Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: It is your right and duty to vote

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  • Paul Litterick,

    Weird, isn't it? I have no idea how or why it came about.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    It is, emphatically, 'rangAtiratanga' (my tribe pronounces and spells it 'rakatirataka' (at least south of the Waitaki.))

    And, like Tuwharetoa, Tahu has it's own flag - which we tend to fly on Waitaki Day, and any other occaision we feel like flying it.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    Weird, isn't it? I have no idea how or why it came about.

    I just assumed you were running for the mayoralty of Super City (not Auckland) or something.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    I think it was made for the late Paul Litterick, who organised the Rockness festival in Inverness; he blew his mind out in a car (too much Horse) at the festival a couple of years back.

    Being vain, I have a Google News Alert for my name: I woke up one morning and found that I was dead, which was something of a shock

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I woke up one morning and found that I was dead, which was something of a shock

    It happens to me a lot...common name unfortunately.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    I'm sure we've talked about this before, but I've always been tickled by 'guide her in the nations' van'

    I know of someone who always wondered where this Bonza Club was that we were all going to meet up at. They reckon it sounded excellent. Bonza in fact.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Armitage,

    It might not excuse the method of Williams' approach, and I am not usually one for agreeing with Jim Anderton, but there are some valid observations in his release today....:

    Mayor gets unfair drubbing by Key’s cheer squad

    Mayor Andrew Williams is being given an unfair drubbing by the John Key’s media cheer squad, Jim Anderton said today.

    “The media are showing their bias and are not listening to what Mayor Williams is saying. They are mindlessly repeating the lines given to them by John Key on timing of text messages and that Mayor Williams has been ‘aggressive’ in his communications to North Shore MPs, including John Key, MP for Helensville. For example, they are ignoring William’s criticisms of the National-ACT legislation for Auckland’s new Super City,” Jim Anderton said.

    “Where are the hard questions to the North Shore MPs, including John Key, on the issues that Andrew Williams wants answers to, and is entitled to receive, as Mayor of the North Shore. Unfortunately, that seems all too hard for the National friendly media.

    “Andrew Williams has produced his phone records but it makes no difference. John Key is not being asked for his to prove his allegations about Williams. No wonder the PM is so relaxed knowing he can say what he likes to discredit his opposition – and get away with it.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 7 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    How do you embed a YouTube?

    Perhaps I should rephrase that. I see a slight possibility of misinterpretation.

    Anyway, another 'They Might Be Giants' song that was a favourite, and Number One on the bFm top ten circa 1988, was this. Love the video.

    Sorry for more flippancy after a serious post, but this has been going South for some time (Timaru), so figure it's Ok.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    “The media are showing their bias and are not listening to what Mayor Williams is saying. They are mindlessly repeating the lines given to them by John Key on timing of text messages and that Mayor Williams has been ‘aggressive’ in his communications to North Shore MPs, including John Key, MP for Helensville. For example, they are ignoring William’s criticisms of the National-ACT legislation for Auckland’s new Super City,” Jim Anderton said.

    Gordon Campbell at Scoop had very good observations along those lines. He concludes:

    This beatup is merely the Act Party dealing to one of its most persistent critics. I mean, when you have Cameron Slater publicly lamenting the mayor’s lack of ‘decorum’ you know you’re dealing with the theatre of the absurd.

    His post is here:
    http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/14/campbell-tolleys-last-stand-those-mayoral-text/

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    How do you embed a YouTube?

    Just paste the URL, as long as it has 'www' in it. It happens automagically.

    another 'They Might Be Giants' song

    Man, no one ever has any OG love for The Four Lads.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    automagically

    Where has this word been all my life?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Surely the nation's Van can be found hanging out with the nation's Munter.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    His post is here

    http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/14/campbell-tolleys-last-stand-those-mayoral-text/

    The piece above that on Tolley's outrage is also good. If that's the way we treat the governance body of our education sector, what hope do our kids have? I thought bullying was banned in schools.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I thought bullying was banned in schools.

    Oh boy... where does one start?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Not one to miss an alliterative opportunity, has anyone coined the phrase 'Tolley Dolly' yet?

    "If you don't sit down, we'll have to throw you off the plane!"

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    Man, no one ever has any OG love for The Four Lads.

    They were in my mind when I made the allusion. I did not know They Might Be Giants had made a cover, although I am hardly surprised: they are scarcely original.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I thought bullying was banned in schools.

    Having spent the past few months battling my son's school where fellow pupils have 1. harassed him about his hair colour, 2. pushed him into walls, 3. hit him with a shoe repeatedly over the head, and where a teacher has told him to 'toughen up' and a principal has been great at saying he'll do things, but then not always actually done them...

    ...'banned' isn't as definite a word as you'd like it to be.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Gio: the Jargon File claims "automagically" goes back before the 70s. I'm pretty sure I learned it from the O'Reilly Perl book. Anyway it's virtually a term of art in programming circles.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    If only my art could resemble my truth. Then I could program automagically, rather than spending years laboring so that others can feel the automagic, and come back with the automagic question "but how come it doesn't....".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    yeah schools have a long way to go as far as bullying is concerned - my kids are technically Jewish (culturally, not religiously) - you'd be amazed how often that comes up, out of context, at school in NZ

    The weird thing is this is Dunedin - most of those stereotypes about Jews apply to the Scots as well ...

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • pollywog,

    heres my van that i have crisscrossed the country in...

    http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/4818/eveningkobe.jpg

    FWIW i always envisage pacifics triple star as representing the 3 points of the polynesian triangle and it being our/god's duty to guard it against colonials trying to shaft us but alas...

    so how come we're still asking god to defend NZ if 80% of the population doesnt believe in the big G ?

    and the other point i always make is that biculturalism isnt about pakeha and maori. it's about euro and polynesian so any flag has to reflect that. which is what mine does so i'm happy to declare my own sovereignty, fly my own flag, hum my own tune and dance to the beat of my own drum...

    and i just come from seeing 'avatar' in all its 3d glory which coincidentally is about 10 ft tall "aliens" with blueskin and flat noses not unlike tattoed polynesian giants. they even do a hongi in it. the hero being a hybrid like myself who assimilates technology and holds traditional cultural values in high esteem:)

    spoiler alert : the hero wins the indigenous battle against greedy landgrabbers after resources. strangely prophetic i reckon.

    somewhere else • Since Dec 2009 • 152 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    you'd be amazed how often that comes up, out of context, at school in NZ

    If it came up at all I'd be amazed. Do tell.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    FWIW i always envisage pacifics triple star as representing the 3 points of the polynesian triangle and it being our duty to guard it against colonials but alas...

    I think it's meant to actually be the 3 main islands. North, South, Waiheke.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    I thought bullying was banned in schools.

    A good example of when an 'irony' tag would have come in handy?

    How do you do a reverse question mark, when you can't copy from above? Sorry, so many procedural questions. Better go back to school. Although that'll bring back those nasty memories. Well, to be fair, mostly harmless, but some nasty. Being thrown out a classroom window was a more extreme example. It was only half a flight up, but it still hurt.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    usually it comes up used as a slur in some disagreement, it's obviously seen as way to get at the kids and hurt them - 'jew' is also used in every day conversation much like 'gay' is - except that most gay teens aren't out yet

    We've offered to (almost insisted) make a big stink at school but the kids have vetoed this so far.

    My son did have one situation where another kid started writing him very offensive notes - however this kid had both heavy duty Aspergers and an over the top dose of christianity, we decided to let that one pass feeling that it really wasn't something for the school in that case.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

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