Slapping Parents Around Again?

Education Ministry officials Plan to throw book at truants' parents ... Moves being considered include more prosecutions, stiffer fines and ... giving judges powers to make erring people sit parenting skills courses to address problems such as anger management, drug and alcohol abuse, and budgeting ... really?

Yep, nothing to do with the problem (truanting) largely relating to secondary students, comprehensive trade training no longer being available in schools and raising the leaving age to sixteen (and possibly soon to seventeen).

What is it that gives professionals the feeling that it is their right to impose on others in such a grand manner given that their intent is so far outside their mandate - which one would imagine to be the education of children?

Topical Forcing ... the twilight hour (betwixt and between).

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker says he cannot recommend walking on Christchurch streets after midnight as new figures show the city is the most violent in the country ... "Walking around our streets after midnight is not something I'd recommend to people ... it's crazy out there." (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4340824a10.html).

But ... Christchurch to switch off lights ... for climate?

What of the implications?

Will this contrived crisis, token and expedient response, be sufficient to increase violence and theft (http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:B9KNM5vkdToJ:www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/tsuinfo/2007-02.pdf+blackouts+and+burglary+rates&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=nz) ... and what of conception rates? (http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/blackout.asp).

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the event was a chance to "raise the bar" (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4341620a11.html), a definite reference to violence ... The city's key Civil Defence organisers support the initiative, which involves non-essential lighting. Street lights will not be affected ... but in those additionally created, dark recesses, behind lit streets ...

But it's OK, there would be no clash with the Crusaders - they play in Wellington on the Friday night - and at this stage all cities would mark the hour between 8pm and 9pm, although this may be adjusted in Christchurch, depending on summer twilight.

Orion chief executive officer Roger Sutton said it was appropriate that Christchurch was the first New Zealand city to sign up for Earth Hour because it was already forward-thinking.

Sooo ... it wont affect the rugger ... nor the violence, coz violence only happens After Midnight (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Midnight), coz

After midnight, we're gonna let it all hang down.

After midnight, we're gonna chug-a-lug and shout.

We're gonna stimulate some action;

We're gonna get some satisfaction.

We're gonna find out what it is all about.

After midnight, we're gonna let it all hang down.

Almost, but not quite, a 'bob each way' Parker. Perhaps our Bob is simply trying to follow in the footsteps of trans tasman Big Man, Peter.

Christmas - it means so many different things to different people.

To me, it means several weeks with minimal contact with the wider world - definitely no computer - time to reflect, to dream, to plan, to play, to enjoy (at least some) of the family... and perchance to catch a fish or two ... well just one would do, as long as it was big enough to keep and eat ... and I have been good!

The Right Thing By your Mates.

Todd doing his time at Ridge's ... and as they say, "if you can't do the time ..."

Ridge and Todd will be flatmates for the next year while Todd completes his 12-month sentence of home detention after admitting charges relating to kickbacks he received from charity gaming funds supplied to sports organisations.

For Todd, it's been a major and high-profile fall from grace.

For Ridge, it's also been a major and high profile fall from grace...

From this ...

To this ...

But then mates will do that for each other.

And they're both really accustomed to public/media attention so a little extra personal oversight, well ...

The judge in the case, Thomas Everitt, has promised he will be taking a personal interest in how Todd is dealing with home detention.
"I want to see how it's going, and how you are coping."

The Herald reports, Todd has dealt just fine with day one, ensconsed on an airbed and sun towel ...

We eagerly await the next instalment ... will he turn over? Who will turn up? Will April turn up? ... and what of the judge?

"If you can't do the time ...."

Top Scientists?

Top scientists (More than 200 experts) jumped into the political battle over global warming at a climate conference, urging mankind to make deep cuts in carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, but the United States refused to back away from its opposition to mandatory cuts.

I think these doomsdayers should post their names, photos, credentials, research experience and statistical qualifications for all to see.

One can only assume that these people are so dependent on political funding that they are prepared to compromise basic scientific standards to achieve this, alternatively they simply do not have sufficient research/statistical knowledge to fully appreciate what they are supporting.
Intuition in this matter is simply not good enough. Perseverative thinking is contaminating their view of the world.
(contaminated = http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=145245).

Now, Who Said Crime Doesn't Pay?

& what of that olde adage, 'loyalty amongst thieves?'

Icons and beliefs ... two 'birds killed with one stone.'

Graham Henry is the head coach of the All Blacks again

Henry's results were among the best in All Blacks history.
Henry said he is grateful for the chance to continue. He said lessons had been learned from the 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign.
Eagle said the union "accepts it was jointly responsible and accountable for the [World Cup] result and the planning that went into the campaign".





So what of the 'people's choice?'

Deans has been the No 1 choice of Australian rugby supremo John O'Neill ever since they started casting their net for a new Wallabies coach.

He had, and still has, the look of a man confident that he would achieve what he wanted.

So either he has 'salved his conscience' and can coach the Wallabies with no regrets (he's been rejected) - and they will contract him until after the next World Cup.

Alternatively the Rugby Union has offered to pay him handsomely, offered him all they possibly can in respect to those lesser status coaching roles, as a means of retaining him here. The two year contract for Henry would suggest something akin to this.

This was always to be a 'win/win' situation for Robbie.

Interesting And Useful Stuff.

Helical auxetics.: are materials that become thicker perpendicularly to the applied force when stretched.

This material has other uses beyond terrorist attacks or battle scenarios, said Dr. Hook. The fabrics can "provide sustained protection and gives emergency services extra time to rescue trapped or injured people," and can offer effective protection against natural forces like hurricanes, as well as be deployed in containment systems, military tents, ballistic mosquito nets and body armor ... and it is low cost.

Nowhere to stay

The community he was bailed to did not accept him.

This is an interesting juxtaposition of pictures in Stuff.

