Smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms are now compulsory in caravans and mobile homes - and there is an on-the-spot fine of $ 200 for non-compliance.

The government is taking a soft approach and giving owners a six month period of grace to arrange installation. Taking the instance of smoke alarms in private homes, it is likely that a large number of owners will simply ignore this requirement. Others will comply, but forget that batteries need to be renewed annually if the device is to be satisfactory.

Extending smoke alarm legislation to caravans and mobile homes makes a lot of sense. People are confined in a small space with just a single entry and exit - and the materials used to achieve lightness also tend to be combustible. In a fire, they are nothing more than a death-trap !

Ensuring compliance with smoke alarm legislation should not be left to chance. Any towed vehicle requires registration and must display a registration plate. The onus of inspection should be borne by local councils - and their rangers - at facilities serving the caravan and mobile home industries.

Rangers should make a call at caravan parks on a regular basis - and record the registration number of the vans they inspect. In this way, as vans continue their journey to various holiday outlets they would be checked for the presence of a smoke alarm - and very importantly - that this appliance was in working order.

Once the word gets around that rangers make checks on caravans - and issue fines - it will not take long for owners to get the message.

And judging by statistics - save quite a few lives each year !

Where are the cops ?

If a family member went berserk and tried to kill others - what would you do ? The
logical answer would be - call in the cops !

The world appointed a " world cop " back at the end of the second world war. It was called " the United Nations " - and it was supposed to have the muscle to settle world disputes - and to use military force if all else failed.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is fighting a losing battle against his own citizens who are revolting against his autocratic rule. Most of the country is in rebel hands, but he remains hunkered down in Tripoli with a band of loyal supporters. Now he is proposing to open the country's arsenals and give those supporters access to military hardware - and encourage them to inflict carnage on his unarmed citizenry.

Surely this is a case for the " world's cop " to take action - but there is not even a hint of that happening. A proposal to intervene would not have a hope of ever getting past the Security council - where all five great powers have a kill option - called the " Veto " !

Getting all five to agree to interfere in a third country invokes self interest - and in the case of China this would involve reflection on an event when China turned it's armed forces on protesting university students - who simply wanted freedom to question the governance of the all powerful Communist party.

Fearful that this unrest might spread to it's own citizens, China would most certainly veto any UN police action.

And so the world will simply watch and wait as thousands are butchered to keep a despot in power. The " world cop " will remain inactive - but of course the world body will be eloquent with speeches that " deplore the carnage ".

Such is the world of politics !

A fading dream !

The idea of using waste gases generated in the steel making process to fire an electricity generator was brilliant. At present, these valuable assets are burned off in a flare and simply add to pollution.

There can be no surprise that plans for a cogeneration plant - to cost about a billion dollars - have been put on hold and are now at least a generation away !

Nobody is going to spend a billion dollars to install electricity production until this carbon price matter is settled - and with it the fate of steel making in Wollongong - or for that matter - in Australia.

Across the wider commercial spectrum a whole lot of other expansion plans will be put on hold until the futures picture becomes clearer. A carbon price is only an interim measure, preceding a carbon trading regime - and it would be a brave soul who could predict how that will impact on any measure of business activity until the rules are finally made clear.

And all this is happening when we are fighting our way out of a recession - when confidence is needed to bite the bullet and put development plans into action.

So much for that old - and true adage - that timing is everything !

That carbon tax !

Julia Gillard's decision to impose a carbon tax on Australia might come full circle and bite her on the bum. Before the last election she stated clearly that there would be no carbon tax - and this decision is a broken election promise !

The prime minister can claim that a carbon tax is defined Greens policy - and that the voters imposed the Greens on her as the only way to achieve government. That does not diminish the fact that she broke her undertaking to the Australian people - and that may come back to haunt her.

This carbon tax is a step into the unknown. It is certain to increase prices for many essentials - and that includes electricity and food. How much the government can - and will - devise compensation remains to be seen.

