Monthly Archives: February 2021

MUMBAI Filmmaker Anurag Basu says filmmakers have always explored bold subjects irrespective of the medium it is presented on. However, the line that differentiates freedom of creativity and misusing that freedom needs to be kept in mind by filmmakers at all times.

Its a very thin line between using the freedom of creativity and misusing it. Filmmakers should look at using freedom of speech in the best possible way to tell unique stories, Basu said.

His new film Ludo,an anthology drama, dropped on streamingplatformsa few months back and will make its television premiere on Sony Max Feb. 28.

A lot of filmmakers have explored bigger and bolder subjects on the big screen as well. My film Ludo dealt with many bold subjects and was initially planned for the big screen, the filmmakeradded.

Basu, who made films such as Barfi!(2012), Life In A Metro(2007) and Gangster(2006), is confident now that theaters have reopened after lockdown, the audience will pour in like the good old days.

Cinema is a community watching experience. I am certain that audiences will come back to theaters when they will be back in action completely. We just need one film that will create enough buzz for the audience to rush back to theaters. This has already started in the South, with the release of the Vijay-starrer Master,and soon will be seen in Bollywood too. One big release and things will change, he said.

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Filmmaker Anurag Basu Opens Up on Using Freedom of Creativity and Misusing It - India West

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A recent attack on the criticism of J. Mark Ramseyers article, Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War, reveals troubling insensitivity and disregard of an atrocious human rights violation.

We, scholars based in the United States and South Korea, call for the cessation of attempts both to spread outrageous falsehoods about Japans abuse of comfort women, an atrocious crime against humanity, and to advocate such conduct directly or indirectly by attacking fair criticism of Ramseyers article under the false pretense of academic freedom. Academic freedom does not protect outrageous falsehoods and distortions.

Joseph Yi and Joe Phillips wrote an op-ed on the controversy in The Diplomat, claiming that [a]ttacking Ramseyers academic integrity because of personal connections to Japan is unproductive and sounds xenophobic.

Yi and Phillips mischaracterize the criticism of Ramseyers article, which attempts to justify the military sexual slavery enforced by Japan during World War II as a legitimate contractual arrangement. Such contracts did not exist, and Ramseyer has not been able to present any evidence of such contracts.

Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific.

For this reason, a number of scholars from around the world, including Hannah Shepherd (University of Cambridge, U.K.), Sayaka Chatani (National University of Singapore, Singapore), David Ambaras (North Carolina State University, U.S.), and Chelsea Szendi Schieder (Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan), question Ramseyers academic integrity.

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They demand the retraction of Ramseyers paper, not because of his personal connections to Japan, but rather because of his complete disregard of relevant evidence. Two Harvard historians, Professors Carter Eckert and Andrew Gordon, acting on a request by the International Review of Law and Economics to review Ramseyers article, also reached the same conclusion. They recommended that the journal suspend the publication of Ramseyers article and retract it, pending the outcome of the journals own investigation.

As should be evident to readers, the widespread criticism is not an expression of nationalism or the Korean perspective, but of a grave concern about attempts to justify atrocious human rights violations. The controversy is not a political debate between Korea and Japan, as Yi and Phillips purport it to be, but a serious human rights question that concerns everyone.

Yi and Phillips also criticize South Korea for allegedly failing to accommodate vigorous public discussions on the question of comfort women. Their insensitivity and disregard of the painful memory of the victims and their supporters is appalling. The military sexual slavery enforced by Japan is traumatic history for most Koreans. Koreans would be naturally cautious about such discussions, as they are likely to trigger the memory of traumatic pain and suffering.

Yi and Phillips also cite Korean lawsuits regarding controversial books and speeches about the sexual slavery. While academic freedom should be protected, it must not be abused to justify outrageous falsehoods and distortions. In Germany, where many believe academic freedom is well preserved, public advocacy of the war crimes committed by the Nazi regime would lead to criminal prosecution and punishment, but such response is not an illegitimate intrusion upon academic freedom.

