Good Morning Good Morning

I've got nothing to say, but it's okay.

After a while you start to smile, now you feel cool
Then you decide to take a walk by the old school
Nothing has changed, it's still the same
I've got nothing to say but it's okay

Songwriters: Lennon and McCartney.

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Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today, a spectacle you’re probably familiar with: ten pieces of nostalgia followed by ten whimsical questions of varying depths. Feel free to answer one, some, all, or even none—it's all in fun. Fear not; the questions will all be repeated at the end, so there's no need to comment as you go.

Ten years ago, Cameron “the Slug” Slater came second in a charity boxing match with Jesse Ryder. Sadly, I can’t recall whether Whale Oil got Hooked.

Question 1: Is there a charity boxing match-up you’d like to see? I’m not advocating violence, but who could do with a bloody good smack in the chops?

Nine years ago, I updated my cover photo to the image below, saying, “This view means nearly home where I come from - way too long.”

The photo is in the Mamaku ranges north of Rotorua, and depending on what time you’re reading this, I might be somewhere nearby. I’m heading down this morning to see my mate, so you might not hear much from me in the next couple of days.

Question 2: Is there a view or a place you reach that lets you know you’re nearly home?

Eight years ago, Doug Stanhope, my favourite American comedian, turned 50 that week. I posted the following clip, saying, “I love Doug's raw honesty. Bingo, who he mentions in this clip, his partner, has some serious mental health challenges. It’s great how he makes it part of everyday life in his podcasts.”

Question 3: Do you think our government would hesitate to save money by providing cut-price mental health services in strip malls alongside outlets selling booze and guns?

Seven years ago, I posted: “Great to see recognition on TV tonight of 70 years of the White Lady. So many nights chatting and smoking with folks who had come from the same bar or gig, waiting for orders. At the end of the evening, that first juicy bite in the passenger seat as you slurred your address to the taxi driver. Classic Auckland Icon.”

When I was growing up in Rotorua, our equivalent was a place called Joe’s Diner.

Question 4: Was there a legendary late-night place for a feed in your town, or do you have memories of the White Lady?

Six years ago, I posted:

Simon Bridges is opposed to a CGT, which would mean people like himself (4 properties) and Amy Adams (8 properties) would pay tax on capital gains "earned" post-2021 - an attack on their "Kiwi way of life".

Simon Bridges is also opposed to the minimum wage rising to $17.70 per hour tomorrow so that people on the lowest rung might enjoy just a little bit of his "Kiwi way of life".

In Simon's utopia, the real Kiwis are the 20% at the apex of the housing pyramid. And to be fair, you can't build a pyramid like that without a strong base trickling up to those above.

Question 5: Do you think this country will ever have a reasoned debate on a CGT, and if not, is next year the best time to try?

Five years ago, Boris Johnson tested positive for Covid, and my post wasn’t exactly compassionate:

“When I was a kid, and there was a news story saying one of the Wallabies had an injury, my dad would always say - Hope it's nothing trivial.

I hope the NHS only spend the fictitious money from the side of a Brexit bus on this prick, oh, and I hope it's nothing trivial.”

Boris Johnson (right) and Rishi Sunak clap in appreciation of NHS workers. Photograph: Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty Images.

Question 6: Did anyone’s positive Covid announcement cause you to have less charitable thoughts than usual?

Four years ago, I wrote:

As a result of our government’s health-based approach, our GDP in 2020 fell less than all the countries we compare ourselves to: less than Australia, less than the US, less than the EU, and much less than the UK. They got it right.

Photo: NZ Herald.

Question 7: Most Kiwis were proud of our leaders during that first year of Covid. Can you imagine a single day when that will be true of this government?

Three years ago, it was the week that Christopher Luxon unleashed the term “bottom feeders” into our political lexicon. I posted on a Twitter account I used to use that some of you might remember.

Question 8: Is there a Luxon-ism other than “bottom feeders” that sums up the man?

Two years ago, there was a protest in Albert Park; I’m sure you recall the one where someone struck Marama Davidson on a motorbike. Her response caught the attention of the right…

I posted:

Let this sink in for a moment - Christopher Luxon, who has spent the last year demonising Māori, wants Marama Davidson to apologise to white men.

I don't particularly care what Marama said ("I know who causes violence in the world - it is white cis men"); she had just had someone drive a motorbike into her. Plus, emotions get inflamed during a protest. I don't imagine Chris Luxon understands that; I doubt he has been on a protest in his entire life.

In any case, she has already corrected it, and there is no getting away from the fact that men commit the vast majority of violent crimes in this country, just of all different races.

So correct it from "white men" to just "men" Is that better now? Or how about this one instead: “I know who causes most of the problems in the world - it is white cis men”, which is also true.

I still can't get my head around a rich white man telling a female Māori that she should apologise to white men!

Question 9: Which groups should Christopher Luxon apologise to?

Last year, I tweeted:

Question 10: Can you think of anyone else who might do a better job running the economy than Nicola Willis, or if easier, can you think of anyone who might be worse than she is?

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The quality of media funded via advertising is declining, and while the subscription model is a good alternative, it only works if many people pay a little.

I’m really pleased with how Nick’s Kōrero has been going; people seem to enjoy and value what I write. But not many people are putting their hands in their pockets.

Writing this newsletter is a full-time job; it’s how I earn my living. If you’ve been enjoying it, please consider a subscription. With the link below, it’s $2 per week, which isn’t a lot these days, but it does add up. Thanks for reading. 🙂

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Here’s the list of questions:

Question 1: Is there a charity boxing match-up you’d like to see? I’m not advocating violence, but who could do with a bloody good smack in the chops?

Question 2: Is there a view or a place you reach that lets you know you’re nearly home?

Question 3: Do you think our government would hesitate to save money by providing cut-price mental health services in strip malls alongside outlets selling booze and guns?

Question 4: Was there a legendary late-night place for a feed in your town, or do you have memories of the White Lady?

Question 5: Do you think this country will ever have a reasoned debate on a CGT, and if not, is next year the best time to try?

Question 6: Did anyone’s positive Covid announcement cause you to have less charitable thoughts than usual?

Question 7: Most Kiwis were proud of our leaders during that first year of Covid. Can you imagine a single day when that will be true of this government?

Question 8: Is there a Luxon-ism other than “bottom feeders” that sums up the man?

Question 9: Which groups should Christopher Luxon apologise to?

Question 10: Can you think of anyone else who might do a better job running the economy than Nicola Willis, or if easier, can you think of anyone who might be worse than she is?

As mentioned above, I’m on the road this morning, so my apologies if I take a while to respond to comments. Have a great day, all you lovely people. 🙂

On this day in 1967… “John Lennon recorded his backing vocals for "Good Morning Good Morning" at Abbey Road Studios in London, and Paul McCartney added a lead guitar solo to the Sgt. Pepper’s track. Lennon had decided he wanted to end the song with animal sound effects, and asked that they be sequenced in such a way that each successive animal was capable of scaring or eating the preceding one.”