Hammer Time

Changing Minds

2012-04-28T15:35:00.000+10:00

Watched the documentary called ‘I Can Change Your Mind On Climate Change’. It was followed by a Q and A panel on the same topic.

It featured Anna Rose, co-founder of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, and Nick Minchin, former coalition senator. Both participants invited the other to speak to a selection of experts of their choice, in an effort to convince them to change their mind. It was an interesting yet futile concept.

Rose would be considered an alarmist. She appealed to emotion very often. Asking viewers to think about future generations or those in third world countries. She wholly believes that the world will end if we don’t act on climate change. She is very naïve and idealistic.

Minchin is less emotive. He’s labelled a sceptic despite saying that he agrees that the climate is changing. He takes a common sense approach and is disappointed about the lack of a fair dinkum debate that has long been stifled by a supposed consensus in the science.

The stifling of debate and alarmism over ‘the science’ seems to have been counterproductive, the by-product being the growth of a dismissive apathy from the general public. This infuriates the alarmists, as they can’t stand the fact that there are people who disagree with them.

Washington DC journalist, Marc Marano, disagreed with her. But Anna wouldn’t engage in discussion due to her assertion that Marano is involved in dodgy practices in his efforts to discredit climate scientists. Her strongest defence was that Marano appeared to have links to a certain tobacco mogul. Minchin later rightly pointed out that such a defense was tenuous in that it had no direct bearing on the climate change debate, much less Marano’s involvement in the same. There was no rebuttal from Marc as the documentary moved on, although he appeared miffed at her behaviour. Not surprising as it was rude, childish and cowardly, and certainly not exemplary of the accepted rules of civilized debate.

Anna’s uncle is a farmer near Moree. She took Nick there to hear his views. To Anna it is land like this for which she is fighting. Her uncle reported that by his own measurements his land is warming - so much so that he is planting his summer crops up to three weeks earlier than usual. Anna would contend that this is a sign that the science is true; that the earth is warming dangerously and the world will cease to exist with inaction. Another view is that him planting crops earlier is a great example of adapting to the already changing climate and that earlier crops may mean more crops, or perhaps even a competitive edge in the agricultural market, if there are other regions of the world requiring what he plants, when they’re all waiting for their warmer season to arrive.

Both extremes were on display during the documentary and the panel. On one end is the alarmism view held by Anna Rose, although even she seemed not to be able to sustain such a tiring stance. At the end of the documentary she stated, “the Science is never 100%”. So the question is, can even she trust the zealous approach she currently takes on climate change, when the data underneath her are turning on a dime? Even Rose herself did not appear entirely set on her stance.

At the other end is dismissing that the climate is even changing. Fortunately no one on the panel held this view, as this would be to blatantly deny all the fluctuations we have experienced since records began. Like most issues the truth might be somewhere in the middle.

The documentary did manage to crystallise my views on this issue. The climate is changing as it always has. It is always active, warming or cooling, currently warming (even though we remain in an ice age). Therefore causes of warming are mainly natural with a small role played by human forces. The world will not end through inaction but we ought to be good stewards of this planet by looking towards alternate sources of power. Nuclear should be considered if you’re serious about quitting coal. In the meantime other sources need to be developed to make them cost competitive and capable of managing base load power. Our economy should not be harmed unnecessarily in the process.

Sensible decisions are needed - not emotion driven alarmism.

I Love My Ring

2012-04-11T10:22:00.000+10:00

The origins of the giving wedding rings goes back a long way. It is a symbol of love and commitment to each other.

But there are extra ways to be reminded of that special someone than the mere presence of the ring.

A callous has formed on my hand below my ring finger. It reminds me that marriage is hard work, but worth it.
Touching something metallic results in a clang. A ring from the ring that makes me think of my wife
Her rings sparkle more than mine but watching her admire them always makes me smile

The Stink

2012-04-08T16:59:00.000+10:00

The Health Services Union (HSU) has been suspended by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). They say they have a ‘zero tolerance’ on corruption and had to make this tough call on the HSU.

