Posts by 81stcolumn
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Bypassing the detail of this argument. you can’t talk about the price of action purely in terms of how much it will cost to implement Kyoto you should also include the cost of failing to implement plans to reduce GW.
Woops my bad this bit should have read:
Its difficult to argue for perspective when the estimated cost of implementation varies by 400% or more and there is no clear way of estimating the cost of inaction. But even if the upper $346bn is taken this is still less than the US military spend for last year.
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Sorry but this seems like a rather specious way of supporting the dither do nothing approach. As far as I am aware the recent hysteria is based on evidence that suggests warming will be somewhat more than that estimated for Kyoto.
Bypassing the detail of this argument. you can’t talk about the price of action purely in terms of how much it will cost to implement Kyoto you should also include the cost of failing to implement plans to reduce GW.
To cite your example it seems ridiculous to provide fresh water to replace that which would be lost due to contamination of the water table by rising sea levels.
The bit that really chills me is that the debate about the consequences of GW seems to be stuck with the idea of a linear (gradual) model of change. It is quite possible that environmental change will suffer at least one non-linear (big sudden change) in this period.
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(Three year courses at AUT do not seem to produce sharp or courageous minds...)
Nor indeed are they likely to with the current management in place.
It speaks volumes about AUT and education as a whole when it is pointed out that AUT is now AUT University.
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The most interesting thing about it as a piece of social research is that NZ - and the other Anglophonic Liberal political economies, with their majoritarian political culture and emphasis on marketisation and commodification as the de facto organising principles of social life - are almost categorically as a set of political economies doing worse than, particuarly the Social Democratic, consensus-orientated political economies of Northern Europe.
Yep I would love to know how Northern Europe compares with us in terms of developing a culture that revolves around working long hours and buying "things".
Do parents in ALP economies just have kids so that they can buy new different things ?
There is ample reason within NZ to go along a different path. I can't help but be reminded of the challenge laid down by Manakura's recent post.
What is needed is a foundation of shared social, cultural and political-economic objectives. What I'm talking about is a kaupapa that is specific, practical and pragmatic.
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In my original post I was really only talking about the CBD as being a shithole.
I'm with the side that says CBD will not live until people can walk freely and get home with ease and without driving. I'm sure the world looks fine from a car window
I find Auckland suburbs kinda nice.
Mmmmm when you want some excitement come and visit the North Shore raceway.
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My anscestor was from Hannover, we own ALL the English.
i) Are you prepared to take responsibility for them ?
ii) Not all of those who reside within the British Isles recognise the Saesneg crown.
Meibion Glyndŵr... Cymru Cymraeg....Da Da Da
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The other crap things are the cost. For the casual user it is about the cost of running a car to get the bus. It's about 8 bucks gas into the city and back from my house but costs me over 10 dollars to get a return bus trip. But the buses are already subsidised to get it at that price. Obviously not enough demand.
I'd rather see an increase in the price of petrol. Last year I saw it working, people found alternative ways to get around. Furthermore such approach could have more far-reaching benefits. Fewer goods by road, fewer out of town shopping units rant rant rant.
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Might have a couple of nice suits you'd enjoy......How big do you like your shoulder pads ?
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In the end, I suspect it will prove impossible to run a viable investment portfolio without running into some moral complication - such is the sprawl of corporate capitalism - but this is a useful controversy if it obliges us to more clearly define some ground rules.
Small wonder then that so many in New Zealand invest in erm..... property.
Seems to me that appropriate investment is like a lot of ethical behaviour; constrained by personal dissonance and moral discomfort.
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And don't forget the Pakeha who were (or whose recent ancestors were) oppressed by the British. An Irish acquaintance once told me that as far as he was concerned seeing the Union Jack on the NZ flag was as bad as seeing the Swastika. A friend of Indian descent has expressed a similar sentiment -- although in a much less melodramatic manner...
Yep I came to live in New Zealand not a far off corner of the British Empire...
There are also some who regard the Union Jack as a symbol of shame.