The grey men of Customs made their own rules. They would stop what they saw fit to stop, and anyone who didn't like it could take it up with the tribunal at some later time.

Indeed – and some feminists would do well to remember who exactly was spending thousands?

Embarrassed officials released the film just in time for its first screening.

Click through the link to see the whole?

This reminds me – I think it was in the 90s that Red Hot Riding Hood was seized by customs as it made its way to the NZ Film Festivals.

Embarrassed officials released the film just in time for its first?

I'm tempted to check in with the usual suspects, and watch her being pilloried from both?

I'm tempted to check in with the usual suspects, and watch her being pilloried from both the loony left and the rabid right as a 'judicial activist' or a rape-enabler.

Oh, it doesn't take much time, there was a 'Your Views' on the article at Stuff. I was, well, 'interested'?

I still don't understand why a commercial venture can close a public road — I thought parades were community events? Really, I'm confused ... Would McDonalds be allowed to run a Burgers with Boots parade?

Indeed. As I've said elsewhere, I am outraged by this parade – because Renkon is?

I still don't understand why a commercial venture can close a public road

Newsprint: I don't mean this as a personal slam, but I think that's a rather disingenuous bit of misdirection that's been allowed to pass basically unchallenged. I don't recall the Auckland City Council ever having a problem?

Bring on the revival of the libertine left!

The 'libertine left' always relied rather heavily on women being sexually subservient, of course. (The chicks had to make all the cups of tea as well as supply the blow jobs.)

The 'libertine left' always relied rather heavily on women being sexually subservient, of course. (The chicks had to make all the cups of tea as well as supply the blow jobs.)

I saw a documentary about the Merry Pranksters and their bus journey once, with lots of archive film. It?

But I'm pleased that the jedgement was passed as it was...the opponents such as Cr Casey and McCroskie have displayed a lack of perspective and knack for hysterical hyperbole that suggests a career in P.R would be more?

The chicks had to make all the cups of tea as well as supply the blow jobs.

What? You are allowed both?
Hmmm, gonna have to have words with someone. lol

I think it's a push to call the Santa parade a commercial event (in this sense, of course to my mind the whole xmas shebang is a commercial event), even if it has high profile commercial support.

I'm guessing you haven't been to one recently. I went last year, for?

I'm guessing you haven't been to one recently.

After posting it did occur to me that the last parade I saw was about twenty-five years ago.

In which case Craig you are entirely right.

Regardless of ones likes or dislikes of Crow's parade I think the need to describe women's breasts as awesome says a lot about the writer.

Er, like what?

Frankly I think to expend anymore effort on it is to make us all look comically provincial and make Steve Crow and rest his meat market crew bigger than?

The thing I find most offensive about the whole mess is the way that everyone is talking about breasts...

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?

The chicks had to make all the cups of tea as well as supply the blow jobs.

Wow, that takes multi tasking to a whole new level.

I see that the police are trying to supress the Undy 500 rally – despite the fact that, if the driver remains sober and the?

I don't really care for the parade itself...just don't see the appeal.

The real entertainment was the

...horny, leering crowd...

Of which there wasn't that many, the crowd was pretty much the crowd one normally saw in the square at lunchtime, just more of them.

Once you have seen one?

Maybe is should be boobs on bikes after all

...amateur cosmetic surgeons...

A truly disturbing thought.

Wow, that takes multi tasking to a whole new level.

Pish posh. I bet any of us with experience in either could do both at the same time!

(There's an appallingly crass 'teabagging' joke to be made here, I just know it...)

yup. "protecting children"... from boobs. might have to get some new amendments to the legislation regarding safety equipment for breastfeeding babies.

or, was he talking about the "erotica" exhibition that children?

I saw a documentary about the Merry Pranksters and their bus journey once, with lots of archive film. It was a sobering reminder that the freedom fighters were pretty much sexist jerks whose chief expectation of the women around them was to be sexually available.

Well, even now, I find?

Is there any other public opportunity for celebrating sex, sexuality and eroticism? Or is the Steve Crowe event all there is?

Is there any way to celebrate these generally wondeful things that WON'T be seen as dirty and exploitative by someone?

Just wondering.

I do reject the?

who was the geezer from family first (or something) who was crapping on about 'protecting children' from this palaver?

My first response was "And what the hell are your children doing in town on a school day, you moral delinquent?" :) And someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't?

Is there any other public opportunity for celebrating sex, sexuality and eroticism? Or is the Steve Crowe event all there is?

