Karakia Coast

Dancing In The Streets

2007-08-27T16:55:00.000+12:00

"The question that motivates this book originates in a sense of loss: If ecstatic rituals and festivities were once so widespread, why is so little left of them today? If the 'techniques of ecstasy' represent an important part of the human cultural heritage, why have we forgotten them, if indeed we have? If we possess this capacity for collective ecstasy, why do we so seldom put it to use"?

-Barbara Ehrenreich

Dancing In The Streets, A History of Collective Joy

No problem for the annual migration of "Burners" that take to the Nevada desert for a bit of "ecstatic celebration" and all sorts of creative foreplay in the process.. All the latest from SFGate here, and from 10 Zen Monkeys here, which includes the silly guy that wanted to "Burn the Man" a couple of days early. Not a good boy...

But what would you expect from such a character?

Everyone else seems to be having a grand old time..

I always thought it might be a bit uncomfortable camping out in the blowing sands for a fortnight with very little else to do but build and burn...but hey, haven't been there, so I will trust it is a tribal thing.

In tech news, the Wikipedia vandals have been found out, and now you know where some of those entries come from, and what happens to them (and by whom). Pretty clever.

Who's afraid of Google? The Economist asks the question, and according to them, plenty of folk. Mainly around privacy concerns, but anytime you have a company that grows that fast, it just has to have some kind of secret agenda. Doesn't it? Simply to organise and rule the world's information, seems fairly innocent enough... Yeah right. It is really a targeted advertising company selling you products aligned with your specific interests that they just happen to know about because of your search history. OK with that?

At least they have got some characters working for them, like this guy, reported in NYTimes, who gets his photograph taken with all the VIP's passing through the
Googleplex. Just an ordinary engineer, eh?

Gotta be a fun place to work, though...

No doubt everyone saw Miss South Carolina give her answer to on a Teen Beauty Contest as to why so many Americans cannot find their way around a map...
It makes Bush seem articulate!

Biopics of famous people, dead or otherwise, have been prolific in recent years, especially in the musician category. Paul Harris in Alternet asks why Bob Dylan himself doesn't play a role in the upcoming movie about his life called I'm Not There. Perhaps he thought 6 actors was enough.

Want to know all about private islands, and the eccentric people that own, inhabit and visit them, for say, up to 8years at a time? Well look no further. Private Islands blog is here.

Pick one up today. And don't forget to invite me around.

Gotta love those Africans.. They are becoming adept at blending culture and technology into a real art form:

Now that's what I call Hands Free!

Under Mouse Arrest

2007-08-17T14:09:00.000+12:00

"I will visit a place entirely other than myself.
Whether it is the future or the past
Need not be decided in advance."

-Susan Sontag

A plethora of links, clips bits and bytes of completely unrelated, yet undoubtedly culturally important information on offer today, in case curiosity got you as well as the cat:

That icon of American journalism Bill Moyers, has a chat with Barbara Ehrenreich (author of Nickel and Dimed, Bait and Switch) as well as Clive James, Australian born cultural critic living in U.K. Lively and entertaining discussions on the state of affairs here, there and just about everywhere. Moyers' PBS show called The Journal, is indeed a worthwhile view, either on the television or the net.

The current state of the Music industry, how it got to where it is, and where it might be heading in this article "off The Record", by Robert Sandall in Prospect Magazine.

A nice little ditty from the SF Chronicle on the beautiful Waimea Falls Canyon on the North Shore of O'ahu, since it has been run by the Audubon Society these last few years. One of my favourite spots, and worth every plaudit.

Why are we so afraid of offending Muslims? asks Christopher Hitchens in online magazine Slate.

Gee, I dunno, maybe it's something to do with being afraid of what we don't understand?

Not to get stuck into politics and World Affairs for too long, there is always that little bit of 40 yr old gossip for ardent music fans about 2 greats: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and their relationship with well, one lady. Patti Boyd tells what she remembers here.

Leave it to good ol' New Zealand to come up with some innovative ideas for getting out there and enjoying the scenic wonders this country has to offer: All the Great Walks are now free for under 18's including great accommodation in the Department of Conservation Huts (DOC). Take it from me, that is a really good deal.

If you are a reader, you will appreciate Venezuela's mobile library that has 4 legs. Great stuff.

A new documentary film entitled Dr Bronner's Magic Soapbox about a one Emmanuel Bronner, a chemist who escaped from a mental asylum and developed his own brand of peppermint soap (as you do) is previewed here on NPR, as well as chat with the director, Sara Lamm.

Staying with the health and food, an interview with Andrew Kimbrell , author of Your Right to Know: Genetic Engineering and The Secret Changes in Your Food is important. This is not going to go away. Half of the processed food on American shelves has been genetically modified in some form or another. Own the brand, and own the business.

Wiser Earth, Paul Hawken's enormous database of NGO's and environmental activist groups (literally thousands) all on one portal website. Head off wherever your interest and time take you. What a great visionary. His latest book is entitled Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in History Came Into Being, and Why No One Saw It Coming.

Speaks for itself, really.
Caio.

Being Bob

2007-08-11T12:40:00.000+12:00

"There must be some way out of here", said the joker to the thief
"There's too much confusion", I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, ploughmen dig my earth
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth.

"No reason to get excited", the thief he kindly spoke
"There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late".

All Along the Watchtower

The cynical reviewers harp on about the aging audience, and lack of intimacy , or the clinical nature of his performances in Bob Dylan's current tour down under. His re-working of the songs, far too many in nearly 50 years of performing to reach everyones favourites, also cops some flak.

None of it matters. Not to him. And not to those who experience the essence of a living legend performing the way an artist does best: with creativity and surprise. Since when is music just for the young? Yes, each decade I see him is a different show, and each one has a magic all its own. Auckland sold out its first show last night, and after a stint over in Australia, he is due back for two more shows at the end of the month in a small theatre. He must be doing something right for that kind of demand. And for someone who has been called everything from god to the spokesman of his generation, the lyrics say it all:

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion'
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud.

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul.

Masters of War

That was Vietnam, now it is Iraq et al. The words mock and they taunt, they make you think. His backup band as tight a R&B unit as you will ever see. No, rock concerts are not as they were 30 and 40 years ago, and a commercial pall hangs around some of the concrete arenas like a bad odour, totally inappropriate for the man who set the tone launching an important cultural revolution in the last half of the 20th century.

He says what he needs to say, plays what he likes to play, and does it with truckloads of class.
For me, that is enough.

Winter creeps slowly along it path towards conclusion in the Southern Hemisphere, with warmer and longer days pointing towards Spring, albeit the skies still frequently showering us heavily, and keeping the ground too wet to work for us growers.

Waiheke Island only has about 7000 inhabitants full time, and in the winter, it is isolated and removed from the mainland by a 30 min boat ride, and everyone feels it. Especially when the weather cancels the ferries, which is not too often.

One of the things I like most about living in a small rural community (at least this one) is the fact that so many people wave as they drive past. I don't know who they are, most of them, but it doesn't really matter. They are saying hi and smiling, content in the knowledge that they too, are experiencing something unique in todays urbanised and industrialised world. there are no traffic lights on this island. No MacDonalds and no Wal Mart. Refugees all of us, it's as if we all have a very special friend in common.

Simplicity.

I take the opportunity to embrace the solitude available, and though I have been called a bit of a hermit by more than one of my friends, it is not an exclusionary practice, but one borne out of both desire and circumstance. It certainly has its benefits, not the least of which is an ability to practice the art of living in harmony with my environment, which at times can be a challenge. It's both serene and wild, a small island in a big ocean,
and I don't want to miss any of it. Right now, the clouds hang low and dark, pellets of rain pounding down from one of many showers today, and in between welcome sunny periods to walk and refresh from the onslaught of power that so characterises the natural beauty.

Hare Mai.

Grape Expectations

2007-07-29T10:54:00.001+12:00

It's mid-winter in Aotearoa, and the pruning for grape growers is well under way. The two main types of pruning the vines are finding healthy canes with sufficient number of buds and laying them down on the wires for shoots in the spring(left); or leaving spurs with a sufficient number of buds on last years canes as shown in the picture on the right.

Both methods work well, and depend upon variety, terrain, labour and growing styles. The essential purpose being to have new shoots burst through in the spring from last years growth and produce canes healthy enough to flower and fruit. Viticulture experts will have any number of reasons for using either method. In the end, the production of quality fruit will have to start with an appropriate number of buds, and from there, it all begins, as with most plants. Note the heavy under planting of a winter cover crop on the left and lower shots as opposed to the right. This will be due to a simple timing issue effecting the strike rate of the seed put down (the row on the right picture was sown a week later, after the soil temp had dropped), as well as the bird population catching on!

Heavy rain is falling at the moment, and July has had a number of moist warmer low pressure systems dropping copious amounts (100mm+) of rain on several different days. Needless to say, it is pretty soggy out in the fields. We keep all the equipment off until it is dry to avoid further compaction. 100mm= approx 4 inches in N American terms. About what Southern California gets all year!

I thought Auckland might rate as one of the 15 greenest cities on the planet, but not so, according to this poll from online magazine Grist, as reprinted in Alternet. West Coast USA cities Portland, Vancouver and San Francisco came as no surprise, having lived in each of them. But places like Sydney and Bangkok were eye openers for me. See for yourself why the initiatives these cities have taken are putting them at the forefront of urban environments making a difference. Still, Bangkok? I could hardly breathe last time I was there. Apparently recycling residents' cooking oil for biodiesel fuel is a winner. Whatever.

For Jack Kerouac fans, the legendary scroll on which he typed non-stop the book On the Road, is a priceless piece of literary history. The truth, according to this NPR article citing the curator for the famous piece of paper, is that he worked through many drafts over the period of 1947-49, but the actual typing only took about 3 weeks, as he typed 100 words a minute. He thought it wasted too much time replacing sheet after sheet, as his mind raced along, reportedly aided by any number of substances that eventually killed him not long after. Great book nonetheless.

If you have the funny feeling that the gap between rich and poor in whatever measure makes sense is getting wider, this article in the U.K.'s Observer is a real eye opener. Welcome to Richistan, USA, gives some sobering statistics. Just a few lest you are in any doubt about what is happening in the Land of Plenty:

"In 1985 there were just 13 US billionaires. Now there are more than 1,000. In 2005 the US saw 227,000 new millionaires being created. One survey showed that the wealth of all US millionaires was $30 trillion, more than the GDPs of China, Japan, Brazil, Russia and the EU combined".

Pretty cool. Especially if you are one of the 227,000 every year(presumably many from the emerging online industries and dot com booms) - was there a bust? Doesn't sound like it. That is only one year! It is an interesting article about how new economies are building around the super-rich and all the social implications of that (can it be called a sub?) culture. Apparently net worth needs to be in the $100 million region even to be considered part of the club.

Hope they're all happy.

In the end, we all come into this world and depart it with the same amount.

On the health front:

A great article here on the famous Dr Bronner and his soap empire (ever read those labels?)

And of course nothing would be complete without a quick update on the latest research around Soy and all its related products. It would appear the fermented variety (such as tempeh), as noted earlier on this blog, has less of the adverse effects present in normal soy.

Blessed Unrest

2007-07-07T10:10:00.000+12:00

"Ideologies exclude openness, diversity, resiliency and multiplicity, the very qualities that nourish life in any system, be it ecosystem, immune system, or social system...Ideas are living things; they can be changed and adapted, and can grow. Ideas do not belong to anyone, and require no approval. History demonstrates all to eloquently that no ideology has ever amounted to more than a palliative for any dire condition. The immune system is the most complex system in the body, just as the body is the most complex organism on earth, and the most complicated assembly of organisms is human civilization. The hundreds of thousands of organizations that make up the movement are social antibodies attaching themselves to the pathology of power...it is what the earth is producing to protect itself".

-Paul Hawken

Blessed Unrest

Paul Hawken's latest contribution to the increasingly complex dialogue on social and environmental justice movements is more like a resource encyclopedia. While he meticulously outlines the urgent nature of many imminent global crises, he is at pains to steer clear of languishing in blame and recrimination. Instead, in one important chapter, he takes the example of the human immune system as proof that living things will respond to potential threats in a complicated, yet efficient way. That is not to say all is well, and we can sit back and watch as things work themselves out. He devotes nearly half the book, as well as his latest project Wiser Earth, as an opportunity to catalogue and celebrate the action and interconnectedness of the thousands of NGO's, civil society organisations and groups that are filling the leadership vacuum left by governments and politicians. The website is a truly global resource centre and portal for those whom action on issues as pressing as global warming, real food production, AIDS, poverty, and all aspects of sustainable living are given tools for "solving as pattern", as Wendell Berry termed addressing multiple and interconnected issues.

How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why no One Saw it Coming is the appropriate subtitle.

One such example in wht he terms "the movement" is The Center For Food Safety, informing consumers what really is in their food, what they can do about it, and how to eat real food. They have pulbished a new book called Your Right to Know, Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food, by Andrew Kimbrell. It might be useful to know that over half the processed foods in the grocery shelves of the U.S. contained genetically modified ingredients.

A good place to start this journey of discovery is to be aware of what we are putting into our bodies. Food is not what it seems in many cases, and many large corporations, in the name of increased productivity and "feeding the world", are indeed toying with an unproven and highly unstable area of science, now selling at your local shop!

As Hawken points out, " Ecology is about how living organisms interact with one another and their environment. Sustainability is about stabilizing the currently disruptive relationship between earth's two most complex systems - human culture and the living world".

Having children often puts a different perspective on some of these matters, as we ponder what they and their children and grandchildren will face in coming years in dealing with the living world, which they are a part of.

If the issue of sustainability is really about ensuring adequate resources for future generations, it becomes quite personal and relevant once some of those "generations" start staring you in the face, wondering WTF you did to leave something to live on for others, like well, them.

If we continue to consume in the same way, there will not be enough, and ways of living will alter dramatically. This is already starting to happen with many, but life as we know it will not be the same...

Consuming is part of the process of living of course, and then there is hyper-consuming, a mode of living made famous in the U.S., and spreading like a virus throughout the world, thanks to the marketing saavy of our best persuaders, that teach us how to want things we don't need.

Like perhaps 66 hot dogs at one sitting. A perfectly normal activity to celebrate Independence Day...Or whatever.

Good luck with that gut, buddy.

If you are not familiar with Google's newest controversial toy, Street Video, apparently one can get even closer to the neighborhood than with its famous maps, which by the way, did not even get Waiheke Island in the picture, not that I am disappointed in the least. I don't need people trying to locate and zoom in on my home. Mark Morford's column in SF Chronicle gives it a review to remember, in "I can see your thong from here". Pretty funny if it weren't actually happening. Wasn't there something by George Orwell about Big Brother and all that around 1984?

Well, it's here.

Precautionary Principles

2007-06-21T14:51:00.000+12:00

"Reality is relative to the measuring apparatus"

I pass by this cottage on the lagoon every day in my travels. It stirs my imagination, primarily because I have never seen anyone around it, or any vehicles nearby(I don't think it even has any driveway access). It is very much part of the "Old Waiheke" many people talk about when they remember funky as the term describing most residences on the island, and affordable was the other. Some of both are still present, but well hidden indeed.

"Loss is nothing else but change, and change is nature's delight"
-Marcus Aurelius

The tide makes its twice daily pilgrimage up and through the mangroves surrounding the red roofed retreat, shape-shifting its foundations dramatically. I recall seeing a small boat pulled up on its front shore once, a curious visitor or perhaps the owners exercising their only access. Alone and steadfast, the seasons pummeling it as can only happen to coastal property, it remains a constant feature on my daily landscape. Long may it stand.

Everything in this life can be looked at from a wider perspective, and all too often we fail to do just that. It is an opportunity lost.

One who achieves that mental architecture in a unique way, the Dalai Lama spoke recently in Auckland. I was most impressed with his ability to "re-frame" any controversial or inflammatory questions, with uncanny wit and a lack of any pretentiousness at all. The diplomacy with which he takes his very personal message of Buddha's teachings out directly to people, as well as his relationship with the media, make him a unique communicator. There is an underlying tenderness and playful quality to his manner, one which immediately puts others to ease. His talk centred around the notion of "internal disarmament".

There have been Dalai Lamas since the 15th century, all leading the people in the mountain kingdom of Tibet, until the neighbours to the north decided they wanted to put a stop to all that. He is the first one to have lived outside his own country, in exile, for nearly 50 years. Succession will be no doubt be a disputed matter. However, this charismatic individual, winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989 as well as a long list of honours and Major Awards as shown on his official website, has a very high profile around the world. Called both a political leader in exile, as well as a spiritual teacher, he seems more concerned with the message of peace, tolerance and compassion within a wider social context, and that has to be given some merit.

Others also continue to ensure themselves of a high profile around the globe, for various reasons, and if you have ever wondered what people like Bono are doing at G8 conferences for leaders of wealthy nations, Brendan O'Neill of Spiked Online magazine has a few answers in this article, in which he refers to Bono as the the "9th power".

When we start to need rock star celebrities to front global conferences on poverty, it may be time to re-evaluate with deliberate caution the way we go about trying to help others. A noble cause can be hijacked in the most subtle ways, and "internal disarmament" would an important first step in avoiding such sad results.

Enough of the politics...

The Ginkgo biloba tree has long been a favourite of mine. Known to be one of the world's longest living trees, with specimens in China claimed to be more than 2,000 yrs old, it has reputable medicinal value, is very popular for street plantings due to its urban tolerant nature, and is a good bonsai tree.

This one, just down the road from me, puts on a lovely autumn display of golden foliage that lasts for weeks. Amongst all the other native NZ bush and evergreens, it stands out quite distinctively. Apparently, along with all the rest of its remarkable traits, there is a tree that withstood the Hiroshima Atomic bomb attacks in 1945. Only a kilometre from the blast site, it is one of the only living things to survive. Talk about tenacity!

Finally, if you have ever had your beloved letterbox (or mailbox as known in the U.S.) vandalised, it can be an annoying and emotional affair. Here on the island, we have a wide array of creative and artistic endeavors hosting the post, as it were. So much so, there are books of photos dedicated to them. Yet they are frequently the target of vandals out looking for something to do.

This article, reprinted in the "online directory of wonderful things" Boing Boing , describes a firm in Cincinatti, Ohio that specialises in vandal proof letterboxes. Lasting years, and surviving everything from the usual baseball bats to pipe bombs, they are made of 10 gauge carbon or stainless steel, and it is usually the vandal that comes off second best.

What comes around goes around...

Cult of the Amateur

2007-06-10T09:07:00.001+12:00

"People are crazy,

Times are strange.
I used to care, but things have changed".

-Bob Dylan

If you asked me if I care at all about a spoiled heiress getting hauled off to serve jail time for being stupid enough not to use a driver for her narcissistic socialising around LA, I would most certainly say not at all.

But the fact that so many people are is good enough reason for any social scientist to dig a little deeper. Not unlike O.J., or that little beauty pageant girl that was murdered and the parents were suspect, or any other of the multitudes of scandal-driven media frenzies that regularly obsess the Americans, and by way of technology, the rest of the world; this has all the hallmarks of a divided and dysfunctional class system. Or should that be a divided and dysfunctional justice system. The class system seems to me to be functioning quite well.

For some. At least the princess can have some "time to think and learn" and see what life is like on the other side. Not necessarily a bad thing. Those morning showers could be a bit chilly though without heated floor tiles...

The bloggers have been out in full force on this one, with most notably Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed, as well as Bait and Switch, penning a few words about what she sees as the most appropriate course of action for what she describes as the "bloated overclass" in this piece for Huffington Post.

Even Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong fame, gets a word in on the absurd coverage, and his scolded by Stephen Colbert here. A funny guy still.

More Global Gymnastics of the Gentrified: Bono and Bob Geldof both make their regular appearance at the G8 type summits where political leaders pose and preen, looking like they are serious about some of the pressing problems of the world. To get a photo with one of these guys can help with some of the Generation Y vote or some such ditorted logic. Not so impressed, however with the follow through on recent pledges, these crusaders of cool give one back to the governments here.

Meanwhile, The i-Phone is coming, and if anyone were interested in brand equity at business school, the current juggernaut that is Apple would be the right place to start. The hype is nearly suffocating in the tech world, and Jobs and co are trying to lower expectations a bit just to avoid disappointment.

Not in the product itself, but in the ability to get one while simply everyone else is trying to as well. Mark Morford of the SF Chronicle has the lowdown here. But will it make really you happier?

Marketing genius, or the Secret of all Persuasion: induce the people to persuade themselves.

Whole Foods, the uber-store for greenies with cash, has opened up in London. Not everyone is impressed. Apparently the idea of cherries that are $10/punnet organic or not, is the one of the deal-breakers according to this Guardian piece.

Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivores Dilemma, has researched the chain store at length, and has another installment in his food politics writing from the Bioneers people here, called Beyond the Bar Code.

Back in Godzone, political leaders here are as usual scrambling in an awkward dance when it comes to meeting with the Dalai Lama. Is he a spiritual teacher or a political exile engaged in "splitist" activities for a long time, as per the Chinese foreign embassy? One thing is for sure, he is a winner of the Nobel Peace prize, and an engaging orator. I for one am looking forward to hearing him speak next week when he is in the country. I have heard him several times, and on no occasion has he ever spoken ill of anyone, let alone the large country to the north that invaded his tiny sovereign nation all those years ago.

Winter is setting in for us Southern Hemisphere residents, grass is greening, temps dropping, and the shortest day appears around the corner. Matariki, or the Maori New Year celebrations take place over the next couple of weeks with the rising of the Pleiades constellation. The literal translation is "small eyes", and signified the right time to plant, as well as historically serving navigation purposes in their maritime voyages. I am not so sure about their waka travels, but with climate change making such an impact on our atmosphere and weather, it is gradually becoming a bit late with wet and cool weather requiring an earlier sowing.

I am a big fan of singer songwriter Jeff Buckley, who tragically died 10 years ago last month, in a drowning accident at the peak of his career. Sad story, but his memory lives on, thanks to clips like this on YouTube. Enjoy. Life can change at the blink of an eye.

Titans of Tech

2007-06-02T11:21:00.000+12:00

"The less one knows,
The longer it takes to explain what one does not know"

Sultans of Swing... well, not exactly. Titans of Tech, most definitely. Wall Street Journal hosts another All Things Digital Conference with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs on the same stage together for the first time in a decade, having a sentimental chat. Video and transcript here. Life moves on, as they say.

It has been raining in Godzone. Having my autumn planting done, I am happily reading an acclaimed novel by the author Richard Ford, called The Lay of the Land. It is a witty and sardonic tale of mid life crises amongst the disillusioned Boomers of East Coast America that takes place at the turn of the millenium. Very enjoyable.

Ford was one of many internationally recognised authors at our recent Auckland Writers and Readers festival. Fast becoming a must do on the early winter calendar, the speakers, venue and discussions all were superbly done. Now the country's largest gathering of of New Zealand and international authors, attracting 11,000 guests over the 3 days. I must say I had never heard of the widely published travel writer Pico Iyer; but he was one of the hits at the festival and his books are now on my must read list.

Next up on the "culture vulture" list will be the Dalai Lama visit on 17 July, the Annual Film Festival, and then the iconic Bob Dylan playing on Aug 11. Definitely indoor stuff at this time of year.

The San Francisco Chronicle looks back 40 years to the Summer of Love in the City with a series of articles by Mark Molford. Well worth the time even if you were not there. It didn't last, as these things are apt not to, but the ramifications still percolate through our western societies.

On that theme, The Guardian has a list here of the so-called "hippie hot spots", where the living is relaxed and cheap I would assume. If that is your thing, then you will want to know whats hot and what's not anymore. And I thought I had been around, but apparently not so..

