Well, the new PISA survey is out and one would hope that it might at least briefly quell the clamorous cringeing that normally passes for public commentary on our education system.

Well, there's still plenty to cringe about – and with all due respect, I don't give a shit about?

Not unexpectedly, the US administration is already lying about what it knew, when of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran

Also not unexpectedly, it turns out the 'intelligence community' isn't incapable of organising a gang-bang at a sex addicts' convention after all – as long as they're saying what you?

To get old fashioned for a moment, could I offer the following grade: "B.

Or as the kids say nowadays, 'Achievement' or 'Achievement with Merit'

Not unexpectedly, the US administration is already lying about what it knew, when of the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran

That's just the opinion of Josh Marshall, if you look at the WaPo
article he refers to things aren't quite as clear cut. All this looks to have been?

I feel like I'm missing out on something.

camping surely? The number 1 result for "kiwi bamping" when I search Google refers entirely to this Zeitgeist page...must be a typo.

You're creating a self-fulfilling error there. Bamping will soon be a leading search term, with people trying to figure out what the hell it is.

You could coin it right now, and start selling genuine kiwi bamping before the domain is taken!

Is it just a late charge on Word of the Year? Cunning...

Bamping will soon be a leading search term, with people trying to figure out what the hell it is.

I've been telling people kiwi bamping is our equivalent of quokka soccer.

According to the NIE, firstly?

Wait till you see how fast I can get the domains and point Wiki at them...:-). Actually no, I vote that Bamping be defined as 'Talking about it on a blog but not actually doing it'. Then it really?

Tell that to all the dead people's families. In person. Make a tape, put it on YouTube. I'd really love to see it.

This isn't to suggest that our education system is perfect (or that league tables are everything) but it appears to be outperforming nations with much higher per-capita income than ours.

Exactly. PISA is a league table run by/for the OECD for econo-political purposes. It measures what it wants to find?

And yet last week we saw the report that NZ reading skill takes a drop. Of course, if you read the article, it shows that our reading level has risen very slightly, and that it's our international ranking that has dropped.

So we haven't gotten dumber, just everyone else got?

Then it really will carry all the hallmarks of an addictive drug, better than sex...

Dude, one of us is doing SOMETHING wrong.

Hmmm. I think Ben and I have to link pinky fingers and say 'jinx' before we can post again...

My goodness. I'll bamp to that.

Bamping is New Zealand's answer to krumping.

Sweet.

Dude, one of us is doing SOMETHING wrong.

:-) Reminds me of an old gf when I told her Schwarzenegger once claimed pumping iron was better than sex. She said "He must have really bad sex".

Bamping is New Zealand's answer to krumping.

No no, NZ's answer to Krumping is Crumping.

No no, NZ's answer to Krumping is Crumping.

Is that like, telling tall tales in a slow drawl, driving Toyota pick-up trucks, and making fun of short blonde men called Scotty?

Iran, I don't see how it's possible to be the least bit sure about any of the claims by intelligence agencies about anything.

to be sure, but given that this latest NIE on Iran is substantially different to that in 2005 it does suggest they have based this on what?

I really feel like I've achieved something today.

Derail: New Wikipedia scandal -Prepare for soul searching news stories about it and Web 2.0.

Man, what has the Register got against Wikipedia exactly? Do they have a 'one-anti-Wikipedia-article-a-month' policy or something?

To quote the Register in this instance...

...a rogue editor revealed that the site's top administrators are using?

Let's bamp, bampers.

to be sure, but given that this latest NIE on Iran is substantially different to that in 2005 it does suggest they have based this on what they believe to be good new intelligence.

Maybe. Or maybe nothing has changed except the attraction of being made to look incompetent by?

We can choose to eat it up or start to become skeptical about everything they say.

you might be right but i think if the NIE assessment turns out to be wrong then it's more likely to be an honest mistake than some sort of skulduggery (a view based purely?

...a rogue editor revealed that the site's top administrators are using a secret insider mailing list to crackdown on perceived threats to their power.

Or, to put in less 'shock-horror' terms, a few of the senior editors have a 'private' mailing list where they discuss issues to do with the?

and with all due respect, I don't give a shit about Australia.

Maybe you should let all your mates over at Kiwiblog and in the National party know, Craig. With all due respect, of course.

it's more likely to be an honest mistake than some sort of skulduggery (a view based purely on not much).

Either way they are proving their complete unreliability as a source of information.

I tend to think that intelligence agencies would be more prone than most institutions to groupthink. Academic?

...say this amazing intel is from some agent working in Iran? What's to say they aren't a double-agent?

it does seem that that's what was initially thought – that the intercepted communications were a scam. Seems that's why the NIE publication was delayed – so they could verify the intelligence.?

It could still be that iran is gaming but it does appear that this was considered.

The same comment applies before the "new information". It is quite possible that it's a game Iran is very good at. Given the flipflop I'd even say it's likely. Either they're good at hiding?

Iranians speak Farsi redneck...

"Fuck!!" (in Persian of course)

Iranians speak Farsi redneck...

I'm no expert on the topic, but at least according to Wikipedia you should check things out before you open your mouth. Particularly if you're going to be y'know, rude about it. Farsi and Persian seems to mean the same thing.

To hark right back to the beginning – couldn't agree more with this sentiment. I am so sick of?

Tell that to all the dead people's families. In person. Make a tape, put it on You Tube. I'd really love to see it.

