Christchurch Earthquake.

To all those who are involved, my heart goes out for you.

My very close friend was caught in the first earthquake. I remember making the frantic phone call from overseas to make sure she was ok. She was. This time, she decided to call in a sickie. She was to fly to Chch. Funny how things turns out.

I was lucky, most of my friends don't live in Chch, so I wasn't effected. The one that I remembered about, just decided to drive back to his parent's to have a rest until power comes back.

I thought, what if this wasn't Chch, but what if it was Wellington, where I have far too many friends to worry, if such event happened. I would most likely drop everything to go see what I can do to help. What if it happened to me? Who knows.

What happened, happened. Let's just hope that we can save as many souls as we can.

From a Geek perspective, I've been amazed at how many twitter traffic, Factbook traffic and everything else there has been. I've now seen so many generosity and so many creative ideas on how people can help. It's a good reminder of the human soul.

Hang in there guys. We are doing what we can to help you.

On School teachers.

So I've heard the story that some teachers in NZ are so "bad" that they can't spell, use poor grammar and incapable of doing basic arithmetics without the aid of a calculator.

The defense from the teacher's council (the governing body who decides who issues licences to practice being a teacher) is that the livelihood of the teachers are at stake, that you cannot take away their job so easily....

Now let's change it a little bit. Let's say you are a doctor. You screw up, you will have your licence suspended. Chances are, until your investigation is over, you won't be allowed to practice. Someone's life is at stake? Yeah probably.

Sometimes, I think people take teacher's for granted. People expect teachers to be everything, but without giving anything. I know, because I have seen both my parents be a teacher. I know because I've seen what crap my fellow students throw at them, and all the stories I hear from them. But at the same time, I think being a teacher, there's a responsibility. You aren't "teaching" a subject only. Hopefully, you are teaching more. Value, ways of thinking, attitude. If you put untrained teachers in front of the student, you will get students like that. Those that thinks, "it's ok". I personally believe, that teachers are an investment. Investment to our next generation, to our future. Are you going to spend the time at home, to teach what the teacher can't? You have to look at it from both side of the coin. While the teachers should be respected, if the teachers are not of certain standard, that is all the kids will end up as.

To me, this scares the crap out of me. But that's just me.

Edit - In a rather nice timing, I found this video, which does comment about a few things that I have mentioned. e.g., Kids understand the concept of magnetism better "before" going to school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hJCxSiH4ts&feature=related

My thoughts on our PM and people who chose him.

So it's clear that I haven't made this a habit.

I want to talk about this comment our PM (Prime minister, head honcho) of our country have said. Now, to put it in context, I believe he is one of the richest man in the country and probably the richest PM NZ has ever had.

His comment was that essentially, "Poor people are poor because they made bad choices. If they got off the dole, they should be ok"

To which, you get the usual rout of, "You try living on it" or "I'm sick but not sick enough to get a dole, what the?"

Here are some of my thoughts. Just a couple of rambles.

I think if Mr Keys is living on a dole, he will do fine. I don't expect financially successful man not to be able to do a income/expense analysis, to get to where he is. As a matter of fact, I might even put money down that he will walk away with some savings.

Some have commented on "easy for him to say", or "I wish I was on his position". I don't. I think he has worked incredibly hard to get to where he is. I don't think, let's take, Steve Jobs (Apple) or Bill Gates (ex Microsoft, both have millions as personal assets) have got there by applying the dole. They worked hard, and found opportunity to get to where they are. I can only expect the number of hours Mr Keys actually work as a PM to run the country, let alone as a husband and a father. My recollection of his background is that he didn't start rich, and came from a somewhat disadvantaged family, but I don't have any info to back me on this.

I'm sick but not sick enough to get a benefit. Well, let's put aside the whole "have to get a benefit". People might think that I will talk about my mum, but here, I'd like to talk about this tiny lady I met when I was at University. She was the Liaison officer for the student with disability. What was her condition? I don't know, what I do know is that her arms were too short, her legs were too short, she was on an electric wheel chair, and I doubt she can go to the toilet or get dressed alone. But she was an Liaison officer representing a group of people. too sick? Maybe. Not to do anything? I doubt it.

Some readers in the newspaper I read were kind enough to give us their "financial breakdown" trying to prove a point of "how can you live on this". Unfortunately, some of these alone, provides some flaws in their logic. Here's a few examples (not all from the same person).

Rent - $160... Hello? Thought of somewhere with Less rent?

Two bedroom flat for me and my baby. - Sorry, your on a dole. I know it must be uncomfortable, but really, there's sacrifices you have to make.

Internet - $100 a month... HELLO!!!! I'm a geek and I'm on a $80 a month plan. Who is your provider and what plan are you on? Have you heard of the public library?

I don't completely agree with the government. There was a time when I was in between job. I sent out CV's like machine guns (I still have my folder with all the copies of CV's in it, to remind me of that time). When my savings have hit rock bottom, I went to WINZ, who have promptly told me, one way or another, I won't get a penny for 3 months. Thanks, I only needed some money to get me by for a few weeks... Lucky that I had a lovely partner to support me at the time.

The final note, I suppose, is family. Before the time of organised government etc, we always had our "family" to rely on. That could have been our biological, or neighbor, or whatever. But in our now segregated world, we rely on only those we see, and possibly a bank.