Posted on 08/30/2006 12:55:56 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
I've met a lot of Kiwis and served alongside a lot of Kiwis and I can tell you that there's a great many of them who you can count on in a jam. Any of them in uniform for a start. Unfortunately there aren't as many of those as there should be - but there's plenty of good and decent Kiwis out there - as long as you are willing to be open minded about the sheep, anyway.
No, but I would say whatever they wanted to hear. I'd make any political statement they wanted. I'd agree to convert to their religion.
I have limits - I wouldn't reveal any sensitive information - at least I hope I wouldn't, thankfully I've never been tested in that way. And I wouldn't want anyone to negotiate for my release. But I would make any statement I had to make to stay alive.
> And you?
Auckland, born in Vangcouver. A Kiwi now. Texas is a great State, enjoyed myself there.
Goodonya, mate.
> I'm a burley&brite mix fan, myself
(puff) (puff) Decent smoke, this burley & brite. Not bad at all! Nice Peace-pipe, too...
Hey Naturalman1975, good to see ya, mate -- pull up a seat by the fire, where it's warm. Sam & I is just enjoying a peace-pipe.
Anyrate where were we: yeah, smoking bans. All over NZ now: not even in bars or private clubs. Not even in some public parks. Unbelievable.
Me, I can only smoke Virtually now: doctor asked me nicely to quit because I was making her job too difficult with my blood pressure. So I asked myself "why should I inconvenience her unnecessarily...?" And I wanted to set a better example for my Guardian Angels, so I quit 18 months ago. But damn'! I still enjoy the smell of smoke!
Virtual smoke is just as good, I reckon...
> Either way, both countries are at the top of my list when I finally get the time to travel again for something longer than two weeks.
Come visit NZ again anytime. Things ain't changed much: you'll need to be a bit more careful about crime, but we're doing something about that. You will still be very welcome, and relatively much safer than most parts of this globe.
Drop me a note when you are here, and we'll do coffee if you like.
*DieHard*
> I don't think he "ratted out his mate".
The only way his chosen strategy would be valid, in my opinion, is if his mate and he agreed it as the "way forward". No indication one way or the other, so read at face value, he ratted out his mate.
He hasn't since said anything like "it was our only hope of a way out, and we agreed it was the best way forward. I didn't mean it anyrate." I'll amend my view if this viewpoint comes forward anytime soon.
> Should he have kept mum and possibly died without giving it a try?
End of the day, only him and his mate will ever know that, for certain. Whilst in captivity they were free to use whatever means necessary to escape. They were there as a team, and they needed to play as a team. If that's what they did: then fine. That's not how the story reads so far.
Was the best way to pull the spotlite off both of them and single out his mate as being the only American? Risky at best, dodgy at worst.
Crowing about ratting out your mate and branding all NZers as having difficult relations with the US _ex post facto_, and failing to make a correcting statement once out of Harm's Way (eg "Boo Hoo Sux to You we were just tricking, ya nasty Muslim Terrorists!") speaks volumes to me.
It will be a telling sign whether his mate ever works with him again.
This peace-pipe is mighty nice smoke. Come join us round the fire, DogBarkTree.
"To others who have convictions, foundational beliefs, and
morals there are some things worse than death. Speaking
of belief, I can't believe the cowardice that I have seen
lately from freepers who I would not trust in a foxhole
next to me!?."
THANK YOU, SIR. There are some things worse than getting your head cut off.
As soon as the kids are old enough for someone else to watch them I'll take you up on your offer. I want to tramp the Milford Sound track sometime when it isn't raining. I'm 0 for 2 so far. My wife is partial to Queenstown and the mountains but I want her to see Rotorua - like going to the moon without space flight. I just wish you folks would drive on the right side of the road so I could rent a car and feel safe. :^)
> I just wish you folks would drive on the right side of the road so I could rent a car and feel safe. :^)
Rotorua is amazing. Learning to drive on our side of the road took me about 15 minutes to permanently get used to (learned to drive in Canada originally). The shift pattern is the same, the pedals are the same, and the driver is always closest to the center line. The human brain just adapts naturally -- particularly if you don't make a conscious effort and try too hard.
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