Archive for August, 2008

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  Jamie Oliver serves chicken - by frog

  
  
  
  Tonight TVNZ is showing Jamie Oliver’s The Big Food Fight: Jamie’s Fowl Dinners where the English chef as he usually does, hosts a dinner, but this time to demonstrate the reality of how chickens live and die to put food on our plates: With the help of poultry farmers and experts, Jamie brings together consumers, [...] read more
  August 26, 2008 5:03 pm - 32 Comments
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  Yes to the Emissions Trading Scheme - by frog

  
  
  
  The Green Party caucus has just voted to support the Emissions Trading Scheme. I was watching caucus debate through the window and can confirm the decision did not look to be a foregone conclusion. Jeanette’s media release highlights some of the improvements to the scheme: We have always said the scheme needed to share the [...] read more
  August 26, 2008 2:30 pm - 138 Comments
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  Rayna Fahey: “vote global vote green” - by frog

  
  
  
  Melbourne based Rayna Fahey, number 28 on the Green Party list, is looking for overseas votes: read more
  August 26, 2008 2:06 pm - 23 Comments
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  The fish market - by frog

  
  
  
  The Guardian’s George Monbiot has a shocking tale of when free trade deals go wrong. The two players in the story are firstly Senegal, one of the poorest countries on the planet, where the people mostly eat fish. They get 70 percent of their protein from fish: Traditionally cheaper than other animal products, it sustains [...] read more
  August 26, 2008 1:07 pm - 9 Comments
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  Warming the bench - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s an interesting question.  Audrey Young reckons John Key might have a rotation policy for his possible cabinet. The Herald understands that if Mr Key leads the next Government, he will make several ministerial appointments conditional on the minister stepping down from the post in two or three years to make way for new blood. [...] read more
  August 26, 2008 12:13 pm - 2 Comments
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  Dirt - by frog

  
  
  
  National Geographic’s Charles Mann has an extensive September cover story on soil.  It’s a long read and this is just my quick synopsis, but it’s a fascinating topic, or at least I thought it was: Journalists sometimes describe unsexy subjects as MEGO: My eyes glaze over. Alas, soil degradation is the essence of MEGO. Nonetheless, the [...] read more
  August 26, 2008 9:56 am - 6 Comments
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  happiness policies - by frog

  
  
  
  I talked earlier this year about recent academic challenges to the Easterlin Paradox, which examines the links between wealth and happiness and suggests, once basic needs are met, more wealth doesn’t mean greater happiness.  Worldchanging.com looks at the paradox this week and suggests a more complex relationship – wealth does make a difference to happiness [...] read more
  August 26, 2008 9:07 am - 19 Comments
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  The Niue Declaration - by frog

  
  
  
  The Niue Declaration on climate change signed last week at the Pacific Islands Forum contains all the usual statements you would expect from a bunch of poor islands with very few carbon emissions to reduce, yet facing the very real threat of global warming caused by other countries.  There were calls for international recognition and [...] read more
  August 25, 2008 4:17 pm - 21 Comments
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  National’s education policy demonstrably Jurassic - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  The National party’s two recent eduction announcements, national testing and PPPs for building schools, have drawn criticism from all sorts, and many of them not particularly radical organisations. The NZ Principals Federation today criticised Nationals policy of national testing saying that: “The NZPF is disappointed that the National Party is taking this approach to education [...] read more
  August 25, 2008 3:13 pm - 1 Comment
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  Aucklanders give up on waiting - by frog

  
  
  
  According to the New Zealand Herald public transport is finally becoming popular in Auckland: Aucklanders cramming into trains to avoid hefty petrol bills have boosted winter rail patronage over 30 per cent. Bus use is also climbing from a trough, as fleet operators report up to 7 per cent growth since April. That compares with [...] read more
  August 25, 2008 3:01 pm - 10 Comments
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  Solar-power plane breaks unmanned flight record - by frog

  
  
