Hard News: Let's lynch the liberals!
455 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 9 10 11 12 13 … 19 Newer→ Last
-
Malthusianism: getting it wrong for 200 years and counting.
Man falls out of window in upper storey of skyscraper and is heard to say, as he passes successive various floors on the way down "So far, so good".
But...
the demographic transition means that assuming population growth is exponential is just wrong.
Yes. In Western Europe and Japan in particular, the problem now turns out to be declining birthrate and an aging population. I suspect that the best way of reducing the world's population will be contraception, education and career opportunity. There will of course be problems associated with that, but they'll be new problems.
The proper measure of environmental impact - precisely unquantified as far as I know, but surely someone has a measure - is of the footprint that any comfortable Westerner or equivalent has. Earth can support X number of hippies, Y number of boomers, Z number of technocrats. A set of earth and space resources can support... I need a pie chart.
I also think that the Green obsession with zero-growth economics is a tad embarrassing.
I disagree - it's more than a tad as far as I'm concerned.
-
hmmm...i dont want to talk about you as 'an issue of substance' and that makes me the narcissist ?...you're plain hilarious!
I also think that the Green obsession with zero-growth economics is a tad embarrassing.
more embarassing than promising the earth but delivering hot air ?
reducing emissions to previous levels is literally just buying time until what ?...the next big thing ? how about chucking the billions to offset developing nations industrial growth into an independent fast track think tank institute for advanced energy research ?
http://www.nature.com/climate/2009/0901/full/climate.2008.139.html
-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/08/copenhagen-climate-summit-disarray-danish-text
world bank control of carbon unit single currency and planetary governance by rich nations bypassing the UN ?
i wonder what aunty helen's got to say about that ?
-
The old Surrealist game of Exquisite Corpse, at least, displays grammar, which is essential even for pure formalism. This is something within the scope of even the most basic AI that still can't pass the Turing Test.
Without grammar, it is impossible to tell what someone is attempting to say, if indeed they they are not simply displaying glossolalia.
Also, as a helpful suggestion, a thesaurus will assist in presenting a variety of adjectives. For example, "hilarious" might be replaced by "amusing", "twee", "absurd", "ludicrous", "silly" and so forth. This at least shows effort.
I once received an essay with the sole bibliographic entry being "Google". I awarded it a D instead of an E only because I was in a generous mood. Anyone writing an essay has to at least interpret the information that they find and compare it with other sources. As a corollary of Poe's Law, it can be said that however idiotic an opinion, Google will find it repeated somewhere.
I can't bear laziness and the essence of a bad student - and a troll - is laziness.
-
...and when all else fails, resort to pointing out bad grammar. *yawn*
its the internet not school, no one gives a shit what you graded. Now please stop trolling me. k thx
-
Frankly, what else is there but bad grammar and a disingenuous playing of the race card? Any fool can operate a search engine and you've only shown that many do.
This is not just "The Internet", this is PAS, and Hard News in particular. A certain standard of discourse is implicitly required and encouraged. Passive-aggressive pouting doesn't go far.
You should be at school, actually. In Victoria's summer trimester I teach basic writing for people with learning difficulties and while we're well into the block course, you might still be able to sign up.
Now please stop trolling me
Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how compelling my latest batch of marking turns out to be.
-
I suspect that the best way of reducing the world's population will be contraception, education and career opportunity.
would neutering the underclass satisfy ?
Earth can support X number of hippies, Y number of boomers, Z number of technocrats. A set of earth and space resources can support... I need a pie chart.
and how many poo slinging simian tar babies would you support ?
-
and how many poo slinging simian tar babies would you support ?
Wow, for someone who was just bitching about being "trolled", nice way to flame-bait.
-
yeah well craig, dunno whether to take that as a compliment or not but something bout the term just doesnt sit right with me. I'm hoping s/he will, being an english teacher and all and probably fully aware of the term, expound on the reasons for using it.
fair enough to call me up on synonyms for hilarious and adjectives but calling out poo slinging simian tar babies while professing the standards expected...that is just WOW!
-
I don't expect to see "nice" language, I like to see coherence, humour and intellectual rigour. For example, Craig's language is often deliberately offensive, but always witty, because the offensiveness is deliberate and well-crafted. I wish that I could write like that in first draft.
As you've been gratuitously rude and contemptuous to people here whom I like and respect, you've become fair game. Rolling around and pretending to be a victim now is just transparently silly.
