Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: God's squads

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  • Grant Dexter,

    Oh. Wait. I missed where it says "and abortion" in policy number two. I was wrong. They aren't comprehensively against abortion ... :(

    Wait .. I already said that .. I was RIGHT! :)

    hmm .. :(

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I say we nuke Tauranga from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

    No, Lucy, the Company wants us to capture a sample. The potential profits for the bio-weapons division are astronomical, and the civilians are expendable.

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

  • giovanni tiso,

    No, Lucy, the Company wants us to capture a sample.

    I hope one day we shall meet, Craig. But until that day, I'm always going to picture you as Paul Reiser wearing a cardigan.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Ian MacKay,

    Sofie:You do realize that USA is the model for Freedom and Democracy and they therefore are the Chosen Ones to export Democracy to all those who need a little help in this regard -like Iraq and Iran and Saudi Arabia (???) and... perhaps NZ. After all NZ just have the silly old-fashioned paper vote and could do with a fancy computer system. I think John would copy the American style of voting.... :)

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I hope one day we shall meet, Craig. But until that day, I'm always going to picture you as Paul Reiser wearing a cardigan.

    As long as you don't picture me as Paul Reiser in that ghastly sit-com he was in with Helen Hunt, reaching new frontiers in irritating Noo Yawk smug. (The best-worse Woody Allen self-parody not actually directed by Woody Allen.)

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

  • Russell Brown,

    So, forgive my scepticism of your analysis, Russell. I guess you will not be overly concerned that the pro-life movement is compromised though :)

    Actually, Grant, I'm grateful to you for bothering to go and do the research to answer the question. Seriously.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Mark Harris,

    What the hell was that site, Sophie??

    My browser windows started yelling "Hel-loooo!" when i minimised them, until I killed the window with the site in it. Nasty.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    I'm always going to picture you as Paul Reiser wearing a cardigan

    I thought Reiser did always wear a cardie..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kerry Weston,

    Nah, Craig's more jemaine I reckon. In a noice, tweedy cardie with cables down the front and pockets.


    http://www.hbo.com/conchords/

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report

  • Mark Harris,

    Better Paul than Hans...

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    I say we nuke Tauranga from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

    I know of a much simpler and cheaper solution. When there's a video about to be played in a public hall, secretly switch the real DVD for something like this. And sit back and count the number of fatal coronaries on the spot. ;D

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I know of a much simpler and cheaper solution. When there's a video about to be played in a public hall, secretly switch the real DVD for something like this.

    What do you think would kill the average Winston Firster -- the Japanese dialogue or the shokushu goukan? I know anime goes to some very strange places that get lost in translation, but Urotsukidôji was... damn. And here's the really freaky thing: The theatrical version released outside Japan -- which is basically what is available on DVD here -- had over half an hour of really extreme sexual material removed.

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

  • johnno,

    I am always amused by the way the largely white, largely middle class media follows the largely whitr, middle class National party on an expedition to "South Auckland" once every three years, then on the basis of three photo ops offers breathless opinions on the death of the Labour vote. Its deeply condescending and reflects the race and class divide that defines the 1960's Auckland of the NZ Herald from the reality of most of the majority of Aucklanders

    On a related note, how can TVNZ's news and current affairs claim to have any breadth of perspective when there is not one Maori reporter on One News (Tini Molyneaux having been sent to the ghetto of Waka Huia for the foreseeable future - heaven forbid they should want a [any] Maori perspective during an election campaign)?

    Russell, perhaps you could ask Anthony Flannery to front on TVNZ7 and name any, ANY, Maori reporters or producers on Close Up or Sunday. Just one. ' Cos he wont be able to.

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 111 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    On a related note, how can TVNZ's news and current affairs claim to have any breadth of perspective when there is not one Maori reporter on One News (Tini Molyneaux having been sent to the ghetto of Waka Huia for the foreseeable future - heaven forbid they should want a [any] Maori perspective during an election campaign)?

    Johnno:

    Take your point, as far as it goes, but think you've missed the real issue here. A few observations.

    1) Not ever Maori journalist wants to be the local colour on the ethnic round. Just as I'm pretty sure not every female journalist wants to be patronisingly assumed to be the go-to girl on "women's issues".

