Month: November 2007

Google Creates renewable energy R&D group and supports breakthroughtechnologies Google today announced a new strategic initiative to develop electricity fromrenewable energy sources that will be cheaper than electricityproduced from coal. The newly created initiative will focus initially on advanced solar thermal power, wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other potential breakthrough technologies. For more…

I cannot begin to say how incredibly happy I am that enough of you Australians have finally seen sense enough to rid us of the tyranny of Howard governance. Yes, it took some of you a long time, but it seemsyou've finally 'got it'. Congratulations! Those of you still voting 'Liberal' (and there are WAY…

I'm stuck in Sumatra in the middle of the jungle and as I didn't have much notice, I can't vote this time 'round… so i'm counting on you folks! GetUp has some great resources to make sure you're not giving your vote to the devil(s) check this out for example: GetUp's guide to 2007 Senate…

from http://news.okezone.com/index.php/news/detail/2007/11/18/1/61823 Kaban ready for a dialog with Greenpeace Yogyakarta –  Forestry Minister MS Kaban has said he was ready to discuss about the positive offer from GP to the halt peatland usage by the government. The government, however, will ask the opinion from experts and forestry scientists on the benefits and drawback about the demand.…

we’ve just received word that the ‘bandap’ (palm oil industry funded thugs who were responsible for the recent protest in Rengat, translates loosely as ‘hard punch’) are on their way to our camp. i’m optimistic that they won’t cause too much trouble, but we’ve taken precautions nonetheless. fortunately, we’re also due about now to have…

This morning, like every other morning, afternoon and evening, my skin glistens with (and reeks of) DEET containing insect repellent – ‘eau de jungle’ as it’s been unaffectionatly referred to. Two muddy Indonesian coffees into the day and still I can’t get over the experience of last night. Thirty or so meters from our camp…

fingers crossed it hasn't come to destroy our dams. in half an hour we're to receive a visit from a delegation from theindonsian environment ministry. interesting afternoon…

yesterday the anti-greenpeace protest in rengat was apparently prettycool, no violence or anything like that – when the group of 100 or soarrived at the rengat office they shouted 'evil greenpeace f**k off'and the like but happily received the cold drinks our volunteers werearmed with. although last night the office in rengat was visited by…

well, it's hot – really hot. perched just below the equator is a crapplace to live. I'm taking anti-malarials but that won't stop me frompicking up dengue fever, japanese encephalitis, or a host of othervector borne tropical diseases should i be unlucky enough to be bittenby the wrong mosquito. yesterday we found an endangered cat…

well, after a hellish 7(!) hour drive last night in torrential rain imade it to the office in Rengat. Three and a half hours of sleeplater, i was awake and on my way to meet the ponpong (boat).Fortunately it was high tide so we could take a short cut in the boat(reducing the 2 hour…