A final North American roundup: the widely followed story of two humpback whales that took a wrong turn at the Golden Gate Bridge is fascinating. In their annual voyage up the west coast from Mexico to Alaska, the two mammals got lost halfway up the winding estuaries of the San Francisco Bay for a couple of weeks. Of course it was a New Zealand man who invented and developed the dart gun especially used in these circumstances to inject the whales with some antibiotics to ward off infections from their travels. Hard to imagine what could be in those waters..

Check out where your city ranks in these increasingly popular polls of the best cities in the world to live. There are always variations in the criteria with these, so if you aren't listed, well, maybe it's just because the pollsters don't recognise the true value of where you live. (hint: Australian and Canadian cities rank high).

Also from the BBC: interesting but not surprising research claiming both Newton and Einstein had a form of autism.

Al Gore, the consummate politician who everybody wants to run for President, and who is still playing coy, has another new book out called An Assault on Reason, and is interviewed by Jon Stewart here. Michael Moore with his new movie Sicko, chatting with Bill Maher here. Strong opinions, good points, and articulate. Great viewing.

Having installed and maintained several boutique vineyards on the island, so I know a little bit about what it takes to create some interesting flavours from varieties of grapes. Most viticulturists here say sarcastically the first bottle they produce cost them roughly 3-4 thousand dollars after several years of pouring the money in. So, the story of "2 Buck Chuck", a renowned winemaker in California, and one of my mothers favourites, will get some winces and low-brows from this part of the world. To buy a bottle of wine for $2 is an indeed an accomplishment in production efficiencies, volume, and distribution(no mention of quality here). We could not even get an empty bottle for that much.

And finally, it is nice to see UK food retailers taking the lead informing consumers of what the carbon footprint is for many of its products, including production, transport and eventual disposal. This is not going to go away. It is not too much to ask I believe, what exactly is in the food we eat, and what its production is doing to our planet. I also think it would be fair to say those food "products" doing the most harm to our bodies are also doing the most harm to our environment. As within, so without...

Buyer be Aware.

"You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Getting Over It

2007-05-17T15:08:00.000+12:00

It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work;
and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.

There may be many stories just like this one, but for Julie Amero, the American schoolteacher facing 40 years in prison for supposedly exposing her pupils to online pornography, it is a nightmare that is not yet over. Her claim is that she is the victim of unwarranted pop-up porn ads via some malware, and was unable to fix the problem before students saw the images. Anyone who has spent anytime at all on a computer knows how easy that can happen. Where is the schools IT manager in all of this? Not a good look, as they say.

And speaking of nightmares, if your name is David Bain, and you lived in Dunedin, NZ in the early 90's, then the last 13 years in prison came to an end last week. Arrested and jailed for allegedly killing all 5 members of his family, he has steadfastly claimed his innocence. A long and arduous campaign has gone all the way to the Privy Council in London, where Law Lords (what is a Law Lord?) quashed his conviction and he was subsequently released. He may still face another trial, but do you think he might just have paid his dues already? To lose your entire family and then spend over a decade in prison as the murderer if in fact you were not, would be a nightmare hard to top. More to come surely, in what some call "trials by ambush".

Not a good week for New Zealand all around really. First they are told they blew it in the trial of Mr Bain so many years ago, and then visiting European tourism students give the "clean green" image a bit of workover.

They claim the lack of recycling ("plastic bags everywhere!"), as well as lack of cycle paths and other car-alternative transport options do no favours to the visitor on an eco-conscious trip.
Outside the cities lie vast unspoilt regions of exceptional beauty, for sure, but apparently our carbon footprint per capita is not to be proud of. Ouch again.

However, the wildlife have got it together..

The New Zealand godwits head north every year, and their journey is now being tracked
by scientists, according to this BBC report.
Not one to rest much, the godwit is a small bird that makes its way all the way to Alaska every year, by way of China. Fattening themselves for the epic jaunt, they travel over 10,000km with only a short stop for food and water along the way.

That's alot of flappin'. Carbon neutral as well!

A new biography is out on the great thinker of the early 20th century, Rudoph Steiner. Along with founding the Waldorf schools and Biodynamic agricultural methods, he was fond of pouring his remaining coffee from his cup each day on the earth, so it could have the benefit as well. A very prolific writer and lecturer with some interesting ideas and supporters, anthroposophy was the name given to his mystical and holistic approach.

Attention (pop) culture vultures: The Simpsons has reached 400 episodes! Haven't seen a bad one yet, actually.

Another guy to steer way clear of: First, he promotes the invasion of a sovereign country and makes a mess of that whole neo-con imperialist post 9/11 hysteria, then slips out of government to take up a post at the World Bank.

There, he gets his girlfriend a hefty pay rise and cushy post, while heading up an anti-corruption task force to tell other governments how to act so they can get money from the Bank. Charming. I'd say Paul Wolfowitz has some explaining to do.

Michael Moore's new film Sicko, premiering in Cannes this week, should be another shaker for those who have something to hide. Like the U.S. government apparently, who have tried seizing the film before he could "sneak" it out of the country to the festival. You can't buy publicity like that.

However, all is not lost.
If you were a housewife circa 1954, you might have enjoyed some portable music in the kitchen as you went about your duties (or not). This shows just how far we have come for the audiophiles, if not in gender equality:Happy Cooking!

Misallocation of Attention

2007-05-08T17:07:00.000+12:00

" It's not dark yet,
But it's getting there

-Bob Dylan

It had to happen. Just as the current backlash on religious fundamentalism has produce pundits from all corners of the atheistic spectrum; we now have internet entrepreneurs saying the offerings of the last couple of years ( commonly referred to by those in the tech world as "Web 2.0") have led to "digital narcissism" and are wrecking our culture.

Eh? It is what it is. The internet simply reflects that in a quicker, wider and more visual manner.

I have not yet read the book, but Andrew Keens The Cult of the Amateur, How Today's Internet is Killing our Culture and Assaulting our Economy, has received mixed reviews, with most claiming it to be a rant too far. MySpace and YouTube may have lots of students blogging on their frat parties or making silly attempts at directorial stardom, but it still is a creative outlet that has transformed the way we relate to each other. Some say to the worse. I think it is still too early to say. Stay tuned.

Bad News Weekend in Aotearoa: Two teenagers get run over at a party in Christchurch, a toddler gets shot dead in a drive by gang shooting, and a P Lab blows up, killing the drug baron-to-be. That's just last weekend. These are all things that make New Zealanders think hard about what kind of society we are living in now. It may be commonplace in other countries, but it puts a shudder up the collective spine of this one. Young people are such a source of energy. Losing them such a waste.

There is more to life than living,

There is more to death than dying.

The Icelandic Diva Bjork live (right) will send anyone into a spin with her eclectic and experimental mix of vocal and instrumental explosions, a recent live recording in New York is here courtesy of NPR.

And while you are using up some bandwidth, and only have time for one good interview all year, don't miss Bill Moyers chatting with Jon Stewart about what is (and isn't) journalism, what is (and isn't) happening in America, and generally looking at current events from a different perspective. From Moyers' new PBS show. Brilliant.

The Hippies were Right is an interesting article from SF Chronicle columnist Mark Morford. Since Green has become the new chic, then maybe the hippies were on to something all those years ago. I kind of enjoyed living in a teepee. My carbon footprint was more of a charcoal smudge, but it was living lightly!

Speaking of greenies, and hippies (not!), Prince Charles features in the Vanity Fair Green issue, in an article entitled A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Throne. Apparently he has received an Environmental Global Citizen Award that he jetted in to pick up earlier this year. For the Prince everyone likes to make fun of, and who has been "talking to plants" for awhile now; it is clear he was on to it in the early days, pushing organic farming and sustainable land management. Still hounded by the press in all his causes both personal and otherwise, the saavy Prince is finally seeing his message get through. A big hit in environmentally conscious California, that is for sure.

His Duchy Originals boasts 200 plus mostly organic products, generating over $2M for charity. His latest idea is Accounting for Sustainability, a method of "accounting for the green costs" in products, in order to let consumers make informed choices. This has been put forward before, by Paul Hawken in his groundbreaking book Natural Capitalism with Amory Lovins, but maybe its just a little sexier now.

If that doesn't get you going, then a new study out by Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin, states quite boldly that meditation is and excellent way of achieving prolonged states of concentration. This prevents the brain from "blinking", thereby losing attention at perhaps a crucial point. When things happen too fast, it is claimed, consciousness is supressed, and well, where are those damn car keys anyway? He calls attention a "flexible and trainable skill", which is groundbreaking stuff in the world of neuroscience.

Get those brain watchers and mystics together for a bit of a sit down, I say.

Michael Moore's new doco, called Sicko will no doubt take an unmerciful look at the Healthcare system in the U.S., where average annual health insurance premiums are more than what worker on the minimum wage makes in a whole year. wage. Any wonder there are 30+ million uninsured? Premieres at Cannes this month.

Gotta get down to the local Rocky Bay Hall for my weekly Qigong workout. The grapes are in, the olives as well, Winter green manure cover crops are sown, and pretty much had the last swim for the summer. (ouch!) Time for some inner work.

Time and Space

2007-04-29T08:59:00.000+12:00

"Because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue center light pop and everybody goes "AWWW!"

- Jack Kerouac
On the Road, 1957

No, it's not Australia in this little photo, with another case of the curious tourist; it is a poignant example of the dangers inherent in zookeepers jobs, for which I have a new and profound respect. Apparently due to the wonders of modern medicine, this vet has his arm back, and God only knows what has happened to the poor croc...

The veteran journalist Bill Moyers has a new podcast journal on PBS, freely downloaded on iTunes, and well worth the time to listen to his insight. His special called "Buying the War", a superb piece of investigative journalism on how the media rolled over early in the selling of a war without justification or strategy, has already has some pundits in Washington running for cover. It seems that Jon Stewart on his Daily Show is the only one that has the balls to ask real questions about what is going on in that country and its foreign "policy". And he doesn't even consider himself a journalist! Bill has a fascinating chat with this intelligent and witty comic. Don't miss.

Naomi Klein pulls no punches in her scathing analysis of the World Bank and it's head Paul Wolfowitz, another screw up from the Bush administration mired in yet another scandal that will hardly help the already shaky reputation as a credible aid organisation for developing countries. Yea right.

It doesn't take much digging to find out that the big 3 in development aid: WTO, World Bank and IMF are as Klein puts it playing their game of "one way strip poker" with World Trade.

You drop your barriers, and we will keep ours up, as the system goes. I guess the winners call that Fair Trade...

Tessa Mayes, of Spiked-online, after calling Vanity Fair one of the great icons of American journalism, rips into their latest Green issue, as a celebrity love-fest, complete with photo-shopped snaps of Leo and polar bears, and who is talking about what, rather than who is doing what.

Meanwhile...This guy has been quietly plugging away on the environmental issues that matter so much him, whilst becoming King of England does not seem really high on his priorties...

Charles, Prince of Wales has always been a fascinating figure to me, one of those highly intelligent, yet pampered and aristocratic individuals who seem to inherit everything, yet what do they do with it all? With the Prince it would seem, quite a lot. He would be the only figure in the entire British monarchy that would get any time at all from environmentalists, and he is treated like real royalty in the States, a position usually reserved for sport or entertainment celebrities. As the NYTimes reports, he has become a bit of a hero for the organic movement, and been at it awhile too.

One biography I read years ago had him asking a prominent spiritual teacher for initiation into a practice of yoga and meditation. He was politely refused as the story goes, with the explanation that his profile was just too great in this lifetime. Great story. Good guy. Who cares about the ears, or the personal issues (we all have them)! He actually has the resources to do something about changing our food production systems towards a more sustainable future and and walks the talk. Good for him. England doesn't need another King, but us food eaters and growers need a champion like him as a patron

On celebrity or whatever, I am sure Professor Stephen Hawking, the renowned physicist was definitely having a good time in zero gravity playtime the other day, his mind no doubt racing through all the theories he has written about for so many years, while the body floated effortlessly. Brilliant. On to space for the wheelchair bound cosmologist!

Rain is falling lightly on our faire island today, and with what I can see around the world, I don't think you would catch me complaining too much about having the gift of plentiful water here in New Zealand. The hillsides are greening, the water tanks filling, and the essential ingredient for life making its way through the soil, bringing with it a nourishing mix of mystery and science.

Happy Eating.

Living To Learn, Learning To Live

2007-04-12T08:12:00.000+12:00

Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island
April 2007

The streets of my little community start to empty out after the last holiday of the Summer, which is Easter. Not that they were busy to begin with. The 100 or so homes that dot the coastline here on this part of the island are mostly holiday homes. The remainder of us call it home for the full year, with periodic breaks. The boats and children and walkers and joggers and dogs and kites and bikes and kayaks have been mostly put away. Back to the job in the city or wherever they all go.

Even Pa in the local Paradise Duck family is looking around and planning his annual "flyabout"... Now that the little ones have flown off on their own

Speaking of flying about, if you are a traveller, and would like to see what countries you have been to on a graphic scale, this site makes it easy to "plug and play" your travels and have them displayed on a world map. It then became apparent (to me anyway), how many places I haven't been. Yet.

Don't forget to think about your carbon footprint as you jet around however, and as this Alternet article points out, the process of offsetting your personal carbon emissions from flying or whatever by purchasing credits has some fairly flawed logic behind it. One person likened it to an athlete sitting at the side of the track eating ice cream and paying someone else to run the race. Paying for something does not necessarily change behaviour, it is just another tax. The wealthy will continue doing what they do, and the not wealthy will continue not doing what they haven't been doing. Does that sound like change?

Six years into the project to catalogue all living species on earth, Smithsonian scientists have topped the 1 million mark. What a great job! Never ending might be the appropriate sidebar here. 253,000 species of butterfly and moth, and 83 species of krill, the tiny shrimp that whale eat. Well done you science boffins!

Addicted to data? I used to think I had a problem, and well, maybe I do. But without the must have mobile interface of the day, the Blackberry, I feel relatively safe from the pushers of hyperconnectedness. Like all good pushers as this Time article says, the current digital variety do not really fulfill any existing needs, they create new ones, and then proceed to fill those, thank you very much. Can you stand to be unavailable? Especially if everyone else is? I definitely can, and make sure I am, as a matter of fact. I force myself to go out (at times hesitantly) without my cellphone at least once or twice a day. Ouch.

Try it, it is really liberating. As Wi-fi becomes more and more ubiquitous, and devices become cheaper and easier to use, the temptation will start to creep in. That is exactly what they want. Good luck. There is a whole world out there waiting to be explored. And it doesn't have a digital component. Yet.

The Guardian once again gives a good sense of perspective to the online world in this article. Businesses are scrambling to understand how to get the eyeballs (especially media saavy young ones, you know the ones that spend) on to their products and services. There are so many social networking sites now, the need a social network to connect them all.

Instant Tribe, but in a very distant way.

The so called social networking "sites" are so popular because they allow one to engage without really engaging. To pick and choose who to befriend and who not to, to share personal details online that never require any real personal interaction, and the ability to be turned off or on as desired. A sort of selective and impersonal way to fill the void that being alone often brings...

Don't get me wrong, Myspace, YouTube and others are so successful because they fulfill a need (albeit one that has been created) to connect and share with others the creativity and information that gives culture its momentum. It is definitely a Tipping Point. They are great resources, and though they may not at present be used for anything too liberating or world changing, the time will come.

As long as the massive corporations that control other sources of media, as they slowly worm their way into the internet do not inflict any type of filtering process or "codes of conduct" that inhibit the very open nature of the web as we see it now. It is all simply a reflection of what we as a collective consciousness are doing, like it or not.

Creative Ecology

2007-04-06T10:36:00.000+12:00

"Not everything that can be counted counts,
and not everything that counts can be counted"

Albert Einstein

Easter in New Zealand brings with it a heady mix of seasonal transition. The anticipation of winter around the corner, the joy of autumn harvest, and the lingering pleasures of a fleeting summer. On the island we have a Jazz Festival, big Saturday Markets, and the water still warm enough still for a pleasant swim, which I had yesterday. We are full of visitors, mostly from the city, but more and more from around the world.

While Christians around the world celebrate the coming (and going) of their messiah, with all manner of activities, here it is mostly about having a holiday. The island's wine and olive oil industries are in full harvest mode. A good time of year.

As more and more of my friends, family and colleagues speak to me about their (ouch!) retirement plans, developers in the States don't really know what kind of planned communities the "boomers" want. They never could quite come to grips with that demographic, and still they try. Looks like according to this NY Times report, it is left up to "grassroots" efforts to plan out their own sense of community with like-minded individuals. Most succcessful ventures are accomplished by those who really care. And that is the thing about community, it brings the neighour back into neighbourhood. Sharing with others all these precious natural resources we are fast running out of seems only logical to me...It also helps to spend time around those that accept and support your lifestyle. Having spent some time in community when it was still called commune, it has appeal, particularly within the context of a local economy and food production. I am no Armageddon type, but I do believe A Hard Rain's is Gonna Fall before too long. The New Scientist Environment blog has some great entries, with lots of sites that show ways to leave a lighter load of carbon behind in this life. Everything from transport to packaging...Here's an example:

200 kgs per person per year of just packaging! It makes you think a little more about what your purchase, and how it can be taken home (those supermarket bags are the worst, and it is bold that San Francisco has now banned the plastic bags). Well done!

Staying in the Bay Area, a company called Meraki is doing great work in providing affordable easy wireless access to many who could not otherwise afford it. Share the love.

Speaking of which, there are some lovely short essays on NPR.org, in the This I Believe segment, which has one man's affirmation of his truth in articulate fashion. My Personal Leap of Faith, it is called, and well worth a read.

Not the greatest of times for the Cruise Line industry, apparently there is all kinds of shady goings on out at sea. And nobody knows whose laws to obey. It's all a bit of a shambles really, with people getting sick and running aground, as well as unbelievable stats: 66 assaults and 28 people missing (presumed dead) over the period 2002-2005. Some vacation!

Meanwhile, pre-teens and teens in the States are being subjected to between 12 and 20 food ads a day on the television alone, all extolling the virtues of, you guessed it, sweets and snack foods. Forget Big Tobacco this article says, it's Big Food that is killing us!

No matter what kind of person you are, getting the right information about your food is always important...

Culture Shifting

2007-03-25T17:08:00.000+12:00

"People are crazy
Times are strange;
I used to care
But things have changed"

-Bob Dylan

Here are two powerful articles worth your time, both excerpts from books I have recently read. The first one here is by Michael Pollan, and it articulately sums up the food system in the USA: Fast, easy, cheap. He also explains how (and why) corn is slipped into nearly 25% of the items in your local supermarket, subsidized by the taxpayer to give out empty calories fast, easy and cheap. You get what you pay for...

For more, visit his website.

The other is by Bill McKibben, author of the new release Deep Economy, which is just about as brilliant a wake up call I have ever read. He challenges the prevailing wisdom on economic growth, and shows in example after example, how more does not necessarily equal happy. He is a strong advocate of local economies, and the power behind communities. His article here has very salient and timely points from the book.

Ever since Rodney King let out those simple words "Can't we all just get along people?" in the middle of Southern California riots so many years ago, I always think about it.

One either gets along, or not. Situations change, people change. Different people definitely do things differently.

If it is true that "we don't see the world as it is, we see the world as we are", then getting to know how others are, might be a good start to getting along.

The World Values Survey is one place to find out more about those who live in this world with you, their values, beliefs, and how they are. Neat map, too.

For instance, on the subject of drugs, there are many different ways people choose to intoxicate themselves, or relax however you view it. Not many of them would be good for you, but there are some that are clearly less harmful than others. Depending, of course upon usage. These latest British studies reported in the Guardian, are rightly putting spotlight back on the likes of alcohol and tobacco, so long having the free ride, because of their legal status. Dangerous is dangerous, and these experts are rating what is and what is less. Interesting stuff.

If you are old enough to remember Soupy Sales, then you will most likely want to click on this link to see a short clip of him that explains why he is laughing so hard...

Could it be an unrehearsed surprise (in the form a stripper), greeting him on the usual closing gag was just a bit too much? This guy was alright. Very early days of T.V. comedy

Whole Foods, that cathedral of "organic" foods in the States, gets a once over from a British journalist on the eve of its entry into the U.K. They are nice supermarkets, as supermarkets go, and they certainly have their legions of fans, but are they really doing all they can to source local, fresh food, or are they the green version of Wal Mart?Watch this space.

Bill Maher is a pretty funny guy, and he pushes his satire right to the edge sometimes. I do not watch his show, as it is not carried here in New Zealand, but what I do see, especially his New Rules segment are quite good. Here in this YouTube clip he decides he has had enough of having his patriotism challenged, and asks whether the current president is even a patriot.
Ouch.

Well, you know it had to come. Perfect for the Japanese, that love to talk and smoke, this Cigphone has everything you need right at your fingertips. A must have gadget, I will not have..

Reading Writing and Eating

2007-03-17T11:06:00.000+13:00

" Eating is an agricultural act"

-Wendell Berry

I love writing.

I don't put pressure on myself to come up with ideas to write about, or set any deadlines to meet, which means I will probably languish in the realm of under paid and under published for an indeterminate amount of time.

But that is OK.

It is more the process (and challenge) of putting together the myriad of ideas and thoughts streaming through, seeing how they can be communicated articulately that is most enthralling to me. I takes me out of my self for awhile, and opens the window of concentration a bit more. It is good practice.

As Julia Cameron says bluntly in her encouraging Right to Write:

"Not writing creates self obsession. Self obsession blocks connection with others. Self obsession blocks connection with self."

For her, writing is a way of life, one that I have not yet really entered. Flirting as I do with it, the temptation is growing to make a more concerted effort to enter that world. She is a great example and lively inspiration in her books.

The Wikipedia entry for writer and 2001 Nobel Prize winner in literature V.S. Naipaul has the following quote from Joan Didion:

"The actual world has for Naipaul a radiance that diminishes all ideas of it. The pink haze of the bauxite dust on the first page of Guerrillas tells us what we need to know about the history and social organization of the unnamed island on which the action takes place, tells us in one image who runs the island and for whose profit the island is run and at what cost to the life of the island this profit has historically been obtained, but all of this implicit information pales in the presence of the physical fact, the dust itself... The world Naipaul sees is of course no void at all: it is a world dense with physical and social phenomena, brutally alive with the complications and contradictions of actual human endeavor... This world of Naipaul's is in fact charged with what can only be described as a romantic view of reality, an almost unbearable tension between the idea and the physical fact..."

Naipaul himself takes a more sweeping approach recently in a Guardian article about his roots and the lands whose histories he dissects:

"But writing was my vocation; I had never wished to be anything but a writer. My practice as a writer had deepened the fascination with people and narrative that I had always had, and increasingly now, in the larger world I had wanted to join, that fascination was turning into a wish to understand the currents of history that had created the fluidity of which I found myself a part. It was necessary for me as a writer to engage with the larger world. I didn't know how to set about it; there was no example I could follow."

Exactly. There rarely is any example to follow, and that is why I love writing. Yes, there are many published as well as unpublished wordsmiths out there, and I enjoy reading as many as I can. Reading gives me almost as much pleasure as creating through the written word. But the process of writing, - the transformation of personal direct experience and idea into language and narrative, the words that are chosen, the magical flow of subliminal energy out through the hands to what can be read and interpreted - that is a hard example to try and follow.

Any complete reader or writer would have had experience with the Grand Dame of publishing, the New Yorker, and now one can get all their back issues (over 4,000) on one convenient hard drive. Great. Call me old fashioned, but half the fun of those magazines is to flip the pages and see the cartoons amid the writing and hustle bustle of one of the greatest cities. I take the occasional article from them, but to read a screen for too long is not easy. Thats why those e-book readers won't take off. I don't know anybody that actually enjoys looking at a screen for very long periods.

Subject to both a book and a documentary, the Wild Parrots of San Francisco are getting a bit more protection from the city, to ensure their habitat stays intact and their fame grows. That is a good news story. It is the simple things that can bring so much joy.

