Archive for June, 2006

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  Blair’s Britain - by frog

  
  
  
  The impact of new laws aimed at preventing terrorism on the civil liberties of ordinary citizens is a topic of hot debate, and has been since 9/11. For an astonishing insight into just how far-reaching (and unnoticed) this impact has been in the UK, check out this article by Vanity Fair editor Henry Porter, reproduced [...] read more
  June 30, 2006 10:23 am - 7 Comments
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  Another court defeat for Bush administration - by frog

  
  
  
  This time the Supreme Court has ruled that the military tribunals being used to try Guantanamo Bay prisoners are illegal under US and international law. The decision won’t have any immediate effect on detainees, but long term it adds yet another string to the bow of those campaigning for the detention centre’s closure. No Right [...] read more
  June 30, 2006 9:24 am - 2 Comments
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  Fast Food Nation – the movie - by frog

  
  
  
  Eric Schlosser’s best-selling polemic Fast Food Nation, which examines the global effects of the fast food industry in the United States, has been made into a movie which premiered at Cannes last month. Interestingly, the filmmakers have chosen to make it a “fictionalised” thriller, rather than a documentary, which would perhaps seem the most logical [...] read more
  June 29, 2006 10:06 am - 1 Comment
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  Landmark case in US - by frog

  
  
  
  In one of the most environmentally significant court decisions for decades, the US Supreme Court has agreed that it is within its jurisdiction to decide whether or not the federal government is legally required to control carbon dioxide emissions. The states of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, as well as 3 cities and 12 [...] read more
  June 27, 2006 11:39 am - 3 Comments
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  Waiting for Parker - by frog

  
  
  
  Apparently, an announcement is due this week on what the Government is going to do in lieu of the scrapped carbon tax. A carbon charge on power generation seems likely; in Minister David Parker’s words, “Having a price or risk of carbon cost to investors in generation is an important consideration for climate change policy.” [...] read more
  June 27, 2006 9:30 am - 17 Comments
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  Lilypad back in action - by frog

  
  
  
  Apologies for the long gap between posts – which I see has prompted some discussion by our old friend Phil. I can assure him that the quietness of the lilypad isn’t due to fear or censorship, just a few external circumstances which aren’t worth going into. Anyway, as Phil rightly pointed out, a number of [...] read more
  June 26, 2006 9:13 am - 35 Comments
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  Governments away from home - by frog

  
  
  
  Governments away from home sometimes forget what their people want as soon as they get on the plane. Yesterday the Danish government voted in favour of restarting commercial whaling, tipping the IWC over towards this new stance. Not only is this a conservation disaster, whale numbers have only just started to recover from the near [...] read more
  June 20, 2006 3:32 pm - 47 Comments
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  Bad news for whales - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s not the worst possible outcome from the IWC, but it’s pretty bad… delegates today voted 33 – 32 to support a non-binding resolution criticising the moratorium on commercial whaling. More here, here, and here’s Metiria’s release in response. [Update: Here's the Government's press release too] read more
  June 19, 2006 12:19 pm - 7 Comments
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  News from Parliament - by frog

  
  
  
  Well, the big announcement today has been the news that there will be free-to-air digital TV from next year. It’s good news – opening lots of exciting possibilities for content, new channels, public service broadcasting and interactive content – but, as this release of Sue K’s points out, unless it is accompanied by significant funding [...] read more
  June 15, 2006 12:59 pm - 39 Comments
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  Even Bush’s high-ranking appointees are too Green for the American right - by frog

  
  
  
  President Bush’s selection for the position of Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, has been a big-shot Wall Street banker and chairman of Goldman Sachs – so he should appeal to the conservative right, right? Wrong. Apparently Bush’s guy too Green. In an interesting aside to the ongoing debate about Blue/Green politics, right-wing think tanks are decrying [...] read more
  June 14, 2006 12:02 pm - 10 Comments
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  Would you like diabetes with that? - by frog

  
  
  
  Today in the House Jeanette and Sue K asked Food Safety Minister Annette King what she is planning to do about a draft Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommendation that a new variety of corn which may cause diabetes and Alzheimer’s be approved for release in New Zealand. More details here. The Minister was non-committal [...] read more
  June 13, 2006 4:15 pm - 17 Comments
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  Would you believe they put a man on the moon? - by frog

  
  
  
  Good news: NASA is getting rid of boring climate satellites which only measure complicated data on climate change, global warming and weather predictions that no-one cares about in favour of the much more exciting goal of getting man back on the moon by 2020. Yay! [Hat-tip to BJ Chip for this story] read more
  June 12, 2006 12:49 pm - 14 Comments
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  Good stuff Greenpeace! - by frog

  
  
  
  Greenpeace marked World Oceans Day yesterday by drawing attention to the problem of bottom trawling in a novel way: scaling Wellington Railway Station to hang an enormous banner reading “Time is running out… Stop deep sea destruction” and placing sculptures representing the weird and wonderful deep sea life which is destroyed by bottom trawling around [...] read more
  June 9, 2006 12:45 pm - 15 Comments
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  Why giant malls which choke local businesses and encourage people to drive long distances to a single shopping destination are bad: - by frog

  
  
  
  From a Transit New Zealand press release: Transit New Zealand advises motorists travelling on the Southern Motorway to the new Sylvia Park shopping centre that due to heavy congestion all traffic is being diverted away from the site. Entry to the car park is now closed and the northbound off-ramp to Mt Wellington has also [...] read more
  June 8, 2006 12:41 pm - 57 Comments
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  The story about sea lions - by frog

  
  
  
  This should have been big news yesterday, but has hardly received any coverage. Thanks to commenters who have pointed it out in other threads – I’ve been away from the lily pad with a nasty croak again. As you will no doubt be aware, Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton announced in April that the fishing industry’s [...] read more
  June 8, 2006 11:36 am - 12 Comments
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  Russel is the new Co-Leader - by frog

  
  
  
  Just announced. UPDATE: you can read or listen to Russel’s co-leader speech. UPDATE 2: as some commenters have pointed out, Russel’s co-leader speech should really be considered in tandem with Jeanette’s co-leader speech which proceeded it. You can read or listen to it as well. UPDATE 3: there was some major press attention of the [...] read more
  June 3, 2006 3:55 pm - 34 Comments