In response to this issue Gillard spins through by pointing at workchoices as something much worse than anything you could imagine the unions performing.

Yet it was the HSU that negotiated away certain wage entitlements in the last collective bargaining agreement for those in my profession. It was worse than anything workchoices could have done. It infuriated many.

The HSU is on the nose to say the least. That is why the ACTU is distancing itself from the stink. It’s what most would do. Yet Gillard remains close to the stink by defending Craig Thompson, the former HSU secretary at the heart of the problem.

Eventually Gillard will begin to stink as well. That is if she doesn’t stinketh already.

UPDATE: Here's what Messrs Bolt and Ackerman have to say on the subject

SUV Phenomenon

2012-04-01T10:08:00.000+10:00

There seems a growing trend of SUV’s becoming the family car. It is especially the case of those made by prestigious European brands. Not sure why. Perhaps being higher off the road is the main attraction, or an ego thing. I thought being higher off the road represents a desire to go off the road.

But can you imagine taking an Audi, Porsche, Mercedes or Renault SUV off the road? I doubt it. Especially one with shiny rims as they all seem to have as a standard feature from the factory.

Sporting a European SUV might suggest an eye for quality, superior engineering. Yet the BMW version is not good off road, if you take the word of Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear. As a result it can’t be considered superior engineering for an on road car as its SUV features usually detract from its on road capabilities.

So you’re left with an overpriced status symbol. If that’s what you want then good for you. But there are plenty of worthwhile alternatives. How about a Toyota Landcruiser for proper off road capabilities. If you want European then go for the sedan of your favourite make. The Subaru Forrester is a good compromise of road and all wheel drive, plus its very reliable. But if you must go an SUV then consider a Ford Territory, it’s cheaper and arguably better.

She Needs To Be Tough

2012-03-30T10:19:00.000+11:00

Julia Gillard is a tough person. How many times have you heard that recently? It’s repeatedly proclaimed from her colleagues. Many would agree that she is tough but it’s said as if we ought to like her because she is tough.

She has had to be tough. Her toughness has been displayed after enduring continual and much deserved criticism that has come due to the excessive incompetence displayed by her and her colleagues.

So she is tough, who cares? It doesn’t make her a good PM. It doesn’t make on competent.

Catch Up Football

2012-03-20T10:10:00.002+11:00

League fans and commentators wonder how the AFL is making such inroads into what they consider “league heartland”.

Perhaps it has something to do what Triple M’s ‘Grill Team’ discussed recently. A listener asked them whether rugby league clubs are doing enough to promote the game. Their resounding conclusion was NO! Their media manager even declared which clubs were the most difficult to deal with.

Meanwhile the new AFL club in western Sydney is working extremely hard to form links with the community. They do clinics, school visits and scholarship programs to mention a few. They do all this because they realise that it is of great benefit to the club and to the game, especially in the long term.

Any criticism of AFL’s rise in Sydney is out of pure envy. Rugby League could be dominating the region more than they are already. Instead they are playing catch up after years of sitting on their hands and not investing in grassroots as much as they should. They seem to believe that they ought to exist in the region out of entitlement not through any work or investment. This is just lazy. Rugby needs to get their act together, otherwise they might just lose a grip on their stronghold.

Consistency Please

2012-03-04T10:17:00.000+11:00

So a carbon tax is about decreasing carbon pollution. Yet its subsidies will keep big polluting industries afloat.

But if you want a carbon tax, and truly believe that it will affect global pollution and change the climate, then you shouldn’t be disappointed to see big polluting industries such as manufacturing disappear. You should be unfazed at the potential of massive job losses. After all, your claim is that so many ‘green’ jobs will be created.

So why is the Australian govt so keen to bolster already declining industries? Especially when subsidies don’t work in the long term if at all. They are a crutch and don’t promote productivity. All they do is create a reliance on further govt subsidies.

