National Women's Hospital says one woman a day is reporting some form of abuse under a pilot project aimed at helping the victims of family violence.
A pilot scheme, in which all women who visit the hospital are asked about abuse, began 18 months ago.
Clinical services general manager Kay Hyman says about one woman a day is disclosing that she is a victim, and she would like to see the project broadened .... and zero tolerance, there is something awfully Bradfordish about this.
But then this must conflict with this programme which is also going to be broadened.
The strategy, called the Hawke's Bay Family Intervention Programme, had proven so successful it is to be launched nationwide tomorrow by the Health Ministry.
Some abused children are becoming so violent they are being expelled from kindergarten or infant classes at school, a Hawke's Bay paediatrician says. The focus is on shaken babies and broken bones," he said . ..That was serious enough, but a wider and deeper problem was emerging, that of violent children unable to trust adults or relate to other people.
He was dealing daily with children who had developed severe psychological problems that became permanent if not treated while they were infants or toddlers.
"By the time a child is 10 you've missed the boat."
Aha, no trust, attachment disorder, early intervention - Cindy Kiro will love this another ally in the argument for mandatory child management courses for parents, mandatory reporting ... but a paediatrician, dealing with 'severe psychological problems' and making statements about prognosis?? Mind you the Hawkes Bay is quite a backwater so it wouldn't be surprising if there were no psychologists, no psychiatrists and especially those dealing with children.
New Zealand's record of domestic violence is being exposed at a United Nations convention in New York today. Oh my goodness, name and shame on the international stage.
They will be told that in New Zealand, a woman is killed every five weeks by her partner or ex-partner.
Anne Todd-Lambie and Beryl Anderson from New Zealand's National Council of Women, in a 10 minute presentation, will tell the conference that all forms of violence ranging from the killing of women in domestic situations to bullying in schools and workplaces are an overwhelming concern for New Zealand women.
They will be calling on the New Zealand Government to commit long term funding to the problem.
The National Council of Women will also be highlighting concerns about children being sexualised too early through advertising and the media, the fact that New Zealand women continue to receive less pay than men for work of equal value and a lack of women in leadership roles in the private sector.
Sexualised too early .. but they teach them about that in schools, don't they? And at a young age, don't they?
It is really beyond me that these phenomena are women's issues.
But whenever there's a killing or a significant wounding the vultures gather ... easy pickings at times of high emotion.
Monday, July 30, 2007
More Adult Abuse under the Guise of Child Abuse.
All women entering New Zealand public hospitals will be questioned about whether they or their children have been victims of family violence - even if they are merely seeking treatment for an ingrown toenail.
Whilst in hospital women will be asked these three questions to see if she may have been abused: * Has anybody hurt or threatened you? * Have you ever felt controlled or always criticised?* Have you been asked to do anything sexual that you didn't wat to do?
Well chosen, open-ended questions so filled with meaning and so open to interpretation - in fact change the word hospital for school and omit the word sexual and what have you???
With this sort of simplistic, what can only result in overinclusion, nonsense it is little wonder we have a child abuse problem of grand proportions.
Do women not give men the bash?
Do women not give their kids the bash?
Is it only men who are sexually innovative?
These questions are nothing to do with child abuse, they are the creation of some simpleton whose conception of marrige and relationship is of the subjugation of one of the parties.
Whilst in hospital women will be asked these three questions to see if she may have been abused: * Has anybody hurt or threatened you? * Have you ever felt controlled or always criticised?* Have you been asked to do anything sexual that you didn't wat to do?
Well chosen, open-ended questions so filled with meaning and so open to interpretation - in fact change the word hospital for school and omit the word sexual and what have you???
With this sort of simplistic, what can only result in overinclusion, nonsense it is little wonder we have a child abuse problem of grand proportions.
Do women not give men the bash?
Do women not give their kids the bash?
Is it only men who are sexually innovative?
These questions are nothing to do with child abuse, they are the creation of some simpleton whose conception of marrige and relationship is of the subjugation of one of the parties.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Child Abuse?
The 'national scandal' of child abuse ... "There have been enough enquiries into child abuse in New Zealand and it's now time to put into practice their findings ... There needs to be an investment in early intervention work," Ms Cindy Kiro Children's Commissioner said.
And let's impose this on every young parent, because to do otherwise, to target the most at risk groups would be racism.
"And John Howard is a racist bastard," said John Harawira.
United Future leader Peter Dunne says, " the kind of child abuse suffered by Nia Glassie and the Kahui twins (and James Whakaruru) is a Maori problem which Maori must sort out. Maori should not only recognise and deal with Maori who were child abusers but also those who stood aside and did nothing to stop them," he said."Within some families there is a culture of cover-up and collaboration that condones long-term child abuse," Mr Dunne said.
And let's impose this on every young parent, because to do otherwise, to target the most at risk groups would be racism.
"And John Howard is a racist bastard," said John Harawira.
United Future leader Peter Dunne says, " the kind of child abuse suffered by Nia Glassie and the Kahui twins (and James Whakaruru) is a Maori problem which Maori must sort out. Maori should not only recognise and deal with Maori who were child abusers but also those who stood aside and did nothing to stop them," he said."Within some families there is a culture of cover-up and collaboration that condones long-term child abuse," Mr Dunne said.
And of course he is partly correct, but maori have proven incapable of 'sorting it out,' and the PC ethic is a large part of what is making the problem not addressable, let alone accessible to change.
"And John Howard is a racist bastard," said John Harawira.
Prime Minister Helen Clark told reporters, " it was "reprehensible" if people were aware of the toddler's abuse but did not come forward. But it also seemed incredible the wider family, neighbour and community were not aware of the toddler's abuse. Rather than being a Maori problem, Miss Clark said child abuse was a "community problem".
Miss Clark said, " the Ministry of Social Development was in September launching an awareness campaign about violence against children."
And before you can address it you to be able to say it ... 'maori child abuse figures are among the highest in the world.' A programme of awareness, 'piffle.' Not a maori problem? "Piffle.'
"And John Howard is a racist bastard," said John Harawira.
Lindsay Mitchell draws attention to (almost) the same problem in the 1960's. 'Battered Child (or baby) Syndrome' was first discussed in the 1960s. From Family Matters by Bronwyn Dalley;
Many cases of abuse investigated "displayed an intergenerational pattern." So the abuse stems back further still. The distressing number of young Maori children who died at the hands of their young mothers who had themselves been state wards is commented on.
"And John Howard is a racist barstard," said John Harawira.
And of course in so far as it goes she/this is correct .. but these series of cases are not like these at all, this is not about young mothers this is largely about 'step fathers,' so these cases are far more sinister, far more primitive ... they reflect the male of a cultural group killing the progeny of another male, borne by their partner.
This reflects an absolute break down of civilsed thinking and behaviour in these people ... and Helen is partly correct in that it is not specific to maori ...
A teenager will appear in court today charged with the murder of two young brothers near Toowoomba, in Queensland's south-east. A 19-year-old man, believed to be the boyfriend of the boys' mother ..."And John Howard is a racist ....." No, John Harawera said nothing, did he? His silence was/is somewhat resounding. This time Honee just aint on the monee! Perhaps Pita has demanded his silence, sent him off to mummy Titi so that he doesn't inflame the situation.
Gored.
Gore the least gay town in New Zealand.
Once lampooned as the gay capital of New Zealand, is officially one of the least homosexual towns in New Zealand.
Census results have revealed that there are just three gay couples living together in the South Island town, all lesbians.
Too cold for gaiety and since homosexuality has metamorphosed in to a male only exercise - none of that either - only three lesbian couples. My how the census can leave one so exposed, so alone.
But really I think the allusion was always entirely metaphorical, Gore being a playground a 'bit up from the bottom.' A legend untouched by census figures.
Once lampooned as the gay capital of New Zealand, is officially one of the least homosexual towns in New Zealand.
Census results have revealed that there are just three gay couples living together in the South Island town, all lesbians.
Too cold for gaiety and since homosexuality has metamorphosed in to a male only exercise - none of that either - only three lesbian couples. My how the census can leave one so exposed, so alone.
But really I think the allusion was always entirely metaphorical, Gore being a playground a 'bit up from the bottom.' A legend untouched by census figures.
The Lesser Man.
"I knew something was wrong, " said Kimbers, reflecting , "due to his reluctance to ... well to make out. I had given him many hints and his reticence had started me thinking that there must be someting wrong with me ... but then when he finally succumbed ... and he was so determined to have the lights out, I knew there was something wrong and when I got a brief glimpse he hurriedly covered it with his hand and it immediately went flaccid and I am sure it tried to withdraw in to his body. He was just so tortured by it, by the notion that his parents had brutalised him, maimed him and of the sight of that bared glans - from my research I know lots of sexual words," she said, knowingly and then continued.
"I knew I had to do something to help him deal with this post traumatic stress, this feeling that he was somehow less of a man ... and then it came to me. I already knew a lot about blood flow, tumescence, thermal imaging and pain - but really I had always wanted to be a psychiatrist and I would have been if my parents had not been so goddamed emphatic that that sort of pain was a luxury" she sighed depairingly and continued,"And so I designed this research project to measure pain and sensitivity thresholds in both the covered and uncovered glans and put one sensor on the penis and one on the non dominant forearm - putting it on the dominant forearm would have likely given results no different to those on the penis. The results, and I saw them with my own eyes, were quite unambiguous, quite compelling, uncircumcised men receive no more sexual sensation than circumcised men, and this contradicts the widely held belief ...
circumcised men felt the same amount of sensitivity to touch and pain in various states of sexual arousal as those with foreskins ... while viewing erotic films." She looked skywards, wistfully, fondly recollecting, " and he was so empowered by this he became unashamedly exhibitionistic, so brazen. I felt so fulfilled, well for a while at least ... and it is quite difficult ascertaining the equivalence of feelings of sensitivity across males," she interposed, reflecting on her professional acumen and creativity.
