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Yesterday on the Happy NY thread I posted this comment which talks about how to emulate the Irish model but instead of focusing on IT and Bio-informatics as they did, we should focus on technologies that combat AGW, since regardless of what one thinks of that, it is a global business opportunity.
It makes sense Reid, there are major business opportunities, and AGW or not it can help us and help the planet.
We should be more actively aiming for more sustainable lifestyles for a number of reasons, it’s unfortunate that AGW has become the major focus when it is really just one possible issue out of many.
It would be far more effective it it could build momentum as a grass roots movement that drives business, rather than being artificial financial mechanisms that may create more problems than they try to solve. The less political the better.
@Reid – its all very well saying that we should chase green, but we have to get the fundamentals right. We’re not going to be able to innovate fuck all if our “innovators” are all living overseas.
“It would be far more effective it it could build momentum as a grass roots movement that drives business, rather than being artificial financial mechanisms that may create more problems than they try to solve. The less political the better.”
Pete like it or not it is a political issue since politicians control the science funding and also design the AGW regulatory and taxation framework within which business must operate.
It already is a grass-roots issue that is driving business because it’s like mom and apple pie. How can you not want to save the planet? That’s why (what is IMO a fantasy) the AGW concept has swept the world to the point where you now find everyone talking about “sustainability” and “green” shit.
The point is, as a nation we are not going to be able to capitalise on this global opportunity unless we emulate the Irish model and focus govt resources like a laser on targetted areas. That is aneathema to those who advocate leaving it to the market, but if we do that in this case, then we’re just going to be an also-ran when it comes to profiting from this opportunity. We have one chance to get this right and a limited window within which to do it and the clock is rapidly ticking down. If we don’t have a comprehensive framework in place by mid-2010 I believe we’ll miss the boat.
Both of those links in my 9:03 provide the simple formula – it’s not rocket science but it will take a concerted political effort led from the top using all the resources of govt, to successfully implement it. If we leave it to the grassroots to provide incentive to business to change their practices, it will never happen at least not quickly enough and in enough areas to ensure we become global leaders and we will lose this golden opportunity and look back in 2020 and think to ourselves, why didn’t we do that then.
The obvious worry is, the free-marketeers have a significant power base in this govt and they won’t recognise that in this case, their philosophy needs to take a back seat.
Just out of interest, can anyone give a simple definition of “sustainable” as used as an adjective? E.g. Sustainable lifestyle, sustainable development, sustainable building. It’s used a lot but I never get a satisfactory answer as to what it means.
I have my own theory, but just interested in what others think.
Reid, as Neil suggests a decent business friendly tax framework needs to be put in place by the politicians, but the rest needs to be driven more by consumers and businesses.
How can you not want to save the planet?
I think a lot of people don’t think or care about that. They are more interested in the next “sale”, borrowing more to buy more that they don’t need, paying twice as much for goods with labels that benefits no one apart from slick marketers.
“@Reid – its all very well saying that we should chase green, but we have to get the fundamentals right. We’re not going to be able to innovate fuck all if our “innovators” are all living overseas.”
Neill, read both those links above.
It’s simple. You use tax-breaks to attract back relevant innovators. You will recall of course that when the Celtic Tiger was going, all the best Irish people were coming back to live there. No reason why the same thing won’t happen here.
As for new innovators, that’s the reason why you need to implement a directed focus in your Universities to ensure they turn out the right graduates in great numbers. That Celtic Tiger architect I talked about in my post yesterday, was from the University of Limerick and he spoke a lot about how they did that. Don’t know about you but I’d much rather have less lawyers and more scientists and engineers graduating. That’s not going to happen unless you do it by design.
“..we should focus on technologies that combat AGW”
What if AGW turns out to be a myth, a lie, a construct with the sole purpose of taxing us more? With your logic, NZ could also focus on devising better Ponzi schemes, more cunning pyramids to relieve the gullible from their money.
Instead of following dubious ideas, our country should concentrate in offering a solid, stable, business-friendly environment: lowering taxes for its citizens and the industries which choose to base themselves here. Economic success will follow.
The word sustainability is derived from the Latin sustinere (tenere, to hold; sus, up). Dictionaries provide more than ten meanings for sustain, the main ones being to “maintain”, “support”, or “endure”.
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It is usually noted that this requires the reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands – the “three pillars” of sustainability.
Simple definition – “sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems”.
The Earth Charter speaks of “a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.”
For all these reasons sustainability is perceived, at one extreme, as nothing more than a feel-good buzzword with little meaning or substance but, at the other, as an important but unfocused concept like “liberty” or “justice”.
It has also been described as a “dialogue of values that defies consensual definition”.
“What if AGW turns out to be a myth, a lie, a construct with the sole purpose of taxing us more?”
Manolo, if you’ve been following what I’ve said about AGW over the years, you’d know that’s precisely what I think. The point is, so what?
Obviously, there are global forces driving this issue. Those forces have built to the point where if any country doesn’t get on the bandwagon, their trade is at extreme risk.
I have never seen a global force grow as fast as this and with such strength. I don’t think that it’s going to dissipate anytime soon and I have various reasons for thinking that.
