David Slack

New Zealand

Contributor at Substack

A newsletter to look forward to at the end of every afternoon https://t.co/HzTF7GUhHH

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Articles

Making the most of it

1 week ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

I’m on the London Overground watching what the phones people are holding are doing to their faces: The man-bun guy who could not be less impressed by what he's seeing but cannot stop reading; the woman who's impatient for a response; the one who’s frowning; the one who’s puzzled; the one who’s fretting; the guy who's idly doom-scrolling.
"I think I was, at that time, the only girl in Taranaki who ever wrote a line"

1 week ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

“It's a history of colonial ruin, not a history of colonial progress,”says Michele Leggott, of the Harris family. We’re talking about Groundwork: The Art and Writing of Emily Cumming Harris, in which she and Catherine Field-Dodgson recall a near-forgotten and fascinating life, thefemale speck in the history of texts. Emily’s father Edwin made a big mistake, she says. “He arrived in this country with no money.
Open mike 13/04/2025

1 week ago | thestandard.org.nz | David Slack |Bernard Hickey |Nick Rockel |Marc Ablong

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 13th, 2025 - No comments Categories: open mike - Tags: Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
A few wins, for now

2 weeks ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

1. What did Seymour say after his obnoxious bill was buried 112 to 11? a. Watch this spaceb. Mea culpac. I am not a crookd. Youse are all such dumbasses2. Which lasted longest? a. Liz Trussb. Trump’s Tariffsc. The Lettuced. Too soon to say but the smart money’s on the vegetable 3. Who posted this hateful vile bilge?
Brace position

2 weeks ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

So here we are in London again because we’re now at the do-it-while-you-still-can stage of life. More warm wide-armed hugs, more long talks and long walks and drinks in lovely old pubs with our lovely daughter. And meanwhile the world is once more in one of its assume-the-brace-position stages. We turned on the BBC news on Monday morning to all the covera…
Open mike 07/04/2025

2 weeks ago | thestandard.org.nz | David Slack |Nick Rockel |Bernard Hickey |Justin Bassi

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 7th, 2025 - No comments Categories: open mike - Tags: Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Trump Schadenfreude

2 weeks ago | thestandard.org.nz | David Slack |Nick Rockel |Bernard Hickey |Justin Bassi

Remember when the previous National leader had a MAGA cap in the background? Didn’t age well did it? All the fools in global hard right political leadership will now be reminded of what they signed their supporters up for:Global economic chaos. Mass unemployment. Irrational threats to nation-states. The destruction of industry. Commercial ruin. Military protection withdrawal. Failed peace negotiations. Broken treaties. Leaked secrets. Incompetence.
Wouldn’t really go that far

2 weeks ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

We are all suckers for hope. He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far. Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies. It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil protections. Many Germans…
Presidency of doom

2 weeks ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

1. In his godawful decree, what tariff rate was imposed by Trump upon the EU? a. 10% same as New Zealandb. 20%, along with a sneer about themc. 40%, along with an outright lie about France d. 69% except for the town Melania comes from2. The justice select committee has reported back on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, recommendin…
What I saw at liberation day

3 weeks ago | subslack.substack.com | David Slack

I approach fresh Trump news reluctantly. It never holds the remotest promise of pleasure. I had the very, very least of expectations for his Rumble in the Jungle, his Thriller in Manila, his Liberation Day. God May 1945 is becoming the bitterest of jokes isn’t it? Whatever. Liberation Day he declared it and Liberation Day is what was duly carried live, ac…