Marriage Books

There would be a whole library’s worth of books about marriage. But how many of them would actually be good for you to read and beneficial for your relationship. I’ve read four and would claim that they are not just good and beneficial but that they are a necessity for all couples to read and discuss prior to getting married.

Mine was a long distance relationship. Reading through books and discussing them via emails brought us closer together and helped set a firm foundation.

The first book we went through was “Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman. Most arguments occur due to communication issues. Chapman points out the possible origin and rectifies it with an attainable solution. Start speaking your partner’s love language. Sounds easy but it can be very hard depending on many variables. Find out each others love language then speak it freely and you’re on your way.

Further down the track when our relationship seemed to be going somewhere more serious we moved onto “Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married” also by Gary Chapman. It covers a broad range of topics that are good to sort out prior to getting married. The topics seem so obvious that they needn’t be there. But after reading and discussing the chapters I saw the potential for conflict due to different expectations of roles and responsibilities once married. Areas such as housework, cooking, budgeting, etc seem small at first but if left to fester they can cause major rifts in an otherwise healthy relationship.

Closer to the wedding I had two books recommended to me – “One Flesh” by Amelia & Greg Clarke; and “Sheet Music” by Kevin Lemen. These are best read close to the wedding and parts of them post wedding. They assist in setting up realistic goals, expectations and also boundaries for the honeymoon and beyond. It can be tough to bring up these matters with a future spouse. These two books encourage it and it is very worthwhile to heed their advice. Without these books I would have been very unprepared.

Of course there’s so many similar books. These examples are written from a Christian perspective. They were recommended to me and I recommend them to anyone considering marriage.

The Mud Won’t Stick

Shame on one for having an opinion in a time where the only opinions allowed to be spoken are those in favour of the loudest voice. Doesn’t matter a fig the truthfulness of its content. Perhaps I have now gained a glimpse into the lives of truth seekers such as Messrs Jones, Hadley and Bolt.

Here’s a statement of mine from a social network website (granted not the greatest forum for sensible debate and discussion)

Marriage = one man + one woman. It's not discrimination. It's design. It's the differences that unite us and make us "one flesh".

Most comments were supportive, but there were a couple of negative comments that leave one slightly perplexed:

“Are you serious... I have never read such a pile of bullshit in all my life... Yeah u are entitled to your opinion... But what a narrow minded opinion it is...good luck to you”
 

“Oh dear. How very sad. You ignorant homophobes just don't get it at all do you? I actually pity you guys.... If your [sic] going to be an ignorant bigot come out and say it, don't hide behind some religious bullshit”

Some aspects of these comments I find particularly interesting

“Never read…” and “Ignorant” – the writer has never read such a pile of BS yet I am the one who is ignorant. Ignorance means a lack of information or knowledge. Believe me, I have heard and read of the issue of gay marriage. How can you not? Their lobby is small yet very vocal. They make themselves heard. It has been discussed many times around our dinner table. For a supposed small issue it sure takes up much news coverage. Perhaps the reader should do some research on the alternate viewpoint. Yes, there is one. Here’s a good starting point!

“Narrow Minded” – well yes one must admit this to a degree if you have an opinion. See once you have formed an opinion you become narrow to that opinion. But one does keep an open mind to reassess one’s opinions. Be reassured my opinions are well thought out and discussed with peers.

“Homophobe” – one of my least favourite words being used today. Overused by the gay lobby to slander anyone not in favour of their persuasion. By definition a phobia is an abnormal fear. Therefore homophobia is the abnormal fear of homosexuals. If I were a homophobe I would not go near one let alone have them on my social network friend list.

“Bigot” – my thoughts on this word are similar to being labelled a homophobe. A bigot is someone utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief or opinion. It’s a severe label and one that should not be thrown around lightly, yet here it is.

“Religious” – my definition would differ to others. Being a Christian does not equal being religious. Footy fans or political followers can be equally as religious if not more so. Gay and Lesbian lobbyists are more religious than a lot of Christians, think about it.

“I…pity you guys” – oh how condescending. But why should we be pitied?

“Hiding” – what the? Airing an opinion is hardly hiding. If I were hiding these people would not have come back with such slander.

With all this being said would it be surprising that it appears these people have since deleted and / or blocked me from the friend list?

Ironic. After all, this response could be seen as rather bigoted, religious, ignorant and narrow-minded.

Pulling No Punches

“Pulling No Punches”

by Barry Hall with Michael Cowley

As premiership captain he was the man. I was in Melbourne in 2005 watching him on a big screen holding the premiership cup aloft. Then more of the same later at Punt Road Oval and the next day at Albert Park. Life couldn’t get much better for him and Sydney Swans supporters.

Fast forward a few years and I am at the ground to witness Barry knockout Brent Staker with a well aimed left cross. It was the worst incident I have witnessed on the football field. Such a fall from grace.

There was so much conjecture at the time about what was really going on behind the scenes. At a time when Barry wanted some privacy he got even more hounded by the media. Speculation was rife. In a way he was his own worst enemy.

It took him a few years but finally Barry is telling his story in his own words. As the title suggests, he is pulling no punches. He is critical of Paul Roos and some former Swans teammates. Though he saves the worst criticism for himself. He freely acknowledges that he put himself into many of these tough situations.

He’s honest about his upbringing. From his father almost disowning him when he gave up boxing to almost killing a man in a fit of rage. He was an angry young man. His anger almost brought his downfall long before he became well known for football talents.

I'm glad Barry got to tell his side of the story. He gave so much to football despite his misgivings. He deserved to go out on a high and well done to the Western Bulldogs for giving him the opportunity to do so. As a Swans fan I think he had to leave the club given everything that had happened. It appears that Roosy could have handled matters differently but the outcome would have probably been the same.

Barry describes situations where he was rightfully frustrated with people not talking to him with too much being played out in the media. This was a media that was on his case since the 2006 grand final loss in which Barry played poorly. That was probably the beginning of the end at Sydney.

There were areas of his story where I thought he would delve deeper. I perceived that there was more to the story than he was telling. Although I applaud his discretion in keeping some matters private.

I suggest all fellow Swans fans have a read to gain some perspective.

Been There

“Blood, Sweat  Tea”

by Tom Reynolds

What started out as a blog by an experienced Paramedic in London became a book. Later there would be a sequel to the book.

I came across “Blood, Sweat & Tea” when I was still doing patient transport for the Ambulance Service of NSW. A paramedic from my station was reading it and was finding it interesting.

Finally, I came around to reading it. It truly was an interesting book. Mainly because for every story of his I could think of a similar story of my own. That made it as easy read as well. Non-paramedics should also find it easy to follow. Plus it’s written in a light-hearted fashion that made it enjoyable.

Paramedics will laugh but others will probably cringe at the ridiculous recounts of humanity.

The sequel is already on my shelves waiting to be read.

Tassie Honeymoon

“Nothing much to do in Tassie” I was told. Yet it was a struggle to fit everything in that we wanted to do.

Admittedly a lot depends on what sort of holiday you are after. I was on my honeymoon so cruisey suited me very nicely. If you want excitement plus then Hobart is not for you. Hobart is definitely cruisey. It’s much like a large regional centre. It’s easy to park in the city centre and easy to walk around to take in the scenery.

There was one stage when I felt that all Hobart had to offer was fine dining. Many friends raved on about the food. So many restaurants that were meant to attract the tourist like me. Luckily I was after many dining options for my new wife and me. Although some prior research and a visit to the information centre proved that there was so much more to Hobart than food.

Some activities I had planned to do prior to arriving:

• Cascade Brewery – You don’t have to love beer to appreciate the process of making it. They do ciders as well anyway.
• Bellerive Oval – I have a fascination with sporting fields and my wife enjoys cricket. A lovely day strolling around the facility gaining insight to what goes on game day. I will be able to watch the footy and cricket in a different light now.
• Salamanca Markets – A must do I was told. They were right.
• Port Arthur – Our biggest venture outside of Hobart. Was worth the trip for the drive alone. The tours included in the basic package were fantastic.

Other activities were decided to do once we had arrived:

• City Tour – A narrated drive around the city with a few stops. Three hours in total. Well worth the money and time.
• Hobart Show – Originally wanted to go to the markets at the same venue until we found out that a mini version of the Sydney Royal Easter Show was on at the showground. A great day out.
• Theatre Royal– My wife happens to love live theatre and approved of the show that was on. I had no idea. She enjoyed the chance to get dressed up.
• Mt Wellington – Great views. We were lucky to have a clear day. Enjoyable drive to the top. Right near the brewery so combining the two is advantageous.

Yet there’s still things we missed:

• MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) – Our tour bus driver suggested that the art is a bit ‘out there’ so we might not have enjoyed it anyway.
• Theatre Royal – As well as the show we could have done a tour of the facility and seen backstage. My wife especially would have found this fascinating.
• Port Arthur – We just got the basic package, but there is potentially so much more to do.
• Derwent River Cruises – Can be pricey so we made it a lower priority. I'm sure they would have been nice.

Plus there is so much more of Tasmania to explore.

I must give huge accolades to our accommodation called ‘@ Eleven’. I was after a serviced apartment when I found their website. It’s not your regular serviced apartment. It’s an affordable villa in suburban Sandy Bay on the outskirts of Hobart. It’s rather quaint with plenty of character. I recommend it highly and if the opportunity comes to return to Hobart I will be staying there again. I’m hoping that it may be possible to go to a footy game at Bellerive. Here’s hoping.

Sustainable Rubbish

A recent episode of the ‘7pm Project’ featured Greens MP, Adam Bandt, as a guest host. A logger was being interviewed and Bandt asked him whether it would be better to have an area of Tasmania used by a sustainable industry, such as ecotourism, instead of logging.

The logger’s response, “We’ve been here for 150 years, we’re very sustainable”.  Zing!!

What was Bandt thinking? That the forestry industry doesn’t know or care about wood so much that they would log themselves out of existence??

How stupid is his ideology? To him eco tourism is sustainable because it doesn’t cut down trees. What if no one wants to have an eco holiday? Not a very sustainable business.

Is he forgetting that wood is one of the best materials for building houses? Where would we be without wood? Yet Bandt would gladly get rid of the industry wholus bolus!!

People, don’t be fooled by any of the Greens’ crackpot schemes. They are generally ideologically flawed.

Loggers care more than anyone about their product and the sustainability of their industry. Whereas Bandt thinks they are stupid and need to be told what to do like little children. Leave them alone Adam, they know what they are doing.

Eat Meat

There’s a TV show from the BBC called ‘Kill It, Cook It, Eat It’. It feature members of the general public who have various levels of disdain for meat. They are shown where animals are bred, slaughtered and butchered. Then they are encouraged, but not forced, to eat the meat for dinner.

Some dig in their heals and refuse to eat the meat regardless of the affirmation from others at the table. One such member from the episode I witnessed was named James. His issue with meat was purely political. “There must be a better way,” he would say repeatedly. Meaning that there must be a better way than killing animals for meat to eat. He appreciated that animal welfare was a priority for farmers although his preconceived idea seemed to be that all meat producers are savages.

So if we didn’t kill animals for meat then what would be the “better way”? Well if not slaughtered in a sustainable fashion then the animals would presumably breed to plague proportions and run roughshod over the land eating all the vegetation in sight. Thus creating far greater ecological damage than James could ever imagine. So much for “better way”.

If done away with completely then we rid an important link in the food chain. Allowing other species to breed unchecked and lead to massive ecological damage. Again, so much for “better way”.

Can you think of a genuine “better way”?

So I encourage James to think through their ideology before making such sweeping outlandish statements. That way you might realise that the so call “better way” will often defeat the purpose for which it was originally intended.

Watery Tales

One evening I watched a video of African women collecting water. Proceeding the video came the imperative from the speaker to “let it speak to your heart”. In other words, get caught up in the emotion of the vision. I guess I was supposed to be aghast that they don’t have the luxury of clean water on tap like we do in this country.

Rather than get emotional I saw great resourcefulness, community, commitment and skill. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it. To my surprise following the vision the speaker got choked up and needed a moment to compose themselves.

