Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Unhappy Birthday

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  • BenWilson,

    I think Ansell is simply seeing you as synonymous with the 'leftist' blogosphere. Not an uncommon thing, and probably quite a good thing for you. I can see a billboard: Browns vs Clowns.

    I notice that Iraq coverage has slipped to bugger all in the US these days, in favour of the elections and economic woes. Which is odd since it's a cause of a lot of economic woes, and a highly political issue that could be milked in the elections. I speculate that Americans can only feel national guilt for so long.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Staying with the US, two key Clinton advisors convened a conference call over the weekend to warn reporters that the Obama camp had decided to go "consistently negative".

    Um... OK, first you'd think a campaign that constantly complains Obama gets a soft ride from cock-struck media would congratulate the Chicago Tribune for committing investigative journalism over a span of more than a year. And this was the paper that broke the Rezko story, so no fair-minded person could come from the other direction and say this was some kind of Republican attack machine hit job.

    Just can't win, can you?

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

  • Russell Brown,

    I think Ansell is simply seeing you as synonymous with the 'leftist' blogosphere. Not an uncommon thing, and probably quite a good thing for you. I can see a billboard: Browns vs Clowns.

    I suppose so. I've never been comfortable with being part of this "The Left" thing that Chris Trotter et al talk about. On reflection, perhaps Claire read him my comment and asked for a reaction. It doesn't really explain why he should be such a sook about it.

    I notice that Iraq coverage has slipped to bugger all in the US these days, in favour of the elections and economic woes.

    Pew has had some good stuff about this lately. As the war has slipped out of the news, it has also fallen out of memory:

    Public awareness of the number of American military fatalities in Iraq has declined sharply since last August. Today, just 28% of adults are able to say that approximately 4,000 Americans have died in the Iraq war. As of March 10, the Department of Defense had confirmed the deaths of 3,974 U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

    In August 2007, 54% correctly identified the fatality level at that time (about 3,500 deaths). In previous polls going back to the spring of 2004, about half of respondents could correctly estimate the number of U.S. fatalities around the time of the survey.

    In the current poll, more respondents underestimated than overestimated the number of fatalities. A plurality of 35% said that there have been about 3,000 troop deaths, and another 11% said there have been 2,000 deaths. Just under a quarter (23%) said the number of fatalities is closer to 5,000.

    Pew is also seeing a return to isolationism.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I've never been comfortable with being part of this "The Left" thing that Chris Trotter et al talk about.

    Heh, I get it too. It's always annoying to have the entire contents of your mind given a simple label.

    Mind you 'sook' is a pretty fitting label for Ansell. What kind of wuss thinks there will be no opposition to a political billboard? I guess advertisers aren't used to that sort of thing.


    A return to isolationism might actually be a good thing for the US, at least for a while. If it gets them out of Iraq. But the fading memory leaves less hope of that - it's easy to get away with a debacle if no one remembers it's happening.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    I suppose so. I've never been comfortable with being part of this "The Left" thing that Chris Trotter et al talk about.

    i think the correct verb is "bang on about". it's an unhelpful simplification of world-view designed for slightly stupid minds.

    witness the "socialist" bullshit over on kiwiblog.

    otoh though, NRT constantly framing everything related to key through a "him and his rich mates" lens is as stultifying.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Well, much as I love NRT's policy wonking, Idiot/Savant's virulent hatred of anything to do with money or finance reduces anything he writes on those topics to poo-flinging.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Smith,

    I have never been a great fan of the Iraq war. Howvere, I still think the outcomes of this war will need judged 10 years on. It's still too soon. But to believe that the New York Times would have anything positive to say about it is unbelievable anyway. The NYT has other agendas and could hardly be classed as neutral. As for Amnesty International..spare me.

    Since Jan 2007 • 150 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Heh, I get it too. It's always annoying to have the entire contents of your mind given a simple label.

    Meh... the loathing and contempt of the loathsome and contemptible. Not seeing the negatives here.

    Heh, I get it too. It's always annoying to have the entire contents of your mind given a simple label.

