Posts by Sacha
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By which I mean interrogate their kindy teachers. Slowly.
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That's ridiculous. Do they do a full background check on each recipient or something?
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Was starting to think no one had noticed.
It's brilliant isn't it. I reckon a quote can help others decide whether to go there. In Colquhoun's case, it's hard to pick just one and I'm sure not going to try excerpting any of his delicate personal observations. Wholeheartedly recommend reading it all. Taonga.
There is a desperate beauty in the failing body. Being afforded the view is one of the great privileges of medicine. Breasts fall, bellies sag, the skin fills with subtle arcs and whorls as though it was sketched. Bones become more prominent. Eyes wetten, yellow and seem to protrude as though we are weathered back to something older and more eternal and more humble. Immortality can be hard to live with. Flesh seems relieved in the end to be rid of the responsibility. This is the beauty of the tide gone out over the tight lap of the sea against its belt. Sometimes people seem to make an appearance in their own skin for the first time as though they were stepping out from behind a curtain to take a bow.
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Over time our sorrows accumulate. Ache becomes part of our shape – a weird anatomy. It can be felt, seen, perceived and mapped by those who know its language. We wear those we have loved in the same way. Sometimes they protrude and bump into people on their way past. Sometimes we bend around their invisibility and others only notice that we walk funny.
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More about those fire service honours from national commander Mike Hall:
"In this case the nominations for Queen's Service awards came from Dame Margaret (Bazley, New Zealand Fire Service Commission chairperson) and myself and were designed to recognise the efforts of our senior staff for their leadership and support during the difficult weeks and months following Tamahere."
..."Yes, they were doing their jobs but they did it well, with compassion and consideration for their staff. I am happy that seeking formal recognition for their efforts was the right thing to do."
He also confirms bravery awards are likely for others - but can't say anything yet because they are still being worked on 20 months after the incident.
Just as well the service is not required to organise piss-ups in any of Mr Myers' breweries.
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eeek
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Fresh northern.. punctuation
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It's not the reporting. It's how we're reporting.
Quite. There’s clearly something going on. No argument.
However, observing that young women are problem drinkers doesn’t mean we are forced to trot out the old stereotypes when it comes to explaining their behaviour.
How many news stories say that street violence against some men means that all of us should stay indoors, just in case? Or that loose-fitting trousers might help the problem. Or that blokes should stay off the turps and "watch out for their mates" more?
Spot the difference?
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Matthew, thanks for sharing the experience of your Police analyst friend. Interesting.
I believe the concern here is about the meta-messages being conveyed based on the experience at a single annual event (where we can't really know why the numbers are different because they're not gathered properly for that purpose). It's interesting to hear the interpretations that journos and commenters have tended to put on that raw data, and where it fits into the bigger discourse.
With the tone of coverage over the last year and the Alac advert debacle, a level of cynicism about that seems reasonable. It doesn't mean anyone's denying a basic problem with young women drinking too much, especially at Rhythm and Vines a few days ago.
I'm sure there's a simpler way of saying this, but am overcome by summer lethargy.
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I feel sorry for the Germans
Boy do ve hav ze thread for you.
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Phew. I see what recordari meant about the pace.
It's not really possible to smack your wife round without hurting her.
Or yourself, where it counts.