Meanwhile, over in Australia (way over - West Australia in fact), this guy netted a cool $20,000 for riding a monster wave near the Margaret River. He would certainly be double-stoked - to be both alive, and to be a winner. Well done.

Whilst still in San Francisco (where else?) a new subculture of neo-nomads, who fancy themselves a bit like the Bedouin, like their coffee strong and their wireless free, and are doing business the way they want to in wired cafes around the city. It used to be the garage or dorm room was the success story for tecchies, now it looks like the place of choice for successful new start-ups will be some wired cafe in the back streets of the Mission District. Wait for it.

Remember this lady? The fired NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, part of a love triangle of astronauts that went awry, tried to kidnap her rival and well, basically lost the plot.
The before and after pictures speak volumes about either the air up there, or why some people should definitely stay on the meds..

And you thought your job was stressful!

"It was written I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice."

- Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness

Two Monks and a Turning Tide

2007-03-03T19:56:00.000+13:00

Two monks were arguing about a flag.
One said: "The flag is moving."
The other said: "The wind is moving."
The Buddha happened to be passing by.
He told them: "Not the wind, not the flag; mind is moving."

Mind is moving. And does it cover some ground.

It has taken me a few days to re-connect all my bodies from the rigors of long haul flights and doing family large in the States, and except for its minor physical setbacks, the trip has left me mentally and intellectually invigorated.

It feels as though the tide is turning.

Sympathetic vibration is not a term I use frequently, but it seems to encapsulate much of the feeling I got recently in the States from those whom I spoke, from the places I visited, and what I read. It has been a long 6 years, and the momentum for change, the drivers for change seem in place and almost like an idling race car at the starting line, ready to roll.

In particular I refer to the inextricably linked lifestyle of excess fossil fuel consumption/global warming/ industrial food system that has been chugging along at a totally unsustainable rate for the last 60 years with disastrous consequences. George Bush's administration have in some ways ironically helped the catalyst for change by "throwing fuel on the fire", instead of looking for ways to dampen the flames. It is now a raging inferno, and many more can see it, including some in his own political party.

But as Al Gore states emphatically in his Oscar winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth", it is "moral issue rather than a political one". That really got me thinking. I have a daughter, she will someday have children, and what is it that we will be leaving them in terms of a planet? What kind of biodiversity? What kind of atmosphere? What kind of society?

Although Gore has his fair share of critics (both about the message and the messenger) no one in my opinion has done more in terms of educating and raising awareness of the causes and solutions to the most pressing issue of our times than the man who won the popular vote for presidency in 2000. He may be leaving a larger carbon footprint at the moment, but his message for action is getting through, and that will reduce everyone else's (including his) in critical mass.

Partly because there is a new race on, and partly because of the Oscar success, he is everywhere in the media now. Rolling Stone explains why he should run again, and how he can win; The Guardian argues those who criticise him as hypocritical need to look at the bigger picture; and The New Yorker sums up his overall situation quite articulately as usual.

Back here in New Zealand, food miles are a big issue for our growers, and as I have often written, the food traveling around the globe is not going to last. Start getting used to eating what is in season. Time magazines cover story this week is calling local food the "new organic". Our Prime Minister is weighing in big time, positioning the country as a sustainable and efficient place in which to purchase produce, most of which is shipped by sea. Perhaps. But this is political posturing for the most part, in order to do something about a growing fear from our food exporters that they may be cut out of important markets in Europe etc. She may be correct that we do have more efficient production methods due to our favourable climate, but is missing the point really. Why are we exporting our kiwis and apples to Europe, and buying ones from Chili and California in our supermarkets? Our lifestyles and habits need to change on a personal and societal level, and the markets will respond.

To protect the markets by continuing to support unsustainable practices is the same thing the U.S. did after WWII with all the extra ammonia nitrate. As Michael Pollan explicitly talks about in his best seller The Omnivores Dilemma, a new industry was set up to utilise all the leftover chemicals from the war and it essentially replaced agriculture. , As efficient as it may have been in producing more food and reducing prices, we might as well have been sipping petroleum directly, for it has had about the same results economically and physically .

When I say the tide is turning, it comes from the heart of change in the U.S. the State of California, and from there, the Bay Area has always been a leader in social and cultural issues. Local Food Challenges such as the one Locavores have instigated have done much to raise the awareness of those in the outlying areas how they can eat in season, and where they can get the food they need any time of year. Both the SF Chronicle and the Pt Reyes Light, places I have just recently visited, have articles here and here supporting their efforts. Brilliant.

Whole Foods, the once proud and mighty chain of stores leading the organic movement in the States, is even coming under increasing fire from many sides as it tries to reconcile its growth with the original core values of supporting local farmers and providing quality organic food.

Again, Pollan from Omnivores Dilemma in describing Big Organic now in the States:

"For better or worse, these are not the kinds of farms a big company like Small Planet Foods or Whole Foods does business with today. It's simply more cost-efficient to buy from one thousand-acre farm than ten hundred-acre farms. That's not because those farms are any more productive, however. In fact, study after study has demonstrated that, measured in the amount of food produced per acre, small farms are actually more productive than big farms; it is the higher transaction costs involved...The industrial values of specialization, economies of scale, and mechanization wind up crowding out the ecological values such as diversity, complexity, and symbiosis".

And so it goes. Buyer beware.

Once Wal Mart decided to start selling "organic", one had the suspicion there would be a direct effort to manipulate the focus from local and quality to price and distribution as the main driver. Sure enough, that it what has happened, and in the world of food politics, one has to move quickly to counter such efforts. These local groups and blogs are doing a wonderful job of disseminating critical information.

Can you meet all your dietary requirements within a 100 mile (160km) radius?

Something to think about and plan as we start to enter a new paradigm around living on this earth in a way that will allow others to use it after us.

Hotel California

2007-02-21T09:43:00.000+13:00

12 hours is a long time to sit in a 600 mph metal projectile at 35,000 ft. Actually, 12 hours is a long time to sit anywhere. The conditions are not natural in large commercial aircraft, and so even the lure of recent Oscar standouts such as Babel and The Departed could not keep me from sedation and boredom.

However, the Bay Area Rapid Transit is a well thought out enterprise. My daughter and I slipped effortlessly onto a waiting BART train from the airport and arrived in my sisters North Berkeley neighbourhood a bit over an hour after landing in San Francisco direct from Auckland. Not having traveled together for well over a decade, it was full of laughter and fun, and continued through the week as we were shuffled from one party to another around the region in the lead up to the big event - my sisters wedding. Immersed in the not uncommon realm of the lost immigrant son/brother from the New Zealand, I was then totally enthralled by a lovely diverse and eclectic group of nearly 100 friends and family gathered together on a damp coastal Marin winter weekend for the occasion my sister waited 55 years to plan.

And plan she did. As an artist and designer, everything from the invitations to the table setting quotes and accompanying rocks all had her individual touch of class and elegance. The groom-to- be here, after one of many late nights, naps through some last minute details he probably would not have wanted to know about anyway...

After the first venue burnt down unexpectedly a month before the date, there were some severe panic sessions, but eventually all was meant to be. The Olema Inn hosted the reception, and a beautiful home in the Nicasio Valley with some sort of shady link to Jerry Garcia catered the actual ceremony(Marin was home to much of the creative zeitgeist in the heydays of the late 60's and 70's Bay Area).

Everyone from SkyWalker (George Lucas) to PlanetWalker (John Francis) lives there, and many have done a great job in their own way of protecting the area from excess development. remaining as gorgeous and pristine as ever. Pt Reyes has always been a favourite area of Lyn and Ken's, so to have the weekend spread out over a number of different Inns and restaurants was very fitting in the end.

The night before the ceremony, after a lively 80th birthday dinner for my mother,we all went to the local Rancho Nicasio Valley Restaurant, a great local pub in the middle of nowhere, for some fantastic blues by the Lara Price Band. If you have never seen 60 yr old ranchers dancing with their wives next to couples spanning the entire spectrum of, well, everybody, then get on down there... I mean it is like, sooo California.

"West Marin" as it is known, has been on the vanguard of political and social change for many a decade, and the number of hybrid cars per capita must be the highest in the U.S. Just the day before, the Tour of California, the states version of the biggest sporting event on earth, came barreling through and had huge support. My mother was out with thousands of others in her home town just north to cheer them on.

Sebastopol is a small Sonoma County rural town-turned-vineyard-boomer-hippie mecca near Santa Rosa. It borders Marin county, and is north of San Francisco by about an hour. My own university days from the area bring back memories of the many rivers and rustic VW van trips through lush redwood forests to communes in the surrounding expansive countryside. I did manage to attend some classes however, and the beauty in Somoma, Medocino, and Humboldt counties is still as vibrant as ever. My mother is an active resident of the quite liberal artist community here. Although my perspective about this part of California is somewhat tainted by the surge in population after 20 years in the other end of the Pacific, nothing can take away the natural beauty and good intentions of many of the progressive residents.

I was in Sebastopol to get my mom down to the wedding, and get through the maintenance list on her house, which I enjoy. I was also to deliver a gift parcel to a local resident from a friend in Australia.

Naturally, the only place to find her on a Friday would be on the main street corner of town in the weekly peace protest. The opposite corner had some guy with a placard full of pictures of soldiers, and so the giant 4WD pickups honked at him and revved their engines at the Peace Girls. Apparently that is some kind of message of support or otherwise. There were "V" peace sign of 30 years ago as well, and it felt like I was in a bit of a time machine. I posed the question that it could be possible to both support the troops and bring them home, but that irony seemed lost on most.

No visit to the Sonoma area is complete without the Russian River and a local vineyard experience. My mother had a favourite one all planned out, one she had hoped to visit for some time.

Naturally, it had a sculpture walk and meditation hut, amongst beautiful grounds. Highly recommended, Paradise Ridge has the ultimate view over the valley, along with very elegant winery and function facilities.

A cabin on the Russian River had long been a dream for family in the Bay Area, and recently some of them got a little cottage near the town of Healdsburg. It was definitely winter when we stopped by for a visit, but the charm and character is always there, along with the majestic redwoods. It served as a superb day of rest in a hectic week, even though the water levels were quite high. Naturally, it had wireless broadband for us mobile bloggers... Way to go folks!

So, the bride and groom are in Baja warming up for the next stage of their lives, I am back in New Zealand on Waiheke and my lovely Karakia Coast, on the tractor and living as deliberate and purposeful as I am able. This particular Americana group of friends and family have gone their respective ways, and I will look forward to seeing them again soon. All is said and done that will be for the time being, and another chapter is opened..

Best wishes always to Lyn and Ken, and to all who made the occasion what it was - friends, family and whanau from near and far.

Rumi lent words of wisdom during the ceremony, as fitting for marriage as they are for all our own particular journeys through relationship:

The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you, not knowing how blind I was

Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere,
They’re in each other all along..

If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?

2007-02-14T18:26:00.000+13:00

If you are one of the many that have absolutely had it with holidays like Valentines Day, you are not alone. Songs for the Dumped, whilst not all that tactful, has found a place in our cultural repertoire at this time of year. My favourite is the title of this post. The list is not exhaustive, but NPR does a good job of making an offering for all those whom this holiday is just a bit smarmy and overdone.

There is certainly no dearth of events, festivals and activities for those in love or not, in New Zealand's all-too-short but spectacular summer. Long holiday weekends seem to be as common as the Vegemite that traditionally accompanies them. Not many seem to care or know much about the history or reasons behind them, but a day off is a day off...

Here on The Rock, we have had the Sculpture on the Gulf, The Waiheke Wine Festival, CultureFest, Little Day In, Outdoor Cinemas, Whakanewa Regional Park Opening, and Waitangi Day and Anniversary Day all in the last month. No one can accuse the planners of not taking advantage of this window they have to lure Auckland visitors out here.

In between that, I am going to squeeze in two weddings, try to grow some good grapes and olives, and be a host to the stream of visitors that are lured to the magnificence that is the Hauraki Gulf.

Sculpture on the Gulf is fast becoming a regular feature on the New Zealand artist trail, and the surroundings could not afford a better backdrop for some of the local talent to showcase their latest works.

I would normally take the walk along the Pohutakawa lined seashore anyway, and to have it so decorated with artworks is just another treat for visitor and resident alike. Air temp 23 deg C, water 20 deg C. The islands long history of catering for and supporting artists continues.

Elsewhere in New Zealand, one of my favourite musicians came to play in one of those outdoor vineyard concerts, and the promoters did not bother to find out enough about Eric Clapton to know he is a non-drinker, and promptly named a vintage of their local drop after him to mark the occasion. Oops.

I just happened to be making a trip up to the US next week, and of course in the only in America file comes this outstanding story of the crazed, in love astronaut driving 900 miles in diapers and weapons in the trunk to deal to her rival for the affection of another astronaut. Do they time these things for Valentines Day, or just write them to boggle the imagination?

Houston, she has problems..

Oh, and let's not forget about the 363 tonnes ($US12Billion) of cash sent to Baghdad shortly after that very well thought out invasion and occupation a few years back. Well, it seems there is precious little information as to where it might have gone, or what it was spent on. Unbelievable really.

Before I have my afternoon nap, I can rest assured I am doing something solid for my heart and my health, according to the latest research in this BBC article. That is the kind of news I like.

Remember Carl Sagan? Yeah me too. Don't worry, he isn't on tour. As it turns out, he passed away about 10 years ago, and his partner/collaborator is giving us another glimpse into his vast understanding of the cosmos and life's origins by publishing some of his most important lectures. In these heated times of God v Science 2.0, his articulate and non threatening belief in the vastness of the universe is a bit of relief. Well worth a read.

Dry Your Eyes

2007-02-06T12:27:00.000+13:00

And it taught us more about living
Than we ever cared to know
But we came to find the secret
And we never let it go

And it was more than being holy
Oh it was less than being free
And if you can't recall the reason
Can you hear the people sing

Right through the lightning and the thunder
To the dark side of the moon
To that distant falling angel
That descended much too soon
And come dry your eyes

Come dry your eyes.

- Neil Diamond

The groom strode purposefully down the beach, head held high with pride and exhilaration. Behind him were best friends from around the globe, and waiting at the hand made alter (see above) were a small and curious group of family and friends. The feet were bare, the eyes became moist, and the sand soft. A light breeze blew along the seashore as he waited patiently for his destiny to appear.

Dad escorted the lovely young bride at the end of a procession which included a pied piper, and bridesmaids, all looking gloriously bedazzled by the occasion, as were many of the witnesses.

This was not an ordinary wedding, but the "union of free spirits", I was told.

And so it was.

The party went on well into the night at the local Boat Club in Russell, fancifully decked out by friends to cover the salt and stodge of the many yachties that pass through this famous portal of the Pacific. When I too,got married in a boathouse in Puget Sound in Washington State, this bride was not even born, and the groom was 9yrs old.

Like so many of these celebrations, it is a time of remembrance, of story, of appreciation, and of family. This story has the immigrant son wandering the globe and landing on an island in New Zealand where his life is changed completely by the people he meets, one of whom he soon marries. Everyone is happy in this moment. And with the tribal drumbeat of our complex relationships to each other, to the earth, and to larger humanity, so continues all of our stories.

Come Dry Your Eyes.

Only The Lonely

2007-01-28T09:57:00.000+13:00

How does it feel
To be on your own,
With no direction home?
Like a complete unknown,
Like a rolling stone?

-Bob Dylan

She walks her dog most days along the main roads, disheveled hair and bright red lipstick smeared across her face in a genuine but ill-fated attempt to brighten her lips. Her clothes are third or fourth hand, and the look on her face is a mixture of concentration and bewilderment.

She can be found almost anywhere on the island, going nowhere, coming from nowhere, but still moving forward. The polka dot dresses and sneakers can be spotted from a distance, but the solitary figure and her dog give are part of the community, rather than a discarded homeless statistic. Who knows her story? Does it matter?

Yesterday, she was alone, without the dog, and without any movement or purpose. She sat on the bus stop with her large red sun hat, staring the ground. No bus can take her where she is going, no friendly chats are forthcoming with The Lady in Red.

I am told by long time residents that 20 or 30 years ago, the marginal, the disenfranchised, the eccentric, and the artists (who sometimes were a combination of all of the above), flocked to Waiheke Island. Some perhaps had no choice, and were guests of the State, others saw an opportunity for the natural beauty, isolation, and mystique to inspire and invigorate. It set the tone, which still exists, slightly hidden amidst the recent invasion of Large Black SUVs, trophy homes, and vineyards as the trendy Playgrounds of the Wealthy.

Diversity is nothing if not enlightening. We often see others not as we see ourself, but as different. For some that is a challenge and opportunity, for others a threat. But we are in this together, no matter how high a wall we may try to put around us. No man is an island, as the saying goes.

With a number of countries surpassing a billion in population, and The Good Old US of A now at 300million, one would think that making and keeping connections with others would have become easier, not more difficult, especially with the growing number of devices and tech advances that make it easier for busy people to keep in touch. Apparently not so. Whether you call it social isolation or disconnectedness, for many people plain loneliness is a haunting presence lurking over their shoulder day and night. One in four Americans now live alone, compared to just 10% in 1950, according to this AP article. Everyone has their own way of coping, and some do not.

Contrast that with the many who have the good fortune to live long and fulfilling lives; taking their opportunities to appreciate every day, and to share their knowledge, wisdom, experience and creativity gained in the process. These are the real leaders for the new world.

A good example is this brilliantly witty essay from Joseph Epstein, reflecting on the changes in life upon reaching that most profound of decades, the 70s. Very well worth the read. And the Guardian's David Thompson recently had an overview of successful artists in their 70s, not the least of whom is Clint Eastwood, making the best films of his life.

Families are scattered all over the island on this holiday weekend, on their yachts, in the campgrounds, or crammed into the many baches sprinkled over the hills and coastline. Some are happy, some are not. Some are wealthy, some are not. They are together, with their friends and families and colleagues and sometimes complete strangers. We are tied together in this knot of complex, interwoven and changing relationships throughout our lives.

Whether we have a large circle of friends to call on, or a small one, it can be the lifeblood of our interaction in this world of increasing complexity and uncertainty. Our inner strength is a reservoir that can fluctuate with the seasons or the reasons. Certainly it needs replenishing with the support of close association with others, either in this world or in another...

While on families, one of the weddings I am attending this summer had a pre-Big Day picnic down by waters edge this weekend, many of the family and friends having traveled all the way Down Under from Europe for the occasion. They seem to be certainly enjoying the relaxed summer season and vibe here after leaving Northern Hemisphere temperatures not worth mentioning. We talked about the whanau, the fairies, and the New Zealand way of life, amongst good food, good company and frisbee.

Because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue center light pop and everybody goes "AWWW!"

Jack Kerouac
On the Road
1957

Many people come and go in my life. I am grateful for the practice and the experience each and every one has given me, even if it is buried all Freudian-like deep in my subconscious somewhere. Some stay that I want to go, others go that I want to stay, but the point is this(and there is a point): Our story is unique to us, and it can be refreshingly healthy to share the common threads with others close, knowing we are not alone in this most mysterious and marvelous of journeys. We may at times feel lonely, and that can actually be a very precious gift of solitude. The only constant we can be sure of in this world is change however, and it can come in an instant without any warning. So be prepared.

The Lady in Red will keep on walking in different directions until she stops. I will see her again tomorrow and be reminded once again of the temporal nature of this life. She may be lonely, but she is not alone.

Spiritual Maturity?

2007-01-20T09:50:00.000+13:00

"The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along."

-Rumi

My sister gets married next month in California. A friend that lives nearby here on Waiheke gets married the week before up in the Bay of Islands, a beautiful part of New Zealand. I will attend both and support their commitments to shared lives together. There will no doubt be celebrations worthy of the institution and the wonderful people taking part. A social fabric that at once is both revered and heavily criticised, still holds court all over the world in ways that no other pact does between two humans.

We are inherently social creatures. Our ability to work together in sustainable ways to leave a better planet for our children is not helped by the rising level of single person households, a trend happening in all "developed" countries with populations that can afford such luxuries. Still, there are a number of creative accomodation arrangements emerging through either necessity or desire. To have both community and harmony (often difficult), intimacy and solitude (often necessary), is an area of life that challenges cultural immunity. Any experiment outside cultural norms, and protection comes swiftly and often severely. One of the backlashes from the 60's and 70's communal movement is the current hijacking of American society by the religious right.

Extended families, or "whanau" is a concept embraced heavily amongst the Polynesian cultures, and whilst not necessarily a link through blood alone, the strong connection and sense of responsibility is there, and the support for the youngsters is shared and diverse. That was definitely one of the most positive aspects of my communal experiment, and my daughter agrees now 20 odd years later. The care was both genuine and unconditional.
Whatever works.

John Schumaker writes extensively in In Search of Happiness about personal satisfaction and the quest for some "thing" that becomes more and more unattainable in current times. In this article, he explains how the ancient Greek philosophers used to equate happiness with virtues such as loyalty, friendship, moderation, honesty, compassion and trust. Today, it is more about what we think we need to own, or who we need to be with in order to be happy. The conspiracy, as he calls it, is not driven by our genetic disposition, but rather our cultural attitudes, and is not sustainable. The Greek virtues, the Navajo hozho ("may you walk in beauty") are conditions that do not rely on any type of self gratification, which never lasts. They either exist or they do not. The question begs asking then, if something is not lasting, how real is it?

"Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: some things are within our control and some things are not".

-Epictetus

Indeed. And as the Talmud says wisely, "we do not see the world as it is, we see the world as we are". In another clever NY Times piece called "Help, I am Surrounded by Jerks" (sound familiar?), we are made aware of the growing plethora of material available to help us deal with "difficult people". Whether you take a seminar, read any number of books, or listen to tapes, it all comes down to realising (either through pain of experience, or good fortune), that we cannot control anyone (or anything for that matter), only our reactions or responses.

Real spiritual maturity begins then with the ability to allow events beyond our control to weave their inevitable way through our lives without letting them rock our foundations.

Not at all difficult are the tuis, or parson birds, that have been especially prolific around Rocky Bay this summer, with the consistent flowering of trees and shrubs providing ample meals and good nests...

This one stays perched outside my bedroom window early each morning, and making sure I am up at the right time.

Widespread in New Zealand, they have an iridescent sheen, with the most conspicuous feature being the white tuft of feathers on the neck.

With a noisy flight and fluid, melodic song, it is certainly one of the true delights amongst the many companions in the forest. Another reminder perhaps of wider perspectives on the nature of divinity and spiritual understanding.

The Holy Men covering themselves in ash and bathing in a dirty (sorry, holy) river every year in Allahabad in India have other concerns. They won't have problems dealing with "difficult people"; they are no doubt beyond that. They will miss the song of the tui as well. When you live in a country with a billion others, difficult can be a relative term. The rituals and the ceremonies that "talk story", as the Hawai'ians like to say, may indeed have something to say, but how real are they in the overall context of this short life?

As a wise man said to me once:

Watch your thoughts
They become actions
Watch your actions
They become character
Watch your character
It becomes your destiny

And the next time someone tells you about how toxic some chemical or another is, be sure to remember that everything is at some point, including water. The key is the dosage. Whoever thinks up these stupid (and now deadly) contests on AM radio really needs to get a life, and they could start by knowing what they are doing.

I suppose we all could.

A Suspension of Disbelief

2007-01-13T19:06:00.000+13:00

"Life is what happens to you while
you are busy making other plans"

-John Lennon

I often wonder if I am the only one that sees a totally unsustainable movie playing before my eyes when I walk into the supermarket and see Italian kiwifruit and California apples for sale here in New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND, for heavens sake, where we have spearheaded the innovation and development of these two wonderful and healthy fruits for years! Even though I have the privilege of being a consumer in the same country and proximity where they are grown, They are not available to me.

I must travel down the back roads and head out to farming country to buy direct from the grower in order to get fruit that is not flown in from half way around the world.

