From memory it began 'Jesus loves me this I know/gave me [something] seats for his show'.

Gave me house seats to his show. Some things I still remember.

Tom Paxton, not Tom Lehrer. It was called 'Jesus Christ SRO'

Tom Paxton – of course!! Thank you Rob. My excuse is my slightly advanced age. No wonder I couldn't find it in the Tom Lehrer Youtube clips!

'this time round you're a little bit looser/all you really needed was the right producer'

I read this and thought of David Garrett. Sad but true.

I remembered the song Tom Lehrer wrote sending up musicals like Jesus Christ Super Star, the words of which went something like, 'Jesus, you're making it big on Broadway – Gosh it's good to see your name in lights,' etc. I think it was banned in the 70s

Tom Paxton,…

So do we (here in NZ) have another series of Tennant yet to be shown?

Yet to be shown, yet to be made. Well, not another 'series', but a bunch of 'special episodes'. I believe Prime is up to date except for the latest Christmas Special.

— if only we weren't waiting sixteen months or so to see him in action.

So do we (here in NZ) have another series of Tennant yet to be shown?

Craig, good to see you survived the never-ending nosebleed.

My dignity didn't — nobody can keep that with a wad of toilet paper jammed up their nostril. Still, if that's my biggest problem (the Christmas migraine and never ending heat rash got lost in the post, for which I'm eternally…

The new guy doesn't look right for the part – but then I thought that about Tennant.

But what's the right look for a character who's nine hundred and change? Put Peter O'Toole on a rocket powered skateboard, and pray your insurance carrier won't notice? :)

And I'll miss Tennant…

. . . you'd expect if the welfare state had been widely unpopular it would have been turfed out by a subsequent government.

Permissive society? Me generation? Remember those? No? Fran's pontificating is firmly in the tradition of a long line of forgettable journalistic monuments to harrumphing pomposity.

While Ayn…

the frontier mentality that led my forbears to be proudly self-reliant and adamantly against government dependence

Why must proud self-reliance accompany…

The new guy doesn't look right for the part – but then…

Matt Smith has been named as the actor who will take over from David Tennant in Doctor Who – making him the youngest actor to take on the…

I think that's what she was trying to say, really.

Possibly was, but as so often happen with O'Sullivan a substantive (if debatable) column turned on the proverbial dime into Weirdsville. I don't know if Fran was paying attention during the election campaign but both Key and Clark were rather…

I think that's what she was trying to say, really.

Possibly was, but as so often happen with O'Sullivan a substantive (if debatable) column turned on the proverbial dime into Weirdsville. I don't know if Fran was paying attention during the election campaign but both Key and Clark were rather…

Do you really think Stoppard's a fraud Giovanni?

Another way of putting it is that he's Pinter and (especially) Beckett's Cliff's Notes. Maybe even Ionesco's. Nothing wrong with that, of course, imitation being the sincerest form of plagiar... er, flattery. But it was others who did the hard work. In…

I also admire Samuel Beckett, Dennis Potter and Tom Stoppard — two playwrights

Did you write "two playwrights" to account for the fact that Tom Stoppard is a fraud?

(Although he did have one sincere moment in his life. At the opening of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a woman…

Eh?

What? What? What?

My mother is eighty, and a farmer's daughter. I do not recognise Planet Fran. It's true I cannot churn butter, work a mangle, or clean shot out of a rabbit (actually I can do that, I just refuse to), but then I strongly suspect neither can…

But sorry Fran, if anyone is going to insinuate that Key's position is motivated by his ethnicity I'm going to reply "If it quacks like a bigot, and waddles like a bigot, it's probably a bigot."

I think that's what she was trying to say, really. But Fran was one…

Now the issue of Key's own leanings have been raised by those that say National is copping out because the Prime Minister – whose late mother was an Austrian…

Please Russell please delete it and we could perhaps pretend the only post I made here was to inform Kerry that there was a space between the two brackets at each end of the link and that's why link didn't work. Two brackets together…

Actually the issue in the original is that it had a space between the brackets, I just did a practice run and it didn't work with the extra space e.g. [ and no space [ works, [ with a space here [ doesn't.

Link text is what comes up…

Far out, sorry to be so thick – I've made it work before, it's just eluding me. And as for getting…

'Beware the Music" warning for Kerry's site.

I've found it works if paste the url but not if type it in. Assume you did originally have the | character and the link text so there is some text to actually click on.

On a Preview you may be able…

[ [http://duck.hbwinecountryduck.com/] ]

Doesn't quite have the sass of the Cuban one!

Sorry to be this curmudgeonly, but am I the only person on earth who finds Pinter a misogynistic bore?t

Broaden that to misanthropic and I'll sign up.

. . . bringing the rats in the suburban walls out to dance . . .

Ha! (applause).

While Pinter's later political pronouncements…

Craig – I think we might have to agree to disagree on this one. After all you admire Thatcher, and that is beyond my comprehension.

