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October 31, 2003

Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity (http://www.biodiv.org/) was convened after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro with three main goals:

  • the conservation of biological diversity
  • the sustainable use of its components
  • the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources
The site provides news about meeting and events and provides access to a big range of documents and reports.
Posted by belinda at 03:29 PM | Comments (0)

OECD figures

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (http://www.oecd.org/) has recently released the 2003 edition of OECD in Figures: Statistics on the Member Countries. It's at http://www1.oecd.org/publications/e-book/0103061E.PDF. The figures will help you compare how OECD countries are faring against each other. The first section includes statistical tables on economic growth, employment and unemployment, trade, development aid, R&D, science and technology, education and others. The second section has graphs on health spending, road fatalities, life expectancy, and investment flows as well as GDP and carbon dioxide emissions.
Posted by belinda at 03:21 PM | Comments (0)

How to do successful print news

Steve Outing's latest Stop the Presses! column is called Building a Better Print Newspaper: Advice From the Online World. Outing says: 'A key ingredient to the "newspaper of tomorrow": Let the consumer decide how he wishes to receive the news, and offer it in many forms. Don't just offer a broadsheet print edition published once a day plus a Web site. Here's how the ideal newspaper company of tomorrow might be publishing:
  • Print broadsheet edition.
  • Print tabloid edition.
  • Digital-replica edition (for PC and Tablet PC reading), delivered daily.
  • Reformatted paper edition delivered digitally for output on home printers; delivered daily.
  • Web site, updated 24 hours a day (or as close to that as is practical).
  • E-mail edition, published daily.
  • E-mail alerts, published as required, 24 hours a day.
  • RSS feeds, updated 24 hours a day.
  • Wireless news alert service for cell phones and wireless PDAs.
  • Partnership with broadcast media, offering its video and audio reports on digital platforms.
  • Selected news coverage shared with partner broadcast media.
Sounds exhausting! Read teh full article at http://www.editorandpublisher.com/editorandpublisher/features_columns/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2011979
Posted by belinda at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)

October 30, 2003

Getting on

David Martin, a Research Fellow at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at ANU, argues that a fundamental issue confronting Australian indigenous groups and communities is how to develop the capacity to engage strategically with the general Australian society. His paper, 'Rethinking the design of indigenous organisations: The need for strategic engagement, focuses on 'principles for effective governance within indigenous organisations' and calls for indigenous people to 'develop distinctively indigenous institutions which nonetheless facilitate effective engagement rather than limiting it'. The full paper is at http://online.anu.edu.au/caepr/Publications/DP/2003_DP248.pdf.

Another paper from the same centre, entitled 'Governance for sustainable development: Strategic issues and principles for Indigenous Australian communities' by Mick Dodson and Diane Smith, 'defines the key concepts and reviews the existing barriers facing Indigenous communities and their organisations in securing sustainable socioeconomic development ... On the premise that it is best to make a start in areas where local control can be exercised, building "good governance" is identified as the key ingredient—the foundation stone—for building sustainable development in communities and regions. The paper proposes a set of key ingredients and core principles which Indigenous communities might use to build more effective governance. Read the full piece at http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/Publications/DP/2003_DP250.pdf.

Posted by belinda at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

How we've been taken ...

Feel poorer since John Howard got elected? You probably are, according to a new report from the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales. Their new publication, 'Examining recent changes in income distribution in Australia' examines how income inequality has increased since 1994-95, with the years 1996-97 and 1999-2000 being particularly bad. Time to throw Howard overboard? Find out for yourself at http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/dp/DP130.pdf.
Posted by belinda at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

Putting in the time

If you want background on family/work issues such as working hours and conditions, parental leave, women and work, childcare, family-friendly workplaces and more, have a look at the bibliography prepared by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. It's at http://www.aifs.org.au/institute/info/bib/wf.html. Many of the items listed are linked to online publications.
Posted by belinda at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)

Staying or going?

For a comparison of high school completion rates from 1989 to 2002, see 'Factors affecting Year 12 retention across Australian states and territories in the 1990s' published by the Centre for Economic Policy Research, Australian National University. It's at http://cepr.anu.edu.au/pdf/DP467.pdf. According to this report, Year 12 retention rates are no lower in the late 1990s than in the early 1990s, though official figures apparently claim they are.
Posted by belinda at 11:35 AM | Comments (0)

October 27, 2003

Journalism sold short?