The vision was beautiful but not emotional. A community making the most out of their situation. The women were smiling as they collected the water. They are probably happier and more faithful to God than we are, despite being in what we would consider a dire situation.

The speaker made the good point that we in Australia are very wasteful in comparison. Very true, we have everything yet throw it away. They have little and make the most of every last drop.

So are we wishing a western standard upon them? I get that vibe sometimes with presentations like these. Instead, lets take a leaf out of their book. We can learn a lot from them, and that will make this world a better place. 

Bully Ban

Heard a call this week to ban bullying in the workplace. Sounds like a good idea. No one likes being bullied. It’s a noxious and repulsive practice. Yet enough people seem to get some sort of sick enjoyment out of the misery of others. Especially the misery that is of their creation.

Unsurprisingly this call came from a legal firm that just happens to specialise in workplace law. Sounds like they are trying to drum up some extra business. They know better than most that it’s difficult to define bullying. There would be so much left to interpretation and nothing will be black or white. What might have been a fair but negative performance review could potentially be misconstrued as bullying.

It would open the floodgates to litigation. It will be considered the ‘easy’ route to help fix a poor situation.

To a degree people do need to have more resilience instead of being quick to jump on the legal action train. There are long-term ramifications, not just the short term ones. Will legal action actually fix the problem or just create different problems?

Perhaps one tough situation is teaching you resilience. Maybe having the courage to find another job is a better course of action. What a relief it will be once you find that your experience is not the norm.

Bullying says more about them than it does you anyway. We could do without it and any action that leads to the promotion of healthy workplace practices is a good thing. It takes some leadership and guts. Bullies are hard to budge. Acts of bullying should be out in the open and persistent bullies outed and dealt with. But to call for a blanket ban is just plain ridiculous.

Parents & Their Phones

There was a segment on an FM radio station asking the question, “Would you agree with a ban on phones at childrens sporting events?”

One the hosts had observed a culture of parents being physically present at their child’s sporting activities yet being mentally and emotionally absent. Instead giving their full attention to their smart phones. Not making calls or texts but for the games. Meanwhile their children are out on the field/pitch/court/etc trying to achieve success and crave some acknowledgement from the people that matter the most.

It is beside the point that the wording of the question is poor. They weren’t actually calling for a blanket ban on phones. Rather they wanted the matter raised in our individual conscience so that we may reconsider our priorities and ban ourselves from our phones in given situations.

One caller suggested that children shouldn’t rely on their parent’s praise to attain success. True, but surely they need it regardless. Otherwise you create emotionally stunted adults with mummy/daddy issues.

Granted that some jobs require the ability to be contacted at all times. Even then, perhaps a change in vocation would be in order to gain some work/life balance.

It’s a good idea. Put the phone away. Turn it off. Bury it in your handbag. These moments with your children done last long.

It’s Vintage

“Vintage Jesus”

by Mark Driscoll

What’s old becomes new again. Although some things never get old.

Mark Driscoll, from Seattle’s Mars Hill Church, unapologetically focuses on Jesus for this book (and preceeding sermon series). His aim was to show that Jesus Christ is as relevant today as he ever has been. There are 12 chapters that ask 12 questions about Jesus. All very common and important questions.

Driscoll enjoys taking on these questions. He tackles the conjecture the questions create head on. Lefty intellectuals look out.

It is a detailed book. The amount of detail is palatable but perhaps not for the brand new Christian. For them it might be a tad full on. Proceed with caution, read before giving it to a friend.

Driscoll pulls no punches. It’s all about Jesus. If it’s not about Jesus then we are just taking our eyes off the ball.

Raging

“The Rage Against God”

by Peter Hitchens

Peter is the brother of well-known atheist/journalist/author, Christopher Hitchens. He is a pure example of how intelligent humans can grow into a faith in God. Despite the assertions of his brother to the contrary.

Understanding his background, outlined in the book, is to understand how he became an atheist in the first place. He had many examples of people in authority, some in his church based boarding school, misuse the trust vested in them. Once trust was broken it was almost impossible to regain. But of course it wasn’t God that broke trust, but mere humans.

Peter spent much of his working life in the former USSR. He uses it as a case study into atheistic political regimes. His first hand knowledge and experience is a huge eye opener. Atheists would try to dismiss his assertions on the USSR. History shows that these totalitarian regimes committed atrocities much worse than anything in Christian history. To a large degree their driving force in committing these atrocities was their passionate purging of everything Christian.

Peter surely had to overcome much to accept Jesus Christ as God. It makes his story interesting and inspirational.

Another One By The Genius

“Childhood”
by Bill Cosby

Not much to say on this one that hasn’t been said for others that I have read. Bill Cosby in typically honest in this humorous reflection on his childhood.

It’s not meant as such but I regard his books as the best sources for instruction through all phases of life.

Somewhat exaggerated yet very practical, leaving behind the theoretical.

Stupid Ads

I'm noticing a theme in advertising where ads are showing blokes as stupid.

Can’t blame the companies though. They are subjects to the market research they pay for.

Still, I’m not going to be drawn to a product that advertises in such a way. Some examples

• GIO – the bloke appears so worried that he made a mistake with his insurance cover. The wide shot shows he is sitting in a flooded lounge room while the woman is calmly making an origami swan.
• Fantastic Furniture – a woman shows off all the furniture she has acquired to a girlfriend. In the bedroom out comes a man looking as daggy as possible slurping spillled cereal off his t-shirt. To the disdained looks of both women
• Glade – woman puts a glade air freshener in the lounge room. Man does a little dance to try and set it off again. Woman walks in and pushes the boost button with an air of superiority.

There are so many, you won’t be getting my money. Perhaps I just watch too much television.

An Ambulance Approaches

We see some interesting things from the front of an ambulance on an emergency.

Drivers are either unaware, incompetent, full of self-importance or a combination of all three.

It’s not hard. An occasional look into the rear vision mirror frequently is a good start. It is a basic skill when learning how to drive. After achieving that maybe the rest should be easy. How one can miss the light show alone is beyond me. With the noise on top of that makes it astonishing.

