Posts by Gareth Ward

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  • Hard News: Of Monsters and Old Boys,

    Right, Giovanni, so Decile 10 schools are "more desirable" because the nature of the kids attending makes teaching more difficult?

    Genuine question, I'm trying to work out why Grammar is supposedly more desirable and "betterer" than a similar sized low-decile school. Conceptually the lower decile school will be better funded - the counters to that seem to be private donations and nature of the kids attending.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Hard News: Of Monsters and Old Boys,

    Some basic questions that I don't know answers to (and would rather PAoogle than Google):
    - Decile 10 schools receive a lower per-pupil rate of Govt funding in order to balance out "educational challenges for lower income groups", yeah? So where is the supposed educational benefit to a Decile 10 school? Is the lower funding completely overcompensated by increased parental "donations" and that's it?

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Hard News: Of Monsters and Old Boys,

    the element controls on my cooktop go to twelve.

    Well yes, because you purchased said cooktop in a good God-fearing market economy...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Hard News: Of Monsters and Old Boys,

    Not so good, of course, if it's your local school that "dies" while your children are attending it. But disaster capitalism always has it casualties, right?

    It's all a bit Underpants Gnomes really
    Choice
    +
    ?????
    =
    Magically balanced school system in an upwards spiral of choice-induced improvement mania!!!

    I can see the logic behind it, but actually layering it onto the real world seems unworkable. Besides the lost generation as you try and get to this utopia, I just don't see every school in the system suddenly deciding it has to up it's game to keep kids. The poor-ERO-score schools will just stay the same and end up being the school of last resort when you're turned down from everywhere else. This belief that an entire public school system will chase students through improving quality is nice, but totally naive.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • The New World Order: A Visual Guide,

    "Obama is a Communist, liberal, socialist fascist"

    Heh. The guy's well-rounded, I'll give him that.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • The New World Order: A Visual Guide,

    As for other meanings for "teabag". Just goes to show you who the perverts are. Normal people don't do that kind of crap and so don't know of the other meanings.

    Gorgeous.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Up Front: Amazons Are Not the Only Fruit,

    the love that dare not speak its name is unaffected in the Kindle version.

    It's much easier to toss a Kindle on to a burning pyre of righteousness than, say, an iMac.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Discussion: Regarding Auckland,

    Re the rush to implement, I must admit my worst case scenario is the FPP at-large SuperMayor elections sees a Holmes or similar (shudder) voted in. So we'd get a pointless celebrity overseeing an incredibly complex transition of governance and operational capability and SuperAuckland would be wrecked from the start.

    As much as I don't love any of the current mayors, I almost feel we need a Bob Harvey or similar for the first term just to ensure that the whole thing actually gets up and running.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Hard News: For Good Friday,

    I find flim-flam a lot less dangerous.

    That's what they WANT you to think. Nobody expects the Landmark Forum Inquisition.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

  • Discussion: Regarding Auckland,

    Richard Florida has it nicely here

    As housing starts and housing prices rose, so did tax revenues, and a major capital-spending boom occurred throughout the Greater Phoenix area. Arizona State University built a new downtown Phoenix campus, and the city expanded its convention center and constructed a 20-mile light-rail system connecting Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe.

    Awww man - we got the housing boom and not even a lousy capital-spending purge to go with it!

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report

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