Archive for November, 2008

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  NZ red-faced over climate change - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Why would someone who believes climate change is a hoax and human activity is not contributing to climate change, want a carbon tax? Why would you tax fossil fuels if you don’t believe they are doing any harm? Why would a party that has campaigned on a carbon tax since 1993 and accepted the ETS [...] read more
  November 30, 2008 4:31 pm - 89 Comments
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  Focus on Pharmac - by frog

  
  
  
  Rarely are so few asked to do so much with so little for the benefit of so many, who are ungrateful. That’s how I would describe Pharmac’s calling. Today’s Sunday Star Times spends an inordinate amount of column inches discussing the challenges Pharmac faces. Or does it? The unattributed comment piece on A11, “Pharmac’s $635 [...] read more
  November 30, 2008 1:45 pm - 37 Comments
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  The Singularity - by frog

  
  
  
  I thought I would kick off the weekend with a topic that is sure to challenge the imagination and bring all sorts of ideas – good and crazy – out into the open. So just what is The Singularity? The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI) describes it thus: The Singularity is the technological creation [...] read more
  November 29, 2008 4:58 pm - 10 Comments
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  National snatches electoral reform back from the people - by frog

  
  
  
  The Green Party initiative to have electoral reform reviewed and managed by a citizens’ jury has been scrapped by the National government today. While not surprising, it does mean that electoral reform falls back into the hands of the politicians – putting the wolves back in charge of the hen house. The press release came [...] read more
  November 28, 2008 4:18 pm - 90 Comments
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  Imminent extinction for august snail - by frog

  
  
  
  The Department of Conservation says that the powelliphanta augustus snails are not faring so well in their new homes. Up to 40% mortality is evident in the new populations established just within the last 2 years.Over 6000 snails have been gathered up and thrown in DOC fridges for the crime of daring to live on [...] read more
  November 28, 2008 3:39 pm - 13 Comments
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  David Tennant uses pianist’s skull in Hamlet - by frog

  
  
  
  A lovely story from the Telegraph to lighten your Friday: When André Tchaíkowsky died of cancer in 1982 aged 46 he donated his body for medical science. But he added the proviso that his skull “shall be offered by the institution receiving my body to the Royal Shakespeare Company for use in theatrical performance.” Since [...] read more
  November 28, 2008 2:41 pm - 7 Comments
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  Another week, another GE approval - by frog

  
  
  
  There it was again this week, nestled into a little side bar on A3 of the Dom Post. “GE onion field test” Once again, while most of the media is busy watching the new masters of the Executive Wing, ERMA is quietly saying ‘yes’ to a GE future for New Zealand. It can only end [...] read more
  November 28, 2008 2:26 pm - 23 Comments
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  Dr Indecision - by frog

  
  
  
  I am utterly dismayed after reading a quote from Dr Wayne Mapp in today’s Dom Post, with regards to the NZ response to Japanese whaling: I’m not really sure what we will be doing. It doesn’t get any more wishy washy than that from a Defence Minister. Not that I blame Mapp for the sentiment. [...] read more
  November 27, 2008 12:27 pm - 46 Comments
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  Help the Hurunui - by frog

  
  
  
  The Royal Forest & Bird Society is calling out for submissions in support of a Water Conservation Order: The NZ Recreational Canoeing Association and Fish and Game have jointly applied to the Ministry for the Environment for a Water Conservation Order on the Upper Hurunui River to protect the river and keep it in its [...] read more
  November 27, 2008 10:06 am - 2 Comments
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  White Ribbon windup - by frog

  
  
  
  Another day, another coloured ribbon. Yesterday, many kiwis spent the day adorned with a white ribbon to show that they don’t condone violence against women. Raising awareness is a key objective of such days and I was disappointed that I did not see any particularly overt press on the subject. For me, the most salient [...] read more
  November 26, 2008 12:08 pm - 65 Comments
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  Don’t look back, Don - by frog

  
  