Regardless, even it does dissipate, then the worst case is that we end up with an economy strongly re-oriented toward cutting-edge technology. We would have a university system that was turning out hundreds of Ph.D’s and thousands of undergraduates all with science and engineering degrees. We would also have major new manufacturing industries producing such things as hydrogen fuel-cells, cutting-edge electronic systems, industrial equipment that uses less power – most of which output is sold overseas. Not to mention we would be world-leaders in animal genetics and would have maintained our global leadership and reputation in clean food production.
Now would you rather have that, or a lot of lawyers, as we have now?
Reid your outcome scenario would be a pyrrhic victory indeed…unless we can find something really clever to do with our sheep or our grass, we would have lost our talent and production base overseas long before the new high tech manufacturing industries could ever develop.
“Reid your outcome scenario would be a pyrrhic victory indeed…unless we can find something really clever to do with our sheep or our grass, we would have lost our talent and production base overseas long before the new high tech manufacturing industries could ever develop.”
Why? Have you actually read that post I made yesterday about how it works?
BTW, with regard to the safety modifications to the cable car that are deemed necessary by The NZ Transport Agency (see above)- wonder what they are, and should the cable car be running right now if it is unsafe?
From an interesting article that raises a lot of points I agree with completely. The Helen Klark style feminist is largely responsible for many of the ills that befall western civilization.
“The Catholics need to boot this silly and dangerous old bastard”
Well RB he’s either just another silly old fool who’s been taken in by propaganda or he’s just another globalist deliberately driving the agenda.
Either way, who cares? The agenda is already set and while many of us know it’s a bunch of bollocks, the truth or otherwise of AGW is not the main event. The main event is, how do we best take advantage of it in the coming decades?
BTW, I wonder how many people who don’t/won’t see the real feminist agenda also believe in AGW. I would expect there’s a strong correlation.
Sorry Reid, I’m not into compromising my ideas because there might be money in it.
BTW- posting prolifically to try and stay ahead of Pete George ( who will most likely catch me by the end of the year [post numbers] if he keeps going the way he is.)
“Sorry Reid, I’m not into compromising my ideas because there might be money in it.”
I wouldn’t have picked you for an idealist, RB.
I wouldn’t work in promoting feminism because I think it’s evil and hurts humanity. I would promote AGW science and engineering because while it’s mistaken, it’s not harmful. That’s how I reconcile it.
I’m Catholic, and I support totally what he said. If you look at it, its not that much different to what reid said in his 9.03 comment. All people with common sense have been talking about looking after the environment since the 60′s, as I recall. Because he said we should protect the environment – something, by the way, the Catholic church has supported from the time of St.Francis of Assisi in the 12 century and before – that doesn’t mean that he buys into all the grossly politicised AGW bullshit.
Anyway, a best New Year wishes to all, and roll on the discussions (or should that be arguments)
Education should be focused on the basics, and children should not be indoctrinated into trendy causes by public education systems, a strategy that gave rise to Nazism. As the Pope should know.
Don, I’m not trying to be provocative, but I’m genuinely curious as to how the Catholic Church reconciles the obduracy with which it refused to recognise, acknowledge and rectify some cases of abuse especially those that surfaced in the US in the 90′s, with its stated mission values.
I know there is a lot of data on cases where they have done so but there is also a lot of data on cases where they haven’t and indeed have been deliberately obstructive. It just confuses me as to why the Church hierarchy especially in the States and Ireland has behaved in that way when all they needed to do was to do the opposite of what they have done, in some cases.
Clearly Don you don’t bother with facts.
The comment was neither inane for its totally correct when the issue is stripped of its padding from the Church, was a seriously made point that to compare your ludicrous statement about Catholics caring for the environment since time began, a statement that you can not support, as you simply cannot demonstrate that its so and it doesn’t take too much investigation to show that Catholics have plundered the world as bad, if not worse, than many others.
As for ignorance, well lack of debate on issues that need the light of day upon them causes ignorance. Endeavoring to hide behind Papal Skirts and ignore their ignoble history is ignorance.
Telling women in 2010 that they should lie back and have ten kids because if they use contraception they commit a sin is ignorance.
Defending the indefensible is ignorance.
” … curious as to how the Catholic Church reconciles the obduracy … to recognise, acknowledge and rectify …”
Full acknowledgement of sexual abuses in the Catholic Church would lead to the obvious question of why it is a Catholic Church problem; so questioning ‘celibacy’, and the Church’s male/female attitudes.
Today’s Catholic Chruch is rife with fellow travellers in pursue of what they consider “social justice” and wealth-redistribution. You don’t need to go far to confirm this view. Take a look at one Father G. Burns, who desecrated Rabin’s monument in Wellington last year.
It’s quite rich for an organisation based on Midlle-Eastern mythology, which fought science for centuries, to try to become a source of environmental “enlightment”, a la Greenpeace.
The Pope would be better advised to clean up the acts of many of his followers before delving into a new field. He cannot, should not, be taken seriously.
The government it seems is waiting for them to die – problem solved.
These people seem like the hard-working farmer type. Shame they have to suffer such stress at this stage of life – when they should be able to relax and enjoy the fruits of their years of labour.
