Posts by Kyle Matthews
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__2. Civil Unions. A same sex couple saying that they feel that they are now full NZers like everyone else.__
That's preaching to the converted.
I don't think the target is 'gay people', if that's what you mean. I think Civil Unions was quite a popular compromise between full on gay marriage and doing nothing. Personally I'd probably get married, which is an option for me, but I'm proud that we made progress there, even if it wasn't as far as I would have liked it to go. I think it's been around long enough and the world hasn't fallen apart that this is an argument you can sell to 'middle NZ'.
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A very risky strategy. Most people get their 'info' from TV. To not be seen on that medium when your opponent is would be counter-productive.
I'm not saying that Labour shouldn't appear. Start with the 'ordinary people', finish with Helen Clark saying the slogan or whatever.
The good things that Labour have done, and I think they've been the bunch, as often as not they've lost the battle against National in saying "hey these are good things". More of Helen or Michael or whoever saying "these are good things" is going to be more of the same. More of 'real people' saying "Labour helped us" might be different.
Your Joe Public reactions. Yes, all true. The target needs to be focused however. They're not going to get those votes. Someone who thinks students are bludgers, isn't homophobic but "doesn't like fags", and is working class but doesn't like poor people, isn't going to switch this election.
They need to attack their weakness however, which is that a pretty good government has got tagged with being 'old', and offside with NZ on social issues. That's attacking the perception of their track record on those middle ground issues. Health is very difficult as their record there is average, it's just too important an issue to leave out.
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Proposed CIR questions do go through a proper process.
I mean something like what I/S said. If it were to have actual powers of bringing in some laws, then it would need to be written in legal terms. "That Section 59 of the Crimes Act etc be repealed." Yay or Nay.
Based on the wording of this one, and the wording of the Law and Order one in 1999, I've been pretty disappointed with the wording process.
To me the point should be a clear direction of what the population thinks on an issue - keep it the same, change it to X. I don't get that at all clearly for this referendum. You shouldn't walk into the polling booth (or... postal ballot whatever) and think "umm. What the hell does that mean in reality?"
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She said that Police themselves have said they think 60-80% of rape complaints are false
If she's got that correct that's very concerning. Do you remember if she said where it came from?
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Andrew, can you start growing potatoes by this method anytime of the year?
Potatoes will grow in your garden year around. They're fairly frost resistant, I believe the important thing is to make sure that they are well covered with dirt - potatoes that show on the surface will go green and don't survive the winter so well.
The story is: plant them on the shortest day, harvest on the longest.
See I was told to plant in September, and not take out until it gets cold and you get the first frost!
Wikipedia:
Garlic is easy to grow and can be grown year-round in mild climates. In cold climates, cloves can be planted in the ground about six weeks before the soil freezes, and harvested in late spring.
I guess it depends on whether you consider your home to be a cold climate.
How unusual to plant year around in warm climates, but in winter in cold climates? You'd think it would be summer only in cold climates.
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Closed captions for the Deaf. When someone is being sarcastic, the subtitle will have an exclamation mark in brackets after it (!). After watching a couple of seasons of closed caption Buffy - Whedon, sarcastic, who'd've thought (!) - I'd really like to see this practice catch on more on the net, for all I'd like to think we don't need it.
I was watching a DVD last night and for some reason it started with subtitles on. So I went into languages, and turned it off.
There were three options for subtitles:
1. English
2. English for the hearing impaired.
3. Off.At the time I thought it very strange that hearing impaired had different subtitles than the rest of us, but I guess other sound effects would be included.
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It's neither. Its one person exercising her democratic right backed up by many others.And apparently you don't like that kind of exercise of democratic rights because your view of democracy appears to be based on the subject matter - and that's a pretty warped view to have IMNSHO.
Personally I find CIRs to pretty much be country-wide opinion polls. Which is fine if we want to do that, but I think we should stop calling them 'referendum', which should have meaning and lead to something.
If it's actually a referendum then it should have legal powers, and the question should go through a proper process (like select committee, clerks etc) so that it actually makes sense if we vote it in.
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nominate a top five list: Praiseworthy Accomplishments of the Helen Clark Years.
I think things have gone so badly for the government, they should avoid putting themselves on TV. The whole 'presidential' campaign thing isn't going to help them much, because people are turned off by Labour these days.
I'd go with a series of adverts of ordinary NZers, telling the country how their lives are better as a result of things:
1. Working for Families. A family that can say the line "it always used to be a struggle to find food for the kids, even with full time work. Now with Working for Families we can make sure we can put food on the table" (or something less schmultzy).
2. Civil Unions. A same sex couple saying that they feel that they are now full NZers like everyone else.
3. If we'd won the world cup last year, I would have put a Rugby World Cup 2011 in here. A graduate who is paying off their interest free student loan and choosing to stay in NZ as a result.
4. A businessman who's going to be making it big with the free trade deal with China.
5. Umm. Something to do with health, ignoring their failures in this area.
(in no particular order btw)
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I listen to a lot of hip-hop (from where I get the clothing label endorsement example), but haven't so far maxed out a credit card on rims, expensive liquor, watches or big ol' sunglasses.
Off topic, but The Daily Show last night showed a video off John McCain's web site talking about his campaign bus. The guy hosting it seriously boasted about the 22 inch rims that the bus had. Sometimes great comedy just gets thrown at you as a TV show host.
Whatever the opposite of 'hip and fly' is, that video is it.
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Don't tell Grant Dexter. That bill was an act as soon as it was first drafted.
Heh. I had to think about that twice before I got it.