Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Celebrity Gibberish

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and let's just say, for the sake of argument, Havoc was a law or arts student. Personally, I wouldn't be too outraged if he "converted" $20K of parking fines into an equivalent amount (calculated at minimum wage) of "community service" that used his education and skills at a Citizen's Advice Bureau, YouthLaw, Adult Literacy Auckland etc. As far as I'm aware, they've never complained about being over-supplied with qualified volunteers.

    Hell, who knows, you might even have one or two bad buggers come away with some useful experience that would make their c.v. look a damn sight more impressive than their credit rating. :)

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

  • lotech,

    The hilarious thing is the bFM pay for a park for Mikey (in the Business School park), but as he's always late he ends up parking right outside and sending his producer out to keep feeding the meter. If only he could get to work on time - he'd have a parking spot, time for a coffee and no doubt time to prepare. Alas from a 3 hour show - we get (or got if you're like me and moved on) - 45mins of his producer filling in the void, and then just over 2 hours of off the cuff ranting mixed with no doubt quickly picked in itunes music.

    AKNZ • Since Dec 2006 • 23 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    If, say, an accountant racked up 200 hours of Community Service wouldn’t the most logical punishment be to get him or her to do that service sorting out accounts for various charities etc. (as long as the original crime wasn’t fraud)

    Would be a far better use of everyone’s time than getting the accountant to dig ditches badly for 200 hours?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • Russell Clarke,

    Why aren't assets (as written down values) being confiscated or salaries garnisheed once the bill gets to $1000?

    Yes, they should bloody-well confiscate his car. Kill two birds with one stone, as it were.

    -36.76, 174.61 or thereab… • Since Nov 2006 • 164 posts Report

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Can I give a thumbs-down to this regular Herald headline, for warning in the blurb on the main page that content may disturb? I think that's a bit obvious from the headline, guys. Just a little bit.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    If, say, an accountant racked up 200 hours of Community Service wouldn’t the most logical punishment be to get him or her to do that service sorting out accounts for various charities etc. (as long as the original crime wasn’t fraud)

    Hear hear. It's very hard to find an auditor for a club these days, and those that do it charge an arm and a leg, the professional body is clamping down on it so less accountants will do it. We were quoted up to $2000 to audit our club accounts which don't even total $100K.

    Why aren't assets (as written down values) being confiscated or salaries garnisheed once the bill gets to $1000?

    Only the court can do this (the salaries, not sure about the assets) I think. Lots of people pay off their fines at $20/week from their salary etc.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • HORansome,

    [T]here was no sign of a judge, just lots of Freemasons handshakes between old fellows...

    Ah, the old Freemasonry Judicial Conspiracy Theory. I like it how people can tell a Freemason by the way they shake hands with other people, even though it's an urban myth. I, for one, am fairly sure my local dairy owner is a Rosicrucian by the way she blinks.

    Tāmaki Makaurau • Since Sep 2008 • 441 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    Russell - yeah I think denial is part of it - "I didn't pay them and nothing bad happened ..." probably helps.

    When I moved back home to NZ I filed my US taxes and somehow they got lost .... The IRS kept sending me annoying letters and I just ignored them, they were far far away and I hadn't done anything bad .... then a year later they sent me the bill for half a million dollars ... that made me wake up, refile (now with the actual records that had been stalled in transit with the rest of our belongings) and they sent me a big refund

    Probably we need more creative ways to help break the denial - a polite visit from a nice policeman, refusal to process a WoF or registrations, towing rather than more tickets would help people wake up to the fact that they haven't been forgotten

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • ScottY,

    Ah, the old Freemasonry Judicial Conspiracy Theory.

    Theory? You can't work in the legal system in this country unless you're already a member of the Freemason Illuminati New World Order reptilian elite.

    Oops, said too much...

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report

  • HORansome,

    Scott, please present yourself at the nearest Shadow Lodge for a mindwipe and then some baby eating in honour of the late Queen Mother.

