Posts by James Green

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  • Hard News: If you can't say something…,

    I <3 the penguin story.

    In slightly more grim news, perhaps a personal experience of the credit crunch, I've just had a debt collection agent chasing me for the debts of someone else with whom I share a name...

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Hard News: If you can't say something…,

    I'd just like to say in Pete Hodgson's defence (seeing as it is Say Something Nice Day) that my colleague has regularly let him loose on a room full of our students, to talk to them about the health system. He did this as Minister of Health, and then last year as the former minister/our electorate MP. I sat in on the session each year, and found him very easy to chat with before and after the talk. It was very much a Q & A section, and he seemed amiable, funny, knowledgeable and tolerant of people critical of the government's position.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Hard News: And meanwhile ...,

    The demise of the Alliance was remarked on by a few (just 1700 party votes)

    They were actually up on their last election tally (For some reason, the only candidates I know personally are in the Alliance and the Libertarianz -- although this probably has more to do with Dunedin being a village rather than a reflection of my own political leanings).

    The Kiwi Party should find solace in that their single issue is about as popular as legalising cannabis.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Threshold,

    gah. losing.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Threshold,

    Oh, two other thoughts to add to that. Firstly, we really saw the demise of our centrist parties last night. I use centrist loosely of course, but both NZ First, and also Peter Dunne came within a thousand votes of loosing the newly metal Ōhariu seat (it had a heavy metal umlaut on the elections site). Although perhaps that is because both Labour and National crowded into that space.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Threshold,

    I'm somewhat wondering whether the MMP minor party honeymoon is over.
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v361/limegreenz/2partybloc.gif
    You can see that there has been a trend for people moving away from National and Labour, really since the 40s, but that there was a really big dip in their support in the first MMP elections. The last two elections have seen a real swing back to National and Labour, with National achieving the highest vote for a party since 1990 last night.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    Roy Morgan is rather more positive for the left
    Lab/Green/Prog 58
    Nat/Act/UF 60
    Māori 5

    BUT if Winston First make it to 5%
    Lab/Green/Prog 55
    Nat/Act/UF 57
    Māori 5
    Winston 6

    *shudders*

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    Oh yeah. So I found my Sainte-Lague calculator.
    There is also one set up here http://www.elections.org.nz/calculator/. It's quite good because it works out the quotient automagically.

    Mine on the other hand means you have to work out the quotient yourself (just add or subtract 100 until you get 120 seats), but it's also sort of set-up for special votes. And you can watch how the formula works (ie, who is next most likely to get a seat).
    http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pIaveWl4HIvZ6X-44g67KIA
    It might be that everyone who plays with it will change, but I guess if you save it as your own, or don't save it, then it might be OK.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    I did find a bunch of other fascinating spreadsheets along the way...

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    Re the progressives. I'm currently very pissed off that I can't find my Sainte-Lague spreadsheet, although I'd assume they're not near a second seat. That, and it seems that my Macronator is making it hard to wikilink.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report

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