Bertrand Bargolias Revealed

A ponderous and at times self indulgent half hour search for a blog header has led me to a name of power, prestige, and probably some obscurity.

In fact, you don't get much more obscure than a passing character on one of McPhail & Gadsby's mid to late 80s sketch shows. In a strangely funny send up, the opening of 60 Minutes was parodied, and a brown suited, beige shirted fellow with a superb 80s moustache looks up dramatically and says "I'm Bertrand Bargolias", just as the brown suited, beige shirted, and until recently mustachioed Cameron Bennett would. It was a wonderfully delicate piece of absurdity, and probably the high point of satire on New Zealand television over the past twenty five years.

The purpose of this blog is to provide an outlet for the thoughts, frustrations, libelous rantings, and eternally optimistic outlook of someone (me) who finds themselves living in a strange world in which they are the Labour candidate for Pakuranga. I did the job three years ago and found that a sense of humour was one of the biggest pre-requisites for the job - hence the reference to Mr Bargolias.

Another Bertrand also figures prominently in my thoughts, shaping significantly my outlook on life and political beliefs, the great Twentieth Century thinker Bertrand Russell. I won't burble for too long about him, but this quote from the beginning of his autobiography sums the man up admirably, and is I think a good prescription for someone involved in the odd and difficult New Zealand political scene:

"Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind."

NB - funny point, the spellchecker doesn't recognise the word "blog".