Hard News: The Honours
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I see that being a more polite commentator is not one of Craig's New Year resolutions
Hillary: Much more polite that the initial draft, and if you want to get Miss Manners with me perhaps you'd care to withdraw and apologise for the insinuation that Margaret Wilson was snubbed for partisan reasons? I know the current government is evil incarnate in your book, but that was well out of order -- and demonstrably untrue.
By the way Craig, did you ever find out whether there will be toilets on the new electric Waikanae trains, or is that money now going into a couple of inches of concrete expressway?
I did ask my partner to comment on that comment -- who is in a much better position that I to offer an informed comment, given that he's worked in the rail industry for forty five years and counting -- and he declined because he felt that he couldn't without releasing information he (was) privy to but which isn't in the public domain. He's still rather underwhelmed about the quality of reporting on rail issues, though, and I can't say he's wrong.
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I thought that was politer
Yeah, sorry, I just spent a good couple of minutes trying to find the comment of Craig's Hilary was objecting to.
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And Helen Clark lead a government that was quite happy to profiteer off addicts to the tune of billions of dollars in excise tax on tobacco and alcohol
Was that really profiteering, or were the users contributing to their downstream costs?
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Someone tell Fran that even the MSM are discussing who gets honoured. Yes, awards went to senior desk-jockeys rather than those who actually got injured fighting the coolstore fire.
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So this is a lefty blog? I'm outta here.
Pretty much, yes.
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Pretty much, yes.
Apart from what Craig said above, actually I don't care, particularly in this discussion. Political leanings shouldn't have anything to do with receiving national honours, or participating in blogs for that matter. They shouldn't, but perhaps they do?
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Political leanings shouldn't have anything to do with receiving national honours...
That would depend on the nation, and its governing structure.
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Someone tell Fran that even the MSM are discussing who gets honoured. Yes, awards went to senior desk-jockeys rather than those who actually got injured fighting the coolstore fire.
So, did The Waikato Times bother finding out whether any of "those who actually got injured fighting the coolstore fire" were even nominated? Or does that fuck with the "evil bureaucrats get honoured, while the working man gets the shaft" narrative?
I'd also be cold blooded enough to point out that there are plenty of firefighters, police officers, medical professionals etc. who get injured in the course of their duties who don't get QSMs.
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And who does the nominating?
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My guess would be that those who put their lives on the line at the cool store would be up for one of our bravery awards, rather than a service award. They rank higher than the QSM, and aren't awarded only twice a year, but when needed.
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Craig - apologies. Yes, Margaret Wilson did get honoured, in the last list compiled by the previous government.
As for Helen Clark's services to the National Party - she and her government were responsible for creating New Zealand's high international standing which is something that John Key in particular has benefited from. I remember the Muldoon days when it was so embarrassing to admit to being a NZer as he caused an Olympic boycott by African nations. Labour-led administrations seem to take more care about our international citizenship responsibilities - eg Fraser helped set up the United Nations, Kirk recognised China, Lange made NZ anti-nuclear.
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I think Graeme's right, which explains the "timing" issues mentioned at the tail of the story. Something amiss with internal comms management perhaps?
there are plenty of firefighters, police officers, medical professionals etc. who get injured in the course of their duties who don't get QSMs.
And plenty of managers who don't get them because their staff got injured either.
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As for Clark, surely it's pretty straightforward to honour a New Zealander achieving high international office, which doesn't happen that often. I doubt a government of any political stripe would be churlish enough to decline an award.
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Bravery Awards are few and fare between. I know two guys with them and their stories about how they got them.
Both events lasted just a couple of minutes, both normal soldiers on Peace Keeping operations and both have never made the media.If they had made the media, maybe the firefighters getting bravery awards would be more common place, but the bar is so high that they don't, which is a shame.
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It's clear that Lion were giving money to yachting purely for the purposes of community spirit. I mean, what could they possibly have got out of getting to name the boat "Steinlager" and making the sailors where this shit...
http://www.sail-world.com/photos/Med_Image3-20.jpg
I wonder what Emirates are getting out of their deal with Team New Zealand aside from the immense satisfaction of helping NZ achieve sporting glory. Adidas with the All Blacks, Vodafone with the Warriors, Heinekin with the upcoming tennis and Harvey Norman with the Breakers being other community spirit enhancing organisations. I guess Seripisos can lock and load his knighthood now.
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Without the help of those guys, kids in Takapuna might grow up never having the chance to become wealthy international yachtsmen who sell their services to the highest bidder.
