22 December 2011

So very, very many reading ambassadors

| johnboy
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Chief Minister Gallagher has announced that you’re all ACT Ambassadors for the National Year of Reading .

OK, not really. But given the number of people named, the questionable literacy of some named, the dubious local nature of at least one of the entries, well personally I’m offended no-one asked if I wanted a go and so should the rest of you be.

Here’s the list:

ACT Ambassadors for the National Year of Reading 2012

— Katy Gallagher – ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Territory and Municipal Services (Primary Ambassador)
— Simon Corbell, MLA – Attorney General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development
— Kate Lundy – Federal Senator for the ACT
— Jackie French – Author
— Marion Halligan – Author
— Jack Heath – Author
— Tania McCartney – Author
— Omar Musa – Spoken Word Artist
— Jess Bibby – Captain, Canberra Capitals
— Canberra Roller Derby League
— Phil Davis – Greater Western Sydney Giants
— Grace Gill – Canberra United
— Matt Toomua – ACT Brumbies
— Mark Carmody – Weather presenter, ABC News
— Louise Maher – Drive Presenter, 666 ABC
— Rob Paxevanos – Host, Fishing Australia
— Scotty and Nige, FM 104.7 Breakfast Presenters
— Jack Waterford – Editor at Large, The Canberra Times
— Mark Sullivan – Managing Director, ACTEW AGL
— Rod Little, Chairperson of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body (ATSIEB)

The Chief Minister had this to say about the list:

“I am also thrilled to announce the support of some very special Ambassadors for the ACT during the National Year of Reading, including a number of local authors, well-known media personalities, sports men and women and politicians. There is also representation from the local business sector in Canberra.

“Watch out for our wonderful Ambassadors in 2012 as they help to spread the message that reading is both important and fun,” the Chief Minister concluded.

Question for bonus points. Who is representing the business sector on that list?

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johnboy said :

They can’t read? Or they choose not to read books?

As for the Library fanciers, how much are you willing to pay for the warm fuzzy of knowing there’s a Library somewhere abouts?

How many other services are you willing to see underfunded to retain this service?

So what other service needs the Library funds?

johnboy said :

They can’t read? Or they choose not to read books?

As for the Library fanciers, how much are you willing to pay for the warm fuzzy of knowing there’s a Library somewhere abouts?

How many other services are you willing to see underfunded to retain this service?

Whenever I go to the Dickson library it is packed, and many of the users are young adults. So I don’t think it’s really just a warm fuzzy feeling that speaks in favour of libraries. Many people still like books, and prefer them to the alternatives. Speaking of libraries as outmoded reminds me of predictions of the paperless office, something that I am yet to see.

I think they are still a relevant facility, and should be funded generously.

johnboy said :

They can’t read? Or they choose not to read books?

As for the Library fanciers, how much are you willing to pay for the warm fuzzy of knowing there’s a Library somewhere abouts?

How many other services are you willing to see underfunded to retain this service?

+ 1

would like to see cost-benefit analysis of ACT libraries ie $ per book lent out. i’m not saying there isn’t a place for providing literature to those unable to afford to buy books, but not convinced that the old school bricks n mortar library is the more effective and efficient way to go any more.

Here_and_Now11:41 am 27 Dec 11

johnboy said :

As for the Library fanciers, how much are you willing to pay for the warm fuzzy of knowing there’s a Library somewhere abouts?

I don’t think it’s a ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ so much as having a resource there and using it.

Here_and_Now11:22 am 27 Dec 11

BimboGeek said :

Who doesn’t read?

I know too many people who can read and don’t. They just don’t regard books as a useful way to get information or enjoyment. It’s kind of sad.

They can’t read? Or they choose not to read books?

As for the Library fanciers, how much are you willing to pay for the warm fuzzy of knowing there’s a Library somewhere abouts?

How many other services are you willing to see underfunded to retain this service?

Nah, it’s abject bullshit

i was just reading out this list to the better half and she wondered aloud how the CRDL were going to manage reading while they belted around in a circle knocking each other over. LOL.

neanderthalsis9:13 pm 23 Dec 11

vg said :

46% of the adult population IS functionally illiterate, not ARE.

