We have a one day train strike looming in just over a week in New South Wales. The economists predict that if it happens it will come with a cost of a hundred million dollars simply because the normal activity of people getting to work will be disrupted and consequently the usual commercial activity that puts money in cash registers - and wages in peoples pockets - will come to a halt for a day.
Of course, it is not quite that simple. The vast majority of people who work in some sort of government job will still get paid as usual and so will those working in private industry on a " salary basis " as opposed to those engaged at a hourly rate and who punch a bundy clock to record their starting and finishing times.
Many of those " salaried " people will find some sort of business activity to do at home when the strike prevents them reaching the office, but the main loser will be their employer. There will not be so many customers in the shops that remain open and the coffee shops and restaurants that open will expect a very slow day. Few businesses are going to show a profit on the day of the strike.
The main people who will be seriously out of pocket will be the huge army of " casuals " who now make up a big segment of the work force, and they are the people who can least afford the loss of a days pay.
This one day train drivers strike just seems to be a return to the bad old days of union bosses flexing their muscles and making outrageous demands. It is a long time sine we last had a transport strike - or the petrol tanker drivers ceased making deliveries to service stations. Many industrial agreements of today outlaw strike action.
The train drivers - who earn in excess of $100,000 a year - are demanding a six percent pay rise each year for the next four years. The government has set a cap of 2.5% as the maximum pay increase across all government workers and should this 6% rise succeed it would spark an immediate demand for parity from police, fire brigade workers, hospital workers and the entire government spectrum. There would be no option other than price increases to fund the increase and it would set off an inflationary spiral that would harm our export competiveness and flow across the private sector.
Many people will wonder if this sudden demand from train drivers is sourced by the expansion of the Sydney rail network to accommodate an eleven percent increase in passenger numbers, causing driver overtime becoming essential, or whether this strike is a return to politics intruding on industrial harmony for political gain.
A lot depends on how the public view this strike. A demand for a 24% increase in pay over four years from those presently earning more than a hundred thousand dollars would not get support from many people, but others may blame the state government. Hopefully, cool heads may prevail and the trains may keep running next Monday.
Sunday, 21 January 2018
Saturday, 20 January 2018
A " Lifestyle " Decision !
It has become government policy to avoid the concentration of government departments in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. There are many advantages in relocating to a regional city for both the lifestyle of the staff concerned and to avoid the pressures on homes and public transport that is crippling the capital cities.
Just such a move is proposed for the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority which will move from Canberra to Armidale. That is a proposal which will cause consternation in most affected families and a form of compensation is being developed to coax staff to agree to the switch.
For a start, APVMA will pay travel and accommodation costs for staff to visit Armidale for a three day inspection of what that city and the surrounding New England district has to offer. No doubt they will investigate the availability and cost of housing and ponder the advantages - and disadvantages - of life in a rural community.
The move will be sweetened with an offer of up to $55,000 per family, plus a one thousand dollar " disturbance " cost and a $ 1500 payment if they have a dependent child, and $500 more for each other additional children. That should work out at about six percent of their normal income.
If the APVMA pays this moving cost it will be conditional on the family remaining in Armidale for two years after the move. Should that person terminate their employment, the compensation package would be reclaimed on a pro rata rate for each month short of that two year period.
Some of the advantages are obvious. House prices are much lower in the country than the bubble that exists in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and that long morning commute in heavy traffic will become a thing of the past.
It will become necessary for any children to change schools - and perhaps factor in the cost of new uniforms - and the move will sever links with close friends and relatives. There is also the problem of one spouse having to find a new job and work may not be so readily available in a country area.
Then there is the long term effect. When children finish their education there is the matter of university study to consider, and the availability of career opportunities. It is likely that attaining a desired career may make family separation inevitable.
Career prospects for the person working within APVMA are likely to be enhanced because the work of the authority is concentrated on farm needs and in Armidale its staff will be fully exposed to interaction with surrounding rural industry. Opportunities for promotional enhancement are likely to improve in such an environment.
All this is very much in line with commercial industry. There is the expectation of removal costs if a firm moves a person for company reasons and this applies equally to government departments. It will not suit every family, but for those who take the plunge it is likely that it will improve their standing on the promotional ladder !
