Once again the use of a racial slur has had had an unsettling impact on sport !
Timana Tahu has withdrawn from the Blues State of Origin side, assistant coach Andrew Johns has stood down from his position - and has been stood down from a lucrative media job in the television industry.
There are no winners - only losers - but it also seems that there has been a loss of perspective.
This remark was made at a bonding session in a pub. Once again, the curse of all codes of football - alcohol - was being consumed.
The demon grog has an unhappy history of loosening tongues and shedding inhibitions. Expletives and racial descriptions slip into conversations without the balance that would usually apply if the person was completely sober.
There is no question that this remark was offensive. Timana Tahu had every right to react with indignation - but whether the insult was intentional or just adding colour to a less than sober moment is open to conjecture.
Unfortunately we seem destined to never completely eliminate the racial slur. Sometimes it simply explodes in anger on the field of play, and sometimes it emerges on the social scene - where alcohol is playing a part.
Apologies have been given. Time to lay the matter to rest - until the next time !
Monday, 14 June 2010
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Unfair criticism !
This is a story of two sixteen year old girls who tried to be the youngest to circumnavigate the globe alone. Jessica Watson made it - and sailed home to fame and fortune. Abbey Sunderland had the misfortune to be dismasted in a wild storm deep in the Indian ocean - and required a rescue.
Such is the perversity of public opinion that the cost of mounting that rescue is heavily criticised in the world media - and yet age or sex had nothing to do with damage to Abbey's yacht " Wild Eyes ".
Had it's skipper been a middle aged male this criticism would have been muted !
Several years ago several yachts in a round the world classic came to grief in the great southern ocean, leading to the rescue of Tony Bullimore by the Australian navy - and later several other competitors, including a French woman.
Somehow the public saw this differently to the epics of Jessica and Abbey !
It seems that gender and age still colour our thinking - and many in the community are keen to erect barriers to stop young people from pursuing their dreams.
Such is the perversity of public opinion that the cost of mounting that rescue is heavily criticised in the world media - and yet age or sex had nothing to do with damage to Abbey's yacht " Wild Eyes ".
Had it's skipper been a middle aged male this criticism would have been muted !
Several years ago several yachts in a round the world classic came to grief in the great southern ocean, leading to the rescue of Tony Bullimore by the Australian navy - and later several other competitors, including a French woman.
Somehow the public saw this differently to the epics of Jessica and Abbey !
It seems that gender and age still colour our thinking - and many in the community are keen to erect barriers to stop young people from pursuing their dreams.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Changing times !
This is a " long weekend ", supposedly to celebrate the Queen's birthday. It originated in a past century and the idea was to honour the monarch by graciously allowing the citizenry a day off work.
Unfortunately changing circumstances have led to a great divide in our society. That paid day off now only applies to those who are fortunate enough to be permanent staff. The vast majority of people who work " casual " or are regarded as " temporary/permanent " and are paid by the hour - gain no benefit.
If their place of employment shuts for the Monday holiday, then they get the day off without pay, or if the business stays open and they are called upon to work - then it is just another normal working day.
The crazy thing is that this has absolutely nothing to do with the actual birthday of the monarch - and is not even celebrated universally in all the states.
Because it falls in winter it probably only serves some purpose by becoming the start of the ski seas0n.
Maybe a good time to reschedule to a more useful summer date - and possibly a more appropriate reason for the holiday !
Unfortunately changing circumstances have led to a great divide in our society. That paid day off now only applies to those who are fortunate enough to be permanent staff. The vast majority of people who work " casual " or are regarded as " temporary/permanent " and are paid by the hour - gain no benefit.
If their place of employment shuts for the Monday holiday, then they get the day off without pay, or if the business stays open and they are called upon to work - then it is just another normal working day.
The crazy thing is that this has absolutely nothing to do with the actual birthday of the monarch - and is not even celebrated universally in all the states.
Because it falls in winter it probably only serves some purpose by becoming the start of the ski seas0n.
Maybe a good time to reschedule to a more useful summer date - and possibly a more appropriate reason for the holiday !
Friday, 11 June 2010
An unwanted invention !
Full strength beer has an alcohol by volume strength of about five to six percent, while " light " beer ranges from one percent to two and a half percent. The road safety people have been urging drivers to change to the low alcohol product to help reduce the road toll.
It is discouraging to find that two boutique breweries - one in Germany and the other in Scotland - are waging war to develop the world's strongest beer.
It is a slow and costly process carried out over twenty-one days. Brewing is carried out at temperatures of -6 degrees, and as alcohol freezes at a lower temperature the water content can be removed - and the process repeated.
The first beer - named " Tactical Nuclear Penguin " achieved an alcohol by volume rate of 32% - about the same level as Vodka. That has since been overhauled by the Scottish brewery with a world beating 41 percent. They obviously enjoy a dig at their German competitor by naming that brew " Sink the Bismarck ! "
Fortunately this is unlikely to be served at your local pub anytime soon. And if it did, a 330 ml bottle of " Sink the Bismarck " would cost you about $ 60 !
It would also qualify as the most unwanted invention of the twenty-first century !