All one has to do is spot us early and calmly move to the left. Those already on the left need to ease of their speed to make this transition as smooth as possible.

If you’re stopped at red lights do not go into the intersection. Lights and sirens is not a command to do such a thing. Most actually turn the lights and sirens off completely. It is a well-intentioned act, yet a stupid one. Any accidents that occur as a result are the individual’s responsibility. We are not about making business for ourselves. If a crash happens before our eyes we are obliged to stop which hinders our progress to the original emergency.

We don’t take undue risks on the roads and we don’t expect anyone else to do so.

All we ask is for awareness and common sense. Two commodities that seem to be in short supply.

Immaturity In All Sizes

Saw a child throwing a tantrum in a shop this week. Nothing odd about it. A three year old trying to manipulate a parent into buying a toy she had spotted and impulsively wanted, right now.

You expect that from little children. Their brains are just starting to develop. Was pleased to see the parents not give in to the whims of a three year old.

Strangely, I was reminded about a recent incident at a Sydney hospital. One involving a “mature” adult.

Ambulance was called to a lady with a headache, arrived to find the lady lying on the floor very close to a raging gas fire. We found out that she had already been to hospital that day for a fever and had received appropriate treatment.

A patient in such a condition usually has to wait for a little while. There was nothing acute going on plus she had already been given treatment. Lying in front of the fire probably eradicated any gains made by antibiotics.

Despite this, and the relatively short wait she was about to face, 10 mins later her sons behaved abhorrently. Much worse than the little girl in the shop.

They abused and threatened hospital staff. Had them scared for their safety. All because his mother had to wait a short period. They impulsively want a bed right now. This was their form of the three year old tantrum. Only this tantrum involved a lot of swearing. They left for another hospital and ended up waiting for a longer period.

Childish. Immature. Yet not an immature child.

Pedestrian Safe Cars

Saw a report on crash tests to determine which cars were safest for pedestrians. Some were better than others. Those that didn’t fare so well have apparently received recommendations to lift their game. As well as upgrade to the Australian standards to account for safety to pedestrians.

Yet the safest place for a pedestrian is where there are no cars, the footpath. If a car encroaches into that space no amount of engineering brilliance will save you from serious injury.

What about promoting pedestrians being wise about their decisions. Changing car design for pedestrian safety is implying that it is all right for pedestrians to continue with their reckless, dangerous and risky decisions when crossing roads. It doesn’t allow the individual to take responsibility for their own decisions.

It’s always the fault of someone or something else. For this report it seems the fault lies with the car.

Something to Inquire

Bob Brown wants an inquiry into the Australian media after recent events in the UK press. If one thinks he has concern about corruption and phone hacking in this country they will be sorely mistaken.

Brown doesn’t like certain aspects of the media because they look at his policies and listen to what he says. They critically analyse and come up with comments not favouring the Brown position.

This is purely about quelling dissention. Bob Brown doesn’t like it. No one does of course. But no one else is calling for sanctioning the press so that only friendly opinions are aired.

There is a massive double standard with Bob Brown. He was nowhere to be seen when conservative governments were getting heavily criticised by the unions, the ABC and his own party. Now the sandel is on the other foot and the Greens are finding it uncomfortable.

The Greens are at the peak of their powers so they ought to get used to the criticism. They have stuck their head out of the political parapet. People are wising up to their radical intentions.

Bob Brown will likely be a one term prime minister. Much like his predecessors, Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.

The Reformer

“The Costello Memoirs”
by Peter Costello

Costello offers a frank account from his life in politics. It covers a lot of ground. It goes through his education, law degree, entry into politics, role as treasurer ending with events surrounding the 207 federal election.

He was a great treasurer, some would suggest the best this country has ever seen. He blows his own trumpet a bit and rightly so. He brought this country from a horrible financial situation to the stronghold of the Asian region. Not enough credit was given to him for Australia’s position during the global financial crisis. He weathered many storms with his knowledge and wisdom on financial matters. He was a true reformer.

The detail about treasury matters can be a bit dry. He avoided the minutiae to a large degree. But without the background you don’t get a full grasp of how much he cared for the portfolio.

I wasn’t politically aware for much of his tenure so it was great to become acquainted with early years in politics and re acquainted with the latter years. So many events happened in the background of my life during the 1990’s yet were important on a national level.

Costello offers a fantastic overview to his political life and the events that took place in that time. A fascinating education in politics and economics.

Health Revelation

Interesting point made by Sam Armitage on the Weekend Sunrise program recently.

Mark Amor was reporting a story of a man who deliberately robbed a bank for $1 so that he could gain health care for a growth on his chest and back problems while in prison.

Armitage stated rather off the cuff, “we don’t know how lucky we are.”

Amor echoed the sentiments, “If I were sick I know which country I’d prefer to be in”. He went on to call the health care system in America very “broken”.

Top marks to both of them. If only more people genuinely believed this.

Our health care system is not without fault, yet the front line services are world class. We are privileged to have them. Treat them as such and maybe they will work better.

Previous comments on similar lines here and here. Starting to sound like a broken record.

Recruitment Now The Key

The performances of the young GWS Giants team in the newly formed NEAFL Eastern Conference have been impressive. It gives an idea of where the team is at regarding their development.

Results have been largely successful. They have dominated the Gold Coast reserves yet were dominated by the Sydney Swans reserves. A bit of mixed bag but there is genuine class amongst the group. At the moment they sit second on the ladder.

This year the team has consisted of predominantly 18 year olds. Remaining as they are there would no doubt they will get flogged and hurt badly when upgraded to the AFL. GWS has a great skeleton but lacking the spine of mature key position players.

Recruitment is important. GWS is allowed certain concessions to lure players from other clubs. Just about any player coming off contract has been speculated for a move. I overheard an official saying, “don’t believe everything you hear in the media” in regards to the signing of AFL players. Time will tell. Right now they van talk but not put pen to paper until the end of the season

But whom can they get? I don’t see much use going for players that are merely disgruntled by their former club. These players wont have the drive to do well and will be chasing the cash. Their bad attitude will leave the club worse off and lighter in the pocket.

