Posts by Michael Stevens

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  • Hard News: Friday Fun,

    Seems as though Sharon has only apologised after losing a sponsorhsip deal with Dior (I think) in China.

    And if you're going to use a term like karma that comes from an entirely different set of cultural and relgious understandings, you'd think you might bother to find out how it works.

    If you believe in it, then in your current incarnation you are only working out the effects of the karma of previous existences, nothing you do in this life affects your present karma - you get to pay that off next time round.

    The sloppy misuse of the term in the west is just lazy and insulting cultural appropriation

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: For Young and Old ...,

    Regarding the "new" funerals and attitudes to death, yes, there is something to be said for them, but I have been to some where I really felt there was no space left to mourn, which is what I wanted to do.

    I can remember a few years ago driving with friends to a funeral in Hamilton, and we were all in black. We stopped somewhere for a coffee and someone asked why we were dressed that way. When we explained he said "Come on! I thought we were supposed to celebrate people's lives now, not be sad!"

    Some deaths actually deserve mourning, they deserve grief. I think this "Let's all party" attitude can be another way of denying the reality of our emotions.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: TV list show in "doesn't…,

    Oh good - we haven't had a drug panic in days now... I was getting worried

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: I'm a Pakeha and you can…,

    Laws is, well, ummm, ahhh, ermmm - at least he's predictable. You always know what you're going to get with him; a failed and deceitful MP (Antoinette Beck anyone?) spouting populist rubbish even his ex-Boss Winnie doesn't seem to believe.

    But it's great that the most embattled and endangered group in NZ soceity, white middle-class men, have people like Laws on their side. I'm sure glad he's not on mine.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: Case Studied,

    I don't want to dirty my mind by even thinking about wishart's drivel.

    I have to say I found the coverage of the Elim kids' deaths distasteful. Without in any way wishing to diminsih the horror of what had happened for them and their loved ones, I just found the media circus in very poor taste.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Southerly: Five Simple Ingredients for a…,

    That she could put ice in your beer, in ANY beer, is, I believe, a sign that our New Zealand identity has indeed been eroded to an empty Te Papa-like shell.

    Was she not raised among real NZers, where her parents rewarded her for bringing them a cold one on a hot day? Had she not been exposed to our indigenous beer-drinking culture where such a move wold result in cries of "Anathema!" (or the kiwi equivalent - "What the fuck!)?

    O tempora! O mores!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: Fibre Coming Soon! Ish ...,

    This sort of infrastructurre does need to be put in place, no doubt. The devil will, of course, be in the detail.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: Campbell comes back,

    And didn't Williams drop wild hints about tax cuts prior to the last election that never happened?

    He's certainly a loose canon.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Hard News: Episode One,

    It was fun to be there on the night thanks Russell, and great to see some grown-up TV for a change!
    Why can't the mainstream channels do something like this? Not that I want them to steal your ideas, but do we really need endless Idol and Dancing and cooking shows?
    This was intelligent and interesting TV, and I fail to see why it would scare off the punters.

    I thought you came over very well, relaxed and on top of it all.

    Will look forward to the rest.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

  • Random Play: Politics on the pages,

    I have Maugham's short stories and dip into them every few years. "The Three Fat Women of Antibes" is still one of my favourite short-stories ever. And Rain - well, what can I say but I wish I had that talent.

    He is very much of his era, but I don't have a problem with that.

    And as someone based at UoA I was very disturbed to hear about these amateur censors. It disturbs me that they think this is a fair way to operate. No matter how much one may dislike Falun Gong, they have a right to advertise, to speak, to perform. Trying to get the idea of free speech and open debate across to mainland Chinese students is often incredibly frustrating. Their line is typically "Free speech so long as no-one criticises China"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report

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