OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Election 2011: GO!

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  • recordari, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    If there was a road back from yours, it wasn’t clearly signposted.

    Take the first left, and don’t always be right.

    And I apologise for any offence given.

    Don’t post in anger.
    Don’t post in anger,
    Don’t post in anger.

    Repeat.

    Listening to this on Peter Urlich show this morning helped, on my part. Although it wasn't with Groove Armada.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Danielle,

    mainly because I’m terrible at thinking on my feet. Except to make dumb jokes.

    Oh no! My lost twin!

    Recordari: It's so hard to sleep in this heat. 2 a.m. night before last, despite being dog-tired when I went to bed, I was still wide awake, trying to locate a mosquito - do you know, the little buggers hide when you turn the light on!

    I'm so disappointed I won't be meeting some of you face to face today.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Jackie has been defeated by the rain out Kumeu way but she is looking at another date for a picnic later in the month. We will take our pecan pie and lunch by the Waikato instead and think kindly of you all.

    I am up for the Sufjan Stevens concert at the BMC on Monday night. Might see one or two or three of you there?

    @Danielle. I am surprised--for someone with impeccable taste, you hate Magnolia? It is such a savagely sad movie.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to recordari,

    And I apologise for any offence given.

    As do I.

    I was still wide awake, trying to locate a mosquito - do you know, the little buggers hide when you turn the light on!

    Have you tried potted citronella?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    Have you tried potted citronella?

    Not potted. I'm just off to get a bottle of citronella essential oil. Stinks, of course, but works wonders. I anoint the corners of the bed, and put a dab on the curtains near where the window is open.

    Failing that, I do have a mosquito net, (most effective bundled up on a chair), but it's so airless at night right now. Even a thin net would keep what air movement there is, off me. Don't want that!

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Jacqui Dunn,

    A fan keeps the little buggers away as well

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I am up for the Sufjan Stevens concert at the BMC on Monday night. Might see one or two or three of you there?

    Me!

    @Danielle. I am surprised--for someone with impeccable taste, you hate Magnolia? It is such a savagely sad movie.

    You see that last sentence you wrote? Change one 's' into a 'b', and then we are in complete agreement. ;)

    Here is an analogy which may explain why I hate that movie. You know when you go to a not-that-good hip hop show, and there's an annoying hypeman who's always loudly telling you to 'make some noooooooooooiiiiise!', even though nothing particularly noiseworthy has happened, and you're all 'how about I make some noise when you INSPIRE me to make some noise, asshole?' OK, well, PT Anderson is that hypeman, and he is telling me to 'feel saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!', and I'm all 'but we shouldn't be at that part of the movie yet, and all your characters are currently thematic mouthpieces with no depth, can we develop them at all before I feel sad?' and he's all 'no! character development is for pussies! feel sad RIGHT NAO!' and I want to throttle him with his sweaty white hypeman towel of directorial wankerism.

    Yeah. I fucking HATE that movie. :)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Danielle,

    Did you like Altman's Short Cuts?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes, same plot, same deus ex machina climax - but I love Altman's films (well, the ones I've seen: ongoing project. How can Fatso not have Nashville, FFS?) because he never gives the impression of forcing the issue. He's not so dreadfully portentous - he's often wacky and lighthearted, in fact. And his people mostly talk like they might be real human beings.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Danielle,

    but I love Altman's films (well, the ones I've seen: ongoing project.

    Three Women was one of my faves.
    But I was looking for Craig. He seems to think Im a homophobe. And I was going to give him a big internet hug and say sorry.
    Oh whats going on over here.
    Same thing.
    Hug still applies Craig.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    andin, I don't know what you said, but on PAS I've seen a few things that make me uncomfortable. I hope it wasn't along those lines.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    I hope it wasn't along those lines.

    There was a line in there somewhere.
    Who was trespassing on who's territory?
    Your all grown up enough to make up your own minds.
    If I require censure.
    Im sure I will learn of it.
    Sorry, work.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to andin,

    Your avatar is well chosen

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to nzlemming,

    Your avatar is well chosen

    Is it a weasel or something that Stoatally different?
    Sorry couldn't help it
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    @Danielle. I am surprised–for someone with impeccable taste, you hate Magnolia? It is such a savagely sad movie.

    You liked it? I did too. I think Magnolia is unique in that it’s the only movie where the group “friends I talk to about movies” is in complete agreement: that is, complete disagreement with me. One is the loneliest number.

    On Muse, I said Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream was overwrought, and not in a good way. Magnolia is the good way. I think Anderson and Aronofsky have similar approaches to their film making. Whether it works or not can be a fine line. I thought the sing-along part, for example, was risky but audacious; it worked for me, but I can certainly see how people might roll their eyes at such scenes. However, a little to my surprise, quite a few people I’ve spoken to are okay with that scene. It is the frogs that ruin it for them. Whereas for me, that worked well as a climax. It’s a logical extension of the portentousness prevalent throughout the film that Danielle noted. It makes more sense to me to either hate the whole damn movie, the way Danielle does, or just embrace the cinematic melodrama of it all.

    Anyway, Frogs.

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Wow, what a mess. Any moderator feel inclined to clean it up?

    For the record there have been email exchanges offline that I hope have smoothed the unfortunate fracas.

    We discussed the bit about people having other things going on, and it's no excuse, but maybe it explains a few things. 16 days ago I posted this on Emma's blog. Looking at it, perhaps I was a bit glib, or a bit non-specific, but the scenario Emma has been through is playing out in our family, and while the person lives on, and we hope this continues for a bit, the seriousness and suddenness did take us by surprise, and has tilted the universe off-balance.

