Yes We Can

As I write this, and probably as you read it, a despot is killing his people. State violence against rebels in Syria has led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians, who only want the freedoms that everyone else has. Kofi Annan has put forward a six point peace plan that Syria, in anger at being expelled from the Arab League, looks likely to reject.

I suggest the time for niceties is over. The time for talking is done. The time has come to spread the democracy that Assad is so keen to demolish. The time has come to intervene. Intervention has already worked in the fight to remove Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. The West needs to stand up for its democratic ideals and bring this bloodbath in Syria to a swift and categorical end.

Diplomacy hasn’t worked and probably won’t work. Diplomacy is a myth that baby leaders tell each other at nap time. There is no reasoning with a crazy person, calm though he may seem. The Arab League has tried that route. The world has tried expulsion, putting Syria in the naughty chair and whatever else mollycoddling socialists do these days. This man doesn’t understand reason, he only knows force. That’s what it takes to get rid of this tyrant. The rebels cannot survive on being armed alone, they need back up from the air and they need it soon. How long must we sit whilst fellow humans die at the hands of this animal?

The UN wants to send peacekeeping troops to Syria, ha! I agree, because that worked in, oh that’s right, nowhere. Assad is probably laughing at the West, oh look at those stupid people trying to come and babysit my country. If he doesn’t want to give up power, power must be taken from him. Whether that is with him living, or dead, it is no less than he deserves. The people will love the West for bringing an end to this conflict and it could use some good press in the Middle East.

Here is my personal plea to Mr Obama to grow some balls and bomb the hell out of Assad. The time for talk is over. The time for action was long ago, democracy must come to Syria and at all costs. Get rid of Assad, yes we can.

Charter Schools

The ACT Party may be tying its own noose but it will still be able to get its pet project passed into law. Charter schools are a pretty simple concept. They receive the same per-child government funding as state schools do but have freedom to set their own curriculum and qualifications, teacher pay-rate and school-day length and school terms.

I can't help but be excited by this trial. Charter schools act as a laboratory of reform, identifying successful practices that could then be used by traditional state schools. This extends to the most prohibitive practices which can be identified and eliminated in all schools. In short, the Ministry will save time and money by getting the private sector to identify the best and most productive ways of educating our children, and then implement these nationwide. 

People with innovative educational ideas can use these schools to put them into practice without being hampered by bureaucracy. Parents have the choice to send their kids to these schools and so you will find that children are at schools they want to be at, whether that is more religious based education, Rudolf Steiner institutions or other specialist education institutions. They may even provide competition for state schools that encourages innovation in our education system, which is in dire need of some shock therapy.  

One‐size does not fit all when it comes to education. All parents have the right to choose a school that best meets the needs of their child. Charter schools stress a more personalised approach to education, and are more flexible in meeting children’s individual needs and more innovative in trying new ways to improve student achievement. These include gifted children, dropouts, and children with learning disabilities. Whilst most parents would need to pay thousands of dollars for such specialist education public charter schools make choice possible for low‐income families, so everyone is happy.

The idea has long been used in Europe and North America. In the States more than a million students attend more than 4,000 charter schools in 40 states. We need to be fostering a more diverse education system where individual children are treated like the customers of education which they are. We need the private sector to provide a product that suits its consumer, all consumers. As for the likely claim from the left that it creates an educated elite or champions religious dogma. Well that wouldn’t be so bad after all now would it?

Just One

One tear drops with only the moon to hear

And at once the sky is filled with pain

One last breath with only one bird near

And the fire dies in the crying rain

Just one touch of a fingertip

And just one kiss on two young lips

Just one death, the earth shall cry

And the sea shall empty of all ships

Just one tragedy on just one day

And all the world shall morn this way

I wrote this for you

I wrote this for you, but you aren’t here.

Well you’re nothing more than a whisper in the air.

You’re the handshake from the sun, and the shoulder tap of the moon,

And you’re the words the old singers croon.

You might be gone now but your light shines strong

I wrote this for you, but you aren’t here

Well you’re nothing more than a whisper in the air

And when I stumble you are my cane

When it’s all gone dark you are my flame

And though your knee is not there anymore

I will see you smiling when I walk through the door

You won’t go and what’s more you care

I wrote this for you, and it keeps you here

In the palm of my hand, on the breath of the air

And when I close my eyes I see you, you never left me did you?

Once Gone

Ok so I'm out for dinner the other night, and whilst enjoying our meal we overheard a couple (I'd say not married but getting there) having a fight. I couldn't here what they were saying, except for at the end when the guy lands the telling blow 'oh yeah, well I slept with your sister'. They paid and left. Ouch. Slept with her sister! That is low!

