Posts by giovanni tiso

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  • Hard News: Crash and Contempt,

    Who the hell has been "going after" Trig Palin?

    Other than suggesting she wasn't Sarah's daughter, and in more or less the same breath (which was quite an achievement) questioning the wisdom of Sarah's birthing choices? And it wasn't a lunatic fringe, you know, we talked about it here.

    If anything, Palin has been quite happy to use what (in my view) isn't anyone's damn business but her own -- her decision to bear a child she knew would be severely disabled -- as a way to burnish her anti-abortion credentials in a way Obama hasn't.

    That's harsh. She was on record saying that they knew that Trig was disabled and that they felt blessed to have her; which of course wouldn't have hurt her with the anti-abortion crowd, but if those are her beliefs, and she wants to give them a positive expression, it's okay with me. What I think needs to be attacked are her views on other people's families, on abortions and homosexuality and civil union outside of the Palin household. But leave her family alone; she's using them to construct the narrative of who she is, same as Obama, same as Biden. The only person who's resisting that particular tempetation is McCain with his soldier son.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Crash and Contempt,

    Sorry, but if you really think your children aren't a matter of public interest don't use your disabled infant son as set decoration for you televised primetime acceptance speech.

    Wait a minute: Obama did that too. Would you be okay if somebody went after the girls?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Twinkies and Pork Rinds,

    What did you do to her when ZZ did his head-butt 5 days later?

    I took the precaution of not holding any children for the duration of that game. During the penalties I believe I might have been snapping wooden beams in half to relieve the tension.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Field Theory: Twinkies and Pork Rinds,

    Considering the boy (three months old now) is often sent downstairs with me for sporting events, I may need to tone the swearing down.

    Experiences in bad parenting, #45 of 900: during the semifinal of the soccer world cup, two years ago, I made my daughter cry by barking a loud NO! when Zambrotta hit the post in extra time vs. the hated Germans. I sort of forgot I was holding her, I guess...

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Up Front: Mmmmmm, MMP,

    I'd certainly stick with MMP- not perfect, but working...even with the Winnie Factor...waaaay better than FPTP

    Agree, but if there's a referendum I demand to be allowed to vote for HTTP.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Up Front: Mmmmmm, MMP,

    MMP. I like our messy dictatorship, even if it is difficult to describe to Australians.

    I would have thought that "being difficult to explain to Australians" would be an advantage of the system, if anything.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Crash and Contempt,

    Giovanni. my Nanna was Scots (born here, but still very Scots) and one of the first things she taught her gradnchildren once they'd reached 7, was how to make scones. Really easy!

    That's funny, because that One Good Scone I Had was in Edinburgh.
    If you'd care to email me, I'm sure I could come up with a reciprocating recipe from my nana. (Not the sweets, though, because really her cakes were just garnished butter, and I don't want you to die young).

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Crash and Contempt,

    Fidel's does nice scones, but they're Marxist ones and you can't invest in them.

    Thanks Rich, I'll be trying them soon. Surely they'd accept some form of ethical investment for the good of the collective?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Hard News: Crash and Contempt,

    I am putting my money into scones.

    I had a very good scone in 1990, it was my first. Since then, it's been one long, elusive search for another good scone, an eighteen-year long string of disappointment. So if anybody knows of a place that makes good scones, say in the lower North island (I'm willing to travel), I'd do my best to keep the stock ticking.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Busytown: See me grow,

    I wish it was practical for everyone to take an IQ test and a politics awareness test from the age of 16 and over and only those who score highly enough are able to vote.

    I'd agree with the idea of letting younger people vote, but the IQ and politics awareness part is rubbish. Plenty of well educated and aware people voted for the fascists in Italy back in the twenties and thirties; my grandmother could barely read and write but she was then and always remained a socialist (not that she could vote until 1946, mind).

    It's universal suffrage or bust. And let's lower the voting age, sure. Kids need a lot more of a say in how things work.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

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