Daar is de lente... eindelijk.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Our dear PM John Howard on global warming
TONY JONES: What do you see as the biggest threat to Australia in the future, terrorism or global warming?
JOHN HOWARD: I think terrorism is a greater threat because I think we are doing things about global warming. We're doing things about terrorism, but terrorism is more arbitrary, it's far more capricious, and of course its immediate consequences on the people it touches are more hideous.
TONY JONES: You'd be aware that that was a rhetorical question that Al Gore asked in his film.
JOHN HOWARD: Yes, (indistinct).
TONY JONES: Precisely, because he is saying that the difference is that the actual fate of the planet is at stake with global warming, not with terrorism.
JOHN HOWARD: Well, I will see the film, he sent me a copy and we had a brief discussion about it. But whilst believing that the planet is getting warmer and whilst accepting some, I don't accept all, and I believe that the methods that he proposes will do a lot of short and medium term damage to the Australian economy. It will send industries offshore, send Australian jobs to countries like China and Indonesia. I think we can tackle the problem in a different and equally effective way.
TONY JONES: You might be aware, I don't know, that there is a strong, sort of, rumour, it has been reported widely now that President Bush is about to do a huge U turn.
JOHN HOWARD: I've seen some reports.
TONY JONES: Would that influence you if he did?
JOHN HOWARD: We make our own assessment of these things. Our own assessment is that if Australia were to sign the Kyoto Protocol, we would damage our country's interests because the arrangements would impose obligations on us that would not be imposed on countries like China and Indonesia. Therefore it would be less costly for industry to invest in those countries and they'd take their investments from Australia elsewhere and we lose jobs.
From ABC Lateline interview, 19/9/2006
JOHN HOWARD: I think terrorism is a greater threat because I think we are doing things about global warming. We're doing things about terrorism, but terrorism is more arbitrary, it's far more capricious, and of course its immediate consequences on the people it touches are more hideous.
TONY JONES: You'd be aware that that was a rhetorical question that Al Gore asked in his film.
JOHN HOWARD: Yes, (indistinct).
TONY JONES: Precisely, because he is saying that the difference is that the actual fate of the planet is at stake with global warming, not with terrorism.
JOHN HOWARD: Well, I will see the film, he sent me a copy and we had a brief discussion about it. But whilst believing that the planet is getting warmer and whilst accepting some, I don't accept all, and I believe that the methods that he proposes will do a lot of short and medium term damage to the Australian economy. It will send industries offshore, send Australian jobs to countries like China and Indonesia. I think we can tackle the problem in a different and equally effective way.
TONY JONES: You might be aware, I don't know, that there is a strong, sort of, rumour, it has been reported widely now that President Bush is about to do a huge U turn.
JOHN HOWARD: I've seen some reports.
TONY JONES: Would that influence you if he did?
JOHN HOWARD: We make our own assessment of these things. Our own assessment is that if Australia were to sign the Kyoto Protocol, we would damage our country's interests because the arrangements would impose obligations on us that would not be imposed on countries like China and Indonesia. Therefore it would be less costly for industry to invest in those countries and they'd take their investments from Australia elsewhere and we lose jobs.
From ABC Lateline interview, 19/9/2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Rainy Weekend
It continues to rain in Sydney ... hopefully the final convulsions of this winter, as spring started on 1 September!
We stayed home all weekend, but had plenty of visitors to play with / cook for / talk to ... Sunday morning we had Ramiro and his family (wife, 2y old son and 1y old daughter) with us for brunch. Originally from Argentina, Ramiro studied at Columbia before spending a few years in Brazil. He and his family transferred to Australia a few months ago and we hope to see them more often as the kids (and the parents) get along really well.
Saturday afternoon we caught up with our Belgian friends from Killara (North of Sydney): Lise, Anja and Peter. Anyone who considers a trip to Australia should have a look at their website : they just finished another great trip (Darwin -> Broome) and the photos of this and their previous trips are spectacular!
Lise and Juleen
Finally, Nicole, Paul and their newborn son Christian stopped by on Saturday as well. Nicole is a colleague of Anouk and she gave birth on 30 August.
Hoping for better weather soon - the rain leaks through the terrace roof and our garage is getting wet...
We stayed home all weekend, but had plenty of visitors to play with / cook for / talk to ... Sunday morning we had Ramiro and his family (wife, 2y old son and 1y old daughter) with us for brunch. Originally from Argentina, Ramiro studied at Columbia before spending a few years in Brazil. He and his family transferred to Australia a few months ago and we hope to see them more often as the kids (and the parents) get along really well.
Saturday afternoon we caught up with our Belgian friends from Killara (North of Sydney): Lise, Anja and Peter. Anyone who considers a trip to Australia should have a look at their website : they just finished another great trip (Darwin -> Broome) and the photos of this and their previous trips are spectacular!
Lise and Juleen
Finally, Nicole, Paul and their newborn son Christian stopped by on Saturday as well. Nicole is a colleague of Anouk and she gave birth on 30 August.
Hoping for better weather soon - the rain leaks through the terrace roof and our garage is getting wet...
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Frog in the Garden
Deze namiddag hebben we de "pond" (een putje van 1 vierkante meter) uitgekuist om er binnenkort enkele visjes in te kunnen zetten. Bleek dat er al een kikker in het mini-vijvertje woonde. Een spannende namiddag!