Education: Art and Design #UK

UK NSN report responds to the ongoing concern over the decline in the number of young people studying art and design, prompted by statements from numerous industry figures.

Brexit Effect | National Society for Education in Art and Design said art and design in schools was being eroded while the Creative Industries Federation described the failure to educate a new generation of creatives as “economic suicide”.

Art and design can help drive up standards in schools, says UK government
Amy Frearson | 8 February 2017 ● Dezeen
The UK government is urging schools to promote art and design subjects, after a report found that schools with more creative pupils achieve significantly higher grades. Released today, the New Schools Network (NSN) Arts Report reveals that schools with more arts GSCEs per pupil achieve above-average results. This was proven to be the case for schools in deprived areas, as well as those in affluent neighbourhoods. It shows that offering a broad mix of subjects, in addition to those included in the controversial English Baccalaureate (EBacc) system – which favours more traditional subjects like science and history – leads to better performance. At a launch event for the report earlier today, digital and culture minister Matt Hancock said the government is doing all it can to support creative subjects, but it is up to schools to deliver a varied curriculum. “This should not be an argument about a battle between the arts and other subjects, but instead a battle for stronger, better, well-rounded education,” he said. “Ultimately, the best schools in the country do this. They combine excellent cultural education to complement excellence in other academic subjects,” Hancock continued. “This report backs up that analysis. It looks at the data and says, if you want to drive up standards across the board, push your arts and music offer.”
Read more

Note: The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a performance measure for schools, awarded when students secure a grade C or above at GCSE level across a core of five academic subjects – english, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language.

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Corned beef at NZ….

Installation view of Povi Christkeke by Michel Tuffery 1999
Education | Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu [christchurchartgallery.org.nz]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

When Life as we know it erupts into Scale, Manufacturing and Transit

Productivity is a measure of how efficiently production inputs are being used within the economy to produce output. Growth in productivity is a key determinant in improving a nation’s long-term material standard of living. —Statistics NZ ….[yawn]

Since March 2006, Statistics NZ has produced a yearly release of official measures of annual productivity for the measured sector. These measures are vital to better understanding improvements in New Zealand’s living standards, economic performance, and international competitiveness over the long term. Productivity is often defined as a ratio between economic output and the inputs, such as labour and capital, which go into producing that output.

Productivity Statistics – information releases ….[ZzzZzzzz…………..]

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Viddsee Published on May 18, 2016
Changing Batteries – A Robot “Son” Couldn’t Replace The Emptiness In Her Heart // Viddsee.com
‘Changing Batteries’ is a final year animation production made in Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia. The story tells of an old lady who lives alone and receives a robot one day. Based on the theme ‘Change’, our story tells about their relationship development with one another through time.

Viddsee Published on Feb 23, 2016
Alarm – Relatable Animation For The Mornings // Viddsee.com
The story is about a salaryman living in a single apartment. But he has a problem getting up early in the morning. He would rather die than wake up early. He decides to set many alarm clocks everywhere in his apartment so he can get to work on time. The next morning, after struggling with his alarm clocks, he barely finishes preparing for work.

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WIRED UK Published on Jul 5, 2016
Shenzhen: The Silicon Valley of Hardware (Full Documentary) | Future Cities | WIRED
Future Cities, a full-length documentary strand from WIRED Video, takes us inside the bustling Chinese city of Shenzhen. We examine the unique manufacturing ecosystem that has emerged, gaining access to the world’s leading hardware-prototyping culture whilst challenging misconceptions from the west. The film looks at how the evolution of “Shanzhai” – or copycat manufacturing – has transformed traditional models of business, distribution and innovation, and asks what the rest of the world can learn from this so-called “Silicon Valley of hardware”. Directed by: Jim Demuth

Future Cities is part of a new flagship documentary strand from WIRED Video that explores the technologies, trends and ideas that are changing our world.

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BBC aired the documentary in November, with the following descriptor:

Best Documentary 2016 Shenzhen: The Silicon Valley of Hardware gives us an insider’s perspective on a system of creative collaboration that ultimately informs all of our lives.

