Posts by Rich of Observationz

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  • Island Life: Choose life. Choose a job.…,

    So, Kyle, for the purposes of this exercise "Maori" are anyone who says they are

    That seems to have worked well thus far. I don't think there are too many impostors on the Maori roll?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Cracker: Every Time A Coconut,

    One day I was just sitting there thinking about how it would be nice to go to Timaru for the weekend, coz I've never been there.

    Imagine my surprise when Air New Zealand rang and offered me not only a free return flight, but also a cab ride to the airport and free accomodation in Timaru's fines guest house. Needless to say I agreed. Unfortunately I'd missed the last flight that day, but Air NZ were able to redirect a spare plane to Wellington and after a comfortable ride in their courtesy Mercedes Maybach limo, I was onboard a flight to Timaru.

    Now I'd forgotten to email my friends in the South Island to tell them of this treat, but a quick call to Vodafone fixed that. The customer service person ran from her office to the airport and was able to drop me off a Vodem with free access in time for me to catch my flight and still stay in touch. Being in when I'm out indeed! AirNZ were nice enough to waive their usual rule about not using mobile equipment on the plane (after all I was the sole passenger and we were only flying over Canterbury!).

    With all that running about I was a bit peckish. Fortunately, my mate Jamie Oliver 'appened to be in town and was prevailed upon by his publisher, Penguin Books, to run to the airport and rustle up a bit of the old eggs Benedict, with free range quails eggs and elephant parmesan. That certainly hit the spot.

    I believe that beer isn't usually laid on on Air NZ domestic, but today Monteiths had excelled themselves with a couple of cases of their excellent New Zealand Lager to quaff with the quails eggs. It's certainly an excellent take on an old NZ tradition, and far nicer than the Ranfurly I'm more used to.

    Now it can get a bit cold in Timaru, and in the rush from the airport I'd forgotten my socks, but the wonderful Holeproof company had come to the rescue and delivered a few pairs of their excellent footwear.

    I feel this was some of the most excellent customer service I've encountered, and rounded off a day that one could only describe as Starckish.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Random Play: Make It Easy On Yourself,

    I get lost in the eastern suburbs of Auckland. Miles and miles of identical boring suburbia.

    And I used to get mixed up in the arrangements of bridges and tunnels around the back of Kelburn, for the opposite reason.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: Everybody's vogueing on the…,

    I personally feel that by not watching the ads you're stealing television.

    Do I have to feel warmly about the advertiser to avoid this crime, or just watch diligently and intently?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Speaker: The Magic of Television,

    Could never happen today.

    Meanwhile, an OECD survey showsthat wage-earners' share of [national income] in all developed countries, [has fallen] on average from around 67 per cent ... in 1976 to 57 per cent in 2006.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: Proud Wednesday,

    I guess the streaming video world uses DRM through obscurity. They don't sieze control of your video chain, but throw a bunch of technical hassles in the way of acquiring a permanent copy.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Field Theory: This one's for Don,

    I don't think it's stink at all that the Aussies lost. Go India!

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Island Life: Choose life. Choose a job.…,

    I actually have a strategy I would commend to Labour if, following the election, the Maori Party are set on supporting a National government.

    Let them win confidence (even by abstaining if they haven't got the votes). Then produce and promote an alternative budget that will be much more attractive to Maori than National's watered down neo-liberalism. If they could attract just some of the Maori Party MPs to break ranks and vote against the budget, then the Key government's got an immediate crisis around not having supply.

    Given Key's lack of experience in negotiating in an MMP parliament, this could lead to imminent collapse and an early election - with Labour brought back to sort things out.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Island Life: Choose life. Choose a job.…,

    the Nats believed they were right to turn their back on the traitorous and odious and loathsome Winston.

    I wouldn't disagree.

    I still think that Labour and National should have agreed a pairing solution to neutralise NZF - if NZF are opposing the government, then enough opposition MPs vote *with* the government to cancel them out.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Sunday Bloody Sunday Newspaper,

    World of Warcraft - that's a sport, right?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

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