Here's some more advice: treat the people here with humour and respect even - and especially - when you disagree with them and you'll earn those things in return. If you must be rude, try to acquire some wit.
-
I don't expect to see "nice" language, I like to see coherence, humour and intellectual rigour. For example, Craig's language is often deliberately offensive, but always witty, because the offensiveness is deliberate and well-crafted. I wish that I could write like that in first draft.
Um, I also really make a point of avoiding grotesque racist slurs except in direct (and always dismissive) quotes of others, when it's all the way in context or with industrial strength sarcasm tags attached. Gratuitously throwing "simian tar babies" into a conversation really is... dare I say it, somewhat trollistic.
-
My apologies for an unfortunate juxtaposition, but it was not my intention to be racist; you should know me better than that. I was using the simile of a tar baby to indicate a particular kind of discursive trap, not a kind of person - and we're all descended from simians. I get annoyed when people insist on behaving as if the last few million years never happened (and I believe that behaving is not the same as being, so it's certainly not necessary).
For what it's worth, I've only ever heard the term "tar baby" used as I used it, as a simile like "straw man".
There's always going to be the risk on misinterpretation in this medium, so the assumption of good faith is the best strategy, rather than - as pollywog does - continually going out of one's way to give and take offence.
-
Kracklite:
Ok, obviously missed some context there -- which is why I should try and speed-skim threads as a work avoidance strategy. I just assumed that was pollywog's typically charming dash of spice to the gumbo. :)
There's always going to be the risk on misinterpretation in this medium, so the assumption of good faith is the best strategy, rather than - as pollywog does - continually going out of one's way to give and take offence.
ITA -- and sorry if there was any careless dealing of the racist card there, which is a particular bete noir of mine. Don't you just love it when you grab the wrong end of the proverbial stick and start beating yourself about the head with it?
-
This is a really boring dispute. Active moderation would require me taking a stance on it and I can't be bothered with that.
So let's just say that the next of the squabbling parties to continue the squabble shall be deemed at fault.
-
Oh brilliant, pollywog -- you managed to win the race by posting a stupid comment while I was still writing the above.
I've deleted it. Just take a break for a while, huh?
-
And meanwhile, Chris Trotter's adventures in combating liberalism continue, as he takes up arms against some ne'er-do-well posting facts about Italian political history.
-
did Key just pre empt copenhagens strategy of buying off maori as a developing nation in exchange for support in passing a contentious bill under urgency?...and wasnt his reading of copenhagen as a photo op for politicians strangely prophetic.
but now hes honour bound to go there and pay lipservice at the taxpayers expense. If it were me i'd skip it and get stoned in amsterdam instead and to hell with the rich muthafuckas raping the earth.
-
squabbling parties to continue the squabble shall be deemed at fault.
Ah, Russell, would shaking Craig's hand count?
-
some ne'er-do-well posting facts about Italian political history
I suggest that from now on, we take a cue from Chris Trotter and refer to that ne'er-do-well as "Giovanni", with quotes. (What kind of a damn furriner name is that, anyway?)
-
I think that was when Roger Douglas was PM.
The alternative history that's in your head is truly terrifying.
-
Trotter's easy conflation of anyone with a non-approved identity (step back, you wimmin and gays) with a notorious terrorist group was bizarre and unpleasant.
But pretty much a smooth logical flow from his unpleasant comments about Grant Robertson et al in the original post.
Although he certainly has the answers, assuming the question is "How can the Labour Party be made unappealing to members and voters alike?"
-
Trotter's easy conflation of anyone with a non-approved identity (step back, you wimmin and gays) with a notorious terrorist group was bizarre and unpleasant.
I'm sure there is maths that can at least provide some reason why offending gay people might make electoral 'sense', however distasteful, given that they are an actual minority. Women make up around half the population, and are more likely to be Labour voters than men. Talk about pissing off your base.
-
Unfortunately that's our real history. David Lange wasn't driving a lot of the time.
-
Trotter's campaign is also a little weird considering the non-traditional identities (and, perhaps, sexualities) of some of the founding members of the Labour Party. They were hardly talkback-pokies-and-RSA-club types. I mean, has he not seen the Holland Memorial?
-
Women make up around half the population, and are more likely to be Labour voters than men. Talk about pissing off your base.
Ah, but he's not talking about *women*. He's talking about *feminists*. Damn their eyes.
I mean, I'm sure he'd be stoked if we just shut up and brought round the tea and the wine biscuits. (Not Superwines, mind. That would be too effete.)
Post your response…
This topic is closed.