Posts by Sacha

  • Busytown: A Classical Education: Chapter…,

    has just now, aged 17, dissed the entire PA enterprise as a waste of space for old people

    Like I say, when he moves on from Bebo, let's talk

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Speaker: My People,

    unless there are children, our species has no continuance

    that used to be true, yes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Hard News: New Old Left?,

    They represent perfectly the champions of private excellence the party offers as its solution to every problem

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Speaker: My People,

    Yay for moderation!

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Speaker: My People,

    Yet we're back at that point in the political cycle where people want someone to make the decisions for them. Those 80s hair and clothing 'styles' have not dated kindly either.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Speaker: My People,

    the 'number of children' thing was a passing suggestion by someone on another thread

    Actually, I've checked and I'm wrong about that. First, Yamis raised the issue of family size and resources upthread.

    What do people think about married couples who are both unemployed most of the time but continue to add to their family despite the fact they are already in state housing (3 bedrooms for 8 of them - by choice as it's cheaper) and can't afford to replace the broken windows in their vehicle or put child seats in it?

    I'm referring to my neighbours who have six kids under the age of nine and are about to add a seventh. They do a good job of looking after and caring for them in a basic sense but there comes a point in time when the hole gets dug too deep.

    Then it was Sally who proposed this notion - also upthread, not elsewhere as I thought:

    I believe we can make a case for a diminishing family benefit with each child with no additional funding after three (or four) children. Three is not an entirely arbitrary number because it is the generous side of the average number of children that most people in NZ currently choose to have.

    Disagreement followed. Can I return to one of Jackie's responses above that I totally agree with and which I believe is honouring the spirit of her post:

    You can, however, make sure that they get the support to be the best parents they can be, and their children have a chance at a good life. It's not necessarily state help that people need, either, but for their neighbours and friends to look out for them. For the community to care.

    Resources are more than money or things or employees. Aroha is too.

    As is coordination of many caring intentions. Here's one tool for that, already being used for some New Zealand local projects like this or this.

    snap, Bart

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Random Play: Alt.Republic: Here is the news,

    Bob "sleeves rolled up" Parker (or his keeper Tony Marryatt) has now decided that he can't handle his day-to-day affairs and he needs an executive manager

    And he'll no doubt not be the last provincial Mayor to aspire to Auckland's new resourced Mayoral office. So he feels more important.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • The end of the road West,

    Loved it. All.

    nobler in the mind

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Speaker: My People,

    Again, the 'number of children' thing was a passing suggestion by someone on another thread.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • The end of the road West,

    Trending! The phrase "Outrageous Fortune" is in the Top Ten on Twitter worldwide right now.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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