Posts by Ben Austin
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I've purchased two pre-pay cards as well - no checking on either account, one of which was Orange.
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There used to be an on again/off again policy of logging all cellphone purchases at a retailer I used to work for at university - name/address/phone number/IMEI number etc. I assume they provided that information to Vodafone but who really knows
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I must admit there are superficial attractions to a tax cut led propping up of consumption, if purely for the fact that this is the kind of world I've been living in as an adult. I can just remember what it was like before that, as a child in a drought struck rural area on East Coast of the South Island, and that kind of sucked. I can only imagine what it was like for the adults. Although perhaps I'll soon find out.
I think it is only during the onset of a recession you really begin to see the attractions of short termist populist measures. Playing the long term game is painful and hard work
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It will be interesting to see if the National ID programme ever gets properly implemented. Seems ripe for some sort of populist "lolsorry" move during these uncertain times*. At so I hope, as I need renew my visa mid next year.
Besides of which, there isn't really a culture of ID demanding here yet though, I remember when I voted in local body elections earlier in the year, I tried to show my passport, but they laughed me off with a "maybe in NZ you need to show ID to vote, here you just need a card we post to you".
*Or maybe not, this is Gordon 42 Days Detention Brown
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I buy far more paper newspapers now than I think I ever have in the past. However that is probably more due to moving to a media market with loads of alternatives and having exchanged a brisk walk to work with a medium length train commute.
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I do remember asking Hodgson a question after a meeting on campus during the 99 campaign in Dunedin (dammed if I remember what it was about), but his manner left a lot to be desired and we were left with an overwhelming sense of having just met an unhelpful jerk. He certainly lost any chance at my vote over the incident
He might well be quite personable in a time of less stress or pressure but since I no longer live in Dunedin North I don't really care to find out.
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Simon, that is a rather worrying comment - how is it playing out in Bali so far?
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I was at a Halloween party in London last night where there was a Palin/McCain duo. Needless to say they were very popular and there are no doubt many photos of them floating about the internet now.
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I did the quiz but the results in no way reflect who I've voted for (hurrah for overseas voting), however that is probably because I took the poll as reflecting general sympathies rather than how I determine who to vote for. Fun all the same though
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I used Bank's whisky travel book when I was in Scotland this year - was pretty useful, took me to some slightly out of the way places in the Western Highlands. Plus, his write-up/love-fest for the road trips in that area is very justified.