The West Wing where the (sadly ficiticious) Republican nominee Arnold Vinnick ...

Sadly fictious – now that's something we can agree on and I'm happy to agree to disagree on other matters.

With all due respect, we're just going to have to agree to disagree whet
er or not Rudd's playing exactly the same game – but I have to admit he's coding it more subtly. (And I'd also respectfully suggest the ALP hasn't historically been as fastidious about appealing to…

What I object to is the implication – explicit or implicit – that if you don't vote like them, you're not really a good Christian. That strikes me as rather monstrous spiritual and political arrogance, and to hell with it.

I've not heard anything from Rudd that suggests…

Well, as I've said at great length here and elsewhere I'm sick to death of any politician who has taken the term 'bully pulpit' in…

I stand corrected on Jackie Blue being Joan Nathan's GP. But still, there's not a lot of evidence for your claims in this thread or the Yellow Peril 'underclass' one.

I'm all for…

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=0005CEA2-16F6-15C7-BBB983027AF1010E

According to Scoop, Tasti approached John…

Oh no, I forgot – Key wants to give a schoolkid…

Well, up to a point. Putting aside Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbot's recent attack of bickering over where Jesus would put his first preference – which is funny in every sense – Australian…

It would be a delightful novelty, for example, if some folks would cease to accuse others of being Darth Rove's apprentice, while slagging off anyone who doesn't agree with them as a kitten-eating bastard.

Now you see Craig, if you'd just lay off the kittens, you'd find that your cholesterol…

Kids, like it or not, don't know everything. That includes about how to eat decent food and what it all does to your body. You learn it,…

Basically, I don't blame Helen Clark or John Key for the simple fact that I'm over-weight – and am only moving the cholesterol in the right direction by *gasp* eating properly and exercising more. Strangely enough, I don't think the right has any monopoly on the notion that not…

Where will the Rove blame the other guy strategy hit? I would have thought it had already hit. The "underclass" speech was a rainbow-six style double tap. It tagged the emotional buttons, it tagged the __supporting the people who struggle within…

His choice of emotional buttons is different from Brash. It attacks Labour where they are perceived as strong.

Yes indeed. Whether it's deliberate or not, I can't tell, but that's precisely the strategy Karl Rove is known for.

One PE teacher would talk to us about the importance of having…

Feed the obese kids to the ones that don't have any breakfast

or at least tell the skinny ones how tasty the fat one's are.

fear should cause the bigun's to *actually run*, and the wee ones can eat the abandoned lunches.

a natural equilibrium should ensue, with minimal bloodshed.

To me the issue and division between the red and blue points of view has never really been about generosity and a desire to help folks do well. Both red and blue see themselves as generous in…

a generous hunk of black pudding

Now we are talking! Sell this stuff in the tuck shops instead of the pies & chips & see what happens.

Tom, there used to be a gourmet sandwich place off Lambton Quay – they did a breakfast sandwich: bacon, egg, baked beans & black pudding. Magic.…

PS: Jo, do say hello this time ...

I did this time! I mean, admittedly I was hardly sober, and my mind was mostly on thinking about my next plunge into the ocean,but still, I was polite!

'...and how to best roll back the "reforms" that created them in the first place.'

Yep. There was never hunger or poverty prior to 1984. Genius.

It is frustrating to see them slugging down a V from the corner dairy,…

I don't recall seeing a single piece of fruit being eaten by anybody in my form class in the whole of last year aside from the odd mandarin (because they liked throwing the peels at each others heads). They were Year 9 (third form).…

Coming to school hungry ............. and obese.

I teach secondary school students at a decile 6 school but in reality its more like 4-5 (thanks to the wealthier families in the area sending their kids elsewhere) and we have many kids who are decile 1, 2, and…

Case in point: tonight's Campbell Live article…

"It's not just about missing breakfast but about WHAT the kids are eating. So many of today's behaviour issues can be directly attributable to the total crap that goes into their systems.…

Next time put the call out for bands, i know a few who would play for the love, and some quality beverages.

Yeah, people are usally keen to play for very little – it's the production that racks up the $$. Next time, though. Anyway, off to the venue ...

But on a more important note than this breakfast thing, Russell, no musical entertainment tonight?

DJ Lilly. We couldn't afford a band. And anyway, bands smell.

Russell, regarding the Karajoz blend events in Auckland and Wellington, I expect it comes down to logistics, finance and demographics...but is there any chance…

It's not just about missing breakfast but about WHAT the kids are eating. So many of today's behaviour issues can be directly attributable to the total crap that…

I agree entirely; IIRC one of the most significant findings of both Charles Waldergrave (et al's) studies on poverty in the 1990s and the Economic Living Standards Index (ELSI) work is just how much housing costs contribute…

Was it just me or was John's little car ride with the young Maori girl, when he swung on her and said (to the camera I think), "We're going to have a good time arn't we?" totally fecking Pygmalian?

He's got off lightly, hasn't he? Maybe it's the summer vibe,…

But on a more important note than this breakfast thing, Russell, no musical entertainment tonight?

And also as important (to me) are you sure there are no more spaces left for the Welly blend?
Hell I'd hang from the rafters if that was the only space left! :o(

Because I'd like "A government that would do something about parenting behaviour which adversely affects the development of children."

If it becomes about positive steps like helping families have enough money to provide breakfast, and helping educate families about positive parenting and giving parents who are struggling support and skills,…

I am perturbed that our gracious and caring underclass denier Prime Minister refutes the inspirational move by National, as “ extrapolated from an anecdote”, while the smarmy Maharey claims the figures are a “guesstimate”…

and noted that the survey did not cover some of the biggest breakfast-eaters, 16 to 18 year-olds.

He actually said they were the biggest breakfast skippers, not eaters.

Audio from this morning is online:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/mnr/hungry_kids
It kicks off with the Quigley interview.

Yes. Although not all of the ones that I recall from my schooldays were true.

Because I'd like "A government that would do something about parenting behaviour which adversely affects the development of children."

My teacher partner Jo has had kids tell her that they didn't get much sleep last night because they slept in the laundry cupboard. That's where mum hides them when the…

I'm not sure I'd like a government that could "do" something about Thursday night post pub parties to be honest.

Except, turn that around.

Because I'd like "A government that would do something about parenting behaviour which adversely affects the development of children."

If it becomes about positive steps like…

My point was that the "new analysis" just isn't what the Herald says it is.

Yes, sorry about that, I realised I was diverging from your main point. I guess the point I was trying to make is that this type of issue should be removed from party politics. If…

I'm not sure I'd like a government that could "do" something about Thursday night post pub parties to be honest.

No, I agree. But it's a bit like the kids obesity issue. Kids suffer because their parents behave in a certain way, it shouldn't happen but it does, and there…

However, in the case of the Herald you may be attributing to malice what is adequately explained by the reporter and editor in question not having had breakfast that day and getting…

I'm not sure I'd like a government that could "do" something about Thursday night post pub parties to be honest.

Real. I thought John Key was about to promise to make teenage girls eat their breakfasts for a moment there on Morning Report today.

National won't do jack about any of this of course, but it doesn't mean it isn't a problem.

Agreed, and I think that's been the consensus here about the underclass theme in Key's original speech.

My point was that the "new analysis" just isn't what the Herald says it is.

A…