REAL QUOTES FROM STUDENT PAPERS

· Charles Darwin was a naturalist who wrote the organ of the species.
· Benjamin Franklin produced electricity by rubbing cats backwards.
· The theory of evolution was greatly objected to because it made man think.
· Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes and caterpillars.
· The dodo is a bird that is almost decent by now.
· To remove air from a flask, fill it with water, tip the water out, and put the cork in quick before the air can get back in.
· The process of turning steam back into water again is called conversation.
· A magnet is something you find crawling all over a dead cat.
· The Earth makes one resolution every 24 hours.
· The cuckoo bird does not lay his own eggs.
· To collect fumes of sulphur, hold a deacon over a flame in a test tube.
· Parallel lines never meet, unless you bend one or both of them.
· Algebraical symbols are used when you do not know what you are talking about.
· Geometry teaches us to bi-sex angles.
· A circle is a line which meets its other end without ending.
· The pistol of a flower is its only protection against insects.

New brother

For weeks a five-year-old child kept telling his kindergarten teacher about the baby sister or brother that was expected at his house. One day the mother allowed the child to feel the movements of the unborn baby. The five-year-old was obviously impressed, but made no comment. Moreover, he stopped telling the teacher about the awaiting event. Finally the teacher sat the child on her lap and said, “Lucas, whatever has become of that baby brother or sister you were expecting at home?“
Lucas burst into tears and confessed, “I think Mommy ate it!”

Corporate colours

Y083, Repco Green

Sir Jack Brabham won the Formula One championship in 1966 with a car of his own design, and name, and powered by an Australian designed - Repco - engine. His race car was painted a green colour, and I have made the assumption that this is Repco Green, although, it must be pointed out that Ford also had a colour called Y174, Repco Brabham Green.



There was one Repco Green four door XA built, and it was an RPO83 car.

My Students

by Ivan Kershner

They come in big and little.
They come in short and tall.
Some are fat. Some are thin.
Some names I can't recall.
They're boys. They're girls.
They're poor or rich. Some no longer care.
Some dress in tattered cast-offs.
Some have fashion, poise, and flair.
They're quick. They're slow.
They forget, or they recall.
Some will never get it.
Some write. Some print. Some scrawl.
They're students in my classroom.
Each one's unique and rare.
So should I treat them "equal"?
Or should I strive for "fair"?
No two alike. No needs the same.
Each different day to day.
It's hard to think in black or white;
My life is spent in grey.
It may be math or English
Or the other things I teach,
But my raw material is a student,
And I give my best to each.
For those who see my classroom
Like a business or machine,
I'd like for them to visit
And show just what they mean.
For each child. For each day.
To each in different ways.
I add my value to their lives
And do my best, I pray.
When I am called to judgment
And stars are added to my crown,
I hope they'll see I was a teacher,
And keep my class load down!

From another perspective

Day 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining theoccasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
Day 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded; must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair...must try this on their bed.
Day 762 - Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep deprivation, incessant pleas for food at all hours of the night.
Day 767 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was...Hmmm. Not working according to plan.
Day 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture.This time, however, it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid? My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
Day 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary confinement throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer." More importantly I overheard that myconfinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
Day 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and may be snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant. He has mastered their frightful tongue, something akin to mole speak, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal, room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time...

XA GT Corporate colours

Although it may not seem like it, the colours available on the previous GT’s have been fairly simple. When it came to the XA - and the XB - then all hell broke loose. Let’s take a look at the colours that were not defined by a single letter alphanumeric code, starting with the ‘corporate’ colours.

Y083, Repco Green; Y099, Shell Yellow; Y107 Ansett Blue; Y113, Rothmans Blue; Y117, Brambles Red; Y120, Daimler Blue; Y152, N.S.W. Ambulance White; Y154, Betta Primrose; Y157, MacRobertson’s Old Gold; Y269, R.A.A. Yellow; Y345, Readymix Orange; and Y045, Corporate Blue

Girls and science myths

Below are five myths about girls and science that still endure, according to the National Science Foundation's Research on Gender in Science and Engineering program:

Myth 1: From the time they start school, most girls are less interested in science than boys are.
Reality: In elementary school about as many girls as boys have positive attitudes toward science. A recent study of fourth graders showed that 66 percent of girls and 68 percent of boys reported liking science. But something else starts happening in elementary school. By second grade, when students (both boys and girls) are asked to draw a scientist, most portray a white male in a lab coat. Any woman scientist they draw looks severe and not very happy. The persistence of the stereotypes start to turn girls off, and by eighth grade, boys are twice as interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers as girls are. The female attrition continues throughout high school, college and even the work force. Women with STEM higher education degrees are twice as likely to leave a scientific or engineering job as men with comparable STEM degrees.

