Later this year the Australian Human Rights Commission ( AHRC ) will release it's " standard for student safety " - and this is expected to demand that universities provide accommodation guarantees for the 470,000 international students who are enrolled at Australian universities - and which is an industry that contributes $ 18 billion to the national economy.
At present, the vast majority of overseas students have to make their own accommodation arrangements - and in some cases they are cruelly exploited. It is not unusual to find homes converted into unauthorised boarding houses with students rammed into mere " cubicles " - for which extortionate rents are charged.
Australia took a drubbing last year when students of Indian origin faced violence in Melbourne. If we are to be regarded as a safe country in which to seek higher education we need to have a long, hard look at what we provide for the people who come to our shores - and pay big money to enrol at our universities.
The decisions are usually made by the parents of potential students - and in most cases these are people who have never visited Australia and their knowledge of this country is limited to what they have read in newspapers and learned from returning students. Safety is a major issue - and it can be quickly raised as a decisive issue by a bad press report.
The universities are hard pressed for funds to maintain present standards and if building accommodation blocks is to be added to their criteria it will need to be financed initially by the government. There is no reason why such accommodation can not bring a profitable return. Students are not looking for luxury. Good, basic accommodation in close proximity to the campus can provide a good rental return over the life of the building - and as such it would be a good investment if built and then sold to private investors.
But - there is also the potential for accommodation to be divisive. If it is restricted to overseas students there is potential for Aussie kids from poorer families to be relegated to sharing the sub standard boarding houses, crammed into tiny rooms while the overseas students are in university provided structures.
We need a broad brush approach to provide sufficient accommodation for all - overseas and local students - close to the seat of learning so that we also eliminate long travel times - and the dangers of using public transport at night.
It will cost money - and probably a lot of money - but if we are serious about using our universities as a money making industry - and providing Australian students with the means of making above average incomes - then we need to grasp the nettle and make university an all encompassing experience for all who learn there.
Tuesday 31 May 2011
Monday 30 May 2011
Politics - and the council election !
Wollongong ratepayers could well throw their hands in the air and growl " Here we go again ! " A city governed by an elected council will return in September - and already the political parties are circling for a return to " party politics ".
The Australian Labor party suffered a rout at the recent state elections - and voters will remember that this council was sacked because of corruption by endorsed Labor councillors - and as a result a Labor government appointed Labor stooges as administrators - and these people foisted parking meters that have decimated the CBD of the city.
It is a big ask to expect voters to support Labor after that debacle, but at the same time the Liberal party is thinking of running candidates for both council and the Lord Mayor's job - the first time since the 1970's.
Party politics is precisely what we don't need in local government.
It all comes down to a matter of loyalty. We need people who act for the betterment of this city and it's citizens, not people who are directed by party power brokers in Sydney to cast their vote in a way that runs parallel with party doctrine.
Labor is toying with the introduction of something that seems suspiciously like the model of American presidential elections when it comes to choosing a Lord Mayoral candidate. The idea is to hold a " primary " in which registered Labor party voters get to choose the person the party will endorse to run for office.
This seems to be designed to shy away from the use of their notorious N-40 rule, that saw local branches bypassed and those selected by head office " parachuted " into safe seats. It may then be extended to state government candidate selection - but only where the opposition holds a seat or a Labor nominee is retiring - never when such selection could oust a sitting Labor member.
The Liberals see a chance now that Labor is on the nose in the Illawarra. Unfortunately, if we end up with a mix of endorsed Labor and Liberal councillors on Wollongong council we will be back to square one where we revisit the old stamping ground of Labor - and thinly disguised " Liberals " posing as Independents.
That is a sure bet of " party politics " - to the detriment of progress for this city.
Hopefully, the voters may see through the machinations of all the political parties - and make a conscious decision to only vote for genuine independents who are totally free of any hint of party endorsement.
And the same selection process should apply for the job of Lord Mayor !
The Australian Labor party suffered a rout at the recent state elections - and voters will remember that this council was sacked because of corruption by endorsed Labor councillors - and as a result a Labor government appointed Labor stooges as administrators - and these people foisted parking meters that have decimated the CBD of the city.
It is a big ask to expect voters to support Labor after that debacle, but at the same time the Liberal party is thinking of running candidates for both council and the Lord Mayor's job - the first time since the 1970's.
Party politics is precisely what we don't need in local government.
It all comes down to a matter of loyalty. We need people who act for the betterment of this city and it's citizens, not people who are directed by party power brokers in Sydney to cast their vote in a way that runs parallel with party doctrine.
Labor is toying with the introduction of something that seems suspiciously like the model of American presidential elections when it comes to choosing a Lord Mayoral candidate. The idea is to hold a " primary " in which registered Labor party voters get to choose the person the party will endorse to run for office.
This seems to be designed to shy away from the use of their notorious N-40 rule, that saw local branches bypassed and those selected by head office " parachuted " into safe seats. It may then be extended to state government candidate selection - but only where the opposition holds a seat or a Labor nominee is retiring - never when such selection could oust a sitting Labor member.
The Liberals see a chance now that Labor is on the nose in the Illawarra. Unfortunately, if we end up with a mix of endorsed Labor and Liberal councillors on Wollongong council we will be back to square one where we revisit the old stamping ground of Labor - and thinly disguised " Liberals " posing as Independents.
That is a sure bet of " party politics " - to the detriment of progress for this city.
Hopefully, the voters may see through the machinations of all the political parties - and make a conscious decision to only vote for genuine independents who are totally free of any hint of party endorsement.
And the same selection process should apply for the job of Lord Mayor !
Sunday 29 May 2011
A mystery solved !
