Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: The Wall and the Paper https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/ en-us Copyright (c) 2026 Public Address Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206541#post206541 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206541#post206541 I’m not trolling you, Christopher, but I really think Brown’s earned a bare pass on this – but the worse thing about screwing up is not learning from it and doing better.

Sincere question: what do you believe he could or should have done?

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:20:25 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206540#post206540 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206540#post206540 Hat time...

But I’m hoping that the libraries are going to be the norm not the exception that proves the rule – while the integration hasn’t been flawless, they just got on with an enormously complex job and (to be honest) did a much better job than I expected.

The…

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:11:52 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206539#post206539 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206539#post206539 I’m hoping that the libraries are going to be the norm not the exception that proves the rule

They were already many years ahead with systems integration. Hence the ability to switch on interloaning right away.

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:59:11 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206532#post206532 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206532#post206532 until the “Auckland City” culture is replaced with a truly inclusive culture across the region we will see these issues occurring.

Actually, John, I’d really be glad to see the “North Shore” culture taken out behind the barn and given a headshot – though, to be fair, a large part…

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:25:18 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206527#post206527 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206527#post206527 Sigh. Unleashing my hat – today, of all days – but nursing a blardy cold so I can't be present at the unleashing being done today by Mayor Brown...

Russell's analysis is bang on, and far better than anything I could have done. Thank you Mr Brown.

And the observation:…

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:04:24 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206512#post206512 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206512#post206512 I could go through a long laundry list of stuff, but trust me, until the “Auckland City” culture is replaced with a truly inclusive culture across the region we will see these issues occurring.

You are not the first person I've heard this from.

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:34:31 +1300 John Holley https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206511#post206511 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206511#post206511 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:31:18 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206510#post206510 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206510#post206510 I find your suggestion that you wouldn’t expect Mayor Brown to get on top of the graffiti policy in less than four months doesn’t tally with the Mayor’s own statements on the importance of clearing graffiti and tagging from Auckland.

See above. There wasn't a policy, there was an official…

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:25:49 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206509#post206509 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206509#post206509 You put your hand up for elected office, it’s just your job to either know your portfolio or have someone very close at hand who will brief you immediately. The statute of limitation on blaming the other lot is as short for Brown as it was for Banks (and everyone… ]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:17:29 +1300 peter mclennan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206500#post206500 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206500#post206500 So Chris – "Mayor Brown wasn’t responsible for graffitti policy that Shields was operating under (Auckland City Council was), and nor could I expect him to get on top of such policy, given he was sworn in less than four months ago."

In Brown's very first speech as mayor, he…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:12:12 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206499#post206499 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206499#post206499 Mayor Brown wasn’t responsible for graffitti policy that Shields was operating under (Auckland City Council was), and nor could I expect him to get on top of such policy, given he was sworn in less than four months ago.

Christopher: I'll issue a general policy statement, and will be entering…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:57:24 +1300 Jacqui Dunn https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206496#post206496 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206496#post206496 did have a real hangover..... ]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:07:19 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206494#post206494 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206494#post206494 Goodness Christopher! I have a bottle of real Angostura bitters (even better than tonic water with gin – I am told by the family's only gin drinker (my mother) – which I'd happily send you-
I am also told they last forever, which better be the case because this bottle…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:02:16 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206491#post206491 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206491#post206491 Wearing my hat...

Mayor Brown wasn't responsible for graffitti policy that Shields was operating under (Auckland City Council was), and nor could I expect him to get on top of such policy, given he was sworn in less than four months ago. Additionally, staff have publicly said that they were…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:51:47 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206483#post206483 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206483#post206483 His office has actually been quite helpful to me in pursuing it.

And I'll happily give credit where it's due, but I will stand by my original comment that officials too often are the politically convenient scapegoats for bad policy. But I feel very kindly disposed towards politicians who can…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:12:52 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206470#post206470 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206470#post206470 Which is hardly a great boost to my confidence. Before Christopher swoops in and accuses me of taking a “cheap shot” at Len Brown,

I thought Brown was evasive as to the key question of council officers’ powers in his interview on Media7, but it’s only his response to the…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:24:06 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206469#post206469 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206469#post206469 Righto: via the Mayor’s press officer:

Tony Crampton is an Auckland Council officer and performs as part of his job graffiti education and volunteer project duties.

He is not the Individual that Len referred to as an anti-graffiti volunteer and Chris referred to as a member of the public.

Unpaid…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:15:26 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206465#post206465 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206465#post206465 Also, the Mayor said that “Council contractors mistakenly painted over this mural after a request by an Auckland Council anti-graffiti volunteer”.

Which is hardly a great boost to my confidence. Before Christopher swoops in and accuses me of taking a "cheap shot" at Len Brown, "whoops" isn't really good enough…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:18:36 +1300 peter mclennan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206438#post206438 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206438#post206438 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:00:48 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206434#post206434 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206434#post206434 Thanks, Russell. Thanks, Chris. So, if Rob Sheilds’ story about it being a member of the public is incorrect, why did you claim to know the name of that person?

Er, don’t be hating on Chris, please. I presume he has the same name I do, but wasn't aware who…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:40:04 +1300 peter mclennan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206433#post206433 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206433#post206433 Thanks, Russell. Thanks, Chris. So, if Rob Sheilds' story about it being a member of the public is incorrect, why did you claim to know the name of that person?

"What officers don't know is that I know the name of the member of public"

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:38:00 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206430#post206430 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206430#post206430 Wearing my Elected Rep hat...

Mayor Brown's statement is correct.

doffing my hat...

