Posts by Kumara Republic
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It is, let us be honest, a rosy view. Bull writes admiringly of the way Auckland Grammar requires its young rugby to stars to get their education and not only to win games and attract the talent scouts. But he says nothing of the player-poaching and rule-bending that has become rife in school rugby, or the curious disfunction at the city’s flagship team, The Blues.
Auckland Grammar and its cherry picking of athletes from the "wrong side of the tracks" is yet another example of applied survivorship bias, a point that keeps getting missed by those who think low-decile schools should just emulate the Grammar approach if they want their students to succeed.
The reason why Auckland Grammar supposedly rates highly is because it turns away anyone perceived not to fit in - it's not a new thing either, as it's been pointed out that John Banks was one of those turned away by Grammar:
Mr Banks is living walking evidence that one is not necessarily scarred by failure to get an Auckland Grammar education. His biographer - and Epsom electorate rival, Paul Goldsmith - records Mr Banks' failed attempt to get into the school in 1962. He and his father turned up before legendary headmaster Henry Cooper with a less-than-encouraging school report to be told, "We are full this year, we don't even have a place for you in the drongo class."
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Greville Whittle,
From the Stuff article it looks like Rachel Glucina is not above using her platform to attack people who don’t like her. No surprises there.
The Scouts organisation globally hasn't had a spotless record, but Glucina's response is straight out of the Karl Rove manual - in this case it's "poisoning the well".
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Russell Brown,
Well, they’re being upfront about it. I can see why no one wanted it anywhere near the newsroom.
In any case, the real issue facing NZ is thus: if there's anything worse than state propaganda from state media, it's state propaganda from private media. The documentary maker Jeremy Scahill agrees.
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Russell Brown,
I’ve even heard horror stories about management from inside the marquee event productions. Weldon and Christie are burning the place down in pursuit of their bonuses.
Could those still standing sabotage it somehow? Like say, feeding hoaxes or libel bait to Scout?
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to izogi,
Auckland… Christchurch… Dunedin… Invercargill.
As far as I can tell, the big urban centres are mostly dominated by red-green-leaning mayors.
Make of Tim Shadbolt what you will. He’s probably having a bet each way.
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
And the whole narrative of the Nats is about “hard working keewees pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps”, so it’s useful to point out that it’s really all about having the good sense to be born to rich parents
Too fucking true. I know all about ‘survivorship bias’ first-hand, and it’s something I feel so strongly about that profanities can’t describe it. How we’re all beaten over the head with the notion that ‘the only disability is a bad attitude’ (which was originally said by an American athlete who happens to be a fundy creationist).
It’s charitable to call it a fucking lie at best, and it’s used by hypocritical cunts as an excuse to slam the door behind them. The late comedienne/disability activist Stella Young neatly deconstructed it:
"That quote, ‘the only disability in life is a bad attitude’, the reason that’s bullshit is … No amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever made it turn into a ramp. No amount of standing in the middle of a bookshelf and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn all those books into braille." When anyone tells me to ‘just believe in yourself’, I have to resist the temptation to say, “I don't want your smiles, I want a ladder you motherfucking cunts!” -
Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Russell Brown,
Update: the house is owned by Pink PR, as is another property in Newmarket. So yeah, effectively she’s bought a house with her mum.
That definitely counts as 'connections'.
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
Plus a bit of help from mummy and daddy, you’d think?
Or anyone else with the best possible connections.
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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine, in reply to Russell Brown,
The Hosking story is Glucina’s and almost beyond parody:
A dream scenario would be if Mike Hosking and Rachel Glucina sue the bejesus out of each other. Something that would make Hosking vs Jonathan Marshall look like a picnic.
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Funny how those whining about PC gone mad are the same people who'll happily sue for 'emotional distress'. One look in the mirror and... *CRASH TINKLE TINKLE*