Posts by Mark Graham

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  • Muse: That Book, The Ban That Isn't,…,

    Wishart talked last night on Campbell Live about telling a story of how the boys killings came about. I don't know if there's any defense in there of Macsyna or blame to Chris, but isn't this a story worth telling? Even if it is by someone as loathsome as Wishart?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Muse: The High Aesthetic Line,

    What I love is the criticism as adults, movies that are really aimed at kids. We all loved the first series – we were young. Then we became old and the second series sucked. I go back to Craig’s earlier comment about entertainment and the second series, for all their flaws entertained.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Cracker: P is for Politics.,

    Personally, the use and misuse of drugs (including alcohol) in New Zealand is one of lack of teaching of appropriate behaviour to our children.

    Let's face it, as teens and young adults, much of the partying is directed towards getting inebriated to the point of lack of control. Witness the inevitable Monday morning cliche..."Man, I got so-o-o wasted in the weekend...".

    Doesn't matter what drug we use, many of us, especially younger people, focus on the excessive instead of mood enhancing. But why is it we drink to get drunk, smoke to get wasted, etc...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Island Life: That's my cab,

    bugger. Still, seminal moments in life tend to make you reevaluate your priorities. Happy Birthday, too!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Hard News: Costly indeed,

    You forgot to mention Banks' $50k spend up on Bill Birch to do a report on ways for the council to save money in his first couple of months of being Mayor. It was without a public tender for the job and neither did he happen to mention it in his pre-election campaigning. Of course, he's a much nicer man these days and much more in touch with democracy.

    And as for Jone's movie watching predilection - isn't five in a day a bit...obsessive? It's not like there's a lot of plot or variation. Well, maybe a bit of variation.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Future of the Future,

    well the debate seems to be more about content than how to pay for it, so here goes...

    Free to air requires viewers - eyeballs passively watching so advertisers can flog their wares. Narrowcast generally requires pay-to-view as there aren't enough viewers to warrant advertisers spending enough money to offset the cost of watching.

    Each show creates a loyal community and the network can sell ad packages across many brands. It's targeted content to viewers who can't find this kind of content on traditional channels.

    Good luck with that Wammo. Selling ads right now is bloody hard across any media. Budgets have been slashed and viewers/readers are down. This will change but as budgets come back, so do media options, spreading budgets (and viewers/readers) ever thinner.

    The fabled golden era of targeted and relevant advertising based on your current purchase patterns and life-stage is eons off being realised.

    Niche advertisers rarely have enough dosh to support niche channels, especially when you consider that the cost of making a commercial can be roughly equivalent to the amount these potential advertisers have to spend on their marketing.

    The whole media industry is in a period of crisis as the impact of internet technologies and new delivery devices, combined with a world-wide recession, detonates on the players.

    Do I sound depressed? Being a media owner (albeit small) ain't easy right now and is unlikely to be for some time to come. And the answer is 'yes'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Radiation: Lost on Internet Island,

    Sawyer has always been a bit too earnest. Desmond is way cooler.

    Fringe was SUCH a disappointment. Cliche followed by cliche. And after such a promising start.

    Then True Blood slam dunked it. Buried it. Completely.

    Vanity Fair has penultimate ep analysis and it sounds like we're all going to be very disappointed.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • OnPoint: British American Tobacco,…,

    Apologies for my cousin. Somewhat wedded to the notion that people have a right to do stupid things that will kill them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Speaker: The Architecture of Elsewhere,

    Okay...
    there are a lot of people who don't have much money but try to build interesting buildings.

    And there are plenty of people with lots of money who build crap buildings.

    While I sympathise with Patrick's position, 80% of most things are crap and there's only the rest that's any good (as usual, statistics made up on the spot).

    Blame the developers and blame the council for letting them do shit. As usual, CitRats mismanagement of Auckland for the past 70 years gives us what we have. And a culture of building stuff that will maximise short-term return, not long term value.

    I hope most people saw the irony in Banksie's message.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

  • Speaker: North versus South, Part 1,

    I remember getting on a bus at a conference with a bunch of Canterbury horticulturalists one day.

    They looked me up and down and asked me where I was from. Given I was wearing all black and had the haircut, they knew very well where that was, but I told them anyway.

    The ribbing started, some less good-natured than others. So I listened for a while and then I told them, "I've had the great fortune to have traveled extensively throughout New Zealand due to my work, and there is no where in this country that I haven't looked around and gone, 'My god, this place is beautiful'." That shut them up apart from some murmurs of agreement.

    I've met Aucklanders who are wankers and I've met Cantabrians who were wankers, also (quite a few, actually). I've met very rich Aucklanders who are wonderful people and as down-to-earth as any farmer from Twizel.

    I love Auckland and as much as I love going everywhere and anywhere else in the country, I love living here. I despise artifice and pretentiousness and I see it everywhere, from the boutiques of Newmarket to the cafes of Invercargill (yes I have - several times).

    Fuck - aren't we over the "all Aucklanders are wankers" and all Southerners are "True and Honest Kiwis" shtick? Please?

    And I will never, ever apologise for being from Auckland nor be an apologist for Auckland. Unless there's a wanker from Parnell in close proximity.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report

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