But then her mood darkened. " I looked at forty men, half circumcised and half uncircumcised in different stages of arousal, of tumesence, of erection ... and they were all so big ... and he was so, well, so small. I felt so trapped, robbed," her eyes welled-up with tears as she continued, " and it got worse. I should have known, I did know that the anxiety he was showing combined with an unprotected glans meant masturbation sessions would be quick, brief ... I knew he was a plumber, he made no secret of that and that reflexively people try to avoid pain ... and I knew that the average time for the average american male to orgasm, from go to whoa, was 2.5 minutes and that they were almost all circumcised ... I knew all this, and still I chose a premature ejaculator ... and he was so quick." She paused, long, " But that was all right," she said, "because I suggested he should share his new found confidence with others and he was only too keen to oblige."
She stared thoughtfully in to the distance, " I learned much from that research," she said, " and not only about the range of shape and size and the need to optimise, but also that the circumcised glans has necessarily been trained for speed or abrasion minimisation, and the need to assay before you lay." She smiled at her cleverness .... and of her research, she just shrugged her shoulders.
"I knew I had to do something to help him deal with this post traumatic stress, this feeling that he was somehow less of a man ... and then it came to me. I already knew a lot about blood flow, tumescence, thermal imaging and pain - but really I had always wanted to be a psychiatrist and I would have been if my parents had not been so goddamed emphatic that that sort of pain was a luxury" she sighed depairingly and continued,"And so I designed this research project to measure pain and sensitivity thresholds in both the covered and uncovered glans and put one sensor on the penis and one on the non dominant forearm - putting it on the dominant forearm would have likely given results no different to those on the penis. The results, and I saw them with my own eyes, were quite unambiguous, quite compelling, uncircumcised men receive no more sexual sensation than circumcised men, and this contradicts the widely held belief ...
circumcised men felt the same amount of sensitivity to touch and pain in various states of sexual arousal as those with foreskins ... while viewing erotic films." She looked skywards, wistfully, fondly recollecting, " and he was so empowered by this he became unashamedly exhibitionistic, so brazen. I felt so fulfilled, well for a while at least ... and it is quite difficult ascertaining the equivalence of feelings of sensitivity across males," she interposed, reflecting on her professional acumen and creativity.
But then her mood darkened. " I looked at forty men, half circumcised and half uncircumcised in different stages of arousal, of tumesence, of erection ... and they were all so big ... and he was so, well, so small. I felt so trapped, robbed," her eyes welled-up with tears as she continued, " and it got worse. I should have known, I did know that the anxiety he was showing combined with an unprotected glans meant masturbation sessions would be quick, brief ... I knew he was a plumber, he made no secret of that and that reflexively people try to avoid pain ... and I knew that the average time for the average american male to orgasm, from go to whoa, was 2.5 minutes and that they were almost all circumcised ... I knew all this, and still I chose a premature ejaculator ... and he was so quick." She paused, long, " But that was all right," she said, "because I suggested he should share his new found confidence with others and he was only too keen to oblige."
She stared thoughtfully in to the distance, " I learned much from that research," she said, " and not only about the range of shape and size and the need to optimise, but also that the circumcised glans has necessarily been trained for speed or abrasion minimisation, and the need to assay before you lay." She smiled at her cleverness .... and of her research, she just shrugged her shoulders.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Oh Yeh.
One in seven primary school teachers were hit by their students last year, a New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) survey has found.
The study also found more than 50 per cent of teachers and more than 25 per cent of school support staff reported "aggressive verbal confrontations" with studentsThe responses of 67 principals, 150 teachers and 75 support staff were analysed.
The most common assaults involved students pushing, shoving or shouldering teachers, followed by "punched or struck with open hand" and "kicked or stomped".
Other reported being "scratched, kicked" and "hit by object".
Some of the attacks were not covered by the survey, so respondents wrote them in – one noted "spat in face", another was headbutted.
Year 3 students accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the assaults, and, nine times out of ten, boys were the ones hitting their teachers.
The most common event leading up to the attacks involved children contesting staff members' directions, followed by attacks resulting from attempts to restrain the children from hitting others.
Twenty per cent of teachers and support staff said they had been verbally abused by parents – often in front of their children.
"Parents are becoming an increasing problem, very verbal over very minor problems. (They show) very poor modelling for children," one principal said.
NZEI acting national manager Peter Monteith said violent students "seriously undermine the teaching and learning process." "The survey is a `wake up call' for everyone involved in education either directly or indirectly to ensure that our schools remain safe and effective in terms of teaching and learning," he said.
The study also found more than 50 per cent of teachers and more than 25 per cent of school support staff reported "aggressive verbal confrontations" with studentsThe responses of 67 principals, 150 teachers and 75 support staff were analysed.
The most common assaults involved students pushing, shoving or shouldering teachers, followed by "punched or struck with open hand" and "kicked or stomped".
Other reported being "scratched, kicked" and "hit by object".
Some of the attacks were not covered by the survey, so respondents wrote them in – one noted "spat in face", another was headbutted.
Year 3 students accounted for nearly 60 per cent of the assaults, and, nine times out of ten, boys were the ones hitting their teachers.
The most common event leading up to the attacks involved children contesting staff members' directions, followed by attacks resulting from attempts to restrain the children from hitting others.
Twenty per cent of teachers and support staff said they had been verbally abused by parents – often in front of their children.
"Parents are becoming an increasing problem, very verbal over very minor problems. (They show) very poor modelling for children," one principal said.
NZEI acting national manager Peter Monteith said violent students "seriously undermine the teaching and learning process." "The survey is a `wake up call' for everyone involved in education either directly or indirectly to ensure that our schools remain safe and effective in terms of teaching and learning," he said.
Loss of Contact with Reality?
This man's (Beran's) first conviction for sexual offending was in 1988, when he was 45. He raped and molested a number of young people since then.
Counsel for Beran, Louise Elder, told the court he did not want periodic detention because of the stigma attached to it . His objections to his sentence was heard and overruled
Unrepentant, recidivist rapist given preventive detention ... Justice Gendall said Beran's advancing years had not "diminished his proclivity for violent and coercive sexual behaviour".
Now either this is a misinterpretation in reporting or a lawyer with no conception of the gravity of the offending and potential consequences for this ... the difference is, well, potentially a lifetime ... and if this is reported correctly it is a little disconcerting.
Counsel for Beran, Louise Elder, told the court he did not want periodic detention because of the stigma attached to it . His objections to his sentence was heard and overruled
Unrepentant, recidivist rapist given preventive detention ... Justice Gendall said Beran's advancing years had not "diminished his proclivity for violent and coercive sexual behaviour".
Now either this is a misinterpretation in reporting or a lawyer with no conception of the gravity of the offending and potential consequences for this ... the difference is, well, potentially a lifetime ... and if this is reported correctly it is a little disconcerting.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Who do You believe Now?
Students are leaving school with higher qualifications and staying in school longer although 43,000 unexplained absences in the refence week would suggest this isn't quite as stated than a year ago, a new report reveals.
The 2006 School Leaver's Report, released today, reveals that just over a third of Maori students are leaving school with level 2 NCEA or above, while 65 per cent of European students leave with this same qualification. More than 80 per cent of Asian students leave school having attained this level
But the credibility of this qualification is still resulting in schools voting with their feet and increasingly new teachers are having difficulty managing children, which is of course a prerequisite to being able to teach, and not surprisingly ...
Pupils were suspended, stood down or kicked out of school nearly 30,000 times last year, mostly for disobedience, violence and abuse.
Post-Primary Teachers' Association president Robin Duff said the figures supported evidence from teachers that classrooms were becoming more violent. More assistance to manage difficult pupils, smaller classes to help defuse violent situations and effective counselling were needed.
Teachers reserved the right to "withdraw" from dangerous workplaces.
"No person should be expected to stay in a school situation where they were physically threatened. Zero tolerance to all forms of violence is the desirable goal."
Stand-downs - the removal of a pupil from school for up to five days for misbehaviour - accounted for 22,467 cases last year.
Dangerous behaviour jumped by 13 per cent, assaults on pupils by 1 per cent and assaults on teachers by 5 per cent.
Arsons rose by 23 per cent, alcohol offences 42 per cent and vandalism 21 per cent.
Suspensions - which trigger a more formal process that can lead to a pupil's permanent removal - fell slightly to 5008 cases.
Dangerous behaviour rose by 14 per cent, assaults on staff 11 per cent, arson 11 per cent, vandalism 50 per cent and alcohol offences 53 per cent.
Drug offences were down across both groups, as were sexual misconduct and weapons offences.
But disobedience - the single biggest offence - increased. Manawatu-Wanganui and the West Coast had the country's highest stand-down and suspension rates.
And of course parents (and children) are voting with their feet and endeavouring to choose what they consider the best educaion for their children.
How rosy really is rosy??
The 2006 School Leaver's Report, released today, reveals that just over a third of Maori students are leaving school with level 2 NCEA or above, while 65 per cent of European students leave with this same qualification. More than 80 per cent of Asian students leave school having attained this level
But the credibility of this qualification is still resulting in schools voting with their feet and increasingly new teachers are having difficulty managing children, which is of course a prerequisite to being able to teach, and not surprisingly ...
Pupils were suspended, stood down or kicked out of school nearly 30,000 times last year, mostly for disobedience, violence and abuse.
Post-Primary Teachers' Association president Robin Duff said the figures supported evidence from teachers that classrooms were becoming more violent. More assistance to manage difficult pupils, smaller classes to help defuse violent situations and effective counselling were needed.
Teachers reserved the right to "withdraw" from dangerous workplaces.
"No person should be expected to stay in a school situation where they were physically threatened. Zero tolerance to all forms of violence is the desirable goal."
Stand-downs - the removal of a pupil from school for up to five days for misbehaviour - accounted for 22,467 cases last year.
Dangerous behaviour jumped by 13 per cent, assaults on pupils by 1 per cent and assaults on teachers by 5 per cent.
Arsons rose by 23 per cent, alcohol offences 42 per cent and vandalism 21 per cent.