Yi and Phillips also attack the credibility of testimonies offered by Korean survivors. Decades before the Korean testimonies were made public in the 1990s, the Netherlands interviewed Dutch comfort women who served during the war and secured testimonies affirming the atrocities of the sexual slavery. Victims from other countries, such as the Philippines and Indonesia, not just from Korea, also offered testimonies that confirmed kidnapping, deceit, torture, and killing of so-called comfort women. Even the Japanese government, through the Kono Statement admitted the atrocities inflicted upon comfort women in 1994:

The then Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations and the transfer of comfort women. The recruitment of the comfort women was conducted mainly by private recruiters who acted in response to the request of the military. The Government study has revealed that in many cases they were recruited against their own will, through coaxing, coercion, etc., and that, at times, administrative/military personnel directly took part in the recruitments. They lived in misery at comfort stations under a coercive atmosphere.

The military sexual slavery enforced by Japan, the system of so-called comfort women, is a war crime and atrocious human rights violation, as confirmed by major international and domestic institutions such as the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. State Department. Even the Yamaguchi District Court in Japan affirmed the illegality of the militarys use of sexual slavery in 1998.

Perhaps most perplexing is Yi and Phillips attempt to make connections between the atrocious sexual slavery of the 20th century and the tribute women who they argue were sent to China from Korea some 600 years ago. It would be absurd to draw any relational inference between the two events that took place several centuries apart from each other under completely different historical, political, and cultural contexts. They also refer to the women who they contend offered sexual services on American military bases in Korea after World War II, citing wild numbers without any verification. Again, such comparison is unwarranted: the Japanese militarys sexual slavery was a war crime that bears no comparison to pre- or post-war prostitution. (Ramseyer also tried, unconvincingly, to make connections between pre-war prostitution and the military sexual servitude.)

Yi and Phillips also compare and contrast between what they call a repressive environment in South Korea, which, as they describe, suppresses public discussions on comfort women, and a purportedly freer Japanese environment that tolerates diverse positions. They will also find the absence of vibrant discussions advocating the Nazi war crimes in Germany or supporting the slavery of African Americans in the United States. It is not because these societies suppress discussions in general, but rather because the extreme trauma and sensitivity of such issues raises public caution, particularly against irresponsible positions justifying such atrocities without clear evidence. For the same reason, Koreans are cautious about the similar positions on the so-called comfort women issues, and given the trauma, Koreans should not be blamed for this caution. Korean society does not generally suppress discussions. On the contrary, it is likes of Yi and Phillips who try to suppress fair criticism of what many consider to be the dissemination of plain falsehoods by critics of undermining academic freedom. We reiterate: Academic freedom does not protect outrageous falsehoods and distortions.

Yong-Shik Lee is director of the Law and Development Institute and visiting professor of law at Georgia State University College of Law.

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Chan Un Park is professor of law at Hanyang University School of Law.

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On 'Comfort Women' and Academic Freedom: A Rebuttal - The Diplomat

On snowy terrain,equipment shapes where you can go, how fast you can move, your risks, your hopes,your sense of what youre doing there.Trade-offsabound.Snowshoescanget you through rugged terrain,at a walking pace; strapped onto your hiking boot, they distribute weight to keep you above the snow, while a jaggedmetalcrampon provides a solid grip.

By snowshoe I meanthemodern version,typically with an aluminum frame,a development of the past half-century. The traditional wooden snowshoe crisscrossed with rawhide lacings is another story; Im told its like walking on a tennis racket, though it has its aficionados. Ive snowshoed over the years. A few years ago, I took my son snowshoeing into the park next door to our house in northern New Jersey. The staffers told us this was prohibited by regulations, and soon revamped their No Skiing signage toincludeNo Snowshoeing.

In cross-country, or Nordic,skiing,there are lacedbootsthatclick onto the skiat the toe, leaving the heel free; you step but also glide, picking up speed and momentum.Nordic skis are narrower thantheskis for Alpine, or downhill, skiing. Snowshoes and cross-country skis bothgiveyoua sense of beinglightlyencumbered compared tothebulkybootsandtightbindingsofAlpine,althoughdownhill skisenable a world of speed, outpacing even their rival, the snowboard.

Lastweekend, we went to Mohonk Mountain House, a sprawling, century-and-a-half-old resort in the Shawangunk Mountains, or Gunks, of New YorkStatesHudson Valley. Its aspecialplace tomy wife and me, not least because we got married there;wed first scoped it out as a venue right afterId proposed in nearby Minnewaska State Park. Recent snows ensured thered be ample snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on the resorts property and in the surrounding 8000-acre Mohonk Preserve.