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:27:36 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206429#post206429 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206429#post206429 Also, the Mayor said that “Council contractors mistakenly painted over this mural after a request by an Auckland Council anti-graffiti volunteer”. So it was a complaint from a member of the public, or this anti grafftiti volunteer that resulted in the destruction of Askew’s mural? Two different version sof what… ]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:17:13 +1300 peter mclennan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206428#post206428 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206428#post206428 "This incident is the first of its kind that we are aware of..." Really? Heres another example of a mural that Rob Sheilds got painted out... From The Aucklander, August 2009...

http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/who-decides-what-looks-good/3902993/

And this is one of about 4 murals I've heard of being eradicated by Council. Rob Sheilds has…

]]> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:01:40 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206421#post206421 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206421#post206421 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:39:56 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206404#post206404 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206404#post206404 What officers don’t know is that I know the name of the member of public.

Is that significant?

]]> Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:33:23 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206393#post206393 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206393#post206393 Wearing my elected rep hat...

Mr Brown asked the following question:

What powers does [Rob] Shields have, what policy was he acting under, what are the damn rules anyway?

I asked officers and got the following reply from Mr Sheilds:

Council contractors mistakenly painted over an aerosol art work on…

]]> Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:02:53 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206357#post206357 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206357#post206357 Dear Sof’ and Steve & Stella – despite all the dreadfulness, we are alive – and truly, compassion is what makes us human beings*…arohanui mai na K


*There are a lot of other compassionate animals – not just mammals…may all be well with us all-

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:48:58 +1300 Sofie Bribiesca https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206354#post206354 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206354#post206354 Laws has simply pulled this column out of his arse.
I want to agree but I just cant bring myself to read it. I'm out on a limb backing you
%100 ;)


.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:43:47 +1300 Sofie Bribiesca https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206352#post206352 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206352#post206352 The only paedophile I’ve ever knowingly encountered was an extremely hard-working old man who came from a Scandanavian country, and who didnt speak very good English. When he shifted in with his relations, the man of the house went all round the neighbourhood visiting houses that homed little boys, warning… ]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:27:57 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206350#post206350 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206350#post206350 Montoya. Not sure how that happened. Thumbs, not fingers.

Must be months since our last viewing. Time for another.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:18:57 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206349#post206349 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206349#post206349 It’s more that the Star Times will print this tosh with a straight face.

And if David Kemeys is going to keep saying he doesn't bear any editorial responsibility for the content of any part of his newspaper, then it’s time for someone at head office in Sydney to ask…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:06:29 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206347#post206347 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206347#post206347 I was motivated to go grab my DVD of "The Princess Bride" – the final scenes. Viewed them with relish.
And it is MONTOYA!

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:01:51 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206346#post206346 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206346#post206346 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:54:13 +1300 Tony Kennedy https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206345#post206345 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206345#post206345 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:45:23 +1300 Tony Kennedy https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206344#post206344 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206344#post206344 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:40:54 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206343#post206343 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206343#post206343 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:33:35 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206342#post206342 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206342#post206342 My name is...
I just have one question. Who is your father? Mr Mantoya.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:24:41 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206341#post206341 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206341#post206341 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:06:47 +1300 Tony Kennedy https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206340#post206340 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206340#post206340 this uplifting article today in the Irish Independent. No SST to read. ]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 19:44:04 +1300 Danyl Mclauchlan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206339#post206339 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206339#post206339 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 19:26:28 +1300 Paul Williams https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206337#post206337 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206337#post206337 If 1981 Part II erupts, Henry and Lhaws have laid the foundations for it.

In a PC wet liberal kind of way, you know, can connect more than a few dots, I earnestly believe this is true. There was commentary to this effect after the Giffords shooting about Palin's 'targets'…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 19:11:44 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206335#post206335 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206335#post206335 Laws is quite a different fish to Paul Henry. He's much nastier. He won't be got rid of so easily.

I predict his downfall will actually come from some stupid thing in his personal life. Take your pick what that will be.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:48:37 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206333#post206333 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206333#post206333 Combining forms of activism brought results with Henry, though that included prompt coordinated action (and some political and diplomatic complaint). I suspect we've already wasted too much time talking about it rather than doing it this time anyway.

Paul Henry was rightly held to account. Unfortunately, the damage has been…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:34:07 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206330#post206330 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206330#post206330 Simon Buckingham's piece is online here

Oops I think that's the wrong link. Anyhow it is on page A6 of the print copy and well worth reading.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:27:47 +1300 Heather Gaye https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206329#post206329 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206329#post206329 He’s found a target group that no one’s going to feel sorry for this week, but the journalistically worthless nature of the writing is quite intact. And this drivel is key content for the SST.

Fair cop. FWIW I stopped reading at his wholly inexplicable definitions of paedophilia vs pederasty.…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:00:29 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206327#post206327 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206327#post206327 His views offend me, but having him up for not offering a more nuanced or compassionate opinion in this instance feels tantamount to kicking a kid with a learning disability.

It's more that the Star Times will print this tosh with a straight face.

Laws has simply pulled this column…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:36:28 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206326#post206326 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206326#post206326 The pinnacle! Well done Russell – and Steve Braunias!

An amusing & cutting piece which defines Lhaw's sick bilious shit brillantly-

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:30:09 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206325#post206325 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206325#post206325 And meanhwhile, my life has been completed.

I feature in a Braunias column.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:25:23 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206324#post206324 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206324#post206324 More likely though, the punishment will be inadequate.

Hence my preference for other forms of action now, while the wet bus ticket is slowly prepared by industry regulators. Lovingly moistened, if you will, while balking at the taste.

Combining forms of activism brought results with Henry, though that included prompt…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:16:54 +1300 Heather Gaye https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206323#post206323 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206323#post206323 Paedophiles of the kind we are more aware of are vicious exploiters of children, but there are the innocents (I use that word in its original meaning) and they will have their defenders

Yup, I totally understand where you're coming from, but I didn't think we could really attribute Lawhs…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:01:02 +1300 Paul Williams https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206322#post206322 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206322#post206322 Russell said:

Yes, there’s a Laws column, although they’ve bumped it out of the lead spot with a guest column from a Canterbury school principal.

