Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: It is your right and duty to vote

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  • Paul Campbell,

    actually it seems that a strangely large number of threads lead to Timaru

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    actually it seems that a strangely large number of threads lead to Timaru

    Do many ever return, though?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Hence I believe the emblazoned motto, Omnes viae Timarum ducant.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • st ephen,

    You say Timaru, I say Christchurch...

    Just for Mr Mark's benefit, where we got to with the whole Christchurch thing is that there is a myth that Christchurch is very class-conscious, exemplified by the “what school did you go to”, “most English city” and “first four ships” memes. Whether the myth was originally based on fact or not is largely a moot point – the idea is very widely distributed both in Christchurch (where it is sometimes used ironically) and in the rest of NZ (where it tends to be used pejoratively).
    There is conjecture that this all lends a certain tacit societal approval to the antics of racist munters. However, no evidence has been presented for this, and it has also been suggested that the degree and expression of racism in Christchurch is exactly the same as anywhere else in NZ.
    So it is entirely possible that there are reasons other than snobbery and racism for Christchurch being so sucky.

    dunedin • Since Jul 2008 • 254 posts Report Reply

  • Mr Mark,

    Fair enough, Giovanni, I'll bow to your expertise (it was a little impertinent of me. Only went to Italy for the first time this year :-). Got very close to Milan - Lakes Como, Lugano, Maggiore - but didn't quite get there).

    But I will repeat my earlier point that Berlusconi's People of Liberty Party received below average support in Milan (33% compared to 37% nationally). So, I'm still not sure it can be considered a hardcore electoral stronghold, despite its obvious strategic importance. Interestingly, the Left received about the same level of support as Berlusconi's POL in Milan, but his Right coalition bloc as a whole won the city easily because of the significant Northern League vote.

    Wellington • Since Dec 2009 • 128 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    For some set of " Omnes viae" that's mostly SH-1

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    But I will repeat my earlier point that Berlusconi's People of Liberty Party received below average support in Milan (33% compared to 37% nationally).

    Yes, and the centre left lost the provincial elections something like 50.2% to 49.8%. It's more the fact that he can hold it at all that is significant - the Christian Democrats never could.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Islander can you recommend a decent Maori mythology tome? In English...my Maori needs a lot of work.

    The Reed Book of Maori Mythology is fairly classic, and the 2004 edition is well-organised by theme. The introduction does admit a number of problems with mashing-up of stories from different iwi, but they've tried to sort it out from the original sources as much as is possible. I think it's a good overview, but I have a feeling mileage may vary on this topic.

    Whether the myth was originally based on fact or not is largely a moot point – the idea is very widely distributed both in Christchurch (where it is sometimes used ironically) and in the rest of NZ (where it tends to be used pejoratively).

    I may have told this story here before, but it bears repeating: I saw this "myth" in action once when two women I knew found out they were both originally from Christchurch. The conversation lasted amicably until it emerged that one was from Fendalton and the other, New Brighton. That killed things dead.

    Of course, this is pure anecdata, but it seems that the Christchurch-snobbery thing does get played out occasionally in fact as well as myth.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Mr Mark: You might have to bow to Giovanni's expertise on all things Milanese. The Berlosconis were probably his neighbours.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I'd hate to suggest that people can't know more about these things than I do. If nothing else, I haven't lived there for 12 years.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Thanks Lucy, will get me to a Library, to Reed. Hopefully no librarian throws her fingernails at me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Islander - so one Maori myth variant may have the three kite of knowledge?

    I'm really interested in myth making and the twists and turns it takes today. I was told Bracken studied things Maori and by all accounts was a descent bloke.
    So this seems credible to me, of course if three is not used as it is so often in European traditions, then it's an interesting development of missrepresentation.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    was a descent bloke.

    Lovely Freudian typo! :-)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Mr Mark,

    Giovanni :"...the Christian Democrats never could."
    Yeah, that was strange, almost the entire far north of Italy was a Christian Dem stronghold (the so-called "White-Belt"), but Milan bucked the trend and voted strongly for the Italian Socialist Party, back before - what was it called, "Tangentopolli" ? - the massive corruption scandal of the early 1990s. Craxi's PSI appear to have been socialists in name only though, close to the CDs and fairly corrupt. But then that was true of most of the parties (possibly excepting, or partially excepting, the Communists).

