LABOURS BACKROOM DEAL - NO MANA IN THAT

We have been a little busy lately and haven't blogged much. However Whale has the best yarn today - apart from the quake stuff.. Seems he has established what was previously only speculation. Kris Faafoi has been anointed by Goff. We haven't had a lot do with Faafoi but Busted Blonde did meet him one dark and terrible night. The cast included the Press Gallery , a Minister and some other media and PR people.. Everyone was a lidddle bit tired and emotional.

There was a lot of shouting and stuff. And Busted's date for the night was in his mobility scooter.

She says she will never forget what Faafoi said that night. Etched on the big Blondes memory forever.

GILLARD HAS A WINNY FOR COMPANY

Gillard has her gov but its only cobbled together with support from two independent MP's and it was Oakeshott who gave her the last nod that took her over the line. However his speech will go down in history as one of the great public wankfests of all time.Everyone in New Zealand is already wondering if the ugly prick is related to Winston Peters. Both are huge narcissists.

RIVER DEEP

The river on the back boundary is the highest we have seen it. In the forground is the fence. and one would get a very wet bum if one lounged in the hammock.

WAIRARAPA TRAIN - COLD

There is no power on the Wairarapa Train this morning.. Its the third time in less that three weeks that we have had no generator on the train - that means no heating and only emergency lights and it always happens on really cold crap mornings.

However we reckon that being on a cold train is infinitely more bearable than living in a mangled Christchurch.. So we start our day grateful and thinking what we can best do for the stricken mainlanders.

"Motella" - News, Views and Politics of New Zealand's Motel Industry: LIVE Twitter Feed of Christchurch Quake

"Motella" - News, Views and Politics of New Zealand's Motel Industry: LIVE Twitter Feed of Christchurch Quake

RNZ EPIC FAIL

Actually the whole of the NZ media has fallen a bit short on the Christchurch earthquake.

We first realised something was up when we got a message from Cactus Kate. She lives in Hong Kong. It was about 5.30am.

So we turned on the TV ( we dont have Sky) TVNZ - nothing - TV3 - nothing. Turned on RNZ and they were still running a kids programme. The TV stations and most radio stations are now pushing out info but not RNZ. It is woeful.

RNZ did a special morning report with Mary Wilson and Kim Hill. It is like listening to Decima and Morta - their black delivery was too depressing to listen to. And Wilson does not know how to listen to people. She just knows how to ask people questions - there is a world of difference.

When people dont have power and cellphones become problematic due to the towers being knocked out - good old steam radio is where people will go to get info. So it is important that they continue to push out info.

The Herald started reporting early as did Stuff.

However it was online and especially Twitter that had the quickest most update info and first pics on the event. Soon the media was using the pics and info from Twitter.

It is an extraordinarily fast and organic way to get and spread info.

Hashtags - the search words from which info streams develop on an issue were problematic. The first to get a head of steam was EQNZ. The christchurchquake took a while to get some momentum. There are good and bad reasons for using both tags.

So instead of one key portal to info there are many.

But as we sat, fascinated how the story evolved and how it was handled we learned a little more about the power and the limitations of the online social media community in a major event.

BUSTBLONDE FRATERNISES WITH THE LEFT

We are astounded, Bustedblonde was apparently seen with none other that the cherubic faced pinko unionist Matt McCarten in Auckland yesterday. She has told us that she was quite taken by the strategy maestro and his passion for the cause - the United the Union. He was sporting a little lapel button that said UTU United the Union..

The Dark Prince of lefty politics was in the company of the most popular talkback duo in the country - John Tamihere and Willy Jackson. Dark deeds were being plotted - but maybe thats because they are all Maori fellas.

Anyway. Bustedblonde drank and scoffed with them and undoubtedly increased her already substantial girth. We are expecting that Whale Oil and Cactus will be calling for her expulsion from the VWRC forthwith.

Apparently the three Maori Sopranos are going to be at a very important function this weekend . Lady June, Willys mama is getting her gong from the Guvnor General.