I finally got a chance to see Media7. I think you were entirely right to call Kemenys out for his evasiveness and to insist that,…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:57:18 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206321#post206321 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206321#post206321 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:50:25 +1300 Heather Gaye https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206320#post206320 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206320#post206320 Laws' column is a confused rant about paedophiles

Saw it & my immediate thought was he'd been given a "Paedophiles=bad" homework assignment because it wouldn't cause any controversy.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:32:49 +1300 Steve Parks https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206319#post206319 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206319#post206319 and can only say that I think Laws is enjoying all this immensely.

Hmm, I not so sure, in regards to this particular matter. In his responses, on Edwards’ blog and to Dan Satherly's 3 News piece for example, he seems pretty peeved.

Have you tried the one next to…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:31:09 +1300 giovanni tiso https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206318#post206318 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206318#post206318 Giovanni's point that people who have lots of money to spend have a lot more actual power over the advertisers in the SST isn't invalidated by the Montgomery bus boycott.

Yes. Although I can see how a campaign aimed at tarnishing the image of those advertisers might have a wee…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:19:53 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206316#post206316 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206316#post206316 Yes, there's a Laws column, although they've bumped it out of the lead spot with a guest column from a Canterbury school principal.

Laws' column is a confused rant about paedophiles.

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:18:21 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206315#post206315 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206315#post206315 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:02:21 +1300 Danyl Mclauchlan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206313#post206313 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206313#post206313 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:44:05 +1300 Jacqui Dunn https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206312#post206312 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206312#post206312 but the thing about Laws is that he also calculatingly targets people he thinks can’t or won’t fight back – solo mothers, beneficiaries, rape victims, “black slugs”

Yes, all that. Mix that bullying up with his terror at being ignored (invisible) and you've got someone totally driven to even greater…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:28:11 +1300 Jacqui Dunn https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206310#post206310 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206310#post206310 and it’s not that good for the bully’s soul either.

+1

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:19:09 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206309#post206309 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206309#post206309 On that Brian Edwards thread, Lhaws' ex-fling Jacqueline Sperling gives her reasons for persisting:

[I] did not ask for the publicity that came from knowing Laws. I did not ask him to go public with our relationship in order to boost his radio show’s ratings, nor did he ask my…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:15:47 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206308#post206308 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206308#post206308 It's trolling, pure and simple.

It's bullying, impure and simple – and taking away his megaphone is a fair and reasonable response just like removing someone's baseball bat is. No one should have to put up with constant denigration and violence whether verbal or physical, and it's not that good…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:12:25 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206307#post206307 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206307#post206307 Can't believe the SST got rid of Steve Braunias

Priceless cutting satire, that article. Good on Brauniuas and the Southland Times for broadcasting the real not-so hidden Lhaws:

"What d'you reckon, listeners," I said to my audience on Radio Live today, "should we track them down and kill them so…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:10:08 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206306#post206306 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206306#post206306 while there is such a focus on Mr Laws, he is getting that very thing that any tantrum and insult thrower wants more than anything else – attention .

Sure – but the thing about Laws is that he also calculatingly targets people he thinks can't or won't fight back…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:59:15 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206305#post206305 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206305#post206305 From the classy journalism file, Caroline Meng-Yee called to task by Jonathan Marshall. Positively postmodern, career-obituary style.

A senior newspaper reporter who secured the first interview with murder victim Sophie Elliott's family has been condemned for attending a fancy dress birthday party as the dead student.

...

Meng-Yee, who recently…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:57:54 +1300 Jacqui Dunn https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206304#post206304 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206304#post206304 I can understand where Braunias is coming from, but one thing that's occurred to me is that while there is such a focus on Mr Laws, he is getting that very thing that any tantrum and insult thrower wants more than anything else – attention .

My suspicion is that…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:46:25 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206303#post206303 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206303#post206303 Steve Braunias and kept Laws. No doubt about which one has the talent. ]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:28:34 +1300 FletcherB https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206301#post206301 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206301#post206301 Exactly...
I'm sure that for low/medium priced items that are purchased frequently (bread/bus tickets/beer, etc.) a boycott would have to affect actual sales to have an effect... but for high-medium and big-ticket items that are only purchased once every few years or decade like white-ware, TV's and cars.... just talking…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:42:32 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206299#post206299 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206299#post206299 I think the point is, you have to be a purchaser of the good or service to have actual power via boycott.

And that's not totally unreasonable, as far as it goes. But, IIRC, Toyota pulled their advertising from Holmes in the wake of cheeky darky-gate. Perhaps I need to…

]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:28:14 +1300 Kyle Matthews https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206298#post206298 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206298#post206298 Gio: M’kay… I’m pretty sure that those black people living in Montgomery, Alabama in 1956 who boycotted their city’s public transit system (and incidentally financially crippled it – who’d have thunk all those po’ blacks who wouldn’t sit at the back of the bus also make up the majority of… ]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 08:42:36 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206295#post206295 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206295#post206295 I've had the experience of making some reasoned, unemotive statements about immigration and seeing them used by some bonehead as part of his justification for throwing bricks through the windows of Somalis in Porirua. If that can beget that, then it's well within the bounds of possibility that an overt… ]]> Sun, 20 Mar 2011 04:48:10 +1300 FletcherB https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206293#post206293 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206293#post206293 I’m aware of that. I just don’t like it as a way of bringing about results. It gives a bigger voice to people who are wealthier – and who enjoy more rights already.

I understand that objection.. but question how valid it is?

If I write to you explaining why…

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:57:15 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206292#post206292 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206292#post206292 Kearney’s is pretty reasonable about it. preci: don’t necessarily like what he’s says, but defend his right to do so [in my paper].

Actually, Kearney is full of shit. He knows full well that there’s plenty neither he nor Fairfax will defend, let alone allow to go to press. (I…

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:54:42 +1300 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206291#post206291 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206291#post206291 I don’t like boycotts. Democracy for people with the biggest wallets doesn’t impress me much.

Gio: M'kay... I'm pretty sure that those black people living in Montgomery, Alabama in 1956 who boycotted their city's public transit system (and incidentally financially crippled it — who'd have thunk all those po' blacks…

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:49:29 +1300 peterpeasant https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206288#post206288 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206288#post206288 You mean to tell me that the Listener has sub editors?
they do not have researchers.