The government always waits for people to die. Asbestos (AHI). Nuclear exposure (Pukaki). Agent Orange (Vietnam). 245 T (New Plymouth). Countless others that my poor brain can’t remember.
Minimises the payout. Longer you stall cheaper it gets. Berrymans=perfect example. NZ Army totally at fault.(got the suppressed document)
Erebus. Air New Zealand totally at fault. Still not settled. –Can only bury the truth for so long!!
The Catholic Church does recognise the abuse scandal, particularly in the USA and has admitted it, and is deeply hurt and remorseful of a number of its priests who have betrayed their vows and their responsibilities to perpetrate such violence against those who looked on them as most trustworthy. Every Catholic and indeed other Christians in the world are shocked and deeply saddened by these events.
I could say things like – abuse in other churches is higher; or the worst abusers are (mainly) men, who have their own families; or worse abuse happens in schools and state run institutions – as is the case in Ireland. But I would not want to trivialise, or attempt to diminish the great wrong that has been done to many young people. It was indeed not Christian.
We do need however, to remember that Jesus had one of his twelve betray him – so this issue of betrayal has been with Christianity from its inception. Once again, without trying to excuse those involved, one has to understand a little about the Catholic hierarchy. A bishop is – if you like – a bit like the CEO of a company. He may be censured by the Chairman of the Borad of the parent company, but cannot be fired unless he has done something seriously detrimental and contrary to the good of the company.
I know its not a good analogy, but its about as close as I can bring to mind right now. The Pope is the bishop of Rome, and the first among equals. When a priest is elevated to being a bishop of an area, he is the church authority within his diocese. It is only if he were – say, taking part in homosexual activity which was involved in the majority of the sexual abuse scandal, that the Pope could dismiss him. If a bishop knew of an abusive priest, previously they would consult the medical psychologists, and following their advice, they were counselled and re-assigned. We now know that was a disaster, and there is a totally different protocol now. If a priest is found guilty of that type of offence, he is defrocked and handed over to the civil authorities for prosecution.
Catholics are like any other normal person in that we can commit crime, are subject to the usual human faults and failings. The church is made up of fallible human beings. Of course, when individuals fail and stumble, its easy to brand the organisation to which they belong as faulty.
I don’t know whether that answers your question. After all, I am not an authority on these things, but hope it helps.
The question of celibacy amongst the Western Catholic churches priests is constantly being discussed. (The Eastern Catholic church does have some married priests, and the Western Catholic church has a very few married priests – mainly priests who convert from the Anglican and Lutheran churches, and wish to remain as priests).
But to say that celibacy causes sexual abuse amongst Catholic priests actually flies in the face of the facts. There is more sexual abuse perpetrated by married men than by celibate priests. Furthermore, there is more sexual abuse in some of the other Chistian churches by married pastors than there is by celibate Catholic priests.
Oh, and women have been recognised for their worth from the Churches beginning if you knew anything about the history of the early church. They just can’t be ordained as priests – that’s all. Everything else is open to them. Some of the great theologians of the church have been women.
But don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story
Don
I can understand your loyalty to your church but my experience with three families here in NZ. 2 with the same Bishop and the other elsewhere. All involved young boys.
The way it has been given to me is that in one of the cases the priest had been known to have proclivities or it had been suspected.
In two of the families the issue only came about a decade after the abuse with one it was whilst they were still at school.
In one case he had had previous form, which had been before the Bishop. Never was the police called in right up front and never were they defrocked, one is retired.
All the families were terribly bruised and one has turned their back on all churches as a result of the behaviour of the Catholic Bishop and others in the Catholic hierarchy, who in their opinion were more concerned with the reputation of the Catholic Church than justice or the victims.
We’ve discussed this at some length at my dinner table and our position is this, if the police were not brought into the picture right up front, then all the heirarchy (no matter their rank) need to be brought before the courts to answer for that.
All the priests need to be brought before the courts anyway.
Nothing else is fair and nothing else will make clean the reputation of the Catholic Church, until that happens they (The Catholic Church) should shut their mouths about society as they have bloody hands and no right to speak.
Of course this should be the same with all institutions that have looked after children and abuse happened not just the Catholic church.
I’m no theologian but for those of you genuinely interested as oppossed to the rabidly anti Christian (of which there seems no shortage) mainstream Christianity view on the environment is ancient and based on Genesis.See Genesis 1 ;26 to 31.Its all about Gods creation and mans stewardship thereof. Genesis predates Al Bore and the Greens by several millenia. I found this article from the Telegraph very good http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/6890491/We-need-a-shared-story-to-underpin-our-national-life.html
If a bishop knew of an abusive priest, previously they would consult the medical psychologists, and following their advice, they were counselled and re-assigned. We now know that was a disaster, and there is a totally different protocol now. If a priest is found guilty of that type of offence, he is defrocked and handed over to the civil authorities for prosecution.
Don that was partly what I was meaning when I said “all they needed to do was to do the opposite of what they have done.”
