Comments on:

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 11:14:32 +0000

Re 22. Jono, like usual, makes a timely and compelling comment. I am truly proud to be your groomsman.

By: Rudy

Rudy — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 09:32:58 +0000

Some South Island sheep farmers have reverted back to using old-fashioned hand clippers to shear their sheep (esp. merino). On the negative side, the result is increased labour cost and a lower wool yield. On the positive side, it leaves the sheep better prepared for the cold temperatures, and sheep also get cut less. Apparently the positives outweigh the neagtives.

A great example of old winning over new.

By: Richard D. Bartlett

Richard D. Bartlett — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 04:30:43 +0000

…bearing in mind that it is rare for labour-saving technology to not have detrimental environmental & societal (etc.) effects, and rarer still for these effects to be given due weight.

By: dennisbartlett

dennisbartlett — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 07:20:34 +0000

anyhow………..where did we end up with this thing 1)technology is good if you can do more work for less effort
but bad if it wrecks forests and the atmosphere
2)subsidies are good but are only a stop gap means to an end
3)tobacco kills but only slowly people who are dying anyhow
4)farming is a business and is an example of survival of the fittest but there are probabaly dozens of things that determine’fittest’the enviroment being one

anything else?

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 01:43:26 +0000

re. 19: Sorry to be prickly, Hans.

By: Jono

Jono — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 21:19:12 +0000

re: 6, a song that comes to mind is:

…We been spending most our lives
Living in an Amish paradise
I’ve churned butter once or twice
Living in an Amish paradise
It’s hard work and sacrifice
Living in an Amish paradise
We sell quilts at discount price
Living in an Amish paradise…

By: dennisbartlett

dennisbartlett — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 20:56:08 +0000

product of your generation………..should listen to your papa live

By: Richard D. Bartlett

Richard D. Bartlett — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 09:00:52 +0000

re: 18 it’s absolutely not the medium.

I only understand Matt online.

By: Hans

Hans — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 06:36:05 +0000

re 10, I asked because I did not know. I knew he bought a farm in a tobacco growing area many years ago but I do not know what his farm actually produces now.

I am not at all suggesting that WB would destroy the validity of his agrarianism if he still grew tobacco.

By: annab

annab — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 03:14:48 +0000

perhaps that’s the nature of this medium and instead you could have a real conversation over dinner tonight