Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Behind the Paywall

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  • giovanni tiso,

    I was kidding! I know full well we buy voluntarily into these instruments of societal surveillance - I even wrote about it no later than last month. And it's not just Apple, etc. In fact Google is much worse.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Sigh ... There are plenty of location-based services on the internet already.

    and yer basic cellphone as well...
    at least we don't have chips in our shoulders yet...
    ;- )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I was kidding!

    Oh. Sorry.

    I was kidding! I know full well we buy voluntarily into these instruments of societal surveillance

    What's the deal with 4Square? Is there actually a point to it, beyond the infantile achievement of becoming "mayor" of some shop or cafe? I really, really don't get that.

    OTOH, TrendsMap can always use my location, because I find the information it aggregates from people like me on Twitter interesting and useful.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    What's the deal with 4Square?

    The Onion had a carefully considered piece.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    What's the deal with 4Square? Is there actually a point to it

    It's just another tacky FlyBuys "loyalty" scheme - deals for frequent users, free beers.

    Adding elements like 'Mayor' probably appeals to the image-obsessed urbanites who the service started with in NY. I wonder which areas have greatest uptake here?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Naturally the Onion said that much better..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    "Those who have nothing to hide, have nothing to fear."

    Ask anyone who utters that sort of statement whether they have curtains at home.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Naturally the Onion said that much better..

    Added Crowley, "[Who gives a shit]." is my favourite ever line of theirs.

    Ask anyone who utters that sort of statement whether they have curtains at home.

    My father used to say that all the time. Then again, he made curtains for a living.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Martin Snedden has provided a 180-degree 'clarification'

    Not necessarily contradictory, but certainly worthy of journalistic follow-up (wonder who'll get there first this time?).

    Is Snedden's RWC2011 organisation contractually obliged to provide a "party central"? No - not a piss up site the way it has been portrayed. As Russell has made clear, that's the Government's own idea on top of the RWC conditions.

    Are RWC2011 obligated to provide a fan zone at the bottom of the CBD? Yes, says Snedden.

    That counts as news, given that Auckland City Council were presumably briefed before they decided to invest public money in Aotea Square as the only CBD fanzone with its new, expensive big screen. Did something change, or did Councillors make a 7-figure decision without proper information?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Today's light relief from sure-to-please Kerre Woodham:

    I want a mayor who has a vision for the future and who understands that the city is comprised of many villages, each with its own character and parochial tribe.

    Being a mayor of this city will be like being Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie - bringing together unrelated and diverse characters and blending them into a family.

    ...

    Yours faithfully,
    Concerned of Grey Lynn

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    That counts as news, given that Auckland City Council were presumably briefed before they decided to invest public money in Aotea Square as the only CBD fanzone with its new, expensive big screen. Did something change, or did Councillors make a 7-figure decision without proper information?

    The concrete in the Civic carpark was found to be failing some years ago. Investigations revealed that the car park would have to be shut and the roof of the carpark, which is the floor of Aotea Square plus adjoining bits of grass, would have to be torn up and replaced.

    (I imagine some tightwad male in the 80s decided to build on the cheap using cheap concrete.)

    In the event - the car park was kept open minus a few carparks as they were needed to house the jacks that kept the roof up. When I saw this I refused to go into the car park or use it until very recently.

    The opportunity was taken to freshen up the much loved square and the front of the Aotea Centre.

    This situation occurred months before RWC even came into being so no, Aotea Sq has nothing to do with RWC.

    Given that, someone in this current council decided that it would a perfect place for some kind of party - all they had to do was find money for a big telly screen.

    So the outlay is only on a telly screen.

    As far as RWC is concerned, wearing my elected rep hat, RWC is obliged to provide areas where ordinary members of the public can gather and watch the action on some big screens. This was to compenstate the good folk of the city for their inconvenience and for the fact that ticket prices would be out of reach for many.

    That's your 'party central' - which once one Mr John Key decided to christen it as a 'party central' (booze palace nudge nudge wink wink) - well there was no stopping some mediocre journalists from having a field day. I really wish John would put a sock in it sometimes and STFU. And I really wish that he had not put Mr McCully in charge; all he has done is fuck up the timing of everything for the sake of his ego , the hallmark of a piss poor politician.

    Doffing said hat.

    And Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie?? WTF? In that case I bags be the disabled child with stumps for arms in Kerre's blended family. What on earth has Kerre been smoking?

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    drat, got suckered into the wrong thread again - response over there instead, at the one with "Party Central" in its name..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Google has done some interesting integration with its Maps programme and things like Google Buzz. As a reader it is pretty neat and sometimes useful but it certainly does seem entirely too easy to reveal all sorts of things that one probably shouldn't.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Not sure where to put this ... this post from TPM's Josh Marshall explaining the media environment, the dynamics of online advertising, and TPM's approach to future revenue (a tailored mix of advertising and subscription) is well worth a read if you're interested in this space.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

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