Happy New Year 2012

What would I like to do in 2012 – apart from fashion. The first thing is we need to see everything from the main problem of Climate Change to find the right solutions to everything we want to do. 

Climate change: We have helped the Cool Earth campaign to gain momentum over the past few months and we plan to keep raising public awareness and continue to fund raise. The faster we fund raise, the faster the plan to save the Rainforest operates. People can see the practical results and then the more they want to help. The big idea is that our demonstration of people power will encourage governments to join in with help of finance. We want to save not only the Rainforest but the planet.

Harper’s Bazaar and Storm Model Agency are planning a big fund raising event for February – to follow an interview and photo spread in the March issue of the magazine.

We have been approached about a possible TV documentary – for this it would be good to visit Peru and see for ourselves the impact our investments have had – and to find out how the people there earn their living and what is important to them culturally; we can exchange ideas, working towards ideas of a universal nature. 

Human rights: We should never forget the plight of Leonard Peltier, still languishing in gaol after 36 years. Protecting human rights is now more important than ever considering the danger of Climate Change chaos, the growing numbers of climate refugees (there are already 38 million) and the breakdown of society as we know it.

I’m encouraging Leonard to write more about his life in prison but, in the meanwhile, this is a quote from his book, ‘Prison Writings’, which gives some insight into his thinking:

We need each other. Each of is responsible for what happens on this earth. We are each absolutely essential, each totally irreplaceable. Each of us is the swing vote in the bitter election battle now being waged between our best and our worst possibilities.

How are you going to cast your all important ballot?

Humanity awaits your decision.

…One good man or one good woman can change the world…and their work can be a beacon for millions, for billions. Are you that man or woman? If so, may the Great Spirit bless you. If not, why not?

 Financial turning point: These are my ideas of the kind of demands we should make to challenge the world financial crisis. I’d like to offer them to the people protesting at St Paul’s in London and see what they think:
Banks should provide a service and not be run for profit.

The first step is to separate the 2 kinds of bank:

• Commercial banks – the kind of bank that used to be called a high street bank – should be separate from investment banks.
• The 2 kinds of bank should not borrow from each other.
• Bank loans must be carried out at a rate in proportion to their deposits.

This first step can begin immediately at a national level. Indeed, it seems that governments have already begun.
This separation will prevent investment banks from relying on the taxpayer to bail them out when they crash; they will act more responsibly; we will see the end of  the public paying the debt and the bankers getting the profit.
We hope this will limit their activities and save us from the financing of outlandish projects (which might endanger life on our planet).
We therefore propose that all big business projects to exploit the natural resources of our planet be truly costed and approved by governments, and holding the companies fully responsible.
True costing will mean that profits cannot be guaranteed and investment banking will reduce. Perhaps the World Bank will be able to take over so that global schemes will protect and enhance the health of our planet and its life forms.
Other important matters require agreement at a global level. They include:

• A standard of value (should it be the gold standard?) on which to build a sound financial system to control inflation
• That everyone should pay his due tax

Economics is not a science but a universal agreement. Our economics are common sense.
Bearing in mind that the financial crisis is the symptom of Climate Change, these demands can be carried out only if we stop Climate Change; their implementation would help to stop it. Otherwise we have no idea of any system which would be possible in the future chaos.

Art and Learning: I don’t know if I can manage it this year but I would work with a museum to curate an exhibition which answers the question ‘What is Art?’ I want to challenge received opinion that art can be anything; everyone’s opinion is as good as anyone else’s, therefore anyone can be an artist. My own opinion involves a hierarchy of values (see my Family Tree). An exhibition catalogue would be a useful investigation in broaching the subject.

One day I would like to have access to a theatre to produce important works which could be vehicles to understanding the world we live in today. I would start with Peter Brook’s dramatic adaptation of the 12^th century Persian verse epic, ‘The Conference of the Birds’, then go on to dramatize great books I have read.

I am mulling over the idea of Faust who sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge – knowledge for the sake of power. Well, in today’s situation, we seem to have sold our souls for knowledge, power and destruction.

Seems like an important message – it could be the idea for a new ballet. The ballet is one of the great achievements of the human race and I happen to know a ballet dancer who has a talent as a choreographer as well as a possible composer.

So, how much can we do in 2012? Let’s start now and see..