Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Nobody wanted #EQNZ for Christmas

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  • Islander, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Dear Sideshow smarmy Boblet - orlly?
    We get rid of you lot, and the Brownarselet, and I think we have a fighting chance-
    ONWARD!

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Turd. Polish. No further explanation needed.

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

  • Caleb D'Anvers,

    Oh dear. Having had a look at Debbie Barber's writing, it just goes to show that a communications director probably shouldn't be left in sole charge of a blog like that.

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    coning the barbarians...

    ...he from whose presence we draw light and life...

    I think Frank Frazetta would be very happy with that very stylish riffing, and doesn't Parker look very Gollum these days? while Marryatt looks more Golem, guess that goes with the feet of clay...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Thanks Ian, with so many opportunities being presented by these clowns I'm like the proverbial one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    nice visual, Joe.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Coulrophobia…

    …with so many opportunities being presented by these clowns…

    Fact is they didn’t need to buy the World Buskers Festival
    outright, they are the Buskers Festival, buckets of cash ‘n’ all!
    Also what the story Sofie linked to earlier, doesn’t make clear, is that once again this statement was a joint action by Parker and Marryatt with no other consultation and Councillor Yani Johanson…

    who chairs the council’s communications committee, said he was only informed of the review 20 minutes before a statement was sent to the media late yesterday afternoon.

    more detail and comments here…

    Chchch has a very bad case of cuckoos in the nest
    but usually parasites aren’t dumb enough to kill the host…

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    usually parasites aren’t dumb enough to kill the host…

    Who'd have thunk that in the aftermath of our biggest ever natural disaster we'd see such self-absorption and rank opportunism? As plenty of others have already pointed out, the self-serving faux corporate overlay of government is a great lark until it hits a bump, when it's shown to be utterly blind to its own shortcomings.

    I remember a story from an Australian journalist who travelled to Tokyo following the "Asian economic meltdown" of the late 90s. He was met at the Airport by a government official and his wife. As they were travelling on an elevated motorway into the city he remarked on a tent town in a park below, where people who'd been made homeless by bank foreclosures were camped. The official's wife assured him that they were there voluntarily, because they enjoyed a taste of the outdoor life. The thing that he found trully bizarre is that she appeared to really believe it.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Hebe,

    I have only two questions about the CCC comms review: did Felicity Price or her company CPR have any input in any way into the work she will be reviewing? What are the parameters of the review (I assume they will be publicised given the council's new commitment to engage with the ratepayers)?

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Hebe,

    The presentation is astounding in its negative application of caricatures. Just what relationships will this improve? Hang your head in shame Debbie Barber, whoever you are.

    As someone formerly in the the game for many years, I find it mindbending that a comms “expert” and her managers think this will help anything other than send the policy-making EQC staff further into their bunker while the frontliners cop the fall-out.

    It’s astonishing, isn’t it?

    Firstly that this sort of amateurish bollocks is what’s being presented by highly-paid people, and secondly that it reinforces an inevitably disastrous siege mentality.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    As plenty of others have already pointed out, the self-serving faux corporate overlay of government is a great lark until it hits a bump, when it’s shown to be utterly blind to its own shortcomings.

    Quoted for truth.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I’d say the damage has been done, and the apologists for Marryatt are delaying the inevitable. Failure seems the only option now for them - and Parker & Marryatt - come 2013.

    People have said the Occupy NZ movement is a solution looking for a problem. They can look no further now.

    Again, turds can’t be polished.

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

  • John Farrell,

    "Again, turds can’t be polished"

    Oh really?
    http://www.guffsturdpolish.com/

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 499 posts Report

  • Lilith __,

    Imagine if Jim Anderton had won the mayoralty. We might feel we were all in this together! It's not so much the earthquakes that make me want to relocate, it's the feeling that we're turning into some kind of banana republic, and there's no hope of the rebuild being any good.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Mike Graham, in reply to Hebe,

    did Felicity Price or her company CPR have any input in any way into the work she will be reviewing?

    possibly yes, given this:

    Felicity has resigned from communications company Carter Price Rennie to carry out this independent audit.

    Why the need to resign?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    The wry toffs...

    Failure seems the only option now for them
    – and Parker & Marryatt – come 2013.