We are subject to the inexorable march of globalisation, with its artificially cheap products and services making us feel we are so fortunate with all our choice. We are in fact, supporting an unsustainable process of food distribution around the world. This industrialisation of our most essential of commodities is a process that requires increasingly more energy to bring goods to market than it provides the consumer. A net loss I believe it can be termed. Michael Pollan has written widely and articulately on the subject.

And the fruit can be weeks, if not months old, thanks to even more energy-hungry Controlled Atmosphere storage. Another marvellous and innovative advance in technology that allows fruit that would otherwise be eaten within days of harvest, complete with natural sugars and sweetness, to be now harvested early and stored indefinitely in order to meet specific market demands. Remember what a vine ripened tomatoe tasted like? Jeff Nield of Aternet writes here that it is possible in most places to have a healthy and nutritious diet by eating food grown within a 100 mile radius of where you live. It should not be so difficult unless one lives in an extreme climate.

Vegan chic could only come out of New York, and the demand seems to be growing for fashion without animal cruelty, and that could only be a good thing. You might be surprised at the styles and marketing some entrepreneurs are coming up with in an effort to please their discerning clients in a green yet trendy way. Whatever works for you.

Thinking big...Whether you like their "product" or not, global superstar celebrity is a saavy and successful marketing industry. The Idol series piggybacks on that understanding, but the ones that are there, have tremendous understanding of how to work media attention. Think Cruise, Bono, Jobs, Madonna, and of course known worldwide to all but still fresh to Americans, David Beckham; who has just negotiated a $50M a year contract to market football (soccer) in the states. Oh yes, he will also play for team called the LA Galaxy. Of course you have heard of it!

Condition branding sells, and to have youth, fame, fortune, and (except for the case of Paris Hilton) talent, is a potent mix attracting the highest commercial bidder who sees a big return over 4 or 5 years in merchandise and endorsements. It will be an uphill battle to try to convince Americans to embrace the beautiful game, with their own sports so well established. With a growing immigrant population, however, the challenge is there. Good luck to him. If he teams up with Cruise in a movie though, I think I might have seen enough.

Speaking of American Idol, and perhaps its franchises in many parts of the world, this Guardian article shows how off the mark they really are. I don't think I have been able to sit through a whole episode, and now that the main player has dissed my main man Bob, it is definitely OFF the list. Get a life, buddy!

A bit of nostalgia for the aging hippie crowd. 40 years since the Famous Be-In that started the summer of Love. A bit corny perhaps? But compared with the public lynchings of Middle East dictators, I would have to say not a bad effort, folks.

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of looking at things"

-Henry Miller

Shape Shifting

2007-01-11T12:47:00.000+13:00

"He lives well who is well hidden"

-Rene Descartes

I often wonder what meaning re-create takes on in the context of todays fast paced society. Many holidaymakers are over on the island for the next few weeks, making the most of their time away from office, home, and regular routines. With an increasing amount of activities on offer for them here, is there actually any "re-creating" taking place?

I would suggest the guy that was in such a hurry he had to pass me in a carpark for heavens sake, is not taking full use of the opportunity he has here. The sign upon landing at the car ferry says "Slow Down -You're Here". That is just one of the reminders we have for visitors. Is it possible for people to change gears when they are on holiday, or is it now just another duty to be checked off the list of things to do, a latte-fueled charge down to the beach with Blackberry in hand, checking emails and keeping the motor on the SUV running, just in case?

If "work" and "play" were not words that had such emotive images attached to them, it might be a different story. "Work hard - Play Hard", and "Just Do It", are but two of the marketing slogans that have been imbibed in our culture of Continuous Partial Attention.

I remember the best (and perhaps the only) nugget of useful information I received out of all those years of management training and personal growth programmes. There is no such thing as Time Management. We all have the same time. 24hrs in a day. No one has any less or any more. How can something like time be managed? It is our priorities that are managed. What we do with the same time we have each day. The next time I hear someone say "there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done", I may have to kindly point out that there isn't much chance of a change in that department. The great New Yorker cartoon recently had two men standing at Stonehenge and quipping, "Now that we have invented time, perhaps we should create deadlines".

Perhaps indeed... We wouldn't want to miss anything IMPORTANT, would we?

I think often about what is really important in my life, and what simply is part of an interruption-driven desire to meet somebody else's expectations. Sure, we all have clients, bosses, friends, relatives, spouses, etc. that ask for our time, that most valuable of resources. This needs looking at from a wider perspective. For in each present moment, there is an opportunity to improve our lives, as well as the lives of others by our example. To re-create is an important part of that process.

It is not a difficult process, believe me, as demonstrated New Years Day, with some "quality time" amongst friends in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand:

Notice the distinct lack of activity. An important part of the "re-creation" programme!

The iconic kiwi shed, long recognised for the healing qualities it brings out in male energy, works just as well in the formation of long term relationship building(I have been visiting this couple on their two acre plot for over a decade).

Fresh veges from the garden, avocados from the tree, and ice tea on the veranda. Thanks Paula and Robin!

Meanwhile..

On another plane (or planet) altogether... quote of the week, has to go to the US Secretary of State, Ms Rice, who has implored Iran and Syria to "end their de-stabilising behaviour" in the region of Iraq.

Eh? Who took these people off their meds?

And what is sending in 150,000 soldiers occupy a country for 3 years, creating untold amount of suffering and chaos, after bombing the infrastructure to the dark ages considered? Stabilising?

Gimme a break.

Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.

-Albert Schwietzer

Days Like This

2007-01-06T10:10:00.000+13:00

When it's not always raining
there'll be days like this
When there's no one complaining
there'll be days like this
When everything falls into place
like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me, there'll be days like this

-Van Morrison

The calendar shows new numbers. The old one lies in the bin. The sky shows great promise of warming the ground and the air for us to continue to harvest its bounties. Christmas and New Years have come and gone once again, like they will. An inconspicuous ex-president, a Middle East Frankenstein and the Godfather of Soul all pass away to deal with whatever they need to deal with...
So begins 2007.

Kiwis love to flock to the outdoors, and boats are showing up in all the bays, tents in the parks and a general push outside to embrace a reluctant summer. I know it must be the holiday season when I see joggers on Waiheke. Still, as the water slowly warms , I can slip effortlessly amongst the elements. I Step into Liquid, as the film says, along with my family of Paradise Ducks, soon to be off on their own, but still braving the increased human and dog presence on the foreshore. Won't be long now.

I trust many will be enjoying what nature has to offer at this time of year, even if it is in the Northern Hemisphere, where the days are shorter. Down here, if you are still spending too much time at the keyboard and monitor when the beach and bush beckon, you might want to check out this New Scientist article on modern cyber-maladies that threaten your well-being. There, amongst the confessions of a wikipediholic, a MySpacer, and cyberchondriac, are yet a few more social cues to give us a pause for concern. Or not.

Whilst still on the cyber theme, it is said in this article, there are two types of people: those who backup their PCs, and those who will. If you have ever lost any valuable info, you know what I mean. Fortunately, the geeks have come up with lots of great new easy ways to keep stuff from disappearing forever. If you have been too lazy to work them out or actually take the time to do it(like I was), this NYTimes article spells out the myriad of choices (which is half the problem), and makes recommendations. Well worth a read.

Feeling good this New Year? Excellent. Apparently many are not, and when a doctor comes out and writes an essay declaring the epidemic of diagnoses is part of the problem, well, I might have to agree. How about a wellness index? I'd love to hear how many of us are managing to stay away from the health care system. Anything is possible, and some things happen.

If you like hero stories, this one is a burner for you: seconds to spare in the subway, and a young man suffers a collapse, when Mr Joe Average New Yorker jumps in and rolls him to safety as the trains roll over them with inches to spare. They are already calling him the Subway Superman. Well done, Clark!

"One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things" wrote Henry Miller, who was an avid fan of the Big Sur area south of San Francisco. Also one of my favourite areas, the author of this travel piece samples some of the local scenery and accomodation, including that New Age mecca, The Esalen institute. Apparently it opens its famed hot sulphur pools overhanging the Pacific Coast to the public only from 1am to 3am every morning.
Gotta love it!

Holiday Season

2006-12-30T20:34:00.000+13:00

"Beware lest you lose the substance
by grasping at the shadow"

-Aesop

This is the view out of my window towards the playground and Kauakarau Bay. Beyond that is Omiha Bay, where the Rocky Bay Memorial Cruising Club held their annual Regatta Saturday(amongst quite typical blustery summer weather conditions), Beyond that is the expansive and tidal Rocky Bay, encompassing the wider Whakanewa Regional Park.

It is a quiet and windy little settlement, with only a scattering of houses dotting the hillsides and bays. Most are empty for months of the year. But not now.

It is that wonderful and most ephemeral Time of Universal Holiday in New Zealand, where a large part of the population stops working completely and heads out to rural and beach locations to unwind for Christmas and New Years celebrations with family and friends, putting end to another calendar year of whatever it is they have been doing.

If there was any doubt the landed gentry were out in full force here in one of the trendier spots to holiday in New Zealand, Waiheke Island is awash with Big Black SUV's and other fashion accessories not seldom seem on the island, this being New Years Eve, 2006. And to make the statement complete, the tranquil park scene above, normally with just few youngsters, some dog walkers, and a friendly duck family, had the uncharacteristic commotion of a helicopter land this afternoon, in order to party a bit and inspect one of the waterfront properties. Ahem.

The tide was out on my New Years Eve walk, and in between some harmless showers, it took me through the native bush descent into the park onto its long stretch of sand and shells, nesting dotterels, and oystercatchers:

Only the recent hoof prints of some horses were to be seen, and the constant badgering of the protective dotterels were my company on this magnificent beach. I though about all the things I am grateful for - the opportunities, experiences, and people that have graced my life this past year. All the little dramas and stories that make up our individual neuroses try to force their way into my thinking at times, but both the beauty and significance of the moment were far too powerful. Rhythm and oxygen clear the head in no uncertain terms. Over an hour walking, and what many people around the world need to undertake just to survive once, twice, maybe more each day, I took as leisure. Our perspective can be as valuable as the ground under our feet.

No helicopters. No real estate mingling chit chat. No wineries and their trendy products. Just the elements in raw and unhindered natural change. A nice afternoon reflection for the last day of the year:

A few days ago, on another little summer outing to catch up with my daughter and partner, along with friends and family, I visited Gisborne for the first time in over a decade. The flat, fertile plains, now largely taken up with vineyards, still have wonderful fresh fruit stands dotting the road in from the Bay of Plenty side. We tasted the local produce with gusto, cooking up some great meals in a nicely appointed holiday home overlooking Poverty Bay and the great surf beaches of the Gisborne and Eastland Area:

Christmas revelers in amongst the
vines and lush plains around Gisborne, prior to setting off to play gigs in the Rhythm n' Vines Festival.

Not too bad, really.

Much better time than this guy, anyway:

Which may have reminded me of some Christmas past, but we don't need to go there! It has been a pleasant Holiday Season for me, a balanced mix of social activities and parties coupled with restful and contemplative personal time. There has been some fun reading and regular writing. May we all be so fortunate as to know when enough is enough.

Then perhaps we will all have enough.

State of the Union

2006-12-18T20:24:00.000+13:00

To know that enough is enough is to always have enough

-Tao

If you are a reader, then online magazine Slate has its top picks for books of 2006 here. NPR radio has its picks from booksellers here. I have a couple lined up for the Christmas holiday break (in New Zealand that usually means at the beach, so for Northern Hemispherites, well, it might be a different sort of list). I just finished a great novel by Douglas Kennedy called State of the Union, that I happen to pick up at an airport on my way to the South Island, and was pleasantly surprised. A real page-turner that kept me guessing, laughing, crying, and most of all, thinking. Well written.

Another in the Only-In-America Dept: Yoga and Wine retreats, reviewed by NYTimes.
Well, it had to come, didn't it?

On the serious side of yoga, if you are a devoted follower, this Columbia Journal Review has an excellent history of its turbulent entry into the West.

Not into yoga, but thinking of getting married? OK then. I am going to two weddings soon myself, one in California, and one down here in New Zealand. This YouTube video clip of "honest" wedding vows is hilarious, although I would not probably show it to the couples on the verge of reciting theirs just yet.

If marriage is not on the cards just at the moment, but you are wanting to increase your "mingling" (called networking by the PC brigade, which is far more professional sounding) skills at Christmas parties, have no fear, this piece on NPR has just the tools for the not-so-bold.
So much useful advice!

Not getting married, into Yoga or mingling? Well, you can always get a new job by sending out a video resume that will surely get someones attention. Apparently it is the newest thing for job seekers. Whatever.

I am off to the beach for a few days, but always close at hand when one is a grower in the "season".

Best Wishes to all for Peace and Contentment in this Festive Season, and throughout the seasons.

South Island Serenity

2006-12-06T16:45:00.000+13:00

"Beauty is the moment of transition,
as if the form were just ready to flow into other forms"

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reading the fine print on the map was always going to be a big ask, and in the end, it made little difference. It was too late. We were half way through the second day of our 5 day tramping adventure in the Kahurangi National Park, and it had been raining pretty steady all day. The forecast was for clearing during the day, but I didn't like our chances. After exposure to the alpine-like Tablelands around Mt Arthur, we began dropping down into the Leslie River Valley, and took some shelter in the famously eccentric Spludgeons Rock Shelter, complete with fireplace, dirt floor, and photo of Albert Einstein...

...whose dilapidated, but still framed photo had the following quote under it:

"The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the source of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and most radiant beauty which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive form- this knowledge, this feeling is at the center of true religiousness.”

Inspiring as his words were, there appeared from the track sign to be another 3 hour drop down into the Leslie River valley, and then some way along to our destination, Karamea Bend Hut. The fine print I mentioned earlier by the way, warned of long delays if weather was poor, due to flooding creeks and rising river levels. OK then.

That made me feel a little less than the bold adventurer I picture myself at times, when I read it the next day, after a 7 hr ordeal of fording streams and racing the dwindling daylight in an effort to get somewhere dry. My tramping companion was less than sympathetic the next morning when his first words were: "Called that helicopter yet?"

Water is omnipresent in this part of New Zealand , and I was fairly certain we would see some rainy days, if not all of them. It has been a particularly unsettled Spring, and so we packed accordingly. It looked to be a fairly straightforward tramp, with a slight climb up to Mt Arthur tablelands the first day, then down into the valley for a stroll along the rivers edge (more debatable was the route back to a pre-arranged pickup, which involved a place called Batons Saddle, which ominously had "horror " written on the track marker).

The storm lasted a day longer than we anticipated, and had a very significant and immediate effect on the water level, so much so that I thought it might be the first and last trip my partner would take with me. All ended well, and although a bit of a stretch at times. Some altered plans were necessary (Baton saddle, with all its rumour of "horror track" was given a swift boot in favour of a more reliable return route), and of course some very wet feet were had. The pictures of me pouring over maps with a look of concern will no doubt come up again in discussion.

On the first day, we came across several great looking rock shelters that are strategically placed throughout the park. They are obviously well used and full of character. Great in a pinch, or if there is a bad storm out (ours was tolerable). This one had it's own built in loft and fireplace:

Here is the hut that did save us from the wet, halfway to the West Coast. After a long 7 hr tramp in the rain down the swollen Leslie river valley , it was a warm and welcome home for a days rest:

The Mt Arthur tablelands and Ballon Hut, where after 4 days of no one in sight, we ran across at least 3 different parties in one of the smallest huts. However, by then we were somewhat relieved to know there were others actually in the park:

Kahurangi tranlsates into "prized possession" in Maori, and a prize it is. The nearly 1 million acre national park is the second largest in New Zealand and only brought under Dept of Conservation since 1996. Its unique biodiversity provides a sanctuary for some of the rarest of flora and fauna in the country. It is well known for its superb geographic diversity as well, with some unique landforms and a complex network of ranges, peaks rivers. It is home to a Great Walk called the Heaphy Track, with its trademark lush coastal scenery.

The birdsong was outstanding, with comments in all the visitors books in huts raving about it. Tuis, bellbirds, bush robins, grey warblers, fantails, are amongst the common bush birds, whilst the park protects a number of other notables such as the kiwi, falcon and blue duck. It is the northern most point in the Southern Alps for the alpine birds the kea and rock wren. Trout are abundant in the rivers, with deer and goat are amongst the more common mammals. We spotted some baby goats, obviously separated from their mother and not pleased about it).

I have been over the map many times now, fine print and all, and the only thought that comes to mind is: what track will I choose next when I return?

The Metaphysics of Quality

2006-11-23T19:56:00.000+13:00

"Nature is a unity in diversity"

-Alexander Von Humboldt

Summer is slowly making its way down under.

One of the more stunning shows put on by the nature divas are the huge icebergs floating around just a few hundred kms off the southern tip of the country. People are flying out to see them and exclaiming their beauty in all manner. This couple decided they wanted to get married on one, but apparently the helicopter tours are not so sure. It seems they break up quite easily. Oh well. It may be global warming, it may be just normal chunks of Antarctica. In any case, it does not happen often

An amazing interview with the author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance from the Guardian. Such a fine line between brilliance and insanity. Perception, I believe it is called.
Robert Pirsig has flirted with that line gracefully. Well worth a read.

I enjoyed the Seinfield Show immensely, and although not one to go out and own all the episodes, I am sure that I have seen every one. Jerry Seinfield was on the Letterman Show the other night, and has not lost any of his quick wit or amicable nature. Unfortunately it would appear that Michael Richards, the actor who took eccentric to a new level with his character Cosmo Kramer, has. This clip of his prolonged racist rant at a comedy club and apology via satellite a few days later has been the rounds on the net, and his career will no doubt never be the same.

Anger is a strong emotion, and often creeps up when one least expects it. There is so much power locked up in this kind of thing, one has to wonder what all that energy could produce if it were not addicted to negativity and intolerance.

I posted recently on a conference in La Jolla, California with the leading non-theists in the scientific community, and this NY Times article sums up the mood quite clearly. An excerpt form the article titled A Free for All on Science and Religion:

Somewhere along the way, a forum this month at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., which might have been one more polite dialogue between science and religion, began to resemble the founding convention for a political party built on a single plank: in a world dangerously charged with ideology, science needs to take on an evangelical role, vying with religion as teller of the greatest story ever told.

Whew. I gather the scientists are on a mission of their own.

And not to miss out on any 60's nostalgia, this NPR article on guitar legend Jimi Hendrix covers some new ground on a man that was going places himself. Hope he got there..

Concentration Care

2006-11-17T13:48:00.000+13:00

"He lives well who is well hidden"

-Descartes

The life and times of Rene Descartes, the 17th century French scientist and philosopher is an interesting one. Better known for his metaphysical musings ("I think, therefore I am"), than his early quite remarkable understanding of analytic geometry and mathematics, he lived outside of France for most of his life, and once buried in Sweden, was exhumed and re-buried several times back in France. As many came to later call him, "The Father of Modern Philosophy" had writings on both science and philosophy that are best understood in context together. Think about it. A scientist trying to prove the existence of God. No wonder they call it The Enlightenment. A New Yorker article sums up his life and a couple of new biographies.

Having a paper to deliver on mysticism in a couple of weeks, it has been an inspiration to read about him once again.

All kinds of little gems leaping forth from the digital domain recently, as well as from those sentient beings curious enough to be involved in my surrounding social architecture here in wonderful Aotearoa...

My friends within the Paradise Duck family are enjoying a wet spring here, which suits them fine,

and the young ones are now nearing the 50-60 day mark, where they are strong enough to fly on their own. Pa then hangs around a bit for the summer, takes off again, only to return late winter to enjoy the company of his lifetime mate and have another family.

They do alright.

More good news (really!) from the Auckland Regional Council which has announced a plan to create a wildlife sanctuary on Rangitoto and Motutape islands, the closest to Auckland, and between our island of Waiheke and the city. "Breathing new life into the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park", it will be significantly larger than any other of the sanctuaries in the country, and twenty times larger than Tiritiri Matangi, our closest wildlife sanctuary.

Typically, the Grey Lynn Park Festival in Auckland kicks off a summer festival season that this year will include WOMAD, a biennial cultural and musical extravaganza in New Plymouth. For the second year running, the weather has been very wet on the day, but at least they did not cancel this year, which was nice. We make the most of our summers here, and this one will be no exception. Lots of free music, dance and art for the adventurous.

As the BBC reports here, sometimes the low-tech and easy approach to solving problems may be the most effective. They are discovering how to capture and store rain water more effectively in Africa now, and use it where and when it is needed most.

Tastes great too, believe me. My tank is overflowing at the moment. I drink much more water than I ever have.

Now if they can just get some mosquito nets over there sometime in the near future, lives will be saved...

On a lighter note, NPR continues to deliver excellent quality and useful information to help navigate the digital world, this short audio file explaining quite clearly how to transfer those old vinyl and audiocassette tapes onto your computer for longevity and portabililty(they can then be downloaded to your Mp3 player if you so desire). Like much of the work in this area, it sounds easy. We'll see. I have a large collection of priceless audiotapes, and look forward to having them safely stored and backed up on my PC.

I think it's time to "go bush", as they say down here, and get away from all things digital, to enjoy some of the natural wonders of the South Island. Watch this space.

Belief Biology

2006-11-12T11:09:00.000+13:00

"I have just 3 things to teach:
Simplicity
Patience
Compassion.
These are your greatest treasures"

-Tao Te Ching

I have to admit that after nearly 20 years living down in the Antipodes, I am now officially a Rugby Fan. Not fanatical, but certainly an ardent admirer of the game. When I first moved down here from the U.S., I looked at these hulking guys with no necks and no protection running at full speed into each other as something slightly akin to organised brawling. When the ref did blow the whistle for any number of unknown infractions, I was most puzzled. Get the ball over the line anyway you can seemed the point, and whatever happened to your body or anyone elses, well, so be it.

There are actually tactics and strategy in this mayhem, and having never played the game, it just took me a bit longer than the locals to get the gist. New Zealand has the best rugby team in the world right now, and with the World Cup being played in 12 months time, it creates very high expectations from the public. Luckily, they thrashed France today, or the whole country would have been in a funk. They are warriors alright, and very focused as you must be in battle, lest you lose your life. The Haka, a Maori challenge brought on each time they face an opponent, is unseen anywhere else in sports, and is really the best part of the whole match. It is an adrenaline-surged dance of life and death, played out before millions by those who are about to enter combat with rules. Spine tingling stuff.

My Tui friend pictured above has gone off in the mornings for sweeter and perhaps easier nectar in the lush bush around my cottage, but he will be back. That shot is from my bedroom window, just a metre away from where he would wake me every morning. Their call is like no other in the bird world, perhaps I can post a audio of it. That would be pretty clever for a non-geek!

Staying with the geek world of gadgets and more, Microsoft has now decided to enter something called the Zune into the portable digital media player (MP3)market dominated by Apple and iPod, only an astonishing 5 years too late. According to this review by the Tech Maven, it may look cool, and have some new features to shout about (like sharing files with other Zune owners), but in the end, they are short of content, and just a bit late, really. Apple and Steve Jobs impress me more and more with their ability to hit the button with timing, design, and well, coolness. That is a recipe for success for the MySpace generation, who are undoubtedly the main target consumers.

I subscribe to the New Scientist podcasts, which I find brilliant in their production quality, subject matter and presentation. This week is a report on a group of highly respected scientists getting together at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California to debate what they can do about the growing threat of religion undermining all their good work on quantum physics and neurobiology. Not much, I don't think. As long as they see it as a threat, they will be in a constant confrontational and adversarial position, rather than one of collaboration and tolerance. That is unfortunately not a position of productive or positive outcomes, in my view. Consciousness, free will, and belief are not areas that science has been able to fit in to their model very easily. Instead of always hearing Religion v. Science, why not Religion and Science? Once we start feeling threatened by the way other people think, we all become fundamentalists.

