Posts by Christopher Dempsey
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Hard News: Democracy Night, in reply to Steve Parks,
If I were in Epsom, I would have seen a vote for Goldsmith not as a ‘vote for the right’, but as a “Fuck you, ACT. Sincerely, the left”.
I live in Parnell, which is lumped in with the dreaded Epsom electorate.
I voted for Goldsmith, being tactical cause you know, if a numpty up the road is going to play tactical, I will too. And my vote for Goldsmith (as opposed to who I really thought would be the best person for the job) was in fact a ‘fingers up’ to ACT.
This is the third election in a row here where the tactical voting is the only game in town for this electorate. Given that the lefties in Epsom are in the minority I suggest it incumbent to *think* carefully about how you vote. Last time voting tactically for the left would have made no difference in any case, given the commanding lead Hide had, and it was clear from the general election sentiment prior to voting day that he was supported by many righties.
This time around, given the polling, given the buffoonery of ACT, given the sentiments being expressed, one should have thought carefully about the chances of just maybe casting a vote for the other candidate to knock the one you really don’t want out. The possibility that you might have succeed would be higher than previous times. See, the calculations needed to figure out whether it is worth tactically voting on the left is somewhat complex.
I think being left in a seat where circumstances set up situations such as this is both tiring, and well, tantalizing – just one election all the stars might align and you might just knock the one person you don’t really want out by voting for the other side. But that’s just one election and it hasn’t happened yet. I wonder when it will?
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Voted at the High Court here in Auckland. Busy-ish. Then spent the rest of the day PhD writing...
And is my wont, hunting out late 80s hits on Youtube. Alison Moyet, Yazoo, The Front Lawn etc.
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A 1987 short film by The Front Lawn. Marvelous trip down memory lane.
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Auckland, North Shore, about 2005.
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The tree outside the Clock Tower is much bigger now and the Tower is less white than in the photo.
Interesting viewing these photos in the context of the times - a year after the Revolution.
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Okay, wearing my elected rep hat here:
Actually, public spaces are for everyone, whether they last their jobs in the crisis or not.
And what Occupy are doing is a shit load more important than a nice empty lawn to look at. Nobody said don’t come down and eat your lunch, and for those of us who don’t have decent work at he moment, we’re employing ourselves advocating the rights of everyone, including you buggers, so be grateful for a change, look up at who is responsible for things being the way they are, rather than falling for the propaganda and blaming some imaginary class of evil poor people on benefits.
My view, not entirely shared by all my collegues, is that Aotea Square is a public space, and like all public spaces (footpaths, roads, parks, plazas etc) has two functions. The first is the provision of passage or rest and respite. The second is as a place of expressing ideals of the civic , where anyone (because it is a public space) can express their views provided it doesn't offend terribly.
Occupy Auckland is, if you like, a function of the fact that Aotea Square is a civic space. To be even-handed, I would not mind if equally a large group of suits decided to camp there to protest something or other. The fact is, anyone occupying or demonstrating in the space is exhibiting a committment to civics, those lofty ideals of freedom of expression and democratic expression.
From this point I don't mind Occupy Auckland being there, quite apart from my support of the demonstration, because they are expressing something valuable for the rest of us.
Some politicians are worried about the grass. My advice; the square was recently re-furbished. If Council failed to understand that the square is a civic space, and will from time to time play 'host' to demonstrations, then it is not a problem of Occupy Auckland or anyone else. It is a problem of Council in failing to properly understand the different functions of the space.
I am hoping however, the some smart person has understood the particular functions, and has made budgetary provisions for repair and replacement of the grass; it is a small price to be paid for the continued demonstration and exercise of civic rights.
Doffing said hat.
Being personal:
David Hood, About 2 hours ago
Does anyone (in the next hour and a half) know a rights website which outlines the powers of the Police if one is in the Octagon but not camping or erecting tents at 8pm? Asking on behalf of people for whom this may soon be relevant.
Ask Penny Bright. She's every occupiers best friend when it comes to the law, and most councillors best friend when it comes to the law as well.
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fell through the cracks of multiple agencies with ill-defined responsibilities.
