Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The joke that went too far

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  • Rob Hosking,

    There is one big difference with all of these. They don't involve making up damaging rumours about an innocent third party.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Hey, can you tell where one can buy a decent coffee grinder at an economical price Mr. Brown?

    Consumer org recommend a particular model available from... Starbucks!

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Felix,

    That sort of thinking leads, almost inevitably, to the home Cocktail Bar.

    Nah, it leads to home distilling. And that can be a dangerously fun place to be lead to.

    Raglan • Since Nov 2006 • 26 posts Report Reply

  • Luke Williamson,

    Hi Russell. If I try to watch the TVNZ on demand, I get the soundtrack but no visual. Just says, "sorry this content is not available to view". What am I doing wrong? It has worked for me in the past.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    AAAARRGGGGHHHH!!!!!
    How to make really bad coffee in one really boring lesson
    @Gareth Cool gearz ;-)

    I'm just trying out the new Google Chrome Browser. Not Mac ready yet , or linux, but I like it. very snappy an full of tricky tweaks

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Leopold,

    As a confirmed tea-drinker, I am amazed by the obsession of coffee drinkers - special dinky li'l bean grinders, special baristas, special whatevers
    - chez nous, if we get some unfortunate guest who expresses a preference for coffee, out comes the old semi-solid nescafe - in post modern irony sort of way, of course.
    Next visit they go with the majority for tea (Yorkshire, Earl Grey, Irish or English breakfast, caravan, gunpowder, green - we offer the lot) ...

    Since Jan 2007 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Hi Russell. If I try to watch the TVNZ on demand, I get the soundtrack but no visual. Just says, "sorry this content is not available to view". What am I doing wrong? It has worked for me in the past

    It's not you!

    I've been trying to help them sort this out. It only happens on my DSL connection, not on the Wired Country. It seems to be something to do with their new DoubleClick ad serving.

    Who are you getting your broadband from?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Evan Yates,

    @Steve Barnes

    I'm just trying out the new Google Chrome Browser. Not Mac ready yet , or linux, but I like it. very snappy an full of tricky tweaks

    Yep. I had a go with Google Chrome as well and was also impressed with its snappy performance.
    However one thing I do in Firefox is put RSS feeds (like PAS, BBC etc.) on the Live Bookmark bar for ease of quick checking recent posts/stories. Have you figured out a way to do that in Chrome?

    Hamiltron, Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Nov 2006 • 197 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig, I am well aware that Labour, etc, are no saints. But I was refering specifically to the likes of Whaleoil and co, not National or the right in general.

    Thanks for that, Grant. Sincerely. One nice this about PAS is that it attracts a nice crowd, who don't deserve getting tarred with the same brush as the left wing-nuts and wannabe Roves either.

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

  • Luke Williamson,

    Broadband through TelstraClear.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Evan Yates,

    wannabe Roves either

    Karl or McManus?

    Hamiltron, Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Nov 2006 • 197 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Broadband through TelstraClear.

    Mine's via Vodafone -- so they're both wholesaled DSL connections ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __wannabe Roves either__

    Karl or McManus?

    Boom boom!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    I use a manual grinder. It's an antique Spong #1 similar to this one.

    It set me back USD 60 about 6 years ago, not sure what the price is these days. The grind coarseness can be set, and it makes an excellent plunger coffee.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    @Evan
    It seems to integrate well with Google reader which, I guess you could just have it running in a separate tab. I'll have a play with that.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Karl or McManus?

    How about option c) none of the above? :)

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

  • Andrew E,

    Funnily enough, it's gone quiet in here.

    Could it possibly be that all PA-ers are watching the Biden/Palin debate?

    174.77 x 41.28 • Since Sep 2008 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Jarrod Baker,

    Ah! I could get behind that! How much did it set you back?

    It was about $80. But immediately afterwards I discovered while in Moore Wilsons that the price from a non-specialist retailer should be something more like $60.

    I'm not aware of a manual grinder that will do a good espresso grind. Anyone seen one?

    I mostly use a plunger - will experiment with a finer grind on mine and let you know.

    Wellington • Since Dec 2006 • 32 posts Report Reply

  • Rachel Prosser,

    Ok caffeinistas

    Dare I ask, but if you don't feel like shelling out $500 for a perfect burr grinder, and you've currently got a basic spice grinder thingie and standard home espresso machine (not plumbed in to anything!) then:

    Which is best:
    Basic el cheapo grinder (less than $100) or
    Buy beans pre-ground?
    Pay for someone else to make it?

    Answers on a coffee cup.

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2008 • 228 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    you know, i think it's actually *more* of an insult to cameron that no-one gives a shit what he's up to?

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Welch,

    @Rachel Prosser: Have a good read of http://coffeegeek.com/guides/howtobuyanespressomachine/getagrinder

    But basically don't skimp on the grinder.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 47 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Rachel: it's hard to say. Realistically, you can't get a great shot from the uneven grind of a blade grinder. On the other hand, ground coffee loses aroma in minutes. I reckon you'd probably get more consistent shots with pre-ground. But in any event, if you are a dedicated coffee snob, with your current setup you will never be able to get espresso as good as what a cafe can make.

    But... Since I gave up wine snobbery, I've been quite happy buying cheap plonk. If you like hot bitter drinks with caffeine and milk, what you are making now may be more than satisfactory. I don't mean that jokingly either. Cultivating connoisseurship beyond what you already like is making a rod for your own back.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    @Che

    you know, i think it's actually *more* of an insult to cameron that no-one gives a shit what he's up to?

    You know, I had scrolled back half a page to see who you were referring to before it struck me? Rly.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    Cultivating connoisseurship beyond what you already like is making a rod for your own back.

    Zigackly!

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    And, it being Friday, here's a link I came across about the last major bailout (also by a Bush, but at the beginning of his term, rather than the end) the Savings and Loan crisis in the 1980's.

    I was working for PostBank at the time and travelling from Wellington to the Auckland Data Centre in Newmarket (some of the smartest people I have ever worked with BTW) on project work. I spent a number of evenings and weekends at my brother's place in Grey Lynn, where they had this new-fangled Sky thing and the CNN they had was the straight US domestic feed. I watched the unfolding of the crisis and the commentary and remember going into work and saying "the US economy is in meltdown". People were like "wachoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" because Sky didn't have the penetration then and none of this stuff was making it onto our local news programmes. Weird times, and so different now.

    I blame the Internet ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

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