No one I speak to seems at all upset that the power in Washington has shifted somewhat, and now we can (not) all look forward to a protracted Presidential election leading up to '08. Do they have time for anything else there but trying to get elected? I guess that is the point of being a politician. Anyway, in this Vanity Fair article, even the die-hard neo-cons giving Bush all the gun-ho advice are now distancing themselves from their failed policies. A sure sign another election is on the way.

If you regularly go to the doctor for a diagnosis of ailment, as most of us would, would you be surprised to know that many of them use Google to get it right? Don't be, it makes sense. I am not recommending to make all our own diagnoses, but it does make me think about what we might be paying for.. My broadband is as good as his! There are lots of medical sites, Web MD being one of the more popular.

And still on health, marriage is given a fairly rough treatment in this NYTimes article, suggesting it may be our heavy reliance on this one relationship at the expense of others, that can lead to a less than balanced life and health. A good social circle and healthy close personal friendships are certainly something to be cherished. The trick I suppose, is to balance those relationships and interests within a marriage, if success and longevity are sought. Nice concept, anyway.

Going International

2006-11-04T12:08:00.000+13:00

"Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power"

-Tao Te Ching

I really love Fiji. I spent a great deal of time there in the mid-80's on a safari from California, and we chartered a boat delivering water to some of the outer island resorts. There have been 3 coups since then, and so news of another one did not upset too many, tourists or locals alike. It seems whenever the military does not like what the government is doing, or feels it is getting a bit too stroppy, then the whip is cracked. Fijians are very laid back, the Indians not so much. Therein lies a great deal of the problems, which are usually ironed out when everyone realises how much they need the tourist dollar, and so reluctantly pull their heads in.

Another interesting international event that will no doubt have long reaching and significant impact on all our lives in the not too distant future: China and Africa buddying up. This is big. One is hungry for resources, the other hungry period. A well thought out strategic alliance will have consequences on everything from the price of oil to World Trade. Watch this space.

I am strictly staying away from the midterm U.S. elections, as it is done to death, and well, it's U.S. politics. Down and dirty.

My cousin runs one of the larges construction and engineering companies in the world, and with all their experience and history building everything from airports to cities across the middle east, even they can't stomach the ongoing violence in Iraq. Time to move on. Sad but true.

Whist in Iraq (and there won't be many if something doesn't change quickly), I am disturbed every time I hear of another fatality in the country that isn't; but what is most unfortunate, is that there is plenty of press for the nearly 3,000 Americans that have lost their lives, when barely a word is spoken for the estimated 600,000 Iraqis that have perished in the last few years, according to this NYTimes article. That is major warfare, no matter how you count it, or what methodology you use. Human life is precious. It should not matter whether it is a civilian, U.S. military, or Iraqi. Sadly, it does to those who manipulate media.

Here in New Zealand the recent Stern Report on Climate Change used New Zealand as an example of excess in terms of the "food miles"used to get its kiwifruit around the world. Much to the outcry of politicians and exporters, the claim is that our production methods are more efficient, that it is actually less carbon hungry than buying in Europe. Perhaps. But that is not really the point.

The carbon market trading will do little to change behavior. And a change in behavior is what is needed. If there are extra green taxes on a country's exports from far away, that will make them less competitive for sure, but people will pay what they have to. Protectionism comes in many forms. The idea is to get local food production back into the hands of people who are local. It is entirely unsustainable to continue to fly produce around the world, taxes or not. Buying carbon credits so that you can continue unsustainable practices does not make sense. Food in particular, is going to be the first to go. It is a global marketplace, but the added value products and services that will need to be exported must be of high value and low volume in order to effect the excessive air travel has on the climate. Food is neither.

A quick glance at the recent Bioneers Conference held in California, and growing year by year.

And last, but certainly not least... the outrageously funny duo of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert being interviewed by seasoned journalist Maureen Dowd for Rolling Stone magazine. Gut-splitting!

Irreducible Complexity

2006-10-30T12:01:00.000+13:00

How does it feel
How does it feel?
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a Rolling Stone?

-Bob Dylan

I posted recently about the undercurrents of the religion v. science debate raging in certain elements of the blogosphere, and now, the NYTimes confirms the discussion carries through in other media, with many of the current best sellers lying firmly in that category. Along with documentary films and non-fiction, people want to consume their media with more interest in how it will effect their lives in the here and now. Stories are great, and I am reading one now that is highly entertaining (more on that later); but it would appear a momentum is swinging towards seeking out truth, in whatever form that can be absorbed in. More than just authors promoting their work on tour, it seems the desire is their to cut through the crap and get real about certain things. Too much deception will do that.

Along with Jon Stewart, Bill Maher seems to be one switched on and funny guy (at least to me anyway). With the "New Rules" segment on his show, and regular blog, he has some very poignant comments. Especially about why in the hell they are drug-testing librarians. Dear me.
As long as they still allow people like that to satirize what needs to be satirized, then I suppose all the civil liberties in that country have not yet been abolished in the name of fighting terror. How do you fight a noun, anyway? With a verb?

OneGoodMove seems to be still posting these handy clips, but the days of mass circulation from the likes of YouTube may be over. Fun while it lasted, but that's corporate life for you.

In the What's-Wrong-With-This-Picture-Dept: Ford Auto Company posts a $5 billion dollar loss in the last quarter, while Google continues to please investors with a $750 million dollar profit. That's per quarter, folks. 3 months.

I remember hiking in the Cascade mountains many years ago, with the majestic Mt St Helens and Glacier Peak always in view. It was a great place to be in the fall, with apple orchards on the eastern side for some between-semester income during University days, and the San Juan archipelago on the western side with all its hidden isles and great sailing. The Mountain Larch is one of the striking icons of these ranges, a gorgeous golden display on a deciduous conifer that now draws walkers and hikers at this time of year up to witness the fall color "Cascade Style". Must see area.

Sympathetic Vibrations

2006-10-21T15:05:00.000+13:00

"And it taught us more about living
Than we ever cared to know
But we came to find the secret
And we never let it go"

-Van Morrison

Now I know why they called it a cursor. Mine blinks defiantly at me on the screen in front of a grey day, almost taunting me to try and figure out what to write. There is nothing to figure out, and once I had gotten that, words and ideas emerge much easier.

I have written a bit lately about another great internet story, YouTube, a wildly popular user-friendly site that oh, just plays 100 million video clips a day for a hungry audience, and the bright young guys that just sold it to Google for a billion and a half and some change. These are not just tech stories or get-rich-quick American success stories either. These entrepreneurs and purveyors of a very disruptive technology called user-generated content, are the vanguard of the revolution in media that has been taking place over the last few years. A revolution taking place that effects the way we do just about everything in our lives. Particularly if we communicate, create, share, or otherwise collaborate with anyone on just about anything. Good luck to them. If you are interested in some of the videos that were posted over the year and a half of its independent life, drew huge audiences, and finally the attention of Google, NPR has an article and links to some of the most popular here. And they are not all frat-boy type prank videos, but mainly clips from mainstream media that gained massive sudience share by way of their uniquely simple platform and distribution.

It is not without its challenges however for the new owners, who have copywrite issues galore to deal with, and have already pulled 30,000 clips for that reason.

A Free Hugs campaign is something I definitely would not have seen anywhere else, and happy to have it forwarded. Worth a look.

Elsewhere in cyberspace, ominous clouds of greed appear to be gathering around the concept of Net Neutrality and cooperative commerce by none other than the providers of bandwitdth, (i.e. corporate media conglomerates) who apparently would like to enhance their position both financially as well as physically by deciding what content would be best for us to consume. Bill Moyers has an excellent article here, and a short video clip is here. Watch this space. It may not be the same for much longer.

Spring in New Zealand is a real hit-or-miss affair. We have the droves of "day trippers", boaties and other tourists out on the island looking for sunshine and creating long queues at the ferry terminal this weekend due to the Labour Day Holida. Sure enough, it is raining so hard right now, I can hardly hear Bob on the stereo. Great for the farms. Not so for holidaymakers trying to entertain the hordes of kids with boardgames I imagine.

Not quite the beginning of the camping season, most will find themselves supporting our local economy in the cafes or pubs today, before overloading the hopelessly under-resourced ferry system, which has at least 2 or 3 boats out of commission on one of the busiest holidays of the year. I think they blew another engine last week or something, I can't remember, it happens so often. Which is why I stay out here as much as I possibly can. Kayaks work well.

In grittier parts of the world, there is now a consensus of sorts that the debacle in Iraq, which many informed journalists have been declaring a disaster for the last 2 years, is finally reaching a Tipping Point, and major changes will ensue. Oh really? This Guardian article sums up the wasted bloodshed and political fallout in the U.S. as well as Britain.

Our local cinema is showing The Power of Community, How Cuba Survived Peak Oil again, a powerful doco detailing what happened in Cuba after the collapse of the Soviet Union. I like the approach that was taken, finding innovative and collaborative solutions on a local level to problems that seem too large on a global level.

Dwelling still in the realms of the global, I haven't been flying much recently, more due to timing and the hassles involved than anything else (though I would like to think I remain conscious of the carbon dioxide released from jet aircraft). Carbon trading is meant to be an incentive for us to "balance" the emissions we create from our activities with those that reduce those emissions. In case you are interested in how much CO2 is released on a flight from A to B, this Climate Care site is one that can inform you on such details. My sisters wedding in California next February now appears to be more expensive than I first imagined.

The Green Jet Setters have one more PR issue to deal with as a result.

Still, all one has to do is spend a few hours in the sun on a warm summers day down here in New Zealand, and it will become rapidly apparent something is not working in the atmosphere, and needs immediated attention (as will your skin from the super strong UVs).

A bigger picture of the Spinach/E.Coli problem in the States recently from besteselling author Michael Pollan (Botany of Desire and The Omnivores Dilemma).

And finally, for those of us who like to read alot, there are now (surprise!) digital readers that will download and carry lots of books around for you in yet another gadget. So far, not such good reviews, and personally, I like the feel of paper pages, rather than the scrolling a screen which often drives me mad on the computer. This review in Slate Magazine asks if the new Sony Reader is the new iPod for books. Er, not quite.

Cultural Momentum

2006-10-14T10:20:00.000+13:00

"Relationships of ownership
They whisper in the wings
To those condemned to act accordingly
And wait for succeeding kings.
And I try to harmonize with songs
The lonesome sparrow sings
There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden"

-Bob Dylan

Yesterday, whilst mowing a large hillside of weeds in the tractor and listening attentively to the latest Eckhart Tolle offering The Findhorn Retreat on the trusty iPod, it occurred to me just what was happening. A nest of Pukekos was scampering for a hasty retreat, lest it come to rest under the tractor. Yikes! All safe and sound in the end with some NASCAR type driving. Tolle, the soft spoken German and author of the best selling non-fiction Power of Now, has in this latest recording continued sharing his conceptual thinking on presence of mind and the difference between form and formless. If you believe there is more to life than living, and more to death than dying, it will be understood and received with familiarity. If not, you won't make it very far through the 4 CD set.

Staying in the world of personalities, although most definitely in the worldly sense; two men I have come to enjoy listening to for their sense of humour and wit, as well as timing and intelligence are on this clip together. Yes, Jon Stewart on the David Letterman Show. Jon talks about his family, having the President of Pakistan on his show, and a few other tidbits. From the site of choice for the agnostic crowd, One Good Move.

Between the mystical underpinnings of a New Age guru to the world of cultural transformation, my media consumption can be called anything but limited at the moment. The book I finished this weekend, called Escaping the Matrix by Richard Moore, is a convincingly well written indictment of current as well as historical "democratic" societies; using the metaphor of the Matrix as a vehicle for the manufactured reality perpetuated by the wealthy elite to keep power. His remedies for getting out of "dominator" type societies into more "participative" societies include optimistic but very plausible local action initiatives gaining momentum for eventual political revitalisation and cultural transformation. I could comment at length on this, having been a supporter of community and local initiatives as opposed to any type of centralised governing structure for many years. It hits home when I see the genesis of the movement in my own community on this island. An excerpt from the book sums up a bit on its own:

"The situation is much different, however, when people have sovereignty over their own communities, and when they use harmonisation instead of majority rule. Under such a democratic system, there is no tyranny to protect ourselves against: each of us participates equally in the decision-making process, and our concerns are taken into account along with everyone else's...The only fixed guarantees needed in a democratic society are guarantees that communities have sovereignty, and that participatory democracy be used to decide issues within and among communities. And the best guarantee for these things is a culture based on harmonisation."

A bit Utopian? Perhaps. But, if you live in a small community, and local decisions effect your life in a very direct way, you can see often how productive it is to switch from adversarial politics to collaborative. The local food movement, and the enormously popular CSA, is just one example.

Another great example, is the just recently named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Muhammed Yunis, and the Grameen Bank he founded to make local loans to the local poor. In the process, he created a new economic movement called Microcredit. Primarily focused on the rural, and women, it is a system devised around collaborative effort that has been successful in lifting millions out of poverty. That has got to be a good thing.

Anything is possible.
And some things actually happen.

Densely Saturated with Meaning

2006-10-11T10:39:00.000+13:00

"Beauty is the moment of transition,
as if the form were ready to flow into other forms"

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't normally write Letters to Editors, but it was a nasty day yesterday, with a Spring hailstorm that wreaked havoc on the wonderous beginning to an otherwise benign Spring. We have a passionate populus here on the island, and many are rightly concerned with the direction it will be taking with regards to future developments. So, much is played out in the 3 (yes three!) weekly newspapers that cover the changing demographics of our 8000 permanent residents. We have the pro-, we have the anti-, and we have the I-don't- care-I-just- want- to- make-money- on- my- house brigades, each reflected in their own type of periodical. One editor/publisher was spouting off about the demise of democracy hijacked by the "barrow-pushers", etc., and really needed to have a word with himself. So I helped. There's democracy for you.

Just in case no one has listened to my rants about the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, now showing regularly on NZ television, here is a video clip from a MSM source interviewing other media players who all agree that he has major influence on under 30's in the States, is one of the most trusted names on TV, and that spells trouble with a capital T for the established players. Great viewing.

Hong Kong's Standard newspaper with a view on the recent buy out of YouTube by Google.
30 million pairs of eyeballs each month! Advertisers only dream about that kind of attention. It was bound to attract interest from someone. And only 20 months old.

Whilst on video, if you are a reeeeal geek, and can figure out how to do some sort of complicated mathematical equations, Netflix will pay you ALOT of money to upgrade their rating system for DVD's so that it more accurately reflects what people like. It is a classsic upselling model that works well on the net. Think Amazon.Com's "others who bought this, also liked this..." sort of thing. Amazon does it brilliantly, I must admit.

Away from pixels and back on to the farm...No doubt the industrialised food chain is susceptible to more outbreaks of E.Coli and other bacterial problems, that are inherent in food that is sourced from farther and farther away, warehoused, and trucked, and stored, and... you get the picture. San Jose Mercury News gives the lowdown here. Business Week online jumps into the fray with the Organic Myth, being the next big ticket margin for Supermarket chains, who want it to go mainstream as soon as possible, because it is such a "growth category". Right. The problem is, if standards are inevitably lowered to make it into WalMart and Costco, then where is the stewardship of the land that is the backbone of the movement? Remember Small is Beautiful? At the crossroads, I am afraid. What is the point of buying organic if all the ingredients have been flown in from around the world, emitting tons of carbon dioxide in the process?

Also on health related topics, this oversimplified, but truthful article on water as an underrated part of our nutritional makeup form Alternet.

Finally, another great essay from the NPR series "This I Believe", on failure as a good thing, from a regular SF Chronicle columnist.

Nice to know. Hopefully not a habit, anyway.

Only The Strong Survive

2006-10-08T11:29:00.000+13:00

"It is not a sign of good health
to be well adjusted to a sick society."

- J. Krishnamurti

I love American sports. They may have alot of their geopolitical and social priorities all twisted up in fear and greed, but man, do they do sports! Although admittedly, nothing can replace the "beautful game" of football, and in particular the European clubs, the Americans get pretty close with their playoff seasons in both basketball and baseball. Ever since coming down to the Antipodes, the flow and athleticism of rugby has surpassed girdiron or "American Football" for me, but the very uniquely American baseball and basketball showcase individual talents superbly. That can also be a problem for them on the world stage, as their is so much talent, that when they compete together representing the U.S., apart from the familiarity of their clubs, they do not do well. However, there is such tangible passion from the fans, great action, drama, and tactics that highlight the tremendous effort and concentraion that goes into being a professional athlete. These guys are focused. I have often wondered what it would feel like to walk off a stadium with 50,000 people applauding and congratulating your efforts in securing the victory for the home team. Adrenaline surging through the veins is the "juice" that keeps them going like nothing else. Some decide to artificially inject, but why take a needleful of it, when it is freely available after a great performance?

I have been to a couple of new sites recently that may be of interest to some, and certainly has me appreciating the hard work and imagination that goes into creating these entertaining and informative interactive media. Imagination Cubed allows one to draw and share artwork with others collaboratively, which would have all kinds of educational uses, especially to younger ones perhaps just getting their confidence in artistic endeavours. Qunu gives instant real-time help online for those tricky tech problems that may be slowing down your productivity at the keyboard, or just plain annoying you(yes, I have been there). Experts donate their time, and from there, it is up to you to get what you can from them. Both of these came from a great show on BBC called Click, keeping us abreast in laymans terms, with the fast paced world of IT and all its spinoffs. Great presenter and format.

Also worth sharing are a couple of very good docos that are available at Amazon.com, if not your local NetfLix or video shop. One is about the soul singers of the 60's and 70's from Stax records like Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and the like, some of whom are still alive and performing, with all the amazing energy and rythm of 40 years ago. Only The Strong Survive, is an entertaining and informative DVD I would recommend to anyone who loves the old R&B and soul from the USA. They made it, and are still going.

The other is a PBS documentary called The Persuaders, all about the innovative and insidious efforts marketers are making in these times to separate you from your money. In this age of YouTube and MySpace, advertisers increasingly require a dialogue with consumers in order to keep their attention, rather than just broadcast messages at them. This kind of emotional branding helps sort out the clutter for us, so we know just exactly what we want. Products and services that reflect our values and lifestyle, and of course, they have just that. Yeah right. The best line in the whole film is someone defining what the secret of real persuasion is: Inducing a person to persude themselves. OK then.

On a totally different note, and one closer to my passion, would be the elegant and ephemeral work of Andy Goldsworthy, and Scottish artist whose sculptures made in collaboration with the natural world around him is shown brilliantly in the film Rivers and Tides. A truly great documentary, that I enjoy every time I see it.

There are some cultural highlights of a visual nature for your library. Before leaving this post, I must share one article which seemed to sum up well the futility of madness involved in recent shootings of Amish schoolgirls. From The Australian, as well as other sources, the media reports seem to focus on how the Amish have been able to accept and forgive such an horrendous violation of their peaceful lives. Perhaps even though they are not immune to the violence all around them, more people now realise why they choose to live the life they do. And how it helps them to stay together.

Whatever works.

Spring Shape-Shifting

2006-10-03T18:31:00.000+13:00

"Reality is relative to the measuring apparatus."

In my regular wanderings through this virtual zeitgeist known commonly as the internet, the flavour of discussion often drifts towards the age old showdown of religion v. science. I don't know if it is as a result of the rise in fundamentalism, both in the Islamic and the Christian worlds, or the evolutionary demographic of the web-savy. It seems as common on news sites, as blogs, or threads to any number of articles and essays. It is almost as though the scientific community has decided to make an orchestrated attempt to bring reason, facts and evidence back into the dialogue, as a response to the perceived increasing dominance of religious based thought and infuence in international affairs. And it is not moderate religious thought, but extreme. Think Evangelical or Taliban. Either way it spells intolerance.

Scientific American has this summary of some the latest books on the debate.

An excerpt from Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion:

Fundamentalism And The Subversion of Science.

Fundamentalists know they are right because they have read the truth in a holy book and they know, in advance, that nothing will budge them from their belief. The truth of the holy book is an axiom, not the end product of a process of reasoning. The book is true, and if the evidence seems to contradict it, it is the evidence that must be thrown out, not the book. By contrast, what I, as a scientist, believe (for example, evolution) I believe not because of reading a holy book but because I have studied the evidence. It really is a very different matter. Books about evolution are believed not because they are holy. They are believed because they present overwhelming quantities of mutually buttressed evidence. In principle, a reader can go and check that evidence. When a science book is wrong, somebody eventually discovers the mistake and it is corrected in subsequent books. That conspicuously doesn't happen with holy books.

Maybe scientists are fundamentalist when it comes to defining in some abstract way what is meant by 'truth', but so is everybody else. I am no more fundamentalist when I say evolution is true than when I say it is true that New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere. We believe in evolution because the evidence supports it, and we would abandon it overnight if new evidence arose to disprove it. No real fundamentalist would ever say anything like that.

It is all too easy to confuse fundamentalism with passion. I may well appear passionate when I defend evolution against a fundamentalist creationist, but this is not because of a rival fundamentalism of my own. It is because the evidence for evolution is overwhelmingly strong and I am passionately distressed that my oppenent can't see it - or, more usually refuses to look at it because it contradicts his holy book. My passion is increased when I think about how much the poor fundamentalists, and those whom they influence, are missing. The truths of evolution, along with many other scientific truths are so engrossingly fascinating and beautiful; how truly tragic to die having missed out on all that! Of course that makes me passionate. How could it not? But my belief in evolution is not fundamentalism, and it is not faith, because I know what it would take to change my mind, and I would gladly do so if the necessary evidence were forthcoming.

Or this from Sam Harris, author of the new book, Letter to a Christian Nation:

The conflict between science and religion is reducible to simple fact of human cognition and discourse; either a person has good reasons for what he believes, or he does not. If there were good reasons to believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, or that Muhammad flew to heaven on a winged horse, these beliefs would necessarily form part of our rational description of the universe. Everyone recognizes that to rely upon "faith" to decide specific questions of historical fact is ridiculous—that is, until the conversation turns to the origin of books like the Bible and the Koran, to the resurrection of Jesus, to Muhammad's conversation with the archangel Gabriel, or to any other religious dogma. It is time that we admitted that faith is nothing more than the license religious people give one another to keep believing when reasons fail.

What is our "rational description of the universe"? I don't know. Many are worried in places like the U.S. about the increasing overlap of Church and State. But even with these well known and respected writers and thinkers, intolerance is not far below the surface in their passionate pleas for rationalist, evidence-based thought. The rest is dogma, and has no place. How boring. How UNsatisfying.

I agree that taking something on someone's word, or blind faith in a concept is dangerous. Action without purpose ends up becoming ritual. Rituals become dogmas, and the whole spiral carries on for generations. But what these "scientists" need to understand, in their endless quest for proof and evidence to support the existence of something that may be beyond understanding, is that individual direct experience is as much evidence as one needs. But the experience may only be available to one who has tried the "experiment". I don't need a license to believe something, regardless of whether it is reasonable or not. And I consider myself a "reasonable" person. There may be other, or different scientific methods or experiments that have stood the test of time. Only when we can accept that this universe may not be all there is, will we be able to see a wider perspective, and tolerate those who believe in that which cannot be proven. For those who have gone beyond, it is not necessary either to be believed by anyone or to prove anything. It is the scientists that need to prove. They wave their "scientific method" around with as much fervour as those who wave their holy books.

As Evolution and Intelligent Design battle for the minds of the next generations, perhaps it could be that evolution is an intelligent design? Perhaps it is precisely because we can see the proof for species evolving, it will motivate us to seek more proof, however that comes, for the reasons why. Could something as intricately interwoven and beautiful as this universe be as random as a big bang?

Some thoughts to ponder as I take my daily walk, and listen. Much the same as this contributor to NPR's This I Believe series. More listening can only help us to communicate better.

And that has to be a good thing.

