Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, February 25th, 2009 - 33 comments
For those of you who missed Brian Easton’s recent talk on the recession at Drinking Liberally Wgtn (or just couldn’t hear over the rain) the papers are now up online. It’s fascinating reading, if a little frightening. Part I on the world economy is here, and Part II on the New Zealand economy is here. […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:24 pm, February 23rd, 2009 - 4 comments
Under Patrick’s iron fist, things seem much more organised with DL Wellington. For just about the first time ever, there will be a DL a fortnight after the previous one, as they originally planned. This Thursday, Wellington Central’s new MP, Labour’s Grant Robertson will be speaking. So, if you like Wellington or you like drinking […]
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 pm, February 19th, 2009 - 3 comments
I spent a very fruitful day at webstock in Wellington today listening to some heavy hitters from the US and UK talk about what makes good social media. For those of you who don’t know it, webstock is a movement/event based on the idea that the web is a tool of democratisation and community. Sort […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, February 18th, 2009 - 4 comments
Drinking Liberally Christchurch has its first meeting of the new year on March 5, with political commentator and academic Therese Arsenau to speak. She had some interesting perspectives on what the Left needed to do during the campaign and I’m sure she will have some comments on what the Left needs to do now. As […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, February 12th, 2009 - 3 comments
Just got an email through from the team at DL Wellington confirming that tonight’s event with Brian Easton is on despite the rain and will be under cover so you won’t get wet. Brian Easton is one of our leading left-wing economists and his talk will look at what can be done as NZ enters […]
Written By: - Date published: 7:14 pm, February 11th, 2009 - 26 comments
Opensource. Free. Cool.
Written By: - Date published: 4:04 pm, February 11th, 2009 - 88 comments
I was going through some of my 2008 files yesterday and got a sudden reminder of just how nuts the right was getting toward the end: It got me thinking about all the other crazy shit that was going on last year and prior to it. the truck “strike”, the insane advertising the EMA did […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, February 8th, 2009 - 39 comments
When John Key was elected he was wise enough to be magnanimous in victory, acknowledging Helen Clark’s considerable skill and integrity throughout her term as one of our longest serving Prime Ministers. Since that time however, Key’s underlings have begun another death by a thousands cuts campaign – this time on the public’s memory and […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 pm, February 7th, 2009 - 24 comments
The Sunday Star Times will probably have an article out tomorrow about the possible nomination of Helen Clark to the position of head of the UN Development Programme. David P Farrar over at Kiwiblog leaked the story this afternoon. The position came up at short notice. As Helen put it in a txt (I asked) […]
Written By: - Date published: 5:17 pm, February 6th, 2009 - 59 comments
Just when Farrar had made me happy, as I explain in this post, and had even been quite funny in his retort, he goes and reminds me I should never put anything past him. Today, he’s attacking the welfare system by running a post about a invalid beneficiary who he reckons can’t be an invalid […]
Written By: - Date published: 3:16 pm, February 3rd, 2009 - 7 comments
Drinking Liberally Wellington is back for the new year. Brian Easton, one of our leading left-wing economists, is speaking. Doubtless, he’ll have some insights on our current economic crisis. And, it’s not just a chance to hear Brian. It’s also a chance to get together and talk about how we’re going to keep this government […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, January 31st, 2009 - 55 comments
Nicked from the Hand Mirror, who got the story from No Right Turn – hattips all round: Next week Iceland’s going to get not only it’s first female Prime Minister, but also the first openly homosexual leader in the world. And apparently the Icelanders are surprised that other people think this is a big deal. […]
Written By: - Date published: 7:47 am, January 29th, 2009 - 3 comments
Danyl at The Dim-Post has been indulging in his favored pastime again – satire. In this case Cabinet expresses concern over missing PM is about John Key going missing all of the time. Danyl compares him to a pooch avoiding something… Finance Minister Bill English has accepted responsibility for his leader’s absence. ‘I usually let […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, January 23rd, 2009 - 18 comments
Staying with today’s wages theme, The Herald is reporting: “Mr Key would not rule out pay cuts for public servants in the next three years”. So will Mr Key be ringing the Herald’s editor, demanding a retraction and threatening Audrey Young for writing the article? This is after all what Key did last year when […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, January 23rd, 2009 - Comments Off on Obama implements pay freeze for some aides
President Obama has announced his intention to institute a pay freeze on the salaries of senior White House aides earning over $US100,000. He says “public service is a privilege, it’s not about advancing yourself”. I think it is significant that he has implemented this for those at the upper end of the payscale, rather than across […]
Written By: - Date published: 3:39 pm, January 20th, 2009 - 39 comments
Reports from Hawkes’ Bay confirm that the Exclusive Brethren broke its rule against voting to ensure a National/ACT victory last year. The Exclusive Brethren regards the last of us ‘worldly’ types as sinful heathens destined for hell, so they try to avoid us by living in compounds, running their own schools, and not participating in activities […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:01 pm, January 19th, 2009 - 49 comments
