Posts by Andre Alessi
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I don't know if this got linked to while I was off having my hair professionally ruined, but here's a nice photoset from the march
I'm starting to think some folks weren't taking this whole "march for democracy" thing terribly seriously.
EDIT: a couple more favourites:
Nice Father Ted reference
My thoughts exactly
Right
True Bliss strikes again!
I feel bad for laughing at this one
Well, at least it's a specific request... -
Is it that the Demo-Crazys only know "As Advertised on TV" Music?. I wonder who else they asked?
Did Paul Holmes ever do a live gig? I mean, that'd be rather appropriate for the demographic in question.
Edit: I was Googling his CD to try and see the track listing, and came across this comment from a seller on Trademe: "CD in excellent conditon, an unwanted gift, played once. "
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aren't we supposed to be able to txt our vote into whatever issue of the day is at hand and put parliament/politicians out of business by now ?
Do you really want to be ruled by the whims of agile-thumbed thirteen year old girls?
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"Does the government listen to the voice of the people, or do they not? (pause for thought) I don't think they do."
It's like "David Brent Talks About Politics".
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Yulia doesn't come cheap these days.
"These days"? I hate myself so much for wanting to make a Russian mail order bride joke right now.
I did think it odd that the "talent" selected for the march consisted of her and Ben Lummis. I understand Ben's association with the pro-punishment people, but I thought Yulia's image was being managed to be much more neutral to avoid harming her "brand".
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Must... resist... posting... unintentionally hilarious YouTube clip of 'Spock's Brain'...
Brain and brain...what is brain?
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A broad-church approach to grievance and the vilification of elected leaders are also, of course, hallmarks of the "tea party" movement in the US.
That's actually quite an interesting comparison. I'd never really thought what teabagging would look like Kiwi-style (unfortunate mental image most definitely not intended!) but it does appear it looks like a bunch of disgruntled but polite people with vague disaffections towards "politicians" and "bureaucrats" for the most part.
I first heard of the march from a poster up in the staff tearoom here, and read it twice trying to figure out where the reason for the march was hidden (answer: nowhere.) I was particularly amused to hear two coworkers discuss the matter-a 40-something Pakeha fellow regaling his Chinese friend about how NZ democracy was "a sham", only to be shot down by, "What are you talking about? I haven't been shot or teargassed by the police once since I arrived here!"
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Funny, I've often had the same "media attention is aggro" thought in the past, usually about people I personally disagree with, but see the value of their viewpoint to the wider debate.
With that in mind, I guess talkback punters and Stuff commenters are the trash mobs of political discourse. They aren't important enough to spend time on except that they prevent you from getting at the bosses.
Which is why nobody I'm aware of is criticising the BDO's right to determine their own content by "disinviting" Beenie Manl.
But unlike Charles Chauvel, I don't think we should be restricting anyone's ability to enter New Zealand because he (or the Immigration Minister) doesn't like what the person concerned says. IMO, that's setting up all kinds of slippery slopes I'd rather not cede to the government, no matter what colour rosette it happens to be wearing.
This is very much where I sit on this situation, too. I am friends with one of the other instigators of the campaign for the BDO to withdraw their invitation to Beanie Man, and the line I draw is between his right to enter the country regardless of his views and his promotion by a music festival I feel a personal connection with.
Oh, and slightly off topic, but my girlfriend has belatedly discovered WOW. I got her into LOTRO (via Oblivion and Guild Wars) which she still loves and has played with me for well over a year now, but she's finally seeing what a polished product Blizzard put out and loving it.
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That pitchfork again? Or was that a different thread?
Completely different. This was a salad fork. I don't know where that sits on the rock'n'roll scale, but I imagine it'd be quite low down.
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I don't think I've ever been to a gig that was actually, genuinely too loud. However, in my younger, wilder days, I did seem to fairly consistently allow myself to be shunted towards the speaker stacks. Probably a function of my inherent politeness, I can't mosh because I have to apologise and move out of the way every time I come into contact with anyone, no matter how lightly.
I remember in particular an orientation week gig at VUWSA in '95 (Law Students' toga party, if I remember correctly) where I was deafened in one ear for a week after having myself pushed up against the stack while South Side of Bombay performed the extended version of "What's the Time Mr Wolf?". A similar thing happened a couple of years ago at the Mars Volta's set at the BDO.
Most of the concerts I've been to have had extremely well behaved crowds, come to think of it. Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie tour stands out as being an absolute highlight for me-thousands of hyped up, happy people lapping it up, and a band that seemed to be doing the same (even when the Supertop leaked and dripped on top of Jimmy Chamberlin.) About the only "rowdy" part of the night was a guy standing next to me with a fork (why a fork? I have no idea) as the person in front of fell backwards into him. Very minor injuries resulted, but all was dealt with in good humour-although I distinctly remember reports of a "stabbing" in the Herald at the concert days later. I always wondered if they'd been talking about the forking.
Funnily enough, a Shihad gig during the Fish album tour at the Powerstation was the only time I ever found myself in physically hurt at a concert-a guy who wanted to go crowd surfing decided to jump up without warning anyone and kneed me in the nose. We laughed about it afterwards...