During a recent conversation with a new-ish resident of my lovely province, the topic of Southland placenames came up, in particular the Southland penchant for using the name “Bush” … as in Gummies Bush, Wreys Bush, Mabel Bush, Croydon Bush, Myross Bush and so on.
We came to the conclusion that Southland is bush-obsessed. Of course, this caused some joking, especially when we all remembered the appropriately (for our conversation, anyway) Gropers Bush.
A quick search on Te Ara (the encyclopaedia of NZ) shows the Bush obsession is really a reflection of the fact that Southland once covered with bush, of the forest-ish variety, but our theory is much more interesting.
Then this morning I discovered this book. Coincidence? Or is the universe as bush-obsessed as Southland?
NZ ACT Party leader and Coalition Govt deputy prime minister and troll David Seymour. (Source: gg.govt.nz/copyright-and-licensing)
Our mighty leader’s other second-in-command, Mr Smug himself David Seymour, has hit the headlines. Again. For being an arrogant wee troll. Again.
He reckons our ever-shrinking pool of healthcare professionals have no business expressing an opinion on the state of our ever-shrinking healthcare system.
In fact, he says there are too many whining “busy-bodies” in the profession.
The ACT Party leader (and possible stunt double for Rimmer in cult TV series Red Dwarf) had the fucking gall to refer to public health leaders “muppets”, but then wimped out by saying he wasn’t referring to the medical profession when he made the comment.
We have medical professionals leaving for less stressful roles in Aussie at an alarming rate, story after story in the media about overworked staff, overflowing waiting rooms, missed diagnoses, late treatments. Stories about people dying because of these shortfalls.
But this government has done sweet FA to fix the problem. Every issue is blamed on the previous administration. What feels like daily reports of shootings? Labour’s fault. Food banks over-run with demand? Labour’s fault. Businesses closing in record numbers? Labour’s fault. Healthcare going down the gurgler? Labour’s fault.
There must be a point where this motley bunch currently infesting the Beehive finally take some responsibility for the damage being done by their shitty policies.
A good start would be health. It’s something that will affect us all at some point, and this idiot with his trolling is fixing nothing.
Listen to the people working in the system. They can see what is working and what isn’t. And they are in the best position to help fix things.
Andrew Tate, a man with ears like a bat, a head like a cue ball, a chin that is receding almost as much as his hairline, and a face only a mother could love.
Once again proving that sexual predators stick together (hands up all those not surprised to see Russell Brand at one of his rallies!) Trump has gone into bat for those poor misunderstood Tate brothers.
Professional whinger, misogynist and chinless wonder Andrew Tate and his sidekick brother that no one remembers, Tristan, have been subject to the hospitality of the Romanian justice system since their December 2022 arrest over alleged trafficking of minors, sex with minors and money laundering. A lovely pair of young lads, right?
This “man” who seems to constantly have the facial expression of an angry toddler with a full diaper wasn’t enjoying being under what was effectively house arrest, so ol’ Donnie boy put a bit of pressure on the Romanian authorities and next thing you know, they were winging their way to Florida (the Tate brothers are joint UK/US citizens).
Interestingly, Florida governor Ron DeSantis has grown a spine and stated quite clearly: “No, Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct.”
Meanwhile, four British women are bringing separate civil claims against Andrew Tate in the UK, accusing him of rape and coercive control.
The Tates were already subject to an extradition order to take them back to Britain, but only once Romanian legal dramas are done.
It’s no secret that our great leader, Christopher Luxon, isn’t the most articulate of people.
(Hmm, should that be leader or leader adjacent? He comes across as more puppet than leader, and I’m sure most of us has some strong thoughts on who is pulling the strings. We’re looking at you, junior coalition partners).
But I digress. Back to our not-so-articulate Prime Minister. He was interviewed this week by the usually sympathetic Mike Hosking, who simply wanted a straight yes or no answer to one straight-forward question: If Andrew Bayly hadn’t quit his ministerial role, would Luxon have sacked him. I’m not generally a fan of Hosking, but he did a fine job of highlighting just what it is that is so FECKING FRUSTRATING about Luxon’s method of answering questions.
And what I’ll say to you is this: he trundles out his regular cliches and never actually fucking answers. Sigh.
This cycle went on for three minutes. Three painfully long minutes. And at no point did we get a yes, or a no.
Hosking did, however, get royally pissed off by the waffle and deflection and eventually snapped at Luxon, saying: “This is why you’re in trouble in the polls. People want something decisive. And look, if you wouldn’t have sacked him, say so. Either way, I don’t care.”
I’m not a huge fan of Hosking, but it was a lovely moment and if I could have reached through the screen, I’d have given Hosking a hug. Or at the very least, a high 5.
Former National Party chief press secretary Janet Wilson said Luxon seems to struggle when it comes to communicating clearly, that he appears to memorise talking points: “He rote learns it to a point where he is nothing but a talking robot and has no flexibility in his thought processes,” she said.
During a recent conversation with a new-ish resident of my lovely province, the topic of Southland placenames came up, in particular the Southland penchant for using the name “Bush” … as in Gummies Bush, Wreys Bush, Mabel Bush, Croydon Bush, Myross Bush and so on.
Star Wars euphemisms for whacking your weasel:
