Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The sphere of influence

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    “My view of that social media is there’s a lot of trolls and bottom feeders on that. In the end they get in people’s head. It’s an anonymous sort of situation it’s a form of cyber bullying, I don’t engage in that.”

    [cough]Horseshit[cough]

    Mr Key in today's NBR Ask me Anything on his blog readership:

    I read very few...Kiwiblog, Whaleoil and from time to time the Standard.

    His social media standards are so high he reads only the most nasty and unpleasant blog sites. Fucksake.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    His social media standards are so high he reads only the most nasty and unpleasant blog sites. Fucksake.

    It'd be the equivalent of the US President reading Breitbart and WorldNetDaily.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • llew40,

    His social media standards are so high he reads only the most nasty and unpleasant blog sites. Fucksake

    Although to be fair RB, he did say 'very few', he is talking through the NBR channel (which may or may not colour his response which coincidentally seems to be the most heavily trafficked sites and therefore more likely to be what his perceived audience would expect him to say), and I'm perfectly comfortable with polticians having very little direct social media engagement.

    Since Nov 2012 • 140 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Russell Brown,

    She probably shouldn’t have written a letter as a school board of trustees chair on MP’s letterhead

    I actually don't see it as a problem at all. I consider it entirely proper for an MP, even a list MP, to raise with police management matters of concern regarding the management of the policing of their community.
    It gets a bit messy that she was also writing as chair of the school BoT, but it's still appropriate for an MP to be be concerned about relationships between the police and their local school.

    Nobody thinks it the least bit dodgy that local body mayors have close relationships with their police district's senior management.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Yes. Constitutionally, MPs (including list MPs) are elected as individual representatives accountable to their electors at the next election. Sending a letter on their MPs letterhead indicates that they are writing in this capacity (assuming they don't state otherwise in the text).

    The chair of a school board, OTOH, should not imply that they are writing on behalf of the board (such as by using letterhead) unless they have been delegated authority to do so.

    If an MP who is also a school board chair discovers an issue, it's entirely reasonable that they take that up with their "MP' hat on.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    It also has nothing to do with the rule Williamson breached - nice piece of water-muddying by the govt spinners.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to ,

    Becouse buisness’s can’t sentence people to prison?

    I think this touches on it, but the spooky thing for me with government being treated as “a business” is that it’s automatically a “business” that’s empowered to write its own regulatory environment to suit itself, whether that involves financial reporting, fair trading, human rights, or whatever.

    Real businesses can’t do that. They operate in a relatively predictible regulatory environment that’s defined by the government, not by themselves.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • "chris", in reply to Paul Campbell,

    100% of Oravida is owned by Kauri NZ investments which has one director Stone Shi. 98% of Kauri is owned by Kauri NZ Trustee Ltd which has one director Devi Shi.100% of Kauri NZ Trustee Ltd is owned by Gilligan Shepard Nominees Ltd which has 3 directors Richard Ashby/Greg Rathbun/Bruce Sheppard. 100% of Gilligan Shepard Nominees Ltd is jointly owned by Greg Rathbun/Bruce Sheppard

    Incidentally, and this is a pet gripe, I’m a little tired of Chinese giving me these phoney names on the pretext that I wouldn’t be able to pronounce their Chinese name. Sure, it’s Chinese policy to tell people what they can and can’t do with their mouths, but if we can get our laughing gears around Hu Jin Tao, or Xi Jin Ping then the words are our oyster. One of the strengths of English as a language is that it can accommodate and has through exposure assimilated countless languages without necessarily resorting to approximations within a limited tonal framework as is the case in Chinese. In matters of politics, business and the law, it’s helpful if individuals are referred to by just the one name.

    Case in point right here, Stone Shi and Deyi (not Devi) Shi are the same person and this use of alt names screams neither transparency nor accountability. as with Bill Liu, AKA Biao Liu. Julia Xu AKA Zhu Xu..

    Having said that, I don’t expect anyone to change their name for me, or stick to using one name because I said so, I simply don’t trust any of these two-faced pseudonym wearers. because.

    Mr De Yi “Stone” Shi’s sirname written in Chinese is 石 ‘Stone’, this fulla has seen fit to essentially call himself “Stone Stone” across languages. What it lacks in creativity it more than makes up for in in in repetitiveness. But what is the reasoning behind this, is De Yi, “Duh-Yi” beyond the dexterity of our vocal faculties, No sirree, you can try this at home, or call our toll free number.

    When I start my multinational flimflam company, will our prospectus read
    “Flimflam NZ investments which has one director Bearer of Christ [redacted]. 98% of FlimFlam is owned by FlimFlim NZ Trustee Ltd which has one director Chris [redacted].</q>

    I think not.

    Best wishes
    M. Taslov
    Opotiki

    location, location, locat… • Since Dec 2010 • 250 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Sacha,

    It also has nothing to do with the rule Williamson breached – nice piece of water-muddying by the govt spinners.

    In the same way that Grant Robertson following the correct course of action and asking the Minister of Police about his police-officer-cum-Olympic-athlete child's options for getting additional leave was unrelated. But nice job by the media in trying to baffle us with the false equivalence.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • "chris", in reply to "chris",

    Attachment

    And in case anyone’s still unsure as to exactly where Oravida are coming from: Pictured Gilligan Shepard’s Yi Ping Ge – Partner, Adrian Burke – Accountant, Richard Ashby – Partner, Colin Tuson – Accountant, Marion Garlick – Director.
    http://www.gilshep.co.nz/meet-team-pc-25.html

    location, location, locat… • Since Dec 2010 • 250 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell, in reply to "chris",

    Incidentally, and this is a pet gripe, I’m a little tired of Chinese giving me these phoney names on the pretext that I wouldn’t be able to pronounce their Chinese name.

