One year old today

One year and 254 posts ago this blog began:

The intention is to convey ideas, provoke debate, provide a forum for discussion and irritate people and institutions that deserve to be so disturbed, always with a view to reform and advancement of ourselves, our society, our state, and our world. Kia ora.

I would like to think that original mandate has been faithfully executed and that it will continue.

And I don't quite know how to put this, but it started because I couldn't make a comment on the conservative right wing anti-Public Address (at that time) unless I had a blog. And I felt compelled to put them right on Iraq. You see I had to have a blog - they forced me to participate. And in doing so found that with them, as with others, I had at least some elements of ideological overlap along with the usual concern/contempt for the MSM. It is amazing the hypocrisy, lies, cover-ups and routine scandals that bloggers have brought to our attention that the MSM have either neglected to report or have in fact created by their poor standards.

After a few exchanges bloggers seem to know which topics are fruitless pursuing through the comments section and so things have settled down to the point of co-existence, co-operation and even centrism.

There have been many highlights, many solid posts, many choice observations as well as the frivilous and non-starters. The betting odds with the election date and then the election result was great fun - many bloggers were good enough sports to put their cred on the line - it was a very worthwhile project. Oh, and I got it right and Centrebet et al got it wrong. I was immeasurably pleased to have bet the big boys at their own game.

Continuous improvement in the format has been noticeable since December and other moves involving other people are in the preparatory stage. Mr Bradbury has assisted occassionally in his own orthodoxly/conspiratorially leftist way with content and I thank him for adding that balance.

I tried to run some best posts of 2005 in January and found there was far more than I had expected. So apart from the list below I'll leave you with my most useful contribution to date:

Philisophically Made has been posing many a soul-searching, life-the-universe-and-everything questions recently and in particular what the point of a blog is, exactly. I gave them my definition:

"The least popular people using the widest possible medium to convey the most unfounded ideas to the smallest possible audience for the minutist of effects."

Give, or take, that's pretty much it really.

Best book review/insult to Russell Brown's professionalism: Brown's land of the light weight crowd

Best first warning: Don't Panic!

Best second warning: "A rapid and substantial market-led exchange rate depreciation" esp. 12:30am 7 Sept.
Just passed the US$0.71c barrier in trading- buy US$ now with your Kiwi - it won't be much more affordable than this. Esp. in oil futures. Kiwi buys €0.57c is at the moment that's also too high.

Most heart-warming comment: "...we owe you big favour, and we got it on our mind to do good to you, because we, well one of the fascist bros make four thousand dollar on your previous recommendation about the ‘Rapid sudden decline of the $NZ”, and sure enough, probably your classical economic outlook which put you so firmly in the center..."

Best David Slack impersonation: If NZ history was 24 hours in a flat

Best Idiot/Savant impersonation: Secret government and their agents

Best Herald-bashing: Junior Dumb Pratt Award Winner Announced

Best trashing of a Sunday Star-Times editor/scooping of Russell Brown: Credibility divide

Best TV review: Gormsby show 7 periods too long

Most uptight immigration critique: On the language of immigration esp: "I don't so much see the river Tiber frothing with much blood as a squat tiolet down which we are flushing our heritage and future."

Worst call: Goff: September poll! "3:17pm today, Parliament. Phil Goff has just said "When the electorate goes to the polls in September." Bullshit. I give the odds on that at 5-1."

Best post title about an embattled Labour Minister (current): Thai to foul up Field (Taito Philip Field)

Best post title about an embattled Labour Minister (former): Exit, stooge left (Dame Ann Hercus)

Only meme I know I definitely started: Why did the chicken cross the road?
UPDATE: And possibly this one ?. The timing and content is spooky.

Most practical republican ideaConstitutional convention blog: new agenda

Most so-crazy-it-just-might-work idea: Public Holidays Reform (Transition to Republic) Act 2005

Best bureaucratic accountability (individuals): Labour's home to Dr Cock-up

Best bureaucratic accountability (departmental): Time to cut the M-FAT

Best sarcasm: Are Exclusive Brethren "mainstream," Dr Brash? Really? A fringe group of control-freak, wife-abusing, bible-bashing, pathologically insecure white men are linked to the National party? You don't say.

Most short-lived satisfaction: He was a skater boy - I said, "See you later, boy." esp. On Nandor failing to get back: good fucking job - the lazy, complacent bastard... Maybe he'll get his act together now, or retreat entirely, he's going to have to think about that because, Nandor:
You're fired!

Best public service/petition to Governor-General: 18 November - Confiscation Day

Most uncharacteristic restraint (obituary): Lange: The reason I wrote ill of you, from time to time, was because you could never live up to the high expectations you had made it possible to believe in.

Best silly season post: Queen Street: Is it really about the trees?

Best post with documents the Crown claim are seditious: Solipsism redefined/Does anyone care?

Best use of Ben Thomas: Of Muslim mobs, the NZ Herald and the student press

Best avoidence of running "those Danish cartoons": Islamo-facetious

Best use of an old Maori proverb: Fuck you - pay me: Loose bitches need short leashes.