It is quite likely that always including pictures of both the alleged perpetrator and victim(s) would mobilise community feeling about certain crimes through maintaining the association. It is probably far too easy to separate the person from the alleged crime otherwise and hence sympathise with any personal predicament they may find themselves in after the event ... not so some though.

Dr Connolly and Mr Doolan.

The Government's top social workers say a "culture of blame" over child abuse is driving social workers into taking children from their families to avoid any risk of being blamed if things go wrong.

Now this would really suggest that our social workers do not have sufficient ability, and/or confidence in their ability to realistically and reliably identify potential for harm.

They say "sensationalist" media coverage of high-profile child deaths is making social workers less willing to trust the families of the children referred to them.

Again, 'trusting families of children?' What is required is having the ability and confidence in their ability to reliably discriminate potential cases of child abuse and act on this.

They call for a move away from the "culture of blame" to what they call a "public health model of welfare" which targets the whole range of factors that lead people to harm children.

The number of children and young people in CYFS care has risen by half this decade, from 3533 in 1999-2000 to 5191 at the end of last year, despite an actual decline in child deaths from 1.07 a year for every 100,000 children in the 1990s to 0.79 a year in the first five years of this decade.

Now, I don't think that CYFS have ever been solely judged on child deaths ... more for the quality of their employees, separating families, inappropriate placements ... CYFSwatch would, I believe, attest to this.

This sensationalist reporting has largely, if I recall correctly, related to those cases already under CYFS care, associated with or that have been investgated by CYFS, that have resulted in deaths. That is, it has been indicative of a failure to adequately appraise the situation or assess the risk - a lack of confidence in their ability, or lack of ability, to reliably discriminate potential cases of child abuse and to act on this.

Dr Connolly and Mr Doolan say that every high-profile child death review has led to tightening managerial controls over social workers which have made them less willing to risk leaving children with their families ... But wait, these are the two top social workers, presumably those very people who have driven the policy to tighten managerial controls and over include as a means of protecting themselves and not the children and young persons that they are mandated to protect.

Is this really anything more than a means of avoiding addressing what have become seen as systemic problems within this service. Further abrogation of responsibility and this at a time when the situation has been absolutely simplified for them by the Bradford 'bash the parents' bill - which of course was also driven by their (CYFS') incapacity to reliably discriminate potential cases of child abuse and act on this with minimal over inclusion.

So ... still trying to 'protect their backs?'

'Grubbies.'

Survey reveals Britain’s dirty habits. Not a great survey, but Hygiene and sterilising experts Milton have decided to air Britain's dirty linen in public ...

36% of the UK population - that is 21 million people – said that they do not take a bath or shower every day, while 6% - 3.6 million people – bathe once a week and, rather shockingly, 1% - or 600,000 people – said they take a bath or shower just once a month.
The same number of people also said they only change their underwear on a monthly basis.

Now 1% isn't a great proportion of the population, but 600,000 'great unwashed' is more than the entire population within the Canterbury region.

Just another thing to be taken into account when working out those prenuptials.

Let's Spin Chris.

NZ kids among smartest ... but reading a concern. Yes and also with their teachers, and indeed with their minister... and about 15 per cent of Kiwi kids scored at level one or below.

... and 11,000 maori truants a week, total 43000 truants a week and 20% of maori kids leave school before the age of fifteen ... Oh.

Oh, Chris, so most of our failures had already left the education system.

"The new curriculum focuses on literacy and numeracy as key areas where we need our young people to achieve and we must continue that focus," Mr Carter said.

Aha ... but the new curriculum also focusses on 'reframing failure as success.'

But then, appearances are so important, Chris.

But really Chris, would you be able to tell?

Appears you may just have been one of the products of that 'context reading' experiment that proved such an impediment to so many New Zealanders being able to 'acquire that mandated education,' those 'victims' that are now educating our youngsters today... perpetuating this 'cycle of abuse.'

It took generations to create and will take the same to remediate ... so let's not pretend that our 'information economy ' is just round the corner. It is passed time the charades should cease ... and the crass alternatives on offer, the ability to pass NZCEA by text messaging language, just simply 'don't cut the mustard.'

All teachers should reach a criterion perfomance before being 'set loose' on classrooms, all teachers should be registered ... that a further three year moratorium has been granted on registration is absurd - this largely affects Kura, those that simply require the best teachers to succeed ... to pretend this is 'maori for maori' service is offensive.

But perhaps we are seeing the initiative being taken by universities, perhaps they are 'fed up' with the devaluation of degrees and again placing more importance on the attainment of a criterion level of performance prior to admission ... finally.

Oh Dear.

Patients at Rotorua Hospital are so revolted by hygiene standards they are rolling up their sleeves and scrubbing the toilets themselves.
Hospital officials have apologised for the conditions experienced by patients, and admitted it was "unacceptable" for patients to clean toilets themselves.

This requires somewhat more than an apology, quite simply it is unacceptable. It is probably this dereliction of basics in respect to health that has contributed to the spread of infections in our hospitals. Arguably it is hygiene, plumbing and sewage, that has made the biggest difference to human health and longevity ... medicine has, aside from antibiotics, ridden on the 'back' of this ... so how can they now, 'hop off the back of the golden horse' that has served them so well?

Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health desribes how the US health care system may contribute to poor health ... The Third Leading Cause of Death in the US
ALL THESE ARE DEATHS PER YEAR:
12,000 -- unnecessary surgery
7,000 -- medication errors in hospitals
20,000 -- other errors in hospitals
80,000 -- infections in hospitals
106,000 -- non-error, negative effects of drugs
These total to 225,000 deaths per year from iatrogenic causes!!

Little wonder that noro virus has infected so many of our hospitals, and those in our hospitals.

Simply Wanking.

