Month: July 2010

Woo-woo Linky

Everyone was either too polite or too stunned to comment on the fact that I went to see Titanic twice on the big screen. Or perhaps you assumed I was coerced or sedated at the time. No. You’re all very kind though. Yes, I did have high levels of post-Aliens residual loyalty to Jim Cameron, but the truth was, I liked it enough to go see it a second time by myself. Because that’s just how I rolled back in ’97-’98.

Business in the age of LOLcats: the New York Times explores the business behind I Can Has Cheezburger. Fascinating.

You’ve already seen Matt Smith joining Orbital to close Glastonbury with their Doctor Who theme mix, right? EDIT: this version is still live

Now, check out Orbital doing the theme at Glasto 2004. And this remix which says its from one of the Orbital DVDs. There are others.

But if you’re talking electronic music and Doctor Who, it’s time to find out about Delia Derbyshire. Start here:

Now this:

That should have you curious enough to seek out more yourself. She’s worth it.

What’s Up Doc – live

Via mundens, a pin-up calendar with a difference

A great Philadelphia article from ’08 about the perfidy of the MBA and how it’s ruining business. MBAs appear to be the world’s only tautological qualification: you qualify for an MBA by qualifying for an MBA, and holding an MBA is a demonstration of the fact that you hold an MBA.

The Sci-Fi air show

Via Pearce: Bruce Campbell’s Soup

Hey, y’all reading Achewood, right? Online comic strip that I’ve called the most important comic strip since Peanuts? The story right now – oh man. It is blowing my mind you guys. If you haven’t read it for a while, the storyline that’s destroying me starts here. (Warning: not for the uninitiated – you’ll probably find it incomprehensible if you don’t know the characters.)

And finally… Country Hip-Hop dancing

Emissions Trading Begins

The NZ emissions trading scheme launches in NZ today. It’s a market-based mechanism putting a price on carbon emissions as a means of holding back climate change, or more correctly, a step towards full-cost accounting in the environmental arena.

It’s a good thing. The ETS is riddled with holes and problems, according to sources I trust (e.g. this book co-authored by the very smart economist and all-around good egg Geoff Bertram), but fundamentally I’m pleased that we’ve managed to get a price of some kind on at least some of the carbon emissions generated out of NZ. There has been a fair bit of shouting about the ETS, including a protest at Parliament and lots of letters to the editor, but my impression is that these objections didn’t run deep – the public perception is in support of an ETS (c.f. Now We Have Won).

The Key government has delivered something worthwhile here, for all their many flaws. Yes, it is a full six months after the deadline Key set for imposition of the ETS, but it’s still 2010 – not too late to get changes rolling. So Key, in the end, wasn’t a Rodney – well, not as much of one as I feared. I suspect Nick Smith deserves some kudos for this, because you can be certain he was talked to about backing down from the ETS plenty of times but he has withstood this pressure. Well done that man.

The international effects of this will not be small, either. We are another country putting our markets where our mouths are, and even if we’re not nearly at the level the science calls for, we’re part of a growing consensus that action is needed and needed now. Our ETS will influence our trade partner nations and others besides. It’s a worthy and important position in which to be.

It’s important to note, however, that this isn’t the end of the story, but rather the long-delayed beginning. As Bertram & co’s book notes, our ETS needs to be improved, made more fair and comprehensive and convincing. Ordinary households are going to feel the bite at the petrol pump and the power bill, with corporations relatively insulated from the new costs – that needs to change. Popular support for the ETS needs to continue at the current level despite the extra costs starting to pinch. Indeed, popular support for the ETS needs to grow. It’s a massive communications challenge and one the current government will think twice about working on, especially if it starts to hurt their electability. Once again, the responsibility falls at the feet of ordinary people like me and you to think about the scheme, judge the costs worthwhile, and spread that message around.

Anyway. It’s a good day. I’m happy.