Blackout

One of the most vexing issues in public policy is the impact of technology on our lives. Whether it's surveillance, stem-cell research or property rights, near constant innovation and ever increasing access means policy and regulation are always going to lag behind consumer practice. I'm anything but expert, I'm possibly a little careless in fact. I keep a watching eye the legal ranglings around file sharing and also net filtering but that's about it.

The concerns expressed by expert commentators, such as Russell Brown, about changes to New Zealand's copyright laws have recently refocused my attention. Russell makes the critical point that a balance between creators' and users' rights must be struck but that achieving this requires sensible dialogue on both parts. I remember when the parrallel importing legislation was rushed through the NZ Parliament (circa March 1999) some of these issues were bought up but only resolved with respect to enforcable trade agreements.

Parliament needs to guide the courts, the pace of techological innovation must surely mean existing laws will not be fit for purpose. But it seems to me that copyright holders are looking for a quick fix to staunch the loss of business rather than adapting to the fundamental shift in patterns of consumption.

Per head of population, Australian consumers reputedly illegally download more television content than any other country (I've read this in the MSM but can't now find a reference). This must infuriate broadcasters who pay big money to rush series from overseas - House and CSI for example. Without giving too much away, some earlier frustration I had about Nine's scheduling of the Sopranos sent me towards torrent sites.

All this is by way of explaining my support for the the Internet Blackout N.Z. I recommend following the developments here and here.

'Happy' Waitangi Day

I'd lost track of this, a little, until I saw others' blogs (particularly the handmirror's Waitangi Wahine summary). It's odd thinking about Waitangi Day from Australia. 355,000 Kiwis are here and there are a number of Waitangi events, but I'm not involved.

The angst associated with Waitangi Day is frequently commented on. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. Contrast it with Australia Day celebrations which are increasingly jingoistic, perhaps it's ok that we have mixed feelings about the nation's awkward early years? There's some that think this is bad for us. I understand, but don't agree, their perspective. An uncomplicated celebration would be nice, but can it be possible while many issues remain unresolved? If you feel no responsibility, direct or indirect, then I understand the protests seem like an unecessary distraction.

However, and despite my ancestors arriving towards the end of the Land Wars, I still think of myself as having benefited from what are now understood as unconscionable acts. This too, however, draws a negative response; should we judge the actions of the then colonial powers by today's standards? I've not resolved this for myself, but don't know that I need to in order to justify a process of reconciliation and restitution? I see the latter as being justified by the Treaty of Waitangi.

Where will it end? When will it end? How will we know? Though I understand the limitations of the deficit model for approaching these questions, I still think it's reasonable to set benchmarks about educational attainment, labour market participation, infant mortality, incidence of diabetes, access to housing etc. By these measures alone, we've not honoured the Treaty.

Someone may accuse me of having Pakeha guilt. I don't accept this. I might be a hopeless Liberal, but I remain inspired by the idea New Zealand might become a leading bicultural society (the merits of this, compared with multi-culturalism, I'll leave for another time). And here's the real risk of deficit thinking; what will I lose in a bicultural society should be replaced by what will I gain? Perhaps a great first start is expanding teaching Te Reo Maori as Grant Robertson, and many others, have proposed.

Disapprovalists

I first remember Rosemary McLeod from my youth. She was a cartoonist and columnist for the Listener. My mother, a nascent femisist, also had a book of her collected writings. She was clearly a significant thinker, commentor and agitator for women's rights. She seemed to be able to address serious matters frankly and with humour.

Later, McLeod became a more angry voice, primarily for the Dominion. In my student politics days, she wrote a very critical piece on comments I'd made about marriages of convenience. Shortland St stars Nick and Rachel entered a marriage of convenience to obtain student allowances and I'd commented that these marriages (they did in fact exist) were "a rational response to an irrational situation". McLeod was incensed. I was selfish, naive, a thief etc etc etc. It was a slightly unhinged response.

