Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: See you Latta, Bob ...

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  • Islander,

    mark taslov - the circumcision cruelty was totally bizarre and *had* to be for religious reasons (which are not legal excuses for assault & battery - anyone note there was a 14yrold screaming his head off there too?)

    I hope that GP has his licence to practise revoked - and charges for child cruelty are brought against him, and his 'helpers'.

    And, please note, I do not raise the extremely likely racial backgrounds of the parents-

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

  • BenWilson,

    Did I just hear 3news refer to the Australian Swimming child sex abuse case as "the pedo-speedo scandal"?

    I wouldn't put it past them. The number of headlines I remember in Oz that started off "Blacks say...".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Keir Leslie,

    If both the police and the courts had right to decide upon the inconsequentiallity, that would also alleviate this state of affairs.

    This is nonsense; the court has the right to find that no assault occurred. It can't find that no assault occurred by virtue of parental correction, but that's no different were I to be hauled before a court on charges of assault against you.

    Also, not a lawyer, but I have read a few books on the institution of the prosecution (admittedly they tended to be focussed on that institution in the late Victorian era, so). In New Zealand, prosecution is in the name of the Crown, but anyone* can bring a prosecution. Generally it's someone paid to do so by the government, but they are in principle exercising the rights of any citizen. (Following the English practice; in Scotland prosecution has always been the privilege of the Procurator Fiscal et al.) I don't think you'd call prosecution a Royal Prerogative.

    That's not a lawyer, that's someone who knows this stuff through (a) reading books about law and order in the late Victorian period and (b) seeing references to private prosecutions in the newspapers, so don't take it too seriously.

    *Don't know anyone, 'cause there's probably rules, but roughly speaking. And you probably have to hire a lawyer to do the actual arguing. And it's often used by cranks.

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report

  • Kim Sokolich,

    Speaking of silly beliefs

    Someone help me out here. I saw a Close Up viewers poll about the credibilty of Wishart's Air Con over Gareth Morgan's book and it came back at 77/23 in favour of Wishart!!! WTF!!!! This is what we're up against people. I find it hard to see this in a positive light...anybody???

    Since Oct 2008 • 47 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Whilst we are on the subject of crime and punishment, there was a lovely story in tonight's paper about inmates at Waikeria Prison winning a bunch of prizes (including "Best Open Bloom") at the Otorohonga Rose Show.

    As for Wishart on Close Up (which should be Closed Up!), it must have been 77 of his relatives and/or assorted wingnuts.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • dave crampton,

    Edgeler: Haven't we been repeatedly told it wasn't an "anti-smacking" law?

    Why is there is concern that the PM has said light smacking is okay (read lawful) if the law we passed wasn't about smacking at all?

    Because it was about smacking. We all know that. And it was the Greens that started that one. And to Key " okay" in this context doesn't necessarily mean " lawful".

    welli • Since Jan 2007 • 144 posts Report

  • dc_red,

    The Dom-Post missed the memo, RB, and is happily quoting Bob again today.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Because it was about smacking. We all know that. And it was the Greens that started that one. And to Key " okay" in this context doesn't necessarily mean " lawful".

    You're the one obsesses with 'smacking", Dave. Some of us just think it's safer if the law (or the Prime Minister) doesn't encourage people to hit their children.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    The Dom-Post missed the memo, RB, and is happily quoting Bob again today

    I guess they figure that given his consistent willingness to champion violent abusers, he speaks for a constituency.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • andin,

    I saw a Close Up viewers poll about the credibilty of Wishart's Air Con over Gareth Morgan's book and it came back at 77/23 in favour of Wishart!!! WTF!!!! This is what we're up against people. I find it hard to see this in a positive light...anybody???

    Yes, the dumbing of a population. And the surprising thing is it happened while a liberal democratic govt was in power. So we don't have the get out of jail free card the US gets by blaming the idiot the idiots elected.

    Now this makes for some interesting reading about successful societies.
    http://www.epjournal.net/filestore/EP07398441_c.pdf.