The centre of the technology world may not lie in California’s Silicon Valley, but in the bustling marketplace of Huaqiangbei, a subdistrict of Shenzhen in China. This is where curious consumers and industry insiders gather to feast their eyes and wallets on the latest software, hardware, gadgetry, and assorted electronic goods. At the very start the film sets the scene to this fascinating technology mecca. A city populated by 20 million people, Shenzhen is the setting where advancement is most likely to originate at speeds that can’t be replicated in the States. The city’s vibrant and inventive tech work force takes over when the innovations of Silicon Valley become stagnant. The revolution may have started in the States, but its evolution is occurring in China. Working in collaboration, Shenzhen labourers craft unique upgrades and modifications to everything from laptops to cell phones. Their efforts then immigrate and influence the adoption of new products in other regions of the world. The infrastructure by which this is made possible is known as the ‘Maker movement’. In developer conferences and Maker exhibition fairs, tech geeks are encouraged to share their ideas freely with colleagues in the hopes that more open collaborations will form grander innovations. The film highlights how these attitudes stand in sharp contrast to the Western world where communications are secretive, monopolies are the norm and proprietorship is sacred. However, there are challenges faced by Shenzhen in maintaining their edge in the industry. While widely acknowledged as pioneers, Shenzhen’s prominence has faltered as the remainder of China has proven successful in their attempts to catch up. Adding to the frustrations, the government has interceded and moved manufacturing bases outside of the city. Meanwhile, figures from the world of investment financing have moved into the equation, and threatened to stifle creativity by imposing a more closed and impenetrable mode of operations.

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### dailymail.co.uk 30 Oct 2013
Ever wondered how everything you buy from China gets here? Welcome to the port of Shanghai – the size of 470 football pitches
By Daily Mail Reporter
Whether it’s the car you drove to work in, the computer at your desk or your children’s toys strewn across their bedroom floor, there’s a very good chance they have come from here. This is the world’s busiest trading port which handles a staggering 32million containers a year carrying 736million tonnes of goods to far-flung places around the globe. Stretching as far as the eye can see, rows upon rows of containers lie stacked up at the Port of Shanghai waiting to be shipped abroad and bringing in trillions of pounds to the Chinese economy in the process. It’s this fearsome capacity that has helped China become the world’s largest trading nation when it leapfrogged the United States last year.
The port has an area of 3.94 square kilometres – the equivalent of 470 football pitches. China’s breakneck growth rate in recent years has been driven by exports and manufacturing as well as government spending on infrastructure. In the last eight years alone, capacity at the Port of Shanghai has ballooned from 14million TEUs (a unit which is roughly the volume of a 20ft-long container) in 2004 to more than 32million last year. The rapid expansion was largely thanks to the construction of the Yangshan Deepwater Port, which opened in 2005 and can handle the world’s largest container vessels. That port alone can now shift around 12million containers a year.
Shanghai’s location at the mouth of the Yangtze River made it a key area of development for coastal trade during the Qing dynasty from 1644 to 1912. In 1842, Shanghai became a treaty port, which opened it up to foreign trade, and by the early 20th Century it became the largest in the Far East. Trade became stifled after 1949, however, when the economic policies of the People’s Republic crippled infrastructure and development. But after economic reforms in 1991, the port was able to expand exponentially.
Read more

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David Carrier Published on Jan 13, 2017
World’s Biggest and Busiest Port Ever Made – Full Documentary
The Yangshan Deepwater Port is connected to the mainland by the Donghai Bridge, the world’s longest sea bridge.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: (from top) Shanghai Map – topchinatravel.com, Donghai Bridge – topchinatravel.com, Yangshan Deepwater Port – meretmarine.com, embed.ly, reddit-com

Economist Liam Halligan says crude oil has gone into “bull market” territory!

Received from Douglas (Mick) Field
28 Aug 2016 at 1:00 p.m.

Message: Good summary here on the oil situation. Especially clear opening comment on the dependency on fossil fuels in the foreseeable future. But full article (warning: pay wall) also good on the situation re the economic battle for supply.

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[sputniknews.com]