Today McLeod gives us her judgment on Helen Clark. There's some direct praise, but it is overshadowed by comments about her marriage, her dress-sense, her academic career and her failure to have kids. It's a good piece of writing however, because it almost obscures McLeod's envy. Clark, unlike McLeod, was in the game, not sitting on the sidelines barking disapproval.

This has been what I've realised about McLeod. She disapproves. Disapproves of sexism, of course, but disapproves also of a woman who's succeeded in politics. Rather than celebrating the achievements of Clark's government, McLeod concentrates her attention on developing a catalogue of her disapprovals. This list includes a disapproval of the newly elected Member for Wellington Central because he's gay and had the audacity to pinch his partner's backside. Grant Robertson's is at the beginning of what will certainly be a successful and influential career. He'll face far sterner criticism that McLeod's. I doubt for a minute he'll be distracted by her latest gripe.

I tell my youngest to be wary of the disapprovalists. The usually insecure, rigid thinkers who need everyone to follow simple stereotypes to make themselves feel good. Fortunately for now, they are kids who are seduced by appeal of conformity, but McLeod proves they can and do grow into adults.

But how does it know?

Years ago, ten or more, there was an advert for a type of chilly-bin that took the piss out of Australians for being stupid. I don't recall the full script however it included a claim that the chilly-bin kept food warm or cool... the Australian, sitting astride the chilly bin, looked confused... "but how does it know?".

How does my iPod know? Know when I'm most susceptible to the calls of home? Walking back home today, my iPod queued-up the Muttonbirds You Will Return (where the f**k is McGlashan getting strong strong coffee from, not bloody Sydney mate) followed by Dave Dobbyn's Loyal... I almost cried... but then, as if to ensure I understood, Greg Johnson's Don't Wait Another Day and Shihad's Home Again... I shit-you-not!

I'm particularly susceptible because Mrs backin15 and I are once again looking to buy and, quite apart from the fear associated with Sydney-sized debt, I'm struggling with where I want to be? NZ or Australia? Home or this foreign land I quite like?

Either way, I'm not watching any significant Rugby World Cup games with Australians. It's not like they're unpleasant or particularly unreasonable... it's just that I may wish to be and I don't want to feel in any way restricted if, for example, I need to question George Smith's technique, moral fibre or parentage. I also want to be surrounded by fellow kiwis, rugby tragics and hopeless optimists. I want to feel the camaraderie and warmth of fellow devotees and need to know that they too experienced the devastation of '91, '95, '99 and 2003. I don't want to have to hear how good Gregan, Larkham, Giteau are. I don't care if Sharpe's a top bloke or that Staniforth's a try magnet. I want to be enveloped by blackness, by flattened vowels and a shared belief in Richie McCaw's virtue. I don't even want to have a token Australian to mock and bait. I want to drink DB, eat Rashuns and Pixie Caramels and hear only Keith Quinn, Murray Mexted and Grant Fox calling the game.

And at the end, when we've won and William Webb Ellis is held aloft and we are all drunk on relief and exaltation, I want to to be hear...

Ringa pakia
Uma tiraha!
Turi whatia!
Hope whai ake!
Waewae takahia kia kino!

Flight of the Conchords

Apparently the Flight of the Conchords are well cool. Don't take it from me or HBO even, take it from browncardigan.



They're a bit like Crowded House really, great but even greater now that someone else thinks so too! I remember when they were regulars around Wellington and generally thought of as pretty cool and pretty funny but nowhere near as cool or funny as we all think they are now... now, since the BBC series and the HBO gig...

Will Tripod feel the same? Somewhat coincidentally, they're touring NZ.

ANZAC

Good to see that the ANZAC bridge in Sydney, which flies both flags, will soon have statues of both Australian and NZ soldiers. I regularly drive over the bridge and have often wondered why there's no NZ soldier alongside the statue of the digger.

This will soon be fixed as Clark's visit with Morris Iemma included an announcement that a new statue has been commissioned from the sculptor who crafted the existing statue.

I want to go home...

