Category Archives: Self importance

Nov 3 2012

Bit of a mistake – Shopping at Farro


I don’t know what came over me, but I went to Farro Fresh, for no reason other than that they do have the  Over the Moon – Triple Cream Brie that I’m a bit of a fan of. Why would you not be!

So MrsPdubyah and MissPdubyah were watching X-Factor on the Mysky and I decided that it would be better if I didn’t.

Road Trip to  to Farro Fresh on Constellation Drive as my safe place.

Bit. Of. A. Mistake. Lot. Of.

I found the cheese, but I didn’t buy it, because their Cheese-o-rorium has some Whitestone Lindis Pass Brie that took my eye instead. And of course having brought the Primo Sopresso Hot Salami I felt that I was on a bit of a roll.

But what put me off my stride straight away was the sign advertising “New Zealand Pineapples 2-for-$5″ except they weren’t’ they were from the Philippines. I can let that slide, no one is really going to think that we’ve grown Pineapples in Winter right?

But having got my small stash of cheese and salami I decided a mooch about the aisles was a thing.

This is where is really started to go wrong.

My “twatdar” starts boinging like a grandfather clock stuck on 12. Mothers who indulge their little Deborah with a bottle of $14.50 rhubarb and lime cordial for instance, which was pretention enough. Then came Mr. and Mrs Mexico. With their shop assistant.

“We’re from Mexico, and in Mexico…” … “In Mexico shops like this”… “Mexican people like us, in Mexico”.. and the poor store boy hadn’t said a word yet. They brought some flour. I don’t think you can get flour in Mexico. Don’t really know, but “in Mexico I love to cook” people were happy.

The queue for the pretzel tasting. “Charlotte it’s cheese and herbs” he said, having tasted a sugar cube chunk. Charlotte sets a low bar for enjoyment clearly.

There is much to admire about the produce at Farro, I’m not knocking the store, but the people that shop there are the sort that would rather shop online and have delivered rather than go to Foodtown let alone Pak n’ Save.

It’s the kind of toy shop for adults enthusiasm that annoys me ” Darling it’s organic butter!” I think missing the point about what “organic” means in it’s real sense. I get that in a food sense it means “without chemicals”. And it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, $7.49 for 100grams of dried fruit in a foil packaging from a company that “loves food”, for instance.

There is a plethora of things that you can’t get in a supermarket and that’s why I enjoy shopping at Farro. But I got to figure out the quite time when raised whispers to an enthralled partner are not de rigueur.

Oh and yes I brought some Quinoa, just like a child in a lolly shop with a gold coin, hook line and sinker…

Dec 29 2011

In the court of public opinion – #1


In the case of a 16yo in Turangi A particularly tasteless sex crime against a girl 5.

Thankfully public opinion and sentiment isn’t the deciding factor in what if any punishments are due. There isn’t much doubt about guilt, the teen, by all accounts, turned himself in, and is in custody, bail declined, for the duration.  The story will be one of why, and how. And we will all have an opinion on that.

But is you’ve been unfortunate enough to read some blogs then you’ll find things like this, all anonymous all ignorant and all rabid;

  • “Hopefully this scumbag will be jailed. He will last about 5 seconds in prison.”
  • “He should be fucking shot”
  • “he big pity is … the cunt is only 16 and  will create a feeding frenzy for lawyers, psychiatrist and the like all at our expence, besides that in jail nowadays most of the crims are in for similar shit, they will just fuck him.”
  • “16. Disgusting. And of course will likely not be convicted due to his age. Appalling.”
  • “I REALLY hope that the judge refuses name suppression in this case.”
  • “It’s well past time minors got automatic name suppression. Hang em high”
  • ime for a little social justice me thinks….Should get a lynch mob together outside Taupo youth court for a public castration and flogging. What a piece of trash cant wait till his lawyer (probably tax payer provided) blames his tragic upbringing.”

And that’s just from just one blog!

Twitter had is share of agony aunts and uncles, with one long and ill-informed back and forth about nature over nurture that I was (As was the whole of connected twitter) watching (or participating in).

