OXYGEN QUALITY & CNN NEWS – 20.1.13
CNN news: The USA’s obsession with absolution continues: Oprah + Lance as teacher + bonus advice. Then the UK + Norway say Algeria’s hostage drama is now over. On oxygen quality watch: how is Beijing coping with ‘air-pocalypse’ city living conditions?
There’s a few headlines to put up in the air today for starters.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 20.1.13~
EMERGING ECONOMIES – OECD FRANCE OFFICE SEE CANADA AS A POTENTIAL G7 LEADER
The OECD Building, Canada–Reuters.
Canada looks to realign its future place in the world’s future. How is that looking? Let’s zoom in then.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that is situated in France, likes to think that Canada is the leader in the Group of Seven industrialized economies set to grow in the next fifty years time frame.
The organization sees only Japan sneaking ahead of Canada’s economic growth trajectory. The USA and the UK are not too far behind Canada and Japan in France’s opinion.
Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Norway though not in the G7 Club are also expected to do well economically.
The Canada figures are based on the growth of a labor market’s combined outputs in time. Japan and Germany are contracting in population trends and is why they do well on the per capita measure.
Canada’s population is young in a nation where 60% of people are listed as obese. With the youth of Canada being well-educated and surrounded by natural resources too, Canada is well positioned to track at higher growth than other countries. Of course, that is based on the premise that the resources will be shipped abroad.
The same French report rightly notes that the balance of global economic power will dramatically shift as China overtakes the U.S. as the world’s biggest economy as early as 2016. China will overtake the eurozone in 12 months or more.
The same group of economists forecast that India’s GDP will surpass that of Japan within 24 months. India they see as overtaking the euro area in about 20 years. It is possible that the U.S will also be overtaken by India’s growth in the long run.
The OECD chose to support Canada’s Stephen Harper‘s six day trading mission in India at the timing of releasing their report, before he visited Manila. (more…)
GLOBAL WEATHER PATTERNS BOOKS, AIR QUALITY, GLOBAL NEWS EVENTS – AROUND THE WORLD NEWS – 6th NOVEMBER 2012
While we were reading news…
Humility is to know your limits with your strengths. The exciting blend of both is visionary wisdom in full technicolor.
Around the World Audience Views News – Horiwoodblog - 6th November 2012.
Norway News: Pivotal Book: 2052 author on climate change, global warming, air quality & rich upper-middle class industrialized nations to lose privileged brat ‘tudes. A must read: This is as good as it gets, says visionary Norwegian author Jorgen Randers.
2052, the book, is a global forecast for the next 40 years.
Bonus: China - Jujube fruit – Hardy sweet, Baby factory export products to South-East Asia & UNICEF, Xi Jinping, China embraces USA’s election democracy show as Chinese pop culture.
USA: Election 2012: The Final stretch, A Swing State Sprint, USA online mood gauge: I Want USA to…, Romney‘s team are in spin overdrive in OH, PA & WI, Gallup: R 50% O 49%, ABCWashPo: O 50% R 47%, Rasmussen: R 49% O 48%, A Challenger at the Crossroads, Hip hop: Jay-Z humor, A few military voters to vote last, Generation Debt: Billionaires taking too much: Each American Under 18 owes Owes $218,676, ‘Per Person Debt Now 35 % Higher than that of Greece’, Giuliani: FEMA management similar on Sandy as Katrina, Bill Clinton on US Military, ‘The Boss’ joins Obama in Wisconsin, Electricity in East Coast, Apple’s perks on overseas takings, Duress: Mayor says up to 40,000 may need relocation, Germany wants Google to pay newspapers for news links, Arizona nonprofit has ties to Koch brothers, US starting to be more conscious of global warming debate, Nicki Minaj sings of Freedom, Gardening: Grow your own pesto with punch, Fashions new boardroom, NFL: Colts, Bears are on the upswing, Downtown LA dining: sushi watch, Real faces USA: After the Violence, the Rest of Their Lives. Journalist-Writer-Economists: Draft: The Political Speechwriter’s Life. US employers question: If I Hire You, What’s Your 100-Day Plan? Visual IT fun: Instagram moves into web profiles. NASA expands global networking list.
New Zealand: Kate Wilkinson‘s Pike River fall out press, Carla Rose: Family reaction to Pike River report, NZ’s PM on mining co’s corporate negligence, Attorney-General calls it on corporate manslaughter, Greed vs Safety, NZ at a turning point - Greymouth’s gift to the world from tragedy, NZ manufacturer moves to China: Rakon news, R&D boost for $37b Maori economy, Duncan Garner remembers lawyer Greg King, Rugby: Sam Whitelock‘s news, Fire Service needs upgrades in training equippers, Lion buys Emerson’s craft brewery, Kiwi humor, Hobbit press marketing, Canterbury construction’s impacts on labour, Biz: Peter Lyons press. Innovative Nation Kiwis: Sir Graeme Douglas, Sir Ray Avery and buds, New Zealand’s Best Journalists & TV Program makers honored – NZ TV Awards 2012. Woot!
