Around about now, Paul Henry should be fluffing up the cushion for his pal John.

Summary for those who missed it:

Paul: Richard Worth? Mt Albert? Politics?

John: My son bought my tie. Do you like my tie, Paul? Look at the tie, people, the tie!

We still dont have one and that is more than fine with me.?

I assume Phil Goff's kids have grown and flown the coop (I don't ever recall him talking much about them). Perhaps he?

Then on Thursday night I turned on the set, and was greeted by Wendy Cheerleader-Airpunch standing outside the Christchurch High Court

Auberon Waugh once said that the British media had two settings towards the Royal Family: Tongue firmly inserted in anus, or trying to rip their throats out. Discuss with?

I assume Phil Goff's kids have grown and flown the coop (I don't ever recall him talking much about them). Perhaps he could sire another for good measure, or introduce a "Cousin Oliver" for the cuteness factor?

Um, Goff had quite a bit to say when his nephew was killed?

At least it wasn't a moustache this time....

What appointments has he made in 195 days?
What percentage of those have been women?

And don't forget to ask about their race: apparently that's very important.

Around about now, Paul Henry should be fluffing up the cushion for his pal John.

Oh, please please please never mention Paul Henry,?

One of my pet peeves with forensic programmes too, the Super CSI Lab (where looking for clues is best done in the dark?

Apparently John Key thinks a mandate is Rodney Hide having coffee with John Banks.

Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, or Instant?

It was before the verdict, so whatever it was, it wasn't related to that.

Seriously, I wonder if reality tv is having a subtle influence on the expectations of editors about previously sacrosanct matters like showing scenes in the order they really occured. Kinda like North Shore's Top Model:

"Sometimes?

Apparently John Key thinks a mandate is Rodney Hide having coffee with John Banks.

But no fluffers?

Hey! I can be highbrow and obscure with the best of them.

'OK everyone, onto the mat. It's time for our afternoon reading from Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations . Shall we try another chapter in the original German?'

delivered her words in a tone so slow and exaggerated it made a pre-school teacher sound positively highbrow and obscure.

This has been going on for a few years now. I've assumed its part of the general reduction in content of docos and news items – spin whatever content you?

Hey! I can be highbrow and obscure with the best of them.

None meant, Jackie. And I have no doubt you'd sound better yet en Francais.

It's time for our afternoon reading

Bloody librarians. :)

Ain't democrazy a bitch?

I don't know. How about we tried it?

Like not electing a mayor on a postal ballot using bandwagon voting, with an out-of-date register and major parties that refuse to descend into the slime and contest the elections.

The Daydreamteam: Gather Morgan (a suitable case for treatment) by day & Swney for nightmayor then...

As long time reader may I just say, that you Mr Dalzeil, are worth the price of admission every single day. Brilliant.

Thanks

I don't know. How about we tried it?

I could do without the tanties from the usual suspects when the results aren't to their liking — and on that note, I've got to ask a few people when they're heading into exile.

As things stand, the only determination I've come?

ask a few people when they're heading into exile.

On the 22nd, since you ask, to visit numerous countries with left-wingish governments, plus Britain. But only till the weather warms up, which, despite the maladministration of the Key government, will most likely be this spring.

as long as we have?

Voting for a choice of two right-wing personalities I fundamantally disagree with is not my idea of a fair electoral system.

That's why you need STV voting in Auckland. It's much fairer and much more empowering. You can put your least favourite candidate last. It encourages less divisive candidates to?

If the left put up a viable candidate, run a competent campaign and secure a plurality of the vote so be it.

Fair call.

I'm no fan of John Banks, but unless you're willing to prove massive electoral fraud I really think its time to get the hell over it.

?

That's why you need STV voting in Auckland. It's much fairer and much more empowering.

It's fairer. Fairest would be to have councillors elected by a proportional system who then elect a leader. That ensures that the leader (or "mayor", if you must) has a consensus behind them. (Much as?

Between Messers Brown & Tiso & Sacha & Danielle & Deborah & Jolisa & everyone, mainly, this place is a moving feast-

Couldn't we have achieved the desired cohesion in transport and infrastructure by simply giving the regional council the same powers bestowed on all other regional councils in the last shakeup?

yes, David, we probably could have. it seems to me that there have always been lots of people behind the?

The 6 local councils would have fought tooth and nail to hold onto as many current jobs as possible – and people would have probably supported that?

Apparently John Key thinks a mandate is Rodney Hide having coffee with John Banks.

Starbucks, Gloria Jean's, or Instant?

None of the above. It was when Rodney helped Banksie put out cat food for the moggies of Vicky Ave.