    Tāmaki Makaurau • Since Sep 2008 • 441 posts Report

  • Leopold,

    The person I feel sorry for is the unemployed struggling student whom AUSA would have had to pay for being a DJ and whose potential job has now been taken away by Mikey doing it for free

    Since Jan 2007 • 153 posts Report

  • Gareth Ward,

    I just won't read the HoS. My wife refers to it as my nemisis.
    But an intriguing "DJ" story given who the editor is, no?

    Todays editorial is also a very very average affair - Roughan got a visit from an Infratil lobbyist, and now apparently Snapper is the awesome answer to integrated ticketing, contrary to an involved RFP process, deep probity audit and the common sense of running with an incredibly experienced player when the key complaint is "how much longer does this have to take?"

    edited for crimes-against-spelling

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • ScottY,

    Scott, please present yourself at the nearest Shadow Lodge for a mindwipe and then some baby eating in honour of the late Queen Mother.

    All this feasting is bad for the waistline. I barely fit my diabolical robes any more. Can't we just for once have sushi?

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Hmm. If the fines were for something more profound than illegal parking--civil disobedience rather than yellow line violation-- I might be more sympathetic. I recall, in an earlier life, when I was a postie in Wellington, delivering registered letters for parking fines to Mike Bungay QC at least twice a week (of course he never collected them). People thought he was a rebel; I thought he was an a-hole.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Isn't the classic right-wing party line that parking restrictions are a socialist imposition and those paid to enforce them are the spawn of Himmler?

    Or is that trumped by the miscreant/victim being a longhaired pinko student radio DJ?

    Anyway, if people are going to run up parking fines to that degree, why not ban them from driving until they pay them off. If you can't afford to pay for driving a car, why should you be allowed to drive?

    There *is* public transport in Auckland, you know. Even out to the Waitaks.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Hmm. If the fines were for something more profound than illegal parking--civil disobedience rather than yellow line violation-- I might be more sympathetic.

    But it's not really about the parking fines themselves -- clearly Mikey was a dick to let it get that far out of hand (although he's obviously far from alone in that).

    It's the claim that he got "celebrity justice" and the unbelievably confused editorial that tried to make an issue of it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    The Brits have placed some high fences around the Goat Riders for what has been evidently occuring between the Judges & the Police.

    For further evidence please remeber STAC , 'good' schools can get you out of prison and onto community service, for Bank Robbery!
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10542867&ref=rss

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand,

    It's the claim that he got "celebrity justice" and the unbelievably confused editorial that tried to make an issue of it.

    Point taken! I wonder if it is time for newspapers to dispense with editorials and abandon the pretense that there is difference between such columns, and the remainder of news content. Good on you for reading them, though.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Good on you for reading them, though.

    Ah yes. You can give me a sympathetic pat on the head if you like.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • andin,

    There *is* public transport in Auckland, you know. Even out to the Waitaks.

    I dont think that service has been updated since the 1950's.
    Two commuter buses in the morning into town, two in the evening to return you home.
    But thats by the by.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    It's the claim that he got "celebrity justice" ...

    i'm a bit confused here, are you saying he didnt get the same justice afforded a non celebrity and that because of his celebrity status he got celebrity punshment ?

    or that he didnt get celebrity justice and got good old bargain basement riff raff justice ?

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    or that he didnt get celebrity justice and got good old bargain basement riff raff justice ?

    He did exactly the same thing as anyone else could do under the rules: made an offer to the court that was accepted. If there is a shred of evidence that he got special treatment because he is a "celebrity", I have yet to see it.

    And I've deleted your other post. You were quite clearly trying to play games with the suppression order. Obviously, you have no fucking idea about how suppression orders work and how serious a matter it is, but consider yourself warned. Do it again and I will delete your account.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    He did exactly the same thing as anyone else could do under the rules: made an offer to the court that was accepted. If there is a shred of evidence that he got special treatment because he is a "celebrity", I have yet to see it.

    fair enough but you cant argue he didnt get celebrity punishment ?

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

  • HORansome,

    Well, you can have sushi, but the Reptile Overmind isn't going to be happy about it. The Constellation of Draco is watching.

    Tāmaki Makaurau • Since Sep 2008 • 441 posts Report

  • andin,

    fair enough but you cant argue he didnt get celebrity punishment ?

    I thought celeb punishment was rehab.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

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