UK: Heathrow hub ideas to be explored, Top 10 Bond Villains, Britain and Germany are growing apart (Germany should chill on being a ball breaker), Saudi arms wrangler Cameron on Tory child abuse cover up claims. Soccer: Barry: City can still win Champions League, Robbie Williams is funny, Prince Charles press even funnier.
Australia: Cru’s Kew queue – the breakfast club Melbourne, Sam Worthington lets off steam in Atlanta, Aussie beauties race day fashions strut, Racing sports scandals, Treasurer Mike Baird is a big fan of NSW Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat, How negativity in politics affects economy – the right words needed daily, Flemington crazy has started with stealth Apps & live blog. How pseudoscience is a creative safe playground of innovation, Electronic health devices & people hacking risks in med-science, USA’s top ten election funnies & foreign policy brass USA-Aussie relevancy, Cuisine watch: Sydney’s iconic 20 dishes best of list, Melbourne follows suit with a top 20 list, Parenting done Aussie style at Christmas: The Play School Art Maker iPad App, Leadership change that actually matters, Relationship Tips. Aussie farmers drought buffer rainy day plan is strongwise.
France: Snobby French media world says Valerie Trierweiler is nada muchos tres bien, Rachida Dati was not your typical French judge.
Canada: Construction & Montreal mayor steps down amid corruption allegations, 5 Canadian issues for the USA, Frank McKenna wants Obama to win, In BigPharma driven Canada legal hemp industry growing, Auto technology company moves to Windsor. Foreign affairs visits: Harper Flies in an armoured Cadillac to India.
Brazil: Auto Industry Boosts Brazil Recovery, UPDATE 2-Copersucar, Eco-Energy to form world’s top ethanol trader, NYSE, partner ATG to create new trading platform in Brazil, Elections End with PT Win in São Paulo, Petrobras Reports Weak Q3 Profits, Brazil’s Sao Paulo inflation quickens in October.
India: On election – eve , opinion polls show Obama sneaking ahead.
Germany: e-commerce tax effort (UK-Germany), Social spending planned as a pre-election sweetener, The Luther Fest marks 500th year of The Reformation (the printing press’ role in furthering democracy & the amazing man whose friends kidnapped him to keep him alive, and whose writings sparked a revolution). Catholics aren’t entirely happy at Merkel‘s politicization of it.
In Hollywood Kristen Stewart arrives at Jay Leno’s studio. Photo: X17 Online.
Italy: Milan – Police seize assets in Italy fashion group, Italy said to refute bad bank boosting ties to Sovereign. Visit and explore Italia.
Mexico: Mexico & G20 nations economic plans. USA’s effect on G-20 nations, G-20 officials meet to discuss debt in Europe, US.
Photo caption: Dutch Queen Beatrix, center, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, center left, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Lodewijk Asscher, center right, pose with other ministers of the new Dutch government on the steps of Royal palace Huis Ten Bosch after their inauguration ceremony in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday Nov. 5, 2012. (AP Photo – Boston - Peter Dejong).
Netherlands: New cabinet poses with queen, but had to be sworn in twice. Healthcare: Biggest health insurer freezes basic premium, top-ups rise 8%, New cabinet shifts views on Middle East policy, 62% of Dutch people working abroad plan to come home, Dozens of Dutch embassies to close. Totally sketch: Tax havens popular with Dutch banks -The Netherlands’ biggest banks ABN Amro, ING and Rabobank have dozens of subsidiaries based on tax havens such as the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Mauritius, the Financieele Dagblad states on Friday.
Indonesia: Poso has a police brutality issue. Summit calls for tighter Asia–Europe ties to face challenges, Why foreign investors may ‘relocate’, Indonesia is looking for a fusion that spins the world. Tourism: Bali lacks Mandarin, Russian-speaking tour guides. Democracy – Bali will host the annual Bali Democracy Forum (BDF), Asean News: ASEAN to launch a new regional FTA with its partners (Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Korea & China).
Bonus:
Mid-East: Syrian FM criticises Qatar opposition talks.
Russia: Show Tunes and Sinatra, With a Russian Accent. Vladimir Putin fired Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, replacing him with Sergei Shoigu, a former emergencies minister – briefly a governor of the Moscow region. His role is to modernize Russia’s military.–Reuters.
Culture: A view of Maori culture of New Zealand. Maintaining The Standard of the source of the Maori haka. Source: Te Karere News.
Snapshot 1: Horiwoodblog website’s hard data rankings of daily audience views. Photo 1: Sir Peter Buck, global Maori-Kiwi, early 1900′s. Image: Te Papa Museum, Wellington New Zealand. Photo 2: Norwegian author (2052): Jorgen Randers - a Luis Ascui photograph.
About The Book 2052: Forty years ago, The Limits to Growth study addressed the grand question of how humans would adapt to the physical limitations of planet Earth. It predicted that during the first half of the 21st century the ongoing growth in the human ecological footprint would stop-either through catastrophic “overshoot and collapse”-or through well-managed “peak and decline.”
