Posts by Paul Williams
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Hard News: How about that cricket, eh?, in reply to Russell Brown,
If you overlook those beamers he bowled …
I recall that too - I'm persuaded by his immediate reaction as well as the commentators analysis.
Either way, Steve Smith's just scored a tonne... Australia appears to be very strong position in the first innings.
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Hard News: How about that cricket, eh?, in reply to Ross Mason,
Grant Elliot is old. Old enough to have lost the sledging snarl of youth, Old enough to enjoy the game. Old enough to celebrate success because after all the years of trying when you finally achieve something like this you think of all those times when you were truly pissed off and this one moment makes it all worthwhile. Old enough to understand that it is sport. Merely an invented game. This twinkling moment that should, in the light of day for the loser, bring the realisation expressed by ABD coming to the press conference: “The sun will still come up tomorrow”.
Well said Ross.
Culturally, the Australian cricket team really can be a bunch of nobs.Warner, Watson et al seem to revel in the ugly Aussie image. It’s been part of the DNA for decades (Chappelli etc) but it does seem to have developed further)
I both agree and disagree. Most of them, their on-field persona at least, is oafish and many Australian are disdaining. There's exceptions though. Michael Hussey for instance, I always liked for the spirit he played with. Brett Lee too and also Gilchrist. My ten year old daughter plays in a Friday night competition and was wrapped to have met Hussey and proudly displays his signature.
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I’m married to an Ozzie. Usually, I support them against anyone else.
And I live in Oz so will support them unless they play NZ.
Also, lots and lots of Australians were barracking for the Kiwis last night - I had lots of SMSs from Aussie's advising me the score (and ABC carried the live broadcast).
Sometimes I wonder if Kiwis have more of an issue with Aussies than vice versa.
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This thread makes me very happy!
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Hard News: Team Little: pretty good, in reply to Ron Davis,
Many thanks. you’re a champ.
He is. Many here are.
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On Robertson's role, and Parker's performance, I think it's a great decision. Parker may have been, in fact I've been told was, a good senior finance Minister but I don't think he was good in Opposition at all. He was too much the boffin, too technical and abstract, not able to translate economic options into meaningful experiences that families' comprehend.
Grant may need good researchers and support, but that's available, what he'll bring to the portfolio is the ability to make it meaningful and of all the challenges Labour faces, that certainly is one of the most important. It makes great sense to put your talent where it matters and good on Little for recognising that.
It really is Little v Key and Robertson v English. The importance of the undercard, education et al, is also very important and I like the look of Katharine Moody's line-up.
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Hard News: News from home ..., in reply to nzlemming,
I think Helen assumed that Maharey would succeed had he not retired and on the basis that Cullen went as well. Whether the Party would've elected Maharey is another matter.
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Ben said:
He’s clearly got a brain on him, and a lot of experience, and seems like a very good fast talker. I feel pretty stoked really. If he goes through with 70% of what he’s talking about there, I might even switch back to voting Labour, and if you’d asked me that yesterday I’d have said that was impossible.
Andrew is an impressive individual who will, as Mathew said, still have to grab this chance but he has to have the party's support and as Sacha said, Grant Robertson has been nothing short of emphatic in his position and support for Andrew. This is typical of Grant too. He's a entirely principled individual who realises the narrative has to change regardless of him not being leader.
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Hard News: News from home ..., in reply to Deborah,
Less than 24 hours after the result of our leadership election has been announced? I think it’s okay to keep on talking it over for a few days. If people are still talking about it say, when the New Year rolls around, then I’d be deeply worried. I’m hoping that the internal focus will shift by 2015, and preferably sooner.
Point well made. I guess I was just slightly disappointed that the moment, and I do mean moment, the announcement was made I was reading criticism of the process like it was somehow new or a surprise which it most certainly wasn't.
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Hard News: News from home ..., in reply to Russell Brown,
As I happily acknowledge upfront, much of it is personal disappointment that a close friend didn’t get the job I think he’s made for.
Ditto Andrew, sort of. Grant is a genuinely remarkable individual who I'd also have liked to be leader. However, Andrew certainly has many similar qualities that could well make him very successful.
However, it troubles me that so many people in Labour are still talking about Labour, and in ways that play directly against unification, and still not talking about matters that impact on the electorate.
I'm sorry if this is something that's been said upthread that I've not acknowledged.