I fail to find evidence of either species.

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 22:34:00 +1300 Jacqui Dunn https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206269#post206269 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206269#post206269 What very interesting body language and facial signals in the Kemeys interview. Plus the very rushed speech.

I think the man would have wished to be anywhere else but there.

PS Hi Ian. Glad to see your hand again!

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:31:56 +1300 Jacqui Dunn https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206268#post206268 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206268#post206268 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:54:22 +1300 Steve Barnes https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206267#post206267 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206267#post206267 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:42:46 +1300 nzlemming https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206266#post206266 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206266#post206266 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:07:26 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206265#post206265 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206265#post206265 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:43:36 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206262#post206262 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206262#post206262 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:33:59 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206261#post206261 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206261#post206261 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:29:03 +1300 giovanni tiso https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206258#post206258 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206258#post206258 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:56:35 +1300 Kyle Matthews https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206254#post206254 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206254#post206254 Out of interest: is there anywhere in Wellington where one can get the Christchurch Press or the Otago Daily Times?

There used to be a newsagent on Lambton Quay that sold papers from around the country, including both of those, but that was in the 1990s when I last lived…

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:33:25 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206248#post206248 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206248#post206248 but instead to give him enough rope.

A YouTube with his face and selected quoted extracts of his recent material should do the trick (come on, someone!).

As with Stephen Franks' "I love my dog" moment?

]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:47:31 +1300 3410 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206246#post206246 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206246#post206246 Lhaws has another crack at Brian Edwards


I've not read Laws' column (I've tried it in the past and it just upsets my stomach) so came across some particular passages for the first time via Brian's reply. Stunningly stupid and mad stuff, I must say.

IMO, the way to deal…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:58:20 +1300 Kracklite https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206245#post206245 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206245#post206245 As I wrote under another pseudonym for another set of friends in response to another comment about another person:

As many may know, the area about Aro Valley is very cold and damp and many organic objects may behave oddly instead of decaying in the usual manner. There was once,…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:44:38 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206242#post206242 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206242#post206242 Lhaws has another crack at Brian Edwards (and anyone else with the gall to disagree with him). Clearly not competent at listening to what people say.

Dear Brian

I’m very pleased that you have been prodded out of your liberal senility to mount ceaseless ad hominem attacks upon my person…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:08:57 +1300 Rex Widerstrom https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206241#post206241 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206241#post206241 Just wouldn't want to see it treated as a substitute for using the existing complaints processes

Much as I'd like to see it happen, "being an obnoxious little twat" is yet to be a criminal offence... presumably to protect the liberty of many of our Parliamentarians, for a start :-D

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:48 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206240#post206240 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206240#post206240 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:38:17 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206239#post206239 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206239#post206239 Dispatching Mr Henry did not require the actual withdrawal of heavy wallets, only the promise of such. You could see it as taking advantage of perceptions of power entangled with wealth. And rich people are susceptible to moral persuasion and have consciences too.

And it helped that lot of the…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:19:14 +1300 Rex Widerstrom https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206238#post206238 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206238#post206238 Which is why Rex's complaint, even if it doesn't succeed, is important. I'm all for boycotting, but I'd also like to the legal issues to be explored.

But there are already established grounds (and channels) for complaint without testing a new one which might take some time to work through.…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:13:32 +1300 Rex Widerstrom https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206236#post206236 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206236#post206236 you'll see his personality is literally a text book case of an abrasive psychopath .

It's weird but when he first published The Demon Profession (remaindered at any not-so-good bookshop near you and attracting no bids whatsoever online) I was hired by NBR to review it.

He refers to me…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:51:01 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206235#post206235 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206235#post206235 Just got the chance to watch Media7

Finished first half – gosh that weak squirmy editor was up like a jack-in-the box at the end, wasn't he. If Fairfax are looking to cut some dead wood I reckon that performance should help them decide who's adding value and who isn't.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:08:26 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206227#post206227 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206227#post206227 Just got the chance to watch Media7. Perhaps we could introduce the "Braunias double standard." What's good for the goose is good for the gander, no?

Have to say this little quote from Braunias made me chortle;

Mr Braunias said of Mr Kemeys: “Editors come and editors go. I expect…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:59:19 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206225#post206225 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206225#post206225 I just don't like it as a way of bringing about results. It gives a bigger voice to people who are wealthier – and who enjoy more rights already.

Approaching advertisers and threatening a boycott doesn't need money to work – only credibility and organisation. Dispatching Mr Henry did not…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:30:59 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206223#post206223 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206223#post206223 I prefer to vigorously pursue the view that Laws shouldn't be allowed to do what he does on account of press standards. If he gets sacked because his brand is tarnished to the advertisers I'm not sure it counts as a victory at all.

Beyond whether you're primarily after a…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:22:34 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206222#post206222 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206222#post206222 she has an idea

To be honest, there’s nothing more satisfying for me than having an idea and seeing it work. The last two Great Blends have been really good like that. I had a conscious moment a few hours before the one at the Civic last year of thinking…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:21:33 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206219#post206219 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206219#post206219 I have a neighbour like you (my oldest friend, except for my mother):she has an idea, she recruits in the gentlest way possible other people to notice her idea – and the great parties/events of the Okarito Free Republic then just happen!

With a helluva lot of time & energy & organisation…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:01:13 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206218#post206218 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206218#post206218 I have always maintained you were some sort of social engineer, now I know it to be true. Or if you don’t like the term ’social engineer”, the term “the glue that holds people together” might please you better.

I've thought of it as being able to draw a crowd.…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:54:49 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206217#post206217 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206217#post206217 “the glue that holds people together”

In Korean they have a saying 'the essential ingredient'. Not saying in what context that was used previously, although I seem to remember Karaoke (KTV), Soju and... nope lost it.

