Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Grown men might weep at the rucking

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  • giovanni tiso,

    Oh, but Gareth wasn't half as nasty.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And a great review Here

    Its funny because its true -- but, seriously, motion sickness is not what I go to the movies for. :)

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

  • Rich Lock,

    Oh, but Gareth wasn't half as nasty.

    I wonder if Grant is familiar with this exchange from The Office:

    Tim: And what happens, you're going into battle situation, right, you are up the front, with your men, or are you coming up the rear?

    Grant: Well, depends...

    Dawn: So it's possible you'd come up the rear?

    Grant: It's possible, yeah.

    Tim: That's all we wanted to know.

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

  • Sacha,

    Is it in yet?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    Ewwwww.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Warning reading back up this thread, could cause uncomfortable and unwanted images of Grant Dexter, dressed in only his socks, sandals, walk shorts, and neck tie.

    singing "Onwards Christian soldiers"....

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

  • Islander,

    "going on before"
    (4th line as I recall(

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Prematurely..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    :)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Well, I have to share this with someone, on a rainy Sunday morning--another great game from the Chiefs last night and they are back on top of the table.It was great to see current/potential AB vs AB. A great crowd too, with the Waikato Stadium booked out by Wednesday.

    Just had an 6 minute on-air chat with Gary from Radio ZB Newstalk about blogs (following up on the letter I had in the Listener). I gave big ups for PA and Editing the Herald. I wonder who would be listening, on a Sunday morning.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    It was great to see current/potential AB vs AB. A great crowd too, with the Waikato Stadium booked out by Wednesday.

    Harrumph. I'm glad I didn't waste my evening watching all of the Blues' game.

    Just had an 6 minute on-air chat with Gary from Radio ZB Newstalk about blogs (following up on the letter I had in the Listener). I gave big ups for PA and Editing the Herald. I wonder who would be listening, on a Sunday morning.

    Lots of people, probably. Thanks for the kind words, Geoff.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I was probly gnashing my teeth at the bias on timeshifted Q&A instead. Bad enough when the host is running National Party talking points (and grimacing off-camera it would appear) without adding an ex-candidate and ex-President to skew the panel a little more.

    Boag delivered the "you've already been consulted by the Royal Commission" line without the slightest correction from anyone. Holmes slipped in a comment about grey academics just as he finished talking with the person he was describing so they had no chance to respond. Tamihere recycled smears about sexuality to his host's visible delight. Cowardly dickheads.

    Interesting nonetheless to see how Melissa Lee and David Shearer came across. And was it just me, or is Chester Borrows a calming influence on Michael Lawhs?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    A great crowd too, with the Waikato Stadium booked out by Wednesday.

    Really?

    Sounded like a ghastly cacophony of cowbells to me. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

    BTW, what's this "thread that won't die" that everyone's whispering about?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    BTW, what's this "thread that won't die"

    Possibly, The abortion one although can't remember it's name.

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

  • 3410,

    Possibly, The abortion one although can't remember it's name.

    Hey, I know the Copyright Must Change thread has had its problems, but that's perhaps slightly too harsh.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    ;)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    Hey, I know the Copyright Must Change thread has had its problems, but that's perhaps slightly too harsh.

    I don't see how you can get those two mixed up.

    The copyright threat is interminable.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Sounded like a ghastly cacophony of cowbells to me. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

    Well, I guess you had to be there. It was genial and good natured in the Perry Stand and the final score was a bonus. It might have been even more if Brendon Leonard had been playing.

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

  • Emma Hart,

    Sounded like a ghastly cacophony of cowbells to me.

    Pff, there was a brass band at the Crusaders game. Srsly, wtf?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    From an article in today's Sunday Times. Two words: arms race. I think more likely, if the criminal element knows the cops carry pistols on routine patrol, the crims will pack SMG's in response. I keep thinking of this Mike Moreu cartoon. Furthermore, Molenaar appears to be an isolated case and wasn't a gang member, as most NZ Army veterans seem to fold back into civillian life quite easily, compared with a lot of their US conterparts.

    And if the horse has indeed bolted, as implied in the article, maybe an arms amnesty could do the trick, as long as Bill English & Treasury think it won't cost too much.

    Mr Laws said he was certain the gang patch ban law would be taken up nationwide.

    He also said he would like to see the police armed.

    "Every time you see an incident like this (the Napier siege) and you see armed police, people actually feel safer," Mr Laws said.

    "I think we've got to a stage in New Zealand where there are so many bad people out there and the public requires reassurance.

    "In a place like South Auckland on a Saturday night it seems senseless that you wouldn't simply automatically, routinely, arm your cops."

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

  • A S,

    I think more likely, if the criminal element knows the cops carry pistols on routine patrol, the crims will pack SMG's in response.

    I suspect you'll find that a lot of criminally inclined individuals, particularly those involved in drugs, tend to be fairly heavily armed already anyway. Although, mostly they seem to arm themselves to deal with their compatriots, rather than for use against police. I don't know that arming the police will make much difference when such a large proportion are armed already.

    My reservation about routinely arming the police is that they should have sufficient training before they are let loose on the streets with firearms on a daily basis. Their current training is pitiful, and the last thing I'd want to see is a police officer doing something stupid (or god forbid, fatal) in a stressful situation due to insufficient training.

    On another thing, from memory, the most likely weapon to be found by police in the hands of criminals is a sawn off shot gun, or a sporting rifle cut down to pistol size. SMG's don't pop up very often, and they tend to be harder to find in NZ.

    And if the horse has indeed bolted, as implied in the article, maybe an arms amnesty could do the trick, as long as Bill English & Treasury think it won't cost too much.

    I suspect any reluctance to go down that route would mostly boil down to the generally ineffectual nature of amnesties and buy-backs. Generally, people with illegal firearms don't tend to act like good citizens and hand them in, amnesty or not. Although, if the price is right, a lot of legal gun owners would probably hand in worn out rifles, and use the money to buy new ones. Possibly not what was originally intended though.

    I think it is important to point out here that the gun laws we have here are actually amongst the best in the world, with a very good balance struck between privileges enjoyed and obligations incumbent on licensed owners. This tends to be reflected in the fact that the current rules are supported by the vast majority of those that hold a firearms license (with limited grumbling in minor areas).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2007 • 269 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    A S - agree with your comments, especially about training police officers for using firearms...I've used various forms of firearms since I was a kid, always either for target shooting, or kill-for-food. The rules are the same:know your weapon, ammo, & range; check your target, check what lies in front of & behind target, NEVER shoot at anything you cant clearly see...and practise-

    A lot of police officers dont now come from rural backgrounds, and their firearms training & practise is - inadequate.

    And I thoroughly tautoko your last paragraph, as a gun-licenced person.

    A major problem is the number of *unlicenced* gun-owners out there, and, as you write, amnesties dont work. I dont know what would work: people who are criminally inclined will keep their weapons until they're seized...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    steven: gold.

    Have you got any theories about truck door art?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The mainstay of provincial signwriting artistry.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    Noted, Rob (just so you don't feel missed) ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

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