Posts by Stephen Judd

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  • Island Life: What I saw at the step change.,

    On MeFi, "." is a convention in obituary threads, signifying general deep sadness without wasting a lot of bits on platitude.

    But it read well that way here too.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • OnPoint: Tax cut zombies,

    I was spluttering about this over breakfast this morning.

    The comments on the article on Stuff indicate that the public is not fooled, however. I loved the one that called key "the most anti-natalist ruler since King Herod."

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Island Life: What I saw at the step change.,

    Paul: are on you Metafilter, perchance?

    Anyway, protest is futile theatre -- organisation is where it's at. I just broke a vow of years and joined the Labour party...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Island Life: What I saw at the step change.,

    more mining means more money for conservation.

    I've been trying to come up with an appropriate metaphor to illustrate the cynical absurdity of this idea. Then I realised I can't because it is the very fucking epitome of cynical absurdity and properly should only exist as a joke proposition conjured to illustrate something less horribly stupid and wrong.

    Paul, I salute your concision and understatement.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • OnPoint: Lies, damn lies, adjectives,

    Also, I'm very attached to NZ, but frankly he has a point. I don't believe Aussies en masse are any smarter than we are, but they seem to have made a much better fist of economic management in the last 25 years than we have.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • OnPoint: Lies, damn lies, adjectives,

    Hickey's columns are repetitive. But he's laid his case out again and again. I'm not sure what you mean by not doing the heavy lifting.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • OnPoint: Lies, damn lies, adjectives,

    My prediction: shortly, there will be an announcement of a bold new vision to match Australia by emulating their more open approach to immigration, maybe with a slogan like 5 million for 2015.

    Housing prices are way out of line with incomes, with inflation, and with return on rentals. We collectively can't keep borrowing indefinitely, so at some point prices will no longer be sustainable, unless new people are brought in to increase demand. The tax regime will not help in the long term.

    If you are are a Tory government who doesn't want the big realignment to happen on your watch, this is the only thing left to do, and it has the added benefit of putting downward pressure on wages -- yay structural unemployment! It's all win.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Field Theory: The Sevens: Parts 1 & 2,

    My next band is going to be called Bad Smurf Experience.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Field Theory: The Sevens: Parts 1 & 2,

    (For the record, it was nitrous. That's what's in those little grey cylinders, yes?)

    I'm sure if some other bugger had been, er, smurfed and I didn't see it, I wouldn't have any qualms at all. I guess I'm sensitive.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Field Theory: The Sevens: Parts 1 & 2,

    I'm torn about this.

    On the one hand, I approve of the chaotic, democratic nature of the thing. Compare with the Cuba St Carnival, a wonderful event, but one where the spectacle is very well organised and the role of the crowd is largely to watch, whereas with the Sevens, the spectacle IS the crowd, doing whatever it wants. I have half a mind to insert some subversive entertainment of my own into it next year -- who could object? It's not like there are any rules or anything. Now that's carnival, Saturnalia even.

    On the other hand I had a unpleasant couple of encounters with members of said crowd on Saturday (afternoon, broad daylight) where only the knowledge that it would start a brawl and I would end up pulped stopped me from planting someone who was literally pleading with me to fight him. Which kind of took the edge off my benevolent feelings towards humanity.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

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