Bottom line is not a one of us knows, and not a one of us will get to decide on this. The worst thing about this whole episode, in my opinion, is the level of faux outrage that  people have. The crime was sick and distasteful, all crimes against children are, but with a little nudge from the media and we have a circus born. And to the circus come the freaks, freaks with opinions, bloated, self-important or ill-informed, all there at one outlet or another.

This is the price we pay for democracy on the internet of course, we’re all allowed our say and we’re all at liberty to share it with who ever we like, where we like, and how we like.

Casting aside even our own sense of moral right and climbing on the high horse of public outrage doesn’t end well. We’re increasingly like a school of  sharks who encircle the next victim with a savage onslaught, only to move away quietly to the next victim, out faux outrage dissipated.

We’ve had this Faux Outrage at events such as, Pike river, Michael Laws, Garth George, The Tea Cup fiasco,  the Rena accident, and just about any time there is a child abuse case spread across the media.

It’s ok to be disgusted, and to be confused by events that you don’t have any control over, really it is, however it’s not ok to assume that you are the arbiter of outcomes. It just doesn’t work that way.

just saying.

Oct 23 2011

A Commercial venture and the public purse. #4 Bridge sentries cost $80,000


Sentries guarding the Auckland Harbour Bridge on match days of the Rugby World Cup have cost taxpayers more than $80,000.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10761065
On watch on the bridge. Photo / Jason Dorday

They are there to foil any attempts at pranks, protests or even terrorism.

Transport Authority spokesman Tommy Parker described the bridge as an iconic structure and said the security was a precautionary measure to ensure no one tried to gain access.

Six security guards have complemented the closed-circuit television on the motorway network and have cost $81,000 for more than 300 hours on duty.

So that’s $45 per hour per person for 300 hours to sit and do nothing “just in case”. and it’s cost the taxpayer $81,000 for the privilege.

This is just a vile use of mitigate and safety planning in a grand  cover-your-arse gesture for some jobsworth in an office. We didn’t have this when we had the America’s cup in town for instance, and that really was a global event.

And it’s already illegal to climb the bridge without authorisation, no corporate in their right mind is going to buy into a guerilla marketing act unless they really do want two reactions (1) legal and (2) loss of market – who’s going to think that Corporate X changing the flag for theirs is nothing but a cheap publicity stunt, and the fallout would be horrible for them, and expensive.

The farce that is our bending over and taking one for the #IRB and the #RWC will unfold over the next months, when some of the out-of-pocket expenses that we the country have had to find, without recompense and without any fear of breaking even become apparent. We all know we’re in the hole for millions, but it’s a lot more millions than they said it would be – wasn’t it something like $32millions, give or take.

There is no way that there have been millions of tourista dollars into the economy, most of the attendance is local people using local money that they now won’t spend on local things for local people, we’ve given it all the to the IRB in our wisdom.

At least we’re left with not the white elephant Eden Park stadium that will be partially dismantled and under used for the next couple of decades.

via Bridge sentries cost $80,000 – National – NZ Herald News.

Oct 22 2011

A Commercial venture and the public purse. #3


Downstage Theatre in Wellington – this is like déjà vu all over again!

Cash-strapped Downstage Theatre wants Wellington ratepayers to provide a $90,000
bailout so it can continue to operate

Downstage’s chief executive and director, Hilary Beaton, said it was “disrespectful” to term the funding request a bailout.

The theatre had trained generations of actors and had “greatly contributed to the cultural fabric of the city” which added weight to calls for extra council funding, she said.

“I don’t see it as a bailout. I see it as an investment in the future and a recognition of the past.”….  But chasing audiences with tacky populist shows was not on the agenda. “We are not suddenly going to do topless lap dancing or commercial British comedy. We are committed to our programme of presenting local crafted work.”

Riiiiight, as is the obstinate refusal to put on any commercially viable event preferring locally crafted works of dubious merit and popularity. And a call to titillation, aren’t you glad we already have suffrage because this frump would like to have performance as art, which appeals to about 4 people, if you count Gordon the dog as a person.