Suspensions - which trigger a more formal process that can lead to a pupil's permanent removal - fell slightly to 5008 cases.
Dangerous behaviour rose by 14 per cent, assaults on staff 11 per cent, arson 11 per cent, vandalism 50 per cent and alcohol offences 53 per cent.
Drug offences were down across both groups, as were sexual misconduct and weapons offences.
But disobedience - the single biggest offence - increased. Manawatu-Wanganui and the West Coast had the country's highest stand-down and suspension rates.
And of course parents (and children) are voting with their feet and endeavouring to choose what they consider the best educaion for their children.
How rosy really is rosy??
Marketing 'illness.'
Kirwan depression ads see resources stretched ... Mental health services are being stretched after a television ad campaign about depression, starring former All Black great John Kirwan, worked too well. The advertisements soared to success, largely due to Kirwan, who helped destigmatise a condition that he also suffers from, the Mental Health Commission said.
To some people who remember him it will be as the apprentice butcher who was elevated to fame through rugby, had the ball knocked out of his hands by Gregan as he was crossing the line and losing the game for NZ, of subsequent ball droppings at crucial times and then the pedestal was gone ... now Henry has endeavoured to reduce this 'I have nothing else' complex by encouraging players to continue with 'life after the game planning' beit education or other.
To others he would be seen as an all black who has subsequently coached a number of 'lower order' national teams and had absolutely no reason to become depressed.
So does this programme of advertising simply reframe depression, make it trendy, topical, "I wannabe like John depressed." There are lots of positives to be had from this .. like avoidance of what you don't want to do ... like getting sympathy for this avoidance ... like reward for indolence ....
His symptoms are never really revealed, the reasons are never really revealed - although they were/are common for our 'not achieving at anything else' sports elites and not all can become sports commentators.
Services stretched due to a mirepresentation of an 'illness' I would suspect ... well done John, jolly good marketing there ... let's just include a few more 'normals' in our definition of 'abnormal,' a few more disempowered, a few more incompetents.
'Destigmatising depresion,' nonsense, this is active marketing.
To some people who remember him it will be as the apprentice butcher who was elevated to fame through rugby, had the ball knocked out of his hands by Gregan as he was crossing the line and losing the game for NZ, of subsequent ball droppings at crucial times and then the pedestal was gone ... now Henry has endeavoured to reduce this 'I have nothing else' complex by encouraging players to continue with 'life after the game planning' beit education or other.
To others he would be seen as an all black who has subsequently coached a number of 'lower order' national teams and had absolutely no reason to become depressed.
So does this programme of advertising simply reframe depression, make it trendy, topical, "I wannabe like John depressed." There are lots of positives to be had from this .. like avoidance of what you don't want to do ... like getting sympathy for this avoidance ... like reward for indolence ....
His symptoms are never really revealed, the reasons are never really revealed - although they were/are common for our 'not achieving at anything else' sports elites and not all can become sports commentators.
Services stretched due to a mirepresentation of an 'illness' I would suspect ... well done John, jolly good marketing there ... let's just include a few more 'normals' in our definition of 'abnormal,' a few more disempowered, a few more incompetents.
'Destigmatising depresion,' nonsense, this is active marketing.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Deja Vu.
Lowering voting age to 16 rejected
A proposal by Green MP Sue Bradford to lower the voting age to 16 has received short shrift from respondents to a Herald-DigiPoll.
An overwhelming 91.3 per cent of people polled said the voting age should not be lowered from 18 to 16.
Just 6.8 per cent agreed with the franchise being extended to 16-year-olds.
The result did not surprise Ms Bradford, who said she had seen similar survey results elsewhere.
"I've always seen it as a long-term campaign. It is something amazingly radical for people but I don't think it's radical at all."
Shades of the repeal of Sec. 59. Since when did a majority public opinion have any impact on this person ... and she endeavours to denigrate the consensual, 'dismissed as self-serving simplistic nonsense,' by demeaning the majority with the notion that she is a seer.
Overall this is absurd, but past success has obviously re-energised this person's irrational strivings ... we should be afraid.
A proposal by Green MP Sue Bradford to lower the voting age to 16 has received short shrift from respondents to a Herald-DigiPoll.
An overwhelming 91.3 per cent of people polled said the voting age should not be lowered from 18 to 16.
Just 6.8 per cent agreed with the franchise being extended to 16-year-olds.
The result did not surprise Ms Bradford, who said she had seen similar survey results elsewhere.
"I've always seen it as a long-term campaign. It is something amazingly radical for people but I don't think it's radical at all."
Shades of the repeal of Sec. 59. Since when did a majority public opinion have any impact on this person ... and she endeavours to denigrate the consensual, 'dismissed as self-serving simplistic nonsense,' by demeaning the majority with the notion that she is a seer.
Overall this is absurd, but past success has obviously re-energised this person's irrational strivings ... we should be afraid.
Expected Behaviour.
A principal's principles: Six All Blacks have been given a ticking off and fined after a late-night drinking session on the eve of the crucial Wallabies match at Eden Park ... The six were not in the starting line-up for last night's Eden Park test, but All Blacks manager Darren Shand told media last night the players "had let themselves down" and broken team protocol ... They were fined $500 and reprimanded for what All Blacks management is calling "inappropriate behaviour".
Now I see this as entirely proper. The all blacks these days apparently do not have the ability to spontaneously adapt to variations in the play of their opponents and only tend to do so, to a greater or lesser extent, after the half-time interval - after principal input and redefined restated rule-governed directive.
I was somewhat concerned when our parliamentarians decided to take control of 'in house' video coverage because of it displaying members in a 'bad light.' I believed they wanted to be able to give full flight to their more primal behaviour without public scrutiny ... but now I realise, they just wanted to be shown in the same respect as our all blacks ... the ability to display members on the field of play with impunity, to be able to gesture emphatically, the ability to spit with high frequency, to explosively flare and clear their nostrils .. the ability to share body fluids in a much more indiscriminate manner than is depicted in the world Cup advt.
Now if our television channels were to make a compilation of this behaviour and run it during the interval and after the game both on television and the 'big screen' at the field, public scrutiny and the ensuing overwhelming sense of 'sick' and despise and loss of revenue it would engender, may just curtail a large portion of this uncivilised, nay, absolutely primitive and sick indiscipline.
As an ex-principal, I believe, Graham Henry ... a man used to not sparing the rod ... would not only be similarly disgusted with the behaviour, similarly find it to be unacceptable, see it as probably largely responsible for the number of teenagers spitting on the footpaths in town, in fact anywhere ... role models indeed.
But it is a very infectious behaviour ... even those players who were not previously doing this, now are, even the wallabies are starting to ... in fact for a brief moment there at the tri-nations/bledisloe cup trophy presentation I was sure I saw Graham's throat move, transferring phlegm to his mouth, saw him take a quick deep breath, his lips pucker ... his hand start to slip down the front of his trousers ... but then he checked himself. But it may have all been due to the emotion of the moment, an overwhelming sense of pride, that unbridled sense of affinity with his considerably younger more virile ill-disciplined charges ... something so basic, so visceral ...
It was always said that 'rugby was a game for thugs played by gentlemen, rugby league a game for gentlemen played by thugs.' I think perhaps the wheel has turned ... that rugby is now a game for 'grubs' with poor impulse control that can give full expression to their primitive side with impunity.
But if our all blacks already have too much to remember due to the number of planned and coded moves then perhaps what is needed in addition to the 'ball boys, water boys' and 'kicking tee' boys are numerous 'spittoon boys' who of course could double as 'pee boys.'
Our all black pin-up boy could market them whilst modelling his jocks with those well-sculpted abs. ... it might well reflect a sense of culture, of refinement ... but somehow I doubt it.
The behaviour is simply reprehensible, uncouth, is indicative of ill-discipline and is becoming increasingly associated with our elite sportspeople.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Animal Planet.
'A dog's life.'
Well-known dog show judge David Balfour and his wife today pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges.
Balfour, 58, and Daryl Kirsty Reid Balfour, 47 ... face charges relating to the alleged mistreatment of up to 81 dogs and 161 cats between August 23 last year and March 5.
And:
Four members of a Dannevirke family have pleaded not guilty to a total of 51 animal cruelty charges involving five farm dogs.
Ian Livingstone, 56, Elise Livingstone, 22, David Livingstone, 20, and James Livingstone, 17, appeared in Dannevirke District Court today.
And then there are always those people who will have a little difficulty discriminating:
A Napier man has appeared in court charged with sex offences involving children of both genders, as well as a dog, a cow, a pig and a horse.
The charges allege rape and other indecencies with young girls, sodomy with a cow, bestiality with a pig, an indecent act with a mare, and an indecent assault on a boy.
An interesting assortment of both animal and man.
Well-known dog show judge David Balfour and his wife today pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges.
Balfour, 58, and Daryl Kirsty Reid Balfour, 47 ... face charges relating to the alleged mistreatment of up to 81 dogs and 161 cats between August 23 last year and March 5.
And:
Four members of a Dannevirke family have pleaded not guilty to a total of 51 animal cruelty charges involving five farm dogs.
Ian Livingstone, 56, Elise Livingstone, 22, David Livingstone, 20, and James Livingstone, 17, appeared in Dannevirke District Court today.
And then there are always those people who will have a little difficulty discriminating:
A Napier man has appeared in court charged with sex offences involving children of both genders, as well as a dog, a cow, a pig and a horse.
The charges allege rape and other indecencies with young girls, sodomy with a cow, bestiality with a pig, an indecent act with a mare, and an indecent assault on a boy.
An interesting assortment of both animal and man.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
My We Have Grown!
Tertiary courses in prostitution possible ... Funding for tertiary courses in prostitution could be considered under changes aimed at boosting quality and relevance in the sector, education officials say.
