How weird is this?

No Right Turn points out that, according to the graphic for the latest Herald digipoll, [story here], the Christian Heritage Party - which disbanded in 2006 after leader Graham Capill's rape conviction- is polling 0.4%, ahead of both the Alliance and United Future. So, a party that doesn't exist is polling higher than a party headed by a Minister.

But it gets better.

The CHP's vote has doubled since April - and it is the only party to achieve that feat as well. [ Update: Not true, Act also did]. The CHP is currently the biggest polling party outside parliament - but its support will dramatically drop on election night!

I had a chat to Audrey Young to get a further breakdown of this month's poll. The combined support for the the Alliance, United Future, Jim Anderton's Progressives, and the Baldock/Copeland Kiwi Party is lower than the Christian Heritage party vote. Add to this the El Jefe's Pacific Party, and the Family Party (Destiny in drag) who didn't poll.

Collectively these six parties are polling lower than the CHP. They have three Ministers, one former Minister, an additional current MP and a former MP, whereas the CHP has never had an elected MP and doesn't even exist.

And, still, people want to vote for them. Now that's really weird. Even Audrey Young is baffled why, month after month, people indicate a CHP vote when asked "which party will you cast your party vote for if an election was held today?"

Update watch the Kiwi, Family, and United Future vote jump at the next big poll or the one after. If the former two get their act together and let everyone know who they are. Most people - even Christians - don't know the difference between Kiwi and Family parties.

BRUSCHETTA

This recipe to my mind is nicer than the real thing (delicious!), but maybe it has been a while since I had the real thing. Nevertheless, I still think I would prefer this, especially when I think of the white bread sitting somewhere on my body where I don't want it!

BRUSCHETTA A LA LOW-CARB

3 medium Chinese eggplant (light purple in color)
Breading:
A mixture of ground almonds, Parmesan cheese, low-carb bread crumbs (low-carb toast, blended in the blender) or one of my low-carb bake mixes and salt or "No Salt" to taste and dried, crushed basil or Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning

Egg wash:
3 eggs
2 tbsp water

olive oil for frying

Bruschetta Topping:
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp basil or Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt or No Salt

Wash and dry eggplant. Cut ends off and slice thinly. Set aside.

Breading: Combine your choice of ingredients on a dinner plate.

Egg Wash: Combine eggs and water and beat lightly with a fork.

Dip eggplant slices in egg wash and then in breading. Fry in olive oil on both sides until nicely brown and tender. Layer slices of cooked eggplant in 9 x 13 inch dish. Spread some of tomato mixture over eggplant. Repeat.

Bruschetta Topping: In frying pan, stir fry garlic until beginning to turn brown. Add tomatoes, water, basil and salt. Bring to the boil and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Helpful Hints: Chinese eggplant is milder tasting than American eggplant, because it has fewer seeds and the skin is less tough. Eggplant is a wonderful low-carb vegetable - probably one of my favorites. I did not give a carb count as that will vary depending on the type and amount of "breading" used. Suffice is to say this recipe is an OWL recipe. It will add interest and flavor to almost any meal.

Jennifer Eloff
www.low-carb.us

The election campaign is under way

Well done National, a good billboard merging those who will get a tax cut and the too many who won't.That's because the ones who won't have left the country because they're not better off under Labour.

National will build on Labour's planned October tax cuts.We will treat those as the first tranche in our tax cut programme. There will be further tax reductions on 1 April 2009, and again on 1 April 2010. "The billboard also highlights Labour's failure to stem the tide of people voting with their feet and leaving New Zealand.
"The figures are sky-high. Recent statistics show that more people than ever are leaving. In the year to July, 80,872 people packed their bags and headed overseas for good.

That's the highest loss for a year ended July since 1979, and the second highest loss ever. That’s a whopping 1,555 people per week. Or 222 people per day. Or one every six and a half minutes. The greatest loss since 1979 and the second highest since records began.

The largest beneficiary, as always, was Australia. 40,971 headed across the Tasman - that's 879 every week. Or 126 per day. Or more than one person every eleven and a half minutes.

When no means yes and yes means no

When Winston Peters put up his famous " no" sign in February, meaning that he did not receive a donation from Owen Glenn, Clark knew no meant yes. Now Labour has said that National were tipped off by the Serious Fraud Office as to its investigation on NZ First and and has asked it to come clean. So Key came clean and denied that the SFO had tipped National off. He said No.

I'm sure Clark privately believes this no means no, just like she knew Winston's no meant yes - but, if asked, she'll never say yes when asked if Key's no means no, she'll say it is a matter for Mr Key. If she says yes, Key's no means yes, her response is akin to Key's no meaning yes, and Winston Peters' no meaning no - which she wanted the public to believe even when she knew it was not the truth.

Perhaps she only takes honourable members at their word, even if that word is not the truth, but ordinary members don't make the cut, even when their word is the truth.

Update The Serious Fraud Office has denied leaking anything to anyone making Helen Clark look like a bit of a fool. I wonder if Helen Clark knew this before accusing National of denying a leak that didn't exist? Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest as Clark is currently demonstrating the behavioural traits of a vindictive old cow.

Saudi Arabia: Malian executed

August 30, 2008: a Malian man convicted of serial robbery and attempted rape was put to death by the sword in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca.
Hashem Daghali Suma Molla Ismail was found guilty of breaking into a house while drunk and trying to rape a woman before stealing jewellery from her. He was also convicted of stealing from other houses, businesses and cars, the Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.

Source: Agence France Presse, 30/08/2008

Iran: new hanging

August 30, 2008: Iran hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in the northern town of Noshahr, Fars news agency reported.
The man identified only by his initials, H.P.A., was executed in a prison, Fars said, without giving further details.

Source: Agence France Presse, 31/08/2008

Saudi Arabia: Pakistani executed

August 29, 2008: a Pakistani man convicted of murder was beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca after the victim's family refused "blood money."
Dousat Mohammed Mohammed Baksh was condemned to death for battering a Saudi man to death with stones during a dispute, the Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. It said the victim's son refused blood money or compensation allowed under Islamic law and demanded that the Pakistani be executed.

Source: Agence France Presse, 30/08/2008