Myth 2: Classroom interventions that work to increase girls' interest in STEM run the risk of turning off the boys.
Reality: Actually, educators have found that interventions that work to increase girls' interest in STEM also increase such interest among the boys.. When girls are shown images of women scientists and given a greater sense of possibility about the person they could become, the boys get the message too — "I can do this!"

Myth 3: Science and math teachers are no longer biased toward their male students.
Reality: In fact, biases are persistent, and teachers often interact more with boys than with girls in science and math. A teacher will often help a boy do an experiment by explaining how to do it, while when a girl asks for assistance the teacher will often simply do the experiment, leaving the girl to watch rather than do. Research shows that when teachers are deliberate about taking steps to involve the female students, everyone winds up benefiting. This may mean making sure everyone in the class is called on over the course of a particular lesson, or asking a question and waiting 10 seconds before calling on anyone. Good math and science teachers also recognize that when instruction is inquiry-based and hands-on, and students engage in problem solving as cooperative teams, both boys and girls are motivated to pursue science activities, education and careers.

Myth 4: When girls just aren't interested in science, parents can't do much to motivate them.
Reality: Parents' support (as well as that of teachers) has been shown to be crucial to a girl's interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Making girls aware of the range of science and engineering careers available and their relevance to society works to attract more women (as well as men) to STEM careers. Parents and teachers are also in a position to tell young people what they need to do (in terms of coursework and grades) to put themselves on a path to a STEM career.

Myth 5: At the college level, changing the STEM curriculum runs the risk of watering down important "sink or swim" coursework.
Reality: The mentality of needing to "weed out" weaker students in college majors — especially in the more quantitative disciplines — disproportionately weeds out women. This is not necessarily because women are failing. Rather, women often perceive "Bs" as inadequate grades and drop out, while men with "Cs" will persist with the class. Effective mentoring and "bridge programs" that prepare students for challenging coursework can counteract this. Changing the curriculum often leads to better recruitment and retention of both women and men in STEM classrooms and majors. For example, having students work in pairs on programming in entry-level computer science and engineering courses leads to greater retention of both men and women in CSE majors. In addition, given that many students (including men) have difficulty with spatial visualization and learning, coursework in this area has helped retain both women and men in engineering schools.

One of the most effective interventions to help young women choose and sustain a STEM educational path and subsequent STEM career is mentoring, according to the NSF.

The smartest man in the world

Four people are in an airplane, the pilot, the smartest man in the world, the richest man in the world, and a punk teenager. The airplane experiences some difficulties, and the pilot informs the three passengers that the plane is going to crash, and there are only three parachutes on the plane.
The richest man in the world takes one, because he says that his lawyers will sue everyone else on the plane if he doesn't survive.
The smartest man in the world takes a parachute, because he thinks that the world would be a worse place without him.
The pilot says to the punk, "There's only one parachute left, I'll fight you for it."
"That won't be necessary," said the punk, "The smartest man in the world took my backpack."

Corporate colours

Y015, Aviation Surface Orange

There is one extra XY ‘fleet’ colour that we have yet to mention, and it is, frankly, bizarre: Y015, Aviation Surface Orange. One XY GT, built in July, 1971 was painted this colour, according to Ford records.

What is Aviation Surface Orange ? Quite simply, it is the orange paint used to paint, in a chequerboard pattern with white, any structure that is over 200ft in height in the vicinity of an airport. The best thing I can do is refer you to this site - a pdf file - that defines the FAA’s regulations for painting such a structure. Quite why anyone would want to paint a car this colour, never mind a performance car - or maybe there was some method to that ordering madness - is beyond us ? But here is an XY painted Aviation Orange.



And here is what we believe to be the original one off Aviation Surface Orange XY GT, as it was advertised for sale some years ago.



You wouldn’t miss it, that’s for sure.

Which, we guess, was the whole point.

Achieving Success by Expecting Success

by Zig Ziglar

When you plan and prepare carefully, you can legitimately expect to have success in your efforts. When you recognize and develop the winning qualities that you were born with, the winner you were born to be emerges.

When you plan and prepare to make a sale, for example, you can legitimately expect to make a sale. Although not all your expectations are going to come to pass, you give yourself an infinitely better chance of succeeding by taking the proper steps.

