tcpip | Election Reporting (Greens and Schools), Livejournal, East Timor, Memage, the usual news.. and a ne

Election Reporting (Greens and Schools), Livejournal, East Timor, Memage, the usual news.. and a ne

Could we have some more truthful reporting in this election, please? Apart from the utter nonsense that the Murdoch press came out about the Green Party's policies, now we have the bombastic treatment of Labor's excellent education package. Sixty-seven of Australia's most well funded schools have a funding cut. Nine and a half-thousand government and smaller independent schools get their funding improved. Yet how does that supposedly liberal paper, the Sydney Morning Herald conduct their online poll? "Do you support Latham's school funding cuts?"

Personally, I think there is a just question on why private schools should receive any government funding whatsoever.

Well, apparently both having a diary and using computers makes you sick. That about wraps it up for livejournal, right?

I suspect not.

Here's something to jot in your diary. "Revisiting September 1999: East Timor and Australian Foreign Policy" a presentation by Clinton Fernandes on Tuesday September 28 at the Globalism Institute, Building 37, Floor 5, Room 32 of RMIT from 12.30 to 2 pm. For queries or to RSVP please email damian.grenfell@rmit.edu.au

Clinton Fernandes is, quite simply, the smartest person I've ever met. He'll be discussing Australia's late intervention as part of an analysis that also addresses the role of the 'Jakarta Lobby', the construction of Australian national interest, and Australian relations with the Indonesian government. Oh, and he's just about to be published: Reluctant Saviour (Scribe, 2004), a study of the Australia-Indonesia relationship in the lead-up to the East Timor crisis.

A meme! I think I picked it up from

unsworn. I want anyone and EVERYONE who reads this to post (whether you have an LJ or not) to write a comment telling me something that you'd like to do with me one day.

And yes, I will accept "going crazy broadway style".

Back in the real world, all goes well with my CCNA studies, my Cert in Business, work and my PhD - even if I barely have enough time to scratch myself. I'm feeling pretty certain about the CCNA and am up to the point where I'm picking over a couple of specific issues rather than having weak/strong chapters. With regards to work/cert prospecting for clients is proving quite successful. I find myself pitching at least 2 serious proposals per week, although a recent debate over a motor vehicle website has unearthed how deceptive some in the IT industry can be - and I'm not impressed! I do have a new business website - comments are appreciated... OK, late for class, got to go!

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Would love to get together with you and talk about business, etc. My business seems to be heading in a similar direction at the moment. I'm actually in Melbourne for a few days, would be nice to catch up if possible. 0412073082.

Thing I'd like to do with you one day... probably be in some sort of political battle (on the same side, naturally).

Looks at web site - hey, you did the Borderlands cooperative. I think we often accidentally get their mail at a different Borderlands. Small world getting smaller.

OK, let's catch up over the weekend, I'll give you a call..

I agree with the political battle idea... Let's talk over it, pick an issue which we can win and build a campaign around..

Hmmm! There are many Borderlands. I wouldn't mind writing a piece for that group either!

It's been far too long in between hugs!

Gimme!

OK, OK... If I find a ~~good~~justifiable reason to go to Perth I will...

Hey Lev! Your new site's looking good. Very clean appearance. Engaging content.

The Greens? Yup. There've been some recent articles in The Age (I think) commenting on the so-called "doctors wives" phenomenon (disenchanted small-L liberals) and how they're not buying the attacks on the Greens by Howard and the Murdoch press at all. If anything, the attacks are steeling their resolve.

The meme? I definitely must pop over to Melburn and go clubbing with you at some point... Or we'll get pissed on grappa in comfy chairs on a veranda or something ;-).

Now you turning up to Melbourne is certainly a good idea!

Thanks for the comments on the site! I promise to clean up the spelling this weekend.

I'd like to go to the opera with you....

What again? ;-) No seriously, nice idea... You're much better at picking them than I am however...

{blows raspberry} hmmmm, looks like your arse is the smartest part of you...

Nothing good on until the end of the year, sadly, so I'll have to wait. You have to wear a suit though...

hmmmm, looks like your arse is the smartest part of you

Certainly does well.. But seriously, your knowledge of opera is far superior to mine... I am but a wee babe in the woods when it comes to such things..

You have to wear a suit though

But of course. I like suits. Just doesn't suit my profession. Networking in a suit.. Nah, that would be so very wrong.

