Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: New Zealand Weekend Television

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  • Rich Lock,

    Interesting disucssion on Afghanistan. Good to know that when the US State Department sends a New Zealand journalist there what that journalist is left with is a "feel" for the desires of the US State Department. Truly profound. Thanks for holding his feet so firmly over the fire on that one.

    I can't tell whether you're being ironic, snarking or what

    My vote goes for genuinely complimentary.

    I took a piece of toast out of the toaster the other day and was amazed to see the image of a man with long hair and a beard burned into the bread, I think it may have been John Lennon.

    Must've had a shave before preparing this one.

    And seeing as it's PAS, here's the geek version.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Top Town: With the recent death of Paddy this episode has a very nostalgic ring to it. My recollection of Paddy was on Hauraki in the late 60's. Me and a couple of school mates would bus to Auckland during the holidays for a day in the Big Smoke and it always included a visit to the Hauraki recording studio. The show being recorded was always a week late so we had a week of eager anticipation for our request to be played. The man kept turning up on radio over the years with his unmistakable voice.

    Sigh......Snoopy Versus the Red baron.... The Return of the Red Baron. I remember "Snoopy" sat at number 1 (on the Hauraki charts!) for Dog knows how long simply because the NZBC had banned it!!

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    My vote goes for genuinely complimentary.

    Oh. Which would leave me looking a little rude ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Rex Widerstrom,

    @ Robyn Gallagher

    I suspect this telethon will have a bit of appeal for people who are the Mr Vintage retro t-shirt wearing sorts: watching telethon, longing for Georgie Pie and Billy T James' giggling.

    Here I was, wearing my "Know your enemy" t-shirt (with the picture of the pig in NYPD uniform weilding a baton), secretly feeling that no moments in life will ever equal the pure joy of sitting in Georgie Pie in Manners Mall, about to share my treasured memories of Telethons past (my wine coloured velvet jacket when I presented... the time I crushed Rob Muldoon's instep...) and I find I'm nothing but a bloody stereotype!!

    Well, harumph, I say!!

    Perth, Western Australia • Since Nov 2006 • 157 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I once saw a potato that, viewed from a certain angle, didn't look like Jim Bolger

    I once saw a picture of Jesus that looked like a slice of toast.

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

  • Danielle,

    I have just started watching the Top Town episode, and it is made of win.

    A few years ago I discovered that in the USA they had Battle of the Network Stars, in which TV personalities did similarly exciting athletic feats. Here is (poor quality, sorry) Billy Crystal vs. Larry Wilcox from CHiPs on an obstacle course, and the following year racing against a youthful David Letterman:

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge,

    Possibly the only sane response to that sort of "news content" I've seen for months.

    Not the first time Hilary has drawn the short straw.

    Hilary Barry on air snort

    (sorry, don't know how to do the embed thing - someone feel free to do so)

    I saw it at the time and thought it was quite endearing - and a reasonable response to the story.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Natalie,

    I once saw a picture of Jesus that looked like a slice of toast.

    http://www.theonion.com/content/news/evolutionists_flock_to_darwin

    London • Since Apr 2008 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Land of the Long Black Froth or Proud Scum?

    This week I made a long black and the blotch on the crema was in the shape of New Zealand. I should have taken a photo.

    Damn straight ya shoulda snapped dem excited bubbles n photons...
    ...that coulda saved the nation millions as the replacement 100% PURE tourist publicity campaign - NZ the country where the crema
    also rises!
    Hopefully this doesn't make you the
    Cremaster ...on yer bike...

