Posts by InternationalObserver
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Yeah, just a fleeting month long visit. And another month in Italy. But my Uncle (who lives in Paris) has few complaints. Bureaucracy is a way of life in Europe. They agree their taxes are high but have few complaints (usually limited to immigration issues) and will point out every single thing that they can think of that taxes pay for ie schools, healthcare, retirement, parks, parks, parks, etc etc.
To get anything done requires you to have complete mastery of their "system".
Which is why I let my Uncle do a lot of the heavy lifting. Shame on me.
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**Summer Heights High** - a mockumentary set in school with the writer/creator playing many different parts, including schoolkids.
I saw this on ABC in Oz last week and it was quite good:
http://www.abc.com.au/tv/video/downloads.htm#?vid=video1
Well, I enjoyed it up until the bit about the 'problem students'. They had their own special class and were all Polynesians! Either Maori or Pacific Island!! And they were being bribed to behave by offers of being allowed to breakdance!
Am I being over sensitive? The show was amusing (not as funny as The Office) but it just felt weird seeing all the problem kids played by Polynesians (the exception being the show's creator Chris Lilley, who wore dark make-up and a wig to play the role of 'Jonah') (geddit?). Is that how the Aussies see us? Or are they just too PC to pick on the Wops now? (Or should that be Wogs? Sorry, I can't keep up with the Aussie slurs)
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Which makes me wonder WTF we think we're doing talking about spending $3 billion on a new Auckland harbour crossing... THREE BILLION??
I've just flown in from Brisbane (and boy, are my arms tired!) and once again have been disheartened to be reminded (again) just how badly Auckland sucks when it comes to infrastructure. We couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery without first getting umpteen reports on how the piss up should be organised, staged, and what harm minimisation steps need to be taken to alleviate the possible negative effects a piss up could have on some sectors of the community.
Brisbane have a direct link by train to the Gold Coast BUT ALSO have a four lane motorway because they recognise that people will use cars too. It's fantastic, the lanes are wide and the traffic flows smoothly. They also have more than one motorway to get you across the city. Compare that with Auckland who have essentially only one motorway dissecting the city. All cars must travel to the motorway to get anywhere.
And yes, the Transit Police have decided that the best place to put a second harbour crossing is right next to the existing harbour crossing, so that money can be saved by using the existing motorway as the approach to this second harbour crossing. Take a moment to reflect on that wisdom!
And because the Transit Police don't actually want to build a second harbour crossing (because they're actually anti car greenies) they've priced it at 300 BILLION so hopefully we'll be too scared to agree to it. Much better value to spend 100 billion on buses eh?
My apologies to non-Aucklanders bored with us talking about transport woes (but better than property eh?)
Oh yes, I went to France last year, god its beautiful, and made me very sad when I returned home. The French treasure their history but aren't afraid of building new infrastructure when required. They just make a point of making it beautiful ...
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er ... how did i end up on this blog?
pls ignore post above ...
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Which makes me wonder WTF we think we're doing talking about spending $3 billion on a new Auckland harbour crossing... THREE BILLION??
I've just flown in from Brisbane (and boy, are my arms tired!) and once again have been disheartened to be reminded (again) just how badly Auckland sucks when it comes to infrastructure. We couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery without first getting umpteen reports on how the piss up should be organised, staged, and what harm minimisation steps need to be taken to alleviate the possible negative effects a piss up could have on some sectors of the community.
Brisbane have a direct link by train to the Gold Coast BUT ALSO have a four lane motorway because they recognise that people will use cars too. It's fantastic, the lanes are wide and the traffic flows smoothly. They also have more than one motorway to get you across the city. Compare that with Auckland who have essentially only one motorway dissecting the city. All cars must travel to the motorway to get anywhere.
And yes, the Transit Police have decided that the best place to put a second harbour crossing is right next to the existing harbour crossing, so that money can be saved by using the existing motorway as the approach to this second harbour crossing. Take a moment to reflect on that wisdom!
And because the Transit Police don't actually want to build a second harbour crossing (because they're actually anti car greenies) they've priced it at 300 BILLION so hopefully we'll be too scared to agree to it. Much better value to spend 100 billion on buses eh?
My apologies to non-Aucklanders bored with us talking about transport woes (but better than property eh?)
Oh yes, I went to France last year, god its beautiful, and made me very sad when I returned home. The French treasure their history but aren't afraid of building new infrastructure when required. They just make a point of making it beautiful ...
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I also saw the new Smallville premiere ep. Anyone know when TV2 are planning to run that? Or will it just turn up unannounced on a Saturday night at 1am??
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duh ... that button "start topic" wasn't there before. But now it is (logging in helps dunnit?)
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I saw the premiere eps of both in Australia last week. Interesting!
If anyone from TV3 is reading this: is it too late to suggest you re-run the last ep of the first series of Heroes before starting the new series? It's not essential but a refresher to 'catch up' would be nice.
As for Bionic Woman ... wow! Not sure if I love it but I know some people will. Certainly nothing like the original! The opening scene involves blood, lots of blood (the producers were keen to establish this show as 'dark' evidently -- it is, but only by American MSM standards). Interestingly the BW is played by a Brit actor (ie not your stereotypical size 0 Hollywood starlet) who hasn't acted since a role in Eastenders (and since then went after roles Billy Piper kept getting).
Oh yeah, and [SPOILER??] she's not actually the first BW. And all that hardwiring to your brain makes you a bit screwy. And that black doctor from Greys Anatomy is in it too.
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er ...
"Got a telly topic? Brickbats? Bouquets? Start the talk here"
... so how does one start the talk? I know how to post a video. but not a topic ....
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er ... is it only me (I guess so, since no-one else has commented on it) but:
I'm rather creeped out by the idea that someone has taken the time to follow Key, film him, edit the film, and then post it. This is a feature of US politics I don't really want to see here. Were they hoping to catch Key saying 'Mucacca'?
I could edit a video that would raise questions about whether RB should be allowed unsupervised access to young boys if I wanted to. This video is silly.
... and I thought it was only the Sc1ent0l0gists who went around filming the film crews?