To be fair, I think that was a bullshit comparison for Obama to suggest for newspapers etc. I’m sure I’ve read a breakdown that shows or claims more people killed by falling furniture in the US than by terrorism.
But then, what with most fridges being white… – sorry –
Hmm. I don’t know the numbers, so not mentioning it, but can imagine that multiplying those numbers in the graphic together might not cover it for the same time period.
What are you going to do with the thousands of existing teachers who are not suitable to be trained in firearms use. It’s not like everyone has the capacity to shoot another person in such a situation, even with training.
But hey, award for stupidest comment of the day goes to you 🙂
Tracey I heard the other night on Radio Live that home schooling in the US has gone through the roof in the past 10 years, parents too concerned for the kids safety are pulling them out of state education. It sounded like they the parents were getting something from govt to help with their costs as well. Obama was just saying that the US was the most advanced nation on earth – this was in a speech about the latest Oregon school slaying – the man must have rocks in his head – their society is as barbaric as the dark ages. I have family who live there and fear for their safety every day.
Yes I have exactly the same opinion too Barbara. Last year when I visited my cousin in Ohio I had this feeling I was entering a very sick society. When one votes as to whether or not to fund schools and local roads – when a visitor to the country is treated as a criminal from the moment they approach the border to the moment they leave – when everyone in the country and elsewhere is spied upon continuosly, and every department store has donation boxes for the poor (many of whom are their own workers earning around $7.00 per hour – if they are lucky), where only those who are wealthy can go to a doctor or hospital when sick or injured, you have to wonder what sort of society it is, and what the heck ever happened to “Social Justice”.
I pretty sure I’m just below genius level but thanks anyway.
As for your question – guess what – having solutions put by a turd like you in the south seas to a very intractable problem does ZIP – as if any solution from said turd (you) would even be considered – don’t you get that? You are just having a sadmaxfantasywank bud.
Well if it takes as long as the Brady Bill took, they’d best get started asap.
I’m just imagining if school teachers were “trained” (read “armed”, because training is useless without the thing you’re trained in) what would have happened to that kid who showed his teacher a homemade clock and got arrested for … witchcraft or something, I guess.
BM’s solution to too many guns is more guns. What a fucking numpty BM is.
Some reading about guns in USA>
1. This article is interesting because apparently while fewer households have guns, sales of firearms remains strong. . “It’s not just fewer households with guns, but also that the households that have guns actually have more guns.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/a-losing-gun-fight-in-america/article23411490/
This opinion piece from 2012 gives an insight into the type of people buying guns.
“There’s a name for those gun buyers: Republicans. As the FiveThirtyEight blog noted Tuesday, the 2010 General Social Survey showed that 50 percent of adult Republicans owned guns, while only 22 percent of adult Democrats did. This gap in gun-ownership rates has swelled over the past 40 years: In the 1973 survey, 55 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of Democrats had a gun at home. Polls suggest this gap will continue to widen: In the 2008 national exit polls, the percentage of Democrats with guns declined as the age cohorts grew younger, while the GOP rate of gun ownership was the same across all age groups. Increasingly, then, it’s our shrinking Republican minority that is buying guns.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/harold-meyerson-why-does-america-have-way-more-guns/2012/12/19/0c3038e8-494d-11e2-ad54-580638ede391_story.html
My god you’re actually serious!! I didn’t comment earlier because I thought you were having a stir.
You sir have been down graded in my opinion to that of a idiot who should be kept away from society.
Following that logic about who is on the ‘front line’ presumably all staff in cinemas – or just about anywhere else in America – also need such training?
So much for the pen being mightier than the sword.
Here’s the thing, kiwis like Americans have a national character, a personality.
I like to walk, its good for fitness, so being offered rides or being told that there is a bench nearby has nothing to do with good naturedness, but a kiwi notion that having a go, bit of social bravado or some might say bullying due to my overweightness…
Well in America its heaps stupidier, they teach mindless adoration of nickpicking social engineering, who sprout the latest negative attack on their fellow man and leafs all to many to take up arms in singular and final counter demand. Basically reaping what is sown, is how America lives. It could seed itself with nice human beings who look out for the oppressed or not.
John Key was quoted int he US in the last few days on the TPP
“the New Zealand prime minister said Canada is “negotiating as if there’s no election….”
Bear in mind that Canada is our biggest sticking point for dairy.
