Posts by Kerry Weston
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information sharing about all the Freeview options
in that context, I have an lcd tv, no freeview and no aerial or satellite dish. Thinking satellite might be better option in this case?
Does a built-in freeview tv allow you to connect it to another tv or does it only work for that one?
Considering buying a smaller tv with freeview built in, so I can avoid arguments when sons want to use xbox, but I feel it's only worthwhile if I can hook up both tvs to freeview.
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Hello Kerry - except that Laws did not release either the Otaki letter or the e-mails we're talking about. That's where the conspiracy theory falls down because it was those who received the replies who made them public and not Laws.
Hmmm, I'd suggest it was a good bet the Otaki replies would be made public by the teacher/school concerned! I'm not proposing a conspiracy theory as such, more that Mr Laws is extremely experienced at politics and media and well able to manipulate both.
PS: are you related to Jeff Zorn (old mate)?
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On the radio ratings/timing issue - I don't think the Geo Board, Parliament and local council would all choose to drop their decisions just to boost his ratings. That sounds like another 9/11 conspiracy theory!
Well, i have to wonder why he waited the best part of five months to reply to the Otaki letter. We all know he's had a hard time with his personal life, but a reply after five months seems pointless. He would know when the WD story was being published, so two stories in the news is better than one, with the gang patch law & name decision all in the wings. Not to mention all the coverage he gets via his radio show & Sunday column. I don't underestimate his media savvy and political nous at all - I think he's very clever, a smooth operator. Years ago, (70s?), he was a city councillor in Napier, my home town. He was a smart cookie then. He's got enormous reach for the Mayor of a small city.
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An interesting letter in Saturday's Dompost (not online):
"The radio ratings survey period runs from August 29 to October 10.
Talkback host and Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws writes his abusive reply to letters dated April 2 and April 3 from Otaki schoolchildren on August 27.A Woman's Day cover story on Mr Laws' marital break-up/make-up appears on August 31. the introduction of Wanganui's gang-patch bylaw came on September 1.
A strange convergence of coincidences? There are no flies on that boy for planning.
Lorna Sutherland, Wanganui."
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Emily, who was the candidate that stood against Laws last election?
Would you agree that part of Laws' appeal to Whanganui is his high profile, regardless of his politics? That he draws attention to the area?
The few people I still know there loathe him , but usually also say that he puts the town on the map, in the 'all publicity is good' kind of vein. -
Thank you, Geoff.
I feel the same and writing about it has given me the chance to focus my thoughts. I almost never watch TV news anymore and use PA as my main portal for current affairs critique. I sometimes feel a bit over-awed about posting when the experts get going - but I figure I've absorbed a lot of new knowledge, just hanging around. And I can't live in fear of putting hoof-in-mouth all the time!Companion spirits - apt.
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Fascinating read. I see PA got a mention, too. And:
That academics would break ranks to publicly criticise another's research is unusual enough, but for a vice-chancellor to do so is almost unprecedented.
Why is that? Is it just considered bad form to publicly discuss each other's research, in case there's a stoush? But it's ok to be interviewed about yr own research/book?
a rising perception that this is an Auckland-Otago thing.
That would be a shame.
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Feedback Wanted
I'd be most grateful if any community members shared their thoughts with me about PA as a virtual community.
I'm currently doing a 3rd yr research essay on virtual communities. I'm using PAS as an example to critique Howard Rheingold's ideas about virtual communities. In particular, he said back in 1993, that "hunger for community grows as more informal public spaces disappear from our real lives". He sees the success of virtual comms as residing in "collective goods" defined as "social network capital, knowledge capital and communion". My questions are:
To what extent does PA revitalise citizen-based democracy, by supplying an informed public space for discussion about important issues? Has PA changed your habits in accessing media for news, analysis, debate? What is most valuable about it?
What draws you to PA? Is it one element or a combination? How important is the sense of community to you? How hard was it to join in?
Are you conscious of a sense of collective power, collaborative heft and/or possibilities to effect change?
How would you envisage PA developing in the future - anything you would like to see happening?
If you'd like to reply, just email me, or comment on here, if you wish. I'm not sure yet how I'll use any feedback - as attributed/unattributed comments, a general agreement/disagreement on topics - but I will respect people's privacy.
And, hey, if you'd like to comment more briefly or outside the pesky questions, please do! Really appreciate it.
Thanks, Kerry.
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As someone upthread noted, there wasn't exactly massive choice when it came to appointing a new mayor in 2004. Chas Poynter had been mayor since 1989, an old-school small businessman and I guess Whanganui-ites voted for change, relative youth and a high profile. My impression is that the citizenry is somewhat divided - but, hey, Aucklanders voted in John Banks, what does that say about them?
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I'm looking forward to reading the Herald on Saturday
Zounds! Is this the first time a PA villager has declared such a thing?? Better wear gloves. Thanks for letting us know, Kyle.
Cecelia, glad to hear you won that battle. This debate will have extra meaning for you and every other woman who has faced the battle and survived. The level of dissent in the medical community has unnerved me somewhat, though, I thought they'd come to grips with it years ago. Still, Skegg's words capped it rather well.