But this would seem apposite. Keep it in mind for the Food blog. ;-)

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:53:56 +1300 Jackie Clark https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206216#post206216 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206216#post206216 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:36:43 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206215#post206215 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206215#post206215 Dal Boy’s back!!!!!

Cool, huh?

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:31:53 +1300 giovanni tiso https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206214#post206214 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206214#post206214 but their business model suggests peeling off a major advertiser is going to get their attention more than losing one subscriber or audience member will.

I'm aware of that. I just don't like it as a way of bringing about results. It gives a bigger voice to people who are…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:22:09 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206212#post206212 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206212#post206212 he'll most likely win some award in a few months for best Op-Ed. It's happened before.

Quick, someone write him a letter he can read out as an acceptance speech. Doubt it would be half as funny, but.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:19:40 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206208#post206208 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206208#post206208 Welcome back once again, Ian.

Regarding the Prolefeed, sorry, TV awards... if you want a vision of Henry & Lhaws' idea of humour, imagine a clown shoe stamping on a human face – forever.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:45:40 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206205#post206205 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206205#post206205 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:32:34 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206202#post206202 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206202#post206202 Dunno whether you want appreciative noises or not, Ian D – but good to read you again...

There's quite a lot of online stuff from the ODT – but nothing quite compares with reading the paper – I share a copy with my mother (i.e she gets to read it…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:30:40 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206193#post206193 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206193#post206193 Even if Laws does get the shift (don't hold your breath), he'll most likely win some award in a few months for best Op-Ed. It's happened before.

Hello Ian.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:08:49 +1300 Ross Mason https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206192#post206192 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206192#post206192 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:08:33 +1300 st ephen https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206190#post206190 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206190#post206190 shipping news column online? Fifty-five years of interesting visitors... ]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:44:42 +1300 dyan campbell https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206188#post206188 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206188#post206188

I’ve finally figured it out. Lhaws is on the Pipe.

It's easy to see why people could assume the bile that passes for copy published in his (sometimes incoherent) column is the product of methamphetamine psychosis, but have a look at this description, you'll see his personality is literally a…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:38:08 +1300 Ian Dalziel https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206183#post206183 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206183#post206183 Democracy for people with the biggest wallets doesn’t impress me much.

what does that even mean in this context?
boycott
withdraw from commercial or social relations with (a country, organization, or person) as a punishment or protest.
• refuse to buy or handle (goods) as a punishment or protest.
•…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:16:25 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206180#post206180 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206180#post206180 And I'd much rather boycott the actual product than the advertisers. Let them know I don't buy their paper and why.

That would be fine if you were seeking a conversation rather than a result – but their business model suggests peeling off a major advertiser is going to get…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:04:54 +1300 giovanni tiso https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206175#post206175 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206175#post206175 I don't like boycotts. Democracy for people with the biggest wallets doesn't impress me much. And I'd much rather boycott the actual product than the advertisers. Let them know I don't buy their paper and why.

Out of interest: is there anywhere in Wellington where one can get the Christchurch…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:45:57 +1300 Danyl Mclauchlan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206173#post206173 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206173#post206173 As for boycotts, I would urge you not to boycott all Fairfax products!

Death to Fairfax! And death to the quisling traitor Phillip Matthews!

Actually no, I was thinking of contacting the major ad spenders in the SST and sending them a polite letter summarising Laws' various outrages and regretfully…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:41:22 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206171#post206171 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206171#post206171 As for boycotts, I would urge you not to boycott all Fairfax products!

Well, quite. I'm impressed with both your editor and the work you and others do for The Press.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:14:55 +1300 Sofie Bribiesca https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206162#post206162 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206162#post206162 Not without the paper meeting their obligations as a responsible publisher. There is no license to say whatever you like about groups of people without facing consequences.
True Bro', absolutely agree which was my point of complaining every time he writes. I don't read the guy. I think he is…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:42:07 +1300 Paul Williams https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206161#post206161 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206161#post206161 But there are already established grounds (and channels) for complaint without testing a new one which might take some time to work through.

You mean the Press Council? Sure enough, but they've got no standing to consider criminal matters. Perhaps that is a bridge too far however.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:41:18 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206160#post206160 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206160#post206160 Just as the public has the right to contact companies that advertise in Kemeys' newspaper and tell them they'll boycott their products so long as they advertise in a medium in which Laws is published – which is, I think, the next logical step to take.

And the next logical…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:40:00 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206159#post206159 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206159#post206159 As for boycotts, I would urge you not to boycott all Fairfax products!

If you're going to boycott, try the main advertisers – I suspect that's more lucrative to the publishers than subscriptions or listeners/eyeballs.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:25:51 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206157#post206157 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206157#post206157 Which is why Rex's complaint, even if it doesn't succeed, is important. I'm all for boycotting, but I'd also like to the legal issues to be explored.

But there are already established grounds (and channels) for complaint without testing a new one which might take some time to work through.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:23:42 +1300 philipmatthews https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206154#post206154 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206154#post206154 …in fact I no longer want to watch any TV3 or engage with any mediaworks outlets – having just given up watching the travesty they are making of their coverage of the memorial event in Chch …

I'm not watching it. I feel that while the majority of us are…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:14:50 +1300 Mark Cubey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206152#post206152 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206152#post206152 Just cancelled my SST sub.

SST subs guy: "Can I ask why you're cancelling?"
Me: "Why do you think?"
SST SG: silence
Me: "Okay, Michael Laws"

I got that "fair enough" feeling from the other end.

Now (sorry Ian) we''ll have to rely on the Saturday DomPost – I need…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:09:54 +1300 Ian Dalziel https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206151#post206151 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206151#post206151 enough already!...
I second Danyl's suggestion upthread and call for a boycott of Fairfax and Mediaworks
and anyone who advertises with them.
Write letters to those advertisers and tell them that sadly you won't be buying their products
as long as they continue to fund the enablers of Laws' soapboxes...…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:58:18 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206146#post206146 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206146#post206146 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:38:55 +1300 Chad C Mulligan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206136#post206136 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206136#post206136 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:01 +1300 Paul Williams https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206134#post206134 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206134#post206134 My impression from the interview is that the decision to fire Laws would be well above Kemeys' pay grade.

