The catastrophic stuff-up re work visas has seen the media concentrate on the likes of fruit pickers, an activity our layabouts sponging off their fellow citizens are not prepared to sully themselves with, moreso given the ready availability of taxpayer money for their indolence.

The ridiculous Sam Uffindell media beat-up over the MP’s youthful indiscretions saw Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson say the issue date of the report was “pretty” disrespectful and “pretty cynical timing.” That got me thinking about this speech oddity of saying “pretty” for “very.” We all do it and believe it or not, have for centuries. For example, recently re-reading the Diaries of Samuel Pepys written 400 years ago, I noticed Pepys used it frequently as an ‘adjective.’ The OED acknowledges “pretty” being used as an adjective going back 2,000 years.

As with most political ambassadorial appointments when compared with the careerist diplomatic dullards, the previous American ambassador was a fun fellow.

The New Zealand Herald’s web-site heading this morning read, “Rotorua tourism operators want Government fix for brand damage inflicted by emergency housing woes.”