Trite answer - to give teachers jobs...

Not quite so trite answer - to teach the basic skills necessary to enable the student to learn (e.g. reading, source evaluation, etc) to enable self led learning (from the internet or elsewhere) - although you could argue this /could/ be done in the home, although not everyone has the time, inclination, ability to do so...

One other part answer, not all students can simply learn by reading about something - the internet, good as it is, doesn't accommodate kinaesthetic learners, for example.

print/emboss/engrave the names of wood/plastic/metal 'tags' and wire them together to form a 'mobile'... although this'd get rather unwieldy in just a few generations (as would pretty much any physical representation).

Pretty sure it's New Zealand.

And no, the police didn't fuck up... they entered the property legally and, in so doing, observed something that either led to suspicion of an offence (which gives grounds for arrest / search) and/or items were in plain sight...  The would have fucked up if they'd simply ignored the drugs paraphernalia as 'unrelated' to the person they were looking for.

Never done anything like that... honest  

I think one of the biggest disasters was about 20 years ago... started a build, went to bed halfway through only for my brother to come home pissed and, somehow, mistake it for a lavatory  

Depends where you live but here in the UK yeah sure... although they'll probably not like it and try to persuade you to stop: Freedom to photograph and film
Members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel.

Great country to visit, friendly & genuine people (for the main part - there will always be exceptions)... good healthcare (why do I spend so much time in hospital wherever I go??) and yes, sports mad!

The comments are often better / more amusing than the articles themselves

Ah, I see... you infer from that that I intend to ask here directly?  If so a minor communications breakdown as that's certainly not what I intended to imply.

edit: Which I thought I covered adequately in the next para: "before I go ahead and try and set up something along those lines I wondered how you, the internet savvy and sceptical think such a project would be received"

double edit: yay, at least it'll let me edit rather than having to wait a 'virtual lifetime' to reply.

Thanks for demonstrating how carefully you read the very first line mr. Vod (the slightly more cynical than I).

I'll repeat, not looking for money (and even if I was I wouldn't ask on a forum - I'd post a link to the, as yet, completely non-existent project website with accompanying blurb.

Now, if you can notch back your 'omg another begging newbie' reflex for a moment or two, perhaps you'd care to address the idea that I was putting forward?

('posting too quickly as a newbie error'... that was a looooooong 360s)

Feel free to call me cynical... but one of the reasons (the main reason?) that the names are so meaningless is that if they weren't then everybody and anybody would instantly know which was the 'best', what was compatible with what MB, etc, etc... and we can't be having that now, can we!

Playing on the school field at break times with friends... unfortunately can't remember much of my childhood (head injury in a car accident)... otherwise it might be something more interesting.

Hi, my first post here as a signed up member (although I've lurked long enough so hopefully this is in the right place)...  Before I go any further: Relax - I'm not asking you for money!

I’m heading off around the world again late next year (planned departure is Oct ‘15) and will spend at least a couple of months in Asia where I’m looking to volunteer working with underprivileged kids and adults teaching English as a second language (and/or generally – I’m a qualified teacher).

Now, I’ve funded out the trip but am looking for additional ways to raise extra funds for books, teaching materials and even old computers for the school(s) in which I’m applying to teach – they’re by no means a pre-requisite of acceptance however they would doubtless make the placement much more effective and rewarding.

If you’ve read this far – remember relax! I’m not asking you for money or materials (well, not yet anyway) but I got to thinking the other evening about at least one possible way of collecting… a ‘pocket change’ donation project.

Many of us will have paypal accounts, bitcoin wallets, etc with, frankly, insignificant amounts sitting in them – before I go ahead and try and set up something along those lines I wondered how you, the internet savvy and sceptical think such a project would be received?

If it goes ahead (and the trip's on regardless) – would you be likely / willing to consider making a donation? I was wondering if it would be a good idea to have a maximum donation sum of, say, $5 – as we’re talking pocket change… would that be a good idea?

Anyone with experience in this area, do you know of any regulatory or other pitfalls I should be aware of (obviously I’ve started with google, but haven’t found anything too useful yet).

Well thanks for reading...  I look forward to reading your thoughts.