### telegraph.co.uk 27 Aug 2016 • 2:19PM
Why I’m sticking with my forecast of oil rising to $60 a barrel
By Liam Halligan
In the absence of a major financial meltdown, oil will end 2016 north of $60 a barrel,” this column stated at the turn of the year. It was a forecasting flourish possibly fuelled by one Christmas brandy too many. With just four months of 2016 to go, though, I’m sticking to my Yuletide view.
Attempting to predict the oil price is crazy. Yet no decent economist can afford not to. The world economy still revolves around oil –used in everything from transport and electricity generation to the production of plastics, synthetics and so much else. And for all the breathless talk about renewables, and the grim inevitability of growing nuclear dependence, we remain addicted to oil.
As recently as 2005, world crude consumption was just 84.7 million barrels a day. That’s since gone up to 95.1 million daily, a 12pc increase in just 10 years. And that rise came during a decade when global GDP growth was rather sluggish. Had the world economy not endured the 2008 financial crisis, and subsequent stop-start recovery, oil consumption would have grown even more. But still, for all the expansion of wind and solar, and endless hype about a “post-petroleum world”, oil consumption continues to rise relentlessly and that won’t change any time soon.
The oil price has surged this month, up from around $41 a barrel in early August to almost $52 last week, before falling back slightly. This 20pc-plus increase puts crude technically into “bull market” territory. This is striking, not least because from mid-June to the end of July, oil was in “a bear market”, having dropped over 20pc. Despite this summer volatility, though, the direction of travel is clear. Oil has been climbing steadily, if not always in a straight line, from its February low of $28 a barrel. This August rise in oil prices stems from market fundamentals on the one hand, and geopolitical speculation on the other.

Earlier this month, the highly respected International Energy Agency (IEA) published a report suggesting global crude supply will fall short of demand during the third quarter by nearly a million barrels a day. This projected deficit comes despite the fact that the Opec exporters’ cartel continues to pump like billy-o. Having traditionally restricted supply to keep prices high, Opec has over the last two years been doing the reverse, of course – flooding global markets with oil, lowering prices to squeeze high-cost US shale producers out of existence. Amidst record production by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE, total Opec output hit an eight-year high in July, up no less than 840,000 barrels a day on the same month in 2015. This Opec supply surge was more than offset, though, by the dramatic ongoing slump in output from producers outside Opec. Declines in the US, China, Canada and Mexico combined to push non-Opec production down by more than 1.1 million barrels a day compared to July 2015. […] If there is a deal in Algiers, and it binds with Opec holding together, and the Russians staying on board then my end-of year oil prediction, in the absence of a Lehman-style global meltdown, will almost certainly come true. Such geopolitical stargazing has helped push up oil prices this month. During the first week of August, short crude oil positions on the NYMEX, one of the world’s leading commodity exchanges, were at a 10-year high. A large number of traders, in other words, thought oil was set to fall back towards $30. That view has now been thoroughly trounced, with the resulting “short squeeze” helping to drive this latest 20pc oil price rise. Aside from speculation and diplomatic wrangling, though, there’s growing evidence of an emerging supply-demand deficit. Buried in the IEA’’s latest report is the significant observation that it expects a further 900,000-barrel reduction in non-Opec output by the end of this year. This Saudi-driven price war has seen global investment in oil exploration and field development cut by $300bn, some 41pc, since 2014. The “active rig count”–, the number of wells being pumped worldwide, is down 37pc. Before these trends are slowed, let alone reversed, oil will need to spend at least six months, and probably a year, firmly above $60 a barrel, if investors are to be convinced profits can be made, so persuading them to put serious money back into future crude production. Unless global markets crash, I say that year of $60-plus oil will be 2017.

Full article at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/08/27/why-im-sticking-with-my-forecast-of-oil-rising-to-60-a-barrel/

● Liam Halligan (@LiamHalligan) – Economist/Writer/Broadcaster, Telegraph Columnist, BNE Editor-at-Large, Proud member of http://www.thehooligans.co.uk Locations: London, Saffron Walden, Moscow.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Lexus UK latest design videos #cars #takumi

HAIL y’ballers on a budget bitches [greenie-cyclists @ #DUD]
Ain’t no down economy.

Lexus UK Published on Dec 21, 2015
Lexus on Ice: NX Ice Wheels
The Lexus hallmarks of expert design, sublime style, and supreme craftsmanship have driven their ethos of Creating Amazing for years, both in their production vehicles and their concepts. For Lexus’s latest project, they put a team master craftsmen to the test as they tackled their coolest concept yet: the ice-tyre Lexus NX. Driving on four perfectly-finished, hand-sculpted tyres made from optically perfect, crystal-clear ice, the Lexus NX emerged from its own test of craftsmanship and quality – a five-day deep freeze at -30 degrees Centigrade that left it clad in a thick layer of ice.

Taking three months from start to finish, the ice-tyre Lexus NX is the product of a collaboration between Lexus UK and the ice-sculpting experts at Hamilton Ice Sculptors. The challenge was two-fold: how to recreate the Lexus five-twin-spoke alloy wheel and its Yokohama winter tyre with incredible precision, while also making a wheel and tyre that would support the NX’s 2.2-tonne mass. Like the highly-trained Lexus ‘takumi’, Hamilton Ice Sculptors combine generations of experience using traditional ice-sculpting methods with the latest technology to design and produce their works of art. Employing advanced techniques like laser-scanning, three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD), and multi-axis machining equipment, they could produce consistent wheel and tyre combinations ready for hand-finishing with traditional tools and techniques.