    I seriously doubt they'll last that long, it feels like the scene
    is being set for a no confidence statutory takeover...
    the question remains whether the duopoly of Parker
    and Marryatt are complicit - they seem the kind of
    folk who'd have an exit strategy - Parker
    was talking about going to live in the south of France
    (or some such) if he wasn't re-elected last time...
    and Marryatt doesn't seem to much care where he is...


    Dead horse or pumping irony...

    Felicity Price or her company CPR...

    It is telling that Felicity Price resigned from her own company
    (that her husband still runs mind you) to do this work 'independently'.
    I guess it would be a bad look if the city was seen to need CPR
    especially when we are pretty sure it is already brain dead...


    Putting a motion to the floor...

    Again, turds can’t be polished.

    Sir, I beg your indulgence on this matter

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    it feels like the scene is being set for a no confidence statutory takeover

    I will be surprised if the government does anything at this stage. What's in it for them? The council is acting as a lightning rod for the inevitable (if you follow psychologists' studies of post-disaster societies) discontent among the rabble, and is deflecting attention from the government. I'm not arguing the rights and wrongs of what's happening in the council, but observing that at the moment Bob Parker and Tony Maryatt are in the spotlight; if the government took over the glare would be on its appointee and the Cabinet Ministers.

    And what happened when the Nats ecanned Ecan: the elected officials went but the council employees stayed; so that wouldn't get Maryatt out of the way.
    Interesting problem for a government; best keep your head down, out of the line of fire and hope the council can sit it out until the next local elections toward the end of next year. I'll be fascinated to see if the Nats have any creative solutions to this one. maybe they can pull something out of the hat.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Caleb D'Anvers,

    Disaster capitalism, anyone?

    After each new disaster, it’s tempting to imagine that the loss of life and productivity will finally serve as a wake-up call, provoking the political class to launch some kind of “new New Deal.” In fact, the opposite is taking place: disasters have become the preferred moments for advancing a vision of a ruthlessly divided world, one in which the very idea of a public sphere has no place at all. Call it disaster capitalism.

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Lilith __,

    It’s not so much the earthquakes that make me want to relocate, it’s the feeling that we’re turning into some kind of banana republic, and there’s no hope of the rebuild being any good.

    Oh Lilith, I really wish I could suggest to you to move on up north but really, we are all in the same boat as it were (although there is no shaking yet, but we got volcanoes). That's what I love about these occupiers. The yelling of "we are not going to take this anymore" in their pretty pleasant way is the most straightforward honest expression I have seen around the world lately, before that I would compare it with the Hippy movement and Punk. Everyday I read another snippet of information and for me it confirms existence has become the snakes and ladder climber corp. "Lord of the Flies" or "Animal Farm" anyone?
    IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!. IT'S CREATED FEAR!

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    the cry of the bewilderbeest in the brave gnu world...

    Everyday I read another snippet of information and for me it confirms existence has become the snakes and ladder climber corp.

    but can we snippet in the bud... ?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    the cry of the bewilderbeest in the brave gnu world…

    Heh! The tone of overinformed helplessness and dopey tea partyism in that piece reminded me of Alan Moore's comments on Frank Miller's anti-occupy diatribe - "if it had been a bunch of young, sociopathic vigilantes with Batman makeup on their faces, [Miller would] be more in favour of it".

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Lilith __,

    Here is some cute:

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Susan Sells - out!
    Councillor Sue Wells, wants to sell out the council and bring in the invigilators... after having helped break its back.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Susan Sells – out!

    Selling out. Like that old linguistic myth about the many Inuit words for snow, ‘selling out’ is just one of the rich variety of antipodean synonyms for:
    Having a liquid laugh
    Losing one’s lunch
    Yodelling
    Talking to the ground in technicolor
    Hurling
    Chucking
    Spewing one’s ring out
    Throwing the voice

    Sorry, I’ll stop there, but it’s entirely appropriate after Wells’s performance. Best leave the horrible little woman to pick about amongst the remains of this morning’s ‘toast soldiers’ & strawberry confit for her missing contact lens.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    technicolour yawn...

    ...one of the rich variety of antipodean synonyms for:

    Which reminds me that Barry McKenzie creator, Barry Humphries, has been awarded the Australian of the Year in UK - it's not immediately apparent if this is an expats award, or just that he was awarded it while in the UK...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

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