To answer the above question quickly I would say Yes, given the percentage of Maori in New Zealand compared to the percentage of Maori programming on TVNZ (at a very rough guess).
CEO of TVNZ, Rick Ellis, said yesterday there is plenty of Maori content in TVNZ programmes such as Dream Home, Shortland Street, Ten Years Younger, Intrepid Journeys, Location Location, Animal House, Game of Two Halves, Police Ten-7, Charm School, and Lost Children. Let me see how many of these programmes I watch ... mmmm ... none! Why not? Becuase they are crap that's why! Why would I waste my time watching these cheesy shows on TV One and TV2 when there are so many other good programmes on the many other channels we have available to us?
So as I don't watch any of these shows then I don't really know how much Maori content are on these programmes. But at a rough guess I would say not much at all. I like what Pita Sharples said, "Simply saying "kia ora bro" on television does not make it Maori programming."
(See: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10441525&ref=rss)
Although it's a bit funny that Police Ten-7 was mentioned as one of these programmes. Is he having a dig at the old joke that Crimewatch was a Maori programme because most of the criminals were Maori?!
I personally don't think we need any more Maori content on TV. We already have a whole channel devoted to Maori programming - Maori Television. And this channel is free-to-air as well. What about all the other ethnic groups in NZ? Yes, there are special Asian channels on Sky Digital, but you have to pay quite a bit to watch these.
But all this doens't really worry me too much, as I hardly watch the rubbish on TVNZ anyway.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Palmerston North rubbishes Cleese
Now here's a funny story from my home town of Palmerston North:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1134409
You may remember that John Cleese did a tour of NZ last year. When he was in Palmerston North he said the city was so miserable depressed people would find the courage to end it all there. "If you wish to kill yourself but lack the courage...I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick."
I think what he said about Palmerston North is so funny, and quite accurate really!! But now the Palmerston North City Council finally has a comeback. They have named a mountain of rubbish after John Cleese. Oh, well done Palmerston North, that will really ruin his reputation - NOT!
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1134409
You may remember that John Cleese did a tour of NZ last year. When he was in Palmerston North he said the city was so miserable depressed people would find the courage to end it all there. "If you wish to kill yourself but lack the courage...I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick."
I think what he said about Palmerston North is so funny, and quite accurate really!! But now the Palmerston North City Council finally has a comeback. They have named a mountain of rubbish after John Cleese. Oh, well done Palmerston North, that will really ruin his reputation - NOT!
What do we do with boy racers?
Boy racers are in the news again after the death of a 20 year old in an illegal street race in Tauranga on the weekend:
http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NewsDisplay/tabid/209/Default.aspx?ArticleID=27445
So what are we to do to stop these boy racers drinking then going and racing their cars all over the show on public roads? Some suggestions are 24-hour liquor bans in public areas, reviewing all liquor laws and reviewing the licensing, sale and financing of high-performance cars for drivers under 20-years-old. Well, guess what, those suggestions are not going to work. The boy racers are just going to continue with what they do anyway. What they do now is illegal, so these proposed laws are not going to make any difference!
This is what I think should happen. On their first offence the Police should confiscate their car, either for a period of time or permanently. Cars mean everything to these boy racers, so confiscating their cars will make a huge impact on them. But, as with the wonderful legal system in this country, this won't happen. We have to be "nice"...
http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NewsDisplay/tabid/209/Default.aspx?ArticleID=27445
So what are we to do to stop these boy racers drinking then going and racing their cars all over the show on public roads? Some suggestions are 24-hour liquor bans in public areas, reviewing all liquor laws and reviewing the licensing, sale and financing of high-performance cars for drivers under 20-years-old. Well, guess what, those suggestions are not going to work. The boy racers are just going to continue with what they do anyway. What they do now is illegal, so these proposed laws are not going to make any difference!
This is what I think should happen. On their first offence the Police should confiscate their car, either for a period of time or permanently. Cars mean everything to these boy racers, so confiscating their cars will make a huge impact on them. But, as with the wonderful legal system in this country, this won't happen. We have to be "nice"...
Monday, May 14, 2007
NZ Police chicken sex
It's been all over the news today. Howard Broad, the police commissioner, showed a pornographic video showing bestiality (apparently something to do with chickens) at a party in his home in 1981. See: http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=117410
Now we all know this type of video is sick and wrong, but this was 26 years ago, so who cares?! Why has this issue suddenly being brought up now? He would have been in his early 20s at the time and was more than likely into partying with his police mates, and I guess they would have viewed videos of that type (by the way, not many people would have had video players in 1981!) I'm certain he wasn't police commissioner at the time, and does it really matter if he viewed the video or not?
