Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Event Season

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  • nzlemming, in reply to ,

    His idea is that we could be making composite cars in much the same way that contempory boats are built.

    He's not wrong, but we also need an infrastructure for recharging because a 100K range isn't going to get you from Wellington to Auckland. The tech still has a little way to go yet as a complete replacement, but we'll get there.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Paul Williams, in reply to nzlemming,

    I don't for a moment 'get the tech' but I was surprised to see electric cars variously distributed around Paris recently, Autolib is the provider. Possibly they are not intended for long trips but to see a mainstream application of electric share cars was pretty cool.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • DexterX,

    To my mind a yacht is something that moves through and displaces water, not a kite that races approx 2.0 metres above it.

    It is weird that, in NZ, the stock market has started to rally, become bullish – it did the same thing in 1985 with KZ 7, with every win the share market rallied – the share market was being buoyed incredibly by the result of a boat race (and then the market crashed in 1987). Who was then the Govt?

    It points to a lack of maturity and the fact that financial markets, a barometer of human behaviour, are mostly made up nonsense. We are in the mist of lingering contraction and the rebuilding of Christchurch is buoying the NZ economy.

    In the event Emirates Team NZ win the America’s Cup have a party by all means but it will not be an economic windfall with benefits for most - MHO - nor will for that matter will a Labour Lead coalition govt make much difference for most. The damage has been long done and is not easily undone.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    The taxpayer funding was a small part of the money spent on this race.I consider it gave New Zealanders jobs.

    Meanwhile, I do hope Labour will have something to say about the tens of millions being poured into the America's Cup while Downstage Theatre is going to be closed down - for good, this time. I mean, what the fuck has professional theatre in ever contributed to this country?

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

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to nzlemming,

    but we also need an infrastructure for recharging because a 100K range...

    Yep, but that’s just a matter of time and uptake. The technology is in actual use right now in a lot of places. As an example here is a map of charging stations across Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • Farmer Green, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    It might not just be the arts that are affected by the regional split of funding.
    I mean what has the rest of the country (outside of Auckland) ever done for the nation?
    I notice the ATC is still funded. People follow the money don't they?
    Defund the provinces and what happens?

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Farmer Green,

    People follow the money don't they?
    Defund the provinces and what happens?

    Yes, that must be the reason that people are moving to big cities all over the world.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Sounds like Downstage has not been performing well enough compared with other theatre companies. I'd welcome hearing more about that before joining the hand-wringing.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    Sounds like Downstage has not been performing well enough compared with other theatre companies. I’d welcome hearing more about that before joining the hand-wringing.

    Hey, I'm supposed to be the heartless right-wing philistine around here. :) Yeah, it looks like Downstage just hasn't been getting bums on seats (which is a must for professional theatre, no matter how heavily subsidized those seats happen to be, and whether their source is public, private or a combination of the two) and there have been *cough* long-running site-specific issues with Downstage for many years.

    But for all the bitching Creative New Zealand gets (both justified and not), it just seems to me that the arts have to work a lot harder to make the "economic benefit" case for public funding than the America's Cup. Not that those numbers that get thrown around with gay abandon shouldn't be treated with extreme scepticism, no matter where they come from.

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

  • Farmer Green, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes, that must be the reason that people are moving to big cities all over the world.

    Sometimes they do that. Other times they abandon the cities and go to where food can be obtained. That hasn’t happened in recent times though has it?
    New orleans? Detroit?

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report

  • Farmer Green, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    For sure it’s bums on seats. Remember the days when a student could roll in to the late night review- Knickers , Knackers and Knockers etc- and for a few bucks see John Clark, Ginette McDonald, Paul Holmes, Ray Henwood, sometimes Ian Watkins , Bruno et al?
    Maybe it’s also the Changing of the Guard. As they say , “she’s history”.

    Downstage used to feature some fairly "edgey" political satire. Not sure that Rob Muldoon spent a lot of time there.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report

  • Gary Young, in reply to nzlemming,

    a 100K range isn't going to get you from Wellington to Auckland

    A train, on the other hand, will...

    There are more ways to get around heaven and earth than just cars.

    Glenfield • Since Jun 2013 • 39 posts Report

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Gary Young,

    here are more ways to get around heaven and earth than just cars.

    Like buses

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

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    The sagging local economy in the Capital hasn't helped either, aggravated by civil service cutting-and-running - I've seen it first hand in the form of customers largely keeping their wallets shut, at least in the sector I work in.

    I also wonder if modern audiences have fragmented as well, even possibly devolved - there are a lot more distractions to immerse oneself in these days, like the Internet and video gaming.

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

  • Chris Waugh,

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to ,

    Worship me by all means, though probably best not to involve my mother.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    the Herald’s getting a bit ahead of itself?

    Eager for the weekend?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    it just seems to me that the arts have to work a lot harder to make the “economic benefit” case for public funding than

    Always has been’ Always will be. I remember the companies that we used to beg money off when I was at The Mercury Theatre. One year we all needed Dunhill cigarettes. Good thing I smoked then ;) I took up smoking Dunhill blue, a change from the ol’ Peter Stuyvesant.
    That was sponsorship we sorely needed. Now we can’t even see a cigarette for sale. Why would they want to help now? But hey, What booze looked after the All Blacks? Wasn’t it Heineken? It would definitely be mostly corporate sponsorship for Yachting. Those yachts are obscene amounts of money that all New Zealanders should not have to put first. I tend toward health and education, and the costs around that first. Theatre may have to remain one of the struggles that surround being an artist.
    Rugby kinda gets 2 lots of money too. The health costs to the recreational rugby player is pretty ....huge!

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Eager for the weekend?

    Surely it should be tomorrow's Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival they're looking forward to? Now, if I could score me some of those dark chocolate-and-ice-cream mooncakes like we had last year....

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    The health costs to the recreational rugby player is pretty ….huge!

    As I'm sure are the health benefits of people playing sport.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    health benefits of people playing sport

    I always got more out of smoking ;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    Surely it should be tomorrow’s Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival

    The proof readers in Oz might need their work early. They might take longer to read. Outsourcing our Granny Harold ? Are we not Australian yet?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    What booze looked after the All Blacks? Wasn’t it Heineken?

    Steinlarger. Not that it matters to your overall point however.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Steinlarger.

    The All Blacks have bigger stones? Bigger than who?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Gary Young, in reply to Rich Lock,

    Like buses

    I like it! And it's made in New Zealand!

    Why have we not heard much more about this vehicle? Why are the Link buses not all of this type?

    Can someone please drag Auckland Transport policymakers kicking and screaming into the 21st century...

    Glenfield • Since Jun 2013 • 39 posts Report

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