Communicating effectively with young people is considered a special skill, even a gift. They can be the harshest critics and their responses unpredictable.
It was therefore a brave set of comedians who took to the stage in Auckland at the weekend at the Stand Up for Kids show as part of the international comedy festival programme. Most began their sets with a reference to having thought specifically about what kids would find funny – given they usually entertain adults.
And funny it was, to all of the audience no matter what their age with simple, old-fashioned humour that entertained without patronising. One of the comedians began by reading out a list of words he had told himself to avoid, given their age. You guessed it: bum, farts, boobs and the like were amongst them, and of course, the kids loved it.
It put into sharp relief what has been making me feel uneasy about the way we are communicating with older ‘kids’ around drinking alcohol. It is an area that I think needs a serious rethink if we are to make any useful changes to teenage drinking habits.
The way the ‘grown-ups’ are talking about how the ‘kids’ are, or rather are not, handling their alcohol intake will surely only add to the naughty factor and therefore its appeal. Where is the communication that aims to teach our kids how to develop a healthier attitude towards a product that they can enjoy in moderation?
The debate in the media and around office water coolers is probably small fry compared to the debate that is likely being stirred amongst many young wannabe drinkers themselves, none of whom are likely to be supporting an increase. Maybe we need some good comedians to get onto the job of helping build understanding amongst younger people that alcohol can be both good and bad depending on how you use it.
By the way, there are two more shows this weekend. I highly recommend it for kids of all ages.
It’s fair to say that traditional media has envied the huge freedoms Internet publishers enjoy. On the Internet, any man and his dog can be publishers, editors, ad sales people – at the same time, without the “Chinese Walls” traditional media like newspapers and television are required to have, to avoid accusations of bias and advertorialising.
You can’t change reality with facts even if your facts are more pertinent than the other persons. To their own detriment too many people have ignored public opinion on the basis that it’s just plain wrong thinking, and all that’s required is to state the facts. I am not talking about the smacking law – that ship has sailed and can be visited in another blog another day. 
Social networking sites Twitter and Facebook have been hacked, and much to the consternation of millions of users it’s not the first time the online giants have had their security tested and found wanting.
The teenager who sold raunchy photos of his mum on TradeMe after discovering them in the family garage caused something of a kafuffle this week.
It’s with some dismay that we read that women in this country earn on average 12 per cent less that their male counterparts. And now, over three decades since legislation designed to remedy the un-equal pay, the unit set up to address the problem has been scrapped.
Although many of us think that imitation is the height of flattery and common usage the measure of fame and acceptance, one manufacturer has made it clear that its sub-brands are not to be trifled with; and have a cache that demands respect and protection.
The recession is the elephant in every room and a tired and grey elephant it is at that..jpg)
The movie Food Inc will be screened soon in New Zealand. It’s likely to excite a few, exasperate others, and cause many more to think about the future of our food, where it comes from and what the future holds, especially the growing number among us who have little or no idea about where our food comes from.