I saw the Hero Parade that way, even though it wasn't my sexuality. It had a a joy to it, while Crow's thing seems like some dumb fast-food version.?

equally honouring the masculine and feminine aspects of humanity. It seemed so much more natural, positive and healthy

100% agree. masculinity and feminity tend to get ascribed to gender-based roles. the essence of what it means to be masculine or feminine gets lost in the doofing, and the jobs we're?

I don't see BoB as being much different, albeit with adult themes. Instead of giving?

Is there any way to celebrate these generally wondeful things that WON'T be seen as dirty and exploitative by someone?

There is always going to be someone that is offended, especially when it comes to sexuality and especially with people that have imaginary friends.
Besides, what's wrong with being dirty.?

However I would like to nominate the following for "most disturbing line I've ever read in Hard News":

Not only are they profoundly, fundamentally functional, I find them attractive.

(Do other readers have lines from Russell, or?

Do other readers have lines from Russell, or anyone at Public Address that disturb them? Send your answers on the back of an envelope to the usual address

RB... damian's talking about that coup again. you might want to check all your logins.

I saw the Hero Parade that way, even though it wasn't my sexuality. It had a a joy to it, while Crow's thing seems like some dumb fast-food version. But again, I guess that's an aesthetic judgement.

And I find it rather dispiriting — personally, I found more "joy" when?

"protecting children"... from boobs.

I keep thinking of this:
The Onion: U.S. Children Still Traumatized One Year After Seeing Partially Exposed Breast On TV

It's not boobs on bikes, it's women.

I dunno, Russell. If one uses "boob" as slang for one of lesser mental agility I think that, in the current temperatures, boobs is entirely accurate :P

I see that the police are trying to supress the Undy 500 rally – despite the?

I dunno, Russell. If one uses "boob" as slang for one of lesser mental agility I think that, in the current temperatures, boobs is entirely accurate :P

Or perhaps "boobs watching boobs on bikes".

Pish posh. I bet any of us with experience in either could do both at the same time!

There is that joke that goes: "Beige – I think I'll paint the ceiling beige..."

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?

I suspect very few people were unaware of the impending parade until the news of the injunction broke. (Though Aucklanders may well have been bombarded with?

I suspect very few people were unaware of the impending parade until the news of the injunction broke. (Though Aucklanders may well have been bombarded with promo billboards, posters, etc, I don't know).

And we'd be even less aware of it (and women and children and families and men damaged?

Gosh the council really stuffed up

You have to question who is possibly giving them legal advice? At which point you also have to question whether they knew full well the whole thing would fall over and it was just a campaigning ploy to the conservative masses?

You have to question who is possibly giving them legal advice

conspiracy-che says banks has shares in crow's business.

And we'd be even less aware of it (and women and children and families and men damaged and offended etc etc) if the TV news didn't shove it in our faces at peak time. That's 'news'?

I "hear" what you're saying about it being of dubious news value, but I?

At which point you also have to question whether they knew full well the whole thing would fall over and it was just a campaigning ploy to the conservative masses?

Exactly. They knew full well when they walked into that court room this week that it would fail.So did Bob?

I spelled it out pretty damn clearly in an email to the Mayors office and to McCoskrie in response to a reply to an earlier email from both.

I wonder what their legal advice was.

Interestingly, if in the UK councillors go against advice and pursue a course that's ultra?

You have to question who is possibly giving them legal advice?

To be fair, Gareth, I think you couldn't throw a brick without hitting a local government employee who will bitch for gold (off the record, naturally) about carefully considered advice being ignored by elected councillors who are barely competent?

...who are barely competent to organise a gang bang at a sex addicts convention.

Heh, your prose style is just made for this thread Craig.

I can think of few things more indicative of a contempt for life [than] that.

Bullshit.

I can think of few things more indicative of a contempt for life [than] that.

Bullshit.

Er, how? Having a real human baby born into a porn film seems vile and contemptuous to me. It's not like the baby has a choice. Two key words are missing there: "consenting" and?

?The decision yesterday regarding the Boobs on Bikes parade effectively means that a topless parade could become part of the Santa parade and the police would not take any action. That is completely unacceptable and shows a major flaw in our current law.?

Something?

means that a topless parade could become part of the Santa parade

A few years ago in Welly the Santa parade prominently featured a naked painted lady. She had quite an entourage of schoolboys in her wake.

Having a real human baby born into a porn film seems vile and contemptuous to me.

Not one to judge other's sexual kinks, but birth in porn. Grosse.
I have actually seen the video in question. The scene is a cheap bad computer animation now instead.
There is a french?

for a guy to actually go a watch/leer at it is, well, rather crass.