Once again the govt’s policy defeats the purpose for which it is intended. Do they think anything through??

Own Worst Enemy

2012-02-29T16:50:00.000+11:00

“Thrilled to Death”

by Dr Arch Hart PhD

It seems obvious. We are stressing ourselves out to a point that we can no longer enjoy life.

Psychology researchers are catching on to what Hart has been talking about for a long time. They’re emphasising that we need to slow down, relax, sleep, take pleasure in the small things. Otherwise life goes by with a flash and there is nothing to show for it.

Hart defines the clinical condition of anhedonia and points out its dangers. Anhedonia being a condition where one has sought so much pleasure that the pleasure centre in their brain no longer functions properly.

It is important to acknowledge the presence of anhedonia so that we can avoid it and live fulfilling lives. Hart gives 7 steps to do just that or to get out of it all together.

It all seems like common sense. Unfortunately common sense has become increasingly uncommon. It is why we need a psychologist to point out what we should already know.

Best of Holmes

2012-02-20T16:45:00.002+11:00

“The Best of Sherlock Holmes”

Wordsworth Classics

Edited by David Stuart Davies

Sherlock Holmes stories have proved themselves timeless. This has been assisted recently by feature films starring Robert Downey Jnr and a TV series placing Sherlock in the modern day.

After the first Sherlock Holmes movie I was motivated to pick up my best of book. It featured 20 of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s best, as chosen by the editor.

Having not read any Holmes prior I can’t complain about his choices. It appears the editor tried to get a broad spectrum of the Holmes timeline and include pinnacle moment in the life of Holmes.

Conan Doyle’s style is amazing, through the narration of John Watson, Holmes’ detective partner. Even those not interested in crime novels will enjoy Holmes. Each story will take approximately one hour to read.

Still Got It

2012-02-18T16:14:00.001+11:00

Went to see Roxette recently at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney. I was blown away by how good they were live. That is despite not touring together for many years. They hadn’t been to Australia since 1996. On top of that lead singer, Marie Frederickson, had recently overcome a brain tumour.

It initially appeared Marie had lost part of her vocal range. But she blew me away with a set of ballads early on in the show. She wasn’t as mobile as she used to be but the voice was still there.

They played all their classics, the crowd was thrilled. There was still a mix of new songs, which didn’t detract from the show as a whole. People came to relive the 90’s mainly but their new songs were as good as the old, just not as well known.

What I didn’t understand was that many in the crowd left for drinks during the show. While others were rowdy during the ballads. It was disappointing and disrespectful to fantastic performers. Plus tickets were naturally expensive so I thought one should want to get their money’s worth.

That said, we left happy and pumped up after seeing a great show.

Roxette, thanks for coming!

Anonymous

2012-02-02T20:55:00.000+11:00

It appears that I have gained an interesting follower of my blog. But not the kind you would want to brag about.

This follower insists on remaining anonymous or using a pseudonym. He or she continually and repeatedly mocks what is written in blog posts. He or she has even resorted to rude and vulgar language. He or she revels in insulting me and other commenters. Nothing constructive is ever written in response to a blog post. The context becomes irrelevant. None of these I will tolerate.

Behaviour of this type appears to be an unfortunate by-product of blogging. People, like this commenter, seem to take great delight in being cowardly. Behaving in such a fashion while remaining anonymous.

Such people should take a good hard look at themselves and acknowledge the need to get a life. Stop wasting your time on my little blog. I will pray for you while deleting your comments.

Ready For Good

2012-02-01T08:15:00.000+11:00

Prior to Barrack Obama being elected it was asked, “Are we ready for a black President?”

Hillary Clinton was his main rival to become the Democrat candidate. It was being asked, “Are we ready for a woman President?”

In the latest race for the Republican nomination one of the leading candidates is Mitt Romney, a Mormon. It is being asked, “Are we ready for a Mormon President?”

Enough of the questioning already. We are ready for anything. As long as they are good at what they are elected to do.

