Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Unreasonable people vote

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  • Ian Dalziel,

    Yes, Jimmy Mason -- the child beater's poster boy -- has had his conviction quashed...

    [from Scoop] The Supreme Court has allowed his appeal against conviction because of a misdirection by the trial Judge.

    Someone should give that Judge
    a good clip around the ears!
    Or is it just a Masonic conspiracy....

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Who paid Mason's legal expenses?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Yep, Rand Paul is off to the Senate.

    It appears that Stewart and Colbert weren't quite as effective as you'd hope.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Yep, Rand Paul is off to the Senate

    Interns are being issues with aqua-lungs as we speak... All hail the avatar of the Aqua-Buddha!

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

  • Andre Alessi,

    It appears that Stewart and Colbert weren't quite as effective as you'd hope.

    I think Paul was always going to win. KY has had a Republican senator since 1999, and prior to that, the only Democratic senator in the last fifty years was Wendell H. Ford, who won one election in 1974 then rode the incumbency train through to his retirement.

    It's hard to over-emphasise the tribalism at work here-people may think Paul is an absolute nut, that his supporters are genuine jackbooted thugs, that the entire Republican party is full of raving idiots, etc but they'll still put their tick beside the guy with the (R) beside his name because, in some indefinable way, the other guy is worse.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    Interns are being issues with aqua-lungs as we speak... All hail the avatar of the Aqua-Buddha!

    I'm more amused by the fact that he and his friends kidnapped people and then read Nietzche at them. A more horrific fate I cannot imagine (unless it be Heidegger.)

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    Speaking of Kentucky, by the by: Lexington, KY elects openly gay mayor.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    Sorry for the thread-jack, but has Darth McVicar and the Insensible Sentencing Trust gotten round to denouncing the politically-correct-crim-coddling Supreme Court letting a violent criminal walk on a technicality?

    Yes, Jimmy Mason -- the child beater's poster boy -- has had his conviction quashed and another little piece of my heart just died.

    I suspect it's the hoary old chestnut, "he may be an arsehole, but he's our arsehole" at play there. A bit like the deadbeat dad Newt Gingrich pontificating about "family values".

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    I suspect it's the hoary old chestnut, "he may be an arsehole, but he's our arsehole" at play there. A bit like the deadbeat dad Newt Gingrich pontificating about "family values".

    To be fair, the conviction as it stood was dodgy. It wasn't appropriate to allege that two seperate actions occurred (pulling the boy's ear and punching him) with different information available for each, and then expect the jury to treat both as one act in their decision.

    Of course, he should still be retried (and convicted) but I have a funny feeling that won't happen now.

    As for McVicar, it's always a case of supporting a particular type of criminal against a particular type of victim.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Speaking of Kentucky, by the by: Lexington, KY elects openly gay mayor.

    I'm sure Rand Paul will fix that -- don't you know the Constitution has an article written in invisible ink that says "none of the above applied to fags or rag-heads"? Well, you would if it wasn't for the establishment fat-cats, UN Marxists and Jew-controlled socialist media.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    It's not all groovy for the Tea Party.

    Christine O'Donnell has lost the Delaware Senate race that would have been winnable for Castle, the moderate Republican that she beat in the primary -- and the House seat vacated by Castle has gone to the Democrats.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • James Butler,

    don't you know the Constitution has an article written in invisible ink that says "none of the above applied to fags or rag-heads"?

    I've always assumed it's in the secret constitution given out to True (white, male, protestant) 'Mericans when they turn 21, much like the secret road rules you get when you buy a Mercedes or Porsche.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    Yep, Rand Paul is off to the Senate.

    Oh, please let those who voted for him be Andre's tribalists, rather than 'the Civil Rights Act is harshing my racist mellow' people...

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    Oh, please let those who voted for him be Andre's tribalists, rather than 'the Civil Rights Act is harshing my racist mellow' people...

    They're not my tribalists! I just study them from a distance, like Jane Goodall and her gorillas.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, please let those who voted for him be Andre's tribalists, rather than 'the Civil Rights Act is harshing my racist mellow' people...

    This might sound intolerably glib, but there's more overlap in that Venn diagram that I'm entirely comfortable with. Perhaps I'm being too cynical for words, and Paul really is a drooling idiot but I can't help but suspect there was a beautifully sustained dog-whistle going down. Rand Paul is just like his father: Just smart enough to hide (or moderate) what a dumb, malignant sack of crap he is for mainstream consumption.

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

  • Islander,

    Andre Alessi - Jane Goodall famously studies (& protects) chimpanzees, and she is accustomned to moving among them - Dian Fossey was 'the woman in the mist' (from her book "Gorillas In The Mist") and she also got very close to the apes she studied.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    I suspect there's a strong element of that great trope, the rural/urban divide. Kentucky is like Montana and West Virginia, and to a lesser extent Texas, in that urban areas tend to be richer and more liberal, while rural areas are dirt poor and conservative. The different isn't apparent in statewide election results, but you can see if operating in local results, and it's not hard to extrapolate out the fact that the rural voters are the ones that actually swing state elections in favour of Republicans.

    Paul's constant references to policies that should be up to the individual states to decide (c.f. his positions on gay marriage, abortion, medical marijuana, education, etc) could easily be interpreted as a "states' rights" dog whistle for unreconstructed Southern conservatism, but I'd hope that even the most boneheaded voter would have a more nuanced view than that. Call me a hopeless optimist.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    Andre Alessi - Jane Goodall famously studies (& protects) chimpanzees - Dian Fossey was the woman in the mist...

    What a ridiculous mistake for me to make. I should have spotted it before I clicked post. Fossey and Goodall were both on my reading list growing up!

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    Another interesting result: David Vitter wins in Louisiana. Kind of like Michael Laws joining United Future and winning, I guess.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Jacqui Dunn,

    And if I'm not mistaken, both women felt much affection, even love, for the animals they studied.
    So, Andre, could that be the same for you;))????

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    And if I'm not mistaken, both women felt much affection, even love, for the animals they studied.
    So, Andre, could that be the same for you;))????

    Sadly, yes. I'm deeply fascinated by American politics, but I'm always aware that I'm an outsider looking in, and that my opinions don't carry all that much weight since it's not me that'll be affected by the results of elections for the most part. With that being said, I just can't raise enough ire to hate people who hold political views I consider crazy, because I know just how I'd feel if our positions were reversed.

    THat doesn't mean I don't think that what they believe is insane/stupid/morally repugnant/etc, just that can't stop wanting to sit down with them and crack open a banana or two, maybe do a bit of grooming...

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    Well, even though I don't know anyone in Kentucky, I'm afraid that these people are partly *my* tribalists. Sigh...

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Jacqui Dunn,

    Snap for the sigh.

    Individually, I find Americans lovely. Charming, attentive, and ready to be friendly. Mind you, I've only been to California; L.A. alone - I can't count the visit to Miami, because it was so long ago and only for a day, and during that time I managed to drive the rental car on to the wrong side on a dual carriageway. Now, that was interesting!

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Of course, he should still be retried (and convicted) but I have a funny feeling that won't happen now.

    That's pretty standard. He's already served his sentence! How much vengeance do you want?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

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