You really ought to be making a request to Al Qaeda and Moqti et al terrorists?

It was part of a series of seminars on long term thinking by The Long Now Foundation

Psychologist Philip Tetlock decided to start grading pundits and think tanks on the accuracy of their intelligence and predictions. Try here and scroll?

It seems to be a sort of psychological/political equivalent of the Slow Food movement. Which is something I'd support. But a few of questions.

Is this anything new? The idea that?

US report confirms Iran 'no imminent danger': IAEA official
A US intelligence report saying Iran halted its nuclear weapons programme four years ago confirms the UN atomic watchdog's assessment that Tehran represents "no imminent danger", a senior IAEA official said?

So if there's no concrete evidence of an undeclared nuclear weapons programme. how will the US know where to bomb?

No it's OK. They have smart bombs. They'll know where to explode.

To hark right back to the beginning – couldn't agree more with this sentiment. I am so sick of hearing John Key/National/NZ Herald comparing us to Australia.

My point, Luke, was more that if you're stuck in a poorly resourced school with a barely competent teacher, it's pretty cold comfort?

to be sure, but given that this latest NIE on Iran is substantially different to that in 2005 it does suggest they have based this on what they believe to be good new intelligence.

Or to be quite cynical, Neil, Captiol Hill is also substantially different from what it was?

This calls for the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch ... or does that only work with white ones?

Or to be quite cynical...

from such a distance it's pretty hard not to be but I still think that one can sift thru the various more reliable info sources and get an impression of what's going on.

The LA Times has Anatomy of an about-face on Iran which appears?

I imagine inmates in Guantanamo bay are extremely relieved the days they're allowed to, say, stand up,?

their little campaign to have New Zealanders send a bottle of a favourite flavour to distant friends

I thought the favourite liquid gift from kiwis to overseas people was kiwi fruit liqueur.

Can't count the number of times I've visiting overseas people with tenuous nz connections, who bring out an?

I'd love to know how you'd reform the education system. What would be the first policies in place should the Craig Ranapia First party be elected in 2008?

If anyone was stupid enough to make me Prime Minister, that would be pretty conclusive evidence that public education is a total?

This was in my facebook feed this morning:

eToro is A revolutionary platform that makes it faster and easier than ever to execute traders

It seemed like a strange advert to?

I'd feel a whole lot safer if National just said they?

A retired Israeli diplomat said secrecy was key. For high-risk missions like a long-range bombing run, he said, "it would be unwise to check in, even with our closest allies, ahead of time".

from the Harold this morning. I get the impression that we can expect?

I was entertained Craig how your response followed what I find to be a standard National Party line, particularly in the Key reign. "Intelligent debate", "less bureaucracy", "no hip hop tours" etc, but not actually any policy, when that's what was asked for.

Oh and how delightfully predictable that was,?

If this *is* the case then it seems that such conditions create some very positive educational outcomes.

Do you have any other research of facts that you can bring to?

Kyle, you don't get it. It is not intelligent to debate policy. That is what bureaucrats do. Politicians pick on something isolated and silly, like hip hop tours are when they're taken out of all context. That is intelligent.

I'd feel a whole lot safer if National just said they?

1) resourcing for children with dyslexia (not currently recognised as a learning disability and as such no resources are allocated to specifically diagnose dyslexia and then help these children). I believe this would have a large impact on our 'long tail' of underachievers. Larger?

Craig, you did appear to make a claim that our children are sat in cold classrooms surrounded by incompetent teachers.

Balls, Don. Sorry, I can't really be bothered being more polite but I'd love to introduce you to a few teachers who will be devastatingly blunt about their views on?

As for clear and direct answers, I'd fall off my chair if any politician was ever so bold (without simultaneously being a complete liar or a?

teacher recruitment and retention, training standards

maybe paying a decent salary would be a good start.
I imagine a lot of people would be put off from a career in teaching as it doesn't pay well.

I am a new teacher (recently finished my Grad Dip) and will start on?

CIA RAG IRAN PA
is an anagram of ?

nice!....(pauses to ponder how long Steve was doodling with Craig's name to come up with that....quickly finding an anagram generator to amuse himself)
Again Crap Air
Pagan Car Air I
A Car Nag Pair I

I nominate Steve's anagram for Anagram?

I can't really be bothered being more polite

Well, I wasn't expecting you to make an exception for me.

they're real, complex and aren't addressed by either hysterical overstatements

So, let's hear it without the hysteria, please.

If the solution is more investment in training, salaries, infrastructure tell us.

Also?

LOL very very good. I wonder if that's the amazing new intel. CIA codecracking machines have finally had Allah speak directly to them.

Should it be through taxation, fees, PPP's?

taxation, definitely.

Lost my entire post.

Disclosure #2: I am knackered.

Literally hanging out for the last day of school. Like most teachers I'm assuming, whether it be the 14th or the 20th of December.

I have not read the PISA reports, so I can't speak to them.?

I didn't think the challenge would come from explaining 'round peg in a square hole' – but then how do you argue with a student who states: "You could do that if the peg was smaller than the hole."

Lol. There's a kid that'll go far.

Literally hanging out for the last day of school.

'Literally'?? (see discussion on 'Word of the Year' thread.

Literally hanging out for the last day of school.

'Literally'?? (see discussion on 'Word of the Year' thread.

Sounds like indecent exposure to me.

"The little girl at the end ... because that's us."

The kids are alright.

Aw thats cool, thanks