Our oceans are in deep trouble - a 'mountains to sea' approach could make a real difference

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Our oceans are in deep trouble - a 'mountains to sea' approach could make a real difference     The rapidly declining health of New Zealand’s marine environment raises serious questions about how we care for and manage the oceans.A recent stocktake of our marine environment identifies several cumulative pressures. These include ocean acidification, sea-level rise and ongoing warming of the ocean surface associated with climate change. Continued here

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Invisible Windrush: how the stories of Indian indentured labourers from the Caribbean were forgotten     Associate Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London My father never spoke to us about Guyana, the country of his birth, when we were growing up because he believed that his history had no value to his children. In doing this, he was unconsciously copying his grandparents, as well as others in his community, who had collectively chosen not to talk about their past. Continued here

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Flies' head: a spicy stir-fry from Taiwan     In the early 2000s, a curious dish named "flies' head" began to appear on restaurant menus across Taiwan - a stir-fry of garlic chives and pork mince, accented with tiny bits of fermented black beans."It has a similar colour scheme to a green bottle fly, which is how it gets its name," said Taiwanese food writer Chen Ching-I. "The body is greenish and brown, which are like the chives and the pork." She noted that the fermented black beans are reminiscent of the fly's beady, dark eyes. Continued here

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Extending the term of parliament isn't a terrible idea - it's just one NZ has rejected twice already     Among a host of other recommendations, the Independent Electoral Review has proposed a referendum on extending the term of parliament to four years (from the current three). I’ll admit from the outset to being torn over the issue – the policy wonk in me says four, the election junkie says three.But there’s another problem. Even if it is a sound idea, why hold a referendum when two past referendums have already rejected the proposal? Parliament could make the change alone, but MPs would likely face a backlash from the people wanting a referendum. Continued here

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Apple Vision Pro headset: what does it do and will it deliver?     Apple recently unveiled its Vision Pro headset at the Worldwide Developers Conference in California. With it, Apple is venturing into a market of head-mounted devices (HMDs) – which are usually just displays, but in this case is more of a complete computer attached to your head – as well as the worlds of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). The new Apple product will fuel the hopes of many working on these technologies that they will some day be routinely used by the public, just as the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch helped bring smartphones, tablets and wearable tech into mainstream use. Continued here

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The Missing Piece of the Foraging Renaissance     Harvesting wild local produce in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park may not seem like the best idea. And yet, on a foraging tour of the lively public park last month, a straw-hatted forager named “Wildman” Steve Brill and his teenage daughter, Violet, led roughly 40 of us amateurs into the grassy areas beyond the park’s paved footpaths for a four-hour tromp. Among plastic wrappers and bottle caps we found edible roots, fragrant herbs, and sturdy greens, all ripe for experimentation in the adventurous cook’s kitchen.At least in theory. There was food here, for sure, but hardly of the practical variety. We recovered fallen pods from the Kentucky coffeetree, whose seeds can be used to brew a caffeine-free alternative to a morning cup. That is, if one is willing to harvest enough of them, wash them of green toxic goo, and roast them for hours—though even then, it won’t really be coffee. I stuffed a few pods in a canvas bag alongside sassafras root, once used to make root beer the old-fashioned way, and a handful of lettuce-flavored violet leaves that could, in the right quantities, constitute a small salad. Two weeks later, I’m still wondering what, if anything, I’ll actually make with these odd new ingredients. Continued here

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Local Hero: Why the iconic Scottish environmental film was decades ahead of its time     Few films have been as enduring as Local Hero. Released 40 years ago, the landmark Scottish film starring Hollywood legend Burt Lancaster put Scottish cinema on the map, launched the career of a then-unknown Peter Capaldi and showcased the nation's incredible landscapes to the world.More like this: - The 1998 film that predicted the future - David Lynch on 'the beauty in the dark' - Dating culture's most toxic stereotype Continued here

