Diposkan oleh Unknown on Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Bloggers, lift your game, not your hit rates

I used to read a lot of blogs. I don't read so many now. Some of the ones I used to read a lot have lost their mojo, others are way better than most of the top 20 of the Tumeke Rankings. I have adjusted my blogroll and, on the top of that blogroll have highlighted 10 good political blogs that I think are are worth reading. The list will change. Some are not on that list because they dont blog often enough. Many are not in the Tumeke top 10.

Here they are in alpha order:
david.farrar
frog.blog
kiwipolitico
liberation
lindsay.mitchell
no.minister.
no.right.turn
pundit
red.alert
tumeke!

SO, who do you think should be in that list that is not?
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Concept ships by Thomas Crausaz

Diposkan oleh Unknown on Tuesday, September 29, 2009

tharmine.com







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Mit Roter Bete leistungsstärker werden

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Mit Roter Bete leistungsstärker werden
von S. Schneider

Wer regelmäßig Rote-Bete-Saft trinkt, kann seine Leistungsfähigkeit und Ausdauer im Sport steigern. Zu diesem interessanten Forschungsergebnis kamen britische Wissenschaftler der Universität Exeter. Sie testeten acht Männer im Alter von 19 bis 38 Jahren jeweils zwei Mal. Vor dem einen Test gaben die Forscher den Teilnehmern an sechs aufeinander folgenden Tagen einen halben Liter Rote-Bete-Saft zu trinken. Vor dem zweiten Test gab es Saft von schwarzen Johannisbeeren. Dann ließen sie die Männer auf dem Fahrrad strampeln. Der Rote-Bete-Saft steigerte ihre Ausdauer deutlich.

Die Forscher vermuten, dass dies am Nitratgehalt des Gemüsesaftes liegt. Das Nitrat aus dem Saft wird im Körper zu Stickoxid abgebaut, wodurch die Sauerstoffverwertung in den Zellen verbessert wird. Das steigert die Leistungsfähigkeit.

Diese Erkenntnis ist vor allem auch für Lungenkranke mit einer Chronisch obstruktiven Lungenerkrankung (COPD) interessant. Diese haben aufgrund ihrer verminderten Lungenleistung Schwierigkeiten, genügend Sauerstoff mit der Atemluft aufzunehmen. „Dieses Mehr an Sauerstoff durch die Rote Bete muss der Betreffende dann also nicht durch die Atmung aufnehmen, was seine Sauerstoffschuld bei gemäßigter körperlicher Anstrengung verringert und damit auch seinen Sauerstoffbedarf", erklärt der Experte für pneumologische Rehabilitation Dr. Konrad Schultz. Es fällt ihnen dadurch leichter, sich trotz ihrer permanenten Atemnot sportlich zu betätigen.

Die Rote Bete entfaltet darüber hinaus auch noch eine blutdrucksenkende Wirkung. Was die Rote Bete sonst noch alles zu bieten hat, lesen Sie im nächsten Beitrag.

Rote Bete füllt Ihre Eisen- und Folsäurespeicher
Früher galt die Rote Bete als wichtiges Naturheilmittel, heute verbinden die meisten Menschen mit ihr nur langweilig eingelegte rote Scheiben oder den roten Heringssalat. Damit wird der Roten Bete unrecht getan, denn sie lässt sich vielfältig zubereiten und enthält eine Menge Vitamine und Mineralstoffe. Bei Spitzenköchen und Genießern ist die rote Bete wegen ihres sanft-erdigen, leicht säuerlichen Geschmacks beliebt. Die Russen lieben die roten Rüben - wie sie auch heißen - als Basis für ihr Nationalgericht, den Borschtsch. In Frankreich bevorzugt man sie als Teil von Rohkostplatten - allerdings in gekochtem Zustand. In Italien verwendet man sie für die verschiedensten Gerichte und zum Färben von Nudeln. Die Norddeutschen wissen die rote Bete im Labskaus zu schätzen, jenem Gericht, das so manchem Seefahrer während der langen Zeit auf dem Wasser den Magen gefüllt und mit wichtigen Nährstoffen versorgt hat. Ernährungsspezialisten empfehlen sie inzwischen auch wegen ihres hohen Nährstoffgehalts.

