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123456789 - Today is a (or should that be an) unique date. Because it is the 7th of the eighth month 09, the clock ran in order this morning. 12 Hours, 34.56 minutes etc.

Night School: The Government have cut back the money available for night classes on the grounds it is costing too much. And they point out that many of the courses are really hobby classes quoting for example Belly Dancing. The argument from the other side is that at least Belly Dancing is exercise and is healthy. I can see both sides as Christine used to teach Macrame.

It is a difficult balancing act, however, I think the problem lies in how much the tutors are being paid. I read that they were being paid about $19-00 per hour and when I mentioned this to a friend who teaches night classes, she laughed. I thought she was going to say that this was the usual scaremongering and that they were getting say $12 - $15 per hour.

No. She is getting nearly $40 per hour!!! What the hell is going on. If these teachers were so dedicated they would do it for the minimum wage.

Remember SeniorNet does it for free.

Also she said they pay into her Kiwisaver account. And there is even more - the Minister says some have redundancy agreements in place!

Again. What the hell is going on. What the Government should have said is we will pay say $13-00 per hour - if you are so concerned about passing on your knowledge you will carry on. Plus of course there are no real costs for premises, again, unlike SeniorNet.

Taito: Philip Field found Guilty of about 90% of the charges. No surprise, as is his stepdaughter abusing Asians outside the Court, but later saying she is not a racist. I wonder what the reaction would have been if a Pakeha had gone on like that.

Guilty but innocent: This stupid Not Guilty on the grounds of Insanity is insanity. Recently a bloke went to Australia and they complained that he had said he had never been convicted of a crime and they let him in. Although he had been in prison, he said, quite correctly, that he was found Not Guilty but Insane. The same applies if you are applying for a job - you can legally say you have never had a conviction. Madness.