I also admire Samuel Beckett, Dennis Potter and Tom Stoppard — two playwrights whose lingustic, philosophical, political and dramatic sophistication shows up Pinter for the…

My analogy of the Public Address System, is that its like a leafy suburb, peppered with state housing.

A bit like Pt Chev ?

Oh and in case anybody missed the obits, RIP Harold Pinter.

How could you? Sorry to be this curmudgeonly, but am I the only person on earth who finds Pinter a misogynistic bore?

etc.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4803708a19807.html

I managed to get a plug in for PAS.

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

All together now:
Beta, beta, beta, beta, beta by far
PA are ... beta by far...

Just wondering if this is the same Baine Huggett that I know? Who use go with Akenihi, do work for the Mana Maori poiltical party out of the Maori Congress office in Wellington, where we both met lived in the 90's.

Skinny pakeha fulla with glasses.

Looking…

Our Top 10 this week included PJ Harvey, The Flaming Lips and Kanye West which represents a fairly decent virtual music lounge I reckon.

Interesting to see Lilly Allen there. I confess, I'm quite taken by 'Everyone's At It'.

Who's owning up to Tori Amos?

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

If gMail is still in a beta phase, I don't see why system should move on :-)

it captures the loss of purpose that accompanies the the idea that a home is finished

A few weeks ago, Ben gave me the perfect justification for being a procrastinator; now you've given me the perfect justification for living in a home of squalor. PAS rules: no matter how pathetic…

Our Top 10 this week included PJ Harvey, The Flaming Lips and Kanye West which represents a fairly…

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

There's apparently a chinese saying that I'm fond to quoting, that I think translates to

"House finished, Man dies"

I love the saying because it's a great excuse to avoid finishing jobs around the house, but also because…

Giovanni is far too modest

and handsome!

(and thank you)

I love PA & it's the one site I check daily. Finally seeing me emerging from lurker status earlier this year & engaging in the informative & interesting conversations, so thanks everyone.

More Great Blends? Hooray!

the awesome gift pack.

Oh, you're just not paying attention.

Merry Christmas.

You need our permission now? Or are "the Others" a sinister cabal that secretly runs PAS?

In all seriousness, you should comment more on film/literary/arts matters. You make some interesting points.

Cheers, my comment was just a little bit of self-mocking silliness, nothing serious about it all.

But haven't you…

Anyway, to Russell and all the PA community; “Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise duit, which for those of you not familiar with the Gaelic vernacular roughly translates as “Happy Christmas and a…

My internet resolution would be to get a bit more involved in the film/music/art/literature discussion here, if the others would let me.

You need our permission now? Or are "the Others" a sinister cabal that secretly runs PAS?

In all seriousness, you should comment more on film/literary/arts matters. You make…

I sometimes wonder if I'm the only person in the industrialised world who doesn't know things like "Chrome is Googles browser... typically stays in beta".. yada yada.

this area is typically called the masthead in newspaper/website parlance

Just FTR, I know what…

Excuse my ignorance, but what are you two nerds talking about?

nerdy things

Chrome is Google's browser (and very nice, but I wish they'd hurry up for the real Mac version). Google stuff typically stays in beta (i.e. it's not quite finished, don't blame us if it breaks) forever, so…

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

I swear I thought about it the other day when they mentioned that Chrome was coming out of beta.

Excuse my ignorance, but what are you two nerds talking about?

Also I would like to second everything [Russell] says about Grant. He listens.

Okay, I think he's been seconded, thirded, and now fourthed.

... and a merry…

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

*cough*edit function*ahem*

I went to an interesting funeral today and considering the few degrees of separation in NZ it is probable that others here also knew Baine Huggett (1949-2008) during his colourful, eventful life. He was a screenwriter and…

I'm not wanting to start an argument at this time of the year, but I thought that the first sentence or two of Steven Joyce's maiden speech was a bit odd.

May well have been, and I just missed it — though if I wanted to get my bitch on,…

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

I swear I thought about it the other day when they mentioned that Chrome was coming out of beta. That thought might or might have not been followed by this one: "Christ, I've got to go out more."…

I'm not wanting to start an argument at this time of the year, but I thought that the first sentence or two of Steven Joyce's madien speech was a bit odd.

It was unbelievably ill-advised. It made him look really petty.

He seems clever enough, but that was a weird…

I think its safe to say, the Public address system works

So you're saying it's safe to ditch the "beta" from the masthead?

Oh, that would be very pleasing!

Likewise here...

but nothing really weird.

I'm not wanting to start an argument at this time of the year, but I thought that the first sentence or two of Steven Joyce's madien speech was a bit odd.

Merry Christmas to all, I've enjoyed your company, and I'm really pleased to see a…

Craig himself for his erudite commentaries.

Poo... New year's resolution: Don't do anything but sleep between the hours of midnight and six am. And I still credit Glynis with any virtues my piece have. One week, when I'd choked on my own tongue for the twentieth time (really), and was…

And when we do get down to the griping...for me, I guess it's going to be somehow much more satisfying slagging off a Government than the Opposition for a change.

