Author Archive
A silly act: it begins
Written By: - Date published: 2:36 pm, August 20th, 2015 - 7 comments
When Parliament passed the Harmful Digital Communications Act, many people warned that it would be abused to stifle political speech. And it has, with NZ First MP Tracey Martin incorrectly accusing a political blogger (who supported a rival NZ First MP) of violating the Act. A bad first start. But it figures, the act is silly, slow and unworkable.
Milk and media moron Mike
Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, August 19th, 2015 - 59 comments
Media moron Mike Hosking blathering on about how self-interested “experts” are always right. He calls these “Facts”. I don’t think that he would know what a fact is if he tripped over a spreadsheet. Meanwhile announcing a reduction in supply has produced the expected increase in prices in the GlobalDairyTrade auction last night.
Groser: an arrogant git with a tin ear
Written By: - Date published: 4:08 pm, August 15th, 2015 - 36 comments
I’m amazed about how ignorant Tim Groser is in his costly pursuit of the TTP. But his completely weird and idiotic remarks on how the ICT industry runs really do reach a new level of mindless – even for a fool from MFAT. The TTP will bring us no advantages, and are likely to cause major disruptions to the innovation that is driving the ICT export sector.
Look at the future of families
Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, August 14th, 2015 - 51 comments
In South Korea the colliding intersection between economics, tradition and demographics is probably at its most extreme. However the same kinds of effects are being seen all over the developed world, and increasingly in parts of the underdeveloped world – and here.
NZ First’s long predicted demise isn’t going to happen
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, August 6th, 2015 - 91 comments
I am getting a bit bored with pundits proclaiming the imminent demise of NZ First. Over it’s 25 year life this has been the constant refrain from the likes of John Armstrong. The reality is that they appeal to a conservative mindset that traditionally had been part of the National parties internal coalition. They will keep eating at it.
TPPA hopefully sinking again
Written By: - Date published: 12:52 pm, August 1st, 2015 - 52 comments
Looks like the TPP press conference has been delayed. Good. Lets hope this restraint of trade agreement stays that way. I had time to look at the varied opinions in the Herald this morning. A range from the good to the pathetic…
Charge Cameron Slater or let me hack systems
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, July 20th, 2015 - 107 comments
If the police have no intentions of enforcing those laws protecting computer systems, as they haven’t for Cameron Slater, then shouldn’t they tell us? I’d love to openly and freely hack into systems without legal retribution – just like Cam does. Why should we leave the fun to well connected technological idiots like Cam?
Ben Guerin: a dirty politics fuckwit
Written By: - Date published: 5:11 pm, July 13th, 2015 - 104 comments
This pathetic young nat dickhead has slapped up a site purporting to be Labour. But he left his fingerprints all over the site. He is employed by a National party list MP Brent Hudson. You’d think he’d be old enough to not to leave his fingerprints while jerking off in dirty politics… Or not do dirty politics at all. Updated: site removed.
Lets restrain those damnfool knights eh?
Written By: - Date published: 10:52 pm, July 6th, 2015 - 20 comments
“THE struggle has been long and arduous. But gazing across the battered economies of the rich world it is time to declare that the fight against financial chaos and deflation is won. In 2015, the IMF says, for the first time since 2007 every advanced economy will expand.”. But lets restrain the damn fool ideological idiots from screwing it up. Like Bill English and his damn stupid taxcuts…
Bill English’s groundhog decades
Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, July 6th, 2015 - 45 comments
Bill English is a strange denizen of National’s Wellington groundhog set. He keeps repeating the wet dreams that have been tried three times now and come up as failures each time. On Q&A yesterday he played with some silly numbers about dairy, ignoring the damage that it and National’s obsessive focus on the past has done on the resilience of our export economy.
A short history of The Standard – Maoriland Worker
Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, June 21st, 2015 - 43 comments
I saw earlier this month that typically the bombastic one from The Daily Blog Bombast was managing to not mention our site name in a post about hiring a hacker to crack into our site. Of more concern was his lack of local history. Is he too in love with his own voice to learn the lessons of the past?
Kiwiblip!
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 21st, 2015 - 16 comments
Either Kiwiblog had a very large social media blip (one million page views in a day is pretty high), or something is really wrong with Sitemeter, or there is a irritating bug somewhere bloating the numbers. I’d like to know one way or another, as I’ve had to deal with some strange spikes like this in the past and they are tricky to track down.