Mrs Beaton says ” Trouble started this year when theatre attendance took a triple hammering
because of the Christchurch earthquake, the global financial crisis, and the  Rugby World Cup”

How’s that again? talk about clutching at straws, everything except nothing you did or didn’t do then. People would go to the theatre regardless, if the pricing was right and the event was worthy. What a nonsense.

Having such a vexatious chief executive and director in Hilary Beaton you have to wonder (a) what it is she does for real work (b) what she considers worthy (refer to Gordon the dog) and (c) just how much money is enough.

Having lofty ideals and ideas is fantastic, but if you find that what you’re doing is giving you the same result over and over then perhaps what you’re doing is what the problem is, not the other way around –  what’s happening isn’t the problem you have – the problem is what’s happening is you’ve managed to art yourself into a corner.

If you can’t run a commercial venture at a profit then you shouldn’t be running it. If you’re lucky to have a benefactor or a patron then by all means go ahead, it isn’t fair to expect joe public to stump up the cash for something they have little or no interest in when they have greater interest in something else.

I refer you to this blog piece and info graphic where is shows that 57% of Wellingtonians consider it a “special interest” option rather than an “amenity”

Oh and I took my quotes from here via Downstage Theatre Seeking Bailout Of $90,000 | Stuff.co.nz.

Sep 18 2011

Not a good day to be a minor league tall poppy. #1 in a series.


Today we bring you  Rabon Khan  and  Rachel Smalley

(1) Raybon Khan. Who seems to set himself as Mr.People, some brainpower gifted individual who urbane toss-offs speak to and for the people.

Well he is a comedian, makes his money with humor, or a sort. The tweet is an inference, and that is all. It’s implied that it’s Germanic, therefore Nazi, therefore Jewish. And frankly that is indeed what it is. Doesn’t make it less humorous. Gallows  humor is important.
(2) Rachel Smalley
Rachel got confused about what she is, and what her tweeting account is. You can’t be both a corporate tweet and a person. You’re either for your or you are you. It’s no good having 999 tweets about good a talking head you are on TV if then in some kind of faux outrage pick a fight with someone, about something you know nothing of, but have formed an opinion on based on your privileged position of being “in” the media. Rachel Smalley is a talking head. She reads an autocue device for a living. That is all.
So what will happen?
Well Raybon will throw himself at the public mercy, “Don’t read it” he’ll cry, which makes him seem like he’s 11 years old.
Rachel Smalley. Well TV3 needs a talking head, she has broad appeal which equals money, and will bring out the same “It was me talking” line that isn’t really an excuse when 99.99% of everything else she tweets is for her not about her.
So two rather minor poppies who’ve brought a collective passing eye-roll towards them that has kept a small part of the nation occupied in the colonies. Nothing in their somewhat small and limited appeal career with change, they’re not people you get favors from or rely on to do you favors. They have passing and fleeting influence as a talking head, but that glitter fades quickly.
#FauxOutrage at it’s best then
Sep 16 2011

Build it and they will come.


Or Not.

I’m talking about “Party Central” on the wharves in  Auckland.  A structure designed to hold 12,000 people with an invited audience of the whole city. And what happens when you get it right, a confluence of good weather, fireworks, media hysteria, and the opening of a global tournament? Well you get chaos.

And when the opening hype is passed and the finger-pointing is dying down what happens next, Well in my opinion untill the closing games, the Semi-finals and finals it’s going to remain pretty much under used, under visited and an embarrassment.

It so is.

Daily programme for Party Central

Sat 10 Sept -FAMILY WEEKEND – Carnival
Queens Wharf will come alive   for the first family-friendly weekend with a  programme of Carnival fun throughout the day. Expect colourful characters, great  live music and dance performances to entertain the entire family. (emphasis added)
LATE NIGHT AT THE CLOUD – P Money

Sun 11 Sept – FAMILY WEEKEND – Carnival
Mon 12 Sept – THE CLOUD & SHED 10 – Going Global Music Summit

Gosh, must leave work early for some of that.