World air passengers reacted with unease when Air France Flight 447 simply fell out of the sky mid Atlantic on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. Many months later the wreckage was discovered on the sea floor - and much later again - the " black boxes " that hold flight data were recovered.
Now we know how a malfunction of the device that records the speed of the aircraft caused an inexperienced second officer to make a tragic mistake. Believing that his aircraft was travelling too fast, this pilot lifted the nose angle which would cause it to slow down. It was the wrong decision because instead of travelling too fast the plane was actually below normal cruising speed - and by further slowing the aircraft stalled - and simply fell out of the sky.
From stall to hitting the water that Airbus took just three and a half minutes, but that time must have felt an eternity for the two hundred and twenty eight people aboard.
We consider air travel safe - despite the constant threat from terrorists to wreak harm in pursuit of their religious beliefs. The cause of the crash of Flight 447 might never have been known if it were not for those miraculous black boxes that record not only cockpit conversation - but the technical details of every aspect of the flight.
Now the clever people who piece together the clues will be delving into the reasons why the instruments that deliver speed information to the pilots were malfunctioning. All possible aspects will be considered - and steps will be taken to ensure that this can not happen again.
Considering the number of people who fly as passengers each year - and the huge number of flights worldwide that carry them - we have a considerably greater chance of getting hit by lightening than to die in an air crash.
That is a comforting thought - as we buckle our seat belts !
Now we know how a malfunction of the device that records the speed of the aircraft caused an inexperienced second officer to make a tragic mistake. Believing that his aircraft was travelling too fast, this pilot lifted the nose angle which would cause it to slow down. It was the wrong decision because instead of travelling too fast the plane was actually below normal cruising speed - and by further slowing the aircraft stalled - and simply fell out of the sky.
From stall to hitting the water that Airbus took just three and a half minutes, but that time must have felt an eternity for the two hundred and twenty eight people aboard.
We consider air travel safe - despite the constant threat from terrorists to wreak harm in pursuit of their religious beliefs. The cause of the crash of Flight 447 might never have been known if it were not for those miraculous black boxes that record not only cockpit conversation - but the technical details of every aspect of the flight.
Now the clever people who piece together the clues will be delving into the reasons why the instruments that deliver speed information to the pilots were malfunctioning. All possible aspects will be considered - and steps will be taken to ensure that this can not happen again.
Considering the number of people who fly as passengers each year - and the huge number of flights worldwide that carry them - we have a considerably greater chance of getting hit by lightening than to die in an air crash.
That is a comforting thought - as we buckle our seat belts !
Saturday 28 May 2011
Ratko - and the Slob !
News of the arrest of Ratko Mladic ( 69 ) brings a close to the worst European human rights atrocity since the Nazi Holocaust during the second world war. The trio responsible for the ethnic cleansing, concentration camps - and the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, where over eight thousand Muslim men and boys were lined up and machine gunned - are no longer at liberty.
Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was stripped of his disguises and put before a court - but died before a conviction could be recorded. Radovan Karadzic is still serving time in prison - and now the general leading the Serb forces - Ratko Mladic has emerged from a sixteen year hiding to face retribution for his crimes.
The break-up of Yugoslavia saw the siege of Sarajevo, followed by a reign of terror in which people were condemned for simply being ethnic or having a different religion than others. Mladic led a brutal army that used rape as a weapon of war and imposed terror to kill others or drive them from their homes.
For many Serbs, Mladic is still a hero and there is no question that his sixteen years of liberty was a period when he was protected by both his old comrades - and the state. As these years rolled by the Serbs became more desperate to end the standoff with the west - and the prime reason to be denied membership of the European Union - was the fact that war criminal Mladic was still on the run.
It seems that the Serbs have swallowed their principles - and handed him over. EU access is more important than sheltering an aged criminal- but there will still be desperate efforts to shield him from the International court of justice at the Hague - and a contrived escape is not out of the question.
With citizens who still hail Mladic as a hero and applaud the crimes against humanity that were carried out under his orders - a question hangs in the air as to whether such a nation should ever be allowed to mix with those nations that form the EU.
Perhaps a decision should await the final conclusion of the Mladic trial !
Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was stripped of his disguises and put before a court - but died before a conviction could be recorded. Radovan Karadzic is still serving time in prison - and now the general leading the Serb forces - Ratko Mladic has emerged from a sixteen year hiding to face retribution for his crimes.
The break-up of Yugoslavia saw the siege of Sarajevo, followed by a reign of terror in which people were condemned for simply being ethnic or having a different religion than others. Mladic led a brutal army that used rape as a weapon of war and imposed terror to kill others or drive them from their homes.
For many Serbs, Mladic is still a hero and there is no question that his sixteen years of liberty was a period when he was protected by both his old comrades - and the state. As these years rolled by the Serbs became more desperate to end the standoff with the west - and the prime reason to be denied membership of the European Union - was the fact that war criminal Mladic was still on the run.
It seems that the Serbs have swallowed their principles - and handed him over. EU access is more important than sheltering an aged criminal- but there will still be desperate efforts to shield him from the International court of justice at the Hague - and a contrived escape is not out of the question.
With citizens who still hail Mladic as a hero and applaud the crimes against humanity that were carried out under his orders - a question hangs in the air as to whether such a nation should ever be allowed to mix with those nations that form the EU.
Perhaps a decision should await the final conclusion of the Mladic trial !
Friday 27 May 2011
The eye in the sky !
For centuries we have believed that the Spinx and the great pyramids of Egypt were all that remained of a lost civilization. At the same time, many people railed at the cost of space exploration - claiming that the money would be better spent here on earth.
The use of space has returned many benefits to the citizens of this planet, and now a new wonder has been revealed. Satellites with infra-red imaging capabilities scanning the earth's surface look deep underground - and they have found no less than seventeen new pyramids buried beneath the sands of the desert - plus a thousand previously unknown tombs. Scientists on foot - equipped with picks and shovels - have confirmed these finds.
