Posts by Ben Gracewood

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  • Hard News: The Engagement,

    Pressing question: in the spirit of Brangelina, are they Kills or Wait?

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Do you like what we've done…,

    Totally loving the new layout and features, but to be a killjoy for a moment: Typekit is a stain on the interwebs at the moment. Fonts look horrendous in all Windows browsers: http://twitpic.com/35rydj/full

    Thanks for providing the disable Typekit button :)

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: On Freedom of Speech,

    But has Ben congratulated Liu Xiaobo yet? I don't see evidence of it on his blog. How long must we be kept waiting?

    I've finally had time to be briefed by my media relations team, and have decided that going forward there will be synergies I can leverage from being associated with Liu Xiaobo.

    So: congratulations to Noble Award Winner Liu Xiaobo.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Busytown: Front, man,

    ... the way he has refused to fuel (unreliable) media coverage.

    This is an interesting one. I have no idea why, but when I received that first call from Granny Herald about 5 minutes after my tweet, I just thought "No, this doesn't feel right".

    I guess that's my moral digital accelerometer on the go? I don't do compasses. So analogue.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Busytown: Front, man,

    Between them, they also have more Lego than God

    100% fact.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Busytown: Front, man,

    And as I type, I hope someone somewhere is, as @johubris suggested on twitter, making T-shirts that say, "This Is What a New Zealander Looks Like." In several colours, and all sizes: XL, large, medium, and small.

    I'll take an XL thanks. And one for Mr 6 (who wears a size 8). He gave me props for standing up to a bully.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Morning in Auckland,

    And how cool is Ben Gracewood, eh?

    Not very. Seriously now: how does one deal with the feedback I'm getting? 99.9% positive and wonderful, but the reason I quit was because my thought process went:

    1. What a cock. (twatcock, as Tom said, to be balanced)

    2. Oh god, I can't say that because I'd risk the awesome gravy train of free publicity and loaner gadgets.

    3. Fucksticks. Time to "grow up". (Ironically, just like all the anti-comments are now telling me to do)

    So really, it was a simple decision on a slow news day, and suddenly I'm awash with admiration. I guess it's just a lightning rod for the zeitgeist?

    Fuck I hate being a kiwi sometimes. Mustn't make a fuss.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Yet More Hobbit,

    Some? :) Speaking from experience, freelancers don't walk away from regular gigs lightly and Ben's not the flouncy type.

    I've been called many things, but never flouncy.

    I've also been trying to articulate my particular feelings about this without being over the top, nor leaving anything out. Here's something I dropped on a couple of forums that were being particularly stupid, which hopefully adds clarity:

    Appreciate the feedback - all of it.

    There is a difference between what people like to call "policitcal correctness gone mad" and outright racism. Racism allows people to dismiss others with zero regard to their skills, personality, beliefs, or anything other than the colour of their skin.

    Paul's comments were a particularly egregious example of this. Aimed squarely at the colour of skin and the way someone sounds, with absolute disregard for his background and skills, let alone his birthplace and upbringing. I know it's hard for you guys that scream "PC GONE MAD" at anyone complaining against "free speech", but really, truly try to put yourself in another's shoes for 30 seconds.

    Apart from that, feel free to bag me personally at your pleasure. Rather me than others with less advantage and ability to fight back.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: Who says chivalry is dead?,

    And we'll get more fecking fingerbangs.

    Oh my gosh http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/ is wonderful. Thanks for the link!

    Re autoheamobloodification or whatever, I smell a business opportunity: transfusion stations partway along Auckland's north-western motorway bike route.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: Who says chivalry is dead?,

    For me it's the unwritten rules of a Grant Tour that make it all the more interesting. Every year there's some new intriguing fact about how a team works to slow down a breakaway or a rider hitting the wall because he didn't eat eleventybillion calories in the right way.

    As for the specific incident, I reckon Contador did the right thing. Schleck and Contador had been "attacking" each other for the past few days, something had to give.

    I'd go as far as to say Le Tour is my favourite televised sporting event: part scenic video, part chess game, and part rugby league match. I mean check it out: Jens Voight crashes at 70kph, probably breaking ribs, brushes himself off, and finishes with the pack.

    That's up there with the apocryphal rubgy players' torn ballsacks and broken arms.

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

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