Regardless of your goal--losing weight, making more sales, furthering your education, earning a promotion, saving money for a new home or an exotic vacation--you can expect to achieve your goal if you plan and prepare for it.

Also understand that the path from where you are to where you want to be is not always smooth and straight. The reason for the twists and bumps is simple, and it has nothing to do with you.

It has more to do with the fact that not everyone is as interested in your success as you are. Some people may accidentally hinder your efforts; others who are in competition with you and have little or no integrity may try to sabotage your efforts.

Keep in mind, though, that when you hit those roadblocks your character, commitment, and attitude are the determining factors in your success... Carefully review your plan of action, seek wise counsel, and be particularly careful to feed your mind good information.

An optimistic, positive mind is far more likely to come up with creative solutions than a mind that dwells on setbacks and difficulties.

Bottom line: expect success and you can achieve it!

Help!

An elderly woman called oo on her mobile phone to report that her car had been broken in to. She is hysterical as she explains her situation to the dispatcher: "They've stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!" she cried.The dispatcher said, "Stay calm. An officer is on the way."A few minutes later, the officer radios in. "Disregard." He says. "She got in the back-seat by mistake."

Corporate colours

Y240, Agfa Orange.

There was one XY GT, built in February, 1971 that was painted Agfa Orange. Another strange ‘commercial’ tie-up ? We have no photos of the car, but Agfa Orange looked like this.



And here is a painted swatch panel of Agfa Orange. In sunlight it turns a slamon pink colour.

The Phrase Fathers Fear Most on Christmas Day

by Tim Herrera

There are three words often heard at this time of year that strike fear into the hearts of fathers everywhere. Those three words can crush the spirit of even the most capable Dad. Those words: "Some assembly required."My children have now grown beyond the stage where every blasted Christmas gift they receive needs to be constructed using tools thinner than sewing needles by the skillful, unwavering hands of a neurosurgeon.

I cannot tell you how many times I have cursed Santa’s elves – or the blue-vested Toys-R-Us guys – for not pre-assembling the mountains of toys my kids have received over the years. I have the scarred knuckles to prove my point."Come see what Santa brought us!" our kids would yell when they were very little.

"Daddy, why are your hands bandaged and packed in ice?"

It’s easier when kids are very small. Many of their Christmas toys come pre-assembled. In fact, many come in one piece. Parents just remove the expensive gadgets from their boxes, make sure all the bells ring and the buzzers sound. Then we put the toys on the shelves because the kids are too busy exploring the empty boxes rather than enjoying the whiz-bang educational SAT improving PBS and pediatrician approved learning plaything we just bought, thanks to a bank loan. "

Some assembly required." That phrase echoes in my head like Edgar Allan Poe’s raven, or that abrasive duck from the insurance commercials. It’s harder when the kids are at that in-between age where they are too young to assemble toys themselves and too young to be of any help whatsoever.
"Hey, pal, please hand me the screwdriver."
"You mean this?"
"No. That’s a garden hose. The screwdriver is the long metal thing with the plastic handle." "
You mean that?"
"No. That’s a shovel that we use to clean up after the dog. Never mind. Go get Mommy for me now that I’m pinned under this basketball hoop and can’t move. Tell Mommy that Daddy is losing consciousness."

Now that three of our kids are teenagers and one is an almost-teen, gift giving doesn’t involve Craftsman tools, words under my breath or directions written in Swedish. The only knuckle scraping I experience now comes from constantly reaching into my back pocket for my wallet. And the only blood loss I risk comes from putting things in envelopes and risking paper cuts."

Merry Christmas, Sweetheart! Here’s a Target gift card to keep along with your Borders gift card and your Blockbuster gift card!"I know that giving gift cards seem like the lazy man’s way out. There are times when I look back sentimentally on those past Christmas Eves, where my wife and I stayed up until 3:00 a.m. struggling to follow the directions for assembling dollhouses, bicycles or life-sized Batcaves. Our hands shook from overwork and from downing two-litre bottles of Diet Coke to stay awake. Our eyes were tired and crossed from trying to connect too many slots "A" to slots "B". Then after getting about twenty minutes of sleep the kids would stampede into the bedroom announcing that Santa left behind a mountain of toys, and several empty plastic soda bottles.