Die rote Bete gehört zu unseren wichtigsten einheimischen Gemüsepflanzen. Trotz ihrer Rübenform gehören die Knollen zur Familie des Mangolds. Zwar können Sie die Knollen das ganze Jahr über zu kaufen, aber jetzt kommt die frische Ernte auf den Markt. Sie werden von Ende September bis Ende November im Freiland geerntet. Die roten Beten sind nun besonders frisch und aromatisch. Doch sie lassen sich auch gut für den Winter einlagern.

Rote Bete wurde in der Volksmedizin lange als Mittel gegen Krebs empfohlen. Heute vermuten Forscher, dass der Inhaltsstoff Betazyanin, der für die rote Farbe verantwortlich ist, Zellveränderungen hemmen könnte. Rote Bete ist zudem eine gute Quelle für Folsäure. Dieses Vitamin schützt vor Herzleiden und Krebserkrankungen. Ungeborene Babys bewahrt Folsäure vor Fehlentwicklungen. Auch der Eisengehalt der Knolle ist erwähnenswert, wenngleich sich Rote Bete nicht mit Fleisch messen kann. Für Vegetarier und menstruierende Frauen ist sie auf jeden Fall eine gute Unterstützung für die Eisenspeicher.

Übrigens am nächsten Morgen auf der Toilette keine Panik: Rote Bete färben so stark - auch Darminhalt und Urin!

Darauf sollten Sie beim Kauf von Roter Bete achten
x In der Saison können Sie rote Bete auch als Bundware kaufen. Sie stammt meist aus dem Gewächshaus oder Folienanbau.
x Gute Qualität erkennen Sie an den saftigen Stielen und sattgrünen Blättern.
Bei Winter-Rote-Beten sind die Knollen schön fest, Blätter sind keine mehr dran.
x Es gibt Rote Bete in unterschiedlichen Formen. Ihre Qualität unterscheidet sich nicht.
x Wenn Sie die Knollen aufschneiden, sind sie meist dunkelrot, manchmal aber auch weiß geädert.
x Manchmal werden die Roten Beten auch schon fertig gegart angeboten. Das erleichtert die Zubereitung, denn die ist etwas mühsam.
x Kaufen Sie keine verletzten Knollen, diese können Saft und damit Aroma verloren haben.
x Im Kühlschrank halten sich Rote Bete etwa zehn Tage.

So bereiten Sie rote Bete richtig zu
Wenn Sie ganz junge Knollen zubereiten, können Sie auch die zarten Blätter mitverwenden. Sie werden wie Spinat als Gemüse gedünstet. Junge Rote Bete schmecken roh und gegart. Die Winterknollen eignen sich prima zum Schmoren oder Kochen.

Normalerweise werden die Knollen zunächst gekocht. Wenn Sie die Rote Bete verletzten, blutet sie aus und schmeckt nicht mehr so gut. Deshalb werden die Knollen nur gewaschen und nicht angeschnitten. Je nach Größe werden sie in kochendem Salzwasser 45 bis 60 Minuten lang gekocht. Im Locheinsatz im Dampf dauert es etwas länger. Danach sollten Sie sie abgießen und abschrecken. Nun können Sie dem Gemüse zu Leibe rücken:

Wurzel- und Stielansatz abschneiden, die Haut lässt sich leicht abziehen, ohne dass der Saft ausläuft. Jetzt wird die Knolle weiter verarbeitet. Reiben Sie vor dem Bearbeiten Ihre Hände mit Zitronensaft ein, dann werden sie nicht ganz so rot.