Right now planet earth is going through a minerals boom. China and India are rapidly converting from an agrarian mode to a developed society - and to do this they need to consume huge amounts of the planet's natural resources. The need for these minerals must expand further as Africa and other parts of the developing world join the treasure hunt.
Eventually - and that could be as soon as another hundred years - we will have exhausted the capacity of this planet to deliver the riches to sustain development - and that is where space will come into it's own. A hundred years from now our space programmes should allow mining to be extended to other heavenly bodies - and we may even be well advanced in colonising other worlds.
Finding new pyramids will add little value to sustaining this world, but it is a prime example of what can be achieved by science and how future development can solve coming problems that are inevitable if we continue to consume the earth's treasure at the present rate.
Money spent on building rockets and sending humans into space may be our only hope of self preservation - if the world population continues to double at ever decreasing intervals of time.
Without a pressure valve - we may eventually be reduced to " standing room only ! "
The use of space has returned many benefits to the citizens of this planet, and now a new wonder has been revealed. Satellites with infra-red imaging capabilities scanning the earth's surface look deep underground - and they have found no less than seventeen new pyramids buried beneath the sands of the desert - plus a thousand previously unknown tombs. Scientists on foot - equipped with picks and shovels - have confirmed these finds.
Right now planet earth is going through a minerals boom. China and India are rapidly converting from an agrarian mode to a developed society - and to do this they need to consume huge amounts of the planet's natural resources. The need for these minerals must expand further as Africa and other parts of the developing world join the treasure hunt.
Eventually - and that could be as soon as another hundred years - we will have exhausted the capacity of this planet to deliver the riches to sustain development - and that is where space will come into it's own. A hundred years from now our space programmes should allow mining to be extended to other heavenly bodies - and we may even be well advanced in colonising other worlds.
Finding new pyramids will add little value to sustaining this world, but it is a prime example of what can be achieved by science and how future development can solve coming problems that are inevitable if we continue to consume the earth's treasure at the present rate.
Money spent on building rockets and sending humans into space may be our only hope of self preservation - if the world population continues to double at ever decreasing intervals of time.
Without a pressure valve - we may eventually be reduced to " standing room only ! "
Thursday 26 May 2011
Child beauty contest ban !
Psychiatrists have called for a ban on child beauty contests. They claim this leads to the " sexualization " of children - and that absolutely no good can come from such events.
Children probably enjoy what they see as a " dress up parade ", but the real harm comes when mothers lose the plot and become obsessed with winning. That is where things turn ugly and " win at any cost " introduces invasive procedures such as the injecting of Botox, the use of harsh chemicals to whiten skin or change hair colour - and the use of inappropriate clothing to promote a " sexy " image !
It is a fact of life that " sex sells. " The advertising industry uses sex to sell everything from clothes to magazines and newspapers. The only question is whether it should have a place in contests that involve competition between children.
Unfortunately, trying to limit cosmetics and clothing runs counter to human nature. Genetics bestow on some people an appearance that is superior to others, and the less endowed have always sought to even the scale by using enhancement. The psychiatrists are probably right. It would be almost impossible to devise a code of ethics that would prevent all of the harmful practices that they seek to prevent.
But - surely there must be some limit on such a ban. For instance, some newspapers run a " baby of the year " contest which features pictures of children born in that particular year. How do you compare tots under a year old with a six year old with bleached hair, Botox enhanced lips and expensive art makeup - dressed in clothing specially designed to create an older image sexy look ?
And that brings up the matter of the teenage years. When is it OK for a girl to decide to look sexy ? When is make-up permissible. ? At what age does the selection of clothes become a personal choice ?
Carry that to it's logical extension - and should we ban Miss Australia - and then Miss World contests between more mature young women who look at that as the start of a lucrative modelling career. ?
We have codes of conduct in sport and these regulate precisely what drugs will result in an athlete facing a ban. Perhaps a similar code should exist to regulate beauty contests - but given the never ending disclosures of cheating in the sporting world - would such a ban serve any useful purpose ?
Perhaps the best solution could be left to those who judge beauty contests between children. Perhaps looking " sexy " could be a mark down judgement - along with any sort of enhancement that is obviously not provided by nature.
But then - going by the fiasco of selecting a host for the world cup - and the shenanigans occurring in
events like the Tour de France - how are we going to find judges who abide by such rules ?
Maybe this time the psychiatrists got it right !
Children probably enjoy what they see as a " dress up parade ", but the real harm comes when mothers lose the plot and become obsessed with winning. That is where things turn ugly and " win at any cost " introduces invasive procedures such as the injecting of Botox, the use of harsh chemicals to whiten skin or change hair colour - and the use of inappropriate clothing to promote a " sexy " image !
It is a fact of life that " sex sells. " The advertising industry uses sex to sell everything from clothes to magazines and newspapers. The only question is whether it should have a place in contests that involve competition between children.
Unfortunately, trying to limit cosmetics and clothing runs counter to human nature. Genetics bestow on some people an appearance that is superior to others, and the less endowed have always sought to even the scale by using enhancement. The psychiatrists are probably right. It would be almost impossible to devise a code of ethics that would prevent all of the harmful practices that they seek to prevent.
But - surely there must be some limit on such a ban. For instance, some newspapers run a " baby of the year " contest which features pictures of children born in that particular year. How do you compare tots under a year old with a six year old with bleached hair, Botox enhanced lips and expensive art makeup - dressed in clothing specially designed to create an older image sexy look ?
And that brings up the matter of the teenage years. When is it OK for a girl to decide to look sexy ? When is make-up permissible. ? At what age does the selection of clothes become a personal choice ?