Scary programmer
Written By: - Date published: 3:35 am, June 18th, 2015 - 17 comments
As some of you will be aware, I’m a dedicated computer programmer. So the Underhanded C Contest is just fun. That is to write code that is as readable, clear, innocent and straightforward as possible, and yet it must fail to perform at its apparent function. To be more specific, it should do something subtly evil. This years winner really takes the cake on that.
We need to ACT on the innumeracy of MPs
Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, June 6th, 2015 - 113 comments
After a mere 5 years, some numerically and legally challenged current and ex-MP have been demonstrating their inability to understand their Three Strikes stupidity. They seem to think that people who have probably been in court or banged up in prison for violent offences have had time to go to court three times. FFS: these dickheads need mandatory remedial maths.
Sphinx and Rachinger
Written By: - Date published: 7:18 pm, May 4th, 2015 - 24 comments
The search engine on this site is run by Sphinx search. This is an open source general purpose package that runs a scan on the databases amended posts or comments. However it appeared to have caused Cameron Slater to cum all over his brain and shut down even the minimal amounts of animal cunning that he usually possesses.
Numerical illiteracy at the Herald
Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, April 29th, 2015 - 46 comments
Today, we see a Herald ‘editor’ demonstrating exactly how useless they are at interpreting polls. They are saying that a poll where almost all of the sample was taken before the Ponygate story broke, indicates that it doesn’t matter much. To rub home just how stupid and out of touch the Herald editors were last week, it then whines about nasty social media. What can one say of these cloistered monks of ‘journalism’… Plenty.
Replacing Russel
Written By: - Date published: 3:47 pm, April 19th, 2015 - 48 comments
The Greens have closed their nominations for male co-leader, and are running a number of provincial meetings. I went to the second one in Auckland. The biggest issue for the Greens now after cracking the 10% electoral support in 2011 is that they didn’t grow their vote in 2014, and remain well below polling. Part of that is getting their public face right.
The end is near for IE
Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, April 16th, 2015 - 25 comments
Internet Explorer is now less than 15% of the sessions on this site. However it accounts fro nearly half of the development and testing time for the legacy variants. Microsoft has a replacement in the works, which should get released soonish. But I’m tired of wasting time on a crap browser. I’m dumping it now.
Cameron Slater has a idiot for a lawyer
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, April 14th, 2015 - 42 comments
Instead of taking the shot granted by the High Court of simply making an appeal, some incompetent legal dunderhead made the idiotic move of not filing. Then they took the much harder step of belatedly attempting to get the Court of Appeal to allow them to appeal. Complete stupidity. But this is a lawyer with Cameron Slater for a client..
Development of the mobile theme
Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, April 4th, 2015 - 61 comments
Last week, very reluctantly, I coughed up the money for a development version of the mobile theme. About a quarter of our readers primarily use mobiles to read the site these days. When you add tablets it gets closer to 40%. I need to create a mobile theme that enhances the existing one for better commenting. If you have simple ideas for that, now is the time to speak.
April fool Pete George released from ban…
Written By: - Date published: 1:53 pm, April 1st, 2015 - 113 comments
Pete George was released from his ban this morning. Something that he was clearly bracing himself for yesterday when he directly lied about this site yet again…
Early heavy voting in Northland continues
Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, March 25th, 2015 - 28 comments
It looks to me like the early voting for Northland is likely to be close to or more than 50% of the total vote. Part of that is because it is a by-election. Part because of National’s hapless and tainted candidates (past and present) going against effective opponents. But also due to the strong trend to early voting. It will need to cause changes in electioneering.
On the flag – lets not have one
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, March 21st, 2015 - 101 comments
I guess that John Key wanted to raise the idea of a flag change to divert attention from his misdeeds and lack of anything positive from his terms in office. I can’t think of any other particular reason for bringing it up. But the referendum appears to lack the option of dumping the flag. Why have it at all?
900,000 comments
Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, March 18th, 2015 - 28 comments
Yesterday morning we went though 900k comments. We have done another 100k comments in 188 days since September 10th. We are slightly behind our long predicted exponential growth to a million comments in August.
Still making things go boom dangerously
Written By: - Date published: 5:27 pm, March 15th, 2015 - 26 comments
I have been reading Neil Sheenan’s “A fiery peace in a cold war” on the development of the US ICBM forces in the 50s. At the same time I’ve been reading last week’s Economist, including a feature on the current developing arms race in nuclear weapon systems. Quietly falling into another insane arms race.
