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We always hang in a buffalo stance

Simon at The Opinionated Diner posted this old Peter Urlich music video, from a time in 1989 when Urlich was being pop/funk act called B Cup:

The song isn’t really worth listening to, but I found myself strangely drawn to the non-Urlich visuals in the video: shots of downtown Auckland, people drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, sleek [...]

Hamiltoff

The day I flew into Hamilton Airport, there was a photo of me in the Waikato Times. These two events were not related (the photo accompanied a story originally from the Dom Post on the popularity of traditional pastime activities, including the bowling league I was part of) but it was a little spooky to [...]

Live blogging the election

It’s a Saturday. I’m in Raglan. I have nothing better to do so I’m live-blogging the general election.

7.05 So I’ve decided to live blog the election results. I’m at my parents’ watching the election coverage on TV1, natch.

7.09 I voted earlier today at the Michael Fowler Centre (chosen for its splendid architecture). I got all [...]

On dreams coming true

The first time I heard of Barack Obama, I had three thoughts about him:

That as he was a dirty filthy chain-smoker, I had no respect for him.
That as I couldn’t relate to the “Obama Girl” video, he was obviously not up my alley.
That there was no way a guy with the middle name Hussein and [...]

O for awesome

Exhibit A: Funkmaster George Clinton’s 1993 single Paint the White House black:

It seems incredible to think that when that song came out – only 15 years ago – the idea of a black president seemed like wishful thinking. Back then, the other Clinton, Bill, was the newly elected pres and he was a friend to [...]

Chimpanzees in the zoo doing it

The chimpanzees in the zoos do it.
Some courageous kangaroos do it.
Let’s do it – let’s fall in love.

“Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love” – C. Porter

I went to Wellington Zoo on Labour Day. My immediate instinct was to compare it with Auckland Zoo, in which case I will note that Wellington Zoo is much [...]

Notes on Zombies

Hallowe’en; I was having dinner with my brother in a Malaysian restaurant on Cuba Street. As the evening went on, various people dressed in Halloween costumes walked along Cuba Street. But then I realised something: virtually all of them were dressed as zombies.

Some of the zombies banged on the front window of the restaurant, attempting [...]

Rainy Day Trains #3 & 4

Upper Hutt – part 3 of an occasional series on greater Wellington suburban areas

Saturday was a miserable rainy, gale-force-windy day, so my visiting bro and I decided to go to Upper Hutt. After all, when one goes to Upper Hutt, one ought to take a posse.

I’d never been there before and wasn’t sure what to [...]