Today it won't be a rant against battered wives, child abuse, scams in government, overcrowded cities, a haze over our cities thanks to fumes from the jungle of transportation, industry trying not to follow environmental standards laid down by our government, overcrowded cities, potholes in our roads, slums in our cities, crime.
No, nothing that intense. It's things people say that make me slightly uncomfortable. For example, have you ever felt creepy listening to some politicians trying to appear glib, suave and bluff as they try and deftly deflect a question? That their ploy looks obvious to the rest of us while their sycophants bend over backwards to applaud their cleverness is another matter.
I love Barrack and I hope he wins. But when he or any American is shown
on TV going, "America is the best" it sadly doesn't ring true anymore. Take the following, for example. It definitely gave me the heebee jeebees. It made the headlines in NZ. It is what the US State department said John Key, our NZ PM, said. I don't know if they expected NZ not to pick up on it but it made the headlines here - "Key gets a US rewrite of what he really said" It took my breath away and made me think it would pay to do a double check as a matter of course. Kudos to the NZ Herald for being vigilant and for showing the transcript so no one was left in any doubt as to their report's veracity. I believe the Americans are blaming it on wind.
Finally, the recent trend among one or two Indian reporters to sound terribly high pitched and abrasive is really puzzling. Wonder what it is. A bid to sound confident and smooth? I don't know. All I know is I can't hear the words for the sound. Hope this settles soon.
Showing posts with label John Key. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Key. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Friday, June 24, 2011
Carbon Tax-Who benefits? Governments? The Air We Breathe?
MY KEY QUESTION - WHAT WILL THE MONEY THEY COLLECT BE USED FOR?
John Key has just been to Australia. He is being touted as the first NZ PM to go there and address their parliament. The Aussies, on the other hand, are quick to point out the largesse with which they see New Zealand and its PMs. Good guy, one of them said, but our real issues took a back seat. Julia Gillard, our PM would've been relieved there was no question time. She would have him speak for a week if she had her way.
Julia Gillard, from what I gathered, has taken a nose dive in the popularity polls. Australia is a coal mining country and she wants to introduce a carbon tax. John Key, in his address spoke about the carbon tax that NZ has already introduced bolstering her argument.
Which brings me to my topic - the carbon tax. If I understand correctly, this tax is imposed so that businesses hesitate to release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Coal and other fossil fuels like petroleum release many polutants when they are burnt. These are very dangerous for human health and the health of anything living. Some of these are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide in huge quantities, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ground level ozone, smog... What exactly they do to us, to plant life, to animals, fish, the plankton in the sea, which industries are responsible - these issues are addressed here on my blog. (http://nevermindyaar.blogspot.com/2011/06/why-some-gases-are-deadly-dangerous-i.html)
To reduce carbon dioxide emissions into our atmosphere governments have come up with the carbon tax. Businesses have to pay a tax for every tonne of carbon dioxide emitted due to their activities. People always toe the line if it hurts their pockets. Weighing the bottom line against high faluting ideas like saving the atmosphere, saving future generations from ill health like asthma or heart disease, breathing clean air, not having eyes water, guess what wins? More's the pity but that is why a carbon emissions tax is considered a good idea.
What I'd like clarified is what governments will do with all that money. What will they use it for? To clean up the atmosphere? Plant more trees? Educate people to have their buy in? Show them the benefits of recycling? Composting? Terraced gardening? Alternatives to fossil fuels? Where exactly will every penny of the carbon emissions tax be spent? Do let us know.
It somehow reminds me of speeding and drunk driving fines in NZ. The New Zealand police department might always have fined people for drunk driving or speeding but of late, to my mind, collecting that fine had become a very prominent activity in Auckland. If that fine went towards helping to educate these people or towards Alcoholics Anonymous or anything to do with people buy-in to improve speeding and drunk driving, I would feel better about it. I am not arguing the police department doesn't need funds - I hope it always has enough funds to do a good job of protecting people and doesn't need what's collected from speeding and drunk driving fines.
And similarly, the carbon tax could be used to educate people about the dangers of using fossil fuels, research in alternative energies, new technologies and anything that would reduce carbon emissions into the only atmosphere we humans have to sustain life.
.
John Key has just been to Australia. He is being touted as the first NZ PM to go there and address their parliament. The Aussies, on the other hand, are quick to point out the largesse with which they see New Zealand and its PMs. Good guy, one of them said, but our real issues took a back seat. Julia Gillard, our PM would've been relieved there was no question time. She would have him speak for a week if she had her way.
Julia Gillard, from what I gathered, has taken a nose dive in the popularity polls. Australia is a coal mining country and she wants to introduce a carbon tax. John Key, in his address spoke about the carbon tax that NZ has already introduced bolstering her argument.
Which brings me to my topic - the carbon tax. If I understand correctly, this tax is imposed so that businesses hesitate to release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Coal and other fossil fuels like petroleum release many polutants when they are burnt. These are very dangerous for human health and the health of anything living. Some of these are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide in huge quantities, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ground level ozone, smog... What exactly they do to us, to plant life, to animals, fish, the plankton in the sea, which industries are responsible - these issues are addressed here on my blog. (http://nevermindyaar.blogspot.com/2011/06/why-some-gases-are-deadly-dangerous-i.html)
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| Air pollution by netalloy, open clipart |
What I'd like clarified is what governments will do with all that money. What will they use it for? To clean up the atmosphere? Plant more trees? Educate people to have their buy in? Show them the benefits of recycling? Composting? Terraced gardening? Alternatives to fossil fuels? Where exactly will every penny of the carbon emissions tax be spent? Do let us know.
It somehow reminds me of speeding and drunk driving fines in NZ. The New Zealand police department might always have fined people for drunk driving or speeding but of late, to my mind, collecting that fine had become a very prominent activity in Auckland. If that fine went towards helping to educate these people or towards Alcoholics Anonymous or anything to do with people buy-in to improve speeding and drunk driving, I would feel better about it. I am not arguing the police department doesn't need funds - I hope it always has enough funds to do a good job of protecting people and doesn't need what's collected from speeding and drunk driving fines.
And similarly, the carbon tax could be used to educate people about the dangers of using fossil fuels, research in alternative energies, new technologies and anything that would reduce carbon emissions into the only atmosphere we humans have to sustain life.
.
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