Think of the children.
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What is it in the national psyche that some Kiwis cannot celebrate, if only for a couple of days each year, the achievements of outstanding New Zealanders?
Well I can't speak for New Zealanders as I am Canadian but from what I see the objection NZers have to Doug Meyers being honoured is the idea that he is an "outstanding NZer" or that he has any "achievements".
Lesley Max is very deserving on an hounour, and all the respect and adulation that goes along with it. Her work for children and NZers in general has been outstanding and she has not turned a profit or in any way tried to do anything other than further the health, happiness and welfare of NZers in general and children in particular.
The problem with Doug Meyers being put in the same category is that his profiting from the sale of alcohol and the insidious linking of his alcohol brands to what should take pride of place in the national psyche - well that rankles. And his lobbying for a lower drinking age, given his motive for profit would have raised considerable ire in my country and no doubt he would have been barred (on the obvious grounds of conflict of interest) from any lobbying related to something that has as profound an impact on public health as the drinking age.
And Helen Clark lead a government that was quite happy to profiteer off addicts to the tune of billions of dollars in excise tax on tobacco and alcohol, so I'm wondering if that moral high horse is about ready for the knackers yard.
Craig, it's not profiteering if the coffers you fill are not your own but the public's coffers. And if you take the time to read the actual statistics published by the WHO, CDC, and other public health agencies, you will see that the taxes charged for tobacco and alcohol do not begin to pay for a fraction of the cost that these drugs iincur .
For example my step-mum Jeanne is dying of emphysema at the moment - she has a message for all of you by the way: - "Don't smoke". But her illness is taking a long time to kill her and her suffering is affecting a lot of lives and using a lot of resources. Quite apart from her physical suffering - which is enormous and into its 5th year - the flow on effect has been tremendous. The physical suffering of one person can cause enormous suffering in those who have to witness that - I won't go into detail, but there are many, many other consequences besides the cost of her medical care. She is serious about the message - she reminds me every time I talk to her to pass that along. "Don't smoke".
Anyhow Craig, my point was the cost of applied to tobacco or alcohol will not begin to pay for the effects. Tax the manufacturers I say.
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Well I can't speak for New Zealanders as I am Canadian
I hope you eventually decide to. I have allot of admiration for the Canadian approach to public heath research. I would be grateful if you would speak on behalf of, particularly, the more vulnerable New Zealanders, that you obviously have some intelligence of.
Best regards, Steven.
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Thanks very much for last night, R&F. It was a pretty excellent night for me, all up; three parties back-to-back over the course of 10 hours, and home by 6 full of beer, lamb, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, chocolate cake and whiskeys.
You're very welcome. I am amused that the people who swore they were going to have a quiet one (Hi Sofie!) got home at 7am, and I ended up being very well behaved. Well, by my standards, anyway.
Here's that tune, of which we spoke.
Hmm, still not quite getting that. But, then, you spoiled Metric for me by bringing up Avril Lavigne ;-)
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Out in the blogosphere it is a different matter. Right-wing blogs are apoplectic over Clark's honour. Some lefties are out-raged that Myers has been elevated.
As I said, I'm fine with sirs and dames -- these are, after all, people we are according high public honour -- but there are a small handful of people I'm not going to applaud, and Myers is one of them.
His behaviour in the Radio NZ interview after the announcement tended to underline that judgement.
If it it were within my power to withdraw Sir Michael Fay's honour, I would, but I'm not sure there's anyone else I'm that bothered about.
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3410,
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Hmm, still not quite getting that.
It's all about the release for the last two choruses. Total pop, of course, but it works. What's the name of the Jenny Lewis track?
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Happy New year t'yall.
Just for a bit of holiday geekery I thought I'd try tethering my new phone, Samsung GT S5603T, to an eeepc 701 via Bluetooth.
So, here I am sitting in the bush at the top of Fern Flat sending messages to all and sundry via Telecom's 3G goodness. For once I can say good on ya Telecom, this 3G really flies. I tried doing the same thing with Voodoofone and it was as sluggish as a sluglike thing.
Anypoo, 3410, I've been racking my brain thinking of Jerry Lewis tracks only to discover that I misread your post.
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You might be able to hear Harawera's radio station from there, Steve.
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Was it this Jenny Lewis number? - I recall something about Elvis Costello:
and here he is in a more comedic setting: -
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Peter Jackson with folk instruments;
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