Posts by Katharine Moody
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OnPoint: Beyond 'a bad look', in reply to Alfie,
Audrey Young somehow manages to repeat the phrase five times in today’s Herald.
The real hilarity in Audrey's article was this para:
Referring to Mr Little as "angry Andrew, Mr Key told reporters the public would not take Mr Little seriously while he was "just bashing out slogans" and not coming up with policy.
JK complaing about someone else "bashing out slogans" - surely it must be the next Tui ad.
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OnPoint: Beyond 'a bad look', in reply to tussock,
Because are they really hungry?
Very poignant indeed. Sadly, I've heard this argument, or inferences likewise, put up and reported so many times, we almost detach ourselves from the actual cruelty of the question.
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Hard News: Dirty Politics, in reply to Hilary Stace,
Hadn't seen it - thanks for the link.
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OnPoint: Beyond 'a bad look', in reply to izogi,
You are so right - there are umpteen examples of JK usurping experts (or in the above case disingenuously conflating scientific method with legal representation).
In fact, I'm lecturing undergrad science students today and I use that interview as the best example I know of the politicization of science.
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Hard News: Synthetic cannabis: it just…, in reply to Joe Wylie,
Oh for fuck’s sake.Seriously, what does this kind of dehumanising drivel serve beyond big-noting your own sense of moral superiority?
And bad spelling. It's alcohol, Rosemary.
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OnPoint: Beyond 'a bad look', in reply to Russell Brown,
And additionally they fill that vacuum with John Key himself, in this country. It's been coined the 'Minister of everything' effect, but it's more than that. He has become the journalistic substitute for seeking out actual experts on highly technical/regulatory matters.
For example, following the 10 road deaths this past weekend, I heard him give an opinion about speed limits (defending the need to keep 100kph on our open roads), which was subsequently inserted into a "news item" on the matter. This is a big problem with this PM - he'll comment on any topic (regardless of the level of his actual scientific/factual understanding) and the media at large, seek no further comment. We are fed a diet of the world according to John Key's opinion based on nothing other than the fact that he's happy to usurp experts. Road safety is an objective science - and the PM is neither objective, nor scientific.
Total media fail.
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Hard News: Synthetic cannabis: it just…, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
Taxes on alchohol come no where near to contributing to the costs.It’d be the same if dope was decriminalised.
But the same cannot be said of tax on tobacco. A Treasury paper of some years ago (when the Maori Party was pushing for the three-year series on tobacco tax rises that have now been almost fully implemented) said at the time the health costs associated with tobacco consumption were already (at that time) more than met through the existing excise tax collected.
If there is a will – there is a way (and a way to over-penalise, if there are thought to be other considerations beyond cost-recovery).
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Capture: Aurora Australis, in reply to Ross Mason,
What a lovely 'just me and the heavens' moment that would have been.
Agree with everyone - big thanks to the photographers for sharing.
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Hard News: Dirty Politics, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
Well, in the context of the leader board - the website administrator is IMO doing a disservice to the concept of social capital. This is the first big statement/study on it in the US;
There are two types of social capital (in theory) - bonding and bridging capital. The Student Army being an example of bonding capital that arose out of the EQ disaster - and subsequently bridging capital was observed when the Farmy Army and other social/voluntary organisations joined together under one administrative/action collective.
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Hard News: Dirty Politics, in reply to simon g,
For goodness sake. Will the adults working in JK's office please stand up? Sheesh.