Cultural Creativity

2006-09-29T07:38:00.000+12:00

"Beauty is the moment of transition,
as if the form were just ready to flow
into other forms."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

On the island, we only give the last four digits of our phone numbers. Everyone is on the same exchange, so there is no need to mention the prefix. It is another little reminder that I live in a small community; one that sells the local paper every Thursday at the community hall, where pensioners sit in the sun and read about everything from the increase in property taxes to access to the walking tracks to global warming. If one were so inclined to create a new culture, blending a bit of the old and a bit of the new, an island would be a good place to start.

And don't think for one moment the desire is not there, simmering just below the surface of the warm beaches, bustling tourism and expanding vineyards. Communities that care open frequent dialogues and look to be inclusive in their process. A diverse and changing demographic makes it a challenge worth pusuing, and one that becomes even more relevant.

It has been a long and chilly winter, and the remnants will still be felt now and again for the next few weeks; but the recent rays of warmth have given us a flush of longer days, and the beaches draw sun worshippers, kayakers, and walkers. The tubulence of the winter sea has given way to calm glassy conditions, with only the drone of an ocassional outboard motor and occupants busily pursuing their maritime pleasures. My neighbor tows his boat down our road with his tractor at the crack of dawn and again at dusk for quick forays out to his secret fishing spots. The local paradise duck family, split up over the winter when their brood flew away, have now re-united and 7 young ducklings waddle around the foreshore. And of course, the lushness of the native bush reveal a host of flora and fauna delivering their unique brand of colorful propagation frenzy each day.

Meanwhile in a parallel universe, those of us flirting with the digital world as well, continue to find all its fascinating opportunities and new developments most intriguing. It boggles this mind to read that a site on the web like YouTube, shows 30 million videos a day. The rise and rise of user generated content on the internet is a phenomena that shows no signs of slowing, and even now has become the new targe of hackers. I certainly have noticed a marked increase in the spam and phishing emails I get since I started blogging. However, that won't stop people from creating and sharing their words, photos, music and videos on the web. The social networking, games, blogs, and news sites all have one thing in common that makes it such a real revolution: they are all interactive. Apparently now, in the age of Web 2.0, those who use this medium for whatever purpose, overhwelmingly want to participate rather than just absorb. It is definitely the beginning of a new communication model, and one that, with all its possible dark sides, will eventuall prove to be a turning point for our cultures, just like the telephone and television, only far more powerful in its reach and impact.

Must get down to feed the ducks now. I am a bit sore from some heavy equipment operation this week, but the olives we planted will no doubt make their mark on the landscape soon, and provide oil in a few years as well. In the meantime, my salad garden needs attention, the trusty truck is off to a new owner, and a great Reggae band is here for the weekend. Wowsa.

Here and There

2006-09-20T15:41:00.000+12:00

"If you would be a real seeker after truth,
it is necessary that at least once in your life
you doubt as far as possible, all things"

-Rene Descartes

After reading of the E.Coli breakout in the U.S. recently both here in the LA Times, and here in NPR , I was immediately taken back a few years to when I was managing multiple farm sites in New Zealand and Australia growing baby spinach and salad greens. Our main objective was of course, to deliver fresh, wholesome produce to our customers as quickly as possible. In Melbourne, we delivered the same day it was harvested, and it was in restaurants that night or the next day. In New Zealand, the same thing. Only when we started sending it to Tokyo and beyond, did we start to experience problems with shelf life and higher bacteria levels. Nowhere in the reports to date, have I found anyone talking about the transport problems and cool-chain that must be strictly followed as a source of the problem.

Fresh produce is supposed to be just that. Fresh. But because we don't grow and eat our food locally anymore, we tend to eat vegetables and fruit that have travelled long distances and spent many days before reaching our mouths. There are many reasons why this has happened, and the strain of E.Coli bacteria that is making people sick in the U.S. right now is just another symptom of an industrialised food system that is not working. For every hour spinach (and many leafy greens for that matter) is above optimum storage temp (4 -7 deg C) it loses a day in shelf life. So the more it travels, not only does the cost go up, the quality goes down, the risk of hitting a "break in the cool chain" increases, and the bacteria sets in. Eat local if you can. The finger pointing at organic produce and use of manures etc is well, just that. Bullshit.

Catherine Austin Fitts of Solari came and spoke on the island recently, and her background of high level finance and investment banking as well as government work with the first Bush administration got her into some hot water a few years ago, and her story is compelling. Apparently if something can save money for the taxpayer, it doesn't necesarily mean it will get a look in, as far as government is concerned. Fees for Friends is what counts. Try to stop that and red flags come up everywhere. Uh hello?

What she and her new company seek to do now is inform those who care, about investment models that are local, sustainable and most importantly, have integrity. Our little (or bigger as the case may be) savings, investments, pensions, etc are eagerly funding companies that may or may not be supporting the kind of world we want for ourselves and our children. Best to know where it is, because if we are not part of the solution, we very well could be part of the problem.

Her well written review of Al Gore's doco, An Inconvenient Truth brings up some interesting points that he clearly omits in the film. Like who caused this all to happen, and why?

But in India, the discovery of a new bird species is great news. The ongoing high suicide rate by small farmers who are crushed by debt pushed onto them by mutinational GE seed companies, is not. As this NYTimes article points out, they are led to believe their only salvation is (expensive) GE cotton, which will give them extra yields of disease free crops. Yeah right.

If you regularly share a bed with someone, then there is an excellent study recently completed by Dr. Paul Rosenblatt of the University of Minnesota that may be of interest to you as this NYT article points out:

"In researching his book, Dr. Rosenblatt said even though many couples said they slept better alone, they still shared a bed. 'When I asked why, they looked at me as if I’d asked them why they keep breathing,' he said."

The days are getting longer as Spring slowly makes its way down here to us in the Southern Hemisphere. The first shoots from the grape buds are just emerging, the tuis and kererus are busy feeding off the many flowering trees, and the rays of the sun's warmth are oh, so welcome. The seasonal westerly winds that crash the waves up on the slippery rocks below my house create a symphonic healing balm for my soul on nights that are still a bit chilly, but hold promise for the playful summer ahead.

Books and Lonely Girls

2006-09-10T17:31:00.000+12:00

"Now that all your worry has proved such an unlucrative business,
why not find a better job?"

-Hafiz

I grew up in Southern California in the 60's and 70's, and the music that was being created in both the northern and southern parts of the state at that time is still being listened to many decades to later. Out of Laurel Canyon came the Byrds, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Eagles, The Doors, and well, you get the idea... And up in the (SF) Bay Area were icons such as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Grace Slick, and The Sons of Champlin. A new book reviewed on NPR details the life of the Laurel Canyon (LA) crowd and the special sound that came from that time and place. It seems like a long time ago, but oh, so much fun to hear about again.

Back to the present, if you are the festival type, the Burning Man is one of the biggest still in existence in the Golden State, and a webcam captures all the action of that now famous creation in the desert that appears and disappears in the space of a couple of weeks, full of music and art.

But back here in New Zealand, I have the Going West Books and Writers Literary Festival out in the beautiful Waitakere Mountains next weekend, which is focused on local writing talent, of which we have plenty. Many of the same authors have appeared this year in The Book Show, a weekly TV show my daughter helped produce. We watched the last episode of the first series together last night in a weekend of torrential Spring rain. I enjoyed seeing her name roll by in the credits, which must be a "dad" thing.

After that, I will have to get out to the island pretty quickly, as another speaker from out of the country is spending time with us imparting informative sustainable investing advice. Catherine Austin Fitts of Solari will be speaking on Waiheke after doing some work in Wellington and other parts of the country with Scoop. A old friend of mine Anais Starr of The Center in Montana is in NZ assisting her, and I look forward to showing them some kiwi hospitality, "Waiheke" style.

And as always, to finish on a another shining example in cyberspace of what author Henry Jenkins calls "convergence culture": the online diary of "Lonely Girl 15", has been described by the New York Times in this article as the "birth of a new art form." I am not sure I would go that far, but the experiment by some art students with a series of You Tube videos that chronicles the life and loves of a young woman had the internet abuzz as to whether it was real or just some marketing hype. Does it really matter? Cute girl, cute stories, well edited, and I say, go for it.
And have fun doing it, whatever it is called(Just don't start with the product placements..PLEASE).
And now I know for sure what all those people sitting in offices are doing behind their computers all day!

Spring 2.0

2006-09-03T09:34:00.000+12:00

"When you think that you have lost everything,
You find out you can always lose a little more.
I've been walking through the middle of nowhere,
Tryin to get to Heaven before they close the door"

-Bob Dylan

The release of a new Bob Dylan album (do we still call them albums?) or CD, is always cause for excitement, as well as a bit of nostalgia, and it would seem by a large margin the critics have acclaimed his new release, Modern Times a success, whatever that means. For such an enigmatic and influential artist, who some have called one of the great poets of our time, reviews probably don't mean much. As part or the "trilogy" of albums starting with Time Out of Mind, and then Love and Theft, this is supposed to be the best. I am really looking forward to hearing what he has to say.

The equinox not quite here yet, and blasts of wintery air still whip up from the Antarctic, but the feel of Spring is definitely in the air. All our grape vines are pruned and tied down to the wires, awaiting the warmth to burst into life. Pushing through to get the job done, the ladies said a night out would be the perfect incentive to finish on time, and I agreed. Not a pub person myself, it was however,a bit of fun with great live music and kickin' up the heals to a band named September (of course) and a 6th Birthday party for the Irish watering hole called Malones on the island. Suffice to say, my staff were not able to make it to work the next day...

Later the next day I was mingling at one of our monthly gatherings with members of the Waiheke Winegrowers Association, exchanging viticultural knowledge and social time. I started refelecting on the paradoxical nature of some of my social and professional interactions. I deal with people at the extreme ends of the socio-economic scale in my business, and realise everyone has something to offer, regardless of how much money or land they might have or not. Intent and attitude play a big part in my willingness to stay engaged or continue to associate with people. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Who are these so called Power Elites? Do they really have so much power? We'll see.

This NYTimes columist wonders where all the activists have gone after listening to a Crosby Stills Nash and Young concert. Where indeed. It maybe that this is a generation that instead of taking to the streets with the banners and facing the wrath of the National Guard, the digital world is providing a varied and fertile ground for slowly cultivating an underlying change in consciousness. So much of the benefits of the new media revolution come from the interactivity. When people feel they have a voice, then things start to happen, and when it becomes painfuly obvious that certain practices within our societies and cultures are totally unsustainable, a groundswell starts. Usually when it hits the wallet!

This article from Grist magazine lays out (once again) another strong case for knowing where and how your food is grown, and what the consequences can be when the fossil fuels become too expensive, or gone completely. I don't know whether it is because I have farmed most of my life, or whether it is the timing, but more and more people in my global circle are concerned and taking action one way or another about improving their food supply. The fact that the average distance travelled for most fresh? food in the US is 1500 miles from farm to table, is just another example of something that can not last. New models are evolving successfully, new generations are seeing the urgency. Farmers Markets, Community Supported Agriculture, Organics, and Bio Dynamics are all seeing huge growth patterns in the field and in the shops.

Once in awhile a great sporting event takes grip like with the drama and suspense (if you are a sporting fan) that is overwhelming. Andre Agassi has been at the top of tennis for 20 years, which is a long time, and although it is now dominated by a superb Swiss at the moment, Agassi's evolution and comebacks over the years have been inspirational. His 5 set victory the other night against an up and coming player 15 yrs younger before a packed NY crowd was pure theatre. Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer all have (or had) a spell of dominance in their respective sports like no others before them. Maybe Agassi never reached that pinnacle of superiority, but his greatness lies in the longevity of his efforts over the years, and have won him the hearts of many. Tennis will be the poorer without him. What a match.

He did lose in the 3rd round, but as this excellent article summarises, has the respect of both his peers and fans as he heads into retirement.

Finally in the Don't Try This at Home (or airport) Dept, this joker was so sick of the peculiarities of airport security, he had to see if there was some way to make a point without doing any harm. Probably a bit stupid, definitely a bit bold, but also a few laughs in there as well.

Not flying anywhere myself for awhile. Good thing too.

Convergence

2006-08-25T16:00:00.000+12:00

"Imagination is more important
than knowledge."

-Albert Einstein

One of the many buzz words used in describing the complexities of the "new" media is convergence. I think I got a good idea of what is meant this week. Oxford describes it as "a coming together or towards the same point." The guys at Google, however, have much bigger ideas. Simply put, they want to organise all the information in the world into accessible (through them of course) and convenient services. That's a big task. Personally, I enjoy turning the pages of a good book, and the feel it has in my hands. I don't really need to read everything online. I suppose some people do. That's what they are betting, anyway.

Because in farming I can spend hours sitting on a tractor, I like to be informed and entertained, and podcasts are a brilliant way of doing that. The concept of convergence dawned on me as I was listening to a BBC Archive documentary downloaded that morning, about what is actually going on in this fastest of growing internet companies, and enjoying the tour of their California facilities from my tractor in New Zealand by a British Broadcaster. That night, as I was channel surfing for a decent movie, I switched to the National Radio, where the same programme was being played over my satellite TV connection. That is convergence. The old model of having a "broadcast" pushed on us through one device is replaced by our ability to pull the content we want in a "narrowcast" delivery, i.e. when we like, how we like, and on what what we like. A growing number of different formats and distribution channels available on a growing number of different types of devices, all to reach a single point: the mind of the consumer. A quiet but very significant change in our media consumption patterns.

And don't think those admen aren't thinking of new ways to get you to consume more products as fast as they can in this new environment, either. That's why, when you do a Google search, your key words are sought out feverishly by companies who pay Google big bucks to have their ads come up in nanoseconds along with your search results, just in case you want to buy something related to whatever it is you are searching for. Pretty clever. Clever enough anyway to get the geek founders a few billion in their pockets.

A good friend and mentor once told me there was no shortage of information, only a shortage of attention. I think about that often, as I keenly take part in as many new media adventures as I am able. Not that I am addicted to information, it is more a fascination with the convergence factor that I am looking at. I like to stay informed in order to make personal choices that will best reflect my values and priorties. Social networking sites that have become so popular like MySpace and Facebook, have no appeal to me. I prefer to look someone in the eye and communicate, particularly if it is a matter of getting to know them for the first time. Typing in a social context? I don't think so.

And I am glad that those clever chaps that sit behind computer screens all day are coming up with useable gadgets, too. Like the record player that will play your vinyl, and convert (there it is again) it at the same time to a CD. I don't know, but I think the same is available for audiocassettes, another one of those anachronistic products from oh, so many decades ago. Although gathering from what the sage of sages Bob Dylan has to say in a recent Rolling Stone article, nothing much is worth listening to now anyway, because the recording is so poor. Having seen the Bob live in concert, I know what he means, but we have what we have.

In another universe, or one that exists outside of the digital realm anyway, the astronomers who seem to like to do this sort of thing, have decided Pluto is no longer a planet. I don't know what that means to my astrology chart, but hopefully they will find some more interesting science to report on in space other than nomenclature.

If that is a Mission Impossible, it won't be starring the overexposed and outspoken Tom Cruise, who has parted ways with one of the big studios in Hollywood, with all parties claiming the high ground. Never a fan myself, I recognise similarities to very cultish and arrogant behaviour in his shameless self marketing. What Scientology has to offer as a base of understanding has not been well served by his example in my opinion. Who knows, maybe they all did land here in space ships millions of years ago? Perhaps they could return and take their celebrity type converts back for some more relaxed re-programming. Converge, baby!

All Things Considered

2006-08-12T13:15:00.000+12:00

"We need to respect the fact that it is possible to
know without knowing why we know,
and - sometimes - we are better off that way".

-Malcolm Gladwell

Why do we know what we know? In Malcolm Gladwells groundbreaking social work Blink, he makes the case for intuition quite lucid and mainstream. More than a boook about snap judgements and "thin slicing, it goes to the core of the psyche as a valuable tool in the collection of life instruments to be respected and enhanced. Sometimes we just know. Most times we need to experience. The difference is what he explains so well with varied examples.

Feeling "winter" in New Zealand is an exhilarating and elemental exercise. The skies change rapidly, almost as if in synchronisation with moods. There are as many different types of days as there are moods, I suppose. I had a nice urban walk around downtown Auckland with a friend the other night, and it was invigorating not just because of the winter weather, but also because it is a vibrant and changing city. New people, new ideas, new architecture. There was the flea market in Aotea square, the Mexican Cafe, the Academy theatre, the library. All established stops on my downtown journeys. Yet the feel is that a change is underway, and the newer, ethnically diverse, and creative inhabitants (many of whom live in older buildings now as CBD apartments) are making their mark. Fashion, food, film, fun. All things a good city should have, and Auckland is well on its way.

Definitely not winterish (because it isn't right now in the Northern Hemisphere), is the kayak with the glass bottom from that famous store-that-has-everything, Hammacher and Schlemmer in New York, would be a must-have for the summers out here on Waiheke.

Another fascinating piece of design is the floating bed, which I can only presume, will give the user a new and uplifitng experience. Gotta love it.

Arguably the most famous footballer in the world, David Beckham, can now no longer count on a place in his national team. This is definitely the passing of an era, and although he has had his critics en masse, as the English press can so quickly become, I believe he still has skills that keep him at the top level of the game. At 31, it must be a difficult pill to swallow. He was one of the standout players for England at the failed World Cup bid (which is not saying much), but as the captain he took responsibility for the loss, and showed great character. He is not a bad businessman either, and with an annual income of well over $100 million in salary and endorsements, he won't be hurting. "Brand Beckham" still has a bit more in it. But for a professional athlete, it is the competition that counts, and under his leadership, they never achieved their potential. Later, Becks.

A couple of good pieces on my favourite subject, food and farming. One from the Worldwatch Institute on the Tipping Point for American agriculture, and the other on the popularity of old fashioned Food Markets in Britain. All this leads to consistently to the movement of people wanting to know more about what they are putting into their body. Where it comes from, who grew it and how, and what is in it. Not altogether an unreasonable request, given what can be fed to us in the name of food these days. Good reading.

If you are still travelling by air (and it is hard to avoid depite the mounting inconveniences), there are ways to get the seat you want for whatever reason. This NYTimes article shows you how. It won't tell you how to get past the endless security checkpoints, as they is here to stay, it would appear.

Great gallery of rainbows if you are so inclined. They are plentiful at this time of year down here, and enjoyable diversions.

And finally, from both ends of the sustainability spectrum, the Space Agency NASA has found something quite useful to do with all of its hi tech resources. That is, search for the elusive Ivory Billed Woodpecker, last seen in some of the Mississippi River valleys. Go guys! And then, the big automakers, who will do whatever it takes to sell more cars, are making sure their new models are equipped to easily fit iPods. I hope no one is driving near me while they are navigating their iPod playlist and surfing the web on their cellphone! Take a walk.

As It Is In Heaven

2006-08-04T08:10:00.000+12:00

"Whatever satisfies the soul
is truth."

- Walt Whitman

The title of this post is the name of a extraordinary Swedish movie I just saw a couple of days ago, and have been thinking about ever since.

It is the story of a passionate and world famous conductor, who according to his doctors, has a heart that is simply "worn out". He returns to his childhood village for what he is not sure, and soon becomes involved in the local church choir. His life dream was always to create music that "opened people's hearts", and the willing group of singers under his guidance, come to realise what he is saying is much more than how to sing. His life is changed as his dream unfolds, and so is theirs. Well worth the time to see and hear this story.

Meanwhile, my favourite bike race has been plagued with more doping issues, and it is sad to cheer someone on for a month as they persevere through the Alps and Pyranees and all the lovely French countryside, only to find out they were hurting themselves more than they know for the spoild of victory. There is so much at stake from a financial perspective, that all these top athletes are constantly tempted with the "added edge". Too bad. A writer and amateur cyclist took one of the most gruelling climbs of "Le Tour", and tried it out just to see what it was really like, and the article in Slate is a good insight into what we mere mortals would endure on a race like this.

I am so over the Middle East and their endless wars. Israel doesn't seem to be able to play nicely with any of its neighbours, and the neighbours do not seem to want to play with them. If there weren't 2000 years of this hatred in all of their blood, I would suggest maybe setting up their country somewhere else. Oops, I suppose that could be anti-semitism. People need a home sure, but countries are overrated. Sorry, I don't think the Promised Land really exists. There is no ideal place. But what about South America somewhere? Just a thought.

Anyway, what ever these young guys think up next on the net always fascinates me, and these guys on WeFeelFine.Com have a site that data mines all the blogs, and categorises all the feelings that are shared by people, who, evidently do that sort of thing online... Then it is turn it into art, which I think is pretty cool. They are no doubt looking right now if I express any "feelings", so they can add to their database. Go for it.

But then there are the gems of multimedia, such as this collaboration of Franz Lanting and Philip Glass, called A Journey Through Time, which is some extraordinary nature photography accompanied by music. Worth a look. The NPR podcasts are really a goldmine, and I enjoy their programmes immensely.

I don't really care what Mel Gibson does or does not do, and who he slanders, for he will have to deal with it eventually. I don't really even like his movies. But apparently alot of people do, judging by the amount of press his arrest got. Which incidentally was all about his alledged anti-semetic remarks rather than his driving under the influence of alcohol. What is more important? Anyway, the blogosphere lights up with these sort of things, and this YouTube video really sums up a bit of nonsense. Pretty funny. In a sad sort of way.

And the final little tidbit of rather useless, but interesting information gleened from my limitless curiosity, is this NYTimes article on the alchemists of old, and their somewhat dubious legacy that is now being re evalued by modern chemists and scientists. An open mind would probably solve the majority of our challenges in the world today, so well done.

The Ideal and the Practical

2006-07-26T16:36:00.000+12:00

The Great Way is not difficult,
If you have no preferences.
-Tao

Spending time in Auckland over the past weekend, it always makes me feel grateful to get back out to the peace and quiet of the island. Only a 35 min ferry ride, it can seem like the other side of the earth at times. For me, Auckland is a nice mid size city (1.5million - I guess that would be termed small for most) and that is the point. It has all the disadvantages of a city much larger, but very few of the advantages. Never mind. Talking about the traffic is something Aucklanders tire of very quickly.

This trip was a bit different.

No shopping or visiting friends or even being a culture vulture around the film festival. No, it was an opportunity to listen to a prominent speaker. He travels widely every year, speaks to large audiences around the world, and this time stopping off in Auckland on his way to Sydney. Three days of discourses, dialogue and generally expanding the current scope of understanding on topics as wide ranging as spiritual maturity, becoming a better human being, understanding v knowledge, and the ideal v the practical was invigorating. About 1500 came each day, and the cumulative effect was one of fullness and gratitude. I am always keen to learn, and this was no exception. Absolutely riveting. If I am going to attend events, then I want to come away with something, and this session did not disappoint. It could only be termed as a significant paradigm shift in my thinking.
It was one of those events that rarely happens in this life.

If you have ever listened to Bill Moyers speak on PBS, or read any of his work, the former theologian and presidential advisor to Lyndon Johnson presents some of the most humane logic and heartflet wit in the otherwise ethical void covering U.S. policy. Now another great columnist, Molly Ivins, has made public her desire to have him elected president.
A great article. Not a hope of success really, but ideas are the first step in the creative process, and certainly some creativity is needed there!

And if you are a Ricky Gervais (The Office and The Extras) fan, YouTube has a great little exchange with him on the Letterman show. Brilliant. Pity his podcasts are not free anymore, I nearly wet myself with laughter listening last summer.

The "online social forum of choice" MySpace, has caught the eye of many advertisers who want the attention ( and spending power) of its 90 million plus users. But it seems a bit "over the top", as they say, when the U.S. Marines, desparate for young live bodies to send to Iraq use it as a recruiting tool.

