Almost the perfect trifecta of my favourite topics this morning with a great piece about Comrade Carter potentially getting himself very deep in the poo in the High Court, a little on The Crock that is Kyoto but unfortunately nothing on OSH's latest madnesses. However to make up for the latter there is a bit on NCEA with an ultimate irony piece just below it.
I don't need affirmation that NCEA encourages mediocracy and dissuades students from striving for excellence. My now 19 year old daughter worked out how to get exactly what she wanted from NCEA with minimum effort years ago. A piece this morning from a 15 year old girl (not an acaedemic, an educationialist or a social planner) saying exactly the same. She is frustrated that once she has reached her credits for pass there is no incentive at all to go on and try and achieve 'Merit' or that swear word 'Excellence'. It frustrated the hell out of me when my daughter was espousing the same sentiments a couple of years back and I thought it was just her. But no, it appears to be a feeling that this system, as practiced in this country, has bred on a more global footing. And the irony? Just below this piece we learn that one of the 15 year old scrotes giving evidence in the 'Concrete off the Motorway Bridge' trial couldn't read his statement out in court. Why? He can't read.
Kyoto. I'm less worried about this than I used to be as I can't see it surviving and surely even this bunch of Governmental Wallies wouldn't send my money to an organisation that no longer exists. They wouldn't do that, would they? Please, they wouldn't. Anyway, that well known advert for tooth whitening and Botox was earnestly (she does everything earnestly) prattling on with her usual bollocks about saving the planet from something we can do nothing about. Same old, same old.
Comrade Carter. Despite my rantings on the Machiavellian intent of the Department he heads last night it would appear that even they saw he was on the fast track to the High Court when he was determined to stick his ministerial beak into the Whangamata Marina decision last March. He was warned to be very careful as to who he spoke to and what opinons he gave when consulting with only one side of the argument just prior to his constitutionally abhorrant decision. Would he listen? I think he probably did but 'No one is as blind as the man who will not see'. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you have the country run by rather unintelligent, tenured zealots you end up with what we have to currently endure. The High Court next month should be the venue for some fun of monumental proportions. I'm not that confident however as Carter is probably, as I type, down at the tailors getting measured up for a natty little number in pinstripe Teflon
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