Professor John Henningham of JSchool (http://www.jschool.com.au/) had a think piece about journalism education in last week's Media section of The Australian (23 October 2003). The piece was adapted from an address Professor Henningham gave to PANPA (http://www.panpa.org.au/) in 2003. The article begins: "Journalism has been taught on and off at Australian and New Zealand universities for more than 80 years. One would think that by now they'd be getting it right, but I've concluded that they're getting it more wrong than right -- certainly in Australia." The full text is at http://www.jschool.com.au/media.php#journalismsoldshort.
Posted by belinda at 10:52 AM | Comments (1)

October 24, 2003

Why weren't we told?

Project Censored (http://www.projectcensored.org/) creates an annual list of the top stories ignored by the media in a given year. The 2002-2003 list of 25 stories is now available at the site and includes the number one story, The Neoconservative Plan for Global Dominance. No, it's not just paranoia ... No. 25 also looks a peach - Convicted Corporations Receive Perks Instead of Punishment. No. 14 - Unwanted Refugees a Global Problem - could also do with some airing. Some good ideas for stories here - if anyone wants to know.
Posted by belinda at 05:01 PM | Comments (0)

Let's get real

According to UQ research fellow and economist John Quiggin, "The current state of the Murray, whose problems range from rising salinity levels to the loss of wetlands, has become a symbol of our failure to balance the needs of the economy and the environment." This piece, "Let’s clear muddy waters" on the Murray-Darling system originally appeared in the AFR and appears now on Australian Policy Online. Read it at http://www.apo.org.au/webboard/items/00491.shtml.
Posted by belinda at 02:45 PM | Comments (0)

Down time

My Web server will be down for three hours on Sunday morning, October 26, for an upgrade.
Posted by belinda at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)

Essential reading?

A new book called Digital Journalism: Emerging Media and the Changing Horizons of Journalism, edited by Kevin Kawamoto, is about to be published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. According to the blurb, it covers the history and evolution of digital journalism, provides a primer on the economic, technological, and sociological issues surrounding convergence, includes a case study and student exercise analysing a multimedia news web site, and serves as a basic text for courses in online, digital, new media, or multimedia journalism. See for yourself here.
$24.95 Paper 0-7425-2681-X
$69.00 Cloth 0-7425-2680-1
Posted by belinda at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2003

Tough at the top?

It's better to be a sales or service person than a professional these days, according to a new study by ACIRRT. Their publication, "Quality of working life: comparing the perceptions of professionals and clerical sales and service workers" is at http://www.acirrt.com/pubs/WP86.pdf. It covered issues such as pay, security of employment, bullying and harassment, recognition for work well done and feeling included. The professional groups surveyed included doctors, nurses, accountants and teachers.
Posted by belinda at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)

Good news - for a change

Australian Policy Online (http://www.apo.org.au/) has been awarded a grant from the Australian Research Council (http://www.arc.gov.au/) under its "Linkage – Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities" program. The grant money will mean APO being able to add major reports from the past five years to its archive and establish resource pages on topical policy-related issues. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter at http://www.apo.org.au/.
Posted by belinda at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)

Why can't a person be more like a newt?

Wired News has a story about US cardiologist Mark Keating, who wants to turn back on the ability of the human body to regenerate lost limbs and damaged organs. Already our bodies replace skin cells, nails and stomach linings, so why not a liver or a heart muscle? Keating's work is detailed in a story at http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/regeneration.html.
Posted by belinda at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)

Skip Cuba and North Korea

Reporters Without Borders (http://www.rsf.org/) has just published its second world press freedom rankings. Forget Laos, Burma and North Korea - they don't want to know. Cuba is also cited for locking journalists up. Finland, Iceland, Norway and the Netherlands are the freest places for journalists to operate, tying for the number one spot. Australia is a shameful number 50. Could do better! The full story is at http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=8247.
Posted by belinda at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2003

2003 finalists

Finalists in the 2003 Online Journalism Awards have been announced. The awards are sponsored annually by the Online News Association (http://www.journalists.org/) and the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California (http://ascweb.usc.edu/home.php). Categories for awards include General Excellence, Breaking News, Feature Journalism, Enterprise Journalism, Service Journalism, Creative Use of the Medium and Commentary. To get a good idea of where online journalism is going, have a look. The list is at http://www.journalists.org/awards/finalists/finalists%202003/index.html.
Posted by belinda at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

Learning the PR dance

Mark Glaser at Online Journalism Review (http://www.ojr.org/) believes that "Learning the PR Dance Can Be Boon to Reporters and Flacks Alike". Certainly any journalist needs to know how to handle PR people and how to recognise spin when they meet it. The piece is at http://www.ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1065739435.php. Worth a look.
Posted by belinda at 12:37 PM | Comments (0)

October 10, 2003

No university for the poor?