So, where are we now? And what does our future look like? In the book 2052, Jorgen Randers, one of the co-authors of Limits to Growth, issues a progress report and makes a forecast for the next forty years. To do this, he asked dozens of experts to weigh in with their best predictions on how our economies, energy supplies, natural resources, climate, food, fisheries, militaries, political divisions, cities, psyches, and more will take shape in the coming decades. He then synthesized those scenarios into a global forecast of life as we will most likely know it in the years ahead.
The good news: we will see impressive advances in resource efficiency, and an increasing focus on human well-being rather than on per capita income growth. But this change might not come as we expect. Future growth in population and GDP, for instance, will be constrained in surprising ways-by rapid fertility decline as result of increased urbanization, productivity decline as a result of social unrest, and continuing poverty among the poorest 2 billion world citizens. Runaway global warming, too, is likely.
So, how do we prepare for the years ahead? With heart, fact, and wisdom, Randers guides us along a realistic path into the future and discusses what readers can do to ensure a better life for themselves and their children during the increasing turmoil of the next forty years.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 6.11.12~
NORTHERN LIGHTS IN FINNMARK NORWAY
Photo of the day: Viewers Choice Category winner: A lonely cabin is illuminated under the Northern Lights in Finnmark, Norway. Michelle Schantz photograph for National Geographic Traveller Photo Contest.–MetroUK.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 20.8.12~
WORLD VIEWS & NEWS – 22nd JULY 2012
Global Audience are zooming in today from:
We’re reading from: United States, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, France, India, Italy, Germany, Finland, Brazil, Spain and Netherlands.
Some News Links:
Syria: The War Within
USA: Aurora, Denver Co: USA’s top story: Tragic stories of 12 victims killed in tragedy, Christian Bale: ‘Words cannot express the horror that I feel’. Totally weird life coaches news: 21 treated for burns after walking on hot coals at Tony Robbins event, OOC inequality news: Rich Getting Poorer; Paying More Taxes. Baseball: John Lannan is doing way too much. Photos & Social Media IT: Pinterest, Tumblr and the Trouble With Curation. Family adventures: Test Driving Disney’s New Cars Land. Sneaky USA: Super Rich Hold $32 Trillion in Offshore Havens.
New Zealand: Netball: Magic win ANZ Championship - Woot! Elias Shadrock revelling in grand final victory. Reflecting on NRL: Warriors’ season on the brink. Rugby: Crusaders 28. Bulls 13. Piri Weepu committed to Blues for two more years. Politics: National unfazed by asset sale protests. Fashion Week: Designer’s list. Racing news: Motor show revs up the crowds. Marlbourough: House of the Year awards. Top young viticulturist.
Producer News: Making it happen R&D - Russell Crowe backs Mark Staufer‘s new interactive book.
Australia: Rupert Murdoch resigns from News Corp. boards. Aussie debate, Olympics: ‘It’s time for a woman to carry the flag’. AFL – Brisbane scrapes home. Air travel: Business fares drop 25%.
London: Bradley Wiggins‘ UK fans check in. London’s Olympics coverage in full. Olympics torch starts final leg
Canada: Soccer: Reds draw in Canada. Economy Watch: Canada Growth Risks Lagging U.S. as Exports Cool
Russia: Gossip – Suleiman Kerimov
France: After Sarkozy – François Hollande reviews policies
India: Poll: Pranab Mukherjee is new leader. Cricket: Sri Lanka & India news.
Italy: Italians in Syria now advised to leave.
Germany: Investors are hot for Germany.
Finland: Economic Watch: Finland rejects Euro Exit - backs Spain Rescue.
Brazil: Olympics fit. Soccer: Great Britain v Brazil
Espana: King Juan Carlos news.
Norway: Norway honors 77 victims on attack anniversary
Iraq: Iraq’s blind eye to Syrian refugees’ plight.
Iran: In Iran, fashion police target women who test nation’s strict dress code–Washington Post.
Egypt: Egypt: Morsi, the military and the media
Pakistan: 9 killed in senseless attack.
Netherlands: Cricket: Netherlands secure comfortable win UAE.
Earth Watch TV: earthrise
News Video: ABC USA’s David Muir talks to Eric Hunter on the scene in Denver, Co.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 22.7.12~
WORLD VIEWS – 17th JUNE 2012
My goal this year is to stay at the top of the field in the single sculls and bring home the elusive Olympic Gold from London in August 2012.– Mahé Drysdale.
87 nations are reading today. Readers include:Colombia, Estonia, Dominican Republic, Bosnia, Armenia, Trinidad & Tobago, Paruguay, Albania, El Salvador, Maldives, Ghana, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Nigeria and Senegal.
