NX-Files

 
As a centre-right, classic lib kinda guy I'm neither a Sarah Palin supporter nor detractor. 
 
However, my opinion of her has changed somewhat after watching her Tucson response video on her Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/SarahPalinAK.
 
She will never be president.  It's not that I didn't agree with what she said, it's that it didn't need to be said.  Plus her delivery was frankly, weird. 
 
Sarah Palin does have an important role to play for the Republican Party though: to act as a lightening rod for left-wing critics.  The hysteria she manages to extract from holier than thou left-wingers is actually very unappealing to the general public and works in the Republican Party's favour.  She is, after all, a likeable and attractive mother of five children.
 
 

 
TheStandard.org.nz is not a political forum, but an eco chamber for loony left.  I've been commenting there recently.
David Farrar knows well enough to not engage TheStandard.org.nz in political debate because doing so is like pushing the preverbal up hill. 
 
Recently the blog has been particularly toxic.  Today they defend the brutal Somali pirates & yesterday they claimed Jared Lee Loughner carried out his shooting in Tucson because he's a member of the Tea Party.  Even if he was a Tea Party member (which he's not), he is first and foremost a complete nut.
 
But I must resist the urge to comment because it's pointless.
 
While the blog may act as a rallying call for the far left loonies (which is their objective I suspect), it's actually detrimental to the moderate centre-left.  And they're only going to get shriller in election year.  So keep it up TheStandard.org.nz.  The average punter will feel comparatively right-wing after they contrasting their views with TheStandard.org.nz & will run into the arms of the Nats. 



 

 
TheStandard.org.nz are very encouraged by the Horizon Poll, which shows the Nats down by about 10% compared to other polls (40%).  The Horizon Poll differs from other polls by including undecided voters.
 
As a political layman it's audacious of me to think I can challenge TheStandard.org.nz's political analyse.  After all many of the authors have worked in parliament before so you'd think they'd be on a higher plane of political thought. 
But here goes - I think the TheStandard.org.nz's analyse is wrong for the following reasons:
 

1. Voter turn out is ~80% mark.  I don't have any evidence but I suspect the majority of the ~20% whom don't vote are undecided. 

2. The Greens almost always poll higher than their election result indicating a high proportion of non-voters are in fact Green.  The other explanation is that people tell pollsters they'll vote Green because it gives them a fuzzy, warm feeling while ticking the blue or red box at the ballet. 

3. The TVNZ and TV3 polls weren't too far off the mark at the last election so should be given prominence over the newbie Horizon Poll.

4. I know there is bad blood between Winston Peters & some of the Nats, but it's rather presumptuous to presume that Winston would pick an unpopular Mr Goff to form a government over the popular Mr Key.  In fact Peter's formbook shows he takes the path of less resistance.

5. The Horizon Poll maybe actually good for the Nats because it helps to prevent complacency in the centre-right camp.  Also, the prospect of a Goff-Peters govt may scare centre-left voters into the arms of the moderate Mr Key.
 

 

"I am NOT the prime minister. I am a dude from America, who is more awesome
than the prime minister".

If you ever needed a reminder of Helen Clark's political brand – listen to the interview linked below.
 
She ducks and dives Kathryn Ryan's questions complete with trademark simulated laugh. 
 

http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20101222-0908-WikiLeaks_cables-048.mp3

Most people have an email address for both services, but will select one for their personal primary email/calendar service.

1. Google calendar. Probably my most used Google product has screwed-up on multiple occasions. It screwed up all my reoccurring birthday events. Ical feeds from third parties are continually having problems because Google keeps fiddling with their code.

2. Google login. It's invasive & logs everything you do. I don't like that predictive search thing. And I don't like the 'tailored' adds. It creeps me out, so I always make a point of signing out. Every second website I visit asks for my Google login. No thanks.

3. Google Wave and Google Buzz – both were forced on us, & both have bombed out.

4. Google's battle with Facebook. While it's fun to watch, it's ultimately detrimental to Google because Facebook pwns Google as a social network.