John Banks and Len Brown will be there along with Rodney Hide but apparently Maori MP's have been slow to respond to their invites..

Seems the Urban / tribal Maori bullshit is still alive and well.

BUSTEDBLONDE GOES GLOBAL

OHH my Busted Blonde has been interviewed by Wine Spectator - in the Wine gossip column called Unfiltered..

It has a lovely picture of the Busted One adorned with her Maori Portholes..

cheeky bint...

Update : Peter Salmon has a scholarly dissection of the issue

WINE WRITERS STILL FIZZING OVER VEUVE CLICQUOT SCANDAL

Yip , another writer finds the whole saga quite entertaining...

This time is Anthony Rose... read the Independent's wine writers thoughts here

CACTUS'S BEST YET - SOUTH CANTY FINANCE - READ AND WEEP.

Cactus really should take more time off. Everytime she ceases blogging for the while - she comes back with a show stopper....

Todays marathon effort is about South Canterbury Finance.. Read it.. but set aside some time - its a big fulsome read.

Well done her

BEST FACEBOOK COMMENT OF THE DAY

Mike King So, it took Maori 25 years to get one billion dollars in treaty settlements, yet it only took 25 minutes for Pakeha to get 1.6 billion dollars...? WTF? How does that work?

TEENAGE HELL

A young man is dead after consuming the best part of a bottle of vodka . His parents want to know what happened on the night of his death. In the mix is the son of Auckland Mayor John Banks.

This tragedy will leave an indelible mark on all the kids there that night. John Banks has grounded his son and also got him to take a First aid course so that he can be better prepared for dealing with someone who has a life threatening condition.

It was clear from the Close Up programme last night that John Banks was deeply affected by what had happened.

No doubt there will be those who say that the punishment that Banks has metted out to his son Alex is not enough.

Take for instance this Facedbook exchange

Sumner Burstyn WTF WTF WTF - John Banks grounds his son for egging on another kid to drink so much he then dies. And this is man who might run our city - if he can't manage his family with any true morality how can he run a city?

31 minutes ago · Comment ·

• • 
    

    what was supposed to do? take him out and flog him?

    20 minutes ago · ·
  • 
    

    Sumner Burstyn

    good question - (in addition) take away all his privileges for 6 months (cell phone / internet / computer games). Make him volunteer after school and weekends at the Salvation Army shelter for 12 months. He has contributed in a large way to the death of a friend. If he was driving a car that crashed and killed his friend he would be charged - so why are we so slack about alcohol? And his father seeks rolls that are supposed to be about 'service to his community' and yet we all know his ego drives him to use public office to feather his own nest. And you know this young man has had a very well-feathered nest. And his father wants him to stay in his nest - (which is hardly a punishment for 'connected' youth) while another family has lost their son. Like father like son I say - this speaks loud and clear as to the culture and arrogance that informs John Banks and therefore his son.

    8 minutes ago ·
  • 
    

    Crap sumner. James webster was very clearly intending to drink himself silly. I remember my past well. The years of yard glasses and lines of tequila. Guilt will be alex banks biggest punishment. And you seem to be saying that just because alex banks is a rich kid that he is worse for it? Where's the logic in that reasoning

Sumner Burstyn I just want to make it clear that one persons choice - Websters choice to drink - does not absolve another persons response - Banks choice to not only do nothing - but to encourage.

8 minutes ago ·

Guilt is a heavy, heavy burden on a young mans shoulders and Banks has done the right thing.

His sons punishment is just,measured and educative .

While there are others who were involved in the death of James Webster , its clear from his texts that he made his own decisions that night.

We have witnessed alcoholic poisoning first hand as a teenager. A chap who downed the best part of a bottle of vodka was quickly taken to hospital. We just knew something was terribly wrong.

So it taught us all that night that alcohol could kill.

We can all say with gravitas and the with the benefit of hindsight that this is a message we need to give to all young people.

Trouble is teenagers are teenagers. They will test boundaries, make mistakes, break rules. All we can do as parents is give them the best of information and guide them them through the toughest of lifes times.