'Soft Power' To Be Applied on Campus
By Shar Adams
Epoch Times Brisbane Staff Oct 15, 2007

A senior academic at Sydney University has raised concerns that a deal between Australia's oldest university and China's Confucius Institutes could compromise the university's prestigious reputation.

The University of Sydney has an "in-principle agreement" with Chinese education authorities to become host to an institute but details are still be finalised, The Australian reported.

Professor Jocelyn Chey, a former diplomat and now lecturer in Chinese Studies, said Confucius institutes were primarily propaganda tools for the Chinese Communist Party and should not be integrated into the regular academic system.

"I was concerned that the University of Sydney was entering into an agreement with the [Chinese] Ministry of Education without considering what the objectives of the Chinese side were," she told The Epoch Times.

"I understand that the university might see some benefits in doing that but they should be doing that with their eyes open."

Sydney University will become the fourth university in Australia to house a Confucius institute, after the University of Western Australia in 2005, Melbourne University in 2006 and the University of Adelaide in March 2007.

The Sydney Confucius institute will also become one of dozens that have are already been set up in leading universities around the world and will form part of a network which, the institute website in Melbourne says, will eventually incorporate 100 institutes.

Confucius Institutes are considered to be similar to France's Alliance Francais and Germany's Goethe Institutes in the way they are government funded and organised to promote language and culture but according to Adelaide University academics, Professor Purnendra Jain and Dr Gerry Groot, there are distinct differences.

Bread & Roses needs volunteers for a variety of different tasks.

We are a small community driven organization that is looking to build a large volunteer corp to relieve our over-worked and over-stressed staff. Volunteer opportunities include light gardening/landscaping, painting, filing, front desk, vouchers, and helping folks on the streets access the resources they need to better their unique situations.

If you are interested, or want to learn more, please email me at breadandrosesofolympia@gmail.com.

I was told by a teacher friend of mine about some of your comments posted on your blog, and went to your web page as well. I’m wondering why you think that I am in favor of pay for performance? I don’t recall this question being asked in the OEA interview. As a manager at the Dept. of Ecology, I am given merit based raises for Growth and Development. I can see why some might consider merit based pay for Principals, as school managers (of course not based on student scores). I personally would have to investigate if and how this has worked (or not) in other high functioning districts like ours, to see if I would support such a proposal.

I'd like to thank Jeff for his thoughts. Although I have made up my mind, I realize that other voters haven't, and should consider all the relevant facts when doing so.

Three things I should point out: in his first paragraph, Nejedly apparently refers to this post. As readers can see, I was talking about Russ Lehman, who, although he supports Jeff Nejedly, does not share all of Nejedly's views. (I was answering a question about what concerns I had about some of Lehman's--not Nejedly's--positions.)

This is the collection of threads that contain guidance about how to build community and promote civil discussion with a blog.

I am not a journalist but I do have a story that needs to be told. I am going to make this story as short as I can. My son recently attended kindergarten at Centennial Elementary in the Olympia school district on an IEP program for children with social and emotional behavior disorders (LEAP). Last May I went to pick my son up from school and found him to be locked in a closet with padded walls screaming for my help. Needless to say I took my son out of that school and kept him home with me until the new school year was to start. The school district refuses to take responsibility for these actions and will not help his current school, Lincoln, in educating him. I am working with Lincoln options and things are starting to look better for my son, however, the school district refuses to help my son, Lincoln or me. I have called a couple of attorney's including the ACLU and haven't been able to find any help. They are still abusing children to this day and I feel that our last chance is the media. What they did and continue to do is child abuse, it must stop and the district doesn't see it this way. Please contact me for more in depth information if somebody thinks that they can help.

Thank You

April Currier
(360) 753-0069

Do not forget to vote. This is an important election with some really great canditates and issues. Your vote will make a difference in our community!

Friends don't let friends forget to vote.

Just do it. 

It's the ballot box, stupid.

The early voter gets the sticker.

Vote early, vote often! (... ... ...Doh!)

Greetings from The Sherwood Press! Well, here we are and it's already fall! I'm still shaking my head in disbelief but have gone ahead, faced the inevitable, and planned my annual open house. The Sherwood Press Fall Open House is like a rest-stop of warmth on the way to your hopefully cozy midwinter celebrations. I am scheduling it for Friday, November 16, 2007, beginning at noon and going until 7:00 pm. As always, I will have hot spiced cider and lots of food on hand. You can come and tour the historic business, try your hand at printing a memento on the Chandler and Price treadle-operated press, and generally hang around and enjoy a hot fire and meandering conversation. Learn more about founder Jocelyn Dohm if you're curious, or buy a few gifts and stocking stuffers for the holidays. I will be selling my 2008 letterpress calendar, handYbooks, book re^marks (bookmark notebooks), coasters and probably some other niceties like holiday cards.

If you decide to come, keep in mind that the driveway will be available only for elders. Others can park at the top of the hill. To get here from downtown, go across the new bridge toward the west side and in the first roundabout go 180 degrees around and straight up the hill on 4th avenue (instead of skirting along the hill to the second aroundabout). At the top of the hill take the first left on Sherman, continue one block to 5th, and then turn left on 5th and go back down the hill about 3/4 of th e way. On the right hand side you'll see a green mailbox with the number 811 anda a small white sign with an archer (Robin Hood) listing our open hours.

--Jami

My title is taken directly from Ehver Green's comment here.

The whole discussion is worth looking through (especially the conversation within the conversation), including comments by Guglielmo and Phil Owen.

What has made you feel welcome here? How can we welcome others? What advice do you have for new members?

Consider this an open thread, but try and keep it fun/humorous. Any happenings happenin? Fun stuff? Cute stuff? Halloween outfit ideas, etc? Off-key news? There was supposedly a sasquatch siting in PA. Let's get some smiles on Monday.