Cutting Edge Care

Who cares ? what clothes should we be wearing?
Our politicains, like our people, are completely confused about what this skill set can be . Unwilling to ditch the destructive and depressing faith in progress idea that" it will all just happen" the people are more and more exposed to a mythical mix of determinism greed and old new clothes waste on the subject.
A wiser generation would unpick the childlike faith in technologically driven progress and decide what they wanted for their people ( invisible clothes merchants come and go)
A wiser generation would insist that our children do physics and chemistry and not assume one can do good science without them(Biologists are not coping with the complex eco challenges they find in trying to work with nature leading to a less scientific and practical approach to working with nature) .
We need to decide to train people to work together ( physics chemists,geol ,sociol,economists ) to really maintain and develop the boundaries of resilience protection that our forefathers established for us .  New technique fascination and short circuits must again come second to tough specific  training and skill development .
As a practical onground ecologist in Australia for over 3 decades,I have witnessed the politicization of my profession -clearly eroding its credibility.( groups like to grab the high moral ground without putting their feet down in places that work ;
Unlike engineering etc ,the conservation movement runs the risk of meaning all things to all men . To properly challenge mere convenience, conservation must maintain a hard edge in both mythos and logos; something that will attract young people to restudy the ways men can live well with nature http://designwithnature.blogspot.com/

Let's put the seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home. This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, they'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment , wheel chairs etc. and they'd receive money instead of paying it out.
They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them.
A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling, pool, and education.
Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, P.J.'s and legal aid would be free, on request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard with gardens. Each senior could have a P.C. a T.V. radio, and daily phone calls.
There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct, that would be strictly adhered to.
The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised. Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week. Live in a tiny room, and pay $5000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out. Justice for all.

No wonder our polys attempts are OFTEN so feeble. lol

Take this wonderful example (click on here) - an ad produced in England by someone who cares.
If this doesn't make you laugh , I cry with you because there is a fair bit of "government trying to do what the government can't do" .
The West always runs best when we all do what we are best at....... and don't try to do what we haven't committed to training for .
Anyone  listening eh ? Glad you did !

It may not be well known in our society , but those of who have worked with incentives KNOW it  is possible to make things worse when you throw money( even lots of money)  at a genuine problem .

Rudd's and Brumby's team are not alone,  but they might take the cake for best intentions gone wrong because they seem to be unaware of how dangerous it is to take advice from those you clone to closely and how difficult it is to get the HOW right when you employ people with no experience and competency at the care coalface.
Our state schools have problems ,but so has our society . Our kids need every mentor still at school to stay there . The good teachers in our State schools need all the help they can get , because they do an impossible job . ( Read H.L. Menken on "The educational process" for the glass fully empty version - he wrote this at more stable times . These aren't the best of times for teachers cause they are doing a great job trying to make up for deficiencies at home )
The solution is,  as often happens in the care professions - don't change the structure, build more buildings or offer us help anywhere else,  but right on the hard cutting edge .What can i do to help YOU ?
How many good teachers will have left the State system simply because the Change agents in state and federal areas think and practice quickfiz:
They wanna help but only in ways THEY think are most helpful - whats' new .
They wanna listen or they will be outta office sooner than they think possible.
At least 6 in out town have gone to private schools in the last few years.

Labels: change for changes sake, mentors, the education revolution

There was a great book in the early 70's - "The kindness that kills" .It was ahead of its time . We need someone to remind our leaders and wannabes ( you may not have this problem) that the truth can bring healing and prevent disaster.

If the Royal Commission into the Victorian Bushfires 2009 commission can't say that "we have a problem because we are not allowed to say to people "you are living in an impossible risk situation" we will still have the problem. More here

If the itch doesn't go away, we keep scratching. The best solution is often to leave the sore alone, but we are all tempted to keep scratching . Our leaders do the same - its really annoying to watch , especially when its our money or others care thats wasted in the quickfiz .

How do you stop youself from doing it ? - especially if the bigger issue is that you are unsettled and not at peace with yourself . We have all been there . The choice? Sores or self control ?

The solution to this enormous waste and frustration is simply to accept that we are not perfect and find a worldview that enables you to accept that. Deal with irritation anger and your faults as they come .

Not as easy as it looks from the outside . Remedies for scratching habits aren't curealls. But pretending there are such things makes a lot of people a lot of money . Governments even feel the need to apply balm which is quite Ok if they pay us to apply it; Provided they don't name the brand , the places and the signal to noise ratio that triggers a grant. Leave that to the professionals.
If you want a cure all, you may feel the need to watch more TV , rather than read the good book .One works the others just waste time and prevent you from exercising - excercising self control .

Education is not easy, so you can't ALWAYS blame govt if people don't listen - People constantly facing high risk often ignore the risk - helps them sleep . see notes under What govt don't know here

but listening is more effective if people are interested -
Sometimes people up the top have lost sight of whose listening so they don't spot a faulty education campaign when they see one- A good education campaign is One that captivates interest (and is not distracted by trying to create more) A good education campaign for bushfire management should focus on people's interest in fire behaviuor -not clear that this is happening . Example " you have v high blood pressure - interest is high - you can manage it this way--- by understanding this about "the wolf" ; "


For example what % of those killed didn't even have the basic expectation that a fire would come at them first from the north and then possibly from the west.

The lack of experienced risk managers with real experience in DSE and the ongoing competetion over who knows how best to manage risk can ALSO be expected to continue to add fuel to the controversy over whether knowledge ( and its corallary) is being transferred down in ways which give ownership or take it away ?
ASh feb09 lots of Ads talked about " Your plan " many did not EXPECT the fire to come at them from the West after coming from the north - awareness is one thing ;
More on manageing the wolf here!
Knowledge of risk is another. What do you think ?