Probably the biggest factor will be employment. We will be saddling Australian industry with a crippling new tax and some will become uncompetitive. Manufacturing in Australia is in terminal decline. A tax on carbon may put the final nail in it's coffin.

Here in Wollongong all eyes will be on steel manufacturing. The industry has clearly stated that it will be at a huge disadvantage with steel plants in countries that do not have this imposition - and there is every chance that the Wollongong plant may diminish output in favour of more offshore production.

The decision is a big gamble. If it descends into chaos - like the insulation fiasco and the school building plan - we will have dealt Australian industry a death blow.

And if that happens - both Labor and the Greens will face the full fury of an angry Australia.

The long farewell !

In some cases the advance in communication technology has mixed blessings. The presence of a mobile phone in our pocket or purse allows us to speak to others from just about anywhere on the planet - and that was tragically true in Christchurch, New Zealand this week.

Several people, hopelessly trapped under thousands of tonnes of fallen debris were able to make calls to their loved ones - and to alert rescuers to their precise location. Unfortunately in some cases this was to no avail because to even attempt to use heavy machinery to burrow into the pile would mean instant death to those waiting rescue.

Perhaps it might have been kinder if families had assumed that their loved ones had perished instantly at the moment of collapse. The knowledge that they are doomed to a long and painful death is itself an agony.

No doubt the law will have to give thought to the legality of a trapped person using a mobile phone to dictate a will - that they are destined never to sign. The tragedy of the twin towers made changes to the issuing of death certificates necessary as in many cases bodies could not be recovered.

We live in a time of change - and to keep pace the law must recognise the impact that technology imposes on day to day issues. To do less is to lock ourselves in the past !

Nature's rampage !

Yesterdays New Zealand earthquake was an event that can not be blamed on global warming. When tectonic plates clash and when the underlying magna erupts in volcanic activity we are in the hands of nature.

Christchurch just seems to have been the unlucky city. Yesterdays carnage could just as easily overwhelmed any other city in New Zealand, but sheer blind luck saw the tremblor hit in the south island.

Of course Australia will give unstinting help to our cousins across the Tasman and no doubt stringent laws will govern rebuilding to produce new structures capable of withstanding future earthquakes - but there is no such thing as a building code which is earthquake proof.

Fortunately Australia is not located on " the ring of fire ", but we are not immune from similar shocks - as we experienced some years ago in Newcastle.

It should also be remembered that our knowledge about this continent only goes back a mere two hundred and thirteen years. Nature could have some interesting experiences in store for us in the centuries ahead !

Police - and the law !

An interesting case in court this week. Several members of the Brotherhood Christian Motorcycle club challenged $ 84 fines for parking their motorcycles in a no parking area. They contend that a senior police officer gave permission for them to occupy this area because it was part of a public demonstration against restrictions on club membership by bikies.

The police officer denied that he gave this instruction, and the court upheld the fines, but also claimed that even if this permission had occurred it would be " irrelevant ".

And that raises the question of just how legal is a whole mix of laws - and in some cases " assumptions " that govern police powers ?

There are laws that permit police - and ambulance drivers, fire engine drivers - and even council rangers - to ignore road rules and parking regulations while they are carrying out their duties - and that is quite reasonable - if it is happening during an emergency.

There are also instances when police direct traffic to cross double lines and drive on the wrong side of the road to clear traffic around an accident site. It is not unusual for police to direct vehicles to stop in a no parking - or even a no stopping zone to clear the road for emergency vehicles to operate.

This claim of " irrelevancy " seems to indicate that the courts do not uphold these police powers. It seems strange that a Christian motorcycle club would go to the trouble of mounting a court challenge if they were not quite certain that they had been given parking permission by a police officer - and perhaps that officer has since been put under pressure by his superiors to renege on that decision.

It would certainly help if police powers were made clear as to what authority they have to instruct the public to ignore road rules.