Admittedly, the Gold Coast probably has a greater geographical appeal, the coast, sun, sand, surf, etc. But GWS has Kevin Sheedy. Most would aspire to play under him. I was excited just to get a photo with him.

I wont be surprised if GWS recruits heavily from the strong second tier competitions such as the VFL, SANFL and WAFL. Plenty of keen, skilful players with mature strong bodies.

A word on Israel Folau. Can kick, can mark, but too often seems lost in the forward line and needs to improve his talk and his work rate. He has time on his side too.

Look forward to the interesting news come September and October. Not forgetting the draft in November.

“The Science”

“The Science” has become the latest buzz word used widely in social and political circles. It’s used to refer to any scientific or pseudoscientific finding that derides humans as the main cause of climate change. It is used to give the impression that all of “the science” states the same thing.

“The science says…” or “I've read the science” you might hear people say. But what science? What sciences says what? What have you read? Worthy questions indeed. Ross Garnaut’s report or the latest book by Tim Flannery? Hopefully a specific answer comes and one can investigate for themselves. Putting the comments into perspective.

The problem for “the science” is that there are many credible climate scientists who bring plenty of evidence to suggest that the human element and the predicted effect of the carbon tax are both grossly overstated. Ian Plimer and Bob Carter are two Australian examples. No doubt followers of “the science” would disagree with this assertion.

Real science should welcome comment on their findings. Yet “the science” lambasts any criticism.

NEAFL Footy Action

The NEAFL stands for North Eastern Australian Football League. It’s a newly formed league that includes teams from the ACT and Queensland state leagues. It’s also a platform for NSW and Qld AFL teams to develop their reserve grade players.

I had the joy of experiencing the Greater Western Sydney Giants play the Gold Coast Suns in a NEAFL match at the magnificent Blacktown Olympic Park.


I had heard about the team’s achievements in this league. I’d watched some youtube footage of rugby league recruit, Israel Folau. I’d read about the results so I knew they had some success and won most of their games. But for this footy purist there is nothing like getting to the ground and watching the team play.

I was impressed. The Giants actually dominated most of the play with their flair and run. I was expecting more from the Suns as some of their players have already gained AFL experience. Perhaps the constant tinkering with the senior line-up created a lack of cohesion in the reserve grade.

GWS looked tight as a unit and worked well as a team. Despite lacking some key position height and bulk they owned the momentum for all put half of the third quarter where they allowed Gold Coast back into the game.

Gold Coast had ruckmen rotating off the bench yet the sole recognised ruckman for GWS, Jonathon Giles, dominated all of his opponents giving GWS first use of the ball and hitting to advantage with ease. He had some back up from a top up player whose name wasn’t in the program.

The forth quarter could have gone either way. Gold Coast was close enough to threaten. A young team is always more vulnerable to crack under such pressure.

Class wins out in crunch situations, and GWS already has some classy young players. Dylan Sheil bobbed up to kick the first two goals of the forth quarter to regain the ascendancy. From that point it was a forgone conclusion. Remember the name, Dylan Sheil, he will be a star for the club.

I look forward to the next opportunity to see GWS play. I recommend you do it too. Even for Swans fans like me. Rugby League fans welcome too.

Yes To What?

Have you seen the new ad on television asking you to say yes to the carbon tax? It’s interesting that at the time of its premiere there was not carbon tax policy in the public domain to say yes to.

It is a good ad as it sends a positive vibe. Political parties should perhaps take note.

The effects on the economy are predicted to be either fruitful or dire. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Jobs will be created, but this gives no respite to those likely to lose their jobs if polluting industries are downsized.

There will be some form of compensation to ordinary Australians, but will it be enough once the costs of the carbon tax are passed on to consumers. Will it ever be enough for a public forever reliant on the government? Surely the necessity of compensation should make people feel that this is a bad policy.

Cate Blanchett has copped some criticism for appearing on the ad. For this I largely agree with Wayne Swan when he said, “I admire someone who stands up for something that they believe in”.

Her line in the ad is to say that saying yes to the carbon tax is saying yes to “doing something about climate change”. Surveys have been presented suggesting our desire for “action on climate change”. Even if you believe in human induced climate change surely this can’t be the first course of action. Surely there are many actions available that will act on the environment more effectively.

The vast majority of us would be in favour of good environmental policy. Unfortunately a lot of policies seem to miss the point of being good stewards of the environment. Instead the policy agenda gets hijacked by those preferring to instil a radical ideology. So polluters must pay, regardless of the direct costs to them, and the indirect costs to the ‘ordinary Australians’.

Needless to say it will be implemented, as Gillard is too proud to take it off the agenda. She’s fully committed now. Plus her mere existence relies on it going ahead. The Greens have her in their pocket.

If she hadn’t lied about it in the first place perhaps she would have more credibility. All this might not have happened. Although if she had told the truth she might not have become PM in the first place. An interesting thought.

Affluent But No Better Off

Affluenza
By Clive Hamilton and Richard Dennis

Affluenza is not a new concept, we just have a new word for it. The bible says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Tim 6:10). Also, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Ecc 5:10). It’s been happening forever. “Affluenza” puts multiple bits of research together in order to make the point that being affluent is not the answer to problems but the cause of other, sometimes bigger problems.

It’s about the difference between needs and wants. But these two areas have become very muddled in peoples heads. Needs are food, clothing and shelter. Wants are everything else superfluous to our basic needs. Anyone who did High School economics should know that. Unfortunately to an increasing number of Australians the basic need for food means top restaurants, clothing means overpriced brand labels and shelter means the big house with a pool in a fancy suburb.

What is sad is that we appear no happier despite being as affluent as we ever have been. Maybe that’s because the secret to happiness is being content with what we have and living within your means while making the most of it. Being content with what God has given us to use in our earthly life.

While Hamilton makes a lot of good points about the sickness of afflenza he does get political near the end. It left a sour taste in my mouth. It would depend on your political ideology.

The last chapter takes the good points and gives forth a left wing socialist solution. As in having government intervene in more facets of life. At the same time he gives a false view of what it means to be an economic liberalist. So be discerning and don’t take it as political gospel.

