Archive for November, 2008

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  Kennedy Graham comes home - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s official. The electoral commission has published the final results of the election, and the Green Party is up one more MP than previously announced. Kennedy Graham, the number 9 on the party list, is officially in parliament. Ken teaches (taught?)  international politics and international law at the School of Law, Canterbury and Victoria University, [...] read more
  November 22, 2008 3:15 pm - 150 Comments
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  FAQ on Climate Models - by frog

  
  
  
  I promised in a comment yesterday that I would post this today. It’s an FAQ put together by RealClimate, a blog definitely worth giving a regular perusal. Here is just one sample from the armchair geek’s paradise: What is robust in a climate projection and how can I tell? Since every wiggle is not necessarily [...] read more
  November 21, 2008 9:23 am - 25 Comments
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  Movin’ on up - by frog

  
  
  
  Things will be a bit sketchy around here at frogblog, as I help the parliamentary team pack up their office and shift further up in Bowen House. With our newer, bigger caucus, we’ll be inhabiting two floors now instead of one. The views from level 8 were lovely. At almost twice the height, they will [...] read more
  November 21, 2008 9:09 am - 28 Comments
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  Five headed monsters - by frog

  
  
  
    I laughed out loud at this image over at Tumeke this morning, in a post from Bomber. I’m not entirely sure who gets the image credit, but perhaps it is best ascribed to John Key himself, as quoted in the NZ Herald: Do [New Zealanders] want to put in a National government with a [...] read more
  November 20, 2008 11:48 am - 24 Comments
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  Welcome to Forest & Bird’s new blog - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m not sure how I missed it, but F&B have launched a new blog. Yesterday’s post asked a very pertinent question: As rule-maker & whistle-blower, one of the first questions facing the new Minister of Fisheries – Phil Heatley – is how many sea-lions can be killed this season? Since 2003, a more information rich [...] read more
  November 20, 2008 10:33 am - No Comments
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  Water vapour research validates climate models - by frog

  
  
  
  For those who wish to deny the climate science outright, you have just lost another straw man. For those who wish to engage with the science, acknowledging its limitations, this latest research is for you. The sceptics love to bash on about how water vapour is the real greenhouse culprit, how climate scientists ignore it [...] read more
  November 20, 2008 10:07 am - 74 Comments
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  Bottoms up to financial growth - by frog

  
  
  
  Peter Kean, the Managing Director for Lion Nathan New Zealand gave a unique insight on Morning Report this morning into what happens when the need for financial growth detaches itself from social well being: The beer market and the alcohol market have been very resilient. We’re not complacent about that but it is a positive [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 2:56 pm - 27 Comments
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  Captain Capitalism’s alternative to MMP - by frog

  
  
  
  This cartoon is slightly out of date now, except as a tidy explanation of the benefits of two party first past the post presidential style elections so favoured by opponents of MMP. There is more relevant Christmas themed Captain Capitalism here. read more
  November 19, 2008 1:09 pm - 1 Comment
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  Denial is no longer an acceptable response - by frog

  
  
  
  Greenpeace ironically notes that New Zealanders should be seriously alarmed at the prospect of the National-led government damaging the country’s relationship with the United States. “New Zealand is at serious risk of becoming an international Pariah over climate, and jeopardising its international standing and trade relations. The last thing we want is to become the [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 12:10 pm - 51 Comments
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  Economics and climate science are not Hide’s strong suits - by frog

  
  
  
  Brian Rudman today pins down the real danger the Rodney Hide’s climate denialism represents to New Zealand: The British Government Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, published in March, was blunt. “The scientific evidence is now overwhelming; climate change is a serious global threat, and it demands an urgent global response. Hundreds of [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 12:09 pm - 14 Comments
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  Ahoy meh hearties - by frog

  
  
  
  Well, you could go down the clean energy pathway, with wind and solar power, or you could take the other response to peak oil and just nick yourself a Saudi Arabian supertanker. The capture of the [Sirius Star supertanker] is one of the most spectacular strikes in maritime history. “It looks like a deliberate two [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 12:07 pm - 18 Comments
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  The New Copernicans - by frog

  
  
  
  It wasn’t that long ago in historical terms that Nicolaus Copernicus bucked the established western wisdom and asserted that the earth may in fact orbit the sun. He rightfully feared the retribution of the authorities and was careful to pay them tribute when he finally did publish shortly before his death. Although the evidence has [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 11:43 am - 23 Comments
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  The Emissions Trading Scheme hits the backburner - by frog

  
  
  
  There is some good commentary about the Emissions Trading Scheme going on hold at Pundit: Have we wasted the whole last decade debating climate change policy, if we need to go back and start from scratch with a select committee review of ETS? No party was happy with the scheme that was finally passed in [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 3:50 pm - 34 Comments
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  Act’s ally - by frog

  
  
  
  Well one sector of society had to draw the short straw and get an Act Minister in charge of their area of interest, and this time it was local governments.  But it seems that one mayor, the one in the Rodney District, is looking forward to working with Rodney Hide. “I am sure the new [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 3:13 pm - 13 Comments
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  German Greens say ‘Yes, we Cem!’ - by frog

  
  
  
  Germany’s Green Party on Saturday elected Cem Oezdemir as one of its co-leaders, the first time one of Germany’s major parties has elevated a child of Turkish immigrants to such a high position. The German Greens, probably the world’s oldest and largest Green Party (depending on whether you count the Values Party as part of [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 2:46 pm - 12 Comments
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  Without a planet there will be no Parnell… - by frog

  
  
  
  John Key’s victory speech on youtube has been attracting a number of responses reminding him how important climate change is, including this one: read more
  November 18, 2008 12:07 pm - No Comments
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  Boom town rats - by frog

  
  
  
  Proving that everything has its place in our ecosystem (except perhaps landmines) is this Tanzanian story of rats cleaning up after one of our worst human actions: If you’re looking for evidence of human shortsightedness, you might start with landmines. Popular as an inexpensive tool of warfare, landmines now render land uninhabitable and unusable in [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 9:26 am - 8 Comments
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  John Key’s trip to Peru will not be complete without - by frog

  
  
  
  Luckily John Key has rushed through signing up his new government and announcing his cabinet just in time to go to the APEC leaders conference in Peru.  But that’s all probably just an excuse to visit to the world-renowned Peruvian guinea pig festival.  So cute dressed up their ickle costumes, and once he’s tired of [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 8:41 am - 1 Comment
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  Poor ol’ Maurice – no longer on the roads again - by frog

  
  
  
  Maurice Williamson misses out on cabinet but wins our Photoshop Willie award. It seems mentioning roading tolls that don’t exist (?) repeatedly through the campaign means Key has put him on the road to the backbenches again. read more
  November 18, 2008 8:10 am - 2 Comments
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  The Minister of Revenue walks again - by frog

  
  
  
  Like Rasputin Peter Dunne, the eternal Minister of Revenue, is back once again.  This time his pretence of sitting in the middle while actually belonging to the right of National is even more exposed now that he is actually in a cooperation agreement with National. In his agreement with National we can look forward to [...] read more
  November 17, 2008 2:40 pm - 21 Comments