Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Reasons to be cheerful

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  • David Cormack,

    Reasons to be cheerful says the heading!

    Wonderful says I!

    And what is this reason to be cheerful, why the Great Blend is back. That's fantastic I think.

    But oh no, not in Wellington.

    And here's some cheerful domestic abuse information.

    I'd hate to read a post titled "reasons to be sad"!!!

    Suburbia, Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    There are always lots of reasons to be happy, according to this guy. We had the AKA (Auckland Kindergarten Association for those not in the know) teachers' conference on Wednesday, and had Dr Happy for a couple of hours. Good for him, but it begs the question, why does the phrase Healthy Thinking need that trademark thingy on it? And why do people make money from respinning ancient philosophies ? ie it's not what happens to you in life, it's how you react to it.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    The fact that Bill Ralston used to run TVNZ news stuns me.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • LIISA,

    Hi Russell,

    Quite off topic, but maybe people would like something nice to listen to?

    Here's the web page (inc. downloadable audio where possible!) of a live music radio show RNZ National did at Roundhead Studios last week.
    The Naked & Famous, The Mots, Dictaphone Blues, Dr Colossus & Neil Finn & Friends (Don McGlashan, Sean from SJD, Bic Runga etc) playd for a studio audience... and RNZ. Its a beautiful thing.

    www.radionz.co.nz/musicdownload

    Wellie • Since May 2008 • 46 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It's not just Obama by the look of it. This video of Hilary Clinton's arrival at the Stare Department is extraordinary:

    Scott Horton at Harpers, possibly overdoing it a wee bit, says "The reaction of State Department employees as Hillary Clinton arrived this morning apparently bears comparison to the liberation of Paris at the end of World War II."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    And why do people make money from respinning ancient philosophies ? ie it's not what happens to you in life, it's how you react to it.

    Indeed. That's as good an epitome of early Stoicism, as taught by Xeno roughly 2200 years ago, as any I have seen.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Is it too early to start touting revoked as the Word of the Year?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    possibly overdoing it a wee bit

    Watching that, I don't think so. Palpable relief all round.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Perhaps you can think of additional reasons to be cheerful ...

    No more Guantanamo?

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Scott Horton at Harpers, possibly overdoing it a wee bit, says "The reaction of State Department employees as Hillary Clinton arrived this morning apparently bears comparison to the liberation of Paris at the end of World War II."

    Probably more an indication of much a lot of those people have disliked where they've been taken as a professional unit over the past eight years.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    And what is this reason to be cheerful, why the Great Blend is back. That's fantastic I think.

    But oh no, not in Wellington.

    One is terribly saddened to hear this! Perhaps some of us Wellington-based PA regulars could organise a less formal get-together?

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Probably more an indication of much a lot of those people have disliked where they've been taken as a professional unit over the past eight years.

    A professional unit? I think much of the rest of the world has very good reason to despise what the empire-building, in-fighting retards at State have wrought over the years.

    Scott Horton at Harpers, possibly overdoing it a wee bit, says "The reaction of State Department employees as Hillary Clinton arrived this morning apparently bears comparison to the liberation of Paris at the end of World War II."

    Apparently Scott Horton is a fucking moron who should go back to high school and do remedial history.

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

  • Sacha,

    Perhaps some of us Wellington-based PA regulars could organise a less formal get-together?

    Or a visit north?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Perhaps some of us Wellington-based PA regulars could organise a less formal get-together?

    Yes please. Some sort of Lesser Blend.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Jim Hopkins Godwins himself this morning:

    And while this particular someone is clearly unique, we should still beware those gospel chorus journalists whose uncritical credulity makes mock of the scepticism their craft requires. This rush to anoint Barack H. Obama as a secular messiah ignores the fact that we've already seen a few of those, Adolf Hitler arguably being the most obvious.

    Fortunately, there was also Winston Churchill - a man of greater character and restraint - to stem the Fuehrer's messianic crusade.

    Who knew there was no middle ground to be had between "deeply unpopular" and "Hiteresque"?

    But oddly, I agree with Hopkins' conclusion:

    For the moment, our scribes seem preoccupied with what should be the least important thing of all, the colour of the President's skin.

    There is beauty in the symbolism of Obama's victory but it shouldn't matter.

    Competence, not race, should be the only measure of every politician. That and the fact that politicians will always be driven to compromise and equivocation. It's immaterial whether a leader is black or white or if they encourage others to see the world in black and white terms - the choices they make will always be grey.

    I'm surprised how little Obama's race seems to matter now that he is in the White House. What matters is those first, decisive executive orders.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    Quite off topic, but maybe people would like something nice to listen to?

    Reasons to be cheerful: I found the button on the RadioNZ site that changed the file format to MP3 just when I was about to cry about not getting to hear Neil Finn & Friends. Hurray!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Perhaps some of us Wellington-based PA regulars could organise a less formal get-together?

    A grand idea

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    Perhaps you can think of additional reasons to be cheerful ...

    Easy for me this week. Dancehall: The Rise Of Jamaican Dancehall Culture, the new double CD retrospective from Soul Jazz is up on EMusic so you can grab it for under $15 (would be $49-$59 in the shops).

    It's a beautiful thing with a load of dancehall classics from the likes of General Echo and Eek-a-Mouse through to lesser knowns like Reggie Stepper and Early B. It has the original Ini Kamoze World A Music that became Damien Marley's smash hit Welcome to Jamrock as well as extended mixes from Tristan Palmer and Gregory Isaacs (one of the few performers to creditably span rocksteady to ragga).

    But best of all it's got the full extended mix of Cornell Campbell's Mash you Down complete with DJ version by (I think) I-Roy. Heavy lyrics, beautiful soulful voice and a sunshine rhythm, that's what it's all about.

    I'm totally loving Emusic for that this week.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    A professional unit? I think much of the rest of the world has very good reason to despise what the empire-building, in-fighting retards at State have wrought over the years.

    From the dictionary:

    Professional: following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __Perhaps some of us Wellington-based PA regulars could organise a less formal get-together?__

    A grand idea

    Indeed. I'll see what I can do to help.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    This video of Hilary Clinton's arrival at the Stare Department is extraordinary

    You can't quite tell in the video but I can't see any blinking either

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    There is beauty in the symbolism of Obama's victory but it shouldn't matter.

    Which just confirms how little Hopkins knows about the USA.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I'm surprised how little Obama's race seems to matter now that he is in the White House. What matters is those first, decisive executive orders.

    Agreed. And Obama made only fleeting mention of race himself. It's important, no one can deny this but Hopkins' conclusion is right, a bad president is a bad president...

    What I'm finding frustrating though is a growing tendency to dismiss support for Obama as little more that positive discrimination. That's crap.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    You can't quite tell in the video but I can't see any blinking either

    Ha. Careful but, that's your editor your bagging...

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Kyle:

    I don't really want to get into a game of my dick-tionary is bigger than yours, but "professional" also carries connotations of competence and ability to achieve a goal. I don't think you have to be at Chomsky/Fisk levels of cynicism, to wonder if the US State Department has ever deserved that courtesy.

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

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