Brian,
A wonderful description of a country you are obviously very fond of !! I
can empathise so strongly with many of your sentiments.
<rant mode on>
I too watch as little TV as possible. I enjoy a few programs, but not many.
I suppose it is a major contradiction, as I work in the industry and make my
money from filling the airwaves with (frankly) pointless cr*p, but when I
get home I really would rather not sit and watch it !! At least you only
have 4 channels. We in the UK are going the way of US TV (ducks for cover)
as we fill the airwaves with 100 channels of poor quality (both content and
technicaly) rubbish rather than a couple of channels of good quality, well
produced programmes.
I try and avoid the cinema as much as possible, unless it's something I
REALLY have to see before it comes out on DVD. Every time I've been to the
cinema recently I've been greeted by grumpy rude staff, filthy seats
(popcorn, spilled coke, chewing gum, etc.) and a carpet which you stick to
as you walk. No-one seems capable of finding the off-button on their mobile
phones (there should be a 100GBP fine for that - that'd make 'em turn 'em
off pretty damn quick !), and people can't seem to stay in their seats for
more than 30 minutes without getting up for some reason or another. Has the
average bladder-size shrunk dramatically in the last couple of years ?!
More details on this book ? Title, Author ? Sounds interesting ! If it's
available worldwide, I may track it down.
As for climate, I'm seeing the effects of Global Warming here already. This
is the 3rd year running now that we've seen some pretty major floods in my
local area. My feet are slowly growing webs, and I seem to have some
strange gills growing on my neck !!
As for politicians, privatisation, and immigration - don't start me on that
one ! I fear I may start a flame war if I spout forth on that one !!
(Again, I empathise with you and then some !!). In the south of UK we have
a similar "brain drain" problem. It is just so expensive to live here, with
all the la-de-das buying up their country homes, etc., for the weekend, that
key workers (nurses, teachers, etc., basically anyone in public service)
simply cannot afford to live here. There is a noticeable and rapidly
worsening lack of these key workers here, as they all move away to cheaper
areas of the UK. If my friends and family weren't around here, I'd be out
like a shot. As it is, the price of a small flat here is approx. 6 to 7
times my own salary - and I'm earning WELL above the average wage.
<rant mode off>
Right, sorry 'bout that ! Promise I'll calm down now.
There is one small flaw in your plan, Brian ! With your wonderful
description of NZ, and other comments, I now long more than ever to visit
this rather beautiful country. Problem is, I don't want to go to the
touristy places - I hate them too - I want to see the real country. But
then, if there are many like me who do that, then those places will also
become "touristy". Where would we go to not see another human in a week (we
all need that from time-to-time) ? In an ideal world, I suppose we would
all leave those unspoilt places for those who live there like you, but my OM
gear needs such beautiful places to photograph !!
Anyway, sorry for my ramblings. It's been a tiring day !
>From a fellow seeker of tranquility !!
Jon
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Brian Swale
Sent: 01 January 2003 21:39
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [OM] ( OM ) OT Tolkein represented on the big screen, & NZ. -
LONG
Hi folks
I wondered if some of the comments on NZ were thrown up in the
expectation that I might respond. It was interesting to read what others
from
afar think or know about New Zealand.
SNIPPED !
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