In the old Press proofreading room my favourites were – "No sun in Sumner and no ham in Hanmer" and of course that old standby " E for envelopes" when choosing stationery or stationary, and lest we forget the rule for?

No sun in Sumner and no ham in Hanmer

Principally because it might irk Michael Laws, I'd like to see my hometown renamed Wheilding.

Dark pictures, thrones, the stones that pilgrims kiss
Poems that take a thousand years to die
But ape the immortality of this
Red label on a little butterfly.

Vladimir Nabokov, A Discovery

Red label on a little butterfly.

obviously it's a Whiskey business this LOL-ita netting

yrs
Vivian Darkbloom
but you can call me um... Bert!

Joshua, have you seen the ARC's own submission to the Royal Commission? I heard it recommends one Council and 20 to 30 local boards, but I haven't gone and read it yet.

I think the ARC called them "Community Councils" and they had a heck of a lot more power?

Amd once again, Rodney is showing that he believes that silly things like democracy and consultation are non-core activities that interfere with the orderly looting of?

As long time reader may I just say, that you Mr Dalzeil, are worth the price of admission every single day. Brilliant.

Thanks

Seconded with acclamation.

By-the-by, I was listening to Kim Hill interviewing Jim Wilson from Phantom Billstickers on Saturday. He mentioned that the person that came up with?

I personally doubt that the?

It seems to me agenda of our preposterous little Mussolini is clear.

Thanks, Tom. Now, why should I take you any more seriously than the "Stalinist dykeocracy" idiots on the right wing of this particular turkey?

I'm no fan of John Banks, but unless you're willing to prove massive electoral fraud I really think its time to get the hell over it.

I'll happily admit he was democratically elected. He's still a dick though, which I'll repeat as long as he keeps popping up on my?

I think the ARC called them "Community Councils" and they had a heck of a lot more power than the government's proposed "local boards".

What do you mean? These boards will be super powerful! They'll have to meet on a park bench of course, but still...

Yup, Rodney told Morning?

I'll happily admit he was democratically elected. He's still a dick though, which I'll repeat as long as he keeps popping up on my TV.

Go to, but some folks might want to try doing it without sneering at people who don't vote the way they like or calling people?

Yup, Rodney told Morning Report the local boards "won?t necessarily need to have premises" and could just meet in the library or something.

That says everything about where he views their place in the spectrum. Marginally higher than the rubbish collectors. You only suggest that a local body could reasonably?

calling people they don't like fascists

It's a bit beyond that Craig, and you know it. Rodney's actively trying to reduce citizen involvement in Auckland's local politics, and with this latest flight of fancy he's seeking to extend these ideas to the rest of the country. Getting DIA to review?

if I wanted to call Hide a fascist, I would do so. Calling this frankly ludicrous man the 3.6% Mussolini hopefully both reminds people he has no mandate and envokes a Mel Brookes view of this buffoon.

Or maybe this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu2NqfISm9k

I don't intend to take seriously in this or any other lifetime

Craig, maybe you should. Off topic I know, but the UK has just elected two fascist twerps to the EU parliament, and that is not an over blown description.

Though, to be fair, your timing — days after the anniversary of the D-Day landings when quite a few people were killed by actual fascists who were anything but figures of fun — is typically exquisite.

And I found just the website for you Craig!

http://www.dramabutton.com/

Tom! Stunning! Wish I'd got there first, but yes...the posture, the self importance,?

The?

"plutoligarchy"

But that's just what I see...

Oh for a Meritocracy...
Just the Able and Talented – not the Worthy...
Though there is much worth in an over-throw
of the Kakistocracy as it stands!

I get an election just thinking about it...

yrs
Lumpy?

Craig is exactly right. The hysterical rush to compare Hide to early 20th Century European dictators is not only ridiculous, but detrimental to public discussion.

I think I took issue with Tom's use of the F word some months ago, but as the token Italian on these boards can I?

Oh yes Gio, i have?

Oh yes Gio, i have felt bad about going a bit over the top that time. Which still doesn't stop me being highly critical of Italy's slide back into the 1930's under Silvio Berlusconi.

Don't feel bad. Hey, it's not as if I don't think one should [[http://bat-bean-beam.blogspot.com/2009/05/fascists-on-mars.html|entertain that particular?

the 3.6% Mussolini

tee hee.

Gee whiz, so they're not plotting to rob the money bin unless they're wearing those little black masks and shirts that read Beagle Boys?

The auditions for the Dixie Chick Drag Show are next door, but you're going to have to do a better of job of bitching about how your dissent is being crushed in forms invisible to the naked eye. Hey, if Russell is going to tolerate you taking a dump?

Gee whiz, so they're not plotting to rob the money bin unless they're wearing those little black masks and shirts that read Beagle Boys?