ACOSS says the Government's proposed educational changes will disadvantage poor students and stop some of them from going to university. Read all about it in ACOSS's media release, Higher ed package fails to address student poverty: ACOSS submission at http://coss.net.au/news/acoss/1065483948_14801_acoss.jsp?subsite+acoss.
Posted by belinda at 03:53 PM | Comments (0)

Doing over the Senate

The Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at the University of New South Wales (http://www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au/) has written a piece about reform of the federal Upper House. The opinion piece, 'Beware Senate reform that seeks to only block the block', was written by George Williams, who says 'The Coalition’s proposal to limit the upper house veto on legislation ignores at least four crucial wide-ranging changes.' Read the argument at http://www.apo.org.au/webboard/items/00467.shtml.
Posted by belinda at 03:36 PM | Comments (0)

October 08, 2003

Charities - the limits to action

Mark Lyons, a professor of social economy at the University of Technology, Sydney examines whether charities should be able to engage in political lobbying or not in a piece called "Charities: Conspiracy or confusion?" posted on Australian Policy Online. Lyons notes that the Treasurer, Peter Costello, spoke on the topic of ‘Building Social Capital’ in a speech to the Sydney Institute in mid-July. He 'spoke of the importance of trust to a market economy and of the role of "networks and associations" in building trust ... The remarks were the first public endorsement of social capital and the importance of nonprofit organisations by a senior government minister ... But, as several commentators observed, he made no attempt to review the practices of the government of which he is Treasurer against the sentiments he espoused – not surprisingly, as the government would be found sadly wanting. As the crisis that erupted later that month made clear, no one in the government has much knowledge about nonprofit organisations and the legal and policy regimes under which they labour.' The article is at http://www.apo.org.au/webboard/items/00463.shtml.
Posted by belinda at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)

October 06, 2003

AIRheads

The fun science mag, Annals of Improbable Research (AIR for short) (http://www.improbable.com/), presents awards called the Ig Nobels each year to scientists whose oddball research brings them joy. Prizewinners included the researcher who found the first case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck and the Stockholm University scientists who penned the report, "Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans". Wired News has the full story at http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,60676,00.html/wn_ascii. The real Nobel Prizes will be progressively announced this week at http://www.nobel.se/.
Posted by belinda at 12:12 PM | Comments (0)

October 03, 2003

They never give up

The Howard Government tried to regulate the Internet here, and many people are still trying to do it elsewhere as well, according to a new report, Silenced! an international report on censorship and control of the Internet, from Privacy International at http://www.privacyinternational.org/survey/censorship/. The 12-month study, which involved more than fifty experts and advocates from around the world, found "censorship of the Internet is commonplace in most regions of the world." The report goes on to say that "The September 11, 2001 attacks have given numerous governments the opportunity to promulgate restrictive policies that their citizens had previously opposed ... Simultaneously, governments have become more secretive about their own activities, reducing information that was previously available and refusing to adhere to policies on freedom of information." Well worth a look.
Posted by belinda at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)

All about blogs and journalism

The question of whether blogging is journalism continues to get people arguing. The latest issue of the Nieman Reports, a magazine out of the journalism school at Harvard University has a big section on that question with a number of well-known bloggers -- Mark Glaser, Paul Grabowicz, Rebecca Blood and J.D. Lasica -- weighing in. The full PDF of the journal is at http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/03-3NRfall/V57N3.pdf and the blog stuff starts around page 59.
Posted by belinda at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)

October 02, 2003

Kyoto Protocol or death

Global warming is already killing people, according to a story in Wired News. A new study, by scientists at the World Health Organization and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, claims climate change may already be responsible for as many as 160,000 deaths a year. Many of the deaths occur in developing nations in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, hardest hit by the spread of malnutrition, diarrhoea and malaria in the wake of warmer temperatures, floods and droughts caused by global warming. It's a wake-up call. Read the full story at http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,60640,00.html/wn_ascii.
Posted by belinda at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)

October 01, 2003

Trade wars

BBC News has archived its coverage of the recent World Trade Organization talks in Cancun, Mexico. Segments include Why did trade talks collapse? and The new politics of trade. The site includes forums, alternative viewpoints, news, real life stories and more. "The Battle over Trade" is at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2003/world_trade_wars/.
Posted by belinda at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)