The Saint suggests all those holier-than-thou types - such as the SPCA, SAFE, Paul Holmes, John Banks and others - who are baying for the blood of a South Auckland Tongan man for killing his pet pit bull, chucking it on the BBQ and then serving it to his family last week, need to get a grip.
The man said the decision to kill and cook the dog was made only after it became unruly attack. What would the bleeding hearts from the SPCA or the vote-seeking politicians have said if the dog had gone on to attack visitors to the house and inflict horrendous injuries? What’s the bet they'd have turned on the owner, particularly if he'd confessed the beast had tried to bite people before, but he'd done nothing.
Now I know my view on this subject will upset the management – she is an avowed animal lover and big fan of dogs – just not on her plate! However, I am willing to undertake her wrath – which can be a whole lot more scary than a pit bull in full attack mode – to make a genuine point.
However, I am not alone with this opinion. Even NZ Herald columnist and sickly white lefty - whom yours truly rarely agrees with - writes rather controversially that Paea Taufa should be giving him a medal for his actions.
“Because if every pit bull owner in the land followed his lead, New Zealand would be a safer place to live.” Rudman also quotes the SPCA as saying what happened was not illegal - but believes it was not "morally right". He then poses: “I wonder how morally clear they would be if the animal had lived on to monster a passing jogger or playful toddler.”
Yes, the thought – to most, middle-class, townie New Zealanders – of knocking Rover on the head and then turning him into Sunday dinner via a backyard umu is abhorrent. However, while we might not like to admit it, eating dog is very common around the world in places like Korea, China and in the Pacific Islands.
Yet, how many of these same people who were outraged by the friendly Tongans actions have thought about how abhorrent some of their behaviours are to others?
The Saint hails from a farming background and would not blink twice at a farmer taking the family pet lamb, raised from birth by his kids, behind the shed, then re-appearing with the Sunday roast. Or calf, or piglet or chicken! So why is it so different when it happens to be a dog?
How do you think a Hindus might view us slaughtering and eating cows? An animal which is sacred in their religion!
New Zealand is a country with an economy based on killing animals for export. It is our lifeblood and it is highly hypocritical for us to reel against people killing and eating animals – as long as it is done humanely and quickly as possible. Admittedly, Mr Taufa’s method of dispatch was unconventional - a whack on the head then, when unconscious, a cut to the throat. But is that so different from what most farmers or abattoirs do up and down the land?
Again I’ll quote Rudman: “We're also a hunting, shooting, fishing culture. There's no squawking from the politicians or the general public about the morality of dropping a live crayfish into a pot of boiling water or, if they're lucky, sticking them into a freezer to slowly "go to sleep".
He goes on: “Our culture also lauds the heroism of brave fishermen, torturing majestic beasts of the sea by hoodwinking them into biting on vicious hooks which are then "played" for long periods until the "gamefish" finally succumb. This is called sport.”
Like Rudman I'm no vegetarian – in fact I am proudly carnivorous. I love my steaks and crayfish, and chicken and lamb and beef. But I'm not a hypocrite either.
Luckily man is at the top of the food chain and like it or not all animals – including cats and dogs – are further down. So sorry to the management and all other “animal lovers” but all are fair game.
But for some reason, our culture, unlike, say Tongans and Koreans, has decided to treat dogs primarily as pets rather than food. However, even with pets, the line is hazy. Pet sheep and calves do turn into the Sunday roast. So let's not get too sanctimonious over one dead pit bull.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Helen shows why she is no dame!
The Saint suggests that former Prime Minister Helen Clark should take on board the smug and oft-quoted advice given by her erstwhile deputy Michael Cullen a few years back: “They won; you lost – eat that!”
This suggestion follows reports about Clark putting pressure on a former Labour ministerial colleague Margaret Shields not to accept the title "Dame". Apparently Clark sent Shields a letter setting out why Labour had abolished the titles and saying she hoped she would not accept one.
