Planet Rugby Forum

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

guy smiley wrote:

deadduck wrote:He'd been PM for almost 6 years by the time that came out, not 6 weeks

She's so much faster, better and everything.

UncleFB wrote:

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

I like her because she winds you lot up something silly.

UncleFB wrote:

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

I like her because she winds you lot up something silly.

Seneca of the Night wrote:She's on her way to becoming the most significant and powerful leader on the planet it seems:

The prime minister returns from New York this weekend as the big apple in the eyes of her many international admirers.

Her international stocks are high, she's played her limited cards superbly, and she made dancing through the foreign affairs minefield look effortless.

Being an unwed mother wrapped in a Maori cloak with an exhausted former fisherman carrying the baby in a pouch, never far from view, added the fascination factor. I mean, who would you want on your talk show: Theresa May or Jacinda Ardern?

In reality, it's not as easy as she made it look, especially with America (well, Trump) all passive-aggressive, and isolationist. In short, Ardern smashed it out of the park.

When the world's diplomats laughed openly at Trump's face, she didn't join in. A mere grin might be taken the wrong way. Smart. Classy. On ya.

She's a marketer's dream. Communicating comes naturally. If she's not smiling, she's talking or on social media. Or up with Baby Neve at 3.30am.

The Democrats had Obama, a smooth-talking, walking orator. They now have a ticking timebomb that goes off at regular intervals, but it's mainly hot steam at this stage. New Zealand has a communications studies-trained PM and it shows.

What an image we projected this week. She more than held her own and gave it back with charm and a bit of edge on the American talk shows.

Labour finally has its own communications expert, the smiling socialist who put kindness into the PM's job description this week and put kindness front and centre at the United Nations.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realise Ardern craftily niggled Trump all week by refusing to walk in his loafers or sign up to his America-only policies.
The first line in her historic speech to the UN General Assembly told us everything and nothing at the same time.

"To our friends in the global community," she started.

Being New Zealand, you would think that's everyone. Like America, right? Sadly no. Increasingly it looks like America has sprinted out on a limb only to be left in the lurch.

Ardern's line was an ever-so-subtle and clever dig at the top dog after we twice refused his offer to join America on its solo missions at this global groupthink workshop.

Donald Trump had wolf-whistled us to the table on the war on drugs – and Ardern's response? No thanks, we consider it a health issue. Do we?

We actually attack it from both ends very unsuccessfully, but Ardern hadn't come to New York to say yes to an ageing, shouty-successful, defensive white baby boomer whom she secretly despises but publicly does just enough to avoid a fully blown crisis.

So she didn't address America or Trump directly. She just spoke. The dots were joined by the interested. But you can't tell me the following parts of her speech weren't an open slap down of Trump and his politics:

"I accept that the list of demands on all of us is long. Be it domestic, or international, we are operating in challenging times. We face what we call in New Zealand 'wicked problems'. Ones that are intertwined and interrelated.

"Perhaps, then, it is time to step back from the chaos and ask what we want. It is in that space that we'll find simplicity. The simplicity of peace, of prosperity, of fairness. If I could distil it down into one concept that we are pursuing in New Zealand, it is simple and it is this: kindness.

"In the face of isolationism, protectionism, racism – the simple concept of looking outwardly and beyond ourselves, of kindness and collectivism, might just be as good a starting point as any."

Yeah, take that Don. Kindness. Not abuse, not threats, not aggression or anger or humiliation in public.

Just kindness. A simple concept, it has to be Ardern's word as I don't recall empathy and kindness being overused at any stage by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

And guess what? The PM got away with not telling the world how we have failed spectacularly to curb our carbon emissions and how they continue to grow at unsustainable levels.

We also don't punish our big polluters, we don't punish pollution from transport, we don't have incentives to drive electric cars, and we can't swim in 60 per cent of our rivers.

Imagine if Ardern had told the truth about us overseas. Oh well, my old mate Taika is already doing that, I suppose, although he's a lot quieter with a change of government. Funny that.

I was only going to post the most absurd paragraphs and I ended up only taking one out!


https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politi ... ng-the-don

booji boy wrote:

UncleFB wrote:

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

I like her because she winds you lot up something silly.

Same reason I liked John Key.

But seriously she's great and such a wonderful orator with gems like:

"Me too must become We too."

And all delivered so earnestly.

booji boy wrote:

UncleFB wrote:

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

I like her because she winds you lot up something silly.

Same reason I liked John Key.

