Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Bottom is a Magic Place

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  • Emma Hart,

    I don't know - people will put quote marks around anything these days.

    My favourite accidental truth in advertising was a farmer's sign tied to a fence by the side of the road on the way down to Timaru.

    "Controlled" burn off.

    And someone needs to tell them it is Labor's not Labors.

    And explain why The Chaser is funny, not somehow both lame and offensive.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The cry from the right on the EFB has been, mainly, on the basis of the belief that the bill reduces the right of free speech but the tactics of the right, including the actions of National in the house is to shout down any opposition to their wants, the fascicle protest at parliament was a case in point.

    Um, care to expand on that a little? Really about as unconvincing as the GOP dog-whistling (to use TomS's favourite phrase) that Democrats are being 'obscructive' on the rare occasions they actually get their spines out of hock and oppose something.

    And how does a lawful protest - and please spare me the size queen ballocks - "shout down" opposition or in any way impede the legislative process? Sorry, but I think there are a few folks on both the left and the right who need to wrap their heads around the notions that reading or hearing or seeing something they disagree with isn't embryonic fascism or proof of a conspiracy.

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    BTW when it comes to 'shouting down' opposition in the House, could Madame Speaker try consistently enforcing the concept that interjections while a member is on their feet should be rare, reasonable and (if you're really lucky) witty? I know there are times when the Chamber would be emptied within minutes, but I'd not so sure I'm seeing the downside of that.

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

  • Deborah,

    I don't know - people will put quote marks around <i>anything</i> these days.

    So they do. Just like this, really.

    We now actually have a "smacking" conviction subsequent to the Child Discipline Bill,

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    'Though I do think it was justified in the case of this "smacking" conviction.

    Does anyone know the rule for using one quote mark - ' - or two - " - ?

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • kmont,

    The father, who pleaded guilty to assault, and his wife had already sought help with anger management, parenting skills and relationship counselling before yesterday's sentencing.

    Sought help indicates that they both had already acknowledged that they had problems which is a good thing. Now we will be covering the costs of the counselling which also seems like a good thing for all concerned. He gets name suppression which will save him and his family some embarrassment. It really looks like a case of the law working to me.

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 485 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Um, care to expand on that a little?

    Ok, are you sitting comfortably, then I shall begin.

    The cry from the right on the EFB (this bit means the people of a right wing viewpoint have been complaining about the Electoral Finance Bill) has been, mainly (past tense and not equivocally) on the basis of the belief that the bill reduces the right of free speech ( it has been said that the said bill may reduce the availability of the right of free speech although we do not have a constitutional right as such but under human rights legislation this point is covered) but the tactics of the right, including the actions of National in the house is to shout down any opposition to their wants (as anyone who has observed the proceedings in Parliament over the past few days will have noticed, the National party has, at every opportunity, shouted the Government down during question time and general discussion time) the fascicle protest at parliament was a case in point. (Farcicle, ok typo, A lawful protest it may have been but is it not too much for those present to give speakers the right to speak?)

    Expanded enough for you ;-)

    and please spare me the size queen ballocks

    I've spared them for you and sent them, in an unmarked brown package, to the address you supplied before your "election advertisement"

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • A S,

    fascicle

    And there I was thinking you'd invented a new word that spanned the concepts of farcical, and facile (and possibly even fascist) in one fantastic flash of inspiration.... Shame it was a typo in the end.

    In fact, maybe we should adopt it more widely, there are bound to be lots of times it will come in useful.

    I could probably use it at least three times a day at work myself....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2007 • 269 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Does anyone know the rule for using one quote mark - ' - or two - " - ?

    As with much of English, the rules are there are no rules.

    Wikipedia sez:

    Neither style – single or double – is an absolute rule, though double quotation marks are preferred in the United States, and both single and double quotation marks are used in the United Kingdom.

    You should be able to tell from context if you're directly quoting someone or using quotes to lift a word or phrase. eg:

    My gran said, "Don't sleep with married men."
    My gran said not to "sleep" with married men.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    "However as usual our MSM does not give us enough information to know if he is in the right demographic to be a real risk to his child, which we as a society are rally trying to deal with."

    The Right Demographic is a little scary?

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    Fun with quotes:

    My gran said not to sleep with "married" men.
    My gran said not to sleep with married "men".
    My gran said "not" to sleep with married men.
    My "gran" said not to sleep with married men.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    My gran said not to "sleep" with married men.

    Oh dear. I sleep with a married man every night.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Oh dear. I sleep with a married man every night.

    As long as it's just the one, I think my "gran" would "approve".

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    My gran said, "Don't sleep with married men."

    Don't tell my wife that!

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    And there I was thinking you'd invented a new word that spanned the concepts of farcical, and facile (and possibly even fascist) in one fantastic flash of inspiration.... Shame it was a typo in the end.

