Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Laying Down the Law

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  • Russell Brown,

    To be quite cynical, can we just write this off as a rather lame attempt to sex up another 'Labour has another humiliatingly bad polling cycle'.

    Yeah, it is getting a bit hard to find a new angle on that at the moment ...

    News organisations have an incentive to make the most of their polling data -- they've paid good money for them, after all, and each poll is exclusive by definition -- but the Herald has just gone silly.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    Oh, how about we try gaming coalitions after we've had this queer thing called a general election?

    Cos we did that in 1996 and Winston chose the wrong side. Then, when we thought we'd backed him into a corner in 2005, Winston floated like a butterfly (Mexican standoff, "my job is not a bauble") and chose the wrong side again. The guy can't be relied upon to choose the right side (whoever that may be) this time.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Bryan Walker,

    Then you have Garth George (and on one occasion, Fran O) given a platform to bang away about what nonsense global warming is, without really having any idea what he's talking about.

    If the paper's business section was as loose with the facts as that, there'd be hell to pay.

    The Herald's business pages don't necessarily bother with facts when it comes to climate science. They published a lengthy column from Bryan Leyland earlier this year in which he listed the familiar deniers' litany in support of his assertion that the science of anthropogenic global warming is highly unreliable. They didn't publish a letter which I submitted pointing out that every item in his list has been comprehensively examined and rejected by those doing the science. And although Fran O'Sullivan is more careful these days in what she says about the science of global warming on the business pages she tends to treat it as self-evident that the government's strategy is needlessly ambitious - which to my mind looks like a lack of awareness of what the science is saying. Not that she is alone among journalists in that.

    Hamilton • Since Mar 2008 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red,

    The guy can't be relied upon to choose the right side (whoever that may be) this time.

    Yeah, but can he be relied upon to beat that embarrassing, mustachioed bauble-rubber who currently occupies the Tauranga seat? ;-)

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • Dave,

    Yeah I've started getting email from Nicky Wagner at work. Unsure how this happened - or why she wants me to attend a seminar to determine whether I'm a liberal.

    I assume if I start melting when a bucket of water is thrown over me she will assume I am...

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2008 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • Scott Common,

    If anyone can give advice on how to get off their list for good - it'd be much appreciated!

    http://complaints.antispam.govt.nz/
    http://complaints.antispam.govt.nz/EmailComplaint.aspx

    Don't beat around the bush - just register it as spam with DIA and let them sort it out for you.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 62 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Yeah, it is getting a bit hard to find a new angle on that at the moment ...

    Oh, I don't know - it was kinda fun watching Goff doing his best Francis Urqhart impersonation.

    And, Paul, as far as I'm concerned any side Winston's on is the wrong one -- and I'd rather forget how many dedicated activists walked away from the National Party when Bolger entered into his marriage of inconveniece with Winston First. There is, after all, a line between being pragmatically slutty and the cheapest of cheap whores.

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

  • dc_red,

    Funny, in retrospect I always thought the Bolger/NZF coalition was a paragon of virtue when compared with the high farce of Shipley/Mauri Pacific/Random Independents.

    Remember Deborah Morris taping her conversation with Gilbert Myles ... ahh, those were the days.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Yeah I've started getting email from Nicky Wagner at work. Unsure how this happened - or why she wants me to attend a seminar to determine whether I'm a liberal.

    Having read her blog, I can see how that would get annoying.

    We've had three different political parties mentioned here as sending unsolicited emails. Unfortunately, they are beyond the reach of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act, which only applies to commercial messages.

    If there has been a breach of faith in the acquisition of the email addresses, that seems wrong. On past form (eg: Muriel Newman's disgraceful behaviour in providing the addresses of her newsletter subscribers to her husband so he could spam them with investment tips) I'm be more inclined to suspect Act of that than the others.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    There is, after all, a line between being pragmatically slutty and the cheapest of cheap whores.

    Craig, I'm going to try and find occasion to use that phrase in a conversation. it is that good.

    I guess the line depends on where you're standing. And maybe age. I've got more respect for the old slut now than I ever did before. It would be a shame for him to retire after losing to Clarkson. Like Muldoon, I expect him to die in office (which is probably an idle fancy for many people). Not that you'd catch me voting for the bastard.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Scott Common,

    Unfortunately, they are beyond the reach of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act, which only applies to commercial messages.