The posturing of the Minister for RWC, the Auckland Mayor and the transport company are all for nix. They’ve overextended themselves but won’t have to pay with anything other than a public dressing down. The transport system will still be borked, they’ve even said “don’t take trains take buses” which is how confident they are after years of planning. seriously years.

So whilst we have a micro-focus on health and safety that prevents any more than 12,000 people in party central, we have no overall concept of what’s going on outside the gates, and it’s not like Auckland doesn’t have large gatherings, yearly, such as Concert in the park, and the Santa Parade.

I’m ashamed that they’ll put Auckland’s name against the debacle, when it comes down to a handful of inept bungling self-serving form a circle and give ourselves a pat on the back cronies who will end up with civic awards and accolades because we’re too stupid and lazy to bring up the unsightly mess again.

Sep 12 2011

Bible-bangers aren’t the brightest, study shows


The more religious you are, the less likely you are to be intelligent, a new scientific study has found.

via Bible-bangers aren’t the brightest, study shows – Education – NZ Herald News.

According to researchers, Christians – particularly fundamentalists who believe the Bible is God’s word – have a lower IQ than those who are less religious.

A possible reason behind the finding was a tendency for more intelligent people to challenge religious claims, said one of the researchers, New Zealand psychologist Professor Tim Bates.

“If you believe in religion, you haven’t really questioned things,” he said. “Brighter people were less likely to feel that religion plays a dominant role in their life.”

The findings of the University of Edinburgh study were “a bit hilarious”, said Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn. “The suggestion that the less intelligent you are the more religious you would be seems to be degrading and insulting,” he said.

However, he did agree that less intelligent people of all faiths tended to be more fundamental in their thinking, “whether they claim to be Christians or atheists or Muslims or whatever”.

Aug 31 2011

Funding and Self-Sustaining organizations – the 2011 Edition


I’ve already written on this:

http://pdubyah.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/funding-and-self-sustaining-organizations/

 

From the NZ Herald today : Fashion Week’s opening night was swimming along in champagne until managing director Pieter Stewart burst the bubble with a stark warning that the event could not continue without more support.

Minutes after Auckland Mayor Len Brown and Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully lauded its contribution to branding Auckland and New Zealand as a creative country, Stewart stepped up to the podium to say that a 12th year showcasing the industry could not be guaranteed.

Sponsorship had been tough this year, she said.

“Rugby World Cup has taken a huge amount out of the economy.”

More sponsors were needed and local and central government also needed to look at backing the event.

ITs a commercial event, you are charging a door price to enter. So I say again, as I have about Early Child Education centers, Sports events, Music Concerts, Plays, Opera, Ballet it’s a user pays thing. If you have something worth seeing then the people will come. The Rugby Sevens, The Big Day Out, U2, none of them made a loss.

If you have a business idea that is sound then it should also be profitable or break-even if you’re feeling altruistic.

Are we to pour a bottomless cup of money into “nice to have” events to assuage the ego of some minor person in a minor industry to make them feel good. New Zealand Fashion Week – what for? who for? why? You’re not even going to begin to tell me that it’s important because world buyers are totally won over and will hand over cash at such events. If the fashion industry felt it was that important, or they were that good, they would fund it themselves.

Aug 31 2011

In an instant…


Way back when, before the internet and mobile phones we’d agree to meet somewhere and we did. The newspapers arrived with the news from far-flung places, with the best bits held for the Sunday papers. Junk mail didn’t exist. There were weekly local newspapers. We all watched either the news at 5:45, 9pm or 10pm or all three. There was no 24 hour TV.

Fast forward a bit. Now we have everything in an instant.”Social Media”. For instance  we have Twitter, which is about as real-time as it gets without being there, sometimes it’s accurate, sometimes not. If you’ve ever witnessed the rise and decline of a twitter meme you’ll understand how fickle it is.