With the ice tyres ready and the NX suitably chilled in its icy chamber, the moment of truth saw the wheels and ice tyres mounted onto the frozen Lexus hybrid (which started first time, of course) ready for its first attempt at driving on ice. Part engineering, part art, this unique project came together to prove that anything is possible with the right combination of desire, skill and dedication.

While tires made entirely from ice may not get the best traction, they certainly look cool. To start, the car’s actual wheels were laser-scanned to ensure the rolling ice sculptures were a perfect match for the vehicle. After the wheels were set in place, the NX sat in -22°F conditions for five days before it was finally unveiled. The ultimate test drive is far from the high speed, closed-course stunts you usually see in car commercials, but given that the NX has a curb weight of about 4000 pounds, the journey is plenty impressive on its own. (The glowing blue back lights are also a nice touch.) You can watch the full process in the video above. [msn motoring]

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Lexus UK Published on Oct 5, 2015
Lexus – Making the Origami Inspired Car
There’s never been a Lexus quite like it: sheet metal, glass and plastics have been set aside for the creation of a one-off, life-sized recreation of the Lexus IS…. Crafted in precision-cut card. Pushing the boundaries of design, technology and craftsmanship, this driveable, full-sized sculpture explores Lexus’s promise of Creating Amazing. Comprised of some 1700 individually shaped pieces of cardboard, this origami-inspired car is a faithful replica of the Lexus IS saloon, and is produced as a celebration of the human craftsmanship skills that go into every car Lexus makes. Many thanks to NVDK, a design and production agency, providing services for the industries of art, design and architecture, from concept right through to final production. NVDK specialises in digital craftsmanship, mixing cutting edge digital technologies with artisanal skills and traditions to achieve forward-looking results.

Learn more at: http://www.lexus.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LexusUK/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OfficialLexusUK
Instagram: https://instagram.com/officialLexusUK/

Website: http://www.nvdk.co.uk

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Lexus UK Published on Apr 24, 2015
How to fold an origami cat with your non-dominant hand
The people that work at Lexus’ factories aren’t just employees. They’re craftsmen and women that take considerable pride in the standard of their work. But not all Lexus craftsmen are equal. At the top of the tree are artisans known as ‘takumi’. Their goal is simple – the pursuit of perfection in their chosen field, whether it be paintwork or welding, vehicle dynamics or interior crafting. They are responsible for keeping up the high standards Lexus demands of its vehicles. Becoming a takumi is no easy task. All takumi have at least a quarter of a century of experience, time spent honing their skills to a fine point. Several takumi have had their skills digitised and programmed into robots that recreate actions repeated thousands of times, so it’s vital that they’re up to scratch. Before becoming a takumi, candidates are assessed in a number of ways, but one is via a decidedly non-digital method – the Japanese art of paper folding, origami. Before they graduate to takumi status, candidates are challenged to fold a relatively simple origami cat. But here’s the catch – they have to fold the cat with just one hand, and in under 90 seconds. Oh, and it has to be their non-dominant hand. Challenging? To find out, we went to see Mark Bolitho. A respected name in the world of origami, Mark works full time creating paper masterworks for corporate clients, advertising and events, and is also the author of several books on the art. In short, he knows what he’s doing when it comes to folding paper.

Lexus UK Published on Oct 5, 2015
Lexus – The Origami Inspired Car Revealed

Lexus UK Published on Oct 8, 2015
Kevin McCloud drives Lexus Origami Car at Grand Designs Live 2015
Design guru Kevin McCloud launched the 10th anniversary of Grand Designs Live today by driving a unique, origami-inspired Lexus into the show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The car is a life-size replica of the new Lexus IS saloon, created from 1,700 fully recyclable laser-cut cardboard sheets, capturing every design detail, inside and out. It has been commissioned by Lexus as a celebration of the human craftsmanship skills of the takumi, the men and women who work on the company’s production lines in Japan.

Lexus UK Published on Jun 29, 2015
How to draw a car – designing the Lexus LF-SA
Lexus’ striking design has always been a fundamental part of its appeal – it’s what sets it apart from other premium marques. And there’s no better way of getting a deeper understanding of how Lexus is designing for the future than by watching the process from start to finish. This video goes behind the scenes at ED², Lexus top secret design studio in the south of France, to show you how to draw a car.