But seriously she's great and such a wonderful orator with gems like:

"Me too must become We too."

And all delivered so earnestly.

eugenius wrote:I actually wanted him to do ok .

Much as I disliked the man , it was kinda a big deal back then .

It was just so bloody embarrassing.

eugenius wrote:Actually no .

If it were a Labour PM I think I would have been even more ashamed .

He was woeful , and kudo’s was the one thing left unachieved .

Humiliation however received in spades .

eugenius wrote:If they performed at that level ?

fudge off , it made us look a nation of gimps.

eugenius wrote:Only Shearer had it in him to fail quite as spectacularly and publicly.

Seneca of the Night wrote:Kind cunts.

It's not as if we aren't already renowned for blowing our own trumpets a little bit, but her entire political philosophy seems to be built on it: "New Zealand is so oarsome. World! Be more like US!"

New Zealand is one of the few countries anywhere where full blown patriotism is a core part of the left (try and have a patriotic conversation with a British leftist - they hate their own country). Patriotism though seems to unite both the left and the right in NZ.

I was reading this article by Matthew Hooton of all people yesterday on the opening of the Oceania exhibit in Mayfair:

And so on Monday, representatives from New Zealand, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tahiti – including those with the closest relationships with the objects to be displayed – left Green Park soon after sunrise and proceeded up Piccadilly. Guests at the Ritz gawked out the windows and Londoners going to work stopped and stared. Piccadilly was filled not just with waiata but other sounds from our region, less familiar to us New Zealanders but far from foreign.

When we entered the RA's courtyard at Burlington House, we were met by the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club, which was taking the role of something like (but obviously not the same as) the tangata whenua of London. The club has been active in the city for 60 years and were the ones who lent the Prime Minister the stunning korowai she wore to Buckingham Palace back in April.

There was a public conversation between those who arrived at Burlington House as guardians of Oceania's objects and Ngāti Rānana, representing the RA. Why does the RA want to borrow our treasures? Will the RA respect them and look after them? Who is the exhibition for? The assurances were all satisfactory and Oceania is for the whole world.

The guardians of the 250 objects then entered Burlington House to ensure each one was properly blessed. Everyone else, including those from the RA, had to stay outside. It felt beautifully ironic that the old colonial master was cleared out of Burlington House, one of the symbols of the British Empire, to make way for the indigenous people of the Pacific to bless their treasures in the capital city that once subjugated them.

Afterwards, breakfast was served in the Reynolds Room, where Charles Darwin first presented his theory of evolution. Reserved for the RA's most important occasions, today the Reynolds Room was filled with laughing and singing in a way it may never have been before.

Okay, Hooton is clearly getting paid for this, but I'm surprised he didn't get into a 'grass skirt' and do a haka himself, his Pacific pride is overflowing so fulsomely.

Anyway, London has not come to a halt for this, anymore than anyone of any significance noticed Jacinda in New York. But I might go along for a look. It has got some good previews. Perspective folks.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news ... d=12131213

eugenius wrote:Actually no .

If it were a Labour PM I think I would have been even more ashamed .

He was woeful , and kudo’s was the one thing left unachieved .

Humiliation however received in spades .

eugenius wrote:Did Judy the Chimpanzee achieve said kudo’s when she fronted on ‘what’s my line’ ?

Auckman wrote:A very successful week for the PM and NZ in New York I thought. This is her strength though. She got more cut-through and for a small country like NZ, cut-through is manna from heaven. She is very presidential when she is on the world stage and her deft handling of the media trying to goad her into talking smack about Trump was a masterclass. Added to her soaring oratory which is starting to approach David Lange's class, it really does get the patriotic juices flowing for her supporters, of which I am one of course .

However, the bread is buttered on the domestic front and it is here she needs to get her house in order and tend to the ahi ka. It is an embarrassment that the people who are most letting her down from within her own party. The other two coalition partners seem professional and disciplined by comparison. She needs to get her caucus and their staff into the tent and lay down the law when she returns. Also, get herself sorted as she needlessly dragged on the curran and whaitiri things too long.

Santa wrote:

eugenius wrote:Did Judy the Chimpanzee achieve said kudo’s when she fronted on ‘what’s my line’ ?

Kudos.

booji boy wrote:

UncleFB wrote:

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

I like her because she winds you lot up something silly.

Same reason I liked John Key.

But seriously she's great and such a wonderful orator with gems like:

"Me too must become We too."

And all delivered so earnestly.

