Attacking the Current Account Deficit problem: a DIY approach for Kiwis

There’s been a bit of talk about New Zealand’s current account deficit lately e.g. (1), (2), (3) – probably because it looks like borrowing to fund the deficit is becoming much more difficult (The current account deficit is the difference between what the country earns from overseas and what it spends overseas).
New Zealand hasn’t had [...]

Peak Oil and Oil Prices

Oil prices in recent times rose dizzyingly to all-time highs. In an intuitive way, the experience seemed to many to validate the notion of Peak-Oil. Then along came the credit-crunch and the global-financial-crisis, and oil prices have plunged dramatically. Does that mean Peak Oil is no longer a problem?
Well no. Peak oil is a consequence [...]

Markets and states have failed on climate change – now it is the people’s turn to act

The financial crisis which has unfolded this year has caused governments to release billions of dollars at short notice to prop up the financial system. One might wonder why such funds have never been available to alleviate poverty, cancel Third World debt, or take meaningful action on climate change. But we don’t wonder about such [...]

Detecting Political Deception

Nearly a year ago David posted about Jack Harich’s paper: “The dueling loops of the political powerplace”. Harich suggested political competition could be likened to a race to the bottom versus a race to the top, in which the race to the bottom had an inherent advantage, namely: you can always lie bigger, but truth [...]

The search for certainty on climate change, and other acts of folly

Today (December 6) has been declared the International Day of Action on Climate Change; the day has been chosen as it falls midway through the UN climate change conference in Poznan, Poland. And so, while around 190 nations’ representatives prevaricate, numerous grassroots actions and events are taking place around the world as citizens express their [...]