Just such a move is proposed for the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority which will move from Canberra to Armidale. That is a proposal which will cause consternation in most affected families and a form of compensation is being developed to coax staff to agree to the switch.
For a start, APVMA will pay travel and accommodation costs for staff to visit Armidale for a three day inspection of what that city and the surrounding New England district has to offer. No doubt they will investigate the availability and cost of housing and ponder the advantages - and disadvantages - of life in a rural community.
The move will be sweetened with an offer of up to $55,000 per family, plus a one thousand dollar " disturbance " cost and a $ 1500 payment if they have a dependent child, and $500 more for each other additional children. That should work out at about six percent of their normal income.
If the APVMA pays this moving cost it will be conditional on the family remaining in Armidale for two years after the move. Should that person terminate their employment, the compensation package would be reclaimed on a pro rata rate for each month short of that two year period.
Some of the advantages are obvious. House prices are much lower in the country than the bubble that exists in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and that long morning commute in heavy traffic will become a thing of the past.
It will become necessary for any children to change schools - and perhaps factor in the cost of new uniforms - and the move will sever links with close friends and relatives. There is also the problem of one spouse having to find a new job and work may not be so readily available in a country area.
Then there is the long term effect. When children finish their education there is the matter of university study to consider, and the availability of career opportunities. It is likely that attaining a desired career may make family separation inevitable.
Career prospects for the person working within APVMA are likely to be enhanced because the work of the authority is concentrated on farm needs and in Armidale its staff will be fully exposed to interaction with surrounding rural industry. Opportunities for promotional enhancement are likely to improve in such an environment.
All this is very much in line with commercial industry. There is the expectation of removal costs if a firm moves a person for company reasons and this applies equally to government departments. It will not suit every family, but for those who take the plunge it is likely that it will improve their standing on the promotional ladder !
Friday, 19 January 2018
A Legal Change to Gift Cards.
The wise avoid gift choices when the recipient is a teenager. It is better to give money because we rarely get the choice of either music or clothing right and that can be embarrassing for both parties. Unfortunately, for some strange reason handing actual cash as a gift to a close adult friend or relative is seen as socially gauche. For that reason, it is usually disguised by being in the form of a gift card.
Unfortunately, the statistics on gift cards are not promising. A significant number get tucked away and forgotten - and are never used. Many of the ones that are used have a few dollars left as a credit balance that is not reclaimed. Many merchants impose unreasonable use restrictions on gift cards that do not correspond with government trading laws, and in recent years most gift cards have had a twelve month time expiry imposed.
A gift card is merely a substitute for cash. The buyer lodges the cash with a third party and when the card is presented in a shop, the merchants is reimbursed in full for whatever goods were chosen by the recipient. There is no legal right to impose restrictions on their use.
Some stores claim that gift cards can not be used to purchase items already price reduced in a sale, but this contradicts trading laws - and is a sheer bluff. Fortunately, the New South Wales government has revised the laws that apply to gift cards and one of the main impediments to their use has been extinguished. That twelve month expiry date has been broadened - to a full three years from date of issue.
That applies to all and any cards issued after March 31 of this year, consequently cards that may have been gifted this past Christmas and which have a twelve month expiry date will not be affected by this law change.
Some consumer groups are calling for a more extensive revision of gift card use to be written into law. It is suggested that when a purchase leaves a few dollars remaining on the card balance that this be reimbursed in cash rather than require another purchase for elimination. In many cases the shop offers nothing near that value and to reclaim the balance the customer must make a significant other purchase with their own money. It is suggested that amounts less than ten percent of the card value be treated in this way.
Another anomaly is where the gift card only applies to a particular merchant. Most cards are " open " and can be used anywhere while others apply to a selected range of stores, but those with heavy use restrictions lose their purchasing value if that particular store closes and ceases trading. This was illustrated when the Dick Smith electronic stores went into receivership and the receiver refused to honour gift cards.
This law change is heading in the right direction, but has a long way to go. When a gift card fails to get presented and its value reclaimed that money becomes a gift to the card company that issued the card. There seems no reason why the person receiving such a card as a gift could not reclaim that gift in cash from the card company, because it is simply a gift in a different form to cash.
The opportunity exists to clear away this mess. It seems that shops have imposed their own rules on gift card use and the card companies imposition of an expiry date has been a recent measure. A law change to clear away all impediments to use would be helpful.