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Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail     Businesses hoping to survive over the long term will have to remake themselves into better competitors at least once along the way. These efforts have gone under many banners: total quality management, reengineering, rightsizing, restructuring, cultural change, and turnarounds, to name a few. In almost every case, the goal has been to cope with a new, more challenging market by changing the way business is conducted. A few of these endeavors have been very successful. A few have been utter failures. Most fall somewhere in between, with a distinct tilt toward the lower end of the scale. Continued here

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As the U.S. expands work conditions for income assistance, Canada takes a different tack     Only days before a government default, United States President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached an agreement to raise the country’s debt ceiling and avoid financial turmoil. One important feature of this agreement is an expansion of the work requirements for recipients of Medicaid and food stamps. These new work conditions could affect millions of low-income Americans. Continued here

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Giant tree-kangaroos once lived in unexpected places all over Australia, according to major new analysis     Kangaroos are an enduring symbol of Australia’s uniqueness. To move, they do what no other large mammals do: they hop along on oversized hind legs. So you may be surprised to learn that some kangaroos live in trees, and are among the most endearing and threatened of all marsupials.Today, biologists recognise ten tree-kangaroo species, all in the genus Dendrolagus. Two species inhabit tropical forest in far northern Queensland. The other eight live in New Guinea. Continued here

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Are You Failing to Prepare the Next Generation of C-Suite Leaders? - SPONSOR CONTENT FROM DAGGERWING     For many people leaders, that’s been the mantra for the past three years. “Let’s just get through this moment in time, focus on the short-term solutions for our immediate needs, and when things go back to normal, we’ll deal with all the issues we’ve been putting on the backburner.” Continued here

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Why Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe wants to damage the economy further     Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe and his board have pushed up interest rates yet again – for the twelfth time in 14 months – because they want to damage the economy further. Continued here

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Seven metals, ringed with four magical inscriptions: what other secrets does the 'Alchemical Hand Bell' hold?     PostDoc in Digital Humanities at Centre of Information Modelling (University of Graz), University of Graz Scholars are baffled by a mysterious object from Emperor Rudolf II’s collection: a hand bell, made from an alloy of seven metals and said to have been used to summon spirits, contains an enigmatic cipher on the inside. Continued here

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Protecting the ocean: 5 essential reads on invasive species, overfishing and other threats to sea life     Humans rely on the ocean for many things, including food, jobs, recreation and stabilization of Earth’s climate. But although ocean resources may seem infinite, human impacts like pollution, overfishing and climate change are creating what United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called an “ocean emergency.” Climate change is pushing ocean temperatures to record levels, many fisheries are overharvested, and plastic waste is accumulating in the deep sea.Invasive lionfish are aggressive predators, native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean, that feed on smaller reef fish. They have caused heavy damage in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico since they first appeared in the Atlantic in 1985. Now, they’ve spread south to Brazil, which has many rare endemic fish species and is behind the curve in responding. Continued here

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Will the four-day workweek get employees back in office?     The offices of the environmental consultancy Tyler Grange are full every Monday morning. Attendance isn’t compulsory: they haven’t issued any return-to-office mandates, or requirements for hybrid-working employees to begin their weeks in the workplace.Yet, since beginning a four-day week in June 2022, Tyler Grange’s 100 workers with offices across six UK offices choose to work in person more often. “Before, we probably struggled to get people into the office more than once or twice a week,” says Simon Ursell, managing director at Tyler Grange, based in Gloucestershire. “Now, we’re generally up to three days a week. And Mondays are now very popular – that didn’t happen before.”  Continued here

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Refugee camps are at higher risk of extreme weather - new research     Around the world, climate change, violence and poverty are forcing people from their homes. The UN’s refugee agency estimated that by mid-2022, there were 103 million people displaced from their homes, compared to 90 million at the end of 2021.People who are displaced are increasingly moving to urban areas, but many still end up in long-term informal settlements or refugee camps. More often than not, these settlements are located in isolated and remote areas, with poor quality land and harsh climatic conditions. Continued here

