Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Democracy Night

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  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The idea that their problems are some TV confection is really quite insulting.

    And I don’t think Raymond was saying any such thing Russell. I never expected Edwards to react to the election result with any enthusiasm (and I wouldn’t blame him for being a bit tender on behalf of his client and friend Phil Goff), but this was one hell of a pissy vent.

    And, yes, I make no apologies for chortling at this contribution from Edwards in the comments:

    As to the happiness of earthquake victims with the PM, Gerry Brownlee, the EQC et al, we have clearly been watching different news bulletins.

    No we probably weren’t – but I wonder who is going to tell Dr. Edwards that his blog has been hacked by someone who is suspiciously accepting of everything he reads in the media. I wonder if we’ll see this parody Brian Edwards denouncing the lawless anarchy that is swallowing New Zealand – after all, it’s on the television so it much be gospel right? And how much time have you spent fisking the latest media moral panic laden with junk science, junk stats, and carefully selected coverage designed to push an agenda not supported by evidence?

    I would note that tens of thousands of people in Christchurch voted for National in some combo. But I guess, judging from the tenor of various other comments by ‘BE’ they’re all immoral, selfish, venal, bigoted idiots. So fuck them.

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

  • DexterX, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    a lot of voters increasingly see replicated in the style, language and behaviour of our elite cadre main political parties the culture of their own workplace, where processes to ensure consultation and empowerment are cynical charades of going through the motions.

    That is the reality, going through the motions the end result of which is more toil for less.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Which is why on election night my hope is always for a divided parliament, for a minority government that is forced to compromise to achieve changes. Sadly kiwis seem easily frightened by the possibility.

    That is what I was after, the result was pretty close.

    Should Paula Bennet be unseated when the spedial votes are all counted then the result you sought gets closer.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • martinb,

    Awaiting Jacinda's "Rivers of Buses" speech...

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to DexterX,

    spedial votes

    ...$4.99 for the first minute and 99 cents for each additional minute. :)

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

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    It is, but if you didn’t take the six o’clock news with a grain of salt and a shot or twelve of delicious Zumwohl (leave the cheque in the usual place, guys) you’d believe South Auckland’s miserable poor can’t leave their hovels without tripping over dead abused children, under-age prostitutes, Triad warfare and mounds of used P-pipes. Doesn’t mean there aren’t problems, but you can make a pretty strong case that the media presents a pretty distorted picture. After all, if it bleeds it leads, right?

    Just wait till they start discovering Marx and Guevara.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Yes, make it like Idol.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Sacha,

    Oh bugger, I thought I had it sorted. I thought she was a deaf person and part of the Deaf community. I am confused.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Deaf refers to someone who is "culturally Deaf". Someone who is Deaf, regardless of their level of hearing impairment, is probably a user of NZS as their first language and identifies strongly as Deaf.

    Someone with the same level of phyiscal impairment may also be "deaf": they have a significant hearing impairment, but don't culturally identify as Deaf, and probably use spoken English as their first language.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Richard Grevers,

    Yes, I didn't put a ton of caveats on that, which I should have. I meant that few people are opposed to something gifted to them that costs them nothing more than it costs the rest of the nation, takes up only the space required for a few stations, that they can use whenever they desire. Whether that use is actually very seldom or not, which for most city dwellers, and people living in the extremely expensive inner suburbs with one car per head, probably actually is the case. Our rail network is for churning commuters into the city. For most other purposes, it's not extensive enough, whether you add a city loop or not. Residents of Ponsonby, Freemans Bay, St Mary's Bay, Herne Bay, Westmere, Grey Lynn, Parnell, and Waiheke are not going to get a single station that they could use for anything useful, with the sole exception, perhaps, people from Waiheke who are resigned to six trips on public transport per day (for which there are already hundreds of buses waiting conveniently in the terminal right next to Britomart Station, going to hundreds more destinations than K Rd and Albert St (if they can't be arsed to bloody walk to Albert St, which begins at the Ferry terminal and isn't exactly steep)). The benefit to them is just the general reduction in pressure on roads that they will still have no choice but to use.

    While the project's benefits are felt all around Auckland, they are felt most strongly in the city centre as without the project all the streets will be flooded with buses and cars by 2025 at the latest. We're literally talking wall to wall buses on Albert, Fanshawe & Symonds streets at peak times.

    No, that means they feel it the most weakly. Everyone will have to deal with that without rail, but the people in Central don't also have to deal with the long weary approach to the city on buses and in cars, which are also slowly worsening. And people living in the CBD tend to walk, so traffic means nothing to them.

    Again, I think rail is a fine thing. I'm just responding to the concept that the big beneficiary of it would be the people whose commute is the least burden to them in the whole city (well, barring people like me who commute on foot for about 10 seconds) or from Waiheke which is pretty well sorted on the commuting front. It's downright pleasant, in fact, to ride in a ferry sipping a coffee and cruising at a 100% predictable pace through a glorious harbour.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Yamis,

    Yamis, I think you're defining a key problem for me with kiwi politics. At present it is still very binary, one party or the other. What I'd like to see is people voting in MPs that truly represent them and then have those representatives compromise to inact legislation. That would logically be a plural system not a binary system.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Emma Hart,

    Thanks Emma.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Any time, darling.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Mojo is deaf and Deaf.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    Our rail network is for churning commuters into the city. For most other purposes, it's not extensive enough, whether you add a city loop or not.

    Will be quite different when the bus routes are reconfigured as feeders to train stations, with integrated ticketing.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    they feel it the most weakly

    Depends which 'they' you mean. Way more people visit the CBD for work or play than live there.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sacha,

    Depends which 'they' you mean. Way more people visit the CBD for work or play than live there.

    I meant residents of the electorate "Auckland Central", which was how this digression began. I don't really want to continue with it, it's not of much relevance to this thread. It's only really of use in maybe adding a little bit to the understanding of why Auckland Central isn't hugely keen on Labour. A far bigger factor is likely to be the fact that it's the most expensive property in the country, chock full of property millionaires, so CGT could cost them hugely, and the tax cuts by National delivered them heaps.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Raymond A Francis, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I see Craig has made the point
    I am not suggesting that Chch peoples problems are something dreamed up by TV They are real and on-going and are going to effect us alI, I live close enough to Chch to know that only too well
    I am just surprised that a media savvy person, who is well aware of spin would believe is that is the truth over the reality of voting patterns

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    ......identify as Deaf, and probably use spoken English as their first language

    How do I speak a capital "D"?

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Ross Mason,

    How do I speak a capital “D”?

    Oh that's easy. You just speak to them, with them and about them with the respect due to a human being and everyone will hear the capital if it is important to them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Ross Mason,

    louder :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Oh that’s easy. You just speak to them, with them and about them with the respect due to a human being and everyone will hear the capital if it is important to them.

    I want to do quite unspeakable things to this comment in pure gratitude for its existence.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Ross Mason,

    but seriously, you can tell proper nouns in most languages - Switzerland is emphasised differently than chair

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Stewart,

    ff

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    louder :)

    And slowly, don't forget slowly. Deaf (or deaf) people are like non-English speakers - you magically become comprehensible if you speak very slowly and incredibly LOUD. :)

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

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