Unfortunately, the statistics on gift cards are not promising. A significant number get tucked away and forgotten - and are never used. Many of the ones that are used have a few dollars left as a credit balance that is not reclaimed. Many merchants impose unreasonable use restrictions on gift cards that do not correspond with government trading laws, and in recent years most gift cards have had a twelve month time expiry imposed.
A gift card is merely a substitute for cash. The buyer lodges the cash with a third party and when the card is presented in a shop, the merchants is reimbursed in full for whatever goods were chosen by the recipient. There is no legal right to impose restrictions on their use.
Some stores claim that gift cards can not be used to purchase items already price reduced in a sale, but this contradicts trading laws - and is a sheer bluff. Fortunately, the New South Wales government has revised the laws that apply to gift cards and one of the main impediments to their use has been extinguished. That twelve month expiry date has been broadened - to a full three years from date of issue.
That applies to all and any cards issued after March 31 of this year, consequently cards that may have been gifted this past Christmas and which have a twelve month expiry date will not be affected by this law change.
Some consumer groups are calling for a more extensive revision of gift card use to be written into law. It is suggested that when a purchase leaves a few dollars remaining on the card balance that this be reimbursed in cash rather than require another purchase for elimination. In many cases the shop offers nothing near that value and to reclaim the balance the customer must make a significant other purchase with their own money. It is suggested that amounts less than ten percent of the card value be treated in this way.
Another anomaly is where the gift card only applies to a particular merchant. Most cards are " open " and can be used anywhere while others apply to a selected range of stores, but those with heavy use restrictions lose their purchasing value if that particular store closes and ceases trading. This was illustrated when the Dick Smith electronic stores went into receivership and the receiver refused to honour gift cards.
This law change is heading in the right direction, but has a long way to go. When a gift card fails to get presented and its value reclaimed that money becomes a gift to the card company that issued the card. There seems no reason why the person receiving such a card as a gift could not reclaim that gift in cash from the card company, because it is simply a gift in a different form to cash.
The opportunity exists to clear away this mess. It seems that shops have imposed their own rules on gift card use and the card companies imposition of an expiry date has been a recent measure. A law change to clear away all impediments to use would be helpful.
Thursday, 18 January 2018
Interest Rate Boondoggle !
" Honest " marketing seems to be a thing of the past. Most people are getting phone calls from overseas telemarketing sources trying to persuade them to change their electricity supply provider. The incentive is usually a very tempting discount but what is left unsaid is that this is an " introductory offer " - and the bill will revert to normal rates after a short period of time.
It seems that this dishonest tactic has spread to the banking world. Interest rates on deposits are historically low but many people who take the trouble to analyse their statements will find that some have shrunk to less than one percent.
The banks very quietly introduced a " base rate " change which applied to the interest they pay to long term customers while introducing " introductory " interest rates to attract new depositors. These higher rates only apply for the first three to five months after that new account is opened.
This tactic was put in place just as the mortgage market eased. The banks no longer need to aggressively chase domestic savings which is their usual source of funding. The bigger the gap between what they pay in interest for deposits - and what they charge to borrower is reflected on what profit they declare at the end of each financial year - and today our " Big Four " report profit in billions.
This entire money market - banks, building societies and credit unions - have put a cap on the interest they pay to small accounts. Deposits ranging from $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 get no interest at all. Of course this vast accumulation of the modest savings of pensioners and those on low wages is used to finance mortgages and overdrafts at normal commercial rates and returns handsome profits to the banks - but not to their depositors.
It seems that to get even a low rate of interest bank customers need to apply the tactics now prevalent in the electricity industry. Sign up and enjoy those low rates for as long as they last, and then quickly take up the next tempting offer. There is no joy in being a " loyal " customer because in today's world loyalty rewards are just a myth.
The customer with a long term, modest savings balance getting either low or no interest and being confronted with a sudden expense - such as the need to finance a funeral because of a partners death - can expect no mercy from the banks. An application for a loan is usually rejected, and sometimes the applicant is offered a MasterCard or Visa account, with interest rates of twenty percent. At least that seems preferable to forcing them into the hands of the " until payday " lending industry, which is usually the only other option.