Meh... this is the last thread — and entirely the wrong time — to be starting a brawl, but I'll…

And the words "Great Blend" might please some of you.

Oh, that would be very pleasing!

It's been a choice year. I love the community we've got here and that PA System is a pleasant place to be, whether discussing something quite serious or just having some lolz.

And...

Now,…

How dare Morgan Nichol write

"Public Address — Fewer Wankers!"

"Yeah, I don't post comments that often, but let's not make a big deal of it, eh?"

It is a dirty job but…

What about a "Births, Deaths, Civil Unions and other items of interest" column.

That's a wonderful idea.

She has some goodies, our Deborah. I think that's a brilliant idea – it does feel a bit like a village here, doesn't it?

Yeah, I don't post comments that often, but let's not make a big deal of it, eh?

Ah, but you're one of a select but crucial band — the people who proofread my blogs for me.

Thank you Russell for keeping this going.

My biggest fear was Media7 would take you away from the direct insightful commentary that has been PA.

I stopped doing a hell of a lot this year — columns in the Listener, Unlimited and Idealog, occasional spots on The Panel — and…

My biggest fear was Media7 would take you away from the direct insightful commentary that has been PA.

I love the new people you've brought into PAS. They are voices I would never have heard without PA, because I just don't move in…

Actually Paul, I should have thought to thank you for being our number one audience member. We should just start cc-ing the call sheet to you.

.It really is the best way to watch television.

Now, I was thinking of the perfect PA commission for you yesterday. I'd send you on…

"Public Address — Fewer Wankers!"

Yeah, I don't post comments that often, but let's not make a big deal of it, eh?

What about a "Births, Deaths, Civil Unions and other items of interest" column.

That's a wonderful idea.

Russell, if you're thinking about enhancements, here's a possibility, and I think it would take nothing more than starting up a thread, or maybe an "in the spotlight". What about a "Births, Deaths, Civil…

It's a really nice speech with some dry humour and, at about the 12 min mark, a deeply welcome commitment to special education issues. I'm so glad to have someone like Grant in Parliament.

I remember that march where he was called NZ's #1 terrorist! Ironically, in the activist circles…

My "blogosphere" resolution for 09: no more reading the comments on Kiwiblog ...

I gave up reading right-wing blogs two Matarikis ago – it helps keep the blood pressure down, I tell you.

Next year is going to be a very interesting time in NZ, in good and bad ways, and PA will be a place where much thought-provoking and informed discussion will happen. The prevailing culture here – a non-parochial pride in NZ and a fundamental…

Have I told you lately how amazing you are?

Yes, but I'd still like more money. And while I'm sure it just slipped your mind (being the Merciless Ming of a multimedia empire does that), perhaps a little little credit to the nice chaps at the Downlow Concept who produce…

I was impressed by his performance at the Aro Valley meet the candidates, and consequently voted for him. I think he'll make a good representative. I'll remember to give him another drunken hug if I'm ever…

And yes, I'm still one-track-minded and only thinking of the Wellingtonista right now. But I would…

Gordon says the shows will embrace "hopefully a national debate on the future—with some more positive news than the Wall Street wankers."

Hmmm, potential slogans for 2009:-

"Public Address — Fewer Wankers!"

My mother still thinks you're dodgy, btw.

It is possible she is correct.

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

It's a really nice speech with some dry humour and, at about the 12 min mark, a deeply welcome commitment to special education issues. I'm so glad to have someone like Grant…

We outed you!

Well, that's never happened before. Okay, not unless I was playing Taboo.

My mother still thinks you're dodgy, btw.

PA is like the Christmas gift you realise you wanted and you get all year... Thanks so much for all the work you put in to it and Media7.

I'd like to make more of the best reader comments (I like the way Josh Marshall does it on TPM) on Public Address. In my big year there wasn't much time to think about enhancements to the site

If this means letting the comment-cream rise and matters of taxonomy, bring…

Gordon says the shows will embrace "hopefully a national debate on the future—with some more positive news than the Wall Street wankers."

On the local front, we had eight visits from Piopio in January and the buggers never came back. I'd wager that David Haywood has somehow caused them offence.

I believe I might have implied that the Piopio public toilet's reputation for cleanliness was "exaggerated".

I love System enormously, and I'm so pleased that it's surpassed my most optimistic predictions.

I was looking back at the launch day of System recently, and recalled your mild amazement that you'd actually registered a profile under your real name.

We outed you!

The Word of the Year should be "Media7." Thanks for a great year of smart, funny, important stuff, in all your various media and from all your various people.

Actually Paul, I should have thought to thank you for being our number one audience member. We should just start cc-ing…

what I can do, what I've always done, right from 1983 when I worked at Rip It Up, is throw an interesting party. That's what this is.

I hate to think what the state of your carpet is after two years.

I love System enormously, and I'm so pleased that…

Have a great summer and hope '09 is full of wonder for us all.

Have I told you lately how amazing you are?

Aww, shucks.