Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Herself's Turn

171 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 7 Newer→ Last

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Perhaps those headlines need to be rewritten to read: "Christchurch father charged with assault for probably doing a fair bit more than flicking his son's ear".

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    The question of what to do about the small groups whose failure harms and indicts us all is pervasive: not only in education, but in New Zealand society as a whole.

    Can we move on please? Talking about the Rugby World Cup is just so 2007.

    :)

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Hmmm, seems a bit much for Clark to be blaming the 'yoof crime wave' on the 1991 budget.

    But her speech is well balanced, at least.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Hmmm, seems a bit much for Clark to be blaming the 'yoof crime wave' on the 1991 budget.

    Yes, although the youth crime rate did jump mightily from 1991-94.

    But it might be more accurate to blame the "shagging wave" of 1990 to 1994. There are quite a few 14-18 year-olds around right now as a consequence. But no one ever says that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    the "shagging wave"

    What? Why did no one tell me it was on at the time?

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    But it might be more accurate to blame the "shagging wave" of 1990 to 1994.

    just quietly, wasn't this around the time that X really started getting onto the market?

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

  • Andrew Smith,

    Yes, to blame the 'Mother of All Budgets" is to be the "Mother of All Stupidity"...not a good look Helen.

    Since Jan 2007 • 150 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __the "shagging wave"__

    What? Why did no one tell me it was on at the time?

    Too busy shagging. Sorry.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    What? Why did no one tell me it was on at the time?

    ...too busy shagging soz.

    Love this from the Clark speech too:
    "A detailed timetable will be developed with clear milestones after consultation with stakeholders"

    I've written that one verbatim a number of times. Sounds soooo professional.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    m'STOH, u beat me 2 it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    The difference, of course, is that the Prime Minister gets to talk about things her government is doing, rather than what it would do if it got the chance.

    And personally I have to be careful with this - I tend to respond a lot better to a positive message than a negative one, but it does lead to an unecessary bias to an incumbent government. Nothing puts me off like petty attacks about trivial asides, yet it is inevitable that an Opposition will need to be engaged in that more than the Government.

    Still, yawn on both sides. Important enough issues and all, but not ground-breakingly different enough to wear the "State of the Nation" title that at least Key's speech was headed with.


    And the "shagging wave" concept has similarities to the Freakonomics legalised abortion to lower crime rate statistic that sat just as awkwardly with me yet was hard to fault in it's logic.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Clark also said she'd be promoting "the role of our creative people in expressing what is unique and special about New Zealand".

    Oh God, sorry for banging on about this but am I the only person who really wishes Clark would dump this applause line? Because it's really getting dated when some of the most remarkable work coming from New Zealand artists last year has moved past the cultural cringe (both inverted and original recipies). PR-puff cultural nationalism is so last millennium, Helen.

    Hmmm, seems a bit much for Clark to be blaming the 'yoof crime wave' on the 1991 budget.

    Sure does - especially when John Key would set eyes rolling like Jaffas down a stairwell if he started pointing out that the term of the Fourth Labour Government wasn't exactly all white shoes and Bolly.

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

  • Danielle,

    just quietly, wasn't this around the time that X really started getting onto the market?

    Although... that makes it rather difficult to get to the, erm, baby-making end of a shag...

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Finn Higgins,

    I've written that one verbatim a number of times. Sounds soooo professional.

    And it's never a total lie until somebody uses the word __synergy_...

    Wellington • Since Apr 2007 • 209 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Oh God, sorry for banging on about this but am I the only person who really wishes Clark would dump this applause line?

    Can't see why she should. Creative people are still a voting demographic.

    Although... that makes it rather difficult to get to the, erm, baby-making end of a shag...

    If you need X you shouldn't be making babies.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Lyndon Hood,

    It did strike me as strange that Key's speech seemed to suggest he'd make his 'Fresh Start' programme up himself. It sure doesn't sound very like anything it was based on. Given what happened to the criminogenic programmes earlier in the year (they turned out slightly worse than doing nothing despite the successful UK pilot) I'd be disinclined to make a novel programme part of my headline policy.

    It was also interested to hear Judge Bicroft (I think) saying the age group he's proposing extending youth justice down to is the only age group where the relevant starts are improving (the most deterioration was in the 55+ bracket).

    Though he also noted that, while the option of sending youth on supervised prorammes apparently already exists in the family court, such programmes are hard to come by.

    I didn't hear much of Key on morning report but I feel like he used the phrase "boundaries and [something]" (as in, thats what they need [right as far as it goes]/what they will get) three times in one sentence.

    More broady - though I'm not sure if this field is the perfect test - it seems more like old fashioned conservatism than neoliberalism, no?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Can't see why she should. Creative people are still a voting demographic.

    And creative people still wake up the morning, shit, shave and shower and try to make a living like everyone else. There might also be one or two folks out there whose work still matters, despite not fitting neatly into some MiniYartz 'creative industry'/'national identity' discussion paper.

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

  • BenWilson,

    Craig, obviously most people are not in that particular demographic. But, philistine though I may be, I can see it's a hard path to follow. They probably appreciate government help a great deal more than most.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    Am I the only one posting here who had to go and look up what 'X' actually is?

    I am, aren't I....

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Hey, where's my housing affordability initiative? Screw it, where's my cheese affordability initiative?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Am I the only one posting here who had to go and look up what 'X' actually is?

    No, I'm just following the safe strategy of waiting for someone else to ask.

    And it's never a total lie until somebody uses the word __synergy_...

    LOL. Yes any presentation that has synergized should be thrown out.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And finally, a local blog posted an obscene photoshopped image...

    OK, that's enough - I got send a link to the damn thing, and am just ashamed to (presumably) share a species with the utter, utter fuck-tard who posted it. Tempted to name and shame, except 1) I rather doubt the person responsible is capable of shame, and 2) it would probably lead to traffic which I don't want to (even indirectly) reward 'the offender with.

    Just though PA readers needed to hear someone on the right say that.

    On that cheerful note - wish me luck. I've got an end-of-contract 'exit interview' to get ready for -- which is where they pat you down to make sure you haven't sacked the stationery cupboard or triggered a lawsuit.

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

  • Kerry Weston,

    Ah, the light dawns... my 14 & 17 yr olds are a consequence of the shagging wave . Come to think of it, we did spend a lot of time in bed keeping warm back then.

    As to keeping kids in school till 18 - let's have the substance. Are schools going to get ever-larger? As they aim to bring down teacher student ratios as well, where are all the extras going to be housed? Will there be meaningful, properly-resourced, alternative programmes for ADHD, Asperger's, autistic kids? Will there at last be full-on literacy programmes for those who still can't read & comprehend well at 3rd form level? Will the load fall on teachers or are there going to be more specialists - mentors, youth workers, tradespeople?

    One day we might actually give students what they need rather than what we think they should have, no matter how ill-fitting the garment.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    <quote>that makes it rather difficult to get to the, erm, baby-making end of a shag...<quote>

    so i've heard... my thinking was more directed at the old maxim about beer, "helping ugly people get laid since 1200BC"

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

  • Paul Williams,

    OK, that's enough - I got send a link to the damn thing, and am just ashamed to (presumably) share a species with the utter, utter fuck-tard who posted it. Tempted to name and shame, except 1) I rather doubt the person responsible is capable of shame, and 2) it would probably lead to traffic which I don't want to (even indirectly) reward 'the offender with.

    Craig, for what it's worth, though I'm clear you've got different politics to me, I've never associated you with that particularly odious crowd and I can completely understand your desire to restate your independence.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 7 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.