Posts by Ben Austin
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Not long I fear Merc.
Besides, I want something contemporary, that reflects the paradigm of today, not yesteryear.
-
Yeah but university libraries are homes of Sin and Distraction Che, if I disappear into their doors in search of Knowledge and Compassion, who knows what foul monster wearing my body shall be spat out of their ravening maw, no doubt armed with the twin weapons of Sophistry and Malice.
-
Surely politicians voting on and discussing issues that they know little or nothing about is an essential part of a representative democracy?
-
that too merc.
I'm just interested to find out how much strategising/planning goes on in some circles about 'wedge issues', 'culture war battles' and the like, and if they see something like the "anti smacking bill" and wet themselves in excitement as to where it might lead. It seems to me that we have people in this country that hope desperately for a wider debate on the morality of our society. You know, the difference between fighting an election based on solid issues versus "I don't care how he/she will cut taxes, what is their views on abortion/gun control/sanctity of marriage".
Maybe I'm being paranoid about their paranoia, but hey, its lunchtime and I'm hungry.
-
I found a fantastic attack on evolution last night, from the archives of the Atlantic Monthly (they sometimes trawl their old issues for stuff like this and post it on the front page). If only all opponents of evolution or science had this kind of amusing eloquence
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/186703/evolution
Here is an extract:
We have been brought up, sir, in the delusive belief that "revolutions never go backwards." It is a lie, I tell you; for this new revolution in science does nothing else. It is going backwards and backwards and backwards, and it won't stop until it involves the whole of us in that nebulous mist of which, it seems, all things are but the "modified" development. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Let us not pause at that "long tail fitted for an aquatic life" which made our one ancient progenitor such an ornament of fluvial society, but boldly strike out into space, and clutch with our thoughts that primitive tail which flares behind the peacock of the heavens,—the comet.
-
The whole debate and how it has unfolded would be an interesting topic to look at for a political studies thesis. It seems like the ideal issue for which to build up a wider debate about cultural values, in a way that many other similar issues are not. Unlike abortion, prostition, homosexual rights, and the like smacking is an issue which a majority of people will feel intimately involved in, given that it involves child raising.
Someone go write something interesting on this please.
-
I believe the lecturer made some comments to the effect of "this is the hot stuff, if thats what you are looking for"
-
Ahh yes, I do remember the consent lectures vaguely as well (we called it laws 201) - although I thought NZ case law stated there were somethings you couldn't consent to, like nailing penises.
I'd try and do some research to verify this thought, but I'm sort of worried about whether the search terms would get me in trouble with our IT policies.
-
Things were tough all over.
My power cut during the day so when I got home last night I had to retime all the clocks. Sometimes I swear Kelburn is like a 3rd world country.
-
Cat blogs are underrated. Oh, and I must thank Juha for this fine example:
It is great to see such glorious gaming/kitty synergies potentiated in colour.