Posts by Alec Morgan
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Hard News: Art with a job to do, in reply to Matthew Hooton,
a 21st century review of national identity involving republicanism and our post colonial progress; with proper design standards applied, might have been a healthy exercise for the nation–but really the flag should be at half mast over this cynical rebranding exercise timed to bookend the “rubber wool cub”
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Hard News: Art with a job to do, in reply to llew40,
classic manufacturing consent is not conspiracy but a conscious strategy, and the PM has been at it again today with what I’d call dissing the RSA, there are free flags available on request (the two top polling ones currently) for those interested to fly them before referendum #2, I would not be surprised if Nat branches distribute them in bulk, stage 2 of the flag fiasco process will be on full turbo boost shortly
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given the absence of anything even approaching good design practice, the panel manipulating its internal polls, co-option of the All Black captain, insider conflicts of interest etc. the flag fiasco seems a text book example of attempted manufactured consent
a flag change also fits nicely with a national consideration of republicanism which was nicely sidelined in this exercise, and while no fan of the “butchers apron” union jack on the current flag it should perhaps stay as a reminder until post colonial NZ is doing better on the legacy of the New Zealand wars, rather than just go down the memory hole in Keys rebranding
the only fitting response to the above imo is to vote for the existing flag in round two and hope some years hence a genuinely engaged populace will do a better job
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“kiss and tells”–or rather –“donate and tell”–can leave all involved looking rather shabby or the original target even rejuvenated after a suitable time, interesting the number of commenters prior to this that commented on Cameron’s chubby, ruddy appearance as “porcine” though
and what about the poor pig, meat is still murder as Morrisey has reminded http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/morrissey-slams-david-cameron-over-piggate-allegations-70851
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Hard News: A better thing to believe in, in reply to Bruce Thorpe,
love that typo…?
“hoping the Irish (with the only Northlander at the cup, or some brilliant unknowns become the hetroes of the tournament” -
was bought up on rugby and detest it still, the excusing complexities skate over me;
let me count the ways…
–forced to play on pain of ridicule at primary school and punishment at int/secondary when athletics was my choice
–sitting next to Ron Don on a plane in ’81 and arguing all the way
–the winter of ’81 a blur of demos/helmets and taking your “HART/Stop The Tour” badge off for a few minutes peace sometimes while out in public
–harassed by plain clothes cops for months later for exercising freedom of speech and association
–defacto Nat party networks are often formed by rural rugby clubs, lodges and firestations
–the slippery Cavaliers South African tour
–the relentlessly bullying macho culture
–dear leader–alt AB captain according to Rugby News cover 2014 election
–the John and Richie approved flag and parliamentary “Rubber Wool Cub” launch
–the assumed toryness of ABs until proven otherwise–good on you Piri–public exceptions are rare, something to do with contracts?I understand some sporting obsessions–like the Bathurst 1000 V8 race which is an annual holiday for me, but rugby is too embedded in “kiwi” reactionary conservatism to make a comeback in my lifetime
Whaddarrrryaaaaa!!!!
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Polity: Meet the middle, in reply to Russell Brown,
“just because we can’t defeat them doesn’t mean we have to join them”–Bob Dylan to Hunter Thompson–I’d personally add in “yet” after “defeat”
archetypical intellectually lazy kiwis have certainly grasped the narrative of supporting winners–“Key Love” club, over “losers”–everyone else in NZ politics
probably a combination of a nasty outbreak of negative equity among rentiers and eventual political organisation among the currently young and alienated will be needed, the TPPA activism shows some at least are still capable of shaking off “zombie mall shuffle” orthodoxy
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good list from popular usage, half of it could combine into a stream of consciousness mumble by dear leader in any interview.
And just to plug my also ran “FJK!”, this will feature via fabric paints on new T-shirts on the inevitable ‘rainy day at the bach’ in Jan.
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“FJK!”
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I hope some fellow scribes publicly support Nicky Hager in this episode which is pretty clearly intimidation. Some more Rawshark material published would be good confirmation also that not all journos are engaged in compliant weaseling.
The coppers have bagged Nicky Hagers property but are they allowed to examine it yet? And on what basis. Could drives be cloned and sent elsewhere perhaps so technically the local plods can say ‘they’ have not looked.