There is no depression in New Zealand
There's an email doing the rounds from Don McGlashan and some associates, highlighting some of the good things that have happened under a Labour government, urging people to get out and vote. Don's comment folllows...
'When I was a teenager in Muldoon era, the Maori language was risking becoming relic, Maori grievances were dismissed or ignored, and the government crushed land protests with police cordons and bulldozers.
Now, my kids can go to a primary school with a strong Maori language component; Maori TV is getting off the ground, and Treaty settlements look like they might be worked through within the next 15-20 years (which is blindingly fast, considering it's 150 years of complex history they're dealing with). When I look around at other ex-colonies, I feel tremendously proud that I live here, in a country that has committed itself to trying to set things right. There's a long way to go, but I know which party I'd trust to keep up the good work. Gerry Brownlee as Minister of Maori Affairs? It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.
- Don McGlashan
You've got til 5pm today to get enrolled to vote, so do it! Vote early, vote often. (Full version of Don's email under comments)
My Adidas
via Spine: "Good article on branding calls hip-hop culture "the one uniform force in the American marketplace", citing companies like Reebok's current success being down to their use of rappers in advertising campaigns."
And finally, spotted on the footpath opposite the Library on Lorne st earlier this week, this charming note...
3 comments:
Hello all,
A bunch of us are terrified that Labour/Greens/Progressive will lose this election, so we feel a need to do some last minute pushing for a decent result.
We have decided to pass positive messages on via email, as well as showing some on placards, before this coming election. We feel it's high time to remind each other of some of the great things that have happned during the last two terms with Labour at the helm.
1/ Feel free to add your own positive message before passing this on:
Last year my dad had an emergency triple bypass and within 3 weeks he was back on his feet and it didn't cost him a cent. Could this have happened after two National terms? [Phil Gregory]
2/ In my 20s, I played in a band, but NZ music was only played for an hour or two late at night on one station - now I can hear Kiwi music at every hour of the day, on all stations, and there are Kiwi stars out there. My kids buy Kiwi music. It beggars belief that a cultural explosion like this would have been fostered under a National regime with people like Brash at the helm. [Mark Webster]
3/ New Zealand is the world's favourite place to visit, has the lowest unemployment is the O.E.C.D, is internationaly renown for its filmmaking, its musicians, sportsmen and women, its peace-based international policies and its humanaterian, open social policies. It's also recognised as a country which has both environmental and business integrity. This enviable
and unique combination of attributes simply could never have come about
under a National government [Nat Curnow]
4/ Over the last three years I have enjoyed free education in te reo maori both at te Wananga o Aotearoa and at Unitec. A very positive experience indeed. It seems very unlikely that these opportunities will continue under National. [Tejo van Schie]
5/ Six years of vibrant arts. [Dieneke Jansen]
6/ Thanks to Labour's support for NZ content on television, my son doesn't want to talk like an American now. He'd rather talk like Jeff the Maori ow.
[Libby Giles]
7/ When I was a teenager in Muldoon era, the Maori language was risking
becoming relic, Maori grievances were dismissed or ignored, and the
government crushed land protests with police cordons and bulldozers.
Now, my kids can go to a primary school with a strong Maori language
component; Maori TV is getting off the ground, and Treaty settlements look like they might be worked through within the next 15-20 years (which is blindingly fast, considering it's 150 years of complex history they're
dealing with). When I look around at other ex-colonies, I feel tremendously proud that I live here, in a country that has committed itself to trying to set things right. There's a long way to go, but I know which party I'd trust to keep up the good work. Gerry Brownlee as Minister of Maori Affairs?
It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.
[Don McGlashan]
By the way I made this great webpage on stopping comment spam that you might find usefull.
The irony.
hey James
you wanna know what's really ironic? I had a look at this site and it told me how to fix automated comment spam - activate the word verifcation thingy. Useful spam - what a misnomer.
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