Posts by JackElder
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Consider Phlebas , which converted from a pendant into a tiny, silent-firing lacework pistol
Nitpick: I thought that the gun in question actually converted from an artificial tooth? Mind you, it's been a while since I've read Consider Phlebas.
I must get around to sorting out babysitting so we can see District 9. An action flick that's up there with Waltz with Bashir: sounds compelling.
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ROFLnui.
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Anyone else see this part of the allegations made by the crooked basketball ref against the NBA? Basically, he's alleging that under some circumstances, the NBA themself had a quiet word to the referees and pointed out how certain results would work out nicely for everyone. If true, that's insanely damaging; if the corruption's that insitutionalised then it's hard to see how you could regard any results as legitimate.
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We had a mountain buggy (ish - big 3 wheeler pram, anyway) for our first child. It weighed about 15kg, making it a huge pain in the neck. Or, literally, in the stomach: my wife had a C-section, and lifting anything heavier than the bub for the first couple of months wasn't a go. So lifiting this gert big beast up into the boot of the car was a serious problem.
At about 6 months, we switched to a cheap umbrella stroller and never looked back. Less features, less sturdy: narrower, lighter, and easier to use. Steps aren't a problem: I just pick the whole damn thing up and lug it with 15kg infant (child #2) in situ.
Seriously, I'm a big fan of less is more when it comes to baby kit. The problem is that as a first time parent you're a bit nervous, and one way to allay that is to buy all the "proper" equipment. Cue $1600 Bug-A-Boo, etc.
One attitude I notice in a lot of people in their 20s and 30s is the idea that having kids is the end of everything. I think that's why people put having kids off; the notion that as soon as you have children, your life is essentially over. That's certainly not my experience; yes, we don't go out as much as we used to, and we're certainly a lot more skint, but you get used to it. Plus, eventually they leave home!
Danielle - congrats. And relax, 34 is nothing. ;)
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The thing about steroids and basketball is, the NBA isn't actually trying that hard to find them. It's an old problem: they don't want the reputation for drugs cheating, but they quite like the audience numbers that these hyped up athletes bring. Solution: introduce a half-assed drug testing regime, then claim you're doing something about the problem. You'll note the argument that hey, drugs aren't a problem for basketball because:
a) it's a skill game! Just skill - muscle has nothing to do with it.
b) it's clearly not a problem because if lots of people were taking drugs, we'd be catching them. We're not catching them, therefore there cannot be a drug problem.Trust me, speaking as someone who was cheering Floyd Landis on in '06, I know athletes can let you down. I'm currently just praying that Mark Cavendish doesn't turn out to be un chaudiere.
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As an aside: does anyone else think it's apposite that a thread titled "The conversation they want to have" has been derailed repeatedly?
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I'm a little curious as to how accurate the translations of the letters to Laws are; the English seems a little over the top in places and, and this might be the nascent Conspiracy Theorist in me, it's quite possible the 'I'm quite angry' comments are overinflated. If the te reo text had been released along with the English translations we'd be in position to to find out.
Roarprawn has scans of the originals. My Te Reo isn't very good, so I can't comment on the quality of the translation, but the wording I heard on the translation sounded very literal. Specifically, the "I am angry about..." bit sounded a lot like it could equally have been translated as "I am extremely concerned about...", which is the sort of language that I'd use in a formal letter all the time. I would doubt it was a conspiracy, probably just a quick & dirty translation (does the Whanganui City Council make a point of sending everything they receive in Te Reo to professional translators, or do they just have a fluent speaker knocking out a rough version to save money?).
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Last time I felt compelled to assure people I wasn't a zombie, the response I got was "sure, that's just what a zombie would want us to think..."
Surely they could tell you weren't a zombie from the fact that your statement consisted of more than "hhhnhhhh.... hnnnhhh.... BRAAAAAIINNSSSSS...."
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Good to see you back.
I can't remember: are we still doing this in funny voices?
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Six months ago, I realised that I didn't know how to check the voicemail on our home phone. My thoughts were, if it's important, they'll call my mobile. So we've been paying for technology I don't know how to use.
My god, I thought. I am turning into my parents.