I'm not condoning viewing these types of videos, but this was 26 years ago, so as I said before - who cares?!
Now we all know this type of video is sick and wrong, but this was 26 years ago, so who cares?! Why has this issue suddenly being brought up now? He would have been in his early 20s at the time and was more than likely into partying with his police mates, and I guess they would have viewed videos of that type (by the way, not many people would have had video players in 1981!) I'm certain he wasn't police commissioner at the time, and does it really matter if he viewed the video or not?
I'm not condoning viewing these types of videos, but this was 26 years ago, so as I said before - who cares?!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Experts call for restrictions on childhood imagination
Editor's note: This may look like a real news story, but it isn't. It is from The Onion, a humor publication that calls itself "America's finest news source." CNN may beg to differ, but we do enjoy a good laugh and hope you will enjoy a weekly selection of their satire.
WASHINGTON (The Onion ) -- The Department of Health and Human Services issued a series of guidelines Monday designed to help parents curtail their children's boundless imaginations, which child-safety advocates say have the potential to rival motor vehicle accidents and congenital diseases as a leading cause of disability and death among youths ages 3 to 14.
"Defuse the ticking time-bomb known as your child's imagination before it explodes and destroys her completely," said child-safety expert Kenneth McMillan, who advised the HHS in composing the guidelines. "New data shows a disturbing correlation between serious accidents and the ability of children to envision a world full of exciting possibility."
The guidelines, titled "Boundless Imagination, Boundless Hazards: Ways To Keep Your Kids Safe From A World Of Wonder," are posted on the HHS website, and will also be available in brochure form in pediatricians' offices across the country.
According to McMillan, children can suffer broken bones, head trauma, and even fatal injuries from unsupervised exposure to childlike awe. "If your children are allowed to unlock their imaginations, anything from a backyard swing set to a child's own bedroom can be transformed into a dangerous undersea castle or dragon's lair," McMillan said. "But by encouraging your kids to think linearly and literally, and constantly reminding them they can never be anything but human children with no extraordinary characteristics, you can better ensure that they will lead prolonged lives."
Although the exact number of child fatalities connected to an active imagination is unknown, experts say the danger is very real. According to a 2006 estimate, children who regularly engage in imagination are 10 times more likely to suffer injuries such as skinned knees from mythical quests, or bruises and serious falls from the peak of Bookcase Mountain.
One of the HHS recommendations emphasizes increased communication between parents and children about the truths behind outlandish fantasies. "Speak with your children about the absolute impossibility of time travel, magical powers, and animals and toys that talk when adults are not around," reads one excerpt. "If this fails to quell their imaginations, encourage them to stare at household objects and think clearly and objectively about their actual, physical characteristics."
The HHS also discourages aimless playtime activities that lack a rigid, repetitive structure: "Opt instead for safe activities like untying knots, sticking and unsticking two pieces of Velcro, drawing straight lines of successively longer lengths, and quietly humming a single note for two to three hours."
But even these relatively safe activities can become imaginative, experts warn, without proper precautions. "Do not let children know that, for example, sailors and pirates untie knots," McMillan said.
Although no cure has yet been developed for childhood imagination, preventative measures can deter children from potentially hazardous bouts of make-believe."
Many of the suggestions are really quite simple, like breaking down cardboard boxes or sewing cushions to couches so they cannot be converted into forts or playhouses," McMillan said. "Blank pieces of paper, which can inspire non-reality-based drawings, should be discarded unless they are used in one of our recommended diagonal folding and unfolding activities. And all loose sticks left lying in the yard should be carefully labeled 'Not a Sword.'"
Unfortunately, removing everything from a child's field of view that could stimulate his active young mind is extremely time-consuming, and infeasible as a long-term solution, McMillan acknowledges. "To truly protect your children, you must go to great lengths to completely eliminate their curiosity, crush their spirit of amazement, and eradicate their childlike glee. Watch for the danger signs: faraway expressions, giggle fits, and a general air of carefree contentment."
Added McMillan: "Remember, if you see a single sparkle of excitement in their eyes, you haven't done enough."
Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/21/onion.imagination/index.htm
WASHINGTON (The Onion ) -- The Department of Health and Human Services issued a series of guidelines Monday designed to help parents curtail their children's boundless imaginations, which child-safety advocates say have the potential to rival motor vehicle accidents and congenital diseases as a leading cause of disability and death among youths ages 3 to 14.
