Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Loving your dog and owning your words

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  • Hilary Stace,

    Re Chris Auchinvole and the debate on the Disabilities Bill it went on in that vein through the committee stages and third reading - there was talk of trout fishing being good therapy for mental illness and other such patronising rubbish. Eventually Charles Chauvel got up and reminded the House that the bill was about rights, human rights, and got a big cheer from the Gallery. Incidentally, all parties eventually supported the Bill which allows NZ's now imminent ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, although Act was nowhere to be seen.

    Re Grant's 'near autistic' knowledge about Otago rugby. I am seeing him tomorrow night and will get my son to quiz him to see if he is worthy of that accolade.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Salon book review:

    "A pediatrician traces the rise of the anti-vaccine movement that falsely linked thimerosal with autism."

    http://www.salon.com/books/review/2008/09/22/autism/

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Withers,

    Re: Stephen Franks - I'm always fascinated by the way self-styled champions of self-reliance and initiative steadfastly refuse to accept the responsibility for the dumb things they say.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Would a farmers' market on Saturdays do?

    The bacon sandwiches: A higher form of food. OMG. Go there for breakfast when you arrive, take another one with you for lunch when you leve.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kracklite,

    That article is a treasure, BTW. Most of the UK hates Arsenal enough

    Well, according to a Londoner I knew, there is this joke:

    Q: Name three football clubs with swear words in their names.

    A: Arsenal, Scunthorpe and Fucking Man U.

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    I wonder what the American taxpayers are going to get in return for this proposed "bailout". If it were my money, I'd be looking to get as much as I possibly could in return for my lazy trillion dollars. I'd be wanting some shares in return for taking these CDOs and derivawhos (is that even a word?) off certain people's balance sheets. Where is my ambassador of kwan?

    This seems to involve so many trends - the specialisation of the Western economies in services, the hollowing out of manufacturing and outsourcing, falling real wages for some workers and a transfer of wealth to the top of the income distribution, unaffordable and regressive tax cuts, anti-regulatory, anti-government and anti-tax ideology, perversely incentivised and absurdly high salaries, bonuses and share options.

    There's probably a good poem in there somewhere, but maybe the stick figures said it best.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • stephen walker,

    the United States Congress is so utterly captured by monied special-interest groups (pharma, health insurance, industrial ag, armaments, AIPAC, coal, financial, etc., etc., etc.), that American taxpayers can expect NOTHING in return for their trillions dollar moralhazardathon. this cycle is destined to continue ad nauseum until the furrners stop buying US Treasuries. essentially, that point will be the end of the US dollar and the federal government. when the flow of petrodollars and eastasiadollars stops coming back to D.C., the show will be over.

    default by the US govt = end of US federal govt. how far off is that? pick your date for the office sweepstakes! best fun since the 1986 Melbourne Cup, eh?

    nagano • Since Nov 2006 • 646 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Would a farmers' market on Saturdays do?

    Close proximity to vegetables and dumb animals would be excellent job training for an aspiring MP. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Re: Stephen Franks - I'm always fascinated by the way self-styled champions of self-reliance and initiative steadfastly refuse to accept the responsibility for the dumb things they say.

    The way Franks carried on when North & South was told off (and that's all it was) by the Press Council, whose standards it had actively chosen to make itself subject, you'd think Robyn Langwell had been shipped off to a re-education camp.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The way Franks carried on when North & South was told off (and that's all it was) by the Press Council, whose standards it had actively chosen to make itself subject, you'd think Robyn Langwell had been shipped off to a re-education camp.

    Indeed -- and while I do think some of the coverage had the whiff of competitive schadenfreude about it, the simple fact is Coddington and Langwell got pinged for shoddy work. I know there are a lot of people out there who'd rather eat broken glass than just say "I was wrong", but it's a little hard to swallow form people who do like holding others to account.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Craig said:

    Would be nice to see Grant come down off that fence, on the record.

    Fence, what fence? I don't think there's any confusion about Grant's position on civil unions, nor the Labour party's for that matter.

    I know there are a lot of people out there who'd rather eat broken glass than just say "I was wrong", but it's a little hard to swallow form people who do like holding others to account.

    Precisely.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Fence, what fence? I don't think there's any confusion about Grant's position on civil unions, nor the Labour party's for that matter.

    Paul: I wouldn't be so sure, there are some people in the Labour Party (and CUB supporters like David Farrar) who think this is the first step to genuine marriage equality. And there are others who, for a number of reasons, believe civil unions are as good as it gets and if you don't like it you can shove it.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    OMG, that says it all about the Dem's desire to actually win anything. Its the taking part that counts, I suppose.

