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Dividing the Uyghur from the Han Chinese: Troubling Aspects of Chinese Propaganda
Uyghur Human Rights Project | October 9, 2009
The article by Liu Xiaonan,The Seven Lies of Kadeer, published on September 25, 2009 on Open Forum is a fascinating glimpse into the dangers of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda.In the article, Ms. Liu offers a number of disparaging and unsubstantiated claims against World Uyghur Congress leader, Ms. Rebiya Kadeer. The claims not only echo CCP misinformation on events in Urumchi during July, 2009, but also, and more worryingly, display a complete disregard for the possibility of genuine dialogue between Han Chinese and Uyghurs. As stated, this latter observation is cause for concern; however, it is compounded by the fact that Ms. Liu is merely restating the Chinese government’s position of refusal to engage in a process critical of its handling of Uyghur issues.
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National Human Rights Consultation: Final Report Released
editor | October 8, 2009Recommendation 1: The Committee recommends that education be the highest priority for protecting and promoting human rights in
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Uncategorised
Ageing Australia
editor | October 8, 2009Liam Kinkead wants the national health and hospital reforms to support Meals on Wheels arguing prevention is the best medicine for aged-care. Dr Mark Fear of the McComb Foundation examines a few of the challenges for healthcare as Australia’s population ages and CEO of Aged Care Services Australia Greg Mundy on talking about the 70s, 80s ans 90s…
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Cyber-Bullying in Schools
Rob Sieben | October 7, 2009Schools today are required to meet an ever growing demand for access to information and communication technologies (ICT). Whilst all schools would attest that their most valuable asset is their teachers, the computer network is close behind in importance.
Unfortunately the same advances in technology that allow children to encounter diverse learning experiences also leave them vulnerable to harm. Governments and schools must make every effort to provide a secure and safe environment for their students, whilst at the same time, maximising the learning experience.
To that end, I applaud the National Filter Scheme as a visible starting point. Hopefully the recently announced national pilot project aimed at addressing cyber-bullying in Australian schools will go to the next level, because it is an unfortunate fact that filtering alone does not provide for the safety of children.
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Talking about the 70s, 80s and 90s…
Greg Mundy | October 7, 2009Do you know anyone in your circle of friends and colleagues who talks about getting old, really old? Like 87 years old? Do you talk about getting old?
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Top Climate Scientists Opt for Carbon Taxes & Slam ETS
Dr Gideon Polya | October 7, 2009We live in an increasingly dangerous world with the greatest threat coming from man-made global warming. Our societal response to threats such as anthropogenic global warming (AGW) must involve rational risk management. This successively involves (a) getting accurate data, (b) scientific analysis (the critical testing of potentially falsifiable hypotheses) and (c) sensible, informed systemic change to minimise the perceived risk.
Unfortunately human nature inevitably perverts rational risk management with (a) censorship, self-censorship, intimidation and dishonesty, (b) anti-science spin involving the selective use of asserted facts to support a partisan position) and (c) blame and shame politics with minimal systemic change and often discouragement of vitally required reportage (“shooting the messenger”).
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Balancing Privacy and Convenience
patrickcallioni | October 6, 2009On 14 September 2009, the Minister for Human Services, Chris Bowen MP, released a discussion paper to engage with industry on government payment and information services.
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The Eels Star, the Family Tragedy and the Innovation
Olga Sawtell | October 5, 2009In 1996 my 19yr old nephew, Adam Ritson, was knocked unconscious after a head-high tackle on the footy field. In the X-rays and CAT Scans which followed doctors discovered an unrelated, benign cyst on the base of his brain. Surgery to remove the cyst led to an acute brain injury and severe memory loss.
There was a lot of media coverage at the time because Adam was playing in the ARL as the Parramatta Eel’s star prop-forward.
After being on life support, spending eight weeks in the intensive care ward of St Vincent’s Hospital, undergoing 12 further operations, and eleven months of intensive therapy at Ryde Rehabilitation Centre, Adam’s recovery showed little to no progress.
His memory was so affected that after walking down the hall to the bathroom it was a struggle to find his way back to his room, he couldn’t always recognise us, and he was experiencing serious speech difficulties.
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Resilient and Resourceful Young People – An Australian National Youth Strategy?
Clive Leach | October 5, 2009Australia may do well to learn from the UK’s experience of how a National Youth Strategy can become an instrument promoting social inclusion and promote well being and resilience in young people.
There is increasing global awareness of the need to improve life chances for all young people. Life chances relate to having autonomy, engaging in positive social and community networks, accessing education and employment opportunities, being economically stable, experiencing health and well-being and living in a safe environment.
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Encouraging Edupreneurs
Sheryle Moon | September 30, 2009Australia needs outstanding teachers. Yet the best and brightest chose careers in finance, medicine or law. Many of those who do choose teaching end up leaving the sector within 3-5 years to take up opportunities in other industries.
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Xinjiang: Where the Truth Goes to Die
Erland | September 29, 2009Believe it or not, Rebiya Kadeer is not the enemy.
She is not some omnipresent, stalwart leader of separatist forces. She does not single handedly lead terrorists with her every whim. She does not walk on water, nor does she breathe fire.
Actually, she is a mother of 11; she is also a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, and philanthropist. Rebiya Kadeer is one who seeks peaceful anonymity for the Uyghur people. She has written that she “advocates for the peaceful establishment of self-determination with genuine respect for human rights and democracy.” She is not the problem.
The problem is that Chinese officials are tacticians when it comes to directing the discourse. Rather than talking about the real issues, we are here debating whether or not Ms. Kadeer is a liar.
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Mass Collaboration is Driving Specialisation
yardley | September 29, 2009It has been 235 years since Adam Smith identified the importance of specialisation, now mass collaboration is taking the potential for innovation to a new level.
The things we are best at, we enjoy doing.
The converse is true things we don’t do well we rarely enjoy.
Most small businesses are built around the passion and expertise of the founder. But there are many tasks that must be done if a small business is to prosper. Do you have to do it all? Should you do it all?
Back in 2004 Acumentum employed a techo to manage our network. We didn’t want our staff wasting time maintaining PCs. Soon he wanted a more challenging position. We wished him well, advertised and appointed a replacement but a week later he resigned because he got a better offer. Right at that frustrating moment The Grid came to us with a better offer too!