Why I tell this story in part is to demonstrate how commitment seems to be dying. This doesn't just apply to relationships, but friendships, work situations, and study. Commitment is dying and it's sad. It's sad that I have such few friends in committed relationships, it's sad that those relationships are a case of 'well we've had sex a couple of times guess we're dating now huh'. It's sad that we cannot hold our attention on one person for longer than a few minutes, it's sad that we can't trust someone enough to take that leap. It's sad that twenty first century life is about as superficial as life has ever been, ever. It's sad,

We have done amazing things in the past twenty years, we have become great inventers who have created dynamic devices that have changed the way we communicate, and that's something to be commended. Yet, it has led us down the path to disengagement. We have become a right here, right now clan.

Though the greatest impact has been on how we forge personal relationships, the art of small talk is not the only victim. Society allows us to deal with trauma, conflict, and pain on a scale that has never been possible. We can share everything with the entire world, and so become accustomed to sensoring ourselves. This goes further than our online envdeavours it creeps into our personal lives creating rot on our most valued relationships.

We have gained so much in the last twenty years, but have we lost what makes us human? Have the lost the basic social and empathy skills that make us who we are? Are we so engulfed by sorrow for mass tragedy that we ignore small tragedies in our own personal circles.

It's time we sat back and thought about the most important things in life. It's time we understood that we crave human contact, we crave personal relationships. Without them we are hollow and we full that hollow place with meaningless possessions, and the communication of inane thoughts that show, not who we really are, but who society deems us suitable to be.

Bring back the personal, bring back the love, bring back the self. If we leave it too long, it will never come back.

Winston VI: Rise from the Grave & Favourite Things

I've been in a really odd mood of late. Having been back in Auckland for a month I have spent most of my time hovelled up at my parents' place. It feels really strange being back, and I am really tense. I don't feel like I'm home and I feel like I need to act as though I am a guest here. This is no fault of my parents who have always maintained that this is my home and treat me accordingly when I'm back. But I still feel weird. I'm glad I'm going to be away in January because I don't know if I could've managed going all the way through til the middle of February like this. Times change, and it feels odd.

It may seem strange but I haven't seen a single soul, besides a friend from Dunedin and my folks, since I've been back. You would think that this bothers my alot, which I guess it sort of does in that I should catch up with people. But I no longer have that many people to catch up with. In fact there are 5 people in Auckland who I still keep in contact with, which is sad but that's how life turned out. I went to vote at Macleans College and realised that there aren't that many good memories of that place. It feels like I wasted five years of my life doing the wrong things, hanging out with the wrong people, and caring about what the wrong people think. You make mistakes but what I see now is that those mistakes leave Bucklands Beach as my teenage home and nothing more.

So I guess I should talk about the election now. I was not wholly suprised by the result. My impression is that Labour ran a fear campaign that didn't really take off. Ultimately what Labour need to do over the next 5 years (I do not see them getting into government in 2014 either) is really think about what it means to be a Labour Party.

What I think we've seen is that, bar asset sales, both major parties in New Zealand are inherently centrist. In other countries when you vote Labour-Tory or whatever you get a clear message of left leaning and right leaning policies. National is equally guilty of being a really naff version of a conservative party. The fact that the six month old Conservative Party polled fourth highest shows that there is a demand, a growing demand, for a genuine conservative party and all that this stands for. Come 2014 I see the Conservatives picking up 5% and a couple of MPS and dragging a National led government further right.

Beside the fact that Labour's message was spat upon and National received the biggest percentage of votes in MMP history the biggest story has got to be Winston Peters. Peters is like the main villian in a really shocking horror movie series that no one really enjoyed the first time yet is onto its fifth sequal. Everytime we watch said movie all we can think about is whether this villian will fucking die already and yet we still get all excited when the next sequal comes out. That's is all Winston will get out of me.

My Favourite Things...this week edition

1. Common sense prevailed in the election
2. The election is over!
3. Planning for my January trip is all coming together quite nicely
4. Sweating over varsity marks is over. I will be back in 2012.
5. Weather, good no?

Keep it real

PS

It is truly shocking that only 2/3 of eligible voters bothered to vote! I understand that no vote is a choice but that means that 1/3 of the voting public now has no right to bitch about the government.

Chill Out Guys I've got the tape

I gather there's a little issue in the election over some tape? I mean I hear that it's kinda a big deal, warrants have been served, threats have been made, John Key walked out of a media conference (which you gotta think is like a husband walking out on a wife the moment the sex isn't amazing, c'mon John go back to her, do it for the kids - which considering New Zealand voters' attention spans, and penchant for hearing about stupid soap opera stories instead of real issues - is just what the voters are.

Don't worry though Winston the Grey, who has got to be in line to play some sort of Bond villian cause he never dies. He must have a host of political horcruxes lying about the place caause he's got to many lives he's going to outlive the cockroaches.