I guess the other thing I had in mind is the way this attitude of denial and obstruction was spread throughout the hierarchy of the Church and I don’t mean just in the US but let’s start there. Now clearly one can understand there are financial calculations at stake here given the proclivity and opportunity to sue under tort law in the States and the considerable assets possessed by the Church. Notwithstanding that however the Church is a compassionate religious organisation and for quite a time there during the 90′s this factor does not seem to have been paramount in the minds of the hierarchy, rather it was obstruct deny obstruct deny all the way. I can understand that happening in a commercial organisation even though I wouldn’t condone it, but I can’t understand how it could have happened in a Church.
I watched a DVD on this a few months ago but can’t recall the title, but here’s another one that traverses very similar territory and may in fact be talking about the same case. Note that the priest I saw abused both girls and boys over years so it wasn’t curiosity or experimentation or homosexuality as the DVD in the link suggests so it probably wasn’t the same case. This DVD I saw outlined a tale of obstruction and denial lasting years, that eventually led to the priest not being imprisoned but in being re-located to Ireland. Some of the victims accompanied by Father Doyle even went to the Vatican, with the film crew, and were denied entry, even for a private meeting.
Personally if I were in the Church I’d be recommending that it adopt more of the approach Jesus took against the money-changers in the temple, not against the paedophiles themselves, but against everyone in the hierarchy who has ever tried to obstruct or cover it up.
But I appreciate your time in responding Don and I also know that all in the Church would play their cards differently were they to have their time again.
Chtoniid @534pm
This has got “human rights ” written all over it. The guy is already a terror suspect and he’s got the run of Denmark.Gets into a heavily fortified supposeddly protected place and the victim still has to call the police……who shoot him in the knee and shoulder…..when the safest place to shoot a suspect is in his body mass ie the chest. Once he’s served his time he’ll be able to claim asylum and probably sue the cop who shot him.
Can only sympathise with the people concerned; it is a terrible thing not just to have your kids abused, but the perpetrator destroys your faith at the same time. I have heard of several cases around here – two were actually false accusations, but at least two of the other events have gone through the courts. I think one is serving around 12 years – don’t know for sure; but its all very sad and enraging.
If it were up to me, I’d hang the bastards up, cut out their balls, and put them in prison with some big queer guy with aids to get Anal Injected Death Sentence.
If I knew of a priest engaging in abuse, not only would I tell the bishop, I’d get the cops straight onto it.
No sympathy at all for those self absorbed arseholes that commit thiat sort of crime.
“.when the safest place to shoot a suspect is in his body mass ie the chest.”
Au contraire kowtow. The ‘safest’ place to shoot a suspect is in the head. The ‘easiest’ place to hit a suspect if you can’t shoot well is in the body mass. Hence police (amateur marksmen) aim for the chest.
Danish Police must have the same training as NZ Police, shoot at the object and hit his leg.
The NZ taxpayer gives him a $10K one.
Wonder what will happen to this Terrorist in Denmark? Put him in a cell? He was in a cell until he got called.
Systematic breakdown of Security? right
The Catholic church is just like our Govt. Waits long enough for people to die so it doesn’t have to deal with its sins.
Today we have the Berryman saga. Outrageous abuse of power. Now tell me what is different about what the church does Don.
and I’m not denigrating your principles but the principles that allow the behavoir with the organization.
I agree with you about the Berryman saga – it has been an outrageous miscarriage of justice.
I guess nothing I can say will change you attitude or beliefs, viking2. We can only live in hope and work as hard as we can for all human organisations to respect and provide natural justice for everyone.
Johnboy@603pm
Sorry but you are wrong about headshot,the head is a smaller target than the chest.The chest being the biggest target is still best. “Safety”also relates to bystanders etc
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:03 am
Yesterday on the Happy NY thread I posted this comment which talks about how to emulate the Irish model but instead of focusing on IT and Bio-informatics as they did, we should focus on technologies that combat AGW, since regardless of what one thinks of that, it is a global business opportunity.
Today I see Phillip Mills of Les Mills fame, saying precisely the same thing in the Herald.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:05 am
Must be the year for dishing out unearned badges to undeserving people.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3202456/Firefighters-rubbish-New-Years-Honours
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:08 am
It makes sense Reid, there are major business opportunities, and AGW or not it can help us and help the planet.
We should be more actively aiming for more sustainable lifestyles for a number of reasons, it’s unfortunate that AGW has become the major focus when it is really just one possible issue out of many.
It would be far more effective it it could build momentum as a grass roots movement that drives business, rather than being artificial financial mechanisms that may create more problems than they try to solve. The less political the better.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:26 am
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10618099
If you ever wanted to know what’s fucked up about New Zealand, then this article details it. Our best and brightest from ten years ago and they’ve all left the place.
@Reid – its all very well saying that we should chase green, but we have to get the fundamentals right. We’re not going to be able to innovate fuck all if our “innovators” are all living overseas.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 am
“It would be far more effective it it could build momentum as a grass roots movement that drives business, rather than being artificial financial mechanisms that may create more problems than they try to solve. The less political the better.”
Pete like it or not it is a political issue since politicians control the science funding and also design the AGW regulatory and taxation framework within which business must operate.
It already is a grass-roots issue that is driving business because it’s like mom and apple pie. How can you not want to save the planet? That’s why (what is IMO a fantasy) the AGW concept has swept the world to the point where you now find everyone talking about “sustainability” and “green” shit.