There was a time when black was black and white was white, and going to prison meant you lost the rights you had as a law abiding citizen ... those freedoms that you should have considered prior to incarceration, those freedoms that should you have considered and valued greater than the punishment for the crime you intended to commit, you would not have committed and lost.

If your wife wanted another child it required broadening the genetic base ... but not anymore.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Britain had breached the rights of a murderer and his wife by denying them access to artificial insemination.
Kirk Dickson, 35, wants to have a baby but will not be released from prison until 2009 at the earliest. By that time his wife Lorraine, 49, of Beverley, East Yorkshire, who already has three children from other relationships, will be 51.

So it is a right now in europe to artificially inseminate one's partner from behind bars ... in New Zealand this still requires sleight of hand in the broader sense, prestidigitation if you prefer.

Either way, the more rights that are granted to our 'sufficiently serious criminals that require incarceration,' the less the deterrent effect imprisonment must have. It is little wonder that corrections departments have the reputations they do ... they have earned it, at their own direction, the direction of the justice system and politicians.

Mind you, perhaps Britain will continue to deprive this couple of their 'human rights?'

Oh Dear.

Researchers in Japan tested three pairs of mother chimps and their offspring alongside a group of university students ... In general, the three young apes performed better than their mothers. They were also faster in their response rate than humans. The students tended to become more inaccurate as the numbers were presented for less and less time.

Experts baffled by cholesterol study - consequently findings rejected.

... analysis of 61 previous studies involving almost 900,000 adults, conducted mostly in western Europe and North America, clearly showed that people with lower total blood cholesterol levels had a lower heart disease death rate.
But the researchers found no relationship between total cholesterol levels and risk of stroke death, especially at older ages and among people with higher blood pressures.

"I don't think they [the findings] muddy the fact that statins, which lower cholesterol, do lower stroke risk," Dr Sarah Lewington said.

Caused by fatty deposits that clog arteries, coronary artery disease is a leading cause of worldwide death.
The deposits build up in the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Narrowing of the arteries and reduction in blood flow to the heart can lead to heart attack and other conditions .. like strokes.

But, In a commentary accompanying the study ... they say, a link between cholesterol and stroke risk "probably exists".
"Because most of the benefit of statins in preventing cardiovascular events can be ascribed to the LDL reduction, it is puzzling that LDL cholesterol is not associated with stroke risk," they wrote.
And further, contrary to the findings in the study, They added that "there is good evidence that lowering blood cholesterol with statins reduces stroke risk."

But no, not from this study there isn't, and no contray equivalent studies are cited.

Brave Alright.

Thieves snatched nine Victoria Crosses, including one awarded to New Zealand's greatest war hero, Charles Upham, from the Army Museum in Waiouru.

"These are iconic things. They are part of New Zealand's history."

"The theft has left many veterans ( and I am sure many others) disgusted."

It is to be hoped that these icons are not subsequently located in that mist-ridden terrorist Urawera hideaway that was once the refuge of a Colin Mcahon painting ... after all Colin Mcahon created a series of paintings depicting our whakapapa ... and these medals similarly, and more emphatically, represent the same.

Gotcha.

AMERICA has told Britain that it can “kidnap” British citizens if they are wanted for crimes in the United States ... this must also apply to New Zealand ... the law applies to anyone, so even to that nocturnal, nuclear-power hating, flightless bird ... Legal sources said that under traditional American justice, rendition meant capturing wanted people abroad and bringing them to the United States. The term “extraordinary rendition” was coined in the 1990s for the kidnapping of terror suspects from one foreign country to another for interrogation.

Should our Prime Minister and her helper Michael be frightened ... sedition ... the "notion of inciting by words or writings disaffection towards the state or constituted authority". I would have thought that on many occasion they have both passed the threshold.

Last month was extremely dry in many parts of New Zealand, especially in the South Island

Dr, anthropogenic global warming, Salinger, says there is no respite in sight ...

Meanwhile, much of the South Island is facing the definite possibility of a summer drought, with NIWA's Seasonal Climate Outlook saying La Nina conditions are in full swing.
NIWA agricultural climatologist Alan Porteous says the problem farmers currently face is that soil moisture levels in the east of the country and parts of Otago have already reached summer deficits.
Farmers could be facing a drought as devastating as in 1988/89, according to the climate outlook.
Are we to understand that Kiehl (Reference: Jeffrey T. Kiehl, 2007. Twentieth century climate model response and climate sensitivity. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 34, L22710, doi:10.1029/2007GL031383, 2007) is arguing that the various GCMs are akin to a zero sum game in which, no matter how the key variables are changed (GCM=global climate models). The end result is always the same because the data is fitted to the “temperature record”, what ever that is ... The temperatures are not used as inputs. They are used to “check” outputs i.e. to define acceptable research... sooooo ... Jim Salinger, NIWA, perhaps Augie had more than a little insight in to your political posturings?

Now, If This Were France.

Police will examine whether an officer should face charges after a crash involving his patrol car and a motorcycle in the Upper Buller Gorge, near Murchison, on Saturday.



In France this would have evoked a response of these proportions.

Risk Taking.

A Napier man Richard Miller, 45, is facing a charge of behaving threateningly, two charges of indecent acts with a girl under 12, two of abducting a girl under 12 for sex, three charges of raping a girl under 12, indecently assaulting a girl over 16, supplying cannabis oil, and two charges of unlawful sexual connection with a girl under 12 ... Miller was arrested on September 19 after he was seen with a six-year-old girl in a car parked in a Napier park ... Miller's family had sent abusive texts to the mother of one of his alleged victims.

Judge Bridget Mackintosh said Miller's lawyer would find it difficult to organise a defence case if Miller remained at Hawke's Bay Prison.

This has not constituted a problem in the past, after all 20 miles does not seem an insurmountable hurdle in preparing a defence.

