Posts by Lucy Stewart

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  • Hard News: Veitch,

    The true reason for the references being requested was kept secret because the sentencing indication the day before Veitch pleaded guilty was totally confidential.

    "We couldn't tell anyone about this, only that the references would go before the court," Ms Hughes said.

    Yet clearly at least three referees were *not* told that the references would go before a court. "Passport office" and "potential bosses" /=/ court.

    It's almost fascinating, in a really sick way, to see just how deep Veitch and co. can manage to dig themselves.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Hard News: Of Monsters and Old Boys,

    Apart from the poor sods who went there.

    Well, they had to come up with some way to brighten their lives.

    I would say the Wellington equivalent of Auckland Grammar is Wellington College; not *quite* as posh, but they wish they were, and every bit as up themselves. I went to Wellington East (the middle-decile girls' school right next door to Coll) and the clash of culture, class, and gender was...interesting.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • The New World Order: A Visual Guide,

    Meanwhile, I thought Stewart was going to braid Nancy Pelosi's pubic hair with his tongue last time she was on.

    Now that's going to haunt me 'till I die.

    In all seriousness, though, the guy was perfectly polite and even deferential to Mike Huckabee when he had him on. Not every interview is going to be like the Jim Cramer one. And, as Stewart has often said himself: it's *not his job* to be fair.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • The New World Order: A Visual Guide,

    But the civil war will make for good television.

    And then CBS cancelled it, the bastards.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Hard News: The New World Order: A Visual…,

    NZ's sensible idea of letting everyone who's a resident (and therefore a taxpayer) vote is so much more civilised.

    I'm still amused by the time that United Future candidate was actually elected to Parliament before someone noticed she wasn't a citizen. You'd think someone would have noticed over the election period, but....no. You'd think *she* would have read the rules about candidacy, but....no. It's all so laissez-faire. I love it.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Hard News: For Good Friday,

    A few years back there was a brouhaha over a finding that students were not doing as well at basic mathematical facts as they had in previous years. The reason of course could be seen in the figures for analytical thinking: much higher. Of course that doesn't matter as much as a "Students can't do times-tables" headline

    Had a discussion about the facts vs. theory in science teaching at uni level the other day, and the conclusion reached was that you have to teach all the boring facts at undergrad in order to be able to do the theoretical research later on. No matter how well-versed you are in the scientific method and the overall theory, if you don't know what the hell you're looking at when you're looking down the microscope, you're going to waste a *lot* of time rediscovering the wheel (or re-Googling the wheel, anyhow.) So, yes, the boring basics are important; they often provide the tools for applying the analytical thinking effectively.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Discussion: Regarding Auckland,

    Where, pray tell, in Europe? After six generations, New Zealand is no less my family's only home than it is the only home of any Maori person. I don't belong anywhere else.

    Seconded. And this is why I hate the expression "New Zealand European"; I'm not a European, never have been, and never will be, unless I go through a very long immigration process, after which I expect people would grumble that I should go back where I came from.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Discussion: Regarding Auckland,

    And why my computer decided to repost that comment when I turned it on three hours later is truly a mystery for the ages. WTF.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Discussion: Regarding Auckland,

    Here's a question for those of you with more knowledge/time to check Wikipedia: are there any other cities *of a similar population size and geographic area* which we can compare this set-up to? Most of the comparisons I've seen have been to places like Sydney (5 million in the urban area) or London (11 million.) They don't quite work for me.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Discussion: Regarding Auckland,

    Here's a question for those of you with more knowledge/time to check Wikipedia: are there any other cities *of a similar population size and geographic area* which we can compare this set-up to? Most of the comparisons I've seen have been to places like Sydney (5 million in the urban area) or London (11 million.) They don't quite work for me.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

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