Today the Kyoto protocol comes into effect, at least in the countries that have signed up to it. Of which ours isn’t one, so unlike most industrialised countries, we (along with the US and China) can blissfully keep pumping CO2 into the air, with no legal consequences. A lot of the contributions to emissions come ... [More]
Category: Politics and activism
I’m a troublemaker sometimes
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Fahrenheit 911
Fahrenheit 911. Controversial? A tad, yes. Finally got to see this on Friday, just a day or two before the long-awaited Iraqi elections. The stuff about the business relationship between the Bush family, their friends and the various oil interests in the region was very interesting. I can’t agree with Moore’s visions of a peaceful, ... [More]
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How to get interviewed
Obviously this relates primarily to Australian media, and from my point of view as spokesman for a community lobby organisation in my copious spare time. This isn’t a Media Watch-style exposé, but hopefully it’s of interest to somebody out there. In general The quote Newspapers TV Radio In conclusion
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Problems
So how are you? Sitting comfortably? Good, ‘cos there’s plenty in this country who aren’t. Reading this made me squirm in my seat:
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NYE
The whole New Year’s Eve debacle saga that I wrote about a few months ago came bubbling back up to the surface today. The trains will run all night, as well as more frequently straight after the fireworks. Herald Sun: Trains all night on New Year’s Eve The Age: Public transport plan to avert New ... [More]
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US elections
Much interest around Australia in the US elections. I suppose just like the Americans, we’re keen to know who will be leading our country for the next four years… The problems with electoral fraud do amuse me a little though. With these kinds of problems, is this really the shining light, the bastion of democracy? ... [More]
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Election
So, let me get this straight… You can start an illegal war based on flawed evidence that most people didn’t believe, then refuse to apologise for it (even when your allies admit their mistakes). You can pretend the war hasn’t impacted our safety, while security specialists are warning otherwise. You can form alliances with a ... [More]
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Busy snippets
Was listening on the radio to some Australian election campaign news, then to some American election campaign news. And it strikes me that we don’t have anything like the big rallies they have over there.
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Last straw
Right, that’s it. I’ve had it with this government. It was one thing lying about Children Overboard and going to war despite being told it would increase the threat from terrorism, telling us it would decrease the risk. (See here for the ALP’s list of Howard’s lies, and here for the Liberals’ reaction.) But this: ... [More]
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Did we get fooled again?
Last night I found myself watching some of the Concert For NYC, in particular The Who’s performance. I’m still not going to splurge out on their forthcoming concert (dubbed rather cruelly by one friend as “Who’s left?”). But this four song performance from 2001 is great music. And remembering it in context, very moving, a ... [More]
Tonight I’ll spend an hour being a guinea-pig. The Sunday Herald-Sun have enlisted my help in researching the effects of passive smoking. My task is to sit on a station platform for an hour (better take a good book), not cringing away from smokers quite as much as I usually do, and then go and ... [More]
…and how pictures make a story real. If there was a Daniel FAQ, these questions would feature in it: Why are you involved in the Public Transport Users Association? What’s in it for you? And can I tell you about how late my train was this morning? Perhaps another long rambling retrospective is in order. ... [More]