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CBI: organisations that want to end workplace harassment must start by addressing power imbalances     Members of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) – which calls itself “the voice of business” in Britain – have voted on a revamp of the organisation following allegations of misconduct, sexual harassment and rape in recent months. The City of London police is also investigating the reported misconduct.The business lobby group that represents 190,000 companies, which fund its operations has seen an outflow of big name members including John Lewis, BMW, Virgin Media, O2, Aviva and Mastercard following these allegations. Both the government and the Labour party have also severed ties with the organisation. This leaves its future representing business interests to politicians very much in doubt. Continued here

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Why we need to rewrite the script on corporate taxes     During the provincial election campaign in Alberta, the United Conservative Party (UCP) frequently criticized the NDP for its proposed increase in the corporate tax rate from eight per cent to 11 per cent. UCP candidate Brian Jean said the proposed NDP corporate tax increase would kill investment, jobs and economic growth in Alberta. But University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe has argued an increased tax rate won’t necessarily erode employment and that the impact would depend on how much the tax base shrinks in response to the higher rate. Continued here

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Empower Your Team, Empower Yourself     In today’s rapidly evolving work environment, professional development is no longer a nice-to-have perk, it’s an imperative. With budgets tightening and workforce disruptions such as layoffs affecting many sectors, now is not the time for organizations to eliminate employee professional development and training. Likewise, individuals should continue to upskill regardless of whether organizational resources are plentiful. In this article, we explore ways that executives may approach learning and development (L&D) spending, as well as strategies for employees to secure professional development funding.In this first section, we’ll explore three key strategies for managers to effectively allocate resources for L&D, even during difficult economic times. When they better understand the importance of such programs, leaders can make more informed decisions that benefit the organization in the long term. When budgets are tight, L&D is often among the first programs to suffer cutbacks. This frequently happens because training is perceived as the low-hanging fruit when it comes to justifying budget cuts. However, these types of short-term cost-saving measures may not be a wise strategic move for executives. Having well-trained employees is critical to staying competitive, and we encourage executives to assess the risks their organization will be taking should they decide to eliminate employee training dollars. Continued here

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Going down: the 6 graphs that show Australia's economic growth shrinking     John Hawkins formerly worked as a senior economist for the Reserve Bank and Australian Treasury.The latest national accounts tell us Australia’s economy grew by just 0.2% in the three months to March. Continued here

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How Our Brains Decide When to Trust     Trust is the enabler of global business — without it, most market transactions would be impossible. It is also a hallmark of high-performing organizations. Employees in high-trust companies are more productive, are more satisfied with their jobs, put in greater discretionary effort, are less likely to search for new jobs, and even are healthier than those working in low-trust companies. Businesses that build trust among their customers are rewarded with greater loyalty and higher sales. And negotiators who build trust with each other are more likely to find value-creating deals. Continued here

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Sportsmen in ancient Greece and Rome were celebrities who won grand prizes, toured and even unionised     Wray Vamplew is the author of Games People Played: A Global History of Sport, published by Reaktion Books. Paid to play, travelling internationally and enjoying celebrity status: the lifestyle of a modern elite professional sportsperson, but also that of some elite sportsmen in ancient Greece and Rome. Continued here

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Historians are learning more about how the Nazis targeted trans people     It was a civil lawsuit that grew out of a feud on Twitter about whether transgender people were victims of the Holocaust. Though there is no longer much debate about whether gay men and lesbians were persecuted, there’s been very little scholarship on trans people during this period. The court took expert statements from historians, including myself, before finding that the historical evidence shows that trans people were, indeed, persecuted by the Nazi regime. Continued here

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Magnet therapy for depression is available on the NHS - here's how it works     Magnets to treat depression? It may sound bizarre, but this treatment is now available on the NHS. It’s called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. People who have tried antidepressants but they haven’t worked, may be offered TMS. It involves zapping areas of the brain associated with depression with pulsing magnetic fields. Continued here

