Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Wall and the Paper

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to Carol Stewart,

    Well, actually, in Norway, the authorities do. Apparently, in some locations at least, there is an approved range of paint colours for house exteriors. And you know what? The landscape is really very beautiful and harmonious as a result.

    Which is fair enough. But this was a wall in an urban environment, 100m from funky K Road. If you were developing location-appropriate standards for that area, Askew's work would pretty much be it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to BenWilson,

    He's like a Twinkie. Will still be edible in the post-zombie-apocalypse world, but not really very nice even when brand new.

    And we haven't gotten to the infamous Twinkie Defence yet. It wouldn't be too far-fetched either with Mr Lhaws' remarks bordering on incitement.

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

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Nick Kearney,

    The only real reason to continue to buy the SST is Rod Oram’s business column.

    Nah.

    That would be my reason for cancelling my subscription.

    Perhaps someone should give Hilary Calvert a column then? Is she really the best you guys could come up with?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I think this sounds entirely good and right for K road. The Norway comparison is probably more appropriate to, say, central Otago landscapes which have such a distinct character.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Well, actually, in Norway, the authorities do. Apparently, in some locations at least, there is an approved range of paint colours for house exteriors.

    And in parts of Banks Peninsula and the Bay of Islands, I believe.
    Though the BP district plan has been through so many variations and drawn-out negotiations (over a ten-year period, during which the BPDC ceased to exist :)) it's been difficult to keep up.
    Even for planning staff.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Fran O’Sullivan we’ve all bagged at one time or another, but she’s not unreasonable per se, just starting from a very different set of political axioms.

    And her actual reporting is pretty damn solid – she has good contacts and knows how to use them.

    If she could bear to get past her fixtation on grey zip up shoes and salmon pink walls. Her obsession with the revolution and its vainglourious ideologies is quite off-putting. She needs a makeover, a socialist - oh, I mean, capitalist, because capital is the new socialist movement in a round about way.

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Nick Shand,

    French street artist JR creates inclusive art that engages communities that are the most in need of something more than ordinary.

    http://www.ted.com/talks/jr_s_ted_prize_wish_use_art_to_turn_the_world_inside_out.html

    However if his affiliated large scale pasted wall posters started appearing all around our supercity, as is his TED wish, what would our city officials make of it.

    Askew’s predicament has set my mind spinning as it touches upon many ideals dear to my own identity.

    Prostituting creative talent within the imposed restraints of an artistically talentless entity tops my list. If an unelected dictator of creative direction and manipulator of local governmental approval required me to paint ‘’people mowing lawns’’ as he did to Askew, I would instantly take my creative energies elsewhere.

    Please let us not have no-name people blankly painting over inspired efforts to communicate. Like them or not, these sub-cultured communiques provide something more than ordinary for a community to talk about.

    auck • Since Aug 2008 • 79 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Thomas Johnson,

    I must say that after a mis-spent childhood reading comics that advertised these things

    I'd go so far as to say everything advertised in them is disappointing. Ever seen a Sea Monkey (tm). With the naked eye? How about "Unbeatable fighting power in 3 days?". I've seen what people in martial arts clubs are like after 3 days training. How about "Charles Atlas Muscles"?. Try flexing yourself heaps and see if you get muscle mass any time soon.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    It was the x-ray specs that did it for me. Not actually being able to see through girl's clothing was extremely disappointing.
    .
    .
    .
    What?

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    is the sideroom now some cool kids only space?
    i keep getting 403

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Try flexing yourself heaps and see if you get muscle mass any time soon.

    I can still do it in 3 days, last time I checked.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    As noted, I believe you could have a nice drink with Karl du Fresne and reach amicable conclusions on some subset of the worlds' problems without fear of violence. Fran O'Sullivan we've all bagged at one time or another, but she's not unreasonable per se, just starting from a very different set of political axioms.

    You're right Stephen, there are decent writers from other perspectives and, I imagine, these people are influential. Still, and isn't this where we started, the celebrity journalists promoted to front page are generally hysterics.

    It's the first time that's the hardest.

    Yeah, the electorate does appear to have a odd tolerance for fools. You apear to have to be a complete nut to get unelected.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Josh Addison,

    Speaking of columnists, who is Eric Thompson and what nightmarish parallel dimension does he inhabit? Every column of his chronicles a new set of annoyances and misfortunes, which he seems to believe are universal tragedies experienced by everyone all the time. Poor guy.

    Onehunga, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to BenWilson,

    I’d go so far as to say everything advertised in them is disappointing. Ever seen a Sea Monkey (tm). With the naked eye? How about “Unbeatable fighting power in 3 days?”. I’ve seen what people in martial arts clubs are like after 3 days training. How about “Charles Atlas Muscles”?. Try flexing yourself heaps and see if you get muscle mass any time soon.

    But what about that mini-submarine? That must have been real.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    The Sunday column waxed and waned, but Braunias still has powers of description well beyond those of most columnists. He's one of relatively few NZ print columnists who make me think "I wish I'd written that".

    His long-form pieces in North & South on various "small towns" in New Zealand were often so funny, sympathetic and strangely revealing that I was reminded how much I missed his work in the Listener. Jane Ussher's too, her photography for those pieces was equally evocative. He really should anthologise those articles, they're among his best writing, which is saying something.

