Posts by Greville Whittle

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Up Front: That's Inappropriate!,

    The idea that I'm having the most trouble with is that young women are somehow supposed to be responsible for the way others interpret the way they dress/act etc.

    Regardless of how you, heh, dress it up, it's just another form of the old "Look how she's dressed, she totally wanted it" bullshit.

    Funnily enough when I went to Massey in the early 90s, one of my girlfriends was branded a slut by some of my friends for not having sex. Her supposed crime was to talk open and honestly about sex, state that she enjoyed it, and give clear and coherent reasons for not wanting to have any for a little while. I on the other hand, enjoyed the refreshing lack of confusion (on my part).

    BTW Older members of our KAOS club used to speak of their Christchurh bretheren with awe and fear in equal measure :)

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: What we have really lost,

    He did tell the others first. Tūhoe was informed before the public announcement (as was the Maori Party).

    Thanks Graeme, that's one thing that I missed when I read the articles. I feel a little better in the way it was done.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: What we have really lost,

    ... seem to be conflating property ownership and sovereignty, dominium and imperium.

    Most of the more hysterical comments bandied about regarding this are all about sovereignty not ownership.So the ‘Maori separatists hates uz’ horse is first out the gate followed closely by ‘What about the access’. This is in spite of the fact that both these issues were addressed well before the all the brouhaha.

    The fact that John Key put the kibosh on the whole thing via press conference gives me the shits. Basic courtesy would suggest he tells the other parties first. It would have been better if they were told and he held the conference immediately afterwards. That lack of respect underscores the whole issue.

    I agree with Russell, all this has done is reinforce the perception that government doesn’t care and cannot be trusted so why go down that route.

    I also was interested to see that it was Tariana Turia that responded for the Maori Party and not Hone Hariwera. To me this shows how seriously pissed off they are and careful they are being with their message.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Southerly: Phar Lap and Me,

    I was thinking about our dynamic duo in the car when Chris Knox's Ballad Of A Victim Of The Economic Recovery popped up in the random playlist.

    When your brain is all bent
    You're no longer Clark Kent
    You're a superhero
    That's when I'll come along
    With my mad little song
    to unscrew
    You fly so sweetly

    Funny that the song seems to feel current to me, it was written in 1997. Has National moved on from those days or have we forgotten? :)

    On the other hand, upon listening to the whole song it made me think more of Key than Bennett.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Southerly: The Problem With Religion,

    Am I the only one who finds Richard Dawkins and the other "atheism uber alles" usual suspects to be at least as objectionable as overtly in-your-face religious types? What's the difference between his "There is only one truth, and that's my truth" and that of organised religions?

    Late reply I know, Nope you're not the only one by far I suspect.
    I have a friend who I refer to as religiously atheist if I want to wind him up. He thinks I'm not a real atheist because I'm not in peoples faces about it.

    Atheism, like most isms, seems to come in multiple flavours.

    Cheers,
    Grev

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Do Want?,

    This is the part I'm interested in. Why read books on this and not actual books?

    I'm joining the discussion late and haven't finished reading through it yet.

    I would never use the iPad instead of reading my newest shiny paperback. However I could easily carry my 40 odd kg collection of Roleplaying books in one small bag. I have 50-60 Greek and Roman classics on my self that weigh in at a few megs in text format. Carrying that round uni would have been sweet.

    One thing I'm looking forward to is games, especially two player+ games. It can lie flat on the table and be any game you like. People can sit round these in a way that's not practical for a laptop.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Feminist as crazy old man,

    I mostly just called him 'the parasite' for several months (much to my mother's horror).

    I was informed, with no room for misunderstanding, that 'Greville Spawn' and 'Podling' were not acceptable ever. :)

    I've been a good boy since that conversation. Although it has been hard finding names that we like, and that work ok in both Danish and English.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Feminist as crazy old man,

    Gosh, the whole pregnancy/baby thing. Here are my haphazard thoughts.

    I remember sitting with a group of fellow new Dads, they were all talking about cutting the cord and how wonderful it was. I felt hugely guilty for finding the cord cutting hugely anti-climactic.

    Walking new baby to sleep through the halls of the birthing centre, so Mum could have a break, was a different matter. There were tears.

    We heard all sorts of stories about the LLL, but found them to be very open and not judgy.

    Choosing a mid-wife was hard, we didn't know what questions to ask. In the end we made a short list of those that gave options, rather than those that seemed to push an agenda.

    In whole I was unprepared by how much complete strangers would get involved or intrude. Random people would walk up to Kirsten in the supermarket and try and touch her stomach etc. It was like she stopped being a person and was more of a thing. I wanted to buy her a "Keep your f$%^ing hands to yourself!" t-shirt.

    I want to thank everyone for sharing their stories and thought on this thread, been the most engrossing read I've had in a long time. It's also a really good example of why I love PA, everyone is mostly civil, which for the internet is just.....wow, freaking cool.

    Cheers,
    Greville

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Up Front: Romeo Smells of Roses,

    It's not often I cheer and roar at new stories and felt I had to share this snippet:

    Justice Bryant told The Age: "In the end, it wasn't a particularly difficult issue because the only real issue was, 'Would he (Alex) have it at 17 or once he's 18?' Then, he doesn't need permission.

    This is from a news story on Stuff:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/2381395/Court-allows-girl-17-to-have-breasts-removed

    The tone of the article is pretty crappy, however all the quotes from the Judge in the case are awesome. In all her language the Judge affirmed Alex's gender positively. In her mind she was sure Alex is a 'He' and not a messed up 'She' or 'It'.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Prospects,

    My Wife and I are babysitting for some friends. The kids are having a late night running round the back yard catching moths in a net and then letting them go.

    I'm sneaking in here to the computer to periodically check the results.

    Hamiltron • Since Oct 2008 • 50 posts Report Reply

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First