Posts by Rich Lock
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The lead singer of the hives has a habit of this sort of thing, telling a crowd in Boston on Dec 5th (around eight months after the marathon bombings) that "this song’s for everyone in Boston. It’s about stuff blowing up. It’s called 'Tick Tick Boom."
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My theory is that the biggest unspoken assumption/misconception/fallacy in modern politics is that the 'left'/'right' line or axis around which parties argue, and around which the voters group accordingly, doesn't move. Ever. So supposedly 'central' parties (Labour, National) trim their policies year-to-year leftwards or rightwards on the economy (and 'up' and 'down' in terms of personal rights and freedoms) to attact the necessary weight of floating voters who cluster along this un-moving axis. Whoever gets the receipe the most correct in an election year wins, but we're still all dancing around a fixed line. So a Labour government will always be, by unquestioned definition, left-wing.
However, over the last few decades, the line has drifted (drifted at some speed...) rightwards, so what we really get (in comparison to, say, 1920-1970) is different shades of right, no matter whose arses are warming the benches. It suits pretty much all the political machines involved to keep buying into this assumption, but over time is leading to a fundamental disconnect between voters and representatives. Perhaps not so much in NZ yet, but certainly for example in the US and the UK, where turnouts are steadily dropping, and recent surveys indicate increasing disconnect and anger with poiticians.
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The political compass certainly locates National fairly far-rightwards.
I've not dived too deeply into their methodology, but the chart at the bottom of the analysis page shows that relative to other parties globally, they're fairly central. However, relative to the central vertical axis, they're pretty far rightwards. Compared to where I sit, and where I suspect most people on this site sit, they're over the horizon.
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Hard News: All John's Friends, in reply to The Ruminator,
Flame war did not commence like I thought. You’re all very mature.
The correct incantation is: 'on my command, unleash hell', not 'flame war: commence.'
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Hard News: Making it up on smacking, in reply to Russell Brown,
The only evidence to the contrary was Mason’s own account
An account which the NZH was more than happy to air at length, and spin so hard a low humming could heard from several miles away. 'battling kiwi musician just doing the best he can, etc etc.'
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Hard News: Climate, money and risk, in reply to Mike O'Connell,
Greenhouse gas emissions won’t stop, won’t even plateau any time soon
As soon as all the trapped methane under the artic tundra starts escaping as the permafrost melts, shit is going to get extremely real.
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NZ dairying has already been through one recent massive upheaval, and came out of that in rude health. I suspect any other supposedly huge changes would also be quietly absorbed and adapted to.
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Hard News: Friday Music: The First Time, in reply to Geoff Lealand,
Anyone else heard/heard of them?
Yes, they're excellent. They blew up here last year. They've been touring the shit out of the UK and some of Europe. They might make it further afield next year.
Here's one with a kiwi flavour:
Although personally I prefer 'signal 30'
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Hard News: We need to talk about Len, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
I reckon a jackhammer going full bore would be better than most of their output
They might pick up a few listeners from George FM, as well.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Punk rock and…, in reply to Russell Brown,
Removing it FROM YOUR HEAD now that you’ve heard it, you mean?
Not a chance. BWAHAHAHAHA.
This is a dangerous game you like to play, Russell. Are you sure you can handle the blowback?
For example, if I just happened to mention that my daughter is running round the house singing The Scorpions?
'Here I am, rock you like a Hurricane'
Oh, is that in your head now? Ooops.....