Just read this morning's paper and have to partially recant my earlier comment. Just read the most jingoistic anti-Japanese rant since the last jingoistic anti-Japanese rant. Anti-whaling Japan-bashing as national identity. Barrel-scrapers we can be at times.

Mr Rapania, we can pontificate on whatever jingoistic shit there happens to be anywhere in the media world. Anyway, my intended focus was to be grateful that we have a Press Council. Minority groups in other countries, even developed ones, are not so fortunate.
Sonal, you're right. I am out here. Probably not the one you meant, though.

Good result. Nice to be back in a country which has such checks and balances. I wish Japan (where I spend a fair bit of time) had a Press Council. Their media is a disgrace with regard to foreigners. Mainly Chinese, as it happens. We should send the Asia-New Zealand Foundation over there...

This white guy prefers reading your politics. Don't give a shit about food.

-In so far as class is salient to National's recent attempt at agenda-setting, National's ambition is the alieviation of the guilt of middle class voters - through appealing to middle class morality of self-help and charity

Never ceases to amaze me how people refer to National's policies as part of the great alleviation of white middle-class guilt. Over the past 20-odd years, Labour's taken that responsibility on so that it can gain the votes it lost through the declining numbers of wharfies and other state workers.
National voters feel pissed, disgruntled, and threatened; they don't feel guilt.

Shit, you're onto it, Manakura. Great stuff. It's ironic that you should mention Government newspapers from the 1800s because there have been a fair few articles more recently in Chinese language newspapers here that denigrate Maori but avoid detection by their being not accessible to non-Chinese speakers. I guess gross generalisations and perceptions of ethnic superiority are pretty universal.