Archive for the ‘Writing/Publishing’ Category
‘YOU don’t say who or who isn’t a journalist’
Here’s an article worth reading, which relates in a peripheral manner to our recent discussion about definitions of ‘news media’ vis-à-vis bloggers. I Was Arrested at Occupy Bronx—for Writing About It – Carla Murphy, The Daily Beast 10 Dec …While the four protesters left, I stayed behind to complain to Captain Garcia. His flank, as [...]
Gonzo
I’m reading this oral history-style biography of one of my heroes, Hunter S. Thompson which I picked up at Real Groovy in Queen Street last weekend. Good book. I’ve been reading Thompson since being astonished by Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in the late1970s. I always found his writing worthwhile, particularly his political reportage [...]
Bloggers v journalists
The blogosphere has been atwitter about a blogger who wanted her un-sourced ‘comments’ and denigration of a businessman to be protected under Oregon’s ‘shield laws’ — designed to stop legitimate news media from being compelled to reveal their sources. By far the best comment I’ve read about it was from Forbes’ Kashmir Hill in her [...]
Scrutiny and criticism starts at home
It is my belief that the writer, the free-lance author, should be and must be a critic of the society in which he lives. It is easy enough, and always profitable, to rail away at national enemies beyond the sea, at foreign powers beyond our borders who question the prevailing order. But the moral duty [...]
Sometimes Mail is soooo right. Junk.
I spotted this on a quick flick through my ‘Junk’ folder. ‘Mail thinks this is Junk Mail’. Er, … that’s fersure. What gives it away as fake, most of all, is that I’ve never actually entered that lottery. A small detail. – P
exnzpat’s Halloween Story for 2011
When boy met girl by exnzpat Jim was only eighteen. Just last week he passed his driver’s test; his license was fat and warm and filled his wallet. To celebrate, his Dad had bought him a car. Jim was a lucky boy. He did not know it of course; as far as Jim was [...]
Playing whack-a-mole with ‘da media’
‘Da media’ cops a lot of flak. I heard someone complaining on the radio today about the saturation coverage of the Rugby World Cup … every possible angle explored and elaborated upon. Those who work in news and its many-fangled tributaries make a big fat juicy target. Generic criticism rains down on them. It’s instructive [...]
A Halloween Story for 2011
The Amazing Mr. Cactus by J.T. Peterson I must say, I was impressed by his stealth. I did not wake until he was standing above me; my very own number-one iron in hand. He passed through the basement (where he had entered the house) creeping snake-like, hunched-over like an ogre into the kitchen. While [...]
Putting fuel on the fire
Enough with the sheep jokes, already! As a Kiwi with Australian friends, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to be a good sport over so-called ‘jokes’ about New Zealanders and sheep. (Example: “Q: How do NZ’ers practice safe sex? A: They paint an ‘X’ on the back of sheep that bite.”) Especially when I’m visiting the [...]