Natural disaster insurance !

Senator Nick Xenophon is using his casting vote on the $ I.8 billion levy to force adoption of disaster insurance on the states. He says that Queensland was offered such insurance for a fee of fifty million dollars - but refused.

This is a case of " buyer beware ". The terms and conditions of just what is insured and under what terms is as flexible as understanding the meaning of words - as many a householder has found to his or her peril.

The suggestion is that natural disaster insurance should be a policy issued by one - or a group - of conventional insurance companies - and that they will therefore set the terms of what is - and what is not covered.

Wrong thinking ! Insurance companies are in the business of making profits and their terms and conditions will be naturally restrictive. A better way would be for the states and territories to setup a natural disaster scheme in which they all contribute on a scale proportionate to population.

Natural disasters tend to be spread over long periods of time - and they also tend to happen in one part of the country, leaving other areas unscathed. Grab a pen and the back of an envelope and do a little research. What natural disasters have occurred over the past twenty years - and what sort of funding pool would be needed to restore the damage ?

One of the great advantages of a natural disaster fund run by the states and territories is that these entities would be the ones to set the rules - and decide exactly what the fund would cover. Obviously, limitations would be known in advance - and those limitations would have a bearing on the annual contribution each state and territory would make to the fund.

Time to stop thinking about insurance in the traditional way - and to " think outside the nine dots " to create a disaster fund that is manageable - and which really works !

A deadly aftermath !

Most people think that death from contact with asbestos only happens to those who handled asbestos products when they were legal years ago. The recent floods and Cyclone Yasi have opened a new chapter in asbestos contamination - and it is possible that these events will sharply increase the death toll.

Most older houses in Australia contain asbestos sheeting - and this is perfectly safe unless it is disturbed. The destruction caused by Yasi has spread asbestos sheeting over wide areas and those cleaning up the mess are in danger. At the same time, those trying to make homes habitable after the floods may unknowingly expose themselves to asbestos as they remove saturated wall lining and fittings.

The main danger will come long after the floods and rain that accompanied Yasi. Wet asbestos sheeting is fairly safe. It becomes dangerous when it dries out and allows tiny fibres to escape - and get into the lungs of cleanup crews and residents.

Unfortunately many people will be desperate to get repairs under way and many will ignore government warnings - and will ignore restrictions on cleaning up home sites. Then there is the question of children ? How many cleanups will be a family affair ?

Probably the most useful thing the government can do at this stage would be to promote an understanding of the danger involved using the media to get the message across - and to implore those doing cleanup work to make sure asbestos sheet material is kept wet as it is bagged for removal.

If nothing is done, then twenty or so years down the track we will see a blip on the health statistics that can be directly traced to the calamities of 2011.

" Jumbulla " closes it's doors !

Few would be surprised to hear that the Jumbulla Aboriginal Discovery centre - located in the Southern Gateway centre - has closed it's doors after just eighteen months in business.

Jumbulla was asking for $ 15 admittance to see it's forty-five minute audio/visual display - and this was attracting an average of just four people a day. In effect - this was simply an Aboriginal history lesson.

The whole concept of a tourist centre seems to have been lost in the spending of $ 11 million to create the Southern Gateway project. Visitors do not expect to pay to be directed to a regions attractions - and it is difficult to see what Jumbulla was doing to facilitate an enjoyable visit to the Illawarra. Few people visited this region to get a history lesson.

So - what can be salvaged from this mess ?

Drop that entrance fee and entice visitors with inducements to visit specific attractions . Work out arrangements with Wollongong and Shellharbour business people to issue coupons offering discounts and incentives - such as a free cup of coffee - to make visitors welcome. We have much to offer - and we need knowledgeable guides to spruik our wares.

The business community would financially support a revamped Jumbulla working the tourist angle - and offering an interesting guide to local Aboriginal culture as a free service.