The reasoning has gone that Asian diets rich in soya protein of various kinds have seen populations with less heart disease and certain types of cancers. As this Guardian special report points out, there is more to the story, and buyer beware. I have recently been drawn more to the fermented soy product called tempeh, that apparently has less of the downside of the processing. Does anyone really know what they are getting in their food when it comes to the industrialised diet? I am, as it were, suspect of anything that is packaged.

The global markets multinational food companies target and "serve", means that the thousands of air, land and sea miles travelled by many food "products" require the additional processing to get it there looking anything like food. Shelf life is king for the retailer. Try reading almost any food packaging label and see if that is what you really want to be eating. Our lifestyles fit their business model perfectly.

Local food rocks. What more important consumer relationship is there?

Deep in the Earth

2006-07-18T08:57:00.000+12:00

"To know that enough is enough
is to have always enough"
-Tao Te Ching

With the countries, states, proxies, and "states within states" in the Middle East all deciding more violence should be used in order to solve differences (that has worked well in the past 2000 years eh?), the area of the world producing 60% of the oil we use in our economies is again at serious risk of meltdown. Which makes the Peak Oil films at our local cinema last night that much more relevant viewing.

I never much get involved in all the conspiracy theories or "conspiracy facts" as many are claiming now, but the unfolding of events ever since the Twin Towers attack 5 years ago make a compelling study in human behavior as well as the complicated geopolitical mishmash. There comes a time when thinking about life with different fuels for our energy needs is vital, and that time is now. With prices at the pump going up in leaps and bounds, "a line in the sand" will be reached pretty quickly. Creative thinking is necessary, and there are some brilliant incubators out there.

One of the films, called "The Power of Community - How Cuba Survived Peal Oil" was an inspiring documentary on the "Special Period" Cuba faced after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and was suddenly faced with an oil famine. They later worked out some deals with Venezuela, but the period of 1989 -94 saw some very innovative, cooperative and creative ventures in terms of transportation, food production and land use that saw the island state not only pull through, but really transorm their whole society with more sustainable use of energy.

What is not so inspiring is the behavior of one of our world leaders, who honestly, doesn't seem to have a clue. Russell Brown from Public Address sums it up neatly:

... WTF is up with Bush? In the midst of a major crisis in the Middle East there was his inadvertently broadcast chat with Tony Blair , in which he appears incapable of sustaining any gravity and possessed of an understanding of the situation that might kindly be described as folksy. And then there's this: Bush walked into the room for an important summit and gave the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, an uninvited neck massage, by which she was surprised and apparently not pleased. I'm sorry, but that's just weird. Photos and video via AmericaBlog .

Just googling Peak Oil comes up with hundreds of pages filled with facts and figures researched and presented (for the most part) by qualified and experienced scientists and engineers who realise the gravity of the situation and feel the need to shout from the nearest hilltop, or in this case, blog. Matt Simmons, longtime energy analyst, and author of Twilight in the Desert, compared the crisis with global warming, which in his view would receive a 3 on scale of 1o, with Peak Oil a 12.
Whoa.

The main thing to realise about this, is there is currently no advanced alternative preparation to a scenario many experts believe is happening in this decade. That is, reaching the full production capacity of all available global oil reserves. As demand continues to rise, the gap between supply (decreasing) and demand (increasing) widens. In the absence of alternate energy sources (which I believe will be developed, just perhaps not in time to ward off some more wars and catastrophes) we will face severe economic hardships, due to the industrial economies so heavily reliant on cheap energy.

I like the opportunity living on an island gives me to work with others in preparing for the challenges ahead, and in particular food production, where every calorie of food produced today with unsustainable practices, takes 10-16 calories of hydrocarbon input. That simply will not be available soon, if we are to believe the geologists, so another way of producing food is, well, quite important. It's called organic farming, or sustainble agriculture, and it is more about working with the planet instead of against it.

Just to leave on a lighter note, Jon Stewart again gets to the point in this great little piece about the internet here.
Enjoy.

My Path

2006-07-12T09:23:00.000+12:00

"At the edge of everything you know,
Is something you can't quite imagine..."

At the moment I am preparing a paper on mystical teachings to be delivered this weekend, ahead of a programme of discourses the end of the month by a well known spiritual teacher at the same site. This is not something I have recently acquired an interest in, indeed, I have been studying and practicing both here and in India this topic for somewhere near 25 years. This in no way makes me any nearer to understanding that which can be beyond understanding. In fact, it makes me realise how little I do know. Perhaps once I realise that I know nothing, then I will know everything. Zen and the Art of Becoming Human, or something like that.

It does however, allow me as a member of humanity to look upon the topic of mystical experience with a certain sense of pragmatism. When the scientific community makes announcements about drug- induced mystical experiences that are "descriptively identical" to those of religious nature, I believe they are missing the point. Although this new field of neurotheology does at times raise the issue of where science and faith meet, the proponents exclaim they are not interested in the question of whether "God exists" or not. Psilocybin, as anyone who has read the Carlos Castaneda classics would attest, has long been known to have certain effects on the consciousness. Leary et al in the 60's, and now scientists from John Hopkins University would claim the effect was spiritual in nature. The trouble I find in this thinking is that it is all about the mental parameters. Drugs affect the mind. The concept of three separate bodies: physical (we are in and aware of), mental (we go to with drugs, out of body experiences etc) and spiritual ( beyond mind) is not a new one. The trouble with trying to explain the unexplainable, is that it all has to be done with the mind. And this, the mystics say, is the reason we won't get it until we go beyond the mind. Not with words or drugs, or anything manufactured, but by direct experience. And humanity has been trying to do that for all ages. If it were as easy as taking a pill or a mushroom, everyone would do it. And if it doesn't last (which it doesn't), then how real is it?

Back in the realms of a decidedly mental sphere, this little tester from NZ will let you know if you are tech obsessed, and I would say the author of this fascinating piece from the NY Times is most definitely. The explosion of social networking sites like MySpace and Friendster etc seem to have grabbed a nerve in the generation of 20-somethings that is both cultural and technological. If freedom really does come from belonging rather than belongings, then the deep sense of wanting to stay connected is really a feeling of freedom for those with large and complicated networks, such as the person above. Social intercourse loses much of its inherent value I believe without the physicality of real-life presence. But then I'm not 20.

What I am is an earth-bound boomer trying desperately to hang on to wave after wave of personal technology that changes faster than...well, I can ever remember, that is for sure. I recently has a hard drive failure in my laptop, and realised the importance of regular PC housekeeping. So much so that the last few weeks have somehow added more hours into my day just getting everything back to normal on my "tool of choice". Now I have a full external drive for the programmes etc, a USB memory stick for documents on a daily basis, and CDs for the photos, etc etc I won't know what to do with them all. A gadget for all seasons. Very humbling.

Then of course there is the very Orwellian brain implant patient that works his computer just by looking and thinking about it. How important is important?

In the end, it needs to be about balance. My priorities as a farmer and writer arrange themselves gently around the elements in preparation for simple pleasures that seem to come and go each day. That could quite simply, be as mystical as anything in this life.

Never Too Late

2006-07-04T09:07:00.000+12:00

It is not who is right, but what is right that is of importance.

-Thomas Huxley

Visitors to our lovely shores here would most definitely be dropping their jaws of late, as this piece in the NZ Herald suggests, with the national psyche up for review (once again), this time not as a result of a rugby match or yachting exploits, but from the far more revealing dark underbelly of society. The scourge that is child abuse exists almost everywhere; yet in idyllic New Zealand, it somehow gets lost in the effusive declaration of ourselves as innovative, caring and adventurous folk. Not quite. We have an apalling rate of youth suicide, and the statistics around the care of our young are almost unbelievable when taken in the context of how fortunate we are to be living here.
Twin infants were murdered in their own home, and the non-stop analysis with socio-economic, political, and racial underpinnings have gone on for almost a month. I have to admit I was a bit shocked, and yet the recipe has certainly been there for some time, with similiar type offensive behaviour emerging (publicly anyway) every year or so. Former Listener editor Finlay Macdonald has a well written piece here that is able to mix common sense with outrage.

Children, for heavens sake! What more can you say?

My daughter meanwhile, has taken a month off from her hectic life in the fast lane for Auckland creatives in order to soak in some warmth and culture in the U.S and Canada. Amongst the endless goodbye drinks, dinners with colleagues, shooting a music video, and painting the house, she did get the old man off the island to make good on his promise of a decent digital camera. Duty free was definitely the way to go, with a great little 7 MPixel camera and all the extra memory and accessories (normally extra) for under $500. The relatives are ecstatic to say the least, as she rarely gets up that way. The list of gigs, museums, galleries etc she has earmarked will take a well organised schedule to fit in. Yeah right. One of her Grandmas is in a place called Bullhead City, near Las Vegas. It's Air Conditioned entertainment, Wild West style, as they cruise the casinos and stay out of the 45 deg C heat. Anyway, other than the film festival, July is certainly a good month to head up to the northern hemishphere. The little island that could is fairly quiet, thanks.

So, what do you do if you owe $100million, have been convicted of fraud as the ringleader in one of the highest profile corporate collapses in U.S history, and you are awaiting sentencing? Why, hang out in your Apen holiday home, of course. That is, until the stress gets to you, as it does, and the heart stops. That is apparently what has happened to Ken Lay, former CEO of Enron. And when you think of how many people are still behind bars for something as harmless as cannabis, it makes you realise how it really is the best justice system money can buy.

A few more morsels of astonishment from the "only in the U.S. file" include a remarkable revcovery of sorts for a man who has been termed in a "minimally conscious" (now there's a term for the ages) state for 19 years. Apparently, his brain is starting to heal itself. Go for it dude! Then there is the city of Seattle, long a favourite of mine, deciding they have had enough of the winos and drunks vomiting all over the streets, and so they have bought them all new apartments, no strings attached.

Finally, one of my favourite things about the iPod, (and there are plenty of things that are not), is listening to books whilst commuting or on the tractor. The publishing industry likes the idea as well, as they are gearing up to meet the demand of more and more people who like audiobooks. And whilst on entertainment, (and where else should we be?), Johnny Depp, one of my alltime favourite actors, has hit the jackpot with his Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and good for him. His selection of offbeat and quirky roles over the years has culminated in this success, where he has adopted the mannerisms of one Keith Richards for the outlandish character Captain Jack Sparrow. I am not much on sequels, but the word is Keith is up for a cameo role as the Captain's father in the upcoming episode. That is, if he stays out of Fijian coconut trees long enough to play another tour first with what's that band?..

Once Upon A Time

2006-06-29T09:04:00.000+12:00

"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves,
and it is not possible to find it elsewhere."

I listened to a critic of the movie "The Da Vinci Code" recently, and whilst he was clearly threatened by an alternative view of history the movie suggests, he did come up with the term "exploiting illusions", which I found fascinating. There is always another side to every story, and this one, which has had more pages written about it in the last couple of months than I care to think about, is simply another one. Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Leonardo Da Vinci are all without doubt huge historical figures worth understanding and celebrating. However, institutions that evolve primarily to protect certain stories will always arouse my suspicion. What is an illusion, after all? None of us were there, and so as a result, we seek to understand the truth through others who have written down what they perceived to be true. The book does a good job of stirring up undercurrents of discord concerning the "official" version of history, that the movie fails to produce in my opinion. I am not a big conspiracy theorist, as there are far too many to count, but I will always strive to understand more than what is simply served up. Intent can often be underrated as a tool of interpretation.

That may be just the influence of the kind of social values tribe I reside in, as so articulately described in a recent dabble with an online survey here. I have done these before, but this one from a Canadian company, takes only 10 min and is more cultural and demographic than political or personality driven. My "Connected Enthusiast", with a touch of "Autonomous Rebel", did give some pause for reflection. Apparently my main motivations are self exploration and experience seeking, and key values are community and experimentation, with a bit of hedonism thrown in for laughs. Alrighty then, good food for thought. Give it a whirl.

Whatever my driving force, and I belive there are many, the story of two of the richest men in the world collaborating on a new philanthropic model is heartening to me. although some could see it as a way of consolidating World Domination, I am optimistic on this one. Even the wealthiest governments in the world do not seem to have the political will or scrotal fortitude to tackle seriously the primary issues of health and education in developing countries. Politicians have to make their decisions based on getting re-elected. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have no such problems. Friends for awhile it would seem, this excellent synopsis of the latest turn in their relationship, shows some fascinating insights into the world of capitalism's premier class. Mostly outspoken Buffet, who made his fortune in the stock market, doesn't see capitalism working for the poor. Really? Still, anyone who stands back and gifts $30 billion to a friend and says dispense how you see fit as long as it addresses the problems of disease and education, must be getting some clear messages from somewhere.

The World Cup gets to the business end this weekend, with quarter finals tasty enough for anyone to get excited about, as long as they are a football fan. There are a few of those around, apparently... The time difference here means that the legions of England supporters will be up and down to the pub or wherever to watch the game at, er, 3 a.m! I had to pass on an offer, but will see the game if not live, then shortly thereafter, most likely from under the duvet!

At the other end of town, the cultural capital built up over the last few years by The Auckland Film Festival means I have the schedule bookmarked and can rest assured to have some mind boggling visual entertainment and information coming my way through the big screen. There can surely be better ways to spend a grotty winter eve, but I haven't found too many yet...

PROBE

2006-06-23T11:45:00.000+12:00

Mai 'ena i ke kanaka i lak aku
(Do not shy away from a person who is attracted to you)

Personal Research on Being Everywhere has led me to believe we are nowhere.

Having studied mystics from all walks of life and religions for many years, this is not a conclusion I come to lightly. But I am also a bit media obsessed, and finding quality information, opinion and entertainment in whatever format is simply getting harder all the time. What passes for most mainstream news (msn in blogger jargon) today seems no more than canned audience-grabbing devoid of any real passion and urgency. A few periodicals withstanding, it takes some time hunting through the internet to find the quality. Maybe I shouldn't care so much, and just read what I can get to. Books have often been described as "the most powerful weapons available", and I couldn't agree more. There just seems a bit more at stake these days. Or, maybe it's just me.

However, once in awhile, the whole inquistive nature thing has its rewards, as in the Annual Cartoon and Comic Book Art Festival, which features an 8yr old prodigy, churning out the comic strips as fast as she can think them up. You go girl! The clip comes courtesy of a video blog named Rocket Boom, which apparently has a nice young woman giving the news she feels comfortable sharing. Well done to you both. I knew that my curiosity would be satiated at some point with something both creative and enjoyable.

The Melbourne Herald Sun reports the earth is the hottest it has been in 400 years, and again, I would always wonder about the record keeping back then... but whatever.However, The Friends of the Earth site in Australia has some very useful links if you are so inclined to help with the cooling...It really is nice to know that former presidental candidate Al Gore is making an impact with his road show and documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which I am looking forward to seeing. The warming has not yet reached New Zealand however, as the whole country shivers under major snowfalls and power outages. Meanwhile, they argue in Parliament over whether dogs should be microchipped, and send off an 85 yr old serial shoplifter to jail. Gimme a break. Or him.

By the way, if you work in downtown Sydney, (and most likely in many metropolitan cities), you will have been told to pack a map, a flashlight and some food under your desk, just in case of well, you know what. But don't worry, we have your security in mind. It's just that fear works so well.

And if you are a fan of Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, or Anderson Cooper of CNN, then you will enjoy this lively interchange between two of the rising stars in American media. One is a comedian, thankfully. I mean if we can't laugh at some of what is going on then well, er, maybe it's time to do something else, or go somewhere else. I am about as far away as I can get at the moment, but any suggestions will be listened to.

Right now there is some warm lentil dal on the stove, and for a cold Friday, when the World Cup is just getting interesting, well then maybe this is somewhere after all. Who knows?

An Aquarian Thing

2006-06-20T13:52:00.000+12:00

" Loss is nothing else but change,
And change is nature's delight"
-Marcus Aurelius

I have thoroughly enjoyed the downloads from NPR in the last year, many of their programmes are superbly done, and the new Radio Expeditions, a collaboration with the National Geographic Society, is certainly no exception. Celebrating and exploring the natural world and cultural diversity, the latest episodes have been in the Himalayas, which will always get my attention, having been there on a number of treks. Investigating the effects of climate change on the alpine environment and the state of medicinal plants found in high altitudes, the professionally done productions take the listener to some very far away places in just a few minutes. Have a look, and listen if you can.

Meanwhile, back in the cultural immersion pod... as a long time music afficianado, this NYTimes article on a resurgent festival season in the U.S. with leading proponents bringing a kind of "freak folk" back to centre stage was heartwarming. No, the hippies have not gone away yet and don't hold your breath, these committed musicians are a whole new generation. Any artist taking their craft seriously and living a life that supports that principle as best they can will always have my support. A first time performance down under next summer of one of my favourite musicians, Eric Clapton, would appear to be a somewhat different (and closed) affair for the "members" of the Hawkes Bay Mission Estate Concert series. Not exactly how I remember seeing him (more than just) a few years back with Derek and the Dominos. Now playing to middle aged chardonnay-sipping boomers, he still can do the business, it just may be more appealing to the Rod Stewart set. But then hey, good for them. I mean, we are talking about those infamous species... 60's rock guitarists!

However they have more urgent problems in Australia, where the Army is being called in to stop the relentless stampede of...cane toads! OK then. Extreme measures for extreme situations I suppose. I often think of Australia in that way. Extreme. Weather, wildlife, or (what else begins with W?) It has offered up to me in the past some of the heaviest rainfall, hottest days, biggest surf, longest roads, and now...cane toads. Let me know what I can do.

In New Zealand, the (sort of) streaker with an interesting past (that's always going to come up in these situations, eh?) at one recent rugby match has auctioned off her bikini for a little over $4000, and the Japanese have managed to bribe some of our Pacific neighbors into voting against the moratorium on whaling down here. Wassup with that? Have they not learned to leave those creatures alone YET? Never a dull moment in the Land of the Long White Cloud...

Staying with Aotearoa, the Maori New Year, or Matariki, is being celebrated this month, and for those with the burning desire to know more, it translates into The Eyes of the Lord, and refers to the small grouping of stars (called pleiades by others) rising in the Northeast sky on June 2. Matariki begins on the first new moon after this, which is June 27. Te Papa Museum has a nice summary of the significance here. Any celebration giving thanks and respect to the source of life is worth mentioning in my view. Meanwhile, the solstice is here now, which for those of us who work the land means (in this hemisphere anyway), we are now at the point of our shortest day, the soil temperatures to start rising soon, hopefully along with the air!

Kia Kaha and Aloha

Winter Wanderings

2006-06-17T11:32:00.000+12:00

"Not everything that can be counted counts,
and not everything that counts can be counted"

-Albert Einstein

It would appear that more than a little of my current "social jet lag" would be due to the myriad of sporting events that taunt me endlessly to witness superb physical prowess in action.

This weekend, one in which the weather seems to all too willing to allow me some indoor time to watch grown men chase balls around. Wassup with that? Well, in no order of particular priority they occur: a) on beautiful tree lined grassy walks by those with corporate logos engraved on their hats and shirts, hitting a small white ball into a cup in the ground, b) on a hardwood floor by giants trying to stuff (with their hands only) a slightly larger ball through a netted hoop 10ft off the ground, and c) In a stadium with a slightly smaller round ball not to be touched by the hands at all, but kicked into a net; dubbed "the beautiful game", it is supported by colourful fans around the globe. This year their month long party is in Germany.

A bit odd I think at times, all this interest; yet sporting contests remain for me one of the most intriguing of all human activities by no other reason than they are still (by most accounts) unpredictable. In almost all other current events, a certain level of predictability creeps in. Terror strikes? Fuel prices? Government policies? (Big) business as usual, really. Not a cynical analysis as much as a pragmatic one given the current environment. But with the athletes on the course, the court or the pitch, I remain optimistic the random outcomes really are a result of effort and synergy as well as preparation. Maybe I am just dreaming. As one who has taken part in the many of the sporting events taking world stage presently, I would only hope the hard work does have as much effect on the results as destiny. It is fun to think it does, anyway.
Perhaps I should just admit to myself that the stirring and emotional national anthems, hakas and sense of culture and place play into my tribal feelings for goodwill on earth. Who knows what language they are speaking with 32 different countries competing, and who cares. If we can play football together, we can surely talk over differences.

The USA, always an underdog at these world tournaments, do have their fair share of fans, even if they are from another country and enjoy just being able to watch the game there. As difficult as that may be at times.

And what a party. Colours, passion, culture. Oh yea, and let'snot forget the "style factor" with these footballers. Worldwide trends hang in the balance depending on the latest hairstyle from Beckham. Or did anyway, he has grown up a bit, and I might say a better player as well.

Meanwhile Bill Gates (nothing to do with sports, oddly enough) plays his part on the stage by stepping off it, and in the process actually doing more than most governments to address chronic problems in health and education worldwide through his philanthropy, always a noble profession. Love him or loathe him, as this article suggests, he is actually getting the mosquito nets to those who need them. A simple thing really, and someone with the resources in doing something about it. I like that.

What I don't like is baseball teams serving as recruitment centres for Christian evangelists, or the President of the U.S. trying to be funny (he is not).

As a former rock fan at numerous memorable (not so much now, but you get the point) concerts, I am always interested in "the best live concert" recording claim, which depending on who you talk to, usually falls somewhere around the Rolling Stones. I have always been partial to the Allman Bros live at the Fillmore East, but as this intrepid reporter claims, and I would have to give some credence to, the Who Live at Leeds, was " total visceral excitement". Guess I shoulda been there. It was hard to be everywhere in the early 70's, though many tried.

As the gadgets appear to manifest rapidly in both number and complexity, the technology to serve them increasingly is found online as well. Why go anywhere, see anything, or have anything tangible when it can all be done online? As far as the digital information and entertainment world goes, that is rapidly becoming the case. Got photos or a video? Edit and show them through online tools. Encyclopedias, libraries, and doctors visits all fit the model. So, not only is the internet become the fastest distributor of content in history, but now the sophicticated production processes can be done there as well. Whatever your needs, it is there online, as this NYTimes article points out.
Just in case you might be tempted to take your eyes away from the sponsors ads for a moment..

Waves (part 2)

2006-06-10T15:33:00.000+12:00

"True generosity toward the future
Consists in giving everything to the present"

Albert Camus

Kamehameha made short work of the unfortunate souls who inhabited Hawai'i before him (see above from the Pali pass), and as a result probably was a bit occupied with matters warrior-like to really enjoy what the Hawai'ians are duly famous for: surfing.

However, the man they refer to as simply "the Duke," Kahanamoku was aptly referred to as a real "water man," and brought surfing to the world in the first half of the 20th century. Then came a steady stream of outstanding surfers and watermen in the late 50's and 60's that gained notoriety by conquering the monsterous surf of the North Shore. This group was led by some wild and talented haole (white boys) from California, but it gained the respect and mana of the local Hawai'ians when a youth by the name of Eddie Aikau began both taming the building-sized waves and rescuing the hapless souls at now famous beaches like Sunset and Waimea Bay. In his excellent book Eddie Would Go, author Stuart Coleman traces this the short life of this iconic figure in Hawai'ian history with detail and verve. He died as he lived, in the water, trying to save others, this time from a capsized boat rather than a surfing mishap. He did however, put alot of living into his 32 years, and for that he is remembered with great respect throughout the islands. He and his family represented the true mana and aloha spirit for which the islands are still regarded by many who love the sea and respect its power. A great read for anyone interested in Hawai'ian culture and history, as well as the story of a real hero.

These thoughts were swirling around my head as I waited for the next good set to roll in, not in any hurry to work my weary arms any more, and simply enjoying the beauty of the warm water. It is no accident the Islands were where surfing was born, and for those who ride waves, it is easy to see the reasons: great water temperature, coral reefs creating breaks of all kinds at countless beaches, the trade winds holding up surf for shape, and of course year round weather enticing one into the water, which is what most of the schoolkids do every afternoon, much like the mainland kids would go to baseball or soccer.