I do miss the blissful looks on their faces and the loving hugs around the neck from tiny arms. I do miss the excitement that the anticipation of Santa’s visit brings to young children. I miss the trampling of tiny feet up and down the steps. I don’t miss the bruises and contusions and the clanking at midnight that comes after Daddy tripped over the toolbox.

The nightmares have stopped but the haunting phrase "some assembly required" still makes me flinch. It is important to remember, however, that scraped knuckles do heal over time.

XB for sale (and an apology)

Many thanks to all those people who have pointed out that many areas of the Maryborough Ford Car Club site are either not working, or display old information. I apologise for the inconvenience that this may cause and have been working on a fix. However, as half the site, including the pages with links to the either half, are on bigpond, my hands are a little tied at the moment.

bigpond have decided to no longer support personal web space (unless you pay for it). So, the pages that I have parked there are there for good as I can't make any changes to them.

As I said, I'm working on a fix. Your patience is appreciated.

To this end, this post will always be at the top of the blog until enough of my brain cells make the right connection. Thanks again.

The following pics are of a 1975 Ford Falcond GS Station Wagon.

It has a 250 ci motor, automatic column shift transmission and power steering.

Ready for the big one? ONE OWNER.

Very good duco - it's never seen a panel shop.

Obviously in very good condition and is currently registered.

Contact me on gnobl2@eq.edu.au for more details.

Albert Einstein

When Albert Einstein was making the rounds of the speaker's circuit, he usually found himself eagerly longing to get back to his laboratory work. One night as they were driving to yet another rubber-chicken dinner, Einstein mentioned to his chauffeur (a man who somewhat resembled Einstein in looks & manner) that he was tired of speechmaking.

"I have an idea, boss," his chauffeur said. "I've heard you give this speech so many times. I'll bet I could give it for you." Einstein laughed loudly and said, "Why not? Let's do it!" When they arrive at the dinner, Einstein donned the chauffeur's cap and jacket and sat in the back of the room. The chauffeur gave a beautiful rendition of Einstein's speech and even answered a few questions expertly.

Then a supremely pompous professor asked an extremely esoteric question about anti-matter formation, digressing here and there to let everyone in the audience know that he was nobody's fool. Without missing a beat, the chauffeur fixed the professor with a steely stare and said, "Sir, the answer to that question is so simple that I will let my chauffeur, who is sitting in the back, answer it for me."

Corporate colours

There were, again, three colours offered on XY GT’s that could be considered ‘corporate’ colours: Y099, Shell Yellow; Y269 RAA Yellow; and Y240, Agfa Orange.

Y099, Shell Yellow.

There were three Shell Yellow XY GT-HO Phase3 cars produced in June, 1971, one of which is known to survive.








While there were only three factory painted Y099 cars, there were two others that were subsequently painted Shell Yellow to reflect their sponsors support for racing. One was the ex John French factory Phase 3 race car which was campaigned by long time Holden driver, Norm Beechey, for Ford in 1972. The car was an originally ‘red’ and the Shell Yellow paint was just shot over the top.



The other race car was driven by long time Ford supporter, Murray Carter. He had bought a Phase3 for competition in 1971, and secured sponsorship from Shell. Initially this car was red also, but for the 1973 championship season it was painted Shell Yellow.

Communicating without words

“The gesture is the thing truly expressive of the individual – as we think so will we act.” -- Martha Graham

Every movement and non-movement we make is a form of communication.
How do you communicate fear, withdrawal, avoidance, shutting down, disagreeing, and an uncaring attitude?

If you aren’t sure, others can probably tell you. Begin to pay attention to what your eyes and arms and facial expressions communicate. Our body language speaks louder than our words.

“An avoidance of true communication is tantamount to a relinquishment of my self-being; if I withdraw from it I am betraying not only the other but myself.” Karl Jaspers

Drag racing

An old man was tired from riding his bike, and decided to hitch hike. A guy in his red Corvette pulled up to give him a lift. When the old man brought out his bike that he had leaned up against a tree, the driver said, "I have no room for your bike in my car, but I'd like to help you in someway seeing you standing here in the hot sun."

After a few seconds of thought, the driver said, "I know what we can do. I have a rope behind my seat. I'll tie one end of it to the rear end of my car and the other end to the front your bike. You ride your bike, and I'll give you this whistle. If I go too fast for you, just blow your whistle and I'll slow down."

The old guy agreed to it. So off he went down the highway with the old man and his bike in tow. A little ways down the rode, a young lady in a bright yellow corvette pulls up next to them. She gives the guy in the red Vette the High Sign, meaning "you want a drag?"

