Posts by Bart Janssen
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Hard News: You know what ..., in reply to Craig Ranapia,
going past the judge and jury and straight to the executioners?
I don't know if the SEALs would have been able to capture him. I don't think it's possible to define his death as an execution without more information. However, it will be viewed that way by many people.
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I still don't really know what I feel about bin Laden's death. I had no inclination to raise a glass in celebration, it never occurred to me to celebrate a man's death. I felt uncomfortable about the cheering crowds because they felt extreme in their response. I don't know if it will change the world.
I do know that the destruction of the WTC towers did change the world, regardless of how important they really were, it was the way people felt that meant that act of terror actually changed the world.
In the same way the death of bin Laden may also change things in a manner out proportion to his actual importance. That it comes at a time when the Middle East is changing both peacefully and violently will also play a role.
I don't quite know what I feel, but I have a nagging feeling that this really is more significant than logic would dictate.
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Hard News: You know what ..., in reply to Russell Brown,
call Jerry Mataparae a liar
Senior military personnel are quite well known for saying things that are not the truth. Sometimes it's even their job. I am significantly less concerned about his role than I am about successive political leaders, but not surprised.
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You write very well.
I still don't really know what I feel about bin Laden's death. Something but I'm just not sure what. On the cork-board just behind my monitor is pinned a copy of The Western Leader. It has a picture of the towers burning and a picture of my brother, who spent the day loading boats with supplies for the rescue workers on one side of the river and then unloading them on the other. I have to sit up a little taller in my seat to actually see the picture and the paper is faded now as you'd expect after 10 years.
The memories of that morning, the unreality of it, of knowing my brother worked there and not knowing if he was directly affected, those memories are older now and a bit faded as well.
But it was an event that changed so much of what we take for granted now. Does bin Laden's death change anything?
I think it will take time to understand what this day really means, if it changes anything.
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Hard News: Any excuse for a party, in reply to Russell Brown,
Sounds all very tasty.
We're going with homemade pizza, probably ham and pineapple (I kind of like knowing every Italian is in pain as a result of that pizza combo). Oh and I'm planning to open some Ata Rangi to celebrate the basketball.
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Cracker: RIght On., in reply to Steve Withers,
I've always wondered why anyone would vote for ACT. I'm still wondering.
I actually know the answer to that because I have a friend (whom I really still do like) who can't abide National for it's soft and spineless approach to economics in NZ. Act is almost right wing enough in their economic position to satisfy him.
Obviously our political discussions are .... interesting.
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Up Front: Home is Where the - Ooo, shiny!, in reply to JackElder,
I posted a video about masturbation in the sixth post on this thread, man. Keep [it?] up.
Yeah Isabel said the same and I have to disagree. Especially on Emma's thread we need to be specific, you can't just obliquely make the reference and expect to get credit. We can't have that kind of sloppiness here, we have standards, admittedly low but still.
Now what was I doing? oh yeah a grant to write ....
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Up Front: Home is Where the - Ooo, shiny!, in reply to Rich Lock,
I just borrow Danyl's. Which gives me more time to read improving books
Wow. Ya see I just thought it was some gimmick reality show that offered sex, naked bodies, violence and stupidity as a way of getting people to look at their TVs and see the advertising.
I didn't understand how wrong I was.
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As an aside I have worked at home, for the same purpose Lucy described. For me it always had to be about balancing rewards. I can play 15 minutes of this game after I've written that section of the chapter 3. But as has been pointed out that frequently ended up with me getting into a rhythm and writing for 6 hours solid instead.
So both the distraction problem and the working too long problem.
One real plus about working at home was that since I had the whole house I really could have papers piled in stacks ALL over the dining room floor without fear that anyone would disturb them, this was before kittens obviously.
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Up Front: Home is Where the - Ooo, shiny!, in reply to Danielle,
I imagine it would be rather wasted here.
Yeah 'cos Emma had such high hopes that this would be a serious discussion thread with deep meaningful emotionally complex insights into the universe with inhabit.
We haven't even started talking about dicks yet!