Posts by Christopher Dempsey
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I suppose it it is if one shuts people’s mouths with tape and forbid them from moving around.
What?
People are, as a someone, nay, many people, have pointed out so adroitly, complex. Your instructions are sound so long as people don't say a word and don't move.
Personally, I just reckon he’s become seriously jumpy about his personal security – a combination of believing the self-serving fairy (or monster) stories he gets from career securocrats, and not having come up through the ranks of being a minister.
Personally I see Key's DPS squad as bling. It tells Key that he's made it from suburban Chch.The amount of bling he throws around is a bit over the top but if it makes him feel superior and smug to do so, his choice.
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A simple process:
1 Identify your options.
2 Assess the consequences of those options and sort them into 'good' and 'bad' according to relevant criteria.
3 Choose the best option from the 'good' options for that situation, or at least the one that does the least harm.
Whether you're solving a painting problem or a political one, I suggest the process is sound.
I suppose it it is if one shuts people's mouths with tape and forbid them from moving around.
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My one and only time on the panel was a few years ago, when as Chair of the Eden Albert Community Board (which had Eden Park in its area), I was invited on for a brief interview about the costs of the works that were going on around Eden Park; the Sandringham Rd upgrade, the Kingsland Rail Station widening, the Billy Apple artworks etc. All of which was causing some angst – all these millions for what?
I primed myself with the facts before hand, and managed to clear up a few things before one of the two men on the panel said something about it all (the many million$) being good and great. I retorted that ‘Gentlemen, it’s *just* a game.” Cue sharp intake of breath and the briefest of silences before Mora politely thanked me and rang off.
I’ve never been back on so I guess I’m in the same camp as Bomber. Lesson: never suggest rugby is ’just’ a game on NatRad.
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Has anyone read Job's commencement address that may explain a few things?
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Hard News: The Politics of Absence, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
Sure, but to be fair it was a good day at the office when Power and 115 others voted to put the provocation defense in the septic tank of history. Shame it took the brutal murder of a straight white middle-class woman to put a blow torch to the collective arse, but still…
This is what absolutely rankled me about this whole provocation defense issue. That it took the brutal and sadistic attack on a straight white middle class woman to throw the whole provocation defense in the spotlight. Forget the murders of McPhee, Brown, and a stamp collector (forgive me I do not know his name).
These men were gay and were murdered. Brown, who wouldn't hurt a fly, had a banjo rammed down his throat. McPhee was stabbed viciously in the head and groin area. The stamp collector was similarly stabbed. The sadistic murderers of these men successfully used the provocation defense to gain reduced sentencing, while the characters of these men were dragged through the mud. But would parliament care? NO. Gay men in the eyes of parliament aren't worthy citizens.
Just fucking appalling.
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Hard News: The price is that they get to…, in reply to Sacha,
that Guardian app – called ’Timeline
those are two different things
Are they? God I 'm getting old. I will have to pay my nephews to explain it all to me.
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I don't pretend to know everything or understand FB much and frankly the last 'upgrade' is a bloody pain in the arse - but I somehow found myself using that Guardian app - called 'Timeline' - and had it for a few days. I found myself seriously not liking it when I discovered that it pushed what my friends were reading, and that if I even so much as looked at any article, it deemed that I had read it. Annoying more than scary.
Took me a while to find the 'app' control panel and delete it. Problem is, I've no idea if I have deleted it or not, or if FB / Guardian / Timeline is still in the background watching me. Can someone bring on a better user experience that rivals FB? Oh wait. Conversation Salons. In coffee houses and pubs.
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Hard News: Auckland, so much enormity to…, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
Mr. Train Driver should actually be getting no thanks, and a pink slip.
He had phoned his boss who ok'd it. So I should properly say thanks Mr Train Driver's boss!
Interestingly enough, it was a startling insight into the problems in the current setup: the train manager was from Veolia, the driver and engine from Kiwirail, driving carriages owned by the Council, all on a track owned by Ontrack. No wonder if one of those elements falls over, everything falls over.
In terms of expediting passports - mine was rushed through in two days in the early 1980s because my father knew the then Minister of Internal Affairs, who was an ex-work colleague of my father. I don't think that there is any favouritism in doing stuff like this - it's more a case of officers being 'glad to help out', rather than something that is a function of the PM's power - officers can legitimately not 'help out' if they choose.
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Hard News: Auckland, so much enormity to…, in reply to Phil Lyth,
And as for
trying to corrupt a politician
Get off the grass!
Naughty. He's still a sitting MP with a notoriously sensitive skin about this.
I, along with family members and partner, did the Fan Trail on Saturday night for the NZ vs France game. Brilliant atmosphere generated in no small part by the French who it must be said a) have treating the game as good fun and not as a life-threatening event that must be violently supported down to a fine art as only the French are wont to do, and b) have the most marvellous collection of symbols they can dress up in - a rooster, a Knight de Chevalier, a Smurf, an Astrix, or any combination of all four. In contrast were the stylish Kiwis, all in black. The only Kiwis I saw using a cultural symbol were three lovely folk on Beach Rd who were dressed up as sheep. I congratulated them heartily.
The Fan Trail itself was excellent, and well organised with people to guide the walkers where to go. A memorable moment was going up the St Kevins Arcade steps with the French, having discovered how echo-ey it was, were chanting Allez Les Bleus. I was chanting back Allez Les Noirs! which prompted them to chant back and so on we went. All good fun.
A highlight was coming back into the city - we just wanted to do the Fan Trail - I discovered that one couldn't come back on the trains as I had thought one would. However a kindly driver took pity on us and gave us a lift in his drivers cubicle - so we saw what train drivers see as they errr, drive along. Very amazing. Many thanks to Mr Train Driver.
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Hard News: Friday is for ..., in reply to Russell Brown,
Yeah - I spotted their new range of t's online - gunna have to get the Look Blue Go Purple t-shirt you've displayed!