Off they go down the highway, 100 plus MPH, the old man blowing his whistle like crazy. They zipped by a Highway Patrol cop sitting under a tree. The cop knew he couldn't catch them, so he called ahead to his fellow cop down the rode to intercept.

"Car number 2, this is car number 1."

"Go head number 1, what'cha got for me?" I got a red and yellow Vettes come down your way doing hundred plus, can you intercept?"

"Ten-four, Is there anything else?"

"Yeah, you wouldn't believe this, but there is an old guy riding a bicycle blowing his whistle trying to pass."

Corporate colours

It is worth pointing out that, as before with the XT, Ford Australia offered one contemporary - 1969 - Ford US colour for the XW, Candy Apple Red, code ‘G’, and one older Ford colour, Vintage Burgundy, code ‘F’.



Candy Apple Red XW GT, 512 produced.



Vintage Burgundy XW GT, 4 produced.

Unbalanced Influence: How Myths and Paradoxes Shape Leaders

What do executives consider when making a decision? What motivates an executive to get involved in one activity or initiative at the expense of another? Who does the executive look to for advice - and who does he or she ignore? In Pete Hammett’s book, Unbalanced Influence, it is found that multiple "influencers" come into play to shape an executive's behaviour and perceptions in their efforts to be an effective leader. More notably, said Hammett, is that "these influencers often seem unbalanced."

Looking at leadership assessment data from senior executives, Hammett found that many executives' perceptions of effective leadership are shaped by a very narrow sphere of influence. "The way executives choose to lead and their benchmarks for defining effective leadership are shaped by a few people and often a conflicting set of influences based on various leadership myths and paradoxes," he says.
These paradoxes and myths often cloud or confuse how executives effectively engage others in accomplishing critical objectives. "Distorted, limited or unbalanced influencers prevent leaders from being effective in the long term," says Hammett. "By understanding who and what influences you and how the influencers interact, you gain a better view of your leadership behaviour and your ability to move your organization in the best direction."

Although Hammett's research is based on data from senior-level executives, the idea of getting clear on your influencers is a valuable one at any career stage. "If you are a new manager, for example, this is the time to build a great foundation for how you lead and how you develop as a leader," he explains. "For more experienced managers, understanding influence will allow you to build a more balanced approach and, hopefully, avoid some of the pitfalls that many of today's senior leaders face."

3 Myths, 4 Paradoxes

Myth and Explanation
Power, Influence and the Myth of Effective Leadership
Power and influence colour perceptions about effective leadership.

Myth of Effective Decision Making
The only bad decision is the one not made-not the only one not made by you.

Intuition, Analytics and the Myth of "Elegant Reasoning"
Compelling strategies are seldom created by a great leader.

Paradox Explanation

Values, Ethics and the Performance Paradox
How do executives align "doing whatever it takes" with values and ethics?

Creativity, Innovation and the Paradox of Operational Excellence
How do executives build infrastructure and processes while harnessing creative energies?

The Paradox of Gifted Leadership: Developing "the Next Generation" Leaders
How do executives who are gifted leaders today develop talented leaders for the future?

The Paradox of Balance - Aligning Life and Work How do executives commit to their organizations without harming themselves and others?

This article is adapted from "Unbalanced Influence", by Pete Hammett (Davies-Black Publishing, 2007).

Milk

Q:Why did the farmer feed his cow money?
A:Because he wanted rich milk.

Y099, Shell Yellow

There were two Shell Yellow XW GT-HO Phase2 Falcons built in August, 1970, right at the end of the XW model run. These were the only XW GT’s built in a yellow colour of any sort.





Shell Yellow probably needs no description or explanation.

Today's Bullying

Cyber intimidation and the art of bullying Sydney Morning Herald, November 19, 2007
Today's bullies don't just want your lunch money, they want to trash your reputation. Elissa Baxter finds out why.

If 16-year-old Jessica Jones had received a black eye in a playground punch-up, her former school would have been forced to deal with the attacker. But when the North Coast schoolgirl received a text message from a schoolmate abusing and threatening to hurt her, she was told she just had to learn to live with it. Jones says that when she showed the text message to school administrators she expected something to be done but, she alleges, her complaint was shrugged off. "I was told, 'You should expect this sort of thing all your life because you're a pretty blonde girl,"' she says. "I was shocked that the school just wanted to hush it up."

