Posts by Alan P

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  • Hard News: Reporting Afghanistan,

    if they want their PM to come see them every few years, bugger what the rest of us think.

    .

    Yes, and I'm sure that's exactly what Key was thinking when he made his asinine comment to camera... ;-)

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Reporting Afghanistan,

    Key's declaration that "I'm not prepared to send people to a destination that I'm not prepared to come myself."

    - Yes, I found this to be a typically self-serving, and disingenuous comment from our PM.
    I mean, it's not like he's actually donning a uniform and going up against the Taliban. He's just a VIP swanning around between photo ops and lunches - snuck in to the country unannounced, no less.

    I'm still dumbfounded that so many New Zealanders don't seem to have seen through the John Key show yet. Apparently the majority of us still think he's a bloody nice bloke, and er, actually competent to run a country. Now that's a news story - headline: "NZ IQ Shocker" perhaps?

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Climate science and the media,

    Can't remember where I got this link, apologies if it was on PA: http://www.jakearchibald.co.uk/homeopathy/
    - seems to me a fairly good representation of the general thinking of people who aren't able to understand that the actual experts got that tag because they actually do know more about a given subject. Through crazy stuff like, you know, actually studying and learning...

    Actually, I remember now - I found it on a hi-fi audio site. They were discussing some of the nuttier audiophile stuff, like magic pebbles, and cable elevators.
    I know, I could have deleted the bit above about not remembering, but how much fun would that be?

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: The back of a bloody envelope,

    Sorry if someone got to this before me, can't be arsed reading 8 pages...

    ...being used as a metonym for the NZ government.

    A metronym, surely.

    "Metronym"?
    - Literal rhythm of the city perhaps?

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Standards Matter,

    Thanks for your response Gordon. All fascinating stuff, and certainly thought provoking.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Standards Matter,

    Gordon,
    Apologies if I'm being a bit thick here, but what exactly does your interesting discourse on the use of online collaborative and multi-media tools have to do with my question on the possibility of keeping an individuals national standards results private?

    Emma,
    I know we have rights to certain information, but we also have rights to keep certain information private, don't we?
    Can anyone view my daughters school results if they wish, under an official information act request?

    I have no idea what the answer to that is, by the way. But regardless, I really don't see what business test results of an individual child are of anyone other than the child and their immediate family.
    *edit* And the school, obviously...

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Standards Matter,

    Apologies if this has been covered already, don't have time to read all the comments above.

    If the compilation of League Tables is genuinely not desirable, why doesn't the government keep the standards testing more or less confidential? ie: why should I know the results of anyone else but my own children?

    I'm assuming the point of the standards is so the government has information required to improve educational standards. So, why do the public in general need to know all the results?

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Space for Ol Dat I See,

    Whereas, I was inclined to think it's just someone who thinks it's funny to put the word uterus on the back of a ute.

    otoh, I do have a talent for getting these things wrong...

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: Space for Ol Dat I See,

    Sure, it's a ute, and uterus has the word ute in it and all, but beyond that, whats funny? Kind of falls under the same category as most personalised plates for me, ie: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...
    Although I have to admit I am somewhat prone to announcing loudly that "I've got ovaries", when queried as to which balls are mine during a game of pool.

    I was mildly perplexed by this number plate out here in westie-land recently: OLDCOK.
    Definitely made me laugh at the time, but once again - why would you bother?

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

  • Hard News: You're all fabulous,

    We haz winner for worst pun contender (ignored category.)

    LOL - how the fuck did I miss that? I've even thought about that correlation myself in the past. Guess you get used to living with a name.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2009 • 35 posts Report

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