Home Time

Ten memories and ten questions.

Oh, home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you
Oh, home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you

Songwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson Castrinos

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Morena,

I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road back to the big A, with a few Scottish-themed adventures along the way. So, I don’t have time to write a newsletter this morning, I’m afraid. If you didn’t guess from the title, this is that old standby where I share a bit of nostalgia and then ask a related question.

If you’d like to subscribe, my 20% Waitangi special is still available until the end of the weekend.

Vamos, there’s no time to waste.

2015

Ten years ago, I was more than a little sceptical about the fact that we were sending military personnel overseas for “training” purposes…

No one would argue against the fact that ISIS need to be defeated, although some might question the role that certain countries have had in creating this situation over the last decade or so, and whether military action is the best way to stop it.

The Americans have spent billions of dollars over the last 10 years on training, to claim our involvement will be 'training' is about as credible as the Japanese saying their Whaling is 'scientific'.
#canjohnnotjuststoplying
#proudhelenclarkdidnottakeustoiraq

Question 1: If the US asks Christopher Luxon to do something, what do you think he will have for lunch once he has finished abandoning our independence?

2016

Nine years ago, I was disgusted by this article: Saudi Starbucks refuses to serve women after ‘gender wall’ collapse and wrote:

Back in the day, my wife and I travelled a lot, all over Europe, Asia, South America, etc. One of my favourite trips was through the Middle East – Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. Incredible history, culture, food, and people. We encountered helpful, friendly people and dishonest people, as you would anywhere on the planet. However, there was also a level of sexism, of oppression towards women, like nothing else I have ever seen.

Whether it was seeing my wife spat at, while to my mind being conservatively dressed, in Coptic Cairo. Walking down the road in Egypt with my head in a guidebook and then realising a man was ogling my wife and acting completely inappropriately and then screaming in his face “What the hell is your fucking problem” – not sure if he understood English, but he seemed to get the message. My wife being escorted to one end of a public train in Cairo by a group of women who then surrounded her, clearly to protect her from sexual harassment or assault. Or being asked in Jordan, right in front of my wife, why I allowed my wife to smoke.

We should be making it clear to countries like Saudi Arabia that no cultural or religious nonsense excuses prejudice. We should be completely boycotting any involvement with Saudi Arabia due to their appalling treatment of women, exactly as we did against South Africa due to race.

As for Starbucks – are you kidding me?

Question 2: Saudi Arabia is hosting the Football World Cup in 2034. What sort of message does this send to oppressed women around the world?

2017

Eight years ago, Steve Sumner died. I’m sure some of you can remember that incredible All Whites’ qualifying campaign…

I'll never forget that 82 World Cup, in particular the qualifying and the way it captured the nation - having to beat Australia, having to beat Saudi Arabia by 5 clear goals, then having to beat China to go to the World Cup. Steve Sumner scoring 6 goals in one game against Fiji.

Then playing Brazil, USSR, and Scotland in Spain. It was 'boy's own' stuff for a soccer mad 10 year old growing up in a rugby country. RIP Steve Sumner - you did us proud.

Link

Question 3: Is there a particular sporting milestone that you can remember from when you were a child?

2018

Seven years ago, I wrote:

Reading this article brought back a couple of memories..

I went to high school in Rotorua, a school that was 50% Maori and 50% Pakeha; I was in the top streamed class; there were no Maori kids in that class. When I was in the fifth form (year 11), all the kids in the year sat a test to find the three top students in maths to represent the school in a competition.

I made the team along with Ross (we’ll call him Ross because that was his name) and Bunny. Bunny was a Maori guy I went to Intermediate with. It wasn’t a great school – long closed down now after parents wouldn’t send their kids there any more.

We did well, beat the other Rotorua high schools, and went on to the BOP competition, where we narrowly lost.

And that was that. Bunny returned to his lower stream class; no teacher said, “Hang on a minute”, and that was it. Meritocracy my ass!

The other memory it brings up is getting petrol at my local service station. I recall waiting impatiently for the attendant to unlock the pump so that I could get petrol. I remember I was angry at how long it took him to do so, as if I wasn’t going to pay.