Speaking of which, "the beautiful game" of football's Big Bash called the World Cup is already showing signs of being a wide open tournament with plenty of surprises for all. Wearing yellow like favourites Brazil, Australia is fast making its way up the global ladder of international teams to note, with its thrilling 3-1 defeat of Japan.
I am not making any comparisons or predictions, but they are a fun team to watch, and coming from a New Zealander, that is sometimes a hard thing to say. England failed to impress, but got through their first match anyway, and of course their press was damning of them even in victory. Talk about high expectations! Yes, I know, it is hot, and yada yada..

Meanwhile, digital dilemmas continue to clog up the arteries of modern culture in ways we can only imagine from one day to the next. A friend of mine recently set up her site on the wildly popular MySpace.com, and after trolling through for a few minutes to find where it was, I was confronted by numerous offers to visit and "chat" with what is no doubt a growing number of (mainly) young people looking to meet others and announce their individuality in a way never before available. Your songs, videos, photos, blog, and indeed your self, for others to see. As only you can be. But, as this NYTimes article points out, get carried away (and why not?), you might find it showing up on a prospective employers screen, for better or worse. A new trend in reference checking now most definitely includes Googling job applicants to see what they have been up to online, which in many cases, is quite alot. I am not sure which generation this is mostly likely effecting, X, Y or Z, but in event, digital tracks are most certainly well, er, available. No doubt part of the wider trend (social epidemic?) of creating persona and identity that is individual and like no one else. This seems to be important, for reasons I will let the psychologists debate, but it is apparent in everything from playlists on iPods to cellphones to... whatever. Personal, digital, virtual and mobile are the key aspects, which seem to me more in line with setting up barriers rather than breaking them down. We shall see what the cultural microrythms bear out in the coming years.

I don't think I will be fronting up with suit and tie anytime or anywhere in the near future, so anyone (please!) can feel free to read what they want from my posts. This has particulaly hit home with the brilliant book I just read by Barbara Ehrenreich, called Bait and Switch - The Futile Pursuit of the American Dream. She has been called the "premier reporter on the underside of capitalism," a label I would agree with completely. Not seeking either the American Dream or the underside of capitalism, I nonetheless have had dealings with both, and find her style and substance in exposing the desperate measures unemployed corporate workers go to, and the industry waiting to serve them quite fascinating.

Now that the latest storm has passed over the island, I must dutifully encourage the "upside of capitalism," by providing some more services for currency, or in the local vernacular, push on.

Caio.

Dylan on Descent

2006-06-07T08:51:00.000+12:00

"I see my light come shining
From the West down to the East
Any day now, Any day now
I shall be realeased"

-Bob Dylan

At 7:08 am on 6/6/06, the sleek aircraft makes its way through one of the many layers of atmoshphere reeling from the activity below, and quietly brings islands of familiarity into focus for me. The red band of light in the east signifies another morning is approaching. I decide to put the trusty iPod into action for this last half hour or so whilst crossing the Hauraki Gulf and my home. The air looks cold, and the readings on the navigation helper on the screen say something like -58C, which I am hoping will warm considerably on the next 4000 or 5000mtrs of descent. It does, but not by much, and my body is in full adjustment mode as I promptly make my way through the Auckland traffic, onto the ferry and out to the end of the island.

The house is a bit moldy and dark from a months neglect; but a fire, some good Kona coffee and a walk on the beach help me get settled into the isolation and peaceful surroundings I call home.

There is nowhere quite like Aotearoa.

My astrologer friends tell me it is something to do with the Neptune effect or transit, but the fact is, I simply love being in and around water, and the warmer the better. When it is not warm, it is just nice to be around. A healing force if ever there was one.

On the healing front, I found a pretty good site called Consumer Lab that will test all your remedies for you, seeing as many of the appropriate agencies are at odds on what and how to test, let alone publish the results. Worth a look if gingko is your thing, or would like to find out more about a certain herb or remedy. I was surprised at some of what I found out.

I was heartened however, to see that one of my favourite athletes, Lance Armstrong, multiple winner of the Tour de France, has been cleared of any doping charges for the umpteenth time. Either he really is and has been clean, which I like to believe, or there is some pretty poor testing programme protocol. It's nice to think, however naive, that there are some extraordinary stories out there of mind over matter resulting in incredible physical performances. I'll steer clear of Barry Bonds and the Home Run record etc., even though I do like baseball. It is World Cup Time. Say no more.

Apparently it was time for the schools and universities to quit for the year up in the States (we have year round schooling here, and don't ask me what the difference is, just take my word for it, education is different in many ways from learning, which can at times only be done in life..) So, I have picked out the best Univeresity Commencement addresses for you by Bill Moyers here, and Stephen Colbert here. Both are talking to young people in America as they head out of the nest (or not), and try to make some sense of the world through the perspective they have presently, which will no doubt change dramatically over the coming years.

One of the great joys of being home is of course drinking the delicious water straight from my tap, and straight from the sky before that, by way of my roof, tank and filter. Not so lucky for many, and this article in the highly informative and upbeat Utne Reader, warns about the water predicament many are facing, and the hazards of all those ubiquitous plastic bottles..

The vineyard is in full colour at the moment, and so I am called out to attend to some winter testing and plans for the spring, which as we all know, comes sometime right after that Equinox leveler in the heavens. Happy June.

Reality Acquisition Devices

2006-06-02T06:50:00.000+12:00

"Nature always wears the color of the Spirit"

Not really being a fan of her blog, which mainly consists of collectively hyper politicos trying desperately to get the dirt out of the system (can't blame them there), The Huffington Post however does at times have some links to creatively enjoyable cyber time. Today was a report on yet another Digital Conference, in my old stomping ground Southern California, where Bill Gates is starting to show signs of weariness in the bloodied software battleground, and a renewed passion for his philanthropy. Not a bad career choice if I do say so myself.

Another of my regular jaunts to the sunny isles of Hawai'i comes to a close this week as I head back to the other corner of what is oft described as the "Polynesian Triangle", namely Aoetearoa. Winter can be a bit long and challenging in the elemetal sphere, however it does definitely bring a certain sense of being alive to the forefront of existence. If indoor activities are necessary, the World Cup will be starting, and as this NYTimes post describes, perennial sentimental favourites England will once again have an opportunity to show what, if anything they can do with all that ridiculous talent.

Nothing indoor about the Isles of Hawai'i though, and that is one of the joys of being here. Any time day or night, people are out strolling on the beach, listening to the hypnotic local music and enjoying the tropical air. One of those famous "south swells" should be reaching our shores today, after a trip up the Pacific from Aeotearoa, and the surf will be once again the center of attention for those who live for the water. A clan I must admit, is very near and dear to my heart.

Can't leave here without making the most of some of my "Only in America" head shaking moments. Once again, the demographic gods have decided that there is a new target to market, and they are the LAT's (Living Alone Together). You don't want to get me started, and this article sums it up in good fashion sense for you. At least they have decided to take out the soda drinks from the schools, and many kudos for that brainstorm!

One of the many and varied situations I have managed to get involved in whilst here has to do with a friends dying mother. The care and attention we are able to give those who are about to make the most important transition of their life is indeed a worthwhile and important service. Fear of the unknown can be tremendous, so the comfort of the known is all that more precious. Hospice is a big organisation, and although helpful in this case, the real story has been the volunteers who come and sit, with all their various beliefs (or not) just out of generosity with their time. One of the ladies calls herself an "escort", and would be disappointed not to be there upon the passing. Whatever. It has worked well for my friend who finds himself in a growing category of the "sandwich generation", who have multiple responsiblities caring for their elderly parents as well as grown offspring.

And just so I can feel at home returning to little old NZ, this acerbic piece from the Australian paper The Age, poking a bit of Trans-Tasman fun at us now that we have reached a hefty 4 million population and finally decided to put PostCodes into the mail system. Post Modernism is what we are apparently approaching. Goodness, whatever will they think of next?

Possible Side Effects

2006-05-31T06:36:00.000+12:00

"We are only aware
Of what we are aware of"

The climbing season in the Himalayas (as opposed to summer on Waiheke above), is a short window at this time of year where those with enough skill, or in many cases enough money, pride themselves on the achievements (which are indeed significant) of scaling the worlds highest peaks. Having spent time in Nepal and the Himalayas on a number of occasions, I have seen first hand what these expeditions involve. For myself, the base camp at Annapurna was plenty close enough to feel part of the mystery and majesty that isthe "roof of the world". For others though, nothing but scaling Everest will do, and many records have been set already this year including oldest, youngest, first for this country or that etc etc, and of course the double amputee from New Zealand. But by far the most heated debate has been about what to do in the "death zone" when a colleague is stopped mid-climb due to the severe lack of oxygen. A general rule I have heard before from many climbers is, that if you can't walk, you are left behind. The general premise being that it is too difficult to keep oneself alive, let alone anyone else. This is sport?

Anyway, as this article describes on MSNBC, and again in the Guardian, one climber that was left behind and managed to make it back to base camp alive after spending a night out alone on the mountain, a feat that has been accomplished before, but normally has fatal consequences. In fact, this is turning out to be the deadliest climbing season since the 1996 disasters described in Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air. The most likely reason being the combination of increased numbers as well as inexperienced "climbers" pushing beyond their limits in order to make another mark in their resume...

NPR has had a very good series on the Future of Fuel that are available as downloadable podcasts on their site, and I have posted about a couple of them, most notably (so far) was the report on cellulosic ethanol. Worth a look.

Bono keeps on highlighting what many choose to forget with his amazing run of influential and worthwhile jaunts to Africa, first to relieve debt and now to foster trade. Celebrity is not a station I find very useful in our cultures, and it is good to see in this case the opposite is true.

In the geekzone, not only is software available for your phone that, after a quick scan of the barcode will compare all local prices for you online while you are at the supermarket; but now if you gotta know something that others in your network may know, it is possible to search amongst friends and get that instant answer. Clever, but really necessary? And will you pay for it?

And last, but certainly not least, the alternative health care stories that won't go away, and most likely because they work. The Guardian has had a series on how the NHS in Britain despite objections still fund certain therapies (again, probably because they work), and has a few words on both homoeopathy and crystals, just in case you have an ailment that stand up to any more side effects..

Nature and Nurture

2006-05-23T06:11:00.000+12:00

"It will be a funky adventure..."

-Cosmo Kramer

When the temperature rarely changes from day to night, it often leaves me with a sense of ease in my environment, a prescient feeling of comfort that is harder to achieve when the elements are fluctuatung wildly in disarray. But that is nature, and I must learn to adapt to the notes in the song, not change the tune. It is always on key. I am not.

That said, it comes as no surprise when I read of our (as in us humans) collective encroachment into habitats causing problems in various parts of the globe. In Florida, it may be alligators, and in India tigers, and Australia it could be a shark. So, it is not a particularly unique American problem, it is only the press may take more notice of it here. They are not intruding into our space, I think it is the other way around. There are some places better left alone, I think is the theory.

Lots of discussion with the people I am working with at the moment on the whole GMO issue, which has not received a great deal of attention in Mainstream Media herein the States (what a surprise!) yet becoming insidiously prevelant. This article from the University of Chicago lays out yet another argument for a personal approach to Green Living via diet, for those interested in leaving a smaller impact on those much-talked-about and non renewable fossil fuel reserves. No prizes for guessing which diet is most fuel efficient.... Yup, it's thos veggies again. Not hard to figure out really, and ever since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring back in the 60's, the facts keep on coming.
Food labeling seems to be real problem here for those who wish to understand more about what they are putting into their bodies, particularly if the food contains GMOs. Pretty basic stuff really. I think personal choice is a powerful tool (and sometimes the most effective), because if we are not part of the solution, we really are part of the problem. It was Einstein, or one of those great minds that once said, "Example is not the best way to influence, it is the only way".

Speaking of which, that is one of the reasons I don't have alot of time for Americans complaining about the gas prices here, which are probably the lowest in the world, all while they are driving these huge, and I mean huge SUV's and trucks. Get over it. I can only imagine what all those celebrities on the Vanity Fair "Green Issue" drive.

Love that GREEN news, like the gift that just keeps on giving! Cellulosic ethanol, it turns out, is the most energy efficient process for making this biofuel, because the stalks and spent plant material that are used to break down into sugars (for fermenting) have already made their contribution, and the waste is the biomass required. Brilliant. A much more detailed (and probably accurate) assessment of this not-so-new-but highly touted technology, which is gaining momentum in Canada and the States can be found in this Wired article. You gotta be impressed. I am anyway.

Take a moment for yourself and read this piece from the NYTimes about how one multitasker sees her predicament. Wow, I sometimes don't know how fortunate I am! Is it the sandwich generation, or just folks loving their new gadgets?

A little history of The Geek Squad, a great business that so many of us may have wished despertely for on a frustrating hour or two at the keyboard....Now a part of a large chain, but certainly still retaining its character. Island calls?

"Lifestyle Treatments", is what they are labelling some of the pharmaceuticals that are being invented so that you too can have a disease and get some expensive new prescriptions. "Discuss with your doctor if ________is right for you", is the mantraon the saturation TV ads. C'mon, gimme a break! Restless leg syndrome, which I experience regularly, now has pills that are being pushed along with a host of other heretofore never heard of "conditions". A bit of energy surging through my leg at night might keep me awake for a moment or two, but it also lets me know I am very much alive and in my body (for better or worse), and which I am positive these little colured products of lab experiments can do nothing at all to enhance. All this research money for the wealthy with a twitch, and some yet some mosquito nets and clean water could actually save thousands of lives. The corporatisation of health care.

I do like the story of the Amazon tribe that simply walked out of the jungle and into a nearby town and world they had never seen before. Running out of food and not sure what to do, they have settled somewhat reluctantly, and are beginning to understand the basics of commerce. With no word in their vocabulary for "future" though, I wonder whether they are going to be better off. Reminds me of what Ghandi said when asked what he thought of Western Civilisation:
"I think it would be a good idea..."
Amen.

Pacific Ponderings

2006-05-21T05:22:00.000+12:00

There are many things about Hawai'i that are appealing to me, the least of which is that it is a part of the United States. I prefer the Polynesian culture immensely, and enjoyed reading this piece about Mark Twain's visits to the islands waaay back then.. Everything about island life is centered around the water and land, and the relationship to both, which is a close one. Everything about US culture seems to be about how big, how much and how fast. It just doesn't really fit. Never mind. Still a beautiful place to come work in the winter of New Zealand..

And it would appear that the biggest retailer in this country namely Wal Mart, is looking to add organics to their long list of profitable items. Hmmm. I am not sure if that really adds anything to the debate over sustaining our land and eating real food. In fact, I believe it could harm the movement by devaluing the hard work of local and small growers. A good synopsis from NY Times here.
Watch this space.

A great little cultural microrythm in Japan (where else) is Media Immersion Pods. As if you don't get saturated enough just walking through life, now you can cut out anything to do with nature, and just become one with the net, DVD's books, mags TV, whatever. In your own pod, for hours on end... A monitor is not reality, folks. Or is it? Or as Robin Williams said once, "Reality is for those who can't cope with drugs". Whatever.

Speaking of which, and I wasn't, but it is everywhere here, the Presidents of both Russia and Iran made fairly direct shots across the bow of the U.S recently, and in my opinion calling a spade a spade. Male egos, ...whew! The letter from the Iranian president was, although a bit long and rambling, I felt very sincere. I mean if you are going to be a fanatic, at least do it properly!

Back to the tropics where, in this part of the world they have lovely breezes that they call "trades", to keep the palm fronds swaying and the humidity very bearable. The other thing that is in abundance is the birds. They start at the crack of dawn, and their habitat allows a great many different songs and species to thrive. They love singing, and can they can do it, hundreds at a time!

Well done Hurricanes and Crusaders, for the Rugby-ites in New Zealand. My focus in the sporting world has been more on the "beautiful game' of football (soccer to some), and that will continue through the World Cup in June. I am happy to see that the man whom I consider to be the best footballer in the world, the Frenchman Thierry Henry , has signed again for his club Arsenal in England. Go Gunners. I missed both the FA Cup and the Champions League Final whilst here in Hawai'i, but thanks to a good wireless connection, was getting regular updates when I could dash in from my property development work and grab a quick fix. Hopefully I will have a replay back in NZ. Scarcely a mention of either match in the American media here, which is a shame, but they are wrapped up in the drawn out NBA playoffs.

And finally, for all the Simpsons fans out there, a great article from the BBC looking at the deeper philosophical underpinnings of satyrical cartooning. Brilliant. Finally, someone else sees what I have all along with that great show. If we can't laugh at ourselves and our bumblings like a truly humble Homer does, well, good luck.

Aroha and Aloha

2006-05-10T19:02:00.000+12:00

The temperature is now a good 10 to 15 degrees warmer than when I left New Zealand, which by the way, was without a great deal of planning. I am usually thinking of the islands at this time of year, and it was fortunate that a good friend happened to be in the middle of hectic property development chaos, and really needed my help. Work being slow in New Zealand at this time of year means here I am! The refreshing trade winds rustling palm trees, my trusty laptop piggy backing on someone's wireless network, and my blogging carries on at the further end of Polynesia. Warm water. Great surf. Aloha spirit.

I don't consider myself an impulsive person, but I do like to have the flexibility to respond when opportunities arise, particularly when they are in places I love, doing work I enjoy, and well, yes getting paid for it as well is certainly a bonus. Funny that it isn't the most important part of the decision making process anymore, and probably should be...but so many other factors are involved. Health. Friendships. Adventure. All big deals for me.

One of the new occupants of the complex I am working on is a lifetime mathemetician, spending hours at his computer working out formulas on.. well, just about everything. He has a nice kayak and little trailer sailer that I want to get out on soon, but I am hopelessly fascinated by his theories of monetary complexities and investment models. Yes, I found out early today as I was in the middle of installing irrigation systems that gold has hit a 25 year high, reaching $US700. Terrific. Titanium is up as well, and the US dollar will be worth very little once Asia has its own currency, and the Euro stays strong. Actually, I would rather be surfing, but it does make one think about where to be when the s**t hits the fan soon. And I must say, I believe it will. His colourful graphs are kind of cool as well. They do show a real "trendency", which is a term entirely suitable for the situation. Being a trader in words, naturally I said "invest in that, why don't ya"?

" A rich man is not one who the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least".

So, Keith Richards falls out of a coconut tree in Fiji and needs brain surgery, 2 miners are trapped underground for 14 days in Tasmania and are rescued, the New Zealand government breaks up its monopolistic Telco and promises faster and cheaper broadband, US schools must stop selling coke etc in schools, and another CIA director quits ("I Know Nothing..."). All of which I had found interesting links to share from various media; but lo and behold dear reader at the present time, that is not possible. My wireless connection here on the outskirts of Kailua, amongst the flowering jacarandas and flame trees, and the vast warm Pacific is erratic at best. But hey, I made the effort to post and and share, and will continue to as long as I am able with merry tales of the eccentric and tropical. Both of which I seem to be heavily involved with.

Aloha

Waves

2006-05-05T12:11:00.000+12:00

We had a tsunami alert this week, and amongst other things that went through my mind, was definitely an urge to go and check out the surf over at Onetangi beach. Turns out the earthquake in Tonga did little to send anything down this way, let alone a tsunami. There is certainly no laughing mattter involved here, but as a long time wave lover, it is seldom we get any kind of swell that arrives here in the Gulf Islands with any veracity, so if anything was coming (like good surf), I wanted to be there. I suppose if there was anything really dangerous happening, the Civil Defense people would let us know right? I mean, I only live 50mtrs from the beach (albeit on the wrong side for anything like this, but still, I am close) But no, I heard nothing until I read about it after the fact on Google News. So much for emergency planning.

So, naturally the only logical thing to do is head off to Hawai'i when in need of some surf therapy. Yes, it is getting on winter here, and the lovely rain that keeps our country green and full of energy is falling with regularity. I don't mind the rain. In fact, there are fewer more comforting sounds than the drops of precious life giving water running off the roof into the tank and into the earth, while I am inside with the comforts of shelter and warmth. All living things rejoice with water. When it is combined with cooler weather, a slight problem starts to exist in the comfort zone. C'mon, you know what I am on about. I used to live in a place called Seattle, and it rained alot there, with cooler winds from the North, so I head down to the South Pacific. But hey, any further and I would have ended up in Antartica, which is where the wind comes from that chills New Zealand. Think about that one. Hawai'i is at the other end of the great oceanic region of Polynesia, and the two island groups have much in common. One thing they don't is the weather.

Something about getting thrashed around in the surf cleanses the body and mind in ways that are hard to replicate in other areas of life. In the movie Step Into Liquid, there was a great description of becoming part of another element in nature, one that is changing rapidly in complete immersion. Nothing is quite comparable. Fortunately, I have long time friends, ohana, that look for me at this time of year, and it makes the trips quite an adventure. I could stay in the ocean for hours, silently floating in another world, another element...

Island Living

2006-05-02T13:58:00.000+12:00

"Language in art remains a highly ambiguous transaction"

Harold Pinter

There are two ways of leaving an island. By air or by sea. Being as close to my usual destination (Auckland) as I am , the sea is my normal mode of transport. It is a calming 35 min journey, unless the northerly kicks up, and then there are a few white faces. The boats are generally on the hour, and during holidays they are overflowing with tourists, daytrippers, townies, as well as locals just trying to get home or to work.

Saturday morning at 8 is not generally a busy time to leave the island. Nevertheless, the coffee kiosk had its usual line up of bleary eyed suspects, including me, and the goth-esque teen with a coin-sized ring through his lip was doing his best to keep up. Still, the minutes ticked away until departure...6,5, then 4. the ferries don't care if you have a warm drink or not. I felt the pang of a combined caffeine need with missing-the-boat anxiety. Not pretty. Naturally I had already paid for my latte, and no one in their right mind would buy coffee on board, so the situation was quickly becoming dire. Other java-heads were also nervously watching the clock, the boat, and him in sustained glances that quickly became agitated. Juggling my laptop, paper, suitcase and coffee while producing my ticket is an act worthy of more practice, but in the end barista boy pulled his Heavy Metal hands into gear, and we were away on time, with a thundery downpour adding to the drama of a simple trip into town on a Saturday morning.

They say that one of the definitions of karma is "that which arranges your priorities" for you. That may be so. Those things which are most important should never be sacrificed for those which are least. Between the boat and the coffee however, there was a real dilemma: I needed both. A big shout out to "coffee guy". He jumped right into my karmic field of action and arranged my priorities for me. Nice one.

Among the more interesting social epidemics I follow in my role as an unofficial observer of humanity in action is what I call the "personal space syndrome". It is very evident with early morning ferry commuters, as well as pedestrians. Many are plugged into their media of choice, usually by earphones, with a signal to all that says "I am engaged". On the other hand, so much can be missed without a connection to the immediate environment. I was looking all around me, at the sea, the people, and the other islands as we sailed by, feeling the story behind each. They all have one.

Walking up the busiest street in downtown Auckland is an exercise in avoiding contact. Not just eye contact, but full physical. Some are talking on their cellphones, some are texting, some are listening to their iPods, and some are doing a combination of all three. Not many are aware of their surroundings. Pity the marketer in the 21st century. How to connect with these people? They don't watch commercial TV, they don't buy CD's anymore, and their world is made up of all that is digital/personal/virtual/mobile. What will they buy? More devices to stay connected? Perhaps. But to what are they connecting?

I probably sound old fashioned in championing the art of conversation and social engagement outside the digital realm. Imagination plays a big part in this practice of participatory observing, and judgement must cast aside to be effective. Apparently there is a world wide "Slow Life" movement, incorporating Slow Cities, and Slow Food, etc. I say good work. So much is missed when one is in a hurry. The seductive idea of being fully present in our daily life brings with it an image of expanding our awareness, and in the process becoming a better human being. Not a bad trade off for missing a boat or a coffee. Or both.