But of course the picture of female breasts is misleading ... first political correctness ... then positive discrimination ... then what was previously considered sexual aberration 'ruling the house' ... then that sexual aberration legitimising, decriminalising, de 'mental illnessing' that aberration ... then celebrating cultural diversity, possibly because that cultural diversity has enabled the safe perpetuation of that aberration ... then celebrating whatever diversity comes to mind ... now, celebrating orificial diversity and tertiary qualifications in pubococcygeal tone, manipulation and enhancing the afterglow. Mind you criteria could be made quite explicit,a tensiometer could be used to measure 'pound per square inch squeeze'. No more black and white, no more acceptable or unacceptable, no more 'whiter shade of pale,' just a blacker shade of white.
But of course the picture of female breasts is misleading ... first political correctness ... then positive discrimination ... then what was previously considered sexual aberration 'ruling the house' ... then that sexual aberration legitimising, decriminalising, de 'mental illnessing' that aberration ... then celebrating cultural diversity, possibly because that cultural diversity has enabled the safe perpetuation of that aberration ... then celebrating whatever diversity comes to mind ... now, celebrating orificial diversity and tertiary qualifications in pubococcygeal tone, manipulation and enhancing the afterglow. Mind you criteria could be made quite explicit,a tensiometer could be used to measure 'pound per square inch squeeze'. No more black and white, no more acceptable or unacceptable, no more 'whiter shade of pale,' just a blacker shade of white.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
'White flight'
Some Christchurch schools are less than two-thirds full – and one is languishing at less than a third capacity – as the city's popular schools expand at their expense .... parents are deserting the eastern suburbs for schools with whiter, richer students.
This is probably quite a general phenomenon.
Unfortunately, fewer students means: fewer resources and fewer teachers - to maintain numbers they tend to enrol those kids that their counterparts don't want or have actively rejected. So more 'difficult to manage, difficult to teach' kids, teachers of lesser quality - coz who really wants to work under such circumstances - increasing focus on social behaviour which begats a greater need to focus on social behaviour and a 'necessarily' lesser focus on teaching and hence less learning.
Everyone knows, bar a lot of school teachers, that greater structure, formality, learning to fluency, are important in kids effectively remaining motivated and doing well at school ... and after all the reason for compulsory attendance is to 'acquire an education.'
'White flight' has connotations of 'running from something not white' that is aversive and has racist overtones.
'Good parenting' demands you place your kids where they can maximise their opportunity to do well educationally .... and this process will, naturally result in the 30% of non performers or failures increasingly residing under the one roof - zoning has not and realistically should not stop this occurring ... because really this is all indicative of a failing education system.
This is probably quite a general phenomenon.
Unfortunately, fewer students means: fewer resources and fewer teachers - to maintain numbers they tend to enrol those kids that their counterparts don't want or have actively rejected. So more 'difficult to manage, difficult to teach' kids, teachers of lesser quality - coz who really wants to work under such circumstances - increasing focus on social behaviour which begats a greater need to focus on social behaviour and a 'necessarily' lesser focus on teaching and hence less learning.
Everyone knows, bar a lot of school teachers, that greater structure, formality, learning to fluency, are important in kids effectively remaining motivated and doing well at school ... and after all the reason for compulsory attendance is to 'acquire an education.'
'White flight' has connotations of 'running from something not white' that is aversive and has racist overtones.
'Good parenting' demands you place your kids where they can maximise their opportunity to do well educationally .... and this process will, naturally result in the 30% of non performers or failures increasingly residing under the one roof - zoning has not and realistically should not stop this occurring ... because really this is all indicative of a failing education system.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Memories.
FORGET THE PAST: Researchers have confirmed what common wisdom has long held – that people can suppress emotionally troubling memories – and said they have sketched out how the brain accomplishes this.
In essence I agree, but not with the process .... ongoing reasonable or pleasurable experience expunges the past by far the best of all - brain processes indeed. Perhaps the most widely acclaimed example is child birth, that act of nature so necessary to species survival, that is touted by those afflicted with enduring this experience as the 'worst pain imaginable.' Yet it is a process to be repeated.
Unfortunately though, these days every man and his dog is set upon by counsellors for anything that could possibly be construed as 'traumatic' - such that these emotionally troubling memories become the focus, and often the cause of continued problems or debility, related or not.
In essence I agree, but not with the process .... ongoing reasonable or pleasurable experience expunges the past by far the best of all - brain processes indeed. Perhaps the most widely acclaimed example is child birth, that act of nature so necessary to species survival, that is touted by those afflicted with enduring this experience as the 'worst pain imaginable.' Yet it is a process to be repeated.
Unfortunately though, these days every man and his dog is set upon by counsellors for anything that could possibly be construed as 'traumatic' - such that these emotionally troubling memories become the focus, and often the cause of continued problems or debility, related or not.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Whitefellas, Blackfellas.
Sam Wagan Watson into the white fellas, blackfellas thing again.
Indigenous leader agrees with Maori MP: 'Howard is a racist bastard'
“I completely agree with New Zealand Maori Party MP Hone Harawira that Prime Minister John Howard, by attacking marginalized Aboriginal communities, is a ‘racist bastard’,” Aboriginal leader, poet, writer, radical and Socialist Alliance Indigenous spokesperson Sam Watson said in response to Harawira’s controversial comments.
Irrespective, it is still a huge problem that needs addressing. Palliative moves here, assuming personal responsibility and 'throwing money' at notions of self-determination have not worked ... partly of course because demanding accountability under such circumstances is'racist,' hence the realisation of goals is not paramount.
This has resulted in greater insularity, greater invisibility, further adding to and reinforcing the 'code of silence' that has for years hidden the high occurrence of physical and sexual abuse
(New Zealand's national diagnosed rate for head injuries to infants under the age of 2 caused by child abuse is 22 per 100,000 - which is comparable to the rest of the world.
However, for Maori children the figure is the highest in the world. Between 50 and 60 Maori infants per 100,000 suffer head injuries as a result of child abuse) - when was it that all schools were to be staffed by registered teachers again? I wonder how many schools have troubles not only with late and truanting children but also with late and truanting teachers?
Our governments solution has been to 'pass the buck,' such that our (indigenous) people are doing a disservice to themselves, perpetuating an underclass,entrenching a victim mentality ... where a 'reasonale' MP can suggest the DPB fits with a cultural view - yep Pita, ''seed 'em and leave 'em.'
It all sounds a far better approach.
Indigenous leader agrees with Maori MP: 'Howard is a racist bastard'
“I completely agree with New Zealand Maori Party MP Hone Harawira that Prime Minister John Howard, by attacking marginalized Aboriginal communities, is a ‘racist bastard’,” Aboriginal leader, poet, writer, radical and Socialist Alliance Indigenous spokesperson Sam Watson said in response to Harawira’s controversial comments.
Irrespective, it is still a huge problem that needs addressing. Palliative moves here, assuming personal responsibility and 'throwing money' at notions of self-determination have not worked ... partly of course because demanding accountability under such circumstances is'racist,' hence the realisation of goals is not paramount.
This has resulted in greater insularity, greater invisibility, further adding to and reinforcing the 'code of silence' that has for years hidden the high occurrence of physical and sexual abuse
(New Zealand's national diagnosed rate for head injuries to infants under the age of 2 caused by child abuse is 22 per 100,000 - which is comparable to the rest of the world.
However, for Maori children the figure is the highest in the world. Between 50 and 60 Maori infants per 100,000 suffer head injuries as a result of child abuse) - when was it that all schools were to be staffed by registered teachers again? I wonder how many schools have troubles not only with late and truanting children but also with late and truanting teachers?
Our governments solution has been to 'pass the buck,' such that our (indigenous) people are doing a disservice to themselves, perpetuating an underclass,entrenching a victim mentality ... where a 'reasonale' MP can suggest the DPB fits with a cultural view - yep Pita, ''seed 'em and leave 'em.'
It all sounds a far better approach.
Courting Acclaim.
This:
A protest was staged on Saturday at the Auckland home of Vector Chairman Michael Stiassny over the treatment of website editor Vince Siemer.
And this:
Activist Penny Bright, who spearheaded Saturday's protest, says Siemer has been let down severely by the justice system. She says the defamation has never been proven in court and the judge who handed down Siemer's sentence should be sacked.
were always going to happen ... and it is entirely proper.
Justice should always be public, it should follow 'due process,' it should be reflective of public belief/perspective and definitely beyond reproach.
A protest was staged on Saturday at the Auckland home of Vector Chairman Michael Stiassny over the treatment of website editor Vince Siemer.
And this:
Activist Penny Bright, who spearheaded Saturday's protest, says Siemer has been let down severely by the justice system. She says the defamation has never been proven in court and the judge who handed down Siemer's sentence should be sacked.
were always going to happen ... and it is entirely proper.
Justice should always be public, it should follow 'due process,' it should be reflective of public belief/perspective and definitely beyond reproach.
Car of the Week.
Quite a few similarities in design ... surely this Jaguar (top) is not an approximation to the late 90's Toyota? Surely not?
Protecting our Children
Parents who neglect their children or fail to ensure their attendance at school will have part of their welfare payments quarantined by Centrelink, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said today... The new policy extends mutual obligation principles and builds on welfare restrictions to be imposed on indigenous communities in the Northern Territory ... The welfare state was never intended to let people evade their personal or social responsibilities, especially when it comes to care for children.
Something needs to happen here too ... 43,000 truants in the MOE reference week, 30,000 stand downs, suspensions and exclusions in the year ... but how will parents be able to force their children to attend against their will ... and what of the teachers attempting to teach the unwilling, those who simply don't want to be there and who will avail themselves of any opportunity to abscond??
But no, it wont work here ... 'reasonable force to ensure attendance' is definitely a non starter ... and it would simply, ultimately be an additional trigger for child abuse.
Something needs to happen here too ... 43,000 truants in the MOE reference week, 30,000 stand downs, suspensions and exclusions in the year ... but how will parents be able to force their children to attend against their will ... and what of the teachers attempting to teach the unwilling, those who simply don't want to be there and who will avail themselves of any opportunity to abscond??
But no, it wont work here ... 'reasonable force to ensure attendance' is definitely a non starter ... and it would simply, ultimately be an additional trigger for child abuse.
