Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: A few (more) words on The Hobbit

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  • Rich of Observationz,

    Further, the Tourism Research reports are based around a common axiom - they assume that an event (or any economic activity) generates wealth in proportion to the amount spent, and use fudge-factors (sorry, multipliers) to inflate that figure.

    Baade (Handbook on the economics of sport, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2006, ch16) critiques this approach on a number of points:
    - the impact analysis uses net spending figures and ignores the displacement of spending by those not involved with the event.
    - a portion of spending on the vent is repatriated overseas as profit (by foreign-owned hotel chains, breweries and the like).
    - overprovision of facilities in order to host a major event leads to inefficient use of resources following the event (empty stadia, unoccupied team bases, bankrupt boatyards)
    - economic impact of disruption caused by event related construction

    There is also a macro-economic angle. In a boom, providing further artificial stimulus to the economy is inflationary, and the impact is felt nationally. The ecomomic boost of sporting events during a boom may be offset by higher interest rates needed to contain inflation.

    I'd expect these factors to be at least discussed in the report. As is usually the case in economic reports commissioned by government departments with an axe to grind, they aren't.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Tony Parker,

    Yes, I'm kind of bemused at the sour-puss-ness surrounding the impending RWC

    Well for me some of that is generated by the fact that my working conditions (school terms) have been changed this year to suit the RWC and while this may have little effect on the 5 yr olds in my class it's going to affect a great deal of senior students doing NCEA, more so perhaps than the industrial action the PPTA took last year but were criticised heavily for doing so. (Term 4 begins the day after Labour Day and gves them very little school time to prepare for exams.)

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    The ecomomic boost of sporting events during a boom may be offset by higher interest rates needed to contain inflation.

    Just as well we're in the deepest recession of my whole life then.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to BenWilson,

    It’s a lot to ask, but I urge you to get a whole slab of that Harden Up. Oh, and send a tanker of it to the All Blacks.

    There were copies of a little card being passed around in the lead-up to the Sydney olympics, a cartoon pic of a smiling group of various ages and genders. Along with a Sydney 2000 logo the caption read "Keep taking your medication. Our foreign visitors must never suspect a thing."

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    a feeling of excitement that drags even the most dour stay-at-home out to stick their hands in the air.

    Seems a good success measure - average crowd hand position. High = happy, Level = probably scrapping or jostling, Low = meh.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Those Ozzies are an inspiration when it comes to organizing sport, and having a good time.

    Low = meh.

    Heh, I thought you were going to say Low = wankers.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Just as well we're in the deepest recession of my whole life then.

    It's kinda gambling to organise events 5 years in advance in the hope that they'll actually happen at an opportune stage in the economic cycle.

    Oct 24th next year, France will be headed home with the cup (probably) and all the extra workers hired for the six weeks will be on the dole (definitely).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Rich Lock,

    Or go down to the dairy and buy a can of Harden Up. If they sell it in the massive quantities required, that is.

    Viagra comes in cans from the dairy, now?

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    Heh, I thought you were going to say Low = wankers.

    Not sure if that would imply happiness or another form of drowning sorrows..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Danielle, in reply to Rich Lock,

    Viagra comes in cans from the dairy, now?

    Go long, with Extenze. I do!

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    It's kinda gambling to organise events 5 years in advance in the hope that they'll actually happen at an opportune stage in the economic cycle.

    Such is the world of major sporting events. I guess we struck gold.

    Oct 24th next year, France will be headed home with the cup (probably) and all the extra workers hired for the six weeks will be on the dole (definitely).

    I'd be actually happy if the French won it, much more so than Oz, SA, or England. It would generate more international interest in rugby. But of course I want the All Blacks to win.

    As for the extra workers, six weeks not on the dole might be nice, and it would save the taxpayers that money.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    While there was some serious talent involved in FF the Movie – some of the background art is gorgeous – it was directed by the odious little slimeball responsible for the previous decade’s dancing cossacks.

    I found the movie really disappointing because of the soundtrack. I know the actors involved could have been marvellous, but somehow they sounded as if they were all whispering or something. That has to be direction.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to BenWilson,

    Yes! Totally. I don’t really care that much but I’d rather we won, and more importantly, I would like the whole tournament to go well, for there to be great matches between all teams, upsets, courageous performances, new stars, friendships made, cultures experienced, goods purchased in massive quantities, sold-out stadiums, infrastructure that doesn’t collapse, parties that never stop, heated debates, a feeling of excitement that drags even the most dour stay-at-home out to stick their hands in the air.

    I further propose that in the midst of all this, two people fall in a glorious love.

