Economy vs Environment: The battle for the Future! Tuesday, January 27, 2009

All eyes have been on the US this week as the new administration take possession of the keys to the Oval Office. Change was promised but will it be delivered? However, back here in the UK another story has also been bubbling away, coming to a head on Friday when it was announced that our economy is officially in Recession.

Cantankerous Frank ¦ Mark Roberts

So where now?

Over the past few weeks there have been a whole host of articles/ blogs speculating on how President Obama will tackle the issue of climate change and the environment. I, like many, was disappointed that it was not mentioned in his inauguration speech last Tuesday, but the signs suggest it is still one of his top priorities.

It was in this vein that I read Peter Seligmann’s editorial piece for the BBC Setting out Obama’s Green Agenda.

The piece itself was nothing different from what I had read before – a good synopsis of the issues facing our community, but nothing to blog about specifically. However, a reader’s comment flagged up an issue which I’ve touched upon before. In such uncertain times, which should prevail – the Economy or the Environment?

“…The time to fix the environment was when we were flush (under Clinton and Bush), not now. It’ll, really, never be now and y’all should quit your whining.”

Brendan Steuble, Gainesville, VA, USA

For years politicians have been promising action on the environment, promising to create sustainable fuel alternatives and cutting carbon emissions. Now however the time for promises is over, action is required, and oh look – it’s an untapped industry to boot!

In his Pre-Budget Report, Alistair Campbell set out a strategy which would create jobs and help the UK reach its environmental targets. If you’ll excuse the cliche, it was a case of killing 2 birds with one stone. But it would seem that those on the other side of the pond, have had similar ideas.

In the month’s since his election, Barack Obama has often spoken of taking America in a new direction. There has been talk of an “age of responsibility” and a team of environmental heavyweights has been established help do just that. But in a country where oil tycoons weild so much power, can the future really be green? Or will it be yet another case of greenwash?

The word “economy” popped up throughout the list of the previous White House’s environmental “achievements.” They were at least honest enough to admit that the environement was an issue only when economically expedient.  And as much as I would love to believe that the move towards a more greener and responsible society is the result of some sort of ecological epiphany, I can’t. In answer to Brendan, yes the time to fix the environment was when we were flush, but where was the political motivation? For all our claims of enlightenment, Western society is incredibly short sighted.

But at the end of the day, it is better that something is being done. What’s the point of rebuilding the economy if the planet we live on is falling down around our ears?

Cantankerous Frank ¦ Mark Roberts

N.B. Brendan,  I don’t whine.  I may well object, remonstrate and criticise but please don’t confuse these with the actions of a 2 year old having a tantrum.

T minus 1 hour: Inauguration day is upon us. Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Change is upon us. Barack Obama is on the cusp of being sworn into the Oval Office, but it just all seems too good to be true.

Video courtesy of Amnesty International

Cantankerous Frank ¦ Mark Roberts

Call me cynical if you will, but I just can’t allow myself to be swept away by the whole occassion. In 1997 Tony Blair came to power with as much pomp and ceremony as the British Electoral Commission allows. Fair enough, I don’t think that John Major was unpopular as George Bush has become, but don’t forget how the Thatcher Government ended just a few years before. It was a time of hope, the ousting of an outdated system and an official embrace of the promise of something new.

But then what happened? 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq, 7/7 and Recession. Change was upon us, but the hopes of many came to nothing. So as much as this day is historic, and should be celebrated as such, it is only the wedding day – the marriage is still to come.

Since his election in November his every move has been watched by people all over the world – such is the power of the Oval Office. Questions have been raised over Guantanamo, Climate Change and the War on Terror, but the President-elect has been noticibly silent on key occasions since the polls closed.

So as I sit and watch the inaugral address being broadcast live accross the world it worries me that so much expectation has been put onto Obama’s presidency. One man can’t change the world, whatever his position.

The benefit of an education Thursday, January 8, 2009

Over the Christmas Holidays I attempted to bring order to my Laptop and in the process came across this article which I wrote for our local magazine but for one reason or another never got sent. Given the nostalgic theme of my last post, I thought I would share it with you all now.

In May I spent a month working with the grade 5 and 7 pupils at Thembelitsha Primary School in Knysna, South Africa, and it is an experience that will stay with me forever. The school itself is very basic, with just about enough chairs and tables to accommodate the 50 children in each class, but the enthusiasm of the students there is more than enough to make up for the lack of equipment. One of the first things I “taught” the grade 7s there was a song that I learnt in Children’s Choir when I was at Overhills, “We’re going on a bear hunt”. Bearing in mind that the average age of the class was 13, I anticipated a disaster, with most of the students choosing not to participate due to an “I’m too cool for this” attitude. In fact, it was the complete opposite. The song became a favourite and 7B even performed it with gusto in assembly the following week without the slightest hint of embarrassment! I understand that given the choice between learning about adjectives and spending an hour outside in the playground most children would opt for the latter. But the delight with which they approached the task impressed me immensely.