Carry that to it's logical extension - and should we ban Miss Australia - and then Miss World contests between more mature young women who look at that as the start of a lucrative modelling career. ?
We have codes of conduct in sport and these regulate precisely what drugs will result in an athlete facing a ban. Perhaps a similar code should exist to regulate beauty contests - but given the never ending disclosures of cheating in the sporting world - would such a ban serve any useful purpose ?
Perhaps the best solution could be left to those who judge beauty contests between children. Perhaps looking " sexy " could be a mark down judgement - along with any sort of enhancement that is obviously not provided by nature.
But then - going by the fiasco of selecting a host for the world cup - and the shenanigans occurring in
events like the Tour de France - how are we going to find judges who abide by such rules ?
Maybe this time the psychiatrists got it right !
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Defining a " bomb " !
A " middle ranking officer " of the Department of Immigration is about to experience disciplinary action because he failed to alert his superiors to the presence of a bomb during the recent riot and fires at Villawood detention centre - which caused $ 9 million damage.
What would be considered hilarious - if it wasn't so damaging to this officer - is the description of this so called " bomb ". It comprised a " can of fly spray and a bottle of baby oil in close proximity to one another ".
Villawood detention centre is a place where people are living, sleeping and eating. It would be reasonable to think that such a place would contain items such as fly spray - and because there are also young children - baby oil. It would be interesting to learn why these two items being in close proximity should be considered a danger - and how their combination could possibly be termed " a bomb ".
Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of explosives knows that explosives require a detonator. It seems that there was no mention of such a device - nor has any expert bothered to explain just how a terrorist armed with a can of fly spray and a bottle of baby oil could construct a deadly weapon.
It would be a very reasonable defence for this middle ranking officer to plead that he made no report of a bomb - because there was nothing to suggest that these items in combination could fit such a description - by any stretch of the imagination.
This act of nonsense by Immigration superiors will have consequences by sharpening the imagination of all who work for the service. To avoid facing charges of " neglect " in future officers will be quick to report the presence of all manner of ordinary items as " potential bomb material ".
No matter how ridiculous the claim, it will be better to err on the side of safety than to risk demotion or departmental adverse criticism. We can expect a surge in the number of bomb reports - and on the premise that fly spray and baby oil are potential bombs the definition could be applied to most of the contents of the grocery cupboard.
Of course - toss in the word " bomb " and that equates to another word - " terrorists ". Put them together and the media have a field day.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story !
What would be considered hilarious - if it wasn't so damaging to this officer - is the description of this so called " bomb ". It comprised a " can of fly spray and a bottle of baby oil in close proximity to one another ".
Villawood detention centre is a place where people are living, sleeping and eating. It would be reasonable to think that such a place would contain items such as fly spray - and because there are also young children - baby oil. It would be interesting to learn why these two items being in close proximity should be considered a danger - and how their combination could possibly be termed " a bomb ".
Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of explosives knows that explosives require a detonator. It seems that there was no mention of such a device - nor has any expert bothered to explain just how a terrorist armed with a can of fly spray and a bottle of baby oil could construct a deadly weapon.
It would be a very reasonable defence for this middle ranking officer to plead that he made no report of a bomb - because there was nothing to suggest that these items in combination could fit such a description - by any stretch of the imagination.
This act of nonsense by Immigration superiors will have consequences by sharpening the imagination of all who work for the service. To avoid facing charges of " neglect " in future officers will be quick to report the presence of all manner of ordinary items as " potential bomb material ".
No matter how ridiculous the claim, it will be better to err on the side of safety than to risk demotion or departmental adverse criticism. We can expect a surge in the number of bomb reports - and on the premise that fly spray and baby oil are potential bombs the definition could be applied to most of the contents of the grocery cupboard.
Of course - toss in the word " bomb " and that equates to another word - " terrorists ". Put them together and the media have a field day.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story !
Tuesday 24 May 2011
The death lottery !
Yesterday, an elderly man walked free from a Melbourne court after it imposed a three year good behaviour bond for assisting his wife to commit suicide. This 70 year old woman lived an unbearable life of misery because of constant pain from a disability that failed to respond to surgery, medication or acupuncture.
The husband heeded is wife's plea for relief and they obtained the necessary implements by consulting the website of Exit International.
The consequences of assisting suicide are virtually a death lottery in Australia. It all depends on luck - and which judge happens to get to sit in judgement on the case in question. Yesterday the person sitting on the bench was a realist who dispensed mercy. Not everyone is so lucky !
Religion rears it's ugly head in a lot of cases. There are some that are convinced that we do not have the authority to decide when it is time to die. That decision belongs to a higher authority, and therefore anyone infringing on that right must be subjected to harsh punishment.
The politicians are too cowardly to bring this matter into the open and subject it to a referendum. Yet at the same time it is quite legal to have all the details of a successful suicide available on the web, and it is quite legal to be a paid up member of euthanasia organizations.
Decades ago a person who failed in a suicide attempt was charged, put before a court and punished for breaking a law. That has been watered down - and now it is perfectly legal for any person to end their life - so long as nobody else gives them any help.
And that's where the " death lottery " thing comes in. If someone who has assisted in a suicide has the bad luck to get a " bible basher " judge he or she will have an unfortunate outcome. There is every chance that an appeal to a higher court may reverse that decision, but an appeal costs a lot of money and a conviction is a heavy load to carry until the case goes to a higher court.
Other countries in the world have resolved this matter in the affirmative. About time Australian politicians grasped the nettle - and gave the citizens a vote to decide the issue !
The husband heeded is wife's plea for relief and they obtained the necessary implements by consulting the website of Exit International.
