Nelson Mandela

•  1918 -  born Transkei, South Africa
•  1942 - was qualified in law
•  1944 - joined the African National Congress
•  1948 - was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party's apartheid policies
•  1956 - was put on trial for treason
•  1961 - was aquitted
•  1960 - his proposal on the use of violent was cobsidered by ANC
• 1962 - was rearrested
• 1963 - was brought to stand trial to overthrow the government by violence
• 1964- 1982 was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison
• 1991 - was elected president of the ANC

Kevin Gilbert

• 1933 born in Condobolin, New South Wales 

•  Left school at the age of fourteen

•  1957 was sentenced to life imprisonment

•  1968 and 1970 wrote the play and first exhibited his work

•  1973 wrote a "White Man will Never Do It"
•  1977 was awarded the National Book Council

• 1989 His work was included in Narragunnawali at Canberra Contemporary Art Space

• 1992 received Australian Artist fellowship
•  1993  Kevin Gilbert died

Kids to move into community


Source: The Australian, P. 2
Date: Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Notes:

•  Two immigration detention centres will be opened.

•  738 children in immigration moving into community accommodation.

•  The transfer will be completed by June.

Summary:

The current Prime Minister Julia Gillard has declared that two immigration detention centres will be opened one of them in Western Australia and the other one in South Australia. Vulnerable families and minors will benefit from the changes. It was reported that up to 783 children in detention centres will move into community accommodation. this transfare will be copleted by June 2011.


Personal reflections:

Asylum seekers leave their countries , because of wars, unrest, violence and various tragic things in their home countries. Therfore, they have suffered a lot in their lives, and putting them in detention centres would restrict their lives and freedom just like in their countries. However, the recent legislation of removing the kids from such places shows a humanity and respect to the human rights of these people.

                                                          CHILDHOOD OBESITY

 Childhood obesity is a condition in which there is an excessive amount of fat accumulated in the body. Childhood obesity is generally caused by three main reasons including:  unhealthy diatery, inadequate physical activity and family lifestyle. Childhood obesity is an international concern, it has been dramatically on the rise in developed and developing countries such as Australia and United States. a study by Better Health Channel (2010), states that "one in five children and adolescent are either overweight or obese". Chidhood obesity is signficantly worsened by the availability of unhealthy food, and a lack of physical education in society. Obesity leads children to several health problems, and increase their liklihood to continue have them in adulthood. The sever health problems for obese children involve: type 2 diabetes, eating disorders and breath shortness. Obesity impacts are not limited in health problems, it can also affect children psycologically. Childhoodobesity can be a preventable condition, by mainly lifestyle changes. Changes in lifestyle include: the availability of healthy meals and engaging children in regular physical activity.

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx?ID=e8aab65efe13401298de6d715522ffac

The Australian

Monday, September 13, 2010

Notes, Summary and Personal reflections,

Forget diets: surgery is the only solution, says expert 

 

Notes:

• 
  
  Diet for most people is pointless.
• 
  
  It is hard to cut their food intake.
• 
  
  Set up  networks of clincs to carry out mass programs gastric bypass surgery.
• 
  
  Alert nerveand hormone signals from gut to brain.
• 
  
  Treating obesity-related diseases.

Summary:  

Professionals have recently confirmed that diet is a useless way for obese people, because it is hard to cut their food intake. They suggest that the most effective way to beat obesity epidemic, would be by setting up networks of clincs to carry out mass programs gastic bypass surgery. The surgery includes decresing the food room, so that  food can be absorbed into the blood as well as alerting nerveand hormone signals from gut to brain. Consequently, by doing so the severity of obesity related disease such as diabetes, heart diseases and high blood pressure will be declined after this surgery. 

Personal reflections:  

Obesity is a dramaticly increasing issue in our society nowadays. The people who are obese tend to follow anyone that can offer them a solution for their problem. However, I think the best way for those people is to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating natural food and having sufficient physical activity, rather than other ways where they can end up suffering worse health problems. Lastly I would recommend this proverb to those people which is, precaution is better than cure. 

         

The Australian, September 7, 2010, p.3

Notes summary and personal reflections

Teachers tick higher standards

Notes:

• 
  
  national accreditation of teaching courses.
• 
  
  improve the quality of teacher education, lift the status of the profession, and improve the training of teachers.
• 
  
  teachers will meet tough entry standards in litracy and numercy.
• 
  
  allows alternative pathways for nonschool leavers.

Summary:

 Australian Education Union has produced a new proposed model for the national accreditation of teaching courses, such as  litracy and numercy, and teachers will face a tough entry in English and maths to demonstrate an aptitude for the profession. They believe that would contribute to the improvement of teachers' training, raising the status of the profession and also it would shut out prospective teachers from disadvantaged backgrounds. They concluded that the proposed model of national accreditation will also offer an allowance for alternative pathways for nonschool leavers.

Personal Reflections:

Making a national accreditation in teaching can lead to many positive consequences, which can produce a better educational environment. And it can also attract the brightest and best to the careers of teaching, which in the end can make productive members who benefit the society.