Southerly by David Haywood

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Southerly: Coming Up For Air

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  • Stewart,

    There's something about accepting the idea of one's eventual demise that imparts a degree of grace, if not wisdom, to many (thinking) people.

    Bit it also something that plenty of people will never 'get'.

    Personally, I have no desire whatsoever to live for ever and the idea of it fills me with disgust. Accept that what you've got is what you've got and it is temporary .

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Stewart,

    Personally, I have no desire whatsoever to live for ever and the idea of it fills me with disgust. Accept that what you’ve got is what you’ve got and it is temporary .

    See, I think there's a difference between trying to lengthen life at all costs and trying to lengthen it when it's possible and rational. Sure - all of us, having this discussion; we're going to die, one day, we have to come to terms with that. Life is what it is, and what it is, is finite.

    But does that mean there's no value to the attempt to make humans live much longer - even forever? I don't think so. It reminds me of the school of thought that says we should stop worrying about the space program and worry about caring for the planet we have - why can't we do both? Accepting our current state with grace does not mean that dreaming of other states is wrong, or that those states would be. There are costs to everything. Right now we don't know what the cost to immortality would be, because it doesn't exist. The only way to know is to give it a go.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart,

    Quite so, Lucy. I have no opposition to the research into prolonging life and I am happy to concede that my own philosophical position on this will not be shared by many (particularly those with a more acquisitive/materialist bent).
    The research into the prolongation of life might just lead humankind to the possibility of some form of suspended animation that might allow our eventual colonisation of the galaxy. But I am happy, for now, with the prospect of my own mortality.

    (Ask me on my deathbed and I may have a contrary opinion, however.)

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Vampire stories seem to cover this ground..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    Bugger yez all! I am going to live forever!

    Or die in the attempt...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    You OK, Chch peeps? Fuck that gave me a fright.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Lilith __,

    Power, internet, lots of sirens in Sockburn.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    Thank fuck for power and internet. Hoping by some miracle water and sewers will also be OK.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Stuff story about latest quakes. Bugger.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Twitter #eqnz feed - for the latest.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    Bugger.

    You said a bunch, Sacha. By the looks of the Geonet map it was centred out under Pegasus Bay. Lots of jiggy aftershocks. Could really do without this.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Lilith __,

    You said a bunch, Sacha. By the looks of the Geonet map it was centred out under Pegasus Bay. Lots of jiggy aftershocks. Could really do without this.

    Christ. Assuming we would have heard if a tsunami *had* happened, but a slightly bigger one out there and Brighton is fucked. That's the worst-case tsunami scenario.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Russell has started a new thread for this topic.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Yeah, BUGGER!
    5.8 8kms depp, 20kms NE of Lyttelton.
    This is going to put a damper on Xmas. I still have shopping to do!

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    It really does call for swearing this time.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __, in reply to Hebe,

    It really does call for swearing this time

    I remember when Stuff put up a recording of an RNZ reporter doing a phone interview at the time of the Feb quake. They flagged it as containing offensive language. You know what? The poor lady said shit, twice. Pretty mild, I reckon! :-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    lief / life / file...

    There are costs to everything. Right now we don’t know what the cost to immortality would be, because it doesn’t exist. The only way to know is to give it a go.

    We are wetware, software and some calcified hardware
    will we be able to be backed up, retrievable from the cloud?
    and if not are there businesses that do e-funerals,
    by which I mean someone to tidy up one's digital presence
    - put an 'unable to respond' message on your email,
    close, or move to some ememorial park, one's
    Facebook, blogspot, Flckr, etc
    - seems like a growth niche...
    (along with the solar powered, proximity activated,
    headstone - with built in screen and interactive history)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    and if not are there businesses that do e-funerals,
    by which I mean someone to tidy up one's digital presence

    Why, yes, yes there are.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Tamsin6, in reply to Russell Brown,

    On the subject of Lake Ellesmere, was perturbed to read this today:

    Pollution of Ellesmere

    London • Since Dec 2007 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • Gee,

    Round Two of 'Rebuild' >> 'Repair' in the Red Zone begins

    Canada, eh • Since May 2011 • 78 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Gee,

    Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority chief executive Roger Sutton said he was not aware of issue.

    'Rainman Roger', idiot-savant.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority chief executive Roger Sutton said he was not aware of issue.

    I do not believe that; unless he has been silo'd.

    Anyone who owns property in Wellington should read Janine Starks' column "When a City Erupts" in today's Press, the "Good Living" section, re the wider insurance implications of the Christchurch earthquakes. This has got a long way to go to play out, and the wider impact of this city's earthquakes will rumble through the nation's home-owners over the next few years. Get thee to thy insurance broker now to look at your cover.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Hebe,

    Favourite comment on Sutton's nattily pinstriped appearance at the $700+ per head Seismics and the City "forum":

    wild boar piglets have stripes like this.... but this man is not wild any more, he has become Big Brownlee's house boy.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    I can't understand why Brownlee and CERA don't use their extraordinary powers to deal with the rental housing shortage. They got the new rugby stadium built in 100 days, which must be very cheering for the families made homeless by the earthquakes who are receiving no official help at all.

    Why can't CERA prioritise more emergency housing? Why do they exist if not to alleviate the worst effects of the disaster?

    And why is EQC making people move out of their homes for cosmetic repairs to the interiors? This is putting strain on the rental housing that is available, and that housing is desperately needed by people whose homes are actually uninhabitable.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    I have just finished a weekend and a day of watching a few Titanic docos. The last one was about the body recovery and identifying the bodies. I have to say I am having great difficulty in distinguishing between the actions of the White Star Line to their employees and passengers, and Brownlies and Nationals bullshit. It was obvious from the start once compensation was deing decided that the demand side was going to overpower the supply side and from day one they have made sure their property mates are being well compensated.

    There should have been freezes put on rents and property selling prices for at least three years from day one wwithin 50km of the Square. And to keep it even it should have been at the 2007 rateable values. But fairness???

    Arseholes.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

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