Imagine tens of thousands of people around the world connecting in real time over the Internet to debate some of the most important issues facing a rapidly urbanizing planet. Habitat JAM lets you add your voice into the global conversation about the future of our cities.

Workers from stores across Auckland walked off the job yesterday to join the world’s first Starbucks strike, held on Auckland’s Karangahape Rd.
What began as a small protest by workers from one store became a city-wide strike when Starbucks workers heard that managers would be brought in to cover the shifts of the striking K’Rd workers.

Alex Dalzell, who is in his final year at Otago Medical School, Wellington, has recently returned from a six week placement at a hospital in Qui Nhon, Vietnam, Alex shares some of his e-mails home with us. - The first morning opened with dancing and singing and the most hilarious stage production of medics healing the happy children who had been struck down by the winged creature with the spike on its head. After a while I decided the message wasn’t that all doctors should join forces to fight the black unicorn/pegasus army. I decided that perhaps Mrs Mosquito was public enemy number 1.

Alex Dalzell, who is in his final year at Otago Medical School, Wellington, has recently returned from a six week placement at a hospital in Qui Nhon, Vietnam. He shares some of his experiences with us.

By Omar Hamed

A friend told me earlier this year that he was buying an expensive new car. One that guzzles petrol like there is no tomorrow. I asked if he was out of his mind. I told him that there is no point buying a gas guzzling car now that the end of cheap oil has come.

By Omar Hamed
In Australia workers at KFC are paid a starting rate of NZ$14 with allowances for clothing, shoes and travel, while back here, friends of mine get a measly $7.60 per hour.

By Omar Hamed.

A young minor offender being sentenced by his peers, an American insurance company being paid for in time, a peer tutoring system that rewards students with recycled computers and Glasgow residents paying for tarot card readings by doing gardening. Four very different applications of one simple idea. Time as currency.

Global Focus was nominated for an award at the Media Peace Awards held in Auckland on Wednesday the 9 November.

We hope you all had a good Guy Fawkes night on the 5th of November – no exploded body parts or infernos! Did you know that the 5th of November is also Parihaka Day?

Last weekend, a group of 8 young people from all around Aotearoa New Zealand came together for its first ever global camp. It was the opportunity to meet with each other for training, discussion, campaign building for Just Focus and where it’s going.