My wife, son and Isnowshoed and skiedcross-country, the formeractivityon a scenic path along a ridge, the latter onmodestly slopedtrails through the woods.On trailsshared by snowshoers and skiers, its good etiquette for snowshoers to stayoffgrooves carved byskis, to avoid messing up the smooth skiing passage these allow. The snowshoers, after all, can go just about anywhere. A number of rugged side pathsat Mohonk were marked as snowshoe trails.

Downhill skiing is a family tradition on my wifes side, as Irecently wrote.The skills of winter sports are transferable to a degree.My wife does cross-country with the balanced ease of a longtime downhiller, and our 11-year-old son got the hang of it quickly. Ive onlygotten intocross-countrythis year,though I trieditoncetwo decades ago.Cross-countryslearning curveat the outset is less steep thanthat ofdownhill skiing, butitstill leaves room to improve and try more difficult trails.We went ice skating a couple of times over the weekend, as well. My skills there are minimal, ironic as thats the only winter sport I learned as a kid. Long non-participation had brought me to square one, stepping gingerly across the ice, trying to glide.

There are numerous variations for moving across snow and ice, among them: Alpine touring, in which you switch between a free and a locked-in heel so as to travel uphill as well as downhill, without the use of a ski lift; backcountry skiing with an emphasis on ungroomed snow; ski mountaineering, which includes elements of climbing; telemarking, where a bent knee and a free heel are employed in downhill; skate skiing, a form of cross-country using shorter skis and a side-to-side motion like that of a skater. Its a world of choice and exploration.

Theres a freedom to winter sports, an attitude that they cultivate, that you want to be out there, not confined indoors, that you can see things and go places you wouldnt get to otherwise. Climate changeposes athreattothis, raising prospects that snowfall will be less plentifulandlessreliable; that people will spend more time indoors year-round, in air conditioning during theextendedsummerbeforesegueinginto a tedious, sedentary winter.

Libertarians, among whom I once counted myself,focus onnegative liberty,thefreedom from external coercion.As important as that is, its not the only type of freedom,Positive liberty is the ability to do things;being a centrist, as I am now, may involve a greater appreciation of this type of freedom, and winter sports can accentuate that viewpoint. On the snow, what you can and cant do dependsgreatlyon your abilities, the equipment and infrastructure you have access to, theenvironmentalconditions you face. You mightbe free from coercionon a deep-woods snowy trail, but thats far from all that matters.

In my youth, I ruminated glumly over the philosophical problem offree will. One day I walked home in a Queens snowstorm worried that every snowflake had a pre-fixed trajectory. Nobody knows whether thats true. Perhaps if Id been a skier or snowshoer back then, I wouldve looked at it differently: that the snow is a landscape for our freedom,somake the most of it.

Kenneth Silber is author ofIn DeWitts Footsteps: Seeing History on the Erie Canaland is on Twitter:@kennethsilber

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The Freedom of Snowshoe and Ski - Splice Today

Heres a look at the Iraq War which was known as Operation Iraqi Freedom until September 2010, when it was renamed Operation New Dawn. In December 2011, the last US troops in Iraq crossed the border into Kuwait, marking the end of the almost-nine year war.

October 16, 2002 US President George W. Bush signs a congressional resolution authorizing him to go to war to disarm Iraq if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction in compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.

November 8, 2002 The UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1441, giving Iraq a final chance to comply with its disarmament obligations and outlining strict new weapons inspections with the goal of completing the disarmament process. The resolution threatens serious consequences as a result of Iraqs continued violations of its obligations.

February 5, 2003 US Secretary of State Colin Powell makes the case to the UN that Hussein poses an imminent threat.

February 14, 2003 UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix reports to the UN Security Council that his team has found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

March 17, 2003 Bush issues an ultimatum to Hussein and his family leave Iraq within 48 hours or face military action.

March 19, 2003 Bush announces US and coalition forces have begun military action against Iraq.

March 20, 2003 Hussein speaks on Iraqi TV, calling the coalitions attacks shameful crimes against Iraq and humanity.