It is discouraging to find that two boutique breweries - one in Germany and the other in Scotland - are waging war to develop the world's strongest beer.
It is a slow and costly process carried out over twenty-one days. Brewing is carried out at temperatures of -6 degrees, and as alcohol freezes at a lower temperature the water content can be removed - and the process repeated.
The first beer - named " Tactical Nuclear Penguin " achieved an alcohol by volume rate of 32% - about the same level as Vodka. That has since been overhauled by the Scottish brewery with a world beating 41 percent. They obviously enjoy a dig at their German competitor by naming that brew " Sink the Bismarck ! "
Fortunately this is unlikely to be served at your local pub anytime soon. And if it did, a 330 ml bottle of " Sink the Bismarck " would cost you about $ 60 !
It would also qualify as the most unwanted invention of the twenty-first century !
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Australian made !
Buying goods made in Australia is important to many shoppers. Our manufacturing industries are not only a source of pride, but they employ Australians and therefore contribute to our standard of living.
Sticking a " made in Australia " label on imported goods is a crime few would forgive - and it is heartening to hear that Australian courts and Australian judges take the same dim view about this offence.
Primo Smallgoods, a huge food processor which processes 10,000 pigs a week at it's South Australian plant pleaded guilty to slapping an " Australian made " label on imported foreign bacon - and copped a massive fine.
The court handed down a fine of $ 237,500 for the offence - and added another $ 200,000 by way of costs.
The size of the judgement will certainly make any other firm considering passing an import as Australian made to think long and hard.
And shoppers will now have a degree of certainty that " made in Australia " means what it says !
Sticking a " made in Australia " label on imported goods is a crime few would forgive - and it is heartening to hear that Australian courts and Australian judges take the same dim view about this offence.
Primo Smallgoods, a huge food processor which processes 10,000 pigs a week at it's South Australian plant pleaded guilty to slapping an " Australian made " label on imported foreign bacon - and copped a massive fine.
The court handed down a fine of $ 237,500 for the offence - and added another $ 200,000 by way of costs.
The size of the judgement will certainly make any other firm considering passing an import as Australian made to think long and hard.
And shoppers will now have a degree of certainty that " made in Australia " means what it says !
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
The budget !
This morning the citizens of New South Wales will digest last night's state budget while they eat their breakfasts. There is some good news. More spending on roads. Relief from stamp duty for some. The usual mixed bag of promises - all of which may or may not happen !
But one item clearly stands out - because it will have an effect on most citizens.
There will be the reintroduction of hidden mobile speed cameras - and the government admits that it expects revenue from speeding fines to double.
Of course the excuse is that these devices will reduce the road toll, but a lot will depend on where and how they are used.
It will be just too tempting to site them where inappropriate speed limit changes occur - or on stretches of road where speed is limited by supposed road work - but no work has been carried out for weeks.
Coupled with the demerit points system, the introduction of a new hazard for motorists is going to result in many more lost driving licenses - and with that lost jobs and general misery from an increase in poverty.
Unfortunately, the need for revenue raising has brought out the bandit instinct in government thinking. Get set for a planned raid on your wallet !
But one item clearly stands out - because it will have an effect on most citizens.
There will be the reintroduction of hidden mobile speed cameras - and the government admits that it expects revenue from speeding fines to double.
Of course the excuse is that these devices will reduce the road toll, but a lot will depend on where and how they are used.
It will be just too tempting to site them where inappropriate speed limit changes occur - or on stretches of road where speed is limited by supposed road work - but no work has been carried out for weeks.
Coupled with the demerit points system, the introduction of a new hazard for motorists is going to result in many more lost driving licenses - and with that lost jobs and general misery from an increase in poverty.
Unfortunately, the need for revenue raising has brought out the bandit instinct in government thinking. Get set for a planned raid on your wallet !
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Security breach !
There are alarming reports that search engine Google has scooped up sensitive personal information in the course of constructing it's " Street View " atlas, giving a pictorial view of the world's cities.
Recording vehicles travel through all streets recording camera views and at the same time using the global positioning network to precisely establish their location on the map. It seems that this combination has somehow enabled information from wireless mobile phone and computer systems to download certain information into Google's computers.
These news reports are providing scant detail of just what information is involved.
As a matter of urgency, full details of the extent of these security leaks should be made available. It could be that they are relatively harmless - but at the same time if they reveal items such as passwords or access codes they could lead to loss - or compromise personal security.
There will be suspicion that we are not being told the whole truth because of this vagueness.
If a serious threat exists - we have a right to know !
Recording vehicles travel through all streets recording camera views and at the same time using the global positioning network to precisely establish their location on the map. It seems that this combination has somehow enabled information from wireless mobile phone and computer systems to download certain information into Google's computers.
These news reports are providing scant detail of just what information is involved.
As a matter of urgency, full details of the extent of these security leaks should be made available. It could be that they are relatively harmless - but at the same time if they reveal items such as passwords or access codes they could lead to loss - or compromise personal security.
There will be suspicion that we are not being told the whole truth because of this vagueness.
If a serious threat exists - we have a right to know !
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