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • JackElder,

    Ever seen a Sea Monkey (tm). With the naked eye?

    Yup. Sea monkeys are just brine shrimp, which get to about 1cm long if you take care of them right. I've grown them, and while they're not the most exciting pets, they're perfectly visible. Though I can confirm that they don't do much in the way of living in little castles, driving little cars, etc, as my childhood recollation of the ads would seem to indicate.

    Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    His long-form pieces in North & South on various “small towns” in New Zealand were often so funny, sympathetic and strangely revealing that I was reminded how much I missed his work in the Listener. Jane Ussher’s too, her photography for those pieces was equally evocative. He really should anthologise those articles, they’re among his best writing, which is saying something.

    I have a feeling they might make up part of the book on New Zealand he's working on, the one he got a Copyright grant for last year -- something like 22 observational essays about NZ. Yeah, they were fantastic.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to 3410,

    I can still do it in 3 days, last time I checked.

    Not that muscle.

    But what about that mini-submarine? That must have been real.

    Heh, was it radio controlled? So they could save money by just explaining afterwards why none of them ever come back.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Ray Gilbert,

    On a similar note to SST - how about this piece of meaningless reporting from the Herald today

    tTwo-thirds of 323 Aucklanders surveyed support turning busy Queen St into a pedestrian mall.

    Sixty four per cent wanted more pedestrian access to Queen St, with either no traffic at all or shared by pedestrians and vehicles with business in the area, such as delivery vans.

    UMR Research said 33 per cent of those wanted Queen St closed to all traffic and made into a pedestrian mall, 31 per cent preferred a shared zone and 32 per cent wanted to keep the street as it is.

    The margin of error for the Auckland part was plus or minus 5.5 per cent

    Start by lumping together 2 different opinions as one. Then quote a 5.5 margin of error with 3 opinions with only 2% between them.

    Lies, damned lies and statistics

    Since Nov 2006 • 104 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to JackElder,

    they're perfectly visible.

    Yes, I just had a batch of them recently. They're not an outright lie, you do get animals. Charles Atlas was also quite big, supposedly from flexing in front of the mirror (for years, and eating all the right foods, and possibly having a physique that responds the right way). And if you you're actually able to land a roundhouse kick on a bully's head, you might be considered unbeatable.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa, in reply to recordari,

    ‘Ms’ Gracewood is a well-known radical who is at the forefront of a campaign to destroy the New Zealand way of life.

    Spooky. Dr Haywood's satire is almost word-for-word what someone wrote in a letter to Metro last month. Just add "literary" before "life". Is he ghost-writing for disgruntled NZ authors now?

    (I deny both accusations, of course. But then I would, wouldn't I).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Jolisa,

    (I deny both accusations, of course. But then I would, wouldn't I).

    I think if one has that sort of power, one should wield it with impunity.

    It must be days since anyone posted the 'I'm not here to make friends' clip. Days and days.

    Of course that is in relation to that other stuff, cause we're all friends here, OFAIK.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    If Auckland Council’s graffiti prevention adviser Rob Shields is really going ’round applying some sort of political acceptability test to Art on private property, well, that’s just not acceptable, I’m afraid.

    I’d appreciate hearing from the mayor or councilors as to whether or not this is official policy.

    AND

    Oh, I’ll be cynical enough to guess Len will be cheerfully playing “blame the officials” with the best of them.

    Wearing my elected rep hat, I say the following (but these are my views, not those of the Mayor or anybody else):

    I too am appalled and upset at the 'greying' out of the Poynton Tce artwork. It would be immensely preferable that things were 'gayed' out and not 'greyed' out.

    I don't think that there is any written policy that Mr Shields is following, other than the very obvious policy of deeming any surface painted with a spray can as being tagged, and painting it out. Far from it for me to bag officers, but I suspect that this unwritten policy leads to very unfortunate and un-intended outcomes. I will be recommending that this policy at the very minimum be amended to recognise that the use of spray paint does not necessarily mean that there is a tag.

    This issue has been raised internally by me in Council and I have been told firmly that it will be handled by officers as they consider it their mistake, which is good of them to acknowledge.

    However, on speaking to Cut Collective on Saturday afternoon, I am disappointed to learn that possibly this space will be under the control of Council who will 'oversee' what goes up. This is not the right approach in my book. It's a private wall, and for goodness sake, not that visible to the public, so I particularly don't mind who paints the artwork, or what the subject is.

    As for the cheap shot at Len, if he had that much oversight then I'd expect the flowerbeds in parks to be changed to include his favourite flowers. In this instance, he can genuinely blame the officers.

    Whipping off said hat...

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    As for the cheap shot at Len, if he had that much oversight then I’d expect the flowerbeds in parks to be changed to include his favourite flowers. In this instance, he can genuinely blame the officers.

    I recall that within weeks of Mayor Banks being sworn into office, even before he was sworn at in office, having the policy of wild flowers median strips and verges on highways reversed. Having them replaced by nice, middle class, inoffensive shrubbery.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    but isn’t “heritage” all about political acceptability applied to private property? Seriously interested in where people draw the line.

    Restrictions on altering heritage property are defined, I think, in the district plan, which has to be adopted through due process. Enforcing those restrictions again requires due process.

    I suspect that a general requirement in an NZ plan to make painting a building a controlled activity would meet with some opposition.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

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