The consequences of assisting suicide are virtually a death lottery in Australia. It all depends on luck - and which judge happens to get to sit in judgement on the case in question. Yesterday the person sitting on the bench was a realist who dispensed mercy. Not everyone is so lucky !
Religion rears it's ugly head in a lot of cases. There are some that are convinced that we do not have the authority to decide when it is time to die. That decision belongs to a higher authority, and therefore anyone infringing on that right must be subjected to harsh punishment.
The politicians are too cowardly to bring this matter into the open and subject it to a referendum. Yet at the same time it is quite legal to have all the details of a successful suicide available on the web, and it is quite legal to be a paid up member of euthanasia organizations.
Decades ago a person who failed in a suicide attempt was charged, put before a court and punished for breaking a law. That has been watered down - and now it is perfectly legal for any person to end their life - so long as nobody else gives them any help.
And that's where the " death lottery " thing comes in. If someone who has assisted in a suicide has the bad luck to get a " bible basher " judge he or she will have an unfortunate outcome. There is every chance that an appeal to a higher court may reverse that decision, but an appeal costs a lot of money and a conviction is a heavy load to carry until the case goes to a higher court.
Other countries in the world have resolved this matter in the affirmative. About time Australian politicians grasped the nettle - and gave the citizens a vote to decide the issue !
Monday 23 May 2011
Smoking licenses !
Health minister Nicola Rixon has dismissed calls for " smoker's licenses " for what they are - the wildest dream of the zealots of the anti-smoking movement.
According to this suggestion those seeking to smoke would first have to submit to a health conference at which they would be quizzed on their knowledge of the health risks of smoking. Once the inquisition was satisfied that they fully knew the dangers - and still wanted to smoke - they would be required to set the number of smokes per day that they should be permitted. They would then pay a hefty fee - and be issued with a photo license card - similar to a driving license.
This would need to be produced every time they needed to buy cigarettes - and would face a sales rejection if the number of cigarettes consumed since the last purchase exceeded the per day quota permitted on the license. And this would apply to what was still a fully legal product !
Once the bureaucrats get a hold on the health issue the sky would be the limit. How long before alcohol consumption would face a similar regime ? You would need a license and an agreed limit to buy any sort of alcoholic drink. " A glass of wine with a meal ? " " Sorry Sir. The computer says you exceeded your limit last night. You can not have another drink until the end of this week ! "
And then there is the little matter of junk food. You would need to flash that photo license every time you called at McDonalds - and each item on the menu would be listed by a scale of kilojoules. " No Sir. You can not have a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder. To stay within your limit I can only offer you a salad - and a glass of fruit juice ! "
Not only would it see the death of the weight loss industry - but life wouldn't be a lot of fun for most people with " Big Brother " controlling what we could smoke, eat and drink !
According to this suggestion those seeking to smoke would first have to submit to a health conference at which they would be quizzed on their knowledge of the health risks of smoking. Once the inquisition was satisfied that they fully knew the dangers - and still wanted to smoke - they would be required to set the number of smokes per day that they should be permitted. They would then pay a hefty fee - and be issued with a photo license card - similar to a driving license.
This would need to be produced every time they needed to buy cigarettes - and would face a sales rejection if the number of cigarettes consumed since the last purchase exceeded the per day quota permitted on the license. And this would apply to what was still a fully legal product !
Once the bureaucrats get a hold on the health issue the sky would be the limit. How long before alcohol consumption would face a similar regime ? You would need a license and an agreed limit to buy any sort of alcoholic drink. " A glass of wine with a meal ? " " Sorry Sir. The computer says you exceeded your limit last night. You can not have another drink until the end of this week ! "
And then there is the little matter of junk food. You would need to flash that photo license every time you called at McDonalds - and each item on the menu would be listed by a scale of kilojoules. " No Sir. You can not have a Big Mac or a Quarter Pounder. To stay within your limit I can only offer you a salad - and a glass of fruit juice ! "
Not only would it see the death of the weight loss industry - but life wouldn't be a lot of fun for most people with " Big Brother " controlling what we could smoke, eat and drink !
Sunday 22 May 2011
The end of this world !
If you are still here and reading this - then you are definitely not one of the " good guys " !
American Tele-Evangelist Harald Campion ( 89 ) has been telling his followers that " the Rapture " will take place yesterday - on May 21. Planet earth will be rocked by a huge earthquake convulsion and " the chosen people " will be elevated to Heaven.
Things will supposedly not be too good for those left behind. They will have to live with the chaos and wreckage until October 21 - when this poor old planet will final disappear in a puff of smoke. The world - as we have known it - will have ended !
Today - there will be winners and losers. A lot of people sold off all their worldly possessions on the basis that they would no longer be needed - and the opportunists grabbed them for very low prices. No doubt Harald Campion will have an explanation for the failure of his prediction - because this is not the first time such a similar thing has happened.
One interesting sidelight to this fiasco is the fate of all the dogs and cats that belonged to those who would supposedly disappear in " the Rapture ". It seems that dogs and cats are not welcome in Heaven and many of their owners paid boarding kennels big money to keep them in luxury until the end of the world on October 21.
A bit embarrassing to turn up at the kennels this morning and ask to retrieve Fido and Moggie - and maybe to ask for a refund of rent paid in advance.
Oh well ! Maybe Campion got his dates mixed up. Maybe the " Rapture " is really October 21 and the end of the world is May 21 - next year. It would be worth asking if the betting agencies are offering decent odds on either date.
American Tele-Evangelist Harald Campion ( 89 ) has been telling his followers that " the Rapture " will take place yesterday - on May 21. Planet earth will be rocked by a huge earthquake convulsion and " the chosen people " will be elevated to Heaven.
