Posts by simon g
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
TV3 is to blame. God's ad-free Sunday lie-in was shattered, and verily he did smite the sinners.
I'd like to see someone from the NZRU announce (and I paraphrase here) "stuff this for a lark, we're just going to spend the next four years preparing to be gracious hosts of a bloody good party, and hey, whatever happens, happens". But I fear that we're going to get sucked into a "now or never" mindset, and regard the tournament as nothing more than home advantage that we must exploit, making ourselves look sullen and mean-spirited. We're just too damn desperate, like a 4th year at varsity still trying to get laid.
Anyone hear the ads on Newstalk ZB for the Herald on Sunday and their World Cup guide? Counting down to the ABs semi-final, that was the gist. Oh dear.
-
Hey folks! We don't need to read BBC reports on Iraq or argue here about withdrawal strategies or any of that complicated stuff. Because ...
(drum roll ...)
The war in Iraq is over! According to John Key:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10467590
So who won?
-
Before we plan the victory parade (again), here's a quick quotes quiz. Name the two writers, the year, and fill in the blanks.
1) There's a new natural law in the universe, as undeniable as gravity. The All Blacks can't be beaten by the AAA. It's one of the new certainties in life, along with death and taxes, because the AAA are so ordinary.
2)__The only way the AAA will win is if the All Blacks self-destruct. I can't see that happening ... in fact, it could get embarrassing for coach BBB and his team.__
By the way, these gentlemen are still employed (with actual money, I assume) to give their expert views on rugby.
-
For those hardy few who haven't already switched off the schism soap opera, the latest twist is that Philip is with Richard and Brian and not with Gordon and Larry:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0709/S00280.htm
But it turns out that gauche Gordon is just an act. He's actually been working undercover for Helen Clark all this time. The proof:
To this end, Pacific supporters of Taito Phillip Field have held back from registering a Pacific Party and signing up members as a commitment to this agreement.
Join the dots, people. Who would want to kill that party? Yeah, you got it. Damn, she is smart.
(This conspiracy theory was brought to you by Kiwiblog, all rights reserved).
-
Update: in short, Copeland & co wanted Tamaki out of the picture ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0709/S00273.htm
Did they really think the Bishop was going to exit the stage?
-
It seems the media have missed the point, as a former United Future MP explains:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0709/S00266.htm
It must be wonderful to believe, untroubled by reality. And Copeland's "I'm in damage control" deserves to be on any list of quotes of the year.
-
One News started tonight thus:
"Parents, sit up and take notice!"
I trust you all did as you were told, otherwise you are going to be in big, big trouble.
-
I know the R word should be used advisedly, but that's really what we're talking about here. Not deranged, foam-flecked racism (no Godwin, please), but the cheerfully (wilfully?) ignorant knd, that can't conceive of the Other except in the simplest of stereotypes.
Samoans, Tongans, Fijians etc do not exist in British eyes, except as rugby players. Nothing unusual there. It's not too dissimilar to New Zealanders thinking West Indies = one country = cricket, both false. If an immigrant community is not visible in your own society, you ignore it in other people's. And of course this is reinforced by the marketing/nationalism of sport, especially ye olde conservative rugby, where Scots wear kilts not turbans and the Welsh are only black from being down the mine, look you, and so on.
But it's important not to get sucked into the "born" argument. That can leave you holding a position somewhere to the right of the BNP or Le Pen. There is a significant difference between:
1)Monty Panesar - born in England
2)Nasser Hussein - born overseas, moved to England as a child, with family, for reasons that had nothing to do with cricket
3) Kevin Pietersen - born overseas but moved to England to play for EnglandThe nationality (traitor / poaching / bad accent) debate should only ever be about number 3). Anything else is an anti-immigrant platform, way beyond sport. As pointed out in the original post, the overseas-born ABs are overwhelmingly in category 2). And as much as anything, it's abhorrent to equate nationality only with where you pop out, something that can be the result of your parents being in the armed forces or global business or hippie travellers or even (shock) an international liaison before Mum brought the toddler home ... really, it's all so bloody reactionary.
It's desperately sad that a huge NH media pack can follow the Lions here for many weeks in 2005, and yet apparently not once take the trouble to wander over to a school playing field in Auckland or other centres, and see what New Zealanders look like - and then report this to the folks back home. The public are ignorant, but only because the media (choose to?) perpetuate the "Polynesian poaching" myth.
PS It looks like we need a new lock over in France. I reckon we should send Flavell, Filipo and Rawlinson, and ask the NH rugby folk to choose the proper Kiwi for us. What's the betting they pick the import?
-
Chris
With the exception of Sivivatu, all those funny brown people in black were born or brought up in NZ.
How about a new IRB rule where you had to at least attend primary school in a country to represent them? We keep all bar Sivivatu. How many other nations could say the same? Wales?
Don't be brainwashed by your media. Do some research into immigration patterns instead. Cheers.
-
A leaked memo ...
From: H1 via H2
To: Michael CullenRe-election strategy:
1. Get down the TAB and put the entire surplus on "Any Other Nation" to win the Cup. Currently paying over 2 to 1 (yes, really). A much better bet than the Kiwi dollar.
2. When the ABs lose, take your newly more-than-doubled surplus and spend, spend, spend. We could even build a stadium.
3. If the ABs somehow win, then obviously we call an immediate election, to coincide with World Cup parades in all main centres. (If the Nats still get in, they can deal with the vanished surplus. If we're back, have a few months of gloating and then hand it all over to Goff).
PS Better just check with Crown lawyers first re- extradition treaties with various tropical getaways ...