Archive for February, 2008

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  Florida woman finds frog in fast food - by frog

  
  
  
  According to Florida Today, Michelle Arndt of Palm Bay, Florida woman claims she found the head of a frog in her Caesar and dressing with fried chicken strips last week. She said she found the front half of the frog after eating about half of the salad: “I think it’s totally disgusting,” she said. “Where [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 5:28 pm - 7 Comments
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  Send me your rural or urban consent abuse photos! - by frog

  
  
  
  Since Russel’s post today, it has occurred to me that I might want more photographic evidence of the abuse of our rivers and streams. This might inspire MfE’s Mighty Mallard to actually follow through on his promise to get tough on consent abuse, be it rural or urban. If you’ve got photos, send them to [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 5:26 pm - 4 Comments
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  Transit-Oriented Development — By the Numbers - by frog

  
  
  
  The numbers are in. And they show that transit-oriented development really does get people out of their cars. A new study of 17 different transit-oriented developments in four metropolitan areas showed that they generated only about half as many car trips as the standard planning reference guide predicts. It’s research with potential for major impact [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 2:41 pm - 11 Comments
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  It ain’t pretty, it’s shitty! - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  There are a lot of farmers doing the right thing fencing off streams and planting the margins. But there is still a long way to go. This vid was shot in the northern Wairarapa: read more
  February 29, 2008 2:29 pm - 6 Comments
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  Get your lotto numbers here - by frog

  
  
  
  This story from the Press Association will confirm what regular readers already know – frogs can communicate and ride bikes:   A pet frog can ride toy motorbikes and also predict winning lottery numbers, according to her Thai owner. Tongsai Boommrungtai, 52, said she came across the frog outside her house in a province in [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 1:56 pm - 1 Comment
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  Growling grass frog causes political argument in Aussie - by frog

  
  
  
  Victorian Planning Minister Justin Madden wanted to build a 70 kilometre water pipeway from the Goulburn Valley into Melbourne. To help this process along he decided not to ask for an Environmental Effects Statement on the pipeline last December. This seemed like it would be bad news for several endangered species including a striped legless [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 12:50 pm - No Comments
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  Mugabe calls opponent a frog - by frog

  
  
  
  Zimbabwean President turn dictator, Robert Mugabe, has compared his presidential rival to a frog. Apparently he meant this in a slanderous way rather than as an endorsement. The frog-like Simba Makoni, who was the former finance minister from Mugabe’s own Zanu PF party, is seeking to contest the presidency with Mugabe. Mugabe will also face [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 10:55 am - 2 Comments
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  Why should we care about frogs? - by frog

  
  
  
  This month’s Otago University Magazine [currently offline] asks why should we care if all four of New Zealand’s native frogs are among the top ten globally endangered and evolutionarily distinct amphibians in the world? As one of the chief predators of insects, as well as prey to other animals, amphibians are a vital link in [...] read more
  February 29, 2008 8:16 am - 1 Comment
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  Burmese pythons colonise Texas - by frog

  
  
  
  USA Today reports: As climate change warms the nation, giant Burmese pythons could colonize one-third of the USA, from San Francisco across the Southwest, Texas and the South and up north along the Virginia coast, according to U.S. Geological Survey maps released Wednesday. Poor George Bush; just when he is about to lose his Washington [...] read more
  February 28, 2008 3:52 pm - 3 Comments
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  Hunger - by frog

  
  
  
  Earlier this week the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) announced that the rapidly rising price of food was having a two-fold impact on its efforts to feed people in food poverty.  First more people were suffering food poverty because of the price rises and second, the WFP could afford less food on its existing [...] read more
  February 28, 2008 2:35 pm - 41 Comments
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  South Australia adopts NZ Green Party policy - by frog

  
  
  
  After a week of intense negotiation, South Australia became the first state in Australia to introduce feed-in tariffs, with the passing of landmark legislation. The feed-in tariff offers 44 cents (twice the retail electricity rate) for every kilowatt hour of electricity which is fed back into the grid from solar PV systems. Greens MLC Mark [...] read more
  February 28, 2008 11:40 am - 28 Comments
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  Four Frog Film Fest - by frog

  
  
  
  A heartwarming tale of two frogs A not so heartwarming tale of two more frogs A not quite so accurate depiction of how ecology works A snuff movie read more
  February 28, 2008 8:40 am - No Comments
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  Leap Day – Day of the Frog - by frog

  
  
  
  Tomorrow is Leap Day or International Day of the Frog. It’s kind of like Christmas for Frogs, but only once every four years. So I hope you’ll be joining me in the celebrations. I’ll be sharing lots of frog-related news with you. Some of New Zealand’s most endangered species are frogs. NZFrog notes that nearly [...] read more
  February 28, 2008 8:25 am - 43 Comments
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  Food democracy - by frog

  
  
  
  According to Heifer International the typical supermarket contains 30,000 items. About half those items are produced by 10 multinational food and beverage companies. And 138 people – 117 men and 21 women – form the boards of directors of those 10 companies. We’ve got a lot of (standardised) products, but not always that much choice. [...] read more
  February 27, 2008 3:58 pm - 27 Comments
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  London freegans unfazed by rising food prices - by frog

  
  
  
  You might want to check out the video in this website that tells the story of a London ‘Freegan‘ family who salvage food from supermarket dumpsters in a protest at the shocking amount of food discarded annually. Or you might not, depending on how interested you are in where your and other people’s food comes [...] read more
  February 27, 2008 3:00 pm - 1 Comment
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  Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. - by frog

  
  
  
  Such is the quote from Samuel Coleridge’s famous poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner“. It’s the first thing that came to mind when I read phil u‘s comment this morning about Russel and Trevor Mallard going head to head on Morning Report. Russel did best Trevor in the debate, but in fairness to Trevor [...] read more
  February 27, 2008 11:47 am - No Comments
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  The Owen Glenn affair - by frog

  
  
  
  The Greens have not commented on the Owen Glenn saga, but contrary to allegations from Kiwiblog not because we are covering for Labour or scared of offending the Prime Minister. As we’ve often said, when it comes to policy and philosophy National has far more in common with Labour than the Greens do. And that’s [...] read more
  February 26, 2008 3:59 pm - 27 Comments
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  Unscrew America - by frog

  
  
  
  Catchy title, no? What I really wanted to share was a link to unscrewamerica, a wonderful site that teaches about the wonders (and risks) of Compact Fluorescent Lights, or CFLs. It also has a section on LED lighting. Before you yawn and click away, follow the link. It is such a clever and cool interface [...] read more
  February 26, 2008 10:20 am - 3 Comments
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  Hopes for romance on the bus - by frog

  
  
  
  As you probably guessed I didn’t get up the courage to do anything about my crush on Valentines Day, which was maybe for the best.  Perhaps instead I need to see if my press gallery intrigue rides the bus. read more
  February 26, 2008 9:22 am - 3 Comments
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  Replacing Canterbury rivers with cows - by frog

  
  
  
  While the Waipawa River in the Hawke’s Bay quickly disappears because of being over irrigated, it seems Canterbury is exploring ways of irrigating more rivers: Central Plains Water Trust has applied for a number of resource consents relating to the construction and operation of a large scale irrigation scheme. The applicants propose irrigating 60,000 hectares [...] read more
  February 26, 2008 8:59 am - 17 Comments