Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Ready to Fly

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    Completely random reason to be cheerful, from the (London) Times

    The Coast of Utopia, Tom Stoppard’s eight-hour trilogy about intellectuals in pre-revolutionary Russia, has won seven Tony Awards to become the most acclaimed play in Broadway history.

    The British playwright’s epic topped the previous record of six Tonys for a drama set by Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesmanin 1949 and Alan Bennett’s The History Boys last year.

    See where THINKING and trusting your audience can do the same gets you Debs? :)

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

  • Russell Brown,

    Craig, if I didn't know you as a man of integrity, I'd think you were just having us on there ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • nic.wise,

    I sort of wish I hadn't been so rampantly unshaven throughout, but apart from that,

    Um, most times I've met you "somewhat unshaven" would be a good description. :)

    And not in a bad way. Part of the charm etc ;-) Can't wait to see it - be a ncie change from the b0ll1cks on US TV here..... (sigh)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Had to pinch myself too, Russell. OTOH, Xanadu: The Musical is in previews (based on the film the director of Outfoxed etc. quietly leaves off his CV nowadays, and tests even my appetite for high camp), so this may be the exception that proves the rule.

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

  • Don Christie,

    Good show from Damian Christie with a nice conclusion. NZ's not a bad place. Worth preserving, eh?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Russell, I believe you have linked the Time story on Vietnam by mistake where you intend to link the Panal podcast.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    You don't have to be barking mad to be a former Act MP, but it clearly helps.

    In my experience, it helps to be barking mad before you become an Act MP as well.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    My thought too Kyle.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Xanadu: The Musical is in previews (based on the film the director of Outfoxed etc. quietly leaves off his CV nowadays, and tests even my appetite for high camp)

    Olivia Newton-John stars as Terpsichore, the Muse of Dance, who appears in order to help some dude start a roller disco. With the help of a be-wheeled and ancient Gene Kelly.

    [blank look]

    I'm sorry, I don't understand. What's campy about that, Craig? ;)

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

  • Neil Graham,

    really fine story on the issue for Close Up last night

    And to think I watched Campbell Live's combo of... Kids are obese and worried about their image.

    The world is going a bit funny I think.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 118 posts Report Reply

  • Karen Hester,

    Irrelevant clarification of random reason to be happy - The coast of Utopia is a trilogy in the sense that Trois couleurs is. Most people watched the three plays separately, often months apart, and at those prices many just saw one. Or none, if you're a cheap bastard like me. So not eight hours of dedicated watching.

    Nonetheless, yey Stoppard for engaging our brains.

    Legally Blonde the musical was nominated for 7 Tonys...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 9 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Yawn, tell when I can get theatre on my iPod and then maybe I'll see it.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    really fine story on the issue for Close Up last night

    And to think I watched Campbell Live's combo of... Kids are obese and worried about their image.

    The world is going a bit funny I think.

    In our house, we did 'violent tv is bad for kids'... via Futurama.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    In our house, we did 'violent tv is bad for kids'... via Futurama.

    'Bite my shiny metal ass'!

    Us too...

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Nobody Important,

    Those that fail to learn from the mistakes of history are condemned to repeat them. So WTF was Bollard thinking when he spent $1.5 Billion of our surplus funds on this dumbRs attempt to devalue our dollar? Surely he knew what happened when the British tried the same in 1992? Squillionaire George Soros thought he'd accept the challenge, took a punt, and won.
    This from Wikipedia

    Soros is famously known for "breaking the Bank of England" on Black Wednesday in 1992.

    You can find out more about Black Wednesday here

    Black Wednesday refers to 16 September 1992 when the Conservative government of the day was forced to withdraw the Pound from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) due to pressure by currency speculators—most notably George Soros who made over US$1 billion from this speculation. In 1997 the UK Treasury estimated the cost of Black Wednesday at £3.4 billion

    Jeez, if I knew this stuff then surely Bollard did too. Baiting Currency Traders is probably the dumbRsiest thing he's done since trying to tell the Japanese our economy wasn't worth investing in.

    expat • Since Mar 2007 • 319 posts Report Reply

  • Brent Jackson,

    Can you imagine a major New Zealand exporting sector having its most important market closed down while a foreign regulator keeps its counsel? Yikes.

    What ? Like exporting apples to Australia ?

    Aust willing to let in NZ apples, except in WA

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 620 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Legally Blonde the musical was nominated for 7 Tonys...

    And got thoroughly spanked by Spring Awakening - another left-field winner, so double justice!

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

  • Russell Brown,

    Russell, I believe you have linked the Time story on Vietnam by mistake where you intend to link the Panal podcast.

    Thanks. Fixed now.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Sigh ... Phil Wallington has now weighed in on the Press Council story, declaring ""That article was absolutely fine - it's freedom of speech".

    Let me explain this in terms simple enough for a former Holmes producer to grasp.

    ACP publications, including North & South, voluntarily subscribe to Press Council standards. The Press Council found that Coddington's story fell short of the standards relating to accuracy and discrimination. As a consequence, North & South is obliged to print part of the Press Council's ruling. That's it.

    No one's free speech has been abridged. But North & South has fallen short of standards it chose to adopt.

    Like Franks, Wallington seems to think the Press Council is a good thing so long as it never finds in favour of the public.

    He went on to talk about journalism as a career for young people, particularly among ethnic minorities. I think I have two young journalists here who understand that quite a bit better than he does.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    I was shocked at Ryans ref to Maori & Asian as THEY have THEIR own media.
    Is she proposing Apartheid or justifying the exclusion from the mainstream?

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    but I do have quite a busy itinerary, which includes, if I'm up to it, meeting some local bloggers at a coffee shop that holds swing dance classes on Wednesday nights.

    like the rest of that island nation, Singapore's coffee shops are quite odd

    If ever a nation had no soul....

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

  • Hadyn Green,

    Come now Russell, surely you realise that by not allowing people to say whatever they want (regardless of its truthiness) you are violating their right to free speech.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    like the rest of that island nation, Singapore's coffee shops are quite odd

    If ever a nation had no soul....

    No, it's a Vietnamese coffee shop. Much more soulful.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Leigh Kennaway,

    I believe Stephen Franks was the guy who issued a nonsensical press release shortly after 9/11 saying it was wonderful to see the brave and hardy people of New York getting on with cleaning up the dreadful mess, unhindered by namby pamby interfering socialist nonsense like the Resource Management Act and OSH.

    Of course time has shown that if the officials had paused first, analysed what they were actually cleaning up, worked out the safest way to clean it up and the best way to dump it, a lot of very serious health issues would not be suffered by a great many people.

    Western Bays • Since Feb 2007 • 79 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    The saving grace is Franks lack of charm, he is his own worse enemy.

    At 54 is Coddington still the oldermans MILF?
    At least she can't stand on a right economic platform or can she - Rodney hocked off dodgy Fijian Timeshares.

    From Wiki on Coddington
    "I find it difficult coming into the House and attacking people. I'm not angry any more. And I don't see things in black and white."

    hmm

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

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