Reading too are:
Cyprus, Luxemborg, Bangladesh, Latvia, Slovenia, Nepal, Denmark, Myanmar, Syria, Jamaica, Tunisia, Peru and Mauritius.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 17.7.12~
SPORTS BLOGGING AT THE SUMMIT – GLOBAL EYED VIEWS – 15th JULY 2012
At a young 25, New Zealand athlete Emma Twigg can scull. Watch sports video.
Our global eyes:
Main Readers are reading today from: United States, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Italy, Germany, France, Netherlands, Malaysia, Poland, Philippines, Russia, Argentina and Mexico.
At Olympics 2012 New Zealand’s Chances to reach 100 medals looks good: In Paul Hobbs story some of New Zealand’s finest athletes are featured. People like: Yvette Williams, Sir Peter Snell, Sir John Walker, Harry Kirk, Mark Todd, Tom Ashley, Valerie Adams, Hamish Carter.
Sir Murray Halberg shares:
For an athlete mastering the mental pressures and not being numbed to be in control of your destiny, are traits that define high performance athletes competing in the highest levels of sport. You have to make the most of life, grasp the moment and don’t look back later with regrets.
Second Tier Audience are reading from: Romania, Ireland, Indonesia, Hungary, Singapore, Turkey, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Thailand, Pakistan, Austria, South Africa, Denmark, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, Norway and Finland.
In rugby football news: The Crusaders 38. The Force 24. (Israel Dagg, Sean Maitland, Andrew Ellis, Matt Todd tries; Daniel Carter 3 cons 2 pens, Taylor 2) 0 pens. For the Force: 24 (Kyle Godwin, Holmes, Alfi Mafi tries; Brett Sheehan 2 cons, Godwin con, Ben Seymour pen)
Third Tier Audience are reading from: Israel, Serbia, United Arab Emriates, Bulgaria, Peru, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Republic of Korea, Qatar, Taiwan, Lebanon, Greece, Tunisia, Iraq, Chile, Puerto Rico, Estonia and Georgia.
In soccer news: Canada beat New Zealand’s Football Ferns 2-0. Photo: Football Ferns player, Betsy Hassett in white and Fara Williams England in red. Photo: AP.
Fourth Tier of Readers are reading from: Vietnam, Egypt, Croatia, Hong Kong, Belarus, Slovakia, Dominican Republic, Morocco, Bonsia, Bangladesh, Trinidad & Tobago, Yemen, British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, Brunei, Azerbaijan and Palestinian Territories.
In New Zeland rugby league news: Although The Warriors are set to slip out of the leading eight teams; the Warriors have achieved a huge coup by securing centre Konrad Hurrell – one of the NRL’s hottest properties – until the end of the 2015 season. The 20-year-old Tongan, halfway through only his second season in rugby league, has been one of the NRL’s top rookies, his blitzing form netting 12 tries in just 12 appearances, including 11 in his last seven games.
To watch the Warriors last football match action: Broncos v Warriors highlights (1:45). Photo: News Limited.
Readers are also reading from: Syria, Namibia, Jordan, Fiji, Algeria and El Salvador.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 15.7.12~
TENACITY
Here’s a story about tenacity, being celebrated.
The last time Bono of U2 backed a major political cause, it was for President Obama of the USA. This time round Bono got to meet another one of his icons. That being Aung San Suu Kyi, of Burma.
The creative U2 frontman, was clever enough to write a song, Walk On for the once imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner of Burma. Burma’s pro-democracy leader, responded today to Bono’s gift of song saying:
“I like the song because it’s very close to how I feel, that it’s up to you to carry on. It’s good if you have supporters. It’s good if you have people who are sympathetic and understanding. But in the end, it’s your own two legs that have to carry you on.”
Both Bono and Su Ang are fans of Bob Marley‘s revolutionary reggae anthems, that are about slowing it down in the world, and stopping to smell the rose buds more. That way, the planet lasts longer, than being too pedal to the medal driving too fast on the world’s roads.
Ms Su Ang boarded Bono’s jet from Oslo, to attend the ”Electric Burma”tribute concert in Dublin, hosted by Amnesty International where 5,000 Irish bros and bro-ettes will sing Happy Birthday to the star of the Peaceful concert.
To watch video, link here. [Photo: Pohutakawa flowers in bloom, Aotearoa New Zealand - Alan Gibson]. 
St Lyrics website list the lyrics as being: “And love is not the easy thing. The only baggage you can bring is all that you can’t leave behind.
And if the darkness is to keep us apart. (more…)
BURMA’S LEADER VISITS OSLO, NORWAY
“If I advocate cautious optimism it is not because I do not have faith in the future but because I do not want to encourage blind faith,” Aung Sang Suu Kyi, Burma’s leader said in Orslo.
When Ms Suu Kyi won The Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, she could not accept it in person.
“For me receiving the Nobel Peace Prize means personally extending my concerns for democracy and human rights beyond national borders,” Ms Suu Kyi said.
“The Nobel Peace Prize opened up a door in my heart”.