Unfortunately since being elected Obama has not lived up to expectations. He has failed in so many ways. A lot would argue that he has been a bad president. Yet his failings had nothing to do with his skin colour. He simply wasn’t a good president. It should not be surprising given the messiah complex over him generated by an Oprah fuelled general public. He was doomed to fail.

Our media had similar questions. “Are we ready for a female Prime Minister?” Though initially we didn’t have the choice. She knifed her predecessor deceitfully and has been going downhill ever since. There was just enough sentimental feminist support to get her over the line in the following election. There seemed to be a lot of silly women voting purely based on gender. She has been a bad Prime Minister. But her failings had nothing to do with her being a woman.

So stop asking the questions. The answer is always the same.

Is America ready for a woman president?

Yes, if she’s good!!

Is America ready for a Mormon president?

Yes, if he or she is good!!

Australia was ready for a female prime minister.

Problem though, she wasn’t good.

Who’s The Racist??

2012-01-23T22:04:00.000+11:00

A man apparently requiring emergency medical care spat on the floor of an ambulance and later punched the paramedic multiple times. But just because the patient was from an ethnic minority and the treating paramedic called him a filthy pig post the spit the magistrate, Pat O’Shane, dismissed the case. Read more about it here.

It should have been a clear-cut assault case. Yet it was muddied by inferences of race based discrimination. O’Shane asked the paramedic, "would the Court be correct in inferring………..that you don't like blacks?" The paramedic protested against the assertion yet O’Shane appeared to have made up her mind.

Race was never the issue at hand until O’Shane cast aspersions on the character of the paramedics and police officers involved. Ironically the aspersions were cast against those whom she is supposed to protect against criminals.

You could be the most racist person on earth but if you have not antagonised a person into violence based on their ethnicity then the racism is irrelevant. Was the paramedic assaulted or not was on what Ms O’Shane was supposed to rule.

I doubt she even realises that she has committed racial discrimination by favouring the “black” criminal against the “white” paramedic. Would she have come to the same ruling had the skin colours been reversed?

In For Surgery

2012-01-20T18:56:00.000+11:00

A 103-year-old lady requires surgery for a fractured hip. Unfortunately she’s been put down the priority list. The family claim it’s due to her age. The hospital claims that it’s due to her general health. Both are probably correct, but what does it matter who’s right?

Either way the risks involved with an elderly person going under general anaesthetic are very serious. Yet they seem to be glossed over in the media. I doubt whether the lady’s niece thought through the risks before whinging about the health system to the media throng.

Next week we might hear that she passed away while receiving the risky hip surgery. It’s a realistic outcome. Yet the supposed disgrace at having to wait for her turn is all that seems important.

Perhaps there was a lack of communication. The risks involved may not have been emphasised. The delay not explained fully. So far she has had to wait five days. Some would think that she’s lucky for only waiting that long.

Even if the delay were due solely to her age, would that have been a problem? To me it shows a prudent surgeon wanting to be cautious. He probably has the best patient outcome in mind.

Good on Jillian Skinner for backing the health professionals. Families need to be more realistic about such matters. There is more than one person requiring surgery in the facility. There are so many variables with every case.

Of course it’s not good for this lady. She’ll be in pain. She should have been fed when delayed. But it’s the reality of a modern day world-class facility – demand high yet resources finite.

Marriage Books

2011-12-29T13:13:00.006+11:00

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

2011-12-10T18:26:00.006+11:00

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

2011-11-10T13:32:00.002+11:00

“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

2011-11-01T13:27:00.002+11:00

“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

2011-10-30T21:03:00.001+11:00

“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

2011-10-25T23:19:00.002+11:00

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

2011-10-20T21:30:00.001+11:00

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

2011-09-20T23:55:00.001+10:00

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

2011-08-31T18:52:00.001+10:00

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

2011-08-09T18:53:00.000+10:00

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

2011-08-08T19:45:00.001+10:00

“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.