![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tcpipThe Pope has presented two Christmas messages; overcome prejudice (to the laity) and condemn gay marriage (to the clergy). The Age publised my letter this morning on said contradiction.
On another moral theme, recently the 20 million year old Chinese river dolphin was effectively sacrificed to the altar of economic development. When![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
doomydoombear was visiting us from BrisVegas we took her to the St. Kilda pier and spotted some of the local penguins. Now some damn fools have murdered several of them. Human beings are a bad species.
In entertainment news my rather blunt review of Fantasy Imperium has attracted a fair bit of attention. Last night saw Borat. I find the reaction of various government agencies against Borat's (fictional) prejudices utterly bizarre given the unscripted real-people prejudices that are filmed. It's a great film; highly recommended.
caseopaya and I are off to New Zealand in a couple of days. taavi is visiting from Laos and will be housesitting over the new year, followed by severina_242 who will be dropping in in subsequent days to ensure that rodents and lagamorphs have sufficient food and water. My thanks to both of you.
On another moral theme, recently the 20 million year old Chinese river dolphin was effectively sacrificed to the altar of economic development. When
doomydoombear was visiting us from BrisVegas we took her to the St. Kilda pier and spotted some of the local penguins. Now some damn fools have murdered several of them. Human beings are a bad species. In entertainment news my rather blunt review of Fantasy Imperium has attracted a fair bit of attention. Last night saw Borat. I find the reaction of various government agencies against Borat's (fictional) prejudices utterly bizarre given the unscripted real-people prejudices that are filmed. It's a great film; highly recommended.
caseopaya and I are off to New Zealand in a couple of days. taavi is visiting from Laos and will be housesitting over the new year, followed by severina_242 who will be dropping in in subsequent days to ensure that rodents and lagamorphs have sufficient food and water. My thanks to both of you.![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 07:06 am (UTC)As aafe as Air NZ and South Island roads can be...
At least it's unlikely that there will be sudden uprisings against the State, hostage situations or terrorist attacks. Unless it's by the French.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 12:58 am (UTC)Most likely invasion is from Antarctic seals who are said to be spending more time each year taking over the east coast of the south island :)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 02:50 am (UTC)*nods* I got up close and friendly with some last time!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 03:49 am (UTC)That penguin attack is truly sickening, however. And the fact that folks like you and I find it so provides hope for the species yet.
Have fun in NZ!
> Or even bad incentives?
Date: 2006-12-27 06:41 am (UTC)M.A.D.
QED.
Re: > Or even bad incentives?
Date: 2006-12-27 07:00 am (UTC)And thought there was an incentive to make them in the first place...
Re: > Or even bad incentives?
Date: 2006-12-27 08:31 am (UTC)Note that many humans don't need incentives to realize that launching ICBMs is a bad idea. Unfortunately, not many of them appear to be working in government. . . .
Re: > Or even bad incentives?
Date: 2006-12-27 12:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 07:05 am (UTC)It was a deliberate synecdoche on my part (I do write for my readers as well as myself).
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 08:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 01:40 pm (UTC)The capacity to engage in an action (any action) is is governance.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 05:55 am (UTC)I wish I could say the penguin killing shocked me, sadly it did not. There have been so many reports of cruelty up this way this year that I'm hardly surprised by anything any more. Considering the way humans treat each other these days, this kind of behaviour towards the "lesser beasts" is almost to be expected. Or maybe I'm a great big cynic.
Wow. Fantasy Imperium looks like a great game for anyone who has far too many dice and really, realy wants to use them all. I'll make sure I steer clear of that one.
Have a great time in NZ. Try not to get eaten by a Balrog.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 07:11 am (UTC)If only he'd start following his own advice...
Through constant publicity of contradictions like this maybe word will get back to him... You'd be surprised.
There have been so many reports of cruelty up this way this year
*nods* I suspect the people who did this are really on the bottom of the social ladder. It's pathetic and sad but regrettably understandable.
I'll make sure I steer clear of that one.
I'm actually thinking of spending an hour on fixing some of the worst aspects and putting them up for the author.
Try not to get eaten by a Balrog.
If I do, I'll be sure to come back dressed in white ;-)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 06:00 am (UTC)The other thing that is not surprising is the Herald Sun doing a tie-in to the penguin murders and the opening of "Happy Feet". That paper really knows quality journalism...
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 07:59 am (UTC)Well that serves to remind me why I very rarely buy the paper these days. The scary part is, The Daily Telegraph is a lot worse yet millions rely on it to give them an "informed opinion".
I'm all for a free press. I just wish it wasn't run by such morons...
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 12:45 pm (UTC)It does concern me a great deal that the newspress of mainstream society does seem to be losing IQ points on an annual basis.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 07:02 am (UTC)Have a safe and lovely trip to NZ. :)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 07:12 am (UTC)Yes, they're great aren't they? I really hope those frat boys carry their behaviour like an anvil for the rest of their lives..
Have a safe and lovely trip to NZ. :)
Always do - on both isles!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 07:46 am (UTC)I'm sure the frat boys sued after they saw how much the movie grossed and their pals went "you only got paid HOW much?"
We've decided to go to Queenstown for my birthday (in July) and I'm SO excited to finally see the Remarkables).
Ok, just got wasabi in my eye. Bye. :(
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 12:52 pm (UTC)Let's look at his three points:
(1) Myth peddled by opponents of alternatives energy, like the one that claims it takes more energy to make solar cells than they'll save.
(2) WTF?!
(3) Seems to be burying his head in the sand and pandering to existing big business rather than asking them to change for the environment and offer consumers some practicable choices.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 01:45 pm (UTC)Bill Hartigan might be a Tory stooge, but I'm sure conservative opponents would call me a Labor stooge (how little do they know!)
Viewed without partisan blinkers, his connection to veracity is so poor I can only imagine The Age published his letter with the intent to generate factual response.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 01:51 pm (UTC);)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-27 01:55 pm (UTC)That's a good point, actually...
Oh, and time for a question that I probably should know the answer to: Who is this caseopaya ?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-28 02:18 am (UTC)erstwhile?
Date: 2006-12-28 02:23 am (UTC)http://dict.die.net/erstwhile/
Have I missed something?
Re: erstwhile?
Date: 2006-12-28 02:49 am (UTC)No, I have. I was of the (mistaken) opinion that it could refer to "a long time" rather than a "past" time. Whoops.
Re: erstwhile?
Date: 2006-12-28 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-03 10:29 pm (UTC)I don't know if we're a "bad" species, but we're frequently unnecessarily cruel.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-03 10:32 pm (UTC)I suspect the people that did so are on the bottom of the social ladder.
When one is a victim they feel better when they pick on those who are weaker.