Hard News: Costly indeed
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Thanks, Deborah. Had discussions with exactly those sentiments this afternoon at an octogenarian's birthday party. I believe the reason people piled in on Jones is not because they're squeamish about porn but that it is so obviously in the private sphere rather than the public one.
Even English got away more with his sustained and cynical housing rort - before the govt shifted the goalposts just as they did in the Budget for our high-earning tax-dodgers. (Sorry Slarty)
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I've got absolutely no problems with MPs staying in comfortable, even very comfortable hotels. I've got no problems with them having a quiet meal in their room. I've got no problems with them having a few drinks, getting their laundry done, making a phone call home.
(I'm a little appalled to have heard up-thread that officials from one ministry were staying in back-packers hostels. Maybe if it was something to do with a highly political matter that they were trying to organise, and staying at a fancy motel or hotel was going to be a very, very bad look, but the minister ought to be bloody grateful, and it ought not to happen otherwise.)
But buying porn, or even just any pay-per-view movies on the taxpayers' tab? That's personal, out of hours entertainment, and it gets paid for by the person using it, themselves, just they way they would pay if they went to a movie at the picture theatre, or took in an off-Broadway play, or went shopping in Harrods.
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Agree about bigger fish to fry and the un-fun-ness of that lifestyle - though it's a trade-off for pay or influence I guess.
I have far more sympathy for the staff than the Ministers concerned anyway. Perhaps my governance expectations are higher.
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Yet When Harry Met Sally and When Harry Banged Sally constitute exactly the same offence.
Exactly?
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Watching porn in public is likely to get you arrested for "offensive" behaviour. Some might argue the same should apply to Meg Ryan's performance, but it doesn't. Most people know this.
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Perhaps my governance expectations are higher.
Nah Sacha you're no snob ;), you have empathy for the underdog. Nothing wrong with that.
I just cant see the need for sacking people. I hate that people don't get a chance to make amends for their behaviour and to receive first strike for a first offence makes me feel like SST is becoming ingrained.Still I imagine many are thinking more carefully about their cards as of this past week. The rules have been laid without question now.A punishment might be necessary, but politics being what it is I couldn't say, so can't presume or judge so quickly. -
Agree about bigger fish to fry and the un-fun-ness of that lifestyle - though it's a trade-off for pay or influence I guess.
Personally, I don't want to hear politicians raising a chorus of 'Poor Poor Pitiful Me' until they've auditioned for a room full of teachers, and nurses and police officer and fire fighters who know a thing or two about real un-fun-ness. I'm not saying it's all wine and roses for politicians or their families, but when our legislators try to get a pity party going I think the media aren't the one ones who could do with a generous reality check.
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Exactly?
Yes. Unless the laws of the land have been manipulated when I wasn't looking.
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Well... I hear an undertone of rape in "When Harry Banged Sally" (and that would offend against the consenting adults criterion), but not in "When Harry and Sally Shagged". So not quite exactly.
But exactly enough to take your point. There is an overtone of sniggering and moral prurience attached to the discussion of Shane Jones' extra expenditure which doesn't attach to flashing the crown card at bike shops and golf clubs. Yet the degree of moral culpability is the same.
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Well... I hear an undertone of rape in "When Harry Banged Sally" (and that would offend against the consenting adults criterion), but not in "When Harry and Sally Shagged". So not quite exactly.
Of for crying out loud... That being the case, I see an undertone of the hated patriarchy in "When Harry Met Sally", as opposed to "When Harry and Sally Met". Blame Nora Ephron, I say.
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but when our legislators try to get a pity party going I think the media aren't the one ones who could do with a generous reality check.
Absolutely agree, the average salary of this country is a disgrace and has been since the late 80's.
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And tackling porn is going to be at least 500 posts for all of us, it's a subject that has so many angles.
For a start , what is porn, it has so many forms?
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Jeremy I too wondered what the difference is between porn and erotica? (I read somewhere that women make up at least half of the audience of one or the other but can't remember where.)
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I really would be weary of viewing stats on this subject Ian.
I mean, Men will lie about this shit forever, look at Clinton, look at Shane. -
And tackling porn is going to be at least 500 posts for all of us
Just.Don't.Start.
Srsly.
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Be an uninformed conversation anyway. None of us have ever watched it, nor inhaled.
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one day we'll have too... for da kids, i don't want this sexual identity mess passed on.
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I inhaled porn once, it's very difficult to smoke, Those cassettes take ages to light.
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You need a blue dress to really get them going, I've heard #intern
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See, i feel sorry for Melanie. Clinton fucked up. Not her.
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Clinton was a sexpig.
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But did he pay for his own cigars?
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He was the best liberal politician in my lifetime, apart from my hero in there at the moment. Liberalism is not the club it use to be.
But who has an Obama? He rocks.
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This current u.s administration is the best by a golden mile in my lifetime and it's Liberal.
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Arrogance and entitlement, has a stench to it.
The legal defence in a charge of drink driving of "I'm a Cop" is bloody corruption!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3805584/Drink-driving-cop-avoids-conviction
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