Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Essay Question

161 Responses

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  • Sam F,

    The alliteration, it blows my Wednesday afternoon mind.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    clean into Thursday?

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Heather W.,

    Maybe mind could be recovered with "Salmon Dance" by Chemical Brothers.

    (Heather - fixed this. You were too capable! All the system needs is the YouTube URL -- just paste that in -- RB)

    North Shore • Since Nov 2008 • 189 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    - visas for halal butchers to come *to* NZ. Which seems to be just a migration concession and separate from the training aspect.

    You may be right about that, but that's even more odd. Offering visas for twenty halal butchers to come to NZ is even less of an enticement to trade. Firstly, emigrating to NZ is hardly a focus for anyone in Indonesia (although Soeharto did own a fair swatch of the South Island, I believe, in the 70s). Secondly, if they did, what possible advantage could that be to the Indonesian Republic as whole.

    The way it's being viewed here is that the whole thing is very condescending, and arrogant in a rather great white father sot of way.

    Howard and Downer used to raise hairs here with a similar attitude which, given 300 years of less than beneficial Dutch and Japanese overlordship, is not really surprising.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Well, mobility of people could be thought to go with mobility of goods - as in the EU/EEA which has free movement of goods *and* people.

    The advantages to Indonesia of easier migration to NZ would be:
    - remittance income from migrants (very popular with other nations like the Phillipines)
    - benefits for citizens being able to more easily choose where they want to live and work
    - investment and technology transfer from returning migrants, which is certainly important to, for instance, the Indian economy

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    elevated the Philippines to its deserved status as a leading and quality, global human resource provider,"

    I find something very sad about that statement.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Are we starting to see some re-emergence of the old Bill?

    Bill Ralston - Wimpy response to out-of-line cops

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

  • Paul Litterick,

    I wish Stuff would get another photo of Ralston. It is not pleasant seeing a man putting on his eyebrows.

    Still, a good post.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    And when does your "hyperbole" progress beyond mere idleness and become really, really offensive?

    I know this one: 10:39AM on 17 Dec 08.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I wish Stuff would get another photo of Ralston. It is not pleasant seeing a man putting on his eyebrows.

    Lol, now there's a man who really didn't have a face for TV. Just as well people don't care about that kind of crap.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I wish Stuff would get another photo of Ralston. It is not pleasant seeing a man putting on his eyebrows.

    Still, a good post.

    It is. It makes a strong, clear point.

    A few of the usual wingnuts have pitched in on comments with the view that it's a jolly good thing that the police should be keeping a surveilling eye on the Green Party et al. They really would be the first to sign up for a fascist state, those people ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    And they'd be the first people I'd be spying on, were I to be running it.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    As for Gilchrist & Rees, I think it's worth remembering he is 40yrs and she is 22yrs.

    And your point is?

    There's a big power dynamic in greater age. I know they're both over the legal age of consent, but even so, a 22 year old usually has far less social and economic power than a 40 year old.

    And yes, he was a 40 yr old earing what, $600/wk gross from NZ Police for services rendered (one hopes that he contributed to Kiwisaver, and got the 4% contribution from Police as well), while Ms Rees is a computer geek who probably could earn that amount in two days doing, well, what ever it is computer geeks do. I don't think economic's had anything to do with this relationship.

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Well the simple answer to being insulted would be your ratings.

    I don't know but Simon Pound said on Nat Radio your show doesn't rate. Again, when does the inbedded reporter know when they're being bribed?

    Once the right conditions are set, conspiracy is not required. (Fave movie Seven Crosses sets this out pretty well.)

    I don't think it unreasonable to question these things, as I did with the seemingly extortionate practise of Damien Christies repeated bad news then got a big prize story.

    As for the psydonym - you know who I am, I've been honest with you on that.

    As this is prob my last time here let me wish you all, Russel, and your family well in the future.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Well the simple answer to being insulted would be your ratings.

    I don't know but Simon Pound said on Nat Radio your show doesn't rate.

    It's not even in the ratings as far as I know. But it does really well on ondemand, which is pleasing.

    Again, when does the inbedded reporter know when they're being bribed?

