Posts by Jackie Clark

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  • Hard News: History is now,

    One thing I'm really looking forward to seeing in Newsweek's inside the campaigns issue is an answer to the question "WTF were you people thinking when you picked Palin?"

    I too wonder this. I'd be watching some commentary or other over the last wee while, and hear her speaking.....or was that Tina Fey?

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

  • Hard News: History is now,

    Also we may be feeling a whole lot less jubilant on Saturday.

    Lalalalalalala I can't hear you.

    Are you, like me, Danielle, spending alot of time recently with your head in the sand? It's quite comfortable I must say. I'm rather enjoying it, until I have to go to the loo, when reality hits and Paul Henry crows about some poll or other that shows how NZers just can't resist change for change's sake. But it's okay, because then I toddle back to my wee space and bury my head again. Fantastic.

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

  • Hard News: History is now,

    It's all pretty thrilling really. I mean I've never lived in the States, know very few Americans, but I found myself crying, and punching the air a bit. He represents so much, doesn't he?

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

  • Up Front: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever…,

    I seriously, shit you not, stayed in because I was genuinely afraid I'd be killed.

    And how is it now? I appreciate that there is more, well, would you call it acceptance or tolerance? And, of course, I think that the homosexual end of the spectrum is more widely acknowledged than bisexuality. I don't know that people really understand the middle of the sexuality spectrum yet. It's always been my belief that womens' movement within the spectrum is more fluid than mens'. I have a sister in law who, like you, has had women partners in the past, although she is married to a man, now. I don't know that I ever really understood it myself, but I saw a doco on Maori TV as part of the Takataapui series that talked about bisexuality in women. It made it all the more clear to me. I suspect that most people, however, still think it's a case of "having your cake and eating it" as it were. Do you still deal with such prejudice?

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

  • Hard News: History is now,

    A little late to this discussion - just been watching the idiot box. Emma, I concur completely with your theory about the voting system in the States. Deliberately difficult. One of the things I had thought that would help Obama was that people would be more willing to get out there and vote in spite of the ridiculousness of the voting system. I will be interested to see what percentage of Americans voted this time, as opposed to last time when, if I remember rightly, voter turn out was abysmal.

    John Key Hates Your Mother

    Weird! Can anyone fill me in on that one means?

    Other than being hilarious?

    And a lot better than the opposite.

    *shudders*

    Still, my mother hates John Key, so it's only fair really.

    Same, same. And he's my mum's MP - she has been so bummed for the last couple of years. Every time she drives past his electorate office, I think she has to struggle not to spit.

    It's a shame we won't all be as excited on Saturday about out own election.

    I'm not excited, I'm cacking my pants. And wondering why NZers are so determined to swerve to the right when Australia and now the States have gone back the other way a bit.

    I have to go on an enquiry desk for 1.5 hours at 3.30, just as I'm starting to get really, really teary-eyed about how symbolically awesome this is (and I'm not even playing that Sam Cooke song). Great, that's all the students need: a crazed, crying librarian. 'May I help you?'

    I love librarians. Crazed, crying ones, especially.
    Last thoughts: the Fox commentators were so.....trying not to spew, I thought. And Craig, your poem was not random. It was perfect. I think you may be one of the only couple of out National people I know that I actually like. There, I said it.

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

  • Up Front: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever…,

    I'm never really sure why people need to stay in the closet these days. Is it as imperative as it once was? I don't know. I had gay male friends in the 80's who had been married and had kids before they came out. A bit dishonest, and terribly hurtful all round, I thought at the time. Now with the benefit of a bit of age and experience, I understand that back then it was still something that was frowned on, deeply, and that the charade of marriage and all that comes with it, at least afforded them some acceptance from society. And they got to have kids. Which 20 odd years ago most likely wouldn't happened without entering into that sort of compromise.

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

  • Hard News: God's squads,

    We're in Mt Eden, but electorally speaking, we're in Mt Roskill. I don't really like Goff that much. I know he's a good MP for the large migrant and refugee community that makes up most of the electorate, but I don't know much about him, per se. And who else would I vote for? I wouldn't vote National if my life depended on it - I noticed people holding up Vote National placards at the Mt Albert/Mt Eden rd lights yesterday looking very smug. I almost got out and yelled at them - and I have no idea who any of the other candidates are. Does anyone know? I really almost wish that candidates still did the doorknocking thing. It would at least make elections more informed events, I think.

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

  • Cracker: A Halloween story too cute not…,

    The Glen residents will never notice (I think people from Karori do it anyway each year).

    Karori to Kelburn? Hmm. My mate at work tells me she takes her kids from Mangere to Mangere Bridge to trick and treat every year. Apparently the palagi give good lolly.

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

  • Hard News: Because They Could,

    Its all over bar the counting, it's a landslide for McPalin

    Jesus H Christ. I wonder how long good ol' boys and gals will keep throwing that despicable phrase "america hating" around, about anyone who doesn't think the same as them? Makes me spit.

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

  • Cracker: A Halloween story too cute not…,

    Heh. On Friday night, I was working late at the kindergarten.It is, if you will remember, in a much maligned, sometimes violent, but most of the time peaceful and family oriented suburb south of the metropolis, and east of the Islands to which many of the fine citizens lay claim as ancestral home . One of the other staff was there, and we went outside. Up bowls three very large teenaged boys standing outside our gate. I enquired as to what business they could possibly have at a kindergarten. "Ball went over" says they. " Can we come in and get it or should we just jump the fence?" they say, with a bit of a menace on their young faces. I gently replied in the negative whilst giving them back their ball. I intimated many things from their faces. One had a very ugly sneer. Very threatening , in a kind of imitation of our beloved next door neighbours who affliliate themselves very closely with a group that call themselves after a large pack of dogs of uncertain parentage. So I thought quickly. And then I looked at them in a very teacherlike manner, and told them that if they were good young men, and behaved themselves, they could come back later and they would be rewarded with a bar of chocolate. An hour later, I hear " Miss! Miss!" so out I go with the promised chocolate. And as I handed it over, I happened to pass comment on the fact that we had had recently had some very light graffiti-ing done on our building. Would they know who had done it? And if they didn't would they mind terribly keeping an eye on the kindergarten over the weekend? "Oh yes, Miss." they avowed. And happy as Larry, off they went, assured that they had been given an important job, and I went home, knowing that it's the little gestures that count. And that there is something beautiful about bonding with young men, in hooded sweatshirts, over a bar of chocolate.

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

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