Wenn Sie die Knollen dünsten oder schmoren wollen, waschen und schälen Sie sie und verarbeiten Sie sie zügig. Zur Rote Bete passt eine kräftige Würzung. Sie verträgt sich auch bestens mit Sahne und Schmand.

Bleiben Sie natürlich gesund!

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Vitamin B12 Deficiencies in Meat Eaters

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A typical criticism of vegetarian diets (usually from health professionals without practical hands-on experience in nutrition practice) is that vegetarians and vegans lack sufficient vitamin B12.

However in a recent study of diabetes ( a disease linked to meat and animal fat based diets) it seems that B12 deficiency in modern diets is of general concern.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston a leading UK Nutritionist says "In UK clinic I rarely find vegetarians with significant B12 and Iron deficiencies, they tend to be more aware of failings in our modern diets. More often than not meat eaters are lulled into a false sense of security that the Standard American Diet (SAD diet) of Meat, cheese and processed carbohydrates stripped of nutrients and fibre provides them with all the vitamins and minerals that they need"

We know the general population is short on iron it's seems they are likely to be low on Vitamin B12 too.

The prevalence of vitamin B(12) deficiency in pati...[J Am Board Fam Med. 2009 Sep-Oct] - PubMed Result: "Our results found a 22% prevalence of metabolically confirmed B(12) deficiency in the primary care type 2 diabetic population. Although further research needs to be performed to determine the clinical implications of our findings, B(12) deficiency should be considered in type 2 diabetic patients, especially those taking metformin. Furthermore, a daily multivitamin may protect against B(12) deficiency."

A seperate Swedish study showed that good quality B12 supplement taken sublingually (under the tongue) is as effective as injections. A regular sublingual Vitamin B12 supplement may be good health insurance for us all. Go to your Doctor and ask for a homocysteine blood test which is the most reliable way to date of testing for vitamin B12 deficiency

World Vegan Day - Vegan News
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Diposkan oleh Unknown on Monday, September 28, 2009

Political blogging and the media

Early this morning over breakfast, political journalist Fran O’Sullivan addressed a decent size group of people on the topic of the Accidental Empire of Political Blogging.

The hosts were Rural Women NZ – although there were a good number of urban males present.

She was pretty critical of bloggers who blog anonymously – but did not extend this criticism to anonymous MSM editorial writers. She contrasted two left wing blogs, effectively claiming The Standard is left for dead by the authoritative Red Alert blog. Writers on the former blog do so anonymously, the writers of the latter do not. She seemed to think that those who do not blog under their own name cannot be as accountable. But anyone who wants to know who run most of the anonymous political blogs, such as No Right Turn and Roar Prawn, can find out who they are. Indeed, O'Sullivan herself appeared to know who many of them are. She also noted that some bloggers have lost their mojo, while most bloggers can "get away with more" as there is not the same requirement for balance, deadlines or fact checking as in the MSM.

I changed my blog recently and took out my name after getting stalked online after something I wrote.Yet as with the blogger at Ethical Martini,nearly everyone who lands here can quickly find out who I am – and I am certainly accountable for what I write. O’Sullivan even questioned whether a blogger would be sued. I know of only one political blogger who has been threatened with legal action – and if the blogger was with the media, the media outlet would defend any action, not the writer.

O’Sullivan was critical of some of the NZ on Air funded current events shows and questioned why bloggers couldn’t get some funding from a revamped organisation - NZ on Media - and also saw no reason why some bloggers could not get membership of the Press Gallery. After all, university newspapers can, and most of their writing is worse than many political blogs.

But, overall, the mainstream media see political blogs as positive.
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Concept ship art by Randall

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nelson808 at deviantart.





