    Damn - I was wondering why I was the only person who had suggested the act - I guess thats why. Having said that all that there needs to be in one of the emails is some commercial element - I guess the test would be in the specific email.

    I was quite looking forward to the idea of political parties being pulled up for spam :-(

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 62 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I do feel that when Labour gets back in after the failure of the Key government, it'll be time for utu against the Herald and Dom Post (not to mention the Press).

    Something like a media monopoly law like this:
    - no newspaper may have more than 40% of circulation in any city over 100,000 people
    - since this currently applies to all NZ newspapers, any newspaper group owning such a monopoly paper:
    -- may publish only that paper and must divest all other media assets (including Internetz)
    -- must provide seed funding for any reasonable competitor wishing to enter the market
    -- will have their pricing regulated to prevent any counter-competitive activity
    -- must be more than 50% owned by NZ shareholders with no more than 5% in the hands of any one entity

    They should propose this pre-election, and have a quiet word with the owners of APN and Fairfax as to what will happen to their long-term investment if they persist in being propaganda sheets for the National Party.

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

  • Emma Hart,

    I've got more respect for the old slut now than I ever did before. It would be a shame for him to retire after losing to Clarkson.

    My kids go to school with kids who were on the Tampa. I can't see the back of that horrible excuse for a human being soon enough, sorry.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red,

    Yes, but who's the horrible excuse in this instance: the demagogic one, or Burka Bob himself?

    How tightly do the Tauranga citizenry hold their noses when approaching the ballot box?

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    How tightly do the Tauranga citizenry hold their noses when approaching the ballot box?

    You should've seen the Libz candidate for Tauranga. Very tightly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    That part of the country really does set new lows for parliamentary representation.

    Lets not forget who the member for Bay of Plenty is….

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    Haven't had any noticable rise in email spam: last night though three unsolicited calls from real estate agents, telling us its a good time to get an investment property.

    One was from an Auckland agent. Methinks that downturn in the property market Treasury has been predicting since 2003 will happen in the next nine months is finally here.

    We'd never had any dealings with any of the agents.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    My kids go to school with kids who were on the Tampa. I can't see the back of that horrible excuse for a human being soon enough, sorry.

    Don't apologise Emma, I'm coming from a low base.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Russell Watkins? What's he done (apart from being a Libertarian and an estate agent).

    To paraphrase the late Douglas Adams:
    Did you know they've reintroduced the death penalty for estate agents?
    No, for what offence?
    What do you mean, offence?

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

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Above didn't make much sense - Russel Watkins was the Libz candidate for Tauranga last election..

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

  • Paul Rowe,

    Tony Ryall?

    he's not an estate agent too is he?

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Dan Slevin,

    I have never thought so hard about the national anthem as when three Chinese guys stood behind me at the All Blacks vs Manu Samoa test in 1993 and bawled the bloody thing with all their hearts.

    Des anyone else remember Chen & Bhaji from Skitz? An Indian and a Chinese bloke passionately supporting New Zealand at everything. "Come on broody New Zearand!" was one of the catch-phrases and "You unpatriotic Asian!" was another. That was 1993 too.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 95 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It would be a shame for him to retire after losing to Clarkson. Like Muldoon, I expect him to die in office (which is probably an idle fancy for many people). Not that you'd catch me voting for the bastard.

    Meh... The one think I'll never forgive Margaret Wilson for is splitting the anti-Winston vote just enough in '99, that He Who Must Not Be Named beat Katherine O'Regan by sixty three votes. If one percent of the people who voted for Wilson (who was high enough on the Labour list that she was effectively guaranteed a seat) Winston and his squalid personality cult would be a dim nightmare today.

    I guess dropping a small thermonuclear bomb on Tauranga would be beyond the pale?

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

  • Jake Pollock,

    I guess dropping a small thermonuclear bomb on Tauranga would be beyond the pale?/

    It would probably raise some eyebrows, yes.

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    <quote>I guess dropping a small thermonuclear bomb on Tauranga would be beyond the pale?<quote>

    That would probably increase the nutbar vote, since only the city folk would get wasted. Napalm would probably be more 'targetted'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

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