Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Again: Is everyone okay?

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  • Andre Alessi,

    Elijah Wood tweeted a link a US-based website with 35 photos. I've seen most of them before on other sites, but they look to be much higher quality here.

    The pictures of the icebergs in particular emphasise the scale of what happened here, I think.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    Elijah Wood tweeted a link a US-based website with 35 photos.

    I hadn't seen this one before. It is quite nice.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Greg Dawson,

    I hadn't seen this one before. It is quite nice.

    It had me in tears, Tina Turner lyrics sprang to mind: "You're one of the living".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    Just in case you're wondering, I've just been talking to Dave Imlay from Galaxy Records. He's safe, and fine, and ironically his store (pretty much) survived, while the ones around him didn't. The staff at Alice in Videoland seem to be largely accounted for, but I haven't heard about Penny Lane or Radar yet.

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • Rob S,

    Front page of the Herald has me cancelling my sub.
    I know they have resorted to carcrash/overseasblondspoisoned/fires & etc as attention grabbers but the latest just sickens me and I believe the motives are pure cynicism to sell there increasingly vapid rag.
    Did the childs family know about and give permission for the photo to be used in such a way?
    It's a shame as one of my pleasures has been the morning coffee and newspaper combo.
    Sickening

    Since Apr 2010 • 136 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Llewellyn, in reply to Rob S,

    Did the childs family know about and give permission for the photo to be used in such a way?

    Feel much the same way Rob - yesterdays front page Herald photo of the two teenagers at the very moment they've been told their mother was most likely dead, while an undeniably powerful photo, just felt a bit too much like emotional porn. By and large I think the media have done a fantastic job in very difficult circumstances, but that felt like a misjudged intrusion to me.

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby, in reply to Richard Llewellyn,

    yesterdays front page Herald photo of the two teenagers at the very moment they’ve been told their mother was most likely dead, while an undeniably powerful photo, just felt a bit too much like emotional porn.

    right there with you. they did the same thing in the ComPost.

    exploitative and wrong.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    Elijah Wood tweeted a link a US-based website with 35 photos. I've seen most of them before on other sites, but they look to be much higher quality here.

    Those deserve a warning for blubbering potential. Especially number 3.

    The pictures of the icebergs in particular emphasise the scale of what happened here

    Quite. Think of a kilogram, then 30,000,000,000 of them falling into the glacier's lake.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to Sacha,

    Those deserve a warning for blubbering potential. Especially number 3.

    If it's the Big Picture link, I'm not looking at it again for a while.

    Interesting though, if you follow that page regularly as I do, to suddenly see your country in it, and find yourself not only more upset but also more sensitive about the intrusion on privacy and grieving.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to John Farrell,

    Rob - on Pharyngula they call that sort of thing a "poe".....where you can't tell a nutters rant from satire.

    That is soooo appropriated.

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

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Rob S,

    Did the childs family know about and give permission for the photo to be used in such a way?

    They had to have supplied the photo and I’m sure the Herald has their legal ducks all in a row, but FFS (OK, FOAMY SWEARY RANT ALERT) here’s what I Tweeted:

    Dear @nzherald: Whoever is responsible for today’s kiddie death porn front page would need a long ladder to qualify as sewer rats. Fucking shits. #nzheraldfail

    Beneath contempt. Yes, yesterday’s effort was bad enough but today…

    ETA: I'm so pissed because I had an 8am dentist's appoint today, and the office manager recently buried one of her grandchildren. SIDS. Hope those Herald fuck-bags sold lots of newspapers, because their epic taste fail kicked an already tramatised woman in the guts who didn't deserve it.

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

  • Stephen Judd,

    Towards the end of this Metafilter thread, there is a comment from "kokogiak", who is the photo editor for The Big Picture, about that photo of the dying man and his wife:

    I put up a graphic screen specifically because I knew it would be a tough view, I don't know a better way to do that sort of warning yet.