  
  LONDON (AP) — The manufacturer of an ultra-lightweight plane says the aircraft has broken the world record for longest-lasting unmanned flight. Next week I hear the manufacturer will also be taking on the unwomaned flight record. More details here. read more
  August 25, 2008 2:37 pm - 3 Comments
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  Euphemisms - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s funny the debate was meant to be about removing a defence against the criminal assault of children.  But opponents didn’t like that language so instead we spent a lot of time talking about “smacking”.  Now we’re being subjected to a further amendment of language away from the actual legal definition of what we are [...] read more
  August 25, 2008 10:34 am - 60 Comments
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  Watermelons - by frog

  
  
  
  The Libertarianz don’t have a lot of cash, something we empathise with, so they’ve been circulating their election ad around the internet for free. And in the spirit of community and cooperation, oops, sorry, profitable self interest, I thought I’d support them by showing it here too. Plus it’s got lots of photos of some great people [...] read more
  August 24, 2008 2:16 pm - 31 Comments
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  Tactical compromise or purist ideology - by frog

  
  
  
  The Herald’s editorial this morning is an interesting one.  It looks at the Green’s dilemma over whether to support the Emissions Trading Scheme or not this Tuesday. It notes the ongoing negotiations and significant home insulation gains that the Greens have won so far. Enough it suggests for the Greens to engage in the politics [...] read more
  August 24, 2008 7:38 am - 67 Comments
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  McKinney: “leave the oil in the soil” - by frog

  
  
  
  Meanwhile, also in the USA, Grist has an interview with Green Party presidential candidate, Cynthia McKinney. I liked this McKinney response to Grist asking: ‘Energy is a hot topic on the political scene right now. Republicans are really driving home the drilling mantra. What do you think should be done to counter that?’ McKinney: My [...] read more
  August 23, 2008 9:26 am - 2 Comments
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  White tissues, greenwash - by frog

  
  
  
  Greenpeace NZ have got their eyes on the Emissions Trading Scheme but Greenpeace USA are campaigning on paper tissues. You see Multinational company Kimberly Clark clear fells ancient forests to make its Kleenex tissues and, ironically, it has now decided to advertise those same tissues with the robot character from Disney-Pixar’s latest environmentally themed film, [...] read more
  August 23, 2008 8:46 am - 6 Comments
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  Totalitarianism? Just do it. - by frog

  
  
  
  Liu Xiang’s tragic exit from the 110m hurdles this week was conveniently appropriated by our best friend Nike, who ran a series of full page ads in China with his defeated image, declaring “Love the glory. Love the pain. Love sport even when it breaks your heart.” Ahh, doesn’t it make you feel good about [...] read more
  August 22, 2008 6:25 pm - 11 Comments
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  24 hours - by frog

  
  
  
  The cliché goes that a lot can change in 24 hours, particularly in politics. Needless to say I haven’t read them myself, but some poor souls are wading through over 700 email responses that Jeanette has received in just the first 24 hours. Ask, and you shall receive. It seems that Kiwis do have something [...] read more
  August 22, 2008 4:03 pm - 119 Comments
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  The green, green grass of home - by frog

  
  
  
  With the Olympics on we seem to be getting a surplus of Chinese news.  I guess the normal, mostly mono-cultural broadcast will resume soon, but in the meantime we were able to hear this story: Shanghai is well on the way to turning most of its rooftops green. The Shanghai landscaping administration bureau said yesterday [...] read more
  August 22, 2008 2:18 pm - 25 Comments
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  The heart of our prosperity - by frog

  
  
  
  There are some interesting quotes in the Herald this morning from one of New Zealand’s most obvious carbon polluters, Air New Zealand. Chief executive Rob Fyfe, doing what all business leaders eventually seem to end up doing, call for government intervention or subsidies, notes: “I believe environmental leadership is at the heart of our prosperity [...] read more
  August 22, 2008 8:06 am - 51 Comments