Posts by Russell Brown
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I think one point has been overlooked. Nico's statement is not about the difference between making money from your art and not, but about the inability of the financially secure person to have much insight into the human condition.
The whole interview was full of romantic utterances that might not have borne rigorous scrutiny but sounded marvellous at the time. The rest of that quote (yes, I found the interview) goes:
"I always become nasty when I have money. I think I'm being persecuted and I think people are after me for my money. Although I never had a million for instance. The most I ever had was $10,000 (She smiles) Because everybody owes me royalties, they all cheat me. You know, from The End album, I never received a penny."
And then some stuff about how her first manager before she went to "Andy" did her over. Also:
You're sometimes described as a survivor - do you see yourself as one?
"I not really in the situation of surviving. I mean, you can only survive a war or some catastrophe, but not when there's peace. Survive myself? (Laughs) I don't know, because I'm not that much of a block. I feel like I'm part of the wind …
But you were in similar circumstances to, say Edie Sedgwick in the late 60s - and she didn't survive.
Yes, because she was 28 and everybody had to die by the time they were 28 (she laughs). They were all 28 -- Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones … Jim (a weirdly wistful tone) … Janis, Edie,. Maybe it's best for some of them. Because, you know, you remember the beauty. It doesn't get to the tragedy of decaying, disintegrating."
And this one sounded great at the time …
"I really have to choose very carefully what I sing. I have to restrict my vocabulary. Some songs, the old ones, they sound more religious … they're more …still, like as if I hadn't already become a nihilist.""
She was so cool.
(BTW, the photographer was Chad Taylor, and I am sure he will testify to her graciousness too.)
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Take the b-word how you like - at face value or in a loving Barry Crump way, but tell us about the crazies, critters and memorable types in general who've crossed your path. Because we all know there are good bastards and bad bastards …
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Try the last post in the thread, an impressive litany of lies and innuendo nobody else seemed to take issue with.
Thanks. That was nasty and I've deleted it -- you'll have to take my word that I hadn't seen it till you linked to it. But it looks fairer to say that it was a thread-stopper than that nobody took her up on it.
The author of the post is welcome to complain to me but I thought it was untoward.
But to be honest, the Setchell case was also basically a Wellington story. I'd wager conversations about it were a lot shorter in Auckland: DBP couldn't keep his story straight, again, and it was the final straw.
It was significant that it was David, as a former Prime Ministerial speechwriter, who posted on it; not that many people in Auckland had much of a feel for it because we don't work those jobs. Certainly no one would have bothered to write a post like the one you pointed to.
Folks? Am I right? Or just making a self-serving argument?
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The Christchurch indie / electro scene is a really vibrant, exciting place to be at the moment, but it couldn't succeed if we didn't have the enthusiastic, supportive crowds that we do have. To describe Christchurch crowds in such broad strokes is unfortunate.
I'm sure no offence was meant. But it's clear that this is a scene that's somewhat invisible to the rest of the country. Got some interweb sites for us to look at?
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FINALLY. I thought Public Address would NEVER tire of that subject </sarcasm>
I was going to write a DBP memorial last Friday, but I couldn't summon the motivation. I'd blathered about it on every radio slot I do and contributed to that thread.
There wasn't much more I could think of to say that every man and his dog hadn't said: the man had trouble telling the truth under pressure and was a huge political liability. Dammit Danyl, even you didn't bother to comment ;-)
I do feel a certain pride in having suggested right at the beginning of his troubles that Rodney Hide's aim looked to be trying to catch him misleading Parliament. As turned out to be the case.
You'll note also that the two previous threads here on the therapeutic medicines bill have been extensive, useful and lively. We have an interest in this.
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It's those who think they do know that are delusional.
Are you delusional if you think you know you're delusional?
Sorry, I'm having a silly afternoon.
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Hi Mum, look what followed me home, can I keep him?
No. Strictly speaking, the person who followed you home is not yours to keep. You simply have a licence to use him and you may not make a backup.
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Little doubt if you are trying to maintain an ideological position. But considerable doubt if you look at the stats. As Beckett makes clear, when deaths from undetermined causes are excluded, Sweden ranks 9th (not 12th as I wrote earlier) in the OECD.
And if you don't exclude "undetermined" causes, Sweden has the best record in the the world. That's what UNICEF's Innocenti report on maltreatment of children in rich countries said this year. That report cited UNICEF's own 2003 figures, the ones Beckett uses, but noted in the same paragraph the difficulty of determining cause.
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Can I still borrow books from the library?
Yes, but someone will have to follow you home.
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See his Table 1. The top four countries in terms of lowest rates of child maltreament deaths are Spain, Greece, Italy and Ireland. None have bans on smacking.
Greece has extended adult protection against assault to children, Spain has promised to do the same and Ireland is expected to follow. Italy's Supreme Court handed down a decision regarded as outlawing corporal punishment in 1996. So they all seem to think there's something in it.
This year's UNICEF report noted that comparing rates of child maltreatment deaths was very difficult because of the definition issues highlighted in Beckett v. Durrant. But there seems little doubt that in overall child welfare and deaths by accident and injury Sweden is miles ahead.
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