Posts by Mark Harris

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  • Hard News: Veitch,

    Most people who curse the legal system are actually complaining about the court system and its cost and complexity, and there is some justice to those complaints.

    Fair cop, I am referring to the court system. Not about the cost and complexity - I'm not a fan of taking a simplistic approach - but about the lack of anything approaching truth, let alone justice.

    I've chaired a jury where we could not convict, because of the Crown solicitor's incompetence. They had the evidence, they just didn't present it properly. They ballsed up the forensic presentation and we had to let the bastard go, though we really knew he'd done something, to commit the same violent crime again.

    It's not about justice - it's about who has the best lawyer on the day

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Lucinda Williams made me cry,

    I'll see your anorak and spot you several trains ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Speaker: Copyright Must Change,

    Testify, Islander!
    ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Veitch,

    I know the point Islander's making and why many agree, but... despite the sometimes absurd and perverse outcomes, laws, lawyers and court rooms are still capable of delivering justice and probably do so more often than not.

    I disagree. They deliver a result. Whether or not it resembles anything called "justice" is dumb luck.

    Our legal system is half a step advanced from "trial by combat", especially in the civil area, but not much less in the criminal area.

    I'm a person who believes in civic duty, but I will move heaven and earth not to be in a jury again. Talk about PTSD...

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Lucinda Williams made me cry,

    Mark you should have been there

    Not really the point. I'm well aware of what Russell is talking about, but he seems to unable to grasp what I'm talking about.

    And GA doesn't excuse inconsiderate behaviour from either side.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Veitch,

    That's what put me off becoming a lawyer.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Lucinda Williams made me cry,

    But that's not the same thing as thinking you can buy a GA ticket and have everyone else do your bidding.

    But you're okay with expecting others to do your bidding by not objecting to your behaviour? Interesting differentiation. Maybe it is all about you...

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Lucinda Williams made me cry,

    We were extremely considerate at Lucinda: we even waited for a break between songs to shuffle over to the side of the hall so that no one would be inconvenienced by our desire to get off our arses. But that's not the same thing as thinking you can buy a GA ticket and have everyone else do your bidding.

    You're determined to make this all about you, aren't you? Newsflash, Russell, it's not.

    I'm very pleased you were considerate at that concert. Great. Others weren't. Not great.

    Dancing in the aisles should be allowed

    [sigh] there are valid safety reasons for not permitting this.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Lucinda Williams made me cry,

    Conflict between two self-centred motivations is guaranteed in some situations. Nothing wrong with the motivations, though I agree the subsequent behaviour can be problematic.

    Oh, I didn't realise it was self-centred to buy a seat to a show and then expect to sit in it. Silly me.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

  • Hard News: Lucinda Williams made me cry,

    That doesn't relieve people of responsiblity for their behaviour but it is entirely predictable that friction will arise in the situation described above. It's a gig. People have been known to dance at them. That will piss off people seated behind and around them.

    While I agree that people have been known to dance at gigs, my point is that their desire to do so is untempered by any recognition of the effect their behaviour has on people around them. Hence, "selfish pricks"

    Blame the munterish promoters. I have very little tolerance for such preventable stupidity, especially when ticket prices suggest you're buying a professional service not an amateur hoedown in a woolshed (not that there's anything wrong with those). It's one reason I haven't been back to the Big Day Out for a long time - inconsiderate organisers.

    No, I blame people for their behaviour, if their behaviour is inappropriate. In my book, blocking the view of people at a show is inappropriate, just as blocking the view of other people at an art exhibition is inappropriate. What pisses me off is some people's belief that they have a right to be inappropriate, just 'cos their rocking out, man.

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report

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