    Nice to see Mr Higgins on deck, casting his mind way back beyond the breakers, I only have flickering (if not strobing) recollections of that Enemy-Tellykinetic night (and sorry I missed ya on yer recent trip down to these boggy-parts, too).

    yrs in yer cafe, er face
    Kaffir au Lait
    stirred and still shakin',,,

    ps: re :

    " Wayne Coyne seems to revel in illuminating the public on his low opinion of famous people acting like dicks.

    here he is making an entrance at the recent Splendour in the Grass festival at Byron Bay, Oz...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Lara,

    Re: Afghanistan, my 300 level political science class at uni could not come up with a reason to go other than to please America. As was noted, it will be a hard sell. When the most recent surge began, a journalist noted that the new forces were driving past the wreckage of the Russians. I'm not convinced that the result will be any different this time around.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2009 • 82 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Your level 300 class was not wrong: from Alexander the Psychopath unto the Brits; from the Russians unto the current uneasy coalition-
    Afghanis dont *like* being invaded.They fight hard (read yer Kipling) & they destroy often. They assimilate occaisionally (remanant genes from Alexander the Macedonian's little horde crop up still) or digest (all those bones and festery stuff...there is an awful lot of them.) Relics of gentler religions? Shattered. And amazing archaeological treasures? A lot of looters are doing their nasty best to extinguish those.

    The place is a most extraordinary human-crossing area, but like most such, is not where sane people can stay long.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Singapore, then?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Or Mumbai...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • TracyMac,

    Urgh, thanks for mentioning the Leeza Gibbons/Chris Quentin Telethon - I had horrible flashbacks just then. That was definitely the jumping the shark moment for me.

    As for Mt Eden Dubstep, thanks for the pointer! What I've heard so far is pretty classic dnb, but if the gent concerned wants to call it dubstep, I'm not going to quibble. Fine electronica sounds from the homeland.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report Reply

  • Brickley Paiste,

    I can't tell whether you're being ironic, snarking or what.

    I thought the discussion was good. But also a bit ironic and snarking. A melange.

    Are you saying he and the paper should have refused to go at the State Department's invitation?

    Yes

    That would, of course, have meant no reportage at all

    Such as we have on most areas of public policy. The status quo doesn't seem to have people out shouting in the streets.

    The script noted some local stories and said "But these excellent stories are the exception. Are we seeing enough coverage of Afghanistan in the media?" It sounded like a question to me.

    My point was that the stories probably weren't excellent. But maybe they were. I'll go back and read them.

    I don't think Gower ducked the provenance question at all

    Because you lobbed a softball question from heaven to dispense with the issue at the outset.

    Since Mar 2009 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    That would, of course, have meant no reportage at all

    Such as we have on most areas of public policy. The status quo doesn't seem to have people out shouting in the streets.

    It's just too nice a day to spend arguing against the proposition that nothing is better than something.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    from Alexander the Psychopath

    It always bemuses me how self aggrandising murderous psychopaths usually were tagged with 'the Great'

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Brickley Paiste,

    It's just too nice a day to spend arguing against the proposition that nothing is better than something.

    Agreed. And at least we can be completely confident that the nice weather will receive the near saturation coverage it so obviously merits.

    Since Mar 2009 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    RIP Willy DeVille.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    RIP Willy DeVille.

    Indeed. I have 12" of Spanish Stroll that I bough back in 77 / 78, which fits the three minute tune over the whole 30cm, with incredible bottom end, the likes of which I've yet to hear any CD reproduce.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    They fight hard (read yer Kipling) & they destroy often.

    Roll to your rifle, etcetera. It's the ultimate land war in Asia.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    re Telethon. They've already raised $450, 000 - pretty good, I reckon.

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

  • Lucy Stewart,

    re Telethon. They've already raised $450, 000 - pretty good, I reckon.

    After the opening few minutes, I've decided the obvious culmination of the whole thing would be for John Campbell to pash Richie McCaw. I'd donate for that.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Heather W.,

    Personally I think TV3 can go stick their "Big Night In", now that they've pulled series two of "Dexter" (one of the few things I can be bothered watching on their channel) after two episodes.

    I know you already know this Octopusgrrl, but for any Dexter fan that hasn't heard, here is the TV3 tweet:

    In response to feedback from fans of Dexter, all new episodes of Dexter will commence Monday Oct 12, @ 8.30pm on C4
    7:15 PM Aug 6th from web

    Sad to say Lucy,

    After the opening few minutes, I've decided the obvious culmination of the whole thing would be for John Campbell to pash Richie McCaw. I'd donate for that.

    The early promos said they were not doing the pledge requests this time - people didn't always pay up.

    North Shore • Since Nov 2008 • 189 posts Report Reply

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