Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: Key and the 'nesians

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  • Blake Monkley,

    Apologies to Amanda.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    and should Wellington be renamed as R'lyeh?

    That I can get behind -- Wellywood is so... so. :)

    I don't think it's fair to dump on her just because she was amusingly photographed at a Nat victory party.

    Well, I couldn't wear anything like that without looking like an over-stuffed sausage casing, and raising one's arms above one's head leads to unfortunate muffin exposure. I hate her. She must be the first whose soul is fed to the Old Ones.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    It's fine to lightly mock her though :)

    In a white wine sauce?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    raising one's arms above one's head leads to unfortunate muffin exposure

    LOL. am having sudden 80s flashbacks.

    there was a song on mtv called "stuffin' martha's muffin".

    sexist drivel, obviously. damn cowboy should have been fed to psychlos.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    So I can have fibre to the doorstep, but the council won't repair the footpath after Telecom dig it up?

    Ben, I'm sure the old CitRats would love to sell the footpaths to Telecom, given half a chance..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Ben, I'm sure the old CitRats would love to sell the footpaths to Telecom, given half a chance..

    Well, Sacha, Auckland City could put the case for serious across the board rate hikes up rather than pretend you can indulge champagne tastes on a beer income -- which might well be what landed Auckland in this particular paddling pool of poo in the first place.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Well, Craig. Or they could cut something other than catching up on fixing dodgy footpaths and sewage pipes or building swimming pools for the folk of Otahuhu and Avondale.

    Things are in a bad state because Auckland's citizens persist in electing people who keep the rates down short term by not spending enough on basic maintenance - as evidenced by the bobbing turds in some bays after a downpour or whenever a senior citizen trips on the way to the corner dairy. It's like saving money by not painting your house. After a few decades the rot gets pretty expensive..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Champagne? I'm unclear what they intend to do with the "ambitious" plans for a world class city. Thinking of the televised attention of the third largest event on the planet in a few years does raise questions about how much you need to invest to make sure you reap the benefits, so I suppose they're right in not cutting those particular budgets. Must be tempting though.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Sacha wrote:

    Things are in a bad state because Auckland's citizens persist in electing people who keep the rates down short term by not spending enough on basic maintenance -

    and :-

    Thinking of the televised attention of the third largest event on the planet in a few years does raise questions about how much you need to invest to make sure you reap the benefits, so I suppose they're right in not cutting those particular budgets. Must be tempting though.

    I wouldn't disagree with the former, but I've sure had problems with the way just saying the words "Rugby World Cup" to a politician causes severe brain damage, and the compulsion to start spraying around corporate welfare like bank robbers in a titty bar.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    There was a great chart at the Standard that is really worth checking out, if you haven't already seen it:

    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/how-to-stimulate-the-economy/

    I've been really impressed by Steve Pierson's writing, fwiw.

    It can be difficult to explain that the government spending multiplier can have a greater expansionary effect than tax cuts.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    just saying the words "Rugby World Cup" to a politician causes severe brain damage, and the compulsion to start spraying around corporate welfare

    Agreed.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    There was a great chart at the Standard that is really worth checking out, if you haven't already seen it

    And what particular conclusion were we supposed to draw from a cut-and-pasted table (without any context) relating to the American economy, which is structurally not a carbon copy of New Zealand's?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    But I also have the right, within the same limits you do, to argue with, criticise or plain laugh at those views. So don't insult my intelligence further by trying to present yourself as a martyr to my horrible right-wing dissent crushing.

    It was gallows humour. If you think it was in poor taste, surely you can say so without jumping down everyone's throat.

    Honestly, Craig. Your team won. The sun is shining. Chill out. Be happy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Honestly, Craig. Your team won. The sun is shining. Chill out. Be happy.

    I'm very happy, thanks. Well, I was until some right-wing nut decided to harsh my mellow by comparing the outgoing government to Stalin, Mugabe, Mao and Hitler. But point taken, and I'll leave with this observation:

    It only took two months for the Nazi regime to pass a law purging Jews from the civil service. The cattle cars came later.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    And what particular conclusion were we supposed to draw from a cut-and-pasted table (without any context) relating to the American economy, which is structurally not a carbon copy of New Zealand's?

    I think you're right to say that the numbers in the table can't simply be assumed to apply in New Zealand, but the table is still interesting in light of the need to respond to the global downturn.

    In Steve's defence, the basic principles of expansionary fiscal policy are broadly applicable and I think his post is self-explanatory. Obviously aggregate demand will not be National's only concern given the campaign that was run and the party's philosophical outlook.

    We've all heard it asserted that tax cuts are the most efficient way of promoting economic growth, but let's go no further over that well-worn ground.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    It only took two months for the Nazi regime to pass a law purging Jews from the civil service.

    well, you've godwinned it good and proper now, but...

    did you know that one of the pivotal moments in the history of sri lanka was the 1950s change from tamil to sinhalese as the language of the bureaucracy?

    thousands of people out of work in the name of 'nation-building'.

    all those disaffected workers went on to protest, then fight, then shoot, then before you know it keith is writing another bloody article about it.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    then before you know it keith is writing another bloody article about it.

    Keith... now here's somebody whom I actually wish lost his job as a result of the election so that he could resume his bloggage. But then now that I've said that he'd probably insist on sleeping in my den, wouldn't he?

    (Kidding, Keith, may your contract be renewed indefinitely. But darn I used to enjoy your writing.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    i think keith could probably answer that one himself...

    along with, "how would a free-lance journalist use three months of severance pay?"

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I should also put my money where my mouth is and pledge to be the first in line to buy any and all future collections of his PAS essays.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    now there's something i should do.

    i wonder if there's a market for half-pissed rants? rb?

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    yeah, thought not.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    i wonder if there's a market for half-pissed rants? rb?

    Two words. Steve Braunias.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    i wonder if there's a market for half-pissed rants? rb?

    Two words. Steve Braunias.

    Two more: Michael Laws. Because if he's not pissed, then he's upgraded from unspeakable to utterly unforgivable.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Two words. Steve Braunias.

    I pledge to be last in line to buy any of his collected columns.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie,

    I dunno -- a sight better than that Black woman...

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

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