Posts by Rob Stowell
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The republicans deserve to be kicked all the way back to Texas, but like most others here, I'm sceptical it will be anything like the rout we hope for.
What do the Dems stand for? This guy has a good take on the debate (and lack of it) in Democratic circles.
Why do the Republicans so deserve to loose? This cover story in Rolling Stone sums it up:
It's incompetence- but it's mostly about corruption.... power corrupts in curious ways- and there seems no end to the cynicism- evidenced in dirty campaign tricks and 527 lies- of the current GOP leadership.
The GOP line- taken on by Brash here- has been for decades the ACT (and others- rememember the bumper stickers?) line that lower taxes and less government is always best. It's not surprising they can't govern well- their message is that they don't believe in it! But power, perks and pork? They'll do just about anything to hang onto power....
The hope for a Democratic Congress is that they'll not just scale back, but stop the rot of democarcy in the US by changing the rules in Congress and seriously investigating the last 6 years. And maybe they'll even overhaul the voting chaos: the deeply ironic fact that the world's most wealthy and powerful democracry simply can't even run fair and decent elections..... -
Deadwood: 9:40ish Sunday nights on Prime. Not a bad slot- tho it over-runs Frontseat a tad.
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Can't seem to find Brian...! But Stuart Page also lived at Knowles St- that's what we called it, ignoring the fact there were about 500 other houses on the St, including rival party-holders just over the road. But he was mostly print-making (and possibly drumming for the Axemen) in those days- (end of the 70s). The first Scorched Earth video was shot (mostly) there, by Rongotai Lomas- an amazingly talented film-maker. Love to know what happened to him....
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Thanks for the kind comments. 12 in a five-bedroom is a great record; we never had more than 8 actual flatmates in a huge house (for $50 a week- and we still struggled to find it together some rent-days!)- but partners and friends and hangers-around meant stumbling over a sleeping-bag/body on the way to the loo at night was common.
Nostalgia is a tricky wee beast. I wouldn't go back for anything- and yet- and yet.... -
TV is looking up... Deadwood is back! (ok it's only occasionally a comedy!) Green Wing, the return of Moon TV and now EML. Must get a HD dvd recorder.... or a tv card for the laptop- 'cos they sometimes are hard to catch. (And yeah, 7:30 friday is a stinko time-slot. What were they thinking? Or in EML-speak, where can I get the crack they were smoking when they dreamt that up)..
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This is an ode to flatting in the eighties- when a jug of beer was $1.20 and the cactus was free- as told by a lying bastard.
Warning: contains sad lies, distortions, and foolish advocacy of drug use. -
New haka at the Chch Bledisloe cup game, 2006. The game was almost as good as the haka! Had to put this up as it makes me feel good- also, I was conned into doing the shot from the centre of the field. The senior cameraman and director gave me a great deal of coaching.... and said it was for the benefit of the producer, who'd wanted this for ages. After the game, the producer was approached by furious ground and coaching staff, who asked what the f@%* Sky meant by putting a camera in the middle of the field between the teams- which they knew it was forbidden. Producer smiled ruefully, and told them (approximately)- "when the cameramen get these sudden creative ideas, you just can't stop the buggers."