The point is, as a nation we are not going to be able to capitalise on this global opportunity unless we emulate the Irish model and focus govt resources like a laser on targetted areas. That is aneathema to those who advocate leaving it to the market, but if we do that in this case, then we’re just going to be an also-ran when it comes to profiting from this opportunity. We have one chance to get this right and a limited window within which to do it and the clock is rapidly ticking down. If we don’t have a comprehensive framework in place by mid-2010 I believe we’ll miss the boat.
Both of those links in my 9:03 provide the simple formula – it’s not rocket science but it will take a concerted political effort led from the top using all the resources of govt, to successfully implement it. If we leave it to the grassroots to provide incentive to business to change their practices, it will never happen at least not quickly enough and in enough areas to ensure we become global leaders and we will lose this golden opportunity and look back in 2020 and think to ourselves, why didn’t we do that then.
The obvious worry is, the free-marketeers have a significant power base in this govt and they won’t recognise that in this case, their philosophy needs to take a back seat.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 am
Just out of interest, can anyone give a simple definition of “sustainable” as used as an adjective? E.g. Sustainable lifestyle, sustainable development, sustainable building. It’s used a lot but I never get a satisfactory answer as to what it means.
I have my own theory, but just interested in what others think.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:37 am
Reid, as Neil suggests a decent business friendly tax framework needs to be put in place by the politicians, but the rest needs to be driven more by consumers and businesses.
I think a lot of people don’t think or care about that. They are more interested in the next “sale”, borrowing more to buy more that they don’t need, paying twice as much for goods with labels that benefits no one apart from slick marketers.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:41 am
“@Reid – its all very well saying that we should chase green, but we have to get the fundamentals right. We’re not going to be able to innovate fuck all if our “innovators” are all living overseas.”
Neill, read both those links above.
It’s simple. You use tax-breaks to attract back relevant innovators. You will recall of course that when the Celtic Tiger was going, all the best Irish people were coming back to live there. No reason why the same thing won’t happen here.
As for new innovators, that’s the reason why you need to implement a directed focus in your Universities to ensure they turn out the right graduates in great numbers. That Celtic Tiger architect I talked about in my post yesterday, was from the University of Limerick and he spoke a lot about how they did that. Don’t know about you but I’d much rather have less lawyers and more scientists and engineers graduating. That’s not going to happen unless you do it by design.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:42 am
“but the rest needs to be driven more by consumers and businesses.”
Why? As I said, if you leave it up to the market, it won’t happen. The Celtic Tiger is proven to work. Why mess with that formula?
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:46 am
“..we should focus on technologies that combat AGW”
What if AGW turns out to be a myth, a lie, a construct with the sole purpose of taxing us more? With your logic, NZ could also focus on devising better Ponzi schemes, more cunning pyramids to relieve the gullible from their money.
Instead of following dubious ideas, our country should concentrate in offering a solid, stable, business-friendly environment: lowering taxes for its citizens and the industries which choose to base themselves here. Economic success will follow.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:51 am
The word sustainability is derived from the Latin sustinere (tenere, to hold; sus, up). Dictionaries provide more than ten meanings for sustain, the main ones being to “maintain”, “support”, or “endure”.
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It is usually noted that this requires the reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands – the “three pillars” of sustainability.
Simple definition – “sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems”.
The Earth Charter speaks of “a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.”
For all these reasons sustainability is perceived, at one extreme, as nothing more than a feel-good buzzword with little meaning or substance but, at the other, as an important but unfocused concept like “liberty” or “justice”.
It has also been described as a “dialogue of values that defies consensual definition”.
(source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability)
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:56 am
“What if AGW turns out to be a myth, a lie, a construct with the sole purpose of taxing us more?”
Manolo, if you’ve been following what I’ve said about AGW over the years, you’d know that’s precisely what I think. The point is, so what?
Obviously, there are global forces driving this issue. Those forces have built to the point where if any country doesn’t get on the bandwagon, their trade is at extreme risk.
I have never seen a global force grow as fast as this and with such strength. I don’t think that it’s going to dissipate anytime soon and I have various reasons for thinking that.
Regardless, even it does dissipate, then the worst case is that we end up with an economy strongly re-oriented toward cutting-edge technology. We would have a university system that was turning out hundreds of Ph.D’s and thousands of undergraduates all with science and engineering degrees. We would also have major new manufacturing industries producing such things as hydrogen fuel-cells, cutting-edge electronic systems, industrial equipment that uses less power – most of which output is sold overseas. Not to mention we would be world-leaders in animal genetics and would have maintained our global leadership and reputation in clean food production.
Now would you rather have that, or a lot of lawyers, as we have now?
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:42 am
Reid your outcome scenario would be a pyrrhic victory indeed…unless we can find something really clever to do with our sheep or our grass, we would have lost our talent and production base overseas long before the new high tech manufacturing industries could ever develop.
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:46 am
“Reid your outcome scenario would be a pyrrhic victory indeed…unless we can find something really clever to do with our sheep or our grass, we would have lost our talent and production base overseas long before the new high tech manufacturing industries could ever develop.”
Why? Have you actually read that post I made yesterday about how it works?
It’s a simple, proven formula.
