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Hey Max, remember to reactivate your Twitter account, as past the 30 day mark of a deactivated Twitter account, you will lose all your followers and your username as well. Hope you're doing well, sending love and care your way.
Twitter: Deactivated accounts can be reactivated within 30 days of deactivation by logging in with the account username (or email address) and password on twitter.com or through your Twitter for iOS or Android app. Read detailed instructions on how to reactivate your account. [1] shanghai. talk to me 07:52, 27 August 2021 (UTC)
You'll see I've added a sentence in George's bio about his being considered as James Bond; even being considered is a significant development in his career and I suspect ought to be mentioned. As good as George would be in the role, I think Regé-Jean Page would also be excellent, and perhaps it's time to have a man of colour portray Bond. George could widen his acting scope by playing a Bond villain perhaps, although it's quite difficult to envision him as a bad guy (just as Tom Hanks was ludicrous playing a hit man in Road to Perdition). Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 00:03, 2 September 2021 (UTC)
@ Maxwell King123321: Apologies; only saw the last message now in my notifications. It's fine; I don't blame you for being stressed out and tired, and I forgive you. I hope you can forgive me for the really negative things that I had said as well. Life is life; we get tired and angry and exhausted sometimes and that's okay. Hope you see this. -Rogue shanghai. talk to me 08:38, 3 September 2021 (UTC)
I've added a little more info about the plot of Wolf (2021 drama film) on its page, based on this website from the Toronto Film Fest https://tiff.net/events/wolf, sounds like a bonkers and fascinating film but maybe a bit brutal too, will see what the reviews say, cheers Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 17:34, 3 September 2021 (UTC)
Thanks Max, let's both add it to our watch lists. Hope school is going well for you, happy Spring for you coming up. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:36, 4 September 2021 (UTC)
Well, he's keeping busy, just saw this ... https://deadline.com/2021/09/michael-socha-thomas-turgoose-george-mackay-tom-burke-a24-period-drama-1234828709/ Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 16:56, 9 September 2021 (UTC)
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Hello, Maxwell King123321!
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https://www.indiewire.com/2021/08/most-anticipated-fall-festival-films-2021-venice-tiff-nyff-1234657731/ has a short preview-review of Wolf that predicts it will be impressive:
It opens in theatres in the USA early in December; maybe you can check to see when and where down your way. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 04:11, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
Max: Sorry about your Skinny Dipping Song article! They've rejected stuff from me in the past too. Christmas songs, ugghhhh; at least up here they generally wait until November to start playing them! Sorry about your lockdown. I've been working remotely since March 2020, and my company's building here won't be open until February or March 2022, so I sympathize with you. With more variants circulating, I wonder if this pandemic cycle will ever end. Cheers, Wes. (And I do very much appreciate you taking the time to chat back and forth with me, my Kiwi friend!) Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 07:01, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
hey Max: I very much believe in science/medicine (I work for a big German company that makes medical devices, such as CT scanners, MRI machines, x-ray machines, etc.), so yeah I got the vaccine as soon as it was available in my state (Pennsylvania -- I live near Philadelphia). That was the Moderna jab, the 1st in March, the 2nd in April. No side effects, and my family and I have been healthy throughout the pandemic (my wife and two kids also got vaccinated). I encourage you to do so, unless you have a medical reason not -- in our community we've seen otherwise healthy but unvaccinated teenagers and young adults like yourself become ill and even die from COVID, so even young people aren't immune, as you know. (Sorry for the unsolicited advice Max, I'm just speaking as a concerned Dad / Uncle who has kids and nephews around your own age, and that's what I've told them as well. Due to our chats, I have come to care about your well-being, of course, and I'd hate to hear that you became ill with it, especially since even a mild case can have long-term effects on the body and brain.) What reason does your sister have, if you don't mind my asking? Sadly, in the US the jab has become an ideological issue for many on the political far-right (the trumpers, as we call them, even though trump and his wife got the jabs themselves).
Sorry if you feel a bit isolated in NZ. I've never visited the Southern Hemisphere (Mexico is as far south as I have ever been in my life), and I imagine living in your country, as beautiful as it is, might make you feel remote. I'm sure NZ isn't a perfect nation, no place is, but I do admire your relatively peaceful society where I presume you can get around without much fear of becoming the victim of gunshots. Here, it is in our minds all the time that any stranger we meet outside our home might have a gun with them and might shoot for any reason. There are large parts of the city of Philadelphia, for example, that we wouldn't dare enter, especially at night, because there is so much active gunfire. In some parts of this country the worship of firearms has become essentially idolatry; sad to say the right to possess firearms has been embedded in our federal constitution since the 1790s, and as interpreted by our right-leaning federal supreme court, it is practically impossible to ban guns in any jurisdiction here. There are many great things about the United States, but there is a kind of ideological sickness too. It's been said that our Civil War (1861-1865) is still being fought politically, and that's sadly true. And I'm not saying that as a political left-winger either, I am really quite moderate in my political leanings. Sorry for all the whining ... well, keep in touch anytime you want mate. Wes, Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 12:30, 10 September 2021 (UTC) (Do you live on North Island or South Island?)
BTW, here is a wiki article I created from scratch a few years ago under a different wiki user name; it's probably the least dry article I've written on wiki ... it's about two of my favorite subjects, law and baseball ! /info/en/?search=The_Common_Law_Origins_of_the_Infield_Fly_Rule Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 13:21, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
Yup, good luck with the vaccine and please let me know how it goes Max. If you ever do visit New York City, and care to meet me there for lunch, let me know ... it is only a 90-minute drive from our house and my wife and I go up there a lot. Although it's the largest city in the US, it has a relatively low rate of violent crime. I've walked around Manhattan after midnight and felt safer than walking around other American cities during the day (I have also lived/worked/attended Uni in Boston, Massachusetts (wonderful city); Detroit, Michigan (a very, very dangerous city); a small city in Minnesota (horribly cold); and as well doing a term at the London School of Economics (London is my favourite city in the world ... I envy George living there)). And don't worry about rambling Max ... happy to read your rambling any time! Take care, cheers, Wes Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:38, 11 September 2021 (UTC)
Beautiful city you've got there Max! https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Auckland_City_Of_Sails_(1275841961).jpg
I don't want to bombard you with messages Max, but it's 22:22 here and I'm watching the Philadelphia baseball team on TV as I usually do evenings and it's quite convenient to reply right away with my laptop in front to me! Thanks for the kind words Max, about 9/11. I was working in Philadelphia at the time, about 90 miles away from New York City, and it is the most horrible/memorable day of my life, as far as public events. It changed the world, and not for the better. From a lawyer's perspective, it certainly has eroded civil liberties here, and in the UK, and probably in most developed nations. You can pull up the news footage from that day on youtube if you care to do so. It's especially terrible to watch the second plane fly into the World Trade Center live, as we saw it that morning on TV, and then watch the towers fall down, knowing that you had actually, in real time, witnessed thousands of people die in an instant. It was stunning beyond belief to those of us who grew up thinking the United States was the mightiest country in the world and could never be attacked successfully.
My grandparents lived in New York, and when I visited them as I kid I would often go up to the observation deck of the North Tower, 1000+ feet above the street. It was my favourite place in New York, not just because of the endless views, but because it was so far above the traffic that it was beautifully quiet up there. All you could hear was the wind. After 9/11, I had nightmares for several years about being up on top of the North Tower, as I used to do as a kid, and being trapped up there after the plane hit the tower. My cousin was a NYC police officer, and worked for a year afterwords retrieving body parts from the wreckage. He still can't bring himself to talk about it, and I don't blame him. You guys born after 9/11 were born into a different world for sure, kind of like those of us born in the decades after WWII were born into a different world too.
The former site of the twin towers are now a wretchedly-designed (I think) memorial that I can't even bear to visit any more. It consists of two pools, one on the exact site of each tower, with water flowing down into a large square opening. /info/en/?search=National_September_11_Memorial_%26_Museum#/media/File:North_Tower_Fountain_National_September_11_Memorial_&_Museum_(Sept._17,_2011).jpg They remind me of souls being sucked down a drain, with no hopeful symbolism at all. Another reason I can't bear to go there is that the actual area where you must walk was piled with hundreds of shattered corpses that day, and I just don't like being at such a deathly place. Bad vibes, and all that. You may know that it is near the southern tip of Manhattan; when we visit NYC now, we go only to the middle and north of Manhattan, miles from the WTC site. I was never in the military, and grew up in a peaceful, safe neighbourhood, so I had never witnessed any death or violence like that.
Sorry for all the downer, but I know my kids, who were babies then, did want to hear what it was like that day from my wife and me, and I thought you might have been curious too. Anyway, I'll get out of your hair for the rest of the day, and sorry for my babbling! Good night from Pennsylvania Max. Wes. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 02:51, 11 September 2021 (UTC)
Hey Max, when I told my kids that I have a "pen pal" in NZ, they said "You should play 20 questions with him." That is a game they do with a new online acquaintance in which you ask the other person 20 (or so) questions. The other person can decline to answer some questions if they want, but if they choose to answer a question then they must answer it accurately. In turn, they can then ask you 20 (or so) questions, which may include some of the same ones you asked them. If you want to give it a try, here are my questions to you:
1. What is your favourite colour? Grass green, neon purple and pastel blue.
2. Do you have earthquakes where you live? We have but I think I slept through them lol
3. Have you ever visited Australia? Yes, twice; once in 2006 and then in 2014; we did the full tour the first time and then only Gold Coast in 2014
4. If so, have you been face-to-face with a live kangaroo? Once (I think, not entirely sure)
5. If you were a new student at Hogwarts, into which House would you be placed by the Sorting Hat? (My kids tell me that the Hat would put me into Slytherin, because "all the kids who later became lawyers were in Slytherin"!) I have done the online test many times and Ravenclaw is my constant house so I would most likely go there. Haha, yes most politicians tend to be Slytherin.
6. What is your favourite novel? Either The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (It's a Hunger Games spin-off), Divergent or Animal Farm by George Orwell. Oh and I also really liked To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
7. Are there actually wild kiwi birds living all around NZ? Yes MANY! I have seen a couple in the forest actually once when we went pinecone picking.
8. Did you learn to do the Haka in school? I have learnt a couple different versions; we went on a school mission trip to Tanzania Africa in 2017, so I did it there for the people to share our NZ culture with them. We also went to share the Gospel and did a couple plays.
9. Do all boys in NZ learn to do the Haka in school? Not all but most people know the basic ones
10. Apart from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who is your favourite H.P. character? Remus Lupin (One of Harry Potter's father's best friends) is my favourite character of all time in any novel. He is so relatable and there is this quite famous fan-fiction called "All the Young Dudes" which is well known and it is told from his perspective. It is written in a way you cannot tell it is a fanfic but rather it seems very realistic as if JK Rowling actually wrote it herself.
11. Do you have a pet animal at home? Nah not really an animal person although my younger sister has a bird.
12. Do you have a favourite poet/poem? Emily Dickinson; her poem: " I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"
13. Can you say a sentence in Māori? Kia ora koutou katoa (Greetings to three or more people)
14. Do you think it would be weird if you were up here over Christmas and experienced Christmas in cold temperatures with snow? It probably would be a little different but I think it would be a great experience! I've only ever touched snow once in the South Island a couple years back.
15. Where is the highest place above sea level you have ever been (not airplanes, but a mountain or a high structure)? I think on Mount Kilimanjaro we went quite high but I have been in the Sky Tower many times.
16. Do people eat kiwi birds? (Sorry if that's a stupid question, but I have no idea.) Haha no we don't because they're natives and considered sacred
17. A few years ago when your country voted on a new flag, did you think they should keep the current one or adopt the proposed one? Definitely prefer the original; don't know why people would suggest changing it - I think majority of NZ was against it as well
18. In NZ do kids do "trick or treat" on Halloween? They do but I personally do not participate in it as my parents brought me up against it
19. What is your favourite book of the Old Testament? I love Hosea and the overall extended metaphor it exhibits; Psalms is also a personal favourite I have been reading that a lot lately to help get through Uni
20. Have you ever seen a baseball game? (I know there is some baseball in NZ but probably not a lot!). Never in person but I have seen some on TV but I'm not a massive sports fan but I don't mind sailing.
Feel free to ask questions to me as well (which may include some or all of the non-NZ-specific ones above, or others that you may come up with). Cheers, Wes
Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 21:30, 11 September 2021 (UTC)
>Thanks, great questions. Here are my rather wordy answers:
1. Favourite colour(s)?
2. Favourite part about being a lawyer?
3. Have You seen the Harry Potter movies or read the books? If so, who are you favourite character(s)?
4. Favourite Mariah Carey song?
5. Do you have a favourite singer or band?
6. Favourite film and TV Series?
7. One place you would love to visit?
8. Favourite New Testament book?
9. Would you ever want to live in another time period?
10. Worst novel you have ever read and why?
11. Best novel you have ever read and why?
12. Favourite Hymn + modern Christian song?
13. Do you have any pets as well?
14. Thoughts on 2019 college admissions bribery scandal?
15. Favourite Christmas song?
16. A celebrity you admire and why?
17. Would you rather listen to music on a radio or on streaming service (such as iTunes and Spotify).
18. One thing you would like to see changed in the world?
19. Do you collect anything or like to collect anything as a hobby? (I personally collect vinyls)
20. Best part about living in America and why?
Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 05:25, 12 September 2021 (UTC)
Have a great day, Maxwell King 123321 01:58, 12 September 2021 (UTC)
And remember this (apparently genuine government poster) about the Aussies mate: https://i.redd.it/v0swe7gizjm51.jpg ! Good luck on your stats test; let me know how it turned out when you get a chance Nick. Frank Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 15:12, 14 September 2021 (UTC)
https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/wolf-george-mackay-nathalie-biancheri-interview-1234664280/ ..... after reading this interview, I am even more confused about the film ... sounds like it could be a silly mess ... I wonder if George over-thought the role ... Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:14, 17 September 2021 (UTC)
Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:19, 18 September 2021 (UTC)
oh man, here we go: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/wolf-review-george-mackay-lily-rose-depp-1234663616/ .... "MacKay, already known for his full-bodied dedication to his roles (hello, “1917”), turns in the best performance of his still-rising career." Ballinacurra Weston ( talk)
with additional details of the plot: https://thatshelf.com/tiff-2021-wolf-review/
https://onemovieourviews.com/2021/09/19/tiff21-review-wolf-special-presentations/
After reading more details of the plot in those reviews, I am definitely tipping away from seeing the film. I hate watching films that show cruelty to kids; that just turns my stomach, no matter how fictional the setting. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 03:10, 20 September 2021 (UTC)
Mr. Nick: I suppose it's not really funny for your community, but this made me chuckle for sure ... especially since I hate KFC food, yuk ... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/21/new-zealand-police-arrest-pair-trying-to-enter-auckland-with-large-amount-of-kfc Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 16:24, 21 September 2021 (UTC)
Best wishes for your Spring Equinox Nick.
Here is a newer review of Wolf -- good heavens, it sounds like George's Mum may have written it! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10698174/reviews?ref_=ttexrv_sa_3
And 35 ratings of the film, by demographic: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10698174/ratings?ref_=tturv_sa_3 Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 22:57, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
Nick, I don't know if you use Facebook; if so you might or might not know that George's sister Daisy has a page: https://www.facebook.com/daisyelizabethmackay
He keeps off social media himself, which is a very smart thing for him to do, to avoid stalkers and online abuse.
Last year I had the cheek to send a brief message to Daisy with a request asking if she would get a piece of info from George for his Wikipedia bio. As fully expected, I never heard back. No doubt Daisy is quite sick of getting messages that are about her brother and not about her, so I don't at all blame her!
Their Mum and Dad might also have their own Facebook pages too, and who knows maybe their grandparents, cousins, etc. as well in Australia, Ireland, and wherever. Like George himself they seem very sweet, pretty normal people, under the circumstances that George's fame has brought them. Mr. and Mrs. MacKay apparently live on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, because George sometimes mentions in interviews that he goes there and stays with them periodically when he isn't at his flat in London. I don't know if you are familiar with neighbourhoods in London, but he said in one interview that he lives in Kentish Town, which is a pretty normal place too, and not in a gated estate or secure high-rise along the Thames. If he becomes James Bond, though, he might have to change to a more secluded place to live, ha! Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 15:17, 23 September 2021 (UTC)
Careful mate, especially since you don't yet have your second jab! https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/new-zealand-covid-cases-delta-b1924587.html Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 19:34, 24 September 2021 (UTC)
I forgot to ask have you watched George's short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlbEmCOxGM Maxwell King 123321 21:15, 27 September 2021 (UTC)
The latest wiki article I wrote from scratch: /info/en/?search=Pennsylvania_High_Court_of_Errors_and_Appeals Guaranteed anaesthesia, but it's the sort of stuff I like to write about because no one else has written about the legal history of my state, and it's kind of like being an explorer in an unknown land to piece it together. (You can tell how I must be a barrel of laughs at parties!) Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 00:47, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
Nick, since we're communicating about some non-Wiki things from time-to-time, I'll give you an email that you can use for that purpose if you wish. Entirely up to you, but I'd prefer to have messages that are off-topic for Wiki on email, so I encourage you to use it. You can get to me on ... 30geiste@gmail.com ... "Geiste" is not my surname; there is a back story to that email address that I'll tell you some time if you are interested. At this point it seems to me that we are comfortable enough personally with each other to use email, so that everything we write isn't potentially available for anyone on Wiki to read. If you were a kid I wouldn't offer this, of course, but since we're both adults it should be OK from my perspective anyway. No pressure on you, just want to give you the choice! I'm also happy to disclose my full name, if you are curious (but not on here, just via email, and I wouldn't necessarily expect you to reciprocate as to your name). Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 16:49, 29 September 2021 (UTC)
![]() | This page is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
Hey Max, remember to reactivate your Twitter account, as past the 30 day mark of a deactivated Twitter account, you will lose all your followers and your username as well. Hope you're doing well, sending love and care your way.
Twitter: Deactivated accounts can be reactivated within 30 days of deactivation by logging in with the account username (or email address) and password on twitter.com or through your Twitter for iOS or Android app. Read detailed instructions on how to reactivate your account. [1] shanghai. talk to me 07:52, 27 August 2021 (UTC)
You'll see I've added a sentence in George's bio about his being considered as James Bond; even being considered is a significant development in his career and I suspect ought to be mentioned. As good as George would be in the role, I think Regé-Jean Page would also be excellent, and perhaps it's time to have a man of colour portray Bond. George could widen his acting scope by playing a Bond villain perhaps, although it's quite difficult to envision him as a bad guy (just as Tom Hanks was ludicrous playing a hit man in Road to Perdition). Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 00:03, 2 September 2021 (UTC)
@ Maxwell King123321: Apologies; only saw the last message now in my notifications. It's fine; I don't blame you for being stressed out and tired, and I forgive you. I hope you can forgive me for the really negative things that I had said as well. Life is life; we get tired and angry and exhausted sometimes and that's okay. Hope you see this. -Rogue shanghai. talk to me 08:38, 3 September 2021 (UTC)
I've added a little more info about the plot of Wolf (2021 drama film) on its page, based on this website from the Toronto Film Fest https://tiff.net/events/wolf, sounds like a bonkers and fascinating film but maybe a bit brutal too, will see what the reviews say, cheers Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 17:34, 3 September 2021 (UTC)
Thanks Max, let's both add it to our watch lists. Hope school is going well for you, happy Spring for you coming up. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:36, 4 September 2021 (UTC)
Well, he's keeping busy, just saw this ... https://deadline.com/2021/09/michael-socha-thomas-turgoose-george-mackay-tom-burke-a24-period-drama-1234828709/ Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 16:56, 9 September 2021 (UTC)
![]() |
Hello, Maxwell King123321!
Having an article declined at Articles for Creation can be disappointing. If you are wondering why your article submission was declined, please post a question at the
Articles for creation help desk. If you have any other questions about your editing experience, we'd love to help you at the
Teahouse, a friendly space on Wikipedia where experienced editors lend a hand to help new editors like yourself! See you there!
Robert McClenon (
talk)
06:29, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
|
https://www.indiewire.com/2021/08/most-anticipated-fall-festival-films-2021-venice-tiff-nyff-1234657731/ has a short preview-review of Wolf that predicts it will be impressive:
It opens in theatres in the USA early in December; maybe you can check to see when and where down your way. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 04:11, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
Max: Sorry about your Skinny Dipping Song article! They've rejected stuff from me in the past too. Christmas songs, ugghhhh; at least up here they generally wait until November to start playing them! Sorry about your lockdown. I've been working remotely since March 2020, and my company's building here won't be open until February or March 2022, so I sympathize with you. With more variants circulating, I wonder if this pandemic cycle will ever end. Cheers, Wes. (And I do very much appreciate you taking the time to chat back and forth with me, my Kiwi friend!) Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 07:01, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
hey Max: I very much believe in science/medicine (I work for a big German company that makes medical devices, such as CT scanners, MRI machines, x-ray machines, etc.), so yeah I got the vaccine as soon as it was available in my state (Pennsylvania -- I live near Philadelphia). That was the Moderna jab, the 1st in March, the 2nd in April. No side effects, and my family and I have been healthy throughout the pandemic (my wife and two kids also got vaccinated). I encourage you to do so, unless you have a medical reason not -- in our community we've seen otherwise healthy but unvaccinated teenagers and young adults like yourself become ill and even die from COVID, so even young people aren't immune, as you know. (Sorry for the unsolicited advice Max, I'm just speaking as a concerned Dad / Uncle who has kids and nephews around your own age, and that's what I've told them as well. Due to our chats, I have come to care about your well-being, of course, and I'd hate to hear that you became ill with it, especially since even a mild case can have long-term effects on the body and brain.) What reason does your sister have, if you don't mind my asking? Sadly, in the US the jab has become an ideological issue for many on the political far-right (the trumpers, as we call them, even though trump and his wife got the jabs themselves).
Sorry if you feel a bit isolated in NZ. I've never visited the Southern Hemisphere (Mexico is as far south as I have ever been in my life), and I imagine living in your country, as beautiful as it is, might make you feel remote. I'm sure NZ isn't a perfect nation, no place is, but I do admire your relatively peaceful society where I presume you can get around without much fear of becoming the victim of gunshots. Here, it is in our minds all the time that any stranger we meet outside our home might have a gun with them and might shoot for any reason. There are large parts of the city of Philadelphia, for example, that we wouldn't dare enter, especially at night, because there is so much active gunfire. In some parts of this country the worship of firearms has become essentially idolatry; sad to say the right to possess firearms has been embedded in our federal constitution since the 1790s, and as interpreted by our right-leaning federal supreme court, it is practically impossible to ban guns in any jurisdiction here. There are many great things about the United States, but there is a kind of ideological sickness too. It's been said that our Civil War (1861-1865) is still being fought politically, and that's sadly true. And I'm not saying that as a political left-winger either, I am really quite moderate in my political leanings. Sorry for all the whining ... well, keep in touch anytime you want mate. Wes, Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 12:30, 10 September 2021 (UTC) (Do you live on North Island or South Island?)
BTW, here is a wiki article I created from scratch a few years ago under a different wiki user name; it's probably the least dry article I've written on wiki ... it's about two of my favorite subjects, law and baseball ! /info/en/?search=The_Common_Law_Origins_of_the_Infield_Fly_Rule Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 13:21, 10 September 2021 (UTC)
Yup, good luck with the vaccine and please let me know how it goes Max. If you ever do visit New York City, and care to meet me there for lunch, let me know ... it is only a 90-minute drive from our house and my wife and I go up there a lot. Although it's the largest city in the US, it has a relatively low rate of violent crime. I've walked around Manhattan after midnight and felt safer than walking around other American cities during the day (I have also lived/worked/attended Uni in Boston, Massachusetts (wonderful city); Detroit, Michigan (a very, very dangerous city); a small city in Minnesota (horribly cold); and as well doing a term at the London School of Economics (London is my favourite city in the world ... I envy George living there)). And don't worry about rambling Max ... happy to read your rambling any time! Take care, cheers, Wes Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:38, 11 September 2021 (UTC)
Beautiful city you've got there Max! https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Auckland_City_Of_Sails_(1275841961).jpg
I don't want to bombard you with messages Max, but it's 22:22 here and I'm watching the Philadelphia baseball team on TV as I usually do evenings and it's quite convenient to reply right away with my laptop in front to me! Thanks for the kind words Max, about 9/11. I was working in Philadelphia at the time, about 90 miles away from New York City, and it is the most horrible/memorable day of my life, as far as public events. It changed the world, and not for the better. From a lawyer's perspective, it certainly has eroded civil liberties here, and in the UK, and probably in most developed nations. You can pull up the news footage from that day on youtube if you care to do so. It's especially terrible to watch the second plane fly into the World Trade Center live, as we saw it that morning on TV, and then watch the towers fall down, knowing that you had actually, in real time, witnessed thousands of people die in an instant. It was stunning beyond belief to those of us who grew up thinking the United States was the mightiest country in the world and could never be attacked successfully.
My grandparents lived in New York, and when I visited them as I kid I would often go up to the observation deck of the North Tower, 1000+ feet above the street. It was my favourite place in New York, not just because of the endless views, but because it was so far above the traffic that it was beautifully quiet up there. All you could hear was the wind. After 9/11, I had nightmares for several years about being up on top of the North Tower, as I used to do as a kid, and being trapped up there after the plane hit the tower. My cousin was a NYC police officer, and worked for a year afterwords retrieving body parts from the wreckage. He still can't bring himself to talk about it, and I don't blame him. You guys born after 9/11 were born into a different world for sure, kind of like those of us born in the decades after WWII were born into a different world too.
The former site of the twin towers are now a wretchedly-designed (I think) memorial that I can't even bear to visit any more. It consists of two pools, one on the exact site of each tower, with water flowing down into a large square opening. /info/en/?search=National_September_11_Memorial_%26_Museum#/media/File:North_Tower_Fountain_National_September_11_Memorial_&_Museum_(Sept._17,_2011).jpg They remind me of souls being sucked down a drain, with no hopeful symbolism at all. Another reason I can't bear to go there is that the actual area where you must walk was piled with hundreds of shattered corpses that day, and I just don't like being at such a deathly place. Bad vibes, and all that. You may know that it is near the southern tip of Manhattan; when we visit NYC now, we go only to the middle and north of Manhattan, miles from the WTC site. I was never in the military, and grew up in a peaceful, safe neighbourhood, so I had never witnessed any death or violence like that.
Sorry for all the downer, but I know my kids, who were babies then, did want to hear what it was like that day from my wife and me, and I thought you might have been curious too. Anyway, I'll get out of your hair for the rest of the day, and sorry for my babbling! Good night from Pennsylvania Max. Wes. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 02:51, 11 September 2021 (UTC)
Hey Max, when I told my kids that I have a "pen pal" in NZ, they said "You should play 20 questions with him." That is a game they do with a new online acquaintance in which you ask the other person 20 (or so) questions. The other person can decline to answer some questions if they want, but if they choose to answer a question then they must answer it accurately. In turn, they can then ask you 20 (or so) questions, which may include some of the same ones you asked them. If you want to give it a try, here are my questions to you:
1. What is your favourite colour? Grass green, neon purple and pastel blue.
2. Do you have earthquakes where you live? We have but I think I slept through them lol
3. Have you ever visited Australia? Yes, twice; once in 2006 and then in 2014; we did the full tour the first time and then only Gold Coast in 2014
4. If so, have you been face-to-face with a live kangaroo? Once (I think, not entirely sure)
5. If you were a new student at Hogwarts, into which House would you be placed by the Sorting Hat? (My kids tell me that the Hat would put me into Slytherin, because "all the kids who later became lawyers were in Slytherin"!) I have done the online test many times and Ravenclaw is my constant house so I would most likely go there. Haha, yes most politicians tend to be Slytherin.
6. What is your favourite novel? Either The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (It's a Hunger Games spin-off), Divergent or Animal Farm by George Orwell. Oh and I also really liked To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
7. Are there actually wild kiwi birds living all around NZ? Yes MANY! I have seen a couple in the forest actually once when we went pinecone picking.
8. Did you learn to do the Haka in school? I have learnt a couple different versions; we went on a school mission trip to Tanzania Africa in 2017, so I did it there for the people to share our NZ culture with them. We also went to share the Gospel and did a couple plays.
9. Do all boys in NZ learn to do the Haka in school? Not all but most people know the basic ones
10. Apart from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who is your favourite H.P. character? Remus Lupin (One of Harry Potter's father's best friends) is my favourite character of all time in any novel. He is so relatable and there is this quite famous fan-fiction called "All the Young Dudes" which is well known and it is told from his perspective. It is written in a way you cannot tell it is a fanfic but rather it seems very realistic as if JK Rowling actually wrote it herself.
11. Do you have a pet animal at home? Nah not really an animal person although my younger sister has a bird.
12. Do you have a favourite poet/poem? Emily Dickinson; her poem: " I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"
13. Can you say a sentence in Māori? Kia ora koutou katoa (Greetings to three or more people)
14. Do you think it would be weird if you were up here over Christmas and experienced Christmas in cold temperatures with snow? It probably would be a little different but I think it would be a great experience! I've only ever touched snow once in the South Island a couple years back.
15. Where is the highest place above sea level you have ever been (not airplanes, but a mountain or a high structure)? I think on Mount Kilimanjaro we went quite high but I have been in the Sky Tower many times.
16. Do people eat kiwi birds? (Sorry if that's a stupid question, but I have no idea.) Haha no we don't because they're natives and considered sacred
17. A few years ago when your country voted on a new flag, did you think they should keep the current one or adopt the proposed one? Definitely prefer the original; don't know why people would suggest changing it - I think majority of NZ was against it as well
18. In NZ do kids do "trick or treat" on Halloween? They do but I personally do not participate in it as my parents brought me up against it
19. What is your favourite book of the Old Testament? I love Hosea and the overall extended metaphor it exhibits; Psalms is also a personal favourite I have been reading that a lot lately to help get through Uni
20. Have you ever seen a baseball game? (I know there is some baseball in NZ but probably not a lot!). Never in person but I have seen some on TV but I'm not a massive sports fan but I don't mind sailing.
Feel free to ask questions to me as well (which may include some or all of the non-NZ-specific ones above, or others that you may come up with). Cheers, Wes
Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 21:30, 11 September 2021 (UTC)
>Thanks, great questions. Here are my rather wordy answers:
1. Favourite colour(s)?
2. Favourite part about being a lawyer?
3. Have You seen the Harry Potter movies or read the books? If so, who are you favourite character(s)?
4. Favourite Mariah Carey song?
5. Do you have a favourite singer or band?
6. Favourite film and TV Series?
7. One place you would love to visit?
8. Favourite New Testament book?
9. Would you ever want to live in another time period?
10. Worst novel you have ever read and why?
11. Best novel you have ever read and why?
12. Favourite Hymn + modern Christian song?
13. Do you have any pets as well?
14. Thoughts on 2019 college admissions bribery scandal?
15. Favourite Christmas song?
16. A celebrity you admire and why?
17. Would you rather listen to music on a radio or on streaming service (such as iTunes and Spotify).
18. One thing you would like to see changed in the world?
19. Do you collect anything or like to collect anything as a hobby? (I personally collect vinyls)
20. Best part about living in America and why?
Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 05:25, 12 September 2021 (UTC)
Have a great day, Maxwell King 123321 01:58, 12 September 2021 (UTC)
And remember this (apparently genuine government poster) about the Aussies mate: https://i.redd.it/v0swe7gizjm51.jpg ! Good luck on your stats test; let me know how it turned out when you get a chance Nick. Frank Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 15:12, 14 September 2021 (UTC)
https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/wolf-george-mackay-nathalie-biancheri-interview-1234664280/ ..... after reading this interview, I am even more confused about the film ... sounds like it could be a silly mess ... I wonder if George over-thought the role ... Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:14, 17 September 2021 (UTC)
Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 01:19, 18 September 2021 (UTC)
oh man, here we go: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/wolf-review-george-mackay-lily-rose-depp-1234663616/ .... "MacKay, already known for his full-bodied dedication to his roles (hello, “1917”), turns in the best performance of his still-rising career." Ballinacurra Weston ( talk)
with additional details of the plot: https://thatshelf.com/tiff-2021-wolf-review/
https://onemovieourviews.com/2021/09/19/tiff21-review-wolf-special-presentations/
After reading more details of the plot in those reviews, I am definitely tipping away from seeing the film. I hate watching films that show cruelty to kids; that just turns my stomach, no matter how fictional the setting. Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 03:10, 20 September 2021 (UTC)
Mr. Nick: I suppose it's not really funny for your community, but this made me chuckle for sure ... especially since I hate KFC food, yuk ... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/21/new-zealand-police-arrest-pair-trying-to-enter-auckland-with-large-amount-of-kfc Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 16:24, 21 September 2021 (UTC)
Best wishes for your Spring Equinox Nick.
Here is a newer review of Wolf -- good heavens, it sounds like George's Mum may have written it! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10698174/reviews?ref_=ttexrv_sa_3
And 35 ratings of the film, by demographic: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10698174/ratings?ref_=tturv_sa_3 Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 22:57, 22 September 2021 (UTC)
Nick, I don't know if you use Facebook; if so you might or might not know that George's sister Daisy has a page: https://www.facebook.com/daisyelizabethmackay
He keeps off social media himself, which is a very smart thing for him to do, to avoid stalkers and online abuse.
Last year I had the cheek to send a brief message to Daisy with a request asking if she would get a piece of info from George for his Wikipedia bio. As fully expected, I never heard back. No doubt Daisy is quite sick of getting messages that are about her brother and not about her, so I don't at all blame her!
Their Mum and Dad might also have their own Facebook pages too, and who knows maybe their grandparents, cousins, etc. as well in Australia, Ireland, and wherever. Like George himself they seem very sweet, pretty normal people, under the circumstances that George's fame has brought them. Mr. and Mrs. MacKay apparently live on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, because George sometimes mentions in interviews that he goes there and stays with them periodically when he isn't at his flat in London. I don't know if you are familiar with neighbourhoods in London, but he said in one interview that he lives in Kentish Town, which is a pretty normal place too, and not in a gated estate or secure high-rise along the Thames. If he becomes James Bond, though, he might have to change to a more secluded place to live, ha! Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 15:17, 23 September 2021 (UTC)
Careful mate, especially since you don't yet have your second jab! https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/new-zealand-covid-cases-delta-b1924587.html Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 19:34, 24 September 2021 (UTC)
I forgot to ask have you watched George's short film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlbEmCOxGM Maxwell King 123321 21:15, 27 September 2021 (UTC)
The latest wiki article I wrote from scratch: /info/en/?search=Pennsylvania_High_Court_of_Errors_and_Appeals Guaranteed anaesthesia, but it's the sort of stuff I like to write about because no one else has written about the legal history of my state, and it's kind of like being an explorer in an unknown land to piece it together. (You can tell how I must be a barrel of laughs at parties!) Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 00:47, 28 September 2021 (UTC)
Nick, since we're communicating about some non-Wiki things from time-to-time, I'll give you an email that you can use for that purpose if you wish. Entirely up to you, but I'd prefer to have messages that are off-topic for Wiki on email, so I encourage you to use it. You can get to me on ... 30geiste@gmail.com ... "Geiste" is not my surname; there is a back story to that email address that I'll tell you some time if you are interested. At this point it seems to me that we are comfortable enough personally with each other to use email, so that everything we write isn't potentially available for anyone on Wiki to read. If you were a kid I wouldn't offer this, of course, but since we're both adults it should be OK from my perspective anyway. No pressure on you, just want to give you the choice! I'm also happy to disclose my full name, if you are curious (but not on here, just via email, and I wouldn't necessarily expect you to reciprocate as to your name). Ballinacurra Weston ( talk) 16:49, 29 September 2021 (UTC)