By the way, that ‘stat’ is the biggest load of s*** I’ve ever heard

There is a clear delineation between illiteracy and functional illiteracy. Being functionally illiterate is not necessarily being unable to read, it is lacking the ability to comprehend and interpret the text, to understand and use information from the text to determine a course of action or draw conclusions. Whilst you may think that interpretation of text is some highfalutin concept that only those flash uni kids need to do, it can be as simple as reading the direction on a children’s cough medicine bottle packet or filling out a Centalink claim form.

Having spent my working life in and around the adult education sector, I have seen firsthand the extent of the problem. Kids with 12 years of school behind them shuffled off to TAFE for an adult lit program, university students unable to undertake basic writing tasks, adults made redundant and can’t find a new job because of their poor literacy skills. So your bulls$^%& stat is very real.

How about not spending money on pointless tripe like this and, instead, spend it on finding out why our schools can’t seem to teach basic literacy ?

vg said :

By the way, that ‘stat’ is the biggest load of s*** I’ve ever heard

Well, their methodology and data are laid out in pretty exacting detail. Perhaps you’d care to point out where the mistake(s) were made that renders the statistic worthless? Otherwise, on the one hand we have an ABS publication including 88 pages of data and explanation plus a 1.5MB spreadsheet of raw data. On the other we you dismissing it in one line as “the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard” without further discussion. I’ve got a pretty good notion which side of the argument I find more compelling.

I’ve only just noticed that ABC-TV weatherman Mark Carmody is on the list. He has actually increased my vocab, or rather, its flexibility in that I now know there is another use for the word ‘shares’.

As in, ‘Chance of shares and thunderstorms’.

46% of the adult population IS functionally illiterate, not ARE.

By the way, that ‘stat’ is the biggest load of s*** I’ve ever heard

GardeningGirl1:25 pm 23 Dec 11

Spectra said :

Half the population is functionally illiterate?

Does anyone else find that stat somewhat puzzling?

Not after reading a few pages of YouTube comments.

+1
Btw if it wasn’t for RiotACT I wouldn’t have even known about the National Year of Reading.

fnaah said :

“Given that 46% of the adult population are functionally illiterate”

That may be the most alarming statistic I’ve seen this year.

At this time of the year it has been known to rise to 100% rendered illiterate by functions.

Half the population is functionally illiterate?

Does anyone else find that stat somewhat puzzling?

Not after reading a few pages of YouTube comments.

“Given that 46% of the adult population are functionally illiterate”

That may be the most alarming statistic I’ve seen this year.

neanderthalsis10:11 am 23 Dec 11

BimboGeek said :

Who doesn’t read? What next, the national year of feeding the pets and children? Oh yes, most admirable! Many famous people will be ambassadors for providing food to our beloved dependents and the local businessmen will pretend to be local famous ambassadors.

Given that 46% of the adult population are functionally illiterate, I’d say that there are quite a few folks out there that read little more than the weekly junkmail. Anything that encourages more kids to read, develop comprehension and vocabulary and expand their mind is a Good Thing. Even twatlight counts as reading material I guess.

BimboGeek said :

Who doesn’t read? What next, the national year of feeding the pets and children?

Young Australian (25-26 year range) of the Year, Young Australian (26-27 year range) of the Year, Young Australian (27-28 year range) of the Year…

Who doesn’t read? What next, the national year of feeding the pets and children? Oh yes, most admirable! Many famous people will be ambassadors for providing food to our beloved dependents and the local businessmen will pretend to be local famous ambassadors.

EvanJames said :

It would be nice to see Crispin Hull on that list.

Anyway, after the big announcement, everyone will forget about it and it will fade away.

+1 to Crispin Hull

I don’t know who wrote the list but Mark Sullivan is the not the Managing director or ActewAGL. Michael Costello is the CEO of ActewAGL. Mark Sullivan is the Managing director of Actew Corp, a separate entity.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Wait…Scotty and Nige can read?

Does reading promos count?

colourful sydney racing identity1:42 pm 22 Dec 11

Wait…Scotty and Nige can read?

shadow boxer1:27 pm 22 Dec 11

Looks a lot like Stanhopes Christmas card list……

It would be nice to see Crispin Hull on that list.

Anyway, after the big announcement, everyone will forget about it and it will fade away.

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