Refocus the objective. Put servicing tourism on a business footing - and the original purpose of the Gateway may be finally achieved !

Gift voucher doubt !

The news that giant book store Angus and Robertson has called in administrators will sent a shock wave through the book market. Angus and Robertson started in 1886 and is an Australia wide chain employing 2500 people. It has six stores between Wollongong and Nowra.

Once again strong competition is the reason for this failure. It is possible to buy on the internet for less money than retail stores can provide - and in this day and age that results in fewer sales - and diminishing profit.

An ominous side effect concerns book vouchers issued prior to the Christmas season - which may or not be honoured. Observers say that this will be at the discretion of the administration.

In effect, voucher holders have a promissory note to deliver a book because the money has already been paid by the person giving the voucher. If the administrator reneges this will do incredible damage to the voucher system - and may see it disappear from the retail scene.

Vouchers are already under a cloud. Retailers have recently imposed a time limit - usually one year - on honouring their presentation. There is absolutely no reason for this imposition as they have already been paid for their goods - but it seems to be just one more way of disadvantaging shoppers and those who tend to be forgetfull.

If Angus and Robertson close their doors it will certainly put another nail in the coffin of print books - and advance the seemingly unstoppable progress of the E book revolution !

Women drivers beware !

It could be sheer coincidence, but the fact that this week three women driving luxury cars suffered car-jacking events could also be the start of a trend.

Criminal gangs have long targeted luxury cars but this theft has occurred from homes or public car parks. The stolen vehicles are then either broken down for parts, or put into a shipping container - and with the help of corrupt officials - shipped overseas to markets that have no interest in paperwork.

Snatching a car off the street shortens the process. Any sensible woman confronted with a gun would hand over the keys and feel lucky to escape. Few cars with a value above a hundred thousand dollars would be uninsured - so there would be no point in any form of dangerous resistance.

Only two classes of citizens buy high ticket luxury cars - the very rich - and successful criminals. It should be noted that when the police seize " proceeds of crime " after a successful drug raid - that property usually includes exotic motor vehicles.

Perhaps we are about to see a change in buying habits. Not only will the driver of a hugely expensive car feel unsafe during a trip to the shops, but friends and neighbours may also suspect a drug connection to this display of wealth.

Perhaps the wealthy may choose to buy a Holden Barina or a Kia Rio for shopping expeditions - and leave the Maserati in the garage to wash and drool over during the weekend.

" Calderwood " revisited !

The sudden approval of the Calderwood development plan surprised many people. This massive new subdivision was on a flood plain and would neutralise prime agricultural land - and it ran counter to the regional master plan which zoned West Dapto as the primary release area for new housing.

Now we find that the developer made an undisclosed " donation " to the Labor government of $ 48,000. This broke a law that required any donations made prior to a government decision to be fully revealed. The omission is explained away as a mere " departmental oversight ".

So - where do we go from here ?

Calderwood will be flick passed to the Independent Planning Assessment Commission for further investigation - and we are heading to a state election in just over a month.

Obviously this election will take centre stage and the Calderwood matter will be lost from public attention until the dust settles - and then the election outcome will have a direct result on any changes that are made.

But what really matters is the fact that political donations remain a festering sore that will not go away until we put serious laws in place to deliver real penalties.

There should be no more " departmental oversights " if such outcomes resulted in an automatic gaol term for those responsible !

The free council " Pick-up " !

Providing a tip and weekly rubbish collection is one of the basics for having a municipal council. The change to " wheelie bins " was a huge improvement on the old system where a gang of chasers manhandled metal bins to tip rubbish into the back of a council truck.

In addition to a weekly rubbish collection, our council provides a now annual free kerbside pick-up of unwanted goods that do not fit into the wheelie bin system - and that is undergoing change.

Up until now, suburbs received a two week schedule of timing to place rubbish kerbside. Now the council is trialling removal on a " by appointment " basis. It is possible that this will replace the old system if it is deemed successful.