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:46 am
The utter incompetence of government.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3202325/Wellington-ratepayers-bail-out-tourist-attractionss
..What’s worse?
The idiots running these failed “businesses” or the idiots who keep voting for more of the same??
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:51 am
BTW, with regard to the safety modifications to the cable car that are deemed necessary by The NZ Transport Agency (see above)- wonder what they are, and should the cable car be running right now if it is unsafe?
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:59 am
The Catholics need to boot this silly and dangerous old bastard-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6922080/Pope-Benedict-XVI-we-must-all-go-green-to-save-the-planet.html
Soon as.
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:07 am
Thought provoking chart-
http://futurist.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83452455969e20128768ad30c970c-pi
From an interesting article that raises a lot of points I agree with completely. The Helen Klark style feminist is largely responsible for many of the ills that befall western civilization.
http://www.singularity2050.com/2010/01/the-misandry-bubble.html
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:08 am
“The Catholics need to boot this silly and dangerous old bastard”
Well RB he’s either just another silly old fool who’s been taken in by propaganda or he’s just another globalist deliberately driving the agenda.
Either way, who cares? The agenda is already set and while many of us know it’s a bunch of bollocks, the truth or otherwise of AGW is not the main event. The main event is, how do we best take advantage of it in the coming decades?
BTW, I wonder how many people who don’t/won’t see the real feminist agenda also believe in AGW. I would expect there’s a strong correlation.
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:13 am
Sorry Reid, I’m not into compromising my ideas because there might be money in it.
BTW- posting prolifically to try and stay ahead of Pete George ( who will most likely catch me by the end of the year [post numbers] if he keeps going the way he is.)
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:16 am
“Sorry Reid, I’m not into compromising my ideas because there might be money in it.”
I wouldn’t have picked you for an idealist, RB.
I wouldn’t work in promoting feminism because I think it’s evil and hurts humanity. I would promote AGW science and engineering because while it’s mistaken, it’s not harmful. That’s how I reconcile it.
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 am
RB
What’s your problem with what the Pope said?
I’m Catholic, and I support totally what he said. If you look at it, its not that much different to what reid said in his 9.03 comment. All people with common sense have been talking about looking after the environment since the 60′s, as I recall. Because he said we should protect the environment – something, by the way, the Catholic church has supported from the time of St.Francis of Assisi in the 12 century and before – that doesn’t mean that he buys into all the grossly politicised AGW bullshit.
Anyway, a best New Year wishes to all, and roll on the discussions (or should that be arguments)
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:22 am
Education should be focused on the basics, and children should not be indoctrinated into trendy causes by public education systems, a strategy that gave rise to Nazism. As the Pope should know.
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:24 am
“As the Pope should know”
Well he’s German RB, so what do you expect
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:31 am
Yeh well the Catholic Church has been protecting the environment all the while screwing its children. Does anyone see an irony in that?
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:34 am
Another typically inane , childish and ignorant comment from viking 2.
Are you a school teacher? Much more “screwing of chilren ‘ goes on there.
Get a grip.
January 2nd, 2010 at 11:39 am
Don, I’m not trying to be provocative, but I’m genuinely curious as to how the Catholic Church reconciles the obduracy with which it refused to recognise, acknowledge and rectify some cases of abuse especially those that surfaced in the US in the 90′s, with its stated mission values.
I know there is a lot of data on cases where they have done so but there is also a lot of data on cases where they haven’t and indeed have been deliberately obstructive. It just confuses me as to why the Church hierarchy especially in the States and Ireland has behaved in that way when all they needed to do was to do the opposite of what they have done, in some cases.
It wasn’t Christian.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Clearly Don you don’t bother with facts.
The comment was neither inane for its totally correct when the issue is stripped of its padding from the Church, was a seriously made point that to compare your ludicrous statement about Catholics caring for the environment since time began, a statement that you can not support, as you simply cannot demonstrate that its so and it doesn’t take too much investigation to show that Catholics have plundered the world as bad, if not worse, than many others.
As for ignorance, well lack of debate on issues that need the light of day upon them causes ignorance. Endeavoring to hide behind Papal Skirts and ignore their ignoble history is ignorance.
Telling women in 2010 that they should lie back and have ten kids because if they use contraception they commit a sin is ignorance.
Defending the indefensible is ignorance.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:19 pm
” … curious as to how the Catholic Church reconciles the obduracy … to recognise, acknowledge and rectify …”
Full acknowledgement of sexual abuses in the Catholic Church would lead to the obvious question of why it is a Catholic Church problem; so questioning ‘celibacy’, and the Church’s male/female attitudes.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:27 pm
“I’m Catholic, and I support totally what he said. ”
Ah well now you would have to take that stance or be excommunicated Don.
That may involve burning at the stake if some of the more fervent religionist’s who comment here would have their way.
That of course would lead to more carbon in the atmosphere which would upset the even more fervent warmist’s who comment here.
A knotty problem for the various faiths to ponder.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Today’s Catholic Chruch is rife with fellow travellers in pursue of what they consider “social justice” and wealth-redistribution. You don’t need to go far to confirm this view. Take a look at one Father G. Burns, who desecrated Rabin’s monument in Wellington last year.