    Once the right conditions are set, conspiracy is not required. (Fave movie Seven Crosses sets this out pretty well.)

    The problem being that it's not a movie thriller, it's a real life where people work at stuff, get better at it, meet other people, put in proposals and one day get their ideas to air.

    I don't think it unreasonable to question these things, as I did with the seemingly extortionate practise of Damien Christies repeated bad news then got a big prize story.

    And Damian was actually quite unnerved by your reaction here. He used his blog to call out Air NZ on their hopeless customer service, and when they finally got in touch with him looking to make amends, he got a couple of tickets to give to one of his readers who told the best customer service story (I gather the winner was bloody stoked about it). It was exactly what it looked like, and I think it was a clever and generous thing of Damian to do (although it was also funny when people took the piss out of him). I thought your construction on it was very OTT.

    As this is prob my last time here let me wish you all, Russel, and your family well in the future.

    I did say I'd ban you if you made this silly allegation again, and I'd wouldn't enjoy that, so thank you. Look, feel free to come back after a while. Just try and think of us as real people when you do.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I don't know but Simon Pound said on Nat Radio your show doesn't rate.

    If we were both listening to the same appearance on The Panel, I think Simon was making the rather limited (and perfectly accurate) point that the producers of heavily promoted prime-time shows on well-established channels like Sensing Murder and Shortland Street probably aren't lying awake fretting about getting out-rated by Media 7.

    And Shep, to most of us bribery and extortion are very, very bad things and people who indulge in such practices are regarded with disdain. Which is why words like that are thrown around with some caution...

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

  • BenWilson,

    No Craig, it's called Hard News cause they send hard men around to give it. One visit, and you'll give them any show they want.

    Oops I just realized I'm telling that to the wrong guy :-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • jon_knox,

    ...readers who told the best customer service story (I gather the winner was bloody stoked about it).

    Did someone win?...look's a bit like a loose end on that thread.

    ...that the producers of heavily promoted prime-time shows on well-established channels like Sensing Murder and Shortland Street probably aren't lying awake fretting about getting out-rated by Media 7.

    More's the pity!

    Belgium • Since Nov 2006 • 464 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    I find myself agreeing with Garth George (well, partly).

    Can anyone recommend something I can take that will make me feel clean again?

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Can anyone recommend something I can take that will make me feel clean again?

    Ooh, that's a tough one.

    Occasionally George has burst of lucidity, in which one might suspect that someone saner is ghostwriting his column, but basically the only thing that separates this piece from the standard George police-state/anti-bureaucrat rant is the target.

    Given how long George has been doing his thing, occasionally the random-outrage aggregator that is his brain will champion something vaguely palatable to someone. But I'd expect a return to normal within two columns at absolute most.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    *Target here indicating "the target of the surveillance".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Can anyone recommend something I can take that will make me feel clean again?

    Here's a mantra: "A broken clock tells the right time twice every day." Shame to see he's swallowed the "everything went to heck in a kete when traffic work was allowed to dilute real policing" Hoodoo.

    And why do I have the horrible feeling that you can't have it both ways on "politicisation" of the Police -- either it's so terrible nobody should do it, or it's all on for young and old and you hereby STFU.

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

  • Sam F,

    Here's a mantra: "A broken clock tells the right time twice every day."

    That pretty much sums up what it took me two paragraphs to say. No point in navigating back a page to decode my asterisked comment now. Curse you, Ranapia! :)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And here's another essay question.

    Define paraleipsis, with reference to the following passage:

    And while we're busy reorganising the NZ Police, let's set about separating traffic control from the rest of the force's activities.

    I'm not suggesting that traffic policing be returned to a separate entity (or entities) as it used to be, but that traffic policing, road safety et al be confined to a dedicated division.

    That division - call it Highway Patrol perhaps - should be plainly seen to be separate - separately commanded and with different-coloured vehicles and uniforms, preferably black and white.

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

  • Sam F,

    Oh yes, that cracked me up as well.

    Highway Patrol

    Holy smokes, where does he get these ideas? And I would prefer say yellow and blue as opposed to orange and blue for regular patrol cars, but I'd so hate to pre-empt the police in adaption of Garth's revolutionary suggestion...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

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