Jones has since moved schools but has decided that harassment and name-calling is not something she is willing to live with. She found the unwanted text messages, just one of the myriad acts now called "cyber bullying", quite devastating. "When I received the message I felt completely shocked," Jones says. "I became very reclusive and depressed because I was trying to understand what had prompted it. It was also very scary because I thought I was going to be physically hurt. I knew the girl who sent the message had done things to harm herself and I thought she might hurt me as well."

Cyber bullying is a relatively new type of harassment but the Federal Government's NetAlert service (www.netalert.gov.au) says it is not unusual. According to 2007 statistics on the NetAlert site, 16 per cent of children say they have been bullied online and 14 per cent have been bullied using a mobile phone. Worse still, cyber intimidation pushes the frontiers of bullying - it can take place any time, anywhere. This has led to a broadening of the definition of bullying. The Australian school communities' Bullying. No Way! website (www.bullyingnoway.com.au) describes it as "any offensive or aggressive behaviour directed at another person, repeated over time. It may be physical, emotional or social."

"One of the things I found so upsetting was that after I had been bullied, home was no longer a refuge," Jones says. "You can be at home or at the shops, anywhere really, and be getting threatening messages. You don't know where the bully might be so you don't know if you're in danger. You really have no idea what's happening."
Cyber bullying takes many forms. Some bullies prefer threatening text messages. Others use email. Instant messaging, internet chat rooms and social networking sites such as MySpace are prime breeding grounds for exclusion, teasing, abuse and threats. Some bullies even set up websites designed to ridicule their victims.

The corporate affairs manager of the government's Netalert body, Rod Nockles, has spoken of a site that targeted a teenage girl in Queensland and allowed users to post photos and comments. Worryingly, cyber bullying is not replacing playground bullying - it seems to be a new phenomenon perpetrated by different people. Melanie Epstein, who is involved in the first national study of cyber bullying at the Child Health Promotion Research Centre at Edith Cowan University, says anonymity is at the core of cyber bullying behaviour. "Our preliminary research shows that students who bully online are not the same children who bully face-to-face," Epstein says. "It's anonymity that is the key to it - they don't think they're going to get caught."

But punishment is not the only thing cyber bullies can avoid. Wounding someone from a distance means the bully does not have to face the hurt they have caused and may not recognise how damaging their behaviour can be. Dr Simon Crisp, a clinical adolescent psychologist at Melbourne's Monash University, says increasing use of electronic communication means some young people do not realise the impact of their own actions. "Electronic communication is very different from face-to-face interaction," Crisp says. "With electronic communication, personal responsibility is diminished, so antisocial things can occur." Crisp says increasing numbers of young people spend so much time communicating electronically that they can sometimes have trouble forming intimate relationships in the "real world". Bullying is just one manifestation of that behaviour.

In some cases, however, it is the notoriety that goes with inflicting pain that motivates bullies. In recent months there have been several incidents of violent bullying videos being pos ed on sites such as YouTube and attracting huge audiences. Last June, mobile phone footage of a fight between girls from Victoria's Copperfield College attracted media attention and horrified reactions from politicians and school administrators. The video showed one girl pinning another to the ground and beating her about the head. The internet audience appears to have lapped it up.
A few days later students from the exclusive Brisbane Grammar School were punished for participating in a vicious fight outside of the school grounds (but in school uniform), which was filmed by mobile phone and posted on YouTube. In both cases the perpetrators were easily identifiable. So why post footage of fights when it can lead to punishment or prosecution? "For some young people it's about notoriety and status within the group," Crisp says. "It's exciting to be involved with this type of public activity, knowing that people will talk about you. However, the trap is that while it can create a reputation, the very same actions also have the potential to destroy a reputation."

New forms of bullying require new approaches to dealing with the problem. Rather than learning to live with text message abuse, Jessica Jones decided to take action. She took the matter to Coffs Harbour police who responded immediately and the bullying stopped. But she still felt she had to move schools. The experience prompted Jones to start a campaign in local media to raise awareness of the problem of cyber bullying in all its forms. "Once I started talking about it I was astounded by the number of people it had happened to," she says. "It's really amazing how many people are affected by it. Victims often don't tell anyone, they think it's embarrassing or are too upset to talk about it."

This can lead to a problem for parents who may not even be aware that their child is suffering. If a kid comes home from school with a split lip, there's no way of hiding it, but victims of cyber abuse can suffer alone and in silence. Also, the nature of cyber bullying means many parents may not be aware that their children are bullying others. Crisp advises parents to get involved with the technology so they have a greater understanding of how their children are using it. "Maintaining communication and dialogue about what the child is doing is extremely important," he says. "The worst thing a parent can do is to reject the technology because that will just close down the lines of communication. Talking about how your kids use technology should be an everyday sort of conversation."