If Danyl's right about this, can we at least dispense with the title "Editor" as it is a term that implies a set of skills and responsibilities clearly not part of…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:14:21 +1300 Danyl Mclauchlan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206121#post206121 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206121#post206121 he should have the freedom to write his vomit for a paper who is prepared to employ him

Just as the public has the right to contact companies that advertise in Kemeys' newspaper and tell them they'll boycott their products so long as they advertise in a medium in which…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:58:30 +1300 Steve Barnes https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206119#post206119 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206119#post206119 Michael Laws
17 Mar 2011 4:48p.m.

Actually Dan Satherley (TV3 News) ... you are a liar. I said I didn't care what the abusive email correspondent said/thought ... again, your basic journo dysfunction ... and I repeat: you have deliberately misrepresented my reply email to the lady.

can't even spell…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:25:36 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206118#post206118 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206118#post206118 defend his right to do so [in my paper]

Press Council, then

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:21:38 +1300 Che Tibby https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206117#post206117 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206117#post206117 Just that letters to the Editor should follow every crap piece complaining as I think RB just showed David Kemeys.

just got the reply back to my complaint.

Kearney's is pretty reasonable about it. preci: don't necessarily like what he's says, but defend his right to do so [in my…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:03:46 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206110#post206110 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206110#post206110 he should have the freedom to write his vomit for a paper who is prepared to employ him

Not without the paper meeting their obligations as a responsible publisher. There is no license to say whatever you like about groups of people without facing consequences.

Laws is perfectly free to…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:26:25 +1300 Sofie Bribiesca https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206108#post206108 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206108#post206108 they’re afraid of upsetting him and his radio audience if they don’t.

This is the problem, isn’t it? Laws has a constituency.
So did Paul Henry. And Slime is still slime. Still, (out on a limb here I imagine) he should have the freedom to write his vomit for a…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:21:38 +1300 giovanni tiso https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206107#post206107 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206107#post206107 Neither option reflects particularly well.

But he was hands on – and standing behind it – in the Braunias case. Apparently what Steve did was sackworthy and he was representing the paper whilst doing it in spite of being a contractor. Whereas Laws can accuse a reader of having caused…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:13:10 +1300 Robert Urquhart https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206105#post206105 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206105#post206105 The show is here on demand, for those of you who didn’t catch the broadcast.

Thank you for the reminder about the Swiftpoint Russell, I've been looking for something local to retail-therapy on. Order placed.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:00:56 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206103#post206103 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206103#post206103 “Being on holiday” is not an excuse unless he suspends his pay when he’s on holiday – even then it’s not an excuse if you have a spine.

Either he took part in the decision to send the nastygram to Edwards, or he wasn't even consulted. Neither option reflects particularly…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:51:14 +1300 Paul Campbell https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206102#post206102 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206102#post206102 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:50:27 +1300 Stephen Judd https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206098#post206098 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206098#post206098 they’re afraid of upsetting him and his radio audience if they don’t.

This is the problem, isn’t it? Laws has a constituency.

We don’t have enough national-scale papers in this country and they can’t differentiate into different niches – there’s no Daily Mail or Daily Star for low brow right…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:21:29 +1300 Bart Janssen https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206097#post206097 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206097#post206097 being an editor of a newspaper means having responsibility for all that goes in it.

He looked like most of the senior administrators I've come across – all too happy to take the title and pay package but completely unwilling to either do the actual job properly or take the…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:13:18 +1300 nzlemming https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206096#post206096 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206096#post206096 The show is here on demand, for those of you who didn’t catch the broadcast

Thanks for that, good interview – your barely restrained fury was delightful to watch and certainly discomforted Kemeys. Good call on his blame-shifting.

And I echo Hilary – if Braunias was acting as an agent…

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:47:21 +1300 Danyl Mclauchlan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206093#post206093 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206093#post206093 So who is the deputy editor who actually does select and edit pieces for the op ed section?

I don't think there's any selection regarding Laws. They publish what he gives them, because they're afraid of upsetting him and his radio audience if they don't.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:34:30 +1300 Stephen Judd https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206092#post206092 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206092#post206092 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:31:18 +1300 giovanni tiso https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206090#post206090 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206090#post206090 My impression from the interview is that the decision to fire Laws would be well above Kemeys' pay grade.

Most things seem to happen when he's out of the office anyway.

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:14:21 +1300 Danyl Mclauchlan https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206089#post206089 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206089#post206089 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:41:39 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206084#post206084 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206084#post206084 Argh!
(Would be if I could remember where my pubes were)
PUBLICALLY
for other people than dense geoffs who might be confused-

]]> Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:01:31 +1300 Carol Stewart https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206080#post206080 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206080#post206080 I will similarly & pubically renounce
Sounds messy :-)

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:40 +1300 Geoff Lealand https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206079#post206079 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206079#post206079 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:52:17 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206077#post206077 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206077#post206077 O coool!
I didnt realise I could pick it up from here!
Thank you.
And the SST editor has loong skid marks in his recollections- I will similarly & pubically renounce any buying from anything that is
a)associated with Michael Lhaws, and,
b)the SST
(have already cancelled the family edition.)

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:46:49 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206076#post206076 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206076#post206076 here on demand, for those of you who didn't catch the broadcast. ]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:30:03 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206073#post206073 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206073#post206073 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:24:04 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206072#post206072 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206072#post206072 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:19:36 +1300 vangam https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206068#post206068 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206068#post206068 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:26:25 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206048#post206048 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206048#post206048 Makes more sense down here.

