Posts by Lucy Stewart

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  • Hard News: Rain on his parade,

    I see that the police are trying to supress the Undy 500 rally - despite the fact that, if the driver remains sober and the road rules are complied with, students are perfectly entitled to drive from Christchurch to Dunedin and have a party.

    Moreover, an unofficial rally is going to have way less constraints on it than an official one. And an unofficial rally is sure as hell going to occur. (Don't even get me started on the Dunedin mayor sidelining the fact that residents of his own city were, in fact, the ones responsible for most of the problems.)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Hard News: Rain on his parade,

    The thing I find most offensive about the whole mess is the way that everyone is talking about breasts, and only breasts, as if there's going to be a collection of floating disembodied boobies floating through central Auckland. Fortunately (or not?) there aren't. There are going to be topless women riding through central Auckland. I.e., people.

    The way that the actual living breathing people whose nudity is at question here are being sidelined so completely - by Crow, by the media, by damn near everyone - says everything about this I really need to know.

    OTOH, the hysterical "families must be PROTECTED!" rhetoric is, at least, good for a laugh.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Up Front: Not Such a Hard Word After All,

    Did he actually say that, or did they write it down wrong? The Dom today offered the headline "Women dies at train station" so I'm putting my money on the latter for now.

    I'd put my money on that too, given the frequency at which the sub-editorial staff of both the Herald and Stuff websites give me reason to despair for humanity. But either way, it's still telling.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Up Front: Not Such a Hard Word After All,

    And for some deliciously ironic commentary on the intersection between justice, spin, and media coverage:

    "While I am shocked and also saddened that it has got this far, in terms of all the allegations and charges, I am more determined than ever to fight to declare my name," Veitch said.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Long Weekend,

    Or anyone who finishes the decathlon? Or the Modern Pentathlon? Now that requires a generallist!

    You are entirely right. (I'm not sure that "modern" is still the right epithet for an event designed to mimick the skills required of a cavalry soldier, though.)

    Also, I now know that one-hit epee is practiced at international levels (in the modern pentathlon.) That is frickin' awesome.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Long Weekend,

    Swimming at the Olympics needs a serious scythe taken to it. A ridiculous number of medals, and a ridiculous number of relays.

    If Phelps was from NZ he would only win 5 Golds.

    I do find it slightly ridiculous that _sixteen_ other people were involved in helping Phelps win three of those medals, and yet you won't hear any of them mentioned. Now, if you want a real Olympian, I vote for the female cyclist who went from a silver medal in rowing in the last Olympics to a gold in cycling at this one. That's real diversity of talent.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Up Front: Not Such a Hard Word After All,

    Apparently the police should be there to "protect" her and her hubby, rather than investigate him.

    And she rather strongly implies that Dunne-Powell should just build a bridge and get over it, because she has. Ew.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Olympic Eye Candy,

    16 is the lower age limit for the Olympics in gymnastics. However, i just heard the commentators talk about a 14yr old Romanian gymnast, so now I'm not sure...

    I was sure I heard a commentator during the women's final today refer to one of the competitors as a fifteen-year-old, so it's all pretty confusing.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Olympic Eye Candy,

    They may freak you out, but believe me there is a real pleasure in being that strong and that agile, even if it does diminish as soon as you develop and once that happens your chance at that sport is over. There's a reason Nadia Comaneci was 13 when she won gold.

    I think it's less that they're freaky and more that, you know, children are having their prepubescent period artifically extended by stressing their body in order to win glory and fame for their country, which looks awful purty on TV (I'm currently watching the individual women's all-round final - dude, those are some sweet moves) but is not necessarily the greatest thing for the girls concerned. And given how much training and control of diet has to occur from a very early age in order to reach the Olympic level, there's the question of how much choice they have in the whole thing. It's possible to think that Olympic female gymnasts are amazing and skilled athletes and still be "freaked out" - or, more correctly, disturbed - by what happens to get them to that point.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Olympic Eye Candy,

    Oh come on Mark, you can also have tiny little pre-adolescent stick-figures with faked birth certificates. Geez, fussy.

    I have to say, from an attracted-to-men perspective the men's gymnastics (esp. the all-round competition) does provide some fine viewing.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

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