Posts by Emma Hart

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  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    I said you trained your tastes OR you are a freak. I think the first case is more likely by nearly 100%.

    Ben, are you me? No? Then stop telling me what I am. Seriously. Now.

    So why don't people prefer Chardon to Macs, then? It's got more alcohol in it. And how come people prefer one alcohol beverage over another but that varies completely from person to person?

    Not sure why you're asking me this. Is it some kind of argumentum ad absurdum?

    Of course it isn't. You said people only like alcoholic beverages because of the alcohol, because they're intoxicating. Ergo, by your reasoning, the more alcoholic something is, the more they should like it. This clearly isn't the case. You're not actually listening to anything people are saying, you're just repeating 'it's yucky' over and over again until, I assume, you 'win' by sheer persistence.

    But there is no doubt you can train yourself to like just about anything. Some people like intense pain.

    And are surprised to find they like it, disgust themselves, and spend years trying to pretend they don't. But that'd be another thing you know more about than I do, right Ben?

    And yes, I know kids who've liked an alcoholic drink from a very young age - too young to know whether it had alcohol in it or not. I shall inform their parents that Ben says they're freaks.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    Oh wait, so the plural of anecote isdata?

    Only if you agree with Ben. If not...

    Emma, unless you are a freak, you trained those tastes.

    Freak'll do fine, Ben, I've already had my sexuality called 'disordered' this morning, so we're on a roll. As I got older my tastes changed away from sweet things even though I tried to stop it happening. I used to love Fry's Turkish Delight, now I can't stomach it. And I miss that. But doubtless I'm just deluding myself.

    What I'm saying is that the reason so many people have trained themselves to like the taste of alcohol is for the bloody alcohol, not the inherent niceness of the tastes.

    So why don't people prefer Chardon to Macs, then? It's got more alcohol in it. And how come people prefer one alcohol beverage over another but that varies completely from person to person?

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    I've just never been able to stomach the lying-to-oneself involved in saying yucky things are nice

    So Ben, what tastes yucky to you MUST taste yucky to everyone else, they just convince themselves they like it? Because that does sound just a wee tad arrogant.

    I don't like sweet things. I really don't like ice cream or milk chocolate. Am I lying to myself and pretending nice things are yucky, or do I just genuinely prefer savory tastes to sweet ones? Certainly I'm not going to go around telling people they're just pretending to like chocolate, because that would make me a total dick.

    This excludes Schoc chocolate, which is obscenely delicious.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    For example fruit are all sweet, until they learn the language to describe the differences between individual fruit.

    Here's some holiday entertainment. Get an orange and cut off both ends, top and bottom. Then lick them. One end is noticeably sweeter than the other - no matter how old you are.

    Right, carry on.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Up Front: The Home Straight,

    Not to enter into a competition about the weather, but Wellington is similarly gorgeous today.

    You can stick Chch. We peaked at 40, it's still 35, and the next person to say 'hot enough for ya' or 'least it's a dry heat' is getting a serious slapping.

    the route of the Blondini Gang is to be redone as part of the 50th anniversary of the Mini.

    What a fabulous idea.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    Ask any witch.

    We prefer to be called 'people of Satan' now thanks.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    That's an interesting theory, but parents are allowed to provide alcohol to their children, and their children are allowed to drink it.

    I do the Couch surveys for the Families Commission, because somebody has to be skewing them. When they had a question on supplying alcohol to minors, there was no distinction made between buying your fifteen year old two litres of vodka for them to drink in a car with their mates, and pouring them a shandy with dinner.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Field Theory: The Cricket: a live account,

    Although, I must say, of all days you could spend at a cricket game, you chose one concurrent with the conclusion of a truly magnificent test at the SCG.

    Good gods, yes. And let's not forget Ntini too, who to be realistic cannot bat and yet survived 91 balls yesterday to come within ten deliveries of saving the draw for SA.

    And with absolutely nothing at stake. They'd already won the series, they already couldn't win the game, it was simply a matter of pride.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Up Front: The Home Straight,

    Whereas I've come to the conclusion that Auckland doesn't exist. Aside from the motorway and the airport. And the skytower, which is probably made of painted balsa wood anyhow.

    And Point Chev and the Viaduct Basin, but otherwise your theory intrigues me.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Up Front: The Home Straight,

    OK, I'll be a guy. My best guess.

    That does indeed look like the beast, Joe, thanks.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

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