Life imitates art

My novel - Vanishing act - prophesises the arrival of a bill to protect the Maui Dolphin.

Today the New Zealand government announced measures to close down fisheries along the west coast of New Zealand. The cost of the move is likely to be 80 million dollars, not counting the effects on families who depend on fishing for their livlihood.

It is a paradox for the Labour government that their decision has such a profound effect on their key constituents.

I also think that it is paradoxical that we have become conditioned to have an exaggerated concern for species facing extinction when extinction is simply a part of life on Earth. It is inevitable that humans will become extinct - we won't be around to observe it, but there is no doubt on the matter. The human collective ego sees itself as central to everything on the planet, but I am not so sure. Don't know what cockroaches chat about but I reckon they have a better chance than us in surviving - their track record is impressive.

Buy my book Vanishing Act. Very timely.

Find out who shot Willy Ihimati.
Who is Lorna McBride (and why is she called McBride of Frankenstein)
Which MP becomes an eco-warrior?
Will Maui Dolphin Survive?

Comments

Ze Frank thinks so you don't have to

Ze Frank appeared on my radar when I saw his presentation among the excellent TED Talks videos . This morning I was reading Russell Davies planning blog in which he referred to a clip by Ze Frank - Where do ideas come from. Here's the transcript: "...Hungry Hippo licks Aunt JEmima [sic] writes, "Are you ever gonna break into song again? Are you running out of ideas?" Hungry Hippo licks Aunt JEmima, that's a good question. I run out of ideas every day! Each day I live in mortal fear that I've used up the last idea that'll ever come to me. If you don't wanna run out of ideas the best thing to do is not to execute them. You can tell yourself that you don't have the time or resources to do 'em right. Then they stay around in your head like brain crack. No matter how bad things get, at least you have those good ideas that you'll get to later. Some people get addicted to that brain crack. And the longer they wait, the more they convince themse...

Johnny Bunko competiton

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Why billboards must go.

The problem with billboards and advertising in public places is they are an invasion of privacy. Unlike magazine, tv, radio (etc) advertising you cannot choose to turn it off or avoid it. Nor does it offer anything in return. It is a medium that offers no benefit or advantage to the person it is inflicted on. At least television ads subsidise the programming. Without doubt some billboards are entertaining - I thought the anti GE poster for short lived MADGE activist group was particularly good. But most are rubbish. Literally. Badly executed. Nothing important to say. The debate has led to a great deal of hysteria - mostly from people with a vested interest in perpetuating the deployment of hoardings. Perhaps the idea that the issue at stake is 'property rights' is the creepiest. If you own a building you have every right to plaster anything you like on its external surfaces. Is that an antisocial point of view? I think so. In the UK you could have an ASBO slapped on you for si...

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