    2) I can't speak for Tini Molyneuaux (who hasn't worked at TVNZ for a while), but she might fight it a wee bit patronising to have her work described as "ghetto". Not every tele-hack - Maori or Pakeha -- regards reading an autocue, strained pseudo-intimate banter and doing braindead live crosses between the hours of six and seven-thirty as the apex of professional achievement. And they're right -- Scotty Morrison, Shane Taurima and Julian Wilcox have been doing excellent work this campaign season.

    And if "breadth of perspective" in reporting Maori culture, history and politics came from plastic tiki tokenism, my rebuttal consists of two words: Michael King.

    He might have been a middle-class white boy, but he earned his reputation old school style: The highest professional standards as a journalist, historian, biographer and documentary film-maker. His idea of research was deeper than shlepping off to Ratana and Waitangi once a year, and having the usual rentaquotes on the speed dial. Knowing when to STFU and keep his eyes and ears open. A LOT of hard work, and a little good luck in chasing the stories worth telling, but which nobody else was. And King himself would be the first to acknowledge that he achieved so much, because there was a long list of people who were willing to take the risk to let him do the job right, rather than right now.

    Am I saying "diversity" is a bad thing - hell no. King himself was a great booster for getting Maori involved in the media and academe. No field of human endeavour is so over-supplied with talent that you don't need to cast the net as wide as possible. But to be blunt, I don't give a fuck if TVNZ ticks all the demographic boxes, if nobody has the training, resourses and management committment to do journalism above the level of braindead infotainment.

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

  • Peter Ashby,

    We wear our ponytails on the inside ...

    I hear you brother. My external one went west when I had the op on the right hand. One thing you cannot do with one hand, and I tried hard, is tie up your hair. The nice girls in the hairdressers (outer NW London) nearly cried. They thought my hair was really nice.

    I first wore the 'tail to a wedding. It was a conservative fundie xian do... We only knew the bride and I got lots of funny looks of the: there's a dangerous hippy in the room variety. I might have started dancing or summat.

    Dundee, Scotland • Since May 2007 • 425 posts Report

  • Steve Withers,

    It's fascinating how the Right have used the "Nanny state" line over not being allowed to beat their children, but have no qualms in dictating to others on sexuality.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report

  • Steve Withers,

    I haven't read Kiwiblog for months. The tone of that 'neighbourhood' is one I know too well.......and don't much like. The antipathy to anything resembling reasonableness in that community is its fatal flaw in my view.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It's fascinating how the Right have used the "Nanny state" line over not being allowed to beat their children, but have no qualms in dictating to others on sexuality.

    Well, Steve, I'd like to think there's a pretty non-partisan consensus that we "dictate to others on sexuality" when their sexuality get off on rape, incest, paedophilia and bestiality.

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

  • Mark Harris,

    More like non-partisan hysteria that actually obscures and negates doing something useful or causes over-reaction with unintended consequences, much as is happening over web filtering in Australia at present.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    More like non-partisan hysteria that actually obscures and negates doing something useful or causes over-reaction with unintended consequences, much as is happening over web filtering in Australia at present.

    I take your point, Mark, and it's mostly a fair one. Mine is that I think it's fair comment to say (for example) fucking children is bad, m'kay, and there are legal sanctions involved if you do isn't exactly a partisan or ideological fault line.

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

  • Sam F,

    Actually, Grant, I'm grateful to you for bothering to go and do the research to answer the question. Seriously.

    Seconded - thanks from me for specifically chasing up the stuff I was asking about. I still disagree wholeheartedly, but can now do so on a slightly more informed basis... :)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    What the hell was that site, Sophie??

    My browser windows started yelling "Hel-loooo!" when i minimised them, until I killed the window with the site in it. Nasty.

    :) See, theyr'e coming to take you awaaay uhuh!

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

  • Sam F,

    I know and hate those sounds - from an astonishingly widespread and incredibly awful advert for downloadable IM smileys. Generally once I encounter that ad I never visit the site in question again. Are you listening, website owners?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    . . . an astonishingly widespread and incredibly awful advert for downloadable IM smileys.

    I knowthe one you mean - and every time I stumble across it I think of Sarah Palin.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Grant Dexter,

    Thanks, fellas. Now about being wrong about everything else ... :)

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report

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