[More on this story at Australian.Com. Photo: Lise Aserud]
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 17.6.12~
SWITZERLAND WILL BE HOME TO KIWI NON NUCLEAR-PROLIFERATION ACTIVIST ALYN WARE
New Zealand has always had a strong ability to direct our angst and anxiety at causes that are important in the world. Here’s a story about that.
It’s 25 years where New Zealand took a stand to be legally nuclear-free today. The moment was enshrined at Oxford, with Prime Minister David Lange at Oxford University. His speech is one of the best from a Kiwi politician in our history.
It’s always good to have a refresher course on cornerstone cultural issues that make New Zealanders special.
Alyn Ware of Tauranga, is on a mission to uphold this tradition. Alyn is a co-rodinator whose organized a global network of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament back in 2003.
Alyn’s office in Wellington where he’s been based for 10 years has closed due to cuts of NZ Peace Foundation funding. So instead, Alyn will be based at the University of Basel in Switzerland, with support from Basel council.
[Photo - Peace Sport].
Simon Collins reports: “The countries that are picking up the disarmament ball are no longer down here. New Zealand is no longer a big player in this. I need to be working with the governments that are going to make a difference, countries like Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Germany, Kazakhstan and, actually, Mexico.”
New Zealand’s Nuclear-Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act was once ”groundbreaking”. “It wasn’t just about saying we won’t have nuclear weapons in our ports. It was criminalising them, it was making it illegal for New Zealanders to be involved in production or in aiding and abetting their production,” Mr Ware said.
Alyn explains how The Philippines, Mongolia and Austria took New Zealand’s model and made it theirs too. Legislation based on our model is in the Bangladesh Parliament now, and the text of the New Zealand law will be included in a handbook for the International Parliamentary Union in October.
Collins also notes how the United States President Barack Obama has picked up the cause, (more…)
FAROES ISLAND VIKING FISH FIGHTS & BLUE FIN TUNA TUSSLES HEAT UP
In our lust for fish, fish oil and fish protein, we often ignore what the environment is saying about sustainability. And in some cases, some peoples are at risk of being bullied by International governing bodies in “fish fights.” The Faroe Islands dispute is the latest story like this:
FIS.Com writes: “Foreign Minister Össur Skarphéðinsson has condemned the possible sanctions against Iceland and the Faroe Islands being discussed within the European Union (EU) at the meeting of the European Economic Area (EEA) Council this week. The EU is considering the move because of the countries’ dispute with Norway and EU member states on their share of the joint mackerel fishing quota.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and Denmark on behalf of the EU, Fréttablaðið reports.
“I criticized the resolution of the fisheries committee of the European Parliament and the draft that has been presented on possible actions that may be taken against Iceland and the Faroe Islands,” Össur said, Iceland Review reports.
The quarrel is expected to escalate next year when the EU introduces a trade ban on Icelandic and Faroese fish imports. EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said she would execute a ban once she had pushed an enabling regulation via the EU.
He said he had clearly stated that Iceland opposes overfishing and wants to reach a solution on the matter. But Damanaki disagrees.
“Iceland and the Faroes have put unilateral quotas in place and they are not co-operative at all. There is no scientific foundation on which they can base their decisions,” the fisheries comissioner said from a report by The Grocer.”
More here.
- – -
Elsewhere: USD 120,000 fine for Taiwanese vessel engaged in shark finning – Costa Rica reports:The owner of the Taiwanese ship Hung Chi Fu XII had to pay a fine of CRC 62 million (USD 120,370) for violating the Fisheries Act by practising shark finning.”
Clearly, some nations are a bit too agro about harvesting fish and seafood. (more…)
PIERRE MARCOLINI CHOCOLAT VIA NORWAY’S GURO STUAN’S STYLE PALATE PICKS
Comparative studies between Sees’ Candies of California (the best!) and chocolat via Pierre Marcolini of Bruxelles would make interesting research.
As shared via Norway on Guro Stuan‘s fun Norway blog of “Life Inspired by Style, Food, Travel, Friends, Designs and much more!” Thanks girl. :)
~Posted by Horiwood.Wordpress.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 3.5.12~
POETRY INFLUENCED BY THE PROPHET JOEL – “THE SCREAM” by EDVARD MUNCH
Here’s a piece of poetry heavily influenced by the brooding poetic writings of the ancient poet and prophet Joel. The poem is by artist Edvard Munch. It accompanied his artwork The Scream. The poem goes like this:
I was walking along the road with two friends. The Sun was setting – The Sky turned a bloody red And I felt a whiff of Melancholy – I stood Still, deathly tired – over the blue-black Fjord and City hung Blood and Tongues of Fire My Friends walked on – I remained behind – shivering with Anxiety – I felt the great Scream in Nature.
Incidentally, Gawker website notes in its Rich People section, “‘The Scream’ Just Became the Most Expensive Artwork Ever Sold at Auction; Some People Have Never Heard of Posters: (more…)
Maori fortreffelighet
Maori fortreffelighet
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 20.3.12~
2012′s FORBES LIST OF 70 TOP [KNOWN] BILLIONAIRES
When you blog about Hollywood stars you look for elements of the human experience played out in more spectacular and sensationalized ways. Often many stars have a media profile that shouldn’t while hardworking or entreprenuerial minds are rarely seen by wider audiences.
