Posts by 3410

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  • Hard News: The A-Word,

    Well, a mouse and an elephant are similar to the extent that they're both grey. I think I've said enough to make clear that you don't have to tell me what autism is.

    As for your last statement, I've already apologized. Besides I consider you throwing around opinions about something which you admit to being not very knowledgable about, regarding a topic which should obviously be dealt with with some sensitivity, pretty rude too.

    Your rejection of my olive branch just shows that its not only ASDs who have social issues.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: The A-Word,

    I really don't know what it was I said that called for that.

    I guess I was mainly offended by this:

    Narcissism and autism are sort of similar,

    and perplexed by this:

    A little more secular materialism might have done Cho some good

    Please don't "feel inclined to keep your opinions to [your]self from now on". Apologies if the turn of phrase in my comment which precipitated RB's suggested that you should. We've all been knocked back or challenged for what we've said. That's the point of these discussions; to see which opinions and arguments stand up to scrutiny. You can't win 'em all. :)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: The A-Word,

    Neil:

    I'm not talking from much of a knowledge base but [...]

    You should've stopped there. As an ASD person myself, I can confidently say that you don't know what you're talking about.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: They faked those moon…,

    I find it hard to get too worked up about this. I mean, what's the bombshell? That right-wing pundits are often completely amoral liars? That "respectable" media organisations no longer have much regard for the truth?

    FOX NEWS still run that "WMDs really are in Iraq" meme almost every day, along with all manner of demonstrably untrue stuff, and even CNN, ABC, etc. are not immune. Public political discourse slipped into the psychotic years ago.

    I reckon our time would be better spent tackling the homegrown right-wing insanity from the Deborah Hill Coddington types.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: They faked those moon…,

    Why do people believe conspiracy theories?

    Often it's the same reason that people might believe any other theory: because the evidence stacks up.

    Frankly, calling anything you don't believe a "conspiracy theory" is on a par with calling all your enemies "terrorists".

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: They faked those moon…,

    Remember when WMDs meant "nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological weapons"?

    Then someone pointed out that the US uses radiological weapons (the long but essential "Weapons of self-destruction", Vanity Fair, November 2004), so that bit got quietly dropped from the definition.

    Welcome to the future.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: Dancing the DMCA,

    Air New Zealand; doesn't copyright law protect parody as a legitimate form of expression? By identifying Dan's piece as parody, isn't You Tube admitting there are no legal grounds for their decision?

    From my understanding US law does protect parody quite strongly; (NZ, not so much. Here, again, is part 3 (Acts permitted in relation to copyright works) of the Copyright Act 1994, the relevant section being, I presume, 42 (1) ("criticism" etc.). I suspect that anyone not profitting financially from such a parody might have a decent chance in challenging, on the basis of parody, alleged copyright infringement under NZ law. However, since it's on the 'net, I guess NZ law probably doesn't apply in this case.)

    Ironically, since YouTube clips are presumably hosted in the US, Dannews is theoretically very likely to be successful in challenging the takedown under US law, if he saw fit to try.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: Awful in more than one way,

    yep, we can kill, bomb, invade who we like because Hollywood has given us a version of the past that gives us that license.

    ...because military representatives vet the scripts, ie If you don't make sure that the US armed forces look like the heeeroes of the piece, you don't get to borrow the tanks, choppers etc.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: On receipt of a not-so-nastygram,

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Hard News: Art and the Big Guy,

    when something intrinsically rewarding is changed to being extrinsically rewarding, the peasure diminishes. don't believe me? try it some time.

    Bollocks. I love writing. I love it more when I get paid.

    I think Riddley's point is that it is often very difficult to "get paid" without compromising the integrity of the art. If you're able to, then good luck to you. Most of us have to choose one over the other.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

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