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BMW POWER

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Posts posted by BMW POWER

  2. Posted · Report reply

    I was thinking about this today. Sporting ethics.

    I was watching the "Should children be taught morals in schools" debate on TVNZ wesbite today. They used an Olympic athlete who did drugs as an example of someone with high aspirations who went wrong due to overwhelming ambition.

    It got me wondering about the morality of some of the Olympic athletes, and sports ethics in general. Particularly the female ones, probably because they are in the spotlight more than male ones. Unquestionably they are sporting rolemodels/rolemodels in general for aspiring sportsmen and women around the globe. Not only do they respresent their countries, families and themselve, but they also represent values such as persistence, ambition, determination, strength, sportsmanship, honour, pride,dignity and competitiveness.

    Yet, a good lot of them end up on the shelves of the local dairy.

    And no, thats not in "Sports World". I'm talking FHM, Ralph, Playboy. Yes, undoubtadly they are bloody hot, but i find it very contradictory and slightly disconcerting that they leave behind such values as "pride" "dignity" and the fact they are sporting rolemodels to become the pinup girl in a "mens interest" magazine.

    Just a thought, sorry about the ethics essay. What is everyone elses thoughts on this? I'm not complaining and being an anti-mens magazines dick, I just find it about as contradictory as speed and E30 316's.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    You scored a total of 39

    The Loyal Friend :D

    Speights mate.. think it's a southerner's thing

    The Loyal Friend

    Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expects the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Welcome to BS1

    Wow, bloody tidy car. You look after it really well. I haven't seen it around Dunners at all - does it hibernate during the winter months and only come out on sunny days for photos? It appears like have a photgraphic touch as well - couple of shots there down at the harbour basin - what camera do you use?

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Interesting to see National expoliting the truckie protest in the Octy on Friday.

    Had some National hick come up to me with a brochure, so a few of us decided to argue with him about National's policies.

    They came up blank and basically contradicted themselves in all ways possible. As much to say, (to girls in a girls public school uniform) "We are going to put more money into private schools"

    Interesting to see my mate highlighted in the policies pamhplet -

    "John Key is a down to earth New Zealander"

    Turn over the page, he's getting close to a THREE YEAR OLD HOLDING A CELLPHONE

    I'm sorry but either way New Zealand's f**ked.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    My wife works for the MoE

    Really - if you don't mind me asking what does she do there? I'm interested in working for the MoE when I want to shift from teaching to something else.

    My point on the decile system and funding is that it is effectively taxing those with high disposable incomes again - so not only is the government taking moeny in the form of tax and redistributing it to lower income familys as "working for families", it's then providing less funding to the higher decile schools, so the parents with all this disposbale income are forced to pay more (this is just a hidden tax).

    That is a really good point - so so very true! Complete and utter dis-incentive to be in a higher income bracket/family. The distribution of incomes in New Zealand is grossly unfair.

    There are good public schools - and very few of them are in income challenged areas, depsite the better funding those areas receive. So it's not working. A lot of the achivement of the kids in the higher decile schoos is that culterally the familys are more focuded on sucess and achievement, there tend to be better family role modles.

    Woop yeah like OG's :P

    Exactly my point. Perhaps this extra funding for low decile schools is to provide them with resources they need in order to overcome that motivation aspect that lacks in some family situations..cut off the vicious cycle.

    The Upper Hutt schools have been the victem of yet more gross mismanagement - no capital expenditure for about 5 years as the government thought they could move 3000 students into the old CIT campus and form a super school. I know teachers who work there - it's not very nice! They have now canned this idea. Of course the CIT, a perfectly good facility, with a train station across the road, heaps of parking sits decaying with the Government spending 80 million of so trying to make the facilites in Petone of a similar standard.

    That is outrageous. Why don't they spend x amount of dollras inasessing that complex and determine its suitability for a school rather than leaving it to deteriorate? What the HELL is going on with that...

  11. Posted · Edited by BMW Power · Report reply

    Jimbo - Are you an economist/businessman of sorts?

    Heres a bit on the Education sector seeing as I'm still at high school (public - Otago Girls)

    I can understand it from a stduent and with a bit of thinking, economic/managerial point of veiw.

    Probably not the fairest comment saying we get shitty returns from public schols - the ones you mentioned are particularly poorly resourced/managed. My school for instance has 87.5% passrates. Comparable to intergrated schools in Otago they are gaining 91% , we missed out on beating Columba, one of NZ's most known academic schools by one scholarship, and bet all other schools in Otago, inlcuding intergrated schools.

