MY 70TH BIRTHDAY YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS

MY 70TH BIRTHDAY YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS

I’m about to begin my 70th birthday year of celebration. Yes, that’s right, ‘year’. I decided I didn’t want another drinks or dinner party. I decided I wanted a whole year to celebrate…if that’s the right word for turning 70. Here’s why.Read More »

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LORD HOWE ISLAND: THE FUTURE OF TOURISM?

Imagine a holiday to a destination with:

– a pleasant sub-tropical climate
– spectacular landscapes
– great walks
– great marine life, world-class coral and unique bird life
– a World Heritage Area
– no rubbish, with world class waste management systems
– very few other tourists (400 maximum by law)
– very few residents
– very few shops
– no advertising boards
– no internet, mobile phone coverage or TV
– very few cars, a 25kph speed limit, no seat belts
– cycling and walking predominate
– warm and friendly people
– no locks on homes and where possessions (bikes, kayaks, boats) can be left in public places
– no unemployment
– a functioning, transparent council
– 2 hrs from Sydney and Brisbane

Too good to be true? That’s Lord Howe Island!Read More »

Australian Election Final Result: Fairness & Equity 0 Privilege & Entitlement 1. Away Win

Against all the opinion polls for three years, the chaotic federal government was re-elected.  The ‘climate election’ was won by a party with no climate policy, one favouring coal mining.  People voted for promised, far-off personal tax cuts, for no income redistribution via reductions in negative gearing and franking credits and against higher wages for the least well off.  People voted for the short-term, for themselves.  The ‘climate emergency’ apparently doesn’t matter.

How sad.  What type of country do we have here?  What will our grandchildren say when they look back on this decision and see what we have condemned them to, when we had a chance to do the right thing?

THE CLIMATE ELECTION??? WHERE’S THE EVIDENCE WE REALLY CARE?

If we are to believe the experts, we have only 12 years to turn around the carbon emissions of the planet. So, this month’s Australian national election has been dubbed the ‘climate election’. Yet, the Government has no climate policy at all and the Opposition is only planning to reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030. Meanwhile the Greens, which do propose to reduce emissions to net zero by 2040, are only attracting 9% in opinion polls.

What’s wrong with this country? And is it the parties, the media or the people who are at fault?Read More »

HOW TO FIX AFL SCORING: SUPPORT THE ATTACKING PLAYER!

The AFL made a whole series of rule changes this year, designed to make it easier to score, since scoring is declining and defensiveness is winning matches. The results of the first 6 rounds show…scoring continues to decline!! It is the lowest it has been for many years.

After watching several tightly-contested, scrappy, hard-fought games, I’m convinced the answer is not more rule changes, but a return to earlier rule interpretations: support the attacking player!Read More »