    And when you get to the graphs, New Zealand is the big 'Z'.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • linger,

    there was a 14yrold screaming his head off there

    Eek, now that's an extreme circumcision.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • linger,

    dumbing of a population

    Nah, it's a Close Up poll, after all, so merely the dumbing of a dumb self-selecting sample.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    Interesting to see Latta is seeking a self-selecting group with a 'difficult' child for his new book. From his ad on his website there is no mention of science, infact he expresses anti-academic sentiments in his "Goldfish Wisdom".

    http://www.goldfishwisdom.co.nz/?t=32

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • linger,

    To clarify: A self-selecting sample isn't necessarily bad for qualitative purposes (as in Latta's case, seeking to collect a range of nominated salient "challenges" with "high-maintenance" children). However, it is often of little value for quantitative purposes (such as a percentage "vote").

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • andin,

    so merely the dumbing of a dumb

    The almighty poll foiled.
    I demand an intelligence test.......
    from...those ...people.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • Carol Stewart,

    Some of us just think it's safer if the law (or the Prime Minister) doesn't encourage people to hit their children.

    I agree with Russell; I was inclined to give John Key a good deal of credit for how he handled the results of the referendum, and the whole passage of the legislation, until he made this unfortunate comment which has just re-muddied the waters. It's kind of analagous to the PM encouraging drivers to exceed the speed limit - though not by more than 10 km/h, mind.

    As for last night's Close Up, TVNZ has plumbed new depths of superficiality. Outrageous that the state broadcaster can trivialise public debate on climate change like this. Sure makes you appreciate Radio NZ and their commitment to good science coverage.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report

  • philipmatthews,

    As for last night's Close Up, TVNZ has plumbed new depths of superficiality. Outrageous that the state broadcaster can trivialise public debate on climate change like this.

    No surprises. They managed to completely trivialise 9/11 by letting Mike Hosking run a warm bath for Richard Gage a couple of weeks back. I'd be interested to see a poll of Close Up viewers on that issue.

    In a slight but relevant derail, I've been looking at the Booksellers NZ bestsellers of the year list. In the NZ non-fiction list, six of the ten are cookbooks, and the remainder: the memoirs of a psychic (Kelvin Cruickshank), the memoirs of a jeweller (Michael Hill) and, at number seven, Ian Wishart's Air Con. How apt the tenth book is a guide to growing vegetables.

    Another thread would be interested to know that the ninth-bestselling NZ novel of 2009 is The Trowenna Sea, mostly by Witi Ihimaera.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    No surprises. They managed to completely trivialise 9/11 by letting Mike Hosking run a warm bath for Richard Gage a couple of weeks back. I'd be interested to see a poll of Close Up viewers on that issue.

    That was a shocker. Did they brief Hosking for more than five seconds for that one?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Carol Stewart,

    They managed to completely trivialise 9/11 by letting Mike Hosking run a warm bath for Richard Gage a couple of weeks back.

    Whereas Kim Hill ran him a icy-cold shower :-)

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    Whereas Kim Hill ran him a icy-cold shower :-)

    From a firehose, by the sounds of it. The listener feedback that followed was something else too...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Naked woman sparks police call-out

    Police have cordoned off part of Papakura after a naked woman was reported in the area.

    So. naked women are a public danger now? They might breastfeed or something?. And lower family values or something. Hmmm.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    I wish I could return to my younger days of believing the a naked woman was always a good thing.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Tiger's in Papakura now?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Tiger's in Papakura now?

    Apparently it may have been a Cougar

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Caleb D'Anvers,

    I saw a Close Up viewers poll about the credibilty of Wishart's Air Con over Gareth Morgan's book and it came back at 77/23 in favour of Wishart!!! WTF!!!! This is what we're up against people. I find it hard to see this in a positive light...anybody???

    George Monbiot wrote about that yesterday, providing some documentation on the global PR shenanigans responsible for turning climate change into just another part of the ongoing culture wars. It's interesting stuff.

    How apt the tenth book is a guide to growing vegetables.

    Specifically mushrooms, do you think? "Keep them in the dark and feed them shit" certainly seems to be an apt description for the attitude of broadcast media to their audiences in NZ lately.

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report

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