Now from a US perspective…
“But the peculiarities of trade promotion authority make it impossible for Boehner to be in the speaker’s office when TPP comes up for a vote. Under the law, even if trade officials announce an agreement today, they must provide notification to Congress, wait 30 days, and then post the deal’s text on a public website for an additional 60 days before signing. Then there’s another 30 to 60 days where the administration must submit the final legal text and describe what changes to U.S. law must be put into implementing legislation. Only after that does the congressional process start.
What this all means is that an agreement announced at the end of the ministerial meetings could not reach Congress until Feb. 1, 2016, at the very earliest. Trade expert Lori Wallach of Public Citizen puts the earliest possible date at Feb. 15. And these are based on very accelerated timelines that assume no slip-ups or delays when the legal text gets scrubbed…”
Of interest to me is how Mr Mapp (and others) invoke the notion that it is because they are hard left that they oppose TPP, yet the Republican Party in the US is also opposes it, quite vehemently.
The acceptance of the TPP, if this weekend, will run bang smack into American electoral candidate squaring off in Feb/March next year…
Grant Robertson has released some interesting documents under the OIA. Surrisingly, the government is shown to have broken another promise. Quite an important one this time… where the money from assets sales would go. I note the release has come with JK out of the country, so Bill will be the front man.
“Treasury warned National that it could not meet its public promises on spending from the proceeds of asset sales, and this would lead to a $2 billion shortfall, Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson says.
“Documents released to Labour under the Official Information Act show that officials warned ministers in February the Future Investment Fund – made up from asset sales revenue – would not be able to cover the raft of promises the Government said it would cover.
“Most New Zealanders hated the idea of asset sales. Now the Government is rubbing salt into the wound by not following through on their health and education spending commitments.
“After promising a billion each for health and education from the $4.7 billion of asset sale proceeds, the Government was advised that fulfilling that commitment would contribute to a $2 billion dollar blowout that would have to be covered from other areas or by deferring spending to later years.
“National has chosen to break yet another election promise. This is poor financial management, and it is misleading the public. ”
One way that ‘students could get what they need’ in New Zealand in the 21st century, Tracey, might be to be given a good grounding in basic te reo and English spelling.
Parata, not Perata; principals, not Principles.
But as a teacher what would I know about how schools could work better…and how students could get what they need.
when i watched shepherd mcully speak on our behalf at the security council,. i cringed.
he appeared like a year 8 reading a year 12s homework.
it was appalling … until..i saw our dear leader address the same body.
suddenly mcully aint so bad.
For those in need of a hope and inspiration boost….coverage of the British Labour Party conference and, in particular, the Corbyn Leader’s address in full. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008108p
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
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It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
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..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
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The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
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The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
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From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
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Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
Health NZ's CEO has resigned, but frontline healthworkers are sceptical that installing new leadership will make any difference to a system grappling with problems. ...
Gail Duncan, Chairperson of the St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, one of the organisations invited to submit on the Bill, says the Government’s actions are unprecedented. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of ...
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Everything you missed from the third day of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard four hours of oral submission. Read our recaps of day one of the hearings here, and day two here. Parliament was quiet on Friday for the third day of hearings on the ...
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Another tough day for America. When will they require even the most minimal of screening of Americans before they buy guns or ammunition?
Common this is a country that elected j w bush TWICE!! and has the chimp trump leading in the polls.
well, once anyway 🙂
Oh yeah the Florida thing .
And Barack Obama twice. What point are you trying to make here?
They call themselves leaders ,hell they still use miles and gallons just in case you needed more proof they’re idiots not to be trusted.
Hmm – and that’s only school shootings.
To be fair, I think that was a bullshit comparison for Obama to suggest for newspapers etc. I’m sure I’ve read a breakdown that shows or claims more people killed by falling furniture in the US than by terrorism.
But then, what with most fridges being white… – sorry –
best we don’t mention the number of people of colour gunned down by police over there either – too shocking, too nauseating.
Hmm. I don’t know the numbers, so not mentioning it, but can imagine that multiplying those numbers in the graphic together might not cover it for the same time period.
not a criticism from me Bill
“US police killings headed for 1,100 this year, with black Americans twice as likely to die”
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/01/us-police-killings-this-year-black-americans
that was only to July…
Best way to deal with the issue would be for teachers to be trained in the use of fire arms.
fire arms – yeah super powers would help /sarc
you really are the thickest of the thick bm
Or for trolls to be trained in subtlety.
+1
Do you understand that a college is a university, often with 10,000 or more students, and about 1000 staff, not all teaching in front of a class…
To my knowledge this was not a shooting in a “classroom”.
