Steve shuffles off his mortal coil

Written By: - Date published: 4:14 pm, March 10th, 2009 - 56 comments
Categories: scoundrels - Tags:

Protecting workers’ rights, protecting ACC, safeguarding jobs, public services, and SOEs, opposing privatisation. These are all important fights. But it’s a crime we’re having to fight them at all. While we are concerned with such things, the enviro/economic challenges to the sustainability of our society barely get a look in.

Peak oil, climate change, depletion of water, arable land, and minerals. These problems threaten the survival of billions of humans and our way of life. Yet, the urgent debate on how to handle these crises is confined to scientific and (increasingly) economic journals; we see nearly nothing about them in the political discourse. Maybe it’s the media’s incompetence. Perhaps it’s the short-term thinking of the Government and the reactive nature of opposition. Whatever, the fact is our political discourse is missing the big stuff and it’s maddening.

600fd200e03f523902e498c6ae2de530So, I’m taking a break from it.This is Steve Pierson’s last post. I want to get away from the partisan stuff for a while and I’ve accepted a contract that means it will be inappropriate to publicly voice my political opinions. Any posts I write in the future will be guest posts in my own name, and confined to the big issues I’m trying to get my head around, not partisan politics.

The Standard will, of course, continue to go from strength to strength. There’s a good pool of half a dozen writers and a cartoonist contributing regularly now. I know they’ll look to bring on others to maintain the diversity of Left voices. Remember though, the writers are only writing in their spare time and can’t be across every issue. That’s where you come in. If you think there’s a story that The Standard needs to cover, write a post and email it in. The Standard is for you; you can help make it better.

See ya.

56 comments on “Steve shuffles off his mortal coil ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. IrishBill 1
    10 March 2009 at 4:41 pm

    Well miss you bro.

  2. Billy 2
    10 March 2009 at 4:42 pm

    In related news, it is my sad duty to report that ‘sod is dead. In a blogging sense.

  3. gingercrush 3
    10 March 2009 at 4:47 pm

    Well good luck. While I’ve disagreed with many of the posts you’ve made. I’ve always felt that they’ve been informative, important and allowed numerous debates and discussions around important issues. Not only for the left but the right and more importantly the middle. Your ability to produce such outstanding posts against an awash of mediocrity is itself admirable. I use that phrase not to attack other authors at The Standard. But it is my personal belief that much of what is contained on the blogosphere is quite simply crap. Your posts were never crap.

    Your ability to produce unique and important posts will be a lost to the Standard. But as you’ve stated, there are many other excellent writers here that will continue that tradition. So best of luck in the future.

  4. djp 4
    10 March 2009 at 4:49 pm

    well you have certainly made your mark enjoy the break.

    I don’t get why you would engage in partisan politics though? Why not principled politics (eg like the Act supporters who are quite angry right now)?

  5. bobo 5
    10 March 2009 at 4:49 pm

    Best of luck Steve have enjoyed your posts 🙂

  6. Tim Ellis 6
    10 March 2009 at 4:50 pm

    That’s a shame SP. I try not to sound patronising, but I disagreed with most of what you write and I was frequently irritated with the inflammatory and blatantly partisan and one-eyed tone that filled many of your posts, but I did admire your sheer output of work, ability to wind people up, and to express an energetic opinion.

    We all have to make a living at some point. Good on you, and I hope to see you back from time to time.

  7. Billy 7
    10 March 2009 at 4:50 pm

    SP,

    I’ll say this for you: you’re the hardest working lefty I have ever seen. Good luck with this new thing.

  8. Freddy 8
    10 March 2009 at 4:56 pm

    No such thing as a coincidence

    • lprent 8.1
      10 March 2009 at 6:22 pm

      Often there is… For instance the deafening silence from the Sensible Sentencing Trust is an amazing coincidence earlier today.

      But you know our usual neither confirm nor deny policy that we borrowed from the Yanks.

  9. Pascal's bookie 9
    10 March 2009 at 5:11 pm

    good luck man. thanks for all your output.

  10. Snail 10
    10 March 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Go Well, SP.. cheers!

  11. Mike Collins 11
    10 March 2009 at 5:48 pm

    Good luck with your new job.

  12. Ianmac 12
    10 March 2009 at 5:55 pm

    Thanks Steve. There was always a stimulus for me to think on. I often discussed the issues that you raised with others offline.

  13. Brett Dale 13
    10 March 2009 at 6:08 pm

    Good luck with your new job!

