Southerly by David Haywood

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Southerly: Tower Insurance Have Some Bad News For You

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  • Ian Dalziel,

    NB: The Hollow Men doco on Maori TV tonight, 8.30 (Sunday Aug 28)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    SJ - sure but there needs to be a shift in intensity. If it's not Christchurch and Earth Quake - it needs to be.

    SB - we're agreed on the problem at least.

    A couple of shots that could be fired are: Who looted and who covered it up? Land reports - where are they? Can we rebuild?

    I'm getting the structural engineers in for the 3rd time in 4 months. Ruamoko aint finished by far.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    a populace lulled into a stupor

    It's hard to persuade people to vote for anyone who is calling them stupid.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    a populace lulled into a stupor

    It’s hard to persuade people to vote for anyone who is calling them stupid.

    Well illustrated Sacha.
    Take part of a sentence, out of context, attribute your own meaning and construct a statement derogatory to your target..
    This is what the MSM do to Labour all the time.

    I would never describe people who fall for clever Public Relations campaigns (or propaganda as it was once known) stupid, to do so would deny the power of the media and those that control it.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    There's a long-term underlying discourse in politics about the relative place of personal and societal responsibility. It provides some of the context for the way voters respond to claims about who is responsible for what, including the part mass media plays in influencing people's understanding and actions. Smart political communications will take that into account.

    If telling voters they're being misled by media was going to result in votes for Labour, you'd think it might have shown up in the regular polling some time over the last 4 years. "False consciousness" has never been a particularly appealing part of marxist theory. Hopelessness is not a vote-winner.

    Take part of a sentence, out of context, attribute your own meaning and construct a statement derogatory to your target

    I trust people around here to figure out who's doing what, in the context of this conversation.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    Smart political communications will take that into account.

    In Karl Rove & the Spectre of Freud’s Nephew Stephen Bender wrote...

    The Triumph of "Turd Blossom"

    Karl Rove – given the above nickname by our jocular President – is an extraordinarily keen student of American psychology and history. He is well aware of the back story to contemporary political fixtures like the focus group – a technique innovated by Edward Bernays. Consequently, it doesn’t take too much effort to discern the afterimage of Bernays’s teachings in Bush’s rhetoric.

    In Crystallizing Public Opinion, Bernays related how governments and advertisers can "regiment the mind like the military regiments the body." This discipline can be imposed because of "the natural inherent flexibility of individual human nature." He also instructed that the "average citizen is the world’s most efficient censor. His own mind is the greatest barrier between him and the facts. His own ‘logic proof compartments,’ his own absolutism are the obstacles which prevent him from seeing in terms of experience and thought rather than in terms of group reaction."

    I know we are not America but neither are we Narnia. So I think your assertion that voters will be put off National by the feeling of being "Duped" by the press is misplaced. The fact is that people just believe the Media because, well, it's the Media, Mother of the nation and all that folksy homespun stuff, you only have to glance at "Your Views" to see that. I have noticed recently that there is some descent amongst the ranks, let's hope that trend continues at a pace.

    I trust people around here to figure out who’s doing what, in the context of this conversation.

    With respect, I can't figure out that sentence at all.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    your assertion that voters will be put off National by the feeling of being "Duped" by the press

    You might have to point to where I've ever said that.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Some descent examples from views on this John Armstrong article

    Rose (New Zealand)
    08:30 AM Sunday, 28 Aug 2011
    I don't believe the polls. I don't believe the media. I don't believe leaks from right wing bloggers about the Labour party. I don't believe that John Key is full of charisma and beloved by all New Zealanders.

    Paul (New Zealand)
    08:32 AM Sunday, 28 Aug 2011
    If National get re-elected the country may well be stuffed by 2014! Another revisionist piece

    bbfloyd (New Zealand)
    08:35 AM Sunday, 28 Aug 2011
    Still doing your job john. Pushing the meme. "labour can't win". Repeat as many times as it takes to get people to start believing it so they vote the way the nats want or more importantly, not vote at all. Either way it suits the tories.