I'd like to go nightclubbing for some doof. Good german doof. In Germany. And drink a sh*tload of schnapps.

Germany... Hmmm! OK then! (grabs passport)...

Revisiting September 1999: East Timor and Australian Foreign Policy" a presentation by Clinton Fernandes on Tuesday September 28 at the Globalism Institute, Building 37, Floor 5, Room 32 of RMIT from 12.30 to 2 pm

Why on earth does it have to be during the day!!!! My lunch hour isn't long enough!

As for them meme - go overseas.....

Why on earth does it have to be during the day!

Because Clinton is picking on you :p

As for them meme - go overseas

A running thread! OK, Germany...

Bloody Clinton!!!! *grr* I was looking forward to going to something educational......*wonders if she can scam an extended lunch break*

What happened to Vietnam, not that I mind Germany at all.... can finally get to Berlin!

What happened to Vietnam, not that I mind Germany at all.... can finally get to Berlin!

Hey Vietnam's fine.. You've got the passport stamp (the one good thing AVI managed)... I was just following on from

callistra...

Like I said, I don't mind Germany either and even have a few places to stay in the west (and rather dull parts) though I may be able to scam somewhere in Hamburg.....

Go through some of your photo albums and see pictures of all the places you've lived.

How about this one for a start...

http://www.eccentrix.com/members/lev_lafayette/index.html

(I am not yet done travelling...)

Find a pub which is open on Sundays, share a good port and smoke a light cigar ... again!!! :)

Ahh yes, now that's a way to spend a wintery afternoon and evening! OK, next time our paths cross and it's raining!

Intersting clause "... and it's raining" ... considering it's most likely to be in Melbourne and all probabilities point to moisture ... but does that mean if there's no rain, no port?

Yes, i do come with a disclosure statement and I will add rain to my contingencies now :)) dunca!

Sixty-seven of Australia's most well funded schools have a funding cut. Nine and a half-thousand government and smaller independent schools get their funding improved. Yet how does that supposedly liberal paper, the Sydney Morning Herald conduct their online poll? "Do you support Latham's school funding cuts?"
I find Age and SMH reporting on private schools hilarious. On one side, it is Virtuous to think Govt Schools Good, Private Schools Bad, and their journos are generally very big on being Terribly Virtuous.

On the other hand, where did a lot of those journos go to school? Who are a prime element in their target demographic?

I find their consequent gyrations very amusing.

Of course, I think you should fund students, not schools, with extra funding on basis of educational-disadvantage factors and tailored bonuses for levels of improvement, and get away from all this crap entirely, but that's me.

I suppose if I was (generally) batting for the "other side" I would be rolling in the aisles... And exactly for the reasons you listed. I said as much in an (unpublished, apparently) letter to the SMH.

I also think you are correct about the idea of funding on individual students, rather than schools per se. I suppose the practical upshot of that is it's up to the school to attract students with the best grants and then make the best use of their money, correct?

In a word, yes.

meet up in a seedy little bar in a country with unsafe drinking water, partake in the local poison (without ice made from the unsafe drinking water), and rant about politics until we get thrown out :)

Let's try that again.. My last response was meant for paula_angela..

Countries without safe drinking water are plenty to choose from. Unfortunate correlation with places where it's not so safe to rant about politics, but hey, I don't mind a risk... (just don't get me started about Saudi Arabia or China)...

How about somewhere in South America? Venezuala?

When we're running the world, I'll get my people to call your people & we'll do lunch!

Weird... I'm sure the response below is what I sent for your post, but it ended up with monkeygirldiva. It was...

Can we do lunch before then? It may take a while ;-)

I'd love to.

I met you at tabouli's birthday. I was the pigtailed redhead. Thought you sounded interesting. Found the article on the 'health issues' of diary users to be rather amusing. Personally, I think writing can only be beneficial for people; ie sorting out their emotions in a constructive way. As for the Greens, I can only say I cheered when Bob Brown was the only one with the balls to finally go against George W Bush, when he came to Australia. I occassionally flick through the letters pages of both the Herald Sun and MX; always good to know thy enemy. Though it is disturbing that so many people read these.
See, what the article should be about is the 'health issues' of otherwise average, well adjusted people dealing with the idiots we call our leaders.

Ah yes, I remember you!

Not only did Bob Brown have a go at Bush, he also did the same for the Chinese leader... Not one to "play politics" in the sense we're used to.

