Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Not so much evil as stupid ...

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  • Kyle Matthews,

    I find the line about "putting confusion in referees' minds" quite bizarre. The mark of a confident referee is that he will listen to a touch judge and if he disagrees, simply say so and carry on.

    I've watched matches a couple of times in rugby where the touch judge has put his flag out, talked to the referee at the stoppage of play, and the referee has clearly seen the original incident, thought it was OK, but then 'had' to do something because the touchie brought it up.

    At least, that was the commentators interpretation, and it looked like what happened as well. So, unfortunately, that doesn't always happen in rugby.

    Other sports it'd never happen of course. Touch judges know they're small fry, and stick to their job.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    that Auckland hadn't had pretty

    heh.... that auckland had pretty...

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    They had obviously been expecting a chilly or non existent reception, and the look on their faces was great.

    And where the f%#k did this idea come from? I heard the same BS on Radio Live news. As if there was some expectation that disapointed fans were going to go to the airport to heckle the team as LOSERS!!?? Puh-lease!

    The best guess is that Giltrap still hasn't got over the V8 race not being staged.

    And thank #$%@ it wasn't. I was in the Gold Coast last week of September and they were already creating major traffic woes by setting up for this months Indy Whatever.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    My very last comment on the refereeing (I promise):

    In the age of professionalism, it is beyond me why the same touchies and the referee are not kept together as a unit for all games. Combinations, as Grahame Henry found out, are important in the big games.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    I would have the same opinion about most of these "cultural events"

    Scare quotes around cultural events. Uh-oh. This doesn't look promising.

    i fail to see why local or central government has to pay for people's hobbies unless it has an economic return for the country as a whole. The social return is enhanced by people paying for it themselves.

    Sometimes, you know, it's just nice to dance in the streets without having to worry about economic or social return.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    Sometimes, you know, it's just nice to dance in the streets without having to worry about economic or social return.

    If you want to dance in the streets by all means do so. But do you really need a council grant to do it? Get your neighbours together, close off the street, and have a streetparty! And if you live on a main transport route then perhaps have the party at a local park instead.

    Just don't ask the council for permission to close off your cul-de-sac for a street party. Or you'll need to provide a traffic management plan, a letter signed by all residents, and approval from local authorities like Police and Ambulance. And pay for flyers to go throughout the greater area alerting the wider community of your intended road closure. Which may or may not alert undesirables to your forthcoming street party. So you'll probably need professional security, which will cost.

    Oh. I see why you'll need a council grant. $3000 should cover it.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Here is another story I heard: The four year old daughter of a female of my acquaintance got up and left the room after the All Black's lost. When her Mum went to see where she was, she was in her room with all her All Black figurines lined up, and she was knocking them over one by one.

    In my student flat that morning, there were three people watching the game: me, the female Indian international student, and the cat (also a girl). The guys were giving a bad name to twenty-something uni students by staying in bed and getting up only to look at us funny and complain about the noise. And then they laughed at us when the final whistle blew. I find their lack of true New Zealand masculinity very depressing.

    ...Well, not really. It means I can make a good claim to being the man of the house.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Tony Judd,

    Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Doug Howlett, New Zealand's record try-scorer in international rugby, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of criminal damage after an incident at the team hotel in London

    Not all of the All Blacks were taking the defeat lying down - Doug Howlett allegedly decided to teach a few cars a lesson. Rumours of a hotel trashing also.

    Perth • Since Nov 2006 • 63 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    The Brethren are an ideology, like Communists or Libertarians.

    Jewishness is both a race and a (religious) ideology - you can be one and not the other. Moreover, you can choose the ideology bit but not the race bit.

    People have every right to their ideologies, however crazy. Others have every right to criticise them and call them crazy. People don't choose their race, so we shouldn't attack people for it.

    Moreover, the nation is reasonably entitled so set some rules to ensure fairness in political campaigning. If an ideological group decides to try and end-run those rules, they might reasonably expect criticism.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    <tangent>

    Jewishness is both a race and a...

    That's the bit that's always confused me. If an Innuit converts to Judaism are they then racially Jewish and not Innuit? What race do African Jews belong to? Can Roman Catholics be both a race and an ideology?