She felt electronic bail would minimise the risk of further offending and was "a viable alternative to custody".
She granted Miller electronic bail to live at his home in Pirimai, Napier.

Given the described circumstances, it seems the reason given does not warrant home detention nor the rather obvious risks involved in this ... and it certainly shows no consideration for the feelings of the victims and their families.
Additionally, it is quite common that imminent incarceration realises a surge in offending ... particularly for sexual offences.
If home detention results in further offending I am sure the judge will unreservedly accept full responsibility for this.

Why?

Now surfing the net, as one tends to do from time to time, this was happened across on Climate Audit. The Texas sharpshooter fallacy is a logical fallacy in which information that has no relationship is interpreted or manipulated until it appears to have meaning ...The fallacy is related to the clustering illusion, which refers to the tendency in human cognition to interpret patterns in randomness where none actually exist.


Now in a recent study, Otago University researchers analysed the cases of 7200 New Zealand women who died of cancer between 1988 and 1997. Occupational data was taken from death certificates ... but, Statistics NZ has stopped noting occupations on death certificates, so the data is no longer easily available. Nor does the cancer registry make a note of occupation.


Why not? ... and who makes the decisions as to what information will be recorded and the rationale behind these decisions?


Without 'good data' all that is left are the apriori intuitives, the texas sharpshooter who draws the target around the cluster of shots.
This unfortunately is the case with: A & E admissions to hospital - none , to my knowledge keep good records of frequency of referral/admission, reason for referral/admission, or even attempt to identify source (geographical location); reading or general academic failings in schools - these are apparently attributable to geographic area (i.e. low S.E.S. areas), definitely not to the school that perpetuated such deficit; greater or lesser recidivism rates resulting from different programmes from different prisons, and the impact of greater social engineering - for example why was baseline data not kept on child behaviour in schools prior to the removal of corporal punishment ... prior to the removal of 'slapping' as a corrective measure for misbehaviour effected by parents?

Why?

Crime A Mental Health Issue.

A quarter of young people who end up in court may have been damaged by their mother's drinking during pregnancy - and should be treated differently, visiting experts say. Foetal alcohol kids 'require court rethink.'

After all, punishment has always been an ineffective means of correcting behaviour ... just ask parents, teachers, police and others involved in skills training. It is ironical that at this point in time, a time of the disempowerment of those people/services charged with teaching skills or effecting socially appropriate change, that our penal institutions shoud be named Departments of Corrections ... this doesn't quite reflect their reality.

Understatement.

Police are hunting for two men who sexually assaulted a young woman as she walked along the Porirua waterfront.

She was held from behind around her throat and neck while another man sexually assaulted her ... We know that incidents like this can cause community concern, as people should feel safe and be safe while enjoying recreational areas.

Predictable.

Killer's case manager was overloaded. The probation officer monitoring Graeme Burton after his prison release had too many high-risk offenders for one person to manage, a Corrections Department boss has admitted.

The inquest had earlier heard Burton was assessed by a clinical psychologist as being a veritable psychopath at moderate-to-high risk of violently reoffending ... who should not have been released.
Though he was implicated in three serious attacks on inmates and alleged to have offered a prisoner $8000 to do hits on two guards just months before his release, the Parole Board was not told this by prison staff.

All of the above was entirely predictible, as was the mayhem executed by Burton.

Abrogation of responsibility is a Public Service thing ... one could not expect less from quangos.

Aha, no one to blame.

Maybe the ABs need a woman's touch.

Reporter-cum-wannabe-All Blacks choreographer Beck Eleven applied for the position as coach on Monday. She was turned down yesterday.
And why, you may ask youself was she so emphatically rejected?
This sport is indeed in need of new blood, new ideas, new moves. The union says no, no, but reality already indicates a gender metamorphosis ... Nonu ... sometime ago ... eyeliner, and up and down ... up and down ... up and down a Wgn. lift, singing macho macho man as if trying to tell himself something. These strategies have a definite Graham Henry ring to them ... repetition, visualisation and self talk. But if this feminisation, this deference training, this absolute choreographed foreplay and of course necessary impeccable instructional control, for the All Blacks was orchestrated by Henry himself it is little wonder that his charges were hesitant, ambivalent and so obviously failed to reach those prescribed pinnacles ... with Henry, these requisites do not even hold 'face validity' ... after all a student cannot exceed the abilities of their teacher, and the 'art' of choreography has traditionally been more associated with dance than rugby ... so 'tis more properly a sheila thing ... and Henry, need we need reminding, does not approximate sheila, has failed as choreographer, has denied our elite sportspeople of that impromptu dance step... and has had his opportunity. He stated he would be judged on his world Cup Performance ... it was abysmal. The only reason he can be included in the final selection at present is as a means of not showing their previous support as being poorly founded ... and really, can NZ rugby really, really afford more grief counselling?
... Beck 11.
The ABs have already been touched by a woman.

Rudd does not have a big ego.

And a little ego is a big plus for maintaining a close transtasman relationship.

And as for Howard, In many ways he was without ego ... What bedevilled the Australia-New Zealand relationship in the past was often a lot of ego.

But the ego is there to moderate that hedonistic id and the overwhelming restrictions of the super ego ... so this is all a little difficult to comprehend.

Perhaps this is a close as Helen gets to the denigration of the person via the humming of the "Colonel Bogey March".

It's All In The Definition.

Now if the use of tazers was seen as an intervention of almost last resort, a means of 'treating' poor impulse control, modifying irrational thinking, then perhaps, just perhaps the UN would have modified it's recommendation.
The Ministry of Health said 70 to 80 per cent of patients who received ECT responded to it well ... Oh yes ... but not from my reading on the topic.
Disproportionately more women than men received ECT
The elderly were the main group to receive ECT.
In fact more effective with older aged, female, foreign born and less educated. Why more women? Perhaps simply more male psychiatrists.
Side effects include headaches, muscle aches or soreness, nausea, confusion and memory loss.
Now, I recall a study indicating permanent brain damage resulting from equivalent voltage/amperage per body weight to mice following a single convulsion ... perhaps this New-generation scanner will show this treatment to be a permanent and debilitating form of torture, the ultimate in sanctioned oppression.

