Posts by simon g
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Hard News: We need to talk about Len, in reply to Russell Brown,
I have honestly not yet heard an interview - or read a column - where anybody coherently explains what it IS all about. Suggestions welcome (but not if they include phrases like "it's not a good look" or "swirling around", or any other substitutes for facts).
It is iron law that every argument about politics must include the phrase "That's not the issue!", as the antagonists seek to shift the battle to their preferred terrain. But in the case of Len Brown, "That's not the issue!" seems to be on constant replay, with nobody any the wiser about what the "Issue" really is.
The problem of course, is if the "Issue" is clarified, then there are consequences for people other than Len Brown. Adulterers must all resign, or non-declarers must all resign, or Sky City freebie-takers must all resign, or people with rubbish PR (and Brown's has been hopeless lately) must all resign. So, it's all left murky, for the sake of those who have positions to lose - but not for the sake of an informed populace, or the future of public ethics.
The Clinton comparison can be overdone, but the core of it is the same: is it about the high road or the low? Is it about the constitution, or Monica's thong? Only one of them really matters, but only the other one sells newspapers. The Herald has tried to blur the two, but I'm not buying it ... in either sense of the word.
-
A good choice. Even though I still don't really know what it is.
But that was the easy part, now we need to vote on how to say this word.
Day-ta? Dar-ta? Datter? Depending on your choice of TV viewing, you can hear any of these.
PA needs to sort this out fast, or anarchy will prevail.
-
"And we interrupt the Finance Minister's election year Budget to go live to our reporter, who is standing by for a verdict ..."
Ooops.
-
John Key speaks to Newstalk ZB:
The Prime Minister admits not to knowing much about Nelson Mandela before he was released from prison.
Mr Key says his early memories of South Africa's first black President are vague.
"I only really remember him sort of fundamentally coming out of prison and that time where he was president of South Africa, really.
"And he always kind of struck me as this very gentle guy."
So, not only does he not remember 1981, but he then managed to avoid a major international news story for another decade.
-
“I’m strongly opposed to apartheid".
Key's next speech: "Mr Putin, tear down this wall!"
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Alec Morgan,
But given his later reputation Nelson might be ok with them attending.
Since we can’t ask his spirit, we just have to do the next best thing – recall his deeds.
He set up the ” Truth and Reconciliation Commission”. Not the “Nothing to See Here” Commission.
The first word was not superfluous. Forgiveness is for those who regret, not those who rewrite.
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Kracklite,
There are a lot of people who called Nelson Mandela a terrorist and demanded his execution who are now trying to use him to lend gloss to themselves. It’s grotesque and insidious and it shouldn’t be shielded by sentimentality.
As a general point, very true. But your specific target isn't justified.
Try Rick Santorum instead.
-
I've been getting increasingly irritated with the Meeja on Mandela and I think part of the reason is ...
There's a lot of Internet Mandela. He was readily accessible and Google-able, even after he stood down as President. The images of Internet Mandela (the old dude in the funny shirts, meeting endless celebs) are dominating the coverage. Especially when the journos are, you know, 12 (and a half). He was off Robben Island before some of them were born.
Contrast with the deaths of Reagan and Thatcher. There was no Internet Reagan. He announced he had Alzheimer's and withdrew completely from all public life in the mid-90's. So when he died, the images were of his political ascendancy in the 1980's, not his post-career. (And what images, courtesy of his brilliant PR team).
There was a bit of Internet Thatcher, but not much. She withdrew not long after Reagan. So again, back to the '80s clips, and "you turn if you want to".
I'd kinda like a TV newsreader to say "he was behind bars for 27 years, but there was no webcam in the cell, so here's another picture of Mandela meeting Bono or Beckham. Sorry."
There has been some very good stuff (thanks, BBC World Service radio), but not much from the NZ media. The Herald for example, dug out their editorials from the '90's, published on his release, and then his election as President. That's fine, but did the Herald have nothing to say about Mandela and apartheid in the 50's and 60's? About the regime he struggled against? Yes, they probably did, but they may not want to remember it today, or share it with us.
Obits for the old and famous are always prepared well in advance (I bet they've had Prince Philip's in the can for years). Given they had months to prepare for this, I think a better job could have been done.
(exceptions - TV3 last night, and Paul Thomas in the Weekend Herald. Others?).
-
Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Matthew Hooton,
Very nice post, Matthew.
I think one of Mandela's remarkable achievements was the number of minds he changed - not just official stances for public consumption, not just the re-writing of history, but people genuinely "getting it". Yes, it can be done.
Having said that, if in the future we will all rememeber what we were doing when the news came through that Nelson Mandela had died, Radio Live's Sean Plunket will be able to say "I was proudly defending Golliwogs". So there's a long way to go.
-
Incidentally, Chuck is one of those aforementioned talkback callers in the wee small hours, when his obsession is unmoderated by the hosts and is even worse than it is on here. Although not as bad as "Owen", a caller who explicitly described the violence he would like to do to homosexuals and got ... a chuckle from the host (on Newstalk ZB).
Now I'd suggest that talkback radio could BOTH uphold freedom of speech AND employ hosts who robustly challenge that speech ... but by asking for such minimum standards I'd be interfering with free speech or something (according to people like Graeme who never actually listen to the speech).