Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Standing up and calling bullshit

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  • Caleb D'Anvers,

    Yes he can -- but if those views include paranoid Jew-baiting can I point, laugh, and ask whether he'd care to explain how the RSA and the management of the Auckland War Memorial Museum are part of the Jewish Guilt Machine?

    It's the blood of the Lost Tribes fizzing righteously in their veins.

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    @Peter M

    But doesn’t the holier-than-thou self-righteous Calder excoriation that’s followed rather prove his (and Finlay’s) point?

    Really? I don't think anyone's being holier-than-thou. It's called criticism. Adults do that to each other, and generally avoid being unduly precious when it happens to them.

    Everyone falling over themselves to be more outraged and ‘right on’ than the last poster. CC-ing his comment to 'teacher’. Come on. It’s tedious.

    CCing to Roughan was unfortunate and unnecessary.

    But apart from that, I don't think someone who makes baseless and provocative claims here should expect to have them lie unmolested on the table. It's a discussion forum, for goodness sake.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It's a discussion forum, for goodness sake.

    From experience, being figuratively slapped upside the head when you've been an utter penis in a semi-public place is a *cough* useful learning experience, if approached in the right spirit when your virtual ears stop ringing. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • James Francis,

    [From the Herald:] A TVNZ spokeswoman, Andi Brotherston... said the creative unit at TVNZ chose Mr English partly because of the pun on his name in the series’ title “Plain English”.

    Ah, the pun. The first refuge of the junior advertising copywriter.

    If you're going to use a pun it's much better if it's a current pun.

    St John's, Newfoundland • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    If you're going to use a pun it's much better if it's a current pun.

    Mmmm. Lightly toasted, with a dollop of butter. Delicious!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    If you're going to use a pun it's much better if it's a current pun.

    I see you're raisin the stakes there.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Ding, Ding, Ding!

    A thousand comments! (more like three or four thousand but whatever.) Now, where's my PAS platinum card?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I see you're raisin the stakes there.

    Rofflenui!

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    From experience, being figuratively slapped upside the head when you've been an utter penis in a semi-public place is a *cough* useful learning experience, if approached in the right spirit when your virtual ears stop ringing. :)

    I wouldn't know. Personally, I've yet to be wrong on the internet ...

    But yeah. I think it's 15 years since I got my first flaming, but I imagine it's a rather direct experience if you're not used to the culture.

    Brian Edwards recently ventured out with his "public libraries are a form of theft" topic on his blog, invited people over to debate it via Twitter -- then complained mightily when he got quite a few forthright (but certainly not abusive) responses and eventually tried to make the whole thing disappear. That was a bit silly.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Yes, I've debated Edwards once. I don't think that man is made for the Internet.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I wouldn't know. Personally, I've yet to be wrong on the internet ...

    Hey, I've never been wrong, just a bit of a phallic object. :)

    Yes, I've debated Edwards once. I don't think that man is made for the Internet.

    Ah yes.. wasn't that an experience and a half?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    What bothers me about Finlay Macdonald's article is that it parallels many other defences of people being unpleasant in equating freedom of expression to some kind of freedom from consequences. We live in an age where pretty much anyone can comment to the widest of public audiences about anything (and it is a matter of personal preference if they do so in "Your Views" or P.A.S., and a matter of newsworthiness if it travels via traditional media channels). Just as people have the freedom to speak, the widest of public audiences has the freedom to speak back.
    In the war memorial story there may be issues for the state of the media around the prominence the story was given, but once the story was out there everyone was free to comment on it.
    I see a lot of conflation of many individuals voices saying what they think into the idea that some group is picking on a particular person.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    equating freedom of expression to some kind of freedom from consequences.

    Damn. I wrote a whole post and you nailed it in half a sentence.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    while that's true as far as it goes, it's also true that people who lower their voices and speak in the honeyed tones of civility are more likely to be listened to by people whose esteem is worth spit

    Well, pretty much. I don't actually disagree that the whole thing is a storm in an extremely small teacup. I just thought your assertions re: Labour Party financial policy were a pointless non sequitur.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    Damn. I wrote a whole post and you nailed it in half a sentence.

    I've had lots of practice yelling it at the computer.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Clarke,

    And sorry, but mind-control lasers are just cooler. Though how a laser is supposed to control the mind (other than by, say, threatening to boil it in your skull) is an interesting question.

    Like this.

    -36.76, 174.61 or thereab… • Since Nov 2006 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and I've uncovered the real reason why Bill English should be hung. Anyone who provides the pretext for a spectacularly oleaginous bout of Cactus Kate-Trevor Mallard mututal masturbation is a public (mental) health menace, and must die.

    That is all.

    (Keith might have some insight into why I have to giggle at the sight of CK getting on her moral pit pony. And does Mr Mallard have his name on the papers for any more fake polling companies?)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    What bothers me about Finlay Macdonald's article is that it parallels many other defences of people being unpleasant in equating freedom of expression to some kind of freedom from consequences. We live in an age where pretty much anyone can comment to the widest of public audiences about anything (and it is a matter of personal preference if they do so in "Your Views" or P.A.S., and a matter of newsworthiness if it travels via traditional media channels). Just as people have the freedom to speak, the widest of public audiences has the freedom to speak back.
    In the war memorial story there may be issues for the state of the media around the prominence the story was given, but once the story was out there everyone was free to comment on it.
    I see a lot of conflation of many individuals voices saying what they think into the idea that some group is picking on a particular person.

    The hoary old chestnut of where to draw the line between free speech and hate speech.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    OT: Just a reminder that Sue Bradford will be delivering a valedictory in Parliament at 5:40 this afternoon.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    OT: Just a reminder that Sue Bradford will be delivering a valedictory in Parliament at 5:40 this afternoon.

    Might also be worth reminding people that Bradford, her fellow Greens and the Maori Party were only people who voted against this abortion of a bill becoming law today.

    A reminder why I seldom agreed with Bradford, but always respected her.

    You'd be forgiven for not noticing, because 'Ad-gate' was apparently a more important political story than Parliament giving Police powers to forcibly take DNA from alleged criminals without consent or judicial approval. I guess only hoodie-cuddling liberal pussies give a shit about unreasonable search and seizure.

    Your mileage may vary, but that's the real media scandal today IMO. (And FWIW, I'm seriously tempted to cast my next party vote for the Greens or Maori Party.)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Lyndon Hood,

    People who haven't seen it and - Lord save us - want to, the video is on Scoop for the moment.

    Interesting - I had no memory of the last few seconds. I don't know if my brain had clouded over or it actually wan't there. Last few seconds probably help. Nonetheless, one begins to think the theory the 7 ad people we deliberately courting controversy best explains all the facts.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    People who haven't seen it and - Lord save us - want to, the video is on Scoop for the moment.

    Probably just myself.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    People who haven't seen it and - Lord save us - want to, the video is on Scoop for the moment.

    What it is is a really bad advert. It looks like a party political broadcast, which is the last thing you want if you want people to watch the show.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It looks like a party political broadcast

    How exactly? Serious question.

    BTW, anyone else think a massive expansion of Police powers passed under urgency was the slightly more important political story today?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    BTW, anyone else think a massive expansion of Police powers passed under urgency was the slightly more important political story today?

    No, we like bullshit process stories, that's what being the party in opposition is all about. Let the Tories be Tories, you know, what harm could they possibly do?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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