Posts by John Quinn

  • Hard News: Moving right along?,

    While I shouldn't knock my old craft too much, I was amused by the comment from pre-internet British poet, Basil Bunting that journalists were "turd-bakers" in a recent review about his life. Bunting had strong hatreds for many things and I doubt that bloggers would have been spared a choice word or three.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Advocate,

    Wasn't John Roughan involved in PR or communications for Act?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Hard News: Name That Food Blog,

    Foodville--covers the lot!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Hard News: The best blogger there never was,

    To Stephen:
    Nightcarts were a reality not a memory in Hokitika in the 1940s and Amberley in the 1950s (from personal experience). Liked the West Coast story about the drunken sailor who hailed one rumbling past "Ahoy, there. What's your cargo?"

    George Fraser had the "Pollytikicle" booklet reprinted at his expense and I have a copy somewhere that George gave me way back

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Hard News: Celebrity Gibberish,

    Going back to HOS editorials...

    Remember reading many years ago in the "Waiheke Resident" the comment by editor Gordon Ingham that the ink used in Herald editorials was poisonous if applied to the bare skin.

    Thought it couldn't be too good for the eyes as well so haven't read one since.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Southerly: I Was Dissed By Three Old Ladies,

    On the mobility parking issue I heard of an able-bodied motorist, late for a meeting, using one at the Down Town centre, Auckland, sprinting away from his car and being greeted by a sardonic cry from a passer-by:

    A miracle, a miracle......"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Hard News: Another entry in the Public…,

    Re the non-rolling stones, I've had them for over 20 years but the first instance is always the most memorable. It was in Sydney and the nearest clinic open on a Saturday morning was in King's Cross. I had staggered in white-faced, shuddering with pain and bent over 90deg.The methadone kids kindly moved over and let me through first.

    I think I was given a pethadine injection. I was legless after five minutes on my way to the pharmacy to get pain-killers and had to be assisted into a cab. The doctor apologised when I next saw her and said she had automatically given me the standard dosage for addicts who needed a bit extra to break through the pain barrier!

    Last year, looking for something to do, I offered up a kidney for transplant. I was OK to do it medically but finally rejected when they found one kidney was smaller than the other. Who got the runt was an impossible decision for them to make.

    But, and this is the important factor for this forum, all things being equal the recipient would have got the one kidney with it's residual stones the specialist said.

    Bugger! Almost got rid of them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Michael Jackson: A Life?,

    For what it isn't worth, an ex-nurse told me yesterday that Jackson had disappointed kids at a New Zealand hospital when he was here performing. They waited three hours for him to appear and he walked through without speaking to them.

    But yeah, what a talent......

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Public Address Word of the Year 2008,

    It has to be "like"--the teenagers' comma, fullstop and general all-round fill-in word. As in:

    "An' she like said like that I was like you know like being like silly!"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

  • Hard News: Inimical to the public good,

    I don't think the UofA is going to have much of a problem. Using one of it's PC's yesterday, I was blocked from even going to one of it's internal sites indicated by the main page! And when you tried to reach sites recommended by computer magazines, the curtains really fell down.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report

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