It’s quite rich for an organisation based on Midlle-Eastern mythology, which fought science for centuries, to try to become a source of environmental “enlightment”, a la Greenpeace.
The Pope would be better advised to clean up the acts of many of his followers before delving into a new field. He cannot, should not, be taken seriously.
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:33 pm
The Berryman’s case is a sorry state of affairs.
The government it seems is waiting for them to die – problem solved.
These people seem like the hard-working farmer type. Shame they have to suffer such stress at this stage of life – when they should be able to relax and enjoy the fruits of their years of labour.
Disgrace. Justice in this country is a joke.
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:39 pm
The justice system in this country is one big sick joke!
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
The government always waits for people to die. Asbestos (AHI). Nuclear exposure (Pukaki). Agent Orange (Vietnam). 245 T (New Plymouth). Countless others that my poor brain can’t remember.
Minimises the payout. Longer you stall cheaper it gets. Berrymans=perfect example. NZ Army totally at fault.(got the suppressed document)
Erebus. Air New Zealand totally at fault. Still not settled. –Can only bury the truth for so long!!
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Forgot —-Leaky homes!
Government just don’t want to know!!! Surprise. Surprise! And we stupid fuckwits thought we had traded a piece of crap for an honest man!
Wake up and smell the roses dickheads!
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:13 pm
John Key deserves his monikers flip flop and Neville.
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:19 pm
reid.
Your 11.39 comment.
The Catholic Church does recognise the abuse scandal, particularly in the USA and has admitted it, and is deeply hurt and remorseful of a number of its priests who have betrayed their vows and their responsibilities to perpetrate such violence against those who looked on them as most trustworthy. Every Catholic and indeed other Christians in the world are shocked and deeply saddened by these events.
I could say things like – abuse in other churches is higher; or the worst abusers are (mainly) men, who have their own families; or worse abuse happens in schools and state run institutions – as is the case in Ireland. But I would not want to trivialise, or attempt to diminish the great wrong that has been done to many young people. It was indeed not Christian.
We do need however, to remember that Jesus had one of his twelve betray him – so this issue of betrayal has been with Christianity from its inception. Once again, without trying to excuse those involved, one has to understand a little about the Catholic hierarchy. A bishop is – if you like – a bit like the CEO of a company. He may be censured by the Chairman of the Borad of the parent company, but cannot be fired unless he has done something seriously detrimental and contrary to the good of the company.
I know its not a good analogy, but its about as close as I can bring to mind right now. The Pope is the bishop of Rome, and the first among equals. When a priest is elevated to being a bishop of an area, he is the church authority within his diocese. It is only if he were – say, taking part in homosexual activity which was involved in the majority of the sexual abuse scandal, that the Pope could dismiss him. If a bishop knew of an abusive priest, previously they would consult the medical psychologists, and following their advice, they were counselled and re-assigned. We now know that was a disaster, and there is a totally different protocol now. If a priest is found guilty of that type of offence, he is defrocked and handed over to the civil authorities for prosecution.
Catholics are like any other normal person in that we can commit crime, are subject to the usual human faults and failings. The church is made up of fallible human beings. Of course, when individuals fail and stumble, its easy to brand the organisation to which they belong as faulty.
I don’t know whether that answers your question. After all, I am not an authority on these things, but hope it helps.
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:23 pm
viking2. 12.12 pm
More of the uninformed bile that you seem to spew on this blog. Sometimes you have worthwhile things to say, but not this time.
I won’t dignify your remarks with any further response.
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Well Don if that is the best you can up with I suggest you give the Pope a ring and tell him to update the Bishops employment contracts.
Possibly a bit late to sort out the disciples I guess!
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Yvette 12.19 pm.
The question of celibacy amongst the Western Catholic churches priests is constantly being discussed. (The Eastern Catholic church does have some married priests, and the Western Catholic church has a very few married priests – mainly priests who convert from the Anglican and Lutheran churches, and wish to remain as priests).
But to say that celibacy causes sexual abuse amongst Catholic priests actually flies in the face of the facts. There is more sexual abuse perpetrated by married men than by celibate priests. Furthermore, there is more sexual abuse in some of the other Chistian churches by married pastors than there is by celibate Catholic priests.
Oh, and women have been recognised for their worth from the Churches beginning if you knew anything about the history of the early church. They just can’t be ordained as priests – that’s all. Everything else is open to them. Some of the great theologians of the church have been women.
But don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Johnboy. 12.27 pm.
3.24 pm.
Sadly, I don’t have a direct line to the Vatican
But I understand the pope reads kiwiblog
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Don.
Thank God for that and here was this poor heretic believing his Holiness was uniformed.
January 2nd, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Don
I can understand your loyalty to your church but my experience with three families here in NZ. 2 with the same Bishop and the other elsewhere. All involved young boys.
The way it has been given to me is that in one of the cases the priest had been known to have proclivities or it had been suspected.
In two of the families the issue only came about a decade after the abuse with one it was whilst they were still at school.
In one case he had had previous form, which had been before the Bishop. Never was the police called in right up front and never were they defrocked, one is retired.
All the families were terribly bruised and one has turned their back on all churches as a result of the behaviour of the Catholic Bishop and others in the Catholic hierarchy, who in their opinion were more concerned with the reputation of the Catholic Church than justice or the victims.