What Price Loyalty?
US Senate votes to double bounty on bin Laden to US$50 million (NZ$63.6m).
And loyalty is a pretty fickle thing ... we see this in politics, business, work and our own interpersonal relationships .. where personal interest and personal cost readily override expressed beliefs and loyalty ... it may just be enough.
And loyalty is a pretty fickle thing ... we see this in politics, business, work and our own interpersonal relationships .. where personal interest and personal cost readily override expressed beliefs and loyalty ... it may just be enough.
A Sign of Things to Come?
An overweight eight-year-old British girl who already wears size 16 clothes has been taken away from her parents and put into care.
Parents say: "Our daughter doesn't overeat and she's active. She's always been chubby but she's always out playing. The only bad thing we have given her is fizzy drinks."
Authorities say: Cumbria County Council, in England's far north-west, has taken the girl from her parents because of fears she could be a victim of neglect, The Times reported.
Neglect? Arguably something to do with over-indulgence, parents acceding to the child's wants and desires. An overly empowered child?
"Our daughter doesn't overeat and she's active. She's always been chubby but she's always out playing. The only bad thing we have given her is fizzy drinks."
It is to be hoped that endeavours were made to provide guidance and indeed oversight if this girl's weight did constitute sufficient a health problem and that removal only occurred after her parents refusal to recognise this as a problem and act on it and there were possible life-threatening consequences ... if not then .... simply a further narrowing of what is deemed acceptable behaviour by those in positions of power.
Parents say: "Our daughter doesn't overeat and she's active. She's always been chubby but she's always out playing. The only bad thing we have given her is fizzy drinks."
Authorities say: Cumbria County Council, in England's far north-west, has taken the girl from her parents because of fears she could be a victim of neglect, The Times reported.
Neglect? Arguably something to do with over-indulgence, parents acceding to the child's wants and desires. An overly empowered child?
"Our daughter doesn't overeat and she's active. She's always been chubby but she's always out playing. The only bad thing we have given her is fizzy drinks."
It is to be hoped that endeavours were made to provide guidance and indeed oversight if this girl's weight did constitute sufficient a health problem and that removal only occurred after her parents refusal to recognise this as a problem and act on it and there were possible life-threatening consequences ... if not then .... simply a further narrowing of what is deemed acceptable behaviour by those in positions of power.
"you talk too much ..."
A study has found that teenage girls who endlessly rehash their problems and dwell on negative feelings are more likely to develop anxiety and depression than boys are.
Now I seem to recall something similar to this from our own police force, something to the effect that a 'shot of whisky' was often more palliative' than 'counselling' after traumatic events. Mind you, after having seen a particularly nasty car accident and non involved personnel coming for a look and taking photos ... I dunno.
And also something similar in regard to the dangers of counselling post close friend or family member suicide
Not that I am suggesting alcohol to remit kids' problems, but ... talking about problems keeps them fresh in your mind. If there are not times when there is a break from these, if you are not very socially adept, have few friends, or the friends you do have are 'problem talkers,' then there has got to be a high probability that you will become more preoccupied, more functioning in accord with your problems, more insular and so it goes on ... all the way to the local house of psychiatry.
Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin said she agreed with the findings. "Talking to the same peer group means the people who hear and advise on the problems are not qualified," she said. "They have the same fears and jealousies.
"To reduce anxiety, they need to speak to a professional with no agenda, bias or preconceptions."
But I am not so sure ... I would have thought that talking with any group of people ... like talk psychiatrists, talk psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors - even or particularly sexual abuse counsellors - would under the same conditions have the same effect i.e. result in a more debilitated person. To exempt a group from the findings seems a little precious.
Now I seem to recall something similar to this from our own police force, something to the effect that a 'shot of whisky' was often more palliative' than 'counselling' after traumatic events. Mind you, after having seen a particularly nasty car accident and non involved personnel coming for a look and taking photos ... I dunno.
And also something similar in regard to the dangers of counselling post close friend or family member suicide
Not that I am suggesting alcohol to remit kids' problems, but ... talking about problems keeps them fresh in your mind. If there are not times when there is a break from these, if you are not very socially adept, have few friends, or the friends you do have are 'problem talkers,' then there has got to be a high probability that you will become more preoccupied, more functioning in accord with your problems, more insular and so it goes on ... all the way to the local house of psychiatry.
Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin said she agreed with the findings. "Talking to the same peer group means the people who hear and advise on the problems are not qualified," she said. "They have the same fears and jealousies.
"To reduce anxiety, they need to speak to a professional with no agenda, bias or preconceptions."
But I am not so sure ... I would have thought that talking with any group of people ... like talk psychiatrists, talk psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors - even or particularly sexual abuse counsellors - would under the same conditions have the same effect i.e. result in a more debilitated person. To exempt a group from the findings seems a little precious.
Monday, July 9, 2007
More Theatre.
Our very own, Once were Warriors "Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has labelled Australian Prime Minister John Howard a "racist bastard" for his radical intervention aimed at stopping child abuse in Aboriginal communities..."I said John Howard is a racist bastard trying to impose racist policies on a people who can't fight back," ... If I was an Aboriginal man in the Northern Territory I would feel like absolute s*** right nowI would have the leader of my country saying I am an alcoholic, I am into pornography, I am into sexual abuse. All I would want to do is go out and smash someone."
Yep, truly a representative of the people, reflecting the feelings of the people, supported the repeal of section 59, yet expresses intense emotional excess and wilful non specific violence - just illustrating a point you might say. The lack of censure for the belated outburst from his own party perhaps indicates they are indeed working as a party, working in concert...
Dr Pita Sharples more moderately stated that "the comments by our own member, Hone Harawira, reflect the level of concern that this situation has generated."
I am sure that John Howard will be deeply hurt by this visceral attack on both his intent and integrity from across the Tasman.
Yep, truly a representative of the people, reflecting the feelings of the people, supported the repeal of section 59, yet expresses intense emotional excess and wilful non specific violence - just illustrating a point you might say. The lack of censure for the belated outburst from his own party perhaps indicates they are indeed working as a party, working in concert...
Dr Pita Sharples more moderately stated that "the comments by our own member, Hone Harawira, reflect the level of concern that this situation has generated."
I am sure that John Howard will be deeply hurt by this visceral attack on both his intent and integrity from across the Tasman.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Marital Bliss?
Key to marital happiness? Let the wife have her way...wives didn't just talk more than their husbands in discussions, but drew favorable responses from their husbands to what they said.
Really?
This is probably more to do with those that talk first and most tend to put their thoughts and feelings on the table first - so always the respondent is in a weaker position, often presenting their view in the knowledge that it will be contested or possibly cause distress. So deference doesn't equate with agreement, nor necessarily does a favourable response ... but a cost-benefit analysis would indicate that it probably results in greater responsiveness during more preferred activities.
And an average wedded time of seven years ... what of that traditional 'itch?'
But then ... where does this fit? Which is the chatty sex? Turns out both are.
Really?
This is probably more to do with those that talk first and most tend to put their thoughts and feelings on the table first - so always the respondent is in a weaker position, often presenting their view in the knowledge that it will be contested or possibly cause distress. So deference doesn't equate with agreement, nor necessarily does a favourable response ... but a cost-benefit analysis would indicate that it probably results in greater responsiveness during more preferred activities.
And an average wedded time of seven years ... what of that traditional 'itch?'
But then ... where does this fit? Which is the chatty sex? Turns out both are.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Some Things are Simply too Hard to Understand.
Those who are somewhat aghast at both of these announcements may just have a point.
"The family of a woman butchered to death by her jealous ex-partner is outraged the double-killer (Reihana) will receive a $1 million life-saving operation and after-care while in jail."
"Kahui, the man accused of murdering his three-month-old twin sons has been granted visits to his toddler son Shane."
"The family of a woman butchered to death by her jealous ex-partner is outraged the double-killer (Reihana) will receive a $1 million life-saving operation and after-care while in jail."
"Kahui, the man accused of murdering his three-month-old twin sons has been granted visits to his toddler son Shane."
Losing One's Marbles...Or?
"Otago University emeritus professor Dr Jim Flynn was commenting on census figures that show mothers without a higher education were the anchor of New Zealand's current fertility rate.
"Everyone knows if we only allowed short people to reproduce there would be a tendency in terms of genes for height to diminish. Intelligence is no different from other human traits," he told the Sunday Star-Times.
"A persistent genetic trend which lowered the genetic quality for brain physiology would have some effect eventually."
Yep, this is why Otago University has the highest rating for quality research in N.Z.
He tries to validate his statements by comparison with physical characteristics ... not really acceptable (from physical characteristics to behaviour to traits to constellations to the size of your medulla oblongata, Mmmm..) ... and then he should know that it is our 'smart women' that have tended to become school teachers, but Oh ... our kids are already being 'dumbed down,' so perhaps ...
I think I have heard this notion somewhere before and so has our Commissioner for Children Cindy Kiro who said Dr Flynn was getting into "dangerous territory".
And yes, " contraception in the water supply, could be used to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies to less educated women." But then a large number of people who have subsequently become well educated would not be here either. After all, is the reason that doctors begat doctors, lawyers begat lawyers, etc. because of a narrowing of vision, a stronger sense of self, of self as better than, of elitism or similar such traits which is from whence such statements have their genesis?
"Rather than talking about encouraging smart women to have babies and dumb women not to have babies, what we do need to do is make the commitment to good quality education."
But Cindy, isn't that what we're doing and it doesn't really seem to be working? So committment is just not good enough ...it is the proper direction though ... it probably has something more to do with practicing basic skills to fluency, just for starters, rather than relying on these skills being established prior to school attendance along with motivation to learn.
Elitist statements like this simply reflect the failure of our education system to redress deficits immediately and unless this happens, learning being cumulative, a large percentage of our children, independent of genetic make up, will fail. The overall impression is that this is what is indeed happening.
And, yep, it is said that the ability to change one's mind is the sign of a mature person, but to change it because of public reaction?
Pills in water comments not serious - emeritus professor indeed.