March 23, 2003 Pfc. Jessica Lynch and other members of the 507th Maintenance Company are ambushed and captured outside Nasiriyah, Iraq.

April 1, 2003 Lynch is rescued from a hospital by US forces.

April 9, 2003 Coalition forces take Baghdad. A large statue of Hussein is toppled in Firdos Square. The White House declares the regime is gone.

April 13, 2003 Seven US prisoners of war are rescued by US troops.

May 1, 2003 Speaking on the USS Abraham Lincoln, Bush declares major combat operations over, although some fighting continues.

May 22, 2003 The UN Security Council approves a resolution acknowledging the US and Great Britains right to occupy Iraq.

July 22, 2003 Husseins sons, Uday and Qusay, are killed by US forces.

December 13, 2003 Hussein is captured in a spider hole in Tikrit. This is not confirmed until December 14 by the US Defense Department.

June 28, 2004 The handover of sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government takes place two days before the June 30 deadline previously announced by the US-led coalition.

June 30, 2004 The coalition turns over legal control of Hussein and 11 other former top Iraqi officials to the interim Iraqi government. The United States retains physical custody of the men.

July 1, 2004 Hussein makes his first appearance in court. He is charged with a variety of crimes, including the invasion of Kuwait and the gassing of the Kurds.

September 6, 2004 The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 1,000.

November 2004 US and Iraqi forces battle insurgents in Falluja. About 2,000 insurgents are killed. On November 14, Falluja is declared to be liberated.

October 25, 2005 The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 2,000.

November 19, 2005 At least 24 Iraqi civilians, including women and children, are killed in Haditha. Eight US Marines faced charges in the deaths, but only one was convicted of a crime, that of negligent dereliction of duty.

November 5, 2006 The Iraqi High Tribunal reaches a verdict in the 1982 Dujail massacre case. Hussein is found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, pending appeal.

December 30, 2006 Hussein is hanged.

December 30, 2006 The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 3,000.

January 10, 2007 A troop surge begins, eventually increasing US troop levels to more than 150,000.

September 3, 2007 Basra is turned over to local authorities after British troops withdraw from their last military base in Iraq to an airport outside the city.

March 22, 2008 The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 4,000.

July 10, 2008 Gen. David Petraeus is confirmed by the Senate as commander of US Central Command.

July 16, 2008 The surge officially ends, and troop levels are reduced.

December 4, 2008 The Iraqi Presidential Council approves a security agreement that paves the way for the United States to withdraw completely from Iraq by 2011.

January 1, 2009 The US military hands over control of Baghdads Green Zone to Iraqi authorities.

February 27, 2009 US President Barack Obama announces a date for the end of US combat operations in Iraq: August 31, 2010.

June 30, 2009 US troops pull back from Iraqi cities and towns and Iraqi troops take over the responsibility for security operations. However, US troops remain in the country to continue combat operations and patrols in rural areas.

August 19, 2010 The last US combat brigade leaves Iraq. A total of 52,000 US troops remain in the country.

September 1, 2010 Operation Iraqi Freedom is renamed Operation New Dawn to reflect the reduced role US troops will play in securing the country.

May 22, 2011 The last British military forces in Iraq, 81 Royal Navy sailors patrolling in the Persian Gulf, withdraw from the country. A total of 179 British troops died during the countrys eight-year mission in Iraq.

October 17, 2011 A senior US military official tells CNN that the United States and Iraq have been unable to come to an agreement regarding legal immunity for US troops who would remain in Iraq after the end of the year, effectively ending discussion of maintaining an American force presence after the end of 2011.

October 21, 2011 Obama announces that virtually all US troops will come home from Iraq by the end of the year. According to a US official, about 150 of the 39,000 troops currently in Iraq will remain to assist in arms sales. The rest will be out of Iraq by December 31.

December 15, 2011 American troops lower the flag of command that flies over Baghdad, officially ending the US military mission in Iraq.

December 18, 2011 The last US troops in Iraq cross the border into Kuwait.

