MP by the arm if Waitangi is…

And the sad fact is that no one in the local TV environment has — or can get — a consistently good bouquet of contemporary documentaries (ie: docos that aren't five years old). That's what the internet is for ...

But, somehow, NZIFF programmer Sandra Reid brings home the reality-based…

Then there is the Second World War Channel and the Cute Animals Doing Amazing Things channel.

Ah... I'd be very very worried about anyone who spent too much time in front of the Hitler Channel. And, serious, once you've seen one pair of bugs fucking to Mozart (thank you, Robert…

How many news channels screening wall to wall Michael Jackson necrophilly do you really need?

Good question. Access to the big-brand news channels is occasionally handy, but I'm getting most of my US cable news online anyway, most of the time.

And the sad fact is that no one in…

I don't subscribe myself, but was at a mate's place on the weekend and watched the rugby followed by comedy – he has cable, not Sky.

Yeah, but no. Your friend has Sky digital through TelstraClear, not cable. I have the sports package on cable and I can assure that…

none of the new channel that have come on stream in the last eighteen months or so (documentary, comedy, etc.) were put on the cable system

Not true: documentary and comedy aren't part of TelstraClear's basic package, but if you go for one that gets you movies or sport then…

Ya, boo, sucks.

is TVNZ 7 going to be on TelstraClear's cable teev?

I'd be surprised, none of the new channel that have come on stream in the last eighteen months or so (documentary, comedy, etc.) were put on the cable system, I think it's to encourage the shift to digital. TVNZ 7…

What exactly does Sky provide to people who really aren't that into sport, and find the movie channels aren't that big a selling point since the release window between cinemas and DVD collapsed? How many news channels screening wall to wall Michael Jackson necrophilly do you really need?

In my…

I was at my parents (who have Sky), and saw an absolutely fascinating documentary on the Arts channel about the New York Philharmonic's recent(ish) trip to Pyongyang. Best TV docco I've seen in a while.

Sure, but even then a couple of mildly intriguing docos a month does not a…

What does freeview provide that sky doesn't these days?

None of the frequent signal loss "due to atrmospheric conditions"? A savings of $100+ monthly?

What exactly does Sky provide to people who really aren't that into sport, and find the movie channels aren't that big a selling point since the release window between cinemas and DVD collapsed? How many news channels screening wall to wall Michael Jackson necrophilly do you really need?

I was…

What does freeview provide that sky doesn't these days?

What exactly does Sky provide to people who really aren't that into sport, and find the movie channels aren't that big a selling point since the release window between cinemas and DVD collapsed? How many news channels screening wall to wall…

is TVNZ 7 going to be on TelstraClear's cable teev?

I'd be surprised, none of the new channel that have come on stream in the last eighteen months or so (documentary, comedy, etc.) were put on the cable system, I think it's to encourage the shift to digital. TVNZ 7…

Also, Jeremy, who on earth will sign up for Sky just to get prime in digital?

I think that by the time the year's out, Prime will be on Freeview. Jonathan Coleman is leaning on Sky, I gather.

What does freeview provide that sky doesn't these days?

A sense of intellectuallity.

Also, Jeremy, who on earth will…

What does freeview provide that sky doesn't these days?

The absence of a monthly bill?

Staying with the Sundays, David Farrar notes Thursday's Employment Relations Authority case on the matter of former Herald on Sunday assistant editor Stephen Cook's departure from the paper earlier this year.

Don't envy the poor bastard who has to choose between the lesser of two weevils there... (Yes, Patrick O'Brian…

I wonder if he'll be able to turn into a really good…

TVNZ 7 will be on Channel 97 on Sky, up there with the news and documentary channels. Media7 will screen at 9.10pm on Thursday, and several times thereafter.

What does freeview provide that sky doesn't these days?

I remember there was a time when the one-off cost of freeview, plus…

I normally stop scrolling up when I get to Parliament TV; must try harder.

You bet. Which SKY channel will Media7 screen on? And when?

TVNZ 7 will be on Channel 97 on Sky, up there with the news and documentary channels. Media7 will screen at 9.10pm on Thursday, and several times thereafter.

Congrats on the Shy broadcast. Unified Field Theory to follow...

This week's Media7 will be the first to go out on the Sky platform, as well as Freeview — meaning our potential audience gets a lot larger.

You bet. Which SKY channel will Media7 screen on? And when?

Regards,
Unsophisticated TV Viewer with SKY but no Freeview

I'm thinking of taking some popcorn along on Thursday morning.

Do! I don't think anyone even knows the Authority is open to the public. Journalists are never there (or anywhere else for that matter). It would be fun to have a circus. I'll bring Raisonettes.

Heavying schoolkids

Dismal hackery

Thursday's Employment Relations Authority case on the matter of former Herald on Sunday assistant editor Stephen Cook's departure from the paper earlier this year.

Thanks, Russell! I'm going to watch for sure. I'll let you know if any stolen medals turn up!!