Posts by James W
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Most especially do not present disabled people as handy for “the jobs you don’t have time for – like cleaning out the coffee machine”
Did someone actually say that?
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It amazes me that the private television channel is more dedicated to public service television than the publically-funded channel. I mean, compare and contrast: The Nation (and Think Tank) vs Q&A. Campbell Live vs Close-Up. Sunday vs 60 Minutes. Inside NZ vs... sorry, I used up all of TVNZ's "current affairs."
Not to sully this occasion with a bitch and moan, however. Congratulations, Russell.
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I don't believe the "attitude" of not expecting to pay for television/movies is unassailable. It's becoming ingrained because the systems aren't in place for a good, timely, legal way of buying television shows at the moment. But it used to be that way for music, too, and iTunes significantly changed that. Personally, I used to steal music all the time; now that it's so convenient to use iTunes, I buy legally. If TV series were available on their store (or similar) shortly after they aired, I'd happily purchase them too.
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Hard News: Unwarranted risk, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
That’s not economics, it’s accounting:
You're right, that's what I get for making a Home Ec joke. And I didn't mean I didn't understand it, just that I find the language hard to understand. I mean:
"the forecast finance cost savings exceed the forecast foregone dividends"
just takes me a few reads to wrap around my right-side brain. I almost feel people like English word it that way intentionally, because if he explained it like you just did, no one would support him.
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Admission: I struggle to understand most of this:
“Profits attributable to minority shareholders (foregone profits) will reduce the surplus, which is partly offset by a reduction in finance costs on the reduced debt.’’
“Over the mixed ownership programme, the forecast finance cost savings exceed the forecast foregone dividends,’’ Mr English said.
“However, those savings are less than the total forecast foregone profits of the SOEs, which include both dividends and retained earnings.
“That is because state-owned enterprises are expected to earn a commercial rate of return that reflects the risk of owning such companies.’’
I don't consider myself stupid, but when it comes to financial language my brain fogs over. I wonder how many New Zealanders feel the same, and that is why so few seem to understand the economic issues facing this country. I think we should have Economics classes at school, it's just as important as Home Economics.
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Y'know, as easy and fun as it is to mock the Herald's front page "news" such as what Sonny Bill Williams got up to this week, this is the sort of stuff that's truly disturbing. Their celebrity-led stories are driven by profit; this sort of story is driven by agenda. It's a disservice to their 1.74m readers.
And to think that Currie just got promoted.
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Just as an aside, I found it difficult to settle on an amount to donate. If it were a straight, once-a-year donation, like for a charity, I'd normally give between $20-100. But since this was funding future stories (which is how I saw it, rather than a "reward" for this particular story), there's the implication it'll require ongoing support, so I gave $10. Which seems low, but then again I can get an entire magazine full of stories for less than $10. $20 for one story felt too high, especially if lots of others were going to chip in.
Just my thought process. Maybe something to keep in mind for this type of funding model in the future. I might just be cheap.
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Thanks for your hard work, Keith. It's good to see someone care. If this is the only way to get proper investigative journalism done in New Zealand, then it's worth the donation.
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Hard News: Last Words, in reply to Conrad Lake,
My prediction:
Despite the lowest turnout in decades, National gets enough votes to govern alone. This gives them a 'mandate', 'political capital' and 'full-on boners' and they'll proceed to fuck the country for the next three years. However, it'll be long-term fuckage, like breeding a new generation of criminals because of welfare reform and low wages, so they'll be able to blame the resulting increase in crime on Labour in 2018. The economy continues doing sweet fuck all, National continues to blame the Worldwide Economic Crisis (c 2009), John Key reminds people he used to be a banker, and not one of his supporters makes the connection because they're all wondering what it'd be like to touch his flesh. They continue to ruin NZ's "clean, green" image so the reason people would contemplate moving here is because they want to live in a smaller, much less efficient China. Gerry Brownlee eats Tony Ryall and no one notices. The Maori Party, formed over one issue which they promptly sold out on, continues to fret over stuff like whether they can fly a flag over a bridge, while they carry on supporting whatever underclass-destroying policy National comes up with – just to fuck with them, National proposes "All Alphabets With Less Than 16 Letters In Them" tax. Maori Party backs it, under urgency. John Key threatens to kill Annette King's children, but on Parliament TV so no one sees it. ACC is "opened to competition", so finally those poor lawyers and private insurance companies can make some goddamn money in this country. After the media remembers what their job description is, they attack National's constant secrecy with the NZ Herald's condemning editorial written in red ink on its front page (under a banner teasing 'Sonny Bill William's Erect Cock' on page 3 – turns out he bought a very alert rooster). In response, National pledges not to suppress REDACTED unless it's because of "commercial sensitivity" and anyone who REDACTED will get a right REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED Umbrella Man REDACTED. Public Service Television will be a funny nostalgic concept that people think about and cock their heads to the side like, 'did anyone ever go for that?', sorta like jazz. The only thing remaining on free-to-air TV is Marcus Lush chatting to some unique Kiwi characters in Bulls. National places no less than four - FOUR - energy companies on the NZ Stock Market and blame the Worldwide Economic Crisis as to why they don't make $4 billion after all. By 2020 electricity prices will be so high there'll be a hipster trend towards hand-cranking. John Key steps down in 2013 so he can focus on converting his swimming pool of water into a swimming pool of jam. Petrol becomes so expensive that the only people able to afford running a car are National party members, leading to laws banning walking and standing without the aid of a motor vehicle. National comes to the homes of anyone who publicly disagrees with them and kneecap the women, but the public says it's still better than Labour's "nanny state where I couldn't choose my own lightbulbs." Stephen Joyce becomes the head of Telecom. National bans the colour red. 'Cannibal' becomes occupation option on census. There is no more sun, only ash.
Labour + Greens narrowly win the 2014 election.
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My favourite bit of over-emotionality was Mark Sainsbury on Close-Up asking John Key if Richie McCaw should be knighted (because that is how we recognize our heroes in New Zealand in 2011, isn't it, Mark?). Key wisely battered the question away, only for ol' Sainsbury to blather, "What about Sir Graham Henry, Sir Martin Sneddon..." Yes, Martin Sneddon should get a knighthood for organising a tournament. FFS.
I feel sorry for Key having to answer such stupid questions. Ideally, he shouldn't be asked anything, rugby has nothing to do with him.