Posts by Craig Ranapia

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  • Hard News: Moron y Moron,

    I think there are few people who would be able to restrain themselves from some sort of physical reaction if someone grabbed them by the tie.

    Going to call theatre on that, Lucy - because I think a certain degree of scepticism is in order about the sources of "most accounts". Anyway, one 'physical reaction' to someone getting in your face like that (assuming the allegation is true) is to detach yourself and walk away, not stage a confrontation. And I'm speaking as someone who has had to learn to check a pretty vile temper just to stay functional.

    Again, I'm just not interested in excuses - because I've never come across a bully who couldn't rationalise everything.

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

  • Hard News: Moron y Moron,

    Does this really, as a number of commentators have been keen to suggest, undermine the key messages of the campaign?

    No it doesn't, but (IMO) it sure undermines the credibility of certain parties and media folks who want to pontificate on the subject of family violence in future.

    And am I the only person who is sick to death of hearing how horribly 'provoked' Mallard was - especially when it's framed as "there's no excuse for what he did but..." If you actually believe the first part of that sentence, then that's the point you STFU. I've heard this crap all too often from thugs and bullies (and their inevitable enablers) all too often to have any sympathy whatsoever.

    And he's been 'humiliated'? So he should be - but let's also remember what's NOT happened. He's probably going to be demoted, not removed from Cabinet, let thrown out of Parliament. He's not going to face any criminal charges, or even a slap over the wrist with a wet order paper from the Privileges Committee.

    I'd respectully suggest most of us wouldn't get off quite so lightly if we got into a fistfight in the workplace.

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    I am motivated enough to complain about this too. It will be the second time ever.

    Truly disgraceful bullshit.

    Yes. You don't have to buy into the Maori nationalist deal, or take seriously any political party throwing rhetorical red meat to the base, to have serious questions about whether the media haven't just crossed any number of ethical lines but totally obliterated them.

    If nothing else, I was quite serious in my PA Radio piece two weeks back: IMO, it is (as Russell says frequently) less than helpful when the media and politicians are doing damn fine impersonations of the Little Boy who Cried Wolf. We all remember what happened to him, don't we?

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    Ben: I don't know. But I know that if someone were to libel me by saying "that Judd bastard, of course he's pushy and venal, his mother's Jewish you know", I don't want you to defend me by saying "oh no, his mother's not Jewish at all."

    Taking your point, Stephen, but it would be the first step to asking "now, what would be the thinking behind that assumption being made in the first place?" So, this guy has a funny name, belongs to various pro-Palestinian name so he must be some kind of 'terrorist' - despite a total lack of any evidence, or even charges, suggesting any such thing?

    If there's any justice in the world, a few media outlets are going to spending some serious time and money defending Press Council/BSA complaints and libel suits.

    Oddly enough, I get almost the reverse - funny how often I've been told by people who know nothing about me besides my politics, or what I look like that I can't possibly be Maori or homosexual. Shits me off, to be frank.

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    Just where do these pricks at the Herald get off, trying to paint him as some kind of “Palestinian” “terrorist” with the all of the obvious connotations that that carries?

    NZH should be ashamed of themselves for peddling such blatant distortions.

    Well, 3410, the Herald (and pretty much every other media outlet around) shouldn't be ashamed of themselves. They should be on the receiving end of complaints to the Press Council or the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

    I don't want to post my e-mail address here, but if you contact Russell he has my permission to pass it on. As they say in a certain Joss Whedon production I'm rather fond of, "I aim to make some mischief." And I'd prefer to make it clear that I'd rather patronise media outlets - and their advertisers - who give a fresh turd what a terrorist is.

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    And now Winston wades in, with reference to dangerous separatists ...

    What really creeps me out is that Ron Mark is constantly allowed to get away with calling gang members "domestic terrorists" - if my memory serves, he did that three or four times on Agenda this morning.

    I've very little time for the Maori Party - but listening to Winston pontificate about "dangerous separatism" make me want to puke.

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    And I'm way more comfortable with that with the more absolutist ideas I linked to earlier. I'm just a bit suspicious of utopian solutions predicated on "smashing the state".

    I think it was Tom Stoppard (or one of his characters) who said folks who talk about "smashing the state" are seldom around to clean up the mess - especially when it involves grave-digging. But utopian visions do have their charms - no mess, no fuss, no disappointment or frsutration. No bloody people.

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    Rodgerd wrote:

    On the other hand, you'd also be on the path to dismissal if you kept giving people shit about their marriage in the workplace, too.

    Quite possibly, but smacking the crap out of someone isn't really an appropriate methodology for workplace dispute resolution or stress minimisation. (OMG, did I just lapse into Management Gibber-lish?)

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    It's alright. They've shaken hands and made up now. Because it's not okay ...

    Heh... unfortunately, I don't think these folks have their snark on.

    My personal favourite:

    Boys will be boys. Come on NZ, one guy is winding up another guy who is has just split from wife and dealing with daddy's death, Then he gets socked in the mouth, sounds like that is straight out of my 9-year-olds playground at school. However I too have been in that position at 27! It's just boys been boys. Leave them alone, he apologised, the apology was accepted. End of story as mum would say. So what is the NZ Herald worried about. Not everything should be news.

    Oy... back in the real world, grown-ups with grown up jobs are expected to deal with their personal shit on their own time, and keep their hands to themselves.

    And to be quite blunt, no matter how big a prickish thug Mallard is - IMO, p0rn star huge - Henare hasn't done himself any favours either. He's widely tipped to be the next Maori Affairs Minister, and he's really got to prove he's got his head around the culture difference between National and Winston First. And my understanding is that he's done a lot to turn around the opinion of, shall we say, sceptics when he joined up.

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

  • Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad,

    Lordy... looks like Te Quaeda don't have to do a damn thing - Mongrel Mallard and Testosterone Tau are going to kill each other first...

    Truth is not only stranger than fiction, you couldn't make it up without being packed off for a psych evaluation...

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

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