UK Lexus Published on Apr 21, 2015
Lexus at Milan Design Week 2015
A closer look at Lexus, A Journey of the Senses at Milan Design Week 2015.

Learn more at: http://www.lexus.co.uk/

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Pollution in Chinese cities

City pollution [ddmcdn.com]

### stuff.co.nz Last updated 12:20, March 7 2015
Film highlighting pollution woes vanishes from China’s Internet
By Dian Zhang
A 104-minute film lecture that outlines the serious pollution in China has been removed from the nation’s internet, after receiving millions of views and raising hopes that the country’s leadership might tackle China’s widespread smog problem. The film – by Chai Jing, one of the best-known journalists in China and a well-known former state television reporter – was released right before China’s two most important political events, the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Before the movie was censored, a story from Xinhua News Agency, China’s official press agency, praising the film was deleted online the same night the article was posted, offering a hint of the government’s real attitude.

Released last Saturday, Under the Dome had received 42.9 million views on Youku, a video-sharing website like YouTube, by 5 pm Thursday (local time). It prompted 530,460 posts on Weibo.

In the film, Chai gives a speech and shows data and interviews with government officials and environmental experts from China and abroad. The film shows striking images of the extent of air pollution in a number of Chinese cities, as well as rivers fouled by chemicals and littered with flotsam and dead fish. Chai also travelled to Los Angeles and London to gauge their experiences dealing with smog.
Read more

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█ Chai Jing’s documentary is well worth watching. Preamble via CNN.

CNN Published on Mar 3, 2015
China smog documentary goes viral
Director of China Environment Forum Jennifer Turner discusses a new documentary titled “Under the Dome” that discusses pollution in China.

Linghein Ho Published on Mar 1, 2015
Chai Jing’s review: Under the Dome – Investigating China’s Smog 柴静雾霾调查：穹顶之下 (full translation)
ENGLISH SUBTITLES ARE FULLY TRANSLATED
For more information: http://www.linghein.me/tr_u/
English Subtitles: FULLY UPDATED | Japanese Subtitles: update to 09:25 | French Subtitles: update to 31:06
Former celebrity TV anchor Chai Jing quit her job after her baby daughter was born with a lung tumor, and after a year of rigorous investigation, launched this 1 hour 40 minute documentary about China’s smog: what is smog? Where does it come from? What do we do from here? It is very powerful in many ways. English subtitles are now completely finished, and other languages are being added.
Music: “Brotherhood” by John Dreamer (Google Play • iTunes)

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[click to enlarge]
3 photo comparatives (*gif) taken by NASA’s Aqua satellite via gizmodo.com

Related Post and Comments:
23.3.13 Chongqing, Southwest China

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Bradken keen to sell Tewsley Street premises

### dunedintv.co.nz November 17, 2014 – 6:25pm
Bradken’s move to Hillside Workshops foundry delayed
It’s been two years since Bradken announced it would move its Dunedin operations to the Hillside Workshops foundry. But the global company seems unable to sell its long-time premises in Tewsley Street. Bradken signed a five-year agreement with KiwiRail to lease the Hillside foundry. It planned to move its entire operation to the site, and expand capacity. Some workers have moved to Hillside, and the foundry’s been marked with the Bradken logo. But the company’s Tewsley Street premises remain open and on the market. Bradken’s been in Tewsley Street for almost 50 years.
Ch39 Link

Bradken Resources Pty Ltd, Mason St frontage (detail) | Derek Smith 2003

ODT articles:
25.1.13 Bradken tight-lipped over Hillside move
22.5.13 Bradken on the move
8.6.13 Bradken’s foundry site likely to be divided
5.7.13 Final day at Hillside
7.8.13 4-day week as Kiwi Rail tender lost
8.8.13 Otago unemployment up 37% on year ago
14.8.13 Bradken earnings down at $A183.6m
21.12.13 Rally helps keep Hillside hopes alive
29.12.13 Bradken staff back on five-day week

DCC Webmap – Bradken, 2 Tewsley Street, Harbourside [click to enlarge]

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### dunedntv.co.nz November 14, 2014 – 7:02pm
Nightly interview: Des Adamson
There’s been good and bad news for the Dunedin business sector recently, with the closure of some operations and expansion of others. Des Adamson is the manager of economic development at Enterprise Dunedin, and he’s here to tell us about the state of business in the city. Video

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*In 2003 photographer Derek Smith generously shared two DVDs of Dunedin images he had made, for my use in heritage advocacy. These include industrial and commercial subjects.