How ridiculously cliched; half a dozen tracks by the Finns, McGlashin, Che Fu and even Shihad and here I am looking up airfares and jobs... I was worse after Dave Dobbyn's gig... this wasn't it but it's nice nonetheless...

Kiwi comes good (again and again and again)

There are so many Kiwi's living in Australia, I suspect we're quietly taking over.

Successful Kiwi's are offered a form of citizens' citizenship; the "hail jolly fellow well met" type that entitles you to a beer at every pub provided you can name the last time the Wallabies beat the 'Blacks in the dying minutes of a game that really matter mate... (oh and was it really '87 when you last won the Cup?). Russ has it (but not the official variety), Neil and Tim too, and so does Alan Brough. Alan's success has been a quiet one. He's been around for long enough, everyone assumes he's an Aussie and when they find out he's from the western island they're so surprised they can't be arsed even making the usual jokes.

Alan was a contemporary kindy inmate with Mrs backin15 in Hawera (that's Harwara to the locals) in the '70s. Now he's part of the ABC power-trio that are Spicks and Specks, the greatest television show evah!

I can feel a pulse

Despite a hiatus of some weeks, I am still alive.

A holiday to NZ interupted blogging and a heavy workload continues to frustrate. Nevertheless, there's a few things on my mind.

1. NZ internet speeds are woeful - dial-up in Hamilton was better than broadband in Akl.
2. The Mount is still pretty cool but much more development could turn it into Brisvegas.
3. Tui are plentiful in Akl - horray.
4. I watched a compilation of All Blacks games from '96 to 2006; Justin Marshall really was that good, Cullen was as good a Wing as he was a Fullback (but not Centre), Mehrtens had the most sublime pass, what did Alatini do wrong specifically?
5. Australia are right to rest Gilly and Punter and NZ may still struggle in the Chappell/Hadlee but the Australians are vulnerable as the English have proven (and, weather permitting, the bloody Poms may even win the ODI competition - rain has delayed the current game at the SCG - wish I was there... oh Gilly's gone; bowled, lovely ball that and now Pup too - beautiful seaming outswinger, marvelous).
6. Incompensurability.
7. Rudd's advert is very very good and the next federal election will be closer than the last.
8. Apparently John Howard's angry about David Hicks - what that he's not dead or hopelessly guilty?
9. Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc 2006
10. Parfum is out at the movies soon, it'd better be good...
    

Vale James Edwards Jnr

I generally avoid personal posts on this blog but I'm going to make an exception to mark the death of James Edwards Jnr.

Jim died earlier this week after a brief illness, he was 89 and, according to family back in NZ, he accepted that his time was up. Jim was an accomplished poet and playwrite. His book, Absent without Leave, was made into a movie in 1992 (starring Craig McLaughlin) and told the story of Jim's brief departure from duty to look after his pregnant wife, Daisy. I suspect he did not see this as the high point in his career (he also read his own story on RNZ's Nine to Noon show).

Jim was the son of James Edwards Snr. He was also the older brother of my grandfather, Brian (himself a former deputy mayor of Manukau and Labour Party stalwart). James Edwards Snr. was an infamous womaniser, larrikin and Communist. He was convicted for his part in the 1932 Queen St. riots. His part, incidentally, was to be clubbed over the head and fall to the floor bleeding profusely. I suspect had he not be bashed, he'd have said something certain to result in his conviction but the enthusisam of the local Constabulary denied him this opportunity.

Jim and Brian did not know luxury - I recall stories of them selling cleaning products door-to-door - neither ever forgot what it was like to be poor and Brian remained a salesman until his death in '99 (I'll never forget the weight of his coffin).

Vale Jim. I remember many afternoons entirely confused by your crib board, entranced by your banter, choked by the smoke, greedy for the dregs of your beer (anyone's would've done). I also remember wandering door-to-door selling you books...

1986: the year of excess

Oh god, I remember too much of this, certainly too much of Gloss - although I have no regrets about remembering Chelsea/Lisa Chappell.

Hattip: Phil Whoar.