Al Gore: Peril and Opportunity of the Climate Crisis

Al Gore on 'Peril and Opportunity: Solving the Climate Crisis and Reinvigorating Democracy' April 23, 2013 Stanford University

Thanks again to Mary Vincent at Smart Tech News:

"On April 23, 2013, Al Gore gave a riveting and engaging Stanford University lecture on the topic 'Peril and Opportunity: Solving the Climate Crisis and Reinvigorating Democracy' during the 1st Annual Stephen H. Schneider Memorial Lecture. I recorded a 20 minute video excerpt, and it's below for your reference."

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Climate One Video Montage: Not an Academic Exercise

Video: Stephen Schneider Climate One Montage:

'A montage of the former Stanford Woods Institute Senior Fellow and renowned climate scientist Stephen Schneider discussing climate change.'

Thanks to Mary Vincent at Smart Tech News.

Let's Have a Book Burning Party

The mad men from Leo Burnett advertising created this campaign. Watch it anyway!

From their YouTube channel:

"The city of Troy, Michigan was facing a budget shortfall, and was considering closing the Troy Public Library for lack of funds. Even though the necessary revenues could be raised through a miniscule tax increase, powerful anti-tax groups in the area were organized against it. A vote was scheduled amongst the city's residents, to shut the library or accept the tax increase, and Leo Burnett Detroit decided to support the library by creating a reverse psychology campaign. Yard signs began appearing that read: "Vote to Close Troy Library on August 2nd - Book Burning Party on August 5th." No one wants to be a part of a town that burns books, and the outraged citizens of Troy pushed back against the "idiotic book burners" and ultimately supported the tax increase, thus ensuring the library's survival."


Is it spin to just flipping the story?

The Great Broadband Wagon

Great Broadband Wagon Rolls on in Australia is my latest weblog for Global Voices Online:

The Opposition’s national broadband policy, released on 9 April 2013, was always going to be highly contentious in Australia. It is not just for geeks but also looms as a major issue in the Federal election to be held on 14 September 2013.

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Reflecting on Media Reform

Media Reform on Life-support is my first post for Australians For Honest Politics:

The near capacity crowd at the Centre for Advanced Journalism’s session The Post-Mortem on Journalism Reform: What Happens Now? belied the conventional wisdom that media reform in Australia is dead (Details and the live blog are here). The venue was the aptly named Elisabeth Murdoch theatre at Melbourne University.

...the forces of light will be looking for help in keeping the media honest. Margaret Simons, Director of Centre for Advanced Journalism, indicated that university journalism schools could only have an educative role, not a proactive one. It is a challenge for the many students who attended the forum and the others around the nation who would like to see change happen sooner than later.

So it’s over to you. Don’t let the barons wear you down!

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Thrilling News: James Price Point Saved from Gas Hub

James Price Point is a very special place. It has been the centre of a major dispute about where to put a LNG Gas Hub in North Western Australia.

Some background at: The fight over Kimberley gas

Also: Hands Off Country

Today's news Environmentalists welcome scrapping of LNG project is thrilling.

We took these photos while camping at the point in 2007.

Whistleblower Fires Coal Seam Gas Debate

My latest post for Global Voices Online:

Whistleblower Simone Marsh has added fire to ongoing arguments about the environmental impact of the coal seam gas (CSG) industry in Australia. 4 Corners, a current affairs program on ABCTV (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) on Monday April 1, 2013 aired Gas Leak! It was no April fool’s joke, with allegations of government fast-tracking of CSG developments without adequate environmental impact studies.

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Australia: Whistleblower Fires Coal Seam Gas Debate