    It’s a lot to ask, but I urge you to get a whole slab of that Harden Up. Oh, and send a tanker of it to the All Blacks.

    I’ll keep a pallet. But only for emergencies, mind.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Danielle,

    Go long, with Extenze. I do!

    Must have confiscated his supply on Survivor, then :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    two people fall in a glorious love

    in the changing room

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • recordari, in reply to Sacha,

    in the changing room

    It's a bit early for slash fic', Shirley?

    ETA:

    Go long, with Extenze. I do!

    'Dinner with Jimmy'. You could have Extenze-ial conversions all night long.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    The “men of the west” part of Aragorn’s speech in the Return of the King was not in Tolkien, as I understand it, and the Arab pirates were… something else, really. It was either grotesquely tone deaf to history, or blithely casual with its racial politics. Or both.

    The Corsairs of Umbar were a mixed raced of descendants of Numenor, and Haradrim, who Tolkeins mentions were dark skinned people (in the movie they were the ones driving the Oliphants).

    Aragorn gave no such speech in the book at that point, as "little time was left to Aragorn for the ordering of battle". And a speech to 6,000 soldiers is somewhat impractical. "Men of the West" is mentioned in that section, and at other points in the book, and is the general term used for the combined armies.

    The only bad humans are of Middle Eastern stock, just as the men of the West invade the Gulf? I don’t know, you tell me.

    Filming of that scene, which was cut from the theatrical release, was completed in 2000, undoubtably designed before that, well before us Westerners engaged in our latest invasion of the gulf.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    But it currently goes the other way: “these are our commercial boundaries, as defined by these charts in Billboard and these offshore playlists so we insist that you use your money to make music that we deem acceptable to those to play on your airwaves.”

    But it's perfectly possible for a radio station to take a different line and different commercial boundaries. Or someone to finance one that does. Given that we have a commercial radio system, being competitive is what they do best. I'm dubious, given the silly number of radio stations that we have in some cities that "no one thought of it" is the problem. Seems to be to be quite reasonable that if you run a private radio station, you should be able to define your musical boundaries, and look for NZ music that fits within them. The playing field hasn't remained static after all - hip hop gets plenty of radio time.

    It’s them who will need the health care and pensions that can’t be afforded, and a likely scenario is that they will miss out, despite having funded such things for their own elders during most of their lives.

    Well that's not true. Baby boomers are starting to approach retirement age. During their peak income years - 40s onwards they had large tax cuts while their parents and grand parents had income testing. The 1980s and 1990s are a generational split in our social contract.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    Baby boomers are starting to approach retirement age. During their peak income years - 40s onwards they had large tax cuts while their parents and grand parents had income testing. The 1980s and 1990s are a generational split in our social contract.

    What smug self-serving deliberately divisive drivel. If you happened to be attempting to run a small manufacturing business in the mid-80s, actually making stuff, you got hit with GST, with no appreciable reduction in personal tax. I know, I was there, I didn't get rich, I paid a shitload of tax, and I'm a damned fool for having done so.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Um Kyle - "large tax cuts" during peak income years - 40s onwards?
    I sure as shit dont recall that: in my late 30s until mid40s I was earning comparatively large amounts of money (comparative to earlier earnings) - and I was paying 66% of aforesaid income over a relatively low cutoff point. My mother
    who became a pensioner in my mid40s, did not have income testing. My grandparents were all dead.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Islander,

    And, what Joe said- GST was the bane of my life, and it was *in addition* to income tax.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Islander,

    And, what Joe said- GST was the bane of my life, and it was *in addition* to income tax.

    Just did my first 15% thingy today - the multiply by 157 and divide by 17.2, or whatever it is, rather did my head in - almost as much as the fact I couldn't work out how to reprogram the tax percentage on the Casio and the online instructions didn't make sense at all.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • andin,

    great matches between all teams, upsets, courageous performances, new stars, friendships made, cultures experienced, goods purchased in massive quantities, sold-out stadiums, infrastructure that doesn’t collapse, parties that never stop, heated debates, a feeling of excitement that drags even the most dour stay-at-home out to stick their hands in the air.

    I further propose that in the midst of all this, two people fall in a glorious love.

    Just as long as they are two macho rugby types expressing their more sensitive caring side.
    It would made a( ...well .......lets wait till it comes out to pass judgement) movie.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • recordari, in reply to andin,

    lets wait till it comes out to pass judgement) movie.

    Indictus?


    (Is a word)

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • andin, in reply to recordari,

    (Is a word)

    Not a word play? Dont make me spell it out. I'll laugh too hard.
    Whoops, did I mean to say that?

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

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