It was Helen Clark's Labour Government that replaced the titles in May 2000 with the non-titular honours of principal and distinguished companions of the order. However, National restored the titles back in March and gave the 84 people affected by the change the option to choose whether to become dames and knights.
Shields – a former Labour MP for Kapiti - ignored Clark’s plea - and has instead chosen along with 24 other women and another 48 men to be formally installed as dames and knights. Only 13 people who had the option of becoming dames or knights turned down the opportunity.
Shields joins other luminaries such as former PM Dame Jenny Shipley, sports heroes Sir Russell Coutts, Sir Peter Snell and Sir Colin Meads, Maori leaders Sir Tumu te Heuheu, Sir Archie Taiaroa and Sir Harawira Gardiner and businessmen Sir Stephen Tindall, Sir Ralph Norris, Sir Peter Maire and Sir George Fistonich, Fonterra chairman Sir Henry Van der Heyden – who all decided to take up the Government’s offer.
The Saint can see the former PM Clark’s face doing a great impersonation of sucking a lemon upon hearing the news that “Dame” Margaret Shields had ignored her edict not to accept her gong. We all remember how Clark did not take kindly to people not doing what she told them to do when she was PM. In fact, she is still not best pleased with the people of New Zealand for having the temerity to vote her and Labour out of office last election.
Mind you, she can take some solace in the fact that at least 13 lackies heeded her advice and refused to take their gongs. Mind you the Saint reckons her baker’s dozen all appear to be either fawning crawlers or Labour party lackies – or in some cases both! They include former Speaker Margaret Wilson; actor Sam Neill, academics Ranginui Walker and Vincent O'Sullivan and authors Patricia Grace, Joy Cowley and Witi Ihimaera-Smiler.
Apparently Clark is understood to have been deeply disappointed that Shields and others whom her Government awarded high non-titular honours had accepted titles. Again, the Saint would use one of Clark’s own remarks to comment on her disappointment – “diddums”.
Clark needs to understand that the decision by her Government to unilaterally remove knights and dames was very unpopular and an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders have welcomed their return. She should also get use to the fact that John Key is now Prime Minister and he and his National Government are running the country.
So get over it Helen, you are yesterday’s news and we don’t want to be bossed around by you anymore!
This suggestion follows reports about Clark putting pressure on a former Labour ministerial colleague Margaret Shields not to accept the title "Dame". Apparently Clark sent Shields a letter setting out why Labour had abolished the titles and saying she hoped she would not accept one.
It was Helen Clark's Labour Government that replaced the titles in May 2000 with the non-titular honours of principal and distinguished companions of the order. However, National restored the titles back in March and gave the 84 people affected by the change the option to choose whether to become dames and knights.
Shields – a former Labour MP for Kapiti - ignored Clark’s plea - and has instead chosen along with 24 other women and another 48 men to be formally installed as dames and knights. Only 13 people who had the option of becoming dames or knights turned down the opportunity.
Shields joins other luminaries such as former PM Dame Jenny Shipley, sports heroes Sir Russell Coutts, Sir Peter Snell and Sir Colin Meads, Maori leaders Sir Tumu te Heuheu, Sir Archie Taiaroa and Sir Harawira Gardiner and businessmen Sir Stephen Tindall, Sir Ralph Norris, Sir Peter Maire and Sir George Fistonich, Fonterra chairman Sir Henry Van der Heyden – who all decided to take up the Government’s offer.
The Saint can see the former PM Clark’s face doing a great impersonation of sucking a lemon upon hearing the news that “Dame” Margaret Shields had ignored her edict not to accept her gong. We all remember how Clark did not take kindly to people not doing what she told them to do when she was PM. In fact, she is still not best pleased with the people of New Zealand for having the temerity to vote her and Labour out of office last election.