The author states that people are looking for meaning in life yet largely ignores Christianity’s (or any other religion for that matter) contribution to attaining meaning. He does mention Christianity briefly but soon after insulted religious notions as “outdated”.

Largely a good read but requires discernment on the finer political points.

Blank Cheque Theory

The idea from NSW Labor and the unions to claw your vote back to themselves was to claim that a vote for the Liberals was in essence giving them a “blank cheque” to do whatever they please. It was a last ditch effort in futility, yet it was a buzz phrase repeated by some in my presence at a recent social event.

What Labor is really saying is, “don’t give them a blank cheque, give it to us instead”. If anyone had a blank cheque is was NSW Labor and they did a great job of flushing it down the toilet.

In reality a vote for the Liberals in NSW wasn’t a vote for a blank cheque. Rather it was a vote for a mop and bucket in order to clean up the mess made by the previous administration. Now the NSW Premier has to go through projects and prioritise as he and his team sort out the ram shackled finances of this state. It will take much of the first term to achieve.

They can’t do whatever they want and they never could. Labor just wanted you to think that.

Thunderbolt Kid

Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
By Bill Bryson

There are not many authors whose books I purchase purely based on reputation. Bryson had me hooked with his travel memoirs called ‘Down Under’, obviously about Australia, and ‘A Walk In The Woods’ about a famous walking trail in north-eastern USA. Those were read prior to this blogging sensation. More recently I have read Bryson’s ‘Shakespeare’. He has written many other travel and historical books that I hope to read in good time.

‘Thunderbolt Kid’ is different because it is purely autobiographical. His primary topic is himself. His trademark wit is evident but I wouldn’t rate it as highly as his other books. The subject matter was still interesting as he describes the strange naivety of children in a rural midwestern town. It is such an eye opener to our way of living these days.

Although reading about his upbringing it does become obvious why he turned out to be a writer. Especially one with a unique sense of humour. He had journalist parents with interesting idiosyncracies, and a wickedly random imagination. The title of this book is evidence of that.

I still enjoyed reading it but it wont be one that I would read again. It won’t stop me buying and recommending Bill Bryson as a fantastic author.

Book To Movie

The Ghost
by Robert Harris

I acquired this book after seeing the trailer for the movie on which it is based. Thought it might be interesting to read a book followed closely by the movie. It would be a first for me, to be able to critique both is such quick succession. After all it is usually stated, “the book is always better”.

The Ghost is a suspense thriller. It captures an essence of truth, hence making it very believable despite being fiction. It follows the events of an author who agreed to ghost write for a controversial recently dumped British prime minister caught up in a war crimes case against him for matters relating to the war on terror.

I felt captivated by the book, it was one I found difficult to put down. Even in some apparent boring bits there was a twist around the corner. There were twists everywhere and I doubt you will pick the final twist.

Perhaps my expectations of the movie were too high after the book. Others will probably tell me that it happens with every movie that comes from a book. Plus it didn’t help that I knew the ending that was straight out of left field.

A great performance from Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, and an impressive British accent from Kim Cattrell.

Roman Polanski chose a great setting that captured the mood magnificently. It was bleak yet picturesque.

So choose the order you like, book then movie or movie then book. Both are worth checking out.

’96 Revisited

Plugger and the Mighty Swans
Jim Main

To the Swans fan 1996 was a magical season. We went from near bankrupt perennial losers to almost premiers and grabbing the heart of a city that had scant regard for the greatest game on earth.

I was lucky enough to participate in most of season ’96. I had started playing in 1994 and convinced Dad to buy season tickets after seeing an ad in the paper for memberships prior to the 1995 grand final.

In the beginning of the year my dad and me could sit just about anywhere. By the end we had to work very hard for a finals ticket. Dad tells me it cost him “an arm and a leg” to get us down to Melbourne to watch the grand final at the MCG. I never asked him the exact amount, and he never told.

This book lays the foundation to explain why 1996 was such a fantastic year. Author, historian and fellow Swans nut takes us back to the origins of the club that has only recently celebrated 125 years. As South Melbourne we were one of the original clubs to form the VFL. Our club celebrated an era of dominance in the 30’s and 40’s followed closely by many lean years, despite having the best player in the competition in Bob Skilton.

Many lean years didn’t help the coffers and the move or extinction outcome became obvious. It just took some people a bit longer than others. Jim Main captures the emotion and anger of a public that felt like they were losing a part of themselves.

It took a long time to regain the old South fans support, but 1996 did that. A premiership 9 years later further entrenched the support from our original home.

I enjoyed the read but perhaps that’s because I was part of it, if only in a small way.

Outsource

David Koch, better known as ‘Kochie’, from channel 7’s breakfast program, ‘Sunrise’ apparently stated that sending children to day-care was effectively outsourcing parenting. Probably paraphrasing, as I am not a regular viewer. No doubt this rubbed some parents the wrong way.

I heard one such objector on afternoon radio. Ironically she voiced her disapproval while she was on her way to pick up her children from day-care. Perhaps she has a valid gripe, or perhaps she felt convicted of her poor choices. She didn’t go into detail with her reasons for objecting to Kochie’s comments.

Whatever your opinions are of these sorts of comments at the very least Kochie is correct, to an extent. Any form of childcare from sports coaching to long day-care is outsourcing time that you can spend with your children. They are all situations where the parent relinquishes partial responsibility for the children.

So did Kochie say that children should not go to day-care under any circumstances? I really don’t know but I suspect not. These are choices for each family and your own conscience after assessing the circumstances. It’s all about priorities.

The Bible - Cover to Cover

“The Message – Remix”

The bible in contemporary language
Edited by Eugene H Peterson

Reading the bible is something everyone should do at least once in their life. Even non-Christians. There is a reason why it is the best selling book in history, and the first ever to be printed.

It is an intimidating book though. Firstly, it’s thick, even with the extra thin paper it is still a relatively thick book. It was my first aversion to tackling it, thinking that I would never get through it. Secondly, what you read in the book might force some life changing decisions to be made.