    Behave. Means he's a genuine guy that wants to do things the right way and isn't an out and out glory hunter. McCain is totally Chelsea.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    Q: Name three football clubs with swear words in their names.

    A: Arsenal, Scunthorpe and Fucking Man U.

    And according to the article, Hillary Clinton is a Man U supporter. Can I just say, surprised not.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Paul: I wouldn't be so sure, there are some people in the Labour Party (and CUB supporters like David Farrar) who think this is the first step to genuine marriage equality. And there are others who, for a number of reasons, believe civil unions are as good as it gets and if you don't like it you can shove it.

    You'd need to check with Grant, but I'd guess that he doesn't see them as exclusive at all.

    I don't see any problem with a world where you have both, civil unions aren't just for same-sex relationships after all.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Would a farmers' market on Saturdays do?

    Close proximity to vegetables and dumb animals would be excellent job training for an aspiring MP. :)


    And past politians as well it would seem.

    "Capill had also completed a horticulture course through Massey University and until recently was involved in gardening projects around the prison."
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10515055

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • JohnAmiria,

    And according to the article, Hillary Clinton is a Man U supporter. Can I just say, surprised not.

    A Man U supporter? C'mon, that's right up theRE with "Ich Bin Ein Berliner".


    "Good Evening .... [checks back of guitar]__ .... SPRINGFIELD!"__.

    hither and yon • Since Aug 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I don't see any problem with a world where you have both, civil unions aren't just for same-sex relationships after all.

    No, but civil marriage (and please note the emphasis) certainly is a breeders-only club and I think it would be fair comment to ask every MP whether they're happy with that state of affairs. And, sorry, I'm not buying the fudge that a civil union is "marriage in all but name" depending on which audience you're speaking to. Am I the only person who gets the rather bitter irony of the likes of Helen Clark saying that, if the option was available, she'd have opted for a civil union? Well, there's nothing preventing Clark and her husband dissolving their marriage and entering into a civil union. Her close friends Chris Carter and Peter Kaiser don't get to choose for themselves whether they'd like to move in the other direction.

    And that strikes me as wrong. Not exactly the most pressing issue in the world, granted; but something I'd like some straight answers to if anyone bother asking a straight question.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Would a farmers' market on Saturdays do?

    The bacon sandwiches: A higher form of food. OMG. Go there for breakfast when you arrive, take another one with you for lunch when you leve.

    Woo - that got my attention.

    For real? Who knew? I was expecting fruit & veg & home made jam. Will have to go take a look at the local then. Soon.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And may I say that if Grant borrowed a pair from Fran Wilde, and put a civil marriage equality bill (I think it would be two pages top) into the private member's ballot, he'd have my support. And mad respect for life.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Well, there's nothing preventing Clark and her husband dissolving their marriage and entering into a civil union.

    They wouldn't even need to dissolve their marriage to change from a marriage to a civil union.

    The DIA sez:

    A married couple who wish to continue in a relationship with each other may change the form of that relationship to a civil union without being required to formally dissolve their marriage. For them, the process begins with a Notice of Intended Civil Union, change of relationship from marriage form.

    Some friends of mine did this because (from memory) they felt it better represented their relationship than a marriage did.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Robin:

    Thanks for the correction, but my substantive point still stands.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Hillary Clinton is a Man U supporter

    I thought it was only UK politicians that had to feign interest in soccer?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Susan Snowdon,

    Robyn (or anyone else who knows), how exactly is a civil union different to marriage, other than the latter being only for heterosexual couples? Are the circumstances for dissolution the same? Are there countries that do not recognise NZ civil unions as being the same as marriage? e.g. for bureaucratic reasons or whatever. Does 'marriage' in NZ really only cover the sensibilities of people with a religious outlook? Why can't the 'civil' (state) part of a couple's union be one thing, and any other religious/spiritual/personal vows/promises/fancy dress party be another? Isn't it like that in some countries, where people have a church ceremony but still have to do something at the Town Hall?

    If I wasn't divorced I think I would have preferred a civil union once upon a time. (Although 3 people at the Registry of B D and M seemed ok. For some reason the Registrar (female) felt it necessary to hug me.That was nice.)

    Since Mar 2008 • 110 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    For real? Who knew? I was expecting fruit & veg & home made jam. Will have to go take a look at the local then. Soon.

    Well I dunno if some pansy Wellington farmers market will do the same thing. The one in Dunedin is a haven for bacon however.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

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