    And there is much more.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    You might have to point to where I’ve ever said that.

    If telling voters they’re being misled by media was going to result in votes for Labour, you’d think it might have shown up in the regular polling some time over the last 4 years.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    how can

    If telling voters they’re being misled by media was going to result in votes for Labour, you’d think it might have shown up in the regular polling some time over the last 4 years

    mean

    voters will be put off National by the feeling of being "Duped" by the press

    ?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    telling voters they’re being misled by media = Causing them to feel "Duped" by said Media.
    going to result in votes for Labour = Put off National.

    your assertion that voters will... = might have shown up in the regular polling.

    Too much of a stretch?
    I don't think so and I was not trying to read between the lines. Perhaps you could explain what you really meant?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Perhaps you could explain what you really meant?

    I believe I have been clear enough. People in Christchurch need competent organised political action, not defensive semantics.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    It’s hard to persuade people to vote for anyone who is calling them stupid.

    When you said that I assumed we were talking about the General Election, not the Christchurch recovery effort.

    I believe I have been clear enough.

    Clear as mud, well, silt anyway.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    Steve Barnes: That Bernays link was fascinating. You see, I didn't do media and "Pubic Felatios" at High School so I was/am never going to be an Ad Man. Although Bernays didn't think much of them anyway.

    Enough to scare the shit out of you. Watching Brash's media minder nutating around the media swarm in The Hollow Men was eyrie.......

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • merc,

    The sad fact is that if you want to make big money in adland NZ, Govt. is the highest paying other people's money spending client of them all.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    Eyrie...the spelling mistake was....

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Ross Mason,

    Steve Barnes: That Bernays link was fascinating.

    But wait, there's more...
    If you liked that then you will love this...

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    No end in sight to Canterbury insurance embargo

    Insurance Council of New Zealand CEO Chris Ryan says insurers still do not know when the market will return to normal.

    But he says 98% of Christchurch is covered and the lack of new cover “is a real issue but it is not a major issue”.

    New Zealanders have been warned for months that the cost of insurance will rise, as they have paid inadequate earthquake premiums for years.

    Mr Ryan says consumers are now realising that insurers have to make a profit, just like any other business.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    Looks like the latest issue of the Listener is threatening to unleash both barrels...

    September 3-9 2011 Issue 3721
    COVER STORY
    Christchurch: Fight or Flight
    Will our 2nd biggest city ever recover?

    One year after the first devastating earthquake, Rebecca Macfie reports on a struggling city whose residents are angry and frustrated, and whose construction industry is desperate to get started.

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

  • Sacha,

    Govt announces EQC liability increased from 3b to 7b.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    And here is the story from the Horses mouth without the National Party advertising. EQC reassures claimants over revised liability
    The only thing holding back EQC in paying out has been Bill English giving them permission.

    Under the funds procedures, EQC must ask Finance Minister Bill English for permission before liquidating any of the fund's assets in the event of a large-scale disaster.
    The minister and the Treasury, are to offer advice on which assets to liquidate first under guidelines set up in 2001.

    Nice to see Mr English has given this priority, it has taken him all year to get off his arse.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • merc,

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    The only thing holding back EQC in paying out has been Bill English giving them permission

    Source for that? The EQC media release quotes the organisation's CEO:

    “EQC has already paid out more than $1.4 billion in claims since September, amounting to almost $4 million a day and this will not stop,” Mr Simpson said.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to merc,

    From the comments, things are far from clear

    The *commenters* seem far from clear - alarming levels of misinformation. Ta for link.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • merc,

    Here's another, on topic perhaps as far as information and how we get it, the headline is remarkable I think,
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10748251
    And this article, remarkable in that - do tax and rate payers know that their council is so speculative, without visible oversight?
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10748197

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

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