Sadly we have the world you seem to want for us BM.
Yeah, great idea BM, make the teacher the first target of any nutbar looking to shoot up a school. I am sure the teachers would love that.
No ones going to be banning fire arms any time soon, so provide training for the people who’ll be on the front line.
Practical ideas are what’s required, not pie in the sky lefty nonsense.
lolz, says Mad Max.
What are you going to do with the thousands of existing teachers who are not suitable to be trained in firearms use. It’s not like everyone has the capacity to shoot another person in such a situation, even with training.
But hey, award for stupidest comment of the day goes to you 🙂
Know one knows what they’re capable of until they’ve either tried it or put in a situation where you have to do it.
The other option is for every school to have armed guards walking around during school time.
I believe one school that had such guards had a massacre anyway.
Tracey I heard the other night on Radio Live that home schooling in the US has gone through the roof in the past 10 years, parents too concerned for the kids safety are pulling them out of state education. It sounded like they the parents were getting something from govt to help with their costs as well. Obama was just saying that the US was the most advanced nation on earth – this was in a speech about the latest Oregon school slaying – the man must have rocks in his head – their society is as barbaric as the dark ages. I have family who live there and fear for their safety every day.
Yes I have exactly the same opinion too Barbara. Last year when I visited my cousin in Ohio I had this feeling I was entering a very sick society. When one votes as to whether or not to fund schools and local roads – when a visitor to the country is treated as a criminal from the moment they approach the border to the moment they leave – when everyone in the country and elsewhere is spied upon continuosly, and every department store has donation boxes for the poor (many of whom are their own workers earning around $7.00 per hour – if they are lucky), where only those who are wealthy can go to a doctor or hospital when sick or injured, you have to wonder what sort of society it is, and what the heck ever happened to “Social Justice”.
your options are idiotic sadmax
you are so like your hero key it is beyond funny
What sort of practical options could be taken right now.
You can’t ban hand guns, any changes in laws regarding fire arm control will take decades to go through, if they ever go through.
C’mon, genius what ideas have you got?
I pretty sure I’m just below genius level but thanks anyway.
As for your question – guess what – having solutions put by a turd like you in the south seas to a very intractable problem does ZIP – as if any solution from said turd (you) would even be considered – don’t you get that? You are just having a sadmaxfantasywank bud.
Lol, is that right cuz, what a typical leftie fuckwit, nothing but wank.
go and put your camo pajamas on and hit the sack, your time is up
Well if it takes as long as the Brady Bill took, they’d best get started asap.
I’m just imagining if school teachers were “trained” (read “armed”, because training is useless without the thing you’re trained in) what would have happened to that kid who showed his teacher a homemade clock and got arrested for … witchcraft or something, I guess.
BM’s solution to too many guns is more guns. What a fucking numpty BM is.
His comment is so worthy of ridicule that I suspect he is winding us up.
we can only hope 🙂
Some reading about guns in USA>
1. This article is interesting because apparently while fewer households have guns, sales of firearms remains strong. . “It’s not just fewer households with guns, but also that the households that have guns actually have more guns.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/a-losing-gun-fight-in-america/article23411490/
This opinion piece from 2012 gives an insight into the type of people buying guns.
“There’s a name for those gun buyers: Republicans. As the FiveThirtyEight blog noted Tuesday, the 2010 General Social Survey showed that 50 percent of adult Republicans owned guns, while only 22 percent of adult Democrats did. This gap in gun-ownership rates has swelled over the past 40 years: In the 1973 survey, 55 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of Democrats had a gun at home. Polls suggest this gap will continue to widen: In the 2008 national exit polls, the percentage of Democrats with guns declined as the age cohorts grew younger, while the GOP rate of gun ownership was the same across all age groups. Increasingly, then, it’s our shrinking Republican minority that is buying guns.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/harold-meyerson-why-does-america-have-way-more-guns/2012/12/19/0c3038e8-494d-11e2-ad54-580638ede391_story.html
My god you’re actually serious!! I didn’t comment earlier because I thought you were having a stir.
You sir have been down graded in my opinion to that of a idiot who should be kept away from society.
Following that logic about who is on the ‘front line’ presumably all staff in cinemas – or just about anywhere else in America – also need such training?
It’s not confined to schools.
I suppose that would ensure that the first people the shooters took out would be the teachers.
So much for the pen being mightier than the sword.
Here’s the thing, kiwis like Americans have a national character, a personality.
