Posts by Lilith __
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Hard News: The Messenger God, in reply to Geoff Lealand,
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I am still disconcerted by people seemingly talking (loudly) to no one in particular in public.
Handsfree technology makes it nearly impossible to tell who's mad and who's just on the phone. ;-)
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Hard News: The Messenger God, in reply to Graham Dunster,
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My experience of pre-mobile-phone public transport is people staring into space without making eye contact. Not much of a loss.
Cross words.
Who's cross? Just an observation. It's what most people will do if stuck at close quarters with strangers.
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Hard News: The Messenger God, in reply to Augusta Grayson,
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I was talking to a friend last night who was lamenting the days when people would talk to each other on a train ride, instead of all staring intently at their mobile screens.
My experience of pre-mobile-phone public transport is people staring into space without making eye contact. Not much of a loss.
I do wonder how much always checking a phone absents you from your surroundings, though. I intentionally have my phone set up for voice and txt only, so I'm not tempted to carry the internet around with me.
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I think we're still figuring out conversational norms and etiquette for the internet.
It's not like we don't shoot our mouths off sometimes in face-to-face conversation. There's no preview and no delete! Although apologies, retractions or explanations can be immediate, rather than days-long.
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Capture: Ans Westra - Ngā Tau ki Muri…,
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Great stuff. Look forward to seeing the book.
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OnPoint: What Andrew Geddis Said, But…, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
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I have a hope that Key and cronies’ ‘Anchor Projects’ in Chchch (amongst other equally egregious decisions) will eventually deep six them next election…
Something’s got to give!This article caused me to shout at my computer today. Yes, the big expensive civic projects CERA is insisting we must have (the covered stadium, the convention centre, etc.) must be paid for by selling our local council’s assets.
Chch ppl don’t want these white elephants, and we can’t afford them. We DO want our democracy back. We have a right to self-determination.
Not meaning to threadjack, but.
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OnPoint: What Andrew Geddis Said, But…,
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This is fucking scary. Here in Canterbury we’ve been treated to a preview of the nominal democracy y’all will be getting.
Our regional council was placed under statutory management in 2010, because it did not simply rubberstamp massive new irrigation projects. The dry Canterbury Plains, perfect for arable farming, are being turned over to dairying, which steals massive amounts of water and pollutes the land and drinking water. EColi contamination in the public water supply in mid-Canterbury is already common.
Our Parliament this year approved the continued suspension of regional elections , meaning we may get an election in 2016, unless a further suspension of our voting rights is made.Also in 2010, following the September Quake, we got a law that put Gerry Brownlee in charge of our “Earthquake Response and Recovery”, giving him absurdly wide-ranging powers to override existing laws. That law was replaced after the February 2011 earthquake with the CERA Act, which extended “emergency” powers for another five years. While we technically still have City Council elections, any decision they make can be overriden by CERA at will. Which is what happened with the CCC’s Draft Plan for our new central city, produced after extensive consultation and over 100,000 public submissions. The Council Plan was thrown out by CERA, who produced their own Plan, and they are now compulsorily acquiring properties for it to be built. They also require that Christchurch residents pay for the new plan, and that the City Council sell our assets if required to raise money. They are forcing us to pay for new facilities that we don’t want, and have had no input into.
Then there are the school closures, rushed through while Chch people are exhausted and half-crazy in the aftermath of 4 major disasters. Already-devastated communities are being torn apart at the whim of the Education Department, on trumped-up excuses, in the face of all advice, and against the wellbeing of the children.
It’s happening here, now. This government has no respect for democratic rights and processes. The very least we can do is kick up a mighty stink.
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Capture: Autumn lite, in reply to Jos,
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We have pest removal
I found hanging a kiwifruit-bag of lard in a tree brought the silvereyes to the garden , and they stayed to eat all the tasty aphids! Win/win!
Loving all the beautiful pictures. :-)
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Hard News: A Golden Age for the Arts?,
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Tweet just in:
Chris Finlayson @chrisfinlayson 2m
Govt kept the Hobbit in NZ, saving hundreds of creative jobs – and the future of the industry here – from union wreckers #goldenage -
Hard News: A Golden Age for the Arts?,
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If an artist were to say, "This is a golden age for the arts", I would listen.
But a politician? And one who doesn't care for some of our most revered painters?
Finlayson follows in the fine NZ tradition of treating art as a marginal and unimportant activity, pursued by those dedicated enough to do it without reward or recognition.