Lighten up
No Right Turn really needs to lighten up sometimes. He proclaims journalism has hit a new low, as Audrey Young blogged about a chicken.
I’m with Big News on this. NRT fails to understand the difference between what a journalist writes for their newspaper, and what they may blog about. Audrey’s story was not published in the NZ Herald. Audrey has done hundreds of hard news political stories. A whimsical blog about an escaped chicken is not a low.
Personally I like press gallery blogs that give us a bit of a light hearted look behind the scenes. I thought Audrey;s blog was very funny. An extract:
The talk of Parliament today has not been Hone Harawira’s future, John Key’s boycott of the Dalai Lama, or Phil Goff ending the 20-year consensus on monetary policy.
What has the whole complex in a frenzy is a chicken on the loose – one I have just captured in image- but only my cellphone.
It is a Leghorn according to the chicken specialists in the Beehive in ministerial offices who have been emailing each other about it all day.
It was let loose a week ago with four other birds by some idiot protestor.
The others have been captured by the SPCA but the fourth one, nicknamed Tegel by the security guards, has eluded capture.
Having worked at Parliament, episodes like that would provide light relief.
Audrey also contributes some chicken crossing the road jokes:
John Key: I haven’t had any advice on that but I’m pretty relaxed about it crossing the road.
Phil Goff: I too have chickens and I know what a difficult decision it can be for chickens when it comes to crossing roads. Labour was perhaps too strict on chickens and we are re-examining our chicken policy, though it should be remembered that it is every chicken’s right to cross the road so long as it does not interfere in the rights of others.
Tariana Turia: In the spirit of manaakitanga, the Maori Party would like to offer a home to the chicken in our offices – after it crosses Bowen St – and its hapu.
Sue Kedgley: Leave it run free range on the mound and give the eggs to Bellamies.
Rodney Hide: Officials have estimated that 108.5 hours have been wasted by the public servants in Wellington gazing out of window onto Bowen St to see the chicken crossing the road. My colleague Heather Roy, the Minister of Consumer Affairs, will deal with it.
Heh, not bad.