tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post1309736733062858654..comments2024-03-12T11:58:24.510+13:00Comments on Otagosh: Flag it!Gavin Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17965552923012880262noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-10508848163165657782015-12-28T04:41:31.093+13:002015-12-28T04:41:31.093+13:00Stars on Aus flag have 7 points, Israel 6 points, ...Stars on Aus flag have 7 points, Israel 6 points, Nz 5 points (had not noticed difference in NZ flag!) Minimalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07394978086891772878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-23924070971028074052015-12-26T17:17:59.958+13:002015-12-26T17:17:59.958+13:00Starting Summer with Christmas must be quite the t...Starting Summer with Christmas must be quite the thing....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-46340050025616375662015-12-26T16:24:01.131+13:002015-12-26T16:24:01.131+13:00Hi Gavin, this brings back memories. I was in New ...Hi Gavin, this brings back memories. I was in New Zealand for five months in 1987 and was invited on board to see the Rainbow Warrior while it was still in Auckland's harbor by a crew member before it was taken out to sea and buried. I saw the big metal plate that had been welded over the huge hole in the side done by French agents sent by the French government and later given medals for heroism by the French govt. for bombing that peaceful ship docked in Auckland's harbor and killing a person in the explosion. <br /><br />I recall the normally pro-American New Zealanders widely supporting the Nuclear Free Zone and taking lots of heat for it. In a Quaker meeting I talked to a Labor Party activist who told me a back-story on that. According to her, David Lange (loved him--the charismatic, witty prime minister at the time) won election in part on the highly popular Nuclear Free Zone promise. The US was fit to be tied, furious over this development. Lange privately assured the US that after he got elected he would get something worked out, not to be so upset. The US sort of accepted those assurances and quieted down for the moment. When Lange won the election some members of his Labor Party discovered Lange's idea to negotiate some compromise from the campaign pledge. They made him keep to his campaign promise as promised (which Lange did). The US was furious, in a personal way, with Lange, over this, the story went, because they viewed Lange as not keeping his word--because Lange kept his campaign promise to the people of New Zealand. Such is politics! <br /><br />What was also interesting was it later came out that I think it was Norway had had a Nuclear Free Zone policy for years which the US and allies had abided by and it was never an issue--because it was never publicized. There was no problem because in Norway it was done and abided to in secret. The upstart little nation of New Zealand's "crime" in the eyes of larger powers was going public in doing the very same thing as New York City and Norway were already doing without any problem--saying nuclear armed ships were not welcome to dock in their cities' harbors!<br /><br />No doubt you know more about these things--it has been some time ago, but this is my memory of those days. Greg D.Scrollerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07423946480322218881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52912413020249030.post-48747709163458794072015-12-22T06:21:19.317+13:002015-12-22T06:21:19.317+13:00Gavin, what's the policy in New Zealand about ...Gavin, what's the policy in New Zealand about flag burning? Here in 'the States' it is a constitutionally protected right. <br /><br />I ask, because if the Tea Towel is adopted and if I were a Kiwi, I'd be reaching for the lighter fluid....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com