Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Mood

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    However every time someone raises a criticism of National you come back with a defence of "but Labour is worse..."

    Balls, David. I'm sorry for being terse and snippy, but that's so far from reality it's just not funny.

    That and it's a bit whistley to bring up the auditor general don't ya think?

    "Remember the election fraud people! Remember!!!"

    Yeah, whatever David. Not to actually let any facts in the room, but I've said more that over that affair Brady came under utterly unfair political attacks from all sides. Could also say the same about Noel Ingram, QC whose inquiry into the conduct of Philip Field was about as good as it could be under extraordinarily difficult circumstances -- certainly within the terms of reference he was given. Instead, he was attacked from the right as a Liarbore Dykeocracy stooge, drawing it out to line his own pockets and curry political favour; from the left as some kind of racist Tory hack, and drawing it out to try and embarrass the government.

    Fuck-wittery is fairly non-partisan. Colour me surprised.

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

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    After the frequent disparaging mentions of the Herald's Your Views, I thought I'd mention their current one:

    What is the best thing since sliced bread?.

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

  • David Cormack,

    A collection of your replies to claims of Nataionl dialoique over the last few days:

    Well, Don, Clark straight-forwardly told an untruth in the House last week, and one she feels absolutely no need to withdraw or apologise for

    You may have found people like Clayton Cosgrove and Tariana Turia

    You're A-OK, with Mallard's little attacks of sleaze.

    OTOH, Russell, it's not hard to feel that folks are getting pretty damn sick of the slick, punchy and totally content free soundbite that Clark is very, very good at as well

    Suburbia, Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • David Cormack,

    Dammit...hit preview first.

    So many errors in the above post I don't know where to begin.

    Suburbia, Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    <quote>What is the best thing since sliced bread?.</quotez.

    USB ports

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    and the other faux-scandals spread by National party on-line smear specialists like Cameron Slater and David Farrar.

    The odiousness of Slater is unbelievable. David almost certainly has cleaner hands than him, but I still find it remarkable that he continues to have any association with him.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    I don't know Paul. Arguably David Farrar's moral and intellectual dishonesty is more offensive, because by all accounts he is a likeable and intelligent fellow. Instead of coming and saying what he clearly thinks - a hardline neo-liberalism combined with a Slateresque "laddism" - he loads the gun and hands it to his sewer, then tut tuts at the entirely predictable results. A sort of Pontius Pilate for the keyboard age.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The brilliant George Lakoff writing about why Obama should not lurch to the right, following from his earlier analysis of the Democratic Party's failings in the 2000 and 2004 elections:

    First, voters mostly vote not on the details of positions on issues, but on five aspects of what might be called “character,” as Richard Wirthlin discovered in the 1980 Reagan campaign.

    They are Values (What are the ethical principles that form the basis of your politics?); Authenticity (Do you say what you believe?); Communication (Do you connect with voters and inspire them?); Judgment; Trust; and Identity (If you share voters’ values, connect with them, tell them the truth effectively while inspiring trust, then they will identify with you — and they will vote for you).

    Positions on issues matter when they come to stand symbolically for values.

    http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/07/10162/

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    The brilliant George Lakoff writing about why Obama should not lurch to the right

    Maybe he's returning to where he really belongs (New Zealand's abortion laws are too liberal, even after the recent High Court decision etc.), after lurching left to win over committed lefty primary voters :-)

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Fascists and Pontius Pilate? Tom, you're on fire -- work in Robert Mugabe, Tony Veitch and the cast of High School Musical and you're getting a very special prize.

    David: Not playing. You might just have a point if I ever said "the sun shines out of John Key's arse, and Labour are a pack of evil shits". I don't, but someone sure seems a wee bit techy when pointing out that folks who like posturing on the moral high ground really should keep their own arses clean.

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

  • David Cormack,

    but someone sure seems a wee bit techy when pointing out that folks who like posturing on the moral high ground really should keep their own arses clean.

    I hope you're not referring to me, because about 3 posts earlier I said that many have expressed outrage at Helen Clark's attacks on Key.

    I don't mean to single you out - there are many on this thread who have said ridiculous things - you just happen to on the other side of the political fence to me, thus you inspire more passion in my replies :)

    Suburbia, Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Cheers Sam F

    Great to know Low over cooked it and the AAG has now been biffed in the compost. I wonder what flys & worms will crawl over it now.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    If the election carries on this theme, I'ld be happy.