Same. When I went to BM last year I lent my (wonderfully customised) bike out to a friend for CT. I wasn't going to go, but some (male and female) friends encouraged me. Then the bike?

Annoying as it is, it shouldn't surprise anyone that politicians often put... well, politics over good judgement.

Indeed, hence the subsequent sentence...

To be fair, Gareth, I think you couldn't throw a brick without hitting a local government employee who will bitch for gold (off the record, naturally) about carefully?

To be fair, Gareth, I think you couldn't throw a brick without hitting a local government employee who will bitch for gold (off the record, naturally) about carefully considered advice being ignored by elected councillors who are barely competent to organise a gang bang at a sex addicts convention.

That?

In fact, how about a?

by elected councillors who are barely competent to organise a gang bang at a sex addicts convention.

That's why it's always recommended that you engage the services of a professional.

They know what they're doing.

SFW

assembled outside the comedy club

... coincidentally a former City Council owned porno cinema itself.

council officials having such a low opinion of elected councillors that they just please themselves.

Rumour has it that rogue Council officials are trying to close the Academy Cinema so they can have (I don't know) a cinema of their own?

That has a particular resonance in Auckland City of course, where there is an unfortunate recent history of council officials having such a low opinion of elected councillors that they just please themselves.

God, hope I didn't give the impression that I think that's an acceptable state of affairs either.?

The management for the city shouldn't need a law to stop this "parade". They should just be allowed to say, "No" and let that be the end of it.

*sigh* You're being serious, aren't you?

The management for the city shouldn't need a law to stop this "parade". They should just be allowed to say, "No" and let that be the end of it.

Let me guess: You agree with Family Fist that the judge's ruling was the Bill of Rights trampling all over societal?

You're being serious, aren't you?

Quite likely. Unless nothing he says on here is actually his position, and he's simply being contrary for the sake of argument. Though I'd put the odds of that as roughly equal to McVicar saying something reasonable.

You agree with Family Fist

It sounds like a tremendous organisation, how can I join?

(Not picking on typos, I go there a lot myself. Yesterday the AP described Joe Lieberman as "the former vicepresidential prick", which I thought was just great.)

They should just be allowed to say, "No" and let that be the end of it.

Do you understand the value of living in a free society, and that part of being free is other people having freedoms that you don't like?

You agree with Family Fist
It sounds like a tremendous organisation, how can I join?
Not picking on typos

Not a typo, a deliberate misspelling. Reflective of their views around corporal punishment.

Do you understand the value of living in a free society, and that part of being free is other people having freedoms that you don't like?

Ah, Morgan, you haven't encountered Grant before have you? Morgan, meet Grant, the resident right-wing fundie. Abortion is the root cause of all society's?

Rumour has it that rogue Council officials are trying to close the Academy Cinema so they can have (I don't know) a cinema of their own?

I heard it was because the library needs more storage space...

Never mind that there was an Academy theatre on that spot before the?

I heard it was because the library needs more storage space...

They say they need storage space but they were also claiming the seats and projection equipment despite the fact that they were bought and paid for by the current operator.

passed a stinkingly awful amendment to the Indecent Publications Act that effectively let nameless Customs officials decide what anyone could read.

The 2008 version is called the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The great thing about this millennium's version is that it is being negotiated in secrecy, has nothing to do with?

Not a typo, a deliberate misspelling. Reflective of their views around corporal punishment.

Fair enough. Makes them sound like a Yakuza version of the Huxtables though.

Morgan, you haven't encountered Grant before have you? Morgan, meet Grant, the resident right-wing fundie. Abortion is the root cause of all society's woes, says Grant. You really think he'll respect personal freedoms?

Right, so when I say "liberty" or "basic human rights" or "free speech" he hears "I want?

Have to eat a lot to make a good meal though. Like teeny tiny popcorn chicken.

It's quite interesting to see the five or six outraged replies that reliably follow every post from Dexter. In the antiseptic white behavioural lab of PAS, he's the happy rodent that's found the feeding bar.

To add another metaphor, I see him almost as part of the?

The women are not just baring their breasts but titillating the crowd with their overall?

You're saying you'd be perfectly happy with?

This has nothing to do with freedom of speech! It has everything to do with proper authority. A geverning body should be allowed to say "Yay" or "Nay" regardless of the request. Why would we need a law to back up every decision they make?

Grant: I think you've missed?

