Archive for August, 2008

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  An emissions trading subsidy for fishing?

  
  
  
  The Hive noted on Friday that: The revised [Emissions Trading Scheme] contains an enormous new subsidy for the fishing industry. This was, surprise, surprise negotiated by NZ First… Fish subsidies are the direct cause of over fishing. We are opposed to any subsidisation of this industry. The original ETS has no subsidy going [...] read more
  August 31, 2008 4:19 pm - 7 Comments
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  Canadians may beat us to the polls

  
  
  
  Despite four planned and payed for by-elections scheduled for September 8th, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is tipped to call a snap election this week as his minority government struggles to get any work done. This would infuriate the Greens, who have a realistic chance of picking up one of the seats in the by-elections next [...] read more
  August 30, 2008 2:13 pm - 4 Comments
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  Russel and Spanky from RDU talk Tug-o-War

  
  
  
  There’s a nice little interview here on Scoop where the RDU’s Spanky talks to Russel about the polls, MMP, ‘Sustainability’ Labour, open source and free software and the need for tug of war at the 2012 London Olympics. Photo credit: Here be Dragons read more
  August 30, 2008 8:36 am - 6 Comments
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  Cycle safety

  
  
  
  Without knowing anything more about the circumstances than what has been reported, it was pretty disturbing to hear multi sport’s Coast to Coast star Steve Gurney was involved in a car accident while cycling in Christchurch. However, it’s a good reminder that there is only one day left to sign the Cycle Advocacy Network’s 9-Point [...] read more
  August 30, 2008 7:36 am - 13 Comments
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  Secret money

  
  
  
  “Well, that was an informative political investigation into the corrosive power of secret trusts and large private donations to politicians,” she said brightly. “Who’s next?” read more
  August 29, 2008 7:28 pm - 22 Comments
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  Can you out-spend the oil industry?

  
  
  
  Al Gore’s at it again. After his call for America to go 100% renewable in 10 years, his organisation “We Can Solve It” is running a TV ad in the US demanding clean energy. But because even his big-bucks buddies can’t compete with $850 million a year spent by oil and coal companies [...] read more
  August 29, 2008 1:55 pm - 20 Comments
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  What if?

  
  
  
  I wonder if the Prime Minister is looking back at the quiet issue-focused way the Greens have gone about getting their policy implemented over the last 3 years and is now ruing the choices she made putting together her governing arrangements back in 2005 with Winston Peters’ NZ First Party and Peter Dunne’s Untied Future [...] read more
  August 29, 2008 7:59 am - 34 Comments
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  Plastic bag silliness

  
  
  
  read more
  August 28, 2008 4:07 pm - 5 Comments
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  Protecting food safety

  
  
  
  Mother Jones has an icky story about imported Chinese food in the USA involving contamination, salmonella, bateria and pesticides. At one [poultry] plant, inspectors had found paint from the ceiling “on the table used for edible product,” while workers at another facility wiped down meat-handling areas with dirty cloths. Parts of a third factory, designated for [...] read more
  August 28, 2008 3:57 pm - 5 Comments
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  We’ll have to find something else to watch next month

  
  
  
  It’s getting to be half week old news now. But, just to show the Greens are not into stopping all sporting tours, here’s the Green spokesperson on sports, Keith calling for more cricket. Go Keith. “Pulling out [of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan] now would badly dent New Zealand’s good reputation in Pakistan, and cannot be [...] read more
  August 28, 2008 3:35 pm - 10 Comments