Many experts advise setting limits on technology use and moving computers out of bedrooms and into the family space. Crisp emphasises that time spent in cyber space is a public, not a private activity and parents should recognise that. "Parents are right to respect their children's privacy," he says. "But there is a big difference between writing in a diary and spending time online. Anything your child is doing on the internet is a public activity and you should treat it as a public activity."

Jones has some advice for victims of cyber bullying. "Talk to someone you trust about the problem," she says. "Tell the school, tell your parents or tell the police. Make sure it's someone who's going to do something about it. "Second, don't engage with it. Keep the messages to prove what's happened but don't respond. That will only make the problem worse. "Third, don't accept that it's your fault. Cyber bullying is a crime and you don't have to accept it."

What's the law doing about it?

The internet is often portrayed as a lawless frontier, given the struggle by authorities to make and apply laws sensibly to ever-changing technologies. It's comforting to know, then, that in the case of cyber bullying, laws are in place to deal with the problem. Most websites such as Facebook or MySpace have a grievance procedure to deal with offensive material, getting it off the web quickly before the law has to step in. The Commonwealth Criminal Code makes it a crime to use the telecommunications system (which includes the internet or the telephone) to "menace, harass or cause offence". Breaching that section of the code carries a prison term of up to three years.

Most cyber bullying behaviour would fall foul of this legislation. In order to make a conviction, the courts have only to decide that the bullying behaviour amounts to what a reasonable person would find menacing, harassing or offensive. Even if the police are not called in, schools are under increasing pressure to deal with bullying in all its forms. In May the NSW Supreme Court awarded 18-year-old Benjamin Cox more than $200,000 plus a lifetime's wages, as compensation for the mental illness he suffered after being physically bullied in kindergarten, which left him unable to socialise or work. Cyber bullying may be a new frontier of abuse but the law is primed to deal with the phenomenon.
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Dean and Jerry

Dean and Jerry were riding a train across the west.
Jerry looked out the window and saw a whole lot
of buffalo roaming the range.
Look at that big bunch of buffalo said Jerry.
Dean: Don’t say bunch say herd.
Jerry: Heard what.
Dean: Herd of buffalo.
Jerry: Sure I’ve heard of buffalo.
Dean: No... you don’t understand, a buffalo herd.
Jerry: I don’t care what a buffalo heard, I ain”t said nothing that I’m ashamed of.

Before and After

I'm not sure on the details here, but I think these are before and after shots, as sent to me by email. Note the ribbon on the car - was this a wedding burnout gone wrong?

Review your life

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action." -- James Levin

Take a few minutes today to reflect on what has happened recently and to put the last week in perspective. What made an impact on you this last week? What do you want to set as a goal for next week?
Reflection helps us step back from the details of our lives and see the bigger picture with fresh eyes. It's worth a few moments of your time. Review your week and come up with at least one conclusion, insight or learning and write it in your journal

“Just because we increase the speed of information doesn't mean we can increase the speed of decisions. Pondering, reflecting and ruminating are undervalued skills in our culture.” -- Dale Dauten

Light Bulb

Q: How many military information officers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: At the present point in time it is against policy and the best interests of military strategy to divulge information of such a statistical nature. Next question, please.

XW Corporate Colours Cont

So where does Brambles Red come from ?

Brambles is actually the name of a long established Australian trucking company who painted their trucks a distinctive red colour, which Ford offered as a fleet option, F117.



Of the 232 XW GT Falcons painted Brambles Red, 61 are tagged on the compliance plate as Y117.

Who’s Doing the Work Here, Anyway?

By Pete Hall

Picture this in your mind’s eye: You’re at school. It’s nearing dismissal time, and your pulse is racing. Why? Because you’re standing by the exit doors in Wing C, bracing yourself for a stampede rivalled only by the running of the bulls in Pamplona -- the massive, screaming exodus of children from your school. R-r-r-r-r-ing! Off goes the bell, and out go the children. A wild swarm of excitement, accompanied by loud voices and boisterous behaviour, engulfs the entire scene. Smiling, laughing, jumping, cart-wheeling, yelling, chicken-dancing… and as soon as it starts, it’s over (or so we hope). But it’s not over -- there’s something behind the students. Ahoy! Look there! What is it?