[Billionaire sports photo caption - Times & Star reports Roman Abramovich showed a lack of class in sacking Chelsea's young Portugese coach Andres Villas-Boas after only 8 months in the job. Photo caption above: FIFA 2018 & 2022 press conference - Michael Regan for Getty Images Europe].
When Forbes Magazine publishes its annual list of billionaires, Hollywood tends to fade and Forbes tends to shine for a week or two. The magazine sheds light on a cast of money makers and reveals partial information about what industries they’re involved in, how they make wealth grow.
If you missed the first 50 billionaire names and profitbale industries trail listed by Forbes this year, click here. Billionaires 51-75 follow:
51. Birgit Rausing – $14B – Packaging. Acquistions & Mergers. Applied Economics – Switzerland
52. Forrest Mars Jr. – $13.8B – Chocolate & confectionary
53. Jacqueline Mars - $13.8B
54. John Mars - $13.8B
55. Joseph Safra - $13.8B
56. Vagit Alekperov – $13.5B – Russia
57. Mikhail Fridman - $13.4B -
58. Mikhail Prokhorov - $13.2B – stablizing discontent amongst young voters - Russia
59. Susanne Klatten - $30B – Germany
60. Francois Pinault & family - $13.B – luxury fashion brands merchandising
61. Mohammad al Amoudi -$12.5B -
62. Anne Cox Chambers - $12.5B – Media proprieter
63. John Paulson - $12.5B -
64. Robert Kuok - $12.4B – Malaysia
65. Luis Carlos Sarmiento - $12.4B
66. Viktor Vekselberg - $12.4B – high tech electronics
67. Antonio Ermirio de Moraes & family – $12.2B -
68. Roman Abramovich - $12.1B – Russia. Chelsea Soccer Club owner. Main owner of investment company, Millhouse Inc. He started out selling stolen gasoline while in the army. This progressed to smuggling contraband and stolen goods. He’s done prison time. Tire retreading and bodyguard placement was also what he did. Trading oil and diesil fuels is many how he made his wealth.
69. Donald Bren - $12B – Irvine Co, real estate development in the USA.
70. Jorge Paulo Lemann - $12B – tennis player, investment banker, brewery owned South America distribution, advises NY stock exchange. Born to Swiss parents in Rio di Janero. He’s also into talent scouting bright ideas serving on the board of Endeavor, an international non-profit development organization that finds and supports high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Backer of 3G who bought Burger King fast foods.
71. Ronald Perelman - $12B – Invested in a portfolio of diverse companies including grocery, cigar, licorice, makeup, car, photography, television, camping, security, lottery, jewelry, banks, and comic book industries.
72. Len Blavatnik - $11.9B – president of Access Industries Holdings LLC. Diversified investments in Russia, Europe, North and South America. Sectors include computer science, oil, coal, aluminum, petrochemicals and plastics, telecommunications, media, and real estate
73. Leonid Mikhelson – $11.9B – CEO Novotek gas company & engineer – Russia
74. Leonardo del Vecchio – $11.5B – Luxottica & Lenscrafters eye frame design company – Milan, Italy
75. John Fredriksen - $11.3B – Norwegian Investor – A Cypriot shipping & oil tycoon. Fredriksen has ownership of companies Frontline and Golar LNG from London. He’s invested heavily in the offshore driller SeaDrill. He is big on the fish farming company Marine Harvest. He is invested in the dry bulk company Golden Ocean Group. His other investments include the supply vessel company Deep Sea Supply. Fredriksen’s Frontline company owned a 9.6% stake of yet another large tanker company Overseas Shipholding Group. In 2011 – he let this stake go.
For more billionaires and the industries and fields they are invested in, check it here.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 9.3.12~
PHOTOGRAPH – BRONNOYSUND NORWAY LIGHT
Bronnoysund Norway gets good cinematic light.
Photo – Hunting the Light Blog posts.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 24.2.12~
THE CRUCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF MEASURING PROSPERITY AND WELL BEING
In march 1968, Robert F. Kennedy did not think that just measuring a country by GDP growth figures, was enough. It did not account for health, for children’s education, it did not improve the integrity of public officials or gage the strength of personal life relationships. Neither did it measure a nation’s success of what was worthwhile.
Yet GDP measurement is how we gage a country’s wealth and well being. Categories in mapping components of GDP analysis that are useful include: health, governance, education, entrepreneurialship and opportunity, economy, social capital, personal freedom, safety and security, ocean governance, indigenous peoples inclusion in wealth creation, immunisation capability, religion, social trust, volunteering, undernourishment, teacher to pupil ratios, marriage, educational equality, rule of law, government effectiveness, enviromental preservation, corruption, ethnic tolerance, girl to boy ratio, life expectancy comparisons, democracy, civil war, ICT exports, water quality, judiciary, secondary enrolment, growth rate, savings, exports, inflation, market size, employment, food, civil liberties, free choice, royalties, business start up costs, R&D willingness, FDI, sanitation, educational opportunity, political rights.