I made some rules for myself. I didn’t want to join a yearly reading plan, as I knew I would get unmotivated when I fell behind. With my work situation I knew I would fall behind. I would plough along at my own speed. I read other books concurrently as I would get unmotivated seeing all the other books on my shelves not getting read. It worked well for me, as I couldn’t read for more than 30 minutes most of the time.

There are so many versions of the bible. It is an important choice of which one to read cover to cover. I went with ‘The Message’ version on the recommendation of my parents who had previously completed the bible cover to cover. The ‘Remix’ version has verse and chapter references whereas the original didn’t. It seems taylor made for an introduction to bible reading and cover-to-cover reading in particular. It has no footnotes (or cheat notes), which are good for study but can be distracting for this purpose.

It took me 20 months to finish, not bad considering I thought it would take me at least 2 years, but what now? Finishing reading the bible cover to cover just opens the door to a life of bible study. I could go in a few directions to start with.

1. Cover to cover reading of the ‘Daily Bible’ comprising of a New Testament reading, Old Testament reading and a Psalm or Proverb reading everyday. Again I would read at my own pace and have concurrent books.
2. Start seriously studying one book at a time. I have the study bible with a commentary ready to go. Where to start would be my first question. So many books of the bible peeked an interest while reading it through. Mainly minor prophets and epistles.
3. Both these options will probably be put on the backburner as my life situation goes through a major change. In the mean time I think I will give my overcrowded bookshelves some attention and get into some shorter reading: Christian books, novels, sporting biographies, political biographies/commentaries. It’s all fun.

The GFC Storm

“S**tstorm”
by Lenore Taylor and David Uren

This book is a narrative of the events surrounding the global financial crisis (GFC) and the Labor government’s response. It gives background to the GFC that most wouldn’t have known or thought about. Those closely involved with the response such as Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan were interviewed and provide tremendous insight into what they had to deal with and why they did it.

It’s not a commentary or an opinion piece. It does not offer much in the way of rebuttal, which would comprise another entire book. Although there are moments where either the author or ministers involved acknowledged that they could have done things better in hindsight. There is still a definite lack of serious critique on what took place.

Whatever your thoughts are of their justification for responding a certain way, it must be acknowledged that the situation was potentially very serious for our nation. This might be good introductory reading if interested in exploring the effects of the GFC. Ironically soon after the publication of this book the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, was ousted by his deputy, Julia Gillard. His handling of the GFC being sighted as a reason.

Token Woman

ABC political talk show, Q and A, this week touched on the topic of females in executive positions, or lack thereof.

Westpac CEO, Gail Kelly, was asked why this is the case especially given the equality of educational opportunities in Australia. She answered with rhetoric about the problems with corporate organisation. The focus was purely on numbers.

The real answer is much simpler. That is, given all the opportunities under the sun the majority of women want to get married and have children. This requires a level of career sacrifice. The majority of women are content with their decision. Janet Albrechtsen was the only one on the panel to point out this unspoken fact. How refreshing it was to hear a woman talk ill of feminism.

Unfortunately though it is the feminist minority that are outspoken on the issue and are aghast at such numbers when they become public.

Anything other than merit-based appointments is pure tokenism.

Devilishly Clever

Appears that the Labor Party and the Unions are up to their old tricks in an effort to fool the general public into voting for them, again.

Just check out the ads, websites and the paraphernalia plonked in your letterboxes.

Where has the Labor logo gone? It is nowhere to be seen on signs, pamphlets and TV ads. They know they are on the nose so much that they are distancing themselves from their own brand. Instead they are attempting instil some community spirit by putting their candidate out there as a “local for us” who has “stood by us”. Don’t be fooled, it’s another act of desperation from a party that will do whatever it takes to hold onto power.

You may have also seen ads on TV for a campaign to make NSW a ‘better state’. The punch line states, “Before I vote, I want some answers”. This is nothing more than an attempt by Unions NSW to pull cotton wool over the eyes of the electorate. On its website you can punch in your postcode and see where your local candidates stand on important issues. Low and behold it shows only the candidates that agree with the Unions NSW ‘5 point plan’ and their method for achieving them. Nothing but local, I mean Labor, and Greens candidates. No mention of where any other candidates stand on important issues. It is a very one-sided display that one has come to expect from unions.

Discernment is required, otherwise it will be more of the same.

There Is Light

Took a drive down to Canberra with brother Danny to see the 18th AFL team, the Greater Western Sydney Giants, play Carlton at Manuka Oval.

It was a very one-sided contest, going down by 157 points. Just looking at the margin ignores many other factors that should excite the footy fans in the west of Sydney.

Take into account that there was a team from the highest level against one from a second tier competition. Also take into account that the average age of the giants players was 18. The oldest players were 23 years old.

It’s obvious that the Giants aren’t up to the speed of the top competition, yet. The players are very skilled but have not come across such an opposition before. They looked rushed which led to skill errors and turnovers. Some passages of play were brilliant, which demonstrates the potential this squad has.

Recruitment at seasons end will be interesting to watch. The difference some experienced AFL players will make to this line up will be amazing. The right players can be the difference between being competitive and a season of floggings.

Boom rugby league signing, Israel Folau, is still yet to play. The cynic in me thinks he is being protected from the media glare during the nab cup. Although the official word is that he is still getting over an injury. Whatever the reason his involvement will be crucial as the team was lacking big bodies in key positions. Can he play? Only time will tell. He has been given every chance with being coached one on one by team of the century full back, Stephen Silvagni.

What the giants need is more games like this and the injection of the right experienced players. Both will come, which makes the future of this club very exciting.

Why? Oh why?

In our country we have had our share of natural disasters. One thing that is sure to come up in conversation with those suffering is why did this happen? Some take things further by asking God, why did you let this happen?

There are so many theological answers to this question but generally it’s not what the grieving individual wants to hear at that time.

An interesting observation though is that it seems to take a natural disaster to bring out the best in people. A generous spirit that should be there all the time but doesn’t seem evident or prevalent. People stop and think about others first for a change. They gather to help clean up en masse. It makes a huge difference to the morale of those affected.

We live in a culture that is inherently selfish and in inward looking. The generosity is immense yet brief, until the next disaster occurs.

