Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
GDP as a tool to set economic policy - time for change:
I'm so puzzled why we still use GDP as the main tool to measure 'progress': here is a 42 year old quote from Robert F. Kennedy, speech at the University of Kansas, March 18, 1968
GDP measures everything “…except that which makes life worthwhile.”
“Our Gross National Product…counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances
to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the
people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural
wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored
cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities..., and the television programs which glorify
violence in order to sell toys to our children. Yet the Gross National Product does not allow
for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not
include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public
debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage,
neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country,
it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us
everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.”
Robert F. Kennedy, speech at the University of Kansas, March 18, 1968
found on http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/29/6/42613423.pdf page 12
GDP measures everything “…except that which makes life worthwhile.”
“Our Gross National Product…counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances
to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the
people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural
wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored
cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities..., and the television programs which glorify
violence in order to sell toys to our children. Yet the Gross National Product does not allow
for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not
include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public
debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage,
neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country,
it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us
everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.”
Robert F. Kennedy, speech at the University of Kansas, March 18, 1968
found on http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/29/6/42613423.pdf page 12
Monday, May 31, 2010
1 June 2010
Blazing June - the first soleil d'or is just about out. The roof is on the new shed and our darling Dee is in Shanghai on the way to UK.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Pavlova competition tonight!
Last year a bloke won it! At Stirling Tides, Fortrose, pot luck supper - start time is now - 6.30pm
Christine & Colin McKenzie
476 Fortrose-Otara Road
RD5 Invercargill NZ 9875
Ph/Fx 0064 3 246 9526
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Two fishing boats anchored side by side last evening in the twilight, as the ocean calmed after a brilliantly hot sunny day. The air was still enough for us to light birthday candles on the pavlova - I wonder if the boat skippers trained their glasses on us as we did on them. We had four vehicles and a caravan on top of the cliff, they couldn't miss us. They made a memorable silhouette as we finally turned for home and our cosy beds.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Magnus with dogs and horse and helper in front of woolshed
My dad went from Bettyhill to Tierra del Fuego at age 18, in 1930... he settled very well, worked at Estancia Sara (Argentina) for some years then went to the Chilean mainland to Estancia Rospentek. He left to join the RAF in 1942 -ish., and never returned. I did though - I visited in 1976 and met a few folk who had known him.
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