Santa wrote:

UncleFB wrote:

Santa wrote:I think its the underlying vacuity that Guy finds most compelling. It's a kindred spirit thing.

I like her because she winds you lot up something silly.

She doesn't wind me up at all. I just think she's pretty useless. So do you if that's all you can come up with.

Fat Old Git wrote:So, we've had a new government for about a year now. Has anyone noticed a significant chance in the country? Because life feels pretty much the same ti me.

Auckman wrote:A very successful week for the PM and NZ in New York I thought. This is her strength though. She got more cut-through and for a small country like NZ, cut-through is manna from heaven. She is very presidential when she is on the world stage and her deft handling of the media trying to goad her into talking smack about Trump was a masterclass. Added to her soaring oratory which is starting to approach David Lange's class, it really does get the patriotic juices flowing for her supporters, of which I am one of course .

However, the bread is buttered on the domestic front and it is here she needs to get her house in order and tend to the ahi ka. It is an embarrassment that the people who are letting her down the most are from within her own party. The other two coalition partners seem professional and disciplined by comparison. She needs to get her caucus and their staff into the tent and lay down the law when she returns. Also, get herself sorted as she needlessly dragged on the curran and whaitiri things too long. Why not just come out at the beginning and say "this is everything", the fire would rage for a week and then it's over.

UncleFB wrote: My dislike of the cult of personality of Key doesn’t come close to your constant whining about her. And I always gave credit to Key for his cult of personality ... despite the fact in any given sentence he’d almost mangle as many words as Ian Jones.

Fat Old Git wrote:So, we've had a new government for about a year now. Has anyone noticed a significant chance in the country? Because life feels pretty much the same ti me.

Auckman wrote: However, the bread is buttered on the domestic front and it is here she needs to get her house in order and tend to the ahi ka. It is an embarrassment that the people who are letting her down the most are from within her own party. The other two coalition partners seem professional and disciplined by comparison. She needs to get her caucus and their staff into the tent and lay down the law when she returns. Also, get herself sorted as she needlessly dragged on the curran and whaitiri things too long. Why not just come out at the beginning and say "this is everything", the fire would rage for a week and then it's over.

Auckman wrote:Meh, "cut-through" for want of better words. Cutting through all the other hubbub of world leaders there for the US media to start dubbing her the "anti-Trump" positions NZ's free trade agenda and climate change positions very well.

Dark wrote:You just have to look at the antics with her baby to see she is basically a brand more than leader.

Turns all hyper sensitive over any photos taken of the baby and even has the speaker threaten to turf out and boycott any journalist happening to catch the kid in the corner of a photo, domestically.

And the journalist oblige, but wouldn't of done anything bad anyway.

Heads to the cameras in the US and suddenly it is brand Ardern and Neve being photo opped every 5 minutes, while she takes her to sit in the audience of all her speeches.

It is quite humorous to watch.

booji boy wrote:

UncleFB wrote: My dislike of the cult of personality of Key doesn’t come close to your constant whining about her. And I always gave credit to Key for his cult of personality ... despite the fact in any given sentence he’d almost mangle as many words as Ian Jones.

MY constant whining about her?

guy smiley wrote:

UncleFB wrote:

booji boy wrote:

UncleFB wrote: My dislike of the cult of personality of Key doesn’t come close to your constant whining about her. And I always gave credit to Key for his cult of personality ... despite the fact in any given sentence he’d almost mangle as many words as Ian Jones.

MY constant whining about her?

I cant be blamed if I can't tell the difference between you, deaduck, SeN, BillW and Santa.

I don't have a gif handy that would adequately illustrate the sharp intake of breath and raise of an eyebrow that accompanied my reading that post.

maxbox wrote:Jacinda breaking out the te reo in front of the UN general assembly was particularly cringe inducing (seeing as she like 80 percent of the country is not fluent or even conversant)

Auckman wrote:

maxbox wrote:Jacinda breaking out the te reo in front of the UN general assembly was particularly cringe inducing (seeing as she like 80 percent of the country is not fluent or even conversant)

Par for the course for any NZ PM at the UN these days innit? John Key did a shorter mihi when he went to the UN I seem to remember.

E nga mana
E nga reo
E nga hau e wha
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa

To the powers
To the voices
To the four winds
I greet you all

Mr President; Distinguished representatives of the States of the United Nations; Mr Secretary General...............

Tehui wrote:Hearing whinging from daffodils about JA makes my nipples hard.

Let's do this.