h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

God, I've started posted in so many threads lately I don't know which one you're referring to It was this:

F19585?thread=5864076&post=70326868#p70326868



>>But I think the main problem the Brits have with electoral reform is that they'd have to admit that us Colonials have much more highly-evolved electoral systems.<<

Yes. Although last time I talked to Brits here it seemed more a case of them thinking PR was a European thing. So this part of the world wasn't even on the radar (not much change there then).


We had an infamous FPP election where Marilyn Waring (National MP, although god knows why) crossed the floor on the Nuclear Free NZ issue and brought down the Muldoon govt. That was my intro to politics really, I was only 18. Fantastic way to start.

So, you know, if we were talking about stability... (Muldoon was also infamously drunk at the press conference where he announced the snap election).

Ah, those were the days. Piggy Muldoon being rude about us at every opportunity.

And it seems I was right - Post 10 of the 'What's wrong with...' thread refers to town planners. So at least I know *what* was yikesed on this thread, even if we're still not sure *why*.

I really can't understand why the UK is so attached to FPP. It's a thoroughly inadequate system which effectively disenfranchises half the population, but maybe they like that sort of thing - a feeling of being perpetually ripped off must feed their talent for low-level complaint.

But that's probably enough of being rude about our hosts ( for now). I'm siting here trying to decide how to vote. Greens first, but they only have two candidates. Then Labor - but which ones first? They have the full group of seven available for my bewilderment. So here I sit, with a dilemma.

Now, what's all this about a Nats candidate being caught out saying racist things? Surely it can't be true...

Good luck today... I hope the result is a sensible one.

I did an advance vote yesterday. It was strangely moving, the whole democracy thing. Not really had that before.

I'm feeling oddly cheerful about the whole thing. I hope I'm still feeling that later tonight.

I'll be watching the results with interest. Does MMP take a while to generate the final result? I'm assuming it does, but that there'll be an indication of which parties are dominant before the end of the night.

Yes, there'll be a result of sorts later tonight. It can be hard to tell what the govt will be though. One year the specials gave the Greens an extra MP which changed how the govt was formed I think. The specials take a couple of weeks I think.

And, god forbid, Winston Peters and NZFirst get back in, because Peters has a bad history of not telling anyone for weeks who he'll support in govt There's alot of people hoping NZF are history with this election, mainly because of Peters. He's been our Minister of Foreign Affairs until recently

Yeah, Peters is a conspicuously weird and dopey individual. He could almost be a Queenslander. Surely he's finished this time...

Are there any other notable freaks in the mix this election?

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And Peter Dunne refuses to be in a govt with the Greens I think. So Labour can't count on his seat this time.

There's something satisfying about a party called United Future being, in fact, a one-man band.

I'm not sure even Queensland deserves Peters - they've had unfortunate experiences with New Zealanders before... The dead-and-damned Joh Bjelke-Petersen originated on your side of the Tasman; he went on to give Queensland almost 20 years of corrupt fascism and electoral fraud. (What is it that causes loons like this to emerge in our part of the world? I don't get it.)

Have I applied my yikesed M-word epithet to phantom yikesers?

I'm glad you got to read that post

Gosh I'm glad I saw that post before it got modded. There was nothing objectionable in it, for crying out loud...

And now, simulposts of gladness.

We remember Joh fondly, mostly because he was so appalling we could point fingers and say see over there We didn't have any racists, oh no.

We used to have a teatowel with a recipe from Flo BP on how to make scones.

Yes. Words will be spoken about that one. I can handle being yikesed for being rude, but for talking politics?

Flo's scones were tolerable, but she sure had appalling taste in men.

I'm trying to work out was was so moddable in that post. Maybe some numpty assumed it was about UK politics and they have some by-election going on or something. There were no rude words, only facts - an implication that the right wing is vile, that sort of thing. The mind boggles.

Maybe you can call Peters conspicuously weird dopey but I can't imply that Key and co are freaks

I haven't got my email yet, is that because the post has been referred rather than referred?

I've never been modded. I keep trying, but somehow I never manage to cause offence. D'you think I should persist?