Emerson’s Brewery #Dunedin

Founder Richard Emerson (via stoppress.co.nz)

█ Premium Craft Beer | Emerson’s Brewery Dunedin http://www.emersons.co.nz/

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### NZ Herald Online 11:08 AM Wednesday Apr 10, 2013
Lion paid $8m for Emerson’s brewery
By Christopher Adams
Brewing giant Lion paid $8 million for Dunedin craft beer maker Emerson’s last year, according to documents filed with the Companies Office. At the time of the November takeover the Auckland-based company did not disclose the multi-million dollar price tag it paid for the South Island firm, which was founded in 1992, making it one of the most established and well-known craft brands in the country. But Lion is required to file its financial statements with the Companies Office due to its foreign ownership by Japanese brewer Kirin.
Read more

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Emerson’s Brewery On The Move
Monday, 20 October 2014, 3:22 pm
Press Release: Emerson’s

Dunedin, New Zealand – Emerson’s, with support from Lion, has today purchased a new site in Anzac Ave, Dunedin where they plan to build a brand new spiritual home for this iconic New Zealand craft brewery. The new site will allow Emerson’s to meet increasing demand for its high quality beers whilst continuing to bring new and interesting beers to beer lovers. This is the fourth move in the Emerson’s journey and Founder Richard Emerson says the new site will be a vast improvement on the place they currently call home.
“Moving brewhouses and tanks is not new to us but this time, we want to create a place where people can touch, smell, taste and experience more about Emerson’s and its story,” says Emerson.
Emerson’s, supported by Beca who will be project managing the development locally, are progressing well with the plans for the site which will house a new brewery, warehousing, retail store and bar area where visitors can enjoy a beer matched with good food. Improved staff facilities are also a key consideration for the new development.
Lion’s Managing Director, Rory Glass says today marks the start of another exciting chapter in Emerson’s history and Lion is delighted to be able to help them reach their full potential.
“We stand by our commitment of allowing Emerson’s to continue doing what they do well – experimenting and brewing great beer and we are genuinely excited about helping Emerson’s to build a new home in which they can realise their growth aspirations now and in the future” says Glass.
Work is expected to get under way on the site in December 2014 with a target completion date for the new Emerson’s Brewery in early 2016. Final plans for the site will be shared more widely in due course but Emerson’s have extended their current lease at Wickliffe Street to cover them until the new site is fully operational.
For now however, it is business as usual for Emerson’s and the team remain focused on creating great beers for Emerson’s fans to enjoy.
Link to Scoop

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DCC Webmap [click to enlarge]

Cr Hall had been in dispute with the council over access to his land for three years, after realignment of State Highway 88 during Forsyth Barr Stadium’s construction.

### ODT Online Tue, 21 Oct 2014
Brewery’s big plans revealed
By Vaughan Elder
An expanding Emerson’s Brewery is set to become a ”world-class” tourist destination now an agreement has been reached to buy a new site. The development – expected to cost in the millions – will be open for tours and house a new brewery, warehousing, retail store plus a bar and restaurant. The 22-year-old Dunedin brewery’s purchase of two adjacent pieces of land in Anzac Ave, belonging to the Dunedin City Council and Cr Doug Hall, also resolves a long-running access dispute over the land.
Read more

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The global environment in which we operate has always meant swings and roundabouts for New Zealand goods and services.

### ODT Online Mon, 27 Oct 2014
Editorial: Swings and roundabouts
It has been a tale of two fortunes for city businesses this month. […] And as one door closes [Donaghys], another opens. Dunedin’s Emerson’s Brewery last week announced it had bought land on Anzac Ave, and would move from its nearby Wickliffe St site to build a multimillion-dollar expanded operation with a new brewery, warehousing, retail store, bar and restaurant. The company envisaged it would become a “world-class” tourist destination and the expansion would create jobs.
Read more

Image via 3news.co.nz

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Related Posts and Comments:
2.9.13 SH88 realignment: decision to Environment Court?
3.8.13 SH88 notice of requirement [more maps]
30.4.13 DCC governance = management ?
20.11.12 DCC vs Anzide Properties decision: The road “has no legal basis”
27.5.12 SH88 realignment – information
25.5.12 SH88 realignment costs (injunction)
27.2.12 Bringing DCC, related entities and individuals to account…
23.8.11 Stadium project tangles
4.11.10 SH88 realignment for stadium disrupts traffic
21.7.10 SH88 realignment – update
7.7.10 Goodbye to great store buildings in Parry St
21.4.10 SH88 realignment – update
31.3.10 SH88 realignment
24.2.10 SH88 realignment: Are ratepayers buying the land twice?
20.11.09 Interesting. SH88 realignment.
2.9.09 SH88 realignment past stadium

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Donaghys cutting jobs #SouthDunedin

Managing director Jeremy Silva said then the company was struggling in the face of a consistently high New Zealand dollar and competition from Asia and Europe, the latter able to compete because of a weak euro.

