Posts by dc_red
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Hard News: London's Burning, in reply to Tom Semmens,
Imposing austerity on the poor and squeezing the middle class whilst bailing out the global financial sector to the tune of billions is starting to have its consequences.
I'm beginning to think along the same lines. They don't even have pension funds to lose!
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Hard News: Science: it's complicated, in reply to Yamis,
Re: the Australian miner and his volcanoes -
Humans produce ~130x more CO2 than volcanoes.
Re: Geog101
Not my specialty, but I would have thought if there was so much as a single lecture (i.e., 50 mins) devoted to climate, it should be on anthropogenic climate change?
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Key's first 'statement' was remarkably incoherent, even by his own low standards.
It was a tortured, Bolger-esque performance, with grammatical errors in every sentence.
Me thinks he lies.
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I mean, I think there is a place for Maori culture but why is it that we always use a semi-naked male, sometimes quite pale-skinned Maori, leaping around in, you know, mock battle?
That was the Don back invoking the blood quotient on 4 Sept, 2005. Or perhaps he was just implying that a semi-naked female would be preferable.
I wonder what he makes of Obama?
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Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to giovanni tiso,
Fine. Is anybody allowed to say anything about any other part of Canada?
Outside of Vancouver/Victoria life is indeed rather different, and extremely "interior-ized"(?) for the majority of the year. When it is above -15C (yes) in winter I will often jog home from work, and encounter somewhere between 0 and 2 other pedestrians on the 5.5km journey.
In the 2.5 months of summer the sidewalks and trails are packed, of course, but most of the time the infernal ice has the outdoors to itself. "Outdoors" is that unpleasant thing that separates Canadian drivers from their strip malls.
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Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,
researching the ear/air merger at the time and it was fascinating to be able to watch a significant shift in the language unfolding.
To the general amusement of Canadians, I can't pronounce "pawn" and "p0rn" differently, try as I might. I have, however, managed to distinguish "beer" and "bear" (something that is actually required more often than you might think).
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Mr Mark,
So – to sum everything up – time for a leadership change.
Fresh, exciting new face, unencumbered by the (recent/distant) past, new momentum, possibly, just possibly, a game-changer.
Well, not my view: look at what Clark was polling 2.5 years after taking the leadership (hint: it was a minor miracle Labour got to 28% of the vote in 1996). Goff could become a great leader, and PM, but he needs a more active, industrious caucus … and a better deputy.
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Paul Williams,
I recall Helen’s polling being very low too (and still seeing off a challenge).
16% under Helen Clark at one point, Paul. That's half what Labour's regularly polling now. And look what Clark (with Cullen) went on to achieve...
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Sacha,
I believe the problem is broader than that – and Labour is not the whole opposition either.
Yes, come to think of it: how many voters could outline a single Green policy? Or name both Green leaders? Or recall the last time the Greens were in the news for something?
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to giovanni tiso,
It may be reasonable to posit that if Goff was more personable and likeable he may have better numbers
He seems pretty personable and likeable to me. Actually more personable than his extremely successful predecessor?
Although for some reason a little timid and uncertain of himself at times, as RB alluded to in his original post. Strangely, none of those qualities were evident when he was Minister.