The problem is that council has been steadily reducing the items it is prepared to take for free - and obviously this list will still apply if the by appointment style rubbish collection is implemented.

Whitegoods are no longer acceptable, as are car tyres, tins of paint, television sets or computers and their accessories - and now mattresses have been added to the refusal list.

Ratepayers could harbour a suspicion that this is the first step in dispensing with the free annual rubbish pick-up - and that further down the track that " by appointment " arrangement could involve a fee.

Judging by the incredible charge at the gate to take rubbish to the local tip - that free annual pick-up must he high on the list of cost savings being considered by council !

A ray of hope !

The Egyptian revolution was different ! There was a tyrant in the seat of power - but no hugely commanding opposition leader waiting in the wings. In the end for sheer necessity the army took the levers of power.

So far the omens are favourable. The Egyptian armed forces have promised that they will respect the peace treaty with Israel and will lead the country towards democratic elections to form a civilian government.

The stumbling block could be religion. Egypt is a Muslim country with about a ten percent Coptic Christian content. Mubarek maintained a supposedly secular regime, but in recent times there have been church burnings and violence against this minority. Some Islamists may see the revolution as a means of installing a theocracy similar to Iran.

The Egyptian military has shown resolve and clear thinking. During all the turmoil they stood aside as neutral observers and let public sentiment run it's course. Let us hope that the enchantment that comes with absolute power does not turn heads - and create a new military dictatorship - as has happened in many newly emerged nations.

Egypt is now the key to the whole future of the Middle East - and it's array of Muslim countries. If it morphs into a democracy with religious tolerance it could well be the template to a bright new world.

The opposite is too horrible to contemplate !

We all lose out !

Here is something to ponder as we give thought to recording our vote at next month's state election.

Treasurer Eric Roozendaal has been elevated to top spot on the ticket for the upper house by Labor - on the insistence of Premier Kristine Keneally. This will automatically ensure he is re-elected.

Roozendaal is probably the most unpopular politician in the Labor party because of his role in the disastrous electricity sell-off, and he is the number one target of the wrath of the union movement. Surely a strange choice for the top of the ticket position.

But there are murky revelations in this world of politics. Roozendaal must serve out his time as an elected member of parliament until June 24 to become eligible for a
$ 160,000 a year- for life - parliamentary pension.

He does not refute a rumour that once he attains this pension he will resign from parliament and take up a lucrative job in the private sector.

If this is correct, not only will he gain the riches we bestow on our parliamentarians - he will also cost us the huge amount of money involved in holding a by-election.

So much for the myth that those seeking our vote for election are dedicated to " serving the people of this state ".

Hospital funding retreat !

When Kevin Rudd proposed it - his hospital funding plan looked likely to be approved by the all Labor state regimes. He would up the Federal money from forty percent to sixty percent - in exchange for grabbing thirty percent of each state's GST returns.

Julia Gillard faces a different equation. West Australia and Victoria now have Liberal regimes - and New South Wales is likely to follow next month. Any hope of these states signing off on the Rudd plan is - negligible !

Gillard has abandoned the exchange of GST for hospital funding - and suggested that the Feds will up their contribution from forty percent - to fifty percent. On the surface - that can only be a massive win for all of the states.

But - there is always that old adage that " the devil is in the detail " - and so far we have not been given even a tiny glance at the small print that goes with this deal.

Beware of prime ministers bearing gifts ! It falls into the category of those who still believe that they are entitled to a " free lunch " and that the tooth fairy is still doing rounds.

Welcome to the real world !

Rights - and responsibilities !

There are sixty thousand Australians who have been born as a result of sperm donated by a donor. It is suggested that a national registry be established to regulate this information.

There is a proposal that this information should be available to those who benefited from a sperm donation when they turn eighteen - and that there be limits on the number of donations permissible by any one individual donor.

