Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Friday Recommends

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    I think this week's Media7 emerged pretty well in the circumstances.

    You did better than that - didn't really agree with Denis Welch's rather rosy view of the media's treatment of Pike River, but he made his case well and it's something I think honest and honourable people can have a reasonable YMMV over.

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

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    PS: The Public Address Word of the Year 2010 will launch on Monday.

    I can't wait! I've been keeping a list of gnarly words.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • bob daktari,

    RIP Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson

    Throbbing Gristle founder Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson died “peacefully” in his sleep on Nov 24 at the age of 55 in his Bangkok home.

    Born in Leeds, England, the industrial music pioneer was also a founding member of Coil and Psychic TV after Throbbing Gristle disbanded in 1981, as well as recording solo work under the name The Threshold HouseBoys Choir. Most recently he founded Soisong in 2007 with Ivan Pavlov.

    The news was made official today when Throbbing Gristle bandmates Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter tweeted: “Our dearest beautiful Sleazy left this mortal coil as he slept in peace last night. words cannot express our grief.” Other artists, like Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor also took to Twitter to express their grief: “I awake to sad news. RIP Peter Christopherson – friend and huge inspiration."

    dude was a legend in my musical world

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 540 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    My pick of the day, from Scott Kara's review of last night's U2 concert:

    Earlier, support act Jay-Z also paid his respects to the Pike River miners, putting them alongside late hip-hop greats Tupac and Notorious BIG.

    Would it be appropriate to pour malt liquor down the mine shaft?

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Oh, we've got a duplicate: http://publicaddress.net/system/topic/2826/

    I think this happens when two people make the first comment at around the same time. They both fill in the box at the bottom of the main page, which always creates a new discussion thread.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Thanks for the heads-up Robyn. We know what the issue is, and Karl's doing a software update right now.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • tarlen, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    Yes, it was two people creating the "first comment" at the same time. We've updated the site so it shouldn't happen any more.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2010 • 19 posts Report

  • JP Hansen,

    Did you get to U2 last night Russell? Once again, some absolutely sublime moments (though only being 4 years since the last show, it didn't surprise as much as the Vertigo tour show - Bono doing The Pav's parts in Miss Sarajevo, for example). We got $40 tickets, and at that price took 2 of our primary school aged kids, who loved it, even if the 7 year old did fall asleep for an hour in the middle - way past his bedtime.

    Fans had organised on u2fanz.com to blow up red balloons during One Tree Hill and release them when Bono sang And the moon has turned red over One Tree Hill.

    Nobody knew that the song would be dedicated to the miners, and their names would start scrolling on the screen just a few seconds after that moment.

    You can watch it here, it was an amazing emotional moment last night, though the footage doesn't quite do it justice. You can see Bono getting choked up and missing a couple of words in the next line.

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report

  • Alastair Thompson,

    Hi Russell

    Inspired in part by your Media 7 panel and partly by a general feeling of misgiving around the way we collectively dealt with this disaster at the media police interface level Scoop posted an editorial on the subject this morning.

    In the circumstances we think that Garry Knowles should stand down as commander of the recovery operation - not just from the front line at the mine portal.

    Pike River, After The Second Explosion - Scoop Editorial

    Police Superintendent Knowles should now be replaced as commander of the recovery operation. His removal from the "coalface" of operations last night at 7pm is a useful step but - given the level of interest and controversy around this event - is in this publication's view, insufficient.

    This is no reflection on how he has done his job.

    Like it or not, he is the individual whose decisions will now be the subject of a large part of these inquiries. For the sanctity of the process, and for his own protection, he should not be seen to be the person responsible for collecting the final evidence which will be presented at the inquiries relating to how the miners died.

    Also - like it or not - in days to come and beyond Knowles will be the subject of speculation and "armchair jury" deliberation around the country, in the media, in blogs, on facebook and on talkback radio.

    And this is something which the police need to accept is not the media's fault. It is the result of a natural human instinct to try to understand the things that most upset us. It will probably be painful for many of those involved in the process - but that is part of the job description.

    It is the reality of life as a policeman in NZ, that when a large (or for that matter any) loss of life occurs, they and their superior's (including the Minister and the Commissioner) must expect to have their actions examined in minutiae. We do so so that we can learn from the experience and hopefully prevent similar things happening again.

    Craig,

    What is a YMMV?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 220 posts Report

  • JP Hansen,

    I'm not Craig, but it's "your mileage may vary".

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher, in reply to JP Hansen,

    Where I come from, it's Your Mum Munches Valium, but your mileage may vary.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to JP Hansen,

    it was an amazing emotional moment last night

    Beautiful serendipity.

    Nobody knew that the song would be dedicated to the miners

    Ahem

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • JP Hansen,

    Ha, good call!

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Alastair Thompson,

    What is a YMMV?

    You "mileage may vary." Quite frankly, I think some sections of the media needed to get their egos out of the room, and get a grip on on the idea that feeding them fresh copy weren't really the number one priority. But, hell, that's an old argument without end I'd rather leave for another time and place. And, as I said, one reasonable and honourable people can disagree on.

    OTOH, I should check myself and grant that Denis isn't out of line saying that the people who got it right really got it right. But when the media got it wrong (the violations of privacy and good taste, the distasteful keyboard Rambos etc.) they really really screwed the pooch.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to JP Hansen,

    call it Auckland intuition :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Jackie Clark,

    Russell, will you be giving guided tours of said home office anytime in the future? Because I'm fairly certain that you could make money from it.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    One for 3410 - Jay-Z does Empire State of Mind last night

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Oxford (the dictionary) has announced its word of the year is refudiate.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Thanks, Sacha, but, alas, no broadband at present.

    (Comma overload!)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Alastair Thompson,

    @jackie

    I have a pic of Russell in his abode on the day of the site relaunch. Perhaps I can share.....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 220 posts Report

  • Alastair Thompson,

    @craig

    If feeding them fresh copy helps keep everything on an even keel then it is part of the crisis management objective. And if not feeding them fresh copy leads - as it did - to everybody getting upset with each other it detracts from that objective. I think we have not heard the end of this - today the police have decided not to hold a briefing..... which in my view is a mistake.

    We shall see....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 220 posts Report

  • recordari,

    Unknown Mortal Orchestra

    COIL

    For some reason all week I've wanted to listen to this, as it seems to capture the pervading feelings.

    Also having just discovered Sufjan Stevens, thanks, as is common, to Troy Ferguson's Rock 'n' Roll Wire, (here in Feb next year), I've become a bit hooked. The Age of Adz was released recently and here's a free download of Too Much. This album is more eclectic than last, so far.
    Hope it's Ok to drag in some more music.

    I'm U2ing tonight, so avoiding too many previews. Have a great weekend.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    But when the media got it wrong (the violations of privacy and good taste, the distasteful keyboard Rambos etc.) they really really screwed the pooch.

    Can I register my disgust at 3 News' lead story with the Dunbar father yet another time?

    Yes I bloody well can. What a horrible abandonment of basic decency and fairness that was. Grrrrrr.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Yes I bloody well can. What a horrible abandonment of basic decency and fairness that was. Grrrrrr.

    Oh, me two. Three News should be getting pimp-slapped by the BSA right about now, but I'm pretty damn sure Joseph Dunbar's whanau and friends have more important things to do.

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

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    "You "mileage may vary." "

    Blame it on TVTropes. ;D

    Surgeon-General's Warning: may be hazardous to your productivity.

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

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