Posts by Deborah

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Hard News: Congratulations, Mr Key,

    Sinister...

    Is he left-handed too? I didn't realise that...

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Congratulations, Mr Key,

    Quoting from my own blog: The NZ election - a jaundiced view

    More than that, he seems not to understand just what life might be like for the people on the other side of the tracks, despite that much vaunted upbringing in a state house with a widowed mother. When speaking to school kids in Waitara, a small Taranaki town with a large proportion of underprivileged young Maori households, he chose as his topic National’s promise to get fast broadband into 75% of homes. The kids weren’t impressed.

    “How can you compare the environment to broadband?” Jenses Kemp (17) said. “Not everyone has computers … how can he justify that billion dollars? Some kids here don’t even have money for clothes.”

    Shane Partington (17) agreed. “That billion dollars could go towards so much. What about our education and health system?”
    Taranaki Daily News

    Key forgets that his own underfunded childhood nevertheless had incredible privilege - a middle class mother who not only valued education, but knew how to go about getting it for her children, and a white skin.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Congratulations, Mr Key,

    I've always thought very highly of Bill English. Brian Easton evidently has some regard for him too (2006 Listener article about English).

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    Actually, it wasn't me, and I'm too lazy to go back through the thread now and find out who did ask.

    I'm not sure that will ever happen, Craig, alas. I do feel uncomfortable at the thought of wishing ill on National and Act, because it does mean wishing ill on NZ too. I'm dubious about National, and downright sceptical about Act, especially with Roger the Lodger back. But I would rather see them do well than have things go to hell in NZ.

    In any case, let's suspend judgement until they've had a chance to actually do something.

    ***
    "Roger the Lodger" comes from my parents' book of naughty limericks.

    There was a young lady of Bod
    Who thought all good things came from god.
    T'was not the almighty
    Who lifted her nightie
    T'was Roger the Lodger, the sod.

    Thirty years later, that last line now seems, well, dubious, to me. Oh well.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    It's all well and good to vent but crikey look at the time.

    Less than 24 hours after the party in which many of us wanted to believe was defeated at the polls. Even as someone who didn't vote for them, I think that it's okay, really, to grieve, for a day, or even two or three days. If the tone around here is still maudlin and accusatory and bitter at say, the end of November, then you might have cause for complaint. However, I'm betting that the PAS community will move on, long before then.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    "sort of Ayn Rand meets Dancing with the Stars" - but that really doesn't reflect the scary/ugly side I see in them

    Oh yes it does!

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    He's no Barack Obama, but I very much doubt that he's GWB either.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    ...and we have yet to see how the new man will work out. I suggest not rushing to judgment.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    my experience of policy advisers has lead me to believe they behave like the "youngest children" of the public service.

    Gee thanks, Che. :-)

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    I'm unhappy about the result too, but remember that we have woken up in a working democracy, where the rule of law prevails, the sick and the poor and the elderly are helped, and children are at least given a chance of a decent education. Some of those things we could do better, but we could have done them better under the former Labour government.

    I'm not comfortable with Roger Douglas so close to the centre of power, but he's not in Cabinet yet, and and may never be.

    I think it's 'take a breath' time too. Although I didn't vote for Key, and wouldn't, and wouldn't vote for a party on the grounds of some vague thought about it being their turn (incredibly lazy thinking), I think we should reserve judgment on Key and his government until he has at least had a chance to actually do some things. Then we can sit around and bitch and moan all we like, or just maybe, thinking, well, "he did that okay," or even, "that was brilliant."

    Oh, Craig (I think it was your comment - apologies if it wasn't), the reason that we don't have people queuing at 6am in order to vote is that we have a very efficient and effective electoral system, and no one needs to queue for hours and hours in order to vote.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

Last ←Newer Page 1 83 84 85 86 87 145 Older→ First