    Hilary :"...the Berlusconis were probably (Giovanni's) neighbours."
    Oh Bloody hell !!!, haven't there been revelations of Berlusconi's links to the mafioso recently ? Does that mean I can now expect a horse's head in my bed, Giovanni ?

    Wellington • Since Dec 2009 • 128 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Quite.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Does that mean I can now expect a horse's head in my bed, Giovanni ?

    I don't know, I deliver via Interflora and they're pretty busy at the moment.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • pollywog,

    are you talking here of IO ?

    The Unbegotten is the source of everything in the esoteric tradition rather than a creator-god per se.

    would it have been so hard to say yes:)

    so as a realist with no purveyance of nostalgia or mysticism. its fair to say you dont believe the old stories ?

    recommend a decent Maori mythology tome?

    forget the bullshit and the hype but read of 'song of waitaha' and make your own mind up. its a beautiful book.

    somewhere else • Since Dec 2009 • 152 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    @Paul Litterick - po·grom (pə-grŏm', pō'grəm)
    n. An organized, often officially encouraged massacre or persecution of a minority group, especially one conducted against Jews.

    Dawn Raids fit the bill as an organised, officially encourage... persecution of a minority group, and like Pogroms were/are often the result of a group being encouraged to move into an area only to be scapegoated when desireable by the authorities.

    The Holocaust debate does mystify me a bit, and not wishing to offend and where confusion is not going to be caused use the Hebrew, Showa.
    Tairana is correct in her use of Holocaust as an English word to describe her history, but not as a comparison to the Showa, IMHO.

    Do you use the word Diaspora to mean anything other than the flight of Jews from Palestine 8-6thC BCE?

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I don't know, I deliver via Interflora and they're pretty busy at the moment.

    There's no Interequine?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    forget the bullshit and the hype but read of 'song of waitaha' and make your own mind up. its a beautiful book.

    Quite possibly. As an introduction to general Maori mythology, though, it's about as useful as the Da Vinci code is as an introduction to Catholicism.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    What Lucy said apropos Brailsford's excruciatingly stupid fantasies, and also her recommendation of the 2004 Reed revised edition ( the earlier AW Reed collections are not a good idea.)

    Just thinking - the 3 kete of knowledge brought by Tane are part of some tribal tradition.

    pollywog - no, it wouldnt've been right to say Yes, because Io-matakore is not a creator-god.

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

  • Felix Marwick,

    The thing about Chch is that its ethnic make up probably has a bit to do with the image problems it has.

    For a major urban centre it is predominantly Caucasian (about 85% I think). I'd surmise the ratio of racist f/wits per head of population problem doesn't deviate that much from the national average. It's just slightly more pronounced because of the city's demographics.

    Plus there's not much future in being a bigoted numpty in places like Porirua, Otara and the like. There might be a few of them there but I suspect they keep a very low profile.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    And yet Garth George flourishes in Rotorua

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Thanks Islander I appreciate the clarification.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • pollywog,

    Io has many names, many faces, some unseen and it is thru them that all was created but if you dont believe in any of it then its all just excruciatingly stupid fantasies and the truth will remain hidden

    so umm lucy you havent read it have you ? have you islander ?

    true, if you're looking for an introduction to catholicism, the da vinci code is not the one but as a springboard to the possible truth of the holy grail reinterpreted thru fiction then it's prolly a good read but not nearly as well presented as song of waitaha. cant wait for the film...heh. i 'd go for dwayne the rock johnson to play rakaihautu.

    funnily enough, the da vinci code was also plagiarised from more scholarly texts with 'the holy blood and the holy grail' also seen fit to be banned and denounced thus equating the vatican with ngai tahu and its denouncement of song of waitaha with both books being essentially about lineage and myth as truth but in essence, the core truth remains...hidden and unfuckwithable:)

    FWIW i have a deep mistrust of the vatican and the catholic faith.

    somewhere else • Since Dec 2009 • 152 posts Report Reply

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