Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: So far from trivial

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  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    then she can leave her kid in sunday school getting gayer day by day and eventually one of "those catholic ministers".

    I think that is personal issues he still hasn't come to terms with so could you tell him from me Kyle, it's ok ,there are places other than confession that he can seek help;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    The culture of violence in sport is a multi dimensional issue (I'm not sure what exactly I mean by that).

    Given that some sports are EXTREMELY physical in nature ie, union, league, ice hockey, american football to name a few the amount of full on violence is incredibly low. To watch men smash into each other continuously, filled with testosterone and then get up, walk away and at the end of the game shake hands and have a beer is a truly amazing human accomplishment in my opinion.

    Yes, occasionally it blows up into punches or an "all in brawl" (often a handful of players with the majority trying to break it up), but they are the exception rather than the rule.

    Sports have rules for such incidents and those players involved are usually removed from the field and often if its serious enough they are removed temporarily from the sport or permanently. It's not tolerated, and by and large participants don't get away with it. Unlike other places where similar incidents take place...

    Sport ain't all bad.

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Kyle is an Anaheim supporter, I'm sure he'd have more than a little to say in defence of the institution of the hockey fight. That doesn't make the quote he gave us any less scary.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    My 'Sunday School' was on Saturday after/during Rugby. It was CCD and I still don't know what that means.
    I'ld be the one turning up in my Marist uniform with mud caking or flaking off my knees and shoulders.
    And no-one ever did answer the question of the host as the body of Chirst and my question - "are we cannibals?"
    I don't ask anymore & never take the wine - can't stand the floaties.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    My 'Sunday School' was on Saturday after/during Rugby. It was CCD and I still don't know what that means.

    Confraternity of Christian Doctrine:)
    I remember as a child asking the Sunday school teacher if she could tell me where the page numbers were as I was having difficulty locating them in that book.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Michael Savidge,

    I don't know if it's just me but it seems as if the diversity of voices on PA System is shrinking - or solidifying - a little more day by day.

    It doesn't seem to matter what the topic is or who authored it but I seem to keep encountering the same voices - often having the same argument. And sometimes it appears that the argument is more important than the topic ;)

    There's been talk of how intimidating it can be for new or less prolific posters to engage in discussion here, but maybe it's also that at times it feels a closed circle that is collapsing in on itself.

    I guess I'd like to think this is more an observation than a complaint - cos I have no idea how to fix it or even if it needs fixing - but I've come to really enjoy and respect this space and I have to admit to a sense of loss over what I've experienced here in the last few weeks...


    </irrelevant lament>

    Somewhere near Wellington… • Since Nov 2006 • 324 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Kyle is an Anaheim supporter, I'm sure he'd have more than a little to say in defence of the institution of the hockey fight. That doesn't make the quote he gave us any less scary.

    Actually the encouragement of fighting in ice hockey is one of the things I dislike the most about the sport. And Anaheim are fools in this regard, their fighter is slow and can't fight, which makes paying him hundreds of thousand of dollars a year even more silly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    </irrelevant lament>

    A circle-jerk?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Actually the encouragement of fighting in ice hockey is one of the things I dislike the most about the sport.

    I stand corrected.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    I don't know if it's just me but it seems as if the diversity of voices on PA System is shrinking - or solidifying - a little more day by day.

    I suppose it was inevitable, all these people agreeing with each other, or at least respecting the right of others to hold an opposing opinion. It's called CCD (Collective Consciousness Disorder) we all end up as an amorphous mental blob chanting "In Russ we trust, in truss we rust" or something.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • kmont,

    Hi Michael,
    I guess it is important to remember that more people read than comment but anyone can come and paddle in the pool, even Craig doesn't bite that much......

    Of course it is a bit of a closed circle (most things ossify a bit over time) but there are always pseudonyms available for those who need that extra bit of protection.

    Besides there are two new regular contributors and it has got to be better than the bladdy telly.

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 485 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    A circle-jerk?

    Crickey! I realise you made that comment after 8 30 pm, but perhaps you ought to consider some sort of parental advisory-type warning. Some of us are young and impressionable. Well, impressionable anyway.

    On a related note, it's good to see that the likes of the CCD are absolutely crap at indoctrinating young minds.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    I understood CCD to be (Compulsive Commenting Disorder)

    I won't say a thing, ....honest...I won't

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Michael Savidge,

    even Craig doesn't bite that much......

    The dude's a freakin pit-bull :) Speshly if you you generalise just a wee bit..