New site – Evening Report
Written By: - Date published: 7:14 pm, March 9th, 2015 - 20 comments
Selwyn Manning has set up and will edit a new site (eveningreport.nz). Nice to see another progressive net news and current affairs site being set up. It will be interesting to see how this one develops. But there is a lot of room for different media in the net space.
On Northland
Written By: - Date published: 1:44 pm, March 4th, 2015 - 117 comments
I’ve been getting tired of the fantasy elections that some political commentators seem to enjoy playing. Currently the fantasises is in Northland, with the same old tiresome lines. It is a pity that most of those playing this game don’t ever seem to think about the behaviours of real voters, real candidates, and real parties.
Do the young really lack concentration?
Written By: - Date published: 1:23 pm, March 1st, 2015 - 85 comments
Now that I can no longer call myself young, the old adage that younger people simply lack concentration does appear to me to be correct. I look to the numbers on The Standard to see if there is a correlation and if I can argue a causation based on age. Are the younger readers without concentration, or are they just busy…
Carmel stood down for possible conflict of interest
Written By: - Date published: 6:48 pm, February 25th, 2015 - 231 comments
Carmel Sepuloni’s mother has had charges of benefit fraud being laid against her. Andrew Little has done the sensible thing and stood down her as its social development spokesperson. While I’m sure that we will still get the dribbling trolls, this is how potential conflicts of interest should be handled. Updated.
Condescending Catherine Beard on TPP
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, February 18th, 2015 - 51 comments
I’ve been involved in exporting from NZ for more than 35 years in everything from manufacturing to software. I support free trade. It is always embarrassing watching idiots waffling on a subject without any facts. But that is what you get with the secrecy of the TPP restraint of trade negotiations.
Damn you readers :) Upgrades again
Written By: - Date published: 7:47 pm, February 10th, 2015 - 31 comments
Well ok, after the election I figured that I could shift the site to some slower storage with a whole lot of redundancy in a RAID6 array of slower drives. We’d have a lot fewer readers than our peak for 6 months after post election, right? Nope – wrong. You are making me work…
- Luxon to ‘push on’ with Trump amid tariff concerns
New Zealand must work with politicians like Donald Trump regardless of any polarising policies, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said at the conclusion of an international summit where the incoming ruler’s plans loomed large.Luxon took part in the annual leaders’ retreat at the Apec summit, held this year in Peru’s ...1 week ago - Countries clash over emissions cuts at COP29
A week of late nights, tense exchanges and dozens of pages of draft negotiating texts have failed to make significant progress on the big issues up for discussion at COP29.On key agenda items – finance, carbon trading and how to implement last year’s commitment to transition away from fossil fuels, ...1 week ago
- An Ode to .. Hana
Home alone“OK,” says Chris Luxon, CEO of Bottom Feed Enterprises.“I’m going out now to an important work event.Can I trust you to behave?”“Sure, Dad,” says Seymour. “I’m thirteen now.”“All right,” says Dad.“Call me if you need to – and remember,Whatever you do, don’t hit the Box with the Stick.”“Sure, Dad,” ...1 week ago
- China plays for power as Luxon manages differences
China is not generally known for its understated approach to diplomacy, but even by its usual standards, the country’s presence at this year’s Apec summit has been unavoidable.Large groups of supporters bearing miniature flags and banners of support have taken up residence outside the hotel accommodating Chinese president Xi Jinping ...1 week ago
- Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi fits: Savage style for seasoned steezers
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- Crown apology: Three voices from NZ’s shameful recent past
Abuse survivor: It is time to deliver, Prime MinisterKeith Wiffin says the Government needs to commit to concrete timelines for redressWe’ve heard those words from the state before, and they are meaningless because they have not resulted in change or progress.We are called survivors, but firstly I would like to ...1 week ago
- Of Treaties, Cabbages and Kings
During his speech to introduce the Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour made a number of statements that are either disingenuous or ignorant. Early in his speech, he asked: ‘Where in the world is it a good idea to give different rights based on ancestry? Where in the world has that approach ...1 week ago
- The great lunch debate
Would you call fried chicken and chips at 10am ‘lunch’?“I try and keep as regular a schedule as I can, but that will translate a bit weirdly when I’m on shift work,” says reporter Finn Blackwell, who’s often found in RNZ’s breakroom well before noon, feasting on anything from a ...1 week ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Sheriff Seymour
