Of Boil Ups and Noble offerings

Charlie  Nobles is a quality addition to an ample serving of great eating houses in Wellington. The occasion was the all too brief visit of the BOIL. A fine friend who works for Big Oil. Hence the nickname. And the  long lunches are, as you would expect, known as Boil Ups.  And damn if we haven't had some fine Boil Ups. It seemed fitting to have this boil up at Charlie Nobles as it was the former HQ of the NZ Rugby Union. And most of the gathered group had worked with or for the NZRFU.
The staff were attentive, welcoming  and fast. Our table was in prime place. Right in front of the open kitchen. The fit out of Charleys is classic and classy bistro and the place fair bustles with the business of sating the diners. We were within an ozone whiff  of  an ice bed of "in the shell " Bluff Oysters. At $6 an oyster they are very pricey. None of us indulged instead opting for starters of breads and dips.
The taramasalata dip was heavenly. As was the rich whipped pate. Knives were keenly scraped inside the jars to seek out the last morsels. Lips and knives were licked clean.
I love flounder so despite the attraction of much on the carnivores dream of meaty selections I opted for the Patiki. It was deep fried in a crispy crumb . So crispy I had to crack it to get at the sticky tender fish. I was worried it was overdone and it was - Just a smidge. I normally ask for my fish to be undercooked. It reduces the chances of a dry offering. Anyway the crispy fish was   very good. Not great but memorable. We drank Dog Point sauvignon and it loosened the chatter from us in an instant.
We talked of our lives and family and food  and politics as we always do.
I left late in the afternoon knowing  two things. Charley Nobles will be a stayer on the Wellington hospitality scene and time and distance do not erode true friendships.
And I'm suspecting  the gang might have to organise a Boil Up in Geneva.
BB score 8/10

INTERNETTING THE DOTTY COMMOS

So WhaleOil busts open another political can of wrigglers. DOTCOMs plans are now public for all to see.

Well sort of. Bradbury has not  written a political strategy as much as he has written a very crap  comms  and engagement plan built round a launch. We don't know what the party will really do apart from fight some issues like the GCSB bill repeal and  that it wants to position itself as a political  kingmaker.

The name "internet party" reminds me of a idea a few IT peeps looked at over 13 years ago. They bought me on board to look at how we could make the idea fly. Basically it was a party where the members would vote on issues on line  and that would give their MP's a mandate issue by issue.

It was a bit before its time as social media, those days was a descriptor of a gossip columns in the local paper. It didn't get off the ground because everyone involved was short of the cash needed to pull it together.

So  maybe Kim  is thinking along similar lines. Not so much a party for the people but a party of the people

It has been interesting listening and watching commentators totally dismissing  the Internet Party. I was talking to a mate today who like me believes that no-one should write off this digital political spawn.

Its because we both see how cynical GenY are. These digital natives distrust everything and they hate most the things  which impinge   on their ability to move around on the net sucking up what the want when they want at the least cost.

The reason  we think the Internet Party has a chance is simple. DotComm literally has a big following on the net - close to 350 thousand on twitter and around 20 thousand on Facebook. He is seen by the GenYers as the man who is fighting against big business,  fighting what they see as Big Brother Governments and fighting for  their freedom in their new digital playground.

Everyday I watch in despair as young smart  men and women,  successful and educated , swear their allegiance to Dotcom.

He is the ante  hero they can identify with, a victim of what they see as  tyranny, a winner,  a master of the digital universe and irreverent. GenY struggles to take anything really seriously unless its something that impinges on what they see as their freedoms. So they revere him .  They see him as the only one who is fighting for their freedom on the net  - the place they are most at home.

DotComm knows how to deploy  the net, and that means he can harness this large group of normally apathetic voters by taking the one election issue they care about  their digital freedom direct to them - And he can talk to them on their smartphones and they can talk to him. Interactive politics has come of age.

While Bradbury may be v keen to be part  Kims party I would doubt that the paper that has been leaked is much more than a ham fisted  touting for some work.

Alistair Thompsons involvement is much more interesting. He does understand the net and his  undisguised admiration for  Dot Comm in the past means it comes as no surprise he  is jumping ship. He sees himself as a fighter for internet freedom . DotCom is his general.

I struggle to see why anyone cannot see that there is a serious possibility that after the next election - Key maybe sitting down thrashing out a coalition with DotCom. Wonder  who will be sweating then?



 

JONES NO JERK.

So its a 3 way race as we predicted. The surprising thing is that Cunliffe has hoodwinked so many people. We thought his narcissistic traits would have put a off a lot of punters.