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Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn Fast Facts - ABC17NEWS - ABC17News.com

There are two recent images of global India. The first is India as the worlds vaccine exporter, sending supplies of Covid vaccines to diverse countries from South America to South Asia. The other is the governments furious line against pro-farmers-protest tweets of music star Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg, cracking down on those who shared a toolkit, jailing Disha Ravi and continuing police deployment at farm protest sites.

The vaccine export drive aims to showcase atmanirbhar India as a manufacturing hub and vaccine supplier to the world. Towards this end, PM Modi has announced the focus on ease of doing business and declared that the role of the private sector is vital as wealth creators create jobs. FM Sitharaman has urged industry and private enterprise to show animal spirits, British economist John Maynard Keyness phrase, describing a human emotion that guides energetic financial behaviour in difficult times.

Freedom is indivisible. Freedom cannot be compartmentalised. The authoritarian economic miracle of China may be a role model for some, but in India, given the dizzying diversities of economic life, the evidence shows that economic growth is best achieved in times of civic and social freedom.

The attempt to spur free private enterprise when a vast state apparatus is severely constricting civil and democratic rights, when sedition charges are being slapped, when those holding any ideology opposed to the governing regime are imprisoned or muzzled, is bound to fail, particularly if fear is the dominant emotion. The first step to unleashing the animal spirits is surely to recognise that fear and control over thought and expression, are the biggest deterrent to those spirits.

Who, after all, is the common entrepreneur? He or she often a young genius behind a startup or a new business is above all a free thinker who is able to generate a bright new idea that may catch the imagination of people. Entrepreneurship is rooted in the freedom to think, to question prevailing paradigms, entertain inconvenient truths and come up with out-of-the-box ideas. But in a climate of fear, where the freedom to think is severely constricted by the fear of being dubbed anti-national, the robust energies of new entrepreneurs are in danger of being snuffed out.

In the past weeks, the internet has been shut down at various protest sites, and there are moves to bring social media platforms Twitter and Facebook under government diktat. The political leadership has decried the stranglehold of IAS babus, yet, in the recent takeover of the Delhi Gymkhana Club, we see ever-expanding government as a government ministry has taken charge of a recreational hub. In a clear attempt at thought policing and constricting academic freedoms, publicly funded universities now need government permission for international online conferences.

In Indias economic growth oriented phases during the tenures of PV Narasimha Rao, AB Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments delivered steady growth rates and had a lighter footprint on civic life. Vajpayee and Singh ran coalition governments and may have, on occasion, failed to provide decisive leadership, yet in their time Indias Big State was less intrusive.

Yes, Vajpayee cracked down on Tehelka.com and Outlook magazine for exposes on his government and during UPA, Binayak Sen, cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, anti-nuclear protesters in Kudankulam were charged with sedition. But generally there wasnt the kind of fierce ideological polarisation that today deems any dissent to be anti-national. Now, not just state agencies, but even private groups of vigilantes or non-state actors are taking it upon themselves to police weddings, art exhibitions, TV and comedy shows.

If every sector of society is yoked to the state apparatus or is vulnerable to non-state actors who act on behalf of the Big State, then citizens will constantly need political patronage and protection, in return for which they must surrender their freedoms. When the state is stifling freedoms across society, how can the entrepreneur dare to think freely or unleash his or her animal spirits?

In this situation, free-spirited entrepreneurs will flee rather than submit to government diktats. Businessmen will turn into cronies living off political patronage, rather than earn a just profit by satisfying paying customers. The controversy over the manner in which airport tenders were won by a single business house with no prior experience in the area, overruling objections by the Niti Aayog and the finance ministrys department of economic affairs, is a pointer to an ecosystem that breeds cronyism.

Liberals generally oppose controls and are, for example, in favour of farmers being able to gain access to markets and freedom from burdensome regulations. Yet markets mean voluntary rule-based negotiations, in which two parties strike a deal if convinced its a win-win for both. If theres a fear that the odds are heavily stacked against one side, that one side could suddenly become the target of massive and arbitrary state power, it will be prone to cry off. If internet shutdowns, closing of roads, a command and control mentality and draconian police action become the daily hallmarks of the states inclination, there will be a natural trust deficit on promises of reform.

