I spent a bit of time over Easter cleaning out the basement and going through some boxes. One of the gems I came across is this clipping from the Otago Daily Times in 1993. (click the picture below for the full-size image). Lockwood looks much the same. Not sure about me. In my defence it was the 90s, big glasses were in, ok?
At this point in time Lockwood was refusing to go on to campus, so we had driven to Lincoln the week before to find him, but he cancelled the visit. To his credit he eventually did agree to meet with us. At the time I would never have believed him that he was “our best friend in Cabinet”, now I think he might have been right!
Posted in Tertiary Education and Humour. |
Oh dear. I think this article in the Guardian from yesterday (their time) is going to haunt New Zealanders living overseas.
New Zealanders have long endured jokes about the extent to which they are outnumbered by sheep. But now Kiwis can expect more variety in the gags, with the country’s national statistical office announcing that the population has also been overtaken by that of dairy cattle. Statistics New Zealand’s agricultural production survey, released today, reported that the cows’ numbers soared to 5.8 million in 2009. New Zealand has a human population of 4.3 million.
I think every New Zealander travelling overseas has experienced sheep “humour”, this adds to the arsenal. My favourite quote in the article is
“In 2009, New Zealand had fewer than eight sheep per person,” explained agriculture statistics manager Gary Dunnet.
Only eight sheep each. I can hear the jokes now.
Posted in Agriculture and Humour. |
John Key is relaxed. Good on him. Its certainly important in politics to not sweat the small stuff. A lot happens in a day and if you get too uptight it can be bad for your health. There are big issues to worry about, they are the ones where your energy needs to be focused and where the future of the country is at stake.
So, for my own enlightenment I did a Google Search to look at the things our Prime Minister is ‘relaxed’ about, to see whether the chilled out leader has got it right. This is but a sample.
- Afghanistan. Well specifically requests for troops to go there. On the same subject, how does his good buddy Barack feel? Ah, not so much.
- Religion. A thorny topic, so probably best to not get too uptight about it. Mind you some people do….
- About being called relaxed. This was the Rodney moment suggesting he ” did not do anything”. Ah, its the friends you make in politics that matter….
- Changes to Auckland City boundaries. They are a little less relaxed in Rodney and Franklin….
- Low uptake of the nine-day fortnight. hmm, lots of people losing their jobs? Ah lets just all chill out.
- Christine Rankin. Not even Christine Rankin is relaxed about Christine Rankin.
- The Emissions Trading Scheme. What he told Fed Farmers but rest of planet might feel differently.
I think we might set up a “relax-ometer” to monitor the tension levels of our fearless leader. Will be interesting to see the shifts.
Posted in Humour. |
Video of Argentine Politicians losing the plot
No matter how much the temptation it would be a hard ask to throw one of our old leather chairs around.
Posted in Humour. |
The Dom Post has made quite a bit of a story today about Bill English’s crown car and security car illegally parking in Wellington while the Finance Minister has a haircut. I would actually cut English a bit of slack on being driven the couple of blocks to have his locks chopped in this case as he was suffering from a painful back injury this week. But there is no need for his cars to stay parked illegally and using space reserved for people with disabilities. Its not that hard for the cars to find somewhere else to go. And is it really necessary for the Diplomatic Protection Squad to even be there anyway?
But two questions arise. With due respect to Bill he mostly looks, as my mother would say, as if he has been dragged through a hedge backwards. Is he really getting value for money here? And are there really no good hairdressers in Dipton, I mean that is where Bill lives isn’t it?
Posted in Bill English and Humour. |
