Posts by Will de Cleene
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Russell Brown,
It’s unpublished information about assault cases he has commented on, which was known to him when he commented. I think he’s a scumbag.
So every time McCroskrie appears in the media from now on, Satan pulls the wings off an angel. Got it.
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Oh, we're going there are we? From the writers of God Save the Queen comes this Old Blighty dirge:
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Speaking of news clips, I was a bit disappointed during Hindsight on the police that during the fast forward when the subject of arming the police came up, you didn't include Eating Media Lunch's New Zealander of the Year. In light of the shooting of Halatau Naitoko, the clip is particularly relevant.
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Russell Brown,
We were punishingly conformist in any number of ways.
The first half of that century wasn't that much better. At least in the 1950's, it was no longer compulsory for men to wear hats. But yeah, it's all part of a larger psyche issue with NZ, one which still lurks with its viciously vanilla conformity.
I have deep misgivings about the way community organisations have become addicted to crumbs from the gambling table, but that money specifically isn't for "health and welfare". In theory, that's what we have taxes for.
The slots racket is a festering pustule which seriously needs a reboot. Like any corporate fund-raising, most of the cash is siphoned off in overheads. Community orgs have lived off the leftovers for years, mainly ordained sports clubs getting bail-outs and kick-backs (when they're not getting ratepayer funded indoor stadia).
One year of Sky City's shiny new pokies could, for example, easily pay for TVNZ 7's annual budget.
Perhaps Health, Wellbeing and Community Involvement is a better parsing. There are more flavours to community participation than the comfortable conformity of team sports. Arts, culture, events, public spaces and the vast range of volunteer services that could do with a hand, for example. There's no need to step on the government's toes of welfare.
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Emma Hart,
Even the most benign group in some sense defines itself by the people it excludes, that's what makes it a group.
Hear hear. Everything has an opportunity cost. Hence the problem with the 1950's Kiwi Nirvana. It was OK if you're a straight white male who enjoys mowing the lawns on the weekend, but for anyone outside this Rugby Racing Beer mentality, it was (and is) stifling.
If only the pokie trusts and lottery boards spent more of their great gobs of cash on health and welfare and less on sports and interior decorating.
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Lilith __,
I got chatting to a stranger the other week who is of the Eastern Orthodox persuasion.
There's room for everyone here, even the tuataras.
Thank you Will de Cleene
Ta, but don't thank me. Thank the PA System and its colourful ecosystem.
On the other hand, it didn't hurt you or me that other people did this thing.
Call me contrary, but I beg to differ. Oliver Stone's W. demonstrated the falseness of that security, when more time is spent on appealing to faith than evidence.
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Hilary Stace,
There's a large white cross on the top of Mt Victoria at Easter and Christmas (it's there now) which I find quite comforting as a strong symbol of forgiveness and hope, presiding over the city.
All I see is some sect with a preferential treatment. You'll never see a Wicker Man on Mt Vic.
I’m sick and tired of the ism-schism game.
It's Religious Darwinism. Faiths evolve too.
The Oatmeal has some good advice too.
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Emma Hart,
I would really, really like to see the religious affiliation question moved to the 15+ side of the census. I put my kids down as having 'no religion' because they didn't have a religion. I didn't call them atheists. Whereas when I was a child I was counted as a Presbyterian, even though I wasn't religious, and I suspect that's very common.
Good point. The 2006 Census noted that "Over 4 in 10 (43.0 percent) children (aged 0 to 14 years) were recorded as having no religion, compared with over 1 in 10 (11.8 percent) people aged 65 years and over. " Apples and oranges really.
I think Jedi was counted as a non-response.
Indeed. They counted Theism, Zoroastrian, Satanism and Other New Age Religions, but not Jedi. They appeared under Response Outside Scope.
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Pressure valves are OK as long as nothing gets broken. Better out than in, eh.
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Suggestions from a point of ignorance of what might have already been covered: Publishing in NZ (books, newspapers); public transport (Rail, buses, ferries); gambling or prostitution (Hindsight Underworld?).