And we have deal-a-day websites, by the hundreds, imploring us to buy now, immediately, things we don’t need at prices we can’t ignore. We have deal a day advertising on twitter of course, and Facebook.

We can’t just agree to meet somewhere, we have to text and call numerous times ‘just in case’ It’s scary how frail we’ve become, how unsure it all is, how needy.

Facebook has given everyone access to our lives, out thoughts and deeds. And we accept it. FourSquare has given you the ability to let people know what cafe, shop, street, bar you are in all the time. It’s “me” central!

But it can’t carry on. This explosion of socializing on the internet is doomed at some point, where it becomes intrusive. And I mean intrusive to me – I don’t really care that you’re the mayor of the donut shop, I don’t really want to see your party pictures on Facebook. There are bits of your life that I am interested in, just not some bits.

Twitter, Text, Facebook, et al, is where the wild west is. “Everyone” is trying to get a piece of the action, to make a buck, and to get you to spend a buck. At some point you just have to switch off and tune out.

Now I can’t actually think of a service that I’ve used that has fallen into obscurity, other than the web hosting Geocities, other than that Bebo, and MySpace perhaps. So I can’t see a tailspin for any of the services we use right now, or are familiar with, which are, to repeat them, Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, and Youtube. Even an aggregation of all these things into one super app isn’t what is going to happen, because why? It’ll be too cumbersome, too awkward, too heavy.

The thing that we overlook  with Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Youtube. Google+, Flikr, WordPress, LinkedIn et al is that they are all “free” That’s right we don’t need to part with any cash of any kind to use them. Sure we have to have a device that can access them interactively, but they are free to use. And we accept that without question that we’re giving up something for something. We just don’t seem to care about what it is we’re giving up, which in two words is privacy and ownership. Of our identity and our intellectual property.

Anything that rises will have to have some basics, speed, reach, ease and appeal. Anything that falls will have become bloated, tedious or have some cataclysm around it like bankruptcy, where users fall away like hair falling out never to return.

Aug 25 2011

Driving Entertainment


Sometimes my journey to work or home from work can take an hour or more. And filling that time can be a chore.

It took me a while to cotton onto podcasts. I know! and there is an awful lot of chaff in the wheat.

I started with the “ricky gervais show” radio series, and whilst initially not a podcast it did turn into a podcast show, and they are very funny.

And this is a bit convoluted but then came twitter, and on twitter I came across a twitterer from the NZ Sceptics society, and then to another twitterer who mentioned some podcasts.

These then were “The Merseyside Skeptics -Skeptics with a K” and the awfully good “Righteous indignation” podcasts. However having listened to each of  them all from Episode 1, which was rewarding, I got to the point where I’d caught up, and was back to the radio for entertainment, so now I get my fix on a weekly or bi-weekly basis from these guys.

I tried other podcasts from the sceptical range but you know when you’re enjoying something or someone, and if you’re not engaged with the personalities or voices, pace or content you soon stop. So I never did get on with others, yet. Of the two that I mentioned above one has a slant towards “alternate medicine” but also covers a range of topics and subjects, there is always something. The latter has a paranormal focus, and I was hooked from episode 1, which I still think was one of the best. So crop circles, monsters, and interviews with a psychic, it all gets an examination.

I latched on the Play of the week podcast from the beeb, they can be challenging, but now I’m catching up on the “Irriligiosophy – the one true podcast” which is an atheist podcast that examines religion from the perspective of two people who were part of the mormon church and are now atheist. It’s sometimes stodgy, sometimes a bit off track, sometimes not relevant but frequently funny.

Thinking about the content of the podcasts mentioned, with the exception of the play of the week, they’re all belief based podcasts.  And they have sharpened up my critical thinking and questioning of things, sometimes in a good way, sometimes in an angry way. I don’t believe everything I hear, and I don’t agree with it all, Vaccinations are good (for instance), fluoridation of water bad.

I get a lot of pleasure out of affirmation of my beliefs, that there are others that share similar thoughts about religion, alt-med, ghosts, psychics and monsters. I wouldn’t have it any other way.