If a thought police is attempting to control culture and social life, its unreasonable to assume that freedom is possible in economic life. India has been continuously backsliding in the Economist Intelligence Units Democracy Index of 167 countries, falling from 27th in 2014 to 53rd position last year. When democracys in recession, the economy too can be stalled by the headwinds of state power.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

Read more:

Freedom from fear: For the economy to grow, democracy cant be in recession - The Times of India Blog

The Recreational Vehicle (RV) market was estimated at US $51 billion in 2019, and projections are showing the US market to hit US $77 billion by 2026.1 The Company believes it is entering the market at an ideal time to meet consumer demand with an advanced product.

"Between the COVID 19 pandemic limiting international travel, and safe domestic travel, we are excited to bring one of the most advanced RV batteries to the market"said EV Battery Tech CEO, Bryson Goodwin.

"We believe that RV enthusiasts should have the choice of renewable energy and the option to travel with the ease, comfort, reliability and the green choice of eco-friendly battery technology" continued Mr. Goodwin.

The RV Series is not just for RV's, but was also designed for the following use cases:

The Company is also pleased to launch its new, redesigned renderings of its IoniX Pro Home SmartWall and TITAN Pro series, in stainless steel coverings, available to view on the IoniX Pro website.

"Keep an eye out, we anticipate additional product announcements, technology advancements and exciting joint ventures to look forward to in 2021"concluded Goodwin.

On behalf of the Company,

Bryson Goodwin, Chief Executive Officer

About EV Battery Tech

Extreme Vehicle Battery Technologies Corp. is a blockchain and battery technology company with revolutionary, patented Battery Management Systems (BMS) designed to meet the growing demand for scalable, smart solutions for the rapidly growing Electric Vehicle (EV) and Energy Storage Solution (ESS) markets. The company has committed to assisting global recycling solutions by offering recycling initiatives using their technology to analyze and fully refurbish used batteries.

Further information about the Company is available on its website (https://www.evbattery.tech).

Forward Looking Statements

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "is expected", "potential", "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: the timeline of the Company's launch of the RV Series; expected growth in the RV market; the favourable timing of the Company's entry into the RV market; the development, performance, and reliability of the Company's products; the competitiveness of the Company's products; the proposed use cases for the RV Series; and additional product announcements, technology advancements, and joint ventures in 2021. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statement will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise.

The CSE (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.

SOURCE EV Battery Tech

For further information: Email: [emailprotected], Phone: 604-352-2223

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EV Battery Tech Announces the Launch of the IoniX Pro RV Freedom Battery - Canada NewsWire

Freedom camping has a long tradition in New Zealand. Using your own vehicle as accommodation and parking in public spaces is seen as something of a birth right.

But when international tourists cottoned on to this cheap and cheerful way to see the country, things began to change. Foreign freedom camper numbers grew from 10,000 in the early 2000s to an astonishing 123,000 by 2018.

This massive growth inevitably led to resentment in local communities. Crowding at car parks and beach fronts, road congestion, littering and campers using the natural environment as toilets became a major concern.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the latest tourism report this month from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment devotes one of its four main recommendations to better regulation of freedom camping in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The report, Not 100% - but four steps closer to sustainable tourism, argues for using the disruption caused by COVID-19 to reset the tourism industry as sustainable and internationally competitive in a climate-conscious world. As such, the old freedom camping model was arguably overdue for reform.

This is not the first time it has been a regulatory target. Perception of freedom campers as freeloaders came to head when New Zealand hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

Read more: NZ tourism can use the disruption of COVID-19 to drive sustainable change and be more competitive

The Freedom Camping Act 2011 (FCA) set out clearer conditions and definitions. It referred to camping in a tent or vehicle in a public space 200m off a road, coastline or Great Walk hiking track.

Local governments are empowered to pass bylaws that regulate freedom camping more tightly. In 2019, the central government announced investments of NZ$8 million in public amenities and education as well technology, such as the Ambassador App (for Android and Apple) to help monitor freedom campers.

Based on the controversy around freedom camping, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment made the following recommendations:

vehicles to have a permanently plumbed toilet in order to be certified as self-contained, and vehicles should also have separate holding tanks for grey and black water

the government reintroduce national oversight of the certification process [] and a national register of self-contained vehicles

the government ensures freedom camping penalties represent a serious deterrent to undesirable camping behaviour.