    While I completely agree with you about the whole transparency end of the thing (yes he should be in the companies DB just once), I should point out that it's common practice for Chinese people learning English to choose (or even be given) an English first name much as I was given a French name in 3rd form French ..... and as I'm faced with choosing right now when deciding just what should go on the back of my business cards now that I'm learning Mandarin and occasionally visiting China for work (毛面鹬鸵 is all very well for wechat but I need something slightly more formal)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • "chris", in reply to Paul Campbell,

    “毛面鹬鸵”

    Hehe!

    Personally I’d just go with Paul Campbell, But traditionally Paul is 保罗 Bǎoluó (which would suffice for interactions), and I think Campbell would be 坎贝尔 Kǎnbèi’ěr.

    And yes, I teach students from all over the world, UAE, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, France, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Mexico, Korea, Jordan, Greece, Taiwan…

    It’s pretty much only the Chinese who are using these fake names with any frequency where I work.

    location, location, locat… • Since Dec 2010 • 250 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    It gets a bit messy that she was also writing as chair of the school BoT, but it’s still appropriate for an MP to be be concerned about relationships between the police and their local school.

    I quite agree. But you should have seen the guy I argued with on Twitter today who insisted it was far, far worse than what Williamson did because he only "enquired" and she had interfered with police operations. I know, I know ... even one of my other rightie followers, an ex cop, wasn't swallowing that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sara Bee, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    I like to say "charmless replicant".

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 67 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell, in reply to "chris",

    yeah I was sort of thinking something along those lines .. I was going to cast around for maybe some slightly meaningful alternative (but I might be getting a bit too far ahead of myself there)

    The 毛面鹬鸵 comes because the beard draws so much (unexpected for me) attention there - people taking pictures in restaurants etc

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • "chris", in reply to Paul Campbell,

    I was going to cast around for maybe some slightly meaningful alternative

    You might get more of the cutesy novelty love that way. I may not be best person to ask, personally I no longer accept anyone calling me by anything other than the standard western pronunciation of my name, because that’s what it is and everyone’s heard of Christmas.

    location, location, locat… • Since Dec 2010 • 250 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Well, well, well.

    Press release from Grant Robertson:

    There is further evidence Judith Collins’ assistance of Oravida resulted in her husband’s company getting its milk into China, Labour MP Grant Robertson says.

    “Documents show that Oravida had its milk shipment accepted by Chinese border control in December, while milk from the same supplier exported by a different company was rejected.

    “Oravida’s fresh milk supplier Green Valley Dairies also supplies the same two litre bottles to Guangzhou Ruima Food Limited, simply with a different label.

    “However, Guangzhou Ruima Food’s fresh milk shipment in December was rejected by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

    “Judith Collins’ intervention was designed to benefit Oravida.

    Credit due to Chris Waugh, who spotted the Green Valley rejection in a PAS thread back in March. At the time, I knew Green valley supplied Oravida's fresh milk for the Chinese market, but I couldn't reconcile it with Oravida. Now it's clear. Oravida was special.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • "chris", in reply to Russell Brown,

    That is excellent work. I recall reading Chris’s post at the time, but when I scrolled down the page to your translated list beneath my brain prolapsed ;) – too much list.

    location, location, locat… • Since Dec 2010 • 250 posts Report

  • izogi, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    it’s common practice for Chinese people learning English to choose (or even be given) an English first name

    When my sister was teaching English in China a few years back, at about the time that The Matrix series of movies was popular, most of the class chose the English first name of "Mr Smith".

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to ,

    Becouse buisness’s can’t sentence people to prison?

    Maybe not. But judiciary officials with close ties to the private prison industry can. Such as Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    I actually don’t see it as a problem at all. I consider it entirely proper for an MP, even a list MP, to raise with police management matters of concern regarding the management of the policing of their community

    Matthew: Having worked for MPs, I don't think I'm speaking out of school in saying MPs and their staff are extremely careful (or bloody should be) about not engaging with Police (or more commonly Work & Income) in any way that could even be perceived as trying to exert improper influence. No, I don't think Tracey Martin should be tied to a flagpole outside Parliament and flogged but, FFS... it should be a no-brainer that you don't do outside business on Parliamentary letterhead. (Then again, I'm the kind of naif who thought it was no-brainer that Minister paid for their own hotel wank-starters and conference season booze, and how did that work out?)

    Nobody thinks it the least bit dodgy that local body mayors have close relationships with their police district’s senior management.

    You know, Matthew, I think some hip-hop performers and promoters not a million miles from here might beg to differ. But that's a whole other kete of kai moana for another time and place...

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

  • Sacha, in reply to ,

    but only for the pictures

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to izogi,

    about the time that The Matrix series of movies was popular, most of the class chose the English first name of “Mr Smith”.

    Nobody wanted to be Neo?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to BenWilson,

    Nobody wanted to be Neo?

    Government jobs are much more stable and have better welfare.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    blue pills, red pills; they're all about to be illegal again..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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