    PAS has been some kind of necessary, and usually helpful, distraction for me during this time. It is a real shame I let myself get drawn in, and then riled up, over a damn political discussion.

    Oh-wa. Ta-na Siam. No violins please. Guitars are just as sad.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Steve Parks,

    On Muse, I said Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream was overwrought, and not in a good way.

    Oh snap - I keep going back and forth on Magnolia, there are scenes and performances I like a lot but, as a whole, it bothers me in much the same way as Black Swan (my review of which will go live tomorrow morning with notes of The King's Speech and True Grit.) An astounding amount of craft has been expended in the service of a narrative whose balls-deep misanthropy isn't earned or worked through.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Your avatar is well chosen

    Is it a weasel or something that Stoatally different?
    Sorry couldn't help it
    ;-)

    Meerkat, in honour of the Chinese Year of small furry things or Rabbit.

    So Craig or others has a verdict be reached and I am persona non grata.
    In your eyes, a left version of kiwibogians to be skimmed over with a hrumphff.
    My “ebullitions of vulgar wit" dismissed and judged as not worthy of these lofty realms.
    Its awright you dont need to reply, if silence in this direction is your chosen method of rebuttal.
    But sir, I am not a homophobe and if you convict me of this crime in your mind, without ever having meet me. Because I wrote our PM minced as a model minces down a catwalk and I wouldnt even compare his strut to being an extra on Benny show, cause they were all very accomplished actors in the fine vaudevillian tradition.
    Then you sir, are indulging in thought crimes worse than being a vulgarian.

    Anyway you seemed to be so busy taking offence you missed the second part of my joke. Which alluded to the recent appearances on bloke radio when our esteemed PM told us which women he thought were HOT. And I certainly dont need the mental image of him in Bedroom mode.
    Is this what we want to hear from our PM, I for one certainly dont.
    And as I crudely pointed out, the time for partisanship is fast running out. There are monumental changes in front of out species and our planet, in part caused by the short sightedness of previous generations and their cravenness. This preys on my mind and it should on all our minds. And to see our elected leader playing up to a room full of people who are more likely to fit your description of homophobe than me.
    Well all I can do is hide my disgust behind a weak joke, because I am powerless to do anything about it as an individual.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    And while I’m in Mr serious mode.
    Did you twig what the event was about?
    The outfit that volunteers, let me stress that VOLUNTEERS FOR THE RWC will be wearing.
    This is supposed to be the money spinner for the country in 2011, fucking pay the people working on it. Instead of exploiting their time and effort by using some imagined rub off of the feelgood effect. Fuck, religions and sport…. in their day to day operation it’s hard to tell the difference.

    Instead of, well you get to keep the Tshirt.

    F-U-C-K

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I confess I was unaware of the homophobic undertones of mincing (me a foreigner, etc.) but for what it's worth it's exactly the verb that the Herald has used.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to andin,

    So Craig or others has a verdict be reached and I am persona non grata.

    No. The rest of your comment really isn’t worth seriously engaging with beyond saying if you’re not homophobic, you’re remarkably tin-eared and privileged about how imputations of effeminacy/homosexuality are used to keep men in their proper place.

    I can accept that various younglings of my acquaintance need some schooling in how using “that’s so gay” as a term of disapproval is (unwittingly) perpetuating negative and hateful stereotypes. Kids get a certain number of “monkey see, monkey do” passes, because they’re children.

    I can just grit my teeth when Chris Finalyson is called a “mincing moron” or “Tinkerbell” by the Kiwibogger-Substandard troll farms, because I expect nothing better.

    But I know Public Address System is better than that, and I think I’m a better person because I’ve been called out for being an arsehole (That includes thoughtless use of gendered/sexist language, and the PAS Women's XV challenging my exercise of male privilege.) When you’ve done throwing yourself a pity party, Andin, I’d like to think you’d prove me right. Because you’re not that guy either.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    for what it's worth it's exactly the verb that the Herald has used

    And with that, I think possibly some people need to get their homophobia-dars calibrated. If Key's lead cheerleader will put "mincing" in print to describe their hero's gait, I'd call it a verb, not a slur.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    And with that, I think possibly some people need to get their homophobia-dars calibrated. If Key’s lead cheerleader will put “mincing” in print to describe their hero’s gait, I’d call it a verb, not a slur.

    Fuck the darts. I've got a nice big syringe full of Chlorpromazine for anyone who thinks saying "The Herald did it first" is going to get a sympathetic hearing. Really, privilege-denying dudes?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    C'mon, man. It's like calling me 'hysterical'. Which I don't advise, incidentally. ;)

    Jack, no 'Almost Blue' in sad times! You will collapse in an inconsolable heap! 'It's almost touching, it will almost do.' Argh.

    embrace the cinematic melodrama

    Which is weird, because I *like* melodrama. Plonk me in front of a Douglas Sirk and I'm as happy as Larry. And I LOVE musicals, so I have no beef with people randomly breaking into song, either. Tis a mystery, this Magnolia beef I have.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    Mincing AFAIK describes a way of walking. It looks a little like dancing, a little like tiptoeing. But it's associated with gays, and I've certainly heard the nouns "mince" and "mincer" to mean gay. Probably saying that someone was mincing if they actually weren't would be using the term to code gayness into a description. If they actually were mincing, though, I'm not so sure. It can be applied to women and also I've heard it used as a description of a way horses can be taught to walk during dressage. Also, in rugby, I've heard it used occasionally to describe highly effective dodging, stutter-steps and goose-steps, twirling around a tackler. David Campese was famous for it. There's no implication of gay there, it's more coding the idea of elegance.

    So context is everything.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

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