Posts by Felix Marwick

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  • Up Front: White in Brighton,

    Dear old deviant Chch. The only city in the world where it's cheaper to buy a home near the beach than it is by the airport.

    Now we know one of the reasons.

    There are times when I miss the place. The resurgence of Messrs Chapman and friends quite cures that.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Peter Principle,

    To be fair Finlayson didn't express an opinion one way or the other as to what his preference might be (ie commercial success vs uniquely NZ).

    To be honest I have no idea how the review may pan out. Had Ruth Harley still been in charge there I might have hazarded a guess or two.

    What I can say, knowing a couple of film makers, is that there has been reticence in the past for them to criticise the funding decisions made by the NZFC. The perception being if you spoke out, you lost out.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Peter Principle,

    o what extent is this a predefined outcome of sorts by Coleman because of this choice. What next, perhaps we can have David Henderson head a review of IRD, ....

    Chris Finlayson actually - he's the Minister responsible.

    I interviewed him about it and it seems the review will look at the whole issue around should the NZFC fund uniquely NZ films, or should it focusmore on those that have a chance of commercial return. Finlayson did say he wanted answers to those sorts of questions.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: What to Do?,

    FWIW - I noted the posts a few pages back about the potential role of the Clerk in analysing the quality of referenda questions.

    The Clerk of the House actually does this with regards to the primary questions submitted every sitting day for Question Time. Admittedly it's more to do with standing orders and making sure they're appropriate to ministerial authority than anything else - but it is a part of Parliamentary process.

    {exit boring geek mode}

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Chaos in Kingsland,

    Hmmm ... I can hear both. If I listen for the prick version expecting to hear it I do. Same applies when I take the same approach but focus on the breathe option.

    I suspect the legal beagles got it right in their arguments around admissibility. It could be either and also, given what some experts have said, it equally could be neither.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Not Guilty,

    FWIW I covered Rex Haig's application for compensation and on the basis of what I saw in that case I think it'd be very hard for Bain to get compensation.

    Basically the onus is on the claimant to prove their innocence, or at least establish someone else was responsible. David Dougherty (who sought and got compensation) was successful basically because of DNA evidence clearing him and the fact another man was identified as responsible for the crime.

    With Haig the assessment was that while his conviction was unsound there was still the view he could have been involved in, if not be responsible for, the crime. It could be argued the same applies in David Bain's case.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There is History,

    You may (or may not as the case may be) be reassured to learn Nick Smith only has Influenza A and has tested negative for Swine Flu.

    It was highly unlikely he had it anyway as He'd been travelling Asia, not Mexico or North America.

    Still it did have a few of us in the Gallery wondering what might have occurred had the results been different. Given he was at cabinet on Monday would it have meant the entire executive would have had to be quarantined? ;-)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There is History,

    Point taken Rich.

    Hopefully it'll all turn out to be much ado about nothing.

    Still it was interesting to observe the senior health officials today emphasizing the importance of media coverage in getting the safety message out.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: There is History,

    Most viruses including flu are transmitted by hand to mouth or hand to eye transfer from an infected person to an uninfected person. Aerosol infection is possible with flu but is the minor form of transmission.

    And it most definitely is a news story. None of the media I have seen/heard have played it for more than is reasonable - yet. It would be ridiculous for the media to ignore the story.

    FWIW - this point was teased out at the press conference given by health officials this morning. I know for a fact ZB ran it (cos I wrote it) and so did TVNZ. It was referrred to in their 6pm coverage.

    Now as far as the reports involving investigations at other DHBs. These are linked to people who were on Air NZ 1, or at least had contact with them. So the potential for outbreak/spread is a possibility.

    As an addendum. Back during the SARS scare I interviewed virologist Lance Jenninings. He's pretty much the go to guy and leading expert domestically on this stuff. He said at the time a serious pandemic was a matter of when, not if.

    I don't know if what's happening now is the real thing but I'm sure as hell going to treat it seriously until I do.

    As you were

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: Sunshine? Bah!,

    Lancaster Park is, and will always be, potentially the coldest place on earth to watch cricket.

    Back in 1993 (I think) I, and a few friends, went to watch a one dayer against Australia. The day dawned fine and sunny with a nor-wester keeping the temperature in the high 20's.

    Half an hour into the game and there was a southerly change. The temperature plummeted to around five degrees. It was so cold all effects of alcohol were immediately negated. In the end we had to resor to going out and buying fish and chips - not to eat though - but to put the wrapped product under our t-shirts in a desperate bid to get warm.

    Pure misery. My resounding memory of the event is the sight of the Aussie team all muffled and wrapped up in blankets, with just their noses sticking out, as they too attempted to keep out the Antarctic chill.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

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