### ODT Online Fri, 17 Oct 2014
29 Donaghys jobs go; 9 under review
By David Loughrey
The confirmed loss of 29 jobs at Donaghys’ South Dunedin factory, and news of a further nine jobs to be reviewed next year, was confirmed yesterday to “silent” workers. The loss of the jobs, which had been foreshadowed recently, came as another 29 manufacturing positions were lost yesterday at Tasman Insulation in Christchurch and 40 at Wellpack in Wellington, as a high dollar and cheap imports cut a swath through the industry.
Read more

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### ODT Online Thu, 2 Oct 2014
Dunedin factory to lay off 30 staff
By David Loughrey
Thirty jobs are set to be cut at Donaghys’ Dunedin factory, leaving workers “stunned”, and their union representative fuming at claims New Zealand has a “rock star economy”. The cuts are another hit to Dunedin’s manufacturing industry. Donaghys yesterday announced it had begun a consultation process with staff and unions on a restructure that included a proposal cutting up to 30 jobs.
Read more

Donaghys’ ropewalk (historical) | Image via The Hocken Blog

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Bell Tea Building has a future!

█ Bell Tea Company – New Zealand’s No. 1 Tea Company http://www.belltea.co.nz/

The factory of New Zealand’s oldest tea company, founded in 1898 by Norman Harper Bell in Dunedin.

Dunedin’s Bell Tea building, on the corner of Hope and Carroll Sts, has been sold. Bayleys commercial, industrial and retail agent Robin Hyndman said there had been “good interest” in the building, more than 20 site visits and four tender offers lodged. (ODT)

### ODT Online Thu, 4 Sep 2014
Developer buys Bell Tea building
By Simon Hartley
Dunedin’s distinctive 90-year-old Bell Tea building has been sold to Dunedin developer Peter Gullen, who says it was a spur-of-the-moment purchase. Mr Gullen, known for building flats and townhouses around the city, was reluctant to go into plans for the building, but said he first “wanted to get it earthquake proof and save the building”.
Read more

ODT 3.7.14 Bell Tea building offered for sale
ODT 11.3.14 Bell Tea to close Dunedin factory

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Post and images by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin’s industrial land

Alistair Broad – is he having a meltdown, or what?

Why is freehold baron Earl Hagaman not mentioned in this story?

[why is DCC’s treatment of the Caledonian leaseholders vaguely referenced, not by name… ugliness alert]

Oh dear, moths flying around the noble art of leaseholding as it may hold back development – what do they want? For Port Otago Ltd and Otago Regional Council to relinquish their power and wealth? Why should they?

What have Hilary Calvert and investor friends got to do with all this? The plot thickens.

Has this really anything to do with city councillors, EMT and the City Development Team (including the shattered urban design team) using “friends” to arbitrate change in the property sector. District plan and spatial plan objectives to be met for (cough) economic development?

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### ODT Online Thu, 12 Jun 2014
Businessman slams leasehold ‘parasite’
By Shawn McAvinue
Leasehold land is a ”parasite” killing development in Dunedin, property owner and businessmen Alistair Broad says. Mr Broad, of Dunedin, says property developers are reluctant to invest in Dunedin because of the large amount of leasehold land.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Jints, this one’s forya

On science communication . . .

Uploaded: May 7, 2012. TheXRelease.
The Lorax By Dr Seuss’s (1972)WebRiP XviD_X-Release
Copyright for this special is owned by “The Cat in the Hat Productions” and current distributors. This is for Entertainment/Educational Purposes only.

“The Lorax is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1971. It chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler. As in most Dr. Seuss works, most of the creatures mentioned are original to the book. [text]

The book is commonly recognised as a fable concerning industrialised society and the danger it poses to nature, using the literary element of personification to give life to industry as the Once-ler (whose face is never shown in any of the story’s illustrations or in the television special) and to the environment as the Lorax.

