Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: "Rubbish" is putting it politely

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  • Hamboy,

    I'm still getting the "sorry this content is not available to view" message, even after updating Flash and turning off my pop-up blocker. Is anyone else having this problem?

    Not quite that problem, just the usual hassle of the crap version of Flash for Linux.
    OnDemand worked, but it only downloaded the slow connection version which had horrible quality.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 162 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    One is almost sorry one cancelled one's subscription to the Listener two weeks ago, otherwise one could phone them up and cancel it after this little gem of a story and tell them why. Then one could hop off one's high horse, because one's tuckus is getting kind of sore.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Watch out, Pammy will have the lawyers on ya.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Easterbrook,

    Back when I was at Uni and trawling for potential scholarships, I found one that was for something like "children of members of the New Zealand Defence Force seeking to study Agriculture at Lincoln University".

    Damn rurally-minded Army brats. Always gettin' the preferentialz.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 265 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    Then one could hop off one's high horse, because one's tuckus is getting kind of sore.

    back in oz they had a comedy show where a guy would climb up onto a high saw-horse and condemn things.

    it was like rove's "what the?", but funny.

    the one where he got stuck into "what about me?" was hilarious. you know, "what about me, it isn't fair, i've had enough and i want my share...<sob>".

    response? "if you've had enough then it's surely from your share? do you want someone else's share? how fair would that be? hmmm?"

    etc.

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

  • Steve Curtis,

    Check the list of scholarships administered by Rishworths own law school

    There is the FWW Rhodes scholarship only for law students who are former pupils of Auckland Grammar $2200 pa

    The AWLA Margaret Wilson Scholarship only for women law students $2000 pa
    http://www.law.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/law/for/current_students/scholarshipsandprizes/scholarships.cfm

    I get the impression that Mary Jane didnt didnt tell the Professor that it was a private scholarship and not one funded by the government

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Stevens,

    Yes, we in the Velvet Mafia are at work to take over the world one scholarship at a time. GABA is just a front you see, we have secret plans for world domination, it is part of a vast international conspiracy - the Homintern.

    As well as turning all your sons into hairdressers or interior decorators with gym toned and waxed bodies, we are going to turn your daughters into truck drivers or organic goat farmers.

    Soon the whole world will be beautifully dressed and decorated ! Fear us !

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I get the impression that Mary Jane didnt didnt tell the Professor that it was a private scholarship and not one funded by the government

    Mary Jane? A dangeorus gateway journalist, then, surely.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I get the impression that Mary Jane didnt didnt tell the Professor that it was a private scholarship and not one funded by the government.

    Which was precisely the mistake so many windbags made back when Don Brash was trying to gin up outrage about tertiary scholarships for Maori -- the majority of which are actually provided by the Maori Education Trust, from its own asset base, and iwi.

    But Rishworth damn well should have known enough to ask.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    There is the FWW Rhodes scholarship only for law students who are former pupils of Auckland Grammar $2200 pa

    There has to be a joke in that ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jarrod Baker,

    back in oz they had a comedy show where a guy would climb up onto a high saw-horse and condemn things.

    I'm very excited that someone else actually watched Micallef Tonight.
    This is host Shaun Micallef on the aforementioned high horse:

    He now hosts a show on SBS called Newstopia which I very much hope we get here one day (cos I'm routinely blowing my bandwidth cap already).
    Newstopia explains the US electoral system:

    Wellington • Since Dec 2006 • 32 posts Report Reply

  • B Jones,

    Oh, I love a good poetry reference with my outrage.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report Reply

  • Blair Parkes,

    Perhaps readers would also be interested in Listener columnist's Debra Hill Cone's ability to diagnose [and judge] aspergers [and depressive diseases] from afar. Must be those glasses..

    Christchurch • Since Sep 2008 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • MikeE,

    So has anyone actually read the article or seen it in context?

    Rodney is hardly someone I'd consider a homophobe. If the scholarship is privately funded I can't see any reason to be against it.

