Monday, March 16, 2009

Monday, March 16, 2009: Bits and bobs

1) It's funny when you make an ironic joke, and then you find out that someone else actually thinks it. Surveying the Indian-dominated crowd at the cricket at Eden Park on Saturday, I grumpily remarked to my companions that all these Indians were coming to my country and stealing all my cricket support, despite the fact that we had all decamped to Northland for the weekend rather than attend the match ourselves. You know, if they love India so much, why don't they go back there? It looked pretty good in that Slumdog Millionaire movie. And then, on the letters page today:

"It is surprising that so many immigrants give vocal and visible support to teams from their countries of origin, rather than New Zealand. Surely having made the decision to come here, they should support this country passionately."
Patrick Rossiter, Lynfield

'Nuff said.

2) While I suppose it is good and humbling to be reminded that there are as many stupid people on the left as there are on the right, it can also be a bit depressing - especially when you figure that, for a lot of people, "we" are all lumped together as commie scum. Gary Saoirse, of Kingsland, is "delighted" that free trade talks with the US have been delayed, apparently because it is "the same corrupt market system" as that which has lead to all the "starvation, mass unemployment and ecological armageddon" we have been noticing recently - you may have seen the Four Horsemen riding through the sky last week. Quite how Gary thinks that a free trade scheme between America and New Zealand, two wealthy countries, is going to cause (or be otherwise complicit in) any starvation is beyond me. Without wanting to perpetuate a mainstream media stereotype of the anti-globalisation left, perhaps throwing a brick through a Starbucks window will ease his frustration.

3) Not from the Herald, but it was amusing to watch a rather inappropriate award after the cricket on Saturday night; 'former' alcoholic Jesse Ryder - a man who has been dropped more than once for his heavy drinking - was named man of the match, and handed not only a large novelty cheque, but also a bottle of bubbly. It's like giving Charlie Sheen an Emmy and, as an added bonus, a hooker.

1 comment:

  1. Cricket support has gone the way of most of this country's call centres and has been outsourced to India, much like rugby support has been outsourced to South Africa. Be thankful, because now that they dont need to spend time at those pesky sporting events, real kiwis like Mr. Rossiter can focus on the things that they do best, such as writing xenophobic letters to the editor.

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