Proud Scum shirts.

Though, to be fair, your timing — days after the anniversary of the D-Day landings when quite a few people were killed by actual fascists

Hey, I could write a little program where you type in a date and it comes up with a suitable WW2 anniversary.

__April 12th: Only?

I have several day jobs, but aren't interested in etiquette lectures from people who draw their nom de plume from banal 19th century Polish novelettes that get turned into even worse 50's sword and sandal epics.

Go troll another bridge, dariling.

I have several day jobs, but aren't interested in etiquette lectures from people who draw their nom de plume from banal 19th century Polish novelettes that get turned into even worse 50's sword and sandal epics.

Also the source of the following primary school joke.

"Where are you going?"
"To?

"Where are you going?"
"To the cinema."
"To see what?"
"Quo Vadis."
"What does it mean?" (and so on and so forth – you could kill a solid hour of class time like that)

:) Another class time hour...
That's life.
What's life?
American magazine.
How much?
5.75.
That's tough.?

"Ask you mother for sixpence
To see the tall giraffe
With dimples
On its hind legs
And
Pimples on its...

[a slurred] Ask your mother..."

Oh, they were such merry and daring days!

Umm, George Darroch is a Green Party activist.

So that explains his occassional dreary and humourless political correctness.

humourless political correctness

There really is no space for this "dreary and humourless" phrase in our discussions. Accusations of 'political correctness' usually means, 'I don't like what this person is saying so I will shut down any further debate'. To be fair, we should also consider that 'political correctness' is?

Would have thought, George, that you'd be busy packing your mansion for the trip back to Godzone (I'm assuming you came from here) ready to make the most of the Nat/Act bulldozer tenders about to be issued, and too busy to trawl PA.

Thanks Quo, that made my day. Off?

Off to be humourless and dreary at a climate change protest...

You forgot PC. We're on to you, Darroch.

Seriously though, there was a point to my criticism. Using hyperbolic metaphors with tenuous connection to the point at hand weakens your argument and discredits you.

It's not like New Zealand is lacking in metaphors for describing this style?

I really liked your list of questions about Richard Worth David (and I wish someone would have the guts to?

lest we forget the rule for averting apostrophe catastrophe* "poss ess for possession" except when it's its property of course : )

The greengrocer's apostrophe can cause catastrophe.

The greengrocer's apostrophe can cause catastrophe.

Some friends of ours were travelling through Queensland once and decided to stop for fruit at the first greengrocer's who could spell based on the signs by the side of the road.

800 miles later, they had a kebab.

* A tremendously good NZ doco!!

Never mind the last quarterly result. Let's focus on the next one.

Still not as classy as Orcon's "Were providing faster internet" ad. I think that one was even on TV.

Did that happen? I'll have to give our Great Blend sponsors a ribbing about that. Perhaps I'll make it a grammar-contingent deal ...

Umm, George Darroch is a Green Party activist.

Hitler was a vegetarian, you know.

I'll bet he uses a Mac.

Rush Limbaugh uses a Mac.

There was a funny little spell where the wingnuts were rushing around telling each other they'd sell their Apple shares in protest at Al Gore joining the board. Anyone who did, of course, would have racked up an EPIC?

Hitler was a vegetarian, you know.

It was probably the Meth amphetamine that made violent.

Hitler was a vegetarian, you know.

True, but is Roger Douglas?

True, but is Roger Douglas?

A vegetarian Friedmanite pig-farmer.
Now that would be something.

little baby cheezuz

the continuing adventures of the Spotlight Kid
The son of Gouda will put the teaser back in easter
or is it just Loki and Coyote up to their old tricks?

Anyway, I'd always thought Maitreya wasn't coming till after Buddhism
had?

But is Roger Douglas

I think it was Denis Welch who once described "Sir's" moustache as bristling authoritatively and sending positive signals to the market. All gone now. But dugless? As the stern daddy counterpart to Lange's all-nurturing archetype, quite probably.

Still not as classy as Orcon's "Were providing faster internet" ad. I think that one was even on TV.

Did that happen? I'll have to give our Great Blend sponsors a ribbing about that. Perhaps I'll make it a grammar-contingent deal ...

Surely did. I have an MSN log from?

It's all so dispiriting I need to go lie down on the couch and turn on the tube. I hope I'm not too late to see something hilarious with a twist of misogyny. Around about now, Paul Henry should be fluffing up the cushion for his pal John.

Not to?

complaint upheld against TVNZ for lack of balance.

Maybe the BSA is starting to twig that National TV doesn't meet the Broadcasting Acts requirements for balance. Having a former National candidate as the presenter would seem to require some sort of balancing per se, really. (Spot the difference between the?