Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Beijing: Ignoring it is not an option

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  • LegBreak,

    They should get the psychics over to China

    A genuine sports psychic could become a millionaire in about a week on the TAB.

    Harder than rocket science...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    The situation there is not pretty and China's support of that awful regime is next to complicit to genocide.

    How about the UK or Singapore? They're the biggest investors in Burma. Or India, or Malaysia or Thailand? They're all pretty strong supporters of the junta, and all have this year signed trade agreements (India just last month)..or are we just selective in our outrage.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Perhaps the National Party could use them for policy

    won't work, they are supposed to find things that actually exist

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    won't work, they are supposed to find things that actually exist

    Ah, laughing now:)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Blake Monkley,

    A genuine sports psychic could become a millionaire in about a week on the TAB.

    Yep,psychics are not present in an area of the market where their "talents" would produce the biggest payoffs, then they do not exist.:)

    Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Do my taxes go on that?????? I want to scream.

    From an earlier thread:

    Direct Government Funding programme commissions for the three months to the end of March 2007 are set out below:

    [...]

    Programme: Sensing Murder Series 2 Extension
    Genre: Entertainment
    Duration: 5 x 1.5 hour
    Production Company: Ninox Television
    $ Committed: $1,000,000

    It's enough to almost make you want to vote ACT.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Hamboy,

    I think you will find that many Churches in this country require tithes.

    Those were the type of churches I was thinking off. Though I have never heard New Thought Center and Church.
    When I said churches don't, I was referring to the mainstream ones. Or are you tell me that they so many fundies around these days, that they are mainstream?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 162 posts Report Reply

  • Daniel Nicholls,

    If you think China is going to be rocky for internal crime/terrorism. The Soccer world cup in South Africa has the real possibility to be a nightmare.

    Tokyo • Since Aug 2008 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Or are you tell me that they so many fundies around these days, that they are mainstream?

    "Seventh Day Adventists" or "The Jesus Christ Church of Later-day Saints" as they are known for short, very big in business here, Sanatarium for one. The Mormons have the largest database of births, deaths and marriages on the planet. You may not want to call them mainstream but they have clout.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Eade,

    "Programme: Sensing Murder Series 2 Extension
    Genre: Entertainment
    Duration: 5 x 1.5 hour
    Production Company: Ninox Television
    $ Committed: $1,000,000"

    Sensing funding.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    You seem particularly... exuberant today.
    it's stopped raining

    Slaps Knee. Chortles. Such an Orklund moment. :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Chipping in somewhat late, I have always thought that Carl Sagan's "The Demon-Haunted World" should be required reading, because I have never read a more lyrical or eloquent explanation of why skepticism is necessary and how to apply it. By every measure possible, the psychics on Sensing Murder fail. They lie to people, and make money from it. Letting them be presented as informed experts on national TV only encourages the general population to be unsceptical about extraordinary claims, in an age where the constant bombardment of information demands that people be skeptical in order to process it. We have some fuzzy notion that these things shouldn't be touched because they "make people feel better". It's kind of like an abusive partner - we hush up the bad bits because the good bits make up for it.

    They so don't. It is possible to have a sense of wonder in the world, and faith in humanity, and compassion, and kindness, without resorting to the supernatural. These things require neither a sixth sense or the semblance of one. The tragedy is that we are allowing chartalans to fill in for real experts - why? Because it's easier? Because it's cheaper? Because it's never the educated or wealthy who have to live with it when these "psychics" (or religions) cause harm?

    It's easy to say that lies are harmless or even helpful when you're not the one being lied to.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • nic.wise,

    In the US, it's all about the online video. NBC will deliver video "up to" HD quality using Microsoft's Silverlight technology, in a punt that Microsoft hopes might helpis haul in Adobe Flash's dominance of the web. There will be 200 hours live and 3000 on-demand. But -- of, of course -- it'll be tied up with DRM that locks out Mac OS and Linux users

    Before everyone gets all anti-MS on this, this is a NBC limitation, NOT a Microsoft one. Silverlight works just fine on a Mac, and fairly well on Linux - DRM or not.

    It may be MS somewhat, but I'd guess the thought leaders that are the US networks behind that one.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • hudsie,

    great episode of media 7 last night. Truly entertaining. David Baldock and Jeremy Wells should have their own show

    Since Nov 2006 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    What Lucy said. Sensing Murder is exploitative television, designed to work upon its audience's fear of crime, prurient interest in the lives of the victims and gullibility about those claiming magic powers. And it has been made with a million bucks of public money which had been granted to improve the quality of television. So we are all exploited by it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    I have a funny feeling i'll be watching my olympic coverage all online
    since I'm without free view
    streaming seems the only (Very expensive option) for sports i like

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    ..."Seventh Day Adventists" or "The Jesus Christ Church of Later-day Saints" as they are known for short...

    Not the same thing, fwiw.

    Although now I'm wondering what a 7DA parallel to Big Love might look like.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Biggs,

    What I find disturbing about Sensing Murder is that these charlatans sometimes point in a certain direction and start describing the murderer. In the one about the deaf girl in Manaia they gave very specific details i.e. dark, middle aged, stocky and then had acquaintances back that up saying they know who they meant.
    Potentially they could point the police to someone who is innocent.
    Admittedly, these so called psychics have never solved a murder case or even found a body anywhere in the world. Ever.
    But maybe one day they could lead the cops in the wrong direction. I'd like to think the cops ignore their crap but look at the Christchurch creche case. It could happen. All this talk of publc awareness is bollocks. Ninox are a private company siphoning public money for their own good and no one elses.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Before everyone gets all anti-MS on this, this is a NBC limitation, NOT a Microsoft one. Silverlight works just fine on a Mac, and fairly well on Linux - DRM or not.

    Actually in my rush yesterday I got that a bit wrong. It's only the HD downloads that are DRMd by NBC. The streams aren't.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Why do you all dislike psychics so much? What have you got to hide? ;-)

    Reminds me of when I was student flatting - I answered a phone call from a clairvoyant who was ringing to berate my flatmate for missing an appointment.

    I asked the clairvoyant how come she didn't know my flatmate wasn't going to turn up, and even why she had to make an appointment in the first place - couldn't the clairvoyant tell when someone was coming to visit & call them up if that time didn't suit.

    The call turned nasty after that.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Sorry I must correct myself. The The Jesus Christ Church of Later-day Saints is, in fact the Mormons (I cutted and pasted wrong)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Myhre,

    But -- of, of course -- it'll be tied up with DRM that locks out Mac OS and Linux users.

    I'm amazed that Microsoft have chosen to lock non-Vista users out of viewing the online olympics coverage. I don't see how they think they reverse Vista's bad press by making a move like that, and surely the big win would be encouraging Silverlight installations by opening the service up to other platforms!

    I've been a happy .Net developer for several years as well as a satisfied Vista user - but I seriously expected better from them.

    UK • Since Nov 2006 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    If you think China is going to be rocky for internal crime/terrorism. The Soccer world cup in South Africa has the real possibility to be a nightmare.

    Well said.

    Touch wood, but it’s worth noting that the only 2 Olympics to be hit by terrorism were in held Munich and Atlanta.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Potentially they could point the police to someone who is innocent.

    Of more pressing concern to the producers and broadcasters is that you'd think an over-excited psychic could land them on the end of one hell of a defamation suit.

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

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Of more pressing concern to the producers and broadcasters is that you'd think an over-excited psychic could land them on the end of one hell of a defamation suit.

    Except most psychics are experienced enough at their profession - i.e., manipulating people and cold-reading - to know not to name names. The possibility of a defamation suit has probably occured to them, too.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

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