    It wasnt me it was my keyboard. It does it all the time.
    Here's one from "Hard News: Dopamine psychosis and other great nights out"

    P.S. my keyboard just invented a new word "alcashol" might be better with an "E" "Alcashole, a person that cannot hold their liquor"
    Things go better with an "E" ;-)

    I have a smartarse keyboard eh?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • A S,

    P.S. my keyboard just invented a new word "alcashol" might be better with an "E" "Alcashole, a person that cannot hold their liquor"
    Things go better with an "E" ;-)

    I have a smartarse keyboard eh?

    Heh. Reminds me of my favourite from that joke email that used to do the rounds about the best words that could be made by replacing, or adding a single letter to create a whole new meaning.

    The one that I liked the best was Ignoranus (someone who is both ignorant and an a$$hole).

    Foreploy was a close runner up too (someone who misrepresents themselves in order to get laid).

    I do seriously think that fascicle could be a contender though....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2007 • 269 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    That they also don't feel the need to remind people that Sir Geoffrey Palmer is a former Labour Party leader and Prime Minister every time he's interviewed or cited as a legal academic, president of the Law Commission or named partner in ChenPalmer?

    I agree that this is the media's fault and they should do better, but the comparison between Farrar and Palmer is a little weak.

    Farrar is giving political comment, and he's a national party whatsit right? So the byline should be National Party Flunky or whatever. National Party Flunky relates to the political comment he's giving, so it should be upfront about that.

    Palmer tends to give constitutional legal comment these days. Which is because he's a lawyer. The tagline should be his law title or lawyer or constitutional legal expert or whatever. I'm sure what he's commenting on has a political angle, but it's primarily law right? Tagging him with what he used to do 17 years ago is a tenuous.

    Does anyone know the rule for using one quote mark - ' - or two - " - ?

    As Robyn noted, there are no good rules for this, except, if you're quoting inside a quote, transfer between the two (it doesn't matter which goes outside, and which goes inside). You can't use double quotes inside double quotes, or single quotes inside single quotes. Very very bad, three smacks on the bottom and a bruised shoulder.

    So eg. And then Kyle said "Hey Craig, when you said 'That they also don't feel the need to remind people that Sir Geoffrey Palmer..' I thought you made a great point."

    However as usual our MSM does not give us enough information to know if he is in the right demographic to be a real risk to his child, which we as a society are rally trying to deal with.

    Wow. Yeah, give a person is welfare dependent we should give them longer sentences. Maybe add on 50%. Good plan Kevin.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Mordaunt,

    It's nine months of supervision, including counselling, not a custodial sentence. That doesn't seem like a harsh or onerous sentence me. The concern is not that this sentence is too heavy - it's not - but that other sentences have been far too light.

    I can't help but think of sentences as a social intervention in a similar way to how pharmaceuticals or physiotherapy are a medical intervention. In this way, health care has not long seen the major advantages to primary and secondary form interventions for prevention of medical illness.

    This sentence to me smacks of a secondary preventative notion, and seems incomparable (in terms of duration) to the almost wholly punitive sentences administered in cases of murder.

    This sentence whilst probably ego-brusing to the parent, has in my view got both the parent and child's interests at heart. I'm happy to support this with my tax dollar and wish there were more rehabilitative/preventative social interventions being administered, especially given the harmful effects of re-institutionalisation which the justice system is progressively mediating.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2007 • 22 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    I do seriously think that fascicle could be a contender though....

    And the definition would be? That which you find hanging off the end of your nose after bicycling on a frosty morning?

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    I do seriously think that fascicle could be a contender though....

    Pity it's already a word.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • A S,

    Pity it's already a word.

    True. But it is a word with such a boring meaning that surely we could ignore that minor issue and boldly re-invent it as we wish?

    Only the truly geeky would ever use it as it currently stands....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2007 • 269 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Look up fascicle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

    A fascicle is a bundle or a cluster.

    Fascicle may also refer to:
    Muscle fascicle, in anatomy, a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers surrounded by connective tissue
    Nerve fascicle, in anatomy, a larger bundle of fibers enclosed by the perineurium
    a bundle of thin leaves of pines
    A discrete section of a book issued or published separately.

    Bum. It is actually a word and used in the context "the fascicle protest at parliament was a case in point." was not, entirely, inappropriate. Speshly the perineurium bit.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Only the truly geeky would ever use it as it currently stands....

    Well, you've come to the right place then - here we have a veritable fascicle of geeks, a plethora of them even.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Anyone who doesn’t realise that Geoffrey Palmer was a former Labour Prime Minister doesn’t deserve to be allowed to vote.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Speshly the perineurium bit.

    That's perineurium, not perinium...

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

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