I personally don't see the problem with what's on the tape (I also think Don Brash is a twat, and epsom does have more than its fair share of old people), but I see a problem with how it's been tossed arond a newsroom. But the ethics of journalism is for another week, back to Winston AGAIN. He's come out kicking and screaming in support of the olds and is attempting to create something out of nothing (if you're reading Phil Goff this is how to make headway in an election). Speaking of Mr Goff he somehow managaed to take the biggest scandal to hit John Key and take Labour to its worst opinion poll ratings in ten years. All this shows is that New Zealanders think that both a lying, rich scumbag and the Lord Voldemort of politics are better PM choices than Goff. I don't know what to tell you Phil but when your daddy said anyone could be Prime Minister he was probably being nice, cause anyone doesn't mean you.

Personally I think we should just vote already cause its obvious that nothing can stop Smilin' John (in honour of Smokin' Joe) from getting another crack as our Dear Leader. He'll probably leave after this term (that's called making a gracious exit Winston), and Labour may get back into power. Thankfully that's another three years away and I'll be gone by then.

Just a quick well done to the Green's who used the year they're getting the most support to have a scandal of their own, you're now part of the big boys club welcome, take a seat. The Green's do need a voice in Parliament and should get a confidence agreement with National if possible.

It's got to be a sad condemnation on our littleness that whilst other elections have sex scandals, bribe scandals, illegitimate children scandals and watergate we have a storm in a teacup. But if Winston has his way I'm sure that teacup will turn out to be the love child of Don Brash and John Key. JK may be able to sruvive being rich, hating the old, and smiling away from big issues but somehow I don't see him surviving a gay-lovechild scandal. But you never know, Winston might try it next.

Au Reviour mes amis

My favourite things...Fictional characters edition

1. Sherlock Holmes
2. Peter Pan
3. Chandler from Friends
4. Patrick Jane from The Mentalist
5. Dr House from House
6. Scar from the Lion King
7. DI Frost from A Touch of Frost
8. Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs
9. Dumbledore from Harry Potter
10. Marshall from How I Met Your Mother

Oh Hell the System's Malfunctioned

Whether it's the drunken sailor or uncle John this election campaign has got me feeling a little down. The sad thing about having the most popular PM in history with the charisma that John Key has contest an election campaign against the weak character that is Phil Goff is that there is no real policy debate going on.

The crazy thing is that most people don't give a stuff about actually learning a little about policies and how they will impact our country. In truth most people will vote teh same way they have and always will vote, or will be manipulated by the pure and clean BS coming out of these politicians mouths.

The sad thing is that in all of this mess the referendum has gone by the wayside, far be it for us to give a stuff about what our political system will be. Don't worry we'll sort it out, it's not like it has an effect on how our future government will be formed or anything. Maybe if it was only going to have an effect in 2050 then Labour would be concerned.

I suppose the one thing we can say is that we are no worse than the other parts of the world. Let's see we have Australia where Julia Gilliard might get rolled by the very person she rolled to become PM in the first place, do those people not know about elections? We have the US who played economic chicken because their system is f***ed and Republicans are crazy. Oh and let's not forget Greece, and Italy where leaders are going to be forced out moments before the car wreck that is their respective economies occurs. Oh Joy.

oh well we always have Zuma, I mean Mugabe, I mean...oh hell the system is screwed

Why You Gotta Put Me Here?

It is my firm and sound belief that the fundamentals of human existence has shifted paradigms to an unattainable medium. What a douche, what I really mean is that shit's all crazy up in here. Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong decade, maybe I was meant to be part of my parents generation.

The universe took my career, took my fine moral compass, took my compassionate spirit and put into a decade that does not need, want or give a damn about any of those. The universe and I are actually having quite an argument at the moment. To put in perspective, if we were a married couple I wouuld be sleeping on the couch right now. Actually I am sleeping on the couch right now, so I guess the universe had her way.  She is a cruel mistress and, for what it's worth, I generally take pleasure in her mysterious ways but I have had it!

Still there is the election and a firm spanking of the left to be had. If I had my way National and the Conservative Party would form a glorious coalition and start dealing with the shit in this country. I mean seriously the justice system has tanked, the economy is buggered, the education system fundamentally flawed, and the welfare system is like Richie McCaw after the World Cup final 'absolutely shagged' (Good on ya Richie, but we weren't asking how you'd feel tomorrow morning). My politics is all a symptom of me being born in the wrong generation, I'm just not liberal enough for the cool kids but I'm not quite Fort Worth, Texas conservative enough for the wacked right either.

This has all contributed to this teenage-usque feeling of not belonging. What it boils down to is that I have managed to get myself into a situation of the straight gay-best friend. It's like a fricken cycle, and I can't damn well break it. I'm too shy to act upon any romantic possibilities, too conservative to do one night stands or have casual sex, and too stupid to know what to do about it.

I feel like I'm Ross from Friends, Jimmy from Raising Hope, and Ron from Harry Potter all added together and square-rooted (haha just kidding cause there's certainly no rooting anywhere near me).

So until I can find a time machine to go back to the days of yore and let myself run free, I'll just have to stick it out. I mean Ross got Rachel and Ron got Hermione, so my turn might come right?

Or not, ah well Eunick (spelling?) it is.