This basically comes down to the right to know your origin - and that can be crucial where medical history has a bearing on the chance of beating a deadly disease. There is also the chance of a person unknowingly marrying a half brother or sister.

But - opening the access door also brings with it an invasion of privacy for the donor, who in the past was assured of complete secrecy at the time of making that donation. It also brings into play the possibility of claims against the estate of the donor if some future law change upsets the present status quo !

Perhaps a national register should still preserve a degree of secrecy. A person born of donated sperm should have this recorded on his or her birth certificate and it should be compulsory for a pre-marriage check to access the registry to determine that the proposed marriage was not between related persons.

It would also be wise to make access available to the medical profession when needed, but on the strict proviso that this be in confidence.

Otherwise, to allow the person receiving life as a result of donated sperm to establish contact is to open a whole can of worms. In some cases, it may wreck existing marriages and may even lead to intimidation and crime.

If secrecy was assured at the time the donation was made, that contract should be honoured - and the law should be left that way !

Election posters !

Howls of protest when Wollongong council reminded residents that there are laws governing the display of election poster signs in people's front yards. Some claim that displaying a sign supporting a candidate - or a political party - is a form of " free speech ".

This law is quite reasonable. Residents may display such signs within twenty-eight days of an election without having to get council approval - and they must be removed within fourteen days of that event being held.

Looking at past history - removal of political signage has been almost universally disregarded, and that includes signage illegally tacked to power poles and those displayed on such structures as overhead bridges and railway property.

Once the election is over there are winners - and losers. Both have no interest in cleaning up the mess they leave behind, and that usually then descends on the public purse. It costs money for the council or various government departments to remove signs - and pay tip fees.

The same people who cry foul when reminded that there are laws in place to regulate signs would be the first to complain if their neighbour decided that money was to be made leasing the front yard for a major billboard - and thus destroying the suburban nature of an otherwise idyllic street.

And there are others who consider that none of the contestants for parliament have sufficient merit to be even considered for a sign in their front yard !

Zero alcohol content !

It has been suggested that we need a law change to require zero alcohol in those who drive cars - and that this apply to drivers of all ages.

Once again what seems a good idea on the surface is laced with unintended consequences.

Just as many young drivers faced with a zero alcohol limit have found, achieving a zero alcohol reading is not always possible. Many proscription and other over the counter medications contain alcohol. Eating very ripe fruit will give a slight reading - and of course if this law comes into force the traditional plum pud and brandy sauce on Christmas day is out of the question for any car driver.

This is where the unintended consequence comes into play. A zero requirement is draconian. A mere flicker above zero must be taken as a crime and that driver will suffer a huge fine and loss of license - and that for something that can have absolutely no dangerous effect on negligibility grounds.

There has been a steady downward trend in the law - from .08 to .05 - but zero should not be an option.

Many will doubt that any further downward legislation will affect the road toll - because those involved in alcohol related road crashes are well above any legal limit anyway.

If the politicians push for a lower limit - and they do that at their peril - common sense dictates that .02 would be the safety bottom line.

Queensland recovery plan.

At first glance, Julia Gillard's appointment of John Fahey to head up the Queensland recovery " reconstruction directorate " looks like a good idea.

John Fahey is an ex-premier of New South Wales and is the present member for the Southern Highlands - and he is a member of the Liberal party. He is well respected and has a good track record of solid achievement.

These seem just the credentials to negate any misgivings the public may have that reconstruction in Queensland will take a similar course to the disastrous home insulation affair - or the rorting and waste of money involved in the school building plan that accompanied the " education revolution ".

It will all depend on what ground rules apply when the Queensland reconstruction gets under way - and what power Fahey is invested with to reverse dodgy decisions.

The prime minister is clearly using a member of her opposition to provide a shield against claims of negligence and poor judgement. It will be in Fahey's hands to carefully scrutinise the work plans - and speak out at the first signs of political interference - or lack of oversight on spending.

