Posts by Rob Stowell
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Hard News: The Huawei Question, in reply to Paul G. Buchanan,
Just one small correction to what seems to be a general belief.
Thanks Paul. I started a post along these lines and then gave up and went home :) What seemed truly remarkable in 2002/3 was the number of UK and US intelligence sources and ex-intelligence people speaking out- sometimes directly in the media- against case trotted out in the build-up to the Iraq invasion. It was surreal.
ETA: and Rich- yes! -
Hard News: Dirty deeds done by Digger?, in reply to Russell Brown,
easy to hit back hard, which preparing
Bet there are one or two politicians who feel a tad shaky as they check their closets for stray bones... :)
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Hard News: A storm in any port, in reply to DexterX,
The answer to everything is Mixed Ownership and PPP – no matter what question.
<random prediction alert> Except that when it all turns to nasty-coloured custard (and it will) it'll be because we got 'the worst of both worlds' and full privatisation will be touted as the only way forward.
If you already know the answer, there's no point in asking the question. -
Hard News: Back to mediocrity, in reply to 3410,
According to their website, Eden Park Catering are “delivering excellence” and “ensuring a world[-]class experience”.
Where have I heard that before :)
AMI stadium was lovely on Saturday: beautiful night, and packed with excited folks. The old empty concrete fortress we had was dreadful: too far away, too big, not scaled for its purpose.
Last year ITM matches were played at Rugby Park, with about 4000 spectators right close to the action. It was wonderful. The new stadium captures some of that.
My hope is there is someone with soul who’s picked this up- and we can keep a stadium this lively forever. My bet is we’ll be compelled to re-build a concrete monster designed to pack in more corporate boxes (I know they make money- remind me how much a bunch of folks sitting behind glass watching a game on tele contribute to the atmosphere?) and able to seat the maximum number of fans who might turn up to a hypothetical world-cup final we’ll never host :( -
Hard News: A storm in any port, in reply to merc,
Working for us, POAL managers
"Good faith bargaining"- anything that relates to intentions and attitudes- what's in your head- is hard work in law. But if this "Kirk Richardson" was truly one of the POA negotiators, that he was busy setting up a stevedore contracting company while negotiations were underway is pretty damning.
Was it Pearson who assured Len Brown the POA legal position was 'bullet-proof"?
Hubris? -
Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad, in reply to Russell Brown,
a quarter of a million views
Take that, NZ Herald :)
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So the trial is over- we hope. I gave a small whoop when I heard the verdict, driving home in the car.
Conviction on the firearms charges was a given. I'd have probably convicted... But criminal conspiracy was always, I reckon, fishing. It's very very hard to prove, without a lot of solid evidence, because it's all about something that didn't happen.
Personally, I think it very unlikely the four would have ever murdered, kidnapped, or burnt down buildings. It's one thing to talk big and play games in the bush. Cold-blooded murder is another step entirely.
And what seems to have been lacking was not loose talk or vaguely threatening actions: it was any evidence of serious planning: a definite target, for example, and concrete steps towards carrying out a crime.
Anyway, it's over- for now. Maybe one day we'll be able to read the book... or hey, it'll make a pretty good tv series. Not reality tv though, thanks :) -
In case anyone hasn't read it- Gio's full musings on Shearer's speech, "Finlands of the Mind". And another slashing review here.
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Hard News: The Vision Thing, in reply to Raymond A Francis,
Rob, serious question, are there any figures on this
Just wondering if as poverty has increased in NZ, has the under-performing tail got any larger?I don't think it's growing- but the 20% rate of under-achievement has largely persisted. And it's very close to the rate of child poverty.
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Hard News: The Vision Thing, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
I would suggest that every child in NZ *is*, by global standards, getting an excellent education....
There are challenges for schools...
But most of the problem is stopping National from undermining the hard work of just about everyone in the sector.Yes! PISA is probably the best source of data; 2009 is the latest year. (I've heard some mutterings about the data from China- possibly, I don't have a clue- but I don't think PISA is run by a bunch of suckers with a faulty calculator.)
We may have slipped here and there, but we still do bloody well. As I've said before: if our businesses performed consistently in the top 10 of the OECD we'd have a lot more tax money, and education would probably do even better.
Yes, we have a significant 20% 'long tail' of under-achievement, and we've been aware of and battling this for decades. Shearer touches on the fact that the kids who don't succeed in the education system are poorer than average. But anyone who thinks it's just a coincidence that we've also been growing poverty and income inequality in NZ over the last twenty years, and that has no relationship with educational achievement (or health outcomes) is in Lalaland.
So slipping in a little 'get rid of some bad teachers' there feels like just another "I wanna be John Key but nicer" statement.
Grrr. I'm getting increasingly cynical, and I not sure I can afford it!