Jones has never lifted his pedal from the metal. He has shown that he is wily, smart and honest, well as honest as you will get any poly to be.

He deserves to carry the red banner.

50 SHADES OF PAY AND CONFIRM

I  have been watching the Labour leadership battle with a great deal of interest. It is clear Shane Jones is emerging as the peoples prince. He has always been a classy orator in both Maori and English. He appears lazy but that's because he is inherently a very smart man  - intellectually fecund in fact. He was born to rule.

So his time has come - so to speak.

  2 rumours have been circulating the beltway - the first relates to Jones state of health. He  fought off bowel cancer- but the word is that it is back - easy to believe as it seems he is fighting for the top job on the left as  if he has nothing to  lose.

The second relates to his infamous indiscretion - his onanistic play in a lonely hotel room egged on by the frantic coupling of some  pneumatic porn starlets.  His remote decision to pay and confirm resulted in political emasculation for a while but at the time the kumara vine was heavy with the rumour that it was not Shane who had wracked up the porn bills  but a member of his whanau.

He came dangerously close to showing undue favouritism in the Bill Liu scandal. And if there is anything that points to a serious personality flaw then this is it but in this scandal he proved to be as slippery as a coozer covered in KY.

Shanes crime was never about the porn. It was about expecting the taxpayer to foot the bill even if he paid back the charges eventually.

Yet it seems to be the fact he watched porn that dogs him . The irony is that the heavily pornographic novel 50  shades of grey is a world wide best seller. Millions of sticky fingers turned the pages as readers became  engrossed by its scintillating romp in the musky world of slap and tickle. The fine line between pleasure and pain was bolded  in everyday ink.   Now it is to be made into a movie - thus mainstreaming the masterbatory murk.

So Shanes guilty pleasure, if indeed that is what it was, will soon be available at Video Easy for all the aunties to watch.

Labour is such a broad church  encompassing vast differences in the religion of  lefty politics that this race  could well see all three candidates get close to  30 percent of the vote each . And as the factions bow to such very different political idols  - it is unthinkable that either Robertson or Cunliffe will bow out at the 11th hour if it  looks like Jones is gaining too much support. Dogged by Dogma they are.

Jones is the dark war hardened  stallion and knows it. He makes the other two look like braying mules. Hooton says as much today in NBR.

Jones , the peoples prince may yet get his money shot.

KICK EM WHEN THEY'RE UP KICK EM WHEN THEY'RE DOWN

Blogger is still busted, not in a big titted  blond way but in a techy clusterf**ckery way. So this is actually the Brunettte here.

This is about Mallard.. Its a game where you can give him the kicking he deserves.

Make games | Share | Play free online games | User Generated Games @ Pictogame

And as Trev is now an established part of NZ's new media - this one is for him...

PIRATES ON THE HIGH SEAS

The PM has given Greenpeace an overdue serve over their antics on the high seas as Petrobas, the Brazilian Mineral exploration company, has a squizz off the North East coast to see what lies beneath.

Greenpeace are claiming to be worried that Petrobras's exploration could lead to the same issue as BP faced off America.

Actually Greenpeace has worked out that this is a high profile issue and they can sell it worldwide as "big government that doesn't care up against poor natives who worry about their land."

It is such a compelling picture to those who will only get half the story.

Big Govt vs Brown people - it will have hearts bleeding around the planet. Its a media wet dream.

Sadly Te Whanau Apanui cant see that Greenpeace is exploiting them as the poster children for what will build into a world wide campaign. They are just pawns in the Greenpeace money making machine.

Truth is that Te Whanau Apanui have no more rights to the area Petrabas is mining as do Stewart Island Maori or a pakeha in Parnell.

We grew up with the Penrod Drilling rigs in our back yard in the 70's. They moored in Paterson inlet. No environmental damage at all.

There were jobs a plenty and Southlanders to this day are still waiting for the time when the technology catches up with the oil reserves buried deep on the Southern Ocean floor.

We have a personal stake in islands and land dotted around Stewart Island. Rakiura is still the place of our heart. But we would welcome oil exploration off Rakiura in fact we are on the record saying that we need to know what is actually on Stewart Island as well.

Thing is Greenpeace is in the mining game. - Mining the hysterical and the tree lovers emotions to see if they can come up with enough guilt that they can turn into gilt.

Greeenpeace is fully of people who like swanning around on the sea on daring do holidays paid for by poor mis-informed people who thing all big companies and governments are bad.