If they refused me for no good reason then I probably would be unhappy. So what? Should our governments make decisions based on how happy people are..?

I'm guessing you haven't been to one recently. I went last year, for the first time since childhood and it was full of enormous motorised billboards with a few elves riding on top.

I haven't seen the Auckland parade since I was wee, but other parades aren't so bad. The?

No matter what the government type it is possible for them?

Makes them sound like a Yakuza version of the Huxtables though.

But good lord, wouldn't RZA's soundtrack for THAT movie be magnificent...

Why would the council say no to a perfectly reasonable request. And why are they obliged to say yes to pornography?

Grant: In this case, I think the Auckland City Council is obliged not to waste public money and the court's time on a trivial action I can't see any?

This has nothing to do with freedom of speech! It has everything to do with proper authority. A geverning body should be allowed to say "Yay" or "Nay" regardless of the request. Why would we need a law to back up every decision they make?

You're right, it is about?

If we're going there, Cathy Casey is going into exile south of the Bombays until she de-frumps and does something a little more flattering with her hair.

But then Whaleoil would feed Bridget Saunders a rumour that a left-wing councillor was living it up having her hair done at Serville's.?

Well, hey, you're always going to get the odd creepy misogynist along with the rubberneckers, aren't you? Could well be a morals campaigner?

And, Morgan, if a city council cannot?

http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK-Atcio4-4

yup. "protecting children"... from boobs. might have to get some new amendments to the legislation regarding safety equipment for breastfeeding babies.

Indeed – I feel very little call to "protect" my children from the things their eyes first focussed upon

No, Craig. The city council is completely justified in attempting to block pornography. If you do not think a porn producer organising porn stars to ride topless down the main street in Auckland is pornography then you're ... well .. you're just lost.

You know it when you see it,?

Sometimes, Lucy, the law is wrong. And sometimes it takes people with courage to stand up for what is right. There are many ways to stop this parade. A few of?

Grow up, please.

Bless.

Indeed – I feel very little call to "protect" my children from the things their eyes first focussed upon

But this is not a group of ordinary women going around topless. It's not a group of breast feeding mothers marching for their rights. Don't the bare boobs belong to women?

Our society regards racism as morally wrong and I think a pro-white skinhead march would be banned. Isn't the same principal involved?

Actually, they did, in Wellington and Christchurch.

And they got pwned by the counter-protesters.

It's not the boobs, it's what they're doing with them.

Indeed. And if there were breast licking, and overt sexual acts then the law would be pretty clear. But breast, on their own attached to the chest of?

Grow up, please.

....naaaaaah.

I understand your predicament as moderator Russell — but I'm beginning to look away — I mean far away — when GD jumps on a thread. And he seems to be spreading...

Way to empty the party room by room all right.

Crow is a sleezy dick, but that's his problem.?

Grow up, please.

You mean like this sophisticated offering from yr own blogette, Grunt:

We need players for the World Cup in 2027. So it is my suggestion that as many people as possible get married and have babies as soon as possible. This obviously necessitates a man marrying a woman?

I haven't seen it and I know it's pornography.

Well I think I'm done here.

I understand your predicament as moderator Russell — but I'm beginning to look away — I mean far away — when GD jumps on a thread. And he seems to be spreading . . .

In a discussion about freedom of speech, Newsprint argues against it?

I thought we were?

Shit, that is enlightening Sacha. And kinda freaky.

It gives me the peverse desire to get call off my engagement and become a lesbian. Just because.

What about the vast vast majority of 'porn users' who have never and will never commit sexual violence? And I'm certain there'll be a?

Our society regards racism as morally wrong and I think a pro-white skinhead march would be banned. Isn't the same principal involved?

As Russell said, the National Front and various other bands of bigots have been allowed to march in the past. Yes, it is the same principle: the right?

And, Morgan, if a city council cannot decide which parades it will allow and which it will not, but must appeal to the law then what possible use does a council have? What issue, if this one must be referred, need not be referred?

Any parade that includes illegal activity?

Shit, that is enlightening Sacha. And kinda freaky.

What's even freakier is that she spent the time to read Grunt's dross and find that shit in the first place!
She's a braver (or far, far nuttier) woman that I gave her credit for :P

I think your local dairy is pretty crappy, or you're not look up the top of the magazine shelf.

South of the Bombays we are dreadfully morally superior.

But breast, on their own attached to the chest of a woman on the back of a motorcycle are not pornographic, regardless?

Emma, I'm very interested in hearing your take on today's parade – if you can just ignore the temptation to respond to the way it is being framed by others including our revolting troll.

