Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Not actually satire

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  • Tom Semmens,

    Lets face it, Burqua Bob got elected on the "Clarkson discount" that allowed him to use his position as a local potentate to wrought the electoral spending laws and get away with it.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    In related news. Don't you think it was disrespectful and rude to ask about the Peters issue when Condoleezza Rice was in town?

    No. Asking Doctor Rice when the hell she's going to get married, and whether she feels any shame about being the house nigger of the Bush Administration -- that would be rude and disrespectful.

    Lets face it, Burqua Bob got elected on the "Clarkson discount" that allowed him to use his position as a local potentate to wrought the electoral spending laws and get away with it

    Let's face it, Tom. A panel of three High Court judges considered Winston's electoral petition, and not only threw it out but ordered him to pay around $40K of Owen Glenn's secret stash towards Clarkson's expenses. But I guess we all forget Peters in the only person in the whole wide world who "understands the facts and the law".

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

  • Don Christie,

    Hide lodges Peters complaint with Serious Fraud Office

    This gets better and better. I vote that we make a complaint about *every* political trust fund to the SFO.

    That should keep them busy until they get disbanded.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    So in other words Craig, you think its fine for some wannabe local aristocrat to assert his feudal right to paint "Vote for me" on every building in town, and because he owns the town only have to account for the paint in his electoral return?

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Don't you think it was disrespectful and rude to ask about the Peters issue when Condoleezza Rice was in town? The news article on TV3 was inappropriate. Duncan Garner had no right to ask questions about internal politics when we had a foreign government representative at the press conference.

    One suspects that the media decided to crash the Foreign Affairs media conference, because Winston had done a... well Winston, and hadn't actually answered any of their questions when he returned from overseas.

    Yes I'm sure they knew it would embarrass him, and her. And probably taking their own sweet revenge of him was part of their plan.

    Lawyers could go, 'cept my main man Michael Cullen

    Does Cullen have a law degree?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    So in other words Craig, you think its fine for some wannabe local aristocrat to assert his feudal right to paint "Vote for me" on every building in town, and because he owns the town only have to account for the paint in his electoral return?

    No, Tom, in very plain English indeed I actually think three High Court judges know their arses from their elbows where the law is concerned, despite what Winston was loudly (and predictably) claiming afterwards. Deal with it.

    One suspects that the media decided to crash the Foreign Affairs media conference...

    They did not such thing, Kyle. They were invited, allocated four questions and were not required to submit them to MFAT, Winston's office or the US State Department for approval beforehand. If Winnie feels "disrespected", perhaps he's nobody to blame but himself.

    Does Cullen have a law degree?

    He don't need no stinking law degree!

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

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Does Cullen have a law degree?

    Sorry, no but only the second non lawyer to become Attorney General.

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

  • Steve Barnes,

    Does Cullen have a law degree?

    MA in History at Canterbury University. Receiving the Commonwealth Scholarship he then gained a Ph.D. in Social and Economic History from the University of Edinburgh. Ref

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    A Ph.D. in Social and Economic History from the University of Edinburgh. seems to be a "Better" qualification for running a country than,

    gained degrees in commerce and English literature at the University of Otago and Victoria University of Wellington, respectively. After completing his studies, he returned to Dipton to work as a farmer. In 1987,

    Bill English
    Or,

    attended Burnside High School, and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree in accounting from the University of Canterbury in 1981. He has attended management studies courses at Harvard University, although he did not receive a degree from this institution.

    John Key

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    I seem to recall reading somewhere that one-third of all degrees granted in the last few years are in commerce. That's just bloody depressing.

    OTOH, I don't think one degree is necessarily better than another for running the country - the key, if you will, is whether it teaches you how to think and analyse information. And that outcome is heavily dependent on the assessment and teaching, rather than the content.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    He don't need no stinking law degree!

    Do they smell any worse that the others... mine's from Waikato, apparently that makes it really smelly!

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    I thought Trotter wasn't too off target on the panel this afternoon, no great insight. It was like turning the clock back 20yrs and having a sports commentry on the moral strength of amateur rugby and the evils of lifting in he line-out. Not relevant to today but he new his stuff.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    I know of many who seek a Waikato degree because it's fresh and not musty, mouldy or tainted by association with (David Round,...)

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Mine's old but (as old as they get in fact), so probably a bit musty! But I had heard that many of my fellow graduates did fine despite some firms expressing disquiet about "quality".

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Peters addressing parliament (vid stream, a few minutes long):
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/multimedia/video.cfm?c_id=280&gal_objectid=10524371&gallery_id=1742

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    the key, if you will, is whether it teaches you how to think and analyse information.

    And out of Key, English or Cullen, who learned the most? On top of that you have the experience gained as an MP since 1981 as opposed to English's 1990 or Key's 2002.
    National's leadership lacks depth and maturity. That makes me wonder whether we are seeing the real leaders or a pair of sock puppets. If they are the real leaders then God help this country if they get the Treasury benches, if not, then God help this country when their secret backers get their filthy hands in our till.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Young,

    Thanks for the hat tip, and to my
    namesake, might I ask him to
    consider that events across the
    Tasman certainly do have relevance
    in the current context, particularly as
    the articles about the proposed writ
    of mandamus refer to immigration
    fraud in this country?

    Surely a serious business, whoever
    was involved in these alleged machinations.

    Craig Y

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 573 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig:

    I can bore to Olympic standards on what is wrong with immigration policy here and across the ditch, but I stand by my assertion that "Dog doesn't bite man, but it might - perhaps" isn't news. It's Investigate and Ian Wishart's more fantastical vapourings.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    Does anybody else think certain people are getting a little bit wrapped up in themselves when this is the first paragraph of the lead story on the New Zealand Herald's website?

    The relationship between the media and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit a new low.

    Sorry guys. Go and bitch about it over a drink after work, but don't act like your relationship with a politician is national news.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    And out of Key, English or Cullen, who learned the most?

    A history PhD is very difficult.

    Which is why I dropped out of mine after four years. :)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    National's leadership lacks depth and maturity.

    That's certainly my view.

    If Key was to become PM, he'd have marginally more or less experience than David Lange and as much as I personally liked and admired David, it's pretty well documented that he struggled with aspects of the job having not been in government previously (and Lange's got significantly more talent than Key)

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    "Dog doesn't bite man, but it might - perhaps" isn't news.

    But it is law. You have to keep it on a lead because.....er...........well, it might.

    It's Investigate and Ian Wishart's more fantastical vapourings.

    vapourings, are they like smokerings?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    or tainted by association with (David Round,...)

    Could you expand on this a little? I knew David Round when I was at Canterbury and he was a reasonable sort of chap. A bit of a greenie too. When did he turn into a raging reactionary? Staying in Christchurch all your life seems to do something to some people viz Dennis Dutton, the Wizard, the +Zenith mob..

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

  • Steve Barnes,

    If Key was to become PM, he'd have marginally more or less experience than David Lange

    You're not alone

    "John Key really has charisma, doesn't he? He's like the young David Lange, only thinner, richer and more out of touch with the needs of his constituents. And he's the leader of the National Party, and he doesn't actually have any actual policy of his own except a vague, reactionary plan to send taggers to boot-camp. Oh, and he has none of Lange's famous oratory flair, and he's not really respected all over the world. But apart from those things, they're virtually identical."

    Mark Neilson

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    A history PhD is very difficult.

    I can imagine. A history MPhil is hard enough!

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

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