Hot Offers and Grubby Fingers

A month ago the local paper delivery man slipped something into our letterbox; an offer to take part in a free trial of the the New Zealand Herald, Auckland's major newspaper.

We hummed and harred as to whether to telephone the freephone number and take up the offer. What was the catch?  Nothing is ever free these days.

Finally we relented and dialed the Herald.  Yes it was completely free and there was not catch.  If we liked we could receive the newspaper free for five weeks. Decision made, we signed up.

At this point it is worth noting that the last time we subscribed to a daily delivery of paper was a good ten years ago.  Having been overseas we never bothered to renew our subscription when we returned.

Four days later our first free newspaper arrived in out letterbox at 5:30 am and I duly collected it.  Given the usual chores of the day neither of us got a chance to look at it before 4 pm and by that time I had digested most of the daily news from a variety of online sources.

My generation were well used to daily newspapers as our principal news source. But what I had forgotten is the quantity of printers ink residue left on the fingers as one leafs through the pages.  What a mess if you forget to diligently wash the offending digits.

By the second week I had grown somewhat accustomed to the daily ritual of retrieving the paper, albeit in all weathers which rather lessened the pleasure.

Then a couple of days ago there was no newspaper in the box and it was quite clear that the delivery man or his substitute had forgotten us.  

In the bad old days when we subscribed, this happened with some frequency and usually resulted in half an hour hanging on a telephone call to the paper's administration listening to piped muzak.  

What all of the above did was to remind us that (setting aside the nostalgia for the texture of newsprint) the printed newspaper is a dying medium.  No wonder the Herald's print circulation like that of all other print publications worldwide is in a state of constant decline.

Last night with ten days still remaining on the free offer I 'phoned the paper's subscription services and cancelled the free trial.

Nostalgia for the past is one thing.  Grubby hands and frustrating delivery delays are quite another. 

As for me, I am now firmly wedded to news online and won't be buying another newspaper or magazine in its printed form.

By Milt Priggee, www.miltpriggee.com

Everyone Wants The Kiwi Dream?

The is a report on the New Zealand Herald Online this morning entitled "Everyone wants the Kiwi dream".

Apparently New Zealand is rated as the second most desired countries for potential migrants. Who I wondered was number one?

It came as no surprise to discover that first place, based on the Gallup Potential Net Migration Index, was occupied by Singapore.  This no doubt will delight the Singapore government but be of concern to its citizenry who are very sensitive about a further mass migration of new arrivals.

In New Zealand a researcher, Dr Elsie Ho, has diplomatically stated "New Zealanders may be more accepting of immigrants who come from similar backgrounds, such as Britain and America, but not so with migrants from Asia, Africa and the Middle East for example"

With this she has touched upon the insular underbelly of racism in New Zealand.  Those Asian migrants bewitched by the clean green image of the country often become quickly disillusioned by the insidious undercurrent of racism they discover here.

They suffer worse than other migrant groups and this is born our by a second study on the barriers Asians face to equality in New Zealand.

The Herald also reports a study being resented to he Human Rights Commission today in which one of  its authors reports " Asians were the most discriminated against and earned the least income, despite barely featuring in social welfare statistics. Migrants felt most discriminated against in public places, employment and while shopping, according to a Department of Labour immigration survey".

I have met Asian migrants driven to the verge of suicide by their inability to find employment or set up a business in this country.

As a PR in Singapore I experienced no such feelings.  In the main this Ang Mo felt very welcome at all times and as a result made close friendships with a number of Singaporeans of all races that will always be treasured.

Singapore is a cosmopolitan republic and the government goes to great pains top promote racial and social harmony, even dictating the racial ratios within housing estates to promote integration.

In New Zealand our approach to immigration is piecemeal at best and it is the non European migrants who suffer most from this apathy and antagonism.

The Kiwi abroad is often regard as a warm and friendly bird.  In their home roost however things are markedly different and it shames me to have to say so.

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Slashed Fares, Red Elbows And Tagged Trains

To quote the late Nat King Cole, "Unforgettable" or perhaps it should be "Unbelievable"!

Having just spent nearly $S1,800 for a one way ticket from Singapore to Auckland I read in the NZ Herald online today that Jet Star is going to launch a direct Auckland / Singapore service and will be offering promotional fares set at $NZ100.

I would be quite happy to forgo the in-flight meal and pay for my own cheese and crackers en-route if I could save $1,000.

The only fly in the ointment is that they have yet to secure regulatory approval but one would hope that this was forthcoming.  It will be interesting to see what Singapore Airlines' response will be.

Also occupying Singaporean's minds this week is the revelation that some mindless twits broke into the MRT train yards and graffiti bombed one of the trains (video below).  It turns out it was a Swiss software consultant and a Briton (who has high tailed it to Hong Kong) who carried out the dastardly deed.





What at first glance may seem to be a stupid piece of vandalism has more sinister overtones as it has exposed lax security at the depot.  The threat of bombing is very real and the fact that two individuals could so effortlessly break into the depot yard has not pleased the authorities in the least.

Such acts normally carry a caning sentence in Singapore.  An American by the name of Michael Fay was sentenced in 1994 for a similar spate of vandalism and received four strokes of the rattan cane for his troubles.

There is a bizarre footnote to this story.  It took two days for someone to report the incident.  Reportedly, the MRT staff mistook the vandalism for commercial advertising, no doubt with the recent Singtel post box graffiti still etched into their conscience.

And finally for shear hard luck comes the story of the woman who was walking past the Istana and had a tree fall on her. She is said to be suffering from "redness of the elbow".

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