ETA
Now they just need to speed up the comment moderation..
No, you’re right they really do. When people start name calling back, it will only serve to drive more traffic to his ego, with more unfortunate collateral damage.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:49:42 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206046#post206046 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206046#post206046 Was a lag for a while – common with batch moderating (just annoying when yours is one of em). Great blunt comment there by Paul Williams (17 Mar 2011 6:08pm):

Michael, you might want to reflect on whether or not you, a person forced to resign from parliament because of your…

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:43:55 +1300 nzlemming https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206045#post206045 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206045#post206045 I want a T-shirt that says “PC-wet”.

Water and computers don't mix.


What?

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:43:04 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206043#post206043 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206043#post206043 I want a T-shirt that says “PC-wet”.

Ok, apologies for flippancy, but would that be a ‘PC-wet T-shirt’ competition?

Alternatively know as a ‘dry T-shirt’ competition.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:38:09 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206042#post206042 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206042#post206042 Now they just need to speed up the comment moderation..

They need to speed up the LHaws moderation.

Would someone please take his platform away? He is doing no one anything but harm. Including himself. If it wasn't so blindingly obvious, for anyone who can read, how stressful this must…

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:35:03 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206038#post206038 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206038#post206038 3 News website story by Dan Satherly.

Nice work. Now they just need to speed up the comment moderation..

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:36:19 +1300 Bart Janssen https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206036#post206036 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206036#post206036 I want a T-shirt that says "PC-wet".

I liked this Mr Brown calls Mr Laws' comments "extremely unpleasant".

Were those really the first words that came to mind?

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:14:24 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206035#post206035 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206035#post206035 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:09:19 +1300 Hilary Stace https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206034#post206034 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206034#post206034 Nice to hear that my complaint to the editor added to the avalanche. Shows it is worth doing.
Also the photograph with the Satherley article is particularly scary.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:58:29 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206029#post206029 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206029#post206029 3 News website story by Dan Satherly.

Laws is quoted, then posts a whiny comment. It's conceivable that his rude reply to Marilynn McLachlan meant something other than everyone thought it did, but it's also quite possible he knew what he was saying.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:28:35 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206018#post206018 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=206018#post206018 Laws has now replied, informing the mother that it is her fault her son is Asperger.

Just, wow.

Lhaws has jumped off the slippery slope all right. I hope Rex's police report gets followed through, although I'm uneasy about potential reprisals from Lhaws' Lhoyalists if it is. How big exactly?…

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:52:56 +1300 Rich Lock https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205978#post205978 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205978#post205978 If you are referring to the wildflower strips all along the southern part of the motorway just before the Bombay Hills then I'm afraid you are incorrect. This land is NZTA land, and even there, Mayor Banks had no control. I understand that the wildflowers were replaced due to maintenance… ]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:27:18 +1300 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205970#post205970 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205970#post205970 And a nice piece it is too: "Michael Laws really is a special little man".

+1 – though it only reinforces my dislike of "special" in other contexts too

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:02:40 +1300 nzlemming https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205966#post205966 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205966#post205966 Laws has now replied, informing the mother that it is her fault her son is Asperger

And a nice piece it is too: "Michael Laws really is a special little man".

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:54:40 +1300 Geoff Lealand https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205957#post205957 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205957#post205957 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:13:33 +1300 Che Tibby https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205956#post205956 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205956#post205956 Anyone got a go-to list of those I should not be spending money with until this happens?

please.

if anyone has the time to shake these out i'll take the time to write to them.

this arsehat Lhaws really has to go. and the sooner the better.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:12:38 +1300 Sam F https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205936#post205936 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205936#post205936 Just, wow.

Personally I've now passed the point where getting progressively angrier at Laws' progressively more offensive behaviour has given way to a calm, simple desire to see him off the airwaves and out of our papers permanently.

Anyone got a go-to list of those I should not be spending…

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:05:27 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205932#post205932 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205932#post205932 Meanwhile, the mother of an Aspie boy has posted this response to Laws on her blog.

Laws has now replied, informing the mother that it is her fault her son is Asperger.

Just, wow.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:53:01 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205931#post205931 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205931#post205931 Regarding the various discussions here (SST, Askew etc), I highly recommend tonight’s Media 7, where Our Russell gives the editor of the SST a right bollocking, and Len Brown a lighter bollocking.

The mayor was certainly a bit more bollocking-proof. He's been paying attention at media training, I suspect.

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:49:29 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205922#post205922 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205922#post205922 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:57:22 +1300 philipmatthews https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205915#post205915 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205915#post205915 Regarding the various discussions here (SST, Askew etc), I highly recommend tonight’s Media 7, where Our Russell gives the editor of the SST a right bollocking, and Len Brown a lighter bollocking.

Looking forward to that. Also, speaking of things TVNZ 7: the current season of The Good Word is,…

]]> Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:49:11 +1300 Geoff Lealand https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205913#post205913 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205913#post205913 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:19:20 +1300 Susan Snowdon https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205903#post205903 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205903#post205903 Because wild flowers need so much maintenance, how would they survive without us, eh?.

Actually, wild 'flowers' do need a lot of maintenance. They flower over summer, go to seed, and die. Then other things, generally weeds and grasses, take over. If the wildflower seeds survive they can't compete with…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205877#post205877 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205877#post205877 In other words, a gated community minus the actual gates. All made of ticky-tacky and they look just the same.

Sounds like vast tracts of Europe to me, only more modern. Perhaps it was just sentimentality but after my first world trip, I wept when I flew over Auckland at…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:03:23 +1300 Islander https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205876#post205876 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205876#post205876 Heh!
That raised a giggle from this cold-flattened person – thanks Steve B!

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:02:23 +1300 Steve Barnes https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205875#post205875 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205875#post205875 I don’t know what the maintenance problems were, other than the use of that phrase tends to be code for ‘it was too much trouble and we couldn’t be bothered’.

Well, yes. It is so hard to keep the little blighters in line, in neat rows as it were. It's…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:57:45 +1300 Rex Widerstrom https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205873#post205873 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205873#post205873 In other words, a gated community minus the actual gates

Yep. I was amazed to find things like "residents only' swimming pools, hidden away in parks behind the house. From the street you're driving past rows of look-alike homes, not realising that the space between them is actually larger than…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:52:20 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205872#post205872 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205872#post205872 Ahhh, well then, it is entirely possible that Banks did order replacement of pansies with sensible and macho griselinias.