"Everyone knows if we only allowed short people to reproduce there would be a tendency in terms of genes for height to diminish. Intelligence is no different from other human traits," he told the Sunday Star-Times.
"A persistent genetic trend which lowered the genetic quality for brain physiology would have some effect eventually."
Yep, this is why Otago University has the highest rating for quality research in N.Z.
He tries to validate his statements by comparison with physical characteristics ... not really acceptable (from physical characteristics to behaviour to traits to constellations to the size of your medulla oblongata, Mmmm..) ... and then he should know that it is our 'smart women' that have tended to become school teachers, but Oh ... our kids are already being 'dumbed down,' so perhaps ...
I think I have heard this notion somewhere before and so has our Commissioner for Children Cindy Kiro who said Dr Flynn was getting into "dangerous territory".
And yes, " contraception in the water supply, could be used to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies to less educated women." But then a large number of people who have subsequently become well educated would not be here either. After all, is the reason that doctors begat doctors, lawyers begat lawyers, etc. because of a narrowing of vision, a stronger sense of self, of self as better than, of elitism or similar such traits which is from whence such statements have their genesis?
"Rather than talking about encouraging smart women to have babies and dumb women not to have babies, what we do need to do is make the commitment to good quality education."
But Cindy, isn't that what we're doing and it doesn't really seem to be working? So committment is just not good enough ...it is the proper direction though ... it probably has something more to do with practicing basic skills to fluency, just for starters, rather than relying on these skills being established prior to school attendance along with motivation to learn.
Elitist statements like this simply reflect the failure of our education system to redress deficits immediately and unless this happens, learning being cumulative, a large percentage of our children, independent of genetic make up, will fail. The overall impression is that this is what is indeed happening.
And, yep, it is said that the ability to change one's mind is the sign of a mature person, but to change it because of public reaction?
Pills in water comments not serious - emeritus professor indeed.
What is it about the Hawkes Bay?
Is it because it is sitting out there on the edge, off the 'main trunk line,' such that it requires a 'detour' to get there?
Is it because people outside of the area see 'the fruit bowl' in a metaphorical rather than literal sense? Shades of Deliverance?
Is it because it has the worst child health figures of any region in New Zealand?
Or because that 'new found, old rejected' organic pip fruit movement addles the brain a tad, gives a sharper sense of direction without awareness of consequences?
One could of course go on ... but I believe over the years the H.B. Hospital Board has received more than it's fair share of negative publicity ... as of course has the Hawkes Bay ... but then, perhaps a sign of the times?
But time-lines can actually say quite a lot without really saying much at all.
A.O.S. Pin up Boy.
"(Milligan) can always hand himself in and save us from visiting all his associates," he said ... and indeed he could.
Friday, July 6, 2007
What Happens if you Miss your Target?
A leading researcher from the University of Auckland says skin cancer campaigns may be causing New Zealanders to get too little Vitamin “D’’, with Maori, Pacific and South Asian peoples the worst off ... and the consequences ... "international research indicates low Vitamin D levels may increase the risk of rickets and osteoporosis, breast and bowel cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis and respiratory infections."
Along with Australia, New Zealand has the highest skin cancer rates in the world. In 2002, the year for which most recent figures are available, there were 1,842 total melanoma registrations (933 = males, 909 = females) (New Zealand Health Information Service: www.nzhis.govt.nz). This shows an increase in the total number of melanoma registrations from 1,660 in 2000 and 1,757 in 2001.
Like other cancers, melanoma occurs most often in older people, but can also affect younger people and is the commonest cancer in men aged 20–39. For women, melanoma is the commonest cancer between the ages of 20-30, while between 30-39 years, it is the next most common cancer after breast cancer. (New Zealand Health Information Service).
Should this not be bringing in to question the 'cover-up' programmes touted in schools, emblazened across our televisions and those arbitrary expert-defined 'exposure limits proposed by our Met. service??
Along with Australia, New Zealand has the highest skin cancer rates in the world. In 2002, the year for which most recent figures are available, there were 1,842 total melanoma registrations (933 = males, 909 = females) (New Zealand Health Information Service: www.nzhis.govt.nz). This shows an increase in the total number of melanoma registrations from 1,660 in 2000 and 1,757 in 2001.
Like other cancers, melanoma occurs most often in older people, but can also affect younger people and is the commonest cancer in men aged 20–39. For women, melanoma is the commonest cancer between the ages of 20-30, while between 30-39 years, it is the next most common cancer after breast cancer. (New Zealand Health Information Service).
Should this not be bringing in to question the 'cover-up' programmes touted in schools, emblazened across our televisions and those arbitrary expert-defined 'exposure limits proposed by our Met. service??
Coming 'Clean?'
Millionaire businessman confesses to $3.5 million fraud. "I'll be going to jail," he said.
Mr Fitzsimons and his wife Melanie, 35, who owns the upmarket Napier antique and fashion shop La Bella Rossa, stand to lose everything, including their $1.4 million mansion in Havelock North.
Oh dear... and 'his ripped-off business partners may also lose their homes.'
"He's a thief, a liar and a cheat . . . a totally amoral crook," said Mr Gifford, one partner.
He 'did not spend any of the stolen money on himself or his wife' ... but, 'he lived the high life - trips to Europe, twin BMWs and a mansion in Havelock North.' .... yep , no high life here, most would reduce their own assets to support a viable business, probably only one car, aha ... a jap import, put off the o'seas trips, generally tighten the belt.
Overwhelming contrition/remorse I am sure led to his revelation, not the imminence of discovery and public shame and I'm sure it also had nothing to do with putting his story out there first, disassociating his wife from his deceit, from any wrong doing - but of course all their assets would be jointly owned and anything accrued by her would be of robust indepenedent genesis, so there would be no especial agenda here. I am sure no one would try to gain sympathy from the notion that they will lose all, lose their life-style because in reality it was not theirs to lose in the first instance.
"Mr Gifford also did not accept Fitzsimons' remorse, saying the crime was carefully contrived to get around internal audit systems, was committed over an 18-month period, and it was only when Fitzsimons was caught that he expressed remorse.
"Too late buddy boy," Mr Gifford said."
Yep, a sad situation all round.
Once Were Slappers.
School holidays and wet and miserable ... what do you do?
Having had cause to go to the local library one option was obvious: bundle up the entourage and go to the library ... good for the elder ones, but the preschoolers, well ... increasingly frenetic attempts to distract them from their increasingly, "I don't want to be here" remonstrations, which of course quickly reach the point of 'everyone's looking' and those stares of disapproval and disparagment that only librarians, judges and school teachers can, oh so effectively, transmit over long distances.
So these little errants are dragged screaming from the premises ... and dragged because they don't want to be there and because they don't want to go. And all this with the elder ones showing varying degrees of embarassment and a similar reluctance to leave ... "Oh mum, I haven't ..." and being summarily dismissed, because you can often do that to older ones.
And then trying to get them in to the car, screaming, writhing and belting them up ... because all of this is what good mums do.
I watched two screamers and twisters ... three attempts it took one young mother to get the child in to the car and much rapid brusque movement to tie them down ... and she was very very aware of the public nature of her actions. Two elder children turned and yelled murderously at the youngster, one leaned forward and silence .. the process was completed and they left in their meticulously groomed Subaru.
The second had similar difficulty, but was considerably more brusque ... the child tried to dash from the open car door to come to an arm wrenching stop on the ground, kicking, flailing and screaming library books fell to the wet ground from the mother's free hand which resulted in an overall body tension that could be felt ... yards away ... and then came the grip, first to the shouders forcing him in to submission, forced in to the ground and with a strength that could only be found in the extremes of frustration, exasperation and anger, like a shot he was rammed in to the car seat and tied down ... screaming defiance. She hopped in to the car and began to back out ... the door flew open and the screams again poured out. She stopped, ran round the car, yelled, jerky in her fury, slammed the door and returned to backing out ... and again the door flew open ... brake lights on ... screams, she runs round, leans in to the car and the ensuing squeeze go on with passion ... silence ... and she shuts the door, straightens up and looks at me looking at her and gives me that unquestionable, unmistakable, "Bradford can go and get fucked" look. She continued backing her immaculate Mercedes from the park and drove off, relief starting to soften her demeanour.
and the lessons learned:
1. debark your kids ... makes any public misbehaviour considerably less public,
2. don't undertake any public outings as a family ... different things interest children of different ages for different lengths of time ... patience cannot be taught, it happens ... consideration of others cannot be taught, it just happens,
3. increase their concentration spans with video games and then terminate public activities before this limit is reached,
4. elder children can be used to effectively suppress the behaviour of those younger or lesser, you just need a reliable cue both to begin this and to end it,
5. Be careful of them pulling away and twisting -it's liable to pull the arm out of its socket,
6. pulling hair, squeezing the neck muscle, rough handling, twisting ears, pinching even with a twist aren't really a good look even if they can be executed semi-discreetly,
7. learn pressure points - these are therapeutic, minimse any undue bruising or swelling, are very effective at suppressing excess, are discreetly executable and enable the full release of any vindictive intent that may be lingering there underneath and with pretty much complete impunity.
8. don't get a 'family car.' Two seater sports car and the problem is solved, dissent becomes an at home phenomenon and private. Arguably the anti-smacking legislation is 'anti-family,' so go for the ride.
... and as for Sue. Well she came to realise the full extent of the damage she had done to children and their families and spent the rest of her days miserable, repentant and trying to repeal that law that she had so impulsively and egotistically been pivotal to invoking.
Having had cause to go to the local library one option was obvious: bundle up the entourage and go to the library ... good for the elder ones, but the preschoolers, well ... increasingly frenetic attempts to distract them from their increasingly, "I don't want to be here" remonstrations, which of course quickly reach the point of 'everyone's looking' and those stares of disapproval and disparagment that only librarians, judges and school teachers can, oh so effectively, transmit over long distances.