And then I looked across at the guy in the next car, a better car than mine, who was similarly dressed, but his pump would not be unlocked – I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

I remember that as I drove to work afterwards, I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

Of course, there are many other memories, and I am in the privileged position of witnessing them rather than experiencing them. I reckon you can take a look at these statistics and decide that a group of people in this country are:

A) Inherently blah de blah de blah blah

or

B) Prejudice is alive and well and real.

Question 4: Are there any racist incidents you can recall observing that you’d like to share?

2019

Six years ago, I shared the following cartoon:

Question 5: Out of Jacinda Ardern, Simon Bridges, Don Brash, and Brian Tamaki, who would you have a beer with if you couldn’t pick Jacinda?

2020

Five years ago, I had a sense of foreboding and posted:

Is anyone else watching China’s official press releases about the coronavirus and getting flashbacks to the Chernobyl series?

Question 6: Without getting too conspiratorial, do you think we’ve ever been told the truth about what caused the pandemic?

2021

Four years ago, I posted:

Some positive things today:

It looks like Sean Plunket is being given the elbow – hurrah! If he believes the things he says that makes him an absolute turd of a human being, if he doesn’t but is prepared to say them for money – that’s almost worse.

The protesters in Myanmar, tens of thousands on the streets standing up to a military coup – damn that takes some nuts. Good to see Biden speaking out about it, Trump wouldn’t have said jack.

There is no community spread of COVID-19 despite these cases coming out of the Pullman. The procedures seem to be working and, importantly, adapting well. Love the approach the government is taking: listen to the evidence, as things change, react appropriately, and don’t pretend you could possibly know everything up front.

Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time since 1983! A long time between drinks for the Scots – not a phrase that is often heard. I bet there are some sore heads this morning.

Question 7: Can you think of anyone with more repugnant views in Aotearoa than Sean Plunket?

2022

Three years ago, I posted:

Newshub poll tonight has Labour + Greens on 53.9% versus National + ACT on 39.3%

Question 8: What would it take to see the left open a ten-point lead over the right in the polls before the next election?

2023

Two years ago, I posted:

Question 9: Which do you think Christopher Luxon loves more - his God, his Money, or his People?

2024

Last year, Piers Morgan announced he was leaving television to spend more time on YouTube. I wrote:

Is a media person leaving to “spend more time on YouTube” the same as a politician leaving to “spend more time with their family”?

As for an “unnecessary straitjacket”, that’s what they all say Piers. The people put in straitjackets. None of them ever commented “I’m glad I’ve got this, I never knew what to do with my hands before now”.

So fare… well, it’s not “well”, is it, then Piers? You really were the worst of the worst. Break a leg, and maybe a couple of ribs too.

Question 10: Is there anybody that you wish would leave television to spend more time elsewhere?

So here are those ten questions again:

1. If the US asks Christopher Luxon to do something, what do you think he will have for lunch once he has finished abandoning our independence?

2. Saudi Arabia is hosting the Football World Cup in 2034. What sort of message does this send to oppressed women around the world?

3. Is there a particular sporting milestone that you can remember from when you were a child?

4. Are there any racist incidents you can recall observing that you’d like to share?

5. Out of Jacinda Ardern, Simon Bridges, Don Brash, and Brian Tamaki, who would you have a beer with if you couldn’t pick Jacinda?

6. Without getting too conspiratorial, do you think we’ve ever been told the truth about what caused the pandemic?

7. Can you think of anyone with more repugnant views in Aotearoa than Sean Plunket?

8. What would it take to see the left open a ten-point lead over the right in the polls before the next election?

9. Which do you think Christopher Luxon loves more - his God, his Money, or his People?

10. Is there anybody that you wish would leave television to spend more time elsewhere?

Answer as few or as many as you like. I hope it’s a bit of fun, and have a good one, all you lovely people. My apologies if there are more typos than usual; it was quite a rush!

If you don’t already know this song, I very much hope you enjoy getting it stuck in your head. You’re welcome. 🙂