Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Problems

289 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 12 Newer→ Last

  • George Darroch,

    Raw data now! Says Tim Berners-Lee.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Elephants! Let's actually learn from the past and do it with elephants!

    Or we can go further back and observe that Darius did it with elephants, and look where it got him - drunk foreigners burning down the capital.

    Besides which, its not like we're discussing Star Trek fantasy furpile orgies, or anything.

    Yeah, we save that for Emma's threads.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Besides which, its not like we're discussing Star Trek fantasy furpile orgies, or anything

    No, apparently we prefer to do it with elephants.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Obama has about the worst job in the world, although his soaring rhetoric during the election campaign perhaps encouraged people to believe he was the Second Coming. No doubt his popularity ratings will tank in the short term, as people lose their jobs and houses.

    But he should take comfort from the example of another president who stepped into an unholy mess not of his making, and was hugely unpopular for most of his presidency. His name was Lincoln.

    Being popular with the media and the Republican party really isn't important in these times.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Obama has about the worst job in the world, although his soaring rhetoric during the election campaign perhaps encouraged people to believe he was the Second Coming.

    That or the Antichrist. It's kind of interesting how there was no middle ground.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    His name was Lincoln.

    Um, civil war between the red and blue states has an odd appeal.
    I wouldn't care to live in Illinois, though.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Raw data now! Says Tim Berners-Lee.

    He's been saying that for years. All the technology exists, and some of it (like RSS feeds) is being used. But organisations are reluctant to ditch their content and advertising.

    For instance, Stats should offer an all-you-can-eat XML file of their published datasets, which those better at technology than they are could make usable. Instead, they are forever trying to build a usable website and failing.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    unlimited, legal music downloads with your broadband connection. Trouble is, the music was Windows Media DRM and would disappear when the ISP account was terminated.

    What I was more suggesting was that people sharing content (on a personal, unpaid basis) in whatever format using mechanisms like torrents would be immune from prosecution or disconnection if they paid their $5 a month fee.

    Commercial sites would still need to sort out their licensing just as now.

    And if you never share any content, you wouldn't need to pay, but would be subject to sanctions if you lied about it.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    For instance, Stats should offer an all-you-can-eat XML file of their published datasets, which those better at technology than they are could make usable.

    That is terrifyingly drool-worthy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    That or the Antichrist. It's kind of interesting how there was no middle ground.

    Middle ground.

    I like the restraint Obama's shown in not invading some third world country for no good reason. I dislike his willfully giving trillions of dollars to extremely rich people who are proven incompetents with money.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Yeah, we save that for Emma's threads.

    Damn straight.

    Elephants! Let's actually learn from the past and do it with elephants!

    What history taught me about elephants is that when they panic they don't care whose cavalry they're trampling.

    So not a bad metaphor, really.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Withers,

    National is busy implementing the very policies that lead to the global financial crash: gut the regulators and trust the market.

    Not only did National not see the crash coming, they still have NO idea what caused it. Their only answer is to ape the Bush era in a dumb, dim beast sort of way: tax cuts and a PPP drive to loot the state and PPP all over taxpayers.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Withers,

    Re: Go Galt - oh how I do wish the selfish, greedy up-themselves "producers" would all bugger off to some hole somewhere and let people who understand community, co-operation and shared success get on with building a better, more and fair world.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Zippy Gonzales,

    hey, it's the 21st century. Elephants with lasers.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 186 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    Re: Go Galt - oh how I do wish the selfish, greedy up-themselves "producers" would all bugger off to some hole somewhere and let people who understand community, co-operation and shared success get on with building a better, more and fair world.

    And perhaps they overestimate their 'talents' anyway.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Elephants with lasers

    Lasers that hunt mosquitos...

    Who says the US missile defence program wasn't worthwhile?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    To grumpily imply that because someone likes Battlestar Galactica the world's gone to Hell in a handcart is a non sequitur - especially so since that show was so clearly aimed at thoroughly demolishing the 'us versus them' ethos of the Bush administration.

    As Peter Cook once said, "The best satire of the 20th century was the Weimar cabaret, and they managed to stop Hitler in his tracks."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    Instead, they are forever trying to build a usable website and failing.

    For that you can thank Len Cook and his implementation of Lotus Notes, so that Stats could better share data with the Australian Stats department. Not the rest of the NZ government, or the people. I shit you not.

    What history taught me about elephants is that when they panic they don't care whose cavalry they're trampling.

    Ah yes, but they don't trample the guys riding them ;-)

    hey, it's the 21st century. Elephants with lasers

    Get that Zippy a beer!

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    As Peter Cook once said, "The best satire of the 20th century was the Weimar cabaret, and they managed to stop Hitler in his tracks."

    That's rather good, albeit super-depressing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Elephants! Let's actually learn from the past and do it with elephants!

    No way! Have you seen the size of their...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I think the world economy has already done it with elephants.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Ashby,

    Elephants are so passé, Hannibal already did it. Lets clone some Mammoths and do it properly . . .

    Dundee, Scotland • Since May 2007 • 425 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Yes, the gaping hole in the economy could never really be satisfied with mere elephants again.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Anyone else find it a tad annoying when Mr Key appears on the news exhorting his fellow countrymen not to travel overseas for their holidays (the time for which our employers will buy back shortly anyway) so that precious tourism dollars flow into the local economy, not too long after he returns from his well-publicised holiday in Hawaii?

    No, Simon. The Better Half and I are spending ten days in Wellington rather than the planned two weeks in Australia, because we just can't afford it. John Key can, and so can Phil Goff come to that, but I prefer to expend my finite capacity for resentment and envy elsewhere.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And just for the record, I can't get the resentment gland pumping at the fact Helen Clark has up some serious recess air miles over her political career. Nice if you've got the inclination and the dosh to pay for it, but I've got other things to give a shit about.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 12 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.