Posts by Alfie
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In a move motivated by common sense, the Dunedin City Council has just voted to divest its shares in fossil fuel extraction companies.
A council staff-developed ''socially responsible investment policy'', which governs the council's $82.5 million Waipori Fund, ended up passing, with seven councillors and Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull in favour and seven councillors against.
There's a powerful lobby group down this way who believe that big oil will make us all filthy rich. Filthy maybe... rich, no. This group insists that the majority of Dunedinites support their view which could be paraphrased as suck it up, or frack the fuck out of it before it's too late.
Luckily we have some councillors with common sense. But that won't necessarily stop big oil from doing their best to screw up our coastline.
Mr Cull said the suggestion Anadarko or Shell would be less likely to base their operations in Dunedin if the council divested from fossil fuels was a ''myth''.
''I have personally asked both companies what the criteria would be for setting up a support base ... and they say proximity and ease of use.
''They don't care how many Christmas cards we send them, they don't care what our investment policy is.''
He also disputed the suggestion divesting from fossil fuels was hypocrisy, saying it was about supporting alternatives.
I live in Blueskin Bay where we're doing our best to take climate change seriously. Our little area has one of the highest solar energy uptakes in the country; plans are progressing for NZ's first community owned windpower installation; we practice "buy local" and almost everyone grows their own veges. It's a nice place to live.
We're only 1,000 households or so, but major changes in thinking often start small. Our example is unlikely to influence the neoliberals, but it will hopefully rub off on other small communities around the country.
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Here's a little video which stamper might find quite informative.
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Detouring the conversation for a moment... this from Stuff.
On Monday night the TV3 show recorded an average audience of more than 419,000 viewers - the fifth highest rating episode ever and only the sixth time Campbell Live topped 400,000, the Throng website reported.
CL is certainly tackling some meaty issues at the moment with their continuing exposé on Gloriavale and the scandal of foreign companies taking millions of litres of NZ water in exchange for a handful of (metaphorical) beads.
Long may their ratings continue to soar.
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The Herald has a couple of Key stories today. In the first Key denies that his credibility has been damaged.
Mr Key said the ponytail-pulling was the complete opposite to an abuse of power.
He brushed off the idea people were calling him "creepy" after the incident came to light.
"I think it's the opposite to what some people might think that there's a power imbalance.
So he's in denial then.
The other story concerns Stephie Key and "why she likes to get naked for art". That's accompanied by several images of the near naked Ms Key, coincidentally sporting rather prominent pink pigtails.
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Unlike our media, the Guardian makes the link between Glucina and Dirty Politics and ponytailgate.
Since the waitress complained of the prime minister’s harassment in an anonymous post on leftwing site the Daily Blog on Wednesday, questions have arisen about the New Zealand Herald’s actions and its links to Key’s governing National party, which surfaced in the lead-up to last year’s general election.
Last year, Rachel Glucina was among several journalists implicated in Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics, which alleged senior government officials were executing smear campaigns against opponents with the help of media. Hager said he tried to avoid shaming journalists in the book, with the exception of Glucina, whom he described as “despicable”.
They've also got hold of a Herald internal email sent to editorial staff on Thursday afternoon, in which Currie defends Glucina and the way she went about obtaining the "interview" with Amanda Bailey. You can read that email here:
While Currie is attempting to take the moral high ground with claims that all parties were aware that they were participating in a Herald interview, at no stage does he say that he spoke with Amanda Bailey. One would have thought that was essential given the circumstances.
Conveniently, the Herald says there's no recording of Glucina’s interview.
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Toby Manhire reckons it's all to do with the number eleven.
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Minister for Women Louise Upston is standing by the Prime Minister.
She's lucky she doesn't have a ponytail.
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Apparently Key's ponytail fetish is known as Trichophilia.
Trichophilia refers to sexual urges or arousal involving hair.
Treatment is generally not sought unless the condition becomes problematic for the person in some way, or they come under scrutiny of the legal system, and become compelled to address their condition. Many people simply learn to accept their fetish and manage to achieve gratification in an appropriate manner.
Whoever would have known that was a thing?
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Hard News: About Campbell Live, in reply to Angela Hart,
That's it for me. No more Harald, not online, not hard copy.
Glucina and the Herald have clearly breached (abandoned?) any pretence of journalistic ethics today. The Press Council's statement of Principles is clear about this.
9. Subterfuge
Information or news obtained by subterfuge, misrepresentation or dishonest means is not permitted unless there is an overriding public interest and the news or information cannot be obtained by any other means.Incidentally, if I lived in Auckland I certainly wouldn't be patronising any of the Hip Group cafés either.
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Hard News: Dirty Politics, in reply to Angela Hart,
That's it for me. No more Harald, not online, not hard copy.
Glucina and the Herald have clearly breached (abandoned?) any pretence of journalistic ethics today. The Press Council's statement of Principles is clear about this.
9. Subterfuge
Information or news obtained by subterfuge, misrepresentation or dishonest means is not permitted unless there is an overriding public interest and the news or information cannot be obtained by any other means.Incidentally, if I lived in Auckland I certainly wouldn't be patronising any of the Hip Group cafés either.
Whoops! I've reposted this in the Campbell Live thread where most of the discussion is taking place.