Posts by George Darroch
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Hard News: The Uses of Dotcom, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
It would also help immeasurably if Messers Key and Cunliffe learned from their UK counterparts and practised saying “no comment.” There really is a great deal of wisdom in the old saw, ” ’tis better to keep silent and be thought a fool…”
Key has the art of dismissing or changing the question mastered, but doing so would not help Cunliffe. "Why won't you answer my question David? Why?"
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It's interesting. I overestimated their abilities at first, thinking that Dotcom had hired real talent and strategists (no, not those two). On that basis, I assumed that they could get in the range of 2%. Not enough to get into Parliament, and not enough to affect the result (because the votes are redistributed among the other parties in proportion to their vote). But enough to divert energies from other political parties, and a real sink on limited media time and public attention.
Now I think he will represent a minor distraction.
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Get a general ticket for $30 per day. Kids $10, Pensioners $18. Last day is $20. And buying at the ground incurs $0 fee.
Not only that, you're at the MCG, one of the better sporting facilities in the world.
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I do love cricket when it's an actual contest, the suspense and slow drama is something to see. Even if it's on television.
I wonder what the equilibrium between price and attendance is. If the cost of an event was closer to a movie ticket, I'm sure the stands would be fuller. Though that probably wouldn't help the Sevens, which now have a collection of problems.
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A good friend of mine was knocked off his bike yesterday, and spent the night in a serious but stable condition in Auckland Hospital. A few weeks ago I would have considered it a tragedy. Now I consider it a tragedy which Auckland Council (the ultimately responsible organisation) have failed to prevent.
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What a collection of excellent music here today (or so I must assume for a few hours, if I'm not to blow the work data-cap).
It is incumbent upon the major media outlets (and there aren't that many) to get together and decide that some parts of a child's life aren't public, even if that child is a very public person. (I'd like to think they could apply this to humans, but that's Damian Christie's thread over there >).
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Wise words. A few years ago I realised I'd said to much, and decided to attempt to make ten times as many positive comments as negative ones. I don't think I've ever reached that ratio (and sometimes I keep my mouth shut rather than engage in negativity), but the conscious decision helped me.
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Hard News: Crashing the party before it starts, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
If the Party Party is “treating”, where does that leave the Picnic for the Planet organised by the Green Party soon?
I imagine that the Electoral Commission will continue consider that an event which is primarily political in nature, and which features entertainment as a minor part, is a political event, whereas an event which is primarily entertainment and which has politics as a minor part might be considered to be a gift. The Greens have charged entry to musical events for this reason (though they have had a dual purpose in being fundraisers, justifying a higher ticket price).
Even were KDC to offer tickets at a low price, it would be possible to argue that they were not being offered at or near their commercial value (if we presume that David Dallas and others are worth paying money for - a not unreasonable assumption).
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Hard News: Lowering the Stakes, in reply to Russell Brown,
This Lance Wiggs post on the ‘Why do cyclists run red lights?’ report that has been completely ignored is an absolute must-read.
It certainly is. And it’s not a good look for Auckland Council, at all. They’ve ignored the recommendations, and completely misled the public about its contents.
Didn’t mean to derail the conversation into other areas of bike safety. But to clarify, I would think that a requirement that the seller get clear confirmation from the buyer that the buyer has equipment to add to the bicycle would be more than sufficient.
I wouldn’t use a second hand helmet. Grubby and smelly, and you have no idea if it has been dropped (which compromises its integrity).
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Hard News: Lowering the Stakes, in reply to Tom Semmens,
One or two white or yellow headlights that can be seen at night from a distance of 100 metres. Only one of these headlights may flash.
Oh well, I guess I'm just going to break that law. I'd rather people saw my mobile disco.