I don't know what the maintenance problems were, other than the use of that phrase tends to be code for 'it was too much trouble and we couldn't be bothered'.

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:44:44 +1300 Steve Barnes https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205867#post205867 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205867#post205867 If you are referring to the wildflower strips all along the southern part of the motorway just before the Bombay Hills then I’m afraid you are incorrect.

I was referring to City Highways ie. St Lukes and Balmoral roads as well as a few others.
I understand that the wildflowers…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:18:12 +1300 Kumara Republic https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205866#post205866 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205866#post205866 It's all about "estates" now, you see. The developers pay for the roading, drains etc and in return get to place all sorts of caveats on what you can do so as to create "little boxes on the hillside" which apparently sell better to Australians, who must have a fetish… ]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:13:20 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205865#post205865 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205865#post205865

I recall that within weeks of Mayor Banks being sworn into office, even before he was sworn at in office, having the policy of wild flowers median strips and verges on highways reversed. Having them replaced by nice, middle class, inoffensive shrubbery.

If you are referring to the wildflower strips…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:11:15 +1300 Rex Widerstrom https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205864#post205864 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205864#post205864 Who gets to decide what colour you paint your house?

When I built a home over here in Oz I was astounded to be given a list of "approved" brick colours, told I could only have a tile roof, told I was only allowed to have the fences at the…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:09:30 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205863#post205863 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205863#post205863

I think where-the-line-is-drawn is actually the nub of this issue. What powers does Shields have, what policy was he acting under, what are the damn rules anyway?

Wearing my stylish elected representative hat (in recognition of fashion week coming up):

Valid questions. AFAIK Mr Shields has the power to paint…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:08:35 +1300 Rich of Observationz https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205862#post205862 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205862#post205862

but isn’t “heritage” all about political acceptability applied to private property? Seriously interested in where people draw the line.

Restrictions on altering heritage property are defined, I think, in the district plan, which has to be adopted through due process. Enforcing those restrictions again requires due process.

I suspect that…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:07:00 +1300 Steve Barnes https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205861#post205861 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205861#post205861 As for the cheap shot at Len, if he had that much oversight then I’d expect the flowerbeds in parks to be changed to include his favourite flowers. In this instance, he can genuinely blame the officers.

I recall that within weeks of Mayor Banks being sworn into office, even…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:00:21 +1300 Christopher Dempsey https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205858#post205858 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205858#post205858

If Auckland Council’s graffiti prevention adviser Rob Shields is really going ’round applying some sort of political acceptability test to Art on private property, well, that’s just not acceptable, I’m afraid.

I’d appreciate hearing from the mayor or councilors as to whether or not this is official policy.

AND

Oh,…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:39:43 +1300 recordari https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205852#post205852 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205852#post205852 (I deny both accusations, of course. But then I would, wouldn't I).

I think if one has that sort of power, one should wield it with impunity.

It must be days since anyone posted the 'I'm not here to make friends' clip. Days and days.

Of course that is in…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:41:26 +1300 Jolisa https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205851#post205851 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205851#post205851

‘Ms’ Gracewood is a well-known radical who is at the forefront of a campaign to destroy the New Zealand way of life.

Spooky. Dr Haywood's satire is almost word-for-word what someone wrote in a letter to Metro last month. Just add "literary" before "life". Is he ghost-writing for disgruntled NZ…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:21:59 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205849#post205849 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205849#post205849 they're perfectly visible.

Yes, I just had a batch of them recently. They're not an outright lie, you do get animals. Charles Atlas was also quite big, supposedly from flexing in front of the mirror (for years, and eating all the right foods, and possibly having a physique that responds…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:06:54 +1300 Ray Gilbert https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205847#post205847 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205847#post205847 On a similar note to SST – how about this piece of meaningless reporting from the Herald today

tTwo-thirds of 323 Aucklanders surveyed support turning busy Queen St into a pedestrian mall.

Sixty four per cent wanted more pedestrian access to Queen St, with either no traffic at all or…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:00:33 +1300 BenWilson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205846#post205846 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205846#post205846 I can still do it in 3 days, last time I checked.

Not that muscle.

But what about that mini-submarine? That must have been real.

Heh, was it radio controlled? So they could save money by just explaining afterwards why none of them ever come back.

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:56:30 +1300 philipmatthews https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205844#post205844 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205844#post205844 His long-form pieces in North & South on various “small towns” in New Zealand were often so funny, sympathetic and strangely revealing that I was reminded how much I missed his work in the Listener. Jane Ussher’s too, her photography for those pieces was equally evocative. He really should anthologise those… ]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:41:56 +1300 JackElder https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205843#post205843 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205843#post205843

Ever seen a Sea Monkey (tm). With the naked eye?

Yup. Sea monkeys are just brine shrimp, which get to about 1cm long if you take care of them right. I've grown them, and while they're not the most exciting pets, they're perfectly visible. Though I can confirm that they…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:40:03 +1300 Matthew Littlewood https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205842#post205842 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205842#post205842

The Sunday column waxed and waned, but Braunias still has powers of description well beyond those of most columnists. He's one of relatively few NZ print columnists who make me think "I wish I'd written that".

His long-form pieces in North & South on various "small towns" in New Zealand were…

]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:18:45 +1300 Russell Brown https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205841#post205841 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205841#post205841 I’d go so far as to say everything advertised in them is disappointing. Ever seen a Sea Monkey (tm). With the naked eye? How about “Unbeatable fighting power in 3 days?”. I’ve seen what people in martial arts clubs are like after 3 days training. How about “Charles Atlas Muscles”?.… ]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:17:23 +1300 Josh Addison https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205840#post205840 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-the-wall-and-the-paper/?p=205840#post205840 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:13:53 +1300