Retirees taking a lump sum superannuation payment need a safe investment that pays a decent rate of interest to make their nest egg cover living expenses. It is not helpful that the banks are now deliberately confusing the terms that apply to serve their own interests.
For far too long the banks have been allowed to formulate banking practice in-house and with very little interference from the government supervising agencies. The calls for a Royal Commission are growing louder and the more that these scams become common practice the surer that they will eventually be publicly examined.
The banking industry is an integral part of the economy and good ethics are essential !
It seems that this dishonest tactic has spread to the banking world. Interest rates on deposits are historically low but many people who take the trouble to analyse their statements will find that some have shrunk to less than one percent.
The banks very quietly introduced a " base rate " change which applied to the interest they pay to long term customers while introducing " introductory " interest rates to attract new depositors. These higher rates only apply for the first three to five months after that new account is opened.
This tactic was put in place just as the mortgage market eased. The banks no longer need to aggressively chase domestic savings which is their usual source of funding. The bigger the gap between what they pay in interest for deposits - and what they charge to borrower is reflected on what profit they declare at the end of each financial year - and today our " Big Four " report profit in billions.
This entire money market - banks, building societies and credit unions - have put a cap on the interest they pay to small accounts. Deposits ranging from $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 get no interest at all. Of course this vast accumulation of the modest savings of pensioners and those on low wages is used to finance mortgages and overdrafts at normal commercial rates and returns handsome profits to the banks - but not to their depositors.
It seems that to get even a low rate of interest bank customers need to apply the tactics now prevalent in the electricity industry. Sign up and enjoy those low rates for as long as they last, and then quickly take up the next tempting offer. There is no joy in being a " loyal " customer because in today's world loyalty rewards are just a myth.
The customer with a long term, modest savings balance getting either low or no interest and being confronted with a sudden expense - such as the need to finance a funeral because of a partners death - can expect no mercy from the banks. An application for a loan is usually rejected, and sometimes the applicant is offered a MasterCard or Visa account, with interest rates of twenty percent. At least that seems preferable to forcing them into the hands of the " until payday " lending industry, which is usually the only other option.
Retirees taking a lump sum superannuation payment need a safe investment that pays a decent rate of interest to make their nest egg cover living expenses. It is not helpful that the banks are now deliberately confusing the terms that apply to serve their own interests.
For far too long the banks have been allowed to formulate banking practice in-house and with very little interference from the government supervising agencies. The calls for a Royal Commission are growing louder and the more that these scams become common practice the surer that they will eventually be publicly examined.
The banking industry is an integral part of the economy and good ethics are essential !
Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Because They Can !
It looks lie Sydney rail commuters are going to face a miserable bout of industrial action that will see some train services cancelled and others running well behind their normal time schedules. The militant Rail Tram and Bus Union ( RTBU} is demanding a six percent pay increase for each of the next four years and this collides with the 2.5% cap imposed on public sector wages by the government.
Last year rail passenger patronage increased by eleven percent and the government increased train movements to meet that demand. Additional train services brought the ageing system close to its capacity and seriously reduced the ability to cope with break downs or accidents. The whole thing broke apart when one of Sydney's electrical storms delivered lightning strikes and at the same time seventy drivers called in sick.
That is where this new schedule of increased train numbers has a fatal weakness. We have about four hundred train drivers and overtime is essential to make the system work. More drivers are being trained, but it takes time to get them to the required standard and safety issues mean that this can not be rushed.
This has delivered a huge advantage to the RTBU. A vote at a meeting of drivers approved industrial action in support of that pay increase, but the union is legally required to give advance notice of disruptive tactics. The stage seems set for a cat-and-mouse game with the unfortunate rail commuters stuck in the middle.
The entry level wage for a train driver starts at $ 75,000 a year, but most experienced drivers earn well in excess of $ 100,000. It can be argued that they share a responsibility similar to an airline pilot. A large number of passengers rely on their skill to arrive safely at their destination and this requires them to correctly evaluate the signals and traffic they encounter on the journey.
To most rail passengers that demand for a six percent raise each year for the next four years contrasts with the wage stagnation they face in their own lives. In particular, retail workers are barely achieving increases that match inflation and many are actually going backwards. Rail is an essential service and this demand seems sheer greed.