"Defuse the ticking time-bomb known as your child's imagination before it explodes and destroys her completely," said child-safety expert Kenneth McMillan, who advised the HHS in composing the guidelines. "New data shows a disturbing correlation between serious accidents and the ability of children to envision a world full of exciting possibility."
The guidelines, titled "Boundless Imagination, Boundless Hazards: Ways To Keep Your Kids Safe From A World Of Wonder," are posted on the HHS website, and will also be available in brochure form in pediatricians' offices across the country.
According to McMillan, children can suffer broken bones, head trauma, and even fatal injuries from unsupervised exposure to childlike awe. "If your children are allowed to unlock their imaginations, anything from a backyard swing set to a child's own bedroom can be transformed into a dangerous undersea castle or dragon's lair," McMillan said. "But by encouraging your kids to think linearly and literally, and constantly reminding them they can never be anything but human children with no extraordinary characteristics, you can better ensure that they will lead prolonged lives."
Although the exact number of child fatalities connected to an active imagination is unknown, experts say the danger is very real. According to a 2006 estimate, children who regularly engage in imagination are 10 times more likely to suffer injuries such as skinned knees from mythical quests, or bruises and serious falls from the peak of Bookcase Mountain.
One of the HHS recommendations emphasizes increased communication between parents and children about the truths behind outlandish fantasies. "Speak with your children about the absolute impossibility of time travel, magical powers, and animals and toys that talk when adults are not around," reads one excerpt. "If this fails to quell their imaginations, encourage them to stare at household objects and think clearly and objectively about their actual, physical characteristics."
The HHS also discourages aimless playtime activities that lack a rigid, repetitive structure: "Opt instead for safe activities like untying knots, sticking and unsticking two pieces of Velcro, drawing straight lines of successively longer lengths, and quietly humming a single note for two to three hours."
But even these relatively safe activities can become imaginative, experts warn, without proper precautions. "Do not let children know that, for example, sailors and pirates untie knots," McMillan said.
Although no cure has yet been developed for childhood imagination, preventative measures can deter children from potentially hazardous bouts of make-believe."
Many of the suggestions are really quite simple, like breaking down cardboard boxes or sewing cushions to couches so they cannot be converted into forts or playhouses," McMillan said. "Blank pieces of paper, which can inspire non-reality-based drawings, should be discarded unless they are used in one of our recommended diagonal folding and unfolding activities. And all loose sticks left lying in the yard should be carefully labeled 'Not a Sword.'"
Unfortunately, removing everything from a child's field of view that could stimulate his active young mind is extremely time-consuming, and infeasible as a long-term solution, McMillan acknowledges. "To truly protect your children, you must go to great lengths to completely eliminate their curiosity, crush their spirit of amazement, and eradicate their childlike glee. Watch for the danger signs: faraway expressions, giggle fits, and a general air of carefree contentment."
Added McMillan: "Remember, if you see a single sparkle of excitement in their eyes, you haven't done enough."
Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/21/onion.imagination/index.htm
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Why Are There No Signs Pointing to Te Awamutu?
Now for some local news. Next time you travel around the Waikato on the State Highways have a look to see if you can find any signs pointing to Te Awamutu. You probably won't. I live in Te Awamutu and I know the Waikato quite well so I can find Te Awamutu, but what about people who don't know the Waikato roads very well? Most people will probably end up in Cambridge (as they may know that Te Awamutu is somewhere near Cambridge).
There's a website all about it here:
http://www.teawamutu.co.nz/local-info/maps/signage/index.shtml
Make sure you add your comments!
There's a website all about it here:
http://www.teawamutu.co.nz/local-info/maps/signage/index.shtml
Make sure you add your comments!
Who's Greener?
Here's an email that's been circulating since earlier this month, and beleive it or not it's true!
http://www.snopes.com/politics//bush/house.asp
http://www.snopes.com/politics//bush/house.asp
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
To smack or not to smack?
The anti-smacking bill has been getting a lot of attention in the media recently. The government is trying to speed the bill though parliament while there have been lots of protests around the country:
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/070328/2/8dd.html
I personally favour the bill. There has to be someway to stop the abuse of our children. No one else has come up with something that will work towards a solution. Opinion polls say that around 80% of New Zealanders are againts the anti-smacking bill. I would like to turn that around and say that around 80% of New Zealanders favour hitting and abusing our children!!
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/070328/2/8dd.html
I personally favour the bill. There has to be someway to stop the abuse of our children. No one else has come up with something that will work towards a solution. Opinion polls say that around 80% of New Zealanders are againts the anti-smacking bill. I would like to turn that around and say that around 80% of New Zealanders favour hitting and abusing our children!!
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