Things will supposedly not be too good for those left behind. They will have to live with the chaos and wreckage until October 21 - when this poor old planet will final disappear in a puff of smoke. The world - as we have known it - will have ended !
Today - there will be winners and losers. A lot of people sold off all their worldly possessions on the basis that they would no longer be needed - and the opportunists grabbed them for very low prices. No doubt Harald Campion will have an explanation for the failure of his prediction - because this is not the first time such a similar thing has happened.
One interesting sidelight to this fiasco is the fate of all the dogs and cats that belonged to those who would supposedly disappear in " the Rapture ". It seems that dogs and cats are not welcome in Heaven and many of their owners paid boarding kennels big money to keep them in luxury until the end of the world on October 21.
A bit embarrassing to turn up at the kennels this morning and ask to retrieve Fido and Moggie - and maybe to ask for a refund of rent paid in advance.
Oh well ! Maybe Campion got his dates mixed up. Maybe the " Rapture " is really October 21 and the end of the world is May 21 - next year. It would be worth asking if the betting agencies are offering decent odds on either date.
Saturday 21 May 2011
Wollongong soccer fiasco !
It seems that soccer in Wollongong is doomed by an evil omen. There were promises of better times when the game was turfed out of Brandon park to make way for the University's Innovation campass, but somehow the money got squandered and it ended up at Lysaght's oval with an unplayable surface and a half built mega grandstand.
Hope of recovery came when then Premier Kristina Keneally promised a further grant of $ 2.5 million to complete Lysaght oval, but unfortunately the civil servants tasked with transferring the money to Wollongong council in trust took too many coffee breaks - and the work was not done before Keneally pulled the plug and sent the government into caretaker mode.
So - the money is still in the government's bank account - and now a decision on whether Wollongong gets these funds rests in new Premier Barry O'Farrells hands - and that will be the first test of how the voting pattern of the last election is viewed by the Coalition government.
Wollongong is certainly not a hundred percent, rusted on Labor town any more. Two of the four seats in this neck of the woods swung the new governments way - and that deserves a big change of thinking.
Allowing the soccer money to flow would be a good indication that the state government no longer views the Illawarra as " enemy territory ! "
Hope of recovery came when then Premier Kristina Keneally promised a further grant of $ 2.5 million to complete Lysaght oval, but unfortunately the civil servants tasked with transferring the money to Wollongong council in trust took too many coffee breaks - and the work was not done before Keneally pulled the plug and sent the government into caretaker mode.
So - the money is still in the government's bank account - and now a decision on whether Wollongong gets these funds rests in new Premier Barry O'Farrells hands - and that will be the first test of how the voting pattern of the last election is viewed by the Coalition government.
Wollongong is certainly not a hundred percent, rusted on Labor town any more. Two of the four seats in this neck of the woods swung the new governments way - and that deserves a big change of thinking.
Allowing the soccer money to flow would be a good indication that the state government no longer views the Illawarra as " enemy territory ! "
Friday 20 May 2011
That Solar bonus scheme !
Like most innovations, it sounded like a good idea at the time. Induce householders to pay big money to install solar power generation. Buy back any extra to supplement the state power grid and reduce the need for costly new power stations - and let this income recompense the owners for their outlay.
The mistake was to offer sixty cents a kilowat hour for that power, compounded when the scheme proved so popular that 110,000 households took the plunge. If left uncorrected, this will cost every other household in the state a hike of $ 170 a year in their power bills.
Barry O'Farrel wants to cut that 60 c kwh back to 40 c - and any new people wanting to access the scheme will be offered a mere 20 c kwh. The sticking point is that this will happen by way of retrospective legislation.
To most people - a deal is a deal is a deal. They bought those solar panels on the basis of a promise by the former state government - and now the new government wants to move the goal posts.
Of all people, Fred Nile seems to have come up with a better - and certainly a fairer compromise. Split the difference. The old deal called for 60 c kwh but with a termination date of 2016. By all means drop that input price to 40 c - but extend the terminal date to compensate for the rate drop.
That is a compromise that would be hard to argue against. It would spread the load and stop a rate hike affecting other users, but at the same time allow solar panel owners to recoup their investment - but simply delay completion over a longer time period.
Ans when push comes to shove - that is what should make everyone happy !
The mistake was to offer sixty cents a kilowat hour for that power, compounded when the scheme proved so popular that 110,000 households took the plunge. If left uncorrected, this will cost every other household in the state a hike of $ 170 a year in their power bills.
Barry O'Farrel wants to cut that 60 c kwh back to 40 c - and any new people wanting to access the scheme will be offered a mere 20 c kwh. The sticking point is that this will happen by way of retrospective legislation.
To most people - a deal is a deal is a deal. They bought those solar panels on the basis of a promise by the former state government - and now the new government wants to move the goal posts.
Of all people, Fred Nile seems to have come up with a better - and certainly a fairer compromise. Split the difference. The old deal called for 60 c kwh but with a termination date of 2016. By all means drop that input price to 40 c - but extend the terminal date to compensate for the rate drop.
That is a compromise that would be hard to argue against. It would spread the load and stop a rate hike affecting other users, but at the same time allow solar panel owners to recoup their investment - but simply delay completion over a longer time period.
Ans when push comes to shove - that is what should make everyone happy !
Thursday 19 May 2011
Is big better ?
Brian Haratsis, speaking on behalf of Macroplan, a property research and advisory firm contends that within a coming ten year period all the councils in the Illawarra will be amalgamated into a single body. This runs against the wishes of many residents, but is it inevitable ?
If we look back at past history, consolidation of smaller councils into a larger body have been a regular occurrence - particularly as the function of councils has been expanded by both the Federal and state governments. Originally councils were concerned with providing roads and rubbish facilities - but that has moved a long way into more complicated areas - which add to ratepayer's costs.
