Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Standing up and calling bullshit

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    Equally, it's likely that the response was amplified by the fact that these were Grammar boys. Their school has long touted its own prowess at training young men for leadership, and its old boys have been known to display a raging sense of entitlement. So the flap was greater than it might have been had the students come from a less prominent school.

    One might also note that AGS principal John Morris has extensive media contacts and knows how to use them, considering how quickly his spin on that rugby biffo got (near totally uncritical) saturation coverage. Well, that works both ways...

    It looks like English or one of his trolls have pulled the wool right over the eyes of TVNZ. "Plain English" is the name of his recently resurrected newsletter for Clutha-Southland.,

    Shock! Horror! TVNZ doesn't have exclusive rights to lame puns -- a nation is outraged! Outraged, I say!!!!

    Nice to know, however, that we've exposed a cunning plot to increase English's fifteen thousand and change majority in Clutha-Southland through subliminal television propaganda. Wouldn't good old fashioned ballot box stuffing be quicker and easier? :)

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

  • Phil Lyth,

    I trust you don't really expect me to ban them ...

    No, but presumably you have the option of calling the shots. You could set the market rate. Say, a Dipton rate of $37K.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    I really don't get this one. "Standing up and calling bullshit" is pretty much what Finlay MacDonald is doing. Not on people who may be offended, but on the TV "news"-media who exploit it.

    The 6 O'clock newses will happily give something like the ACC or Education changes - which really are deserving of offence - the once-over-lightly, cherry-picking the most sensational aspect to the exclusion of all else, obviously, but hang on the Grammar nazis for days on end. Their tired and simplistic kneejerk attitude - "Nazis: Bad! That's something we can all agree on!" - deserves a bit of condemnation.

    McDonald's gratitude that "Facebook and phone cameras weren't around when I was an unevolved collection of pimples and hormones in a Grammar uniform" is not him pining for an imagined past of free speech, but an acknowledgement that all of us who were once teenage boys have said and done things at that age that are equally reprehensible, making this story much less remarkable than some would like to believe.

    Likewise, as much as Nick Smith disgusts me on so many levels, the gleeful savaging of him, by certain media, over his recent ill-advised comment really matched him for thoughtlessness. As someone whose life has been touched by both terminal illness and suicide, I feel qualified to consider that those who took more than slight offence at Smith over this are just being obtuse. Sure, what he said was blunt and coarse, but he had a point to make and in good faith did the best he could at the time. To consider that he was actually advocating suicide for terminally ill people is, I'm sorry, just stupid. God forbid Duncan Garner should actually examine the validity of the argument Smith was making!

    I, like FM, say save the outrage for times that really warrant it. When the Government is making major changes to pubilc policy and "local" banks are stealing billions from our economy, it's an indictment that Idiot/Savant (presumably a single person) can be counted on to have more info on many of the most important stories than either of the country's multi-million-dollar news-rooms, who seem overly occupied with turning "the news" into a game show ("What's my social transgression?")

    Okay, that's enough. Bring on the corrections and clarifications. :)


    PS.
    Finlay should have ignored the Australian and English examles; they do a lot more for his wordcount than his argument. Not particularly smart, those remarks, but hardly dumber than the average Paul Holmes column.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    I suspect if it were called "balanced-based exercise" and not some weird Chinese word, you'd be hailing its virtues.

    Ah, that's the road to a completely different kind of Batfuck Crazy.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    Shock! Horror!

    No, but I'd expect a reputable TV company to avoid, shall we say, paleopuns.

    Outraged, I say!!!!

    Which as you intended, brings up back to the very beginning. Never thought Finlay was a Sound of Music type.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Not particularly smart, those remarks, but hardly dumber than the average Paul Holmes column.

    3410: That's not lowering the bar, that's burning it and burying the ashes at the bottom of the Marianas Trench.

    The 6 O'clock newses will happily give something like the ACC or Education changes - which really are deserving of offence

    Nope. I'd rather our news organisations stick to clear, factual reporting, and leave me to do my own editorialising.

    Likewise, as much as Nick Smith disgusts me on so many levels, the gleeful savaging of him, by certain media, over his recent ill-advised comment really matched him for thoughtlessness.

    Apart from the fact that being lectured on good taste by Duncan Garner is like getting anger management training from Gordon Ramsey, I'm not very sympathetic towards Nick Smith. If you have a serious point to make (and I think he did), then you should make it in a serious and thoughtful manner.

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

  • Phil Lyth,

    your commercial overlords

    RB: I thought you didn't have those? Some partners, yes, but not your actually betters?


    Phil confesses to editing in a 'not' to say what he meant. Also, what is the kaupapa around editing in a whole paragraph after posting?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    Apostrafing

    paleopuns

    Heh heh... where's your petri dish now, Giovanni?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    So, I'm defending Nick Smith and Craig's bagging him. What next? People wearing shoes on their heads? Hamburgers eating people?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    I'd rather our news organisations stick to clear, factual reporting, and leave me to do my own editorialising.