A Cruel And Unnatural Torture - UN

Girl's hand stuck in sewing machine ... A 12-year-old girl learnt her sewing lessons the hard way today when a needle pierced her thumbnail only minutes before the final school bell.
Ouch!
One commentator, fully cognizant of the pain inflicted, empathised, "Well, I'll be darned ... that's sew terrible. Poor little bobbin."
Others feared the ramifications of an OSH intervention - none however mentioned the possibility of UN sanctions against such a potentially cruel and unusual punishment for what can only be considered a momentary lapse, a moment's distraction.
It does not appear that any counselling was offered for the resulting grave physical and mental impact.
This stuation will not be allowed to arise in New Zealand ... unquestioning acceptance of UN scripture is basic to the psyches of our leaders.

Greenhouse Gases Spiked in 2006

(GENEVA)— Two of the most important Greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere reached a record high in 2006, and measurements show that one — carbon dioxide — is playing an increasingly important role in global warming, the U.N. weather agency said Friday ... Methane, the third of the three important greenhouse gases, remained stable between 2005 and 2006 ... CO2 contributed 87 percent to the warming effect over the last decade, but in the last five years alone, its contribution was 91 percent ... This shows that CO2 is gaining importance as a greenhouse gas.

Now if the basis for global warming (the Gore hockey stick) is largely a bristlecone pine tree- ring American phenomenon (if the bristlecone cores are removed the other proxies do not indicate the same results and it seems there is probably little correlation between cores taken from the same trees), then, the jury is well and truly out on whether or not such warming has even occurred so how can you attribute specific variables as causative of this nebulous phenomenon.
These latest claims are simply unmeasurable in the generalised sense claimed .. but this is not sufficient to deter doomsdayers' prophecies..

The World Meteorological Organization also concluded that "Greenhouse gases are major drivers of global warming and climate change."
The World Meteorological Organization said it based its findings on readings from 44 countries.
The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecast that by 2020, 75 million to 250 million people in Africa will suffer water shortages, residents of Asia's large cities will be at great risk of river and coastal flooding, Europeans can expect extensive species loss, and North Americans will experience longer and hotter heat waves and greater competition for water.

But then claiming a measure has 'spiked' perhaps is indicating a change in attack ... perhaps these people are aware that their claims are spuriously based and so by claiming a 'spike' they can subsequently claim that 'global warming,' like the ozone hole, is soooo sensitive to these gases that their endeavours to reduce emissions has had an immediate effect.

Personally I think the careers of these people should be 'on the line' over this contrived 'scientifically-based' scaremongering.

A Black Cloud.

& looming over the excitement of an election victory hangs a Ruddy black cloud.
Memories cannot be expunged as simply as the process of shredding documents.

Rudd has breezed through this election with little scrutiny of his role in the Goss government ... He may find it more difficult to be evasive when standing before an independent judge - not a malleable media circus.

Tasers a form of torture.

Now I was of the belief that the principal purpose of these 'weapons' was to immobilise those people constituting a serious threat of harm to others, beit the general public or those in law enforcement, rather than resorting to the use of weapons with considerably greater consequence such as has occurred here with issued side-arms (the glock).
One would presume that the UN will not be happy until those with the responsibility of protecting the public, stop when confronted, quickly estimate body weight and use a tranquilliser dart ... oh, but this still wont get around potential pre-existing cardiac conditions.

"The use of these weapons causes acute pain, constituting a form of torture,'' the UN's Committee against Torture said. ... its use can have a grave physical and mental impact on those targeted, which violates the UN's Convention against Torture, the experts said.

No-meat Mills runs foul of NZ

Heather Mills, the estranged wife of Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, has infuriated Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton by slating people who eat meat and dairy products in a billboard campaign to reduce global warming.
"The woman's probably off the planet," Anderton said. "I don't think she's got any scientific credibility at all."

"I'm more scientific than you ," said Jim, " and I am from planet earth, and anybody who thinks different I will 'gore-bull' up," he theatrically monotoned with an organic chuckle...

You Just Wait 'Till Your Dad Comes Home!

The MP behind the anti-smacking legislation, Sue Bradford, says a conviction under the controversial law shows it is working well.
A 33-year-old Masterton man was sentenced to nine months' supervision including counselling yesterday after pleading guilty to assaulting the boy by grabbing him by the shoulder and smacking him three times with an open hand.

One wonders to what extent this person is simply suffering that 'post traumatic stress thingamy,' rejection, displacement of this 'pent up hurt' and pursuit of this agenda-ised 'feminist' nonsense viz. Lynne Segal's widely cited 1987 description of feminist representations of men as "rapists, batterers, pornographers, child abusers, militarists, exploiters."

"the hate that dares not speak its name".[Judith Levine) ... Misandry.

Latest suicide stats show little change.

The figures showed that in 2005, 502 people died by suicide.
Mr Anderton, Associate Health Minister, said those who had particularly high rates were people aged between 15 and 44, along with Maori and those living in the most deprived areas of the country.
Men had higher rates than women - for every three male suicides there was one female suicide.

Arguably, this could be considered a basic barometer of the functioning of our current government.

BUT, In 2006, there were 5400 hospitalisations (for intentional self harm) which was a 7.5 per cent increase on the previous year ... obviously the 'stable rate' of suicide is simply fortuity ... a 'cry for help' or an artefact of the failure of our 'new age knowledge economy.'

"Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire."

