"We're only here," says Russell Brown, editor of Planet, at 32 the father of two and no longer a youth, "because of new technology. And a sense of community."
The potential of this new technology is such that Brown expects to have portions of Planet available "on-line" within a year, giving computer users access to sections of the magazine on-screen through Internet, an information superhighway with an estimated 40 million patrons. One day, he would like to move into CD-ROM technology, allowing Planet punters not only to read about music but to listen to it and even to watch video extracts on screen.
From Computers, Coffee, Contacts - an article in the October 1994 issue of Metro by Andrew Heal. You will note not only Mr Brown's prescience but also the correct form for the word Internet.
In other news, the Fundy Post is now two years old.
Nothing would happen to them, because they would not be allowed to be a part of our society. Homosexuals, like Marxists and other undesirable elements whose lifestyles or beliefs are unnatural or contravene the goals of our community, will not be permitted to reside within the borders of this new nation. We don’t care where they go, but they will have to leave.
As reported by the 100 word blog, the National Front are back; and they are new and improved.
Meanwhile, the National Democrats seem to have sold out.
A reader from Morningside (an area of Auckland which contains at least two Fundy Post readers and therefore could be considered a demographic cluster for this blog) draws my attention to the latest utterance from Owen McShane, prompting the question "why does the Herald publish this crap?"
Mr McShane's intent is to to discredit Brian Rudman, one of the few remaining Herald commentators inhabiting a mental space this side of barking, for his opinions about climate change. Mr Rudman made the modest suggestion that it is hardly necessary for Parliament to revisit the emissions trading scheme, given that the scientific questions are settled. Not so, says Mr McShane. You see, global sea-level rises are no more than a statistical artifact, an offing that does not apply in New Zealand, where tectonic plate and earthquake movements (apparently, these are not the same thing) are more important. What's more, "local sea levels are falling rather than rising."
Now, correct me if I am wrong, but does not the world 'global' mean global? And does not water always find its own level? Allowing for the differences caused by tidal pulls, is it not the case that, if sea levels are rising, they are doing so everywhere? What I mean to say, if I have not made myself clear, is that all the seas are connected and that any increase in the amount of sea will be distributed throughout the seas. Of course, I may be wrong; I am but an humble architectural historian. But something tells me, something connected with those school science experiments with beakers of water, that Mr McShane is talking bollocks again.
Or do local conditions mean that New Zealand is exempt from global changes, that our local conditions mean we can continue to have beaches and baches while the rest of the planet drowns? This is an important question, particularly if the Maori Party wants Parliament to revisit the Foreshore and Seabed legislation. After all, if global conditions prevail, there may be a lot less Foreshore and a lot more Seabed before too long. However, if Mr McShane is correct, we will still have a lot of coast to argue about.
Of course, there is a lot more to Mr McShane's argument than water. He notes that carbon credit trading was invented by Enron. It is important to note in this respect that margarine was invented by order of Napoleon Bonaparte. Moreover, Hedy Lamarr invented frequency hopping.
Mr McShane also notes that the previous Climate Minister relied on the evidence of "a small beltway group that controls climate issues within Niwa, the Royal Society of New Zealand, and most of our country's input into the UN's IPCC;" a small beltway group of climate scientists, that is. The Minister disregarded the evidence of independent climate experts, by which presumably he means such men as the Third Viscount Monckton of Brenchley. Incidentally, I was at Prep School with the 3rd Viscount's younger brother, a fact which almost makes me an independent climate expert.
Given my new-found status, I feel I should report to Mr McShane my own observations of local sea-levels. Although they do fall every day, they always rise again. However, I find I am still unable to answer the question I posed at the beginning of this paper: why does the Herald publish this crap? Perhaps I should ask a critical thinker.
While online viewers watched a police officer prodding the Florida teen to see if he was alive, their chat comments ranged from OMG to LOL.
From Wired, a story of online suicide and its responses, which are less than profound. Meanwhile, Wired also reports the macabre case of a teenager driven to suicide, by adults.
John has managed to reiterate the importance of global free trade and not re-implementing restrictions because of the global downturn. He is meeting leaders as the new prime minister of New Zealand and trying to seal some relationships. New Zealand is a fairly small fish in the scheme of things although we have always had a reputation for being able to punch above our own weight on the world stage, take sports for instance.
You can't blame John for being enthusiastic in shaking George Bush's hand, he was one of the most powerful figures in the world. He is networking and that's what it is all about, pressing palms. Like they say, much business has been done on the golf course. Networking is the key !
New Zealand Herald readers comment, in a feast of mixed metaphors.
I went to National's website today, to try to find out more about Cam Calder, the man who was a list MP for a week, before the counting of the specials gave the Greens one more seat and National one fewer. I obtained this result, a page that can be read in so many different ways.
The truth about Dr Calder can be found on Te Waha Nui. He's a dentist, you know.
Sorry about the lack of blog this week. I have been busy marking exam scripts and discussing chickens and other matters with Giovanni, for whom I bring Monty Python:
Thirty miles to the north, in Salt Lake City, adherents of a religion called Summum gather in a wood and metal pyramid hard by Interstate 15 to meditate on their Seven Aphorisms, fortified by an alcoholic sacramental nectar they produce and surrounded by mummified animals.
"It's just their supplier, Pete. And his number one chick. And a new guy looking for kicks. Forget it, man and get with the countdown. Shake this square world and blast off for kicksville."
From Cracked, via my Facebook Friend Brad Schmidt, some public service announcements.
Yes, the public may one day come to rue the change they sought on Saturday. But if and when they do, there is no guarantee that a paternalistic Labour would be the only, or best source of relief. The Greens, now that they are finally free from any structural ties to Labour, will be trying hard to supplant them as the most effective opposition party on the left. On industrial relations and beneficiary issues, the Greens have already been making much of the running in recent years. If Labour remains intent on projecting a kinder, more efficient brand of centrism, they could well be overtaken significantly on their left - and the risk will be increased if Act does manage to pull National further to the right.
So says Gordon Campbell on Scoop, which apart from providing some of the best commentary on the Election, seems to be the only news outlet on the web still taking an interest. After a brief flirtation with serious stuff, the Herald has now returned to questions such as whether Lindsay Lohan is a lesbian.