In the short term, some of those new services will be cancelled to reintroduce a little " elbow room " into the system but refusal of both scheduled and gap filling overtime will play havoc with schedules. All this is to start the day before Australia day - and if we get the usual Sydney summer afternoon lightning storms chaos seems inevitable.
Realists know that the drivers will not achieve that six percent increase. When the horse trading ends their wages will increase somewhere above the government 2.5% cap, but well short of the six percent demand. The union is simply taking advantage of a situation that enhances their bargaining power to extort an increase they can not achieve by any other means.
Sadly, a lot of unfortunate commuters are going to be late for work and many will face a long, tiring day before they make it home to their families, and if it becomes protracted the government will probably have to offer some sort of Opal fare concession to ease the pain.
The union will justify this chaos on the grounds that they are looking after the interests of their members and need this action to achieve the pay rewards to which they are entitled. In reality - it is because a situation has arisen - where they can !
Last year rail passenger patronage increased by eleven percent and the government increased train movements to meet that demand. Additional train services brought the ageing system close to its capacity and seriously reduced the ability to cope with break downs or accidents. The whole thing broke apart when one of Sydney's electrical storms delivered lightning strikes and at the same time seventy drivers called in sick.
That is where this new schedule of increased train numbers has a fatal weakness. We have about four hundred train drivers and overtime is essential to make the system work. More drivers are being trained, but it takes time to get them to the required standard and safety issues mean that this can not be rushed.
This has delivered a huge advantage to the RTBU. A vote at a meeting of drivers approved industrial action in support of that pay increase, but the union is legally required to give advance notice of disruptive tactics. The stage seems set for a cat-and-mouse game with the unfortunate rail commuters stuck in the middle.
The entry level wage for a train driver starts at $ 75,000 a year, but most experienced drivers earn well in excess of $ 100,000. It can be argued that they share a responsibility similar to an airline pilot. A large number of passengers rely on their skill to arrive safely at their destination and this requires them to correctly evaluate the signals and traffic they encounter on the journey.
To most rail passengers that demand for a six percent raise each year for the next four years contrasts with the wage stagnation they face in their own lives. In particular, retail workers are barely achieving increases that match inflation and many are actually going backwards. Rail is an essential service and this demand seems sheer greed.
In the short term, some of those new services will be cancelled to reintroduce a little " elbow room " into the system but refusal of both scheduled and gap filling overtime will play havoc with schedules. All this is to start the day before Australia day - and if we get the usual Sydney summer afternoon lightning storms chaos seems inevitable.
Realists know that the drivers will not achieve that six percent increase. When the horse trading ends their wages will increase somewhere above the government 2.5% cap, but well short of the six percent demand. The union is simply taking advantage of a situation that enhances their bargaining power to extort an increase they can not achieve by any other means.
Sadly, a lot of unfortunate commuters are going to be late for work and many will face a long, tiring day before they make it home to their families, and if it becomes protracted the government will probably have to offer some sort of Opal fare concession to ease the pain.
The union will justify this chaos on the grounds that they are looking after the interests of their members and need this action to achieve the pay rewards to which they are entitled. In reality - it is because a situation has arisen - where they can !
Tuesday, 16 January 2018
When the damage is Done !
There is probably nothing more threatening to the human race than a catastrophe that devastates the world food supply. Whenever there are food shortages caused by weather conditions the result is spread unevenly. The rich countries wail because the price rises, but the poor countries simply go hungry because ability to pay becomes the deciding factor.
World agriculture is dependent on bees. These busy little honey makers go from plant to plant in their quest for nectar and perform the important function of transforming the interchange of male to female genetics. Like us humans, the flowers on trees and other plants are either male or female and they need to get together to produce offspring.
The bees perform this service unknowingly. In their search for nectar,male pollen collects on their feet and is transferred when they visit a female flower. Because bees are the most consistent insect with a need for nectar their service is essential to create bountiful crops - year after year.
In recent times there has been a problem. Hives of bees have been mysteriously dieing. Bee farming is now closely integrated with agriculture. The bee industry moves hives according to a pattern to ensure that the bees are active and ready to pollinate each blossom season and the type of flower being serviced gives both taste and characteristic to the honey they produce.
