Posts by Jolisa

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  • Hard News: Stop the Enabling,

    Smacking was generally legal because there was a defence.

    Ignorant semantic-philosophical question: was the defence as coded in s.59 keyed to the target of the smack, i.e. it was legal because they were a minor? Or was it keyed to the deliverer of the smack, i.e. it was legal because the perpetrator was a parent?

    And/or was the defence also applicable inside a broader caregiving relationship? (Grandparent, babysitting auntie, etc).

    I'm just thinking that substituting "addled elderly relative" for "child" might have rendered most of the objections to the repeal pretty moot. As in, if you wouldn't wallop your Alzheimic great-aunt to teach her not to spill her soup or talk back to you, you shouldn't do it to a four year old...

    (Not that elder abuse doesn't happen; just that people don't phone talkback shows to happily defend their right to smack granddad for stealing bickies off the bench or wandering down to the dairy wearing only a singlet, y'know?).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Hard News: Stop the Enabling,

    My mental picture of the area in the Chch case is more like the footpath alongside, say, Kent Terrace than the open space on the Wgtn waterfront.

    More like this, actually. Ideal spot for wee ones to tool around on bikes, as long as someone adult is monitoring the road end of things.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Up Front: Are We There Yet?,

    Strikes me it should be not just permissible, but compulsory, to marry someone who looks like Sean Connery. Just, woof!

    It might put you in danger of becoming your own grandma, though, somewhere down the line. But it'd be worth it.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Up Front: Are We There Yet?,

    Now here's a lovely wedding, perfectly by the book and yet guaranteed to outrage a few. (Warning: judgemental comments below the article, albeit mainly on the question of lipstick shades).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Up Front: Are We There Yet?,

    She said: "I'm going to the jeweller's to have one of my necklaces fixed, do you want me to look for a pair of rings for you?"

    Funny. We got rings -- which made the parents very excited -- but had no ceremony of any kind.

    Some time later came the marriage (of convenience, as in, it's convenient not to get deported, and extremely convenient to have a spousal green card-- flashback here with, as it happens, lots of useful links), and we haven't worn the rings in years.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Hard News: Put on the full armour of God,

    discuss that, now, ye hard newsies!(insert big smiley)

    Does it come in a crochet pattern, too? Because I'd love a set, but I'm crap at knitting.

    (All credit to the artist, Anna Maltz).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Up Front: Are We There Yet?,

    My actually wedding was a blast. You'd have loved it. Here's one of the official pictures.

    (Admiringly) That's quite a number of grooms you've got there.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Hard News: Put on the full armour of God,

    My three year old studies the Thomas catalogue intensely looking for better track designs.

    Ah yes, the (ahem) "Gentlemen's Train Quarterly." Ours used to keep his under his pillow...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Up Front: I Have Been and Always Shall…,

    It was like they were nearly finished and then somebody found another truck full of money parked out back that needed to be blown on some completely gratuitous CGI.

    They should have driven that truck full of money over to Wardrobe and spent it on some decent stretch fabric, yo.

    I did wonder whether the duelling ravening monster scene was a tip of the hat to Jurassic Park, where the T Rex takes out the velociraptors? (A mummy T Rex, at that).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Up Front: I Have Been and Always Shall…,

    [and a couple of possibly vaguely spoilerish observations, fair warning]

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    Laziest Screenwriting Hack: Oh, crap, how the hell do we intersect character A with storyline B? Ooh, I know, how about "A is chased by a ravening monster all the way to B?"

    Because a trail of breadcrumbs or a perky bluebird skipping from tree to tree would have been trop de fromage .

    Best New Pickup Line: "[Hey baby] I am a member of an endangered species [wanna help me repopulate?]."

    Best Use of the "Stop the Elevator" Button in Screen History: oh yeah.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

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