Posts by John Armstrong
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Hard News: When "common sense" isn't, in reply to BenWilson,
Video or it didn't happen.
I can do it in 6 if I hurry!
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Hard News: When "common sense" isn't, in reply to JackElder,
You can force all children to be wrapped in bubble wrap (or kevlar?) every time they’re outside
Again, this seems to imply that velcroing a vest on before taking off is grossly impractical, complex, and time-consuming. I just checked: it takes me about 8 seconds to put my vest on, including fishing it out of my bag.
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Hard News: When "common sense" isn't, in reply to Russell Brown,
That would be highly impractical.
and
dressing like a Christmas tree. It’s times like these I really, really get close to defaulting to driving
Really? I am in no way arguing for compulsory hi-vis gear but I do find this kind of resistance to the very idea of wearing it surprising. It really isn't that inconvenient. Again, as someone who was probably saved from some serious injuries by a helmet a few years ago, taking what are actually not very onerous precautions is - dare I say it - just common-sense.
Edit: The second comment quoted above is not Russell's.
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Hard News: Friday Music (on a Thursday):…, in reply to JacksonP,
Beck covering Bowie's 'Sound and Vision'
Wow is right. It's not often that you feel proud to be human. That is just wonderful.
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Hard News: Music: In before Christmas, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
The cyclic nature of it all, makes me wonder about the connections, coincidences and holographic distribution of concepts at all levels (and that's just before breakfast)
Can I just say, Ian, that you come across as the most interesting bloke? And, I suspect, a more than useful ally for doing cryptic crosswords.
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Hard News: Music: In before Christmas, in reply to Russell Brown,
there are a few dozen of us who convene every time Bill plays in Auckland, and we're all convinced he's a bloody genius.
About four years ago I was the only person who turned up to see Bill and band (can't recall if it was the Bilders proper) play at Ward Lane Tavern in Hamilton. When it was clear that no-one else was coming I went over to him and let him know that I wouldn't blame him if he would rather not play. He just told me that he enjoyed playing, actually, and basically spent the next hour soaking me, and only me, in glorious warm waves of sparkly dark. At the end he came over and gave me a signed copy of his novel. I strolled home feeling pretty happy with life.
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Hard News: Cultures and violence, in reply to Ross Mason,
But I don't accept anything about this, beyond the fact that it has happened. My understanding of acceptance is that you no longer strive for change. That is not my response.
That said, I have a feeling that we are on slightly different wavelengths here, so apologies if I am still misconstruing your point .
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Hard News: Cultures and violence, in reply to Ross Mason,
Ross, I'm afraid that I'm not really sure what your point is. I think there is clearly a difference between the 'randomness' of a tsunami versus the randomness of a mass shooting. Or the dropping of an atomic bomb. In these last two cases, asking why is a perfectly rational response, while 'acceptance' definitely is not.
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Hard News: Cultures and violence, in reply to Bart Janssen,
what if none of the things we can rationally think of are anything to do with the decision to go and kill (or harm) as many people as they can? That thought scares me a bit.
Me too. Particularly as it would leave gun control as the only option. Given the barriers that that course of action seems to face, that might mean accepting these admittedly rare but horrific acts as part of the human landscape. Which is even scarier.
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Hard News: Cultures and violence, in reply to John Armstrong,
incredibly edifying discussion
Mostly.