Bedraggled, harried, and slumped over, the shuffling form of a classroom teacher casts a new shadow on the doorway. It’s been a long, tiring, wearisome, exhausting day. What’s wrong with this picture? Why are the kids catapulting themselves into the great big world while the teachers are dragging themselves down the dimly-lit hallway?

WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON?

There’s no disputing that teachers, as a collective mass, are a hard-working bunch. Unless you buy into the uninformed prattle that bemoans educators’ short work-day and work-year, you’ll likely rank teachers among the hardest-working (and least-compensated) professionals in our solar system. And in your school, you have some teachers who seem to work doubly hard. Tireless and dedicated, these teachers may be the first to turn on the coffee machine in the morning and the last to unplug the laminator in the evening. In between, they’re a blur -- streaking between the staff workroom to the copy machine to the classroom to the colleagues’ classroom upstairs to the cafeteria and back to the staff workroom. There’s never enough time for these folks to finish all the work they’ve set out to accomplish. And all with the best of intentions and a deep commitment to their students.

But in the final appraisal, the students in these teachers’ classrooms may not be making significant strides. Despite all the hours, toil, blood, glue, and sweat their teachers have poured into their work, the student achievement rates aren’t climbing. What gives?

How can we explain this lack of correlation?

DISCIPLINE, COURAGE, AND FOCUS

I’ll just spit this out there: Many of us are spending a tremendous amount of time and a monumental amount of energy in low-yield practices. We’re not getting the bang for our buck.

Which suggests three questions…

1. Do we have the courage to say NO to traditions and accepted practice?

Some things we just do because that’s what we’ve always done. This is true of any school -- the spelling lessons, the assemblies, the dress code, the homework policy, the lunch-line routine, the units, the holiday parade, the bulletin board decorations, the report-card comments. You name it -- we’ve all experienced tradition. Many traditions are worth keeping to build upon the school’s culture, but some -- well, they just don’t come clean in the wash. Some of our practices don’t necessarily lead to any student growth along any grade-level standard at any time on any planet. Just because “that’s the way we’ve done it here for generations” doesn’t mean “that’s what leads to student growth.” Can we say no?

2. Do we have the discipline to take things OFF our teachers’ plates? (We certainly add to their plates enough, don’t we?)

Think about it: Do you have any new district initiatives this year? Any new textbook adoptions? Has anyone attended a new training and come back gung-ho to change the way we all do business? Any remediation funding? School choice? Paperwork for a grant? Scheduling adaptations? New protocols for data analysis? It’s easy for a principal to say, “Oh, this new approach to math problem-solving will solve all our problem-solving problems,” and it might well be true. However, what the teachers hear is, “Here’s another 40-minute activity you’ll need to squeeze in three times a week on top of everything else you already do. What are you making that face for? And wait, don’t leave yet, we also have a new travelling science lab! Oy! Where are you going?”

3. Do we understand the formula for focus?

News flash: Education isn’t rocket science. There’s a formula for rocket science. There’s no formula for the education of children. Ergo, education is fundamentally much more complicated and difficult than rocket science. However, if there were a formula, it would look like this: E = wt2c, where E is “education” and wt2c is the “written, taught, and tested curriculum.”

The Spokane (Washington) Public Schools, along with many other school districts, has made a living embracing this simple concept: If we assess our students beforehand, create a common curriculum based upon what the students need to have, then teach that curriculum and fill in what the students don’t have, and then assess the students again to be sure they got it, we’ll probably be okay. There will be learning. Like rocket science.

SO…

It’s time that we, as educators, evaluate everything that we do in our classrooms. We need to align every decision, every book, every lesson, every instructional strategy, and every assessment with our stated and agreed-upon grade-level standards. Follow the formula.

Develop the courage to say NO to traditions that don’t align. Strengthen the discipline to remove the disconnected elements from our teachers’ plates. Hone the focus on the formula for, well, focus. Let’s eliminate the clutter. Remove the extraneous matter. Confiscate the wayward influences. Amputate the superfluous and incongruous stuff. Let’s work hard, and encourage our teachers to work hard. But only on the high-yield activities that directly align with grade-level standards. Then, in the end, it can be our teachers who skip around after the bell rings and the students can drag themselves home, exhausted after a hard brain-day’s work…

Psychic

A frog telephones the Psychic Hotline for advice.

The Psychic tells him: "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you."

The frog is thrilled, "This is great! Will I meet her at a party?"

"No," says his Advisor, "in her biology class."