It was not all fun and games however. Due to the large class sizes, it is impossible for the teachers to give the necessary amount of attention to each student, and consequently there is a huge divide between those who are at the top of the class and those who are clearly struggling. My job, whilst I was at the school, was to act like a classroom assistant, coaching those in need of extra help. One of the biggest stumbling blocks I had to deal with was the reluctance the children had to ask for help. They point blank refused to put their hand up. Coming from a education system which encourages us from day one to ask for help if needs be, it seemed totally alien that they would rather fail in silence than ask for assistance. But I suppose with such huge classes no student got the amount of attention needed. This is a failing of the system and one that isn’t limited to South Africa.

During the time I spent in Knysna, the Grade 7s were asked to write a poem about a place they thought was beautiful, and I was asked to mark each and every one of them! The texts that I got back were as varied as the children that I had the pleasure to work with; some had obviously worked very hard, some had merely copied other poems out of the text books and some, bizarrely, had copied down the question, breaking it up on to different lines in the hope that that would turn it into a poem! However, every cloud has a silver lining and I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a poem handed in right at the end of my time at Thembelitsha.

My Beautiful School

By Lwando Best

When I see my beautiful school,

I just think of education,

Dedication.

The school that make me have graduation,

To have some good celebrations.

Oh, let me not think about the whole situation.

When I see my school,

I just think of the sky that makes me want to fly

Oh let me think of the of the best school in West Thembelitsha

Thembelitsha is the First and the best that have good education.

I have copied this poem exactly as it was written. Lwando, along with the rest of the school speaks Xhosa as his mother tongue, which is one of the African “clicking” languages and about as different from English as possible.

7A

7B

Happy New Year Monday, January 5, 2009

12 months ago yesterday I arrived in Cape Town at the start of my “Gap Year” – over the course of 7 months I made my way around South Africa, Swaziland and Oz, loved every minute of it, and cannot believe it has been a whole year since I set off already.

So since I am in a nostalgic mood I think I will take a leaf out of Dan and Tommy’s book, and present my highlights of 2008 and my hopes for 2009 – although that is a complete unknown at the moment.

Travel

Ok, given that I spent 7 months out of the country this year I guess that Travel would have to top my list.  Thanks to some crazy planning I managed to cram a whole load of stuff into my schedule including Ramsey Street, watching Kelly Slater take on Mick Fanning in J-Bay and being just yards away from Dan Carter at Newlands in Cape Town… Awesome!

Check out my Flickr stream for photos

On a less hedonistic note, however, my top travel moment must be when I saw 7-C perform “I’m going on a bear hunt”. I spent a month working with the Grade 7 classes at Thembelitsha Primary School in Knysna, and it was amazing. We touched on music, poetry, Shakespeare, tongue twisters.. and unlike kids of a similar age, I was never told that they were too cool to take part.

<video coming soon>

Music

Now I’m not really a top 40 kinda gal – I have no idea who is number 1 now and my days of hanging on Dr Fox’s last word ended when 911 split up. But my impression of the music industry is that if you look, true talent is waiting underneath the surface.  And this year did not disappoint, especially as I also had the chance to discover new bands when I was away!

This year I worked at V Chelmsford again, and whilst I never want to see another pint of Strongbow for a really long time, I was able to enjoy the acts in between pints. For me the highlight had to be the Zutons who I have been trying to see since I missed them in Liverpool in my second year. Easily one of the best sets I have seen all year

Sport

Keen eyes may have noticed an extra RSS link on right hand side… Yes, Rugby League has arrived in Falmouth!

2008 wasn’t the brightest of years for the Quins. The season started well but a number of high profile injuries and a string of bad results in the summer resulted in tempers fraying during a “local derby” against the Catalan Dragons. Not our finest moment.

But 2009 is a completely different ball game.  The League is bigger with the inclusion of the Celtic Crusaders and Salford Reds; Licences now determine who plays in the Super League (replacing the old-style promotion and relegation); and questions have been raised about the future of the club if attendance figures remain low.

Nonetheless the future looks bright for the London Based club. Quins Captain, Rob Purdham, represented his country and his club down-under during the World Cup this year. And with Luke Dorn returning to the Stoop, playoff hopes are high for the new season!

On a completely unrelated note, Kelly Slater has morphed into the Doctor’s mechanical companion k-9. After a 4th round finish at Mundaka, Slater was once again crowned World Champion.

It has been an impressive season for Slater. 2008 saw him dominate the WCT this year,  winning 7 out of the 10 events. Not bad for a 36 year old!

TV

Ok, given that all plans for Saturday had to be finished by 1735, I could not end this blog without mentioning Matt Smith, soon to be Time Lord Extraordinaire! – One of the best kept secrets for YEARS.

Now I am sure that there will be lots of fans who will not agree with Steven Moffat’s decision to put a 26 year old in charge of the only Tardis left in existence, but since David Tennant’s “Doctor” has been so popular, I think it was the only sensible option. Break with the old and embrace the new! Bring on Spring 2010!