And by popular demand here are the ten most commented posts for 2013. Open mike posts, which often contain a number of comments, were not included. Collectively the posts show the desire to tease out the subtleties of issues as well as the need to engage in verbal warfare with the many right wingers who post here, some of whom post with sufficient style and humour that their presence is welcome.
Number 10 was Eddie’s post on David Cunliffe showing leadership steel with regards to Jenny Michie. She had made an inocululous comment about how Grant Robertson’s sexuality could cause some resistance to his becoming PM just before the leadership campaign started. Rather than engage in a debate that could have sidetracked his campaign Cunliffe dealt with it by standing Jenny down to show that it was not going to be an issue. The debate that then occurred in 351 comments showed a great deal of aroha for Jenny and an interesting mix of views as well as condemnation of Clare Curran for a rather bizarre tweet.
Number 9 was my post asking if in the light of Children’s Commissioner Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills’ call for a bipartisan political approach to child poverty there was a prospect of this happening? 353 comments later and it appeared the answer was a regrettable no. There was still an insistence by some on debating the causes and the appropriate measurement of child poverty rather than deciding that our kids deserve better and just doing something.
Number 8 was a notices and features post on amnesty being offered by the Standard moderators to those who have been banned from the site previously. There were 362 comments but none by Pete George. Farmboy showed his inability to understand the meaning of the word “amnesty” by getting himself rebanned for breaching the policy …
Number 7 was Irish Bill’s post on Susan Devoy being appointed Race Relations Conciliator with 393 comments. Irish’s suggestion that Devoy’s appointment was essentially Judith Collins telling liberal New Zealand to f**k itself was right on the money. The comments then covered a number of areas including Devoy’s lack of qualifications, Race Relations generally, the anti intellectualism bent of some New Zealanders and National’s internal factional wars.
Number 6 was a notices and features post on Revolting Young with 400 comments. The post itself was no more than a Bernard Hickey tweet suggesting that baby boomers have dominated politics for the past decade but the comments covered a number of areas including the Kiwi diaspora, the division of wealth, and issues relating to the ageing of the population.
Number 5 was Zetetec’s post Labour hating on the left which commented on Trevor Mallard attacking the Greens through Twitter for their quantitate easing policy. A total of 432 comments were made, many of them critical of Trevor.
Number 4 was my post speculating on whether John Tamihere would become a Labour MP. There were 453 comments, and pretty well all of them opposed the proposal.
Number 3 was the notices and features post about David Shearer being confirmed as Labour leader in February of this year with 511 comments.
Runner up was my post about David Cunliffe entering the Labour leadership race with 529 comments. The sense of optimism was palpable.
And the winner is … [another drum roll] … r0b for his post on Labour’s new housing policy with 702 comments. This appears to be the most commented on post in TS history. Congratulations r0b and a chocolate fish is heading your way.
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