This is a boomerang that could come back and hit the prime minister behind the ear. If the plan devised by her party is not up to the job then John Fahey should clearly identify the deficiencies - and if they are uncorrected - resign from his position and put the spotlight on the problem - before the money is wasted.

Having appointed a neutral game warden - it is now up to the prime minister to set the rules to keep poachers from raiding the huge sum of money needed to restore a state to prosperity.

Famine !

It is quite possible that the strange weather patterns that have caused destruction across Australia in recent times will bring about a change in world politics.

Australia is one of the big food exporting countries - and it seems that our contribution to world food stocks is waning.

The need to conserve water in the Murray/Darling river system has permanently curtailed the growing of rice in Australia. Flood rains - and the visit of cyclone Yasi - have put a halt to vegetable and fruit crops - and wheat - that Australian perennial - will not be plentiful this growing season.

This comes at a time of a natural food shortage - caused by the fact that each year the world has more mouths to feed. We number seven billion - and many of these hungry people get by on just two dollars a day.

When food is short - the price rises. The people in the developed countries whinge and grizzle - but they just pay more and continue to be fed. The losers are those who can not pay - and who go hungry.

The food discontent in the third world in making it's presence felt by demand for change - and riots. Much of the anarchy in Egypt started over food prices and there is every chance this will spread right through Africa and Asia.

In some places the unrest will lead to change of government, but in others it will result in a mass migration to other countries - where there are jobs - and food to be had.

Unfortunately, Australia seems to be the number one choice for most food migration people !

Privacy - and you !

When you make a phone call - you expect that to be a private conversation between yourself and the person called - right ?

Wrong ! The police and a whole host of civilian authorities have a legal right to listen to that conversation - and record it as evidence in court.

The rise of technology is such that for a few dollars anyone can walk into shops like Dick Smith and buy equipment that will allow them to tap into the phone network. To do so would be illegal - but at any given time that is probably being done by thousands of people.

Now privacy has gone one step further. The " Blackberry " system as manufactured in Mexico contains an encryption that defies penetration. It is expensive to use in " global roaming " mode, but then expense is of little consequence to terrorists, the drug trade and the secrecy needs of international business people.

World governments demand that they be given the key to bust that encryption to avoid the device becoming the tool of crime. It seems that as fast as one side of law makes gains - the other side of criminality negates it.

For the average man and women in the street this ongoing battle delivers a lesson. Never say anything on a phone that may come back to haunt you ! To those planning a crime - or those having an affair - your words into that little electronic gizmo are floating in space and can be snared by clever, inexpensive equipment.

Privacy - is a myth !

Time to think nuclear !

An interesting observation from Professor Ross Garnaut, who compiled the government's climate change report. He says that nuclear power generation has proved to be safe - and that the costs have fallen because of new innovations.

This comes at a time when we have been having rolling blackouts on the hottest days of the year - and the government has finally admitted that these were not entirely due to equipment malfunctions. They grudgingly admit that demand exceeded capacity at some peak periods.

We need more generating capacity and that means a basic decision. More polluting coal fired power stations - or more expensive to run natural gas powered units emitting less Co2 - or do we bite the cherry and go nuclear ?

The hysterical Greens still oppose nuclear, but then they are not very interested in a successful manufacturing economy anyway. It seems that we either continue to seek wind/thermal/solar solutions which can not give a base load guarantee - or run the risk of ending up like many world countries - where electricity supply does not happen 24/7.

It's more than time to put all the facts on the table and have a rational debate. We are fast approaching decision time !

Space wars !

During the height of the Cold war the Soviet Union and the US negotiated a treaty to keep space free of nuclear weapons. This obligation has been strictly adhered to - but times are changing.

Both the US and China have demonstrated that they now have the capacity to shoot down and destroy satellites orbiting in space, opening the way to a new form of space war.

