Posts by Roger
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The way that some people use religious beliefs and religious language to justify immoral policies is just madness.
Isn't that what organised religion is for?
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And now he has back-slid on the military "trials" in Cuba... they have a LONG way to go.
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I guess that I am surprised that I am surprised that anyone expected anything better from Holmes. He has been around for quite a long time.
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As for “rich”; well if you run any organisation, you’re usually in charge of its finances and it would be a pious hope to suppose that you’d vote yourself a pittance in salary and perks.
It is not the Mayoral or councillor salary that is at issue here... that is set in Wellington with little or no local (as required in legislation). It is not that long ago that the ruling C&R councillor group spoke about dramatically reducing councillor salaries, as that would exclude what they called 'lifestyle councillors', what you and I might call people who actually needed an income to support their families in return for doing a full time job, which is what being a councillor in a major metro council entails.
What is the concern is that only the already rich will be able to contest the positions... to put one letter in every letter box in the ‘new’ city would cost $250k… so any talk of a $70k or $100k campaign cap is just unrealistic.
There would be no point in capturing just the mayoralty, as to actually do anything a Mayor would need a full party ticket behind him or her (probably him) to give them the votes. With no tax payer funded media buy to help out in local body elections, a successful mayoral candidate and supporting ticket would need a budget close to that needed by Labour or National at a general election for the country!
This means the effective commercialisation of local government in Auckland as only large companies will have the sort of money required.
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See, I knew that you guys could do it if you tried!!
I once did a Tina Turner concert in Kuala Lumpur... no dancing; the ushers had guns... not that I would advocate that as a solution.
Russell; yes, in GA all is good, but perhaps with a little more consideration than some exhibit would be nice, or is 'nice' something that we can no longer do? However in a venue with an abundance of flat floor dancing space it really does get my goat when they still insist on standing up and blocking the concert in the seated areas - make your choices people, I did.
No, I'm saying: if you expect to buy a ticket to an unseated area at a rock concert and then require everyone else there to sit on the ground because that's what you want to do, then perhaps you'd be happier at Christmas in the Park.
But what about the counterfactual to that... I think Christmas in the Park is crap and would not go if I was paid, but I do enjoy rock concerts. Why should others expect to buy a ticket to the affordable area at a rock concert and then require everyone else there to stand just because that's what they want to do? Right, it is all about them.
What is the choice, I could pay a squillion bucks for a seat near the stage and still have some idiot stand and block my view. Better to waste $120 on the hill than $390 down the front, for the same result. So in the Western Springs example I might go early and find the steepest part of the hill that no one could possibly safely dance on... wrong! I am supposed to only go to Christmas in the Park.
Or The Who... someone dancing in the stand, blocking peoples view, pissing people off, abusing the staff, then drunkenly tripping and going base over apex down two rows of seats... really funny and an "I told you so" moment until you guiltily realise that they have actually really hurt themselves... but that still does not deter their friends... more agro ensues.
BDO has a range of 'viewing' and participating options and so this is not in my experience a problematic place, and it is big enough. Vector should not be a problem, setting aside promoters stupidity or greed.
Deep Purple at North Shore event Centre with all seating and no dance area... just stupid, and asking for conflict.
However people should remember that people do have differing interests and needs and while promoters do usually cater for 'visibly' disabled people - like the provision of disabled car parks, this only caters for a fraction of people who may have problems or needs that differ from the GA public (we have covered ‘short’ here, but how about pregnant, temporarily injured, minor mobility problems, or terminally rhythm handicapped, etc, etc, etc – none of these people qualify for a mobility permit or any sort of special treatment – and so tend to be excluded in one way or another).
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But of cource Sacha there is no 'and'.
If I have paid for a seat and I don't want to, or can't stand up and dance, and the person in front of me does, I have two choices - see nothing or leave and when I have spent something around $200 to be there it kinda pisses me off. Particularly when a venue has provided dancing and seated areas.
The 'and' is for those people who do not care who is behind them.
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They shouldn't have been at a friggin' Stones show if they didn't want to dance.
Oh, so they are on the list then?
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In my world if you're at the front in a seat and the crowd stands up then you stand up with them. And if you are unable to stand up then you should buy a ticket in the stands/circle/whatever.
An ideal solution... why can't people in either area show that level of pragmatism?
Yes, I know, that WAS a retorical question.
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Grrrrr.
Well it is a wet Monday, and this board has been being far too quiet and conciliatory
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I think the point is that gigs should provide for the entirely predictable needs of their diverse audiences - some of whom will want to sit with an uninterrupted view while others wish a bit o getting down. Not that hard to keep both sets of people happy, surely?
Sacha...
I would like to think so... but sadly no, it appears not. In venues with a huge danceable flat floor like the Vector Arena, people do not seem to be able to work that one out!