I remember feeling sick to my stomach as the media childishly replayed Clark’s fall, particularly the morning Paul Henry sat there pissing himself and demanding to see it time after time. So, I won’t be a hypocrite and have a go at Key’s trip. That said, one can’t help but note John Key has made […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:02 pm, January 12th, 2009 - 10 comments
An interesting article from the Sydney Morning Herald: THE NSW Opposition has pledged to end the “law and order auction” in a dramatic break with the tradition of promising to increase punishments and fill jails that has characterised every state election campaign since 1988. The Coalition’s justice spokesman, Greg Smith, who entered Parliament in 2007 […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:02 pm, December 22nd, 2008 - 16 comments
Retailers are whining and the Herald has taken on the role of nanny-state, telling us it is our social responsibility but more stuff and to take on more consumer debt. It’s called economics, apparently. So, get out there and spend, people. What are you, socialists? Anyhoo, that’s pretty much me for the year. We’re going […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, December 21st, 2008 - 27 comments
The intersection of The Terrace and Salamanca Rd is the best graffiti spot in Wellington – big bare concrete wall, huge audience. For several months, ‘Kiwibank – gone by lunchtime’ has been written in large letters on the concrete wall. Recently ‘and National too’ was added below, and, then, a stencil of a police officer […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:49 pm, December 13th, 2008 - 14 comments
I’ve actually had time to start reading blogs again. As some people are probably aware (mostly the climate change deniers), my first degree was in science. Now while some people seem to think that business is what makes the world work, this isn’t correct. It is the science and its derived sister, technology, are what […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, December 10th, 2008 - 26 comments
No Right Turn points out in What’s in the urgency motion? exactly how much of shambles the NACT government is. At present they are busy ramming through legislation that has no titles, that hasn’t been drafted or presented to politicians to read, and they don’t even have an order paper. What exactly have this pack […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, December 3rd, 2008 - 4 comments
Matthew Hooton calls Drinking Liberally ‘a trendy leftie clique’. Well, I’m not sure I would agree with mad Matt on the ‘clique’ bit, four chapters around the country with as many as a hundred people coming along to events seems a bit bigger than a clique, but it sure is getting trendy. The latest chapter […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:05 am, November 30th, 2008 - 41 comments
I’ve added two front-end features to the site. Automatic comment closing and a WSIWYG comment editor. Comments get automatically closed on posts older than 30 days, unless that the post remains quite active. It displays like The main reason for this update is because a common troll tactic recently has been to drop comments into […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 pm, November 26th, 2008 - 24 comments
Seems the commentators are definately picking local government as one of the issues to watch in terms of how the new Nationaladministration handles MMP politics (and how the opposition parties handle it as well I guess). Gordon Campbell notes: Giving the local government portfolio to Rodney Hide creates some management challenges for John Key. Can […]
Written By: - Date published: 3:55 pm, November 26th, 2008 - 23 comments
The results are in from the NZ Post-sponsored Kids Voting project, and while it’s a worthy project it nonetheless shows why we don’t allow children the franchise. More than 13,000 school students nationwide took part in the project aimed at encouraging kids to take an interest in our democracy. The resulting Parliament had Labour and […]
Written By: - Date published: 6:27 pm, November 23rd, 2008 - 55 comments
54,982 votes, 2.3% of the total. That was difference in the election. If Labour had lost 55,000 fewer votes to National (it lost 142.966 in total, while voter numbers grew 69,000) then a Labour (47), Green (9), Progressive (1), Maori (5) government would have been possible, a more natural and stable government than one that […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:27 pm, November 22nd, 2008 - 69 comments
The official count, including specials has been released. The Greens have picked up another seat on specials at National’s cost. Kennedy Graham will be the Greens’ ninth MP. Along with Kevin Hague, Graham brings both intellectual heft and a more ‘mainstream’ face to the Greens. Great news. Labour was just 39 votes short of picking […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, November 22nd, 2008 - 21 comments
I always love reading the 100 Word Blog. So few words and such a high degree of clarity. Richard has surpassed himself with this post. All I can say is ouch!, ask to reproduce it, and extend its readership. It is quoted below in full as per usual. Minnow Party post election round up While […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, November 21st, 2008 - 8 comments
Labour’s bright new star and youngest MP, Jacinda Arden will be speaking at Drinking Liberally Palmerston North next Friday (I’ll do a reminder closer to the time). Jacinda was fantastic at Backbenches on Wednesday, so if you’re in the Palmerston North area, I recommend you get along to see her. More than a chance to […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, November 19th, 2008 - 30 comments
The Wellingtonista has a cool post up with a breakdown of Left vs Right voting patterns in Wellington this election. The map above shows party vote on a booth by booth level. The blue bloc represents National, Act and United Future, and the red bloc is Labour, Green and Progressive. NZ First and the Maori […]
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