There have been (no doubt sincerely meant but) somewhat mean-spirited words written about Dylan's Nobel. Cohen would have been equally deserving, but let's say if they are both above all that, Leonard would be maybe more so.

I'm proud I got my first-ever CD (The Police's Zenyatta Mondatta...) as a prize for fronting up to Radio Forestland in Tokoroa with Bird on a Wire as my entry for a "songs I love but everyone else loves to hate" (or some such) comp. DJ Paul Ropata went through the motions on-air of "smashing the record". Oh dear, wish it had been the Neville Brothers' unappealing cover instead...

Words of comfort and caution from the old lover:

But I know
from your eyes
and I know
from your smile
that tonight
will be
fine, will be fine, will be fine
will be fine

for a while...

I can't believe so many have skirted around it:

Slatergate

Was there through the Thatcher chapter. Nearly bought our council house for a price which the market would have quadrupled in the next five years – saved from a lifelong sense of guilt by an urgent return to an unrecognisable yet somehow familiar Rogernomical NZ (will we dance on his grave?). John Peel and Steve Bell helped keep us sane in those days.

[ [2116-22-7-04_REJOICE.jpeg] ] sorry not up to speed with posting images

Was there through the Thatcher chapter. Nearly bought our council house for a price which the market would have quadrupled in the next five years – saved from a lifelong sense of guilt by an urgent return to an unrecognisable yet somehow familiar Rogernomical NZ (will we dance on his grave?). John Peel and Steve Bell helped keep us sane in those days.

[ [2116-22-7-04_REJOICE.jpeg] ] sorry not up to speed with posting images

In the last two years I rode a lot in Al Ain in the UAE, a city about the size of, and as flat as, Christchurch. Most of the main streets are dual carriageway, four or six lanes, and the urban speed limits are variously 60, 80 or 100kph, with pretty constant traffic. I think the lanes might be a bit wider than here. Most have footpaths but they are often roughly tile-paved and no fun to ride on.

Nearly all the major junctions have roundabouts (often 300-500metres outer circumference) - my student Maktoum memorably said "Mr Tony, you know the rule at roundabouts: you must go as fast as possible!" and they do. Some of them have pedestrian crossings on the entry and exit lanes, but whether they do or not, you have to wait for the occasional courteous driver to be able to cross safely - sometimes mounted, often better to dismount and run.

I admit I didn't study the regulations for cyclists, but as the police have only recently started stopping motorists for speeding (like how!), tailgating, etc, I wasn't, and never expected to be, pinged for lack of crossing/footpath etiquette (especially after seeing immigrant workers getting away with riding in the fast lane against the traffic flow...).

I have ventured forth a few times on Auckland roads (mainly out East, Howick way) since returning to NZ last year, and have never felt as safe as I did back in the Gulf. I admire you and other cyclists I see just going for it.

Prime candidate for redundancy (never sighted on PA, but an infuriating crutch for other comments-threadsters:

"Just saying".

GRR.
Not a substitute for effective argument (ad hominem or not), and anyway John Cage was first ("I'm saying nothing, and I'm saying it.")

WOTY:
batshit
frankenstorm
novopay

WOTD:
blogosphere

Massive respect Russell and team, for all the visible and invisible work. And all commenters - if I do finish my degree in retirement as promised, perhaps it'll help me approach the levels of confidence and clarity that (with pretty much unique levels of courtesy) grace the PA threads, and lift myself out of lurkerdom.

In the misty heydays of the 70s and 80s ($2-a-week shack in the Waitaks, then bookselling from a caravan in Cambridgeshire) the late lamented Whole Earth Review - later a Web pioneer with the WELL) kept me both in planetary orbit and grounded. Marooned in Tokoroa in the 90s, but a bFM stalwart from the start, I got hooked on Hard News, and haven't stopped lurking since - never more than during an extended stay in the Gulf when you guys were not just a turangawaewae lifeline, but still the most reliable wormhole to a reasoned and balanced worldview (intro to the Daily Show, nuggety music posts, all the bestest links).

Whole Earth mag foundered from lack of funding. Though a subscription or similar wouldn't be right, let's hope PA readers step up and follow Nick Spencer's example of a contribution via AP.

And a picnic Blend sounds like a grand idea.

Well done Media7 team (5 years!) and those at TV3 with the vision to recognise that continued excellence. I shared Robyn’s concerns about other 7 content but your reply to her strikes the right note, Russell – could the likes of Kim D rise above donating to Banks and underwrite such a venture?

This news is encouraging enough to spur a longtime PA lurker to venture a comment, and allays some of our genuine misgivings about imminent return to NZ after 3 years in the Gulf. Hard News and all the PA blogs and commenters have been a lifeline here, providing needed perspectives on the MSM headlines of unedifying government and its apparent social consequences.

PS Never had a problem watching Media7 here either.