University opinion piece should be call to arms
Vaughan Elder’s opinion piece on the University of Otago (ODT 15.6.23) should be a call to arms for every academic, especially those in senior positions. What it does is reflect the flexing of management muscle and, by pointing the finger at "academic indulgence" as a principal cause of financial strife, shift blame from the decision-makers’ corporate indulgence.
Academics did not decide to grow the business by spending millions on capital works that are probably not necessary, or constant restructuring that is both disruptive and expensive. The monstrous failure, both managerial and financial, of "Ask Otago" is legendary.
And perhaps the most revealing of passing remarks is that on the apparent managerial naivete of the acting vice-chancellor’s "unfiltered" comments on the situation. Telling the unvarnished truth is clearly something these people are not acquainted with.
The vice-chancellor is supposed to be the academic head of a university. What is envisaged is a university with no head, merely a self-perpetuating body with no raison d’etre other than self-perpetuation. Surely even the most compliant of academics can’t tolerate this.
Selective memory
With regard to an article in the ODT (14.6.23) about the apology to Jan Tinetti from Michael Woodhouse regarding what was a very immature remark. This is an inquiry with regards to Jan Tinetti misleading Parliament. It is somewhat ironical that this man during the Covid crisis did the very same thing but I must have missed the inquiry into that. The homeless man in isolation — the woman embracing on the motorway and holding people’s names on his computer. The Southland MP was fired for the same thing. Mr Woodhouse seems to be immune to being held to account for his actions. The question is how does he get to sit on this committee judging others and is it just a case of the Opposition having a very selective memory?
The mean streets
Last night I went along to my son’s daycare to learn about Engage, the self-regulation programme which is helping kids manage emotions and behaviour. (Two thumbs up about this.) As a parent, I try to model self-regulation. Currently, we walk past more liquor and takeaways than produce shops in South Dunedin on our way to daycare. Not to mention the supermarkets: strategic, relentless temptation. We could make it easier on ourselves, as a nation.
Love that flavour
A little bit of nicotine and lovely flavours for those that are vaping. Try Vanilla Custard for example. No harm done as there is very little nicotine for one to become addicted, so we are told. Let’s graduate to RTDs. For example a little bit of Bourbon whiskey and lots of cola. Love that flavour. Not enough alcohol in one or two of these to get addicted.
Let’s not forget "party pills". Appealing names like GHB for example, are just enough to get you slightly high. Not like the dangerous cannabis, or the upmarket meth.
Why not vape while you sip on your RTD laced with your favourite party pill? Schoolchildren are vaping, so the RTDs will follow at a later age, the same with the party pills. We won’t talk of addiction here. Anyone got a cigarette?
Put Civis out to pasture over farming column
In election year of all years, it is surely time to either out the writer of Civis, or bring the column to a long overdue end. It is little more than a regular platform for its author to anonymously issue his tiresome and predictable criticisms of centre-right politics — Saturday’s column (ODT 17.6.23) was yet another instalment. While such left-wing polemic may suit the similar (if less strident) editorial bias of the ODT, the privilege of regular anonymity in a forum would suggest a need to also have some commentary balance. Instead, it is just an anonymous pulpit for someone who often comes across as a Labour Party apparatchik — in that respect it has therefore become a coward’s pulpit. High time that Civis was put out to pasture.
For far too long Civis has been venting his particularly virulent form of opprobrium reserved for those with whom he disagrees. The relentless and demonstrably false commentary from his personal pulpit shows a mistaken belief in his personal and effortless superiority which comes from being a privileged columnist. Regardless of the justification for the writing of this weekly column, Civis is clearly untroubled and even ignorant of the lives he criticises and their often uncomfortable voices of dissent. It is far better to be heard in dissent than to withdraw in humiliated silence. Groundswell rightly feel compelled to challenge those in authority in support of rural New Zealand who simply want to work and achieve tangible outcomes which flow far beyond the farm gate. Those who luxuriate in the safety of an air-conditioned world should never exercise unwarranted vitriol on people who at least understand there is little effort without error.
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