  
  Don Elder waxed poetic about the prospects for NZ coal this week at Solid Energy’s maiden annual meeting in Auckland. We have more coal resource energy per capita than Saudi Arabia has oil. In a world of increasing demand, and increasingly constrained supply of energy, New Zealand is now the lucky country. Sorry, Don, but [...] read more
  November 26, 2008 11:24 am - 59 Comments
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  Greenpeace’s guide to greener electronics - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday, Greenpeace International published its Guide to Greener Electronics, and called on all manufacturers to do more to respond to climate change. Of the 18 market-leading companies included in the Guide, only Sharp, Fujitsu Siemens and Philips show full support for the necessary cuts of 30 percent for industrial nations by 2020. Only HP and [...] read more
  November 26, 2008 10:13 am - 15 Comments
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  Mapping the Pirates - by frog

  
  
  
  The last time the world went pirate crazy, it was Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley who caught our attention. Now it’s the Somalis. But piracy is a much wider problem around the globe, as this Live Piracy Map shows. I struggle to believe that there have been no reported instances of piracy in or near [...] read more
  November 25, 2008 5:28 pm - 61 Comments
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  Leadership - by frog

  
  
  
  Obama telling it like it is and as we have always said it is: My presidency will mark a new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process. That will start with a federal cap-and-trade system. We’ll establish strong annual targets that [...] read more
  November 25, 2008 4:30 pm - 39 Comments
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  Key correct to doubt quick recovery - by frog

  
  
  
  John Key has poured cold water on the APEC meeting’s joint statement, which expressed confidence that “we can overcome this crisis in a period of 18 months.” He was correct to do so, although he probably doesn’t arrive at that conclusion by the same path I do. The fundamentals of the global economy are not [...] read more
  November 25, 2008 12:17 pm - 27 Comments
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  Solid Energy fires up coal seam gas generator - by frog

  
  
  
  It is an interesting proof of concept that unfortunately emphasises the least efficient use of the coal seam methane resource. Scoop captured the press release: Speaking today at Solid Energy’s Annual Meeting in Auckland, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Don Elder says that in a first for New Zealand, coal seam gas is now producing enough [...] read more
  November 24, 2008 4:32 pm - 17 Comments
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  The Coaly Moleys - by frog

  
  
  
  Another laugh out loud video from Greenpeace Australia. It seems that Rudd wants to pay $1.2 billion in subsidies to the coal industry as part of their emissions trading scheme! At least when we subsidise our polluters, it is because they are trade exposed. Export coal isn’t covered by Kyoto. So what’s up? read more
  November 24, 2008 11:15 am - 2 Comments
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  Clever Kiwi gives Key a serve - by frog

  
  
  
  I laughed out loud while reading The Guardian Weekly today. In the Diversion section, readers are asked to send in answers to questions posed the previous week. The question? If matter can neither be destroyed nor created, then how can money? Among the very witty replies was this one from kiwi David Sinclair of Warkworth: [...] read more
  November 23, 2008 5:14 pm - 62 Comments
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  The ‘Pesticide Nun’ wins landmark ruling - by frog

  
  
  
  Georgina Downs, the UK’s longstanding pesticide campaigner, has won a landmark ruling in the High Court. The TimesOnline reports: For years the Downs family had no idea what was ailing her. Symptoms initially included blisters inside her mouth and throat; in 1991 her legs gave way. “I was absolutely devastated. I didn’t know what was [...] read more
  November 23, 2008 4:34 pm - 40 Comments
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  NZ now a joke in Europe - by frog

  
  
  
  Thanks Rodney. Thanks John. From Scoop: Specialist news service Carbon News this morning reports broker Nigel Brunel, of OMF Financial, as saying New Zealand is “a bit of a joke in Europe at the moment” following the National-Act agreement to suspend the emissions trading scheme. “This was New Zealand’s opportunity to reinvent its financial markets [...] read more
  November 22, 2008 4:13 pm - 69 Comments