This

Plus this

Plus this Plus this

equals this ... Parent convicted of assaulting children -Three smacks and he's 'guilty'

and this, 'Little darling' faces preschool expulsion;

and this, Police called after 9-year-old goes berserk at school;

and this, Primary teachers meet over beatings from students;

and this, Teachers protest at school violence ... hence Secondary schools struggle for staff, as do primary schools, and the granting of "limited authority to teach" permits for (unqualified teachers)up to three years (Previously, the permits were valid for a year at most) ... and this, Stress rife as teacher shortage worsens ... and this largely as a consequence of a greater percentage of less manageable kids, greater demands on teaching staff, too many education providers producing too many questionably competent graduates and a low and rapidly declining status for teachers... and this situation is rapidly compounding.

Combine this with NZCER researcher Adrian Alton-Lee attributing only a 16% effect size for educational achievement to teacher effects (quality) and you have one of the strongest arguments for home-schooling there ever has been, and daily it is becoming more compelling. For example, would you entrust people whose input could only realise such minimal effect in teaching your children to 'safely' cross the road?

Little wonder that Desperate parents are using extreme measures to enrol their children in out-of-zone schools, in schools they feel their children can acquire a sound education.

MAF to drop poison on fiery ants.

Now perhaps, just perhaps, if greater measures were put in place at our borders, measures such as these would be less common. Like perhaps if cars were checked for potentially invasive species prior to being driven to a Vehicle Testing Station some twenty miles from the point of unloading ... placing the onus on the importer begs mayhem.

The impact of Maf Biosecurity on the environment almost always seems to be understated prior to any eradication programme (Btk, when applied at recommended rates, does not harm (1)people,plants, animals or any insects - except for caterpillars) and under reported subsequently(2) ... the environment of course including non target species(3) such as humans.

The aerial method may also help eradicate other invasive ant species such as the Singapore ant or tropical fire ant ... and presumably many other ant and insect species.

Links don't seem to be working ... so 'cut & paste.'

(1) http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests-diseases/forests/white-spotted-tussock-moth/about-btk.htm

(2) http://www.healthpac.govt.nz/moh.nsf/UnidPrint/MH4068?OpenDocument&Click=

(3) http://www.peoplesinquiry.co.nz/content/view/3/32/

To Put To Breast Or Not?

Breast milk content may affect child's obesity risk.

Mothers who breast feed and have high levels of a protein secreted by lipids in their milk may be increasing the risk that their child will be overweight, German researchers report.

But breast feeding also increases IQ by 6 to 7 points. However, not all breastfed children show this higher IQ score ... they have to have a certain version of a gene called FADS2 ... and 6-7 IQ points doth not an Einstein make.

So breast fed babies are perhaps a bit fatter and perhaps a bit brighter. But increasing the risk of being overweight ... Oh dear ... what a dilemma.

A Tutor In Common?

New Zealand is at a tipping point ... Pregnant 11-year-old example of 'wall of silence' (Cindy Kiro).

“The twelve big glaciers with these pro-glacial lakes have passed a ‘tipping point’. And it is already clear that they will not return to their earlier lengths without extraordinary cooling of the climate because the large lakes now block their advance” (Jim Salinger) ... blocked by this 'wall of water.'

Both are emphasising the extreme emotively as a means of justifying the imposition of controls on the moderate majority ... same words, same intent ... same public relations tutor? It's unlikely they are just 'on the same page' or that they are both simply doctors.

My Haven't We Come A long Way.

Gay union attended by parliamentary colleagues ... 'given away' by the Speaker of the House, saucily poem-ed by an ex-colleague transvestite and serenaded by music and song especially composed by a Maori activist ... we really have become an all embracing society and it is our parliamentarians leading the way in this unqualified acceptance of these previously deemed deviant and antisocial minority groups.

But then New Zealand Denies Immigration to U.K. Wife Because She's Too Fat ... British citizens Rowan Trezise, 33, and Richie Trezise, 35, are living apart as she tries desperately to shed the pounds needed to comply with New Zealand guidelines that immigrants maintain a healthy BMI, or body mass index ... NZ, Land of the food nazis.

But then, perhaps a 'line does have to be drawn somewhere ...'

Warming catches up with big glaciers

Climate change is making New Zealand's biggest glaciers melt twice as quickly as comparable ice masses overseas, according to research released today by leading climate change expert, Dr Jim Salinger.

The Southern Alps' 12 biggest glaciers had crossed a "tipping point" into faster melting as they respond to regional warming ... regional warming?

The Niwa research, which is the first long-term study of ice mass in the Southern Alps, found 5.8cukm of ice had been lost in the past 20 years. That was almost 11% of the total ice mass. More than 90% of this loss was from the 12 largest glaciers ... The overall shrinkage is despite almost no change in the position of the ‘End of Summer Snowline’ at the top of the Southern Alps glaciers and that The Southern Alps glaciers monitored annually by NIWA showed little change in ice mass in the year to March 2007.
Source: Aerial survey of 50 indicator glaciers, conducted at the end of summer each year since 1977. So this survey is aerial, so no topograhical surveys ... just aerial photos?

Not so for the smaller glaciers though ... Smaller glaciers, having rapidly adjusted to regional warming earlier, (adjusted to regional warming earlier? Greater time to adapt so less loss of ice mass?) had not receded much in the past 20 years or in a few cases have slightly advanced. They include two well-known West Coast glaciers, the Fox and the Franz Josef... But, all the glaciers advanced during most of the 1980s and 1990s when the area experienced about a 15% increase in precipitation, associated with more El Niño events and stronger westerly winds over New Zealand.
So, it seems, entirely as one would expect, that the glaciers vary considerably over time ... backwards and forwards and up and down, so to speak, and this year everything is ... well ... pretty uneventful ... like no real change ... and that these findings should, well just happen to be ready for publication today, as the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change releases a synthesis report in Valencia today ... well science can be like that you know.