The nations media with their blanket coverage are in awe of the multitude of feel good stories to tell. It needn’t be the case as this immense sense of community should be the case all the time.

The $1 Justification

Many thanks to our Prime Minister for making out that the average Australian is a heartless tightwad.

She reasoned that her new flood levy was fine and should go through parliament because it would only cost the individual an estimated $1 per week.

A few thoughts:

• If it’s bad policy it doesn’t matter how much or little it will cost the tax payer, it’s just plain bad policy
• This government has found it has a handy knack of underestimating costs of projects so the reasoning of $1 a week should be taken with some scepticism.
• The general public has been very generous and digging deep to help our friends north of the border, much more generous than this government ever will be
• If it's so easy for the general public to give a dollar then surely it's at least just as easy for the govt to save the same amount or more.
  
• Also a big reason for an injection of funds in Queensland can be attributed to the lack of insurance on infrastructure. Every other state government has these provisions in place, but not Queensland.

Remove the cotton wool and have a look at the issues at hand.

Day At The Tennis

Some observations from a recent trip to Melbourne to watch some of the Australian Open tennis.

Quiet please – I am used to making noise whenever I like at football matches. I even like to commentate as the game goes on. It’s not allowed here. Even the rustling of lolly wrappers got me some dirty looks. I couldn’t move, I was even afraid to eat some chips in case the crunch would distract the players in their ball toss and get me thrown out.

Crowd involvement – it is limited due to the aforementioned quiet times. However at the end of an exciting point the cheer sounds marvellous. Possibly due the contrast with the quiet or the size and shape of the venue. Either way, when it comes it sounds great, it’s just doesn’t last as long as id like. Cheering comes and goes as the points are won and lost. Also, no sledging was allowed, not even clever retorts made famous by ‘Yabba’ at the SCG.

Toweling – it's summer so every player keeps a towel at the end of the court to access between points. Although it seems the presence of sweat isn’t mandatory to call for the towel. Funny to watch how each player asks the ball boy for the towel in different ways. Some just point, others motion the wiping of their already dry face.

Checking balls – there are six balls on the court at any one time. Per point usually only 2 balls are required. This doesn’t stop some players asking for 3, 4 or even 5 on occasions. Doesn’t matter if they’re new balls either. Makes me wonder what they are actually looking for in a furry air conveyance.

Change of ends – if you must go out for a toilet break or some food you better be quick, as they don’t let you in once time is called. You have to wait till the next change of ends. Probably due to the aforementioned quiet period prior to serving. Moving back to seats is considered too noisy.
Sponsors seats – as usual, even on centre court there were quite a few left vacant. Even with Rafa playing.

Thoughts & Prayers

It has become a throw away line when someone or a community is struggling through immense trial. It is especially the case when our politicians and media people are attempting to appear sympathetic. They say, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you”, but are they actually praying?

I got me thinking, that one doesn’t have to be Christian to pray. All religions seem to pray to something. As Christians we pray to one God who created everything while others pray to another god, multiple gods, dead relatives or a figure in history.

An atheist, however, should stick to the thinking that there is nothing out there. No higher being of any sort or kind. This means nothing to pray to.

So it was an interesting pick up when Julia Gillard said, “Our thoughts and prayers” when talking to the people affected by natural disasters over Queensland.

It’s an innocent enough gaff, nothing worth making a really big deal over. It just gets you thinking sometimes about prayer and its power to comfort people. Because there is something greater out there, but not according to our PM.

The Grim Reality

“Life At The Bottom”
by Theodore Dalrymple

Each chapter in this book is a separate essay written by the experienced public health psychologist, author and philosopher. Separate yet they follow along a theme as they all come from his observations of supposed “disturbed” people.

I can relate to his rantings as they are similar to mine. The endless stream of apparent victims who wont accept responsibility for their own actions. The chapter headings say it all: ‘the knife went in’, ‘tough love’, ‘choosing to fail’ and ‘we don’t want no education’, to name a few.

He tells it how it is and not how you would like to think it is. The irony in Dalrymple’s observations is that the systems in place to help those disadvantaged in society go a long way to disadvantage them further only in different ways. Think, for example, how endless welfare creates a cycle of dependence. Also how about how abused children are sent back to their irresponsible parents because the ideology is to have them with birth parents as a priority. Common sense, it appears, does not exist as much as it should in the area of public health, according to Dalrymple.

He does rant, and sounds cynical at times. But I don’t blame him at all. He works in the tough field of mental health yet still seems to be quite patient and understanding. I struggle for patience, talking with irrational people is very difficult.

Good on Dalrymple for his persistence in the field and for producing a sensational piece of common sense literature.

The Alpha Male Story

Funny little story of a patient I came across one day.

A cricketer of the alpha male persuasion was on a stretcher flat on his back, bleeding from his mouth. He was in this predicament due to an errant top edge colliding with his teeth.

Silly me pointed out the obvious regarding the existence of helmets these days being rather plentiful.

His response, “Helmets are for skirts!”

Enough said.

Open House

“Open House”
Collection of interviews by Sheriden Voysey

The first installment of transcribed interviews from the ‘Open House’ program on Christian radio station Hope 103.2fm.

Even though he is a Christian on a Christian radio station it is good of Voysey to allow his interviewee to talk and to tell their story. This is easy enough to do in most cases where the interviewee is largely giving their Christian testimony.

There are some other cases where the subject is more secular or controversial in nature. Voysey still lets them talk. I like that, he lets them tell their whole story and then allows the listeners and readers to think about the topic in their own way and then discuss what was said.

There is a vast array of personalities being interviewed. Someone will appeal to everyone.

I found that the people I hadn’t heard of still had fascinating stories to tell. I’m glad I read them all and didn’t cut to the people I thought would be most interesting.

The secular personalities are in some ways more interesting, as their views on Jesus aren’t as clear cut or predictable. They have many varied views on Jesus between them. It should be no surprise that some have no clear view on Jesus, instead hold various views on their own.

I'm a late starter, as by the time the start reading this edition there have been two more editions of ‘Open House’ released. If the first is anything to go by then two and three will be very enjoyable indeed.