    To defend I/S, I don't disagree with you on the substantive point but I tend to give even the best bloggers a subject or person they're allowed to get irrationally cranky about. But just one. :)

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

  • BenWilson,

    Meh... the loathing and contempt of the loathsome and contemptible.

    Yes, 2 labels is twice as good!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    As for Amnesty International..spare me.

    Yeah. That whole 'human rights' thing is just madness! It'll never catch on.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    i think the correct verb is "bang on about". it's an unhelpful simplification of world-view designed for slightly stupid minds.

    witness the "socialist" bullshit over on kiwiblog.

    Heh. The best one ever was when I noticed a KB refugee on the Trade Me forums breathlessly inform another that I was in fact a "hardline Marxist".

    Ya rly. It's a good thing the large financial services company I presented to recently didn't know ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    To defend I/S, I don't disagree with you on the substantive point but I tend to give even the best bloggers a subject or person they're allowed to get irrationally cranky about. But just one. :)

    i've always had respect for i/s, but that one crankiness really does say, "i'm on the dole/underpaid". :)

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    I think Ansell is simply seeing you as synonymous with the 'leftist' blogosphere. Not an uncommon thing, and probably quite a good thing for you. I can see a billboard: Browns vs Clowns.

    Squee!

    Cheer up Russell, you could become the new Google/Jello/Hoover (anyone but Cellotape (r) of course) in terms of becoming a generic verb rather than a brand. Imagine the news headlines
    "Protesters outside a National convention Russelled the speakers so loudly that they couldn't be heard".

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Seize the Means of Production, Russ! Put the jackbooted running dogs of imperialism against the wall and tell them you don't like their billboards.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Seize the Means of Production, Russ! Put the jackbooted running dogs of imperialism against the wall and tell them you don't like their billboards.

    Can I do the revenue projections first?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Yes, 2 labels is twice as good!

    Heh... fair ping, Ben. But sometimes you've just got to swallow hard and accept there are some folks in the world you can never, ever satisfy no matter what you do. Personally, I get rather more anxious when the usual suspects at Kiwiblog agree with me -- but I'm just perverse that way.

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

  • Che Tibby,

    There is no revenue, only the sharing of the bounty of our own labour admist the revelry and joyous harmony of the peoples will, comrade.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    only the sharing of the bounty of our own labour admist the revelry and joyous harmony of the peoples will, comrade.

    I'll ask them to keep their stinking hands off my nuts!

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Joanne - good call.

    hmm ... Ansell make a particular product and Johnny be its name - I'm Forever a 4th Former

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    You do have to steel yourself when the people like the Russell Browns [Public Address blogger] attack you. You get used to it, but I didn't realise I'd get used to it quite so quickly. It really stung the first time.

    I think I can clear this up. About six weeks ago, my daughter adopted a hedgehog, which lives in our shrubbery. Being a hedgehog, we named it after Russell. This is obviously the smaller Russell's work

    No wonder it stung the first time.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    <dad voice> I find it hard to believe that a hedgehog would get involved in politics. I thought they were really lazy. I always heard that a hedgehog can't be buggered.</dad voice>

    (Also, please please please can people take note of the fact that my name is Joanna with two As? Call me anything else you like, but never Joanne, I hate that name so much. And I got called Joanne seven times on Friday, and man, it makes my blood boil)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    I can't wait for that American bloke to turn up with his deluded reasoning why the war has been such a raging success.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I'm a little surprised that Ansell acknowledges the negative reaction in blogs at all - I guess Ben's point is that Hard News is the leading brand; I'd not be too upset about that.

    The fifth year anniversary of the Iraq invasion is having an interesting impact in the Australian media - almost negligible! The fact that Australian 1,540 troops are still there seems to have been overlooked in preference for pronouncements that they'll soon be leaving... for Afghanistan.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Withers,

    No real surprise when a rabid (as opposed to principled) ACT supporter responds to a question about their own actions with a deflecting shot at 'the left'. Follow-up discussion will be about the shot....with any luck.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Sorry Joanna

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

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