First, random: Didn't that video footage of bar-room shoot-out in the US look just like the Wild West? Talk about consequences... I predict copy-cat crimes, just to get on air.
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Sport:Congrats to the Silver Ferns for their victory in the first Fastnet World Series. You girls are starting to look the goods.
Also big ups to the All Whites for the 0-0 vs Bahrain. Sadly I won't be in Wellington for the return match, so you'll have to win it without me, get us into the Football World Cup for the first time in 27 years.
I am struggling to imagine the beast Rugby Sevens will become over the next 7 years before the 2016 Olympics, but if it's anything like what has happened to the 15s game under professionalism, we NZers better get more used to losing. Losing games, our top players, money, and viewing rights.
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Saw Knocked Up on DVD. Much funnier and smarter and with more heart than I gave it credit for, having been put off the half-toasted turd that was Seth Rogan's "Miri makes a porno".
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Something serious:I value civil disobedience, dissidence and activism. However, I would like to see more strategy and thought go into the efforts than Greenpeace's latest, grafitti-ing a shipload of palm kernels in Taranaki harbour.
Such actions are a natural consequence of decades of extreme negligence towards the environment, where successive governments have been derelict in their democratic duty to providing justice and allowing an even hearing of all interests in our society. To the point where, sadly, palm kernels are not the front line in our environmental issues. Not while we're talking a token Emissions trading scheme and mining conservation land.
Politically, it can be handy to have extreme acts on fringe issues, since radical groups put into context the policies of less radical advocates, but only with coordination. Maybe Palm Kernels is a soft fight Greenpeace can win, but I'd have thought there were more important targets with less potential blowback.
It just seems a waste of effort.
Completely agree with the Green activism comments. It can be said for the Green party at times as well. They are in the unfortunate position of having being burdened with a 'nay' image because for them, well, there is so much to say 'no' to. The entire environmental movement is too easily polished in negativity, and it makes positive environmental actions - like promoting wind farms - look like extremists and nay-sayers pushing their fringe values on the majority.
ReplyDeleteIf the green movement wants to finally break out of the ideological restrains with which it is branded, it needs to be more positive. Although, agreed this is difficult when one is arguing for morals and not.. money.
Went to (another) interesting talk today. We really need to push democracy more. If people realised how much of our life is controlled by undemocratic, extra-sovereign entities, realist narratives would more effect against the increasingly transparent dogma of the autocrats that claim the whole concept of the economy as their own.
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