Posts by Christopher Dempsey
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Biscuit thank-you Craig. Biscuit.
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This is what troubles me most - he's a faux celebrity because he's a malevolent miscreant. He's no Tim Shadbolt or even Ken Mair. He seems entirely devoid of authenticity (whatever you think of Shadbolt or Mair, they appear sincere).
Why does NZ reward and not revile this kind of character?
Whale Oil Beef Hooked will star in his own telly show soon. TVNZ are negotiating the rights at the moment.
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I once heard that a thesis is not even nearly ready until the sight of it makes the author feel physically ill. One PhD I knew said she knew hers was ready when upon entering her study and seeing the manuscript laid out for yet another proofreading, she rushed to the bathroom and vomited uncontrollably. Another week and it was done.
I haven't reached that stage yet thankfully.
I spoke to Paul Millar about his experiences finishing his Bill Pearson biography (he mentioned in his speech at the launch that it had taken him 12 years to write it). I asked him how he finished it? He replied that he had got desperately desperate, and so locked himself away in a room every Saturday for six months or so and worked on the manuscript for the entire day.
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And this gives me another chance to say that everyone interested in Fairburn, Curnow and the whole cultural nationalism project should read Francis Pound's elegant, compelling The Invention of New Zealand. A real masterpiece, that.
Which I'm about 2/3rds of the way through at the moment.
I admire the breadth and depth of knowledge, and the arguments are backed up with a good selection of pictures of paintings (notwithstanding the fact that apparently Don Binney refused outright any use of his imagery or paintings). It certainly fills a gap in the literature about this critical period.
However I'm just not sure about the references to homosexuality and slightly misogynistic writing; having made the point that painting the land was done (inevitably) from a male viewpoint, such that the land became 'female', and hence, 'penetrated', Pound finds difficulty dealing with female painters where the land is still resolutely 'female'. Are they, gasp, lesbian? he wonders. Perhaps they were. At any rate, perhaps that indicates a fault with the view, not the painter.
Another reference is obliquely made to gay men in a way that made me uncomfortable. The point was not clear, and it should be so.
This indicates to me more than anything a particular view of homosexuality held by white male men of a particular age having lived through 1986 and 1993.
Still, if one ignores such uncomfortable writing, the book indeed is very good.
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Forgive my hectoring and snarky post about the postal ballot.
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I am sorry I missed this event - was at a farewell function for community boards.
I would like to acknowledge Russell for organising this event. It does much to stimulate the intellectual life of the city. A city that does not love books, good food, wine, art and conversation is a poor city. Thank-you Russell.
Sticking elected rep hat on:
Reminder as if you haven't already been nauseatingly reminded, postal ballots will be mailed out from this coming Friday onwards, so in the AUCKLAND region if you haven't rec'd your ballot in your mailbox by Tuesday next week, phone this number: 973 5212. For elsewhere check here.
Then the hardest most difficult bit of the entire local body elections, surpassing the debates, the flyers, the boring candidates, the endless promises of better transport! better communities! better shiny sparkling lives! is next.
Yes my dear friends, getting that completed ballot paper into the nearest postbox. If you can achieve this, you can achieve anything!
You aren't restricted to post boxes. You can pop your ballot into your mail stream at work. You can give it to your friendly local librarian (we love our librarians!). You can give it to the lovely counter people at Council. Just do it!
doffing said hat.
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Which is a nice segue to a very good piece of advice Simon Wilson had for Banks -- Just say "I was wrong" (about teh gayz, your errors as Mayor) about something, anything - and MEAN IT
I saw that helpful tip in the Metro from Simon Wilson to Banks. I agree. Banks would do well to front up and say that he was wrong about the gays.
Wearing my private hat: I had the opportunity to directly address Judge Mick Brown at a function about his inappropriate and very hurtful comments about gays/lesbians in a letter he wrote (which became public) at the time of the Civil Union bill was being debated in Parliament.
Judge Brown apologised to me and indicated that he felt very bad about doing it. I told him off in no uncertain terms and despite his pleadings to old age, to being a fuddy duddy, which I ignored, he *heard* me.
Swapping private hat for elected rep hat:
Banks has NEVER once taken the opportunity (and there have been plenty) to tell me to my face that he was wrong about the gays and apologise. Partly because politics plays a part (I'm part of the 'wrong group' so I'm ignored), and partly because I don't think he actually understands how hurtful and cruel his commentary has been to a number of GLBT people.
Doffing said elected rep hat and switch back to private citizen.
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then how did it get the ok to join the guarantee scheme in the first place? Don't they check on the viability of an organisation before they guarantee it? And if somebody did check them out, who is it who does the checking?
I think its something to do with being hog tied over a barrel and having no options. Something like that. The moment they looked at it the smart men at Treasury were duty bound to accept it.
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Wearing my elected representative hat...
Speaking of elections, am I the only one confused by our own TLA election? I see hoardings approximately everywhere, and assume they're roughly geo-specific. But nobody (Electoral Commission?) has told me exactly what the new entities are that I'll be voting for, or exactly what their jurisdiction or territory is.
Several others have responded, but I completely understand your confusion, as many other voters (when I have talked to them) express the same thing. The speed of the process has somewhat precluded any general educational efforts that I would expect central government to undertake. But then again, central governments of whatever stripe are notorious for ruling by fiat and letting the masses figure it out.
The hoardings are roughly geo-specific with the exception of the Mayoral hoardings, and the district health board hoardings (as they cover a much larger area - and there are 3 board elections from memory - Auckland, Waitemata, and Manukau).
Probably stupid to ask, but is there a guide somewhere as to what these new entities will be doing / looking after? What I'd like on the elections2010 site is if you get to vote for a Ward, Local Board, this is what those people voted in will be looking after, what they will be responsible for etc. This is what they will be doing. If there isn't one already...
Not stupid to ask and perfectly reasonable. It would help to know who does what in the new system. The Auckland Transition Authority has provided limted information - and it can only be limited given that this is a somewhat brave new world we are stepping into. Alot depends on personalities and force of argument. You can safely say that the big elephants in the room (Transport CCO) will get alot of power, the Auckland Council some power and Local Boards - well, sweet FA comparatively speaking. But I could be proven wrong, if for example, the Transport CCO decides to buddy up with a coterie of Local Boards and leave the Council out of the loop. But the Council has the powers of oversight. Which is well, oversight.
At a minimum, expect Local Boards to look after the operation of facilities / services in your area (like parks, pools, libraries), and the Council to look after the building / development of new facilities / services. And the Transport CCO to do things like footpath renewals, road renewals, bus/train/rail/ferry related stuff, and region-wide transport planning.
Doffing said hat.
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A red crushed velvet male 'pillbox' hat I wore during my first year at Varsity - it sounds awful but was really amazing.
My Clacton and Frinton red shirt bought from their store in Vulcan Lane in late 80s. (they have moved to Santa Monica).
My brown suede jacket bought from Camden Locks market. My various parts of doc martens.
Several World man shirts I wear alot.
Having discovered India Flint's book, I'm working on dyed shirts which shall be new favourites.
It's such a big subject really... there's lot to mention but like a good Oscar winner I'll sit down now. But that's not to say others mile more erudite and wittier than me should be 'short'.