The Herald Sun scares me, it's like a deliberate attempt to dumb people down. Mind you, it hasn't changed from 'The Herald' and 'The Sun' days. I remember finding a Herald WWII map of Europe in an antiques store in Richmond which included the sidebar explaining how actually our allies, the Russians, were of closer racial stock to the English than the Germans!

Nice icon may I add... And as for Tim Benzedrine.. pah!

Ah yes- he did too have a go at the Chinese leader. I'm glad he did it. China (as I'm assuming you'd already know) has one of the highest human rights abuses statistics in the world. But then why should our Government care if we can trade with them?
Researching for a ww1 script lately, I came across many a propaganda in concerns to the Turks and Germans at the time; scary scary that people would believe it. The Germans eat the flesh of their enemy, that kind of thing.
I recently came across the most insulting 'star' letter on MX, insulting, among others, environmentalists, people on benefits and homosexuality. I instantly replied. Of course, they didn't print mine. I'm going to write up both letters on my journal.
I'm glad you like the icon. :)

I'd want to sit down with you and listen to you wax eloquent over any number of subjects; I'd mostly listen, ask questions, and keep you well fed and watered.

That would make for an interesting afternoon, if not a couple of days. Thank goodness we have the Internet to "kinda-sorta" do it already!

meme- must get you to be my tourguide. show me your neck of the woods (or desert, or jungle, or city, your choice). i'm sure there would be brew, computers, and politcal discussion involved. :-)

Wherever my neck of the woods is, I'll be sure to fulfil this one!

I did some heavy thinking about the Labor education promise and I've come down on the side of not liking it... Mainly because it appears to punish 'choice'. I am fully behind giving public schools more funding because there is a serious question of quality. But I don't believe that private schools should be self funding. (I have a whole theory about it - quite long).

Plus as a friend pointed out both Liberal and Labor are focusing on the wrong issue. They keep talking about affordable education - important yes but HECS is a good system. I think the real issue is Quality Education. But neither are addressing that issue.

About that choice thing....

If I send my kids to school in a brand new Mercedes, should that be taxpayer subsidised? Why not? I'd be taking the pressure of the public transport system. I've made sacrifices for my children so they can have the most secure and safe transport available.

It's the same argument. Matters of need - and we all need some education in order to make informed choices - may have justifiable government funding. Matters of personal choice are not.

The reason why matters of "quality" aren't addressed is that is an extremely complex issue - and thus wouldn't feature in an election campaign. It has to do with the state statutory system, requisite staff qualifications, institutional autonomy and so forth.

As for HECS, well, I'm old enough to remember free tertairy education and it wasn't that bad - certainly better than having a debt for life! Interestingly most of our politicians who benefitted from free tertairy education aren't making much of an effort to pay it back

The bottom line is the amount of money that a society puts in their education system is the level of priority they give to education.

I don't think it is the same argument. Lets say it costs $9000 to educate a primary school child per year. Now if the parents want the child to go to a school that focuses on pastoral care and that is going to cost $2000 more - why should the parent pay $11,000. Ideally each child should get $9000 regardless of where the child goes to school.

In taking funding away from private schools completely you remove the ability to chose. That's not to say I think private schools deserve more funding - not at all. I just think students (and of course their parents) deserve to have that choice.

And practically there are govt schools that do not meet the student requirements. I went to high school in Port Hedland. I had to go to a private school in Perth to finish my education - the options weren't there in PH because there is no demand for them.

I don't think it is the same argument

Why not? The example you gave can just as easily be used to justify tax-payer subsidised private transport, as I previously indicated.

In taking funding away from private schools completely you remove the ability to chose.

No you don't. Noone is being forced to go to a particular school - if you want a particular, "special" service, then one can pay for it.

Private schools existed prior to taxpayer subsidies and could exist without them.

Personally, I am more convinced by Erudito's argument that says instead of funding schools you fund students.

I want anyone and EVERYONE who reads this to post (whether you have an LJ or not) to write a comment telling me something that you'd like to do with me one day

Work on your campaign team when you make a run for Prime Minister

Err, how about something a little lower that PM? (Unless it's for New Zealand).

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Election Reporting (Greens and Schools), Livejournal, East Timor, Memage, the usual news.. and a ne

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Yes, well

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meme...

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Hello Lev

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School Funding

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