This Is Indeed Commendable.

New Zealand sailing icon Barbara Kendall is set to attend her fifth Olympic Games after being named in the first batch of Kiwis to attend next year's event in Beijing.
Barbara Kendall says she has the smarts to take on the fit young things in her fifth Olympics ... and I am sure she is correct in this.
Committment to top level sport over such a long period is quite incredible.

Life Should Be Simple.

So perhaps, just perhaps our experts have been relying on continued exposure to the 'educational factory' to remit these (ADHD ++) symptoms, 'natural remission' so to speak and the 'negative pathways and lifelong trajectories' may just be fear-mongered 'bunkum' ... the sort of stuff that begats an industry. There seems a strong argument here for increasing vocabularies and mathematical skills at an early age though and to fluency, which of course is necessary for functioning well in a system that involves cumulative learning.
In one study, an international team of researchers analyzed measures of social and intellectual development from over 16,000 children and found that disruptive or antisocial behaviors in kindergarten did not correlate with academic results at the end of elementary school.
Kindergartners who interrupted the teacher, defied instructions and even picked fights were performing as well in reading and math as well-behaved children of the same abilities when they both reached fifth grade, the study found.

In the other study, researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health and McGill University, using imaging techniques, found that the brains of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder developed normally but more slowly in some areas than the brains of children without the disorder.

While there was little correlation between behavior problems in kindergarten and later academic success, the researchers did find that scores on math tests at ages 5 or 6 were highly correlated with academic success in fifth grade. Kindergarten reading skills and scores on attention measures — where youngsters with A.D.H.D. falter — also predicted later academic success, but less strongly than math scores did.

Eco Fundamentalist's Propaganda.

Quite simply Gore cannot believe all the hype he and cohorts ('confederates') have generated but he obviously believes he has created sufficient momentum to 'turn a penny or two.' He can even maintain this fear factor with incorrectly represented axes and data splicing. Al Gore announced Monday he's joining Silicon Valley's most prestigious venture capital firm to guide investments that help combat global warming.

Cultural Retrenchment.

This is an inevitability in supporting a culture in reclaiming 'what was,' when that 'what was' is not really known and was based on superstitious belief and the 'cure,' the exorcism, both draconian and excessive.
'Makutu, kehua-ed' ... 'insane, hysterical,' both require the perception of a 'powerful observer' and a consensus of view (the 'experience' is defined for them)- hence up to 40 people were watching the ceremony when she died/was killed.

And from our 'crest of the wave populist, hedge your bets indigenous surfer' Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said he had witnessed the successful removal of a likely makutu after a child started barking like a dog. "It's not for me to say that it's all supernatural and there's nothing in it.
"With the right karakia (prayer), the right chanting . . . (the curse) can be lifted by their own family." Oh wow, Pita, 'bow wow.'
Pity some of these people didn't believe everything stolen from someone else was a taonga, especially the education delivered by their separatist self determining (unregistered) selves to their own children. Readoption of primitive superstitious belief is an artefact of a lack of knowledge, of deteriorating levels of education.
Quite simply all those present at the time of this woman's death should be charged either directly or indirectly with her death.

Update: So there has been a resurgence in this ritualistic primitive practice ... attendance to which is probably government funded, if not mandated and attended by government employees (obviously the 'pressure' to participate must be greatly enhanced by our increasing cultural 'preciousness') ... and they had obviously learned nothing from the 'practice effect,' their 'near miss' ... or did they? It was also believed that Ms Moses was held down and forced to drink large amounts of water through the night, and water was also syringed into her eyes.
This will happen increasingly, this burgeoning ritual abuse will dwarf the Christchurch creche fantasy ... and where are Mason Durie's comments on all of this ... he became reknowned through orthodox/conservative psychiatry and on this base he has helped 'lay the foundation' for these occurrences.
When will people learn that 'culture is a way of living,' it is constantly changing, and one would hope that such change involves embracing that which improves life.

Tame Iti freed after terror ruling

The 55-year-old mental health worker from Whakatane, Maori activist Tame Iti and five others arrested in the so-called anti-terror raids last month, have been released on bail.

Hasn't the Labour Government, and of course the without peer Geoffrey Palmer, done well?

Included the Treaty belatedly in the school syllabus (and with sustainability and global warming) and resurrected the Revolution.

These people must laud the notion of separatism and the intellectually wanting.

No explanation for 'scary' rise in autism.

Finding out why the brain development disorder was growing at such an alarming rate was the "million dollar question", Autism New Zealand Auckland manager Felicity Roberts said.
The increase was not explained by the population increase or another suggestion that it was now easier to diagnose.

Oh yes ... obviously has nothing to do with a broadening of diagnostic criteria and an adoption of an overly inclusive 'spectrum' or a resurgence in medical emphasis given behavioural excess, deficit, or difference. It used to pivot on 'a failure to interact with one's environment, principally social environment,' but now has become one of those 'wash up' diagnoses to explain and excuse dysfunctional child rearing or management resulting in 'odd' behaviour ... enables and reinforces the abrogation of parental responsibility in this.
Psychiatric taxonomy and associated 'educational medications' have indeed become a growth industry ... constructs from 'go to whoa.'
'Brain disorder' indeed.

Sunshine 'helps skin stay young'

A healthy dose of sunshine may be the secret to staying young, a study has found.
Vitamin D, produced naturally by the skin in response to sunlight, may help to slow the ageing process, according to scientists.
And the "sunshine vitamin" may also help protect against age-related diseases, such as heart disease.

Aha ... now what can you say ... I thought I was 'sun smart,' covered up even though I knew the worst rate of skin cancer was on the west coast of the South Island and now I find I am doomed to be a 'wizzened old wrinkly,' and aesthetics are so important to me ... I am lost for words.

And One Must Presume She Is Correct.