The situation with landfills comes to mind. In Wollongong Whytes Gully will reach saturation point in several more years - and Helensburgh tip is to close and become a transfer station. A similar situation will soon overtake Shellharbour and Kiama - and it seems inevitable that their replacement will be a mega tip shared by all three - somewhere a long way from all three town centres.
Perhaps the future is better expressed by the innovation of phone facilities provided by the new Southern Phone company. This little Telco is owned by all the councils who share equally in it's profits. Maybe what we will see in the council works area is a new holding company that owns all the heavy machinery and pays it's staff independently while doing the work of former council work forces.
Such an entity would benefit from economy of scale and become a virtual contractor owned by each of the local councils - similar to the Thiess rubbish removal operation that deals with wheelie bin collection across broad council areas.
Maybe fine tuning of services may offer a better deal for ratepayers than a mere amalgamation of councils. At least the idea is worth in depth investigation !
If we look back at past history, consolidation of smaller councils into a larger body have been a regular occurrence - particularly as the function of councils has been expanded by both the Federal and state governments. Originally councils were concerned with providing roads and rubbish facilities - but that has moved a long way into more complicated areas - which add to ratepayer's costs.
The situation with landfills comes to mind. In Wollongong Whytes Gully will reach saturation point in several more years - and Helensburgh tip is to close and become a transfer station. A similar situation will soon overtake Shellharbour and Kiama - and it seems inevitable that their replacement will be a mega tip shared by all three - somewhere a long way from all three town centres.
Perhaps the future is better expressed by the innovation of phone facilities provided by the new Southern Phone company. This little Telco is owned by all the councils who share equally in it's profits. Maybe what we will see in the council works area is a new holding company that owns all the heavy machinery and pays it's staff independently while doing the work of former council work forces.
Such an entity would benefit from economy of scale and become a virtual contractor owned by each of the local councils - similar to the Thiess rubbish removal operation that deals with wheelie bin collection across broad council areas.
Maybe fine tuning of services may offer a better deal for ratepayers than a mere amalgamation of councils. At least the idea is worth in depth investigation !
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Tobacco - and the image question !
The push to make cigarettes present in an unflattering pack is supposed to make them less attractive to children. It seems doubtful that first time smokers are drawn to nicotine because of the colour and design of the box they are in.
How do kids come to get hooked on nicotine ? The biggest draw seems to be peer pressure. The leader of the pack smokes cigarettes - therefore it is " cool " for others to follow - and the usual pathway to a taste for tobacco comes from a smoke shared with others.
So the government is in a fight with big tobacco and this could degenerate into a price war. Big tobacco claims that they may have to lower their prices to fight a market intrusion by imports of illegal " chop chop " from Asia. They are prepared to reduce their profits to retain market share.
At the end of the day this fight could do little to reduce tobacco use because it is really an attack on a legal product. It is a product that injures health, but so far the government has shied away from any suggestion of declaring it illegal to grow, harvest or manufacture and sell in any form.
Unfortunately that is not even an option. Making tobacco illegal would certainly cause a drop in smoking rates, but it would also usher in a huge illegal industry. In fact, tobacco use could even increase because there is a certain attraction in thumbing one's nose at the law - as evidenced by the ready availability of marijuana in our society.
Whether the government wins or loses this packaging battle, it seems certain that one way or another tobacco is not going to disappear as a product anytime soon !
How do kids come to get hooked on nicotine ? The biggest draw seems to be peer pressure. The leader of the pack smokes cigarettes - therefore it is " cool " for others to follow - and the usual pathway to a taste for tobacco comes from a smoke shared with others.
So the government is in a fight with big tobacco and this could degenerate into a price war. Big tobacco claims that they may have to lower their prices to fight a market intrusion by imports of illegal " chop chop " from Asia. They are prepared to reduce their profits to retain market share.
At the end of the day this fight could do little to reduce tobacco use because it is really an attack on a legal product. It is a product that injures health, but so far the government has shied away from any suggestion of declaring it illegal to grow, harvest or manufacture and sell in any form.
Unfortunately that is not even an option. Making tobacco illegal would certainly cause a drop in smoking rates, but it would also usher in a huge illegal industry. In fact, tobacco use could even increase because there is a certain attraction in thumbing one's nose at the law - as evidenced by the ready availability of marijuana in our society.
Whether the government wins or loses this packaging battle, it seems certain that one way or another tobacco is not going to disappear as a product anytime soon !
Tuesday 17 May 2011
The fog of war !
Two Australian soldiers who served in Afghanistan are to face a court martial accused of manslaughter. While leading a patrol to disperse insurgents a sergeant and a lance corporal came under fire. Their patrol engaged the insurgents and during the course of the fire fight six civilians met their deaths - and the patrol leaders are being held accountable.
This is an impossible situation. A group of senior officers sitting safely in Australia are going to second guess an event that happened in a hostile land. The battle decisions of a man in charge of the lives of his soldiers - plus any civilians who may or may not have been part of the enemy force - will be questioned. What seems to be the issue is whether that sergeant had his priorities right. Should he have had the safety of the troops under his command as priority - or the lives of the civilians ?
This trial is not going to enhance the confidence of other troops battling insurgents in civilian clothes in Afghanistan. When bullets are flying decisions are made under stress - and this segeant rightly claims that had he made a different decision and that had resulted in the death of one of his men - he would be facing exactly the same charge.
We upholdthe rules of war and there is no excuse for deliberately targetting civilians, but it is impossible to reactivate the situation that occurs in battle, and to lay charges after the event is to introduce an agent of uncertainty that will lower morale and erode decision making in the field.
Those who lead troops in battle will await the outcome of this court martial with more than passing interest !