I guess I'm not done here, then.

I'm pissed (and the reason I've been staying out?

None of the women on the bikes were there because their husbands threatened them with a beating. If they weren't doing what they were, they could freely practice law, or medicine, or web development.

They are?

Most people in a normal society with normal interaction with actual women however understand that women in general are not objects.

I've got that part down pat, the hard part for me is understanding that objects aren't women.

By the way, you need to clean your couch. Sorry.

I've viewed pornographic material on more than one occasion (and just recently looked at pictures of boobs on bikes and tits on tanks) and I not only have never committed any acts?

I've got that part down pat, the hard part for me is understanding that objects aren't women.

Mr Treehorn?

By the way, you need to clean your couch. Sorry.

Bro! How about you buy me a new couch!

You guys are too fast . I can't catch up... Ok here's one.
GOLD for the yachting!!! :))

Timeline!

That was like 40 minutes ago. They bumped the one Close Up story I wanted to watch so they could do a crappy phone cross with the dude.

I do not believe in positioning women as universal victims either, or men as slobbering fools unable to control ourselves. Though you'd have to wonder from some of the crowd shots last year.

I acknowledge individual women's active role in this type?

In some ways I actually think women have more power in sexual matters than men – sod all women would flock to the streets to watch Cocks on Cars (sorry best I can come?

It gives me the peverse desire to get call off my engagement and become a lesbian. Just because.

LOL!

Actually, you win coffee for that. Email me with your delivery address and I'll get our army of fulfillment staff onto it.

I acknowledge individual women's active role in this type of situation, and also the bigger picture where power is negotiated and the playing field is not level. No easy answers.

Sacha, I think I have some blogs you'd find interesting. I should probably save myself some time and work up?

Must be time for a drink – that was way too academic for this time o day. Not having a bloody latte either. Bloody Mary, perhaps.

And I wanna know how come Lucy turns lesbian and Russell gets her address...

Maybe he's pimpin a revival of Hero – now there was a real parade. Remember seeing a current member of parliament wearing green paint and not much more.

And when did coffee become the currency of induction, that's what I want to know.

That was around 1674, in London at least.

Apparently:

"More brothel running madams have international coffee patents than French men.

Coffee, used by the experts to increase sexual pleasure, and outlawed by wives because, coffee?

And I wanna know how come Lucy turns lesbian and Russell gets her address...

Coffee is a universal currency.

"When I look back, the fondest memory I have is not really of the Goons. It is of a girl called Julia with enormous breasts."

And when I published my distaste of this at the time on a web site, I had an abusive phone call. I?

You are going to jump on the it's legal bandwagon? I understand that it is not against the law to expose one's breasts in public. All I have suggested is that it must be an impotent and rather redundant city council that must have the backing of the law?

(pregnancy porn)

oow, there was some creepy looking guy standing outside the hospital with some of that the other day, making people look at it!

Mind you if?

Or Hamilton.

[somwhat belatedly..] eh???

No, Craig. The city council is completely justified in attempting to block pornography. If you do not think a porn producer organising porn stars to ride topless down the main street in Auckland is pornography then you're ... well .. you're just lost.

Grant: I'm really trying to resist joining?

When porn stars, employed by a porn maker, ride down a street topless I consider it pornographic. Unless you have some definition of what pornography is that excludes this example then my opinion is perfectly valid.

There is an audience for that sort of thing (pregnancy porn) who would probably be keen to get something unique, and the woman involved was keen.

Pregnancy porn only involves the consenting grown-ups, though. And I don't see any real difference between a woman posing nude pregnant or not, although?

Craig, you're entitled to your opinion, I guess, as ludicrous as it is...

Oh, Grant... You're really not getting the whole
"discussion" thing, are you? You're right, everyone else is wrong and acting in bad faith. Not really any point in taking this any further.

Thanks for playing, I guess.

Pregnancy porn only involves the consenting grown-ups, though. And I don't see any real difference between a woman posing nude pregnant or not, although you could say there's a particular sexuality to pregnancy.

I don't if it's a 'sexuality' per se, but there was a very good reason why __that__?

Secondly, I'm surprised?

The more I examine my thoughts on this, the more I think I'm making aesthetic judgements. BoB = tacky and predictable commercial dodge by a known jerk. Hero Parade = grand community naughtiness after dark, with way better costumes.

Hey, you're probably right — and I really should lighten up?

We both have opinions. We disagree. Shall we talk about something else now?

Michael, did you just call me a hit man? :rotfl: