User talk:Maxwell Smart123321/Archives/2021/October

Mount Errigal

On my newly-decorated user page, at the top left you will see the picture of Mount Errigal (An Earagail in Irish), in County Donegal, Eire. I have it there because my maternal grandmother grew up quite close to it, and I still have a lot of cousins in that area. When I was 9 years old my family took a trip to Donegal, and I saw Errigal from a distance. I said to myself "Some day I'll come back here and climb it." Well, many years later I still haven't, but I plan on doing that in the summer of 2022 if things work out, since it's on my bucket list. So, if you happen to find yourself in Ireland next summer, you are welcome to join me on the climb. Apparently it takes about 90 minutes to hike up, and there is a beautiful view from the summit: https://www.ourlittlehiker.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20180805_130001.jpg Since you've been up Kilimanjaro no doubt this would be an easy climb for you! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 16:49, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

Ahaha well unfortunately I did not climb A LOT of Kilimanjaro. We only went up to a small height. But it was tiring nonetheless. I was a more fit person back then. Mount Errigal looks really beautiful! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:24, 30 September 2021 (UTC)

even a small height on this thing is pretty impressive Nick!

Wolf Trailer and Full Film (maybe?)

trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG1xjm0GZgQ

supposedly the full film can be watched here: https://trend.movieah.com/movie/tt10698174/.html I haven't tried it. It might be pirated, or a virus trap, or who knows what ...

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 20:52, 30 September 2021 (UTC)

Just watched the trailer... it looks a little creepy ahaha. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 21:30, 30 September 2021 (UTC)

• Nick, I didn't mean to scare you away by mentioning the email address. Of course, you can just ignore that. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:43, 3 October 2021 (UTC)

Hi Frank, no sorry I have been so busy at home I haven't had time to reply to anything. But I think I would prefer to keep our friendship this way if you don't mind. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:39, 3 October 2021 (UTC)

• Of course Nick, you set the terms. My main reason mentioning the email was just in case we don't want our communications potentially accessible to anyone on Wiki, but it's entirely up to you. In fact, of course, you are under no obligation to continue to communicate with me at all; it's completely your right to decide when and if to do so at all. You are obviously an intelligent and creative guy, and from a country I know little about, so I enjoy trading messages with you, but truly, I will totally understand if you choose not to continue. But I hope you will mate! Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 22:00, 3 October 2021 (UTC)

The "other" George MacKay(!)

I was a little jolted when I saw this: https://www.amazon.com/Calendar-Love-George-Mackay-Brown/dp/1904598730 I thought, oh man, George must be short of money so he is issuing calendars now? Then I saw it was not "George MacKay" but George Mackay Brown who was a 20th century pastoral Scots/Orkney poet, and whose poetry, hilariously, is sometimes attributed to our George. No doubt our George can write fine poetry, but probably not this:

“Oh,” cries the wind, “I love to blow from the East, I’m like the ram-horns of Genghis Khan sounding — I’m like the shouting Celtic tribes wave after wave, all war-cries” Oh, I could blow for ever!”

These lines from GM Brown are attributed to our George on https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1126657/bio?ref_=nm_ql_1:

• We never find what we set out hearts on. We ought to be glad of that.

• The imagination is not an escape, but a return to the richness of our true selves; a return to reality.

• The Orkney imagination is haunted by time.

• Hills tell old stories. Cliffs are poets with harps.

I've told imdb that these are written by GM Brown, not GMac, but they don't seem to care! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:10, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

Omg that is crazy. I am sure George himself would never write those lines but they are pretty good nonetheless. However, imdb if I remember correctly is not correct all the time and it's run by people with their own agendas and they don't usually care about their pages as much as other sites do. They also failed to mention all of Mariah Carey's Television appearances so I don't trust them unless absolutely necessary. Wikipedia doesn't really accept them as sources unless absolutely necessary as well I believe. Hope you have a great week Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 21:43, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

• Thanks, you too Nick! Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 22:25, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

Question game again

• Nick, certainly no rush, but if you have a chance in the next week or two maybe you'd like to play the "Question Game" a little bit more (or if not, that's fine too):

• 1. What does the 123321 in your Wiki name signify?

Nah nothing significant I used to have a Poptropica account named the same so I kept with the tradition.

• 2. When you read law last year, did you like any of it? If so, what did you find interesting?

That is a good question; I think I enjoyed learning about precedent + applying case law to scenarios. Perhaps in another life I could've worked my way up to being a judge.

• 3. What classes are you taking this term, and which is your favourite?

I am doing 5 papers (usually people do 3 or 4... I wanted to finish my core Business papers this year since I'm already a year behind ) this semester (Business: Marketing / Innovation, Business: Economics, Infosystems: Digital Data / Privacy, Statistics: Data Modelling, Journalism: Social Media). And my favourite would have to be the social media paper I am taking.

• 4. I've read that NZ is constantly windy, windy, windy ... is that true where you live?

TRUE! But here in NZ we have a saying that you can experience all 4 seasons in a day.

• 5. If NZ had a national binding election to decide whether to keep the monarchy or become a republic, what choice do you think you would make?

I am very pro-monarchy; inherited it from my mother I don't know why but I just love being apart of the Commonwealth. It often seems confusing to my American friends but I think it comes from a place of pride and patriotic.

• (:-))Thanks for considering these! Of course, reciprocate if you wish. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 03:13, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

HI Frank, answered !!!! I love doing these actually but I will send my questions through tomorrow as I am exhausted and my favourite show finale airs tomorrow so I will stay up late to watch that ahaha. Have a wonderful day. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 10:52, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

• Thanks Nick ... enjoy the finale! (I am also pro-monarchy, and always tell people that if I were a lawyer in Philadelphia during the American Revolution, I would have remained loyal to the crown and would probably have had to move to Canada or else go on trial for treason against the US). A great American judge once said "Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women, and when it dies there, no constitution, no law can save it." That's true whether people live in a monarchy or a republic, I think. Look forward to some questions from you later in the week! Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:00, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

George will be in a musical !

https://www.thewrap.com/tilda-swinton-george-mackay-stephen-graham-the-end-musical-neon/

• I wonder if he will sing and dance! I think I read somewhere that he took ballet lessons as a boy, and with his good deep voice no doubt he could sing a good bass or baritone! I will look forward to this one. Filming in 2022 so maybe not out until 2023. Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 18:47, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

Omg a musical !!!! I absolutely loved Tilda Swinton too she is a remarkable actress in the Narnia series. Also I have heard George sing for a couple of his films: [1], [2] Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:05, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

• My goodness, George does have an excellent voice (thanks for those links). Is there anything he can't do?? Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 23:30, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

NZ and COVID article

hmmm, interesting article ... what do you think Nick? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/06/how-new-zealand-snookered-itself-by-calling-time-on-its-covid-elimination-strategy Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 13:58, 6 October 2021 (UTC)

Omg this is interesting.. Hmmm Yea I am still confused on all the levels and new phases Adern has implemented but on the whole I am praying we go back to level 2 asap. Hopefully people will just get vaccinated and this nightmare can be over!!!! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:31, 6 October 2021 (UTC)

James Bond competition

Hey Mate, I see that more guys are being considered for James Bond (https://www.pamdemocrat.org/james-bond-who-will-be-the-next-oo7-after-daniel-craig/), including Tom Hardy and Idris Elba, both of whom would also be great. Our George has a lot of competition. I think he is also perhaps lower on the short list because GMac looks like a teenager practically, and might just have too young of an appearance to be James Bond at this point in his life. Although I wish him well, of course, I wonder if becoming a megastar, as he would as James Bond, would pressure him to move to LA, and maybe change his sweet personality for the worse. I can't see James Bond doing roles like the Wolf boy ... Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 16:27, 7 October 2021 (UTC)

Oh dang, it's gonna be a tight competition. I do like Tom Hardy so I wouldn't mind seeing him in the role either. But MacKay needs this type of role for his career. Hopefully the producers and studio will be able to see past his looks. I hope Wolf didn't ruin his chances... Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:13, 7 October 2021 (UTC)

Marking edits as minor

Hi. I've just noticed that you sometimes mark edits where you've added/changed hundreds of bytes in an edit as minor, such as here. Adding whole sources is never a minor edit, even if it's not a lot of work to do, and should not be marked as such. A guide on what constitutes a minor edit can be found at Help:Minor edit. Thanks. Ss112 09:36, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Thanks for the reminder. It is pure laziness on my part, and I will follow the Help:Minor edit instructions going forward. I do appreciate your message. Best, Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 15:19, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

I don't think he was talking to you Frank Lol. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:29, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Hi Thanks for letting me know! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:29, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

• Sorry! But sometimes I do exactly the same thing, so it's a good reminder for me too! Or maybe I was answering as your lawyer, ha! No charge, since I'm not licensed in NZ! (:-)) Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:30, 12 October 2021 (UTC)

Ahahahaha love that Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:47, 12 October 2021 (UTC)

More questions

Nick, if you want to, please answer these with, preferably, one word, but no more than three words each (absolutely no rush, just whenever you have a few minutes one day):

(1) Do you know how photosynthesis works? A: Yes

(2) Have you ever been in a situation in which you thought your life might be in immediate danger? A: Mmmm I wasn't in danger but it felt like it

(3) Have you ever been scratched by a cat? A: No

(4) Do you sometimes sing out loud when you are by yourself? A: Always (I did musical theatre growing up)

(5) Did you ever have a dream in which you were able to fly (not in an airplane, but just with your body)? A: Many times

(6) Do you have a driving license for a car? A: Not full... just learners

(7) Does your city have a good public transport system (bus, or trains, etc.)? A: Yes but very expensive

(8) Have you ever visited your country's Parliament building? A: YES!

(9) Who is the most famous human being you have actually seen in person (even from a distance)? A: Stan Walker and Aamir Khan

(10) Besides Jesus, who from the past would you most like to meet if they returned to earth for a while? A: (Good question...) Maybe Marilyn Monroe

(11) Do you ever write poetry (not for school/uni, but just for yourself)? A: Not poetry but I have written songs (...)

Look forward to it! Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 22:23, 14 October 2021 (UTC)

Hi Frank just replied Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:35, 15 October 2021 (UTC)

• Cool, thanks Nick. In case you are interested, here are my answers to the same set of questions:

(1) Know photosynthesis: Kind of ... only at a very very high level like, sun > chlorophyll > green. That's about it. I wasn't very interested at maths or science in school. (2) Life in Danger: Once, years ago when my car was surrounded by thugs in Washington DC, but was able to race away before they drew guns ... (3) Cat scratch: More times than I can count! (4) Sing by self: Often, but really really badly. (5) Dream flying: Yes, often, which is odd because I don't like flying. (6) Driving license: Yes, since my 16th birthday, as is the custom for teenagers in the USA. (7) Public transport: Not nearly as good as London or New York City, but an OK system in Philadelphia. (8) Parliament/Congress: Yes, several times to our Capitol building in Washington. (9) Famous human being: Probably the actor Patrick Stewart, a couple of times on stage in plays, most recently in Macbeth a couple of years ago. (10) Meet from past: Maybe William Shakespeare. (I'd ask him "Will, did you really write all those plays by yourself?".) (11) Write poetry: I would really like to, but I am too scared to try it because I know it would massively awful. (I think song lyrics are poetry, so good for you Nick!)

This is the kind of ghastly poetry I would write:

I was reading about GMac, Then I met a Kiwi bloke, We were both on the same track, And that is no Wiki joke.

Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 02:03, 15 October 2021 (UTC)

AHAHAHA that is pretty good PS it sounds like America is so unsafe at times. I also loved Patrick Stewart in the X-Men series. As for my song writing it has been a while but I wrote a song in Middle School called "Spotlight" and I performed it during a school assembly (I was so fearless back then) which the teachers really enjoyed. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:24, 15 October 2021 (UTC)

Māori law in NZ law

Fascinating article, to me anyway: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/17/explosion-of-ideas-how-maori-concepts-are-being-incorporated-into-new-zealand-law Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:09, 17 October 2021 (UTC)

Omg that picture was taken right across from my university. I am strongly for the integration of Māori law into the NZ law. We have the Waitangi Tribunal who do take Māori's problems but the process is so slow and expensive, that Māori people hardly use it. Idk if you've heard of the Treaty of Waitangi but the Māori people's version of what they were signing away was so much different to what the English people were saying. Words were lost in translation like "selling" as the Māori indigenous people did not sell their property. They thought they were just joining the Crown but rather a lot of their lands were lost to the signing of the Treaty and sold for trivial clothes and weapons. There has been some steps taken to help the Māori people of today and some apologies issued but we still have a long way to go. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 01:52, 17 October 2021 (UTC)

• Nick, do you go to Victoria Uni Wellington? That's at the bottom of your N island, isn't it, so some distance from home? Anyway, yes I have heard of the Waitangi Treaty, which sounds similar to many treaties in the United States with the native peoples, who did not have the same concept of land tenure as did European law, to say the least! The classic example is the Dutch colonists "buying" Manhattan island (now in New York City) from the natives in 1626 for the later equivalent of $24 US in trinkets. The land my house stands on was part of a big purchase from the indigenous people in 1682 as part of the British Province of Pennsylvania by William Penn. (Sometimes I have nightmares of descendants of the original Lenape Indian tribe coming back and knocking on my door to reclaim their land!) It's cool that NZ's legal system is adopting some of the Māori's principles and customs. Our courts here are so right-wing and often quasi-white-supremacist that any attempt to do that in the US with native customs would cause a lot of people to go berserk!

Hey, is this true Nick? ... https://i.pinimg.com/originals/79/73/f1/7973f156c79733514fe963e76086c021.jpg Frank Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 04:01, 17 October 2021 (UTC)

Oop then nvm its not across my University. It looks very similar to this court we have across our Uni in Auckland. It is pretty scary to think how communities have been taken advantage of in the past. And yeah, nah... (ngl I use this phrase daily) Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 04:50, 17 October 2021 (UTC)

GMac in TV show yesterday

Apparently this was broadcast in the UK a day or two ago. Sounds like George had a relatively minor role ... must have been to get him some pocket change in between films, ha!

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2294061-the-trick-review-how-the-climategate-scandal-rocked-the-world/

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 17:25, 19 October 2021 (UTC)

Oh that's interesting he is making moves. I have my final exams next week btw so expect me to be very inactive on Wikipedia. I have four of them back to back with only one day in between each. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:07, 19 October 2021 (UTC)

• Good luck Nick! Will keep my fingers crossed for your success. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 22:47, 19 October 2021 (UTC)

• I said some prayers today for good results on your exams next week. Hope they go well, and keep up your hard work mate!

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 17:33, 20 October 2021 (UTC)

Thank You Frank I'm a little worried for my Statistics exam as I haven't even gone over one of the topics yet because I have to work on my other exams well. So please keep me in your prayers for a little while. Have a great evening. Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 21:37, 20 October 2021 (UTC)

• Sure will keep you in my prayers all next week! And Nick, don't be like this guy ... https://media.makeameme.org/created/I-DONT-ALWAYS-e0f823.jpg

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:04, 21 October 2021 (UTC)

HSJAKJAGKAHA no because that is literally me Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:17, 21 October 2021 (UTC)

Exams

Now I lay me down to study,

I pray the Lord I don’t go nutty.

And If I fail to learn this junk,

I pray the Lord I do not flunk.

And If I die don’t bury me at all.

Just lay my bones in the study hall,

and pile those books upon my chest,

and tell my Profs I did my best.

So now I lay me down to rest,

and pray I pass all next week's tests.

And If I die before I wake,

that’s one less test I have to take.

(no worries mate, I'm confident you will do fine!)

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 12:26, 22 October 2021 (UTC)

Thank You Frank I hope I will it's been so stressful studying tbh Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 22:17, 22 October 2021 (UTC)

More GMac stuff

GMac's film Munich is finally coming to Netflix in January 2022; I hope it's the same for NZ: https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/coming-soon/netflix-originals-coming-to-netflix-in-january-2022/

And yet a new BBC TV drama with George now shooting:

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/filming-for-new-bbc-series-the-gallows-pole-takes-place-in-heptonstall-3429692

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/yorkshire-village-of-heptonstall-transformed-for-filming-of-new-bbc-period-drama-the-gallows-pole-adapted-by-shane-meadows-3429589

Man, he is working like a dog. Glad he is getting all these interesting roles.

No need to respond Mr. Nick, go back to studying now!

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 18:14, 23 October 2021 (UTC)

ha, GMac looks rather unhappy in the background here (great costumes though). https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/uploads/2021/10/munich-the-edge-of-war-january-2022.jpg.webp

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 21:15, 23 October 2021 (UTC)

Looks like a good movie hopefully it will come to NZ. PS. almost half way there still have two more papers to finish my notes on! (including Statistics...) Hope you're doing well Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 23:04, 23 October 2021 (UTC)

• all well here mate, hang in there ... https://getdrip.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/image_upload/image/171761/embeddable_ca50f4a4-0113-49f4-8cd2-59f0f96015c8.jpg Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 01:04, 24 October 2021 (UTC)

GMac and Marvel

Nick, I hope your exams are going well. You are almost through the week now!

This news is interesting, and for me extremely disappointing: https://newsnationusa.com/news/entertainment/movie-tv-news/marvel-considered-rege-jean-page-george-mackay-for-adam-warlock/. Disappointing not because GMac didn't get the Adam Warlock role, but because he apparently auditioned for it and ended up on the short list.

One of the things I've admired about MacKay is that he hasn't "gone Hollywood," and become a Marvel superhero or such. He's stayed in his home city and taken a series of creative, interesting roles. Of course, being a Marvel superhero no doubt would mean big money for him, so who could really blame him? Still, I think it's sad sad sad. He didn't get it this time, but inevitably will break into the Marvel Universe eventually if he wants to. Nothing wrong with Marvel characters, but it's just not how I thought his career would turn out. (Now if he decides to move to Los Angeles on top of this, like a lot of Brit actors have, then my goodness, that would be the end of any admiration I have for him as a creative artist. I can't imagine anyone wanting to live there instead of London, although $$ talks of course.) Sorry for the rant. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 00:00, 28 October 2021 (UTC)

Omg?!?!? I didn't know George went for the role. As you know I am a MASSIVE Marvel MCU fan. I personally am glad Will Poulter got the role I have been watching his career every since his time in the Narnia films. I do think if George wants to do something big he probably will have to move to the US. Perhaps it will be better for his career. It would be nicer to live in London but then there is less chances of getting good roles I guess. There is always DC or Star Wars films to break into I guess. I am just glad Zac Efron did not get the role he has had too much botox recently and his face just irritates me (no offence to him ). Also had my first exam today! Went alright I think it was a marketing one. Hopefully I did well. Hope you're doing well too! Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 02:16, 28 October 2021 (UTC)

Glad your exam went well. Praying for you every day this week Nick! I like Poulter and wish him well; he seems like a good guy. I know it's unfair of me to be disappointed with MacKay for trying to get a blockbuster role, but still, I was hoping he wouldn't "sell out" to Hollywood.

(Efron also irritates me, for all sorts of reasons, e.g., I think he is a terrible actor.) Thanks for asking Nick, I'm fine here. Best of luck the rest of the exams. When you are done with them, please let me know if you are pleased with the outcome. Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 02:47, 28 October 2021 (UTC)

I am glad you agree about Efron. Exciting to see what will happen anyway. Ahhh second exam tomorrow (statistics...) also random question but what would you say your favourite film is? Maxwell King¹²³³²¹ 03:46, 29 October 2021 (UTC)

• Great question. I have a small number of films which I think are all excellent. George is in one of them. So, in no particular order ...

1917 (2019 film)

Henry V (1989 film)

Glory (1989 film)

Dunkirk (2017 film)

Judgment at Nuremberg

Breaker Morant (film)

Field of Dreams

You'll notice that, other than the baseball film (Field of Dreams), the others all have to do with war (1917, Henry V, Glory, Breaker Morant, Dunkirk) or the aftermath of war (Judgment at Nuremberg). That's odd, because I am about the least militaristic guy you will ever meet. Still, I value courage as a virtue, and those films show ordinary guys acting courageously.

George does a brilliant job in 1917 showing his character as an ordinary young civilian bloke who was sucked into the war, left his family behind, and due to circumstances was called to act heroically even though he was scared to death. George nailed that role, and I doubt he will ever top that performance in his career.

Field of Dreams, well, only men who grow up in America playing baseball will truly understand it. That movie is notorious for making even the most macho American guys cry and cry during the final scene (it has to do with fathers and sons). When I saw it, I hadn't cried at a film since I was a little kid, and all of a sudden here I was sitting next to my wife weeping at this scene. Fortunately, she loves baseball too and understood. We watched it again later on TV in England, and the British guys we were with thought the ending was just silly, but it's different if you grew up here throwing around a baseball with your dad. Beautiful film.

Apart from the Marvel films, what are your favourites Nick?

https://annalloyd.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/xkcd-1.jpg

Ballinacurra Weston (talk) 04:44, 29 October 2021 (UTC)