The book was adapted as an animated musical television special produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, directed by Hawley Pratt and starring the voices of Eddie Albert and Bob Holt. The line about Lake Erie was spoken by one of the Humming-Fish as they marched out of the river at the foot of the Once-ler’s factory. The special also features more of an in-depth look at the problems, including the Once-ler arguing with himself about what he is doing, and at one point asking the Lorax if shutting down his factory (and putting hundreds of people out of a job) is really the answer. Many of the Lorax’s arguments seem to be focused on how “progress progresses too fast”, in a sense arguing that things might’ve been better if the Once-Ler had come to a balance with the forest and slowed down production of the Thneeds.”

Wikipedia: The Lorax | Dr. Seuss | Political messages of Dr. Seuss

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Related Posts and Comments:
13.1.14 Taking to water like a duck on oil
24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.

Russell Garbutt at ODT Online:
20.1.14 Global vs the DCC

Jinty MacTavish at ODT Online:
9.1.14 On ethics and hypocrisy…
12.1.14 Climate change policy, cycle investments
20.1.14 Fossil fuel position based on science, best interests
20.1.14 Renewables, jobs and local governance

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin: Scott Technology [100 Years]

### ODT Online Mon, 2 Dec 2013
Dunedin firm with global reach says ‘dream big’
By John Lewis
A century ago, it would have been hard for John Scott to imagine his small family motor repair business turning into a large publicly listed engineering company with offices all around the world. It was one of the things staff at Scott Technology Ltd tried to fathom during 100th anniversary celebrations at the Kaikorai Valley-based headquarters on Saturday.
Read more

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### ODT Online Sat, 30 Nov 2013
Scott boasts $28m in orders, $5m R&D grant
By Simon Hartley
Listed automation and robotics company Scott Technology has entered its second century’s trading with a full order book worth $28 million and received confirmation yesterday of a $5 million three-year Government research and development grant.
Diversification in recent years into the meat and mining industries, dairying and superconductor magnetics, alongside the mainstay appliance manufacturing, was paying dividends in several areas, the about 60 shareholders at the annual meeting in Dunedin yesterday heard.
Read more

Scott website: http://www.scott.co.nz/

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: scott.co.nz – screenshots

North East Valley: Community-led development project

New Zealand is trying to find its way back to grassroots community development, with Dunedin’s Northeast Valley one of five government-funded trials nationally.

### ODT Online Sun, 15 Sep 2013
Building a sense of community in Northeast Valley
By Bruce Munro
Throughout New Zealand, including in government circles, the tide is rising with a desire to see neighbourhoods once again creating their own strong and sustainable vibrant communities. Insiders call it community-led development, or just CLD. It is the opposite of both individual apathy and top-down attempts to solve community ills.

It is what 60 years ago was simply called ”being neighbourly”, ”taking the bull by the horns” and ”doing our bit”.

In the 21st century, however, it is an untried, risky but potentially better way of strengthening social fabric and building resilience in the face of increasing community fragmentation and looming economic and ecological uncertainties. So the Department of Internal Affairs, having decided it should be able to get more bang for its $18 million-per-year community funding buck, has launched a trial of the community-led development approach.
Five communities have been selected for their high unemployment or low average income; sizeable Maori, Pacific Island or ethnic minority communities; multiple issues to address; strengths to build on; and current or potential leaders to spearhead the charge.
North East Valley was the only South Island community chosen. The other triallists are Whirinaki in Northland, Mount Roskill in Auckland, Mangakino, north of Taupo, and Cannons Creek/Waitangirua, east of Porirua.

New Project Committee 2011 [Archives: northeastvalley.org]

Community-building activities in the valley
Dinners, community garden working bees, the Valley Voice newsletter, Transition Valley 473’s fruit tree planting and workshops, and the community choir – were already running before the trial began. But the project’s executive now has a list of more than 40 projects that have been mooted, investigated or kick-started.

The valley’s story is its own. But it also mirrors changes and challenges many communities face. Today, North East Valley has a resident population of about 4500. According to the 2006 census, the most recent data available, almost 80% are European and 7.3% are Maori. More than 9% and 3%, respectively, are Asian and Pacific Islanders, in both cases double the Otago average.
A third of valley dwellers class themselves as professionals, more than 11% are unemployed, and a quarter of families have one parent. The median income for those over the age of 15 is about $13,000, roughly half the Otago average.
Read more

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Project website: northeastvalley.org