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American actress Jennifer Garner's hot photo

Diposkan oleh Unknown on Sunday, September 27, 2009

American actress Jennifer Garner and She is best known for her role as CIA agent Sydney Bristow on the ABC thriller drama series Alias. her hot and sexy photo







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Watch TV On Your PC Link 2
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Diposkan oleh Unknown on Saturday, September 26, 2009

More irrelevant research from the Families Commission


Family First has alerted the media - unfortunately embargoed til Friday - about the latest research from the Families Commission. It has labelled a report on gay and lesbian parenting as unnecessary, advocacy research, a complete waste of taxpayer money, and reveals nothing new that isn't faced by other blended families.

They 're right on one thing. It is advocacy research. So who are the two researchers who compiled this report?

One lesbian researches queer theory from Canterbury University, the other has published many journal articles on challenging heteronormativity and is doing a thesis on experiences of lesbians and gay men who create family through assisted reproductive technologies - no doubt this tax-payer funded research has helped with her research towards her PhD, despite the Blues Skies Fund that funded the research noting that grants do "not fund degrees".

So this is not unbiased research - it is insider advocacy research, conducted by those who say they live lives "outside the norms of heterosexuality" [whats wrong with the word "lesbian"] with a pre-determined agenda - to normalise gay relationships and to advocate for a change in adoption laws, and laws surrounding how many parents can be on birth certificates. Nothing wrong with that, but some people would not be happy with their taxpayers dollars being spent on this.

I'm more concerned that they interviewed just 19 families. And of those interviewed, just three were gay men, one of whom was a multiparent with a lesbian couple in another family, although treated as one family for the purposes of the research.The other couple were not even actively parenting children. Obviously gay men who parent are not as worthy of being researched as are lesbian parents. Why? Perhaps if they had gay men researching this they may have struck a more gender-neutral balance.

The research was done via snowball sampling which, crudely put, is getting an interviewee to recommend their mates. Surely lesbian parents have gay male friends who parent?

And your taxpayer dollars paid for it. Thanks, Peter Dunne.
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Happy 21st, Shihad

Shihad turns 21 this year. They are the local group with the most appearances on the New Zealand singles charts. And they are still going strong, as I put my clock forward for the summer....

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American model Vanessa Minnillo's hot and bikini photo gallery 3

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American model and actress Vanessa Minnillo best known for hosting Total Request Live on MTV from 2003–2007 as well her past reporting as a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight.Her hot and bikini photo:







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American model Vanessa Minnillo's hot and bikini photo gallery 2

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American model and actress Vanessa Minnillo best known for hosting Total Request Live on MTV from 2003–2007 as well her past reporting as a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight.Her hot and bikini photo in the water










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American model Vanessa Minnillo's hot and bikini photo gallery 1

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American model and actress Vanessa Minnillo best known for hosting Total Request Live on MTV from 2003–2007 as well her past reporting as a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight.Her hot and bikini photo:







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American actress Megan Denise Fox's hot and sexy photo Gallery 2

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American film and television actress Megan Denise Fox start acting career in 2001 with a supporting role as Brianna Wallace in the film Holiday in the Sun.She known as Transformers star.Megan Denise Fox sexy and hot photo available here






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American actress Megan Denise Fox's hot and sexy in black bikini photo

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American film and television actress Megan Denise Fox start acting career in 2001 with a supporting role as Brianna Wallace in the film Holiday in the Sun.Her new film Jennifer’s Body is about a small town high school girl, who possessed by a hungry demon, devours high school boys.Megan Denise Fox sexy and hot in black bikini photo available here





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Megan Fox said : ‘I’m Afraid of The Dark’

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American actress Megan Fox is afraid of the dark.
The Transformers star Megan Fox, says she freaks out if the lights aren’t left on.

“I’ve been afraid of the dark all my life,” Fox told chat show host Jimmy Fallon. “I leave the lights on all the time and if the light is off, I have to run across the room to get to the switch. I can’t walk through a dark room. I’m afraid of what I can’t see.”
Megan also revealed she keeps a cup of water beside her when she’s reading to overcome her bizarre hatred of paper.

“Some people don’t like nails across a chalkboard because it gives them goosebumps,” she added.