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • jb,

    Sean Plunkett did OK up to a point, but he didn't ask the question that was screaming out to be asked:

    "What - as Minister - have you done to ensure that security assessments are read, analysed, prioritised and communicated within your organisation in a timely manner?"

    It's fine to try to nail the guy, but the electorate is entitled to know how Peters' organisation is run

    a.small.town.in.germany • Since Jan 2007 • 86 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    Good point JB.

    I've googled without success but wasn't there also another incident a few weeks back when Peters had failed to read a paper or press release issued to him? I recall him smirking on One News (walking into the House) when he was caught out having earlier in the day complained about not being consulted over some policy announcement Labour had made.

    It's a different kettle of fish but the 9/11 attack could have gone differently if people who should have been reading reports issued to them actually did.

    If our politicians/bureaucrats aren't reading the reports then lets cut the numebr of politicians and consultants by 50%. That might halve costs and double output.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    It's a different kettle of fish but the 9/11 attack could have gone differently if people who should have been reading reports issued to them actually did.

    I think it's relevant. If you're going to make an issue of the unheeded reports before 9/11, then you can't give Peters' office a free pass here.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I've googled without success but wasn't there also another incident a few weeks back when Peters had failed to read a paper or press release issued to him? I recall him smirking on One News (walking into the House) when he was caught out having earlier in the day complained about not being consulted over some policy announcement Labour had made.

    I think it was the SIS report on Zaoui. You'd think he'd have been interested in that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Oh, and an apology to C&R's Aaron Bhatnagar for a comment further up the thread. It wasn't the Hero Parade he criticised as a waste of money, but the council function to mark the anniversary of homosexual law reform. I don't think he's said anything about Hero itself.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    If an Inuit converts to Judaism are they then racially Jewish and not Inuit?

    No, they'd be an Inuit who believes in Judaism.

    Can Roman Catholics be both a race and an ideology?

    No, because Catholic belief (although it started amongst Europeans) is spread around many different ethnic groups. There is no real correlation (except in certain areas, like Northern Ireland, where those who identify as Irish are mostly Catholic and those who identify as British are mostly Protestants).

    I think the way the Jewish people have become uniquely identified with a particular religion stems from two main factors: the way they were ostracised for many years, and the fact that (mainstream) Judaism actively discourages proselytisation. So most people who adhere to a form of the Jewish religion are racially Jewish. Except Madonna.

    (The converse is less so: famous non-observant Jews include Disraeli, Marx and Bob Dylan).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    The whole concept of race starts to fall in on itself once you start digging.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    paging Dr Che, Dr Che there's a call for you on line 1.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    I think it was the SIS report on Zaoui.

    BINGO!

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • jb,

    This comes down to a key senior management task.

    You can't read everything, but you have people for that.
    It's your job (my job) to train those people to analyse and distribute accordingly. They need to know I need to see for my decision and what I need to see as having been actioned by my department/division.
    Plus the stuff that I don't even need to be aware of, because it's routine.

    It's never going to be perfect, but there are 2 (and only 2 outcomes) of a major glitch
    Either I - as a senior manager - haven't instructed my staff clearly or my staff didn't follow instructions or made an erroneous judgement and - as a senior manager - you take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again.

    I've found that it's a fairly self-regulating system and devolves responsibility effectively.

    Mind you, if you're a megalomaniac prick, it might not work....

    a.small.town.in.germany • Since Jan 2007 • 86 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    Well this turned out well. I can imagine a lot of people wishing they hadn't voted for Swney or Hinchcliff right about now...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • InternationalObserver,

    ah yes, the curse of democracy: does one vote for the candidate one wants, or does one vote strategicly ...?

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    ah yes, the curse of democracy: does one vote for the candidate one wants, or does one vote strategicly ...?

    Be interesting to see how that vote would have turned out had it been run under STV. Someone run out and interview a dozen Sweeny supporters and see if they would have ranked Hubbard or Banks higher.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Be interesting to see how that vote would have turned out had it been run under STV. Someone run out and interview a dozen Sweeny supporters and see if they would have ranked Hubbard or Banks higher.

    In this morning's post I've advanced the view that under STV Banks wouldn't have won.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

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