I like to walk, its good for fitness, so being offered rides or being told that there is a bench nearby has nothing to do with good naturedness, but a kiwi notion that having a go, bit of social bravado or some might say bullying due to my overweightness…
Well in America its heaps stupidier, they teach mindless adoration of nickpicking social engineering, who sprout the latest negative attack on their fellow man and leafs all to many to take up arms in singular and final counter demand. Basically reaping what is sown, is how America lives. It could seed itself with nice human beings who look out for the oppressed or not.
Blah humbug.
Follow the money.
Gun manufacturing is a major US industry. They will make sure NO one legislates gun control.
Alcohol manufacturing is our equivalent of the American gun industry and why we do so little to curb alcohol abuse.
Follow the money . . . from producers to politicians’ pockets.
Then there is this awful graphic courtesy of the guardian
994 mass shootings in 1,004 days
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-america-gun-violence
Aren’t schools shootings terrorism?
Only if you use a plane to kill the students
John Key was quoted int he US in the last few days on the TPP
“the New Zealand prime minister said Canada is “negotiating as if there’s no election….”
Bear in mind that Canada is our biggest sticking point for dairy.
Now from a US perspective…
“But the peculiarities of trade promotion authority make it impossible for Boehner to be in the speaker’s office when TPP comes up for a vote. Under the law, even if trade officials announce an agreement today, they must provide notification to Congress, wait 30 days, and then post the deal’s text on a public website for an additional 60 days before signing. Then there’s another 30 to 60 days where the administration must submit the final legal text and describe what changes to U.S. law must be put into implementing legislation. Only after that does the congressional process start.
What this all means is that an agreement announced at the end of the ministerial meetings could not reach Congress until Feb. 1, 2016, at the very earliest. Trade expert Lori Wallach of Public Citizen puts the earliest possible date at Feb. 15. And these are based on very accelerated timelines that assume no slip-ups or delays when the legal text gets scrubbed…”
Read more here
http://www.salon.com/2015/09/29/the_unexpected_upshot_of_john_boehners_ouster_the_trans_pacific_partnership_is_in_danger/
Of interest to me is how Mr Mapp (and others) invoke the notion that it is because they are hard left that they oppose TPP, yet the Republican Party in the US is also opposes it, quite vehemently.
The acceptance of the TPP, if this weekend, will run bang smack into American electoral candidate squaring off in Feb/March next year…
Grant Robertson has released some interesting documents under the OIA. Surrisingly, the government is shown to have broken another promise. Quite an important one this time… where the money from assets sales would go. I note the release has come with JK out of the country, so Bill will be the front man.
“Treasury warned National that it could not meet its public promises on spending from the proceeds of asset sales, and this would lead to a $2 billion shortfall, Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson says.
“Documents released to Labour under the Official Information Act show that officials warned ministers in February the Future Investment Fund – made up from asset sales revenue – would not be able to cover the raft of promises the Government said it would cover.
“Most New Zealanders hated the idea of asset sales. Now the Government is rubbing salt into the wound by not following through on their health and education spending commitments.
“After promising a billion each for health and education from the $4.7 billion of asset sale proceeds, the Government was advised that fulfilling that commitment would contribute to a $2 billion dollar blowout that would have to be covered from other areas or by deferring spending to later years.
“National has chosen to break yet another election promise. This is poor financial management, and it is misleading the public. ”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1510/S00018/govt-ignored-warning-of-spending-blowout.htm
It’s been quite the Friday dump by National…
Perata has flip flopped on how she might fund schools and drawn the scorn of
Principles; and
Teachers
But, what would they know about how schools could work better… and how students could get what they need.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/72651281/has-the-education-minister-gone-a-bit-rogue
One way that ‘students could get what they need’ in New Zealand in the 21st century, Tracey, might be to be given a good grounding in basic te reo and English spelling.
Parata, not Perata; principals, not Principles.
But as a teacher what would I know about how schools could work better…and how students could get what they need.
But as a teacher what would I know about how schools could work better…and how students could get what they need.
Training teachers in the fundamentals of syntax and grammar would also be of immense help.
Training commenters in the avoidance of tautology would also help.
when i watched shepherd mcully speak on our behalf at the security council,. i cringed.
he appeared like a year 8 reading a year 12s homework.
it was appalling … until..i saw our dear leader address the same body.
suddenly mcully aint so bad.
I can’t bring myself to watch.
For those in need of a hope and inspiration boost….coverage of the British Labour Party conference and, in particular, the Corbyn Leader’s address in full.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008108p