Posts by David Cauchi

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Hard News: Maoriland Calling,

    I have to say that when posting images by contemporary artists on my own blog, the artists and galleries to which I always link them have been only too happy for the publicity -- no matter what their explicit copyright statements under, around or on the originally posted images might say.

    If you make a reasonable effort to get permission from the artist before posting them, that's fine. If you just blithely post them on the assumption the artist will be 'only too happy for the publicity', that's not at all fine. Please note that Hamish's comment 'Most living artists were happy to have a work included' says 'most' not 'all'.

    Artists tend to be quite careful about where and in what context their work is reproduced. The reasons for this should be obvious.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    Oh, and to those who complained of the analogies with Gitmo. This is what is known in rhetoric as hyperbole. It has a pedigree going back thousands of years.

    Sadly so does attempting to control a debate by disallowing your opponents devices you use yourself, but it's not as nice.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    Here's a hypothetical cat:

    There is an argument for just war. It's not one I subscribe to myself, but it is a legitimate argument. In certain circumstances, it's not only not immoral but actually a moral necessity to use force. You may remember that this was one of the arguments used to justify the Iraq war. The definition of those circumstances is also why there's a highly disputed line between freedom fighters and terrorists.

    As I understand it, at least some parts of the Maori sovereignty movement want an independent Maori state. It's just a distinct ethnic group wanting a country of their own. This isn't unreasonable. (It also isn't apartheid. I'd imagine there'd be immigration, though there is a precedent for an automatic right of return).

    Now, also as I understand it, Tuhoe never signed the Treaty and were only included in New Zealand by force against their will, and then had some of their lands underhandedly taken off them, not to mention the Te Kooti and Rua Kenana bizzo.

    Assuming for the sake of argument that there is such a thing as a just war, is this one of those cases?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    No doubt you have a history of railing against the bail system, which does this all the time for 'garden variety' criminals, and you're not just starting this campaign in the past month or so.

    What are you implying here, Kyle? Are you saying you need to form all of your beliefs, opinions, and strategies at a certain stage in your life and then never deviate them? Or is it that you need to have a proven track record of railing against something before you can state an opinion on it? Or is it something else entirely that I've missed?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    ..in the form. Ha ha, in 1983.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    <sigh> I also know how to use a gun. Obviously not a real lefty.

    I was in the third form at Nelson College in the form. As far as I know, we were the last people in NZ to go through compulsory cadet training at school. I found it really difficult firing the rifle cos I'm a lefty, but that's all part of the right-handed conspiracy: guns, can openers, buttons, scissors, doors, etc. Apparently we left handers die seven years earlier than right handers, just cos of the fascist right-handed world we have to live in. But then there are other benefits...

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    The horrible thing is we're arguing about bullshit. Meanwhile, the law has been changed, and there's a clear signal there's more to follow. It's the closing down of society that creates terrorists. I'm not saying we're there yet, but that's the road we're on.

    Stop judging what people say cos of the clothes they wear. So they have masks and dogs and taiaha. That doesn't matter. This whole thing is dodgy as fuck. Stop with the herd mentality already. What the delphi oracle said: gnosce teipsum.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    I'm going to say again, that's not what the solicitor general decided. We have no idea what other charges the solicitor general may have thought the evidence was sufficient for, he was only asked about charges under the TSA, and that's all that he ruled out.

    Ahem, he was only asked about TSA charges for a reason. There were only Arms Act and TSA charges going, and Arms Act charges aren't part of what the Attorney-General (least we forget) delegated to the SG. The SG deciding the accused shouldn't be charged with TSA charges does mean he thinks they should (or perhaps could would be better) be charged under the Arms Act. There is no remit for him to come up with other charges. That's a bright red herring.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    I walked briefly next to the guy on the stuff site with the dog and taiaha today (though he had a patu at the time - it was early on), just after I'd been wondering whether I should join this hikoi thing or not. Maybe I'm weird, but the reason I wondered maybe not was cos of these staunch masked guys standing all around me, but you know they were cool. We laughed and joked about the double lines of cops double-stepping down Bowen St towards us etc. There was a good vibe there.

    Just to be a bore, I'll go on about art again. With art you want to people to have various interpretations of things. You wouldn't believe the wacko ways people have of coming up with meanings for your paintings. Stuff you'd never imagine. Stuff that doesn't fit with what's actually there at all. It's just like this really.

    I hate post-structuralism, but Sara's said some sensible stuff. Think about it people.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

  • "The Terrorism Files",

    Oops, just to clarify, that should be '...equating being accused of racism with facing jail...'

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 121 posts Report

Last ←Newer Page 1 5 6 7 8 9 13 Older→ First