John Key has signalled he is going to send in the Navy to ensure that Petrobas can go about their business. The Government is in a catch 22 situation. If it does nothing - it risks losing a real opportunity to map the potential resource in the area.

If it does send in the navy it risks the issue going global.

Greenpeace will be laughing all the way to the bank.

What is needed is greater education around just what Petrobas is actually doing.

Our economic future is as insecure as it has probably ever been in our history. We need to know what resources we have. We need to weigh up the opportunities and the risks rationally.We cannot afford to close our eyes to any economic possibilities.

Greenpeace's doe eyed warriors are out on the streets again, wanting people to sign up to their cause. A cause that keeps many people on a permanent holiday. They do not add to economic growth and quite frankly it is very difficult to see just how much of the planet they actually "save."

So no doubt the haters and the wreckers will pepper this blog with crap about how we have never saved a bloody thing. - wrong. Our name is on the Head of Agreement for Rakiura Maori Land that ensured that 3000 ha of Stewart Island was never milled.

We were also instrumental along with many of our kith and kin, to ensure that the ecology of the muttonbird islands are protected for ever.

We have a very strong conservation ethic and have applied it in a practical way.

We have saved lots of shit and we are proud of it.

Greenpeace has little to show for its efforts apart from a lot of noise, considerable media coverage and a shitload of money in the bank. $60 million NZ in fact.

What has it saved in NZ? What has been its impact on the ecology of New Zealand?

The truth is two tenths of feck all.

We are proud to be served by a government that wants to ensure a money making outfit cloaked in faux environmental outrage does not prevent another outfit who are going about their lawful business.

If I was young and carefree, I would love the life of a modern day Greenpeace pirate - the ships are state of the art, you get to be the "good guy" - You get to be housed with a whole heap of other " passionate people" who will share your ideals. You are continually stroked by the Greenpeace mind machine so you feel like a hero. And your board and keep is all paid for and you dont have to worry about shaving your armpits or putting on lippy.

They only down side is you might have to eat a shit load of bean sprouts.

As for the Government response? Go hard. We cannot and should not ever allow activists and indeed terrorists stop people from going about their lawful business.

ELECTION OPENER - KEY ON POINTS.

For those oldies who, after being skinned out by finance companies, are looking for somewhere safe to tuck their savings other than under the kapok, the Government partial asset sales offer a good investment.

THe media initially tried to run the story as a wholesale sell down but its not. It offers ordinary New Zealanders a chance to make a pretty safe investment in the future of New Zealand while the government maintains control.

Thats a "win - win " as they used to say. "Mixed ownership" says John Key and that sums it up nicely.

While the flag ship power and energy companies are in the mix - we would have liked to have seen the net cast wider.

The other upside is that while the SOE's currently have one reasonably demanding shareholder - they can look to a future of more shareholders and with that comes the risks and rewards.

And lets face it the voting punters are going to be turned on by this more than Phil the Dill dying his hair.

So while Goff offers up enhanced individual elegance via the dye pot, offers up an elegant solution that's good for the country and good for Mr and Mrs Zealander.

So

Round 1 of the 2011 election bout:

Phil the Dill vs Pretty Boy Key

UNANIMOUS DECISION ON POINTS to KEY.

SHUCKS

Its interesting to know just who reads the blog sometimes. Yesterday we got a handwritten Xmas card from a Cabinet Minister. It was addressed to Roarprawn. It said we were " a breath of fresh air" and they read us cos they liked to know what we were thinking.

Thanks for that. Its nice to know that someone who is making our country a better place appreciates us.

ROUND UP

Has to be Cactus's almost scholarly take on the finance companies debacle.

Best Column has to be Frans here on her sagely advice to John Key

And Matthew Hooton's excellent take on the unlocked potential of SOE's - as a columnist he is going from strength to strength.

And we were delighted with TransTasmans excellent assessment of Clare Curran. She is an ex PR Hack but according to the literary scribes on the TT team her press releases are incomprensible. Apparently she is loathed by the Labour caucus. If she thinks we are making that up - a question for Clare. Where do you think that TransTasman gets its info? Oh yes thats right - your colleagues! Sucks to be you Clare.

GOFF GOTTA BE OFFED?

That venerable publication Trans Tasman is well known for having the best insiders knowledge on the weird workings of politics. Its annual scorecard is always smack on. The politician who must be the most worried is Goff. He scored lower than King. Now in this annual summary much intel is gathered from within the ranks of the politicians. So its pretty clear that to get such a crap rating that many of Goffs colleagues must have a very dim view of him.