Mind you, she can take some solace in the fact that at least 13 lackies heeded her advice and refused to take their gongs. Mind you the Saint reckons her baker’s dozen all appear to be either fawning crawlers or Labour party lackies – or in some cases both! They include former Speaker Margaret Wilson; actor Sam Neill, academics Ranginui Walker and Vincent O'Sullivan and authors Patricia Grace, Joy Cowley and Witi Ihimaera-Smiler.
Apparently Clark is understood to have been deeply disappointed that Shields and others whom her Government awarded high non-titular honours had accepted titles. Again, the Saint would use one of Clark’s own remarks to comment on her disappointment – “diddums”.
Clark needs to understand that the decision by her Government to unilaterally remove knights and dames was very unpopular and an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders have welcomed their return. She should also get use to the fact that John Key is now Prime Minister and he and his National Government are running the country.
So get over it Helen, you are yesterday’s news and we don’t want to be bossed around by you anymore!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Stick to riding whales Keisha!
What is it with actors and celebrities who think that they can tell us all how to run our lives?
The Saint previously blogged on this very subject back in May with the post: "Adding 'schelb' to do-good causes". At the time, I opined how it was both arrogant and pompous of so-called "celebrities" to lecture us little people on cause celebs they want to endorse.
Now before the Saint is accused of being a right-wing, one-eyed, fascist, Tory git - as he has been by at least one of his tiny following of readers - I am not saying people can't express opinions that I don't agree with. Even though this would make me so smug and superior compared to the average punter - a bit like the bunch luvvies lecturing NZ to back Greenpeace's campaign and reduce our carbon emissions by 40% by the year 2020.
But let's put this campaign into perspective and what it would really mean for our economy. The only way NZ could make such a ridiculous target would mean eliminating around one fifth - or 700,000 cows - from the country's dairy herd. Now what the faux self-proclaimed eco warriors fronting this Khmer Green, eco-terrorist campaign forget to mention is that the dairy industry contributes something like 27% of NZ's export earnings. You know, the income the country earns so it can pay for things like schools, hospitals, nurses, teachers, roads (even though actors and Greenies never use them - yeah right), police and nice to have things like grants for cultural activies - such as theatre and ballet etc.
So the Saint finds it somewhat ironic that the only reason most actors in NZ survive is by bludging off the public tit. Yet, it is these same people who are now telling us - during the worst recession in 70 years - that we should slash our dairy herd and biggest export earner by 20% - just so they can feel smug and superior. Guess who would be the first to whinge and moan if their acting junkets were given the chop due to the drop in national income from their genocide of NZ's productive sector? You bet your tax payer-funded art scheme they would!
So what is Keisha and her mates' wonderful solution? That we slaughter 700,00 cows from the national dairy herd. But they spin it so nicely by calling it "de-stocking". What it really means is killing 700,000 cows and making our farms less productive and thus the country less productive. No cars, no trucks and 700,000 less cows. But no doubt, by converting all these cowless farms to organic mung bean production will have the cash pouring in and solve are worsen balance of payments problems!
Sorry, but Lucy Lawless might be hot and Robyn Malcolm able to play a westie-slapper so well you would swear she really is one! But that does not make them experts on climate change. As for Keisha Castle-Hughes, as far as the Saint knows, her only qualification to lead the country on this course of economic suicide - is a best supporting actress Oscar nomination when she was about 10 and getting knocked up by some loser called Bradley and going on the DPB at 16. So eminently qualified, obviously!
So when PM John Key told her to "stick to acting" this week - it was not an insult, but good advice! Greenpeace, the Greens and Keisha Castle-Hughes and her mates are the trying to tell the world how to run our lives. So why is it not fair enough for the PM to tell this little do-gooder how to run hers?
Stick to riding whales Keisha, so far your record outside the acting profession is not so fantastic.
The Saint previously blogged on this very subject back in May with the post: "Adding 'schelb' to do-good causes". At the time, I opined how it was both arrogant and pompous of so-called "celebrities" to lecture us little people on cause celebs they want to endorse.