This death spiral in hives is becoming a serious problem and in some areas there are simply not enough surviving bees to ensure that adequate servicing will occur. So far, the precise reason why hives are suffering this fate is unknown, but the use of insecticide is thought to play a major part.
Here in Australia Bunnings have just removed a pesticide from sale because of fear that it may be the cause of hive death. This product is known as a " neonicotinoid " and works very differently to other pest control measures. It is absorbed by the plant rather than coating its surface and is not washed off by rain. The plant itself becomes the source of the poison and most likely the feet of the bees become contaminated when they touch the surface in their search for pollen. In this way, the insecticide is carried back to the hive.
This should be ringing alarm bells at the highest pinnacle of world government. The firms that produce insecticides employ gifted scientists in their laboratories and have extensive research budgets. Their task is to develop products that will make wealth for their employer and this may not be adequately researched to discover other unintended consequences. It is important that such peer review be undertaken before such new products are approved for market release.
If this neonicotinoid managed to make it to market without its ability to kill bees being discovered it reveals a gaping gap in our safety regimen. The companies that supply agricultural needs are world companies and a promising product will be quickly marketed internationally. There is the potential for a massive catastrophe if safeguards are not in place.
Just how close we came to killing off the entire bee population is unknown, and what genetic effects may still be laying dormant in hives is also unknown. When it comes to the world food supply, that is something we leave to chance - at our peril.
World agriculture is dependent on bees. These busy little honey makers go from plant to plant in their quest for nectar and perform the important function of transforming the interchange of male to female genetics. Like us humans, the flowers on trees and other plants are either male or female and they need to get together to produce offspring.
The bees perform this service unknowingly. In their search for nectar,male pollen collects on their feet and is transferred when they visit a female flower. Because bees are the most consistent insect with a need for nectar their service is essential to create bountiful crops - year after year.
In recent times there has been a problem. Hives of bees have been mysteriously dieing. Bee farming is now closely integrated with agriculture. The bee industry moves hives according to a pattern to ensure that the bees are active and ready to pollinate each blossom season and the type of flower being serviced gives both taste and characteristic to the honey they produce.
This death spiral in hives is becoming a serious problem and in some areas there are simply not enough surviving bees to ensure that adequate servicing will occur. So far, the precise reason why hives are suffering this fate is unknown, but the use of insecticide is thought to play a major part.
Here in Australia Bunnings have just removed a pesticide from sale because of fear that it may be the cause of hive death. This product is known as a " neonicotinoid " and works very differently to other pest control measures. It is absorbed by the plant rather than coating its surface and is not washed off by rain. The plant itself becomes the source of the poison and most likely the feet of the bees become contaminated when they touch the surface in their search for pollen. In this way, the insecticide is carried back to the hive.
This should be ringing alarm bells at the highest pinnacle of world government. The firms that produce insecticides employ gifted scientists in their laboratories and have extensive research budgets. Their task is to develop products that will make wealth for their employer and this may not be adequately researched to discover other unintended consequences. It is important that such peer review be undertaken before such new products are approved for market release.
If this neonicotinoid managed to make it to market without its ability to kill bees being discovered it reveals a gaping gap in our safety regimen. The companies that supply agricultural needs are world companies and a promising product will be quickly marketed internationally. There is the potential for a massive catastrophe if safeguards are not in place.
Just how close we came to killing off the entire bee population is unknown, and what genetic effects may still be laying dormant in hives is also unknown. When it comes to the world food supply, that is something we leave to chance - at our peril.
Monday, 15 January 2018
The " Food " Conundrum !
When we order Crayfish in a restaurant - or Lobster as other nationalities call them - the cooking and preparation of the meal is mercifully performed out of sight in the kitchen, but the traditional way involves dropping this live creature into a vat of boiling water.
That is coming to an end in Switzerland. The government has decreed that this practice is barbaric and it is now outlawed, but the law is vague about what alternative should be used, and this has created a new controversy. A commercial device has been invented that zaps the lobster with electricity and some chefs are simply making a brain incision with a sharp knife do the job. The unsolved question is whether Lobsters have the ability to feel pain.
Scientific opinion is divided. Lobsters lack the brain geography that handles pain in the human brain but when under attack they are capable of sacrificing a claw to gain an escape. They continue to twitch when their arms have been ripped off, but it is unclear whether this is because of unpleasant sensations or a programmed reflex.