So where will the 17 meet in the next few weeks?

WILL THE 17 HAVE A BUSY WEEK?

Chris Carter reckoned that there were 17 Labour MPs who were keen to replace Goff .

And after Labours woeful showing in Mana we wonder how long it will be before the knives are out and Goff is removed from office. ?

SFO SCF INVESTIGATION IS HOTTING UP

And its NBR that the SFO is after. They want all the transcripts, tapes and documents into the dodgy saga over the ownership of the Hyatt Hotel.

Well done them. Media watchers will be taking a huge interest in how NBR plays this. They need to maintain the protection of their sources. However they are also facing some very heavy penalties if they don't comply with the SFO request for info.

And we reckon that the story clearly indicates that there really was something rotten at the core of SCF.

LESSONS FOR LABOUR

Simple PR lesson for Labour. Ignore Carter. Keep talking about him and you give him something to talk about. And the media are in ecstasy over every hissy spitty comment from either faction. Goff engaging in some puerile swipe at Carter does him no favours - its not the sort of behaviour you would expect to get from a leader.

Obviously he is being very badly advised. He seriously needs a new PR team.

Being ignored would be Carters greatest punishment.

However, we do like Shane Jones comment when asked if he was one of the MP's who was plotting against Goff as Carter had suggested.

Mr Jones expressed disbelief, saying, "I fear that Chris Carter's illness is worse than we expected."

Jones has never lacked for a good turn of phrase.

SPIDERS AND SNAKES

How very, very cool. the final mark of a real bloke. A Prime Minister who is not afraid of spiders - really, really big ugly, bite you -scary as shit and then some - spiders.

So for the best PM ever,

WINE AND MP MATCHES

Today starts an occasional series of Wine and MP matches - based on their personalities.

First up - just because we can - Gerry Brownlee. An earthy wine is needed here. Lots of chocolate and tannins. Perhaps not refined as some but connisseurs will see this wine as having longevity.

So it has to be:

Escarpment Martinborough Pinot noir 2008 described by wine taster Sue courtney as

Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008 ($45) is a 'district' blend, where grapes from several vineyards are combined. The colour is vibrant, the aromas are rich with chocolate and 'fruit of the forest' and the flavours have Martinborough's characteristic earthy depth. It's savoury to the taste with firm tannins, a hint of spice and dark fruit. This alone is top class wine, but it is not the top of the tier.

We think that Gerry would team this up with a lovely venison dish.

Such as this

Juniper Spiced Cervena Venison Chops

4–8 New Zealand Cervena chops 1 cup red wine 2 medium sized red onions 6 juniper berries, crushed 1 cinnamon stick, crumbled 1 dried bay leaf, crumbled thinly pared strip of orange rind olive oil for brushing salt and fresh ground black pepper Place the Cervena venison chops in a large bowl and pour over the wine. Cut the onions in half crosswise and add them to the bowl. Add the juniper berries, cinnamon, bay leaf, and orange rind. Toss well to coat evenly and then cover the bowl and allow to marinate for about an hour, or overnight. Drain the Cervena venison and onions reserving the marinade, brush them with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-hot barbecue for about 8–10 minutes each side, turning once and basting with the marinade. The Cervena venison should still be slightly pink inside. Serves 4 Serves 4.

NO VOTE FOR INMATES

we support Paul Quinns bill to stop inmates from having a right to vote while in jail. However it looks like it needs a bit of a tidy up. Its time wasting and costly to have to revisit badly written bills so its important to get it right the first time.

LISA LEWIS GETS ONE OVER KENNETH VERNON

Yip we predicted it. Lisa Lewis caught another aspiring politician vandalising her election sign. She complained to the police. Got it back and now its up on Trademe for sale.. Well done Lisa.. Vernon - you're the wanker of the week.

CARTERS GOT MONDAYITIS

Well we hope that like all good employees that Chris Carter gets a Doctors note if he is going to be away from his job ( can you here the hyenas laughing in the distance??)

Its what real people have to do.

Poor Phil. Like really. Politics aside - he has had a shit run of luck. And now the pile of treasonous crap is gonna hang around for another few months...

WELL IF YOU NEVER GONNA BE SANTA.....

You can be an elf.. Big News got this pic at the local fair...

Its just plain wrong...

FOR GOFF

Yeah Phil , Helen made the mistakes - you guys were the bloody sheep that obeyed her every command - You contributed to the tyranny .

Sorry might not cut it...