Posts by chris
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bastards…
A dangerous gamble by the bastards there. The singers could use their platform to bust out some wicked variations in protest a la Tiki Tane.
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values...
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Dropping in this wonderful photoessay, What are Young Chinese Thinking? because it deserves to be shared, and this is a slightly less arbitrary discussion than most.
Nice one George, thanks for posting that link. This might also interest you, photos taken by Chinese Uni students. Some of them are gold (WARNING - frat antics - NSFW).
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I’m not sure about the US education system Jolisa, But the main thing I found upon returning to New Zealand from the UK as a child and especially as a teenager was that the local education system was vastly under-demanding so it may be a good time to encourage the young ones into some hobbies. At the very least take a comparative gander over the respective syllabi. If your sons are having to repeat too much material, it can play havoc with their motivation. Potential issues could arise when they start covering new ground again. Keeping them challenged in the meantime would be more conducive to their development. But as I said, I've no clue about the US system, maybe it’s a non-issue.
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My impression is that there was also a shift in Chinese Government Policy away from sending students abroad for English or international education to one of providing better quality services in China. This is more speculative though, as based on anecdotal evidence of teachers choosing China over Sth Korea and Japan.
Regarding promoting education:
As of April 2011 a 24% rise in Chinese students studying abroad. It’s beyond the scope of the Chinese Government, with more money families have more options.
Primarily due to:
Which in turn could be in part due to:
Which despite theoretically meaning:
As I’m sure you’re aware Recordari, this is inadequate and below the current requirements of most internationally recognized universities and possibly influential in the drop off of NZ universities in international rankings. There is a perception of New Zealand as providing a second tier education at warehouse prices.
There are certainly more international education providers in China now, But at the tertiary level they are largely inferior branded versions of the product offered by their western franchises, offering semi-internationally recognized qualifications for exorbitant prices as gateways to foreign based universities. The international schools are better and their clientele will generally graduate to better ranked foreign universities.
Generally speaking, The attraction of the New Zealand beyond the obvious aesthetics is that it’s a second chance for Chinese students who failed the local university entrance exam or were unable to complete highschool, and it’s seen as a soft touch for immigration, serving as the perfect springboard for emigration to more attractive countries such as Australia or Canada. Essentially
but our ability to provide a supportive, welcoming multi-cultural environment seems to have been evolving. It is a strength that’s valuable in many ways.
Isn’t a qualification that sets the prospective student cum job seeker in better steed.
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You hammered the ball into touch with this Russell (siphoned from the other thread):
Ironically, the international media stories about the opening night problems only came after the “take control” press conference.
Like ugly rumours of an argument in the greenroom following a well received play - Oasis come to mind. It seemed like the minister in question mistook the 50M or so RWC opening ceremony target demographic for his constituents.
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Field Theory: Straight for the throat, in reply to Ross Mason,
Nice interface. Useful!
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a stupid Bouncer still plastered over page 1 in the Herald
You've got to admit though, that guy is pretty damn hilarious. Semi-rhotic indeed.
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Field Theory: Straight for the throat, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
it is commercial
To be sure, that it is;) I haven't had my fix today, France/Canada beckons.
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And, big ups to the stadium crowd. Ireland won there too .
You'd think. Everything seemed rosy until I chatted to a friend who'd been at the stadium with her 10 year old to watch their "first (and last) rugby game" ever. Harassment from a drunk group behind them, pulling their hair tipping off their hats and when challenged claiming - "I do whatever I want to do". caused them to leave the game 20 minutes in, her son in tears.
Apparently the drunks were later kicked out- over 20 minutes to late. A case could be made that the incident was drunken accident. Maybe they didn't know what they were doing. Naturally I encouraged my friend and her son to give it another shot. To be sure, it's the kind of random twatcockery that happens at any big event, but coupled with that hospitalised Waka kids and assorted public misgivings regarding the appropriateness of Party Central for children, One wonders whether the Prime Minister's very public repeated insistence on alcohol as a key component of this tournament is somewhat to the detriment of the experience to be had by families and the simple unclouded enjoyment of the sport itself.
And there's nothing wrong with having a drink and watching the footy. but why (of all the people who could exploit this opportunity advocating and actively promoting drinking) is it the Prime Minister and his Government (rather than say someone like Mark Ellis -and no offence intended there Mark), more than any other group, who have gone out on a limb to push drinking to the New Zealand masses (as if it's some kind of university orientation event), compounding stress on the transport systems, the security, police resources, the health system and the taxpayers' pockets ostensibly in the name of a party (not sport) in turn marring the enjoyment for the kids? That's just not inclusive.