    I know! How about a thread where only those with less than 20 posts can comment...they can dip their toes without the sharks circling-jerking

    Somewhere near Wellington… • Since Nov 2006 • 324 posts Report

  • Yamis,

    You can't really do much for people who are a bit timid. Besides its not something you get comfortable with until you've been doing it for a while. I remember the first times I posted in a forum and became a fully fledged loser. It would take ages to put out a well thought out, lengthy post because I was paranoid about what people would think (and still am, it's in my nature) but now they tend to roll out thick and fast like elephant turds.

    It's a fine art getting your point across and not severely pissing anybody off at the same time and it can take freakin ages to get to that point (some never do). A bit of humbleness and self piss-taking helps.

    But some people just like reading. Quite often I read through forums and that suits fine. There's no need to write to the author and tell him you thought his book was shit or tha bomb. And bare in mind that a lot of the viewing traffic will have come here by mistake (looking for porn), not be from NZ (and be looking for porn), not speak English (and be looking for porn), have no interest in what is being said (because they were looking for porn)and will never return (because they couldn't find any porn).

    Since Nov 2006 • 903 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Michael s - a tiny errant icthyologist-manque in me screams
    'But most male sharks have graspers/claspers and they lack hands and-"
    o well.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • WH,

    We were analysing his words and actions, not his 'demeanour'

    You don't know whether he is sorry or not.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    You don't know whether he is sorry or not.

    There are all sorts of things none of us 100% know about other people, since mind-reading is fairly uncommon. So, instead of inventing mind-reading, which might take a while and get expensive, we tend to do other stuff. Like... analyse what they say and what they do. It's admittedly an imperfect system.

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

  • Jackie Clark,

    I don't know if it's just me but it seems as if the diversity of voices on PA System is shrinking - or solidifying - a little more day by day.

    You don't think that it could be as simple, Michael, as with all forums, of reasonably likeminded people having discussions on which there is a common meeting of the minds at some points along the way? And there is more agreement on some issues than others. For example, I am a rabid Helen Clark supporter, but that doesn't mean that I don't agree with Craig on quite a number of things. There are posters here with whom I have a lot in common, in terms of my life, and others with whom it would seem there is no commonality, and yet I can still find common ground with some of our beliefs and core values. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. Nor, I suspect, would you.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report

  • Michael Savidge,

    You don't think that it could be as simple, Michael, as with all forums, of reasonably likeminded people having discussions on which there is a common meeting of the minds at some points along the way?

    It could well be that Jackie, but I'm not sure if there is any simple answer. I guess I have concerns about the distinct lack of new voices joining in.

    Regardless of the reasons for that, and as much as I dig what goes on here, sometimes the sound of the regulars arguing semantics or 'who said what' gets a liitle old

    And that's my problem, not the regulars ;)

    Somewhere near Wellington… • Since Nov 2006 • 324 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    Michael: given the small size of NZ, and the fact that PA is more or less NZ-centric, maybe most of the people who want to join in already have? So there were lots of new posters a year ago; not so many now. It's not necessarily a sign of doom.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    These things go in cycles. It might appear that the discussions are more entrenched or less fresh, and then it'll swing around again. What'll often happen is that there's a topic that moves people to de-lurk and then go on to become valuable contributors. Others will lose the mojo and move on.

    What I do quite often see is the first-time post all set-about with apologies for an imagined lack of style or substance -- and I think "actually, that was bloody good". Yes, people do get a bit intimidated by the level of discussion at times, but there are worse problems to have.

    Anyway, I can say there are a few things coming that'll freshen things up a bit. Two new entrants to the stable, an interesting guest poster, then some technical improvements as I can manage (and fund) them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Subject matter pushes buttons too. Issues to light this last month have included abortion, rape and abuse.All deeply ingrained amongst some of the female posters and this may appear semantics but there is, just in three blogs, that which may feel monotonous, hence intimidating, Still I can't be worrying for those who feel intimidated,I have not seen a poster berid anyone from the PA (although the likes of Dexter prompted the desire to use more colourful language).All I could suggest to those intimidated is Have a go or don't.YOU CAN IGNORE BITS.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    but now they tend to roll out thick and fast like elephant turds.

    Heh. That's now my online image of the week.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • WH,

    There are all sorts of things none of us 100% know about other people, since mind-reading is fairly uncommon. So, instead of inventing mind-reading, which might take a while and get expensive, we tend to do other stuff. Like... analyse what they say and what they do. It's admittedly an imperfect system.

    I don't think you have enough information to draw a reliable inference, and don't accept the conclusion of your analysis, if that is the word you want to use to describe what you have embarked on here.

    Let's agree to disagree on this one aspect of a broad discussion.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report

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