Posts by Richard Llewellyn
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The bit that got me (still gets me) about the whole 'I could have died' furore (and I was just as wrapped up in it as the next rugby tragic) was just how completely polar opposite the different points of view were (and still are if you read some of the UK blogs).
On the one hand you had elements of UK fans and media painting Umaga and Mealamu as vicious and heinous criminals who should be tried through the judicial system, and on the other the SH fans and media who thought that the Lions were grossly over-reacting (and spinning like tops) and that it really was just a bad accident in a big collision game with plenty of potential for bad accidents.
I think this divide is still in many ways fed by long-held cultural views and double-standards.
For example, the poms have always thought Colin Meads was just a big dirty bastard, while at the same time lionising the likes of Martin Johnson for his 'resolute defiance' and 'mastery of the dark arts'. When those pesky colonies play dirty its not fair, but when the empire holds strong they are defending their queen, when Neil Back cheats its clever gamesmanship, when Richie McCaw cheats its just f**king cheating.
When Danny Grewcock bites or knees opponents its the act of an isolated and flawed individual, when Corne Krige's Springboks commit foul play its because the Springboks have a culture of thuggery and violence. When Gordon D'Arcy really does spear tackle Rua Tipoki it doesn't mean as much as BOD being dropped from a height because the colonial guy didn't get injured, and besides he wasn't as important a player, etc etc yada yada, making me feel ill.
On the other hand, I could be completely wrong.....
Enjoy the taste of whiskey?, I could have died and gone to heaven.
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Good luck on the non-smoking - although, it sounds like this time, you mean business so no luck needed.
I personally found the Carr book helpful, but really, it boiled down to one simple thing, all my previous failed attempts were only because I knew smoking = bad. It took me years to actually want to stop smoking. From there it was relatively easy.
But I did notice as a side-effect that for some time afterwards I was a two pint screamer ...... the replacement theory in action.
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I can't imagine Helen Clark getting five feet without someone saying hello, smiling, or coming up to talk to her about something.
I'm sure there's a media minder who just earned their Christmas bonus with that one. God, those 'spontaneous' walkabouts are so contrived I just end up feeling embarrassed for everyone concerned.
Heh - although to be fair I have seen HC at our local Mt Albert school fair over the last 2 years doing the meet'n'greet with us ordinary folk, without media or handlers, and she manages just fine to yak about the weather and other sundry small talk staples. Only in NZ etc.
And also to be fair to John Key, I've seen him in similar environments and he aint so bad at the schmoozing either - maybe that video is capturing some of the residual 'master-of-the-universe' traits of the New York money trader lurking inside him, but he is usually a lot more comfortable with 'the people' than his predecessor.
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Oh, and congratulations to Jordan Luck.
I'm certainly not qualified to comment on who else could/should be nominated, but Mr Luck provided the sound-track to one of my more memorable orientation weeks, and for that I will always be in his debt :)
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I saw black eyed peas fergy choke down 3 large slices of pav in the performers tent at BDO.
On the subject of celebrity encounters, a friend and I once walked into a nearly empty greasy spoon cafe in Notting Hill for a late morning hangover cure, and seeing, hunched in the corner, Van Morrison chowing into his bacon and eggs (fingerless gloves and all). We were so excited we immediately said hi, and he barely glanced up as he grunted 'F**k off' at us. We were so proud.
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My sources also tell me that Jerry Collins is scaring all and sundry in the All Black party with his intensity and level of training. It would appear that he is keyed up for the tournament.
Thats what we want to hear!! - Go Jerry! (bet he wanted to swap his jersey)
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We could empanel a few nanas with a teapot and biscuits
Lovely turn of phrase :)
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and the unfortuate tendency for experienced journalists to bugger off to PR
Thats a whole interesting can of worms in itself there Russell - without wanting to get into a defence of PR - but why are experienced journos moving on (I assume usually for money) and why aren't media owners prepared to pay more for the privilege of having the best and brightest protecting the truth and integrity of news and journalism? - its a largely rhetorical question I know (along the same lines; why aren't teachers the best paid profession in the country), and as we know there are loads of good journos who aren't lured by the dark side so easily, and some media owners who are happy to pay for the best :)
On the other hand, one would have thought that the younger journos coming through would have a more (oft misunderstood word) native understanding of all things inter-webby.
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Buggar, got the link wrong ...
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Riiiight . . . Roy & HG, from the island in the sewer which is rugby league, which every year promises the Youth of Australia so much and ends up delivering a uteload of stanleys (stanleys=stanley steamers=turds).
???? - got me there Joe.
I'd regard Roy and HG as aussie national treasures, not only for their ability to puncture the pomposity around sport (in particular league) but for their other work - if you haven't read it, its well worth having a look at John Doyle's (rampaging Roy Slaven) fine speech at the 2005 [http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1476723.htm|Andrew Olle Media Lecture]]