“I don’t like dry paper. Scripts, newspapers or anything that’s not laminated, I have to keep licking my fingers.

“If I’m reading I have a cup of water to dip my fingers in. I’m really neurotic.”
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Diposkan oleh Unknown on Friday, September 25, 2009

ACT on Campus and democracy

It is no surprise that ACT on Campus supports voluntary membership of student unions. Even if 51% of students want compulsory membership, the group believe that a " fundamental human right" should not be taken away from the rest of students.

So, I expect a statement from ACT on Campus advising that the select committee listening to submissions on the VSM bill should take no notice of submissions that do not support voluntary student membership of unions - akin to the attitude of Rodney Hide with regards to the Maori seats in the Auckland supercity. Substantive democracy doesn't come into it for these people.

Democracy for ACT on Campus means people should be encouraged to have a say - provided that their views are ignored if they don't agree with ACT policy - with the majority of politicians voting accordingly.
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Concept ship art by Thrasher

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Sultan Al Batar















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Diposkan oleh Unknown on Thursday, September 24, 2009

Sue’s legacy

Sue Bradford reminds me a little of Tim Barnett. Both politicians were very effective, listened to people, pissed off the Christian Right, and were easy to get hold of – even though both knew that some of the core values held and promoted I did not agree with. But they would always listen. Both championed members bills and got the Government to adopt them.

The difference between the two of them was that Bradford never had any constituents as she was elected of the back of the list. Her problem was that, unlike the Maori Party and the current Green leadership, she had a distaste for the Right of politics, picked a certain battle at the wrong time and lied about it. Her legacy is the anti-smacking legislation. That legacy and her lefty persuasions was one of the main reasons she was never going to co-lead the Green Party, and, like Barnett, was never going to be a Minister in a Labour-led government. Some have said that Barnett was the most effective MP that never got to be minister. Bradford would come pretty close had she been a little more honest.

Although she worked really hard, the anti-smacking legislation did nothing significant apart from pissing people off and creating more work for parliamentarians,the Electoral Commission, CYFS, the police and people on both sides of the debate such as Family First, Larry Baldock and and Barnardos. Kids are still getting killed. Kids are still getting smacked. Police are doing nothing more than administering parliamentary intent and writing more reports as a result of the anti smacking legislation. Welfare still needs reform.

But now Sue Bradford can put that MA in Chinese she has to good use. Or she can do a PhD.

Oh, and for those of you who are interested, you may remember Bradford got threatened via Twitter a few weeks ago. Henk Van Helmond, whom I outed as the Twitter threatener, has just put up a post with the "real reason Sue Bradford quit", erroneously claiming that his death threat – which the police were investigating – was one of the reasons.
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Sue Bradford to resign from Parliament

Not long ago, Sue Bradford wrote this message on her Twitter account, breaking her own embargo.
Media conference 10am to announce I'm standing down from Parliament at end October - but am not resigning from Greens or political activism
Dave Clendon is the next on the list. He stood against John Key in Helensville but lives in Mt Albert- formerly held by Helen Clark.

Looks like the loss of the leadership to Metiria Turei really hurt. But, despite Bradford being one of the most effective backbenchers, in terms of getting legislation passed, this is the best thing that has happened to the Greens this year. Watch for a rise in the polls for the Greens.
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Diposkan oleh Unknown on Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Backbenchers was a lot of fun last night

I was at Backbenchers last night. I haven’t been for a while but decided to go, not even knowing who was on the panel. Parliament was out as members day finished early

It was one of the best ever- so many MPs. There were at least 25 MPs, mainly Labour, but every party was represented apart from Dunne and Anderton. Best comment of the night was when Hone Harawira - in the audience at the time a few metres away from me - was handed the microphone asking for his views on putting the H in Wanganui. His response:
Shane was just telling me that spelling Wanganui without an H is like Cunliffe without a T
David Cunliffe was just behind him. Shane Jones arrived just before the programme started. The pub was in hysterics. It's an old joke, but I think that’s the first time that has been said in any media – let alone live on TV. Backbenchers is broadcast live by TVNZ7. Not sure what Cunliffe thinks of having his name spelled Cunliffte...

