Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Shihad are like the All Blacks, only more reliable

143 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Newer→ Last

  • daleaway,

    Those Chinese students will probably end up running the country as policy analysts one day, too.
    Here's hoping it's their own country.

    Since Jul 2007 • 198 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    "Here's hoping it's their own country."

    Was that Chinese go home?

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    ah the water whirler.

    it's always reminded me of being very drunk and trying to pee.

    lots of rotating hip movements and raking streams of water.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    Was that Chinese go home?

    what it was was a slightly aggressive display of chinese nationalism, in downtown wellington.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Jarrod Baker,

    Next year's festival could do with better production in the indie and electronic stages

    From what I've heard the indie stage got something like the fourth or fifth best best PA (with the good equipment going to the "important" stages) - which the engineers then had a bit of hard time getting to sound good inside a tin shed.

    Wellington • Since Dec 2006 • 32 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Apparently that always happens, Jarrod. My brother's band Breaks Co-op played at one of the BDO's and they were a bit pissed off because the sound was so bad. They weren't important enough I guess. And when they went on tour with Goldenhorse, their sound was fine, but apparently not as good as the headliner's. Don't really understand that, myself.
    Russell, tell your darling the video is great, would you? I love Len Lye's contraptions, and she captured it beautifully. Doesn't Wellington's waterfront make you want to cry that we haven't got it right yet, in Auckland? I know it does me.

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

  • Stephen Judd,

    Eh, I went to a play at Circa last night, and I'm afraid that the bass and percussion were more than audible throughout the whole performance. A unavoidable casualty, perhaps, but my comfort was the tickets were free. I'd've been more cross if I'd paid a steep price to have my night out at the theatre ruined.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    I went to a play at Circa last night

    i was at the hawthorn lounge playing baccarat with tom beard and hadyn green.

    i let the side down somewhat by not wearing a fez or waistcoat.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    And you didn't invite me? My weekend is doubly ruined.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Pfft. I was in an Australian town where the wine and liquor store was closed at 7pm on a Saturday night. Luckily we could salvage a decent bottle of Taylors from the pub.

    The thousands of aggressive nationalistic Chinese students in Canberra last week were fairly disturbing - and that was without the assault and theft my "human rights for Tibet" banner holding friends received.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • David Ritchie,

    i was at the hawthorn lounge playing baccarat with tom beard and hadyn green.

    <em>Busted</em>, Mr. Masked Barfly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report Reply

  • David Ritchie,

    /me hands head in shame

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    <em>Busted</em>, Mr. Masked Barfly.

    che <--- is not a wellingtonista. (which the barfly is).

    @stephen, if only we'd known you were interested! you're on the list.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    what it was was a slightly aggressive display of chinese nationalism, in downtown wellington.

    At least they didn't beat anyone up - unlike Auckland.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    honestly mr ritche bad code is my job ;)

    question, has anyone ever been to a bad shihad gig, it's amazed me that during the years that shihad (regardless of them being on or off drugs) have always delivered a sweet gig.

    My favourite have been the old bodega and any orientation :D

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    At least they didn't beat anyone up - unlike Auckland.

    seems that the 90s, with all the talk about chinese human rights abuse has been forgotten.

    1. we're all about "terrorism".
    2. the $$ is mightier than the pen and the sword.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __what it was was a slightly aggressive display of chinese nationalism, in downtown wellington.__

    At least they didn't beat anyone up - unlike Auckland.

    Careful with your long-distance "they", there, I/S.

    According to the One News report, it was the march organisers who removed the man who started attacking the pro-Tibet demonstrators (who had set up in the middle of the crowd) then kept a few other hotheads back. The pro-Tibet demonstrators described them as "excellent" and "supportive".

    And none of the three people arrested for assault and disorderly conduct were marchers.

    The marchers had a right they wouldn't have in China. We might not like what they had to say, but the march seems to have been largely peaceful. Saying that "they" beat people up seems unhelpful to me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    And meanwhile, in Seoul, the Chinese staged a nationalist riot over the Olympic torch. This is what happens when people bring the flags out.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • tim kong,

    Is it just me or is the final sentence in that TVNZ link disgustingly patronising?

    "The Tibetan supporters say they won't be laying complaints with the police, choosing instead to go home and have a cup of tea and some Chinese takeaways. "

    That's the kind of media reporting I find offensive.

    I still don't really see the point of these protests. The irony is thick on the dancefloor and no-one really seems to be saying much about it. I totally agree with their right to protest/party it up/pronounce the glory of the homeland, that is one of the values we have here - and yet it does seem all very party-line and somewhat revolutionary guardish.

    Methinks if the flags were the Stars & Stripes and the chants were "USA, USA" - vocal responses in the blog world and the other media would be slightly less muted.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    The marchers had a right they wouldn't have in China.

    Not true. In China, you can hold as many flag-waving pro-government rallies as you want. It's saying anything different that is the problem.

    It's good that the organisers of the rally worked to avoid violence and protect the rights of counter-demonstrators. It's bad that some of the participants seem to think their pride in and love of their country (or, less charitably, the pile of patriotic bullshit they've been fed since day one) gives them a licence to assault and intimidate those who disagree with them.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    The irony is thick on the dancefloor and no-one really seems to be saying much about it.

    Yeah. For example, that the Olympics Aren't About Politics. Which is why they see staged political rallies and flag waving...

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    Methinks if the flags were the Stars & Stripes and the chants were "USA, USA" - vocal responses in the blog world and the other media would be slightly less muted.

    my thoughts were similar.

    what if these crowds were saudis waving green flags and protesting their right to not be stereotyped as terrorists?

    the media would be in a lather.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It's good that the organisers of the rally worked to avoid violence and protect the rights of counter-demonstrators. It's bad that some of the participants seem to think their pride in and love of their country (or, less charitably, the pile of patriotic bullshit they've been fed since day one) gives them a licence to assault and intimidate those who disagree with them.

    Yes. I just think it's wise to be careful with the collective "they". I recall you being pissed off when a mob of anarchist ninnies pursued and beat up a few National Front counter-protesters at the anti-racism rally in Wellington a couple of years ago. Stupid young men don't need flags to be stupid.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • peter mclennan,

    That Len Lye video has made me very happy. Love his work, and have been wondering what that new one looks like -everyone I know in Welli says they havent seen it working, cos its always broken. Thanks Fiona!

    AK Central • Since Nov 2006 • 159 posts Report Reply

  • Charles Mabbett,

    The Grace Wang story is disturbing. She's a mainland Chinese student at Duke Universtity in the US who has found herself at the centre of a nationalistic storm.

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89803198

    http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/20080423_grace_wang_called_a_traitor.htm

    The thing about China is that it is not strictly true to say that protests don't happen. I think they are evidently 'discouraged' but there were an estimated 40,000 demonstrations in China last year over issues such as unemployment, land seizures, environmental degradation, corrupt officials etc. The government does cover news of these protests up but they're happening.

    However the disconnect that seems to be happening here is Chinese view attempts to discredit the Olympic Games as trying to sabotage China's attempt to show how much it has modernised and 'arrived' so to speak. But in the eyes of the West, the Olympic Games are only one aspect of how China needs to show it is adjusting to its growing responsibilities as a super power.

    But without apologising for China and the actions of its patriotic diaspora around the world, I do think the comparisons with Nazi Germany are wildly inaccurate. China isn't militarily expansionist in the way the Nazis were and the Chinese leadership is extremely sensitive to the way the world views it. I note with some optimism that China has made overtures to the 'Dalai Lama clique' for talks. I hope these talks are more than window dressing but it does reveal that the Olympic torch debacle has hurt the country's image.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.