    If it was state funded it would be an issue (then again so would any other scholarship that discriminates).

    But people should be able to do whatever they want with their own money, be it gay straight or mongoose.

    Washington DC • Since Nov 2006 • 138 posts Report Reply

  • Stuart Coats,

    Newstopia explains the US electoral system:

    Thanks you so much for brightening my day with that clip. I am still laughing, not just at the US election explanation but the Steve Fosset joke that follows.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 192 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    So has anyone actually read the article or seen it in context?

    Well, duh. Of course.

    Rodney is hardly someone I'd consider a homophobe.

    No, he's just a cheap opportunist. That's the problem.

    Mike, I wish everyone in Act was like you, but unfortunately that's far from the case.

    Rodney's very welcome to drop by here and explain himself though.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    __There is the FWW Rhodes scholarship only for law students who are former pupils of Auckland Grammar $2200 pa__

    There has to be a joke in that ...

    For which the punchline is presumably:

    "To overcome the immense social disadvantage"

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    I've read it, Mike, what part of the spitting incoherent outrage that was my response would you like to hear?

    In Hide's defense, the section that quotes him starts with 'asked for comment' and goes on to say that it's not something Clark needs heading into an election, but he also says

    It's a big story... It's good that they have scholarships but you should not make it on the basis of one's sexuality, just like Chris Carter would be mortified if there was a scholarship that only straight people could apply for.

    It's a complete non-story. The reporter may not have had the nous to remember the (very) recent decision on scholarships for women, but someone at the Listener should have.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    I've never liked loaded questions, but here's one I'd like to ask the Listener:

    How big is the shark you've just leaped over?

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

  • Ian MacKay,

    I have been reading the Listener for decades but have reached the stage of cancelling my sub in the next quarter, but I was pleased to read a study of crime statistics written by Gabrielle Maxwell this week. page 24. In spite of those loud voices eg Sensible Sentencing Trust(??) it seems that crime is reducing, and not "spiralling out of control" as Mr Key says. As for Rodney Hide, is this just another dog-whistle tactic? (Is it true that Hide was the last person to be censured by the Privileges Committee?)

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    but I was pleased to read a study of crime statistics written by Gabrielle Maxwell this week. page 24. In spite of those loud voices eg Sensible Sentencing Trust(??) it seems that crime is reducing, and not "spiralling out of control" as Mr Key says.

    How about putting that on the cover, then? I'm no journalist, but it would seem to me to be slightly more topical than figuring out what Hitler was on. (Plus, his favourite film was King Kong, so maybe they could have done an alarmist story about that when PJ did the remake).

    My partner and I have decided to buy the magazine from now on on the basis of what's on the cover. I think that is pretty much a guaranteed saving of $3.8 per week.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Stuart Coats,

    I think that is pretty much a guaranteed saving of $3.8 per week.

    I've already saved myslef the $3.80, so can anyone tell if Hitler was indeed on P? Because it's going to affect my daily life.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 192 posts Report Reply

  • Eddie Clark,

    That story is disappointing, but not exactly surprising, from both the Listener and Rishworth. Rishworth, for a Bill of Rights expert, has a somewhat... narrow view of the reach of human rights in New Zealand.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 273 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Back when I was at Uni and trawling for potential scholarships, I found one that was for something like "children of members of the New Zealand Defence Force seeking to study Agriculture at Lincoln University".

    When coming to Canty, I went through the first-year scholarships and ended up concluding that what I really needed to be was a disabled Pacific Island or Maori train-driver's kid studying engineering, because then I'd qualify for everything.

    That said, I am actually in no place whatsoever to complain about a lack of funding, but there's specialist scholarships aimed at a huge variety of different groups, and I don't see why this one is any different. Nelson College used to have a scholarship for boys who could prove they were of "pure British stock". I wonder if the Listener ever had anything to say about that?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Nelson College used to have a scholarship for boys who could prove they were of "pure British stock".

    Amazin'. Only strapping young Oxo cubes need apply eh?

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

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