Anyway the place was packed, although it started thinning out after 10.30pm. The good thing about Backbenchers is no matter what political stripe you are, everyone gets on. I'm sure I saw Victoria University student president Jasmine Freemantle having a good chin wag with Sir Roger Douglas – their politics are poles apart.
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Concept ship sequence from the film Pandorum

Diposkan oleh Unknown on Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Pandorum... Opens in theaters September 25th.







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Concept helicopter gunship model by Lufei Bi

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Lufei Bi cg portfolio.



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Voluntary Student Membership and freedom of association

updated
As the Government is not going into urgency today, it is members day, and the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill to allow for voluntary membership of student unions will have its first reading. I am in two minds about the bill. I see merits in both arguments.

Many have argued that people should not be compelled to belong to any union. In fact no-one is compelled to belong to a student union. Those who don't want to belong to a student union don't have to study. Those who must study don't have to take part in the services provided by student unions if they are opposed, in principle to membership. I don't see any reason why students can't pay the fee and campaign to opt out of membership.Opting in means having a choice to pay a fee for membership in most cases, opting out means having a choice whether to be a member, thus exercising freedom of association.

But despite the bill's title, VSM proponents -many of who are not students - are not focused on freedom of association nor are they opposed to student union membership per se. It's the fact that students must pay a membership fee that they are opposed to, and it is this that the bill would remove, by amending Section 229 of the Education Act.
6. New section 229 substituted
Section 229 is repealed and the following section substituted:Section 229 is repealed and the following section substituted:
229 Voluntary membership of students’ associations
1) No person, including any tertiary institution or any association of students, may require any student or exert undue influence on any student—

(a) to become or not become a member of any association of students; or

(b) to pay any money to any association of students, or to any other person in lieu of such fees.
So this debate is not about membership, it is not about provision of services, it is about being forced to pay money for the membership that provides those services, and the bill frames this in the context of student union membership, not its financial component.

If section 6 (1)b of the bill was deleted, it would not restrict freedom of association - but the same freedom would not apply to payment of student union fees. So this freedom of association argument is a bit of a red herring when the real issue is the freedom to pay a student union fee. The bill also conflates ACT's concern with freedom of association with student service provision and membership of the university community.

What I find ironic in this debate is the very people who support VSM, predominately students, will read the fully funded student media -Salient, Critic etc, utilise Student Job Search, which is fully funded co-funded by the student union fee with the balance being paid by the Government - or go on Debating Society trips which are funded with a contribution from a membership fee they don't want to pay. They even support compulsory unionism of a kind.

Before you pro VSM debaters get a little horrified, I'll declare that I have bit of time for the Victoria University Debating Society - I took part in a recent debate it organised. So I'm most pleased to advise that their next public debate is going to be on this very issue of VSM on Monday 6.30pm, Lecture Theatre 1, Old Government Buildings in Pipitea Campus.Entry is free - and you can choose whether you want to be there or not.Political party representatives will be Peter McCaffrey (affirmative - supports VSM) and Max Hardy (negative). Student debaters are Stephen Whittington (affirmative)and Seb Templeton (negative). MPs are David Garrett and one other to be confirmed.
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Steambot Studios flyer on concept ships

Diposkan oleh Unknown on Monday, September 21, 2009

Book signing and live painting session by the Steambot team October 6th in Montreal.



Keywords: exodyssey concept art book signing and live painting session by the team october 6th in montreal Joël DOS REIS VIEGAS Visual Director - Founder steambotstudios.com STEAMBOT Studios Inc published by design studio press
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Diposkan oleh Unknown on Friday, September 18, 2009

Don't be too hasty to report potential child abuse to CYFS: Children's Commissioner

Children's Commissoner John Angus believes that too many people are ringing up CYFS to report potential child abuse. Speaking at the Family First forum, Angus said that about 100,000 incidents are reported a year to CYFS - a huge increase in recent years - but the number of substantiated cases - around 13,000, nearly half being emotional abuse - has not had a anywhere near corresponding increase.