    When I choose to publish graphic images, it is always because I believe they help convey a story that much deeper. I know that I reacted to that image right away when I first saw it - in a way very different from the other images, it brought the loss home to me, and I feel like it's my job to tell stories as best I can.

    I never take these decisions (to publish graphic imagery) lightly, and yes, I have a wife and two small children and wonder how I would feel if it were us in such photos. I'd probably hate it, but at some level, I'd hope that I would understand it.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Beneath contempt

    yeah, because that Boston photo-spread shows what you can do with good placement.

    #1 is an awesome photo. *survivors* and people working to help them

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

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    I’d probably hate it, but at some level, I’d hope that I would understand it.

    Nah, if anyone had published a photo of my foster sister’s corpse being dragged out of the car she died in I’d never understand, forgive or forget. I’m sure this is a terribly retro notion, but perhaps the dead don’t stop being human – and entitled to dignity and consideration and personhood – when their hearts do.

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

  • Sacha,

    Another eloquent first-hand account from writer/journo Zara Potts.

    Without warning, the ground jolts again. It comes with a rumble and breaks up the road in front of us, spewing asphalt into a hard, broken ridge.

    The river is rising. The city is falling.

    I am now horribly aware that I am not safe. I am not safe anywhere. Amongst hundreds of equally terrified people, I am alone. I know at this moment, I have to get out of the city.

    I take off my boots and start to walk.

    I look at my socks and am absurdly glad that they match. They are my favourite socks, black cotton with love hearts.

    As I walk, I see remnants of buildings I have known since I was a child. They are crumpled. Shattered. Collapsed. Glass carpets the streets.

    There are bloodied bodies lying on the riverbank. I barely glance at them. I am resolute in my walking. I head for the park, trying to find a safe place. The park is full of people, looking at the broken skyline as the earth beneath their feet turns to liquid mud.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    the dead don’t stop being human – and entitled to dignity and consideration and personhood – when their hearts do.

    I was impressed with the Coroner last night reasuring people that their deceased loved ones would have someone with them at all times in the makeshift mortuary.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Sacha,

    I was impressed with the Coroner last night reasuring people that their deceased loved ones would have someone with them at all times in the makeshift mortuary.

    Particularly appropriate in the Maori context, which I suspect is probably from where it arose. That and the simple practicalities of operating a disaster morgue.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    I wondered what overseas audiences would make of her seamlessly saying "whanau" and "tupapaku"

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kracklite,

    Reading Mary Roach's Stiff a few months back, I was impressed by the sensitivity and respect that medical students were taught to show towards cadavers - and they were voluntarily donated.

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    I was impressed with the Coroner last night reasuring people that their deceased loved ones would have someone with them at all times in the makehsift mortuary.

    +1,000. I've been impressed with the pretty horrible juggling act they've had to go through -- getting the job done, but showing the utmost sensitivity toward people who are already epically traumatised while doing it. Again, it's the simple heroism of just being a decent human being.

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

  • Stephen Judd,

    Interesting. I just looked at the Big Picture site, and shot number 3 now says "Editor's Note: this picture has been removed."

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Brief iPhone video walking Cashel Mall towards Bridge of Rememberance immediately afterwards.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Rob S,

    Front page of the Herald has me cancelling my sub.
    I know they have resorted to carcrash/overseasblondspoisoned/fires & etc as attention grabbers but the latest just sickens me and I believe the motives are pure cynicism to sell there increasingly vapid rag.
    Did the childs family know about and give permission for the photo to be used in such a way?

    Borderline snuff media, methinks?

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

  • Che Tibby, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    the caption changed between times i saw it, yesterday and today.

    perhaps the realisation it is a dying man was too much for people?

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

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    Interesting. I just looked at the Big Picture site, and shot number 3 now says “Editor’s Note: this picture has been removed.”

    Still shows the graphic content warning and a "click here to view image" link for me, but it may be cached locally?.

    It's not actually "graphic" in the sense of "blood and guts", by the way, it's the context that makes it disturbing. I don't think it was clear to the photographer what was going to happen while the photo was taken.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

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