    MPs call for improved ambulance services

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10520523

    But I'm not holding my breath.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    After the frequent disparaging mentions of the Herald's Your Views, I thought I'd mention their current one:

    What is the best thing since sliced bread?

    I had a look and found this suggestion:

    Polar fleece sleeveless vests!

    It's the uniform of the suburban and the rural mum!

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    you just happen to on the other side of the political fence to me, thus you inspire more passion in my replies :)

    Well, I don't thank that is always the issue. Trying to pin the Craig down whilst at the same time trying to filter the constant stream of invective can be tricky.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The odiousness of Slater is unbelievable. David almost certainly has cleaner hands than him, but I still find it remarkable that he continues to have any association with him.

    I've been wondering about this. Slater's misogyny is so weird and so constant I wonder if he has a personality disorder. His posts (and, in particular, one he linked to) on the England rugby team allegations were simply vile. Ditto his repeated online comments about a woman standing for Labour in this election.

    And banal, too. Many winger bloggers appear to be trapped in an arrested adolescence: Slater is trapped at puberty.

    And yet, as you say, people are happy to buddy up with him. You may have noticed that Bridget Saunders is now channelling his "tips" in her gossip pages. Perhaps someone should ask her about the company she keeps.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And yet, as you say, people are happy to buddy up with him. You may have noticed that Bridget Saunders is now channelling his "tips" in her gossip pages. Perhaps someone should ask her about the company she keeps.

    Well, Russell, I guess the company Saunders (and her APN equivalent Ratshit Galucoma, or whatever the hell she's called) keeps wouldn't be particularly relevant if Cate Brett and Fairfax weren't willing to give her a platform for her functionally illiterate tittle-tattle. On the rare occasions I've endured the wittering of these gossip hags, I've wondered why any sane publishers would take the risk.

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

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Does Bridget Saunders have craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, or is her face a case of botox o.d.?

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    And yet, as you say, people are happy to buddy up with him. You may have noticed that Bridget Saunders is now channelling his "tips" in her gossip pages. Perhaps someone should ask her about the company she keeps.

    If I were to speculate... I'd say it's 'cause Slater says stuff that others won't but want someone too.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    If I were to speculate... I'd say it's 'cause Slater says stuff that others won't but want someone too.

    That's generally how gossip columnists work, Paul and there's nothing new about it. Neil Gabler wrote an excellent biography of Walter Winchell, the daddy of 'em all, which is fascinating reading if you've got the stomach for it.

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

  • Paul Williams,

    Agreed, but Craig I was wondering why David associates with him?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Agreed, but Craig I was wondering why David associates with him?

    I'm going to have to pick my words very carefully, here. I don't like Slater, the way he operates or his manners -- and said so strongly enough to get a (relatively mild) squirt of venom that did nothing to change my mind. But I don't particularly like tarring people by 'association', because my own associations don't exactly meed the approval of various wingers. Do they, Mr Brown?

    You can hold Farrar or Slater entirely to account for their actions (whether I agree with you or not), but I'd say think very carefully about exactly what you mean by that bland word "associates".

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

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Polar fleece sleeveless vests!

    and the winter dog walker - Robyn, you didn't point out ('cos I thought it was a brilliant observation) that polar fleece is made from rubbish.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Slater is trapped at puberty.

    Hmm... I assumed he was a schoolboy.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Caleb D'Anvers,

    Not to go all Godwin or anything, but I thought there were some interesting local resonances in this piece from the Guardian:

    ... the BNP's rise tells us more about Britain than just racism. It is a canary in the mine - an early warning system signalling the complacency of our political culture in which our political class has been complicit. Trapped in a hopeless spiral of negativity, people will vote against anything - immigration, the Tories, Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson, Scottish nationalism, Gordon Brown or Europe, to name a few. But it seems a long time since large numbers of people voted for anything.

    So the fact that the BNP has performed best in Labour strongholds should come as no surprise. Its rise and New Labour's demise are linked. The government is failing even on its own modest terms. Child poverty and pensioner poverty are up. Economic inequality is now greater than under the Tories. Inflation is rising, house prices falling, and last week workers were again asked to tighten their belts. Never mind no return to boom and bust - many feel like they are about to crash and burn. People are desperate.

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report Reply

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