Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Truth to Power, etc

188 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 4 5 6 7 8 Newer→ Last

  • Russell Brown,

    Meanwhile CK lashes out at Russell's "ego".

    I can't even be bothered reading it. Not for the first time, I'm reminding myself that the best way to deal with these people is to decline to engage with them.

    This is pretty much a re-run of Odgers' embarrassing and spiteful behaviour towards Keith Ng a couple of months ago. It's hard to believe she's a grown adult.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Awesome comments! And the Whale was indeed let loose.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    But look how few, very few, comments the whale gets on his posts. The only reason I would want to go there is to see those low numbers.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Just got another call from a Herald reporter wondering if I'd like further confirmation from himself and any number of colleagues that "Cactus Kate is barking mad". I thanked him and said I felt I'd already established that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Not for the first time, I'm reminding myself that the best way to deal with these people is to decline to engage with them.

    I hate to point out the obvious, but you started it :-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    It's petty I realise, but I thoroughly appreciate Odgers taking the time to fulfil my prejudices about her.

    I hate to point out the obvious, but you started it :-)

    Sometimes, however, it's important to call people on their bullshit.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Sometimes, however, it's important to call people on their bullshit.

    It can be hard to do that whilst simultaneously declining to engage with them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    That's like a media version of the uncertainty principle...

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It can be hard to do that whilst simultaneously declining to engage with them.

    When I started looking at it, I actually thought she might be on to something. I really just tried to appraise what she had, which turned out to be very little. Oh well.

    (And I did say I was "reminding myself" not to go anywhere near these people. I don't always follow my own advice ... )

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I find it interesting that you outed her real identity. Given that her blog is studiously anonymous, it rankled with me a little bit.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I find it interesting that you outed her real identity.

    Well given her demeanour, I would imagine that is compulsory. Y'know, a chance to defend oneself perhaps?OMO though.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I find it interesting that you outed her real identity. Given that her blog is studiously anonymous, it rankled with me a little bit.

    Sigh ... don't read any intent into it, please. It's very widely known who she is, and she talks about having been a Fairfax columnist in that actual post. If it's a secret, it's news to me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Sigh ... don't read any intent into it, please.

    And that too :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Well, I for one didn't know who she was.

    A lot of people here know Deborah's surname, but when it was mentioned by mistake by Paul Williams you quickly removed it - I think if she wanted *everybody* to know who she was then she would have put it on her blog. I mean Cactus Kate. Or indeed Deborah.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I removed Deborah's surname because Paul asked me to (Deborah ended up being not too fussed, I think).

    Please, for goodness sake, accept my word that I was not trying to stitch up Cactus Kate by using her actual, widely-known name.

    I have obviously been critical of her writing, but I have no interest whatsoever in participating in some juvenile "blog feud". It strikes me it ought to be possible to do one without indulging in the other.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I believe you, I'm just wondering about the etiquette of such things. Not totally non-pertinent since it's authorship week after all :-)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I just didn't see it as an issue. You'll note that all and sundry, her blog friends included, have been discussing her real job, as a tax lawyer, and how that might qualify her to comment on her big scoop story.

    Anyway, if she asks, I'll happily remove her name.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I knew that was going to come back to bite me... are the situations comparable though? I inadvertently disclosed Deborah's name but her wasn't material to the the discussion. I wonder if there's not a case to be made for public disclosing the names of attack bloggers...

    I have obviously been critical of her writing, but I have no interest whatsoever in participating in some juvenile "blog feud". It strikes me it ought to be possible to do one without indulging in the other.

    It ought to be yes, whether it proves to be so is another point. I've been critical of Kate's writing too, her reaction was always entirely over the top... that's her thing, looks like it'll be her undoing.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I don't think there is, no. Plus figuring out who gets to decide what an attack blogger is might be problematic.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    If this citizen journalism thing keeps trending the way it is, I think the rules around disclosure need to be revisited. Defamation laws are inadequate for social media.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • David McLoughlin,

    Anyway, if she asks, I'll happily remove her name.

    Kate happily used her own name in her response to Russell, David Cohen and me in a comment she left on Cohen's not-a-blog on all this yesterday.

    Since Nov 2009 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I recall she adopted the nom de plume in relation to an employment issue... Farrar blogged on it at the time... I too thought her name was well known.

    I genuinely do believe that a number of the persistent problems associated with blogging would be resolved if more people used their own names.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I wonder if there's not a case to be made for public disclosing the names of attack bloggers...

    I don't think there is, no. Plus figuring out who gets to decide what an attack blogger is might be problematic.

    There's absolutely a case for it if there's a significant conflict of interest involved, or a potential defamation.

    Example: I wouldn't have bothered telling the world that the Wikipedia editor "Barzini" was in fact Auckland city councillor and and tory activist Aaron Bhatnagar if he hasn't been creating and editing malicious articles about his political opponents.

    I do feel bound to note that I wrote a measured, detail post about what Bhatnagar has been doing and then moved on. Odgers seems determined to bang on long after the hum has gone out of her dinger.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    There's absolutely a case for it if there's a significant conflict of interest involved, or a potential defamation.

    So like if she was formerly employed by a company that rivals the target of her ill judged and intemperate commentary?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    When I started looking at it, I actually thought she might be on to something. I really just tried to appraise what she had, which turned out to be very little. Oh well.

    That's how I took it. But in blogging about it, you engaged with it.

    (And I did say I was "reminding myself" not to go anywhere near these people. I don't always follow my own advice ... )

    Indeed. It's tough advice to follow. There was possibly an interesting story in there.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 4 5 6 7 8 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.