So these little errants are dragged screaming from the premises ... and dragged because they don't want to be there and because they don't want to go. And all this with the elder ones showing varying degrees of embarassment and a similar reluctance to leave ... "Oh mum, I haven't ..." and being summarily dismissed, because you can often do that to older ones.
And then trying to get them in to the car, screaming, writhing and belting them up ... because all of this is what good mums do.
I watched two screamers and twisters ... three attempts it took one young mother to get the child in to the car and much rapid brusque movement to tie them down ... and she was very very aware of the public nature of her actions. Two elder children turned and yelled murderously at the youngster, one leaned forward and silence .. the process was completed and they left in their meticulously groomed Subaru.
The second had similar difficulty, but was considerably more brusque ... the child tried to dash from the open car door to come to an arm wrenching stop on the ground, kicking, flailing and screaming library books fell to the wet ground from the mother's free hand which resulted in an overall body tension that could be felt ... yards away ... and then came the grip, first to the shouders forcing him in to submission, forced in to the ground and with a strength that could only be found in the extremes of frustration, exasperation and anger, like a shot he was rammed in to the car seat and tied down ... screaming defiance. She hopped in to the car and began to back out ... the door flew open and the screams again poured out. She stopped, ran round the car, yelled, jerky in her fury, slammed the door and returned to backing out ... and again the door flew open ... brake lights on ... screams, she runs round, leans in to the car and the ensuing squeeze go on with passion ... silence ... and she shuts the door, straightens up and looks at me looking at her and gives me that unquestionable, unmistakable, "Bradford can go and get fucked" look. She continued backing her immaculate Mercedes from the park and drove off, relief starting to soften her demeanour.
and the lessons learned:
1. debark your kids ... makes any public misbehaviour considerably less public,
2. don't undertake any public outings as a family ... different things interest children of different ages for different lengths of time ... patience cannot be taught, it happens ... consideration of others cannot be taught, it just happens,
3. increase their concentration spans with video games and then terminate public activities before this limit is reached,
4. elder children can be used to effectively suppress the behaviour of those younger or lesser, you just need a reliable cue both to begin this and to end it,
5. Be careful of them pulling away and twisting -it's liable to pull the arm out of its socket,
6. pulling hair, squeezing the neck muscle, rough handling, twisting ears, pinching even with a twist aren't really a good look even if they can be executed semi-discreetly,
7. learn pressure points - these are therapeutic, minimse any undue bruising or swelling, are very effective at suppressing excess, are discreetly executable and enable the full release of any vindictive intent that may be lingering there underneath and with pretty much complete impunity.
8. don't get a 'family car.' Two seater sports car and the problem is solved, dissent becomes an at home phenomenon and private. Arguably the anti-smacking legislation is 'anti-family,' so go for the ride.
... and as for Sue. Well she came to realise the full extent of the damage she had done to children and their families and spent the rest of her days miserable, repentant and trying to repeal that law that she had so impulsively and egotistically been pivotal to invoking.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Lifestyles and Risk.
"Up to 40 pc of UK models suffer eating disorders - study."And then there is the drugs in sports phenomenon ... all those derivatives of the historical weight loss programmes of the 1960's, but slight variations on the prescribed to children methyl phenidate, or the illegitimate crystal meth. "In general, the physical symptoms that are common among users of designer drugs include:
Hypertension, Increased heart rate, Clenched teeth ,Blurred vision, Uncontrolled tremors, Drooling,Anorexia, Nausea and vomiting Impaired speech, Total paralysis, Chills and sweating
Dehydration and heat exhaustion, Respiratory depression, Seizures, Permanent brain damage ... and Death."
Hypertension, Increased heart rate, Clenched teeth ,Blurred vision, Uncontrolled tremors, Drooling,Anorexia, Nausea and vomiting Impaired speech, Total paralysis, Chills and sweating
Dehydration and heat exhaustion, Respiratory depression, Seizures, Permanent brain damage ... and Death."
And then there is my icon, that man amongst men, Sly ... trying to slip a bit of 
growth hormone in to the land of the ockers, these inferiority strivings fuelling the need for self enhancement .... "I just can't leave home without my anabolics," said Sly, "I sort of feel undressed." Displaying traditional patriotic collegiality, and twitching engorged biceps, in that universally recognised Cactus Kate-alluring manner, "Our athletes are totally natural," said a spokesman from the big-time wrestlers, "those 23 deaths attributed by unreliable sources to kidney dysfunction were in fact a result of the no-nonsense, serious (don't try it at home) nature of our sport.... we are cleaner than the Tour de France," he said with a most sincere glint in his eye, an unquestionable emphatic tone in his voice, "wussies dropping synthetic testosterone," he said, his voice fading, "no balls." "Here we are entirely natural," his voice resonating as if a taut, acned bass/sopranoing teenager.
growth hormone in to the land of the ockers, these inferiority strivings fuelling the need for self enhancement .... "I just can't leave home without my anabolics," said Sly, "I sort of feel undressed." Displaying traditional patriotic collegiality, and twitching engorged biceps, in that universally recognised Cactus Kate-alluring manner, "Our athletes are totally natural," said a spokesman from the big-time wrestlers, "those 23 deaths attributed by unreliable sources to kidney dysfunction were in fact a result of the no-nonsense, serious (don't try it at home) nature of our sport.... we are cleaner than the Tour de France," he said with a most sincere glint in his eye, an unquestionable emphatic tone in his voice, "wussies dropping synthetic testosterone," he said, his voice fading, "no balls." "Here we are entirely natural," his voice resonating as if a taut, acned bass/sopranoing teenager.
And then there are the BMI defined 'fatties, kamakazes one and all.'
And long haul truck drivers ...
That the press, the wannabe re-elected and those wannabe-noticed health watch dogs want to focus on a small group, presumably because of their visibility, the perceived impact that their life-style has on our impressionable youngsters ... when they simply get old and wrinkly and have kids and very few die and ..and .. and.. mostly they look lovely ... and anyway our very own sue kedgely has the cure for this buregeoning 'want to look like an attractive to male, female.'.... and it is of course, pies, sausage rolls and fish and chips in schools, all washed down with a half pint of whole cream milk.
All in all, it just makes you want to ....
God is Angry.
"It is total carnage," said mother of two Pip Johnson, 37, who lives 5km from Oakura."
Oiling the Wheels.
"Crops for biofuels drive up food prices." Which is of course entirely predictable, and as has become the case these days with so much abuse of 'scientific' finding or use of the specious result, so is the following ...
"An as yet unpublished report from Ottawa, Canada, suggests that there is absolutely no ecological advantage to using ethanol blends in cars versus conventional unleaded gasoline."
"An as yet unpublished report from Ottawa, Canada, suggests that there is absolutely no ecological advantage to using ethanol blends in cars versus conventional unleaded gasoline."
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Reframing pollution as Illness.
"We often think about asthma in terms of allergies ...
Asthma is an inflammatory disease causing wheezing, coughing and laboured breathing that can be life threatening. In some countries as many as 30 per cent of children develop the condition, according to the World Health Organisation."
Yep and those countries just happen to be countries like china ... pumping out those nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides and hydrogen sulfides... those well known respiratory irritants ... that stuff that was prominent in mustard gas. But now it is driving economic growth ...
Gene research like this is very simple correlational stuff ... it really is not worthy of reporting. An inflammatory reaction of the respiratory tract is quite simply and replicably an artefact of particulate matter i.e. dirty air... so don't live next to a highway, in the Hawkes Bay, or near either a vineyard nor organic pip fruit orchard ... that is if you want to reach a 'ripe old age.'
Asthma is an inflammatory disease causing wheezing, coughing and laboured breathing that can be life threatening. In some countries as many as 30 per cent of children develop the condition, according to the World Health Organisation."
Yep and those countries just happen to be countries like china ... pumping out those nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides and hydrogen sulfides... those well known respiratory irritants ... that stuff that was prominent in mustard gas. But now it is driving economic growth ...
Gene research like this is very simple correlational stuff ... it really is not worthy of reporting. An inflammatory reaction of the respiratory tract is quite simply and replicably an artefact of particulate matter i.e. dirty air... so don't live next to a highway, in the Hawkes Bay, or near either a vineyard nor organic pip fruit orchard ... that is if you want to reach a 'ripe old age.'
In Our Own Image.
When you walk in to a new entrant class and you see these little spontaneous, innocents actively and unabashedly emptying their nostrils and partaking of 'brain food,' or with their hand down their shorts having a 'feel good' and readjust ... you immediately think, "aha, ... modelling." And it is entirely natural and proper that our children should essentially end up as little clones of ourselves and the closer our parenting, the more they represent our view of the world, our perspective, our essence ..."aha."
Well ... it would seem that this is also the case with Al Gore's son ... busted for drugs and speeding in a hybrid car.
Sends a cold shiver down your spine, doesn't it?
No Einsteins Here.
Alleged terror cell drawn from medical world ... and traced by endeavouring to use cell phones to ignite propane gas bottles ...the wealth of evidence left in the two intact Mercedes saloons, especially the mobile telephones, led to the sweeping series of raids and arrests across the country.
Obviously being a doctor is not indicative of 'g,' that generalised intelligence factor (and thankfully so).
Obviously being a doctor is not indicative of 'g,' that generalised intelligence factor (and thankfully so).
'ye olde dykes unite.'
Lesbians planning 'old dykes home'
Well, I thought there was just possibly something wrong about discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or practice, of identifying oneself on the basis of sexual proclivity - but no 'tis a 'badge of exclusivity.'
Wellington lesbian Susan Bartel, 64, and her partner said an "old dykes home" was a great idea. "Lorraine and I have laughingly discussed with our friends the idea of buying an inner-city apartment or derelict old club where we could all retire together. We have called it The Wilted Lily."
Perhaps in blaming the male of the species, Turia too is looking to her future among those of kindred spirit.
Well, I thought there was just possibly something wrong about discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or practice, of identifying oneself on the basis of sexual proclivity - but no 'tis a 'badge of exclusivity.'
