upton-on-line

2002 archive

The briefest of reflections on the talibanic outpourings of Race Relations Conciliator Joris de Bres, a note (by way of contrast) on the carefully considered conclusions of Judges McGechan and Goddard in the Bleakley case and some cultural and end-of-year therapy in the form of four poems from a recently published book, Spirit in a Strange Land: A Selection of New Zealand Spiritual Verse...11 December 2002

Upton-on-line reports on a recent outing to the Stade de France for a rendez-vous with Franco-New Zealand rugby tribalism, British MP Austin Mitchell’s regurgitations on pavlova and a uniquely French scandal involving a parrot... 22 November 2002

We cover issues profane and profound: the divertissements that Paris's Mayor Bertrand Delanoe has been organising for his ratepayers and the deep foreign policy confessions of one of Australia's leading strategic thinkers, Hugh White. Also, the response of the NZ Government to its own Select Committee's recommendations on closer political and intellectual engagement with Australia. (26 October 2002)

Upton-on-line visits the Panthéon and the Institut de France and ruminates on what it takes to sustain republican myths, the entrails of Johannesburg are explored for signs of sustainability and hypsographic demography, a new topic to enliven (or kill off) floundering dinner parties, makes a cameo appearance....25 September 2002

Sustainable Development
Special Edition for readers interested in Sustainable Development, especially in NZ...(29 August 2002)

NZ General Election Special
In this issue…upton-on-line reflects on the consequences of the 2002 NZ General Election for the centre-right of politics... (2 August 2002)

Upton-on-line previews the road to the Johannesburg Summit on sustainable development (1993 words), offers some factoids on AIDS in Russia, the European Union's grand translation squabbles and the future for France under global warming and introduces Diasporan of the Month, Richard Carey. But first...(7 July 2002)

The alimentation of French political parties and why there are no fewer than 8,455 candidates at this weekend's first round of the legislative elections; more on the trans-Tasman institute debate (this time from the Foreign Affairs & Defence Select Committee and Sir Frank Holmes); Sir Hugh Kawharu on tino rangatiratanga; and a deliciously nostalgic romp through the debate about foreign investment in New Zealand circa 1975 featuring the nearly forgotten Geoff Datson and the perennial Dr Donald Brash... (11 June 2002)

In this issue (shame-facedly the longest ever) Upton-on-line explores a remarkable speech by Bill English on treatyology. Upton-on-line does not involve itself in partisan wrangles. But this speech - researched by Bernard Cadogan - is so exceptionally interesting that he can safely recommend it to readers of any political colour. It will cause few digestive problems... (23 May 2002)

French Election Special Edition
In this brief edition … all you need to know (for now) about the deuxième tour of the French presidential election...(7 May 2002)

Unavoidably, the unimaginable mess that the French presidential election has spawned for the Fifth Republic; some reflections on whether there are any lessons for New Zealand; and (for the initiated) a Resource Management Act bone on which there still remains flesh to be picked! (26 April 2002)

French Miscellanies Issue
In this issue Upton-on-line explores a public transport solution in Rennes that would have Aucklanders drooling (if they could twist Wellington's arm to fund it), the edifice virus plaguing France's cultural monuments, French reaction to the death of The Queen Mother and finally a new feature: Diasporan of the Month. This month upton-on-line profiles Isobel Ollivier, the distinguished New Zealand translator of countless log-books left behind by early French explorers. But first… (4 April 2002)

Special Recolonial Recriminations Issue
Upton-on-line reflects on the great history curriculum hullabaloo occasioned by James Belich's bid to exorcise our recolonial demons, some words of wisdom from Ferdinand Mount on monarchy as a user-friendly source of authority and how the uncrowned but unquestionably aristocratic Valéry Giscard d'Estaing is approaching the task of writing up a constitution for Europe...(14 March 2002)

Upton-on-line provides a first glimpse of the strange maneuverings that herald the beginning of the French Presidential election campaign and (strictly for devotees) gives some 'order-of-magnitude' feel for what sort of initiatives might help developing countries in the context of this year's World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg later this year… (21 February 2002)

We open the year with a round of hostilities on a familiar battlefront involving Carl Stead, there is the (inevitable) meditation on the arrival of the euro in people's pockets and (strictly serious stuff) a call for further comment on the need for a Trans-Tasman Foundation to help save Australians and New Zealanders from one another...(31 January 2002)