Now before the Saint is accused of being a right-wing, one-eyed, fascist, Tory git - as he has been by at least one of his tiny following of readers - I am not saying people can't express opinions that I don't agree with. Even though this would make me so smug and superior compared to the average punter - a bit like the bunch luvvies lecturing NZ to back Greenpeace's campaign and reduce our carbon emissions by 40% by the year 2020.
But let's put this campaign into perspective and what it would really mean for our economy. The only way NZ could make such a ridiculous target would mean eliminating around one fifth - or 700,000 cows - from the country's dairy herd. Now what the faux self-proclaimed eco warriors fronting this Khmer Green, eco-terrorist campaign forget to mention is that the dairy industry contributes something like 27% of NZ's export earnings. You know, the income the country earns so it can pay for things like schools, hospitals, nurses, teachers, roads (even though actors and Greenies never use them - yeah right), police and nice to have things like grants for cultural activies - such as theatre and ballet etc.
So the Saint finds it somewhat ironic that the only reason most actors in NZ survive is by bludging off the public tit. Yet, it is these same people who are now telling us - during the worst recession in 70 years - that we should slash our dairy herd and biggest export earner by 20% - just so they can feel smug and superior. Guess who would be the first to whinge and moan if their acting junkets were given the chop due to the drop in national income from their genocide of NZ's productive sector? You bet your tax payer-funded art scheme they would!
So what is Keisha and her mates' wonderful solution? That we slaughter 700,00 cows from the national dairy herd. But they spin it so nicely by calling it "de-stocking". What it really means is killing 700,000 cows and making our farms less productive and thus the country less productive. No cars, no trucks and 700,000 less cows. But no doubt, by converting all these cowless farms to organic mung bean production will have the cash pouring in and solve are worsen balance of payments problems!
Sorry, but Lucy Lawless might be hot and Robyn Malcolm able to play a westie-slapper so well you would swear she really is one! But that does not make them experts on climate change. As for Keisha Castle-Hughes, as far as the Saint knows, her only qualification to lead the country on this course of economic suicide - is a best supporting actress Oscar nomination when she was about 10 and getting knocked up by some loser called Bradley and going on the DPB at 16. So eminently qualified, obviously!
So when PM John Key told her to "stick to acting" this week - it was not an insult, but good advice! Greenpeace, the Greens and Keisha Castle-Hughes and her mates are the trying to tell the world how to run our lives. So why is it not fair enough for the PM to tell this little do-gooder how to run hers?
Stick to riding whales Keisha, so far your record outside the acting profession is not so fantastic.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
It’s going to be All Black season for NZ rugby fans
The Saint has had an uneasy feeling about the depth of talent and quality of the 2009 All Black squad all year.
In case you hadn’t noticed; this team is seriously average! If this was not already apparent when we lost to a tired and so-so French team back June, or when we barely snuck past perennial six nation wooden spooners Italy a couple of weeks later – then it is clearly evident now.
The All Blacks woeful performances in South Africa during the past fortnight have proven just how bad this current NZ team really is and the lack of depth we have waiting in the wings. Not to take anything away from South Africa, but the way the All Blacks have played against the Springboks in the last two weeks you could be forgiven for thinking the current Boks were the greatest team ever. Now, while they are a pretty handy bunch, many better teams than them have graced rugby paddock around the world before.
While it is true that in the past five or so years, we have seen a plethora of quality players and coaches leave the New Zealand rugby scene to chase the glint of the UK pound, French franc and Japanese yen. But as that horrible little gnome and former coach John Hart was fond of saying: it is the “professional era” after all.
This mass migration of NZ rugby talent offshore still does not make up for the current atrocious All Black play or mindless tactics these guys are employing – or may be it is. But even a garden-variety club footy player, like the Saint, knows some basics of the game. Like when you are under the pump by the world’s best lineout you are asking for trouble if you throw it deep in your own 22. Or, instead of throwing Hail Mary passes in your own half - that put your team under undue pressure - you kick it out. And even a brainless chimp would know that if the ball is kicked over your line you force it down and take the drop out, rather than trying to run in a 120 metre miracle try. Yet, apparently, the current bunch of “professionals” who represent NZ and are paid handsome, six figure sums to do so are unaware of such basic concepts.
