Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: History is now

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  • Steve Parks,

    Thanks Mark, that's cleared things up nicely.

    How is Bill Ayers much different?

    As mentioned, he hasn't killed anyone. That's a start.

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I have no idea about accuracy but it sure would be more awesome!
    Personally I think it should be Schadenfredensnoodle but that may offend "the purists"

    Heh, offending Germans is all good Schadenfreude in itself. Schadenfreudenschulde also sounds reeaaally German when you say it with correct pronunciation, and it's not a very long word at all by their standards, since compounding up is fine. Try "Donaudampfschiffarhtselektricitatenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamptengesellschaft" for comparison. They take things too far, as a rule.

    For a less Teutonic take I think we're all enjoying a 'Roman holiday'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    we had a female prime minister who preceded her

    speaking of the putting on of the lipstick...

    but in regard to clark, in 96 there was jubilation at the thought of a female PM.

    winston rained on that particular parade.

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

  • Angus Robertson,

    Prof. Harvey Klehr n the Weather Underground:
    "The only reason they were not guilty of mass murder is mere incompetence. I don't know what sort of defense that is."

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    not forgetting that for days there has been an ad to the right of these boards reminding us that all politicians are liars

    Are we compelled to agree with it?

    knowing full well that when a maori finally attains the coveted NZ captaincy there won't be half the hyperbole

    I'd wait until such time and point you in the meantime to the vastly different histories in race relations in the two countries.

    and no disrespect to to Obama; he has great teeth and and has said the right words. I'm just left with kind of in awe of how successful the wires and wirelesses have been in turning the droves into US drones.

    This is the thing that irks me the most. We have universal suffrage, and it didn't come cheap. You may complain about the uniformity of political choices and wank over that as much as you want, but ridiculing the people who got vote really gets my back up.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    and no disrespect to to Obama; he has great teeth and and has said the right words.

    So, actually, plenty of disrespect to Obama then.

    I'm just left with kind of in awe of how successful the wires and wirelesses have been in turning the droves into US drones.

    Mmmm, yummy, the Disinterested Observer Who Is Above It All, Unlike the Rest of You Brainwashed Plebs. Haven't had one of those for a while.

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

  • Kyle Matthews,

    The nail bomb his girlfriend prematurely detonated on was intended for the killing of some dancing officers and WAGs

    Wait, he should be in prison for something that:

    1. His girlfriend did.
    2. His girlfriend didn't actually do either?

    I'm in favour of arresting terrorists for things that they're about to do, though there's some tricky legal parts of it.

    But Bill Ayers wouldn't still be rotting in jail for not being at a house where people were preparing to commit a horrible act of terrorism, at which only the potential terrorists got hurt.

    The Weather Underground never killed anyone, the worst thing they did was blow up some buildings and break people out of jail. It's pretty vanilla terrorism.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    knowing full well that when a maori finally attains the coveted NZ captaincy there won't be half the hyperbole. (which does highlight something positive about our nature)

    I don't think anyone even finds that an unlikely scenario in NZ. We're just waiting for the right Maori. But the States led the way and that's awesome on it's own, notwithstanding how incredibly powerful the POTUS is by comparison to the PMONZ. Their credibility as a democracy internationally has jumped hugely. Americans probably fail to appreciate this.

    I think we could only outdo them by electing a Maori woman. If only Kiri Te Kanawa would stand. She could blow chunks off any acceptance speech with the right speechwriter and good music.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    "The only reason they were not guilty of mass murder is mere incompetence. I don't know what sort of defense that is.

    One that would stand up well in most courts. I think the American legal code definition of murder probably mentions about someone actually being dead.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    I think we could only outdo them by electing a Maori woman. If only Kiri Te Kanawa would stand.

    Tactical Party vote forTariana then this weekend? We could do it!

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    notwithstanding how incredibly powerful the POTUS is by comparison to the PMONZ

    I am so using PMONZ from this day forward.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    . . . no disrespect to to Obama; he has great teeth and and has said the right words.

    After that bit of passive-aggressive damning with faint praise, it seems fair to wonder just what sort of disrespect you might be holding back from. With your obsessing about Obama's ancestry - hardly the central issue of his victory - you're coming across as a real piece of work.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    I think the American legal code definition of murder probably mentions about someone actually being dead.

    except when they really just want to lock some up.

    for instance in cuba.

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

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    but in regard to clark, in 96 there was jubilation at the thought of a female PM.

    winston rained on that particular parade.

    Not just Winston. The fact that she'd just taken Labour to its worst election result since 1925 probably didn't help her chances. Nor, I suspect, the 18% swing against Labour from their 1993 loss, or the 45% swing against its most likely coaltion partner, the Alliance.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Imagine if McCain had had a connection, however tenuous, with Eric Rudolf, the abortion clinic bomber. People would have gone spastic about it and quite correctly.

    And yet the people spoke and said that they found McCain's far more substantial associations with the current incumbent, who may also be incompetent but actually does have blood on his hands, far more unsavory.

    James, the darkness, hate and vitriol that came with McCain,
    defined his campaign and you seem unable to put it behind you. This stuff, these 'associations' were put to the people over and over again, but they raised a finger to not only it but the messengers. It's one of the core reasons you lost. People said 'enough'...

    It's over, move on.

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

  • Che Tibby,

    It's over, move on.

    good call.

    anyone thing obama will *actually* be able to get the US out of afghanistan? what with pakistan going to hell in a handbasket?

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

  • Jake Pollock,

    I think we could only outdo them by electing a Maori woman. If only Kiri Te Kanawa would stand.

    Didn't we do that already?

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    except when they really just want to lock some up.

    for instance in cuba.

    Well yes. Bill Ayers is probably lucky that US law in the 1970s and 1980s wasn't operating under the military code, and interesting interpretations of it.

    But if it was, one suspects he'd still be in hiding.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Didn't we do that already?

    My ballot paper must have got lost in the interwebs.

    Though seriously, Belich, Bolger, Orange, Te Kanawa, and Whineray? Not the list of options I want to be a constitutional head of state.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Dinah Dunavan,

    I know there aren't all that many folk in DC but Obama got 92.9% of the vote. That's pretty damn amazing. So only the republican party members who have to live in DC voted for McCain.

    You could probably pick out who they are in your apartment complex.

    A bit like those 6 in Dixville Notch who voted for McCain. I bet all their neighbours know who they are. I hope they're taking them cookies to commiserate.

    Dunedin • Since Jun 2008 • 186 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    i do feel concern that there seems to be more celebration in NZ over the US voting in a black president than there ever was in NZ electing a female prime minister.

    Mark, we don't vote for Prime Ministers. A minor point, easily missed.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    ok. new poll.

    russell brown is currently (and still) too hungover to make it to the interwebs.

    ae/kao.

    i'm thinking ae.

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

  • Hadyn Green,

    Wow, this thread became a total buzz kill.

    Last night after Obamam's big speech all the pundits on the telly turned into criticism mode
    "He'll try to blah but it won't work because..." etc etc

    Except over on the BBC, where the guy running the show said "can we save the pessimism for the moment". Good ol' BBC

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    russell brown is currently (and still) too hungover to make it to the interwebs.

    ae. But still able to enjoy his big TV from his big comfy chair

    ps. Che undoes the buzzkill

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    ps. Che undoes the buzzkill

    goan, admit you enjoyed the clip,clop,clap line.

    stupid trolls...

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

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