These topics help identify some of the foundations of prosperity that should be measured. Countries that are doing well under these crucial lens criteria are: 1 Norway 2 Denmark 3 Australia 4 New Zealand 5 Sweden 6 Canada 7 Finland 8 Switzerland 9 Netherlands 10 United States 11 Ireland 12 Iceland 13 United Kingdom 14 Austria 15 Germany 16 Singapore 17 Belgium 18 France 19 Hong Kong 20 Taiwan.
To learn more about sustainable prosperity measurement, visit Prosperity.Com.
I like the different criteria of how we can gauge a nation’s well being. It doesn’t have to be solely about a number crunched figure that looks good (or bad, as is en vogue to present in a FGC), or a figure that spells a narrative of ‘growth’ that equals ‘our success. In New Zealand, looking at investments into people wellbeing is fast becoming a wiser way in looking at life because our politicians are currently guessing what their projected GDP is for 2014-15, or even from a year ago. It is what it is. So, perhaps this criteria will provide a good distraction from the missing facts in their budgets projections and encourage us to all think a bit harder about how we can cultivate prosperity with sustainable wellbeing.
What makes us proud to be global citizens?
Peace!
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 23.2.12~
OUR MAMMALS OF THE SEA
Kia anga nui koa kia mohio ki te ahua o au hipi, a kia pai te tiaki i au kahui kau:
E kore hoki te taonga e mau tonu; e mau ianei te karauna ki nga whakatupuranga katoa?
Du bør nøie kjenne dine fårs utseende; ha omsorg for din buskap!
For gods varer ikke til evig tid, og en krone ikke gjennem alle slekter.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 6.10.11~
NORWAY’S MASSACRE TRAGEDY HAS SHOCKED NEW ZEALAND
Do people put too much trust in uniforms? When one deranged man in Norway, donned a police uniform, holidayers at a Summer Camp were not expecting a bombing, a massacre and for an entire crowd of innocent people to be gunned down by a maniac. Norman Lear of America looks at ‘rationality’ and this case, from an American perspective on the HuffPo today.
The story has made page 1 on most world newspapers, just because it is so tragic.
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Many massacres in the world today, occur through economic means. Somalia for example shows 3 million people being killed by famine and the structuring of economic flows into Somalia. The people who stop the flow of food supplies to Somalia’s dying people, all wear uniforms.
Always look through the men in the uniforms is what the past three years have taught most of the world, navigating a path through tragedies of all kinds in one of the worst global economic crises in the past century.
To read the latest on Norway’s News, The New York Times has this story. Norways police appear to want guns, out of this tragedy. Most of Norway’s police are rarely armed.
Sending much aroha to Norway today from Horiwood.Com as Kiwis think of Norwegians recovery process after a nutter gunned down many. So sad! Unecessary. Selfish.
[Cartoon of the day from the New Zealand Herald... has Alfred Noble asking... are guns totally overrated in some peoples hands? USA's most overpaid talk show radio host, Glenn Beck refers to the buzz words "Hitler Youth" epidemic today while discussing this tragedy.]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 26.7.11~
WATER TIGER THOUGHTS ON ROBIN LI’S PANDA PAW APPEAL
Have you seen the face of Robin Li yet? Cool GoBo describes Robin Li, as being “the founder of search engine Baidu Inc., the challenger of Google. The annual wealth of this 42 years old entrepreneur is approx. $ 7.2 Billions [sicc]. In facts, [sicc] he was also the 258th world’s richest person last year, according to Forbes.” Like, this paragraph is supposed to impress us, but who even cares–
More importantly, how is Robin Li helping water flow happen to more than 1 billion people who don’t yet have clean drinking water?
IT is about flow. Life is too. Let’s see what this rare Chinese tiger can do then. I see he’s already doing something. More than most of us to help make it happen in China, in that ‘bad’ communist country, with no heart, like us in the West. Check out Robin’s work here to date. More love needed.
On that note, if you’re American (if you’re from Norway, that’s fine too by me) if you think America has a better human rights record than China go to this hot link to make it happen like the Chinese people are for people in Kenya and India who don’t yet have access to clean drinking water. Let’s flow.
[Panda Lake waterfall via Travel Pod]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 12.28.10~
JAMIROQUAI SINGS OF VIRTUAL INSANITY
An empty chair for Liu Xiaobo led to this performance of Virtual Insanity by angsty kid of the dance-lounge world Jamiroquai at the Nobel Peace Prize Awards this year.
Of course, one nation’s vision of heaven or a paradise could be another nation’s version of a complete nightmare, perhaps indicating that more cross-cultural dialogue on deeper and profound levels (other than lip service revealed in leaked cables to be just that) is needed in the world to find a medium of peace from each nation to another. The greatest virtual insanity of all–is to not find a meeting place or a bridge to talk equally on–one to another.