Sack the coaches – I hear some cry. Yeah? And replace them with just who?
These punters seem to have forgotten that the NZRFU, in its infinite wisdom, let two of this country’s best coaches in Robbie Deans and Warren Gatland bugger off overseas to lend Australia and Wales – respectively – their coaching skills, while we reappointed the three clowns who took us to our worst ever World Cup exit at the quarter finals in Cardiff in 2007! Great move lads!!
Bring in new players – others say. Again, oh yeah, exactly where from? While there is no doubt the talented Dan Carter should be rushed back into the squad and the likes of the hapless Joe Rococo be given a rest. There are not a whole lot of undiscovered rugby talent hiding around the country who can be rushed into the squad and stop the Aussies and Springboks putting the All Blacks to the sword?
Unfortunately, just like those DPB beneficiaries found out this week when they wanted more handouts, there are no pixies at the bottom the garden printing money for the Government to dole out to them; the NZ rugby public are going to have to come to terms with the fact we have a poor All Black team and a miserable season ahead.
After all it is only a game!
In case you hadn’t noticed; this team is seriously average! If this was not already apparent when we lost to a tired and so-so French team back June, or when we barely snuck past perennial six nation wooden spooners Italy a couple of weeks later – then it is clearly evident now.
The All Blacks woeful performances in South Africa during the past fortnight have proven just how bad this current NZ team really is and the lack of depth we have waiting in the wings. Not to take anything away from South Africa, but the way the All Blacks have played against the Springboks in the last two weeks you could be forgiven for thinking the current Boks were the greatest team ever. Now, while they are a pretty handy bunch, many better teams than them have graced rugby paddock around the world before.
While it is true that in the past five or so years, we have seen a plethora of quality players and coaches leave the New Zealand rugby scene to chase the glint of the UK pound, French franc and Japanese yen. But as that horrible little gnome and former coach John Hart was fond of saying: it is the “professional era” after all.
This mass migration of NZ rugby talent offshore still does not make up for the current atrocious All Black play or mindless tactics these guys are employing – or may be it is. But even a garden-variety club footy player, like the Saint, knows some basics of the game. Like when you are under the pump by the world’s best lineout you are asking for trouble if you throw it deep in your own 22. Or, instead of throwing Hail Mary passes in your own half - that put your team under undue pressure - you kick it out. And even a brainless chimp would know that if the ball is kicked over your line you force it down and take the drop out, rather than trying to run in a 120 metre miracle try. Yet, apparently, the current bunch of “professionals” who represent NZ and are paid handsome, six figure sums to do so are unaware of such basic concepts.
Sack the coaches – I hear some cry. Yeah? And replace them with just who?
These punters seem to have forgotten that the NZRFU, in its infinite wisdom, let two of this country’s best coaches in Robbie Deans and Warren Gatland bugger off overseas to lend Australia and Wales – respectively – their coaching skills, while we reappointed the three clowns who took us to our worst ever World Cup exit at the quarter finals in Cardiff in 2007! Great move lads!!
Bring in new players – others say. Again, oh yeah, exactly where from? While there is no doubt the talented Dan Carter should be rushed back into the squad and the likes of the hapless Joe Rococo be given a rest. There are not a whole lot of undiscovered rugby talent hiding around the country who can be rushed into the squad and stop the Aussies and Springboks putting the All Blacks to the sword?
Unfortunately, just like those DPB beneficiaries found out this week when they wanted more handouts, there are no pixies at the bottom the garden printing money for the Government to dole out to them; the NZ rugby public are going to have to come to terms with the fact we have a poor All Black team and a miserable season ahead.
After all it is only a game!
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