Monday Sheriff Seymour rode his white horse through the beautiful tree-lined streets of the wealthiest suburb in Dodge, and arrived at the mansion of one of the richest men in the whole state.He rang the doorbell. A servant led him to an oak-panelled room, and gestured for him to sit.He ...1 week ago
- The case for COPs (even this one)
Every day this week, COP29 has managed to spark international headlines for all the wrong reasons.First, the eight hour agenda fight over what, actually, diplomats will spend time negotiating this year.Then on Tuesday the President of Azerbaijan, which is hosting COP29 in the capital Baku, called oil and gas a ...1 week ago
- The Weekend: In defence of Auckland’s ‘incredibly’ expensive Christmas tree
Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on the week that was. This week I hosted The Spinoff’s Year In Review live event In Wellington. Everything went remarkably well, and you can attend the same (but maybe more refined) event in Auckland on December 11. The welcoming crowd in Wellington even wanted more of ...1 week ago
- ‘Really worried’: What Now’s Chris Kirk on smuggling gunge out of New Zealand
The What Now and Brain Busters presenter takes us on a trip down TV memory lane. Growing up, Chris Kirk was a huge fan of What Now. Every Sunday morning, he would wake up early to watch Carolyn Taylor and Jason Fa’afoi entertain the nation, delighting in every chaotic, gunge-filled ...1 week ago
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The Chthonic Cycle by Una Cruickshank is a compelling series of essays that explore a wide range of fascinating and unexpected subjects. This excerpt, from an essay called ‘Les Tigres’, tells the story of a massed hallucination event in 1951, France. On a hot August day in 1951, 280 people ...1 week ago
- The slowest city in the world is on the brink of change
New Zealander Tasha Black relays what it’s like in post-revolution Bangladesh from an eight-hour traffic jam in Dhaka. It’s Friday night on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the traffic is stuck. Trucks, auto-rickshaws, private cars, buses, all stuck. A stationary ambulance futilely spins its red and blue lights. It’s ...1 week ago
- The Nobel Prize in Not Beating Up Your Kids
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- ‘Theatrical, chaotic and romantic’: Heidi Simpson’s perfect weekend playlist
Indie-pop darling Heidi Simpson shares her perfect weekend playlist. Heidi Simpson is a singer, tune maker, pop music believer and certified cool girl. The Tāmaki Makaurau native typically muses on Saturday nights and the emptiness between waiting for something to happen, but her recently released single ‘Best Kept Secret’ is ...1 week ago
- The Kiwi world champions you’ve heard too little about
The Paddle Ferns are back on top of the world after winning the Canoe Polo World Championships for the second time in eight years.It’s a growing sport that combines kayaking and ball-handling skills in a contact team game, played either indoors or out, with five players a sideSeventeen countries competed ...1 week ago
- Short story: I’ll ask my sister, by Marilyn Duckworth
A chatter of small brown birds rose up from the crippled tree at the street’s end. Muttering. She was reminded of the local Council who were still grumpily debating problems, including those of street verges. Some home owners had been taking it upon themselves to make cheeky personal use of ...1 week ago
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- Censorship Is Alive And Well In New Zealand
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Parliament saw two historic days this week, one of great solemnity and unity, the other a raucous and high-stakes stand-off between political foes over the Treaty of Waitangi.Raw Politics looks first at the volatile reception for Act’s Treaty Principles Bill at its first reading, how parties performed to their voting ...1 week ago
- In Cold Water is a must-see for true crime fans
A new documentary series tells the story of a former Napier councillor accused of murder in Canada. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In 2010, New Zealander Peter Beckett was on holiday in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, enjoying a relaxing afternoon fishing on ...1 week ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘FREE TRAMPOLINE’ by Sophie van Waardenberg
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- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending November 15
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Zest: Climbing From Depression to Philosophy by Daniel Kalderimis (Ugly Hill Press, $40) Kalderimis ...2 weeks ago
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- Treaty Principles Bill will greatly damage National’s relationship with Māori – former minister
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- How the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill played out
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- This week’s bestselling books – November 15
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- Rocketlab’s Māhia launches linked to Israeli military intelligence
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