the left reckoner

facebook and brand awareness

2011-07-24T18:39:00.002+12:00

Brand awareness is the measure of the task ahead, or at least it is according to the advertiser's vernacular. Strong brand awareness makes for an easy campaign, often less creative and more traditional, because the task is essentially assured. The real work would be in stuffing it all up.By contrast, weak brand awareness makes for a hard slog. In addition to selling a product you're charged

the theme du jour

2011-06-20T19:20:00.005+12:00

This was emailed through from a source of my own...Most self-respecting, right-wing bloggers are reassuring themselves about Labour's key falability this year: that the party is somehow unfit to govern. In fairness, this is a view perhaps not altogether countered by the efficiency of the Labour machine to date; the party's poor online security perhaps the most recent example of a public blooper,

Wiki leaks?

2011-06-13T13:17:00.004+12:00

(Update: I've linked to some better blogs than mine below, and there are some relevant post scripts included for your amusement.)On Sunday, the Herald reported a "major security lapse" by Labour had leaked "top secret political information" to prominent, right-wing bloggers and activists. On the same day, the minutes of a Labour North meeting surfaced. They apparently proved Labour was planning

an anti-australian rant.

2011-04-11T14:39:00.002+12:00

It has been interesting reading the conceited tone of political commentary in New Zealand. The media, having long ago predicted John Key will return triumphant in November, can't for the life of them come to terms with any other possibility. Consequently, Phil Goff has been lampooned, pilloried, and just generally spoken of between gritted teeth.It's all so transparent. This government's plans

the truth and other things (why simon power really left)

2011-03-07T20:50:00.006+13:00

It's time to begin thinking about a government without John Key. Not because he's likely to be out of a job come November 27th, the day after Kiwis go to the polls, but because National and John have a vision far exceeding his time at the top, and at least another three years to implement it. First things first, John Key will emerge on the 27th with sufficient numbers to form a government. He

the maurice factor

2010-12-23T13:11:00.004+13:00

Maurice Williamson is a capable minister in this National-led government, or at least that's what his press secretary will tell you. He's the minister responsible for fronting up and placating New Zealand's few capable television reporters from asking questions about leaky homes. In fact, he is so respected by his peers that he's deliberately placed outside of Cabinet, surely a bit of an

kabal talk - nz soldiers sent to iraq in exchange for oil-for-food contracts

2010-12-20T19:22:00.004+13:00

Last week's prediction that the WikiLeaks release of US diplomatic cables was more a ripple than anything else has exposed me as a lightweight. It was perhaps a little premature to speak in such definite terms. My bad - mea culpa.The day following my post saw the Herald - one of our country's more established broadsheets -release a significant number of cables it had received. Journalists

kiwi kabals

2010-12-18T14:42:00.003+13:00

19 Dec 2010 UPDATE: As if on cue, the Herald has released a series of diplomatic communiques that, on the face of it at least, are controversial. Whether they're controversial enough to change my overall opinion remains to be seen, but reading them will no doubt provide plenty of op-ed and confirm the suspicions of some conspiracy theorists.Poor Bradley Manning, I knew him

don't worry frodo, your ring's safe wit'us.

2010-10-27T19:39:00.003+13:00

Tonight, there'll be some very happy Hollywood-ites dining - probably at the taxpayer's expense - and wining themselves silly before tomorrow's red eye back home. I doubt the assembled executives will have ever encountered anything quite like this before. Don't get me wrong, they'll be well versed winers and diners, but I wouldn't have thought they'd have ever experienced the kind of hysteria

legislating society

2010-07-23T19:59:00.004+12:00

Something's had me chewing the end of my pencil lately, partly brought about because of my job. I've spent a bit of time thinking about the way we moderate ourselves as people; the laws we invoke to regulate and control our lives; the standards by which we judge others and ourselves.There's been a little in New Zealand's mainstream media recently about abortion, the political equivalent of a

mac world

2010-07-03T20:52:00.002+12:00

Swedish readers will be pleased to note that I am now a member of the Mac generation. What took me so long?Setting up the newest member of the family was dead simple. It's intuitive. The instructions are clear, simple & relevant. It was a pleasure. I almost wet myself when I discovered the "MagSafe" - the laptop's connection to its power adaptor. It's magnetic... Magnetic!The battery

lost paradise

2010-06-06T00:52:00.003+12:00

It's 2005. Helen Clark is prime minister, Pete Hodgson her Minister of Land Information, and a few Maori at Mahia are pissed off; Pissed off because developers are clearing trees and beaches in preparation for a handful of new homes. And a documentary crew follow these - and other - events against a backdrop of opposition to foreign ownership of Kiwi land.The Last Resort shows up all sorts of

män som hatar kvinnor

2010-05-16T21:22:00.002+12:00