Where is that bridge? There is a lot of work to be done in finding that concerning the human rights of all people in all nations of the world. Not one nation has a squeaky clean human rights record, if we all are honest–so we can’t be children and just project all of our own self-righteousness of ‘status’? in the world, on one nation like China. It requires more work to be done in finding the center for all people on human rights issues. We also must remember that if China was not humane on many issues–this nation would not have loaned so much money to the USA over the years, to assist the American government to be able to be more humane to fellow Americans with that loaned money. In addition, the American government would not have accepted the loans either if they did not think China was okay. Every issue has a perspective from many different angles to consider before we throw stones.
Back to Jamiroquai–this group was always one of my favs growing up in college. They were just off the wall quircke. Enjoy.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 12.12.10~
AR RAHMAN WOWS AT THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE CONCERT 2010
The sitar is always so pretty, exotic, otherworldly-twangy. Here’s AR Rahman’s performance at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2010.
Indian dance choreography compliments his visual performance in a mode that only Bollywood fully knows and presents all year round to the world. Very cool.
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 12.12.10~
A FRIEND LOVES AT ALL TIMES, THANK YOU WORLDWIDE FOR BEING SO DIVERSE AND LOVING
Namaste. Special thanks to all of you who read Horiwood.Com in Hollywood. May your holiday season be a good one and 2011 be prosperous and abundantly blessed for you all. Most of all, may your smiles increase and your spirits rise.
According to Quantcast, here’s what we all look like. Pretty diverse. I love you all. As a fellow global citizen, thanks for being my daily teachers who share yourselves on a New Zealand Maori Kiwi’s blog. You’ve taught me so much. As caring is sharing. Many thanks for your open hearts and your limitless abilities to share. Peace.
| United States | 11,875 | 53.82 | 123 | 53.81 | 102 |
| United Kingdom | 1,635 | 7.41 | 147 | 7.24 | 157 |
| Canada | 1,115 | 5.05 | 128 | 5.00 | 134 |
| Australia | 765 | 3.47 | 220 | 3.37 | 230 |
| New Zealand | 515 | 2.33 | 848 | 3.07 | 1,116 |
| Germany | 450 | 2.04 | 55 | 2.03 | 81 |
| France | 345 | 1.56 | 42 | 1.54 | 47 |
| India | 315 | 1.43 | 59 | 1.41 | 84 |
| Brazil | 310 | 1.40 | 32 | 1.36 | 39 |
| Philippines | 265 | 1.20 | 108 | 1.19 | 103 |
| Italy | 250 | 1.13 | 41 | 1.10 | 52 |
| Spain | 210 | 0.95 | 39 | 0.93 | 46 |
| Mexico | 190 | 0.86 | 34 | 0.82 | 32 |
| Indonesia | 185 | 0.84 | 52 | 0.82 | 68 |
| Malaysia | 180 | 0.82 | 89 | 0.87 | 97 |
| Netherlands | 170 | 0.77 | 52 | 0.74 | 57 |
[Photographs: Train Rider by Amy Helene Johansson and Jump by Leann Arthur] (more…)
ANNE HATHAWAY WILL CO-HOST NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AWARDS CONCERT
Peace is like observing a flower – no matter what color you are, you are still represented and wholly included in observing the labors of nature’s shared beauty, equally.
Anne Hathaway will join Denzel Washington as a co-host of this year’s Nobel peace prize concert in Norway.
This year’s concert will honour jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, winner of the 2010 prize.
Florence and The Machine are in a star line up of performers at this years event. China may not allow Liu Xiaobo’s family to attend the awards. The rules of the awards is that the recipient or their family must be present to receive it. It’s going to be an interesting awards ceremony this year then!
When not one Chinese musician or performer is on the star billing of entertainers, I wouldn’t send anyone from China either to attend. Just saying. We’re so obsessed with ourselves in The West. Why should we frame our sense of Peace against a nation of 1/6th of the World’s people, by accusing them of human rights breaches (subtext: we’re all so superior who are not a part of China’s political system), when we don’t even include or celebrate China’s culture in our Peace Awards show adequately, perhaps indicating our own lusts for identity–framed against “China as absent spectacle of Complex & Different Other, we actually know very little about.”
Just saying. At the moment the Nobel Concert doesn’t look like it’s about Liu Xiaobo or his family or China as a whole, at all. Where exactly is the peace of China being reflected in the organization of this concert or the celebrations of China’s peace? Nada nowhere! Let’s hope that changes, real quick so as not to insult the world’s intelligence. This article written and shared with no offense intended for Anne, Denzel or Florence and friends–but in terms of their representation at this event, their agents really should be having a word. The poor planning makes us Westerners look worse than what we are accusing the Chinese government of. Same thing. Exclusion on many levels.
[Image - living flower, Beverly Hills Library]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 11.19.10~