    You mentioned deciles so obviously you know how they are calculated.

    High decile (like my school) = LOW government funding, as they see the socio-economic ratio is high, therfore parents are more likely to have more disposable income (IE, not tied up in struggling to pay for necessities) than low income families and consequently are more willing and able to contribute funds to the operation of their childs school. So, the government contributes less cos they are tight ass mothers of sheepshit.

    Low decile = HIGH government funding due to exactly the opposite of what I said for high decile funding.

    As a result of level of funding, this determines quality and quantity of resources available for schools.

    For example, computers. I'm doing a Statistics exam at the moment. The school has four computer labs, two very high-tech ones and two not so good ones (due to funding). We have to book these rooms to use them. Often they are booked for other people, hence decreasing our practice time on computers and therefore less time to learn how to do things. This shows in grades attained - under-resourcing of public high schools lead to not-as-good marks.

    Whereas you look at private schools. Almost fully funded by parents. This pays for MANY excellent resources. Therefore learning is more accessable and easier to do. With parents pouring in this amount of money, they expect excellent marks, so that is what the school strives for. These parents most likely got great marks themselves, so push for that. So the only thing these private school kids know is high marks is what is expected. Nothing less.

    This is why quite often in frustration I say "Bloody under-resourced public school!!".

    Investing in schools in investment in human capital. If Helen put more money into Education, she would find that youth crime would decrease, productivity and therefore productive efficiency would increase due to better knowledge etc etc.

    Teachers are blerry invaluble resources - no one has any idea how much they put in for such little pay. The good ones can define a teenagers future - thats something you can't put a monetray value on.

    I can't wait till I get to work for Ministry of Education - hopefully thinss will change goddammit.

    Jimbo - interest rates can effect cost push inflation (supply side).

    Rent/mortgages are a cost of production for companies right, and so the interest they pay on these mortgages is a cost. If the OCR increases, interest rates increase, mortgage repayments rise, so cost of production rises, quantity supply decreases or prices increase to compensate.

    I laugh at Economic assumptions sometimes - "assuming consumers are rational"

    a) Don't ever ssume... you make an ass of u and me.

    b )Consumers = Rational?

    Helen Clark -rational What a joke!

    +1 For Rogernomics by the way - great initiative by Mr Douglas!

  12. Posted · Edited by BMW Power · Report reply

    Haha, political "discussion" - oh yeah.

    I wish people were more informed so they could make valid comments instead of simply saying "whoever gives biggest taxcuts" - thats a bit misguided to be honest. Without tax we would be sh*t... sure cut petrol tax... income tax you cant afford to cut a hell of alot.

    I think Labour have done an "ok" job.

    A LOT of their social policies are absolute bullshit. I see the social welfare has increased etc, providing no incentive to get them off their ass. They gap between unemployment and social benefit (of course I am referrring to those who are plain lazy, not in genuine hardship) could be minimised if they got out and DID SOME WORK.

    Not only would it aid our current productivity issues, it would make us more productiviley efficient, with as much unexcused labour being fully employed.

    Furthermore, those people who are doing well finanically, and actually work hard for their money, have no finanical incentive, due to them copping the highest tax rates. And yes I know the thresholds have shifted by 4.5k, 10k and 20k respectively, yet for high income earners this has provided minimal releif.

    I have read the Budget and 75% of it is excellent. The investment in human capital is truely commendable - $182 million to invest in teachers (better pay.. finally justice for what they do) and $180 million for Police.

    The move towards business efficiency and (perhaps, depending on what they do with it) with buying back Toll and spending on broadband. The 162 million is great to strengthen our presence overseas - as seen with the Free Trade Agreement in China... other countries are following suit and (for once) NZ is setting a presedence.

    Theres more to mention.... thats just from an Economic point of veiw. Thats why Cullen is good. But hey I'm missing the News..

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Wow nice pics! I drove home at 2am this morning, didn't realise the chronic condition of the hills, was muchamish getting home, the Beems was way keen getting sideways everywhere the crazy German haha

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Hey Tim

    I see you're in Dunedin.There are no BMW 5-ers at Armstrong Prestige at the moment. There proabably are a coupld at Mark Laughton Mototrs, although it is most probably they are jap import... and without slandering, we had quite a few probs with buying a BMW from there. Cookies would be worth a try.

    Go for the 540i - theres nothing quite like a V8

    Perhaps you could rock up to the BMWCC AGM tonight ay :D

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