Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Getting out of the archives

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  • Just thinking,

    Bus ads are cheating.
    I don't get to close the door on the well dressed, well meaning, and condersending missionaries - not fair.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Shaun Hendy,

    Can I make a shameless plug for my own blog, where I examine some of the issues that Phil McCann discusses using patent data from around the world? In particular, I compare innovation in Australia and New Zealand in this post.

    While you are there, check out some of the other scibloggers.

    Wellington • Since Dec 2009 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    I donated and I'm amazed at how much they have raised so far and how quickly. Obviously there is a deep well of discontent (is that the right word?) about the issue...

    Maybe we should have a referendum?

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Robert Wilson,

    There's a Treasury Working Paper on a similar theme from Philip McCann here:

    http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2003/03-03/twp03-03.pdf

    A little easier to follow than the slides.

    California, USA • Since Nov 2006 • 11 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Can I make a shameless plug for my own blog, where I examine some of the issues that Phil McCann discusses using patent data from around the world? In particular, I compare innovation in Australia and New Zealand in this post.

    It brings to mind the Urban Archipelago.

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

  • dc_red,

    "Allah probably doesn't exist. Stop blowing shit up, and chill"?

    I rather like that, actually. Thanks Craig! ;-)

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Better seeing such a slogan on the arse-end of a bus, than oversized TV 3 news presenters or Vodaphone ads.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    For some reason I read that as chilli. Bloody stereotypical thinking..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    personally I'm just impressed by the quality of the turn out for each craft by the mystery shaun

    Crafty Sean seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from the interwebs. Why, his pasta angels are almost an exact replica of the pasta angels at Squidoo.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    something for Friday, this hadn't dated as well as I'd remembered.

    http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f2400938o1p0.html

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    I am impressed that a Humanist has been able to make a statement about God that can fit on the side of a bus.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Better seeing such a slogan on the arse-end of a bus, than oversized TV 3 news presenters or Vodaphone ads.

    On the back of the buses in Wellington there are ads for a round-the-bays-charity swim, featuring a photgraph of a smiling Rodney Hide and the slogan 'if Rodney can do it, so can you!'.

    Walking up Kelburn Parade with some co-workers, I pointed out the ad and asked them all if they knew who 'Rodney' was, they didn't. Someone pointed to the slogan and speculated that he was an intellectually handicapped person.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    Was I the only one to hear one Geoff Lealand interviewed on Morning Report about the TVNZ Bill? I loved the description of the changes around the charter and public service obligations as moving from (IIRC)

    vague words to very very very vague words

    Such pithiness is to be encouraged.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    @Danyl: there's a new KPI for Act on Campus then

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    On the back of the buses in Wellington there are ads for a round-the-bays-charity swim, featuring a photgraph of a smiling Rodney Hide and the slogan 'if Rodney can do it, so can you!'.

    That would be the same Rodney Hide who has had to be rescued twice whilst swimming across the Waitemata.

    @Craig:

    USA probably doesn't engage in state terror. Stop blowing shit up, and chill

    Fixed. Oh, hang on...

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Thanks, Phil. Much appreciated. I was also on Radio Live with Maggie Barry, suggesting that if the gummint continued to squeeze TVNZ for dividends and treat it as a 'cash' cow', its final destination was likely to be Jimbo's petfood factory. But she didn't get the joke!

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    Rodney Hide who has had to be rescued twice whilst swimming across the Waitemata.

    Rescued is a bit harsh, he just didn't make the time limit so they stopped him and picked him up. Say what you like about his politics and promotion of his "brand", but it's pretty rough to give him grief for failing to finish a mammoth swim event that I couldn't even contemplate starting.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • uroskin,

    I'll keep the conversation to the weather and the state of the roads.

    Wot? A Tory dinner party without mentioning house prices? A worse crime than using the wrong fork.

    Regards TVNZ charter, there was a mention on Morning Report that TV One's Maori programmes (in marginal slots) have a greater reach than the entire Maori Television service. Given MTS is only using 1/3 of a day to actually broadcast (what a waste of satellite transponder space!) it would make economic sense to handover the MTS funding to TVNZ and thus fulfill the Treaty obligations regarding broadcasting far more efficiently.

    Waiheke Island • Since Feb 2007 • 178 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Admiring Rodney for giving it a go is a far cry from promoting him in adverts as an example of success, surely.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    it would make economic sense to handover the MTS funding to TVNZ and thus fulfill the Treaty obligations regarding broadcasting far more efficiently.

    I'd rather do the opposite.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kaipara Possum,

    hmm...largely corruption free? Having worked in local Govt (Rodney District Council) and represented at least one industrial organization (NZ Master Builders), I have had also insight / personal experience with a number of NZ companys.
    Summarizing, New Zealand is (in my experience) only as corrupt as your average small latin-american banana republic (we are not even a republic).
    Btw, anyone who can tell me one Government election promise, which has not been broken, or one has actually been followed through as per pre-election campaign will get ... well whatever - a free banana?
    Yet, the rather hapless Government (apart from the dozen or so scandals in the first year) still enjoy's 60% or so support.
    Nah, no corruption in New Zealand, but in what parallel universe are these people living?

    Kaipara Harbour / Northla… • Since Nov 2008 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Was I the only one to hear one Geoff Lealand interviewed on Morning Report about the TVNZ Bill?

    Nope. Also, yesterday, Emma, savaging some poor author.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    ooo robyn you are an internet sleuth

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Admiring Rodney for giving it a go is a far cry from promoting him in adverts as an example of success, surely.

    Given the big personal changes that he's made in his lifestyle and health, and that "you're only worth promoting if you achieve the incredibly hard" is a terrible message to send to society, I'd have to disagree. 'Success' can have more than one measure.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I meant 'success' purely in a swimming race.

    I haven't seen the bus in question, so perhaps they were promoting the give-it-a-go angle? Though you'd think they'd use Dancing With the Stars for that..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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