Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Swine flu, terror and Susan Boyle

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  • robbery,

    you don't use a pseudonym

    and I'm the only one who does?
    come on, with some of the bolshy attitudes that go down here why wouldn't you use one? my main mistake is that I let you know who I was. ("I" meaning simon, that big mouth, although people who needed to know already did and respected the 'rules'. credit to you russell for that)

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I'll get together a post about this at some point soon, I think, but the short version is that moderation isn't actually easy.

    Oh yes. In the meantime, there's Emma's recent thread.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    without any intervention from mr god controller which unveils a disturbing level of bias.

    Gee Rob, I'm sorry that I couldn't devote even more of my time to following an old thread that I was thoroughly sick of.

    I'm actually really, really tired of the personal cracks at me of the kind in the above post. You've been doing it from the day you arrived. But I suppose it worked for you, given that I'm having to pay attention to you yet again.

    If you can't behave with even a modicum of respect, please go away for a while. And if that doesn't work, I will actually show you the door. It is my house.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks,

    If there was a bank robbery, and the culprits were never caught, Brickley would spend the rest of his life referring to it as an "alleged bank robbery".

    If his tv was stolen, and the police never charged anyone, he would always refer to "the time my tv was allegedly stolen".

    maybe what russell does isn't journalism, its opinion piece, and if so it should be acknowledged as such.

    It doesn't ahve to be either/or; journalism includes opinion pieces. I would have thought it rather obvious that Russell's Hard News comments are opinion pieces.

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks,

    My point wasn't in the least bit tenuous, Russell.

    FTR, he didn’t say it was tenuous, he said it was “fairly tendentious”. But tenuous also works.

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I will actually show you the door. It is my house.

    And we all recognise and respect that as guests--sitting around in Russell's spacious lounge, conversing in a civilised fashion. So, we don't want folk who are off doing something vile in a back room.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    It doesn't ahve to be either/or; journalism includes opinion pieces. I would have thought it rather obvious that Russell's Hard News comments are opinion pieces.

    For the record, I've won awards for news, feature and column writing, and blogging. I've also been a radio interviewer for years and now I host a TV discussion show. I do have a bit of a range.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    I do have a bit of a range.

    Indeed. All the way to God Controller apparently...
    Which I presume is like the Fat Controller but with a more pronounced beard?

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    If the killing of Dr Tiller isn't serious enough to be terrorism, but is still more serious than a plain vanilla homicide, then the nearest matching description would have to be political murder or assassination.

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

  • Joe Wylie,

    For example: I'm always happy to have James Bremmer in the house, even if only to catch up on the latest Republican talking points, and I've asked people to desist from personal abuse and name-calling to him a few times. Although his arguments often seem outrageous to me, he conducts them well.

    There's been the occasional 'did he really let that one through?' moment, e.g. 'hairy armpit brigade', but yeah, to be fair, like Dr. Strangelove gnawing at his wrist after realising he's broken into the stiff-arm salute, James does try.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    For the record, I've won awards for news, feature and column writing, and blogging. I've also been a radio interviewer for years and now I host a TV discussion show.

    Russell also has an excellent energy star rating and comes in a range of colours.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    Russell also has an excellent energy star rating and comes in a range of colours.

    Allegedly.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    And we all recognise and respect that as guests--sitting around in Russell's spacious lounge, conversing in a civilised fashion. So, we don't want folk who are off doing something vile in a back room.

    Geoff, it's when they do it loudly on the coffee table that I have a problem. Hard to hear anyone else over the fatuous braying. For some reason the back room doesn't offer enough attention for the poor dears, and they demand the right to inflict their proud ignorance on the whole party.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Russell also has an excellent energy star rating and comes in a range of colours.

    Also - double FlyBuys points!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    I'm sorry that I couldn't devote even more of my time to following an old thread that I was thoroughly sick of.

    its 104 pages long russell,

    It is my house.

    it is that, as noted.

    I'm actually really, really tired of the personal cracks at me of the kind in the above post.

    I didn't make any personal cracks,
    What bit specifically are you referring to?
    are you meaning the bit about opinion piece. They are, you speak as russell brown with your personal view point in these articles. you're not working for a major newspaper tallying the stock market changes and delivering an impersonal anonymous account of events.

    That's not meant as an insult or to be critical, its an observation, a clarification. The discussion forums are an opportunity for people to agree with or more interestingly to challenge what you've said or what people say to what you've said. That's the most interesting thing as an outsider.
    People patting you on the back doesn't make for interesting or thought provoking material to most of the outside audience.

    When I've been critical of you its been on specific points of contention. A simple "noted but I disagree", or "noted, that's an interesting perspective" finished the conversation as far as that goes. As good as I am at winding you up, you're skilled in the same art and you know it.

    You've been doing it from the day you arrived.

    bollocks. you only notice those instances and ignore the rest. 1840 posts and they're all an attack on you? come on man. that's just silly.

    It's just a discussion thread. It doesn't really hurt.

    and we both know, sometimes that's not true.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    If the killing of Dr Tiller isn't serious enough to be terrorism, but is still more serious than a plain vanilla homicide, then the nearest matching description would have to be political murder or assassination.

    I think in context it's certainly terrorism. His death takes down to two the number of doctors who perform late-term abortions in the US.

    That's not because the procedure, although tightly constrained by law, is illegal. It's because most doctors are, literally, terrified after 25 years of bombings, shootings, assaults and ordinary intimidation carried out by individuals associated with known, organised groups. Scott Roeder is one such individual.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • robbery,

    I do have a bit of a range.

    agreed,
    speaking specifically re PA.
    I'm thinking the whole issue of blogs take over for newspapers which is dangerous. It doesn't undermine the validity of what you do here but its important to remember and be clear what is fact and what is opinion, an not take offense when the difference is pointed out.
    people (including myself sometimes) do fall into that trap of forgetting where they are.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    That's not meant as an insult or to be critical ..

    No, it never is, Rob. Really, I'm tired of this.

    I'm thinking the whole issue of blogs take over for newspapers

    Go and argue the point with someone who actually said that, please.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Nick Cave is renaming his 1996 album:
    "ballads in which the authorities could not rule out foul play"

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks,

    For the record, I've won awards for news, feature and column writing, and blogging. I've also been a radio interviewer for years and now I host a TV discussion show. I do have a bit of a range.

    Yeah, I know, that's what I mean by it not being one or other, journalism or opinion. There's room for a range of types of journalism, some more opinion-orientated than others. I just don't see what Rob's point was with that 'it should be acknowledged' comment.

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Nick Cave is renaming his 1996 album:
    "ballads in which the authorities could not rule out foul play"

    Curse you beating me to that.

    Late lunch is calling. I could terminate with extreme prejudice a curry.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    "ballads in which the authorities could not rule out foul play"

    And who could forget The Smiths' classic "Meat is Terrorism"?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    With guest vocal by Mike King?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Nick Cave is renaming his 1996 album:
    "ballads in which the authorities could not rule out foul play"

    Genius.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    "A fatality on the Orient Express that the Police will be looking into but are unable to comment on at this time"?

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

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