    Are you saying that some kind of qualitative analysis has no place in the news media? It is called editorial-ising after all. I thought the problem is that our media is shit at it.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    statistically significant

    Falls Prevention, Tai Chi, disagreement, URLs, etc

    Just to make the point that while researchers can do studies till they are blue in the face, it is a mistake to think that hard data is always available.

    My dear Mum did the Falls Prevention thing with the visiting physio. Due to the early stages of dementia (unrecognised at that point), any data collected from her would have best been consigned to

    Marianas Trench

    By the way, it is amazing the people I run into at the dementia unit, they visiting their parents and me visiting Mum.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Nope. I'd rather our news organisations stick to clear, factual reporting, and leave me to do my own editorialising.

    And the award for taking half a sentence out of context goes to...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I really don't get this one. "Standing up and calling bullshit" is pretty much what Finlay MacDonald is doing. Not on people who may be offended, but on the TV "news"-media who exploit it.

    Yeah, I understood his argument, but he he did waste quite a few words on cussing out "purse-lipped professional offence-takers".

    Basically, his point was "So teenage boys can be offensive and stupid? Well, duh." And mine was "So TV news really makes a meal of some stories? Well, duh."

    The Grammar boys did do something offensive in the course of a school visit to a war memorial museum, and then published the photos. They got a bollocking and were required to meet people they'd offended. I'm sure it was a teachable moment.

    To the extent that this wouldn't have happened if someone hadn't tipped off Radio NZ, yes it's a media creation. But I'm not sure if all that effing and blinfing about "pantywaists" helped the argument.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Stevens,

    "panty-waist" sounds so 1950s USA high-school coach laughing at the fags in gym class who can't catch a ball.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    @Craig:

    I'm not very sympathetic towards Nick Smith. If you have a serious point to make (and I think he did), then you should make it in a serious and thoughtful manner.

    Quite. It was poor political practice.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Apostrafing

    paleopuns

    Heh heh... where's your petri dish now, Giovanni?

    Indeed. But I love paleopun and in Italian we do use apostrophe as a verb - it means to address somebody curtly. It's all good.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    a completely different kind of Batfuck Crazy:
    She calls the sun salutation... the "Son" salutation...
    In 1989 the Vatican issued a document saying the practice of Eastern traditions like yoga "can degenerate into a cult of the body," warning Catholics against mistaking yoga's "pleasing sensations" for "spiritual well-being."

    It's refreshing to see good old-fashioned Christianity still has its place. Ya know, one branch proclaiming "pleasing sensations" from "the East" as a bad thing whilst another branch co-opt it and make it all Christ-y...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    One thing: who decided that it was museum staff who required the apology?

    I can just imagine the back-room dealing; "Well... they've got to apologise to someone."

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Lyndon Hood,

    Apostrafing could also be something an overzealous rhetorician would do.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    In 1989 the Vatican issued a document saying the practice of Eastern traditions like yoga "can degenerate into a cult of the body,"

    Until last year my son had weekly yoga at his (Catholic) primary school. As far as I know it had all spiritual overtones stripped from it completely...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Back to the FM Post.

    Didn't the school know a long time ago that the kids did the deed?

    Wasn't it interesting that it was not until someone dobbed them in that they all of a sudden needed to be be realigned....er... counselled?

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Until last year my son had weekly yoga at his (Catholic) primary school. As far as I know it had all spiritual overtones stripped from it completely...

    Ah yes, Pointless Pilates.
    I remember him from the Bibble.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Standing up and calling bullshit

    And here was me expecting a column on the "You Lie" guy...

    I note that banner ads to support Plain English are running on this site.

    Indeed. I trust you don't really expect me to ban them ...

    The banners? No. I've not seen the whole ad, but does anyone who has think that it advocates support for a candidate or for a political party?

    Just asking, y'know, as someone who's done a bit of work with Part 6 of the Broadcasting Act :-)

    PS: This week's Media7 looks at children's media -- and children's TV in particular.

    Someone should talk about the awesomeness that was The Lost Children. Maddigan's Quest got all the press, but this was fantastic television (too?). With some nice use of Māori language in mainstream programming as well.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Lyndon Hood,

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The banners? No. I've not seen the whole ad, but does anyone who has think that it advocates support for a candidate or for a political party?

    No -- but I'm sure that someone will. You know, like the red livery on Kiwirail's new rolling stock was somehow going to trigger the plebs into voting Labour. Which, if that was the secret agenda, really was a waste of time, effort and paint...

    And the award for taking half a sentence out of context goes to...

    What context did I miss? I know it seems to be a rather reactionary notion nowadays, but I'd really appreciate it if the likes of Messers Garner STFU with the editorialising nudges about what the plebs should think and feel and leave us with some sober fact-based reportage so I can do it for myself.

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

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