This is an impossible situation. A group of senior officers sitting safely in Australia are going to second guess an event that happened in a hostile land. The battle decisions of a man in charge of the lives of his soldiers - plus any civilians who may or may not have been part of the enemy force - will be questioned. What seems to be the issue is whether that sergeant had his priorities right. Should he have had the safety of the troops under his command as priority - or the lives of the civilians ?
This trial is not going to enhance the confidence of other troops battling insurgents in civilian clothes in Afghanistan. When bullets are flying decisions are made under stress - and this segeant rightly claims that had he made a different decision and that had resulted in the death of one of his men - he would be facing exactly the same charge.
We upholdthe rules of war and there is no excuse for deliberately targetting civilians, but it is impossible to reactivate the situation that occurs in battle, and to lay charges after the event is to introduce an agent of uncertainty that will lower morale and erode decision making in the field.
Those who lead troops in battle will await the outcome of this court martial with more than passing interest !
Monday 16 May 2011
The ghost of Osama bin Laden !
It seems that the ghost of Osama bin Laden will continually haunt the world of Islam as long as his followers seek revenge by creating the death of fellow Muslims. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up amongst a group of cadets at an Afghanistan police academy. What precisely did that achieve ?
The raid by US Seals inside Pakistan brought to an end a long running saga. Osama thought that he was invincible. The raid proved that he was not. One by one the al Qaeda leaders are being hunted down and killed. In some instances that is by a Hellfire missile launched from a drone, and in others it is because of security leaks that lead to ambush.
New leaders emerge to replace those killed, but this is a war that can never have a successful end for either party. At best, al Qaeda can keep drawing blood by terrorist action in American cities and on Americans abroad, but this is something that the broad population will learn to live with - just as they have learned to live with the delays and inconvenience of security at airports.
People die every day from car accidents - food poisoning - house fires. Death from a terrorist attack is only different - because it is unusual. Once it becomes usual it simply morphs into the background of risk we take every day when we walk outside our front door.
What is doing the al Qaeda cause the most harm is the indiscriminate killing of fellow Muslims, either because they belong to a rival sect or because they are not flag carrying adherents to the al Qaeda cause. The dead all have mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers - and by this action the terrorists are recruiting a huge army opposed to their tactics.
It seems that we will have to go on taking losses from terrorist actions until their dedication runs out of steam. Already change is sweeping through the Muslim world and the appeal is not for theocracy - but for democracy and freedom of personal choice. Just as the oppression of Communism eventually was rejected by the people subjected to it's tyrrany, religious terrorism must surely also run it's course.
Then - perhaps - the ghost of Osama bin Laden can be laid to rest !
The raid by US Seals inside Pakistan brought to an end a long running saga. Osama thought that he was invincible. The raid proved that he was not. One by one the al Qaeda leaders are being hunted down and killed. In some instances that is by a Hellfire missile launched from a drone, and in others it is because of security leaks that lead to ambush.
New leaders emerge to replace those killed, but this is a war that can never have a successful end for either party. At best, al Qaeda can keep drawing blood by terrorist action in American cities and on Americans abroad, but this is something that the broad population will learn to live with - just as they have learned to live with the delays and inconvenience of security at airports.
People die every day from car accidents - food poisoning - house fires. Death from a terrorist attack is only different - because it is unusual. Once it becomes usual it simply morphs into the background of risk we take every day when we walk outside our front door.
What is doing the al Qaeda cause the most harm is the indiscriminate killing of fellow Muslims, either because they belong to a rival sect or because they are not flag carrying adherents to the al Qaeda cause. The dead all have mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers - and by this action the terrorists are recruiting a huge army opposed to their tactics.
It seems that we will have to go on taking losses from terrorist actions until their dedication runs out of steam. Already change is sweeping through the Muslim world and the appeal is not for theocracy - but for democracy and freedom of personal choice. Just as the oppression of Communism eventually was rejected by the people subjected to it's tyrrany, religious terrorism must surely also run it's course.
Then - perhaps - the ghost of Osama bin Laden can be laid to rest !
Danger signal !
The plan to give pensioners a free set-top box to enable them to receive digital television once the analogue system is turned off will fill many people with fear. They will have visions of the free roof insulation scheme implemented by this same government that led to electrocutions, house fires and a plethora of shonky installation companies doing substandard work.
The same base situation exists. Serving countless thousands of people will require a huge increase in installation numbers and the bottleneck will be the standard of training they receive. They will be installing an electrical device to be used by elderly people who usually do not have advanced knowledge of modern appliances. Misplaced trust in such circumstances could be fatal !
The government should have learned a lesson from the insulation fiasco - but it would be a brave soul who would put their trust in that lesson learned being applicable to this new initiative. Two factors are converging that almost guarantee that rorts will occur.
One is the sheer number of pensioner customers to be serviced - and the other is the limited time for the work to be completed.
It is a fact of life that governments are not very good at implementing mass events which require fine tuning of training - and which must be completed in a limited time. Pensioners accepting this offer will do some with understandable trepidation !
The same base situation exists. Serving countless thousands of people will require a huge increase in installation numbers and the bottleneck will be the standard of training they receive. They will be installing an electrical device to be used by elderly people who usually do not have advanced knowledge of modern appliances. Misplaced trust in such circumstances could be fatal !
The government should have learned a lesson from the insulation fiasco - but it would be a brave soul who would put their trust in that lesson learned being applicable to this new initiative. Two factors are converging that almost guarantee that rorts will occur.
One is the sheer number of pensioner customers to be serviced - and the other is the limited time for the work to be completed.
It is a fact of life that governments are not very good at implementing mass events which require fine tuning of training - and which must be completed in a limited time. Pensioners accepting this offer will do some with understandable trepidation !
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