I'm one in thirteen

So there was this story this morning that New Zealanders had the highest rate of bloggers in a recent survey of internet use across 15 countries. Apparently one in thirteen New Zealanders has a blog.

I imagine that this will be discussed on Public Address today because they got a soundbite (textbite?) from Russell Brown: "the ability to hide your identity on the internet meant people could share information they might not share in person".

So the 1/13 stat is pretty cool (although I wonder if it's inflated by people like me who have more than one blog), but the really interesting stats is the percentage of New Zealand web-users who have a blog by ethnicity:

• Asian 31%
• Pasifika 12%
• Pakeha 6%
• Maori 2%

As a researcher I want more data before I draw conclusions, but as a factoid (alternate version) it's kinda neat.

Other info from the study: of the 78 percent of New Zealanders who use the internet:

• 66 percent have broadband.
• 77 percent check their email every day.
• 28 percent use social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.
• 25 percent have made a friend online, and half of those have gone on to meet an online friend in person.
• 13 percent maintain their own website.
• 10 percent have a blog.

Ah San Diego

So I'm browsing Wired.com's images of costumed Comic-Con attendees.

• Some are pretty cool (ah, Steampunk)
  
• Some are liars (claims he has a girlfriend)
• Some brought real weapons (80 pounds of steel, bows, arrows and a 12-pound sword)
• and some... some you just can't un-see (I strongly suggest not letting your gaze travel too far down)
  

It's Not OK.

Yesterday's DomPost had a large front page article reporting that TVNZ sports presenter Tony Veitch had assaulted former partner Kristin Dunne-Powell, who needed hospital treatment and was confined to a wheelchair.

The Dominion Post also revealed that Veitch later agreed to pay her more than $100,000 to guarantee her silence. Whether or not she was the one who broke the silence or not has yet to be revealed.

And then last night on TVNZ news during the sport their was Veitch doing his thing.

This morning Stuff is reporting the TVNZ knew of the assault and that they are treating the matter as a private one for Veitch. So he will be keeping his job.

Now, if we assume everything we've heard is true (and currently there is nothing that would suggest otherwise) I'm quite surprised Vietch is still on-air. Because you know what this reminds me of? Clint Brown.

Clint Brown was an arrogant, loud mouth television sports presenter whose ego gave him a character that made him popular (not unlike many other sports presenters). He wasn't great, you might not want him to be your friend, but he was alright as a sports presenter.

Then, one night in Taupo, he got drunk, got punched, abused a taxi driver, and was subsequently stood down from TV3 news. He later resigned and the last we saw of him was this (now infamous) shot of him peering out the door at a reporter. He now does radio and some minor television work.

So why doesn't TVNZ stand Veitch down? He's obviously got some stuff to sort out now so why do I have to see him presenting sport to me? (Of course I could just switch to TV3 and I may do).

Like everything in television this is a PR exercise. And currently I don't think they've handled it well. And, as evil as this sounds, sports presenters are a dime-a-dozen. Throw this one under the bus and get another one. Or run those "It's Not Ok" family violence ads directly before the start of the sports news.

I blame the gorilla

Isn't amazing what advertising can do?

Just recently New Zealand television has been playing the Cadbury Gorilla ad you can see below:

The unintended consequence of that? From the New Zealand iTunes Store:

It's meme, baby!

If there's something I love it's a MEME!

And I just came across a great one from Thoughts from Kansas:

1. Take out your iPod (or Zune, I guess...really, who buys a Zune?)
2. Press shuffle songs.
3. Answer the following: a) How many songs before you come to one that would absolutely disqualify you from being President? b) What is that song?

So here goes:

1. It's Enough - Sleater Kinney - (Dig Me Out)
   I think that while some of their stuff is political I'd be safe with this one
   
2. Float On - Modest Mouse - (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)
   Seems fairly innocent, in fact it seems quite optimistic, this could be my campaign song!
   
3. Been a Son - Nirvana - (Incesticide)
   A certainty to increase the female vote. Ok, I suppose it could hurt me in the conservative areas
   
4. Do the Bus a Bus - Busta Rhymes - (Turn it Up! Best of...)
   "Presidential candidate listens to the hippity hop music!" Then again Obama has Jay-Z on his iPod. On the other hand this song does have a line about "hot bitches"

Following that was a long string of politically boring songs the dogiest of which was Tiptoe by Goldfrapp.

It took me until What Makes a Good Girl Go Bad? by the Flametrick Subs before I got to something that could cause me to lose the presidential race.