  14. Lew 14
    10 March 2009 at 6:21 pm

    Cue rampant and unfounded speculation about which branch of the public service Steve is now working for 🙂

    L

  15. Rachael Le Mer 15
    10 March 2009 at 6:24 pm

    Pubic and private
    xxx

  16. lprent 16
    10 March 2009 at 6:26 pm

    Cue rampant and unfounded speculation

    Yeah, but I thiink that we will leave that for the sewer..

    Been a great effort over the last year and a bit. I still love your writing, so hopefully you’ll be able to do the weekend stuff. I’m going to miss having all those posts to read. However I’ll recruit some more pseudonymous writers to fill the large gap.

  17. deemac 17
    10 March 2009 at 6:42 pm

    you are so smart it was only a matter of time before you were headhunted… the blogosphere will be poorer without you!

  18. Travellerev 18
    10 March 2009 at 6:55 pm

    You called my 911 stuff garbage and I think that sometimes you’re ill informed but you always kept them coming and for that I salute you.
    Perhaps now that you don’t have to come up with something new for the Standard every so often you can google 911 once in a while and educate yourself on the subject.

    I’m sure we’ll see your comments here. It’s just to damn attractive riling the trolls. LOL

  19. Killinginthenameof 19
    10 March 2009 at 7:08 pm

    Sentiments as above, sad too see you leaving The Standard, congratulations how ever on picking up what I’m sure must be an exceptionally good job. I’ve been continually impressed by the huge range of topics that you have managed to cover in exceptional depth. Hopefully I’ll manage to catch you at drinking liberally again some time!

    All the best for the future, and thanks for all the good posts.

  20. the sprout 20
    10 March 2009 at 7:23 pm

    you’ve made a fantastic contribution SP, best of luck and thanks for what you’ve done to help make The Standard what it is today.

  21. Chris G 21
    10 March 2009 at 7:32 pm

    stink,

    Well do enjoy your new job, but more importantly keep fighting for the left! Especially for the issues you mentioned that concern you most.

  22. Inventory2 22
    10 March 2009 at 7:50 pm

    All the best Steve – kia kaha

  23. Matthew Pilott 23
    10 March 2009 at 8:32 pm

    Are you taking over ACC?

  24. RedLogix 24
    10 March 2009 at 8:49 pm

    Missing you already SP. And you will leave a very big hole at The Standard that will be hard to fill. You are one very capable young man, who has earned my sincere respect. I wish you all the best wherever it is that you are off to.

    Regards RL.

  25. Quoth the Raven 25
    10 March 2009 at 8:54 pm

    At least it’s not the last we’ll hear from you. I’ll look forward to your posts on the bigger issues. Political theory and such is much more interesting than partisan politics.

  26. Julie 26
    10 March 2009 at 9:11 pm

    Good luck Steve, looking forward to your guest posts. And best wishes to the rest of The Standard’s writers as they work to fill the gap!

  27. David Farrar 27
    10 March 2009 at 9:26 pm

    Congrats on the new job. You’ve been a large part of the increased readership of The Standard.

  28. Dan 28
    10 March 2009 at 9:53 pm

    Steve, as I watch Granny Herald decline in readership, I can understand as readers look to alternative explanations of the world. Your contributions over the last election particularly were great, and although the blue team won, their Labour lite policies were a reflection of the effectiveness of Labour’s policies. It will be interesting as the Nats show their true colours: ACT is already fuming, and it won’t be long before Tariana has a few things to say.
    Thank you for flying the flag and working so hard at keeping a fair society in front of everyone.

  29. theaveragekeywi 29
    10 March 2009 at 10:16 pm

    Good work mate, now how about that on-line morning tea? (although it is sleep time now, awkward)

  30. jimbo 30
    10 March 2009 at 10:23 pm

    Good luck, Steve. Congrats.

  31. barnsleybill 31
    10 March 2009 at 10:30 pm

    anybody know what has happened to sod? As 33% of his readership I am a bit put out that there was no warning.

  32. Patrick 32
    10 March 2009 at 10:56 pm

    Cheers for all the amazing work!

    And this had better not stop you coming to Drinking Liberally…

  33. r0b 33
    11 March 2009 at 1:39 am

    Nooooooooooooooooo!

    Ahh, all good things must come to an end. Thanks SP, and go well.

  34. expat 34
    11 March 2009 at 2:18 am

    Good luck with that whole ‘working’ thing mate. It may come a sa struggle but never fear, millions of people do it.