Wellington lesbian Susan Bartel, 64, and her partner said an "old dykes home" was a great idea. "Lorraine and I have laughingly discussed with our friends the idea of buying an inner-city apartment or derelict old club where we could all retire together. We have called it The Wilted Lily."
Perhaps in blaming the male of the species, Turia too is looking to her future among those of kindred spirit.
Violence, a Gender Issue?
"Maori urged to stand against violence.
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said men were responsible for most of the violence within Maoridom but it was women who were left to pick up the pieces ... it was women who were left to find solutions to the problem."
Now I'm sure our own Titiwhai Harawera would probably agree and extend upon this. If I recall correctly, at those Waitangi celebrations where her presence was to be prevented by those male elders, did she not threaten to reciprocate with revelation about pedarast behaviour by those self same elders?
... but she didn't!
The one thing you can count on in families in which extreme behaviour occurs is the rapid learning of the differentiation between private and public and the extreme cohesion, loyalty given outside (CYF/Police) threat .... many, many examples, not just the Kahui twins.
Simply being a passive party to this is condoning it ... but realistically this behaviour is common in maori families and it is not only more likely that maori women get 'the bash,' but also more likely that they will give it, and not only to their kids, and the more likely their kids will give it to others - look at our school 'stand down'/exclusion statistics - it is probably an artefact of what is called 'detached parenting.'
Perhaps she's exhausted the 'race card,' can no longer ascribe parental violence to their own children to an artefact of years of colonial oppression and now needs to 'pull' the gender line.
It is a big problem. it does need to be spoken about forthrightly such that it can be addressed. The attribution of blame - about the only platform upon which Turia can stand - endeavouring to define it as a gender issue is simply doing another disservice to our maori people.
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said men were responsible for most of the violence within Maoridom but it was women who were left to pick up the pieces ... it was women who were left to find solutions to the problem."
Now I'm sure our own Titiwhai Harawera would probably agree and extend upon this. If I recall correctly, at those Waitangi celebrations where her presence was to be prevented by those male elders, did she not threaten to reciprocate with revelation about pedarast behaviour by those self same elders?
... but she didn't!
The one thing you can count on in families in which extreme behaviour occurs is the rapid learning of the differentiation between private and public and the extreme cohesion, loyalty given outside (CYF/Police) threat .... many, many examples, not just the Kahui twins.
Simply being a passive party to this is condoning it ... but realistically this behaviour is common in maori families and it is not only more likely that maori women get 'the bash,' but also more likely that they will give it, and not only to their kids, and the more likely their kids will give it to others - look at our school 'stand down'/exclusion statistics - it is probably an artefact of what is called 'detached parenting.'
Perhaps she's exhausted the 'race card,' can no longer ascribe parental violence to their own children to an artefact of years of colonial oppression and now needs to 'pull' the gender line.
It is a big problem. it does need to be spoken about forthrightly such that it can be addressed. The attribution of blame - about the only platform upon which Turia can stand - endeavouring to define it as a gender issue is simply doing another disservice to our maori people.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Dalton Gutted.
A daily morsel of dark chocolate cuts blood pressure - perhaps this is the remedy for the affliction that results from losing ... not by one second, but by three consecutive defeats ... & this is definitely " like having your heart dug out by a spoon," Dalton.
But marketing is to do with visibility - so Clarke proffers another 10 million .. but will it be enough??
Butterworth remains ambivalent... he appreciates the deregulated market, understands 'how the wind blows' under free market conditions, understands how money can override patriotic fervour ... & anyway what negative aspects are there to living a loving reclusive family life in a mansion on Waiheke?
But marketing is to do with visibility - so Clarke proffers another 10 million .. but will it be enough??
Butterworth remains ambivalent... he appreciates the deregulated market, understands 'how the wind blows' under free market conditions, understands how money can override patriotic fervour ... & anyway what negative aspects are there to living a loving reclusive family life in a mansion on Waiheke?
Metamorphosis.
Sir Humphreys returns in different cloth, 'No Minister.'
The tropo sphere is again somewhat more complete.
The whore person is probably correct in that it's demise was an artefact of petulance deriving from real or perceived betrayal ... but to express delight at this at a time of rebirth ... whore...eh?
But has whale oil been that creative with his image??
It is good to see them return.
Life Changing Surgery.
Man breast reduction ... just a little bit of aperiodic exercise will reduce it, but it seems some have preference for the knife and increasingly so ... no more sensitivity to jibes. But nonsense really. A rapid change in body shape/appearance certainly does not equate wth changed body image ... this perception has taken time to establish and similarly takes time to fade.
Lion Nathan are deemed to be playing on the vanity of the new - indolent-age male with their advertisement: "Boobs, great on women. Not so good on men."
Contrarily, on musing extravagant proportions Bigdick says, "If men normally had D-cup sized tits, would other men stare at them? Yeah, probably."
...& in our androgenised, gender confused world both views would have their proponents ... but really, some people will endeavour to rationalise their pursuit of riches with all sorts of meaningful 'psychobabble.'
Men "just want to be normal and feel comfortable that they look like everybody else."
Yeh right.
Assessing Educational Delivery and Attainment.
National sets rules for success at school
"National's Plan
* Set national standards that will specify what a child should be able to do in a subject in a year.
* Require schools to choose testing methods that measure their students against others in the country.
* Require schools to tell parents about their children's assessment and their school's performance against the national standard."
"National's plan to make schools assess children's abilities in reading, writing and mathematics and report to parents has been slammed by principals as a "vote grabbing exercise" which would pit school against school."
But is it?
Teachers have ready access to laptops, so ease of recording, ease of maintaining 'running records,' a far greater ability to give immediate feedback to students on performance and progress with the positive 'spin off' of focussing the teacher on progress, learning to fluency rather than deficits or inability to learn ... and most importantly focussing them on teaching method, on how to maximise learning.
No negatives here!
And national standards? This is the only way to keep teachers honest, to ensure they are fulfilling their role of ensuring our children maximally acquire the education to which they are entitled.
No 30% 'tail of non performers' here.
And so what if it 'pits school against school,' that is entirely what it should do ... the sooner this erroneous reasoning that competition is bad is acknowledged,the better - between individuals, between groups, between classes/teachers and institutions ... and the information available should be as specific and meaningful as is possible.
"National's Plan
* Set national standards that will specify what a child should be able to do in a subject in a year.
* Require schools to choose testing methods that measure their students against others in the country.
* Require schools to tell parents about their children's assessment and their school's performance against the national standard."
"National's plan to make schools assess children's abilities in reading, writing and mathematics and report to parents has been slammed by principals as a "vote grabbing exercise" which would pit school against school."
But is it?
Teachers have ready access to laptops, so ease of recording, ease of maintaining 'running records,' a far greater ability to give immediate feedback to students on performance and progress with the positive 'spin off' of focussing the teacher on progress, learning to fluency rather than deficits or inability to learn ... and most importantly focussing them on teaching method, on how to maximise learning.
No negatives here!
And national standards? This is the only way to keep teachers honest, to ensure they are fulfilling their role of ensuring our children maximally acquire the education to which they are entitled.
No 30% 'tail of non performers' here.
And so what if it 'pits school against school,' that is entirely what it should do ... the sooner this erroneous reasoning that competition is bad is acknowledged,the better - between individuals, between groups, between classes/teachers and institutions ... and the information available should be as specific and meaningful as is possible.
What's in a Name?
"Roger Tira Kahui, the man yesterday convicted of repeatedly raping a Pukekohe woman in her home, has nearly 140 previous convictions."
The published, partial list of offending indicates that the recent offending was probably quite predictable, it certainly shows there has been no escalation in the nature or quality of offending.
For someone who has frequented the Dept. of Corrections over time to have so much 'previous' indicates something just a little incongruous with the name, like it is a nonsense ... recidivism rates I believe of 44% within three years of release.
Perhaps it is time to change the name of the department and again introduce intervention to correct ... what do you think sue bradford would think??
The published, partial list of offending indicates that the recent offending was probably quite predictable, it certainly shows there has been no escalation in the nature or quality of offending.
For someone who has frequented the Dept. of Corrections over time to have so much 'previous' indicates something just a little incongruous with the name, like it is a nonsense ... recidivism rates I believe of 44% within three years of release.
Perhaps it is time to change the name of the department and again introduce intervention to correct ... what do you think sue bradford would think??
Monday, July 2, 2007
Equal Rights.
"Women hit the bottle like men ...." but no, they, like with educational attainment, are doing it better.
"Startling new figures show that more women have been hospitalised with alcohol poisoning than men since the drinking age was lowered in 1999" The promoters of that little catch phrase, "girls can do anything' should feel proud as should our education system that so effectively promotes independent thinking and personal responsibility ... and ALAC for further promoting individual and host responsibility- but it's really probably something to do with smaller body mass ... probably an artefact of the 'healthy diet' programme eating away at the endemic obesity problem - perhaps there is a place for fatty foods after all.
And of course it is entirely proper that this should be "prompting calls for a Government crackdown on alcohol retailers and advertisers." After all, our parents and our adult population are not capable of making the 'right choices.' But of course the more you do for people, the more you take away from them ... the less they are able to do. The more you regulate behaviour the less they are able to make decisions for themselves - some of those self fulfilling prophesies, truisms that increasingly empower the omnipotent grandiose notions of our paternalistic leaders.
So will we again be subject to legislation to protect rather than intervention to correct??
Ironical really, that this has occurred subsequent to a reduction in the drinking age. Perhaps the 'healthy eating' programme should have similarly been associated with a greater access to the deemed unhealthy foods in schools ... I am sure that this somehow makes sense.
I See Red.
Labour celebrated the start of three flagship policies:
Pete grabs his leader's forearm impulsively overtaken by his 'wimmin in a red dress compulsion ... earnestly looks into her eyes ... long, pleading and nervously blurts out, "I love you leader." She averts her gaze,stiffens and adopts an expression of shocked disdain, a coyness, completely overwhelmed by the impassioned plea... the deference of it - completely unaware that Mike is looking on, all seeing and with unrivalled lip reading ability .....
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