ODT Supports Ecosanctuary

Congratulations on Allied Press (owners of the Otago Daily Times) for donating $100,000 to the Orokonui Ecosanctury.

Private Funding on Time Payment

A Dunedin City Council meeting heard yesterday that only 53% of private funding for the proposed Stadium is expected to be received before 2011, with the remaining funding not due until between that date and 2020. Cr Dave Cull said that the Council had said that it would not "hit the go button" on the stadium until 80% to 100% of the money had been raised. "We're not getting anywhere near that", he said.
Another "line in the sand" has been moved.

Not Looking Good For Stadium

The submissions to the Otago Regional Council have been 12 to 1 against funding the proposed new Carisbrook Stadium, reports the Otago Daily Times.
‘I’m not sure we can . . . ignore a 12 to one ratio, no matter what the long-term benefits may be’’ said Hearing panel member Cr Michael Deaker. His previous ‘‘fervent’’ support for the stadium was becoming ‘‘very wobbly indeed’’. Regional council chairman Stephen Cairns said there was a real possibility the council could say ‘‘no’’ to the funding.

Planting at Orokonui Ecosanctuary

Taking advantage of the wonderful weekend weather, I joined a group of volunteers in planting native trees and shrubs in the new Orokonui Ecosanctuary.
Now that the pest-proof fence has been completed, plants and birds can begin to thrive as they did in times long past.
In twenty years time, the Ecosanctuary will be a greater asset to the City than a Rugby Stadium ever will be. This with very little burden on the ratepayers.

Evidence Global Warming is Not Man-made

Atmospheric physicist S. Fred Singer is Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia and former director of the US Weather Satellite Service.
In this article, he discusses evidence that Global Warming is due to natural causes, and is not man-made.

Carisbrook Stadium has many Hurdles yet

The new Carisbrook Stadium has many Hurdles yet, before building will start:

1. The Regional Council must approve its funding
2. The Carisbrook Stadium Trust must raise it's $45 million
3. The Dunedin City Council must find it's extra $20 million
4. A fixed price contract must be signed, giving a total cost of the project of less than $188 million

Even if the money is raised, it is hard to see any construction company risking such a deal.

What Global Warming?

Chris Trotter has called for "total war" against global warming, and insults those who wish to debate climate science by calling them "quislings".
What global warming? There has been no increase in global average temperature since the peak of 1998, and the very cold winter in the Northern Hemisphere has confirmed that this up-trend has ended.
Every month that goes by in which the 1998 peak is not exceeded brings the global warming theory into greater doubt. Some scientists are predicting that the world will suffer extremely cold temperatures over the next 30 years, based on the the current very low level of solar activity. They recommend an increase carbon-dioxide emissions to moderate this cooling.