Since the early stages of the pandemic, many voices have been asking to reset the tourism button in Aotearoa New Zealand and redevelop tourism guided by sustainability principles. We believe the current absence of international tourists offers the perfect opportunity.

Our research with participants from central and regional governments, regional tourism organisations, tourism businesses, community groups and individual citizens revealed mixed feelings about freedom camping, and how it should be regarded and managed.

Many were sceptical about putting the blame on international tourists for disrespectful behaviour, and argued many New Zealanders are stuck in the past. As one said:

My theory is, that most New Zealanders have had the pleasure, thanks to some friendly farmers, in the past to being able to camp wherever they like and they do believe that is a God-given right. Even though no longer they have a little car and a little tent, but they all have these larger motorhomes.

When it comes to the rubbish left behind in car parks, a story shared from South Island shows the misconceptions about (international) freedom campers:

Some locals got together and set up a camera and they watched it back and they noticed that pretty much every person that left some rubbish wasnt the freedom campers, it was local teenagers [] the freedom campers, by and large, picked up their rubbish and took it with them.

In terms of congestion, some participants noted that freedom campers clog up small roads in communities, and should be kept out of town centres (such as in Akaroa), and from beach fronts (such as in Napier).

A car park at the town entrance would be a good solution to alleviate such problems.

We agree with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that the self-contained certification of vehicles needs to be strengthened. Smaller vans with portable camping toilets would not qualify as self-contained.

Vehicles should have permanently fixed toilets and holding tanks for wastewater. Portable camping toilets are inconvenient and are far less likely to be used. Larger motorhomes are less likely to release wastewater and sewage into the environment.

Read more: The mysterious existence of a leafless kauri stump, kept alive by its forest neighbours

The majority of our participants, while often critical, did not see freedom camping as the problem it is often portrayed to be.

In particular, they noted that international freedom campers bear the brunt of the blame when Kiwis are equally problematic, leaving rubbish or parking in unsuitable spaces, due to a sense of entitlement.

So the commissioners recommendations have the most potential to lead to a sustainable future for freedom camping by both international and domestic tourists.

More here:

Freedom camping needs new regulations and foreign tourists arent the only villains - The Conversation AU

Hey there, Im getting an exercise back today, hot off the coincidental news that my office will remain closed (working remotely) until at least October. Combined with some unrelated family things, I may not see my office again for two years. Good times!

Reports: D.C. United interested in Levski Sofia forward Nigel Robertha (us): Hernan Losadas first signing may be a Young Designated Player in Bulgaria? Who had that on the bingo card?

D.C. United in talks with Belgium-based defender Brendan Hines-Ike (WaPo): And I guess the backline would be cinched up by this move, also on few predictions.

Las pruebas medicas: el gran reto que tiene que superar Andry Najar para fichar por el DC United de la MLS (Diez) Meanwhile Andy Najar is getting his medicals this week ahead of a deal.

Hey, since were doing likely soon-to-be D.C. players, a quick update on a couple of former ones:

Under the Radar: Chris Durkin - Tyler Adams Main Competition? (OneGoal): The homegrown is doing nicely recently.

SheBelieves recap: USA defeats Brazil 2-0, still looks rough (SSFC): The United States women continue their roll in Orlando. WaPo with more.

New investors, DC United partnership reveal Washington Spirits growing ambitions (Equalizer, $): Emily takes a deep dive into where the Spirit are.

Loudoun United sign 4 more to 2021 roster (us): Having seen a couple of Loudoun seasons thus far, I think this one could be the most intriguing, on paper at least.

Continuing with the intriguing, this:

Through Joshs Eyes: Jon Kempin (Sirkbook): Columbus Crew SC defender Josh Williams shares his thoughts on D.C.s third keeper, including a fun tidbit that hes backed up three different Goalkeepers of the Year and a separate finalist (Eloy Room) who won Save of the Year last year. Intriguing!

Meanwhile, along with the Pele movie on Netflix this week, ESPNs 30 for 30 covers the rise and fall of the Galacticos of Real Madrid a couple of days later. Lets all watch the trailer:

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D.C. United transfer rumors, SheBelieves action & more: Freedom Kicks for 2/22/21 - Black And Red United