Instead, Angus says people should offer help, and socially interact more. Those who get involved in community groups such as play groups, sports groups and church communities are less likely to need the assistance of CYFS or draw the attention of the police -consequently limiting the number of referrals, and possibly the number of substantiated cases of child abuse - most of which are emotional abuse. Emotional abuse, Angus said at the Family First Forum, caused the most long term harm and results often from " bad choices about the company ( parents) keep and the relationships they form".

So Angus wants to support people to take action - not simply to ring CYFS as a last resort. So who is to run the parenting courses that have the potential to reduce family violence. Groups like Parents Inc. Such groups get no government funding at all, and at yesterdays Family First Forum, John Key was asked, for the second consecutive year, whether he supports - and would now lead - a Government that would provide some funding for groups such as Parents Inc.

I think you can guess what the response was. The verbal equivalent of a middle finger - but said in a very polite manner with a trademark smile.
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Jason Turner concept ships for Outer Empires

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3D ship models by Jason Turner from the space MMO... Outer Empires.








Keywords: 3d three dimensional concept spaceship design art by kason turner for outer empires massively multi player online game
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If you can't be a stable parent - don't have children

There. The statement is made. By Phil Goff. Yesterday.If you cant be a stable parent, don't have children. We as a community have to find ways to protect our children and give them the best start in life.. By implication, this means that if you cant give the kids the best start in life, don't give them a start at all.

It is appalling that 12,000 CYF kids are found to be abused and neglected every year - this really does have serious consequences. We should be outraged, we have to look at what we are doing as a community.

Oh, and abortion is not the answer. It is better to prevent conception than abortion, particularly when 2000-3000 people suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome(each year) . So kids, be careful when you have sex., don't get anyone pregnant - and if kids go off the rails don't blame CYFS. The main problem is the parents, not CYFS -and part of the context is the increasing stress in families.

If we reduce the number of disadvantaged kids we will reduce the number of criminals of tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Your comments are welcome.
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PM says it is ok to smack your kids

I was at the Family First forum in Auckland today. John Key was one of the speakers. He said it was "ok to smack your kids", and the law is administered "the way I want it to be". Therefore in some situations it is fine to break the law provided it is the intent of parliament that the law be disregarded, particularly as Key himself has said that the law is a "dogs breakfast" and that " no-one knows what 'correction' or 'good care and parenting' is".

I do.

Key, commenting on administration of the anti-smacking legislation by Child, Youth and Family, said that "CYFS would not say 'do not smack a child'". Meaning that CYFS workers, although now told not to investigate cases of light smacking, would never tell parents that they could not smack.

Unfortunately for Key there was a woman in the audience - who so happened to be sitting behind me - who is on a CYFS care and protection panel. She told Key that social workers were in fact telling parents that they should not be smacking their kids. Key said he had a problem with that, and it needs to change.

He should talk to CYFS bosses about this, rather than telling family organisations that things need to change and doing absolutely nothing about ensuring that change occurs.
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Concept helicopter gunship by Jon McCoy

Diposkan oleh Unknown on Thursday, September 17, 2009

Another fine render from Jon.



Keywords: concept helicopter gunship digital render design jon mccoy art blog site
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Concept ships by Paulo Konno

Diposkan oleh Unknown on Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Working as a car designer for General Motors since 1990... Paulo Konno.

















Keywords: sketched by hand scanned and rendered in photoshop digital concept spaceship art portfolio by paulo konno age 41 married with one daughter working as a car designer for general motors since 1990 bachelor`s degree in industrial design by the state university of rio de janeiro in 1991.
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