Perth papers put Maori at centre of race war ... Maori community leaders are calling for calm

A deadly race war that erupted in suburban Lockridge has brought warnings of brutal revenge after long-simmering tensions between Aboriginals and Maori sparked a wild street battle which left a New Zealand man dead."

Tracey Pollett, of Tuhoe descent, deals with both Aboriginal and Maori communities in her role as Deputy Director of the Edmond Rice Institute for Social Justice.
She has lived in Perth for six years and is angry the conflict is being framed as a race or gang incident.
"The reporting is inflammatory and I am just scared the papers will get their way."Up until now relations have been very good - there has never been a race issue between Maori and Aboriginals until the media decided it was so."
Pollett heard from friends that the brawl, which involved more than 20 people and left bloody weapons scattered along a suburban street, was sparked by a dispute over $30.

Yep, $30 is enough to start a race war ... even here armed robbery is done for less.

Armed robbery for 12-pack ... possibly something to do with the tiritiri of greed.

Crucial review for ABs coaches.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chairman Jock Hobbs said Graham Henry and assistants Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith will face the board's rugby committee for their annual performance review ... aha, a huge investment, a singular and unpopular focus and almost unequalled failure.

Like many, these people 'live life vicariously,' unlike many they were 'absolutely going to do the job.'

They didn't ... no performance bonuses here ... no 'bringing back the Buck and passing it here,' that their chosen charges 'did a Jerry Collins when the chips were down' is entirely their responsibility.

These guys are not winners ... they have not added value to the 'brand.'

But they will undoubtedly run a distraction, disassociation and attribution arguably are becoming a characteristic 'Henryism.'

Update: And so it came to pass ... Graham Henry and co tell NZRU: It was the ref's fault.
& Further Update: Quite properly, the New Zealand Rugby Union decided the position would be contestable.

Will This Misbegotten Head Begotten, Smoked And Sold To The French?

This Is Very Frightening.

Seven pupils and their principal have been killed after a teenager opened fire at a school in southern Finland, hours after a video was posted on YouTube predicting a massacre there.

This is a peaceful place, nothing like this has happened and nothing like this is to be expected either... Despite having the world's third-largest per capita handgun ownership, violent incidents are rare at Finnish schools.
According to Finnish media, there have been four stabbings at schools since 1999. None of these caused fatalities.

This is probably less violence than occurs in schools here in New Zealand and our schools are no where near as inclusive or involving of their pupils.
Finland has consistently had one of the better performing education systems of all OECD countries in respect to educational achievement ... there are more special education teachers for those low achievers than anywhere else, one third of pupils get one on one remedial instruction. ... teachers plan collegially, have regular times in each others classrooms ... all new teachers must have a masters degree.
So there is considerably 'less room' for isolatory behaviour and the necessary excessive preoccupations to develop and flourish sufficiently for such an event to occur ... not so here.

Update: School shooting: gunman dies.
A gunman who killed eight people in a school shooting in southern Finland and turned the gun on himself has died in hospital.
"He (the gunman) was moving systematically through the school hallways, knocking on the doors and shooting through the doors."

An American infection, an expression of disassociation or the elitist notions expressed?

It Had To Happen.

Santa hit in drive-by shooting
Who shot Santa? The jolly fella in the big red suit apparently took a bullet this week in a drive-by shooting.
Jo Bridgman, owner of the I Love Christmas shop, arrived at her central Christchurch shop to discover not only did her window have a bullet hole through it – but so did Santa. His porcelain face has been shattered

She had no idea who the mysterious assassin was. But she did wonder whether "it's someone with a deep-seated issue who didn't get what they wanted last Christmas." Or it could just be someone with a deep seated issue ... mind you, this chappy would scare the daylights out of anybody.

Specious stuff flourishes due to a media need for the sensational.

Risk of binge surveys revealed.



The results of a major scientific survey should alarm everybody, says a visiting professor.
Nobody's safe, nobody at all, said the professor in his keynote address to a conference of survey professionals held in Wellington at the weekend ... You see, said the professor, the situation is becoming critical. And it's not just binge-drinkers that run the risk of irreversible brain damage. A recent survey conducted by a colleague has revealed that bacon-eaters are right up there in the unacceptable risk category.



But rate of occurrence of behaviour in and of itself isn't bad, it's purely descriptive. It is the inevitable correlation studies ascribing causal relationship when such relationship cannot realistically be attributed by such process.
Unfortunately such studies and the publicity seeking perpetrators of such do a tremendous disservice to science and scientifc process ... it relegates it to the level of astrology ... a slight mental reframing and everyone can apply it, and the associated negative effects, to themselves ... scurrilous really ... charlatanism in fact.

According To Need?

Hastings police are hunting two men who robbed a store at gunpoint on Friday night.
One distracted an attendant at the Angus Inn while the other stole a 12-pack box of drinks about 10pm.
The men were described as Maori, one about 16 to 19 and the other 19 or 20, police said.
Three other people were in the burgundy four- wheel-drive that left the scene.

Now that is only 2.4 bottles each.

A tearful lawyer, now there would be a sight.

Pakistan police use teargas against lawyers. So nothing to do with remorse, contrition, empathy, or necessarily to do with the greater good at all. I guess 'emergency rule' has immediately left them all without an income ... lawyers need 'democracy.'

The IQ - based market for wet nurses.

Or suckers, the right tit at the right time is intellectually enhancing (the writer is most apologetic that the graphic in fact depicts a left tit).

The C version of the FADS2 gene is associated with more efficient processing of the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in breast milk. This may in turn help brain development and function, though the exact link is not yet known.
The researchers found that children with the C version of the gene averaged slightly higher IQ scores when breastfed as babies than those who were not breastfed. This IQ advantage was about 6 to 7 points.

Why oh why is there so much absolutely specious nonsense being reported by the media under the auspices of 'research' these days???