Hyperbole

Why is it that the most stupid things are said on TV? I was watching the cricket on saturday at the gym. Victoria versus WA. The usual commentators were on talking their usual crap about this player and that player. Most of this I can handle. But I almost caused myself serious injury when Ian Healy said the following phrase, "The legend that is Langer..". Just let me check the Oxford, Chambers or Maquarie...... Yep there it is under legend: Langer. What drugs is Healy on? Sure Langer is a good cricketer, but legend? If this is the case, Healy must be changing his underwear every time McGrath or Warne bowls. Me thinks he's been drinking too much of his own bathwater.

But ads are the worst. During the cricket, an ad came on for a Current Affair or one of those programs. The story wast about the most dangerous job in the world,....... wait for it, ..........have a think about what this could be,.............., yep, your right, being a jockey. Sure, it can be dangerous, but the MOST dangerous? Sure being a short arse might get you crushed in a stampede during the Boxing Day sales, but I think there are jobs far more dangerous that having a funny high pitched voice. Let's look at the data. (Fatality rate per worker is a very good measure).

America's top 10 most dangerous jobs in 2000. No 1: Timber cutter. I don't see a jockey in the top ten. Being a fisherman is a more dangerous job. Maybe the data is a bit old. There may have been a hugh increase in jockey deaths in America recently. Here are the figures for 2004. No jockeys here either. Being a taxi driver is more dangerous. Could you image that story on A Current Affair? But these figure are for America. Maybe the world as a whole has an epidemic of jockeys dying in work related incidents.

According to this the most dangerous job in the world is fishing. 24000 fishermen lose their life every year. Maybe Australia is different. Guess what, this site shows that we are not. The three most dangerous jobs are mining, fishing and transportation. Sure, being a jockey is one form of transportation but that job isn't included in that section.

So being a jockey is not the most dangerous job. But here is a plan for jockeys if they want their job to be the most dangerous. Walk around the streets talking in your high pitched voices wearing your silks and you may annoy enough people that your death rate may well sky-rocket.

23 days!

It has been ages since I've written anything here.
I've been on my third and final teaching round but now that is over. Only two more assignments to hand in and then it's all over. Whoo hoo!

Have you seen those private health insurance ads where the line is "Plus, you can get real benefits even when you’re not sick." (That is the one from Medibank.) And then they list 'therapies' such as:

• Myotherapy
• Homoeopathy
• Reflexology
• Shiatsu
• Chinese herbalism
• Western herbalism
• Alexander Technique
• Bowen Technique.

So the insurance company says that you can use these when your not sick. Does this imply that when you are sick that you shouldn't use these treatments? Do this imply that they know that the evidence shows that these 'therapies' don't cure anything they claim to cure?
They claim that you get real benefits. Interesting use of the word real. The only real benefit is the $300 or $100 rebate a year (depending on the therapy) you get if you happen to use the services and I think that is exactly what they mean by real benefit. Ie, it is cheaper for you. But hang on, is it really cheaper? You pay about $1000 a year (Medibank, MyOptions plan) and can get $300 back on these services. Do the math. So even if you do believe in quack remedies don't fall for the ads. If you don't trust the science, trust the maths.

History never repeats

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

Guess who said this?

I'm reading a book at the moment written by Prof. Gustave Gilbert who was the prison psychologist during the Nuremberg Trials called "The psychology of Dictatorship". It is his report on the psychology and motivations of the those who were on trial. It is truely an amazing read and I'm only in chapter one!

For example, Gilbert discusses the effect of introducing a democracy after a revolution against a monarchy, dictatorship or any other authoritarian regime that has been firmly in place for a substantial period of time. Whenever this has happen in history it is inevitable that only after a few years later the people want and indeed bring back an authoritarian government. There is a cultural lag as people struggle to adjust to a new system and they find it very difficult to do so. Hence they return to what they know. It takes a generation or two before the society can catch up with the new idea.
Take Russia for example. Putin is elected by the people yet he shows the signs of an authoritarian ruler. He has rolled back democratic reforms. He has clamped down on civil and press liberties and he has ended the direct popular election of regional governors, choosing to appoint them instead. Can you think of a country which was under a dictator and has just had democracy thrust upon it? You don't have to be a genius to work out what is going to happen there in the next few years.
History is there for us to learn from it. What one learns depends on ones motivation. I am sure that there are many who have learnt from the above quote. I just wonder what their motivation is?

Missed it by that much

On friday I received an e-mail which really made my day. Someone has published a paper which contains the same work that I have been doing for my thesis. That hurts. I feel like this happens to me too often. I think of an idea, tell a few people about these ideas, and then I end up reading about them in the paper or some other publications. I am not saying that my ideas are being stolen, just that others come up with the same idea, but I don't publish first.
Many years ago I used to go to to gym where the conversation focused mainly on footy. I used to discuss what I would do if I was a coach or recruiting manager of an AFL club. My plans included using technology to help with decision making. For example, setting up computer programs to test player reactions and which options they would choose. The programs would also teach in this capacity. I would recruit players who may not be "athletes" but have a football brain. You can make someone fitter but you can't transplant a footy brain. Imaging my surprise when I read an article last weekend about Neil Craig, the Crows coach, and these are the things that he is actually doing at the Crows! No wonder they finished on top. (They didn't quite win the premiership, but they were right up there.)
I've had enough. From now on any stupid thought that comes into my head is going to be written down. This may just be the forum for those ramblings.

Hello? Is there anybody out there?

It has been a long time since I have written anything. Well, that's not quite true. I've written heaps of crap (what else do I write?) as part of the teaching course that I am doing. I am so over these assignments which include such topics as "Reflections on portfolio as authentic assessment". Only two more left to do and that's it. I need to write about other things. So what follows are random bits that may interest someone.

Facts about Poo
I visited the Werribee Poo Farm not long ago. Did you know:
1. It takes about 8 hours for poo to get from your toiliet to Werribee.
2. There are high and low poo tides as it exits the pipe and you can see the marks.
3. That the highest tide during the year always happens (delayed by 8 hours) at half-time of the AFL Grand Final.
4. That beef you eat may have come from cows grazing at the poo farm.
5. Poo is brown because of the iron in it from dead blood cells.