It’s not so much as falling through the cracks as a situation of no-one in any agency being brave enough to say N and O together without fearing the wrath of developers taking them to court for denying developers the right to make money without any kind of constraint (such as earthquake strengthening). Or fearing the wrath of their bosses (NZ middle managers – that peculiar species).
I may be slightly hyperbolic here and I stand to be corrected, but my general observation remains.
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I caught the tail end of the OccAuck march which went quite slowly - walked 10 meters or so, then stop. Not sure why. Very large crowd.
Moved into Aotea Square, onto the grass area. Several hundred people. Surreal situation; Range Rover were demonstrating their new Landrovers on the hard surface of the square, then the OccAuck crowd then the most interesting art installation - The Performance Arcade on the other side of OccAuck - which is well worth seeing if you do happen to go down to Aotea Sq.
I stayed for a bit, listening to the thankfully few speeches, but became amused at the committee nature of it. Very middle class, but ultimately, very productive, and designed with a few tweaks to make sure that agreements were embedded within the group. A very good model of organising I have to say.
I left and went home to make creme brulee.
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I wonder if Oh Calcutta! in Parnell is still the go?
Yep, it is. I live near there and most times when I walk past it seems pretty full. As is St Tropez next door.
I like a kebab. Had some good ones in Melbourne, but man, I still dream of those ChCh kebabs. Amazingly elastic bread, thick too. Soaked up all the juice from the lamb (thank you for dying and being so damn tasty little lamb).
Montreal has alot of kebab places (the owners invariably had immigrated from Beirut, and spoke French only), and the kebabs were pretty much yum yum. Two things the kebabs had that I haven't seen here is a) a perserved pink vegetable or something and b) a yellow perserved something that was long and square shaped.
I’ve been looking for a decent szechuan place in AKL. Anyone have any recommendations?
A few years ago friends and I would go to a szechuan place in Onehunga that was very good - opposite the old post office at the end of the mall. The place may have moved.
And speaking of spicy and building up a tolerance, a friend once commented ’I am become death, destroyer of worlds’* on a nam tok that I thought was just the right side of nicely warm.
The Nam Tok from the Thai place in the Albert St Food Alley is very hot. I have asked for "little hot" the last few times and invariably little hot is very unbearably hot. The Nam Tok in Zap is much more balanced and mild in flavour.
What I love is Veitnamese salad - noodles, lettuce, spring rolls, carrots, some beef, yum. Only $5.06 when I had it in Montreal at a wee hole in the wall near Chinatown. Can't seem to find similar here. Otahuhu apparently is the place for Vietnamese so must wander down there sometime.
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Hard News: Dropping the Bomber, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
That’s plain bloody silly. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but Key’s DPS detail is exactly the same size as Clark’s.
I assume so.
They made the (IMO) totally correct observation that it’s actually pretty fraking cool that citizens can walk into their own legislature and watch their employees at work without having to go through airport grade security.
Tis nice and somewhat distinctive about our country. It's a lodestone if you like - compared with o'seas we are postively relaxed about these things - it's one of the things that defines us. Like not having the cops armed with pistols.
And, yes, Christoper you can sneer at the DPS as “bling” for small cock politicians but it’s still remarkably low-key.
Tis, compared to o'seas. Not compared to Helen. Helen was IMHO more low key than Key, who I suppose, has sub-conciously out-keyed her. It's a touch precious really IMHO. To wit, the opening ceremony of the RWC. Key went out onto the field accompanied by a DPS officer who peeled off when Key was out on the field. I thought to myself - Key is surrounded by men and women who positively worship the ground he walks on and he still needs to have a DPS officer? Bling IMHO.
I speak somewhat from experience and observation; politics is psychological in the sense that the actions of a politician can be explained in part by the formative experiences of that person.
Another thing I find pretty cool is that most politicians actually feel safe about having their home addresses publicly available on the electoral roll.
At Local Body level, and within the former Auckland City Council boundaries, I have noted a general trend; left-wing politicians have no qualms about having their home addresses publicly available, while right-wing politicians usually use PO Boxes for their home addresses. I do not know what the reason for this is but it is for me somewhat noticeable.
