Posts by simon g

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  • Field Theory: Playing Catch Up,

    "So, Peter, exciting, isn't it?"

    (background shot: Kiwi closes on gold medal, presenters ignore)

    "Yes Wendy, and we will bring you news soon"

    (background shot: Kiwi actually wins gold medal)

    "Thanks, Peter, let's hope for good news!"

    (Kiwi starts celebrating gold medal)

    "And now to an ad break ..."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Long Weekend,

    Ha ha, we showed those Africans! Serves them right for not having the cash for boats and bikes! Bloody Ethiopians set on dominating poor little whitey. Haven't they got enough privileges in life already?

    (this just in: Ireland beat the All Blacks - a victory for white people everywhere, says Hinton ... or possibly not)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Long Weekend,

    No that can't have happened, surely not...

    The TVNZ message board has a few responses which give some indication of how crass the questioning was (you have to shift through several pages from the primary school kids to get to them, around 1 a.m.).

    The Irish runner handled it with dignity, considering he had just run the race of his life and was obviously bemused by what he was hearing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Long Weekend,

    Latest TVNZ jaw-dropper:

    Irish guy wins 200m heat. Our airhead interviewer: "What's it like being up against all these black men?"

    Words fail.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Long Weekend,

    Our man at the cycling / triathlon is now death-kissing the canoeists.

    Enthusiasm is fine, but at least be enthusiastic about what has happened rather than what is about to happen (and then doesn't).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Olympic Eye Candy,

    It reminded me of nothing so much as the dog show judging commentary in Best in Show. Unfortunately, our guy was the moron judge...

    Heh, that was classic commentary. And if anyone missed it, there's a chance of a repeat, as NZ and GB could be in the final of the (excuse technical term) "one where four bikes go round and round and the slowcoach gets dumped."

    I think the Kiwi team should try and avoid the final, and get a heroic bronze. There can't be much fun in having a right thumping being played over and over on TV as a "medal moment".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Hard News: A bit tacky, no?,

    It is sad but not surprising that at least one blog and many commenters (not here) are unable to work out what to say, or not say, when there is a personal tragedy. I certainly can't be bothered to waste my time explaining "humanity lesson one" to such people, who are rumoured to be adults.

    But that doesn't mean the rest of the media have to grant these wretched people a status and respect they do not deserve. And yet they do. I've seen WhaleOil cited as a source (without any criticism or even caveat) by the Listener (Bill Ralston), Newstalk ZB and probably others.

    As long as journalists are prepared to pick up whatever flows out of the sewer, and multiply its audience many times over, then they can hardly be amazed that the shit just keeps getting worse, even in death. Why would the turd-throwers stop? It's working. (And the journalists aren't, which is presumably the incentive).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Handle the Scandal,

    I realise Peter W is hardly at the forefront of modern living, but do people really still do research these days from encyclopaedias made out of paper?

    Thank goodness they do. Otherwise history is lost.

    If somebody wanted to compare, for example, NZ's rowing golds in 68 and 72, or hockey gold from 76, with a performance in Beijing, where would they look? On the net they might find the bare details - the result, and the team members. Little else.

    I admit that TV One's coverage doesn't lend itself to this kind of detail - indeed, to information of any depth at all - but that doesn't mean the host can't spend one of the innumerable ad-breaks checking up on (say) info about Ryan Archibald's dad, before sharing it with us.

    The net is hopeless at history - still. The growing number of journos who don't know anything beyond Google is frankly scary.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Handle the Scandal,

    If I start going on about TVNZ's coverage I'll soon be !!!!111 - ing far more than is healthy. Briefly, the positives: informed and balanced commentators at the hockey (forget his name), rowing (Mike Stanley, not you-know-who) and swimming (Mosse). Negatives: pretty much everything else.

    Enough of that, this is a fun way to spend an Olympic ad break or two. Watch the bottom right bubbles grow and pop:

    Medal Map

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Did you see that?,

    Another contender for a Colemanballs award (copyright Private Eye): John McBeth referred several times last night to the swimmer from Czechoslovakia. Has he been doing this for the last four Olympics?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

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