  35. The Double Standard 35
    11 March 2009 at 7:46 am

    Well, at least you got the category right.

  36. Janet 36
    11 March 2009 at 8:20 am

    Thanks Steve. In those dark days when everyone was dazzled by the smiling assassin’s grin, it was Steve’s posts on the Standard, sometimes complete with graphs, that showed it was not just me worried where all this would lead.

    This is the difference between now and the similar era of the early 90s. In those days the MSM never allowed a peep from anyone who questioned the ‘There is no alternative’ mantra. And now we have the Standard and several other intelligent leftish blogs flourishing, shining the light on similar current deceptions.

    I do hope you are going to be paid well, and by the tax payer. It is particularly annoying that so much good tax payers’ money is currently going to the right wing NACT think tanks, researchers and push polling companies.

  37. Andy 37
    11 March 2009 at 8:46 am

    Cheers SP. well done, you produced some amazing work! Good luck in the future!

  38. Santi 38
    11 March 2009 at 8:51 am

    The world will not be the same without the towering, unsurpassable economics genius SP.
    What will we do without his brilliance, his enormous talent, his guiding light, his sharp knowledge of every thing under the sun? I despair while sobbing uncontrolably.

    I cannot express how sorry I am to see him going. How tragic to lose a man of his caliber to the public service (I refuse to believe he’d stoop to ever work for the dark forces of private enterprise)!

  39. vto 39
    11 March 2009 at 9:31 am

    Tho we never really saw eye to eye on much at all, you have at least been consistent and passionate and clearly energetic and hardworking. Charge on fulla..

  40. ak 40
    11 March 2009 at 9:48 am

    Yes, many, many thanks for your fantastic efforts Steve, and all the best in your new gig. As others have noted, your output, range and quality has really been remarkable – right up there with Campbell and the best of the international commentariat – and the plaudits from all sides are thoroughly deserved.
    You’ll go far – but not too far I hope – look forward to seeing the other Standardistas stepping into your big shoes, and your guest posts on the big issues. Again, huge thanks and all the best for the future.

  41. NeillR 41
    11 March 2009 at 11:06 am

    Well at least National’s succeeded in getting one p(i)erson a job. 😀

  42. Daveski 42
    11 March 2009 at 3:53 pm

    As TE noted, I’ve been a vocal opponent of much of what you have written. However, it is obvious that your posts consistently called to be read and that is the greatest compliment of any blogger.

    I look forward to your future posts. All the best.

  43. Felix 43
    11 March 2009 at 4:04 pm

    Yep, best of luck fella. Thanks for all the hard work and I hope they teach you to spell at your new gig.

  44. Paul Williams 44
    11 March 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Bugger. Steve, I hope you find a way to keep blogging but I entirely understand the constraints of paid employment. My congratulations to you and your colleagues here for the fantastic job you’ve done facilitating an intelligent alternative leftwing voice. It’s been invaluable.

  45. XChequer 45
    11 March 2009 at 5:55 pm

    Good luck, Steve.

    I add my sentiments to those above about not always agreeing with you…….. but then isn’t that the point of blogs, the internet et al? To promote free speech, dialogue and helping exchange views in a full and frank fashion.

    All the best and we look forward to hearing from you in the future.

    XChequer
    http://thenzhomeoffice.blogspot.com/

  46. randal 46
    13 March 2009 at 1:33 pm

    seeya steve
    hope you make the most of your opportunity
    according to the dimpost the standard is insufferably dull
    and the dimpost accuses trevor mallard of taking his attacks on the right to there blog
    they might be right there perhaps
    time to rev this little baby up but everybody here is mostly, and I agree with the dimpost insufferably dull
    no wit
    false consciousness
    unable to grapple with any issue without descending into banalities and abuse
    no wit
    unable to comprehend the wider world
    no wit
    more worried about the mortgage than anything else
    no wit
    oh
    and the left is never going to win till they start matching the rights media apparatus
    they dont need all the capitalist infrastructure
    all it will take will be free tabloids at railway and bus stations in the morning and micropulse radio stations to play “real music”
    these are low cost options and just as effective
    but
    if you have no wit or creativity then these avenues will remain forever closed

  47. SjS 47
    13 March 2009 at 3:21 pm

    Will miss you posts Steve, but also looking forward to your new pieces from time to time. I really enjoyed your peak oil posts!! Hope to see more to come in the future.