We’ve discussed this at some length at my dinner table and our position is this, if the police were not brought into the picture right up front, then all the heirarchy (no matter their rank) need to be brought before the courts to answer for that.
All the priests need to be brought before the courts anyway.
Nothing else is fair and nothing else will make clean the reputation of the Catholic Church, until that happens they (The Catholic Church) should shut their mouths about society as they have bloody hands and no right to speak.
Of course this should be the same with all institutions that have looked after children and abuse happened not just the Catholic church.
January 2nd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I’m no theologian but for those of you genuinely interested as oppossed to the rabidly anti Christian (of which there seems no shortage) mainstream Christianity view on the environment is ancient and based on Genesis.See Genesis 1 ;26 to 31.Its all about Gods creation and mans stewardship thereof. Genesis predates Al Bore and the Greens by several millenia. I found this article from the Telegraph very good
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/6890491/We-need-a-shared-story-to-underpin-our-national-life.html
January 2nd, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Don that was partly what I was meaning when I said “all they needed to do was to do the opposite of what they have done.”
I guess the other thing I had in mind is the way this attitude of denial and obstruction was spread throughout the hierarchy of the Church and I don’t mean just in the US but let’s start there. Now clearly one can understand there are financial calculations at stake here given the proclivity and opportunity to sue under tort law in the States and the considerable assets possessed by the Church. Notwithstanding that however the Church is a compassionate religious organisation and for quite a time there during the 90′s this factor does not seem to have been paramount in the minds of the hierarchy, rather it was obstruct deny obstruct deny all the way. I can understand that happening in a commercial organisation even though I wouldn’t condone it, but I can’t understand how it could have happened in a Church.
I watched a DVD on this a few months ago but can’t recall the title, but here’s another one that traverses very similar territory and may in fact be talking about the same case. Note that the priest I saw abused both girls and boys over years so it wasn’t curiosity or experimentation or homosexuality as the DVD in the link suggests so it probably wasn’t the same case. This DVD I saw outlined a tale of obstruction and denial lasting years, that eventually led to the priest not being imprisoned but in being re-located to Ireland. Some of the victims accompanied by Father Doyle even went to the Vatican, with the film crew, and were denied entry, even for a private meeting.
Personally if I were in the Church I’d be recommending that it adopt more of the approach Jesus took against the money-changers in the temple, not against the paedophiles themselves, but against everyone in the hierarchy who has ever tried to obstruct or cover it up.
But I appreciate your time in responding Don and I also know that all in the Church would play their cards differently were they to have their time again.
G-d bless.
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:34 pm
If I may- Danish police have just shot a terrorist at the home of the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8437433.stm
January 2nd, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Chtoniid @534pm
This has got “human rights ” written all over it. The guy is already a terror suspect and he’s got the run of Denmark.Gets into a heavily fortified supposeddly protected place and the victim still has to call the police……who shoot him in the knee and shoulder…..when the safest place to shoot a suspect is in his body mass ie the chest. Once he’s served his time he’ll be able to claim asylum and probably sue the cop who shot him.
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:01 pm
MikeNZ.
4.17 pm.
Can only sympathise with the people concerned; it is a terrible thing not just to have your kids abused, but the perpetrator destroys your faith at the same time. I have heard of several cases around here – two were actually false accusations, but at least two of the other events have gone through the courts. I think one is serving around 12 years – don’t know for sure; but its all very sad and enraging.
If it were up to me, I’d hang the bastards up, cut out their balls, and put them in prison with some big queer guy with aids to get Anal Injected Death Sentence.
If I knew of a priest engaging in abuse, not only would I tell the bishop, I’d get the cops straight onto it.
No sympathy at all for those self absorbed arseholes that commit thiat sort of crime.
Regards all.
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:03 pm
“.when the safest place to shoot a suspect is in his body mass ie the chest.”
Au contraire kowtow. The ‘safest’ place to shoot a suspect is in the head. The ‘easiest’ place to hit a suspect if you can’t shoot well is in the body mass. Hence police (amateur marksmen) aim for the chest.
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Right on Johnboy.
Danish Police must have the same training as NZ Police, shoot at the object and hit his leg.
The NZ taxpayer gives him a $10K one.
Wonder what will happen to this Terrorist in Denmark? Put him in a cell? He was in a cell until he got called.
Systematic breakdown of Security? right
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:44 pm
The Catholic church is just like our Govt. Waits long enough for people to die so it doesn’t have to deal with its sins.
Today we have the Berryman saga. Outrageous abuse of power. Now tell me what is different about what the church does Don.
and I’m not denigrating your principles but the principles that allow the behavoir with the organization.
January 2nd, 2010 at 7:55 pm
I agree with you about the Berryman saga – it has been an outrageous miscarriage of justice.
I guess nothing I can say will change you attitude or beliefs, viking2. We can only live in hope and work as hard as we can for all human organisations to respect and provide natural justice for everyone.
January 2nd, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Johnboy@603pm
Sorry but you are wrong about headshot,the head is a smaller target than the chest.The chest being the biggest target is still best. “Safety”also relates to bystanders etc