The world of communications relies on satellites and few of earth's functions can do without them. Everything from our nightly TV news to our ease of banking through a ATM is satellite reliant, and should that cease commerce - and the armed forces - would quickly grind to a halt.

The problem is that the rocketry necessary to launch satellites has extended to a host of other countries, some of which are decidedly unfriendly. Of major concern is the fact that nuclear technology is also in the hands of a wider circle - with more likely to join the " nuclear club " in the next decade or so.

With chaos in the streets of several Middle East countries and despots in power in parts of Asia there is a chance that space may soon become the place of tactical battles to secure an advantage in first strike capability.

It seems that we have moved from the comfort zone of treaties between two civilized nations to keep space as a neutral zone - to a no holds barred race to secure advantage between us and countries with no concept of honour or peace.

The blue sky above could soon be a place of extreme danger !

A disaster awaits !

Later this year an eight story tower block of fifty-six units will be completed in lower Market street, Wollongong. This $ 17.9 million construction is slated for " seniors living " - and provides just twenty car parking spaces.

Many will wonder at the thinking behind this plan. What is the supposed benefit of placing senior citizens in the heart of the city, in an area which is fast becoming commercial office space and which already has a chronic parking problem ?

Originally, only eleven car spaces was planned. The assumption was that seniors nolonger used cars, but that raised another interesting question. If they didn't have cars, where would they shop to get their groceries and other supplies ? There are no supermarkets or other food stores within miles of lower Market street.

Another problem the experts seem to have missed is the need of seniors for service calls - both from medical people, the service industry generally - and specially from families. All these people will be obliged to try and compete for parking space in a busy commercial area, served by parking meters and preyed upon by rangers.

Then there is the problem of clothes drying space - and there simply isn't any ! Seniors will need electric clothes dryers in their laundries - and we have been told that the cost of electricity is about to soar.

Forcing seniors into the city centre may prove to be a failed idea. They do not go to night clubs and similar entertainment venues - and they are not big spenders. It makes sense to provide accommodation for single people in the heart of cities because they contribute to the city culture - but that is not part of this plan.

Lower Market street seems to be a disaster waiting to happen.

Doctor Dog.

For some time the power of dogs to detect certain scents has aided policing. Passing through airports subjects us to dogs who can detect narcotics - and these days we may encounter a police dog at the door of a nightclub or going through the gate to a sporting event.

It seems that dogs can be trained to detect certain illnesses and the Japanese have been successful in training a dog to detect colorectal cancer - with an amazing degree of accuracy.

Various forms of cancer create chemicals that can be detected on the person's breath - and from a stool sample. The accuracy of blind tests has been 95% for breath tests and 98% for stools - which delivers a new diagnostic tool to the medical profession.

More work needs to be done to enhance the number of diseases that can be detected in this way - and dog training facilities are urgently needed. The day may come when we can forget an invasive colonscopic examination.

Just visit your doctor and have a few minutes with his dog. A quick sniff of your breath - and a quick sniff of your bum - and the dog then delivers the good news or the bad news.

It could be as simple as that !

Load shedding ?

Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the year - and then there was a mysterious electricity failure blacking out over thirty thousand homes on the northern beaches and a smaller number in the southern suburbs.

The official explanation blamed the shortfall on " a connection point failure between a high voltage cable and a transformer. "

Many will wonder if this is just " spin ", or whether the creaking electricity system in this state was obliged to engage in " load shedding " when demand outstripped generating capacity.

There is something mighty suspicious about the state government's absolute desperation to shed it's ownership of electricity generation - and the done deal that has caused elected board members to resign en mass in protest.

According to the weather bureau we can expect a repetition of yesterdays high heat for the rest of this week.

Watch out for more " incidents " - which will get a variety of causes - if this was a genuine case of involuntary load shedding caused by lack of capacity. Perhaps our electricity regime is in much poorer shape than we have been led to believe !