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Ukraine war: what we know about the Nova Kakhovka dam and who gains from its destruction     The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam came just as Ukraine’s much-anticipated counter-offensive seemed poised to begin.The breaching of the dam, apparently caused by a massive explosion or explosions has spilled water from a reservoir with a volume of 16.4km³ across a huge area of the Kherson region of Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. Thousands of people have been evacuated. Continued here

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Do You Have a Corporate Philanthropy Strategy?     Corporate philanthropy spending reached new heights in 2021, exceeding $21 billion in the U.S. alone and marking a 24% increase over the previous year.1 These contributions, which traditionally focused on supporting galleries, museums, and shiny new buildings, have gained a higher profile in corporate decision-making. While management scholars have long pointed out the importance of corporate philanthropy, businesses’ approaches to it vary widely, and few have fully integrated it into their corporate strategy.2 This article examines the shifting landscape of corporate giving and the potential implications for businesses and their stakeholders. As companies face growing pressures to incorporate purposeful social missions into their core businesses, leaders have gained experience managing initiatives aimed at social impact in addition to profit. While corporate social responsibility (CSR) is part of most companies’ business strategies, philanthropy often remains disconnected from core business objectives. This makes it challenging for leaders to discern what types of philanthropic engagement should be prioritized and why.We define strategic corporate philanthropy as voluntary giving that builds on the company’s core competencies to achieve social impact while improving its competitive edge — resulting in a win-win situation.3 The scope of corporate philanthropic engagement is vast. (See “Main Types of Corporate Philanthropy Engagement.”) Even though gift matching has led the way for many years in the U.S., Coca-Cola, Google, and Walt Disney are just a few of the many multinationals that now engage in more than one type of corporate philanthropy. IBM’s Open Source Community Grant program (with annual contributions of $200,000), the Danone Ecosystem (an impact investment fund with over $200 million committed since 2009), and the Ikea Foundation (with unrestricted funding for selected nonprofits working on emergency relief) are examples of the great diversity of corporate philanthropic engagement. Continued here

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How to treat jellyfish stings (hint: urine not recommended)     If you have been stung by a jellyfish at the beach, you’ll know how painful and unpleasant it can be. But how best to treat jellyfish stings has been debated over the years.Is it best to use hot water or an ice pack? How about pouring on vinegar or rubbing with sand? Then there’s the popular myth about urinating on your leg, which health professionals have debunked many times but seems to resurface regardless. Continued here

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UK PM Sunak visits Washington to strengthen ties, watch baseball - having already struck out on trade deal     Alongside meetings with President Joe Biden, U.S. business leaders and members of Congress, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will take in a baseball game during a Washington trip that starts June 7, 2023. He may be given the honor of throwing out the first pitch; many at home will be hoping he doesn’t drop the ball.It is a high-stakes visit for Sunak, his first to Washington since becoming prime minister in October 2022. The British leader will be keen to showcase his close relationship with Biden. And he will want to underscore his more stable and pragmatic foreign policy, in contrast to his predecessors, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Continued here

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The shadow of Raymond Chandler looms in Call Me Marlowe, an international tale seeking humanity in the darkness     Catherine de Saint Phalle lived alone for many years in the country in France, where she published five novels and toured with controversial author Michel Houellebecq. She came to Melbourne in 2003, where she now works as a writer, literary translator and French tutor. To acclimatise herself to Australian life, she remembers she used to follow women in the street “just to catch whiffs of their conversation”. Continued here

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Nature religions are growing in Australia - though witchcraft was illegal in some territories just 10 years ago     Nature religions, commonly described as Paganism (or neo-Paganism), are growing in Australia. In the last Census, 33,148 people claimed affiliation with a nature religion: including Animism, Druidism, and the many traditions of Wicca, the most practised Pagan pathway. Thirty years earlier, just 4,353 Australians put down Paganism as their religion. Affiliation with Christianity has decreased over that 30-year period. Continued here