We are fast heading into a more merciful attitude to the death of those animals that form the human food chain, but a visit to any abattoir is enough to turn most stomachs. Death - as part of the way animals make their way to the butcher shops and supermarkets - is neither fast or pleasant.
We only need to observe pens of sheep or cattle waiting their turn to be herded onto the killing floor to see the distress. What they see and what they can smell brings an awareness of what is to come. Hunters claim this is why hunted animals have more tender meat. They have no idea a bullet is heading their way and their bodies are not tensed with fear. That sounds a very reasonable contention.
There is widespread revulsion of the use of battery hens in egg production and this production method is being fazed out, but the conditions that apply to " free range " are usually a lot less than customers imagine. We have images of chooks wandering grassy paddocks but this is not commercially rewarding. Usually, the only thing missing is the wire cages and the poultry are herded together in great numbers - and expected to lay an egg a day - or be sentenced to become chicken meat in a fast food restaurant.
It has been proven that land use to raise animals for human consumption is less efficient than pure agriculture and with our growing numbers that will have to change. Science is well on the way to " growing " a substance that has all the properties of " meat " and this is fast evolving into commercial practice. The boffins are cleverly getting the texture and delivery of mineral content right - but still have a way to go to replicate that elusive element we call " taste ".
Perhaps the day is fast coming when we will all be vegetarian - not by choice - but simply because that is the what is offered at the food stores and it is a mysterious combination of commercial laboratories blending together all the nutriments our bodies need with the protein derived from the insect world, supplemented by the bulk of vegetable matter the world's farms struggle to grow to sustain the world population.
Perhaps that is the day when a cow or sheep are a rareity to be viwed on an excursion to a model " farm " that reminds people how we lived back in the dark ages. Perhaps by then the " blandness " of what we eat will have become an acquired taste !
That is coming to an end in Switzerland. The government has decreed that this practice is barbaric and it is now outlawed, but the law is vague about what alternative should be used, and this has created a new controversy. A commercial device has been invented that zaps the lobster with electricity and some chefs are simply making a brain incision with a sharp knife do the job. The unsolved question is whether Lobsters have the ability to feel pain.
Scientific opinion is divided. Lobsters lack the brain geography that handles pain in the human brain but when under attack they are capable of sacrificing a claw to gain an escape. They continue to twitch when their arms have been ripped off, but it is unclear whether this is because of unpleasant sensations or a programmed reflex.
We are fast heading into a more merciful attitude to the death of those animals that form the human food chain, but a visit to any abattoir is enough to turn most stomachs. Death - as part of the way animals make their way to the butcher shops and supermarkets - is neither fast or pleasant.
We only need to observe pens of sheep or cattle waiting their turn to be herded onto the killing floor to see the distress. What they see and what they can smell brings an awareness of what is to come. Hunters claim this is why hunted animals have more tender meat. They have no idea a bullet is heading their way and their bodies are not tensed with fear. That sounds a very reasonable contention.
There is widespread revulsion of the use of battery hens in egg production and this production method is being fazed out, but the conditions that apply to " free range " are usually a lot less than customers imagine. We have images of chooks wandering grassy paddocks but this is not commercially rewarding. Usually, the only thing missing is the wire cages and the poultry are herded together in great numbers - and expected to lay an egg a day - or be sentenced to become chicken meat in a fast food restaurant.
It has been proven that land use to raise animals for human consumption is less efficient than pure agriculture and with our growing numbers that will have to change. Science is well on the way to " growing " a substance that has all the properties of " meat " and this is fast evolving into commercial practice. The boffins are cleverly getting the texture and delivery of mineral content right - but still have a way to go to replicate that elusive element we call " taste ".
Perhaps the day is fast coming when we will all be vegetarian - not by choice - but simply because that is the what is offered at the food stores and it is a mysterious combination of commercial laboratories blending together all the nutriments our bodies need with the protein derived from the insect world, supplemented by the bulk of vegetable matter the world's farms struggle to grow to sustain the world population.
Perhaps that is the day when a cow or sheep are a rareity to be viwed on an excursion to a model " farm " that reminds people how we lived back in the dark ages. Perhaps by then the " blandness " of what we eat will have become an acquired taste !
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